The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 39

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

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In 1892 Mr. Hayes was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Hartley, a native of North Carolina, who came to Oregon with her par- ents when she was a child. She is a daugh- ter of Harrison and Margaret Hartley, who were among the pioneers of this state and. who settled first in Myrtle Point, where the father purchased land and cultivated the soil. He has brought the farm to a highly im- proved state and now makes his home in Myrtle Point. Mrs. Hayes is one of a large family, nine of whom are still living: Wil- liam, who resides in Coos county, Oregon; Reuben, who makes his home in North Yakima, Oregon; Benjamin, who is a resident of Idaho; Alice, the widow of Walter Ben- nett, of Myrtle Point; Leonard, whose farm is in Coos county; Jack, who maintains his home in Idaho; Annie, the wife of Zac Grant, residing near Myrtle Point; David, of Bandon, Oregon; and Finley, deceased. Mrs. Hayes died in 1902 and was buried in Norway cemetery, Coos county. She left to mourn her three children: Adolphus, born in 1893, who received most of his education in the

public schools of Coos county and is at home; Harrison, born in 1895, who lives with his father; and Jesse, whose birth occurred in January, 1897, and who is attending school. Mr. Hayes and his sons are members of the Dunkard faith and are well known in the organization of that church. In his political affiliations Mr. Hayes is a socialist and held the office of road supervisor for one term. He is public-spirited and interested in the growth and progress of this section and' lends his influence principally to educa- tional matters. He has been serving on the school board for a number of years and in this capacity has done efficient work along those lines.

JOHN GEIDER, well known as a fruit- grower of the Yoncalla valley, resides on a tract of forty acres two miles south of Yon- calla, which has been in his possession for almost a quarter of a century. His birth occurred in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, on the 20th of May, 1856, his parents being Franz and Margaret (Engman) Geider, who passed away in that country. The father was a farmer and liveryman in the town of Kastell, on the Rhine.

John Geider spent the first seventeen years of his life in his home in Germany. He ob- tained a good education in the public schools of the fatherland and after coming to this country continued his studies in Sacramento, California. It was in 1873 that he crossed the Atlantic to the United States, landing in New York city, where he spent about two months. On the expiration of that period he crossed the continent to California, locat- ing in Sacramento. He had learned the black- smith's trade in Germany and worked at that occupation in Sacramento for about three years. At the time of the construction of the Southern Pacific railway he was employed as a smith by that corporation for three years. During the following eight or ten years his was a varied career. He followed the sea for about three years, working on a coasting vessel, and subsequently was em- ployed as a blacksmith to assist in the con- struction of the Oregon & · California rail- road and also the Canadian Pacific. He next conducted a blacksmith shop in Dillard, Douglas county, for four years, and in 1888 came to the Yoncalla valley. On the follow- ing New Year's day he was married and later established his home on a farm two miles south of Yoncalla, where he has re- mained to the present time. The place com- prises forty acres and was purchased by him prior to his marriage. He has won success in his undertakings as a fruit-grower and his is one of the attractive little homes of southern Oregon.

On the 1st of January, 1889, Mr. Geider · was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. Rice, a daughter of Harrison Rice, who was one of the pioneer settlers of Dillard, having crossed the plains with ox teams from Maine in 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Geider have four chil- dren, namely: Harrison R., who is a resident of Sherlock, Washington; John F., at home; Margaret K., who is employed in the city

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of Portland; and Edith G., who is still under the parental roof.

In politics Mr. Geider is independent, sup- porting men and measures rather than party. He is a worthy exemplar of the Masonic fra- ternity, belonging to Laurel Lodge, No. 13, A. F. & A. M. His wife is a devoted and consistent member of the Baptist church. He has never regretted his determination to seek a home and fortune in the new world, for here he has not only won prosperity but also the esteem and good-will of his fellow towns- men.

