The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 21

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

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Mr. Billings' marriage occurred in 1881, in which year he wedded Miss Belle Major. born in New York city in June, 1864. Mrs. Billings is a daughter of George and Mary Major, the former a native of New York and the latter of New Jersey. They came to Oregon in 1861 and settled immediately in Coos county where they resided until their deaths. Mr. and Mrs. Major were the parents of nine chil- dren, five of whom are living: Belle, the wife of our subject; Minnie, now Mrs. Herman of Coos county; Christina, who married Mr. Col- well of Grant county, Oregon; Charles, who resides in California; and Edward, who is in business in Alaska. Mrs. Billings received her education in Coos county and has lived in this section since her early girlhood. She and her husband are the parents of eleven children: W. E., who lives at home; Hazel, the wife of James Lee of Riverton, Coos county ; and Della, Walter, Clarence M., Alvin, Lester, Lena, Albert, and Ellis, all of whom

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reside at home. The youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Billings, George, died in infancy.

In his political affiliations Mr. Billings is a consistent republican and always votes the party ticket although lie never seeks public office. His life is given up to the develop- ment of his farm along lines of scientific efficiency.

HON. OLIVER PERRY COSHOW, one of the foremost members of the Douglas county bar, is also a leading factor in financial circles as the president of the Umpqua Val- ley Bank of Roseburg and lias other con- nections which indicate his prominence and splendid ability. His birth occurred in Browns- ville, Linn county, Oregon, on the 14th of August, 1863, his parents being Oliver P. and Sarah E. (Cochran) Coshow, who were na- tives of Indiana and Missouri respectively and both of whom were pioneer settlers of this state. It was in 1851 that the father crossed the plains with ox teams in com- pany with R. B. Cochran, who later rep- resented Lane county in the state senate and became president of that body. The motlier crossed the plains with her parents in 1847. Oliver P. Coshow, Sr., located near Brownsville, Linn county, where he took up a claim which he sold a few years later to his father-in-law and then purchased a farm of Riley Duncan near Harrisburg, Linn county, a part of which he still owns. In 1869 he removed to Brownsville to engage in merchandising and subsequently became identified with the woolen mill industry. Abandoning his milling interests after a time, he again embarked in the merchandising busi- ness and was prominently connected there- with for several years. During the past ten years he has lived retired, enjoying the fruits of his former toil in well earned ease. He is a Royal Arch Mason and a worthy exemplar of the fraternity. He has resided in this state for more than six decades and during his active business career was num- bered among the foremost citizens of Browns- ville. His wife's parents, on coming to Ore- gon, located a donation claim near Browns- ville, which is still in possession of the fam- ily, being now owned by William T. Coch- ran, a brother of Mrs. Sarah E. Coshow. The latter passed away on the 6th of March, 1903, when sixty-six years of age.

Oliver Perry Coshow was reared under the parental roof and supplemented his early education by a course of study in the Uni- versity of Oregon. Before the completion of his college course, however, he was called home to look after the interests of his father, who had become ill. One year later he was made secretary of the Brownsville Woolen Mills Company, in which capacity he served for three years. During that period he took up the study of law and in August, 1889, went to Albany to complete his studies, entering the law office of J. K. Weatherford, under whom he read until admitted to the bar in 1890. He remained with Mr. Weather- ford for another year and in March. 1892. went to McMinnville, forming a partner- ship with O. H. Irvine for the practice of

law under the firm style of Irvine & Coshow. This partnership was dissolved when, at the end of about five years, Mr. Coshow was ap- pointed deputy district attorney, in which capacity he served for some ten months. On the 1st of April, 1897, he came to Rose- burg, Oregon, where he has since been suc- cessfully engaged in the practice of his pro- fession. As a lawyer he is sound, clear- minded and well trained. The limitations which are imposed by the constitution on federal powers are well understood by him. With the long line of decisions from Mar- shall down by which the constitution has been expounded, he is familiar, as are all thoroughly skilled lawyers. He is at home in all departments of the law, from the minutiae in practice to the greater topics wherein is involved the consideration of the ethics and the philosophy of jurisprudence and the higher concerns of public policy. But he is not learned in the law alone, for he has studied long and carefully the subjects that are to the statesman and the man of affairs of the greatest import,-the questions of finance, political economy, so- ciology,-and has kept abreast of the best thinking men of the age. He is felicitous and clear in argument, thoroughly in earn- est, full of the vigor of conviction, never abusive of his adversaries, imbued with highest courtesy, and yet a foe worthy of the steel of the most able opponent. His at- tention, however, has not been confined al- together to his law practice. He was one of the organizers of the Umpqua Valley Bank and is now the president of that in- stitution, and he is likewise a stockholder and director of the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill Company of Salem, Oregon.

