The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 156

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

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To Mr. and Mrs. Stacy five children were born: Alberta, a school teacher; and LeRoy, Flora, Odessa and George Raymond, all at home.

George W. Stacy votes with the republican party, being one of the stanch advocates of its principles. His religious faith is that of the Baptist church. He is connected with the Redmen at Medford and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. His long resi- dence in the county, covering almost three decades, has brought him a wide acquaint- ance. He was only eighteen years of age at the time of his arrival here, so, throughout the entire period of his manhood he has lived in this section, and his admirable business qualities and traits of character bring to him the confidence and good-will of those with whom he associates.

JOHN A. MULKEY who is living retired in Lakeview, is a veteran of the Civil war and is a representative citizen of the north- west who has been identified with various phases of the development of the Pacific coast country. He was born in Johnson county,

Missouri, June 11, 1841, and is a son of Jolin L. and Amanda (Carpenter) Mulkey, the former a native of western Tennessee and the latter of Kentucky. The parents were reared and were married in Missouri, where they remained until 1853, when they started with their family for Oregon with five ox teams. The mother died in Idaho while en route to the coast, and with his motherless children the father continued the journey, locating first in Benton county, where he remained through the winter, after which he took up his abode in the Umpqua valley in what is now Douglas county. He secured a donation claim and began farming and stock-raising but his labors were soon terminated by death, for he passed away in 1855. In his family were seven children: Thomas and George, both deceased; John A .; Mrs. Ann Bagley, who has also passed away; Commodore, who died in 1855; Amanda, who died at the age of five years; and one who died in infancy.

The father passed away at the home of Charles Applegate and John A. Mulkey re- mained with Mr. Applegate for a year there- after and then spent a year in Corvallis. He next went to California, where he engaged in running stock for three years for others, and in 1863 he made his way to the mines of Idaho, where he engaged in prospecting and packing for two years. These different kinds of work made him familiar with many of the phases of pioneer life. At the time of the Civil war, however, he put aside business and personal considerations and enlisted' in 1865 as a member of Company H, First Ore- gon Infantry, with which he served for sev- enteen months .. He participated in a number of skirmishes with the Indians in the Harney and John Day country and was on duty in defending the frontier. With the close of the war he returned to Douglas county where he engaged in farming on his own account, purchasing a tract of land near Oakland. In 1873 he removed to Lake county and has since resided in that county with the exception of two years spent in Modoc county, California. He has remained continuously in the Goose Lake valley since 1873 and gave undivided time and attention to ranching and stock- raising, using the range for a considerable period. He had two hundred acres on the west side of Goose Lake which he sold in the present decade, and since 1905 he has lived retired in Lakeview.

In 1868 Mr. Mulkey was married to Miss Sarah Dickinson, who was born in Iowa in 1850 and in 1854 was brought across the plains by her parents, S. D. and Margaret (Jacobs) Dickinson, who spent their remain- ing days in Douglas county. Mr. and Mrs. Mulkey have become the parents of eleven children: Philip, a ranchman of the Goose Lake valley; William, who is engaged in sheep-raising and makes his home in Lake- view; Susie, the wife of C. S. Benefield; Lulu, the deceased wife of George Perkins; Thomas, whose home is on Albert lake; John, a sheep man of Lakeview: Maggie. the wife of J. H. Dickinson, of John Day. Oregon; Bert, living in California; Frank, a sheep man of Lakeview; Irena, the wife of F. D.

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Paxton, of Crooked lake; and Ralph, a sheep man of Lakeview.

Mr. Mulkey is now enjoying a well earned rest. He prospered in his business undertak- ings, winning a comfortable competence, and the government grants him a pension in recognition of his services in the Civil war. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Repub- hic and thus maintains pleasant relations with the boys in blue. In matters of citizenship he is as true and loyal to his country today as when he enlisted under the old flag to aid in the defense of the frontier when war was being waged through much of the land.

