The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 121

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

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HENRY C. McTIMMONDS, early settler in Polk county, honored veteran of the Civil war, and for over forty years a force in the agricultural development of this part of Oregon, was born in Missouri, October 26, 1842. He is a son of Lambert and Ann (Burns) McTimmonds, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Ireland. Their marriage occurred in Pennsylvania and they later moved to Illinois and then to Missouri, where they remained until 1845. In that year they crossed the plains with ox teams and settled in Polk county, Oregon, in the spring of 1846, among the very earliest Ore- gon pioneers. The father took up a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres, which he developed and improved until his death when he was eighty-one years of age. In their family were ten children, the two eldest of whom, twins, died in infancy. The others are: James, who has passed away; H. C., of this review; Thomas B., Francis M. and Alexander R., who have also passed away; Erastus, of Polk county; Joseph L., deceased; and Charles, who makes his home in southern Oregon.

Henry C. McTimmonds was only three years of age when he came with his parents to Polk county. His education, therefore, was received in the public schools of that section and when he laid aside his books he aided his father in the work of the farm. In 1864 he enlisted in the First Oregon Volunteer Infantry and served until the end of the war, obtaining his discharge June 30, 1866. After he was mustered out he returned to Oregon and began his agricultural career. For over forty-five years he has been active and prominent as a general farmer and his work has had its influence upon methods and standards. At the present time he owns twenty acres of land four miles from Lebanon, a, farm which is valued at three hundred dollars per acre and has a half interest in a quarter section in Lincoln county. He re- sides upon his first farm, specializing in raising fruits and vegetables. The labor which he bestows upon the place has made it a well improved and valuable property which Vol. IV-33

in its attractive appearance indicates his careful supervision.

In 1866 Mr. McTimmonds was united in marriage to Miss Louisa E. Smith, who was born in Polk county, a daughter of James and Elizabeth Smith. Her parents came to Oregon in 1846 and settled in Polk county, where they proved up a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres upon which they resided until their deaths. They had a large family of children, six of whom are still liv- ing: J. D., of Dallas; B. F., who resides in Polk county; George W., a resident of Marion county; F. M., who makes his home in Dallas; Rachel H., also of Polk county; and Louisa, the wife of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. McTimmonds have five children: Francis T., who is married and resides near his father's farm; James T., of Springfield, Lane county; Ethel, the wife of F. W. Kau, of Polk county; Ralph, who is married and resides at home; and Homer, also at home.

Mr. McTimmonds gives his allegiance to the republican party and has served ably and efficiently as assessor of Polk county. He has held membership in the Grange for many years. He is well known in this sec- tion of Oregon, having been a resident here for a number of years during which time his genuine worth, his active life and his high principles have commended him to the good- will, trust and respect of all with whom he associates.

GEORGE W. WOOLLEY. One of the larg- est and up-to-date grocery stores in Drain, Oregon, is owned by George W. Woolley, a representative business man of that city. His enterprise is conducted along modern and pro- gressive lines and the effect of the cleanli- ness and arrangement of his stock is felt in the amount of business handled. Mr. Wool- ley has been identified with this activity in Drain since 1908 and during the past four years has built up a flourishing and lucra- tive business. He was born in Los Angeles county, California, October 16, 1876, and is a son of George C. and Nancy (Harer) Woolley, the former a native of Missouri and the latter of Arkansas. Our subject's par- ents were married in California, to which state they had removed with their parents in the early days of the California gold excite- ment. They remained residents of the Golden state until 1884, when they came north to Oregon and after a short period of resi- dence in Oakland they came to Drain, where they have since resided.

George W. Woolley received his early edu- cation in the common schools of California and Oregon and remained at home until he was twenty years of age. He began his active business career as a stock-raiser. He bought a ranch on the Smith river in Doug- las county and operated this until 1908. During this period he engaged extensively in the breeding of high-grade cattle and was one of the prominent stock-raisers of the district. In 1908 he came to Drain and es- tablished himself in his present grocery busi- ness. He is one of the progressive young business men of this city. His stock is kept

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up to the highest standard of cleanliness and purity and his store is attractive in every way. It is well arranged and has the aspect of a metropolitan enterprise.