E. M. HOFFMAN owns and operates one hundred and sixty acres of fertile and pro- ductive farm land located three miles above Myrtle Point, Oregon, where he is carrying on general farming, making a specialty of stock-raising and dairying. He was born in Douglas county, Oregon, January 29, 1858, and is a son of Abraham and Jemina (Filett) Hoffman, the former a native of Dearborn county, Indiana, and the latter of Winni- peg, Canada. Abraham Hoffman came to Oregon in 1850 and was married in that state, his wife having been a resident of Oregon since 1841. She came to the northwest in her infancy traveling overland with her par- ents in an emigrant train, comprised of thirty-six pioneer families. After their mar- riage Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Hoffman settled on a donation elaim of three hundred and twenty acres on the Coquille river, three miles above Myrtle Point. The father cul- tivated the land, and developed and improved it with gratifying success until his death on October 17, 1862, when he was forty-two years of age. His wife is still living on the old homestead and has reached her seventy- second year. E. M. Hoffman is one of three children born to his parents. The others are: G. F., of California; and Rachel, the wife of Joseph J. Marcus, also of California.

E. M. Hoffman was reared at home and re- ceived his education in the public schools of Coos county. He became acquainted with the details of farming as carried on in the state of Oregon and gained a practical ex- perience in the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the stock and grain. He remained with his parents until his marriage when he was twenty-six years of age at which time he abandoned farming for work in a

logging camp. He was also engaged in ranching at this time and was successful as a stock-raiser. . He eventually took up a homestead claim in Coos county and lived for some years upon his holdings cultivating and improving them along progressive and modern lines. He later bought his father's old homestead and at the present time is the proprietor of one hundred and sixty acres located three miles above Myrtle Point, Ore- gon. He is making a specialty of raising high-grade stock and engages extensively in dairying. He has equipped his farm with all modern conveniences, has remodeled his barns and outbuildings and has made his property one of the attractive and model features of the agricultural development of his section.

In his political convictions Mr. Hoffman is a republican and while he never seeks publie office he takes an intelligent interest in local affairs. He belongs to the Seventh Day Ad- ventist faith and with this religion his fam- ily is also affiliated.

On November 7, 1883, Mr. Hoffman was united in marriage to Miss Henrietta Wil- liams, whose birth occurred in Atchison county, Kansas, on November 2, 1862. She is a daughter of Henry C. and Martha W. (May) Williams, the former a native of Mis- souri and the latter of Arkansas. The mar- riage of Mrs. Hoffman's parents occurred in Kansas in 1857, and they made this state their home until 1866. In that year they removed to Jasper county, Missouri, where they remained five years. Their residence in Oregon was established in 1873 when the father took up a homestead claim in Coos county near Myrtle Point and was successful as an agriculturist until his death in 1887. He had survived his wife for five years, her death having occurred in 1882. To their union were born eleven children, five of whom are still living: Henrietta, the wife of our subject; Nancy, now Mrs. Brooks of Lents, Oregon; Joseph W., of Myrtle Point; Mrs. Maggie Newington of San Francisco, Cali- fornia; and Mrs. Elsie Moore of Coos county. To Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman have been born seven children: Mary, now Mrs. Parry of Coos county, whose birth occurred on Au- gust 17, 1884; Edward F., born February 18, 1886, who resides at home; Walter, born March 2, 1890, who also resides at home; Milton E., born August 28, 1892; George W., whose birth occurred on the 23d of March, 1896; Charles H., born in 1901; and Nellie M., whose natal day was January 18, 1906.

Mr. Hoffman is an example of the modern type of farmer. He follows his occupation along enterprising and progressive lines and is efficient and up-to-date in his methods. His life has been devoted to raising the standards of agriculture and in promoting the growth and development of the resources of Coos county by promoting his individual prosperity.

