The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 133

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

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CHARLES C. BUCK is the owner of one of the most beautiful home sites in Apple- gate valley. Jackson county, where he re- sides. He is deeply interested in all educa- tional work, having been for sometime past officially connected with the schools in his locality. He was born in California, Octo- ber 29, 1858, and is a son of W. R. and Ma- thilda (Ruddick) Buck, both of whom were natives of Indiana. and who crossed the

plains at a very early date, settling at first in California, where they remained but a short time and in 1874 removed to Oregon and located in Jackson county.

Charles C. Buck was reared at home and ochcated in the public schools. He remained under the parental roof until having at- tained his majority and at that time be- gan life in the world for himself and first engaged as a laborer on neighboring ranches. After devoting himself to this occupation for sometime he purchased his present home site, consisting of forty acres in Applegate val- ley bottoms. This property is located in one of the most picturesque spots of the entire valley and here Mr. Buck is building for himself and family a home that corre- sponds with its environments.

In 1892 Mr. Buck was united in marriage to Miss Mattie Parks, a native of Iowa, and to this family two children have been born: Clarence and Leatha, both of whom are at home with their parents. Mr. Buck is one of the best known and numbered among the most progressive men in Applegate valley. He has always been deeply interested in educational work and contributed to the im- provement of the valley in this respect ma- terially. During his residence there for the past ten years he has been a member of the school board, giving his time whenever called upon.

W. B. MORSE, M. D., is actively engaged in the private practice of medicine and sur- gery and is also a member of the state board of health. He brought to his professional career a thorough understanding of the great scientific principles underlying his work and his application thereof to specific needs has been most able and resultant. His standing is indicated by the liberal patronage now ac- corded him and which places him with the prominent physicians of Salem. A native son of Oregon, he was born in Lafayette, March 21, 1866, and is a son of William B. and Nancy E. (McBride) Morse, who were natives of Boston, Massachusetts, and of Missouri, respectively. In early life the father was a sea-faring man and while on one of his voyages came around Cape Horn to California, following the discovery of gold in that state. He afterward left his ship and became one of the band of '49ers who went to the gold fields, going by way of the isthmus. He remained in the mines, however, for only a short period and thence made his way. northward to Oregon. settling in Yamhill county. He was later married there and established his home in Lafayette. to which place his wife had gone with her parents. making the long and arduous trip across the plains in 1846. After his mar- riage William B. Morse was varionsly en- gaged, at one time having charge of all the carpenter work at the Grande Ronde In- dian agency. under General Phil Sheridan. In 1868 he was appointed the first warden of the state penitentiary, under Governor Woods. and served for three years. Later he was identified with the sawmill business for three years but that venture proved un-

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profitable and he lost the capital which he had invested. At a subsequent date he was employed in the railway mail service, in which he continued to the time of his death, in 1883. Thus in various ways he was con- nected with the early development and pio- neer experiences of the state and became well known among the many settlers whose labors proved so essential a factor in pro- moting the growth and prosperity of Ore- gon. He was also closely connected with the early history of Masonry in Oregon and was well known to the fraternity through- out the northwest. His widow survives him and is now a resident of Portland.

Dr. Morse was reared at home, acquiring his education in the public schools of St. Helens and in the high school of Portland, this state, ere entering Wasco Academy at The Dalles. There his literary course was completed but he determined upon the prac- tice of medicine as a life work and in the fall of 1887 entered the medical department of Willamette University at Portland. Be- tween courses of lectures he read under the direction of Dr. J. A. Richardson, of Salem, and at length was graduated from Willam- ette University as a member of the class of 1891. Immediately afterward he opened an office in Salem, where he remained un- til 1900. He then went to Lincoln county, where he spent some time, securing a home- stead which he proved up in 1902. He was also for a period of six months identified with interests in Alaska, going to that dis- trict in 1899, after which he spent six months in prospecting and mining there. However, the practice of medicine has been his real life work and to this the greater part of his time and energies have been given. He has pursued two courses of study in the New York Post Graduate School and in the New York Polyclinic in 1893 and in 1907. Moreover, his private reading of med- ical journals and the latest contributions to medical literature have kept him in touch with the advanced work that is being done by the foremost members of the profession in all sections of the country. He does not hastily discard the old and time-tried meth- ods, the worth of which has been proven, and yet he is quick to take up any new and advanced idea which his judgment sanctions as of value in the important work to which he has dedicated his life. He belongs to the Marion County Medical Society, to the Ore- gon State Medical Society and the American Medical Association.

