Marion County OR

Biography of Judge Robert Eakin

JUDGE ROBERT EAKIN. – While Union county is so especially favored in having men of energy and talent in the various callings of human industry and learning, there is no profession that is more signally marked by the men of ability within its ranks than the legal, and as a leader among this class stands the gentleman, whose name initiates this paragraph, and who is well and favorably known throughout eastern Oregon. Judge Eakin is a profound student of the literature of his chosen profession, having added by careful and thorough research to a mind well poised for weighing the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hon. James D. Burnett

HON. JAMES D. BURNETT. – Mr. Burnett, one of the best farmers of Douglas county, and a gentleman of eminent abilities in public affairs, was born in Blunt county, Tennessee, March 12, 1822. In 1850 he came to Oregon, settling first at Salem. Two years later he removed to Douglas county, taking a claim upon which he has lived to the present time, and which he has increased by purchase to the baronial dimensions of twelve hundred acres. He has ever been active publicly in establishing those institutions which reflect credit upon the community and advance society. He is a … Read more

Rhoda, Mary Jane “Janie” Hobson Mrs. – Obituary

Mary Jane “Janie” Rhoda, 83, of Baker City, died Jan. 19, 2006, at Las Vegas, Nev., of cancer. A special Sunday service celebrating her life will be scheduled later at the Haines United Methodist Church. Mary Jane was born on Feb. 10, 1922, at Salem to Guy and Hazel Hobson. The family moved to Baker City in 1928. That same year they moved to Whitney, where her mother ran the Whitney Post Office, often assisted by Mary Jane and her brother, Loren. She was a 1939 Baker High School graduate and attended Willamette University, returning to Eastern Oregon to live … Read more

Coulter, Dusty Clark – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Dustin Clark Coulter, 33, of Portland and formerly of La Grande, took his life on March 26. A memorial service is planned for 7 p.m. March 30 at the First Baptist Church in La Grande, 1702 Sixth St. A private family interment will take place at a later date. Known as Dusty, he was born April 21, 1973, in Corvallis and was raised in both Salem and La Grande. After high school he worked various jobs in La Grande until moving to Portland in August 2006. Dusty enjoyed video games, outdoor family activities, sporting events and supporting … Read more

Williams, Carl J. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Carl J. Williams, 86, of Baker City, died Dec. 21, 2003, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Friends are invited to join the family for the praying of the rosary, at 7 p.m. Friday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the cathedral. The Rev. Rob Irwin will officiate. Graveside inurnment will be later at Prineville’s Juniper Haven Cemetery. Carl was born at Monroe, N.H., on Oct. 16, 1917, to Carl J. and Luella Williams. He grew up at McIndoe Falls, Vt. He worked in … Read more

Biography of Joshua A. Downing

A man of ability and executive force, as is manifested in the results of his faithful endeavor, in the industrial world: a pioneer in at least two different counties of our state: a builder of Wallowa County, and a stanch and upright citizen of the same today, the subject of this article is eminently worthy to receive proper representation in this volume that purports both to chronicle the history of Union and Wallowa counties and makes mention as well of the early pioneers, as the leading citizens of today: and it is with pleasure that we accord the same to … Read more

Conley, Isabel Frances – Obituary

Cove, Union County, Oregon Isabel Frances Conley, 62, died June 10 at Grande Ronde Hospital following a brief illness. A Cove resident, she had been a teacher there and in Wallowa County. She was born Nov. 14, 1910 at Aumsville, the daughter of Edward and Katherine Heger. The family later settled in Joseph. Mrs. Conley graduated from Eastern Oregon College in 1930, and taught school in Wallowa County for about 10 years. She married Merrell F. Conley of Cove in 1940, and lived on the Conley ranch ever since. Mrs. Conley was a member of Our Lady of the Valley … Read more

Childers, Emma Mrs.

Mrs. Childers Is Called By Death Mrs. Emma Childers, widow of the late James W. Childers, passed away Saturday evening, July 16, 1932, at the home of her son Earl Childers, east of Joseph. She was taken ill with a heart affliction seven weeks ago and was confined to her bed since then. Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon in the Methodist church and burial was in the Enterprise cemetery. The pastor Rev. Hall K. Wallis, conducted the services. Emma Tice was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Tice and was born in Salem, Jan. 12, 1854. Her … Read more

Biography of John Birch McClain

JOHN BIRCH McCLAIN. – This pioneer, whose record extends to the memorable year of 1843, was born January 31, 1820, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is the son of John and Mary Swallow McClane. At the age of twenty-two, he left Philadelphia for Texas with the purpose of assisting General Sam Houston to gain the independence of Texas. The ship, however, upon which he took passage, sailing from Delaware Bay in a storm, was delayed thirty days; and, upon his arrival in New Orleans, the young man found that Houston had withdrawn his proclamation of war against Mexico, and that he … Read more

