The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 117

Author: Gaston, Joseph, 1833-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 1072

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LIEUTENANT WILLIAM PENN MAST, who passed away December 10, 1889, was for a number of years actively and successfully identified with general agricultural pursuits in Coos county. His birth occurred in North Carolina, on the 6th of June, 1834, his par- ents being Reuben and Nancy (Webb) Mast, both of whom were natives of Watauga coun- ty, that state. Their children were seven in number, namely: Wyley, Jennie, James, Caroline, Eliza, Elandor and William Penn. All have passed away.

William Penn Mast remained on the home plantation until a year after his marriage and then made his way to Texas, there cul- tivating rented land for a period of three years. On the expiration of that period he

returned to North Carolina and enlisted for service in the Confederate army under Gen- eral Bragg, holding tlie rank of first lieuten- ant. He was captured and taken to Camp Chase. After the cessation of hostilities be- tween the north and the south he purchased a farm and continued its operation until 1872, when he came to Douglas county, Ore- gon. There he operated a rented farm for one year and then came to Coos county, set- tling on a tract of one hundred and eighty- two acres for which he traded a wagon. Only a quarter of an acre of the land had been cleared and the only building thereon was a board shanty. One hundred and forty acres thereof are now cleared, and the prop- erty is one of the beautiful show places in Coos county. Mr. Mast and his wife did most of the work incident to the clearing and improvement of the farm and were later assisted by their sons. The sons have ex- tended the boundaries of the place until it now embraces about four hundred acres. They have been engaged in the logging business for the Johnston Lumber Company and have also cleared their own land. They raise wheat, oats and barley and have recently embarked in the dairy business on an ex- tensive scale. William P. Mast was long num- bered among the enterprising and prosperous agriculturists of Coos county, and in his passing the community lost one of its rep- resentative and esteemed citizens.

On the 5th of March, 1857, Mr. Mast was united in marriage to Miss Charlotte Helen Mast, a native of North Carolina and a daugh- ter of Leason and Sarah (Duger) Mast, the father a native of North Carolina and the mother of Tennessee. Mrs. William Penn Mast has one brother and one sister: Eli who is an agriculturist residing in Mckinley, Ore- gon; and Hester, who is the widow of Leason L. Harmon. To Mr. and Mrs. William P. Mast were born five children. Reuben H., whose natal year was 1859, is cashier of the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Coquille, Oregon. He is married and has three chil- dren, Leta, Reuben and James. William L. born December 21, 1864, is a diver in the employ of the government dredge department. James W., whose birth occurred on the 10th of October, 1866, is engaged in merchandis- ing at Bandon, Oregon, and also acts as mayor of that town. Webb, who was born February 11, 1868, operates the home place in association with his brother Hardy. On the 14th of June, 1908, he wedded Miss Bessie Dernberger, a native of West Virginia and a daughter of Benjamin and Martha (Boso) Dernberger. Mrs. Bessie Mast is one of five children, the others being as follows: Orra, who is the wife of M. R. Buffington, of West Virginia; and Conway, Gladys and Gordon, all of whom are residents of West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Webb Mast have one daughter, Helen Webb, born January 15, 1912. Hardy W. Mast, who was born on the 26th of Jan- uary, 1873, resides on the old homestead and operates the same in association with his brother Webb. He is married and has three children, William W., Lloyd C. and Myrtle H.

* * 24

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM P. MAST

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

William P. Mast gave his political alle- giance to the democratic party which organi- zation the family has ever supported. For one term he served as commissioner of Coos coun- ty. He also established the postoffice at Lee and his widow is still in charge thereof. Mrs. Mast has now resided in Coos county for about four decades and is well known and highly esteemed throughout the community.

ALBERT C. HILL, who is living retired in Dallas, was for many years successfully engaged in hop growing in Polk county. He is a native of Tennessee, having been born in Claiborne county in May, 1833, and is a son of John and Polly (Merrill) Hill, na- tives of the same county, where they spent their entire lives. Mr. and Mrs. Hill were the parents of twelve children, six sons and six daughters, all of whom are deceased with the exception of two sons and one daughter.

