The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 66

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

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On June 13, 1886, Mr. Hancock was united in marriage to Mrs. Kiersta (Pearson) John- son, a native of Sweden, and a daughter of Peter and Nettie Pearson, both natives of Sweden, in which country they died. Mrs. Hancock came to the United States in 1882 when she was thirty-five years of age and settled in Gardiner, Oregon. She was the widow of John Johnson and had two children by her former marriage: Christian, who is a ranchman on his stepfather's farm; and Eda, the wife of A. L. Hancock, who is farming in Douglas county. To Mr. and Mrs. Hancock have been born two children: Oscar, who is engaged in agriculture in Douglas county ; and Clara, the wife of James Riley, of Elkton. Mr. Hancock is a republican in his political views. He is a member of Elkton Lodge, No. 63, A. F. & A. M., and was one of the mem-

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bers of the Drain Post, G. A. R., until that organization disbanded. He has wrested his prosperity from unfriendly fortune and has constructed his own success, working in a direct and simple way with the tools at hand and evolving a structure of life which in its simplicity and greatness is worthy of the hands of a master builder.

JOHN THOMAS WILLIAMS resides on a farm of twenty-six acres a mile east of Beaverton but leases the property and is living retired, having accumulated a hand- some competence during the years of an active business career. He is well known in finan- cial circles as the vice president of the Bank of Beaverton and also has other interests. His birth occurred in North Andover, Massa- chusetts, on the 28th of November, 1842, his parents being George H. and Mary (Rog- ers) Williams, who came of Welsh and Eng- lish ancestry respectively. The father was born in New Hampshire, while the mother was a native of Massachusetts. Ebenezer Choate, the maternal great-grandfather of our subject, was a sea captain in the East India mercantile service. While on a trip from Africa he became ill and was left at Guadalupe, Spain, where he died and was buried. William Rogers, the maternal grand- father of John T. Williams, was a descend- ant of Thomas Rogers, who came to this country on the Mayflower. He was a native of Newburyport, Massachusetts, and always maintained his home there. He was part owner and captain of a ship and engaged in bringing sugar and molasses from New Or- leans to Liverpool, England. As he was never heard from after embarking on his last sea voyage, it is supposed that he was drowned.

The parents of Mr. Williams of this review were married in Massachusetts in 1836 and . there continued to reside throughout the re- mainder of their lives, the mother passing away at Amesbury in 1848 and the father in 1871. George H. Williams was a wool buyer for a Massachusetts mill, purchasing wool all over the United States. He was twice married and by his first wife had the fol- lowing children: Georgiana B., the widow of E. Thompson, who passed away in Rhode Island in 1881; Annie, the wife of Elisha Jordan, of Washington county, Oregon; John Thomas, of this review; George Henry, living in Portland, Oregon; and William R., who is a resident of Massachusetts. In October. 1882, the eldest of these children, Mrs. Geor- giana Thompson, came to Oregon, making her home in Portland until 1905, since which time she has lived in Washington county. For his second wife George H. Williams chose Miss Mary Locke, by whom he had two chil- dren, namely: Samuel Grant, who is a resi- dent of Skamokawa, Washington; and Frank T., deceased.

John Thomas Williams began earning his own livelihood when a youth of twelve, oper- ating a carding machine in a woolen mill at Danielsville, Connecticut, for one year. Dur- ing the following four years he remained at

home and subsequently spent two years in the Pacific Calico Mills. When the Civil war broke out he enlisted for three months' ser- vice with the celebrated Sixth Massachusetts Infantry, which was the first regiment out of the state and was commanded by E. F. Jones. After the battle of Bull Run he was honorably discharged in August, 1861, and on the 6th of September following again en- listed, joining the command of A. B. Farr and serving as corporal of Company F, Twen- ty-sixth Massachusetts Infantry, under Cap- tain Thomas A. Anable. Afterward he be- came veteranized at New Iberia, Louisiana, on the 4th of January, 1864, by reason of reenlistment for three years' service, becom- ing a member of Company A, Twenty-sixtlı Massachusetts Infantry, on the 24th of Jan- uary, 1864, and serving under Captain A. Troy until discharged at Savannah, Georgia, on the 26th of August, 1865.

