The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 90

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

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When asked, as I often was, why I did not marry, I always replied, "I am married to my profession," and I was honest for I was in love with it; but the time came which is said comes to all that I was ready to add

to my name that of another. Col. Adair and 1 were married July 24, 1884 in the First Congregational church Portland.

The church was filled with invited guests, many coming from Roseburg, two hundred miles distant. When we left the church the street was filled with friends and uninvited people and as the carriage rolled by many called, "Good-bye doctor! Good-bye!" After a month in San Francisco and California we returned and I took up my work where I left off. At the time of my marriage my yearly in- come was at least seven thousand dollars. My husband was of a bright and happy dis- position and optimistic, always among the clouds and rarely got down to terra firma. There were no shadows in his picture and my love of him knew no bounds. At the age of forty-seven I gave birth to a little girl baby. Now my happiness knew no bounds. A son I had, and a daughter was my great desire. For her my plans were all made. With her nurse I would take her on all iny rounds. She should imbibe the love of the profession not only from her mother's milk but by constant association as well. She should have all that I possessed and all that could be added; but ah, how little we mortals know what is in store for us and well we do not.

"There is no flock low ever watched and tended But one dead lamb is there.

There is no fireside how so e'er defended But has one vacant chair."

In 1898 being mentally and physically sick my husband urged me to go to North Yakima, Washington for the holidays with my son and his family. I went and the high altitude and change worked like magic. I confided my troubles to my son and he urged me to leave the farm and come up there saying, "I know you can make one hundred and fifty dollars a month and that is better than going behind that much." I said, "I will come." He smiled because he knew what that meant. When I reached home I said, "I have decided to go to Yaki- ma. We will sell off all the stock, pay on the debts as much as we can and rent the farm." He looked at me in amazement say- ing, "My dear, consider well before giving up our home at our ages." "I do not con- sider that we will long have anything with a twenty-four thousand dollar mortgage at eight and ten per cent."

On April 6th we landed in North Yakima. In one week we were settled in four rooms and three days later I performed a one hun- dred dollar operation and so business came as of former years, and in six and one-half . years I realized twenty-five thousand dollars from my profession alone.

In October, 1905, I retired from practice. I closed up my business, ordered my good horse, "Pride," hitched to my buggy and drove seventy-five miles to The Dalles over the mountain. My friends tried to dissuade me. Said it was too late and dangerous. I was not afraid and made the trip without

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a mishap and stayed two nights with friends. My whole trip home was a real pleasure trip, besides I made thirty-five dollars more than expenses. I retired from practice for several reasons: first, that I might com- plete a book, "Dr. Owens-Adair-some of her life experiences;" second, that I might take up a work that had been near my heart, "The Purification of the Human Race Through Propagation by Preventing the Birth of Defectives through Sterilization."

For many years I held the office of hered- ity and hygiene in the state Woman's Chris- tian Temperance Union and for over thirty years I have been working along those lines and now that there were thousands of medi- cal women in the field I felt that I might step out without being missed and I could be free to devote my time to the work that few women would care to take up. In Novem- ber, I sailed for San Diego, California that I might be free from care and devote my- self to completing my book. December 5th I arrived, found my dear friend of forty years on the dock awaiting me. We were soon in her cozy little wren's nest. I began my work at once, she doing all the type- writing and assisting me in many ways. When the book was all in manuscript I said, "Now we will take a few days for sight- seeing." I took a buggy and drove to Mex- ico and then to several beach resorts about San Diego, and gathered shells on California's lovely sea-shores. We saw the old adobe house where Romania, the heroine of that beautiful story was born, and many beau- tiful things in that lovely climate. Then I started for San Francisco, had a few hours with dear Mr. and Mrs. R. R. Monroe. Never did San Francisco look more beautiful. Next month, April, she was being consumed by quakes and fires. I was soon at my Sunny- mead farm amidst chaotic confusion, neglec- tion and destruction everywhere. The barn was unsafe and the house unfit for occupa- tion. The rats made night hideous. My fine young orchard had not felt the pruner's knife for seven years. The big woodshed where so many cords of wood used to be stored was gone. The last board had been used for fuel. My beautiful lawn and flower beds were overrun with briers and bramblers. The sight was sickening.

