Auburn Oregon

Kirkwood, Luellen A. Withers Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Luellen A. Kirkwood, 94, a longtime Baker City resident died Dec. 15, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. Her graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Mount Hope Cemetery. Maj. Dennis Trimmer of The Salvation Army will officiate. There will be a memorial service at 10:30 a.m. at The Salvation Army, 1820 Estes St. Mrs. Kirkwood was born Luellen A. Withers on July 26, 1907, at Ault, Colo., to Herman and Caty Withers. She was the oldest of four sisters and one brother. She attended school at Baker and Auburn. In February of 1928, … Read more

Biography of Edward S. Jewell

Edward S. Jewell dates his residence in the Salubria valley from 1869, and is therefore numbered among its pioneer farmers and stock-raisers. A native of Wisconsin, he was born in Dodgeville, Iowa County, that state, on the 9th of October 1846, and is of English extraction. His father, Edward S. Jewell, Sr., was born in Cornwall, England, and after his marriage came with his wife and five children to the United States, locating in Wisconsin, where he remained until 1852, when he went to California to secure gold in the Eldorado of the west. It is believed that he was … Read more

Biography of John W. Murphy

JOHN W. MURPHY. To the active, enterprising and intelligent citizen, esteemed pioneer, and stanch representative of our free institutions, whose name initiates this paragraph, we accord a space in these abiding chronicles of Union county, with pleasure, because he has been a prominent figure in the development of the county’s interests and the advancement of its welfare, since the very first days of its settlement and ahs always stood for the cause of substantial improvement and the exemplification of sound principles in both personal endeavor and in the manipulation of public affairs. Mr. Murphy was born in Franklin, Ohio, on … Read more

Biography of Evans S. McComas

EVANS S. McCOMAS. – One of the earliest pioneers of what is now Union county, and intimately acquainted with all of eastern Oregon, having been a prominent figure here from the time of his advent into the region, the gentleman, whose name is at the head of this article, is to-day one of the leading representatives of Union county and has ever maintained a walk manifesting public spirit and an ardent interest in the welfare of all, while he has been instrumental in upbuilding the county by his own efforts in the business enterprises that he has fostered and consummated … Read more

Biography of Thomas Howard

This substantial and capable gentleman is one of the real builders of the county of Harney, and it is quite proper that he should be accorded representation in its history, being a man greatly respected and worthy of the high esteem given to him. He was born in the city of New York, on May 11, 1833, being the son of Patrick H. and Mary (Ford) Howard. The father was an engineer, operating a stationary engine. Thomas grew to manhood, gaining a good education meanwhile, and part of the time working in the markets, where he learned the butcher trade. … Read more

Arrival of Early Pioneers to Baker County Oregon

Early in June 1862, traveling parties from California and Nevada began to arrive at the mines on Powder River. These parties had started for the Salmon River mines, and were surprised when they found a mining camp in Eastern Oregon. Amongst those who came across the country from those states were Hardin Estes, Fred Dill, John P. Bowen and perhaps others who have remained here ever since. Estes and Dill came from Nevada with a party of about twenty, known as the White Horse company, having received that name on account of so many of their horses being white. They … Read more

Biography of Heman J. Gerr

The name of Geer is so well known in our state that the following account of the father of T.T. Geer of the Waldo hills will be of interest to all. This now venerable pioneer was born in Ohio in 1828, removing with his parents to Illinois in 1840. In 1847 he crossed the plains to Oregon with General Palmer’s train. The large company forestalled trouble with the Indians. Peter Hall, who stopped with Whitman at Walla Walla was the only one who experienced any disaster. The crossing of the Cascade Mountains by the Barlow Road proved the worst of … Read more

Biography of William Makin

To the capable and enterprising citizen whose name initiates this paragraph we are pleased to accord a representation in the history of Wallowa County, since he has trod the path of the pioneer in a worthy manner, displaying constantly qualities of moral worth and value, and has achieved a success in temporal affairs that is commendable and praiseworthy, being the meed of continuity in wisely directed effort and energy and sagacity in all of his ways, and consequently it is very fitting that he should be placed today as one of the prominent men of the county, which position he … Read more

Biography of John H. O’Bryant

JOHN H. O’BRYANT. – We esteem it a privilege to be permitted to chronicle for the history of our county a brief review of the substantial and prominent citizen, whose name is at the head of this article, and who has wrought in the pioneer’s life so well and faithfully for the opening of this and adjacent counties and for their development and advancement for over one-third of a century, while his life of constant adherence to right and the principles of truth and uprightness, together with manifestation of sagacity and sound judgment, has placed him in a most enviable … Read more

Public Schools of Baker County Oregon

It is much to be regretted that all records of matters pertaining to public schools during the first years of the settlement of the county, have been lost. All that can be done now is to record such matters as may be remembered by those who were engaged in school affairs in those days, as teachers or otherwise. As stated elsewhere, Mrs. Packwood taught the first school in the county, at Auburn, in the fall of 1862. Soon after her arrival she engaged in the work of raising money for the purpose of building a schoolhouse, and in a short … Read more

