Biography of S. R. Geddis

S.R. GEDDIS. – Mr. Geddis, a portrait of whom, together with a view of his beautiful home farm, appears in this history, is a leading and wealthy citizen of Kittitass county. He is one of the men whose success in life has been mainly achieved in the county in which he now lives by the exercise of economy, industry and business integrity, guided by intelligent financial ability. He is now a rich man, while but a few years ago he came to the Kittitass valley with nothing but an unblemished reputation as his entire capital. Mr. Geddis was born in … Read more

Bilyeu, Edith L. Luckenbach – Obituary

A message from Scio yesterday told the death there of Mrs. Bert Bilyeu [February 17, 1908], niece of Mr. Mart Bilyeu of this city. Young woman 26 years of age. She leaves a husband and two children. [Daughter of Eli Luckenbach and Sarah Hopkins. Interment Franklin Butte Cemetery] Albany Democrat Herald, February 21, 1908 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Kinzer, John Wesley – Obituary

John Wesley Kinzer, 79, lifelong resident of Linn county, died at a Lebanon nursing home Monday evening [November 14, 1955]. He was born at Crabtree on April 10, 1876, and married Rose Jane Bilyeu in 1900. Mr. Kinzer was a retired farmer. Surviving are a son, Lyle C. Kinzer of Lyons, a daughter Mrs. Reta Beebe of Eugene; three grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Funeral services were held at the Fortmiller-Fredricksen Funeral Home in Albany Friday at 11 a.m. with the Rev. John Ryan, minister of the first Baptist church of Albany officiating. Concluding services will take place in Franklin … Read more

Kinnison, Beulah Adelia Starmer Mrs. – Obituary

Kinnison Rites Slated Thursday Mrs. Beulah Adelia Kinnison, 56, of 2035 East street, died Tuesday morning at St. Elizabeth hospital. She was born on May 6, 1901 to the Rev. A.J. and Minnie R. Starmer at Ashland. She moved from Ashland to Albany, coming to Baker from Albany 39 years ago. Two and a half years ago she became co-owner of the Corset Clinic in the Antlers hotel building, and was manager until her illness. Mrs. Kinnison was a member of the Pythian Sisters and of the Methodist church. She is survived by three daughters and one son, Lilith B. … Read more

Bilyeu, Edward C. – Obituary

A former city councilman and owner of an insurance firm here, Edward C. Bilyeu, 62, 321 Tangent St., died of a heart attack Monday at Lebanon Community Hospital. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Lebanon First Assembly of God Church. The Rev. Garland Rogers and the Rev. H. D. Robeson will officiate. Burial follows at the IOOF Cemetery. Jost Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made in his memory to the First Assembly of God Church or Gideon Memorial Bibles and left at the funeral home. Bilyeu was appointed to fill a vacant seat … Read more

Biography of James A Richardson, M.D.

JAMES A RICHARDSON, M.D. – Doctor James A. Richardson was born in Adams county, Illinois, November 15, 1840. His grandfather, George Richardson, was born in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, serving in the American war of the Revolution, and after its close taking an active part under Generals St. Clair and Wayne in the war against the Indians of now West Virginia and Ohio. After the suppression of the hostility of those tribes, he, with one companion, in a canoe, floated down the Ohio river to its confluence with the Mississippi, and thence passed up that river to Kaskaskia, then a French … Read more

Bilyeu, Virgil Carl – Obituary

Virgil Carl Bilyeu, aged 73 years, 11 months and three days, in former years of the Scio area, died June 6, 1963 in Metropolitan State Hospital in Los Angeles. Born July 3, 1889 at Scio, Oregon, he is survived by a brother, Merle Bilyeu of Waterloo, Ore. He was a veteran of World War I. Funeral services were held Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Tracewell Funeral Home in Sweet Home, with Cleo Thompson of Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints officiating. Graveside services were held at 3:30 at Franklin Butte Masonic cemetery near Scio. Contributed by: Shelli … Read more

Sumpter, Claude Ruel – Obituary

A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 5, 1996, in St. Johns Funeral Home Chapel for Claude Ruel Sumpter, a retired Hyster Co. shipping clerk who died July 27 at age 94. Mr. Sumpter was born April 29, 1902, in Crabtree. In 1930, he married Nellie Long, who died in 1990. Surviving are his son, John of Gresham; brother, Don of Tigard; two grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Disposition was by cremation. The family suggests remembrances to the American Heart Association. Arrangements are by Skyline Funeral Home. The Oregonian, August 3, 1996 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Long, Charles D. – Obituary