In 1904 Mr. Woolley was united in marriage to Miss Dolly Haney, a daughter of Ross Haney, a prominent ranchman on the Smith river, and to their union has been born one child, Vera Viola. George W. Woolley is a republican, active in the local party organization. He is candidate for sheriff on the prohibition ticket and has many loyal supporters in Drain. He is a member of Drain Lodge, No. 770, M. B. A. He and his wife are members and regular attendants of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Woolley is among the most estimable and promising of the younger generation of business men in Drain. He is interested in the growth of his enterprise and active in promoting commercial progress in his city. His energy, ambition and clean business methods cause him to be regarded as one of the representative and enterprising citizens of Douglas county.

PETER N. REBERG is one of the well known business men of North Bend, at which place he organized the North Bend Hardware Company, a corporation of which he is sec- retary. He was born in Minnesota in 1869, and is a son of Nels and Kren (Johnson) Re- berg, both of whom were natives of Nor- way, who emigrated to America in 1867. They settled in Minnesota, where the father has since been engaged in farming. The mother died in 1910. They were the parents of ten children, seven of whom are living: Cristine, who is the widow of Halvor Oleson, of Minnesota; Ingebright, who is a resident of Minnesota; John, of Memphis, Tennessee; Nora, who is the wife of James Brink of Min- nesota; Augusta, of California; Helen, who resides with her parents in Minnesota, where she is engaged in the general merchandising business; and Peter N., of this review.

Peter N. Reberg was reared in his parents' home and received his early education in the public schools. He remained under the parental roof and was engaged at work with his father on the latter's farm until he was twenty-two years of age, at which time he started in life for himself, following various occupations in Minnesota for a period of two years. He then found employment with the Street Railway Company of Duluth, Min- nesota, and continued in the employ of that corporation for six and one-half years. He next became an employe of the Marshall-Wells Hardware Company in Duluth for four years and was with the firm in an executive capacity for one year. He engaged in the hardware business in North Dakota in 1902, after which time he sold out and returned to Minnesota and again entered the employ of the Marshall-Wells Hardware Company with whom he continued for one and one-half years. In July, 1905, in the interest of that company, he came to Oregon and continued in their employ- ment until March of that year. He then settled at North Bend, where he organized

the North Bend Hardware Company, of which he is the secretary and to the inter- ests of that corporation he has since contin- ued to give his attention.

Mr. Keberg was united in marriage July 11, 1895, to Miss Catherine McCallum, a native of Canada. Her parents were natives of Scotland. Mr. Reberg is independent in his political views and is in no sense an office seeker. He is a member of the Ma- sonic order and of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, and he and his wife are mem- bers of the Protestant church of North Bend. Peter N. Reberg is one of the enterprising and successful men of his adopted city and is always to be relied upon to give his aid and influence to the advancement of every worthy cause intended to improve the condition of the people.

HARVEY C. ROSE. For over a quarter of a century Harvey C. Rose has been iden- tified with agricultural interests of Linn county where he owns three hundred and thirty acres of improved land. His farm is one of the finest in the section and he has demonstrated his ability as an agri- culturist and business man in his able con- duct of the enterprise. He was born in Mis- souri, September 24, 1854, and is a son of Andrew J. and Elma (Rubel) Rose, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Vir- ginia. The parents of our subject came to Oregon in 1856 and spent two years in Polk county before they came to Linn county where the father purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land four miles above Lebanon which he developed and improved until the time of his death which occurred in 1893 when he was seventy-three years of age. His widow resides at Newberg, and is eighty-six years of age.

Harvey C. Rose was only two years of age when with his parents he crossed the plains with ox teams to Oregon by way of Cali- fornia. He was educated in the public schools of Linn county and remained at home until he was twenty-four years old, work- ing for a part of the time as a farm laborer. When he was twenty-five he made his first purchase of land, buying a valuable property which he later sold in order to gain posses- sion of the three hundred and thirty acres which he now owns and operates. This en- tire tract is improved and developed and sev- enty acres are under cultivation. Substan- tial improvements have been made upon this land, necessary buildings have been erected and labor saving machinery installed so that Mr. Rose's farm is in all its aspects a valua- ble and modern agricultural enterprise.

