Allen, Joan Martha Mrs. – Obituary

Joan Martha Allen, 73, of Portland, a former longtime Baker City resident, died May 16, 2003, of cancer at her son’s home in Portland. Her funeral was at 3 p.m. today at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Portland. Her graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Mount Hope Cemetery. She was born on June 23, 1929, at Portland. She married Silas Allen in 1971. He died in 1998. She moved to Portland two years ago. She had lived at St. Anthony’s Village assisted living center the first year and then moved to the home of her son, Jim … Read more

Cruzan, Pauline – Obituary

Pauline Cruzan Dies at Portland Word has been received of the passing on Monday, Oct. 10, 1960, of Mrs. Pauline Cruzan, about 49, of Portland, after an illness of several months. Funeral services were yesterday (Wednesday) at 3 p.m. at the Vernon Presbyterian church in Portland and burial was in Sunset Hills Memorial Park. Mrs. Cruzan was the daughter of Boone F. and Maude Childers and had lived in the Lostine area several years. She leaves her husband, James Cruzan, of Portland; a daughter, Mary Warfield; two foster sons, Dan and Michael Bolme, three grandchildren; four sisters: Mrs. Lulu Dimmick, … Read more

Rouse, Mildred M. Pickerell Mrs. – Obituary

Mildred M. Rouse, 83, of Portland, a former Baker City resident, died June 26, 2003, at Portland. Her graveside funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Pastor Gordon Bond of the Richland Christian Church will officiate. Vault interment will be after the service. Mrs. Rouse was born on Dec. 5, 1919, at Boise to Fred and Mae Hiner Pickerell. She was raised at Boise. She married Roy Givart at Mountain Home, Idaho, on Oct. 7, 1942. He preceded her in death. She married Eddie C. Rouse on April 23, 1971, at Winnemucca, Nev. … Read more

Biography of Capt. William Benjamin Wells

CAPT. WILLIAM BENJAMIN WELLS. – This skillful early navigator of the Willamette and the Columbia, and one of the first projectors of the great steamboat and transportation companies of the later time, was born in Ogdensburg, New York, July 18, 1822, and at that port imbibed his love of the water which followed him his whole after life. At the age of twelve he moved with his father to the western district of Upper Canada, remaining in that province until his marriage in 1844 to Miss Mary J. Richardson. The young pair, who were very much devoted to each other, … Read more

Biography of Francis McGuire

FRANCIS McGUIRE. – Under the wheeling shadows of Lone Fir, where green vines clamber over the gently swelling mounds, where beautiful funeral flowers, at each glorious resurrection of the year, breathe sweet memorial incense, and gleaming marble guards the last bivouac of the loved and lost, lie the remains of Francis McGuire. Standing by his grave we have no need to invoke the tender Latin maxim, – De mortuis nil nisi bonum; for when his weary head drooped at last it was by the chosen path of duty. He left no stain on the bright escutcheon of his manhood, – … Read more

Biography of J. C. Moreland

J. C. Moreland was born in the State of Tennessee, June 10, 1844, and is the youngest of nine children of Rev. Jesse and Susan (Robertson) Moreland. His father, a well known and highly respected pioneer of Oregon, was a native of North Carolina, while his grandfather, on the maternal side, fought in the war of the Revolution; and two of his mother’s brothers took part in the war of 1812, the elder of whom rose to the rank of a Brigadier-General under Jackson in the Creek war. In 1848, in view of the baleful influence of slavery, his father … Read more

Cross, Lauretta – Obituary

Lauretta Cross, of Milton-Freewater and a former resident of Wallowa County, died July 9, 2007, at Walla Walla General Hospital in Walla Walla, Wash. She was 85. Mrs. Cross was born June 19,1922, in La Grande to James Everett and Etta Rebecca Berg Rachau. The family resided on Pumpkin Ridge, outside of Elgin. They later moved to Minam, where Mrs. Cross attended school through the second grade. In 1930, the family moved to Onalaska, Wash., where she finished her schooling, graduating from the eighth grade twice. Her father didn’t believe in higher education for women. She married young and had … Read more

Marlette, Andrew Loron – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Andrew “Andy” Loron Marlette, 39, of Baker City and formerly of La Grande, died April 24 in Milwaukee, Wis. A celebration of life will begin at 3 p.m. May 17 at the Baker Elk’s Lodge. Gray’s West and Company is in charge of arrangements La Grande Observer – Obituaries for the day of May 5, 2008 ___________________________________________ Andrew Loron Marlette, 39, of Baker City and formerly of La Grande, died April 24 in Milwaukee, Wis. A memorial and celebration service will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Baker Elks Lodge. Andy was born Oct. 14, 1968, … Read more

History of Portland Oregon Financial Institutions

History of Portland Oregon Financial Institutions: Early Banks – Causes Which Stimulated the Growth of Banking Interests – Financial Condition of Portland Banks – Ladd & Tilton – First National Bank – Bank of British Columbia – Oregon and Washington Mortgage Bank – Portland Savings Bank – London and San Francisco Bank – Merchants’ National Bank – Oregon National Bank – Portland National Bank – Ainsworth National Bank – Commercial National Bank – Northwest Loan and Trust Company – Portland Trust Company – Northwest Fire and Marine Insurance Company – Pacific Fire Insurance Company.