In the period of Albert C. Hill's boyhood the common schools of his native state of- fered only a limited education which consti- tuted all the advantages in that line his parents could give him. Reared in the coun- try he was early trained in agricultural pur- suits and after laying aside his text-books engaged in farming until the breaking out of the Civil war, when he enlisted in the Con- federate service with the Tenth Missouri Cavalry. When peace was restored he re- turned to his native state, where soon there- after he was married. Subsequent to this event, he and his wife located on a farm in the vicinity of Knoxville, Tennessee, in the cultivation of which he engaged for nearly twenty years. In the '80s Albert C. Hill and his family removed to Oregon, lo- cating six miles south of Dallas, where he purchased sixty-eight acres of land. The greater part of this tract he devoted to hop culture, in which he was very successful, his enterprise netting him gratifying financial returns. He still owns this ranch but has for several years been living retired in Dal- las, in the enjoyment of an income, sufficient to supply all of his needs.

For his wife Mr. Hill chose Miss Becky Haines, and they became the parents of three children: Mabel; Maggie; and John, who died at the age of five years. Mrs. Hill is also deceased, her death having occurred soon after she passed the sixtieth anniversary of her birth.

His political support Mr. Hill has always given to the men and measures of the demo- cratic party, but he has never actively par- ticipated in public affairs, preferring to give his entire attention to his private affairs.

DICK J. WILCOX is assistant cashier and one of the directors of the First National Bank of Lakeview and in addition to the creditable position which he occupies in financial circles he is well known as an exten- sive land owner, his holdings embracing two thousand acres. He was born in Nevada county, California, April 16, 1869, and is a son of N. and Mary (Talent) Wilcox, who were natives of England and were married in San Francisco in 1849. The father, eighty-five Vol. IV-32

years of age, resides in Lakeview, where the mother passed away in 1889. They came to the United States a short time prior to their marriage, the father being one of the early gold seekers of the Pacific coast, in which connection he both made and lost for- tunes. In 1878 he became a resident of Lakeview, Oregon, where he became owner of a ranch which he capably managed up to the time of his retirement, twenty years ago.

Dick J. Wilcox was the fifth in the order of birth in a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters, of whom all are yet living with the exception of one daugh- ter. He came to Oregon with his parents from California in 1878, when a lad of nine years, and has since resided in Lakeview. He was employed as clerk in a store for a number of years after starting out in the business world, and for eight years filled the position of postmaster during the admin- istrations of Presidents Mckinley and Roose- velt. Since his retirement from that office he has been connected with the First National Bank, serving as assistant cashier for six years, and eventually becoming one of its directors. He has thoroughly 'ac- quainted himself with the banking business in principle and detail and is proving a capable representative of this institution while at the same time he wisely controls his landed interests, comprising two thousand acres, six miles from Lakeview. Upon his place he has a shearing corral where shear- ing is done for the public. He is also the owner of four dwellings in Lakeview which he rents, his property interests bringing to him a gratifying income.

In 1899 Mr. Wilcox was married to Miss Amelia Schlagel, a native of Yreka, Califor- nia, and a daughter of M. Schlagel, deceased. The Wilcox home is a hospitable one, prov- ing a center of social interest in the town. In politics Mr. Wilcox is a republican, hav- ing for three years served as a member of the town council. He is always interested in everything pertaining to the welfare and progress of his community and his coopera- tion and aid are freely and generously given where he believes the best interests of his city may be served.

MRS. CARRIE B. BURNS, who is the wife of Charles E. Burns, of North Bend, is one of the well known and highly respect- ed women of the city, in which she re- sides. She was born in Missouri, September- 5, 1867, and is a daughter of J. W. and Evelyn (Hunter) Morrow, both of whom were natives of Missouri and of Scotch- Irish ancestry. The grandparents of Mrs. Burns were among the early settlers on the Atlantic seaboard and her great-grand- fathers were veterans of the Revolutionary war, one great-grandfather Rock, serving on the staff of General Washington. The father died in Missouri in 1903 and the mother is still living at the age of seventy- six years. They were the parents of six children, all of whom are living: Mrs. Car- rie B. Burns, the subject of this review; Mrs. Lulu Duffy, of Waverly, Missouri; Dora, the

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

widow of Milton Hager, of Chicago, Illinois; Mrs. Ella Baer, who is engaged in the mnil- linery business in Kansas City, Missouri; John R., a resident of Denver, Colorado; and May, the wife of James Harris, of Cill- cinnati, Ohio.