Returning home with a creditable military record, Mr. Williams again entered the calico mill of Lawrence Brothers in Massachusetts, being employed therein for one year, while subsequently he spent three years in a shoe manufacturing establishment of Clarke' & Company at Methuen, Massachusetts. On the expiration of that period he came to Oregon, locating at Scio, Linn county, where he worked on his brother-in-law's ranch for six months. Then he began teaming in eastern Oregon, hauling supplies to the mines for one year. At the end of that time he went to Baker City, there conducting a cobbler's shop for six months. He next started for Portland on horseback, reaching that city at the end of three weeks and securing employment in a shoe shop, wherein he remained for ten years. With the assistance of George Himes & Walling, printers, he then embarked in the billposting business, being thus engaged until 1905. Disposing of his interests in that connection, he purchased a farm of twenty- six acres near Beaverton. Washington county, and has since occupied the same, the prop- etry being finely improved and under a high state of cultivation. He leases the land. however, and is now living retired in the enjoyment of well earned rest. Mr. Williams is a factor in financial circles as the vice president of the Bank of Beaverton and is likewise one of the stockholders of the Beaver- ton Brick & Clay Manufacturing Company.

Mr. Williams has been married twice. In 1863, in Massachusetts, he wedded Miss Jos- ephine Houston, by whom he had one daugh- ter, Mary Ella, who is the widow of Allen E. Riley and resides in Washington county, Ore- gon. On the 25th of December, 1881, Mr. Williams was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Mary J. Minehan, the widow of John Minehan, and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Brack. both of whom are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Minehan had one daughter, Estella. who obtained a high-school education in Kan- sas City, Missouri, and is now a resident of Los Angeles. California. Mrs. Mary J. Wil- liams was called to her final rest in 1886. leav- ing two other daughters. Hazel Anna, who was born on the 20th of December, 1882, is a high-

JOHN T. WILLIAMS

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school graduate and also pursued a course of study in the Annie Wright Seminary of Ta- coma, Washington. She likewise has an excel- lent musical education and is now the wife of John F. Malarkey, of Portland, Oregon. Al- freda, born May 21, 1884, was educated at St. Mary's Academy and is the wife of James M. Allen, of Beaverton, Oregon.

In his political views Mr. Williams is a republican, loyally supporting the men and measures of the party which was the defense of the Union during the dark days of the Civil war. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Unitarian Society of Portland. He is spending the evening of life in honorable retirement, happy in the friend- ship and esteem of all who know him.

J. W. SMITH, who since the winter of 1907 has resided in Klamath county, Ore- gon, is now the owner of one hundred and twenty acres five miles south of Klamath Falls. He was born at Chatham, Ontario, Canada, December 8, 1836, and is a son of Sol and Elizabeth (Wood) Smith, the former a native of Ontario and the latter' of New York. In 1844 the father went to the lead mines of Galena, Illinois, and the mother ar- rived there the following year. They spent six years in that locality and later went to Denver, Colorado. The father died in 1861, at the age of sixty years, and the mother passed away at Fort Scott, Kansas, about 1882, at the age of eighty-two years. In their family were ten children, five sons and five daughters.

J. W. Smith spent his youthful days in his parents' home and developed habits of in- dustry and enterprise which have proven of value to him in the conduct of his business affairs in later years. In April, 1861. he en- listed for service in the Civil war at the first call for seventy-five thousand troops, join- ing Company K of the First Iowa Infantry at Mount Vernon, Iowa. He served for five months and reenlisted in October, 1863, as a member of Company A, Thirteenth Iowa In- fantry, with which he served until August, 1865. He was with Sherman in the Atlanta campaign and on the march to the sea, and he afterward participated in the grand re- view where the victorious army marched through the streets of Washington and under the banner that, hanging across Pennsylvania avenue, was emblazoned with the words: "The only debt which the country owes that she cannot pay is the debt that she owes to her soldiers." Mr. Smith was one of the twenty of his company that placed the col- ors on the state house of South Carolina at the surrender of Raleigh. Throughout his connection with the army he was with his company on active duty and made a most creditable military record.

When the war was over he went to Kan- sas, where he resided until 1893, engaged in farming and carpentering. He next lo- cated in Oklahoma and in the rush there se- cured a town lot at Pawnee and helped build that city. In 1900 he went from Oklahoma to Colorado, where he worked as a laborer and as a contractor for the construction of

electric light and telephone lines. In tlie winter of 1907 he came to Klamath county, Oregon, and purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land five miles south of Kla- math Falls. He is devoting his energies to the development of his place and has already set out an orchard of five hundred trees.