ALEXANDER MARTIN. The history of financial activity in Klamath Falls would be incomplete and unsatisfactory were there failure to make prominent reference to Alexander Martin, who is the president of the First National Bank and is still an active and valued factor in business circles, al- though he has now reached the seventy- eighth year of his age. He was born in Seott county, Illinois, March 17, 1835, and is a son of Samuel and Susan (Sisson) Martin. who were natives of West Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland, respectively. They were married in the former state and in 1832 removed to Illinois. The father died on the old home farm in Scott county. He had erected a large briek residence upon his place but was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, for in the succeeding fall- the fall of 1844-he passed away at the age of fifty-six years. He was a stock farmer

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THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

and was closely identified with the early development of his part of the state. His widow survived him until 1866 and died in the old home there. In their family were three sons and six daughters: Maria. and Francis, both deceased; George, who was a captain of Company H, of the One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Illinois Infantry and went with Sherman to the sea, while his last days were spent in Kansas City, Mis- souri, where he died in 1911, at the age of eighty-four years; Sarah and Eliza, who have passed away; Alexander; Mrs. Martha Horace of Nebraska; Samuel of Nebraska, who served as a lieutenant in the same company with his brother George; and Mrs. Susan Cornelia Cann, of Abilene, Kansas.

Alexander Martin resided in Scott county, Illinois, until the spring of 1853, when he joined the hundreds of emigrants to the northwest, crossing the plains with ox teams to the Rogue river valley of Oregon. He spent the winter in Jacksonville and in the fall of 1854 went to Sacramento, California, but in the fall of 1855 he returned to Jack- sonville, where he followed blacksmithing which he had previously learned in Illinois. He engaged at the trade there until 1863 and then turned from industrial to commer- cial pursuits, operating a store under the firm name of Glenn, Drum & Company. He was in this business for two or three years. He acted as outside business man for the firm and furnished supplies for the govern- ment corporation being with the army when they selected the site of Fort Klamath. In 1866 Mr. Martin returned home by way of the isthmus route for a visit with family and friends in Illinois. He continued to re- side in Jacksonville till he disposed of his mercantile interests about 1872, when he assumed the management of the Overland Stage Route between Sacramento and Port- land. He was thus engaged until the rail- road was built. He then bought the mer- cantile business at Jacksonville which was owned by one of his former partners, Major Glenn, and after a few months admitted J. B. White to a partnership. They continued in this business until 1873 and then sold out to Reams Brothers & Company. On the 4th of March, 1878, Mr. Martin removed to Oak- land, California, and since May, 1879, has been a prominent resident of that place. In 1880, however, he became identified with business interests at Klamath Falls. He was engaged in merchandising for a number of years, or until 1900, when in connection with his eldest son, Alexander Martin, Jr., and E. R. Reams, he organized the Klamath County Bank, of which he was president until December, 1911, when this bank was merged with the First National Bank, of Klamath Falls, and Mr. Martin became presi- dent of the latter, with his son as cashier and Mr. Reams as a director.

Mr. Martin has been married twice. In 1857 he wedded Miss Elvira M. Gass, a native of Iowa, and unto them were born five chil- dren: Ida, the wife of G. H. Aiken, of Fres- no, California; Alexander, living in Eugene; William, who is engaged in the practice of

dentistry in Klamath Falls; George, a den- tist of Berlin, Germany; and Elvira, the wife of F. H. Woodward of Oakland, California. In 1882 Mr. Martin was again married, the second union being with Miss Mary F. Gass, a sister of his first wife. While Mr. Martin resides in Oakland, California, he spends most of his time in Klamath Falls, where his business interests are located. He is an elder of the First Presbyterian church of Oakland and since 1859 he has been identified with the Masonic fraternity in Jacksonville. He served for six consecutive terms as master of Warren Lodge, No. 10, F. & A. M., of Jacksonville. During the winter of 1873 he furnished government transportation and supplies, sending the latter from the depart- ment of Columbia to the army in the field. During the occupation of Fort Klamath he practically furnished all the supplies and transportation facilities. He has been an interested witness of the growth and devel- opment of the northwest and has been an active factor in its progress In all the years which have come and gone since he came to the Pacific coast he has enjoyed an unas- sailable reputation in business affairs and his labors have been an element in public prosperity as well as in individual success. Wherever known he is held in high regard „and most of all, where he is best known.