Had I not been inured to hardships and struggles all my life I should have suc- cumbed, but "can't" has ever been unknown to me. There was but one thing to be done, to put my shoulder to the wheel and say "I will," as I had so often done. More than twenty-eight years have passed since I plighted my marriage vows. Many sorrows have been interspersed with the pleasures of my married life and during all these years I have been as active and determined as in my former life. I have never flinched from any undertaking and I hope I never shall, to the day of my death. But often during these later years I have looked back over my past life, not with a shudder but to gain strength and courage to meet the financial difficulties that had accumulated and threatened to en- gulf ine. But let me draw the curtain and

shut out all of the terrible ordeals through which I have passed during the last six years. Suffice it to say that I have lived through it all and still have my health, and my mind is unencumbered.

I have saved sufficient from the fortune that I had made to make me comfortable, with care, the remainder of my life. I have three lovely farms side by side, "Grand View," "Sunnymead" and "Park." The

buildings are all within calling distance. I have reserved ten acres of my Grand View farm which contains a fine old orchard. Na- ture has made this one of lier beauty spots for an ideal country home. I can sit on my porches or look from my windows and see all that is going on over my farms. The county road runs six hundred feet in front of my doors, where everything goes on a beautiful macadam road. The lordly Colum- bia a mile away in front, on which the traffic of all nations comes and goes. . I can see every craft from a fishing boat to a war ship as it comes and goes to the great Pacific. At my right, five miles away is Astoria, the oldest town in Oregon. At my left, one and a half miles is Warrenton, Flavel three miles, Hammond four miles and Fort Stevens five miles. Across on the Washington side is Fort Columbia, Fort Canby and Cape Dis- appointment. Oh, what a grand panoramic picture! And this is my home where I expect to spend my days. And I shall try to enjoy everything as it comes and goes. I love to see the horses and cows as they come and go to and from their barns, the colts and calves as they play and feed on the green mea- dows. Just now I see fifteen pretty young pigs racing around in their lot near Park barn. There is a pretty stream full of fish winding along among my farms with the grass growing to its water's edge. There the ducks and geese love to swim, making love and raising their young. My home is sur- rounded with flowers and shrubs. Behind the house is a long wide bed, bordering the vegetable garden, filled with beautiful old- fashioned flowers, reminding me of my girl- hood days and "mother's garden." Among these loves I hope to receive my friends. I am strong and vigorous. I can mount my. horse from the ground and ride as of old. I drive one or two horses. My dear old Pride now past twenty, is sometimes as gay as a colt. He and pretty Lady are my drivers. They know when I take the reins and they obey my voice. I do so love them! Can I ever give them up for a mobile! Cer- tainly not, for some time to come. And here in my home, surrounded with nature's own beauty and home comforts, I am prepared to vigorously prosecute my special work, now so well known as. "Dr. Owens-Adair "Human Sterilization Bill of Oregon.'"

JAMES PELTON, widely known because of his extensive ranching and stock-raising interests in Klamath county, makes his home at Fort Klamath. He was born about twelve miles northeast of Medford, at Bybee Bridge, Jackson county. June 9. 1860. and is a son of Enoch C. and Mary Stuart (Rowe) Pelton.

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The father's birth occurred near Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1830, and the mother was born in Missouri, in 1837. About 1849 he crossed the plains to the mines of California and the mother with her parents went to Oregon by way of The Dalles and over the old emi- grant road, rafting their goods down the Columbia river. This was in 1853, and in 1857 in the Willamette valley she became the wife of Enoch C. Pelton. They settled on the Rogue river, where Mr. Pelton died of smallpox in 1865. In their family were three children: Horace, who is living on the old home place, seventeen miles north of Med- ford; James, of this review; and John, a resident of Roseburg. Some time after being left a widow Mrs. Pelton became the wife of her first husband's partner, John Sisemore, and there were three children by that union. The mother died at Portland about 1900.