DAVID McNAIR is the owner of two hun- dred acres of land in Coos county, Oregon. which he has brought to a highi state of development and improvement by his own la- bor. Upon this land for fifteen years he car- ried on one of the largest dairy enterprises in the section, and by his expert knowledge and progressive methods made his influence felt in the growth of this industry. He was born in New Brunswick, March 28, 1844, and is a son of David and Janet (Ferguson) McNair, both natives of Scotland. They were the parents of nine children: Jean, the widow of George White, of California; Nathaniel and John, who also reside in that state; Ebenezer, who has passed away; David, tlie subject of this sketch; James, who lives in California; Alexander, who resides in Tilla- mook, Oregon, and who is the father of two children; William, a resident of California and the father of two children; and Archi- bald, of Bandon, Oregon, who is married and has seven children.

David McNair was educated in the public schools of his native country and started active life for himself when he was twenty- one years of age. At that time he went to Massachusetts and obtained a position in a factory, which he held until 1867. He then went to California and obtained employment as engineer in a sawmill, a position he held for a number of years before lie came to Oregon and purchased a ranch of two hundred acres in Coos county. He then settled upon his property and began its clearing and cul- tivation. The soil was undeveloped and Mr. McNair gave his entire attention to making it fertile and productive. He had seventy- five acres under cultivation and was exten- sively engaged in the dairy business. He operated a large enterprise of this kind for fifteen years and had one of the finest estab- lishments in the county. He kept Jersey cows for dairy purposes and erected suitable build- ings equipped with modern machinery. With the exception of the seventy-five acres he planted in grain he kept his farm for pasture purposes. His dairy increased in value every year and its products obtained a ready sale on the market. Mr. McNair continued his identification with this branch of agriculture until 1908 when he purchased a large liome in Myrtle Point, and has since resided in that city. He is interested in the growth of the community and owns real estate within its borders. He has another house and lot which he rents and is now giving his entire time to

the management of his interests in Myrtle Point.

In 1872 Mr. McNair was united in mar- riage to Miss Elsie Annie Chase, a native of Maine and a daughter of A. and Elsie J. (Mc- Pherson) Chase, also natives of Maine. To Mrs. McNair's parents were born nine children : Eliza, the widow of S. Lawery, of Wiscon- sin; Mary, who is deceased; Sarah, the wife of Joseph Buckstoff, a resident of Wisconsin; Martha, the widow of John Buchanan, of Washington; William and Milo, both de- ceased; Aldin S., of Washington; George, who has passed away; and Elsie Annie, the wife of our subject. To Mr. and Mrs. McNair were born three children: William A., of Coos county, who married Miss Anna Breman, a native of Oregon, by whom he has four chil- dren, Irma, Waldo, Paul and Vera; Howard F., also of Coos county, who married Miss Lena Rookard, by whom he has two chil- dren, Leland and Verna; and David N., who lives at home. All the children born to Mr. and Mrs. McNair have received an efficient education in the district schools of Coos county.

Politically Mr. McNair is a consistent demo- crat but has never sought public office. He belongs to the Presbyterian church of Myrtle Point and his fraternal affiliations include connection with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Farmers' Union.

JAMES HUGHES is a true son of the soil and has been a practical farmer all his life. He lias attained in his chosen occupation a degree of success which is the result of ex- pert knowledge and long, practical experience. He was born in Tennessee, April 19, 1827, a son of Robert and Elizabeth (Daybolt) Hughes the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Pennsylvania.

James Hughes is the only surviving member of a family of five children. He received his early education in the common schools of Tennessee and worked upon his father's farm until he was twenty-seven years old, gaining an expert knowledge of the various details connected with the pursuit of agriculture. He left home at the age of twenty-seven and was engaged in farm work in his native state until 1873, when he sold out and came to Marion county, Oregon, where he remained for two years. At the end of that time he removed to Washington and engaged in farm- ing in that state. His holdings there - amounted to four hundred acres, which he operated and developed with great success for four years. At the end of this time he sold his farm in Washington and bought four hundred acres in Benton county, where he worked for three years. He sold out at the expiration of that period and bought a farm in Douglas county, upon which he now resides. His present holdings amount to one hundred and eighty acres of well cultivated farm land. He has made extensive improvements, has added to his stock, erected new barns and outbuildings and modernized his equip- ment. He is now the owner of one of the model farms of Douglas county.