Charles D. Long of Haines, whose sudden death October 11 following an operation for appendicitis was recorded in this newspaper last week, lived all but one year of his 62 years of live in Baker county, having been brought here by his parents when a baby. He was born in Linn county, Oregon March 16, 1872. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Long, pioneer Baker county residents. Mr. Long was employed for several years by the Farmer Mercantile company in Haines and in recent years had operated a farm west of Haines. He was a member of the Baptist … Read more

Cook, N.J. – Obituary

Service Held For Pioneer The community was greatly saddened Monday evening when it was learned that an esteemed citizen, N.J. Cook of Lostine, had passed away. Few pioneers in Wallowa County had a wider circle of friends than did the Cook brothers who came to Wallowa County in the ’70s. Eight of these brothers and one sister lived many years near Lostine. They were: William, Jariel, Milton, John, T.R., Mack, N.J., Frank, one half-brother, Walter, and Mary Hammack. Another sister, Jane, died at Dallas, Ore. The Cook brothers all lived on the Lostine River and engaged in farming until they … Read more

Brotherton, Louis S. – Obituary

Louis S. Brotherton, late resident of Lyons, at a local hospital, September 11 at the age of 64 years. Survived by son, Donald Brotherton of Lyons, and a sister, Mrs. Rhoda Trask of Albany; a brother, Wm. Brother, Ashland. Funeral services will be held at the Clough-Barrick Chapel, Tuesday, September 14, at 1:00 p.m. Interment at the Fox Valley Cemetery. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Biography of Joseph L. Carter

JOSEPH L. CARTER. – This prominent educator of Eastern Oregon was born at the old Methodist Episcopal Mission, near Salem, January 22, 1845. He is the son of David Carter, who fifty years ago was a merchant in the various cities and states of South America, and in 1840 came via the Sandwich Islands to the then unclaimed Oregon, marrying Miss Orpha Lankton, of the mission party of the bark Lausanne, and settling on Mill creek near Salem, and also living at The Dalles, passing much time in the mines of California and becoming prominent upon our coast in the … Read more

Biography of Mrs. Eliza Warren

MRS. ELIZA WARREN. – All will feel the deepest interest in this intelligent and refined woman, seeing that she is the daughter of the missionary, Reverend H.H. Spalding. She is the “Eliza” whose name has become familiar in the many narratives touching upon the history of Oregon. Not only in her historical but in her own personal character, she well deserves the consideration of her friends, whose number is that of all Oregonians. Her father’s consecration and her mother’s life of the utmost devotion reappear in her own, although not now projected upon the black background of tragedy as was … Read more

Patterson, Ethel Hazel Reed Mrs. – Obituary

Ethel Hazel Patterson, 97, of John Day, died Oct. 9, 2005, at Blue Mountain Nursing Home in Prairie City. Her graveside memorial service will be Saturday at the Fox Cemetery in Fox. Ethel was born on Aug. 11, 1908, at Fox to George and Amanda Medlin Reed. She grew up in the Fox Valley and attended school at Cottonwood, John Day and Hood River. In 1924, Ethel married John Smith at Hood River. She and John remained married for about 25 years before they divorced. She operated a dress shop and restaurant at Condon for a while. A few years … Read more

Crawford, Clarence H. – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Clarence H. Crawford Clarence H. Crawford, 78, of La Grande and formerly of Elgin, died Tuesday at Grande Ronde Hospital. A funeral service at 10 a.m. Saturday at Loveland Funeral Chapel, followed by a graveside service at Grandview Cemetery. Mr. Crawford was born July 4, 1928, near Gotham, Ark, where he grew up. Later in life he worked with handicapped children for the State of California. After retirement, he moved to Oregon and ranched near Lebanon and Prineville, then moved to Eastern Oregon. Clarence loved the outdoors. He felt he was a caretaker, a protector of the … Read more

Hanna, Raymond E. – Obituary

Raymond E. Hanna, 81, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 19, 2007, at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center with his wife and sons by his side. Raymond was born in Raymond, Wash. He moved to Baker, Ore., in 1930, where he attended Baker schools. He served in the U.S. Navy from March 1943 to March 1946. He trained at Farragut, Idaho and Treasure Island, Calif., and was assigned to the U.S.S. Reno. He married Betty Arlene Fleming on Aug. 26, 1950, in Baker. He attended Baker Business College in 1955 and was employed as an office manager for auto dealerships … Read more