Tomlinson, Thomas Harold – Obituary

Memorial services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday in Virgil T. Golden Mortuary, Salem, for T. Harold “Tommy” Tomlinson, 79, of Salem, who died Thursday [June 25, 1987]. He was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, and had lived in Salem since 1919. He graduated from the Willamette University Law School in 1930 and was a deputy district attorney in Marion County for a short time. He was a partner with William J. Braun for 54 years in the Willamette Credit Co. and Braun Tomlinson Insurance. He was Marion County Clerk for 13 years. He was a member of the First Presbyterian … 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

McFetridge, Elmer – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Elmer McFetridge Dies In Dallas Elmer Clarence McFetridge, a native of Enterprise and a retired rancher, who had been in ill health for the past four years, passed away Monday morning, February 8, 1965 in a nursing home in Dallas, Ore., where he had been a patient for one month. He was the son of John and Martha McFetridge, early pioneers of Wallowa County, and was born near Enterprise on July 11, 1887. He had lived in Wallowa County all his life until 1960 when he and his wife moved to Salem, Ore., and in 1964 … Read more

Lucero, Doreen Gail Hubble Mrs. – Obituary

Doreen Gail Lucero, 49, of Salem, a former Baker City resident, died Dec. 10, 2005, at Salem. Her funeral was Tuesday at the Bethel Baptist Church in Salem. Doreen was born on Aug. 18, 1956, at Stuttgart, Germany. She was the daughter of Merlene West and stepfather, Otis West, and father, Gary Hubble. She lived at Baker City and attended school here until she was 18 and then lived at Salem and Indiana and Arizona. Doreen’s interests were painting, music and caring for her children and grandchildren. She recently returned to college to study women’s advocacy. She attended a Salem … Read more

Biography of Sarah Fairbanks King

SARAH FAIRBANKS KING (Mrs. S.A. King). – The annals of Oregon women, who performed the hard duties incident to pioneer life faithfully, patiently and well, contain no name more justly honored, or more tenderly cherished, than that of Sarah Fairbanks King. Mrs. King was a native of New York, having been born in Potter, Cayuga county, October 12, 1834. While yet in her infancy, she was taken by her parents to Michigan, then scarcely more than an outpost of Western civilization. Here she grew to womanhood, developing traits of gentleness and devotion to duty that were the distinguishing characters of … Read more

Biography of Hon. Edward Hirsch

HON. EDWARD HIRSCH. – Someone has written, “There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, rough hew them as we may;” and the subject of this sketch is a living exemplification of it. When, away back in “the fifties,” he landed a poor boy in the city of New York, among strangers in a strange land, and looked about him for honest employment in any capacity, how little he dreamed that as years passed by he would hold the purse-strings for the then almost unknown territory of Oregon, when a few years later she should lay aside her swaddling clothes and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John S. Clark

JOHN S. CLARK. – Much interest attaches to this gentleman as the son of one of the earliest pioneers, and as being himself a native of Oregon. The father, Daniel Clark, was well known in the early days as an immigrant of 1844, who married Miss Bertha Herren, whose acquaintance he had formed upon the plains, and who lived near Hillsboro. After his return from the California gold mines, he located in 1851 the Clark Donation claim near Salem, upon which both he and his wife died. The son John S., whose name forms the caption of this article, was … 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

Butler, Georgia LaVella – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Georgia LaVelle Butler, 95, of La Grande died Sept. 11 at Jody’s Country Care in La Grande. A celebration of life will be held on at 2 p.m. Thursday at the United Methodist Church in La Grande. A graveside Service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. Loveland Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements. She was born in La Grande on Sept. 27, 1910, to Herman and Florence Richey. She grew up in La Grande except for five years when her family lived on a ranch in Cove. She graduated from … Read more

Chaplin, Hannah Mrs. – Obituary

La Grande, Union County, Oregon The death of Mrs. Hannah Chaplin occurred in La Grande Saturday morning, March 25, 1905. Deceased was 82 years and 6 months old. Mrs. Hannah Chaplin crossed the plains to Oregon in 1854, settling in Marion county, and in 1863 moved to La Grande, in which city she resided until the time of her death. Being one of the early pioneers of this county, she had a large circle of friends who are left to mourn her loss. In this city she leaves two nephews, Wm. and W.L. Arnold, who were at her bedside at … Read more

Hornig, Blanche L. – Obituary

Union, Oregon Blanche L. Hornig, 85, of Salem and formerly of Union died June 1. A memorial service will begin 1 p.m. June 20 at Morningside United Methodist Church in Salem. Blanche was born in Ithaca Township, Wis., to Leslie and Libby Holeton on Sept. 28, 1921. She lived in Minnesota and Kennewick. She married Thomas Hornig in 1949, and they lived in Union, Eugene and Salem. In the ’70s, Blanche was executive secretary for the Salem League of Women Voters. She was proud to be a part of the Friday clan, and an honorary Cherry. Survivors include her husband, … Read more