The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 40

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

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in partnership with his brother Aubrey, he purchased three hundred acres in Scotts valley from his uncle, John Applegate, and has given his time and energies to its fur- ther cultivation and improvement continu- ously since. He is engaged in diversified farming and in former years operated a threshing machine for five or six years. Though still a young man, he has already made substantial progress in his chosen field of labor and is recognized as one of the rep- resentative and successful citizens of his na- tive county.

On the 31st of October, 1907, Mr. Applegate was united in marriage to Miss Linna Wertz, her father being Benjamin F. Wertz, de- ceased, who was a prominent farmer of Elk creek, in Lower Scotts valley. Our subject and his wife have two children, Tracy W. and Beulah Juanita. Mr. Applegate gives his political allegiance to the republican party and fraternally is identified with Yon- calla Camp, No. 480, W. O. W. He and his wife are people of the highest respectability, enjoying in large measure the friendship of those with whom they have been brought in contact.

A. L. THORNTON. Among the towns of rapid and substantial growth in southeastern Oregon, Lakeview is prominent and its busi- ness men are of the class whose labors promise well for the future of the district. Among them is A. L. Thornton, a druggist, whose well appointed store would be a credit to a city of much larger size. He was born in Roseburg, December 2, 1878, a son of Sam- uel Isaac and Mary Jane (Singleton) Thorn- ton. The father, who was a native of St. Joseph, Missouri, crossed the plains with ox teams in 1864 and made his way to Rose- burg by way of The Dalles and Portland. Later he was married there to Mary J. Single- ton, a native of that place, and they still reside in the town. Samuel I. Thornton, who was formerly engaged in ranching, is now living retired. Of their family of five chil- dren A. L. Thornton is the eldest, the others being: Lena, the wife of John Atterbury, of Roseburg; Edward, Lane and Clifford, all of that place.

A. L. Thornton remained with his parents in Roseburg until 1894, and in early life secured employment in a drug store there. He afterward attended the Corvallis State College, where he studied pharmacy, being graduated from that department with the class of 1902. He afterward worked for W. L. Delano, of Eugene, and D. J. Fry, of~ Salem, and from Eugene removed to Lake- view on the 5th of August, 1905. Here he purchased the drug store of Lee Beall and for a year was in partnership with Alexander Patterson, whose interest he afterward took over. He has since been alone in business and practically his entire time is devoted to the store, although he also has ranching in- terests in this locality. He carries a large stock of staple and fancy drugs and drug- gists' sundries, and the progressive policy which he pursues and his business methods

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are such as commend him to the liberal sup- port of the public.

Mr. Thornton is pleasantly situated in home life. He married Kathleen Canfield, a native of McMinnville, Oregon, and a daugh- ter of F. J. Canfield. They have two chil- dren, Lane and Lee. Mr. Thornton is an exemplary representative of the Masonic fra- ternity and a past master of his local lodge. He also holds membership with the Elks and the Woodmen of the World and he gives his political support to the democratic party. For four years he has served as a member of the board of education at Lakeview and is now its president. The cause of education finds in him a stalwart champion who be- lieves that the public school is the bulwark of the nation and therefore deems it right that children should be afforded the best edu- cational advantages possible.

GEORGE W. MAGILL. The occupation of stock ranching which forms one of the in- fluential and rapidly growing industries of Coos county finds a worthy representative in George W. Magill, who has operated a farm of one hundred and eighty-seven and one- half acres in Coos county for a number of years and has made gratifying progress in a financial way. He was born in Hancock county, Iowa, May 4, 1859, and is a son of Thomas and Jane E. Magill, natives of Illi- nois. Their marriage occurred in Iowa and they resided in that state for a number of years before they moved to Minnesota where. the father died. The mother of our subject came to Oregon in 1910 and is living in this state. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Magill were the parents of eight children, six of whom are living: George W., the subject of this review; Rhoda, the wife of John Richison of Minne- sota; Abbie, who became the wife of John Webster of Minnesota; Harvey, who resides in Coos county, Oregon; Melissa, now Mrs. Martin Reger of North Dakota; and John, of Coos county, Oregon.

