The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 148

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

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CHARLES S. MOORE. For many years a leader of the republican party in Klamath county and southern Oregon, while his opin- ions carried weight in party councils through- out the state, Charles S. Moore reached his highest political honors as treasurer of Ore- gon; but his strongest ambition has not been to win political prominence but rather to gain success through the legitimate lines of business and to promote his usefulness as a citizen by advancing the substantial up- building of the section in which he makes his home. In both of these ways his accomplish- ments have been large and beneficial. He was born in Marion county, Oregon, Jan- uary 8, 1857. His parents were William S. and Margaret O. (Meldrum) Moore. The father was born near Belleville, Illinois, in 1829, and the mother's birth occurred in that state, February 14, 1836. She was but nine years of age when in 1845 she accompanied her parents to Oregon, her arrival here antedating three years the arrival of Wil- liam S. Moore, who came to the northwest with his mother and stepfather in 1848, when eighteen years of age. He married Margaret O. Meldrum in Pacific City Wash- ington, in 1854, and soon afterward settled on a farm in Marion county, Oregon, where occurred the birth of his son Charles. The father was a millwright by trade and this

forced him to spend much time away from home. About 1863 he removed to Oregon City and soon afterward to Salem, Oregon, where he resided until 1874. He then came to what is now Klamath county and built a mill for the United States government at Klamath agency. He continued to reside in this county until 1887, when he removed to Portland, where his death occurred in 1899. His widow is still a resident of the Rose City. While living in Klamath county William S. Moore was appointed the first county judge, when the county was created, and he also served as postmaster here, while for two years he filled the position of county treas- urer of Marion county before coming to Klamath county. In politics he was a stanch republican and was a member of the Baptist church. In their family were seven children: Rufus S., and Charles S., living in Klamath Falls; Stella O., who is the wife of L. N. Bellinger, of St. Johns, Oregon; Frances, the wife of R. I. Hammond, of Klamath Falls; Mary Bertha, who for twenty years has been a teacher in the Lincoln high school of Port- land; Henrietta, who is professor of English in the University of Idaho at Moscow and is a graduate of the Universities of Oregon and California and of Columbia University of New York; and Lulu, who died in Salem in 1877.

Charles S. Moore spent the days of his boyhood and youth at home and came to Klamath county in 1874. He supplemented his public-school education by studying in Willamette University through two winters. He was seventeen years of age when he came to Klamath county and for the first year was employed at the Indian agency and the next year and eight months for the trader at the agency and Fort Klamath. At the time of his arrival in this part of the state all southern Oregon was one county (Jackson). Thinking to enter upon the practice of law, he then went to Portland and studied through one winter but at the end of that time he gave up his plan and returned to Klamath Falls, occupying his old position through another summer. In the fall of 1877 he came to Linkville now Klamath Falls and assisted his father in building a sawmill, which was the first mill built here, of which le was a one-third owner, while later he became a half owner. In 1887 his brother Rufus purchased the father's inter- est and Charles S. Moore and his brother then continued in the milling business until about two years ago, when they sold out. About 1879 Mr. Moore began work in the only store at Klamath Falls and was thus engaged until 1886, when he purchased a fourth interest in the business and became manager con- tinuing therein until elected state treasurer in 1898. It is characteristic of him in a commercial way that he has accomplished what he has undertaken by reason of un- faltering diligence and determination. He is now vice president of the First National Bank of Klamath Falls and also of the First National Bank at Merrill, Oregon, and was a director of the old Klamath County Bank until it was merged with the First National

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in the fall of 1911. Banking represents Mr. Moore's only active business interest at the present time. At one time he and his bro- ther Rufus were the owners of about twenty thousand acres in Klamath county but as prices have risen enabling them to sell to good advantage, they have disposed of all except about two thousand acres. They built the power plant on the west side of Link river, afterwards acquiring the electric and water plants of the Klamath Falls Light & Water Company, supplying light and water in Klamath Falls, combining the different plants under one management and continued to own and manage it until about a year ago, when they sold to the Klamath Power Company, now the California & Oregon Power Company. In connection with his brother and with Ben Selling and Moses Blum, in 1910 he purchased a lot at the corner of Sixth and Alder streets in Portland and there erected what is known as the Selling building, a twelve-story structure which they still own. In all that he has undertaken Mr. Moore has won success, for his judgment is sound, his discrimination keen and his recognition of opportunities results in their wise utilization.