In 1884 Mr. Rose was united in marriage to Miss Jennie K. Gibson, of Butler county, Pennsylvania, in which section her parents passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Rose have be- come the parents of five children: Elma, who died at the age of ten years; Linn W., who was born in 1889, and who is living at home; Luella, who was born in 1891, and is also with her parents; Clarence, who was born in 1894; and Velma, born in 1897. All re- ceived an

excellent education Linn

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

county. The family are members of the Presbyterian church.

Harvey C. Rose is a democrat and is in- terested in movements which tend to pro- mote general welfare and advancement, al- though his public spirit never takes the form of office seeking. He is a member of the Spring Bank Grange, No. 409, Patrons of Husbandry. During the entire period of his active life he has been engaged in gen- eral farming and has become through his long experience and his knowledge of local conditions, one of the most successful and prosperous agriculturists of the section and one of the most potent forces in its de- velopment.

GEORGE D. MANDIGO is numbered among the enterprising and successful business men of North Bend, where he is engaged in the grocery business as one of the stockholders in the Coos Bay Grocery Company, of which corporation he is secretary. He was born in Florence, Michigan, and is the son of David and Margaret (Cole) Mandigo, both of whom are natives of Michigan. The father in early life was engaged in the drug business and after leaving Florence, Michigan, he moved to New Mexico, where he was engaged in general merchandising for two years and then moved to Park Rapids, Minnesota, where he established himself in the general merchandising business, in which he con- tinued for ten years, and in 1893 he sold out. Mr. and Mrs. David Mandigo were the parents of two children: George D., the sub- ject of this review; and Eva, who died at the age of six years.

George D. Mandigo was reared at home and received his early education in the public schools. At the age of twenty-one years he started in business for himself, in company with his father, with whom he continued un- til 1893, at which time they disposed of their merchandising business in Minnesota. Immediately thereafter George D. Mandigo built the city electric plant in Park Rapids, Michigan, which he operated for a period of six years. He then sold out and came to Oregon, settling first on Coos bay: He was engaged in mining on the Sixes river for one year and then effected his permanent settlement at North Bend, in 1906, where he purchased a grocery business, which he operated for two years and then sold out. The two following years he spent in invest- ing in timber land and real estate and in April, 1911, he purchased an interest in the Coos Bay Grocery Company, of which he was elected secretary, and to the inter- ests of that business he has since continued to give his attention. The Coos Bay Grocery Company was incorporated in 1906 with a capital stock of ten thousand dollars and, since it opened its doors for business, the company has enjoyed a very gratifying trade and is one of the well known and sub- stantial business houses of North Bend.

Mr. Mandigo was united in marriage Feb- ruary 16, 1882, to Miss Mary Heisel, a native of Michigan. Her parents were natives of Germany and to them six children were born:

Mary, the wife of the subject of this review; Agnes, who is the wife of Charles Harvey of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Kate, the widow of C. H. Chapman of Denver, Colo- rado; Wilhelmina, the deceased wife of Fred A. Kribs of Portland, Oregon; Frank, of Minnesota; and Dora, the wife of Harry Ar- nold.

To Mr. and Mrs. Mandigo two children have been born. Eva A. is the wife of A. B. Dutch, a dentist of Constantine, Michigan, and they are the parents of three children, Dorothy, Mary and George. Gertrude A. re- sides with her parents at North Bend, Ore- gon. Both daughters were educated in mu- sic while residing in Minnesota.

Mr. Mandigo gives his political allegiance to the democratic party and was mayor of Park Rapids, Minnesota, for two terms and has been a member of the city council of North Bend for two terms. He also filled the unexpired term of Mayor L. J. Simpson in 1909, at which time Mr. Mandigo was presi- dent of the council. He is a member of the Masonic order and is a thirty-second degree Mason, a Shriner and a member of the East- ern Star. He is also a member of the Mod- ern Woodmen of America. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. George D. Mandigo is one of the well known business men of Coos county and is num- bered among its most reliable, successful and desirable citizens.

LOUIS EDWARD WARNER began his ac- tive career at the age of only fifteen years when he heard the insistent call of the spirit of adventure and left home to seek his fortune. He is one of the prosperous and substantial farmers of the Yoncalla valley and one of the enterprising and rep- resentative men of this district. He was born in Syracuse, New York, August 11, 1858, and is a son of John H. and Catherine (Rusher) Warner, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Alsace, France. John H. Warner came to the United States when he was twenty-two years of age and was a prominent railroad man on the New York Central line for fifty-one years. His wife made the journey to America with her parents when she was still a child and their marriage occurred in Onondaga county, New York, where they lived and died.