George Magill received his early education in Iowa and pursued the usual course of studies in the public schools of that state. He came to Oregon in 1887, settling in Curry county where he engaged extensively in stock- raising until 1910. During this time he built up a profitable and successful enterprise and became known throughout the vicinity in which he lived as an expert judge of cattle and a thoroughly efficient business man. He eventually disposed of his holdings in Curry county in order to move to Coos county where he purchased one hundred and eighty- seven and one half acres of land adapted to stock-raising and immediately began its operation as a cattle ranch. He is thoroughly conversant with all the details connected with the breeding and care of stock. He carries on his enterprise scientifically and thus makes it a profitable branch of industry. He keeps himself abreast of the times and well informed on all modern developments relating to his line of work. Besides stock ranching he engages in general farming and carries on his labors along this line with the same facility and efficiency which marks the

other branch of his endeavors. He has acquired a comfortable fortune during the years of his intelligent activity and this he has judiciously invested in residence property in Myrtle Point and Bandon, Oregon. In both of these cities he is well known and popular among his many friends, although lie maintains his residence upon his ranch seven miles above Myrtle Point on the Coquille river.

Mr. Magill's marriage occurred on October 6, 1889, on which date he wedded Miss Effie L. Hollenbeak, who was born June 22, 1872. in Shasta county, California. Mrs. Magill is a daughter of Stephen and Amanda (Ben- liam) Hollenbeak, the former a native of Iowa and the latter of Missouri. Their marriage occurred in California where they resided until 1880, the father operating a productive farm. They subsequently came to Oregon where they settled in Coos county. Here Stephen Hollenbeak purchased eighty acres of land and conducted a modern agricultural enterprise until 1907 when he retired from active life and moved to Coquille, Oregon, where he died in 1910. His wife is still a resident of that city and has reached the six- tieth year of her age. They were the parents of eleven children: Effie L., the wife of our subject; Jane, who married Otto Epps, of Coquille, Oregon; Belle, the wife of Lewis Sell of Riverton, Oregon; Georgia, the wife of Oscar Bunch of Dora, Oregon; James, who now resides in Coquille, Oregon; Pearl, who married Elmer Willard of the same place; Grace, who is living in Coquille with her mother; and Benham, Susan, Ilda and Bessie, all of whom are now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Magill have been born eight children: Bessie, now Mrs. William Ocheltree of Ban- don, Oregon; Verner, Iva, and Otto, all of whom reside at home; Zimra; Amanda; Osie; and Bertie. All the children of Mr. and Mrs. Magill received their education in Coos county and were all born in this section with the exception of four whose births occurred in Curry county.

In his political views Mr. Magill is a demo- crat with socialistic tendencies and keeps himself well informed upon public matters. He has added to the prosperity of Coos county by promoting his individual success along lines of progress and expansion and has well earned the prominent place which he occupies in agricultural circles of his district.

BEN DALY is extensively engaged in sheep- raising, having about ten thousand head, which are pastured on a ranch of two hun- dred. acres about sixty miles east of Lake- view. Mr. Daly resides in town but makes frequent trips to the ranch, supervising his live-stock interests, which are of an impor- tant character. He has closely studied sheep- raising and this study, combined with his practical experience, has given him compre- hensive knowledge of the business. He was born in County Cork, Ireland, March 17, 1876, a son of Ben and Johanna (Kennaley) Daly. The father spent his entire life on the Emerald isle, where the mother is still living.

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He was a farmer by occupation and passed away about. twenty years ago.

Ben Daly was the sixth in order of birth in a family of eight children, but he and his sister, Mrs. Nellie Sullivan, of New York city, are the only ones who came to the United States. In May, 1901, he made his way direct to Oregon after crossing the Atlantic and took up his abode in Lakeview. He had worked as a farm hand in his native country and for two years he was employed as a sheep herder in Oregon. He then leased a band of sheep for two years, also pur- chased some and has since engaged in the sheep-raising business, having now about ten thousand head, which feed over the govern- ment range. His property interests include two hundred acres in Lake county about sixty miles east of Lakeview, which is pasture land, and he also owns some town property. His flocks are increasing yearly in numbers and his business has become an important one, making him a leading representative of sheep-raising in southeastern Oregon.

