The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 5

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

USA > Oregon > The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912 > Part 5

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

CYRUS EDWIN HOSKINS. Probably no one citizen of Oregon contributed more largely to promoting the development of the fruit industry in the state than the late Cyrus Edwin Hoskins, who was not only a business man of rare judgment and sagac- ity, but a horticulturist of far more than local reputation. His most notable contri- bution to the science of horticulture was un- questionably the cherry that bears his name, but in all probability he will be longer re- membered as the man who shipped the first consignment of dried prunes from Oregon.

He was the eldest son born of the mar- riage of Joseph and Sarah Ann (Hodson) Hoskins, his birth occuring in the vicinity of Vienna, Clinton county, Ohio, on the 3d of July, 1842. His entire life was spent on a farm, his youthful energies being early directed along agricultural lines, the duties of which increased as his strength developed with the passing years. He pursued his education in the district schools in the vicin- ity of his home, the standard of whichi was about in common with those prevailing at that period. Being of a studious nature, however, he keenly observed what was go- ing on in the great world of nature about him, where he picked up many valuable les- sons not taught in school rooms nor to be found in text-books, that later proved in- valuable to him. He laid a good foundation by his thorough mastery of the fundament- als, that he supplemented all through life by careful and wide reading on general sub- jects, and was always considered to be a well informed man whose opinion on all current topics was well worthy of expres- sion. His schooling was terminated by the breaking out of the Civil war, and the patriotism and love of country that were always two of his most pronounced char- acteristics were then manifested by his lay- ing aside his text-books in order to take up the musket. He enlisted during the very early days of the conflict and remained at the front until the surrender at Appomattox. During that period he saw much active serv-

ice, participating in a number of notable battles, but was never wounded.

Soon after receiving his discharge he was married and immediately following he and lıis bride located on a farm, in Rush county, Indiana, which he operated until 1877. He had always been desirous of coming to the west and in the later year together withı his wife and family he came to Oregon. Upon his arrival here he purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land in Yam- hill county, at what is now known as Spring- brook, near Newberg, and here he spent the remainder of his life. Mr. Hoskins was a progressive man, but not a theorist, being thoroughly practical in all of his methods, and he readily realized that conditions in this section of the country were very dif- ferent from those which he had been ac- customed to encounter in farming in the middle states. He made a careful study of his soil, its needs and requirements, as well as the climatic conditions, and governed his undertakings accordingly. He experimented extensively, particularly with fruits, early recognizing that this in time was going to become one of the greatest fruit sections not only in the United States but in the world. In his orchard was to be found an almost unlimited variety of cherry trees, that he grafted and experimented with un- til he obtained the cherry that is now bear- ing his name. The introduction of this fruit established his reputation as a horticul- turist and he soon became recognized not only in this immediate locality but through- out the northwest as one of the leading fruit growers. Later he increased the scope of his activities by adding prunes and apples and other varieties of fruit to his orchard. He introduced the prune industry in the state, placing upon the market the first car load of Oregon dried prunes. He applied himself painstakingly and intelligently .to whatever he undertook, and was always striving to improve the standard of each and all of his products. That his efforts were rewarded by success is manifested by the fact that his dried prunes received the first prize at the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893, while the Hoskin cherry was awarded the silver cup at Salem, Oregon. He be- came one of the widely known and affluent orchardists of the state, and his death on the 18th of August, 1908, meant a loss not only to the community, where he was so well known and highly regarded. but to the state at large. He had always led an ac- tive life, the dominant interests of which had been of a nature to help not only him- self but all who were engaged in similar enterprises, and he fulfilled his mission by his many contributions to the vocation he followed.

