Benton County OR

Gray, Sarah Sylvina – Obituary

Mrs. G. G. Gray Rites Tuesday Mrs. G. G. Gray, 84, died at her home in Lower Cove Sunday morning after a long illness. Sarah Sylvina was born to Merrell and Nancy Jane Jasper Aug. 11, 1855, near Corvallis. She was the second child and eldest daughter of a family of eight. At the age of 13 she moved with her parents to the Grande Ronde valley and settled near the home where she lived her entire married life. Two years after settling in eastern Oregon, the mother passed on, leaving the responsibilities of the family to Sylvina. On February … Read more

Green, Clarence Ellsworth “Clancy” – Obituary

Keating, Oregon Clarence Ellsworth “Clancy” Green, 82, of Baker City, died April 6, 2004, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise. At his request, there will be no formal service. There will be a celebration of life gathering by the pond at his ranch later this summer. The time will be announced. All friends and family will be welcomed. Clancy was born on May 2, 1921, at Corvallis to Seth and Alice Green. He graduated from Whittier College at Whittier, Calif. After graduation, he went into radio broadcasting and was a radio actor. He also worked at CBS as an announcer … 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

Ball, Margaret Ann Carroll – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Margaret Ann Carroll Ball, 80, of La Grande, died July 2 at her home. The funeral will begin at 10:30 a.m. Friday July 6 at the First Baptist Church, at Sixth Street and Spring Avenue, with Pastor Kent Hug officiating. Graveside services will follow at Grandview Cemetery. Viewing will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday July 5 at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St. Mrs. Ball was born April 27, 1926. to Mr. and Mrs. J.P. McCann of Hattiesburg, Miss. She married Herb Carroll in March, 1946. They lived in Corvallis and Valley Falls, … 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

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 Hon. William Wallace Thayer

HON. W.W. THAYER- William Wallace Thayer, the present chief justice of the supreme court of Oregon, came to this state in 1862. He was born at Lima, Livingston county, New York, July 15, 1827. His boyhood was spent upon a farm in that county, where he attended the common schools and received the meager instruction that the times and circumstances of farm life afforded. But an early love for books and a retentive memory, characteristics that mark him even to-day, supplied what was lacking in his school education. He became a wide reader of standard literature; and, having determined to … Read more

Biography of Charles B. Bellinger

Judge Bellinger was born in Maquon, Knox County, Illinois, November 21, 1839, and at the age of eight years came to Oregon with his parents and grandparents. After receiving the advantages of a common school education, supplemented with some two years at the Willamette University, he began to read law at Salem, in the office of B. F. Bonham; at present United States Consul. at Calcutta, and was admitted to the bar at the September term of the Supreme Court, in 1863. He immediately thereafter engaged in the practice of law at Salem in partnership with J. C. Cartwright, since … Read more

Wagner, Marion – Obituary

Funeral Saturday For Marion Wagner Marion Wagner, 58, resident of 1408 M Ave., La Grande, died Wednesday at the Grande Ronde Hospital. Requiem mass will be at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic church Saturday at 10 a.m. with Rev. Eldon Curtiss officiating. Burial will be at Mt. Calvary cemetery. Born in Corvallis, Mr. Wagner has lived in the Grande Ronde Valley for the past 36 years. He as president of H. L. Wagner and Sons of Imbler. Among survivors are the widow, Ethel Wagner of La Grande; two daughters, Christina Bunting and Sharon Wagner, both of La Grande; three … Read more

Biography of A. H. Reynolds

A.H. REYNOLDS. – This pioneer of Walla Walla, Washington, is a bank director, a large real-estate owner, and has been active in many of the early enterprises, not only of that city, but of Oregon and California. He was born in 1808, in St. Lawrence county, New York; and his memories of early life are deeply tinged with the exciting events of the war of 1812, in which his parents had an active part. Receiving the rigid and economical training of the old times, he added to his education by efforts of his own, and qualified himself for active life … Read more

Biography of Hon. James P. Stewart

HON. JAMES P. STEWART. – In a notice of the Honorable James P. Stewart by the local press, when his name was presented for the suffrages of his fellow-citizens for a seat in the legislature of Washington Territory, it was most truthfully said: “he is a man of affairs, – a big, bronzed, broad-shouldered man, who moves about among his fellow-men with that quiet consciousness of strength that carries conviction and wins. He has been a winner all his life; and people applaud his winning. He has been as honest as he has been progressive. Mr. Stewart is a native … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George W. Harris

GEORGE W. HARRIS. – This successful business man of Morrow county was born at Pittsfield, Pike county, Illinois, February 18, 1858. During his minor years he followed the fortunes of his parents, who moved to Iowa in 1860, and four years later crossed the plains to California with ox-teams, locating at Red Bluff. In 1865 they came to Oregon and located at Monmouth. From that date many changes and removals were undergone, including a return to California, a residence at Corvallis and again at Eugene; also a trip across the continent to Missouri, Texas and Iowa, and a return to … 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

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

Hale, Gladys Sarah – Obituary

Lostine, Union County, Oregon In Memory of Gladys Sarah Hale Born May 28, 1900 Lostine, Oregon Died November 1, 1993 Corvallis, Oregon Funeral Service Friday, November 5, 1993 at 1:00 pm Burns Mortuary Chapel Hermiston, Oregon Officiating, Fr. Alfred Miller Music, Taped selections Private Internment Echo Cemetery Echo, Oregon Contributed by: Gary Jaensch

Olp, Cleo “Barbara” Valentine Mrs. – Obituary

Cleo “Barbara” Olp, 70, a former Baker City resident, died July 7, 2001, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis. Burial was Thursday at Jefferson Cemetery at Jefferson. Mrs. Olp was born on July 27, 1930, at Baker City to Leonard W. and Lola Morin Valentine. She lived all her life in Oregon, moving from Baker City to La Grande, to The Dalles and then to Salem and finally to Albany. She married Fred B. Olp on March 2, 1949, in Baker City. She was a homemaker and loved cooking and gardening. She had a wonderful sense of humor and loved … 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

Biography of George C. Gray

GEORGE C. GRAY. – Mr. Gray was born in East Tennessee in 1840. His father was a farmer, and also an active worker as preacher in the Baptist church, and upon arriving in Oregon in 1853 laid a Donation claim near Corvallis, conducting his farm six days in the week and carrying on religious work on Sundays. It was in these surroundings that young George grew to man’s estate; and his first independent exertions were as a laborer in Corvallis from 1854 to 1860. In 1861 he went to the Oro Fino mines, and in 1862 brought cattle to Walla … Read more

Biography of Henry Heppner

HENRY HEPPNER. – This s the gentleman after whom the city, in which he resides, and of which he was one of the first proprietors, and the builder of the first brick building, has been worthily named. He was born in Germany in 1843. He came to New York in 1858 and in 1863 via Cape Horn to San Francisco. His first venture was in Shasta, California, in the mercantile business; but after two years he transferred his business to Corvallis, Oregon. Meeting with little encouragement there he opened a stock at The Dalles, doing well for six years. As … 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