The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 2

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

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dren, had made the long trip from the Missis- sippi valley to the Pacific coast save that a daughter, Mary, died while on the way. The mother continued to reside in Marion county until her death, which occurred in 1860, when she was more than eighty years of age. Most of her children settled in the vicinity of Salem and the family is now a very numerous one in that part of the state. Times were very hard in the early days, privations being many and comforts few. The family, too, had but limited financial resources and it was neces- sary for G. B. Caldwell to earn a living in order to assist in providing for the younger members of the household. He was the third in order of birth in a family that numbered altogether nine children. Arthur, the eldest, served under General John C. Fremont in southern California during the Mexican war and spent the remainder of his life at San Juan in that state. Calohill, who was also a soldier with Fremont, died at Burns, Ore- gon. Bartley, the fourth member of the fam- ily, has followed mining during the greater part of his life and now lives in Stockton, California. Mrs. Lorella Jane Ramsdell and Mrs. Leona Agnes Holt were twins and both died in Oregon. The former had thirteen children and the latter twelve. Mary, who was the seventh member of the family, died in Oregon in 1846, when nine years of age. Maybery G. is a resident of Jefferson, Oregon. Almeda Conrad, the youngest, is deceased.

G. B. Caldwell, whose name introduces this record, was a lad of thirteen years when his parents removed to Missouri. Soon afterward he entered a furniture factory and continued at that kind of work for some time, but in the spring of 1846, when a youth of nineteen, he started with the family for Oregon. Their teams were drawn by ten oxen and they joined an emigrant train of one hundred and twenty-five wagons. His two elder brothers had previously joined Fremont's army in the west and because of the death of the father the duties of the head of the household de- volved upon G. B. Caldwell. From an inter- view with him of a recent date a local writer has given the following description of the westward trip:

"The most serious Indian trouble occurred when the party had reached Goose lake, in eastern Oregon. The original party which left Lexington consisted of one hundred and twenty-five wagons but this immense train separated into bands of twenty-five wagons each after a few days, as it was found impos- sible for all to travel together and make more than ten miles a day. When the Indians mounted on ponies one morning at daybreak, at the time the night guards were changed, swept over the hills in Lake county they cap- tured all the oxen and cattle that the entire caravan of twenty-five families possessed. The loss was soon discovered and chase was given. However, when the Indians saw that they would lose their booty they began shoot- ing arrows into the oxen and quite a number were lost. This seriously crippled the trav- elers and as a result a number of families were forced to bury their heavier baggage near the present city of Lakeview, Oregon.

THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

"The party crossed the mountains and en- tered the Rogne River valley near Ashland and started north. When near Grants Pass the entire stock of flour and meal became ex- hausted. The emigrants were successful in securing a quantity of smoked salmon and some meat from Indians that sustained life. "When the party arrived where the present city of Eugene stands there was only one house, a new one, but uninhabited. The first family living in a house was where Cor- vallis now stands. Where the party forded Rogue river was about two miles above the present location of Grants Pass, now known to old settlers as Brown's ford."

The year following their arrival G. B. Cald- well went to San Francisco, then an old Span- ish town largely composed of adobe buildings covered with tile, there being only one frame structure-a hotel-in the place. His eldest brother and his brother-in-law were whip- sawing in the redwoods of California and he entered their employ at a salary of twenty- five dollars per month and board, which was the largest wages that he had ever earned up to that time. He assisted in getting out the lumber to build their homes at San Juan and afterward established a little furniture shop there, which he conducted until 1848, when he went to the quicksilver mines, there working at the carpenter's trade for two dol- lars and a half per day. Following the dis- covery of gold in 1848 he refused a wage of five dollars a day at his trade and went with all the white men of the district to the gold fields on the American river, near Sacramento. He reached that point within six weeks after the discovery of gold and was planning to engage in prospecting when one day he made his way to the water's edge in order to get water to be used in cooking. There on the river bank he discovered plenty of gold dust. He worked several weeks, after which he re- turned to Jefferson and took his two brothers- in-law and a sister, Mrs. Ramsdell, back witlı him to California in the spring of 1849, the trip being made by water. At that time Mr. Caldwell began packing while his relatives worked in the mines. He made five thousand dollars in that way on two trips from Stock- ton to the mines, a distance of eighty miles. His labors brought him substantial success and for a period he enjoyed a high degree of prosperity, but he lost what he had made in speculation in city property in San Jose. When he had returned to Oregon for his rela- tives in 1848 he took back with him one hun- dred ounces of gold. This was the first gold brought from the mines into this state and he sold it to Dr. McLoughlin, of Oregon City, for eleven dollars per ounce. This gold created great excitement there and caused a stampede of the settlers of that region to the gold fields.