In 1887 Dr. Morse was married to Miss Ethel Cusick, of Salem, a daughter of Wil- liam A. Cusick, one of the pioneers of Marion county, who came across the plains from Illinois in the late '40s. In 1906 Dr. Morse was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife. He is well known socially as a mem- ber of the Illihu Club and he also holds membership with the Salem Board of Trade and the Business Men's League. Fraternally he is well known in Masonic circles, belong- ing to Pacific Lodge, No. 50, F. & A. M .; Multnomah Chapter, No. 1, R. A. M .; De Molay Commandery, No. 5, K. T., of Salem;

and Al Kader Temple of the Mystic Shrine, at Portland. He has never sought nor de- sired office outside the strict patlı of his profession but on the 8th of June, 1906, was appointed a member of the state board of health and has served continuously since in this important position. In the office he has done excellent work in demanding sanitary conditions and in the advocacy of an edu- cational campaign which shall make known to the public the best methods of prevent- ing disease and the spread of contagion. In his chosen life work he has made continuous progress and is justly regarded as one of Salem's most prominent physicians.

R. H. HOVEY, general manager and stock- holder of the Algoma Lumber Company of Algoma, Klamath county, was born in San Francisco, California, May 6, 1878, and is a son of Chester L. and Anna E. (Hoffman) Hovey. The father was born in Quebec, Canada, while the mother was a native of Massachusetts. They were married in the east and about 1875 became residents of California. They now make their home in San Francisco, the father being a retired timber speculator, who formerly had exten- sive interests along that line in the Golden state but has now disposed of much of his holdings. In the family are a son and daughter, the younger being Rachel, now the wife of S. F. Fairweather, of San Francisco.

The only son, R. H. Hovey, resided at the place of his birth until about ten years ago and after pursuing his education in private schools entered the lumber business with his father under the firm name of the Hovey Timber Company. He was thus en- gaged for about ten years, having practical charge of the business in the purchase and sale of timber, while his father financed the enterprise. He has now disposed of most of his California interests and in 1909 he came to Klamath county, where he secured about ten thousand acres of timber land. At first his father was associated with him but later the former sold his interest to the Algoma Lumber Company in the fall of 1911. R. H. Hovey consolidated his inter- ests with those of the company, of which he has since been manager. The company now owns about fifteen thousand acres of timber land on the east shore of Upper Klamathı lake and in February, 1912, began the development work, building a sawmill with a capacity of one hundred thousand- feet per shift or two hundred thousand feet of lumber per day. They are rapidly in- creasing the number of their employes, hav- ing now about two hundred. The company has platted the town site and secured the - establishment of the Algoma postoffice and are building a logging road of standard gauge connecting with the Southern Pacific Rail- road. This will be ten or twelve miles long and already four miles has been built. The company was incorporated in 1905 and its officers are: Arthur Gregory, of Redlands, California, president; F. P. Fay, of Los An- geles, vice president; E. J. Grant, of Los Angeles, secretary; and R. H. Hovey, gen-

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eral manager. Aside from his connection with the company Mr. Hovey has individual interests in timber lands in Oregon and Cali- fornia.

In 1903 occurred the marriage of Mr. Hovey and Miss Grace Garoutti, a native of Woodland, California, and a daughter of Judge Charles H. Garoutti, formerly of the supreme court of California but now de- ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Hovey have one child, Charles G. Throughout his entire life Mr. Hovey has been connected with the line of business in which he is now engaged and long experience has thoroughly acquainted him with timber lands and valuations, en- abling him to make judicious purchases and profitable sales. He possesses marked ex- ecutive ability and enterprise and has al- ready established himself in a foremost posi- ·tion as a representative lumberman of south- ern Oregon.

0. E. PATTERSON, M. D. While one of the younger representatives of the medical profession in Lake county, Dr. O. E. Patter- son has already demonstrated his ability to cope with intricate problems such as con- tinually confront the physician and thus has won a liberal and gratifying practice. He was born in Washington, D. C., in March, 1879.

