The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 25

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

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JAMES H. ROOKARD is living on sixteen acres of land in Coos county near Bridge, and has been an active factor in the agricul- tural life of this section since 1903. He is a native son of Oregon, having been born in Douglas county on March 25, 1876, and is a son of Thomas and Catherine (Howell) Rook- ard, natives of Indiana, who later removed to Missouri and thence to California, where they were married. They came to Oregon in 1876, settling on the Coquille river where the town of Bridge now stands, and here they resided until the father's death in 1902. His wife is still living and makes her home with our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Rookard had the following children: Emma Margery, of California; Mrs. Elizabeth Brid- enbusher, of Douglas county, Oregon; Mrs. Eva E. Jenkins, who resides near Myrtle Point, Oregon; James H., of this review; Lena, the wife of Frank McNair, of Myrtle Point; and Louisa, Ida and Thomas, all of whom are deceased.

James H. Rookard was reared at home and received his education in the public schools of Bridge, Oregon. He remained upon his father's farm and actively assisted in its operation until he was twenty-seven years of age. During these years he gained an expert knowledge of the many details connected with the tilling of the soil as it is carried on in the American northwest and became familiar with the science of farming in all its aspects. Following his marriage

F. M. WILKINS

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

in 1904, he started farming for himself on a homestead claim to which he had previously proved title. His original land was located near Bridge, Oregon, and he was successful in its improvement and cultivation for one year. He then purchased his father's home- stead near Bridge, comprising three hundred and twenty acres which he later sold and, in 1909 he purchased his present holdings, on which he has lived since that time.

In 1904 Mr. Rookard was united in mar- riage to Miss Lottie Belieu, also a native of Coos · county and a daughter of M. M. and Martha Belieu, of Bridge, Oregon. Mrs. Rookard's parents were both born in this state and they have made it their home all during their lives. They have five children: Wave, the wife of Charles Thomas, of Marsh- field, Oregon; Carrie, the wife of George Brownson, of Bridge; Jessie, the wife of I. Houser, of Bridge; Lottie, now Mrs. James H. Rookard; and Bert, of Bridge. Mrs. Rookard received her education in the public schools of Coos county and made her home with her parents until her marriage. She is a charm- ing and hospitable woman and has many friends in this section of the country, most of whom have known her since her child- hood. She and her husband are the parents of five children: Freddie, born in 1905; James, born in 1906; Velma, born in 1908; Ardest, born in 1910; and Vira, born in 1911.

In his political affiliations Mr. Rookard is a consistent democrat but while he always votes the party ticket he has never sought public office. He has assisted in much of the improvement that has been made along agricultural lines in Coos county and is numbered among the substantial and pro- gressive citizens of the state.

DR. GEORGE CHARLES KNOTT has been successfully engaged in the general practice of medicine as physician and surgeon since 1910 in Yoncalla, Douglas county, Oregon. He was born in Anna, Illinois, November 11, 1880, and is a son of John W. and Harriett C. (Starr) Knott, the former a native of In- diana and the latter of Columbus, Ohio. The mother is descended from Revolutionary stock, her grandfather having been a colonel in the Revolutionary army, and having at the close of the war received a grant of sev- eral thousand acres of land on a part of which later was built the city of Columbus, Ohio. The mother removed to Iowa with her par- ents when a child. The father settled in that state as a young man and they were married in Tipton in April, 1862. The father was educated for the ministry in the Univer- sity of Delaware and later completed a course in the McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. He has since devoted his time to ministry in the Presbyterian denomination and now at the age of seventy-six years oc- cupies the pulpit every Sunday in the Yon- calla Presbyterian church. The mother died in 1910.

Dr. Knott was reared at home and re- ceived his early education in the public schools of Iowa. He completed a course in the high school of Holdrege, Nebraska, and

some time later pursued a business course in the Salt Lake Business College, after which he took up office work with the Ingersol- Sargant Drill Company, but on account of dis- taste for the work gave it up. Subsequently he spent one winter in Valparaiso University at Valparaiso, Indiana. He afterward en- tered Coe College at Cedar Rapids, from which institution he was graduated with the degree of A. B. in the class of 1905. The following fall he took up the study of medi- cine in the medical department of the Iowa State University at Iowa City and while in the pursuit of his medical studies he received his Master's degree from Coe College. In medical studies he pursued both the old school and the homeopathic courses and was graduated as a physician with the degree of M. D. in the class of 1909. While attending college Dr. Knott supported himself by working at various kinds of employment and received a compensation for his services suffi- cient to enable him to pursue his long period of study without extended intervals. Imme- diately following his graduation from the medical department of the University he served for nine months as interne in the state hospital at Iowa City. In 1910 he came to Oregon, located in Yoncalla and since opening an office in that city he has built up an enviable reputation.