In 1852 Mr. Caldwell was married, after which he engaged in the lumber business and in other occupations in California, at one time conducting a furniture factory. In 1858. however, he returned to this state, becoming a permanent resident here. For a year he resided at Jefferson, where he conducted a cabinet shop, and in 1859 he removed to

Josephine county, settling on Williams creek, where he opened a cabinet shop and engaged in the manufacture of furniture for about twenty years. During five winter seasons lie engaged in mining. By steamer he went down the Klamath river and set up a mill there. His turning lathes, saws and other machinery were all brought from San Fran- cisco and for many years he made most of the furniture used by the settlers of southern Oregon. While Mr. Caldwell was at Klamath the family removed to Grants Pass. He later engaged in carpentering here for five years and then returned to Williams creek, where he carried on farming and also worked at his trade. About four years ago, or in 1908, he returned to Grants Pass, where he is now liv- ing retired, making his home with his daugh- ter, Mrs. Dixon.

It was in 1852 that Mr. Caldwell was mar- ried to Mrs. Martha Williamson Wallace, the widow of Robert Wallace. She was born in Virginia, June 23, 1827, and was first married in that state. Her husband worked in the mines until he became ill with typhoid fever and passed away. Mrs. Wallace came across the plains in 1851 and cared for her husband in his illness. She had previously studied medicine and gave a large part of her time to practice in pioneer days. She made long trips on horseback to care for those who were ill and would often stay for weeks at a time among those who were sick. She was par- ticularly skilful in her treatment of children's diseases and she practiced until within a short time before her death. She had a large circle of friends and acquaintances, who deeply de- plored her loss when, on the 30th of Septem- ber, 1907, she was called to the home beyond. By her first marriage she had three children, the eldest of whom passed away when two years of age. The other two, Mrs. Mary Jane Rice, now deceased, and Mrs. Martha Elizabeth Howe, the wife of John Howe, of Grants Pass, were twins. There were seven children of the second marriage but the first born died in infancy. The others are: Eva, the wife of John Newcomb, of Washington; Maggie, the wife of C. O. Bigelow, of William- son, Oregon; Laura, the wife of C. F. Dixon, of Grants Pass, whose father was the first white child born in Benton county, Oregon, and is now a resident of Portland; G. M., liv- ing at Grants Pass; Nettie, the deceased wife of Thomas Mahan; and Ella, the widow of Fred Everton, of Stockton, California.

G. B. Caldwell was reared in the faith of the whig party but after attaining his major- ity joined the ranks of the democratic party, with which he was connected until recent years but is now a socialist. He served for two terms in the state legislature, in 1878 and again in 1880. He belongs to the Meth- odist Episcopal church South and has ever led an upright, honorable life, his earnest toil bringing him success and his integrity gain- ing him the high regard of all with whom he has been brought in contact. His life history if written in detail would present a clear and interesting picture of pioneer experiences in the northwest. In fact. he is not only acquainted with the history of Oregon but

THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

also with California and on one occasion, in the fall of 1849, when he was returning to California on board the brig Henry, the ship was caught in a gale and blown three hun- dred miles north of the Columbia river, barely escaping shipwreck. The various experiences of pioneer life are familiar to Mr. Caldwell and through his industry and enterprise he has contributed to the substantial develop- inent and progress of the sections in which he has lived. He can remember when many of the now well cultivated farms were covered with a dense growth of forest trees and when great stretches of land that are now thickly populated presented no indication of civiliza- tion. He has made good use of his time and in old age can look back over the past with- out regret and forward to the future with- out fear.