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

On September 3, 1854, Mr. Hughes was united in marriage to Miss Elizabetlı Kitz- miller, a native of Tennessee, and they are the parents of four children: Louisa, who died in infancy and is buried in Tennessee; and John R., David and George W., all of whoni are living at home. Mr. Hughes is a consis- tent republican in his political affiliations and held the office of postmaster of Piney Flats, Sullivan county, Tennessee, when he was farming in that district. The farm upon which he now resides is thoroughly equip- ped and modern in every detail and through the energy and resourcefulness of Mr. Hughes has become one of the most valu- able ranches in Douglas county.

CHARLES S. WARNER, owner of two hun- dred acres of productive land in Coos county and prominent in this section as an agricul- turist, was born August 11, 1875. He is a native son of Oregon, his parents having come to Coos county in 1852. Mr. Warner is a son of Calvin and Fannie Warner, the former a native of the District of Columbia and the latter of Indiana. The father crossed the plains in 1852 while the mother has been a resident of Oregon since 1850. Their mar- riage occurred in Coos county and they made this section of the country their home until the father's deatlı in 1882. Mrs. Fannie Wai- ner is still living and makes her home in Myrtle Point, Oregon. They became the par- ents of eleven children: S. W. and Mrs. Mag- gie Strong, both of whom reside at Myrtle Point; Vernon, living near Oakland, Califor- nia; William, whose home is near Myrtle Point; John, deceased; Ernest and Mollie, now Mrs. Hagerty, both of whom reside at Walla Walla, Washington; Charles S., of this review; Henry and Mrs. Jessie Johnson, both of whom reside near Myrtle Point; and Hor- ace, of Walla Walla, Washington.

Charles S. Warner received his education in Coos county but his advantages in this re- spect were limited. He started in active life for himself at the age of fifteen and worked at various occupations until his marriage at the age of twenty-four years. He then started farming on a tract of land which he had pur- chased, which constitutes the farm he now owns. His property is located on Myrtle creek, nine miles above Bridge, in Coos county, Oregon. Here Mr. Warner has been success- ful as a general farmer and as an expert stock-raiser. He also engages in dairying on a large scale and his activities in these branches make him a representative citizen of Coos county. His stock is all of a high quality and forms a profitable source of in- come to him. He raises cattle, sheep and hogs and takes pride in keeping his barns clean and sanitary in every particular.

Mr. Warner was united in marrige to Miss Florence Houser, who was born in Coos county, September 3, 1878, a daughter of Christian V. and Sarah Houser, natives of North Carolina. In that state their mar- riage occurred and after residing there for some years they came to Oregon in the early '70s, settling on the Coquille river, where the mother's death occurred in 1910. The father

is still living on his homestead of two hun- dred acres near Bridge. In their family were nine children: Mrs. Mary Machado of Myr- tle Point; James, residing at Bridge; Mag- gie, deceased; Florence, now Mrs. Charles S. Warner; Finis and Inis, twins, both of whom reside in Coos county; Laura, the wife of Thomas Rookard, of Coos county; Edna, deceased; and Josie, whose home is in Co- quille. Mr. and Mrs. Warner are the par- ents of three children: Hulda H. E., who was born July 1, 1901; Ada F., born October 1, 1902; 'and Delma A., born June 19, 1903.

In his political affiliations Mr. Warner is a socialist believing in the principles which that party advocates. He takes an intelligent in- terest in public affairs but never seeks pub- lic office. Productive agriculture aims first of all to be practical. Experience has its place here as it has in all other walks of life and it influences the successful cultivation of the soil to a remarkable extent. Mr. Warner owes his prosperity to his familiarity with soil and weather conditions, to personal labor in the fields and among the stock, and to an intelligence which dominates his activities and has its result in increasingly abundant harvests.

JAMES T. TUFFS occupies a central place on the stage of business activity at Grants Pass, where for nine years he has been identi- fied with banking interests, having for six years held the position of vice president of the Grants Pass Bank & Trust Company. There was no unusual or spectacular phases in his career, but his life record is that of one, who recognizes and embraces his opportuni- ties, who meets his obligations, and who is ever faithful in the discharge of the duties that devolve upon him. He was born in November, 1861, about two. miles west of the city in which he now lives and has always resided in this locality. He is a son of James P. Tuffs, who was long an honored and esteemed resident of this section. The father was born in Eastport, Maine, Janu- ary 12, 1825, his parents being Jolin and Catherine (Fitzgerald) Tuffs, the former a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Ireland. John Tuff's on leaving his native state removed to Maine, where he en- gaged in contracting and building for a long period but both he and his wife died in Chelsea, Massachusetts.