JAMES W. MAST has been a prominent figure in political and business circles of Bandon, Coos county, for a number of years. He has served his city and county in various capacities with ability and success and has promoted the commercial progress of the city by his intelligent management of a growing grocery establishment. He was born in Sugar Grove, North Carolina, in 1866, and is a son of William P. and Charlotte H. Mast, both natives of North Carolina. His parents came to Oregon in 1872, locating immediately in Coos county, where the father purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land and acquired the twenty-three acres adjoining this tract as a preemption claim. This now constitutes the Mast homestead. A more extended mention is made of William P. Mast on another page of this work. He fol- lowed agriculture for many years and was a successful and prosperous farmer at the time of his death, on December 10, 1889. His wife survives him and is living upon the farm which he improved and developed. In their family were five sons, the brothers of our subject being: Reuben H., cashier of the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Coquille, . Oregon; William L., a diver in the employ of the government, located at Bandon; Webb, who operates the old homestead near Myrtle Point, and who is mentioned at length on another page of this work; and Hardy W., who assists his brother Webb in the opera- tion of the farm.

James W. Mast was educated in the public schools of Oregon, whither he came with his parents when he was a child. He supple- mented his primary course by attending the Monmouth Normal School at Monmouth, Ore- gon, from which institution he was gradu-

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atcd. He taught for several terms in the public schools of Coos county, follow- ing this line of occupation from 1898 to 1901. He worked for some time in the assessor's office in Coquille and during the winters aided in the work of the liome farm. In 1903 he obtained a position in the employ of the Prosper Mill Company, at Prosper, Oregon, and hield the office of bookkeeper for two and a half years. At the end of that time he returned to the old homestead and resided with his mother, taking an active part in the operation of the farm. He engaged in the logging business for a short time but later became identified with the R. H. Rosa Company, as secretary and man- ager. He remained in Bandon and followed his duties in this capacity for four years, but eventually abandoned it and sold out his interests in order to establish himself in the grocery business, which he has oper- ated since that time. His store is one of the largest of its kind in Bandon, Oregon, and his commercial methods are above reproach. His stock is always attractive and tastefully arranged and his patronage is constantly increasing as the quality of his goods be- comes better known.

Mr. Mast's identification with political life in Bandon and in Coos county forms one of the vital interests of his life. He has served his fellow citizens in various capacities and has always done able and faithful work. His father established the postoffice at Lee, Oregon, in 1886, and after his death Mr. Mast was appointed to succeed him and he has held the office continuously since that time, having been appointed every four years since he first became connected with this line of activity. Mr. Mast now holds this position but as he has established his residence in Bandon his mother has been appointed deputy in the postoffice. Upon his first arrival in Bandon Mr. Mast was elected to the city council and served for one year, beginning his term in 1909. He made such a successful and honorable record that he was elected mayor at the end of his first year. He has been three times reelected and is now serving with ability and efficiency. His popularity and talent along political lines are evidenced by the fact that each time he defeated experienced politicians who had been active in public capacity for many years and who were well acquainted with local conditions. After his first term he was the successful opponent of C. R. Wade, the former city recorder, and at the next elec- tion defeated Stephen Gallier, former sheriff of Coos county. In June, 1911, lie opposed George P. Toppington and was elected by a large majority, qualifying for office on the first Wednesday in July. . Mr. Mast has served his county in various other capacities. He served for two years as clerk of the school district, holding this office before he had es- tablished his residence. He was also active in educational affairs when he lived in Lee, Oregon, and was an influencing factor in the building of the large school in that city which is one of the best country educational institutions in Coos county. In 1908 he was

elected school clerk in Bandon and has since served, being reelected every year. During this time he has handled the finances for the erection of the new schoolhouse in that city and has been an active figure in the enlarging of the school district. Under his able and honest administration the funds at the disposal of the school board have in- creascd from eight thousand dollars a year to eighteen thousand, and this increase is steadily growing larger.

Mr. Mast is prominent in fraternal circles of Bandon, where he has maintained his resi- dence for the last six years. He is a Royal 'Arch Mason and holds membership in the Order of the Eastern Star. He is a promi- nent Knight of Pythias and is identified with the Pythian Sisters. He also belongs to the Elks and is well known in the affairs of that organization. Mr. Mast regards a man in public life as a servant of the people and he is using his influence to carry out the will of his constituents, having made a record in his political career for ability, never using his natural talents unworthily nor support- ing dishonorable causes.