JAMES P. FELLER, a native of Marion county, was born June 25, 1867, on the old William Whitney donation claim, near the present site of Donald. His parents were Francis and Rheumah (Whitney) Feller, the father a native of Lorraine, Germany, and the mother of Oregon. The mother's people were of English descent and came from In- diana to Oregon in 1842, being among the first white settlers in the state. They crossed the plains and toiled through the mountain passes with ox teams, arriving at their journey's end to find themselves in a country of great nat- ural resources. When sixteen years of age the father, accompanied by his parents, left Lorraine, Germany, and came to America, set- tling in Illinois. He remained with them for two years, and then he removed to Butte- ville, Oregon, making the journey by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Subsequently he was employed by the month for five years, thereafter going to Idaho, where he made quite a large sum of money in the mines. Re- turning to Oregon, he bought a ranch near the place where he now lives, but selling out at the end of twelve years, he purchased the William Whitney land claim and a portion of the Pettee donation land claim. The mother died in 1892. At present the father resides retired in Woodburn, where he has chosen to make his home in his advanced age. James P. Feller, of this review, was the eld- est child of his parents. The others are: William F., who resides on the old home place; Alfred E., who operates a farm of one hundred and sixty acres near Donald, Oregon; Mary E., who is the wife of C. A. Barienger, of Portland; Nellie R., the wife of A. C. Scheurer, an automobile dealer of Aurora, Oregon; Hattie, who is the wife of J. C. Bark- man, of Portland; Charles E., of Donald, Ore- gon; Anna May, the wife of William Grover, who is in the employ of the National Cash Register Company, at Portland, Oregon; and Ida, the wife of A. H. Krause. Mr. Francis Feller was married four years after the death of his first wife to Miss Ida Garrett and two children have been born of this union: Iva, born in 1899; and Kenneth, born in 1905.

At the age of twenty-one James P. Feller started out in life on his own accord, rent- ing a farm of one hundred and forty acres

which he operated for five years, after which he bought the home where he now resides. This is a part of the William and Amanda Reese donation land claim and originally consisted of two hundred and forty-five acres. He sold a part of this land, which was used as the town site of Donald, and subsequent to the sale purchased an additional tract of forty-five acres. He has laid out the Feller first and second additions to Donald, which homeseekers are now buying. The village is a thriving and growing one, and will soon be incorporated. The Oregon Electric line runs through the town and has greatly enhanced the value of Mr. Feller's farm. He has one hundred and sixty-three acres of land under a high state of cultivation and is engaged in raising stock, grain and hops, having thirty-five acres of the latter. which yielded last year over twenty-eight thousand pounds of hops, eighteen thousand pounds of which were sold at forty-one cents per pound. He has a very beautiful home, handsomely fur- nished, and has installed his own water sys- tem and electric lights.

Mr. Feller married Miss Ellen Garrett, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Garrett and a native of Oregon, born in 1869. She is one of a family of fourteen children, four of whom are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Feller have become the parents of one child, Ernest R., born July 4, 1892, who, having completed a college course at Newberg, Oregon, lives at home on the farm and has proved himself to be an efficient assistant to his father.

In politics Mr. Feller is a republican but always gives due attention to the man who is to be put in office. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Masons. He has always been greatly interested in public affairs and was instrumental in securing for Donald new roads and good schools, and he has been on the election board for a number of years. He is one of the most substantial business men of his community and is widely known and highly honored as a self-made man and one who has attained his success through honest effort and indefatigable industry.

ROMAIN W. WILCOX, who since 1908 has served as postmaster of Cleone, in Multno- mah county, was born in Wisconsin, Decem- ber 4, 1850. His parents were Daniel and Eliza Ann Wilcox, both of whom were na- tives of the state of New York and resided there until after their marriage in 1847. They then moved to Wisconsin, where they lived until the father's death, in 1893. Later the mother removed to the state of Wash- . ington and resided with the subject of this sketch until her death, in 1899. In their family were five children, two of whom died in infancy. Those who are living are: Mrs. Martha Jacks, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Romain W .; and Mrs. Emma Seifkenn, of Pilger, Nebraska.

