Biography of Joseph K. Gill

Joseph K. Gill, one of Portland’s well known business men, was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1841, and is the eldest of eleven children of Mark and Amelia Gill. In 1854 he accompanied his parents to America, locating in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he attended the city schools until he had reached the age of eighteen, when he entered Worcester Academy, continuing at this institution but spending most of his time at work to assist in the support of the family, until he had attained his majority. He then entered Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, a preparatory school, with the idea of … Read more

Biography of Francis Fletcher

FRANCIS FLETCHER. – Mr. Fletcher was among the very earliest of the settlers of Oregon, being here two years before the establishment of the Provisional government, and has consequently seen the great development of this state and coast form its earliest inception; and he has himself been one of the most active to induce the progress of the last fifty years. He was born in Yorkshire, England, March 1, 1814, and, at the age of fourteen years, crossed the water to Ontario, Canada, and afterwards to Peoria, Illinois. In 1839, in company with Amos Cook and others, he started for … Read more

Biography of Benjamin Brown

BENJAMIN BROWN. – Mr. Brown was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1831, and remained at his native place until 1857, receiving a common-school education. In this year he emigrated to American and settled in Michigan, remaining until March, 1858, when he came to California by way of New York and the Isthmus. From San Francisco he found his way to the Siskiyou mines, and operated until July of 1868, and thence came to the Frazer river mines. In the autumn of that year, he brought his journeyings to a close at Steilacoom, where he remained a year. Being favorably impressed … Read more

Biography of William Morfitt

To this worthy veteran of many a struggle with the savages on the frontier, as well as in many of the battles of life in the wild country, being a pioneer of the state of Oregon, and having led a life of activity in the forefront of the progress of civilization, having done well his part in all this good work, we are pleased to grant a consideration in this volume of Malheur County’s history, both because of this prominent part that he has taken in the County and in its leading industries and developments, as well as for his … Read more

Biography of James Hutchinson

Many theories have been advanced as to the best method of winning success, but the only safe, sure way to gain it is by close application, perseverance and careful consideration of the business problems that are continually arising. Investigation will show that the majority of men who have started out in life with little or no capital and have won a competency if not wealth, have to attribute their prosperity to just such causes, and it is those elements which have made Mr. Hutchinson one of the leading business men of his state. He is now superintendent of the Trade … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Stubbs

George S. Stubbs, member of one of the largest lumber firms in the state of New York, is an energetic and enterprising man of business, ready to adopt all progressive methods and improvements which have proved their practicability. He is of English descent. (I) William Stubbs, the first of this family to come to America, was born in Yorkshire, England, 1798, and died in New York state, 1858. He emigrated to this country in 1824, settled at first in Oneida county, New York, then migrated to Ontario county in the same state, and there made farming his life work. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Bottoms

John Bottoms was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1812, and came to America in 1840; he landed at New Orleans, and from there went to Nauvoo, Illinois, where he was a member of the Mormon Church. He remained there until 1845, when he went to Cincinnati and worked in a bucket factory for about three years. In 1848 he went to Council Bluffs and remained there until 1852. He then went to Salt Lake City and remained there until 1858, when he came to California. During this time he had had prolonged trouble with the Mormons and concluded to stand … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Fred Baldwin

Baldwin, Fred; born, Yorkshire, England, Feb. 11, 1882; son of Robert and Martha Baldwin; educated in England; married, Columbus, O., Aug. 1910, Margaret May Talbot; resident of Cleveland for 5 years.

Biography of Franklin S. Bramwell

FRANKLIN S. BRAMWELL. – To the esteemed gentleman, whose life’s career it is now our privilege to give in brief review, we grant a representation in these chronicles of our county, since he is at the head of one of large industries of the county, and also because of the prominent place that he holds in the manipulation of the affairs of the strong church of the Latter Day Saints in this section. He is assistant manager of the Oregon Sugar Company of Lagrande, but is far more widely known as bishop of his church and lately in the more … Read more

Descendants of Mark Lothrop of Bridgewater MA

The Lothrop family, of which the late Frederick Lothrop Ames was a descendant on his mother’s side, is an old family of Massachusetts. The name Lowthrop, Lothrop or Lathrop is derived from Lowthrope, a small parish in the wapentake of Dickering, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, four and a half miles northeast from Great Driffield, and a perpetual curacy in the archdeaconry of York. The church there was an ancient institution, said to have been built about the time of Edward III., although there has been no institution to it since 1579.

Biography of John Harris

John Harris, immigrant ancestor, was of Scotch-Irish descent, it is said, but was born in Yorkshire, England. He came to this country as early as 1682 and engaged in trade with the Indians at the suggestion of his friend, Edward Shippen. In January, 1705, he received a license from the colonial government allowing him to locate on the Susquehanna river and erect such buildings as are necessary for his trade and to enclose such quantities of land as he shall think fit. During one of his expeditions as a licensed Indian trader he beheld the beauties and advantages of Paxtang. … Read more

Biography of Edmund Buckley

The pioneer in the woolen industry in Idaho is Edmund Buckley, an enterprising and progressive business, man who is now carrying on operations in the line of woolen manufactures near the town of Franklin. A native of Yorkshire, England, he was born April 25, 1839, of English parentage, and was educated in the land of his birth, where he remained until 1863, when he sailed for America, Utah being his destination. In 1856 he had been converted to the faith of the Latter Day Saints, and taking passage on the Atlantic, a sailing vessel, he arrived at New York after … Read more

Biography of John S. Rhodes

John S. Rhodes. Thousands of people who possess only a passing knowledge of Topeka, including the whereabouts of the State House and a few other important institutions, have a very definite acquaintance with a certain store on Kansas Avenue, the proprietor of which is John S. Rhodes. Mr. Rhodes has been a resident of Topeka for thirty-six years. It is in no wise detrimental to his dignity to say that he has a “junk” shop. One visiting his establishment is reminded of the “old curiosity shop” of Dickens. His shop contains literally thousands of dollars worth of goods consisting of … Read more