Mrs. Burns was reared at home and re- ceived her early education in the public schools of Missouri. She remained under the parental roof until the time of her first wedding, whichi occurred November 25, 1881, when she married W. J. Ellis of Montgom- ery City, Missouri, and to that union three children were born: W. H. Ellis, who is in the employ of the United States navy; Myr- tle I., who is the wife of R. A. Taylor of North Bend, Oregon; and Hallie M., still under the parental roof. All of the chil- dren have a good business education. Mrs. Burns was united in marriage, in 1904, to Charles E. Burns, who is a native of Mich- igan and a son of Milton and Charlotte Burns, both of whom are deceased.

Charles E. Burns was reared at home and received his early education in the public schools of Michigan after which he attended Michigan Agricultural College, at Lansing for one year. He was married on July 30, 1890, to Allie B. Gray, of Tecumseh, Mich- igan. By this union two children were born: Elon L. and Helen Dean. A separation in 1895 led to a divorce in 1900. For about ten years Mr. Burns lived in Detroit, Mich- igan, where he was employed by the United States and American Express companies and later by the Michigan Central Railway. He removed to Oregon in 1907 and has since been engaged in a box factory at North Bend, in which place Mrs. Burns for some time successfully conducted a barber shop. Mrs. Burns in joint partnership with her husband owns a number of valuable prop- erties at North Bend and they are also the owners of property at Point Richmond, Cali- fornia. Slie and her husband are affiliated with the democratic party but never seek political preferment. Mrs. Burns is a mem- ber of the Eastern Star, Coos Chapter, No. 99, and Mr. Burns has his fraternal rela- tions with the Masonic Lodge of Ypsilanti, Michigan.

ADAM J. HARTMAN. A man who has achieved an honorable destiny by courageous battling against adverse conditions, who has risen unaided through difficulties, first, to a respectable place in the world and, finally, to one of prominence and distinction, is Adam J. Hartman, whose careful manage- ment of the Orpheum Theater in Bandon, Oregon, forms only one of his varied and representative interests in that city. He is prominently connected with almost every legitimate line of activity and is numbered among the forces in the country's advance- ment. Mr. Hartman was born in Germany, September 29, 1856, and is a son of John

and Isabella (Rodriguez) Hartman. His father was born in Germany and his mother in Spain. She was a daughter of the sec- retary of the Spanish legation in Germany. To their union were born three children:

Adam J., the subject of this sketch; Wil- liam, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Frank, also a resident of Philadelphia.

When Adam Hartman was twelve years of age his father died and our subject left his native country alone to come to America. He remained in New York until his money was gone with the exception of eight cents. but he was ambitious and energetic, and his strong will was unconquered even by these desperate straits. He set out to seek his fortune, tramping to Philadelphia where, after a hard and long journey he arrived with no assets beyond his characteristics of hope and industry. He received employment in a confectionery shop and worked for a dollar and a half a week and his board. He subsequently went to San Francisco, Cali- fornia, where he worked at anything he could find to do for a year and a half. He then obtained a position in the employ of the government and during the next twenty years traveled at various times in its inter- ests over almost all the countries of the world. During this time he was placed in charge of the government lighthouse at Fort Canby, Washington, where he remained for four years and a half, and then was trans- ferred to the Umpqua River territory and after one year was put in charge of the lighthouse on the Coquille river. Here he remained for seven years and a half and was considered among the most valuable and useful of the government employes in this section. At the end of twenty years' faithful service he left the employ of the government and engaged in the general mer- chandise business in Bandon, Oregon. He was successful and had soon acquired a com- fortable fortune, which he invested judi- ciously. He erected the first concrete build- ing in Bandon, and this was for a long time the only substantial structure in the city. By careful business management and by con- servative buying and selling Mr. Hartman soon owned one of the prosperous mercantile enterprises in Coos county. He disposed of his establishment in 1909 and built an at- tractive residence in the city, with the in- tention of retiring. At this time he took a long trip to various parts of the world. renewing acquaintances with foreign condi- tions. Upon his return to Bandon his en- ergy and activity would not permit his re- tirement from all identification with business life and he built a large box factory, which he operated with much success. Eventually, however, he leased the building and built the Orpheum Theater, and after a short period took charge of the enterprise him- self. He is now sole owner and manager and has built up a creditable and prosper- ous establishment. Mr. Hartman is one of the worthy and prominent citizens of Ban- don, Oregon, and is a man who is interested in many different lines of activity. He owns the hospital building and has invested largely in residence and business property. His constructive intelligence and the care- ful administration of his investments have in- creased his prosperity every year. Besides his property in Oregon he owns large inter-