James Pelton resided at the place of his birth until the memorable flood of 1861, when all the buildings upon the place were washed away. The following year the fam- ily settled in Sams valley on the old home- stead that is now owned by James and Horace Pelton. The brothers had been part- ners throughout their entire business career. They own an interest in ranch lands in Jack- son county, about four hundred acres in Sams valley and eighteen hundred acres in Klamath county, a half-brother, Linsy C. Sisemore, being also interested in the last mentioned property. They also have about a thousand acres on Summer lake in Lake county, each owning a third of this. They are also equal partners in extensive livestock interests in Klamath county and they conduct business under the name of the Pelton-Sise- more Company. The company altogether owns twenty-eight hundred acres in Klamath and Lake counties and are running about eight hundred head of cattle at the present time. They have had as high as three thou- sand head at one time but as they are con- tinually buying and selling, their herds vary in numbers. They also handle about fifty head of horses, including thoroughbred sires and Percherons. The Pelton brothers, Horace and James, are also identified with the Gold Hill Bank and the Medford National Bank, while James Pelton is a director in the Home Building & Realty Company of Klamath Falls and is president of the Wood River Valley Cream and Butter Association, which was organized in the spring of 1912. He resides on a ranch of eighteen hundred acres of the Pelton-Sisemore Company's interests, and has personal management of this. It is sit- uated a mile and a half northwest of Fort Klamath, is supplied with artesian water and is equipped with one of the best and cheapest irrigation systems to be found in the entire valley, furnishing an ample supply of water from Anna Creek, leading from Cra- ter lake.

James Pelton resided in Jackson county until 1884, when he went to Crook county, where his mother and stepfather were then living, but the family returned to Jackson county and James Pelton and his half-brother, L. C. Sisemore, remained in Crook county.

James Pelton had a homestead in Crook county on the Des Chutes river, proved up his claim and at length sold it. In 1901 he came to Klamath county and in 1903 he dis- posed of all of his interests in Crook county, having in the meantime purchased his prop- erty in Klamath county in connection with his brothers.

On the 30th of May, 1908, Mr. Pelton was united in marriage to Miss Josephine Orth, a sister of the wife of his half-brother, L. C. Sisemore. She was born in Jacksonville, Oregon, in 1869 and is a daughter of John Orth. In politics Mr. Pelton is a democrat but has never been an office seeker. For' many years he has been an exemplary mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to the blue lodge in Jacksonville, also the chap- ter in Jacksonville and to the consistory and the Mystic Shrine in Portland. He likewise holds membership with the Elks lodge at Klamath Falls and he is president of the Chamber of Commerce at Fort Klamath. He is interested in everything relating to the welfare of the community to the extent of giving active aid and cooperation to many movements for the general good. His life is indicative of the possibilities open to the ambitious man in the northwest, for it has been through the wise use of advantages that any might secure that he has reached his pres- ent enviable place as one of the substantial ranchmen and stockmen of his part of the state.

SILAS M. YORAN. Among the prominent citizens of Eugene is Silas M. Yoran, who has lived in the city of his adoption since Jan- uary 22, 1883, when he arrived here from Jones county, Iowa. He was born in Herki- mer county, New York, January 26, 1835, a son of Jacob and Mary (Timmerman) Yoran. The lineage of the Yoran family has been traced by an uncle of our subject back to the old Knickerbocker settlement of New York city. The grandfather was Jacob Yoran, a miller of Hermiker county, where he lived all of his life. His marriage was with a Miss Snell, whose five brothers as well as five members of the Yoran family were sol- diers in the Revolutionary war, four of the Snells being killed at the battle of Oriskany. On the death of the grandfather his son, Jacob Yoran, succeeded to the ownership of the mills and farm on East creek, the latter remaining on the homestead in Herkimer county until his death, which occurred in- 1876 when he was seventy-five years of age. He had taken an active part in the duties of life and for years had been supervisor of his township. In early life he had married Miss Mary Timmerman, a daughter of John and Margaret (Timmerman) Timmerman, and in their family were nine children.