Mr. Smith was married in Iowa, in the fall of 1861, to Miss Malinda Arasmith, who was born in that state and passed away in Adams, Colorado, in 1901. Unto this union were born seven children but two passed away in infancy. Another, Libby, died at the age of six years, while the surviving members are: Sherman, a resident of Straw- berry valley, Utah; Lilly, the wife of E. S. Barnes, of Merrill, Klamath county; B. H., living in Calida, Colorado; and John C., whose home is near Mexico City, Mexico. Mr. Smith has been a lifelong republican. He voted twice for Lincoln for the presidency but has never sought office for himself. He was, how- ever, street commissioner at Fort Scott, Kan- sas. Fraternally he is connected with the Grand Army of the Republic and with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In the former connection he keeps in close touch with his old army comrades and throughout his life in matters of citizenship he manifests the same loyalty to his country that he dis- played when he followed the old flag on south- ern battlefields.

DR. HENRY O. WILLIAMS, who retired from the active practice of his profession in 1899, when he removed to his seven hundred and fifty acre ranch in Josephine county, was for many years a successful physician of Washington, where he lived from 1879 to 1899. He was born in Kentucky, February 23, 1851, a son of Isador and Velina A. (Stearns) Williams, the father a native of Ohio and the mother of Vermont. The par- ents crossed the plains in 1853 with ox teams to Oregon and settled in Jackson county, where the father took up a donation claim, residing upon it until 1859. He then removed to East Portland and later settled in Idaho. After remaining in that state for a time he returned to Oregon where both parents passed away. In their family were five children, two of whom survive.

Dr. Henry O. Williams started out in active life at the age of seventeen years, first being employed at riding the range. He had ac- quired, however, a good academic education and during his spare time studied, with the result that in early manhood he was com- petent to act as a public instructor, and, tak- ing up teaching, continued in that profession for about eight years. He then took a course in the medical department of Willamette University and in 1879 commenced practicing his profession, remaining thus employed for twenty years. In 1889 he purchased the ranch upon which he is living and in 1899 took up his residence there, having since made it his home. It is a splendid agricul- tural property of seven hundred and fifty acres, a large portion of which is under cul- tivation. He engages successfully in general farming.

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Dr. Williams was married in 1888 to Miss Elizabeth Major, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Joseph A. and Sarah J. (Cooper) Major, both natives of that state, where they passed their entire lives. To Dr. and Mrs. Williams have been born five children, Percy A., Inez A., Jacques O., Jean E. and Nina. Dr. Williams is a republican and, being prom- inent is serving as a central committeeman of his precinct. Mrs. Williams is an active member of the Presbyterian church, giving material aid to that organization and also assisting by her influence to make it effective for good in the community. Dr. Williams is one of the well known, highly respected and valuable men of his section of the state, where he has led an active life for many years.

PETER W. CARIS, born in France, left liis native land with his parents when a small boy and emigrated to the new world, land- ing in New York. He went to Ohio, taught school for some years, and settled in Jackson county, Oregon, in 1865. He located near Murphy where he bought a farm which he has improved and has since lived upon, being now a well known and respected citizen of the community where he has lived for nearly fifty years. He was born in France, January 6, 1842, a son of Peter and Mary (Styard) Caris, both natives of that country. The fam- ily becoming convinced that the new world offered superior advantages to those held out by the old country, embarked for Amer- ica when the subject of this review was a small boy. Landing in New York they went to Ohio and lived in that state until their deaths.

Receiving a good common-school education and later supplementing that with a course in the Vermilion Institute in Ohio, Peter W. Caris began teaching school after attaining his twenty-first year which was subsequent to the death of his parents. His first work as an educator was in Ohio, where he taught for a considerable period, and later he fol- lowed that profession in Oregon, whither he came in 1865. At an early date he bought a farm comprising one hundred and sixty acres, near Murphy which is the home farm and eighty acres in Josephine county. He made some necessary improvements, cultivated it and has made it his home since. Peter W. Caris enlisted for service in the Civil war and for two years followed the Union flag with Company G, Twenty-first Ohio Infantry Regi- ment.