On the 20th of July, 1911, Mr. Daly was married to Miss Kate Barry, a native of Lake county and a daughter of James and Kate (O'Connor) Barry, who are also resi- dents of Lakeview, the father being the owner of large flocks of sheep. Both Mr. and Mrs. Daly are communicants of the Catholic church and he holds membership with the Elks, while his political indorsement is given to the republican party. Laudable ambition brought him to America and he has here made steady progress along business lines, winning a gratifying measure of suc- cess.

JOHN F. CADLE was born at Agency City, Iowa, November 28, 1847, and is a son of James N. and Ellen D. (Wallace) Cadle, the former a native of Claiborne county, Tennes- see, and the latter of Woodford county, Kentucky. The father removed with his fam- ily to Iowa in 1849 and there engaged in farming until 1864 when he went westward by way of the isthmus route and took up his abode first in Sonoma county, and later in Plumas county, California. There he made his home until called to his final rest in 1900, for two years surviving his wife who died in 1898. In their family were nine children, six sons and three daughters, of whom four sons and a daughter are now living, the lat- ter being a resident of Washington while two of the sons are citizens of Nevada and one of Fresno, California.

John F. Cadle, the other member of the family, acquired liis early education in the public schools of his native state and in McClure's Military Academy. He left school to enter the grain-exporting business and later spent three years in mining in Nevada. He also engaged in mining in Venezuela in 1874 and 1875, but in 1876 returned to Nevada where he once more followed mining for a year. In 1877 he removed to Plumas county, California, where for ten years he made his home, coming to Oregon in 1887, at which time he located near Prineville, Crook county, where he has since resided.

In 1876 Mr. Cadle was married to Miss Alice Drury of Plumas county, California, and to them were born two children but both are deceased. In his political views Mr. Cadle is republican, interested in the growth and progress of his party yet not a politician in the sense of office seeking. He served, how- ever, as recorder of Plumas county in 1878 and 1879. He belongs to the Improved Order of Red Men and has been secretary of the Central Oregon Agricultural Society in which connection he does much to further the inter- ests of the farming class of people and holds high the standards of agricultural develop- ment and progress in his adopted state. He believes the possibilities before the farmer in Oregon are almost limitless and recognizes the fact that the wealth of the country lies largely in its soil. He has therefore em- ployed improved and scientific methods in the conduct of his own place and does all he can to stimulate those similarly engaged to adopt the progressive ways of the present day.

WILLIAM H. SHIRK. The complex prob- lems of banking are familiar to William H. Shirk, for comprehensive study and prac- tical experience have acquainted him with the various phases of the business and qualify him for the successful conduct of banking interests. The policy which he has ever fol- lowed in this connection is such as carefully safeguards the interests of depositors and at the same time promotes the success of the in- stitution. He is president of both the First National Bank and the Lake Loan & Sav- ings Bank of Lakeview.

Indiana numbers William H. Shirk among her native sons, his birth having occurred in Park county, that state, October 1, 1853, his parents being Joseph and Margaret (Linton) Shirk, who were natives of Pennsylvania and Indiana respectively, their marriage being celebrated in the latter state. They removed to Will county, Illinois, when their son Wil- liam was but six months old, and the father there owned and conducted a stock farm of three hundred and twenty acres. Both he and his wife remained on that farm until called to their final rest. There were six children of that marriage and William H. Shirk is the youngest of the five yet living. There were also four children, two sons and two daughters, born of the father's second union.

Reared in Illinois, William H. Shirk re- mained at home until 1873, when lie went to Texas. He assisted in driving a band of cat- tle owned by his father and eldest brother from Texas to Idaho in the summer of 1873, spending five and a half months on the road. He was paid thirty dollars per month and by that trip made one hundred and fifty dollars. Pleased with the northwest and its possibili- ties he decided to remain there, and for nearly nine years was in the employ of one firm in Idaho and the southeastern part of Oregon, working on a stock ranch. His ini- tial position was that of cook but gradually he worked his way upward until be became foreman of the ranch. He was employed by the firm of Catalow & Shea, who were ex-

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tensively engaged in raising and selling cattle and horses. Thus Mr. Shirk became familiar with every phase of stock-raising on the ranches and on the open range in the north- west, and is a survivor of a period when that business presented many picturesque features.