On the 30th of November. 1865. Mr. Hos- kins was united in marriage to Miss Ma- tilda Hadley, a daughter of Thomas and Lucinda Hadley, natives of Indiana, in which . state Mrs. Hoskins was also born and reared. Mr. and Mrs. Hadley removed to Oregon in 1882. and here they both passed away. They Were the parents of nine children. Unto

CYRUS E. HOSKINS AND FAMILY

THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

Mr. and Mrs. Hoskins there were born two daughters: Ellis M., who died at the age of two years; and Joycie, the wife of E. Lemon, who passed away at her home in Jackson county, Oregon, on the 22d of De- cember, 1903. Mrs. Hoskins still lives on the ranch where she has resided for so many years at Springbrook, but since the death of her husband she has sold all but fifty acres of her place. The land she has re- tained is practically all planted in cherry and prune trees, that annually net her a handsome income. This ranch is one of the show places of Yamhill county, not only because of what its former owner achieved, but owing to its many attractive features and the fact that it is supplied with every convenience needed in the equipment of a commercial orchard, that is operated in ac- cordance with modern ideas.

Fraternally Mr. Hoskins was identified with the Masonic order, having been initiated in Carthage Lodge, No. 169, of the grand jurisdiction of Indiana in 1867, and at the time of his death he was past master of Newberg Lodge, No. 104. In early life he voted the republican ticket, but during his latter years he gave his support to the pro- hibition party. He took much interest in all public affairs, but never actively partic- ipated in political matters, preferring to con- centrate his powers upon the development and promotion of the fruit culture, through which he contributed his full quota as a citizen toward the advancement of his com- munity. He was of strong personality, pos- sessing high standards, that governed all of his relations in life, sound principles and the determination of purpose, that never ac- cepted defeat. His ideas of right and wrong were strongly marked, yet he was charitable in his criticisms and lenient in his judgments, never condemning any unheard. He was a man who would have been an acquisition to any community; his irreproachable char- acter not less than his achievements giving him a commanding position, and compelling his recognition as one destined to lead in anything he undertook.

JOSEPH ANDREW HETTINGER makes his home in Bonanza and in former years was closely identified with business interests of the town. His investments are now largely represented by his ranch interests, having one hundred and twenty acres of land devoted to the raising of potatoes and other vegetables. He was born in Warren county, Iowa, Octo- ber 14, 1872, and is a son of Jacob and Mar- garet (Ripplebarger) Hettinger, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Germany. . They were married in Iowa, in which state they were pioneer settlers, and there they remained until called to their final rest, the father devoting his time and energies to the occupation of farming.

Joseph A. Hettinger, who was the sixth in a family of seven children, continued a resident of Jowa throughout the period of his boyhood and youth, acquired his education in the schools there and in 1897, when twenty- five years of age, came to the northwest. He

spent two years in Curry county and since then has lived in Klamath county. Through- out his life he has owned and operated a ranch and at one time was proprietor of a saloon, a store and meat market at Bonanza, where he continued in business for eight years. He was the owner of the best build- ing in the town and the best hall in the county, but the building was destroyed by fire in 1910. Since then he has not resumed business along that line, but has important and profitable ranch interests, owning one hundred and twenty acres of land in the Yonna valley, where he raises potatoes and vegetables. In 1911 his potato crop from twenty-three acres was twenty-three hun- dred sacks. In the year 1912 he has forty acres planted to potatoes and he also has a large acreage given to the cultivation of other vegetables. His business in this direc- tion is proving profitable. He owns a home- stead of one hundred and sixty acres near Bly and he also has town property in Bonanza.

Mr. Hettinger is a republican in politics but office holding has little or no attraction for him, as he prefers to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs and the interests of his home. He was married June 21, 1908, to Miss Maude Bechdolt, a native of Oregon and a daughter of Fred C. Bech- doldt.

DR. WALTER S. JOHNSON is engaged in the general practice of medicine and surgery at Bonanza and is also connected with com- mercial interests as one of the partners of the Bonanza Drug Company. He was born in Monroe county, Tennessee, April 20, 1862, and is a son of Jacob K. and Susan Delilah (Swaggerty) Johnson, who were natives of eastern Tennessee, the former born in Knox county and the latter in Cocke county. Their entire lives were spent in that state. He was a son of Jeremiah Johnson, who spent the greater part of his life in Tennessee. Mrs. Johnson's father owned a plantation which embraced several thousand acres. She had several brothers who served as soldiers of the Confederate army and one was a soldier of the Mexican war. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Johnson were twelve children, seven of whom reached adult age and are now living.

