Benton County OR

Sass, Alice Cundiff Hammond Mrs. – Obituary

Richland, Oregon Alice Cundiff Sass, 91, of Richland, died Sept. 4, 2001, at Settlers Park Assisted Living center. Her graveside funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Gordon Bond of the First Christian Church will officiate. There will be a reception afterward at the First Christian Church in Richland. Mrs. Sass was born on April 24, 1910, at Halfway to Walter and Ellen Boyles Cundiff. After graduating from Richland High School in 1928, she attended Oregon Agricultural College at Corvallis. She married Dan Hammond and lived in Salem until he went overseas during … Read more

Biography of Col. William Williams Chapman

William William Chapman

COL. W.W. CHAPMAN. – It has frequently been remarked, that while many men of great fame, and a deservedly wide reputation, cannot lay their finger upon a single public act that they originated, others whose names are less known can county by the score the progeny of their brains, now alive and active in the affairs of the world. Of the latter class is Colonel Chapman of Oregon. There are few men in America, even among those esteemed great, who have originated and carried to completion a greater number of particular acts of large scope and general beneficence. Many whose … Read more

Biography of Andrew Roberts

ANDREW ROBERTS. – Andrew Roberts was born in Dundee, Scotland, August 12, 1822. When one year old he had lost both of his parents. He was then removed to Forfar. As soon as he was of proper age he learned the trade of a tailor, and when he had earned and saved sufficient money he left his native land for the United States. He thus states that venture: “I left my home in 1842, and on foot started to Dundee, distant fourteen miles. I took the steamer from there to Edinburgh, and traveled thence by rail to Glasgow. I then … Read more

Biography of A. N. King

A.N. KING. – King’s valley in Benton and Polk counties, and King’s Addition to Portland, which embraces the beautiful city park, will perpetuate the name of the father of our subject and of Mr. King himself. The latter gentleman was born in Ohio in 1822; but as early as 1840 he removed to Missouri, operating a ferry across the Missouri river. A great flood destroyed his property; and in 1845 he was on the plains bound for Oregon. His father, mother, three brothers and five sisters were also in the company. The immigration numbered a hundred wagons; and it was … Read more

Linfoot, Delbert B. – Obituary

Formerly of Elgin Delmer B. Linfoot, 87, of Jefferson and formerly of Elgin, died Sept. 14 in Salem. Viewing will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at Bishop Funeral Chapel in Pendleton. Funeral service begins at 11 a.m. Monday at Mission Assembly of God Church, 47328 Short Mile Road in Pendleton. Graveside service will follow at 2 p.m. at the Island City Cemetery. Delmer was born Jan. 12, 1920, in Dacoma, Okla. He grew up in Elgin. A full obituary will be available later. La Grande Observer – Obituaries For The Week Ending September 15, 2007 Published: … Read more

Biography of J. R. Bayley, M.D.

J.R. BAYLEY, M.D. – Doctor Bayley, to whom has fallen an unusual portion of public labor and honor, was born in Springfield, Ohio, in 1820. His mother dying, he was cared for by his grandmother, through whose liberality he received an ample education. In 1839 he moved to Clay county, Missouri, but two years later returned to Ohio, and in 1847 began the study of medicine in South Charleston with Doctors Skinner and Steele. He also attended the medical school at Cleveland in 1849, and the next year studied at the Ohio Medical College of Cincinnati. Upon graduating from this … Read more

Courtney, Pinkney L. – Obituary

Mrs. B.T. Long received word Thursday evening of the death of her father, P. L. Courtney at Payette, Idaho and left for that place Friday. M. O. Courtney of Lostine accompanied her. P. L. Courtney was one of the earliest settlers of the valley and lived here until recent years when he was compelled to try a different climate to relieve asthma from which he was a sufferer. He spent the past year in California from there going to Payette only two weeks ago and on the trip contracted the influenza to which he succumbed. Pinkney L. Courtney was born … Read more

Biography of Hon. R. S. Strahan

HON. R.S. STRAHAN. – Judge Strahan, as a member of the Oregon supreme court, is widely known as being able and upright, and is universally recognized as one of our most popular representatives of the state judiciary. He was born in Kentucky in 1835. During his childhood he removed with his father to the Platte reserve, as the section was then known, in Missouri, and several years later to Mexico in the same state, living on a farm until he reached manhood, and cultivating the use of brain, brawn and nerve, and cherishing a country-boy’s ambition. The strength and hope … Read more

Ransom, Paul E. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Paul E. Ransom, 83, of La Grande and formerly of Milton-Freewater, died Aug. 8 at Rose Cottage, an adult care center, in Kennewick. A memorial service will begin at 2 p.m. Friday at Mountain View-Colonial DeWitt, 1551 Dalles Military Road, Walla Walla. Pastor Roger Holden will officiate. A reception will follow at the funeral home. Paul was born Sept. 30, 1924, to Ernest and Lou Hahn Ransom in Walla Walla. He attended elementary school on Government Mountain then the Forks School on the Walla Walla River. He started high school in Prescott, Wash. His family then moved … Read more

Abrams, Larry Lee – Obituary

Larry Lee Abrams, 52, of Spokane and a former Baker City and Huntington resident died Oct. 12, 2005, at his home. A rosary and memorial service was held Saturday, Oct. 15, at 10 am at Heritage Funeral Home. Private internment was at Mount Saint Michaels. Larry was born in Weiser, Idaho, on Jan. 27, 1953. During grade school he moved with his family to Phoenix, Ariz., where they resided for six years. They then returned to Huntington where Larry attended high school, was a big part of the winning football team, and graduated with honors in 1971. He attended Treasure … Read more