On the 26th of December. 1881, Mr. Shirk was married to Miss Anna R. Crow, a native of California and a daughter of John L. Crow, of Phunas county, that state. After his mar- riage Mr. Shirk secured government land in Harney county, Oregon, and also purchased other land, continuing in the stock business and raising as high as twelve hundred head of cattle at a time. At length he disposed of both his land and stock in 1900 and in February of the following year left the ranch and went to Reno, Nevada, in order to afford his children the educational opportunities obtainable in a city. Later Mr. Shirk came to Lakeview and was interested in the California & Oregon Land Company there. Watchful of opportunities leading to success he later turned his attention to the banking business and in 1905 organized the First National Bank of which he has since been the president, and in 1906 established the Lake Loan & Savings Bank, of which he is also the chief executive officer. The National bank was started with a capital of fifty thou- sand dollars, which with surplus and un- divided profits now amounts to one hundred thousand dollars. The savings bank was originally capitalized for twenty thousand dollars but this sum has been increased to forty thousand dollars. Today Mr. Shirk is one of the prosperous residents of Lakeview and southern Oregon and is regarded as one of the prominent business men. This position is attributable entirely to his own labors for he and his wife began ranching in a primi- tive manner, living in a log cabin. They were industrious and determined, however, and each year witnessed their progress. In 1878 Mr. Shirk came very near losing his life at the hands of the Indians during the Bannock war, being the only survivor of a party of three who were ambushed while riding through the Cataloh valley in Harney county. This was but one of many exciting experi- ences which came to Mr. Shirk in pioneer times when he was endeavoring to lay the foundation of his fortune through the utiliza- tion of the natural resources of this part of the state. Traveling over the country he became conversant with its advantages and he regards Harney county as one of the finest stock-raising districts in the world, being adapted to that industry throughout all seasons of the year. In addition to his other business affairs Mr. Shirk has small timber interests and is also the manager of the Cali- fornia & Oregon Light, Heat & Power Com- pany of Lakeview, which company he aided in organizing and incorporating. He is local agent for the Oregon Land & Live Stock Company. Mr. and Mrs. Shirk became par- ents of two children: C. L., who is assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Taft, California; and Hazel, who died at the age of sixteen months. Mr. Shirk belongs to the

Masonic fraternity and both he and his wife are connected with the Eastern Star. He is also a member of the Elks lodge at Ashland. Coming to the northwest when a young man of twenty years, he recognized its possibilities and has since utilized its opportunities. Step by step he has advanced and he seems to have realized at every point in his career the possibilities for successful accomplishment at that time. Earnest, persistent, arduous toil was supplemented by the intelligent under- standing and direction of his labors and at all times his efforts have been of a character that has never infringed on the rights of others but has promoted public prosperity in advancing individual success.

WILLIAM H. SMITH is one of the well known and successful farmers of Coos county, Oregon. He was born in Empire, Coos county, in 1862, and is the son of W. D. L. F. and Mary R. (Luse) Smith, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of Pennsylvania. The father crossed the plains , to Oregon in 1855 and settled in Coos county. Immediately following his arrival in Ore- gon he enlisted as a soldier in the Rogue River Indian war and followed his command for about one year, after which he was en- ployed as a laborer in one of the sawmills in Coos county. In 1857 he settled at Coos bay and engaged in work in sawmills at North Bend, Empire and Marshfield. He was one of the early pioneers of Coos county and did his share of the work in the early organization and building up of that part of the state of Oregon. In his family were five children: Ada E., who is the wife of Charles Dungan, residing on the Coos river; William H., of this review; Florence, the wife of J. D. Hawes, of California; Gussie, deceased; and George F., of Empire, Oregon.