Dr. Johnson's people belonged to the aristocracy of the south and his youth was spent on one of the old-time plantations, with the usual experiences and environment of such a life. After mastering the element- ary branches of learning in the country schools he attended Carson College, at Jeffer- son City, Tennessee, an old Baptist institu- tion now known as the Carson and Newman College. The building in which school con- vened was practically shot to pieces during the Civil war. After laying the foundation for later success in a good literary education Dr. Johnson entered the University of Louis- ville as a student in the medical department and won his degree by graduation from that institution with the class of 1884. He prac- ticed for a few months in the south and

THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

then came to the northwest, spending two years in the Territory of Washington. Onl the expiration of that period he made liis way to the Willamette valley of Oregon and for a year was located at Lake View. He afterward followed lis profession in Polk county until 1895, and later spent a year in Indian service in Oklahoma. He was then transferred to the Chemawa Indian school near Salem, where he remained for a year, and later spent four years on the Klamath reservation. In 1901 he came to Bonanza to engage in general practice, and in 1911 he took the state board examination for pharmacist and opened a drug store in con- nection with Dr. E. D. Hitchcock, under the name of the Bonanza Drug Company. Both continue in the active practice of medicine as well as conduct the store which is now liberally patronized. In addition Dr. Johnson owns a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres and a timber tract of equal size.

In 1885 occurred the marriage of Dr. Johnson and Miss Hannah H. Hubbard, who was born near Dallas, Polk county, Oregon, . a daughter of Goalman and Nancy J. Hub- bard, both of whom were well known pioneer settlers of this city. The mother was born in Pike county, Missouri, and the father was born in Kentucky, March 24, 1830, and in 1836 he removed to Illinois with his parents. In 1847 he started across the plains with ox teams for Oregon and in 1849 he went to California, attracted by the discovery of gold in that state. He did not meet with the success he anticipated, however, in searching for the precious metal, and the following year he returned to Oregon, after which lie was engaged in farming near Dallas until 1890. He then went to Whitman county, Washington, and located on the farm where his death occurred in 1909, but prior to that time he saw active service in the Cayuse war as captain of a company raised in the vicinity of his home in the Willamette val- ley. He was married, September 9, 1858, to Miss Nancy Smith. She was four years of age when, in 1845, she was brought across the plains by her parents, who made the journey with ox teams. Mr. and Mrs. Hub- bard had ten sons and five daughters, and with one exception all are yet living. Mrs. Johnson had an uncle, Dick Smith, who came to Oregon in 1836 over the Santa Fe trail. Mrs. Johnson was the fifth in her father's family of fifteen children.

Both Dr. Johnson and his wife are mem- bers of the Baptist church, in which he is serving as deacon, and he is also prominent in the local Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges. His wife is identified with the ladies auxil- iaries of both organizations, her membership in the Eastern Star being in Chadwick Chap- ter at Salem. In Masonry Dr. Johnson has attained the Royal Arch degree. He belongs to the Grange, of which he was one of the organizers, and for a time served as over- seer. He also belongs to the Commercial Club and his interests are wide and varied but his attention chiefly centers upon his professional duties and he keeps in close touch with the advance work of the profes-

sion through his membership in the Southern Oregon Medical Society, the Oregon State Medical Society and the American Medical Association.

JOHN M. A. LAUE. The town of Soldin, Germany, was the birthplace of John M. A. Laue and his natal day was March 5, 1862. His father, Adolph G. Laue, also a native of Soldin, was a miller by trade and in 1862 came to America with his family, locating at Saginaw, Michigan, where he engaged in mill- ing until his death in December, 1877, when fifty-four years of age. His wife, Henrietta Buchholz, died in 1906 at the age of eighty- two years. In their family were nine chil- dren, of whom John M. A. Laue was the eighth in order of birth. He and one brother and sister came west but the brother, Adolph G. Laue, Jr., died here in 1903. The sister, Mrs. Anna Strohecker, is a resident of Portland.