Romain W. Wilcox grew to manhood in his native state and obtained a common- school education, the greater part of which he acquired in a night school. He remained at home until he was thirty-three years of

THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

age, when he started farming for himself in Wisconsin. Soon after he moved to the state of Washington, where he again took up farming, and in 1903 came to Oregon. settling in Multnomah county, where he worked for two years for W. W. Cotton in the creamery business. For the following two years he was engaged in the meat busi- ness, and on April 30, 1908, he was ap- pointed postmaster of Cleone, in which capacity he is now so ably serving.

In 1873 Mr. Wilcox married Miss Anna Lucas, who was born in Wisconsin, a daugh- ter of James and Jemima Lucas, both of whom were natives of England. The parents both emigrated to Canada and were mar- ried there, later moving to Wisconsin, where they continued to make their home. The father died there in 1903 and the mother is still living in that state. In their family were seven children: Mary; Anna, who is now Mrs. Wilcox; Margaret and Cora, of Wisconsin; John, of Canada; Frank, of Mich- igan; and Charles, of Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox have become the parents of four children. Daisy B., the eldest, who was born in 1877, has a high-school education and is now the wife of E. L. Wilkinson, of Portland, Oregon, who is in the employ of a railroad. Claire C. was born in 1879 and is now a physician at Vancouver, Wash- ington. Harold is deceased. Alta M .. who completes the family, was born in 1893, has a high-school education, and is also a grad- uate in music, which subject she has been teaching. She is now at home.

In his political views Mr. Wilcox is a re- publican, and fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias. He and his family are of the Apostolic faith, being mem- bers of the Christian church. Mr. Wilcox is a progressive, energetic and highly-hon- ored citizen of Cleone. In all his business and social relations he has ever been upright and since entering upon his work as post- master his efforts have been crowned with success.

HENRY ZORN, who is one of the large land owners in Marion county and who resides a quarter of a mile north of Cham- poeg, was born in Portland in 1880, his parents being Adam and Christina (Sohler) Zorn, the former a native of Hesse, Germany, and the latter of Green Bay, Wisconsin. The mother's birth occurred in 1852 and her father was a native of Prussia. Adam Zorn, whose birth occurred in 1841. came to Amer- ica with his father in 1853. Immediately upon their arrival in New York they set out for Wisconsin, and located at Baraboo. The father lived a more or less retired life. Adam Zorn was one of five children, the oth- ers being: Henry, who is married and makes his home in Hesse, Germany; Casper and Mrs. Annie Hoefer, both deceased; and Mrs. Catherine Hirsching, who resides at Baraboo. Wisconsin. To Mr. and Mrs. Adam Zorn three children were born: Henry, the subject of this review; Clara, the wife of Isaac Van Dandaigue, of St. Paul, Oregon; and Adam, deceased. Adam Zorn, the father of our sub-

ject, was engaged in farming until the family removed to Oregon, making the trip via the Isthmus of Panama and going directly to Portland. His brother Casper and sister Annie had preceded him to Oregon, settling at Champoeg, where the sister's husband, John Hoefer, was a carpenter. Casper Zorn worked as a farm hand and his father, the grandfather of our subject, made his home with him until the time of his death, which occurred in 1878. Adam Zorn, the father, was married in 1878 and at that time re- moved to Portland, where he conducted a restaurant until the death of his wife ten years later. Subsequently he continued his residence in that city until his death in Janu- ary, 1909.

Casper Zorn and John Hoefer purchased a farm in Champoeg but the former sold out and removed to Idaho, where he opened and operated a hotel at the Orafine mines in part- nership with C. W. King, of Olds, Worthman & King, of Portland. They continued in this business until the mining excitement sub- sided. They had made considerable money and after selling out Casper Zorn returned to Champoeg, where in 1862 he purchased a mill in partnership with his brother-in-law, John Hoefer, on Mission creek, near Cham- poeg. For eighteen years they were engaged in operating this mill and during that time Mr. Zorn also engaged in the real-estate and loan business. Afterward they became inter- ested in farming and until their deaths they shared equally in the profits of their various enterprises. The house which they built upon their farm was at that time the finest in this part of the country and is still con- sidered one of the most substantial and best built residences in Marion county. Mr. Hoe- fer's death occurred in 1909 and his property was left to thirty-three heirs, and Casper Zorn's death occurred in March of the fol- lowing year, his property being left to four heirs.