Mr. Moore . was called from business life to public office and proved his worth in that connection. He was born and reared a re- publican and early in life took an active interest in politics. In 1878 was nominated for the office of county clerk in Lake county, which embraced what is now both Klamath and Lake counties, but was not elected. He was only twenty-one years of age at the time but, although so young, was defeated by only forty votes while the normal demo- cratic majority was one hundred and twenty- five. In 1880 he was elected school clerk of Linkville district No. 1 and filled that position for ten years, following which he was elected school director for two terms of three years each. He was elected a member of the first board of town trustees at Kla- math Falls and was made the first president of the board. In 1894 he was elected county judge and acted in that capacity until July, 1898. In 1896 he was made a delegate to the national convention at St. Louis which nominated Mckinley, and he had the honor of being the Oregon member of the platform committee which inserted in the platform a gold standard plank, which caused the free silver delegates from the Rocky Mountain states to bolt the convention. He had early placed himself on record, in favor of sound money and won the support and confidence of a great majority of his fellow citizens throughout the state and his selection on that most important committee of that convention was doubtless due to his well known position in favor of the gold standard, which was the great living issue to be settled between the political parties at the election of that year. Mr. Moore regards his efforts in behalf of the correct settlement of the money question as his greatest service to his state and country. In 1898 he was nomi- nated for state treasurer and was elected by about ten thousand majority. Four years

later he was renominated by acclamation in the state convention and was reelected by fifteen thousand majority, the increased vote indicating clearly the confidence reposed in him by reason of the excellent service, which he had rendered in his first term. When Klamath county was created he became the first chairman of the county central commit- tee and acted in that capacity for eight or ten years. He was also a delegate to all but one or two state conventions from 1882 to 1898. It is difficult for him to follow the "progressive," new fangled politics of the present day. He is opposed to the recall of judges or the submission of judicial decis- ions to a vote of the people; does not believe that it is practical generally to make laws by initiative and believes that the referendum is too easily invoked. He believes that the republican party, which has accomplished some of the greatest reforms, chief of which is the abolition of slavery and the adoption of the gold standard for this country is yet capable of some good and is the best instru- ment through which to secure such other reforms as may be needed and is therefore for preserving and perpetuating it for a while longer at least He is equally opposed to anything like misrule in political circles, believing that political leaders should work for the interests of the great majority rather than for the few.

In 1884 Mr. Moore was united in marriage to Miss Mary L. Langell, who was born in Jacksonville, Oregon, a daughter of N. Lan- gell, a pioneer of the northwest. They have but two sons: Charles L., of Klamath Falls, who is a graduate of the Hill Military Acad- emy of Portland, now in business at Klamath Falls; and John M., a student in the State University. Mr. Moore holds membership. with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and has attained high rank in Masonry, being connected with Oregon Consistory, No. 1,. A. A. S. R., of Portland, and Al Kader Tem- ple of the Mystic Shrine. He has ever been forceful and alert, wide-awake and energetic,. keeping in close touch with the trend of pub- lic thought and doing not a little to mold' public opinion. His record is one which will bear the strong light of keen investigation and, judged by the highest standards, there can be found but little to criticize.

SAM ANDERSON is numbered among the substantial residents of Portland that Sweden has furnished to this city. For a long period he was connected with contracting and build- ing operations here but retired in 1910 and is now engaged only in buying and selling property, being his own real-estate dealer. He was born in Sweden, January 27, 1848, a son of Andrew Nelson and Catherine John- son. His youthful days were passed in his- native land where he worked with his father,. who was a carpenter and contractor. The family numbered nine children, namely :: Nicholas, who is still living in Sweden; John, deceased; Johanna, the wife of John Peterson Anders, of Sweden; Aaron, Anna, Andrew and Carl Peter, all of whom are de-

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

ceased ; Lonis, living in Wyoming; and Sam, of this review.