Dr. Patterson was the youngest in a fam- ily of eight children and, having completed the high-school course, he pursued a course in a commercial college. He determined, however, upon a professional career and en- tered the medical department of the George Washington University of Washington, D. C., from which he was graduated with the class of 1908. He had previously spent seven years in the government service and it was while thus engaged that he took up the study of medicine. For a year he practiced in New Mexico, after which he made his way to Portland and spent seven months in the Good Samaritan Hospital. In the fall of 1909 he arrived in New Pine Creek, where he has since engaged in general practice, and has met with success. For two years he was proprietor of a drug store here but it was destroyed by fire in the fall of 1911. He is interested in mining, having invested in the Big Four and other mines, all producing high-grade ore. Dr. Patterson has firm be- lief in the west and its possibilities for de- velopment and does all in his power to pro- mote the material progress and advance the upbuilding of the community in which he lives.

In 1907, in Fairfax Courthouse, Virginia, Dr. Patterson was united in marriage to Miss Cecelia Speer, a native of Virginia and a daughter of C. H. Speer, of Fairfax Court- house. The three children of this marriage are: Robert, who was born in Washington, D. C .; Byron, born in Oregon; and Helen Vir- ginia, born in California. Dr. Patterson is a master Mason and also an Odd Fellow and is deeply interested in both organizations because of their laudable purpose. His po- litical support is given to the republican party but professional and business inter-

ests rather than political have always claimed his time and energies. He is con- scientious in the performance of all pro- fessional service and broad reading keeps him constantly in touch with the most ad- vanced ideas and methods of distinguished representatives of the science of medicine.

HORACE J. MEAD. In a little shack set in the midst of two hundred and eighty acres of land on the north fork of the Smith river lives one of the most remarkable old men in Douglas county. He resides in a crude cabin although his wealth goes beyond thousands. He works although his age and his success justify retirement and his eccentricity ac- companies a mechanical skill which amounts almost to genius. He is an old man eighty years of age, a master mechanic and one of the most skilled workmen in iron and wood in the state of Oregon. He was born in Canada, on November 9, 1832, and is a son of Stephen and Lucy (Leonard) Mead, natives of Vermont, who settled in Canada and later removed to Ohio when their son was still an infant. After residing in Indiana they removed to Michigan and were promin- ent and successful as residents of that state. Mr. Mead was educated in the public schools of the different cities in which his parents resided and when he was seventeen years of age started across the plains for the California gold fields. He arrived in July, 1850, and was successful as a miner for ten years. He then went to Nevada where he worked at the trade which he had learned, that of millwright, and later journeyed to Idaho and thence to Oregon. His residence in this state dates from 1868 and his career has been identified with many phases of de- velopment. He worked in the mines for a short time just after his location in Oregon and was then actively identified with the building of a large mill on Jackson creek. He spent about four years in San Francisco, and one in Idaho, whence he returned over- land to California. In the late '60s he again took up his residence in Oregon and has since lived in this state. He located on Smith river in 1875 and he now owns two hundred and eighty acres on the north fork where he makes his home and engages in the cultiva- tion of the soil and in mechanical labors of a high order. He is a natural machinist and is one of the most expert workmen in iron and wood in Oregon. He maintains a little shop upon his farm and his time, for years past, has largely been devoted to expert mechanics. He has gained a reputation throughout the state as a man who can repair anything from the most delicate watch or instrument to the heaviest piece of machinery. He possesses a violin which is the product of his own workmanship and which is said by musicians to be a highly artistic instrument with all the beauty of tone possessed by a genuine Cremona. Mr. Mead is a master mechanic and has attained a comfortable fortune through his own labors.

In 1881 Mr. Mead was united in marriage to Mrs. Ellen Ashworth. He is a republican in his political views and a consistent believer

HORACE J. MEAD

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in the principles of that party. He is num- bered among the oldest of the pioneers on Smith river. The children who know him today see a white-haired, old man working at his mechanical duties as skillfully and with as much agility as he labored along the same line of activity when their fathers were boys. Such lives and such characters make toil honorable and eccentricity dignified.

