The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 167

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

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Mr. Ingram married in 1908 Miss Ethel Booth, who was born in Iowa, in 1886, a daughter of Jackson Booth, who died in 1911. His wife is living in San Jose, California. Mrs. Ingram is one of a large family, seven of whom are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Ing- ram have one son, William Jackson, who was born in 1910. The family belong to the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Ingram is a progressive republican and is serving as city treasurer of Lebanon. He is still in the be- ginning of his career and has made many changes during the course of his active life, all of which have advanced his interests, showing the quality of his business acumen and his knowledge of local conditions. There is every reason to believe that his future progress will continue along expanding lines as has his past advancement and that he is on the road toward greater prominence and success.

J. N. GIVAN has been the owner of two hundred acres of land near Adel since 1902 and is fast converting this into a valuable and highly improved property. He is lead- ing a useful and busy life and is recognized as one of the progressive ranchmen of the Warner valley. His birth occurred in Keo- kuk county, Iowa, April 13, 1863, his par- ents being Henry C. and Phoebe (Jacobs) Givan, both of whom were natives of Indi- ana and were there reared, but they were married in Iowa. In the winter of 1870-1 they made their way to Modoc county, Cali- fornia, where they continued throughout their remaining days, the father passing away in 1911 at the advanced age of eighty- one years. He had always followed farming both in the east and in the west. In the family were four children: Tilda, who is the widow of C. B. Blake, and resides in Modoc county, California; J. N .; Lydia, who is a widow, also of Modoc county; and Emma, the wife of James McKee, of the North Warner valley.

J. N. Givan was but seven years of age when brought by his parents to the Pacific coast, and in Modoc county continued his

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residence until seventeen years of age, when he came to the Warner valley, where he has since spent the greater part of his time. He worked on the J. J. ranch at Plush for twen- ty-one years as a buccaro and in 1902 started ranching on his own account, having carefully saved his earnings until his capital was sufficient to enable him to purchase his present ranch. His home place near Adel com- prises two hundred acres, all of which is till- able, and he also has a hay ranch five miles north of Adel. He also has two places rented, totaling three hundred and twenty acres, and is now extensively engaged in putting up hay and raising stock. He cuts about seven hun- dred tons of hay annually and has about seven hundred head of cattle and two hun- dred head of horses on the ranch. His brand is a bar drawn across a circle and his stock are known as the circle-bar stock. He em- ploys nine men during the haying season, lasting from six weeks to two months, and also employs one man throughout the entire year, while he and his two sons are at the same time busily engaged in conducting his interests, thus making four men working at all times upon the place.

In the fall of 1890 Mr. Givan was married to Mrs. Dora E. Overton, who was born in Siskiyou county, California, in 1865, and is a daughter of Joel Rambo. By her former marriage she had two children: Plumber Overton, now deceased; and Daisy, the wife of J. A. Morris, who is mentioned on an- other page of this work. To Mr. and Mrs. Givan have been born three children, Ernest, Hazel and Dallas. Mr .. Givan belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Although lie is an advocate of all lines of public prog- ress and improvement he has little time to devote to public activities because of the de- mands made upon him by his business inter- ests, which are growing in volume and im- portance. He has always labored earnestly and his success is the ultimate outcome and merited reward of his energy and enterprise.

GEORGE FRED BURKHART, who passed away in Portland on the 29th of September, 1911, was long and successfully identified with general agricultural pursuits in Linn county on a farm situated three and a half miles north of Lebanon. He was a native son of Oregon, his birth having occurred in 1846, while his parents were crossing the plains, near the place where Marcus Whitman was massacred. His parents, who were na- tives of Illinois, settled in the Willamette val- ley in 1847 and took up a donation land claim in Linn county. George F. Burkhart spent the first twenty-one years of his life on the home farm and following his graduation from Le- banon Academy, pursued a course of study in the Oregon State Agricultural College at Corvallis. Subsequently he taught school in Linn county for several years, imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge which he had acquired. He then bought the farm which is now the home of his son Clyde, purchasing the property from a Mr. Wassom, who had originally taken it up. The culti- vation and improvement of that place claimed

his attention throughout the remainder of his active business career or until 1910, when he took up his abode in Portland, where his demise occurred the following year. In his passing the state of Oregon lost a substan- tial agriculturist and an esteemed citizen and one who, spending his entire life within its borders, had borne an active part in the work of its development and upbuilding.

