Biography of William Wallace Thayer

The typical Western man is popularly conceived as a man of liberal ideas, of generous and hospitable instincts, imbued with a spirit of adventurous enterprise, and withal hardy and courageous. He is not punctilious in minor questions of etiquette or inclined to make much of mere forms and ceremonies. He is a friend to his friends, a man of sterling integrity and of firmness of character developed by habits of self-reliance. Such men are the State builders whose names and deeds are a part of the history of the newer States of the American Commonwealth. Every western community contains individuals … Read more

Inman, Gertrude Turner – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Gertrude Inman, died peacefully on Friday, Oct. 28, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Care Center in Baker City. A graveside service was held at 2 p.m. Wednesday Nov. 2, 2005 at Mount Hope Cemetery in Baker City. Arrangements by Gray’s West and Company in Baker City. A memorial event is being planned at a date in the future. Gertrude was born in Portland, Ore., on Nov. 8, 1908, to Ernest and Mattie Turner, Gertrude. Her mother moved to Baker from Spokane in the early 1920s. With family in Canyon City, she and her mother made frequent … Read more

Biography of Robert M. Divin

This venerable citizen and esteemed gentleman and resident of Vale is one of the substantial men of Malheur County and is well and favorably known throughout the precincts of this region, being a man of stanch integrity, and always manifesting those qualities of worth and merit that redound to the good of all. Mr. Divin was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, on December 17, 1831, being the son of Irbin F. and Hannah Divin. The father died when our subject was two years of age, having removed with the family to Washington County, Arkansas, where the death occurred. There were … Read more

Bay, David – Obituary

La Grande, Union County, Oregon Dies During Evening Burial Tomorrow David Bay, Eastern Oregon pioneer and the father of Harve Bay, of this city, passed away at his home in Portland, last night, according to word received here this morning., Mr Bay had been ill for some time and his three sons and his wife, Mrs May Bay, were with him at the time of death. Funeral services are to be held at the Snodgrass and Zimmerman mortuary tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o’clock and the body will be laid to rest in the Masonic cemetery. The officers of the Masonic … 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

Bean, Ormond Robert – Obituary

Retired Portland City Commissioner Ormond R. Bean, 89, a 31-year servant in city, state and federal governments, died early Friday morning [February 14, 1975] in the Parkview Nursing Home. Death was due to natural causes, said his son, Ormond Bean, Jr. First elected to the Portland City Council in 1932, the elder Bean served from 1933 until 1939 when he was appointed Oregon Public Utility Commissioner. From 1943 until 1946, Mr. Bean was a transportation director in America’s World War II effort, serving in Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Middle East. Returning to Portland, he was elected once more to … Read more

Bryant, Richard M. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Richard M. Bryant, 76, of Baker City died May 31, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Center. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Lennie Spooner of the Baker City Church of the Nazarene will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at the funeral home. Mr. Bryant was born April 14, 1926, at Lebanon, Oregon. He was a son of Cassius and Ella Pittman Bryant. He lived and received his schooling in Lebanon. He entered the U.S. Marine Corps … Read more

Herold, Reao Richard – Obituary

Summerville, Oregon Reao Richard Herold, 91, of Summerville, died Nov. 10 at a local care center. At his request there will be no public services. Those who wish may sign the guest book at www.danielsknopp.com. Reao was born on July 11, 1916, to Thomas and Elsie (Grabley) Herold in Montrose, Colo. During World War II he served with the U.S. Navy. After his honorable discharge he worked in the home construction business in Longview, Wash., and Portland. He loved his work and enjoyed gambling. He moved to Summerville from Lake Oswego four years ago to be near family. Survivors include … Read more

Warnock, Alice Anatoinette Brown Mrs. – Obituary

Alice Antoinette Warnock, 94, died Aug. 16, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Hospital after a brief illness. Private burial was at the Sumpter Cemetery. There will be a memorial celebration of her life at 3 p.m. Sunday at the McEwen Community Church in Sumpter Valley. Pastor Bill Cox will officiate. There will be a beef barbecue at the church for family and friends after the service. Alice was born June 17, 1908, to Herbert and Theresa Nystrom Brown at Portland. She was raised on farms at Woodburn and Mohawk, and graduated from Eugene High School in 1924 at the age of … Read more

Stone, Karl R. – Obituary

Karl Roy Stone, a well-known La Grande businessman and longtime head of the Union County Planning Commission, died Saturday at Grande Ronde Hospital. He was 89. Mr. Stone, of 1703 Cedar St., was born on Sept. 15, 1895, in Sterling, Kan., to Robert and Amalia “Mollie” Birk. He served with the U.S. Army during World War I, and was corporal of the honor guards at the funeral of Buffalo Bill Cody at Pike’s Peak, Colo. He married Genevieve Rogers at Watertown, N.Y., on Aug. 27, 1919. The couple homesteaded near Reedsport in 1920, and Mr. Stone owned and operated the … Read more