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ests of various kinds in Philadelphia, and these form an important part of his income.

In 1887 Mr. Hartman was united in mar- riage in New York city, to Miss Elizabetlı N. Wilkinson, a native of Manchester, Eng- land. She is one of four children born to her parents, of whom Ada is a principal in a public school in Bath, England, and two others also reside in that country. To Mr. and Mrs. Hartman have been born two chil- dren: Florence, whose birth occurred in Port- land, Oregon, and who is the wife of Edward Nieman, of San Francisco, by whom she has one child, Bub; and Walter, whose birtlı occurred in Fort Canby, Washington, and who is associated with his father in business in Bandon, Oregon.

Politically Mr. Hartman is a consistent republican but has never sought public of- fice. He is prominent in fraternal circles and holds membership in the Masons, of which organization he was senior dean for eight years; in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; the Improved Order of Red- men; the Modern Woodmen of America; and the Owls. He is a man of metropolitan experience. His judgment has been broad- . ened and deepened by contact with various sorts and conditions of men, and developed along diversified lines without impairing his force of personality or the power of his en- ergy, which are the essential qualities of his public spirit.

JOSEPH ALBERT JANELLE, one of the progressive business men of Douglas county and a member of the firm of Reed, Janelle & Company, general merchants at Gardi- ner, Oregon, was born in the province of Quebec, Canada, April 9, 1877, and is à son of Thomas and Athela (Bourgois) Janelle, the former a native of Quebec and the latter of New Orleans. Mrs. Janelle was left an orphan at an early age and came to Canada to make her home with relatives in that country. She was later married to Mr. Ja- nelle and her death occurred in Quebec in Oc- tober, 1910. Her husband is still living and resides on the farm which has been his home for over forty years.

Joseph A. Janelle was reared at home, acquiring his education in the public schools of Canada and receiving a thorough course in practical farming at an agricultural col- lege. He has been entirely dependent upon his own resources from an early date and is essentially a self-made man. His residence in Gardiner dates from 1898, in which year he came to this city in order to take charge of the creamery business conducted by A. W. Reed. One year later the death of A. W. Reed brought into the firm his nephew, W. P. Reed, and Mr. Janelle was retained as inanager. His success in this line of busi- ness was the direct result of intelligent act- ivity and scientific methods. Under his able management the business of the concern ex- panded from year to year and it is now one of the most important enterprises of its kind in Douglas county. Mr. Janelle interrupted his connection with the creamery business in order to enter the general mercantile es-

tablisliment of Mr. Reed, and in April, 1911, had achieved such conspicuous success in this line, that he was offered a partnership and the firm was incorporated under the name of Reed, Janelle & Company, under which title it still operates.

On October 20, 1904, Mr. Janelle was united in marriage to Miss Mary R. Reed, a daughter of J. W. Reed, of Gardiner, Ore- gon, and to this union has been born a daughter, Florette. In his political views Mr. Janelle is a consistent republican and votes the party ticket on national and local issues. He is a member of Marshfield Lodge, No. 1160, B. P. O. E., and of Gardiner Lodge, K. O. T. M. He is affiliated with the Roman Catholic church, while his wife gives her allegiance to the Episcopal church. Mr. Janelle is typically a self-made man, the builder of his own fortune and the molder of his own destiny.

GUS CARLSON is one of the many na- tives of Finland who left that country to seek their fortunes in America and are now prominent in the agricultural development of Coos county and the surrounding districts. Mr. Carlson lives on the boundary line be- tween Douglas and Coos county, his house being in the former section and his farm in the latter. He was born in Finland in 1842 and is a son of Charles and Annie Carl- son, who were also natives of that country. His father followed the occupation of farm- ing for many years and he and his wife were the parents of twelve children, all of whom are deceased with the exception of our subject and one brother, who resides in Finland.