On Christmas day of 1896 Mr. Coslow was united in marriage to Miss Libby Kay, a daughter of Thomas Kay, known as the pioneer woolen-mill man of the Pacific coast. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Coshow have been born five children, three of whom are still living, as follows: Minnie Hazel, who is the wife of K. H. Pickens, an agriculturist residing in Roseburg, Oregon; Leonore Dale and Bertha Leone, both of whom are yet at home; Elizabeth Kay, another daughter, passed away July 14, 1912. She was the wife of Dr. E. B. Stewart, a prominent physician of Roseburg, this state.

In politics Mr. Coshow is a stanch demo- crat. In 1904 he was elected to the state senate and after serving through two ses- sions or four years was tendered the nomi- nation for reelection but declined to accept. In Masonry he has attained high rank, be- longing to the following organizations : Laurel Lodge, No. 13, F. & A. M .; Rose- burg Chapter, No. S, O. E. S., of which he was grand patron during the Lewis and Clark fair; Laurel Chapter, No. 31, R. A. M .: Ascalon Commandery. No. 14, K. T .. of Roseburg; the Council, R. & S. M., of Ell- gene, Oregon; and Al Kader Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Portland. He is also a mem- ber of Rising Star Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Roseburg and be- longs to the United Artisans and the Wood-

OLIVER P. COSHOW

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men of the World. Both he and his wife are members of the Baptist church and he has served as Sunday school. superintendent for fifteen consecutive years and is presi- dent of the Baptist state convention. At this point it would be almost tautological to enter into any series of statements as showing Mr. Coshow to be a man of broad intelligence and genuine public spirit for these have been shadowed forth between the lines of this review. Strong in his indi- viduality, he never lacks the courage of his convictions but there are as dominating ele- ments in this individuality a lively human sympathy and an abiding charity, which, as taken in connection with the sterling in- tegrity and honor of his character, have naturally gained for him the respect and con- fidence of men.

WILLIAM G. KELSO is one of the enter- prising citizens of Douglas county, living a retired life at Yoncalla. He was born in Lin- coln county, Tennessee, on November 22, 1842, and is a son of John and Rebecca (Roden) Kelso, both of whom were natives of Alabama. In 1845 they removed from Tennessee to Missouri and there probably continued to live during the remaining years of their life. The subject of this review subsequent to leaving home was never able to locate his parents after the war or determine the time of their deaths.

William G. Kelso was a frail and sickly boy in early life and in 1854, at the age of twelve, he left the parental roof and came west with friends to California for his health. After his arrival in the Golden state he parted company with the man with whom he had made the journey across the plains on ac- count of the latter's dissipation and Mr. Kelso was thrown upon his own resources in a strange, new land, having neither money nor friends to enable him to get a start in life. He first turned his attention to work of any kind within his reach and eventually became an employe on the ranch of one of California's stockmen. In 1862 he removed to Oregon and located in Salem. He was there engaged at teaming for a period of ten years, after which he went to Tillamook county, where he operated a dairy for thirty continuous years and was very successful. During that time he speculated heavily in farm lands and in that particular branch of his business operations he met with gratify- ing success. In 1905 he disposed of his hold- ings in Tillamook county and removed to Douglas county, where he purchased three hundred and ten acres of land adjoining the town of Yoncalla. That property he kept for two years, at the end of which time he sold it, realizing as a profit an amount equal to the original cost of the land. He now owns two small plots of ground near Yon- calla and is living a retired life in that city enjoying a well earned rest.