In 1878, in this state, Mr. Burkhart was united in marriage to Miss Serepta Cornelias, who was born in Missouri and came to Ore- gon with relatives. In 1898, after twenty years of married life, she was called to her final rest. To. Mr. and Mrs. Burkhart were born two children: Raymond, an agricultur- ist of Linn county, owning two farms, who is married and has one child; and Clyde M., who owns the old home place of one hundred and fifty-six acres in association with his brother. Seventy acres thereof are under cul- tivation and are devoted principally to the raising of grain. Clyde M. Burkhart also has a large prune orchard and has won a gratifying measure of success in his farming operations. He wedded Miss Gladys Andrews, a native of Oregon and a daughter of David and Adeline (Hamilton) Andrews, who were born in Massachusetts and Wisconsin respect- ively and came to this state at an early day. Mrs. Gladys Burkhart is one of a family of eight children, the others being as follows: Ora, the wife of Ralph Priest of Prineville, Oregon, by whom she has four children; Jessie, who gave her hand in marriage to Grover Caldwell of Lapine, Oregon, by whom she has three children; Thaddeus, who is a resident of Portland and the father of one child; Josephine, who is the wife of Henry Suter of Oak Grove, Oregon, and the mother of one child; Addie, the wife of Harry Sly, of Dorris, California; Reuben, who is a resi- dent of California; and Ralph, who lives with his brother-in-law, Clyde M. Burkhart. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Burkhart have one child, Karl, whose natal day was March 5, 1911.

In politics George F. Burkhart was a demo- crat but never sought nor desired office as a reward for party fealty. His religious faith was that of the Methodist Episcopal church, while fraternally he was identified with the Maccabees and the Masons. His life was spent in accordance with the highest princi- ples of honorable manhood and citizenship and his memory is cherished by all who knew him.

L. A. MOSS is the owner of two hundred acres of land adjoining Paisley on the east and devoted to the raising of hay and grain. He is also the secretary and manager of the Moss Telephone & Telegraph Company of Lake county and thus deserves classification with the representative residents of the dis- trict. He was born in Linn county, Oregon, May 22, 1862, and was the eldest of the three children of S. P. and Sarah (Robinett) Moss. The mother died in Linn county in 1868 and the father afterward removed to Modoc county, California, settling near Beaver, where he remained three years. He then came to Lake county in July, 1872, taking up

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

his abode at the head of the Summer lake valley, where he is now living.

L. A. Moss remained with his father until 1888 and assisted him in the various duties of the ranch, but when twenty-six years of age started out for himself. In the fall of 1889 he went to Warner valley, where he engaged in ranching for six years, having a preemption claim and a quarter section of school land. At lengthi he sold out there and came to his present place, comprising two hundred acres of fertile land adjoining Pais- ley on the east. All of this is under a high state of cultivation, being devoted to the raising of hay and grain. He also ran stock extensively until the past few years, hav- ing two thousand head of sheep and two hun- dred head of cattle at one time, while in connection with his father and brother he had three hundred and fifty horses. He spent most of his time on the range in his earlier days and has gone through all of the experiences of that life which is now fast becoming a thing of the past as the open territory is being taken up and the state divided into ranches. He has contributed to the general develop- ment and progress not alone along agricul- tural lines but also as the secretary and manager of the Moss Telephone & Telegraph Company of Lake county which has a line extending from Silver Lake to Lake View, a distance of more than a hundred miles.

On the 29th of September, 1889, Mr. Moss was married to Miss Anna McCormack, who was born in New Brunswick, December 27, 1873, and is a daughter of William McCor- mack. Their three children are Stephen W., Alfred G. and Mildred Ruth. Mr. Moss has voted with the democracy since age con- ferred upon him the right of franchise and has served in a number of local offices, in- cluding that of justice of the peace and con- stable. For eight years he has been school director and is a warm friend of good schools and good roads. For one term he was road supervisor and his aid and influence, whether in office or out of it, are at all times given to works of public progress and improve- ment. For the past twelve years he has been a member of the Woodmen of the World and he is a member of the Christian church, the teachings of which form the guiding influences of his life.