When only fifteen years of age Louis Warner left home and went westward to Michigan. From Michigan he removed to Illinois and in the fall of 1876 went to Cali- fornia remaining in the San Jose region until 1881. During the period of his residence in California Mr. Warner followed the railroad business and was thus active for six years. He took up the same work when he came to Oregon in the fall of 1881. He made his headquarters in Goshen and Albany and re- mained at railroading until 1888. In the fall of that year he removed to a farm in the Yoncalla valley, Douglas county, Oregon, where he has since been engaged in the cul- tivation of the soil. His farm comprises one hundred and sixty acres and is bottom land. It lies three and one-half miles south-

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east of Yoncalla and is one of the most valu- able and fertile farms in the valley. Mr. Warner is also the proprietor of one hundred and thirty acres of farm land two miles south of his home farmn and is actively en- gaged in the cultivation of both properties. He is one of the many intelligent and broad- minded men who are doing so much to raise the standard of scientific agriculture in the state of Oregon.

In 1883, Mr. Warner was united in mar- riage, in Yoncalla, Oregon, to Miss L. Ellen Smith, a daughter of Robert Smith, one of the pioneers of 1843, who came across the plains with the famous Applegate Company. To Mr. and Mrs. Warner have been born four children, two of whom are living: Hugh Edward, who lives with his parents on the home farm; and Louis Ernest, at home.

Louis Edward Warner is a consistent re- publican but has never been an office seeker. Fraternally he holds membership in Alpha Lodge, No. 170, I. O. O. F., and in Yoncalla Camp, No. 284, W. O. W. He is one of the foremost men in his section of the county and his prosperity is the result of his own efforts. The boy who forty years ago went out into the world to gain his fortune, has found what he went to seek. His path did not lead along a royal road and his success is the outcome of indefatigable industry and of conscientious living.

HENRY W. WILKINS. Farming and dairy interests, in Coos county, are well rep- resented by Henry W. Wilkins, who is the proprietor of seven hundred and twenty acres of land in that district, and is operat- ing his property along intelligent and pro- gressive lines. He was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1865, and is a son of William and Maggie (Dode) Wilkins, both of whom are natives of the province of Hanover. Mr. Wilkins, of this review, is one of five chil- dren born to his parents, the others being: Henry, who has five children, and resides in Germany; Helena, who is living in Hanover; and Theodore and John, both of whom are deceased.

Henry W. Wilkins received his early edu- cation in the public schools of his native country, but laid aside his text-books at the age of eleven years. His father had been a shipbuilder in Hanover and upon his death, in 1869, his son was left alone. Our subject attended school until he was eleven years old and then went to work upon his uncle's farm where he remained for three years. He followed the sea from 1879 to 1890. He first shipped as a cabin boy, in which capacity he served for one year before he was made or- dinary seaman. He gained his second ad- vancement at the age of seventeen, when he sailed as able seaman from Boston and re- mained in that capacity for some time. He then enlisted in the German navy and served for three years. At the expiration of that period he came to America and settled in Philadelphia, sailing from that city to Cuba and Pensacola, Florida, on the ship which brought the first load of molasses from Cuba to Philadelphia. He sailed the Great Lakes

for about five years and in 1890 came to Coos bay and was active in the life-saving station for a year and a half before he bought one hundred and sixty acres of fine timber land, to which he soon added another tract of one hundred and sixty acres. He took up a homestead claim of a similar size and later bought eighty acres of timber land which he added to his holdings. He still has this land and is also the proprietor of a large timber tract adjoining it, owning in all seven hundred and twenty acres. He has a small portion of his land under culti- vation in potatoes and other garden truck and makes a specialty of the raising of a fine grade of hay. His farm is one of the most extensive in Coos county and owes its development entirely to the efforts of Henry Wilkins. It was a wilderness when he purchased it, and he has made all the necessary improvements and has erected many buildings. His methods are scientific and intelligent and have resulted in making his farm one of the model properties of the district. He has a large dairy and gives personal attention to this branch of his business. He milks fifty cows and spends much time in taking care of his stock in an intelligent and efficient way. He is the most successful dairyman on Ten Mile lake and is known throughout the county as a man who has done a great deal for the agricul- tural interests of his district.