The last named continued a resident of Sweden until he reached the age of nineteen years when he determined to test the truth of the reports which reached him concerning the business opportunities and advantages of the new world. On crossing the Atlantic he first made his way to Wilcox, Pennsyl- vania, where he worked at the builder's trade and also was employed in a tannery. After a short time, however, he removed westward to Omaha, Nebraska, where he lived for three years, and then went to Wyoming, settling in Laramie. At one time he was employed in the coal mines of Carbon county, Wyoming, where he continued until 1876, when he made his way to the Black Hills of South Dakota. There he did some prospecting on his own account but was not successful. He then worked for others but principally for the Old Homestead Mining Company, continuing in the Black Hills district until 1888, when he came to Portland. Here he took up the business of contracting and building on his own account and continued therein for more that two decades. He won a good patronage, his business growing in extent and import- ance so that he was prominently connected with building operations here. At length, however, he retired from that line of activity in 1910. He now buys and sells property and personally supervises his interests along that line. He now has some good real estate and from his holdings derives a substantial income.

In South Dakota, in 1881, Mr. Anderson was united in marriage to Miss Johanna Bruhl, a daughter of Johan and Boel (Gor- genson) Bruhl. They resided at No. 114 East Thirty-fourth street. Mr. Anderson was for twelve years a member of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows but is not affiliated therewith at the present time. His religious belief is that of the Lutheran church in which he holds membership. His political support is given to the republican party and he is a public-spirited citizen whose interest in the general welfare is deep and sincere. This is evidenced by his coopera- tion in various matters relating to the pub- lic good. In all of his life he has steadily advanced and the hope that brought him to America has been more than realized for here he has found the opportunities which he sought and which have enabled him to ad- vance from a humble financial position to one of affluence.

F. H. LAIGHTON. The present mayor of Seaside, F. H. Laighton, was born in Astoria, on the 20th of April, 1879, and is a son of Frank H. and Sarah (Kinney) Laighton. The father was a native of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, his birth occurring in 1836, and the mother of Muscatine, Iowa, her natal day being in 1842. Mr. Laighton removed to Oregon in 1852, making the journey by wagon across the plains. Upon his arrival here he first located at Umatilla, later going to Portland whence he came to Astoria, where for many years he was engaged in

mercantile pursuits. He passed away in Astoria in 1903, but the mother still sur- vives. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Laigh- ton there were born five children, two of whom are deceased. Their order of birth is as follows: Albert L., who is deceased; William J., a carpenter, residing in Seaside; F. H., our subject; L. B., who is a foreman in a wood-working factory; and H. L., who is also deceased.

F. H. Laighton was reared in Astoria, ac- quiring his education in the public and high schools of Clatsop county. When old enough to begin his business career he came to Seaside, taking a position as bookkeeper with a lumber company, having ever since been identified with this enterprise. He is also associated with B. F. Stevens in con- ducting a real-estate business under the name of the Seaside Real Estate Company.

On the 15th of September, 1903, Mr. Laighton was united in marriage to Miss Nellie Stanley, a native of Seaside, and a daughter of S. K. and Mary E. Stanley, the father being engaged in agricultural pur- suits.

Mr. and Mrs. Laighton affiliate with the Episcopal church, while fraternally he is a member of the Masonic order, having taken the degrees of the Blue Lodge, Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America. He always takes an active interest in all community affairs, being one of the progressive, public-spirited citizens of the town, his ballot being cast for the men and measures that, in accordance with his judg- ment, are best adapted to subserve the inter- ests of the majority, irrespective of party affiliation. Two years ago he was made president of the city council and after serv- ing in this position for about eighteen months, was appointed to fill the mayoralty chair for an unexpired term. He has been acting in this capacity for the past six months, during which time he has shown himself to be well qualified for the adminis- trative duties of his position having dis- charged his responsibilities in a manner highly creditable to himself and his con- stituency.