FRANK L. LOWE is one of the active and successful business men of Marshfield where he has lived during the greater portion of his life and is among the most highly respected citizens of this part of the state of Oregon. He was born where Parkersburg is now lo- cated, on the Coquille river, the place being a homestead claim taken up by his father in 1856, the ranch being known as the Myrtle Grove Farm. There Frank L. Lowe first saw the light of day on January 1, 1868. He is a son of David J. and Urilla (Slayback) Lowe. The father was a native of Balti- more, Maryland, having been born near that city on November 10, 1823, while his wife was born in Montgomery county, Illinois, her birth occurring on the 9th of April, 1834. Mr. Lowe emigrated to California in 1849, making the journey across the American des- ert with ox teams. Crossing the Mississippi river on the 9th of May of that year, he con- tinued his westward journey without acci- dent and arrived in California, his objective point, in September, 1849. He reached the Golden state during the very height of the gold excitement and at once engaged in min- ing and also operated successfully a stage line and conducted a mercantile business, in which he continued until 1856. During that year he removed to this state and settled at Roseburg, remaining. however, at that place but a very short time. He later located in Coos county. on the Coquille river, where he took up a homestead and there established his home and at once began the development of his property, in which he was highly suc- cessful and continued to give his entire at- tention to its improvement and cultivation until 1897, when he removed to Bandon, where he lived a retired life until 1907, when he re- moved to Marshfield to make his home with his daughter. Mrs. Annie Wolcott, and there his death occurred on April 13, 1911, leav- ing an estate for his family consisting of the old homestead of three hundred acres,

DAVID J. LOWE

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together with all of the improvements thereon. His widow, who is still living at the age of seventy-eight years, resides with her daughter at Marshfield. Unto Mr. and Mrs. David J. Lowe six children were born, namely: Mrs. Annie Wolcott, of Marshfield, Oregon; Frank L., of this review; Maggie, who passed away in early life; Mary, also deceased; Alice, who married J. W. Hammerburg and died at the age of twenty years; and David John, of Coquille. David J. Lowe was affiliated with the democratic party and had served as school clerk for twenty-one years and as justice of the peace for four terms, and was county commissioner for two terms, after which he was elected county judge and in that office served the interests of the people of his county for four years. During his incumbency in that office he had the distinction of hav- ing married a great many couples. He was also recorder of Bandon for one term.

Frank L. Lowe was reared in his parents' home and educated in the public schools of the district in which he lived, and later was a student at college for one year. At the age of sixteen years he became an appren- ticed shipbuilder and continued in that em- ployment until he had become a master of the craft. At the age of twenty-three he removed to Bandon and there worked at his trade as a shipbuilder for eight years. In the spring of 1890 he had purchased a fine property in that place which he still owns. At the time of his settlement in Bandon the place was comparatively new and Mr. Lowe became one of the first town trustees. During all the years of his residence at Bandon he has constantly been engaged in the pursuit of his trade and at present is so engaged, be- ing one of the employes of William Holland, of Marshfield, with whom he has been identi- fied as master shipbuilder since 1899. He is the owner of considerable property at Bandon.

Fraternally Mr. Lowe is associated with the Knights of Pythias and is one of the charter members of the lodge at Bandon and has filled all of the chairs therein. He is also a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He is one of the highly respected citizens of the community in which he lives and is regarded throughout the county in which he is widely known as a man of trust- worthiness and high ideals.

MINAR APPLEGATE, one of the progress- ive and enterprising agriculturists of Scotts valley, devotes his attention to diversified farming, operating a tract comprising three hundred acres and also owning another of one hundred acres a mile southeast of the former place. His birth occurred in Yoncalla, Douglas county, Oregon, on the 10th of Janu- ary, 1884, his parents being Milton and Sarah M. (Tracy) Applegate, a sketch of whom ap- pears on another page of this work. Minar Applegate was reared at home and attended the public schools in the acquirement of an education. In 1903, when not yet twenty years of age, he started out as an agricul- turist on his own account, taking charge of and operating the home farm as a renter until the fall of 1907. In the spring of 1911,

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 39

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