Mr. Caris was married in 1868 to Miss Ap- plegate and to their union were born five chil- dren, of whom three are living, Alice, Rol- ston and Eugene. Olive passed away in 1869, and Fanny in 1870. Mr. Caris is a republican and although not active in politics gives commendable attention to public questions. Having lived in Oregon for nearly half a cen- tury he has witnessed the marvelous develop- ment of this state. has seen it wrested from the grasp of the wilderness and made to blos- som as the rose of Sharon. Being by incli- nation a literary man he has not followed the strenuous farm life to the same extent which has characterized so many westerners but

he has developed a valuable piece of agricul- tural property. He is widely known in his community where he is held in high esteem by his large number of friends and acquaint- ances and is greatly respected by all who know him.

CHARLES A. METLIN is one of the ener- getic and enterprising business men of Marsh- field where he is engaged in the successful conduct of one of Marshfield's well appointed hotels. He was born in Summit county Ohio, in 1858, and he is a son of James A. and Julia (Wise) Metlin, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. As young people they emigrated to Ohio and in that state celebrated their wedding, and there the mother passed away in 1860, when the subject of this review was a child of two years of age. To Mr. and Mrs. James A. Metlin eight children were born, of whom two only are living: Thomas F. of Tallmadge, Ohio, and Charles A., the subject of this re- view. Four members of the family died in Ohio, and one sister in Kansas and another in Coquille, Oregon. In 1874 the father emi- grated to California and there settled on one hundred and sixty acres of land in Butte county where he continued to live for five years. He then disposed of that property and moved to Oregon, settling in Polk county where he was engaged in farming for five years after which he removed to Coos county and settled on a rented farm near Fairview. He later filed upon a homestead of timber land and some time later removed to Cunning- ham creek near Coquille where he continued to live until the time of his death which oc- curred in 1897. He was twice married, his second wife passing to her reward in 1907.

Charles A. Metlin was reared at home and received his education in the public schools of Ohio. In 1874 he emigrated with his fa- ther to California and later settled in Polk county near Salem, at which place he was jointly engaged with his father in agricultural pursuits for five years. He then moved to Coos county, settling near Fairview on a rented farm and while engaged in the opera- tion of that property he took up a homestead and also a timber claim upon which at dif- ferent times he was engaged in the develop- ment of his homestead for a number of years and in 1887 he secured a contract from the government for four years to deliver the United States mail in the district in which he lived. At the end of the four years above cited he removed to Coos bay and there for three years was engaged in the livery busi- ness, after which time he established an ex- press business in Marshfield to which he gave his attention for one year and then sold out his interest there and moved to Empire city where he opened a livery business, securing at the same time a contract from the govern- ment for the delivery of United States mail in that portion of the county. He continued in that business for seven years after which he returned to Marshfield and there was en- gaged in mining in the Graham Coal Mine, of which he was the outside superintendent for two and one-half years. He then accepted a

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position in the Marshfield Water Company to which he devoted himself for one year. At the expiration of that time he was engaged in various business enterprises for a number of years. In 1910 he purchased the Coos Ho- tel of Marshfield, and as proprietor of this hotel has since given his attention to its operation. He is the owner of a very fine home in Marshfield and also owns property near North Bend, Oregon. He also is the owner of valuable property in Richmond, California. He has some time since disposed of his. timber land.

Mr. Metlin was united in marriage in 1891, to Miss Margaret McKnight, a native of Doug- las county, Oregon, where her birth occurred in 1864. She is the daughter of William and Mary (Wright) McKnight, of whom a more extended review is given in another part of this work. To Mr. and Mrs. Metlin two chil- dren have been born: Elton C., born April 11, 1892, who has completed his education and resides at home; and Mary M., who was born in 1900 and is a pupil in the public school. Mr. Metlin is a loyal adherent of the demo- cratic party, but has never been a candidate for public office. He and his children are members of the Christian church and Mrs. Metlin is a member of the Episcopal church.

Charles A. Metlin is one of the highly re- spected and useful citizens of Coos county. His integrity of character is one of the moral forces which is always exerted to advance and improve the condition of the people in his county and state.