THEODORE W. ANDREWS is one of the straightforward, energetic and well known men of Douglas county, Oregon, who for twenty-two years of his life was prominently connected with the tanning business in this state and in Iowa and who is now conduct- ing a large farm and achieving success by reason of his scientific and progressive meth- ods of agriculture. He was born in Kenne- bec, Somerset county, Maine, on January 16, 1851, and is a son of Asa and Mary (Went- worth) Andrews, both natives of the same state. Her father was there reared and edu- cated and there the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Andrews occurred. In 1868 they came west to Illinois where they remained for ten years. They came to Oregon in 1878, locating in Scottsburg, Douglas county, where the mother lived until her death in 1900. She was survived by her husband until 1904, in which year his death occurred.

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Theodore W. Andrews was reared at home and was educated in the common schools of Somerset county, Maine. He remained with his parents until his marriage in 1874, and in that year he went to Iowa, where he bought a farm in Wright county. Here he remained for four years, returning to Oregon in the fall of 1878. He located im- mediately in Scottsburg and soon afterward was employed in the local tannery, in which line of activity he continued for twenty- two years, and built up a reputation for thorough and specialized knowledge in all the details of this industry. During the last year of his connection with it he worked in the Gardiner tannery. In 1902 he aban- doned this line of endeavor and after one year removed to his present farm, which he operated as a renter for four years. In 1907 he purchased the property and is now in prosperous cultivation of three hundred and ninety-two of the most fertile acres in Oregon. His farm is located two and a half miles above Scottsburg and is one of the important and valuable enterprises in the Umpqua valley.

In 1874 Mr. Andrews was united in mar- riage to Miss Abigail Riley, a native of Illi- nois. To their union have been born eight children: Atwell, who is a stationary en- gineer located at North Bend, Coos county, Oregon; Bela, a carpenter in Drain, Oregon; Sadie, who lives at home; Josie, the wife of Sherman Short, of Montana; Riley, who follows the logging business and who lives at home; George, who is an engineer on the Umpqua river and who also lives with his parents; Theodore and Asa, both of whom reside upon their father's farm.

Mr. Andrews is a republican in his politi- cal beliefs and is a member of Elkton Lodge, No. 63, A. F. & A. M., of which he is present master. His other fraternal rela- tions include his connection with Gardiner Lodge, No. 132, I. O. O. F .; and with Gardi- ner Lodge, Order of Rebekahs. Judged by the highly developed and rapidly rising agri- cultural standards of today Mr. Andrews has won success as a farmer. He has added to the resources of his county three hundred and ninety-two acres of land, drained, fenced and improved, and has won his pros- perity by practical activity which is the basis of productive agriculture.

IRA HOFFMAN was for many years one of the active and successful agriculturists of Lane county, this state. He died at his home near Point Terrace, Oregon, on Satur- day, March 9, 1912, after an illness of about two months, at the age of fifty-six years and eleven days. He was born in Fair- field county, Ohio, February 27, 1856, and when he was two years of age his parents removed to Linn county, Kansas, where they remained for a period of about eighteen years. In 1875 he crossed the plains with his par- ents, stopping over for the winter in Union' county, near Summerville, this state. The following spring the family crossed the mountains to Cottage Grove, where they re- mained for three years. In 1879 he removed

with the family to the lower Siuslaw river, where Mr. Hoffman and his father each filed upon homestead claims near the mouth of the creek which now bears their name. In 1888 Ira Hoffman was united in marriage to Miss Annie Lucretia Tope, and following his marriage, he took his young bride to his home on the Siuslaw river, where they con- tinued to reside until about three years ago. At that time they disposed of their prop- erty and purchased the Brewer ranch near by, where his family now resides. Mrs. Hoffman, his widow, was born in Lee county, Iowa, and with her parents crossed the great American desert when she was a child of but nine years. The family on reaching this state, established their home at Cottage Grove, where she continued to reside with her parents until the time of her marriage, which occurred in her twenty-sixth year. Following her marriage she was taken by her husband to his home on the Siuslaw river and there she has continued to reside. The father of Mrs. Hoffman was a native of West Virginia and her mother of Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman four children were . born, John E., William Andrew, Jacob B. and Aralena, all of whom are at home with their mother:

Mr. Hoffman was a member of the demo- cratic party but never sought political pre- ferment. Beside his wife and four children the deceased left an aged mother, one sister, Mrs. M. J. Hadsall, of Eugene, and one brother, Simon Hoffman, of Point Terrace, to mourn his loss. The funeral services were conducted by the Rev. T. A. Yost, on Sunday, March 10, 1912, and his remains were laid to rest in the Odd Fellows cemetery. He will be remembered by his friends and associates as one of the enterprising and desirable citizens of this portion of the state of Oregon. He was a man of strict integrity and unblemish- ed character.