Dr. Knott was united in marriage in April, 1909, to Miss Martha W. Fratzke, a native of Independence, Iowa, and they are the parents of one child, Helen W. Dr. Knott is affiliated with the republican party and is a member of Sunset Lodge, No. 144, A. F. & A. M., and of Alpha Lodge, No. 170, I. O. O. F., of which lie is a past grand. He is also a member of the Woodmen of the World, the Modern Brother- hood of America and the North American Institute of Homeopathy. He is one of the rising young physicians of Douglas county and is a man by nature and qualifications unusually adapted for the work of his profes- sion and in his chosen vocation is meeting with well deserved and gratifying success.

JOHN McCALEB, who has been living in Monmouth since he retired from his ranch, was born July 6, 1839, in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania. He is a son of John and Mar- tha (Kochenour) McCaleb, who spent their lives in Cumberland, Franklin and Clinton counties and engaged in farming. John Mc- Caleb, Sr., however, died in Santa Barbara, California. He was the father of nine chil- dren, namely: Joseph H., deceased; Eliza- beth; John; Catherine and Jennie, deceased; Francis; Albert; Anna, deceased; and Wil- liam.

Jolın McCaleb, as a youth, received such meager education as was provided at that time in the common schools of Pennsylvania near his home. Realizing that opportunities for success were greater in a new territory, le came west to the coast, settling first in Sacramento, California, in 1861, the year memorable as the one in which that city suffered from a flood. For a year he worked on. a race track in Sacramento and then went to Nevada, where for five years he

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

was employed on a ranch. Leaving there, he went back to Pennsylvania and was mar- ried, April 1, 1867, in Fayette county, to Mary Elizabeth Miller, a daughter of Wil- liam and Harriet Miller. After their mar- riage Mr. and Mrs. McCaleb engaged in farm- ing in Virginia for a time and afterward removed to the McCaleb homestead in Penn- sylvania. For two years John McCaleb worked there before coming to Oswego, Ore- gon, where he was employed in the charcoal burning business for three years. He then re- moved to Polk county and purchased a farm of one hundred and five acres in Cooper Hol- low, four miles west of Monmouth, and that was his home for the next twelve years. So successful had his various enterprises proven that he was then able to retire from active work and live comfortably in Monmouth. There Mrs. McCaleb passed away, October 10, 1909, at the age of sixty- six years, four months and twenty-three days. To Mr. and Mrs. McCaleb five children were born: Clarence Eugene, born January 24, 1868, who is living on a ranch; Ida Flor- ence, born July 8, 1869; John Miller, whose birth occurred October 23, 1871, and who is residing with his father; Charles Newton, who was born February 16, 1873, and died February 3, 1904; and William L., who was born October 29, 1876.

John McCaleb never interested himself actively in politics, realizing that his agri- cultural and various commercial interests re- quired all his time and energy. Adhering to the teachings of his youth, he is a member of the Reformed Mennonite church, which his family also attends. Mr. McCaleb has reached the age of seventy-three years and his has been a well spent life, in which he has done much to further the agricultural development of the northwest, while at the same time his efforts have brought him sub- stantial rewards.

M. T. CLINTON, a prosperous and repre- sentative agriculturist of Coos county, re- sides upon a farm of forty acres and owns one hundred and ten acres of timber land, as well as an interest in a half section of land near Coquille. His birth occurred in Mis- souri on the 28th of May, 1870, his parents being J. W. and Eliza (Fortner) Clinton, the former a native of Missouri and the latter of Iowa. More extended mention of the fam- ily is made on another page of this work in connection with the sketch of Jesse D. Clinton, a brother of our subject.

