Biography of Hon. Wilder W. Parker

HON. W.W. PARKER – There is no name in the city at the mouth of the Columbia better known in the business and social circles than that of Parker; and of those bearing it Wilder W. Parker wields an influence perhaps the most extended. A pioneer not only in name but also in fact, he ha brought to bear upon public affairs a mind keen, quick and powerful, and has been able to give the people the benefit of opinions carefully elaborated and lucidly stated, and held by himself with conscientious firmness. In intellect and character he is the ideal … Read more

Biography of J. L. Stout

J. L. STOUT. – The proprietor of the townsite of Sea View on the weather beach, a city which boasts of a population of from five to eight thousand during the summer bathing season, is from the Buckeye state, having been born in Ohio in 1824. During his boyhood his father took him to Illinois; and he passed his early life on the frontier. he came up with a generation of men whose natural force and enterprise led them into the most exalted position in the great West which their energies had developed. While in Illinois he was ever restless, … Read more

Lillard, Forrest J. – Obituary

Haines, Oregon Funeral services for Forrest Jenkins Lillard, Rt. 1, Haines, 50 yrs., will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday at West and Co. Memorial Chapel The Reverand Lawrence Roumpf of the First Presbyterian Church will officiate with the Blue Mountain Lodge No. 176 A.F. and A.M. also conducting services. Internment will follow at the family plot in North Powder Cemetery, North Powder, Oregon. Mr. Lillard was born May 10, 1917 at Baker, Oregon, the son of Willis W. and Ruth Jenkins Lillard. He had his early schooling at Mt. Carmel and then attended schools at North Powder where he … Read more

Biography of Alanson Hinman

ALANSON HINMAN. – The career of this well-known pioneer, whose portrait appears herein, has been unique and interesting; and in one respect, at least, he occupies at the present time a peculiar place among the early settlers of our country. That is, he is almost the only man yet living, of the earliest pioneers, who still remains in the full vigor of mind and body. There are, indeed, a few yet living whose immigration dates further back than Mr. Hinman’s; but they are almost all now in extreme old age. He, on the other hand, though he has now been … Read more

Rush, George H. – Obituary

Auto Accident Well Known Man Killed at Railroad Crossing G.H. Rush, building contractor, was instantly killed when his auto was struck by train No. 21 a mile this side of Wingville Thursday evening. Wm. Hernsen of the Shockley Lumber Co. who was in the car with Mr. Rush is recovering at a Baker hospital. There seems to have been no witnesses to what transpired immediately before the accident. It is not known whether the car stalled on the track or an attempt was made to cross ahead of the train by too narrow a margin of time. The body of … Read more

Biography of Dr. John McLoughlin

DR. JOHN McLOUGHLIN. – Doctor McLoughlin has been very well called the first real governor of Oregon. As chief factor of the Hudson’s Bay Company west of the Rocky Mountains, he was more than this; – he was autocrat. He was a great man, – large physically, of large views and ideas, and above all, very large-hearted. He was nearly forty years on this coast, and during that time was the chief man in it. The Indians called him the “white-headed eagle;” and the Whites went to him with their troubles. In a pathetic little manuscript found among his papers, … Read more

Biography of Col. John Colgate Bell

COL. JOHN COLGATE BELL. – Colonel Bell, enjoying a wide reputation from Southern Oregon to Idaho, and back again to the Pacific seashore throughout the state in which he has successively lived and made a multitude of personal acquaintances, merits a special recognition on account of his public services in official relations and in the early Indian wars of Southern Oregon. He was born at Sterling, Kentucky, February 24, 1814. His parents were from Virginia; and among his ancestors were those distinguished in the early history of the nation, his father having served with General Harrison in the war of … Read more

Carlile, Dale Robert – Obituary

Durkee, Oregon Dale Robert Carlile, 63, died Jan. 9, 2004, at his home in Durkee. At Dale’s request, there will be no services. Dale was born May 10, 1940, at Kelso, Wash., to Harry Carlile and Frieda Valentine Carlile. He attended school at Kelso/Longview where he loved playing football. After graduating from high school, Dale joined the U.S .Army and attended Ranger school. He was involved in the early years of the Vietnam War. Dale left the Army six years later as a lieutenant colonel. He moved home to Kelso/Longview and began his career as a police officer. He worked … Read more

Cooper, Ada Mrs. – Obituary

La Grande, Union County, Oregon Mrs. Ada May Cooper, 62, of Portland died May 29 at the U. S. naval hospital at Astoria, following a long illness. The Cooper family moved to La Grande in 1924, and lived here until they moved to Portland in 1941. Mrs. Cooper will be remembered as the mother of Alice Jeanette and Maelizabeth Cooper, both of whom are dead. the girls were talented La Grande violinists. Surviving here are her sons, Lt. Leonard Cooper U. S. N. R., stationed at the Astoria naval air station, and Ellery “Bud” Cooper of Portland, recently discharged from … Read more

Monpas, Leona R. Lunderville Mrs. – Obituary

Leona R. Monpas, 83, of Baker City, died Feb. 10, 2005, at her home. Her graveside funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Ralph Holcomb will officiate. Visitations will be held today until 7 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Leona Rica Monpas was born June 18, 1921, at Mondovi, Wis., to Alvin and Lucillia (Craker) Lunderville. She received her schooling in Chippewa Falls and had special training in secretarial work. On April 8, 1938, she married Leon John Monpas in Milwaukee, Wis. In 1941, the couple moved to Port Angeles, Wash., where … Read more