Bilyeu, Virginia Lois Grosse – Obituary

Virginia Lois Bilyeu, a resident of Bend for 17 years, died March 9 at St. Charles Medical Center. She was 71. Visitation will be until 6 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to noon March 15 at Deschutes Memorial Funeral Home. The funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. March 15 in the Deschutes Memorial Mausoleum Chapel with the Rev. Paul Gross of the Nativity Lutheran Church in Bend officiating. Burial will follow at Deschutes Memorial Gardens. Mrs. Bilyeu was born Nov. 29, 1922, in Savana, Wash., to Paul Otto and Ella M. Grosse. She moved with her family to … Read more

Incidents in the Administrations of Justice During Territorial Period

J. K. Kelly was appointed District Attorney for the United States,  and Walter Forward, of Marion County, was appointed Marshal. The first term of this Court was opened at No. 63 Front street, near Stark, on the third floor of the building, in 1859, and for many years the government afforded no better quarters for it, although the place was poorly adapted for its purpose. In 1871 the present government building was completed and the Federal Courts were assigned commodious and convenient quarters. During the years that have followed the organization of this Court, the strong individuality of Judge Deady … Read more

Hecht, Jean – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Jean Hecht, 86, of Wilsonville and formerly of La Grande died April 11. Mrs. Hecht was born April 20, 1920, to Drs. Joseph and Margaret Ingle in La Grande. She graduated from La Grande High School and earned bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Oregon where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority. She earned a pilot’s license and taught high school in Vale and Corvallis. She served in the Navy and was stationed in Lakehurst, N.J., where she married Irwin Hecht. The couple moved to Portland nine years ago to be closer to … Read more

Lee, Eliza Alice Witten – Obituary

Mrs. J. D. Lee, a prominent pioneer of Oregon, died yesterday [June 27, 1913] at the Portland Sanatorium. She had undergone an operation and apparently was recovering when she suffered a sudden relapse and died within a short time. She was born in 1847 in Tennessee and came to Oregon in 1852. Her maiden was Liza A. Witten. In 1872 she was married to J. D. Lee. She was a resident of Portland since 1892. Prior to that time her home was in Dallas and in The Dalles. She is survived by three children-Lyman M. Lee and J. Roscoe Lee, … Read more

Van Hoomissen, Condon J. “Jerry” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Condon J. “Jerry” Van Hoomissen, 76, a longtime Baker City resident, died July 4, 2003, at his home. His graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Hope Cemetery. The Rev. Robert C. Irwin of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral will conduct the service. After the committal, family and friends are invited to the Van Hoomissen home at 320 Foothill Drive to swap stories and visit. Food and drink will be provided, but if you wish to bring a dish to share, please do so, it will be appreciated. Jerry was born on Jan. 24, … Read more

Rumble, E. W. – Obituary

E.W. Rumble Passes Away in Portland Joseph, Wallowa County,Oregon Jay Dobbin was called to Portland Monday by the news of the death of E.W. Rumble, manager of the Columbia Basin Woolgrowers association, of which Mr. Dobbin is president. Mr. Rumble died of heart disease Monday morning while taking vigorous exercise in a gymnasium. The death was entirely unexpected as Mr. Rumble was not aware, as far as known of any heart trouble. He was a large man and vigorous. Mr. Rumble had been a resident of Portland for four years, going from Joseph, where he was born. He was 52 … Read more

Bean, Rufus Eusebeous – Obituary

Rufus E. Bean of Milton, well-known civic and political leader of Umatilla County, died Saturday afternoon [April 5] at a Walla Walla hospital of cerebral thrombosis. Born January 1, 1876 at Virgil City, Mo., he was the youngest of 13 children. After four years of schooling in a one-room school in Michigan, he learned telegraphy at Janesville, Wis., where his teacher was George Parker, fountain pen inventor. He worked as a telegraph operator at Floodwood, Minn., and at Portland. He became and agent for the O.W.R. & N. Company at Milton, and lived in this community for the rest of … Read more

Biography of J. B. Montgomery

This well known citizen, though not among those who came to Portland at the earliest day of the city’s history to lay here the foundations of municipal and commercial greatness, is a prominent and representative man of the reinforcement that came when Portland was just beginning her larger growth; and to this reinforcement much of the credit of the city’s remarkable progress is due. James Boyce Montgomery was born at Montgomery’s Ferry, on the Susquehanna river, in the State of Pennsylvania, twenty-five miles north of Harrisburg, on the 6th of December, 1832. He went to school until he was sixteen … Read more

Carlson, Helen Irene Quinlan Mrs. – Obituary

Helen Irene Quinlan Carlson, 75, a former Baker City resident who had lived in the Portland area for more than 40 years, died June 5, 2002. Her memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 22, at Warner Pacific College, McGuire Auditorium. Helen was born on Sept. 19, 1926, at Lindsay, Calif., the oldest child of Louis Harry and Vera Lorene Quinlan. She was raised in the middle of an orange grove and graduated from Richmond High School in 1944. That same year, she moved to Portland to attend Pacific Bible College, which later became Warner Pacific College. There … Read more

Biography of Charles J. Smith

Charles J. Smith, Manager of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company, was born in Nicholasville, Kentucky, March 13, 1854, and is the son of Charles F. and Z. A. ( Jackson) Smith. His father was a merchant at Nicholasville for several years, but in 1857, removed to Kansas City, Missouri, where he died in 1877. In the latter city, the subject of this sketch was educated in a private school until he reached the age of fourteen, when he entered Blackburn University at Carlinville, Illinois, from which institution he graduated in 1870. After graduation he spent one year as a … Read more

Reese, Harry – Obituary

Cove – Word was received here today of the death in Portland of Harry Reese, 73, former long-time resident of this area. Reese died Tuesday after a short illness. Funeral services will be held in Portland tomorrow. Surviving are: a brother, E. C. Reese, Cove, and daughters Connie Waterston, Portland and Lucille Day, Tacoma. La Grande Observer Wednesday, February 16, 1949 Front Page Contributed by: Tom Childers