M. T. Clinton, who was but three years of age when brought to Oregon by his par- ents, obtained his education in Coos county, He began providing for his own livelihood on attaining majority, working for his father until the time of his marriage. Subsequently he managed a logging camp for his father for a period of ten years and on the expira- tion of that time took up his abode on a farm of forty acres near Arago, which he owns and on which he has since resided. He has one hundred and ten acres of timber land located in Coos county and has an interest in a tract of three hundred and twenty acres

near Coquille. His undertakings as an agri- culturist have been attended by success and he well deserves recognition among the sub- stantial and representative citizens of his community.

On the 13th of April, 1898, Mr. Clinton was united in marriage to Miss Minnie M. Miller, a native of Josephine county, Oregon, and a daughter of Francis and Cerilda Miller, of whom more extended mention is made on another page of this work. To Mr. and Mrs. Clinton have been born four children, as follows: Lester L., born on the 25th of March, 1900; Theresa M., whose natal day was March 30, 19.05; Shirley D., who died. at the age of eighteen months and Merlin, born on the 2nd of August, 1912.

Mr. Clinton is a republican but not strictly partisan, regarding the fitness of a candi- date as of more importance than his party affiliation. He is serving as road supervisor of Coos county and also acts as state fire warden. He is identified with the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, having been a mem- ber of the Coquille lodge of that fraternity for the past seventeen years. His religious beliefs are those of the United Brethren church. Practically his entire life has been spent in the Sunset state and he has watched its continued growth and development with interest and pride, personally doing every- thing in his power to promote the work of progress and improvement.

JAMES R. GARRETT, who was engaged in farming in Coos county from 1901 to the time of his death, in 1910, was about eighty- four years of age when he passed away. He was born in Ohio, on the 14th of November, 1826, a son of John and Sarah Garrett, who were married in that state and there resided for thirty years. They then removed to Iowa, purchasing land, and were identified with agricultural interests in that state throughout their remaining days, the father passing away in 1864 and the mother in 1866. In their family were ten children but only two are living: Cary who is a resi- dent of Iowa; and Jennie, the wife of Alvin Bodwell, of Nebraska.

James R. Garrett acquired his education in the schools of his native state and with his parents removed to Iowa, where he remained until after his marriage. He became identi- fied with the western country in 1875. in which year he arrived in California, where he engaged in farming until 1901, or for a period of about twenty-six years. He then disposed of his interests in the Golden state and came to Coos county, Oregon, purchasing two hundred acres of land near Myrtle Point. He took up his abode upon that property and there resided to the time of his death, which occurred on the 9th of September. 1910. He had always carried on general farming and his labors were attended with good results, as he worked diligently and persistently and employed such methods as transformed his place into a valuable and productive property.

In 1866 Mr. Garrett was united in marriage to Miss Mary Porter, who was born in Iowa.

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July 23, 1848, and is a daughter of Girard and Mary (Snider) Porter. Her father was educated by the famous Steven Girard, the founder of the well known Girard College of Philadelphia, of which city Mr. Porter was a native. The mother was born in Ohio. After their marriage they removed westward to Des Moines, Iowa, where Mr. Porter fol- lowed his profession of civil engineering to the time of his death, in 1852. His widow long survived him and was laid to rest in 1893, at Des Moines. In the family were five children, of whom Mrs. Garrett is the eldest, the others being: John, of Nebraska; Margaret, who is. the wife of Henry Delong, of Oklahoma; Lydia, the wife of Mr. Osgood, of northwestern Iowa; and George Ewing of Des Moines. Mr. and Mrs. Garrett became the parents of eight children: Lewis, who was born in 1868, and who is married and lives in Humboldt county, California; Fred, born in 1870, who is married and lives in Myrtle Point, Oregon; Edwin, born in 1880, who is married and makes his home in Hum- boldt, California; Lillian, born in 1876, the wife of Ernest Davenport, of Coquille; Roy, born in 1878, who operates the homestead farm; Neva, who is the wife of W. C. Gear- ing, a civil engineer in the employ of the government in Coos county; Iva, born in 1886, who is at home; and Lina, who was born in 1888 and is the wife of C. Carl, of Portland.

Mr. Garrett was a member of the Presby- terian church, to which faith his family still adhere. In politics he was a stanch republi- can and held many local offices, the duties of which he discharged with promptness and fidelity. All who knew him esteemed him for his sterling worth, for they found him trust- worthy in every relation of life. He was honorable and straightforward in business, reliable in citizenship and true to the ties of home and friendship.