Mr. Kelso was united in marriage in 1870 to Miss Sarah I. Tomlinson, of Salem. She is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Tom- linson, who crossed the plains from Missouri to Oregon in 1852. To Mr. and Mrs. Kelso

two children have been born: Arthur, a clerk in Yoncalla; and Edward, who resides in that town. Mr. Kelso is affiliated with the demo- cratic party but is liberal in the exercise of his suffrage. While a resident of Tillamook county he was appointed county assessor and later elected county commissioner, but he resigned the latter office before the expira- tion of his term, the cause of his resignation being a desire to visit California. He is one of the enterprising men of his community and gives his support to every public movement which promises its further advance and greater development.

JOHN ROOT. On the 22d of November, 1887, when John Root died upon his Oregon farm the agricultural interests of Coos county lost a conspicuously successful representative, a man who was an influencing figure in mak- ing the occupation of tilling the soil honorable and worthy among the activities of man. Mr. Root was born in Ohio in 1826, and was a son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Broom- baugh) Root. He was one of seven children born to his parents: Mary, Andrew, John, Jacob and Elizabeth, all of whom are now deceased; Sarah, the wife of George Hoxie of Josephine county, Oregon; and Susan, who also has passed away.

John Root was educated in the public schools of Ohio and began active work for himself at the age of twenty-one years. He was brought up upon his father's farm and became acquainted at an early age with the details of agriculture. When he was twenty- one years of age he bought a farm in In- diana and after his marriage took charge of his agricultural interests in that state and was successful and prosperous in the cultiva- tion of the soil for seven years. At the end of that time he disposed of his holdings in Indiana and went to Illinois where he fol- lowed farming on a tract of land which he purchased. He was a resident of Illinois for seventeen years and was an active factor in its development. His residence in Oregon dated from 1874 in which year he settled in the Fishtrap, a county on the Coquille river where he bought the homestead of Oscar Sargent of one hundred and sixty acres and began its cultivation. He cleared his prop- erty, built new barns and outbuildings and cultivated the land along the most approved agricultural lines. He set out a portion of his land in fruit orchards. He was active and successful as an agriculturist and brought his tract of land which in the beginning was raw and undeveloped, to a high state of cul- tivation before his death which occurred No- vember 22. 1887.

On the 6th of September, 1849, Mr. Root was united in marriage to Miss Susanna Noff- singer, a native of Montgomery county, Ohio, and a daughter of Eli Noffsinger. Mrs. Root is one of ten children born to her parents. The others are: Elizabeth, Daniel, Joel, John, Joseph, Uriah and Eli, all of whom are now deceased; Mary, the widow of C. C. Root, of Illinois; and Salome. To Mr. and Mrs. Root were born eleven children: Andrew and Eli, both deceased; Uriah, of Chico, California;

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Daniel, who lives in Myrtle Point, Oregon; Jacob, who has passed away; John, who is now a resident of Arago, Oregon; Mary, de- ceased; Joel, who resides with his mother; Hezekiah, of Norway, Oregon; and Sarah and Abraham, both of whom are now deceased. After the death of Mr. Root his widow was united in marriage to David Brower, a native of Virginia. Their marriage occurred in 1892 and they immediately settled in Jackson county. Mr. Brower was a minister affiliated with the Baptist Brethren church and came to Oregon from Iowa in 1871 and died in this state in 1900.

In his political affiliations John Root was a consistent republican but never an office seeker. He belonged to the Baptist Brethren church and was a minister in that organiza- tion. His religion was of the everyday sort which influenced his life and molded his actions. His character was marked by an innate honor and integrity, by industry, enter- prise and sincere labor along expansive lines, and these qualities influenced his career and had their effect upon his prosperity and success.