James P. Tuffs, who was one of a family of ten children, learned the ship carpenter's trade, working in the yards at East Bos- ton, Charlestown, Medford and South Boston. Massachusetts. As a carpenter on the Ply- mouth Rock he sailed from Boston, Decem- ber 28, 1849, and made the voyage around Cape Horn and after six months spent on the sea landed at San Francisco, June 28, 1850. Working on the streets of San Francisco through the summer, assisting in putting down the first paving ever done in that city, he received a wage of nine dollars per day, which was paid in Mexican dol- lars. These accumulated so rapidly that he soon had a bushel of those coins, which he ex- changed for gold. Becoming interested in

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

mining, he worked in the vicinity of Yreka and came to Canon creek, Josephine county, Oregon, following the discovery of gold in this locality. In two years he had made five thousand dollars in mining there. He next became a partner of Lewis Barnes in pur- chasing and operating a ferry and they also bought a stock of goods and began mer- chandising on the Rogue river. Mr. Tuffs disposed of those interests, however, in 1853, and took up his abode on a donation claim two miles farther up the river where he set out an orchard. He subsequently became a resident of Grants Pass and was not only prominent in business circles of the city but also in its public affairs. For two terms he served as a member of the city council and became a member of the first board of county commissioners of Josephine county, which position he also filled for two terms. He erected the building at the corner of Sixth and Eighth streets, which is now oc- cupied by the Grants Pass Banking & Trust Company. On the sale of the John K. Jones' estate about 1865 he purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land for three dollars and a quarter per acre. Thereon he erected a fine residence and made other improvements and as time passed he extended the boundaries of his property until he was the owner of six hundred and twelve acres of valuable land adjoining the old site of Grants Pass. In 1889 he built a home ad- jacent to the city limits, which he occu- pied to the time of his death on the 27th of April, 1906, when he was eighty-one years of age. He had been a member of the Masonic fraternity from 1858, having been initiated into the blue lodge at Kirby, Oregon, whence he transfered his member- ship, to Grants Pass Lodge, No. 84, F. & A. M. He was made a Royal Arch Mason in Reames' Chapter, No. 28, and a Knight Tem- plar in Melita Commandery, No. 8, at Grants Pass.

In 1854 James P. Tuffs was married to Miss Margaret Croxton, who was born in Stafford, England, November 10, 1838. It was in 1843 that she was brought to America by her mother, the other member of the party being her brother, Walter Croxton. They made their way to Alton, Illinois, where they joined the husband and father, who had come to the United States a year and a half before and had prepared a home for his family. Subsequently they resided for a time in St. Louis, Missouri, but afterward re- turned to Schuyler county, Illinois, where they remained until 1852, when they crossed the plains to Oregon, Mr. Croxton taking up a donation land claim at Ten Mile, Douglas county. In the fall of 1853 his daughter Margaret came to the Rogue river valley with her aunt, Margaret Demick, and here met Mr. Tuffs. On the 11th of May, 1854, they were married at the home at Ten Mile where she has since resided. She made the trip to Grants Pass a few days after her marriage-a seventy mile ride-in the saddle. Several times she rode back and forth on horseback to see her parents Thomas and Anna (Box) Croxton. Her mother died at

Grants Pass in 1867. when fifty-two years of age, and the father passed away at Ten Mile in 1868, also at the age of fifty-two years. They were the parents of four sons and three daughters of whom three sons and two daughters are yet living. Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Tuffs lived for ten years on the old donation claim and then removed to the farm, on which Mrs. Tuffs still makes her home. The place comprised six hundred and twelve acres before any of it was platted. She now has about ten acres, much of it within the city limits. She is the oldest resident of Grants Pass and the lower Rogue river valley, the town not hav- ing been founded at the time when she took up her abode here.