Henry Zorn received one thousand acres from his uncle, upon which he is now resid- ing, and the value of his holdings amounts to nearly one hundred and seventy-five thou- sand dollars. Four hundred of the six hun- dred and thirty acres upon which he resides is in a high state of cultivation, being devoted to grain and hop raising, and he also raises cattle, specializing in Jersey cows and fine hogs. He has at times given special atten- tion to breeding fine horses. The place is fully equipped with water works and a light- ing system, and has modern and commodious barns and a comfortable dwelling house.

On the 28th of November, 1898, in Oregon City, Mr. Zorn was married to Miss Alfrieda Meyer, a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Frederick) Meyer, of Oregon City, both of whom were natives of Hamburg, Germany. Upon their arrival in New York they left im- mediately for Oregon, where Mr. Meyer was employed in the woolen mills in Oregon City. He retired from active business in 1899 and his death occurred in 1911, the mother having died one year previously. Mrs. Zorn, whose birth occurred in 1880, was one of four chil- dren : Martha, who is residing in Oregon

CASPER ZORN

THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

City; one who died in infancy; and Augusta, also residing in Oregon City. To Mr. and Mrs. Zorn three children have been born: Al- frieda Marie, who passed away in infancy; Marie, whose birth occurred July 5, 1908; and Catherine, who was born February 8, 1910.

In politics Mr. Zorn has always been very active and gives his support to the republi- can party, but since holding the office of jus- tice of the peace for one term has not sought further offices. He holds membership in the Roman Catholic church. He is public-spirited and takes an interest in all that pertains to the welfare of his community and does what . he can to further the progress of those move- ments which he thinks will do most to raise the social, moral and intellectual standards of the district.

G. M. CALDWELL is not only well known in connection with industrial interests at Grants Pass in connection with a wagon shop for manufacturing and repair work but is also a leader in political circles here and has mani- fested the independent spirit which has dared to break off from the old party allegiance and become allied with the socialist movement that is seeking for equalization in those things which affect the great majority. He is today a member of the city council, to which office he was elected on the socialist ticket. He has always resided upon the Pacific coast and, like the majority of pio- neers, early learned to value people and con- ditions at their true worth. Mr. Caldwell is one of Oregon's native sons. He was born on Williams creek in Josephine county, May 22, 1863, his parents being G. B. and Martha (Williamson) Caldwell, both of whom were natives of Virginia. The father crossed the plains in 1846 and the mother became a resi- dent of California a few years later. She had been previously married to Robert Wallace and it was after her arrival on the Pacific coast that she became the wife of G. B. Cald- well. Later they settled on Applegate creek in Oregon and afterward took up their abode on Williams creek. Mr. Caldwell had gone to California in 1848 following the discovery of gold in that state and while there he divided his time between mining and work at the trades of carpentering and cabinet-making. For twenty-eight years he conducted a cabinet shop on Williams creek, manufacturing all kinds of household furniture, the work being done by hand until railroads were built through this section of the state, bringing with them the machine-made furniture of the east. Mr. Caldwell then retired from that line of business and afterward carried on farming for several years. At length, how- ever, he put aside business cares altogether and is now enjoying a well earned rest at his home in Grants Pass. His wife died here in 1907, at the age of eighty years. She had ten children, three of whom were born of her first marriage, and seven of her second marriage. Of these G. M. Caldwell is the only son and the fourth in order of birth. In his youthful days he remained with his parents and worked with his father until

twenty-five years of age. He was then mar- ried in 1888 to Miss Lulu Day, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1867, a daughter of F. G. Day, at one time a member of the Oregon state legislature. Mrs. Caldwell went with her father to California and thence came with him to Oregon.

At the time of his marriage Mr. Caldwell started out in business on his own account. He worked at cabinet-making for eighteen months at Williams and later operated a ranch for eight years on Williams creek and Applegate creek. The year 1903 witnessed his arrival at Grants Pass, at which time he established his present business, open- ing a shop for the manufacture and repair of wagons. His patronage has increased until the business has now reached profitable and gratifying proportions.

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 2

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