WILLIAM H. WILSON. The pioneer set- tlement of Oregon is a tale that is told. Its pages contain the story of many thrilling ad- ventures of Indian warfare and of a con- test for the dominion of the district. The story takes us along blazed trails, through uncut forests and into the mountain fast- nesses, and leads us up to the development of a beautiful and fertile country, where every evidence of advanced agricultural methods are to be seen, together with the indica- tions of progressive industrial, mining and commercial activities. This is the story of Oregon's settlement in outline. It is made up, however, of the individual struggles and ef- forts of many men, prominent among whom was William H. Wilson, whose death in Feb- ruary, 1902, marked the passing of one of the

worthy pioneers and venerable citizens of Douglas county. He was born in Warren county, Tennessee, December 18, 1822, and in childhood accompanied his parents to St. Clair county, Missouri, where he lived until 1843, and then joined the famous Apple- gate emigration train with which he crossed the plains to Oregon. He had attained his majority by the time the end of the jour- ney was reached, and until about twenty- eight years of age he was a resident of the Willamette valley. Indian depredations were a constant menace to the settlers and Mr. Wilson was one of a regiment of young men, who marched against the Cayuse In- dians after the massacre of Dr. Whitman. He passed unharmed through various skir- mishes but was finally severely wounded near Oregon City. His account of the early struggles of pioneer times is extremely in- teresting. Some years before his death ho narrated the particulars of the engagement with the notorious Indian, Cock-Stock, whom he says "was an aggressive, impudent fellow, a kind of desperado, belonging to the Mo- lalla tribe, not a chief of that or any other tribe, but the leader of a few young, reck- less, hot-headed Indians. He was always trying to stir up and increase ill-will be- tween the Indians and white people, and was especially vindictive towards the Methodist missionaries who had reprimanded him for his evil ways. Some time in February, 1844, I happened to be at Dr. Elijah White's house (he was a kind of Indian agent) when complaint was brought to him of some mis- conduct of Cock-Stock, who was reported to be at an Indian camp near by. The Doctor asked me to ride with him down to the camp and help him arrest the Indian. As we rode along he told me something of the trouble this Indian had been giving him and something of the uneasiness he felt in regard to disagreements between Indians and settlers that he was instrumental in creating. He gave me a description of his conduct, telling me how frightened the white women and children in the vicinity were of him. The Doctor seemed to think that there would be no end to his misconduct until Cock-Stock was arrested or killed. When we arrived at the camp we could find nothing of him. I had been working for Dr. McLoughlin for some time; had first been at work in the woods cutting saw logs, and later with a gang of men had been putting logs into the Willam- ette above Canemah for the Oregon Milling Company. I had tried to do my work well and to give faithful service to the good old Doc- tor, who was regarded with the greatest esteem by his employes. Perhaps he noticed that I was anxious to please; perhaps he thought me trustworthy; at any rate he selected me to take charge of the dry house, a position of care and responsibility. In this dry house lumber was being seasoned for the erection of a flouring mill. It was my duty to watch 'the furnaces-very simple affairs they were-keep them going and also to guard against fire. This work kept me con- stantly in the vicinity of the mill, but fre- quently left me a few moments of leisure.