JACOB H. PINKERTON. One mile and a half from the lower landing of North inlet, Coos county, on the stage road, is the pros- perous and fertile farm of Jacob H. Pinker- ton. He has under cultivation two hundred acres of the finest Coos county land and is improving his property in an intelligent and progressive manner. He was born in Wayne county, Ohio, March 3, 1849, and is a son of Rudolph and Susanna (Huff) Pinkerton, the former a native of Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania, and the latter of Wayne county, Ohio. Mr. Pinkerton's parents were married in Ohio and lived in that state until the father's death in 1866. His wife remained in her native state until 1880 when she moved to Iowa and settled in Waterloo. She lived in that city until November, 1906, in which month her death occurred. She and her hus- band were the parents of nine children, seven of whom are still living: Mrs. Sarah Lytle, of Desler, Ohio; Joseph, who died in infancy ; Jacob H., the subject of this sketch; Eliza- beth, who died in Waterloo, Iowa, when she was forty-six years of age; Peter, who now lives near Ten Mile lake on the stage road; Samuel, a grocer in Waterloo, Iowa; Ben-

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jamin, a commercial traveler with headquar- ters in Chicago; Arthur, a wholesale rice and sugar broker of Chicago, and Mrs. Mary Berk- ley, the wife of a prominent hardware mer- chant of Waterloo, Iowa.

Jacob H. Pinkerton received his education in the public schools of Ohio and remained at home until six years after his father's death. When he was twenty-one years of age he learned the carpenter's trade which he is now following in conjunction with his activities as a farmer. He worked for many years as chief carpenter for Mark-Hanna and Com- pany and in the course of his connection with this firm was prominent in the construction of the Mark-Hanna Dock and kept it in re- pair for ten years. In 1906 he came to Ore- gon and settled on the North inlet of Coos bay where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of unimproved timber land, beside three acres in cranberries and a garden tract. He is living at the present time on one of the most finely improved and systematically operated farms in the district and is well known as a scientific agriculturist. He added a few years ago, forty acres of land to his holdings and is now the proprietor of two hundred acres of land.

On May 12 1872, Mr. Pinkerton was united in marriage to Miss Adelia Hamilton, who was born in Lucas county, Ohio, May 5, 1847. Her parents, Theron and Eliza (Tunison) Hamilton, were pioneer settlers of Ohio and came to that state when it was in an ex- tremely uncultivated and unimproved condi- tion. They were obliged to cut their way through the timber to the place where they made their settlement and were active in the improvement and development of the region for many years. Mrs. Pinkerton's grand- father was a captain in the American army in the War of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton were married in Ohio where the mother died in 1863 and the father in 1890. They were the parents of eleven children, only three of whom are still living: Adelia, the wife of the subject of this review; Oscar, now a res- ident of Coos county, Oregon; and Charles, who also lives in the same section. The re- maining children in this family died in Ohio and are buried in that state. Mrs. Pinkerton received her education in the public schools of Ohio. She and her husband are the par- ents of four children: Ray R., born in 1874. who is a graduate of the high school and of the Metal Mining Department of the Inter- national Correspondence School, of Scranton, Pennsylvania and who now lives on his homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, near North inlet, Coos county; Ira A., born in 1876, who is married and lives in Kings- ville, Ohio; Theron G., who was born in 1880, and who was accidentally killed December 7. 1901, while working on a boat, the Henry WV. Oliver; and Lyman, born in 1886, who was graduated from high school and is now studying for the ministry in Denison Uni- versity, Ohio.

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 148

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