Polk County OR

Ediger, Marlin Irvin – Obituary

North Powder, Oregon Marlin Irvin Ediger died April 21, 2003, from heart failure. At Marlin’s request, there was no service. After cremation, a private burial was performed by his son at North Powder. He was born Jan. 16, 1931, to Martha Stannel and John D. Ediger of Dallas. He married Mildred Louise Ediger, also of Dallas, on Aug. 22, 1952. In 1960, the couple moved to North Powder, where he would spend his life between ranching and mill work. He finally had enough of pulling calves at 1 a.m. and feeding cattle at 20 degrees below and went to work … Read more

Cook, George Bartholomew McClellen – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon “Mack” Cook Answers Call George B. McClellen Cook passed away at the Enterprise hospital Feb. 1 after a short illness. “Mack” Cook was born Feb. 27, 1862, near Dallas, Polk County, Oregon to Thomas l. and Harriet Cook who crossed the plains by ox team in 1854. He was one of ten children born to this union. The family resided in Polk County until 1878 when the father and his sons, Jerile, William, Tom (Dick) and N.J. came to Wallowa County and all located homesteads on the South fork of the Wallowa river except N.J. who … Read more

Eoff, Russell T. – Obituary

Elgin, Oregon Russell T. Eoff, 85, of Elgin, died at his home March 27. A life tribute and celebration will begin at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Assembly of God Church at 14th and Alder streets in Elgin. Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crematory is in charge of the arrangements. Russ was born Nov. 15, 1922, to Henry and Margaret Edge Eoff in Independence. He graduated from Benson Technical High School in Portland in 1940. He worked as a welder in the Portland shipyards during the war, and also farmed the Cederbrook Dairy with his brothers and his parents in Sherwood. … 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

Biography of Joseph Schoewaiter Smith

Joseph Schoewaiter Smith, was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, June 20, 1824. His ancestors at an early day emigrated from England and Wales and settled in New Jersey and their descendants are now scattered all over the United States. At the age of eight years he accompanied his parents to Clermont County, Ohio, and three years later to Vermilion County, Indiana. He received such education as a farmer’s boy of ambition could receive at that day in a pioneer neighborhood. During the summer he worked on the farm and in the winter attended such schools as the county afforded. He … Read more

Biography of Hon. James Willis Nesmith

HON. JAMES WILLIS NESMITH. – Oregon has given a few men to the nation; and the luster of their memory still shines in the galaxy of her heroes. Colonel Baker, one of the most brilliant men ever at Washington, District of Columbia, has coupled with his title that of senator from Oregon. Yet he was in no sense an Oregon-made man, but rather made use of Oregon to elevate him to a seat which it was impossible for him to attain from Illinois. With Colonel Nesmith, however, the case was the reverse. He was as truly an Oregon man as … Read more

Smith, Tony Howard, Jr. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Tony Howard Smith Jr., 61, of Baker City died June 17, 2004, at his home. There will be an informal celebration of his life at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Visitations will be from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday at Gray’s West & Co. Interment will be at the Sumpter Cemetery. Tony was born on Aug. 31, 1942, at Weatherford, Okla., to Howard and Exxie Hughes Smith. As a child, he came to Oregon to live with his father and stepmother, Ruby. He grew up in Eastern Oregon. He … Read more

Adams-Capps, Ivia Joan Rucker – Obituary

Ivia Joan Rucker Adams-Capps died May 22, 2007. She was 74. Mrs. Adams-Capps was born Jan. 24, 1933, near Wallowa at the home of her parents, Elmer L. and Itol E. Rucker. The family moved to Irrigon in 1934. In 1951, she graduated from high school, married Donald L. Adams and began her career with Umatilla Electric Company. She had three sons. She was a charter member of Altrusa International of Hermiston, a 4H leader, a Cub Scout den mother and active in Home Extension and PTA. She continued her career at Umatilla Electric, starting as a cashier and spending … Read more

Biography of John H. O’Bryant

JOHN H. O’BRYANT. – We esteem it a privilege to be permitted to chronicle for the history of our county a brief review of the substantial and prominent citizen, whose name is at the head of this article, and who has wrought in the pioneer’s life so well and faithfully for the opening of this and adjacent counties and for their development and advancement for over one-third of a century, while his life of constant adherence to right and the principles of truth and uprightness, together with manifestation of sagacity and sound judgment, has placed him in a most enviable … Read more

Biography of Hon. Charles P. Cooke

HON. CHARLES P. COOKE – The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Erie county, Ohio, in 1824. His early life was spent in his native place. In 1846 he went as a volunteer to the Mexican war, and served as second lieutenant in the first regiment of Ohio Volunteers. He was in the army a full year, and participated in the engagements at Monterey, Buena Vista and other bloody battles of that war. He then returned home, but in the spring of 1849 left for the Pacific coast, crossing the plains with ox-teams … Read more

