Biography of John Marshall McCall

JOHN MARSHALL McCALL. – Among the substantial and favorably known residents of Southern Oregon, none have occupied a more useful place in the upbuilding of the state since the days of its infancy than the gentleman whose name is the heading of this brief memoir. His is one of those aggressive, go ahead dispositions that is an example of that time-honored adage, that “God helps those who help themselves;” and his whole life has bristled with instances of this belief. A man of strong convictions and honest prejudices, scorning hypocrisy in all things and in his dealings with friend, foe … Read more

Biography of Hon. B. F. Burch

HON. B.F. BURCH. – B.F. Burch was born on the second day of May, 1825, in Chariton county, Missouri, where he lived during the first twenty years of his life, and received what was then considered a good, common-school education. It was complete enough to secure him the position of teacher for the families of Honorable Jesse Applegate and neighbors the first winter after his arrival here, – 1845-46. He also taught the first school in what is now known Polk county. In 1846, in company with Jesse Applegate, Lindsey Applegate, David Goff, William J.G. Parker, William Spotsman, John Jones, … Read more

Josi, Robert E. – Obituary

Robert E. Josi, 74, of Wallowa died June 13 at St. Mary’s Hospital. A memorial service was held June 23. Mr. Josi was born Oct. 26, 1931, to Fred and Olga Elmer Josi in Oregon City. The family lived in Snowden and White Salmon, Wash. He worked on ranches at at the Mount Emily logging camp. He served in the Army during the Korean War, and in 1954 he married Agnes Tsiatsos of Starkey. The couple moved to Wallowa. He worked as a logger, and during layoffs he would find ranch jobs. After a divorce in 1983 he married Bonnie … Read more

Biography of Mrs. Julia A. McCarver

MRS. JULIA A. McCARVER. – Julia A. McCoy was born November 19, 1825, in St. Charles county, Missouri. Her parents died before she was three years old; and she was brought up by her grandfather and grandmother. At an early age she was married to Garrett Buckalew, and thereafter lived in the State of Illinois until the spring of 1847, when, with her husband and two children, and the families of eighteen neighbors, she started across the plains for Oregon. At St. Joseph, Missouri, they joined a host of other emigrants, the combined party including ninety families, who continued their … Read more

Biography of Rev. Gustavus Hines

REV. GUSTAVUS HINES. – Gustavus Hines was born in Herkimer county, New York, in 1809. On his mother’s side he was descended from the Carvets and Wilkensons of the old Massachusetts colony, and on his father’s from the Hopkinns of Rhode Island, all names of the highest respectability and even celebrity in the early history of New England. Governor Carvet of Massachusetts colony, and Stephen Hopkinns, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, were of the same families. he grew to his majority in the county of his birth, and in 1832 removed to Cattaraugus county, in the … Read more

Biography of Green Arnold

GREEN ARNOLD. – One of the earliest pioneers of the country lying east of the Cascade Mountains is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He was born in Niagara county, New York, in 1919, and received his education at his native place. In 1833, he moved to Michigan with his parents, where he remained until 1850, when hearing of the wonderful stories of the rich discoveries of gold in California, he buckled on his armor of faith and started across the plains, landing in Hangtown (now Placerville) on the 6th day of August of the same year. He remained … Read more

Biography of Hon. Peter G. Stewart

HON. PETER G. STEWART. – Peter Grant Stewart was born on the 6th of September, 1809, in Stanford, Delaware County, New York. When eight years of age he moved to Jefferson, Scohane County, where he received a common-school education, and learned the trade of a watchmaker. He followed the occupation of watchmaker and jeweler in Middlebury until the spring of 1838, when, with a selected stock of watches, jewelry, etc., he started for the West, going by way of Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Toledo and Fort Wayne to Mount Vernon, Indiana, and from there to Morganfield, Union County, Kentucky, where he … Read more

Alexander, Susan – Obituary

Elgin, Oregon Susan Alexander, 57, of Elgin, died Oct. 25 at her home. Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center is in charge of arrangements. La Grande Observer – October 26, 2009 ________________________ Susan L. Alexander Elgin 1952-2009 Susan Lorraine Alexander, 57, of Elgin, and formerly of Wallowa, died Oct. 24 at her home. A graveside service will begin at 1 p.m. Friday at the Wallowa Cemetery. Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center in La Grande is in charge of arrangements. Susan was born Sept. 3, 1952, to Ardeth and Patricia Spruill in Oregon City. She was raised in … 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

Biography of Henry Martyn Chase

HENRY MARTYN CHASE. – This gentleman was born March 28, 1831, in Philadelphia, from whence he moved to Newburyport, Massachusetts, in 1844. He is a descendant of Aquila Chase, one of the early settlers of Newburyport, Massachusetts, and also directly descended from the famous Hannah Dustin, who killed her Indian captors in the Indian war of 1689. Mr. Chase sailed from Boston for California January 11, 1849, in the brig Forest, and arrived in San Francisco July 6th of the same year. He earned his first money there by painting a ship. In August, 1849, he sailed for Oregon in … Read more

Biography of Joseph Buchtel

JOSEPH BUCHTEL. – The peculiar composition and make-up of this man is that of only one in a million. He is noted for his daring deeds of adventure, if they may be so called; and his whole life is made up of daily events in rescuing others from their perilous positions; indeed, so much so that he is known far and wide as the “Oregon Life Saver.” Hundreds, if we may not say thousands, who are living to-day directly owe their lives to him. The natural daily routine of circumstances seems to have brought him upon the scene just in … Read more