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Unfortunately for me, one of those came just right to get me shot with an Indian arrow. It was on the 4th of March, 1844, two or three weeks after my talk with Dr. White, that Cock-Stock and several other Indians-I think seven or eight-saucy young fellows, fully armed, came riding into Oregon City. They rode to the house of the Methodist missionary, Rev. A. F. Walter, and halloed several times, but no one came out of the house. Then they rode up and down the town, talking loud, and laughing and acting in an impudent and insulting manner, but not really molesting any one, though many of the people, especially the women and children, were terribly frightened, as they were very panicky about him anyhow. Fi- nally the Indians tied up their ponies at the foot of the bluff and taking a boat pad- dled across the river to where there was a village of Calipooias. It was thought from some threats which Cock-Stock had made, that he was going to try to get a party to- gether to do some injury to the mission or the people. I thought from all I had heard and seen, that that man would be doing a good deed for the community, who would rid it of this Indian, and while the Indians were over the river I went up to dinner, and when I came back to the mill I brought my gun with me. I believe that I was a little anxious to take a shot at the Indian, pro- vided he would commit some overt act to justify me in doing so. When the Indians were seen coming back across the river sev- eral men collected about the mill and boat landing, which was under the mill. The mill was set up on timbers and persons could pass under it very easily. There was a bridge or log-way built of slabs sloping up from the ground, over which logs were hauled into the mill. It was built in a kind of curve. I was standing about the middle of this bridge. Sterling Rodgers was stand- ing near me and Colonel J. W. Nesmith was near the end of the bridge on the ground. Nesmith and I were both armed but Rod- gers was not. The Indians landed under the mill and came in sight from under the bridge going towards their horses. When they had gone a few steps some one yelled something at Cock-Stock. I did not catch the words but the Indian whirled instantly and fired into the crowd with a pistol. I and Colonel Nesmith both shot at him at the same time and when the blurr of smoke cleared so I could see, I saw him on his hands and knees, but scrambling up again. Then I caught sight of Le Breton and heard the report and saw the smoke of another pistol shot. The next thing I saw was Le Breton and the Indian struggling together about the end of the bridge. Then for an instant I saw the mulatto, George Winslow, rushing to them with a gun in his hands. The Indian was down and the mu- latto did not strike with the gun, but he just drove the muzzle of it through the In- dian's head as though it were a crowbar or a bayonet. When Cock-Stock fell the other Indians broke into a run for their horses, turning as they ran and shooting back bul-

lets and arrows into the crowd. Le Breton . was shot twice and badly stabbed in at- tempting to arrest Cock-Stock. All this had taken place in a few seconds. Rodgers and I still stood on the bridge looking on and, being up there, made a good target. At any rate Rodgers suddenly cried out, 'Look out, Bill, they are shooting arrows! I am hit.' Before he was done speaking an arrow hit me also, whereupon we both ran into the mill. Rodgers was wounded in the arm and the arrow hitting me buried itself in the fleshy part of my hip. Before I thought I caught hold of it and tried to jerk it out, but only partially succeeded, as it came out broken, leaving the head imbedded in the flesh, where I have carried it these fifty-six years. Several shots were fired after the Indians but they reached their horses, mounted and scrambled up the bluff. One pony was' shot, however, and they had to leave it, but the Indians made their escape and were never caught that I know of. When Cock-Stock's body was examined there was found the mark of a bullet across the back of his head and neck, which no doubt was what knocked him down. I believe that was my bullet, for I was a good shot in those days, and from where I stood could have hit him in that way as he turned to run after firing his pistol. Colonel Nesmith thought that shot was his and I never disputed the honor, if honor it was, with him. However, ours were the only shots fired at that time. It was one of us, and it was a good job, whichever did it. Le Breton and Rodgers were taken to the hospital at Vancouver, where both died. Rodgers was not any worse hurt than I was at first, but blood poison- ing set in, resulting in his death. I was urged to go to the hospital but I was more afraid of the doctors than of my wound. I used some simple remedies. My wound was very painful for awhile and was tender and sore for several years, but finally ceased to trouble me."

Mr. Wilson made his first trip to the California gold fields in 1848 but afterward visited the mines several times, making his home during that period with Jesse Apple- gate. In 1850 he married and came to Doug- las county, making the journey with an ox team and securing here a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres, two and a half miles southeast of the present city of Yon- calla, in the most fertile part of the Yon- calla valley. He built a hewed log cabin of one room which for several years was the home of the family, but was later re- placed by a more modern and substantial residence. The Indians were at times troublesome but never to such an extent that it became necessary to make war upon them, and Mr. Wilson spent many useful and happy years in the valley, his activities con- tributing to its development and improvement.