MRS. LYDA POWELL, the widow of Philander Powell, who was one of the early pioneers of Jackson county, is a daughter of George and Macy (Mantkins) Lewis. She was born in Arkansas, May 13, 1834. Her parents were natives of Kentucky, in which state they were reared and married. The father at the time of the wedding was six- teen years of age and the mother fourteen. Immediately, following their marriage they took up their residence in Arkansas and there continued to live during the remaining years of their lives.

Mrs. Powell was reared in her father's home in Arkansas and in 1851, when seven- teen years of age, was united in marriage to Philander Powell, who was a native of Illi- nois. Shortly afterward Mr. and Mrs. Powell crossed the plains with ox teams to Cali- fornia, driving with them a big herd of cattle. They completed their journey in the month of January, 1860, having been in con- tinuous travel for a period of six months and twelve days. On reaching California they located in San Joaquin county, twelve iniles north of Stockton, at which place they continued to live until 1865. In that year they crossed the Siskiyou mountains by wagon to Jackson county, Oregon, and lo- cated on Emigrant creek, where Mr. Powell took up a homestead of eighty acres to which he later added by purchase until he was the owner of two hundred and forty acres. There he continued to live until called to his final rest in 1893. Mrs. Powell still maintains her residence on the old home- stead. By her marriage she became the mother of six children, three of whom are living, namely: Rachael, the wife of George Grow, of Jackson county; Livonia, who mar- ried Andrew Dozier, also of that county; and Millie, the wife of John Dozier, of Jack- son county. Mrs. Powell is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is one of the well known and highly esteemed pioneer citizens of the county in which she lives.

OTTO MATTSSON is living retired in a comfortable home on Smith river, about five miles above Gardiner. It is fitting that the evening of his life should thus be passed in quiet retirement, for through many years he was an active factor in business circles. He was born in Finland, December 25, 1837, . a

son of Matts and Mary (Abrahams) Erickson, both of whom were natives of Fin- land, where they lived and died.

Otto Mattsson was reared at home, acquir- ing his education in the common schools and in the school of navigation. He began a seafaring life at the early age of fourteen years, working at that time on coasting ves-

sels. In the summer of 1857 he shipped aboard a vessel which loaded at Kronstadt with lumber for London, England, and from that metropolis they proceeded to Newcastle to load coal, but Mr. Mattsson left the ves- sel there and shipped aboard a Norwegian vessel bound for Lisbon, Portugal. From that point he sailed to Norway, where he left that ship and became a sailor on a Spanish vessel bound for Spain. He next went aboard an English ship bound for Eng- land and after reaching that country shipped aboard a German steamer making the run to many Baltic ports, touching at Kronstadt, St. Petersburg, Koenigsberg, Antwerp and Hull, England. From St. Petersburg he shipped aboard an English vessel for the East Indies and in due time landed at Cal- cutta. He afterward went up the Red Sea to Abyssinia, Africa, where he left that ves- sel and joined the English army. He fought through the Abyssinian war and later shipped aboard a vessel bound for Aden, Arabia. Thence he returned to Calcutta and from India proceeded to England. He after- ward again went to the East Indies, land- ing at Madras, and thence proceeded to Singapore. From that point the vessel sailed to Batavia, in the Dutch East Indies, and later to Surabaya. From that point they sailed to Banvu-Wangi, Holland East Indies, and thence to Amsterdam, Holland, and on to Antwerp, Belgium. From the last-named place Mr. Mattsson sailed on an American vessel for the United States in the year 1867. After reaching this country he sailed on an American ship to Stettin, Germany, and thence to Ruegen. Later he set sail for Boston but the vessel was shipwrecked on the voyage, Mr. Mattsson being rescued by a life-saving crew on the west coast of Sweden. From that point he again shipped to Antwerp and later proceeded to New York. Still he continued his seafaring life, shipping on board a vessel that sailed around Cape Horn to Portland, making the voyage in less than one hundred days. While he has since made a few short shore voyages this practically ended his seafaring life.

Mr. Mattsson arrived in Portland on the 5th of April, 1869, but remained there only a short time, going to San Francisco, where for seven years he worked in the sugar refinery of Claus Spreckels. In September, 1877, he came to Douglas county, Oregon, locating on Smith river, where he has lived continuously to the present time, his home being located about five and a half miles- above Gardiner.