Bertels, Christofer C. – Obituary

Union, Oregon Christofer C. Bertels, 36, of Salem and formerly of Union, Baker and La Grande, died Nov. 6 at Salem Hospital in Salem. A memorial service will begin at 2 p.m. Friday at the Assembly of God Harvest Church, 3720 Birch St., Baker City. Chris was born Sept. 3, 1971, in La Grande. He was raised in Union and later attended Baker Valley Christian Academy in Baker City. Chris received an associate’s degree from Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, and continued his education at the University of Idaho in Moscow. Chris worked for the State of Oregon Insurance … Read more

Craig, Paul Dennis “Denny” – Obituary

Paul Dennis “Denny” Craig, 66, of Las Vegas, Nev., a former North Powder resident, died Aug. 20, 2002, at Las Vegas. Mr. Craig’s body was cremated. There was a private funeral at Las Vegas. There will be a memorial service at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Haines United Methodist Church. Pastor Sally Wiens will officiate. Denny was born on March 11, 1936, at Baker City. He was raised on his parents’ ranch at North Powder and was a 1954 graduate of Powder Valley High School. He attended the University of Oregon at Eugene for one year and Eastern … Read more

Benton County, Oregon Census

1850 Benton County, Oregon Census Free 1850 Census Form for your Research Free 1850 Census Images (partially indexed) Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1850 Benton County, Census (images and index) $ 1810-1890 Accelerated Indexing Systems $ Free 1850 Census Transcription Oregon Territory Hosted at Census Guide 1850 U.S. Census Guide 1854 Benton County, Oregon State Census Free 1854 Census Transcription Oregon Territory 1860 Benton County, Oregon Census Free 1860 Census Form for your Research Free 1860 Census Images and Index Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1860 Benton County, Census (images and index) $ 1810-1890 Accelerated Indexing … Read more

Biography of J. B. Congle

J.B. CONGLE. – Mr. Congle was one of the men of wealth who contributed largely to the early growth and prosperity of our state, and especially of Portland. He was born December 9, 1817, in Chester county, Pennsylvania. In the year 1832 he went to Philadelphia to learn the harness and saddlery trade, and in the spring of 1838 removed to Virginia, thence to Missouri, and in the year 1841 was at Lafayette, Indiana, where he resided ten years thereafter. On May 21, 1844, he was married to Miss Ellen H. Gray, of the place last named. He came as … Read more

Biography of Green B. Smith

GREEN B. SMITH. – There are few names more widely known among the pioneers of Western Oregon than that which stands at the head of this sketch. Few lives have been more full of adventure. After a long life actively spent among the trials and vicissitudes incident to a frontier life, he finally yielded to the fiat of nature; and, in obedience to the summons that must come to all, he passed over the dark river. His death, which leaves but a comparatively small number of that old pioneer’s phalanx of 1845, who marched two thousand miles across a trackless … Read more

Hand, Douglas – Obituary

Doug Hand Had Family Tie Here In supplementing the obituary in the Courier of Douglas Hand, former Haines schoolboy, we rely upon a life sketch of Doug and his beloved Baker valley family ties, by Doug himself over a year ago for the local Historical Society. Doug died at Tucson late in January, retired as a prominent citizen there after a successful army career. The Hand history in the west was due to the courage of the mother. Doug’s grandfather, a blacksmith in Illinois, James Douglas Hand, was a Civil War veteran. He died shortly after his father James L. … Read more

Biography of Hon. E. B. McElroy, A.M., Ph. D.,

HON. E.B. McELROY, A.M., Ph. D. – Among the institutions of our country, none more deservedly attract the attention of all lovers of law and order than do our public schools. It is all-important, therefore, that each commonwealth should have some men of learning and ambition at the head to represent, as it were, in a single individual, the individual interests of very child in the state. Especially is this the case in our state, where we are in reality but just laying aside the swaddling clothes of self-government, and endeavoring to lay broad and deep the foundations of a … Read more

Bell, Letha Alma McCullough Mrs. – Obituary

March 4, 1917 – Dec. 19, 2006 Letha Alma (McCullough) Bell died Tuesday at Corvallis Manor. She was born in Haines. She attended school nearby at Rock Creek Elementary and graduated from high school in Haines. She married Howard Bell in Baker City on December 24, 1936. They lived and worked in the local mining and timber industry until moving to Hoskins in 1949. Letha was involved in local women’s clubs and some church-related groups until moving to Corvallis in 1995. Letha was a mother of three children, Ivan, Carol and Ronald, and grandmother to seven grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. … Read more

Wright, Marinda Jane – Obituary

Marinda Wright, One of Oregon’s First-Born, Dies Mrs. Marinda Jane Wright, 97, of lower Cove, one of the oldest native born Oregonians in the state and a resident of Union county for 73 years, died Saturday in a LaGrande hospital after a long illness. Mrs. Wright was born in 1850 near Monroe, Ore., and moved to Union County when she was 24 years old in 1874. She was a member of the Christian Church. Surviving are four sons, George W. Wright of Troy, Ida., L. F. Wright of LaGrande, Willis Wright of Beaverton, Ore., and Willie Wright of lower Cove, … Read more

Donnelly, Roderick – Obituary

Formerly of La Grande 1921-2009 Roderick W. ‘Doc’ Donnelly, 88, formerly of La Grande, died Oct. 12 at his home in Richmond. A private family gathering will be held at a later date. Sweeney Mortuary of Condon is in charge of arrangements. Roderick was born May 23, 1921, the first son of Virginia Odessa Wechter and Hamilton Keyes Donnelly at his grandmother’s house at the top of the Donnelly Grade in Wheeler County. He was the grandson of a founding father of Wheeler County. He attended grade school in a one-room school at Service Creek. He attended high school in … Read more