Johnson, Carol “Jean” Berry Mrs. – Obituary

Carol “Jean” Johnson, 66, of Dallas, Ore., died on Dec. 10, 2006, in a Salem Hospital. Her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Dallas. Private interment will be at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. She was born on Dec. 11, 1939, at Prineville, the daughter of Wayne and Florence Rickman Berry. Jean attended Park Rose Elementary in Portland and graduated from Crook County High School at Prineville in 1957. She then attended and graduated from Oregon State University at Corvallis with bachelor’s degrees in education and home economics. Jean came to Dallas in 1967. … Read more

Cooke, George B. – Obituary

The list of early day pioneers in this valley was thinned still more by the death Sunday evening of George B. Cooke, one of the most widely known of early valley settlers [died June 6, 1926]. He had been suffering for the past three or four years from heart trouble and since last fall his life has been a question of time. Doctors had repeatedly given up hopes for his life from week to week but the same indomitable spirit that helped him wrest prosperity from the raw lands of this valley seemed to prolong his life and he fought … Read more

Biography of George Bartholomew Cook

George Bartholomew Cook, who has been engaged in the operation of the ranch on which he now resides in the Wallowa valley for nearly thirty years, is one of the well known pioneers in the vicinity of Lostine. He was born in Polk County, Oregon, on the 27th of February 1862, and is the son of Thomas L. and Harriet (Jacobs) Cook. The parents came to the Willamette valley in 1854 and there the father engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1879 when together with his family he removed to Wallowa County. Here he passed away the same year, but the … Read more

Biography of Van B. Delashmutt

Delashmutt, Van B., the present Mayor of Portland, was born in Burlington, Iowa, July 27, 1842. Ten years later the family came to the infant territory of Oregon, and settled on a farm in Polk county, in the Willamette Valley. The monotonous life of a farmer’s boy illy suited the naturally adventuresome disposition of young DeLashmutt, and at the age of fifteen he went to Salem, where he secured employment in the office of the Salem Statesman, as an apprentice to learn the printers’ trade. With characteristic earnestness and energy the apprentice served three years, and at the end of … Read more

Biography of William A. Baker

The commercial interests of Moscow are well represented by William Alexander Baker, a leading and enterprising merchant, whose well directed efforts, sound judgment and reliable dealing are bringing to him a creditable and satisfactory success. For twelve years he has carried on operations in Moscow, where he deals in both new and second-hand goods. He is a native of Virginia, born in Augusta County, July 13, 1855, of Scotch-Irish descent. His grandfather, Guinn Baker, was the founder of the family in the Old Dominion, and was an industrious and respected farmer and a valued member of the Methodist church. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hon. Melancthon Z. Goodell

HON. MELANCTHON Z. GOODELL. – The family of which this pioneer is a member has ever been prominent and influential in the Pacific Northwest since its arrival hither. Jothan W. Goodell, the father was a pioneer of Ohio; and it was at Vermilion that Melancthon was born in 1837. In 1850 the family crossed the plains, the eight children being deemed no serious hindrance. A stop-over was made at Salt Lake one winter; and it has been thought that they missed but little a great calamity from Mormon treachery. Reaching Portland in 1851, they made their first home in Polk … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Raleigh E. Rochester

The subject of this sketch is a native of the occident, and beneath its stars he has labored and gained the success that is now his to enjoy, while he is now one of the prosperous and substantial agriculturists and stockmen of Wallowa county, and has made for himself a name and place in the midst of the progressive and intelligent population of our county. Raleigh E. was born in the Willamette valley, at Salem, on July 11, 1955, being the so of James and Deliah L.E. (Warren) Rochester. Of his boyhood days, but little is noted, but we are … Read more

Kisaberth, Althea Eleanor Lee – Obituary

Funeral for Althea Kisaberth who died Tuesday [January 23, 1979] in a Portland nursing home, will be at 3 p.m. Sunday in Pleasant Valley Community Baptist Church. She was 95. Mrs. Kisaberth was born in Dallas, Ore. She was a founder and past president of the Creston PTA. She was associated with the Centenary Wilbur Methodist Church and the Portland YWCA. She is survived by her sons, Vernon of Santa Rosa, Calif. and Lee of Portland. The family suggests remembrances be contributions to the building fund at Pleasant Valley Community Baptist Church. [Interment Lincoln Memorial Park] Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Biography of Col. Cornelius Gilliam

COL. CORNELIUS GILLIAM. – Colonel Gilliam was a native of North Carolina, and was born in 1798. But his recollection of that state in after years was like a dream; for when but a youth he accompanied his parents to Missouri, where he lived for many years. August 31, 1820, he married Miss Mary Crawford of that state. Ten years later he was elected sheriff of Clay county for a term of two years; and at the expiration of that time he joined the Black Hawk war. In 1837 he served as captain of the company which fought all through … 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