Henry W. Wilkins is a stanch republican and although greatly interested in local af- fairs takes very little active part in politics and has never sought public office. He has, however, been actively interested in educa- tion and has served as director of the school board for twelve years. He is a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and active in the affairs of the Red Men. His early life upon the sea gave him energy, industry and integrity, and these qualities have been val- uable assets to him in his agricultural career. He has been a dominating influence in the development of Coos county for many years, and through the medium of his fine farm, cultivated along scientific lines, has done much to raise the standard of agriculture in his district.

ERNEST J. WITTICK, deceased, will be remembered as one of the valued and highly esteemed citizens of North Bend, where for many years he was successfully engaged in business. He was born in Finland and was one of six children born to his parents: Otto, Harriman, Amiel, Selma and Manda, all of whom reside in Finland; and Ernest J., of this review.

Ernest J. Wittick was reared at home and received his early education in the ex- cellent public schools of his native land. At the age of nineteen years he emigrated to America and settled at once at Coos bay, where he engaged in logging for some time and later attended school in Marshfield for one year. He then established himself in business at North Bend, in which he con- tinued until the time of his death which oc- curred August 22, 1908. He was the owner

H. W. WILKINS

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

of fine business property at North Bend and also his home in that city and two valuable vacant properties and also owned lots in Bangor, Oregon.

Mr. Wittick was united in marriage in May, 1895, to Miss Bertha Findstrom, a native of Finland, who emigrated alone to America in her young womanhood. Her parents were natives of Finland and in that country died many years ago. Their family consisted of five children: Matthew, John, Annalise, and Sophia, all of whom reside in Finland; and Bertha, the widow of the sub- ject of this review. To Mr. and Mrs. Wittick three children were born: Ernest Rudolph, born May 15, 1896, who is attending high school at North Bend, Oregon; John Andrew E., who was born July 6, 1902, and is a pupil in the public schools; and Mabel, whose birth occurred February 8, 1906.

Mr. Wittick was affiliated with the . re- publican party but was never an office seeker. He was a member of Suomi Lodge and his religious faith was shown in his member- ship in the Lutheran church, of which his widow and children are members. Mrs. Wittick resides in her home, which is located on McPherson street, near Park avenue at old North Bend.

Ernest J. Wittick was a man who had many friends among all classes of people and was distinguished for his charitable deeds and consistent life, and his death removed from North Bend one of its most. esteemed and useful citizens.

WILLIAM L. BRISTOW is successfully en- gaged in stock-raising two miles east of Pleasant Hill, where he owns a fine ranch of two hundred acres. He was born in Lane county, on January 10, 1859, and is a son of Abel K. and Almira K. (Gooch) Bristow. The paternal grandparents were Elijah and Susanna (Gabbert) Bristow, to whom were born eleven children: John K., who was born on the 26th of March, 1814, later a resident of Eugene, Oregon; Betsy, born October 9, 1815, the wife of James M. Hendricks, also of Eugene; Sarah, whose natal day was the 11th of May, 1817; Abel K., the father of our subject, whose birth occurred on the 6th of January, 1819; Mary, born October 28, 1820, the wife of Robert Callison of Pleasant Hill, Oregon; Delila, born January 26, 1822, the wife of John T. Gilfroy, of Creswell, Oregon; Henry G., whose birth oc- curred on the 21st of August, 1824, a resi- dent of Macomb, Illinois; William W., who was born on the 18th of July, 1826, of Eu- gene; Katherine, who was born September 21, 1828, the wife of Jonathan Baskette, of Rickreall, this state; Elija L., who was born January 2, 1833, a resident of Salem; and Zilphia, born on the 9th of September, 1834, the wife of Steven Rigdon, of Pleasant Hill, Oregon. Elijah Bristow the grandfather of our subject was born in Taswell county, Vir- ginia, on the 28th of April, 1788, and was the eldest of four children born to James and Delilah (Elkins) Bristow. The others are as follows: Sally, the wife of a Mr. Miller ; Betsy, who became Mrs. Massey;

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 121

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