JAMES C. HERVEY, the owner of an ex- cellent ranchı comprising one hundred and fifty-six acres in Coos county, has been ex- tensively engaged in dairying since 1906 and prior to that time devoted his attention prin- cipally to the raising of grain. His birth oc- curred in Greene county, Tennessee, on the 12th of January, 1847, his parents being Thomas and Catherine (Weins) Hervey, who were natives of South Carolina and Tennes- see, respectively. The father, an agricultur- ist by occupation, removed from the Big Bend state to Missouri and in 1864 crossed the plains to Oregon with ox teams, locating first near Albany, where he lived on rented land for one year. On the expiration of that period he took up his abode in Douglas county, where his wife passed away and the family circle was broken, the sons starting out in life for themselves. Thomas Hervey operated a rented farm in Douglas county for one year. His demise occurred at the home of his son, Thomas W., when he had attained the age of eighty-four years. Unto him and his wife were born nine children, as follows: James C .. of this review; two who died in infancy; William and John R., both of whom are de- ceased; Thomas W., who is a farmer residing near Roseburg, Douglas county, Oregon; Abraham, an agriculturist of Josephine county, this state; Temperance, the widow of John B. Morgan, and a resident of the state of Washington; and Mary, who is the widow of Gottlieb Mehl and makes her home at Coquille, Oregon.

James C. Hervey assisted his father in the operation of the home farm until twenty- two years of age, when his mother died and he left the parental roof, taking charge of a large ranch on a salary. He worked for dif- ferent people at various occupations for several years. In 1872 he came to Coos county and took up a preemption and home- stead claim at what is now Bridge, Oregon, residing there for twelve years, during which time he was married and his children were born. In 1886 he removed to Coquille, Ore- gon, but at the end of a year came to his present homestead of one hundred and fifty- six acres. Though the land was practically covered with timber at the time it came into his possession, sixty acres thereof are now under cultivation. Mr. Hervey and his sons dug out the stumps and cleared the land, and the ranch is now one of the finest in the lo- cality, the improvements thereon including a commodious and attractive residence and substantial barns. The place was devoted principally to the raising of grain until 1906, when Mr. Hervey and his sons turned their attention to dairying and have since been engaged in this business on an extensive scale. He formerly raised hogs and cattle for the market and for three years was en- gaged in the logging business, having pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of timber land, of which he still owns eighty acres. His undertakings have been attended with suc- cess and he has long been numbered among the substantial and representative citizens of his county.

On the 20th of December, 1876, at Rural, Oregon, Mr. Hervey was united in marriage to Miss Martha Hayes, a native of Tennessee, and a daughter of John and Susan (Wag- ner) Hayes. The former passed away on the 10th of June, 1905, but the latter still survives and makes her home at Rural, this state. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes were the parents of fifteen children, of whom ten survive. The family record is as follows: James, Henry, Joseph M., John, Jacob and Thomas, all re- siding in Coos county; Peter W., who owns one hundred and sixty acres of land near Rural, Oregon, his mother living with him; Martha, the deceased wife of our subject; Dolly, the deceased wife of Calvin Gant, of Rural; Julia, the wife of Benjamin Gant, of Gravel Ford, Oregon; Lura, the wife of Cal- vin Gant; Mary, the wife of Leonard Hartly, of Coos county; Eva, deceased; one who died in infancy; and Margaret, who passed away in Tennessee. 1

Mr. and Mrs. Hervey became the parents of three children. Lafayette, who was born on the 10th of September, 1877, obtained his early education in the district schools of Coos county and was later graduated from a busi- ness college in San Francisco. He is now liv- ing near Doyle, California, where he has taken up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres. William H., whose birth occurred on the 20th of May, 1881, acquired his educa- tion in the district schools of Coos county and in the high school at Gravel Ford, Ore- gon. He wedded Miss Mary Hall, a native of

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Coos county, Oregon, and a daughter of Wil- liam S. Hall, of Gravel Ford, this state. Mrs. Mary Hervey is one of seven children, the others being as follows: Annie, the wife of Riley Matheny, of Willamette Valley, Ore- gon; Bertha, who is the wife of F. L. Minard, of Arago, this state; James, of Gravel Ford, Oregon; Lula, the wife of George Morehouse, of Gravel Ford; Thomas, who is still at home with his parents; and Amanda, the wife of Thomas Weekly, of Gravel Ford. Mr. and Mrs. William H. Hervey have two children, Ovid and Byron. James H. Hervey, whose birth occurred on the 16th of October, 1882, was educated in the district schools, Gravel Ford Academy and the Coquille high school. He is still single and lives with his father. The wife and mother passed away on the 30th of August, 1911, and is buried in the cemetery at Norway, Oregon, by the side of her father, John Hayes.

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 66

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