Biography of Alonzo L. Richardson

Thirty-eight years have passed since Alonzo L. Richardson came to Idaho, then a sparsely populated territory of the extreme northwest, its splendid resources undeveloped, its advancement a development of the future. For many years he has been closely identified with the work of progress, and is now filling the position of clerk of the United States court in Boise. A native of Missouri, Mr. Richardson was born in Franklin County that state, on The 19th of December 1841, and is a representative of one of the old families of Virginia. His ancestors located there in 1750, and there occurred the … Read more

Love, Junia Shields Mrs. – Obituary

Junia Shields Love, 99, a former Baker City resident, died July 28, 2006, at Oregon City. She is interred at Rest Haven Memorial Park in Eugene alongside her husband, Frank; her sister- and brother-in-law, Richard and Lola Lanyon; and her brother-in-law, Raymond Love. She was born on Oct. 19, 1906, at Sumpter. She was the eldest child of John Thomas Shields and Carrie Pearl Foster. She married Frank Bennett Love on May 28, 1928. The couple lived in Baker County for many years. Junia was a schoolteacher at Homestead, Goose Creek near Keating, and at other country schools. In 1944, … Read more

Biography of A. Lawrence Lovejoy

A. LAWRENCE LOVEJOY. – The subject of this memoir was born in Groton, Massachusetts, March 14, 1808, and was the third son of Doctor Samuel and Betsey Lawrence Lovejoy, descendants of good English families. His mother, Betsey Lawrence Lovejoy, was a cousin and adopted sister of Amos and Abbot Lawrence of Boston. When quite young he moved with his parents to Townson, Massachusetts, where he was a pupil of the Reverend David Palmer until the age of sixteen, when the death of his mother made it necessary for him to reside with an elder brother in Boston, where he engaged … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Kineth

JOHN KINETH. – This pioneer of Oregon and of Whidby Island, Washington, is a native of Bavaria, Germany, and was born in 1828. At the age of ten years he came with his parents to American, and passed his early life in Springfield, Illinois. He there obtained the practical education of the West, and learned as his resource for the livelihood the trade of a harness-maker. As early as 1849 he felt the impulse to go West. Joining a company of emigrants at Springfield, he crossed the plains, arriving at Milwaukee, Oregon, November 3d. Seeing that there was an abundance … Read more

Gray, Ernest Merrill – Obituary

Former Union County resident, Ernest M. Gray, 84, of Woodburn, died Thursday at a hospital in Oregon City. Mr. Gray was born March 18, 1903, in Lower Cove to George M. and Mary (Miller) Gray. He married Nellie Lemon on May 28, 1921, in La Grande. Survivors include his wife; daughters, Mrs. Everett (Muriel) Ellis, Boise, Idaho, and Mrs. Ed (Darlene) O’Mahundro [sic – O’Mohundro], Silverton; sisters, Mrs. Eudelle Olson and Mrs. Othella Purvine, both of Milwaukie; five grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild; aunt Mrs. Eugene (Dillie) Millering, La Grande, three nieces and a nephew. Mr. Gray had … Read more

Biography of Capt. Charles H. Kellogg

CAPT. CHARLES H. KELLOGG. – Charles was the second son of Captain Joseph Kellogg, and was born October 1, 1846, in Wood county, Ohio. Coming as a child to our state, he spent his early years upon the farm of his father at Milwaukee, and learned habits of industry there and in the sawmill. His early education at the Milwaukee district school was further advanced at the Central School and Academy of Portland, and was completed at the Portland Business College, of which he was one of the first graduates. After a short apprenticeship under Captain Baughman, he took command … Read more

Racey, Nina L. Deen Mrs. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Nina L. Racey, 91, of Enterprise, died at home Saturday April 29, 2000. She was born in Boring, Oregon on August 6, 1908 to Melvil and Dora Deen. She married Laurence House and they had a daughter, Wanda June House. They were later divorced, and she and Wanda moved to Malheur where she met and married Alexander Racey. They lived in the Bridgeport area and ranched for over 30 years. Later they sold the ranch and moved to Baker City, where they lived for seven years, then moved to Estacada to live with her daughter. Upon … Read more

Biography of Rev. Josiah Lamberson Parrish

REV. JOSIAH LAMBERSON PARRISH. – This well-known pioneer, one of the few survivors of the early missionary force of Oregon, was born in Onondaga county, New York, on the 14th of October, 1806. From his father he learned the trades of blacksmithing and farming; and to them he devoted most of his time till he reached the age of twenty-four. At that time failure of his health from overwork caused him to turn his attention to the harness and saddlery trade. At about the same time he began preaching as a local preacher in the Methodist church. His field of … Read more

Biography of George E. Wells

GEORGE E. WELLS. – The subject of this sketch is a man of great energy and power of adaptability, as is manifested in the occupations that have been engaged in by him during the years in which he has been in this western country, and it is pleasant to remark that during all of these varied undertakings, some of which have been exceedingly arduous and fraught with hardship and danger, he has manifested a stanch and unflinching courage, marked industry and enterprise, with excellent personal qualities of integrity and upright principles, while a good success has attended his efforts, both … Read more