GEORGE A. SMITH, engaged in general farming as manager of his brother's holdings in Coos county, Oregon, was born in the sec- tion where he resides on August 9, 1883. He is the son of Samuel and Mary (Conner) Smith, the former a native of Illinois and the latter of Iowa. The father crossed the plains to Oregon in the early '50s and was for many years prominently identified with all phases of life and activity. He served in the Indian war for more than a year and was well known as a progressive agriculturist in Coos county, where his death occurred in 1905. He was survived by his wife until April 25, 1912. Mrs. Smith was also among the pioneer set- tlers in the state of Oregon, crossing the plains with her parents when she was very young. Her marriage occurred in Josephine county and to their union were born eleven children, six of whom are living: B. S., who is engaged in farming at the head of Rock creek, six miles above Bridge, in Coos county; John H., who also resides in Coos county; Mabel, now Mrs. Chauncey Humphrey and a resident of the same section; Charles H., also of Coos county ; George A., the subject of this sketch; and Ada A., the wife of W. H. McCulley, of California.

George A. Smith was reared at home and received his education, as did all his brothers and sisters, in the public schools of Coos county. He assisted his father in the various labors incident to the conduct of a large agri- cultural enterprise and early became ac- quainted with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the grain. He remained at home until his marriage in 1910 and in the same year started farming in Jackson county, where he was prominent as an agri- culturist for one year. At the end of that time he returned to Coos county and settled on his brother's farm as its active manager. He now cultivates the soil with increasing success along modernly progressive lines and rich harvests pay tribute to his industry and

intelligence. He is a large property owner in Bandon, Oregon, having invested judiciously in town lots. He is always eager to promote the welfare of his native section and his cooperation is freely rendered in any move- ment looking toward its further development.

On September 6, 1910, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Hazel May Smith, whose birth occurred in Lane county, Oregon, near Eugene. She is a daughter of Benjamin Franklin and Victoria (Jones) Smith, the former a native of Iowa and the latter of Ore- gon. The father crossed the plains to Oregon with his parents when he was only two years of age and settled in Lane county in 1852. He was later married in this section and here his wife died in 1902. Benjamin F. Smith is still living upon his homestead. He is the father of three children: Marian T., now a resident of Lane county; Hazel May, the wife of our subject; and Clive, who is farming on a homestead claim in Lane county. Mrs. Smith received her early education in the public schools of her native section and later attended the high school at Bandon, Oregon. She and her husband are the parents of one daughter, Mildred Lucile.

In his political affiliations Mr. Smith is a republican but is liberal in his views on local and national issues. He never seeks public office, preferring to devote his time and at- tention to the cultivation and improvement of the large tract of land which he is man- aging, and by promoting the interests of his brother is in a fair way to achieve his indi- vidual success.

JUDGE JOSEPH B. DOAN has made con- tinuous progress in the business world. He has successively engaged in carpentering, farming and the real-estate business and has also filled public offices, his service as judge of the county court covering several years. His birth occurred near Coatesville, in Chester county, Pennsylvania, May 24, 1842 ,and his education was such as the public schools of that county afforded. When seventeen years of age he entered upon a three years' appren- ticeship to the carpenter's trade, receiving for his service during the first year five dol- lars per month, for the second, seven dollars, and for the third, nine dollars. He had to supply his own clothing but his board was furnished him. During that period of his indenture he gained thorough knowledge of the business in every particular, and later he opened a carpenter shop of his own, con- tinuing in business for himself until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when the serious aspect of public affairs caused him to offer his services to the country in August, 1862. He enlisted as a private for three years in Company E, One Hundred and Fifti- eth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry but owing to physical disability was sent home at the end of two months. Thinking to find better business opportunities in the middle west he left Pennsylvania in 1867 and re- moved to De Kalb county, Illinois, settling in Sandwich, where he followed the carpen- ter's trade in connection with the Sandwich Manufacturing Company for seventeen years.

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No higher testimonial of efficient service could be given than the fact that he was so long retained in this employ. In 1884 he came to Columbia county, Oregon, and secured a homestead of one hundred and forty acres about two and three-quarters miles from Rainier. There he resided for about twelve years, during which period he successfully car- ried on farming and dairying and to some ex- tent worked at the carpenter's trade. In 1895 he removed to Rainier and the following year was elected county judge. From 1886 until 1896 he had served as justice of the peace and during that period he had gained consid- erable knowledge of the principles of law and his decisions were ever based upon legal principles and the equity of the case. His term expired as justice when elected county judge of Washington county on the republican ticket in 1896. He presided over the county court for eight years and rendered opinions which were strictly fair and impartial, win- ning for him the commendation of the bar and the general public. Subsequently he was elected police judge, which office he filled for several years. He was also a member of the town council for several years and in 1910 was elected mayor of Rainier. He is now engaged in the general real-estate business in Rainier and has secured a good clientage in this connection, negotiating many impor- tant realty transfers which have been made in this city and surrounding country of late years.