Muller, Marilyn Rose – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Marilyn Rose Muller, 74, died of natural causes April 19 at her residence in La Grande. A celebration of life will begin at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the La Grande United Methodist Church. Arrangements are under the direction of Loveland Funeral Chapel. Marilyn was born June 7, 1932, to Roy L. and Ruby V. Skeen in Portland. She attended school in La Grande, graduating from La Grande High School in 1950. She then attended Cottey College in 1956-57 and graduated from what is now Eastern Oregon University in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and … Read more

Biography of Albert H. Tanner

ALBERT H. TANNER. – Albert H. Tanner was born in what was at one time a part of the Oregon Territory; but, when Congress cut the territory in two and made Oregon and Washington Territories, it left him in Washington Territory, with the mighty Columbia between him and his now much-loved Oregon. His birthplace was on what is commonly known as Cape Horn Mountain, some fifty or sixty miles below the Cascades. In a little log cabin, the favorite habitat of the early settler of this Western country, on the 9th of September, 1855, the subject of this sketch first … Read more

Odell, James – Obituary

James Odell, for a number of years a resident of Union, died in Portland, Oregon, Sunday November 14, 1909, age 74 years, 10 months and 22 days. Interment in Portland. Deceased leaves a wife, Mrs. Minnie Odell; a daughter, Mrs. Walter Swackhamer; and a son, James Odell, of his immediate family, to mourn his loss. James Odell had been a sufferer for a number of years and his death was not unexpected. He was a man of considerable means, having been successful in stock-raising in the Rye Valley country. The sympathy of many friends is extended to the family in … 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 Hon. George B. Rogers

Some men achieve success almost instantaneously, some by slow accretion, others only after long and patient working and waiting. The experience of men who are willing to work persistently and intelligently and wait calmly goes to prove that success may surely be attained during an ordinary lifetime, and no man not cut off at an untimely age need work and wait in vain. These reflections have been suggested by a consideration of the career of Hon. George B. Rogers, receiver of the United States land office at Blackfoot, Idaho, who is one of the most prominent and successful citizens of … Read more

Fox, Mannie – Obituary

Sudden Death of Mannie Fox Seized With Acute Indigestion Dies at Home of Sister Mannie Fox, a pioneer of Baker coming here when a mere boy, died suddenly last evening at 4:30 o’clock at the home of his sister, Mrs. Mose Fuchs, 2500 Main street from acute indigestion, the first symptoms being manifest about 2 o’clock and his death when it became known was received with expressions of sorrow throughout the community, for the deceased was a very loveable character, kindly, sympathetic and charitable. Mannie Fox was born in Portland, March 22, 1862, and came to Baker in 1876, entering … Read more

Independent Pacific Ships and Their Owners

In April, 1859, the owners of the steamboats Carrie Ladd, Senorita and Belle, which had been plying between Portland and Cascades, represented by Captain J. C. Ainsworth, agent, the Mountain Buck, by Col. J. C. Ruckel, its agent, the Bradford horse railroad, between the middle and upper Cascades, by its owners, Bradford & Co., who also had a small steamboat plying between the Cascades and The Dalles, entered into a mutual arrangement to form a transportation line between The Dalles and Port-land, under the name and style of Union Transportation Company. There were some other boats running on that route, … Read more

Biography of William Lauer

Since the establishment of Payette William Lauer has been identified with its development and upbuilding, and his labors have been most effective in promoting its welfare. He is the pioneer hardware merchant of the town, and still continues in that line of business, his well directed efforts bringing him success. He is among the worthy citizens that the Fatherland has furnished to the New World, his birth having occurred in Germany on the nth of November 1833. In his youth he crossed the Atlantic to New York with his father, Isaac Lauer, who made his home in the eastern metropolis … Read more

O’Grady, Wanda Roberta Wollam Mrs. – Obituary

Wanda O’Grady, 77, died Feb. 9, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Clifford Cole of Baker City will officiate. Wanda Roberta O’Grady was born on April 15, 1927, at Stockville, Neb., to Elizy and Florence Powell Wollam. Her early years were spent at Stockville. The family then moved to Portland where she was educated and worked for a time in the shipyards as a welder. She married Donald James O’Grady Sr. on Aug. 12, 1960, at Stevenson, Wash. The couple lived at Portland until … Read more

Throop, Harold Pat Lawrence – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Harold Pat Lawrence Throop died May 6, 2007, at the Wallowa Valley Care Center. He was 89. Mr. Throop was born March 17, 1918, in Portland to Herrel R. Throop and Anna Throop Lynch. He grew up on the ranch of his parents, Anna and Charles Lynch. He graduated from high school there in 1936. In 1938 he moved to Cloverdale with his mother and stepfather. Prior to the start of World War II, Mr. Throop studied law at Willamette University. After serving in the U.S. Navy during the war, he returned to Cloverdale, bought his parents’ ranch … Read more