John M. A. Laue pursued his education at Saginaw, Michigan, but left school in 1876, at the age of fourteen years, and went to Passaic, New Jersey, where he worked in a drug store. Entering the New York College of Pharmacy, he was graduated therefrom in 1881, at the age of nineteen years, being one of the youngest to complete the course in those days. He moved westward in the fall of 1883, becoming a resident of Denver, Colorado, and in the spring of 1884 he came to Portland, where he has since resided. He was employed as a drug clerk in this city until 1886, when laudable ambition prompted him to engage in business on his own account and he established a drug store which he has since conducted, having now one of the oldest established business enterprises of this char- acter in the city. He was the first in Port- land to give instruction in pharmacy and many years ago, when the Willamette Uni- versity established a department of Pharmacy, he became one of the instructors therein. However, this was soon discontinued and pharmacy was not taught here again until September, 1908, when he started quiz classes, preparing drug clerks to pass the examina- tions of the state board of prahmacy, for which task he was well qualified because of twenty years' connection with that board. Shortly after other schools of pharmacy were established in Portland but his classes still continue and are well extended. He recognized the fact that many drug clerks of long and practical experience sometimes failed to pass the required board examination because they do not know how to study or what course to pursue. Mr. Laue's connection with the Ore- gon board of pharmacy enabled him to judge where candidates are the weakest and so in his classes he has made it his purpose to teach young men how to answer questions in a straightforward, businesslike manner, with- ont confusion or embarrassment. His course of study is comprehensive, including a knowl- edge of those branches of science necessary in the conduct of a drug business as well as mercantile methods of store management and sales. Mr. Laue has taken an active interest in everything in the state pertaining to phar- macy and to upholding the high standard that

THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

he believes should prevail among pharmacists and for many years he has been a member of the Oregon State Pharmaceutical Association, which he has served as president. He has done much for the upbuilding of this association and in the year 1909 offered a prize of fifty dollars to the person who brought in the largest number of members to the association, while in the present year he is offering a prize of twenty-five dollars to the one who brings the largest number of clerks as mem- bers of the association, his object being to stimulate an interest in the business and the association. To further promote the thorough and efficient study of pharmacy he has donated to the department of pharmacy of the Oregon Agricultural College an annual prize of fifty dollars, known as the Laue prize, to be given to the student receiving the highest class mark in pharmacy. Mr. Laue has served for four terms, covering nearly twenty years, on the Oregon board of pharmacy and has held all of its offices.

On the 6th of September, 1887, Mr. Laue was married at Ilwaco, Washington, to Miss Nora A. Tapley, a daughter of J. J. Tapley. of Claybank, Michigan. They had two chil- dren: Otto K., twenty-two years of age, a student in the department of pharmacy in the Oregon Agricultural College; and Nora May, who died September 14, 1908, at the age of eighteen years. The family residence is at 766 Hancock street, Irvington.

Mr. Laue and his family belong to the Tay- lor Street Methodist Episcopal church, in which he takes an active and helpful interest. He is also a member of Willamette Lodge, No. 2, A. F. & A. M., and of United Artisans, the Woodmen of the World and other fraternities. His political support is given the republican party and he belongs to the Commercial Club and the Chamber of Commerce, preferring that his activities in behalf of the city and its upbuilding should be put forth in connection with those organizations rather than in the field of politics. His business activity has ever balanced up with the principles of truth and honor and in all of his work he has never sacrificed the high standards which he has set up for himself.

JAMES ANDREW HATCHER, SR. The usefulness and value of the life of James Andrew Hatcher is readily discernible in the attractive appearance of the farm of twenty- fve acres which in its present highly devel- oped state gives little hint of its raw and un- improved condition at the time when Mr. Hatcher became its owner. He has cleared every square foot of the 'soil, has developed the land along modern lines and now has one of the finest orchard farms in Coos coun- ty. He was born in 1862, in Harrison county, Iowa, and is a son of John R. and Emily J. (Smith) Hatcher. The father was a native of Indiana and died in Coos county in 1887. The mother was born in Tennessee and passed away in Kansas on January 9, 1877. They were the parents of nine children: William A., of Arago, Oregon; Delaney, of Curry coun- ty. this state; Simon K., whose sketch ap- pears elsewhere in this work; James A., of

this review; Mybulda C., who married James A. Cotton, of Gravelford, Oregon; Robert O., of Myrtle Point, Oregon; Perry C., who is also a resident of Myrtle Point; Rebecca L., who married Eli Clayton, of Gravelford; and Perry who died in infancy.