On the 24th of October, 1862, while a resi- dent of Pennsylvania, Judge Doan was mar- ried to Mrs. Hannah J. Gregg, the widow of Solomon Gregg, who had one daughter, Eliza- beth, now the wife of H. H. Doan, of Portland. Judge and Mrs. Doan have one son, John H., who owns and cultivates a ranch in Crook county, Oregon. Mr. Doan belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge, in which he has filled all of the chairs and also acted as representative to the grand lodge. He is also prominent in the Red Men's Tribe at Rainier, which he has represented in the grand council of that organization. His po- litical allegiance has always been given to the republican party and his position is never an equivocal one. He never hesitates to support a principle or project in which he believes. He has made good use of his time and opportunities as the years have passed by and in this is found the secret of the substantial success which he has won. More- over, his fidelity to duty, whether of a pub- lic or private nature, has gained for him the high regard and good-will of all with whom he has been associated.

JOHN G. SAMLER is numbered among the influential citizens of Douglas county and is postmaster of Yoncalla, having received his first appointment to that office January 8, 1898. He was born in Fairview, New Jer- sey, September 7, 1854, and is a son of Wil- liam and Catherine (Bartholf) Samler, the former a native of New York and the latter of New Jersey. The parents celebrated their wedding in New Jersey, in which state the father was engaged as a carpenter, which

business he followed until the time of his death, in 1892. The mother is living and makes her home in Fairview.

John G. Samler was reared at home and received his early education in the public schools of Fairview. In 1876 he left home and started in life for himself in New York city. He was first employed as a driver of an express wagon and continued in that work for two years. In 1878 he came west and spent one year in Nebraska. In the spring of 1880 he came to Oregon by way of San Francisco settling in Yoncalla where he worked for the Applegate family. He later engaged in farming on rented land and in 1882 took up a homestead of a fractional one hundred and sixty acres near Yoncalla, which he still owns. A part of that land he has planted to well selected fruit trees.

John G. Samler was united in marriage in 1884 to Miss Lucy Burt, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Burt, who emigrated from Massachusetts to Oregon in 1850 and located in Douglas county, The father ac- quired extensive holdings of farm and ranch lands in the vicinity of Yoncalla and has the distinction of having given forty acres for the town site of Yoncalla. To Mr. and Mrs. Samler two children have been born, Hazel and Dolph, both of whom are at home. Mr. Samler is a loyal adherent of the repub- lican party and on January 8, 1898, was ap- pointed postmaster of Yoncalla, in which office he has since continued to serve. He has charge of the telephone station at Yon- calla and in this connection as in all others renders efficient and capable service. He is a member of Yoncalla Camp, No. 480, W. O. W., and also of Alpha Lodge, No. 170, I. O. O. F. He is one of the substantial citizens of his county and a man whose influence is al- ways given to the promotion of every public enterprise which promises improvement of the business and educational interests of his city and county.

R. V. BEALL. After enduring all the hard- ships incident to a pioneer's life, including the hazardous experiences of early emigration to the west, R. V. Beall is today a prosperous farmer of Jackson county, Oregon, where he and his son own one hundred and sixty acres of highly improved land located near the city of Central Point. He was born in Maryland on the 15th of June, 1831. His parents moved to Springfield, Illinois, at an early date and after remaining in that city for some time they emigrated to Oregon, crossing the plains in 1852 with mule teams using less time in making the journey than all the pioneers who had preceded them. They crossed the Missouri river at St. Joseph and, continuing westward, reached Oregon City, July 18, 1852. After settling in this state R. V. Beall worked in the mines in Josephine county and subsequently was en- gaged in packing supplies to various mines and settlements throughout the mountains. This work was carried on with the use of the mules with which he had crossed the plains. Later Mr. Beall filed on a claim of three hundred and twenty acres in the Rogue

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 21

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