In San Francisco, on the 12th of April, 1875, Mr. Mattsson was married to Miss Anna Paulson, a native of Denmark, whe came to the United States in September, 1874. They had no children of their own but have reared an adopted daughter, Emma, who is now the wife of Edward Sten and rec sides on the farm with Mr. and Mrs. Matts- son. The family are all members of the Lutheran church and are highly esteemed throughout the community. Mr. Mattsson's experiences have been of a most varied char- acter and few men have more intimate

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knowledge of the world, its people and their manners and customs, than he, for he has visited many ports and come into eontaet with the people in their native environment. He relates many interesting ineidents of his voyages that make him an entertaining talker.

ALBERT E. COLLINGS is the faithful guardian of his widowed and aged mother with whom he lives in Applegate valley near Watkins, in this state. He was born in Jaek- son county, August 21, 1880, and is the son of F. O. and Sophia (Lewis) Collings, his father being a native of Pennsylvania and his mother of California. He was reared at home and received his early education in the publie common schools. The family emi- grated to this state at an early date and have since maintained their residence in this commonwealth. The father of the sub- ject of this review having passed away in the year 1905 was buried in this county. His widow now makes her home with her son, Albert E. Collings.

Mr. Collings owns forty aeres of good agri- cultural land located near Watkins, in this county. Here he maintains his home, giving shelter and loving care to his widowed mother and confining his attention entirely to the cultivation and improvement of his place.

JOHN A. TAYLOR is one of the well known farmers of Jackson county, where he is successfully engaged in the cultivation of two hundred and sixty-four acres of land located on Emigrant creek. He is a na- tive of Jackson county, his birth having oe- eurred on the home ranch, where he now lives, on February 8, 1864. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. John B. Taylor, of whom ex- tended mention is made in the review of Mrs. Mary J. McCallister, published in an- other part of this work.

John A. Taylor was reared at home and received his early education in the public schools. At the age of eighteen years he engaged in farming for himself on his father's home ranch, which he operated un- der a lease until one year after his marriage. He then moved to Klamath county and was there engaged continuously in the eattle and dairy business for a period of eight years. He then returned to Jackson county and settled upon his father's farm, the cause of his removal being the failure of his father's health, which sometime later re- sulted in his death. Mr. Taylor has since continued to remain upon the old homestead, consisting of two hundred and sixty-four aeres, of which he has been the owner sinee the death of his mother and where he is sue- cessfully engaged in diversified farming and dairying.

Mr. Taylor was married September 7, 1885, to Miss Margaret A. McGee, of Wil- liams Creek, Josephine county, Oregon, who is a daughter of James O. McGee, now de- ceased, who settled in Oregon many years ago. To Mr. and Mrs. Taylor three ehil- dren have been born, only one of whom,

Thehna M., survives. Mr. Taylor is inde- pendent in his political views, giving the benefit of his support to the party and the candidate whom he believes represents the best interests of the people. Mrs. Taylor is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. Her husband is one of the reliable and substantial men of the eounty in which he lives and is a man interested in any enterprise intended to improve and advance the condition of the people of the community in which he lives.

DAVID STUMP is numbered among Ore- gon's pioneer builders. He came to this state in 1845, long before the question of admission to the Union was discussed. In faet, all Oregon was but sparsely settled and there were great stretches of territory into which the white man had not pene- trated. David Stump became familiar with the experiences of frontier life here, and bore a helpful part in promoting early develop- ment and improvement. He was born in Ohio, October 29, 1819, and was a son of John and Barbara (Summers) Stump. His young life was spent in his native state and his education was there acquired. In early manhood, however, he removed to Iowa where he engaged in surveying. Among other surveys he laid out the town of Oska- loosa and was prominently known in con- neetion with his profession in that part of the country. The opportunities of the great west, however, attracted him. He realized that this immense territory must hold ad- vantages for those who were willing to face hardships and dangers, and in 1845 made the long and arduous journey across the plains with Oregon as his destination. At length, he settled upon a traet of land in Polk county and began its cultivation but later he sold that property and went to California during the excitement following the discovery of gold there.

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 133

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