To Mr. and Mrs. James P. Tuffs were born seven children: Mrs. Hattie White, who died in 1889 at the age of thirty-three years, leaving three children; Lydia, who is the widow of Robert H. Dean, a resident of Grants Pass; Jennie M., the wife of C. D. Sessions of Lake View, Oregon; Mary Maud, who is the wife of L. M. Kane, of San Fran- cisco; James T .; Minnie L. who has been a teacher in the public schools of Grants Pass since 1889 and is with her mother; and Wil- liam G. who died in 1889, when in his twenty- second year.

James T. Tuffs, of the above mentioned family, has always resided at Grants Pass, remaining upon the home farm until about twenty years of age, during which period he acquired a district school education. On at- taining his majority he went to Portland, where he attended business college, and fol- lowing his return he engaged in clerking in a store, until feeling that his initial experience and training as well as his capital justified him embarking in business on his own ac- count, and he opened a store here. Later he began the operation of a sawmill and has been identified with the lumber business for the past eighteen years. He has found a profitable field here, so conducting his inter- ests as to win substantial financial returns. He has been a, partner in the Tuffs-Willers Lumber Company, of Dorris, Siskiyou county, California, for the past two years, and he was connected with the Booth-Kelley Lumber Company of Eugene, Oregon, until about two years ago. That company was the successor of the old Sugar Pine Door & Lumber Com- pany, with which he had formerly been asso- ~ ciated. For nine years he has figured prominently in banking circles of Grants Pass and about six years ago was elected president of the bank in which position he continued until 1909, when he retired and was chosen vice president. He is also a stockholder in the Douglas County Na- tional Bank of Roseburg and has been a stockholder of the First National Bank of Grants Pass almost continuously since its organization. His connection with banking interests further extends to the Butte Valley State Bank of Dorris, California, in which he owns stock. His industrial and financial in- terests are of an important character, his name figuring prominently in connection with lumbering and banking.

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

In 1889 Mr. Tuff's was married to Miss Addie Smith, a native of Turner, Oregon, and a daughter of L. S. Smith. They have three children, William G., Rex L. and James H. Mr. Tuffs has attained the Knight Templar degree in Masonry and is a member of the Commercial Club, being in hearty sympathy with the purposes of the organiza- tion in its efforts to promote public progress, upbuild the city and exploit its advantages. In politics he is a republican and has served as a member of the city council and as city treasurer but prefers to keep within the pale of business life and manifest his loyalty to and interest in the community in other ways than by holding office. He is an alert, en- terprising man, possessing sound business judgment and unfaltering energy and through the exercise of those qualities has made continuous advancement since he started out in the business world on his own account.

WILLIAM RUFUS KING, (lawyer), born near Walla Walla, Washington, October 3, 1864; son of David Rufus and Elizabeth (Estes) King; grandson of William Rufus and Sarah (Hood) King; and great-grand- son of John and Mary (Dupuy) King, of North Carolina. This John King was a cousin of William Rufus King, vice president of the United States under President Pierce, and moved from North Carolina to Arkan- sas, where he engaged in the mercantile busi- ness. Judge King's father (1828-1903) emi- grated to California in 1852, and was one of the sturdy pioneers who made it possible for the people of the east and south to build their homes among the verdant vales of the Pacific slope. In 1860 he was captain of an emigrant train from Sharp county, Ar- kansas, which located in a small valley known as Dry creek, six miles northwest of Walla Walla. In 1874 he removed to Jordan valley in Malheur county, Oregon, and as a successful farmer contributed to the up- building of the state.

"Will R." (by which designation he is fa- miliary known through Oregon), was edu- cated in the public schools, at the State Agri- cultural College (1882-1885) at Corvallis, Oregon, and in the law department of the Central Normal College at Danville, Indiana, graduating therefrom in 1891 with the de- gree of LL. B. He began the practice of his profession as a lawyer in June, 1892 at Vale, Oregon; removing the following March to Baker City, where in April, 1895, Fran- cis M. Saxton, of Indiana, became associated with him under the law firm name of "King & Saxton." Four years later he severed his connection and removed to Ontario, Oregon. Although residing in this moderate-size town he enjoyed a lucrative practice, not only in the state and federal courts of Oregon but neighboring states as well, until his appoint- ment to the supreme bencli.

His political career began shortly after his admission to the bar, through his elec- tion on the democratic ticket in 1892 to the lower house of the state legislature. Two years later he was elected state sena-

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 156

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