As stated Mr. Wilson was married in 1850, the lady of his choice being Mrs. Hannah Gillan, who was born in New Jersey, and was five years of age when her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Dickinson, removed to Co-

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lumbiana county, Ohio, where they lived for seven years. In 1844 they went to Lee county, Iowa, where the father took up a government land claim. While living in that state the daughter Hannah became the wife of John Gillan and in 1844 they started across the plains for Oregon with four yoke of oxen. Their trip was beset with many perils and they were several times attacked by Indians. In the Goose Lake country a little girl of the train was severely wounded and for days was carried on a litter. She survived, however, became a Mrs. Hendrick and was well known in Oregon. In November, 1844, Mr. and Mrs. Gillan settled on a claim in Lane county, near Eugene, and there Mr. Gillan passed away in the following year. About five years later his widow became the wife of Wil- liam H. Wilson and theirs was a happy mar- ried life covering fifty-two years. She has ever been a believer in the religion of cheer- fulness and has led a consistent Christian life. She was widely known as one of the pioneer women of Douglas county, belonging to that brave band of mothers, sisters and wives who in a more quiet but none the less important way bore the brunt of the battle whereby Oregon was reclaimed for the pur- poses of civilization. In February, 1902, Mr. Wilson departed this life and thus closed an honorable and useful career, intimately con- nected with the early development of the state. He was an uncompromising republi- can and for several years served as county commissioner of Douglas county, while later he represented his district in the legislature. He never deviated from the straight path of duty and the line of strict integrity and incorruptible political principles. His word was his bond and was never broken for any cause. The part which he played in Indian warfare alone entitles him to prominent con- sideration in this volume, yet other chapters of his life history are equally notable and commendable. He was a consistent member of the Christian church and his religion con- stituted a vital force in his career. He bore the distinguishing marks of the early fron- tiersman who blazed the trail for the gener- ation which followed, and his name is en- graved high on the roll of Oregon's honored pioneers.

WILLIAM P. CHISHOLM, M. D., a practic- ing physician at Rogue River, who has been very successful in the work of his chosen profession, is the owner of mining properties and about three hundred acres of land. He was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, No- vember 4, 1865, a son of William and Jean- ette Ferguson (McPhie) Chisholm, natives of Scotland. The father emigrated to Canada in 1842 or 1843, where he was later married. He was engaged in the lumber business all his life and died in Canada in 1873, when he was fifty years of age. The mother sur- vived him until 1889, passing away at the age of fifty-seven years. The father was twice married and to him were born ten chil- dren, five by the first wife and five by the second. Dr. Chisholm is the eldest of the

five children born unto his mother. He was educated in Hamilton, being graduated from the Hamilton Collegiate Institute in 1883. He then entered the University of Toronto, where he remained until 1885. He afterward entered Trinity Medical College of Toronto and in 1888 received the degree of M. D. He began practicing in 1889 in Hamilton and continued the work of his profession there until 1892, when in May, of that year, he removed to Colorado, where he practiced in Platteville, Ironton, Denver and Victor for five years. He then removed to southern Oregon, where for fourteen years he prac- ticed his profession in Gold Hill, removing to Rogue River in 1911. The Doctor has for many years been interested in mining properties and during twelve years of his time spent in southern Oregon he was con- nected with that business in conjunction with his practice. His holdings, comprising about three hundred acres of land, contain some valuable mineral deposits.

Dr. Chisholm was married, December 15, 1898, to Miss Margaret R. Hammersly, who was born in Springfield, Oregon, August 21, 1877, a daughter of George R. and Martha (Borough) Hammersly, who now reside in Rogue River. To Dr. and Mrs. Chisholm have been born seven children, Margaret, James, Thomas, Donald Hugh, Stuart Thomp- son, Jeannette McPhie and John.

The Doctor in his political views is a democrat but has never been an office seeker. Although his arrival in Rogue River is com- paratively recent, he has become extensively and favorably known in the community. Having had broad medical experience, he has succeeded in building up a good practice, which is constantly growing. Being an af- fable man and of an optimistic temperament he makes friends readily and has an ex- tended acquaintance in the community.

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 167

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