Gus Carlson received his early education in the public schools of Finland and at the age of eighteen, shipped as a deck hand. He sailed on various vessels, putting out from Finland, for eighteen years, visiting many of the important ports of the world. He made a journey from Glasgow to New Orleans and was there paid off. He then . immediately shipped on another vessel bound for Cape Horn and sailed up the Pacific coast to San Francisco. He later came to Coos bay and worked in a sawmill there for three years. At the end of that time he moved to Ten Mile lake and settled on the north shore, taking up a homestead claim on the boundary line between Douglas and Coos counties. He now owns four hundred acres of land in this district and does a large- dairy business to which he gives his per- sonal attention and almost his entire time. He has equipped his dairy with modern and sanitary machinery and owns and milks a herd of forty fine cows. The output of his dairy is increasing yearly and its products sell readily. Mr. Carlson's house is in Doug- las county, five miles from Lakeside on North lake, but most of his land is in Coos county.

In 1885 Mr. Carlson was united in mar- riage to Miss Ada Miller, a native of Coos county, born in 1870, and to them seven children have been born: Henry, George, Her- man and Gus, all of Coos county; Lizzie,

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who is living in North Bend; Minnie, who resides with her parents and is attending school; and Jennie, who is also pursuing her studies and living at home. Gus Carlson gives his allegiance to the republican party and served as school director for two years. He is intelligently interested in local affairs but never seeks public office. He belongs to the Lutheran church and in this faith he has reared his children. He is an active and intelligent farmer and because of his thorough and effective methods is known throughout the countryside. His well cul- tivated land gives evidence of his ability as a farmer and his many friends are always ready to attest his qualities of citizenship.

JOHN RICKARD. There has occurred lit- tle of real importance to Oregon during the last six decades with which John Rickard is not familiar, for throughout this entire period he has been a resident of the state and has therefore been a witness of its changes, its progress and its upbuilding. He now makes his home in Corvallis and is one of the most substantial citizens of this part of the state. He was born in Herefordshire, England, December 31, 1830, his parents be- ing Richard and Rachael Rickard. The father passed away in England and in 1840 the fam- ily arrived in Brown county, Illinois where the mother also died. In their family were two sons and five daughters, of whom John, the eldest, and Mrs. Rose Nichols, of Eugene, Oregon, who is the youngest, are now liv- ing.

In 1852 John Rickard came to Oregon from Illinois in company with two neighbor boys, John McDonald and Charles Estis. The former was drowned in the Snake river while en route and the latter afterward went to California.

John Rickard made the trip across the plains with ox teams, he and his two com- panions each having a yoke of oxen and owning a wagon in partnership. He bought .land four miles south of Corvallis and since the fall of 1852 has resided in this county. Here he followed farming and stock-raising for many years but at length determined to retire, at which time he gave his wife and each of his sons a ranch, dividing more than three thousand acres among them. To his son Roy he gave one thousand acres four miles south of Corvallis and to his son Bay- ard two thousand acres near Paloma. The property owned by the family is considered one of the best farms in all Benton county. Mr. Rickard was the second largest property owner in the county, at one time having thirty-two hundred acres. He made farming and stock-raising his life work and met pros- perity as the years went by. When he re- tired to Corvallis he built his present home at No. 704 South Third street. He began farming in a small way and during the first winter spent in this state worked with a sur- veying party. In the summer of 1853 he and Joseph Lyford made brick at Corvallis, which was the first and only brick made here. He also took contracts for making rails and he freighted with ox teams to The Dalles, to

Portland, to eastern Oregon and to Wash- ington. He worked for a number of years at contract work along different lines and about 1861 or 1862 he purchased his ranch, after which he followed farming until his retire- ment in 1903. His agricultural interests were most carefully conducted and brought to him gratifying returns, so that he is now one of the substantial citizens of the county.

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 117

Author: Gaston, Joseph, 1833- Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke publishing company Number of Pages: 1072

Author: Gaston, Joseph, 1833-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 1072