Incidents in Pioneer Days in Baker County, Oregon

People who come to the Pacific States in palace cars, making the trip in four or five days, can have but a faint conception of the toils and hardships endured by those who crossed the plains with teams before the advent of railroads. Experience would also be necessary, perhaps, to enable one to fully appreciate the humorous phases of the journey; but doubtless scores of old pioneers have smiled at sight of a certain paper which was posted on a tree by the side of the trail between Elk creek and Auburn in the fall of ’62, for it could … Read more

Biography of John A. Wagner

JOHN A. WAGNER. Deceased- In the person of the esteemed gentleman whose name is at the head of this article we have one of the first of Union county’s settlers and a man who bore the brunt of assisting to open upthis section for the settlement of man and in developing the same, while he was ever enterprising and progressive, both in his private business operations as well as in the interests of the welfare of the county at large, and it is eminently fitting that a memorial be accorded to him in these abiding chronicles of our county, where … Read more

Business and Fun in ’62 And ’63

About the Middle of October 1862, the first church organization in Baker County was effected under the supervision of Father Mesplie, of the Catholic Church, who came from Canyon City for that purpose. A long building was secured at the cost of six hundred dollars, but services were not held regularly, owning to the distance the priest had to travel. About the same time Miss O’Brien, now Mrs. Packwood, commenced the first school taught in Baker County, having about forty pupils in attendance. A lot was donated to her for school purposes and a sum of money raised by subscription … Read more

Baker County Oregon Officers

County Officers At the session of the legislature which convened in September 1862, an act was passed organizing the county of Baker, including within its limits all the southeast portion of the state, which has since been divided into the several counties of Wallowa, Union, Baker and Malheur. Officers for the new county were appointed upon their duties on the third day of November 1862, as appears from the journal of the county court, in which the first entry is as follows: County Court of Baker County, Oregon, met pursuant to law, Nov. 3, 1862. Present, the Hon. John Q. … Read more

McComas, E. S. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon One of the largest funerals in the history of the town of Union marked the obsequies of the pioneer editor and politician, E. S. McComas. The funeral was held at Union, Wednesday afternoon, September 6 at 3 o’clock, and was attended by a great gathering of pioneers. The body was laid to rest beside his mother, brother, and son. The deceased leaves a widow, one daughter, an adopted son and three sisters, Mrs. Alice M. Bell of Enterprise, Mrs. Esther E. Pursel and Mrs. Mary R. Thomson of Union. Mrs. Bell received word of her brother’s … Read more

Biography of Norman Simon Hubbell

To the brave pioneers of the early ’60s and ’70s Idaho owes, in a large measure, the prosperity she now enjoys, as a state. Among those hardy souls and courageous hearts who then believed in her future, and by long years of toil and undaunted perseverance assisted nobly in the development of her resources, is the subject of this article; and no one is more worthy of representation in the annals of the state. The ancestors of Norman S. Hubbell were respected American citizens for many generations. He was born near Burdette, in what is now Schuyler County, New York, … Read more

Biography of Edward V. More

Edward V. More. Of the families of Champaign County whose industry and activities of life have contributed materially to the prosperity and upbuilding of the community one of the most highly respected is that which bears the name of More, and which has a worthy representative in Edward V. More of Rantoul. Mr. More, who is engaged in the fire insurance business at this time and whose energies have taken him into other fields of endeavor during a long and uniformly successful career, was born in St. Joseph County, Michigan, and is a son of James R. and Louisa M. … Read more

Auburn Cemetery, Auburn, Oregon

Auburn is a former mining town and was the seat of Baker County from 1862 to 1868. It is reached by taking State Highway No. 7 out of Baker for seven miles to its junction with a dirt road south of Baker. Turn right on this road along Blue Canyon Creek about three miles. Auburn is to the right and the cemetery is one mile beyond on a hill overlooking the town. High ground was chosen for the cemetery so it would not be mined out later, the canyon bed being of very rich ground. This is one of the … Read more

Biography of Heman J. Geer

HEMAN J. GEER. – The name of Geer is so well known in our state that the following account of the father of T.T. Geer of the Waldo hills will be of interest to all. This now venerable pioneer was born in Ohio in 1828, removing with his parents to Illinois in 1840. In 1847 he crossed the plains to Oregon with General Palmer’s train. The large company forestalled trouble with the Indians. Peter Hall, who stopped with Whitman at Walla Walla was the only one who experienced any disaster. The crossing of the Cascade Mountains by the Barlow Road … Read more

Biography of Jackson Fickle

JACKSON FICKLE. – It is to the pioneer, sturdy, brave, and proud against hardhsip, with a spirit ready to undertake any task or face any danger, that we owe a debt of gratitude for the development of these fertile regions of eastern Oregon, and all too soon that worhty figure is passing from these scenes where he labored so faithfully, and planted the banner of civilization on the hitherto undisturbed plains of nature’s domain. An exemplary member of that deserving and noble band is the gnetleman that it is now our pleasant task to epitomize as to his career in … Read more