GEORGE WILLIAM NORRIS, a represen- tative agriculturist and native son of Ore- gon, was born in Oregon City, on the 5th of December, 1847, his parents being Thomas and Mary E. (Boon) Norris. The father was a native of Maryland, while the mother's birth occurred in Missouri. Unto them were born seven children, as follows: George Wil- liam, of this review; Mary, who is the wife of J. L. Barker, a ranchman residing in Fair- view, Oregon; Lucy Ann, the wife of R. C. Dement of Myrtle Point, Oregon; Louise S., the wife of L. A. Lawhorn, of Mckinley, Oregon; C. L., who lives with his sister, Mrs. L. A. Lawhorn, at Mckinley, Oregon; Thomas C., of Fort Klamath, Oregon; and Albert, who is deceased.

The parents of George William Norris crossed the plains in 1846 and settled at Ore- gon City. Thomas Norris took up a donation land claim four miles south of Corvallis and lived there for a time. Previous to this Thomas Norris established the first foundry at Oregon City. He also established the first plow factory in this state and did gen- eral machinery work. After a number of years he disposed of his interests in Benton

county and removed to Douglas county, set- tling on Deer creek, ten miles east of Rose- burg, where he bought out a number of other farmers and came into possession of a sec- tion of land. He resided thereon during the Indian war of 1855 and 1856, and in 1860 re- moved to the present site of Wilsonville, re- maining there for two years. On the expira- tion of that period he returned to Douglas county and in 1868 came to Coos county, settling at what is now Fairview. That place was still unnamed, the country being yet wild and unimproved and the land un- surveyed. The Norris family had to pack all their provisions on mules and horses, for the famous Coos Bay wagon road was not built until after Thomas Norris and his son George took up their homesteads. Our subject still owns his original tract of one hundred and sixty acres of land, but the father's quarter section has been sold. George W. Norris has been actively engaged in general farming and in dairy farming in Coos county for more than four decades and has won a gratifying measure of prosperity in this connection.

On the 25th of October, 1884, at Sumner, Oregon, Mr. Norris was joined in wedlock to Mrs. Mary J. Dyer, a native of this state and a daughter of James and Patsy (Rus- sell) Catching. By her first husband, Sam- uel Dyer, Mrs. Norris had two children: Carrie, the wife of Thomas Boon, of Fair- view, Oregon; and Delma, who lives with Mrs. Patsy E. Catching, of Sumner, Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Norris have five children, as follows: Mary L., born September 27, 1885, who is the wife of Otis Flitcroft of Fairview, Ore- gon, by whom she has four children, Brica, George B., Marvin O. and Emma A .; Walter Boon, whose natal day was February 20, 1887; George Ray, whose birth occurred on the 6th of February, 1889; Myrtle A., who was born on the 16th of October, 1892; and Olive Irene, whose natal day was June 14, 1895. The last four named are still at home.

In politics Mr. Norris is independent, hold- ing himself free of party ties that he may support the men whom he deems most com- petent for office and the measures which he regards as the most beneficial factors in the life of the community. He has acted as election judge and has also served on the school board but has not cared for office other than that in which he could serve the people of his immediate vicinity. Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In the community where so many years of his life have been spent he has gained an extensive circle of warm friends who entertain for him the utmost regard and esteem because of his excellent traits of character.

WILLIAM R. ADKINS. Living near Pro- volt, where he has a forty acres fruit ranch, William R. Adkins, a veteran of the Civil war, is passing in comfort, though still actively engaged in business, the declining years of a well spent life. He was born in Kentucky, June 10, 1838, a son of Straley and Annie (Day) Adkins, both of whom were natives of Virginia.

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William R. Adkins remained at home until hc attained the age of eighteen years, re- ceiving a good common-school education and helping his father with the work of the farm. Hc then went to Wisconsin, where he was employed in the lead mines until Jan- uary 4, 1864, when he enlisted for service in the Civil war. He participated in many battles and fought all through the Red River campaign in which the Federal army lost about fifteen thousand men. He was mus- tered out of service on June 29, 1865. Re- turning to Wisconsin, he was again employed in the lcad mines of that state but at the end of two ycars engaged in well drilling and also in farming. In 1900 he came to Oregon, where he purchased forty acres of land which he has finely improved, devoting the greater portion of his time to fruit cul- ture. In consideration of his services in the Civil war he is drawing a pension of twenty- four dollars a month which, with his income from the farm, places him in comfortable circumstances.