Biography of Dr. W. C. McKay

DR. W.C. McKAY. – One by one the pioneers who braved the wilderness and its dangers, in order that their posterity might enjoy the fruits of their hazardous conquests of the domain of the savage are passing away. As the poet sang of the valorous knights of the days of chivalry, “Their souls are with the saints, we trust,” so, at no distant day, will the same be sung o’er the graves of the last of the pioneers. So, while yet alive, let us honor them as they deserve to be honored; and when dead let their deeds be recorded … Read more

Biography of Garrison G. Gray

To the prominent and esteemed citizen of Malheur County whose name appears above we grant a representation in the history of the County, since he is today one of the leading men domiciled here, has always labored for the up building of the County, is a man of integrity and uprightness, and receives the commendation of his fellows. Mr. Gray’s grandfather, John Gray, was said to be the last living soldier from the Revolution. He was a drummer boy at Bunker Hill and saw his father fall, then seized his sire’s musket and fought until the struggle closed. He worked … Read more

Wahmaskie, A Lower Chinook Indian Genealogy

Clyde Chenois and unidentified man

This provides the descendants of Wahmaskie, a Lower Chinook Indian who married James Huckquist, a white man. Using census and vital records, as well as Native American specific records, this research provides several generations of her descendants through her son, Dixie James, who was the only surviving heir.

Allen, Alford B. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Alford B. Allen was born in Washington, Indiana, on July 23, 1929. However at the age of 17, he spent two weeks convincing the county clerk to change his birth records to indicate he was born in 1928 so that he could enlist during WWII. While in the Navy, in addition to performing duties as an electrician’s mate, he was a member of a Navy boxing team and was known for his fierce left hook, winning all of his bouts by knockout. Towards the end of his service, he was stationed in Astoria where he met Dora … Read more

Culley, Catherine E. Starr Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Catherine E. Culley, 81, a longtime Baker City resident and former Sumpter resident, died July 6, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. Her funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Ed Niswender of Calvary Baptist Church will officiate. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a reception afterward at Calvary Baptist Church, 2107 Third St. Visitations will be until 8 o’clock tonight at Gray’s West & Co. Catherine was born on July 7, 1920, at Astoria to Clarence E. and Lucille Lockwood … Read more

Nelson, David Henry – Obituary

David H. Nelson, 67, long prominent wheat grower of Umatilla County, and one of the first four in this county to use caterpillar-and-combine, died at 8 o’clock this morning [May 22, 1939] at his farm home. Death came without warning, his passing being due to a sudden attack of heart disease. Mr. Nelson was born in Finland, Nov. 30, 1872, and came to America in 1881 with his parents who settled in Duluth. He came westward in 1889 to Clatsop County and with the industry which was characteristic of him, worked as a life guard and fisherman at Astoria, where … Read more

Biography of James Birnie

JAMES BIRNIE. – Mr. Birnie was a Scotchman by birth. He was born at Paisley, county Renfrew, Scotland, in the year 1800. In 1816 the ambitious lad left his native health and emigrated to Montreal, Canada. Here, under the tutelage of a Catholic priest, he studied the French language for about two years, at the end of which time he entered the employ of the Northwest Fur Company as one of its clerks, and was sent across the Rocky Mountains to Fort Spokane, where he arrived towards the close of 1818. The fort at this time was in charge of … Read more

1899 Trullinger Scrapbook

1899 Trullinger Scrapbook

This scrapbook created by the Trullinger family of Clatsop County, Oregon contains clippings of various articles found in the local newspapers, letters, book articles, and other curiosities which intrigued the compiler at the time. Interspersed throughout are handwritten notes. The scrapbook commences on 22 May 1897 and ends on 24 January 1899 with a final handwritten note. The Clatsop Historical Society which has published this online does not state the creator and writer of the scrapbook, only that it was donated to them by the Trullinger family of Clatsop County, Oregon. Notes About the Document Scrapbook with hardback maroon covers. … Read more

Biography of John J. Owen

The history of the first things is always interesting. In any town the first settler’s is the name most carefully preserved. The places where he established his home and first worked at his primitive vocation are carefully noted, and his deeds and words are recounted often and with increasing interest as generations succeed one another. There lives in Genesee, Idaho, a man, now the postmaster of the city, who was its pioneer in more ways than one and it is the purpose of the biographer to record now a brief statement of the facts of his life and of his … Read more

Miller, Wayne Dale “Lucky” – Obituary

Richland, Oregon Wayne Dale “Lucky” Miller, 76, of Richland, died April 15, 2003, at his home. A Celebration of Life in his honor will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Richland Christian Church. Gordon Bond will officiate. Lucky was born Sept. 22, 1926, at Martin County, Minn., to Jay Desmond and Minnie Garrison Miller. He came to Oregon as a young man, where he met his lifelong sweetheart, Dorothy Maxine Jones. They were married at Astoria on Nov. 3, 1945. Lucky served his country during World War II in the Navy Air Corps. After the war, he and Maxine … Read more