Silas M. Yoran, who was the fifth in order of birth, was reared on the home farm near Herkimer, New York. His educational ad- vantages were very limited and when he attained the age of twenty years he removed, in 1855, to Iowa, where for two years he acted as an agent for prospective eastern

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settlers, locating lands for them in the Sioux City and Decorah districts. He was also for a time in the mercantile business at Sand Spring, Delaware county, and in 1864 bought a farm in Monticello, Jones county, that state, going in debt for it and paying for it out of the proceeds of the farm. That remained his home until 1883, when he dis- posed of his interests in that state and set- tled in Eugene, Oregon. During his residence in Iowa he served five years as county com- missioner of Jones county and two terms in the legislature of that state in the seven- teenth and cighteenth sessions in 1878 and 1880. In 1884, in partnership with J. M. Hodgson, he launched the Eugene Register. This partnership was continued until 1888, when he bought his partner's interest and in 1890 was succeeded by his son, William C., who had already acquired an interest in the business. After withdrawing from the news- paper business Mr. Yoran became actively engaged in the organization of the Bank of Oregon, what is now the Eugene Loan & Savings Bank, of which he was vice president. In 1893 he with his son Darwin E., embarked in the retail shoe business which proved to be a very successful enterprise, and his time was thus occupied until January 1, 1904, when he withdrew from the shoe business and retired, being succeeded by his son, Dar- win E.

Mr. Yoran was married to Miss Maria L., a daughter of John and Irene (Clark) Mar- kell, of Herkimer county, New York, who traces her ancestry on the maternal side back to the third officer on the Mayflower. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Yoran were born five children, Elizabeth, George O., William C., Darwin E. and Louise C. In his fraternal relations Mr. Yoran is a Mason, his membership being in Lodge No. 11, F. & A. M., of Eugene, of which he is past master. He also is serving as past high priest of Eugene Chapter, No. 10, R. A. M .; past thrice illustrious master of Hiram Council, No. 7, R. & S. M .; and past commander of Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 2, K. T. He has also been grand master of the Grand Lodge of Oregon, in 1903 and 1904 and Past Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Oregon, and has also attained the thirty-second degree in the Scot- tish Rite, belonging to Portland Consistory, S. P. R. S. He and his family are regular attendants at the. Congregational church ser- vices in Eugene, and they are valuable as- sistants in making the interests of that or- ganization effective for good in this city. In 1896 he was elected presidential elector and had the pleasure of casting the vote for McKinley and Hobart for president and vice president. He made an extensive canvass of the state that year speaking acceptably upon forty-six occasions during the campaign. The long business career of Mr. Yoran in Eugene has served not only to yield him an adequate competence but has made for him a very large number of friends, many of whom are pleased to share the hospitality which he extends from his well appointed home at 646 Olive street. He is now leaving affairs of business in the hands of others

though he is still taking a lively interest in the constantly increasing prosperity of Eu- gene, the city in which the most effective part of his business career was enacted.

CAPTAIN JUDAH PARKER was born in Essex county, New Jersey, July 17, 1829, and there resided until his fifteenth year. His parents then removed to New York locating in Seneca county, where our subject assisted his father, (the latter being a contractor and builder) for a period of six years. On reach- ing his majority Mr. Parker concluded to see some of the world and consequently shipped on board a whaling vessel bound for the Arctic Ocean. After a cruise of eighteen months they arrived at the Sandwich Islands where our subject shipped on board the bark Bayard and returned to America following coasting until the fall of 1853 when he shipped on board the ship Parthenon and came around Cape Horn arriving in San Francisco in Feb- ruary, 1854. Not unlike the early Califor- nians he immediately proceeded to the gold fields and for four years prosecuted his search for the precious metal in Nevada county, where he was moderately successful. We next find Mr. Parker in the employ of The Pacific Steamship Company in the capacity of ship's carpenter and he remained in their service plying between San Francisco and other points until 1862. In the fall of that year Mr. Parker with the assistance of Mr. Wil- liam Ireland concluded to try to recover the immense treasure of the lost Golden Gate which foundered off the coast of Mexico. Ac- cordingly they fitted out the schooner William Ireland, and sixty days later found them in the vicinity of the lost vessel, it being the fifth ex- pedition that undertook to secure the golden treasure. Through admirable management and use of hydraulic pressure, a method dis- covered by Captain Parker, they were en- abled to secure six hundred and forty thou- sand dollars of the two millions dollars lost, and returned to San Francisco. On two subsequent occasions Captain Parker went in pursuit of the treasure, the second time, in the winter of 1863-4, on which occasion he succeeded in raising some sixty thousand dollars. The third attempt was made in 1870 when he found the wreck buried in twenty feet of sand. He then returned to San Francisco and fitted out the steamer Mary Taylor and again started in pursuit of lost treasure, this time to South America with the intention of raising an immense amount of money that had gone down with the wrecked. Leo. Cadio, a vessel that had foundered in the year 1802. In connection with this undertaking we may also mention Mr. G. W. Cooley who had the misfortune of losing the sight of one of his eyes while per- forming the services of diver. Captain Parker secured about five thousand Spanish dollars. but on account of the long time they had lain in salt water they were partly worth- less. He then returned to Calao with the intention of selling his vessel but failing in this he came to San Francisco and in 1875 came to Coos county, first locating at East port and about one year later moved to the