James A. Hatcher remained at home until he was seventeen years of age and at that time started to gain his own livelihood. He worked for wages upon neighboring farms and was identified with the lumber business as an employe in the logging camps of Ore- gon for three years. He spent one year as a stage driver and after his marriage in 1883 worked in the interest of his father-in-law for a short time. In September, 1885, he inoved on a portion of the old homestead. His father presented him with this tract of land, then in a raw and unimproved condition. It was covered with timber and entirely un- cultivated. Mr. Hatcher applied himself earnestly to its development, cleared the trees, broke the soil and soon made his property one of the attractive farms in the neigh- borhood. He has twenty-five acres under cultivation and is the owner of one of the largest orchards in the county. He has eight hundred Grovenstein apple trees which an- nually yield a large harvest. He understands their care and cultivation and his orchard yields a valuable addition to his income. He has the remaining acres of his farm planted to grains and does farming along all lines.

Mr. Hatcher was married on October 11, 1883, to Miss Alice Darnielle, a native of Jackson county, Oregon, and a daughter of Oscar and Ellen (Conner) Darnielle, the moth- er a native of Oregon and the father of In- diana. Mrs. Hatcher's father came to Oregon when he was sixteen years of age, making the journey across the plains with ox teams. He became the father of twelve children: Sarah, the wife of John Abbott, of California; Mrs. Hatcher; Josephine, who married Charles Love, of Oregon; Christina, now Mrs. Ditmar, of Lane county, Oregon; Melvina, the widow of Joseph Haskins, of Medford, Oregon; Mary who married Samuel Johnson, of California ; Jasper, who also resides in that state; Avil, of Oregon; Samantha, who resides in Nevada; Isaac, who makes his home in California; and two children who are deceased. Mrs. Hatcher is attractive and hospitable and well known in religious circles as a devout mem- ber of the Dunkard church. Mr. and Mrs. Hatcher are the parents of the following chil- dren: Everett, born August 10, 1884, head sawyer of the Coquille Valley Mill Company, who is married and has one child, Violet- Vivian; Laura May, deceased; Clara Dell, the wife of E. W. Gregg, a building contrac- tor of Coquille, Oregon, by whom she has one child, James Lloyd; James A., Jr., of Coquille, Oregon, who is married and has one son, James S .; Ada Pearl, who married William Arthur Alexander, of Roseburg; Millie L., at home; Vernie E., born March 27, 1898; Zelma Alice and Carl Adolphus, who attend school; and Lena L., an infant. In politics Mr. Hatcher is a democrat and has served his fel- low citizens as a member of the school board

THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

for eight years. He is interested in educa- tion and eager to promote its expansion but aside from this phase of public life has never been a political office seeker. He be- longs to the Dunkard church. He is entirely responsible for his own success and has a tangible result to show for his intelligent agri- cultural methods. He has gained that prom- inence and prosperity which are the direct result of constructive labor.

HENRY NICE, who is living retired at Waldport, having accumulated a competency by many years of energetic and well di- rected application, is a native of St. John, New Brunswick, born February 10, 1837. He comes of a family of fishermen on the paternal side and has spent many years in that vocation. The grandfather was the most prosperous fisherman of his time in New Brunswick and shipped extensively to the West Indies. Cornelius Nice, father of our subject, was a native of New Brunswick and owned a number of vessels, being en- gaged in the fishing business during his en- tire active life. He and his father were stanch loyalists. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Ann Betts. She was a native of New Brunswick and her father was a captain in the English army against the Colonies during the Revolutionary war. Her grandfather, Dr. Isor Betts, was a Mason of high degree in New York city and was known to be friendly to the British cause. He was taken prisoner but was released by order of General Washington and took refuge in New Brunswick. He was the owner of large land grants in Nova Scotia. The great- grandfather was one of the early settlers of Nova Scotia and his descendants were all loyal to Great Britain at the time of the war for independence.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 5

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