On January 29, 1856, Mr. Adkins was united in marriage to Miss Tansy Peak and to them have been born eight children, George, Minerva, Stella, William, Dora, Annie, Jessie and Vesta. In his political views Mr. Adkins has always been republican and is much inter- ested in the affairs of his party. He is prominently known among the honored resi- dents of the community in which he lives and is held in high esteem by all who know him.

JAMES L. HANKS. In the latter part of the '40s and the decade of the '50s the trails extending westward from the central and eastern states were dark with caravans drawn by oxen and mules, driven by the numberless hardy pioneers who opened up the new and undeveloped country along the Pacific coast. James L. Hanks, now a vener- able and honored resident of Glendale, was one of the early settlers of Douglas county, Oregon. He was born in Illinois, February 14, 1829, a son of John and Susan (Wilson) Hanks, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Kentucky. This is the same Hanks family to which Abraham Lincoln was related on the maternal side. In fact, the martyred president at one time lived in the home of John Hanks and James L. Hanks of this review was for several years his bedfellow. He relates many interest- ing incidents of the period when "Uncle Abe," as he was always called by the children, be- came a member of his father's household, being then a slender, beardless young man, working on the farm of John Hanks, with whom he also made twelve different trips down the Mississippi river to New Orleans. As land was plentiful, Lincoln took up a homestead about that time and John Hanks assisted him in building his cabin. It was while a member of that household that Lin- coln began reading law, studying at night long after the family had gone to bed, pur- suing his reading often by the light of blaz- ing pinc knots. His relatives did not con- sider him anything out of the ordinary at

the time but were proud of him after he was admitted to the bar, for he was not long in giving evidence of his power and ability in practice.

James L. Hanks acquired his education in the public schools of his native state and remained at home until twenty-one years of age, when he started westward, making his way across the plains to Cali- fornia, driving a mule team, in 1850. For seven years he remained in that state and in 1857 came to Oregon, settling at Rose- burg. After devoting two years to mining he bought a farm in Klamath county, which he operated with much success until 1910, when he retired from active life. Erc he started for the west he bade good-bye to his counsin, Abraham Lincoln, who was then practicing law in Decatur and who advised him not to come, reciting the fact that the country was almost wholly unknown, that the trip was hazardous and that it properly belonged to a later generation to develop Oregon. However, Mr. Hanks decided to carry out his plans. He returned to the east when Lincoln was president and the story which he told the chief executive made him have new views concerning this state. The president asked him if he would like to be a United States marshal or postmaster or hold some other federal appointment in Oregon, but Mr. Hanks informed him that he was still a democrat, and at the time he was sheriff of Lake county. He, therefore, did not care to resign his office to accept republican appointment.

In 1861 Mr. Hanks was married to Miss Mary Purdue, a native of Missouri, and they became the parents of ten children, John, Marion, Ella, Linna, Jessie, Emma, Affa, Louis, William and Edgar. The eldest son, John Hanks, is now living at home with his parents and is one of the prominent citizens of Glendale, where he is the owner of con- siderable real estate. He gives his allegiance to the democratic party and has always been. an active political worker. He was elected to the office of city marshal three years ago and is still serving in that capacity. He also held the position of constable of Glendale for two years and has always been actively interested in any movement look- ing toward the municipal advancement of his native city. His father, James L. Hanks, is now in his eighty-fourth year, a success- ful, prosperous and active man who has spent his life since he became of age in develop- ing and promoting the mining and agricul- tural interests of Douglas county.

JOHN S. ROOT is improving and operating a fine farm located eight miles below Myrtle Point on Fishtrap creek, Oregon, and has gained recognition as a successful and prac- tical agriculturist. He was born in Illinois, on May 6, 1862, and is a son of Jolm and Susanna (Noffsinger) Root, natives of Ohio. Their marriage occurred in Indiana and in that state the father followed farming until he moved to Illinois, where he engaged in the same line of activity until 1874. In that year he came to Oregon and settled on

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 25

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