William H. Smith was reared at home and received his early education in the schools of Coos county. He started in life for him- self at the age of nineteen as an employe in the logging camps in Coos county and con- tinued in that occupation for several years, after which he retired from the lumbering business and leased a steamboat which he . operated on Coos bay, Coos river and its trib- utaries for two years. At the same time he was interested largely in the fishing in- dustries in that territory. He later took up his abode on his father's homestead, located seven miles up the Coos river at the forks, where he is engaged in farming, making a specialty of the dairy industry, using in his business at present twenty-five Holstein cat- tle. He is the owner of forty acres of highly developed agricultural land.

Mr. Smith was united in marriage in 1894 to Miss Iowa E. Davis, a native of Oregon and a daughter of John R. and Matilda (Brown) Davis, the former a native of In- diana and the latter of Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Davis two children were born: Iowa E., the wife of William H. Smith, of this re- view; and Laura, the wife of William James, of Santa Ana, California. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents of three children: Helen, born in 1897; Bertha, born in 1899;

MR. AND MRS. W. H. SMITH

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and Mary, born in 1902. The children are all attending school.

Mr. Smith is affiliated with the republican party and served as county surveyor for four years and also as deputy sheriff of Coos county for one year, having consented to fill the latter office for that time as its former incumbent failed to qualify as a competent man in that position. He is a member of the Woodmen of the World and of the Fra- ternal Order of Eagles, and is also an active and enthusiastic member of the Grange. Mr. Smith is one of the well known and highly es- teemed citizens of Coos county and a man interested in every public measure seeking the improvement of the people of his county and state.

DARIUS WELLS. Probably no man in Douglas county is better acquainted with the details of agriculture as it is pursued under Oregon conditions than is Darius Wells, one of the most prominent and successful farmers in this section. He has spent his entire life in the west and has gained an expert knowledge of his occupation which can come only through long and personal ex- perience. He was born where the town of Cottage Grove now stands, on March 28, 1849, and is today counted the oldest native son of Oregon. His parents were Ira and Ann Elizabeth (Mantler) Wells, the latter a native of Germany. They crossed the plains from Illinois to Oregon with ox teams in 1847 and on their arrival they settled at Eugene, but shortly afterward removed to the present site of Cottage Grove. In 1851 Ira Wells came to Douglas county, leaving his family to spend the winter in Yoncalla, while he journeyed into the Umpqua valley in order to find a suitable location for a farm. He took up a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres two miles southwest of Elkton and upon this he built a crude log cabin, in which he resided alone until the spring of 1852, when he brought his family up the Elk creek pack trail to his new home. The jour- ney was made with pack horses and was filled with the hardships and inconveniences of pioneer travel. Darius Wells, who was then only three years of age, was carried over the road by Mr. Miller, who was jour- neying in the same direction. His father' lived on the donation claim which he took up and was successful and prosperous in the cultivation of the soil until his death, when he was seventy-five years of age. His wife lived to the age of seventy-seven years. The parents of Darius Wells were among the earliest Oregon pioneers and their labors aided materially in the upbuilding and de- velopment of the section in which they lived. One of their daughters, Caroline Elizabeth, who is now the wife of William Hawley, of Eugene, Oregon, was the first white child born in Lane county.

Darius Wells was reared at home and acquired a limited education by attendance at the district schools. He gained the greater part of his early schooling in a six weeks' course at Wilbur Academy, at Wilbur, Ore- gon, and when he had completed this re-

turned to the home farm where he aided his father in the cultivation of the soil until he was twenty-two years of age. At that time he bought two hundred and ninety-four acres, a mile and a half south of Elkton, which constitutes today a part of his farm. He began the cultivation of the soil and has carried it on with constantly increasing success since that time. He gained his start in agricultural life when he was nineteen years of age. At that time his father bought three hundred and twenty acres of land and agreed to give his son a half of this fine farm if he. would stay at home and engage in the cultivation of the soil. His present suc- cess is due to his personal experience in the details of scientific agriculture and to the impetus which this early gift gave to his ambition. He is now accounted one of the most progressive and extensive land own- ers in Douglas county. Besides his large farm upon which he resides he also owns three hundred and ninety-seven acres on Elk creek which he operates as a stock ranch and which forms a valuable addition to his income.

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 40

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