CAPTAIN JUDAH PARKER

MRS. JUDAH PARKER

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present site of Parkersburg, and began the erection of a sawmill which he successfully conducted until his death which occurred at his home in Parkersburg, May 20, 1899.

Captain Parker was united in marriage in San Francisco, April 6, 1863, to Mrs. Otilie Frederick who was born in Germany, March 1, 1837, and who passed away in San Fran- cisco, February 3, 1900. Four children were born into this union, namely: Otilie K., the wife of J. L. Kronenberg, of Bandon; Geor- gianna, the wife of W. M. Poley, of Ashland, Oregon; Warren, of Prosper, Oregon; and Allan P., who is deceased. Captain Parker was a republican in politics but never sought political preferment.

ELMER J. WAINSCOTT, M. D., is one of the well known and successful physicians of Oakland, Douglas county, in which city he has been engaged in the practice of his profession since 1908. He was born in Long Creek, Grant county, Oregon, February 7, 1883, and is a son of Nathaniel C. and Rachel (Carpenter) Wainscott, the former a native of Missouri and the latter of Indiana. The parents were married in Lyndon, Kansas, where they continued to reside until 1877. In that year they removed to Oregon and located in Grant county where the father for thirty years was successfully identified with the cattle business. In 1908 he retired from active life and removed to southern Oregon. He spent two years in Salem, where his son Clyde was a student at college, and at the end of that time he went to Douglas county and has since made his home in either Drain or Oakland, at the present time maintaining his residence in the latter town.

Dr. Elmer J. Wainscott was reared in his father's home and received his early educa- tion in the public schools. He later pursued a three years' scientific course at the Wil- lamette University and then took up the study of medicine in the medical department of that university, from which he was gradu- ated with the degree of M. D. in the class of 1907. Following his graduation he located first in Richland, Baker county, Oregon, and was there engaged in the practice of his pro- fession for one year. In 1908 he came to Oakland, where he opened offices and has since practiced as physician and surgeon, meeting with gratifying success.

Dr. Wainscott was united in marriage Octo- ber 25, 1906, to Miss May E. Lee, of Long Creek, Grant county. She is a daughter of Charles E. Lee, who is one of the pioneer settlers of Grant county and who crossed the plains to California during the gold excite- ment. He later removed to Oregon. He is a veteran of the Civil war, having served through the entire trouble in the Confederate army, and is a cousin of General Robert E. Lee, who was commander-in-chief of the Confederate forces. To Dr. and Mrs. Wain- scott two children have been born, one of whom, Harold C., is living. Dr. Wainscott is affiliated with the republican party and has fraternal relations with Oakland Lodge, No. 16, A. F. & A. M., of which lodge he is secretary. He is a member of Umpqua Vol. IV-25

Lodge, No. 37, I. O. O. F., the Woodmen of the World and the United Artisans. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church. Dr. Wainscott belongs to the Southern Oregon Medical Association and the Oregon State Medical Association and is one of the leading physicians in Douglas county.

WILLIAM E. HOMME has been a resident of Oregon since 1904 and since that time has been actively associated with some of the leading business interests of Coos county. He is practically the father and founder of Cooston, where he has established himself in business and has met with no small suc- cess in the building up of that town, in which he takes a pardonable pride. He was born in Winnebago county, near Oshkosh, Wis- consin, in 1871 and is a son of the late Rev. E. J. and Mrs. Homme. The father was the founder of the village of Wittenberg, Wis- consin, and an extended review of his life is here published in his honor and also as a further introduction to his son, William E. Homme.

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The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912, Part 90

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