Indian Wars

Biography of Samuel M. McCurdy, M.D.

SAMUEL M. McCURDY, M.D. – This venerable deceased pioneer of the Lower Sound, whose name will ever be held in honorable regard by the people of this coast, was born near Londonderry, Ireland, in 1805. In his youth and early manhood he was favored with the best of educational advantages, and before crossing the water to America held the degree of M.D. from Trinity College, Dublin. In 1836 he had reached St. Andrews, New Brunswick, and was engaged in the practice of his profession. In 1849 he sought to begin life anew in the Golden state, and in the spring … Read more

Biography of Hon. Robert C. Hill

HON. ROBERT C. HILL. – Mr. Hill, one of the most responsible men of Washington, and a pioneer of an early day, was born in Hatboro, Pennsylvania, September 14, 1829, the son of Doctor John Hill, his mother’s maiden name having been Eliza L. Davis. At the age of seven he moved with his parents to Philadelphia, and received his education at the excellent grammar and high schools of that city. He entered upon a business career as clerk in a wholesale dry-goods store in the city, and followed that occupation four years. In 1848 he removed with his parents … Read more

Biography of A. B. Rabbeson

A.B. RABBESON. – Mr. Rabbeson, who observes that “he was born of rich but honest parents” at New York in 1824, was devoted from his youth to the most interesting and desperate adventures. Nevertheless, he was always delivered from his perils just at the right time, and lives to-day in hale age at Olympia. His boyish adventures began not many years after the death of his father in 1833. His step-father he did not like, and consequently left home. We find him out in Canada, soon at New York City with his grandparents and attending school, but within a few … Read more

Biography of Dr. Martin Payne

DR. MARTIN PAYNE. – This Oregon-made man of worth and note was born September 14, 1838, in Crawford county, Arkansas, and is the son of Clayburne and Miriam Somner Payne. On April 17, 1843, the family set out for Oregon, joining the emigration of that year under Applegate and Burnett, and with the guidance of Doctor Whitman. On the Rocky Mountains the father died; and the mother was compelled to care for her little family by herself the rest of the journey. She secured kind assistance from her companions; and particularly was Doctor Whitman careful to see that she was … Read more

Biography of Hon. Thomas Patton

HON. THOMAS PATTON. – There is scarcely a man in Oregon, who enjoys a greater measure of esteem, both in his own community and abroad, than the gentleman whose name heads this memoir. With the usual substantial and popular qualities of the pioneers, he has a touch of dash and a breadth of view which lift him somewhat above the horizon of even the first business men and thinkers of the Pacific Northwest. He is prominent among those who have given the tone and pose to the peculiarly refined and genial society of the Capital city. He was born in … Read more

Biography of J. J. H. Van Bokkelen

J.J.H. VAN BOKKELEN. – We constantly find among those that are here present lives of such incident and fullness, that any sketch must be so meager as to be well-nigh worthless. The active career of Mr. Von Bokkelen, covering more than half a century, is one of them. He inherits his name and much of his rugged mentality from an old Holland family on his father’s side, which at the time of the entrance of the French and flight of the King came to New York. There the grandfather became one of the first physicians, settling in the old Bowery, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Frank Mitchell

FRANK MITCHELL. – This gentleman is a brother of Mr. Matthew Mitchell, mentioned elsewhere. Born in Missouri in 1839, he was one of the ten children who crossed the plains with the parents and made their home in the lovely Looking Glass valley, Douglas county. Removing with his father in 1863 to The Cove, he assisted him in keeping the ferry, and later, the toll-bridge on the Ruckle road. The young man brought a few head of cattle of his own, and by good management soon had a fine herd. In1869 he drove three hundred animals to Nevada, and in … Read more

Biography of Capt. Enoch W. Pike

CAPT. ENOCH W. PIKE. – As a rule, the settlers of the Northwest have not passed through very much actual suffering in subduing the country; but their experiences have sometimes been severe, as is illustrated in the career of the subject of this sketch. Captain Pike is a native of Maine, and was born in 1842. Removing while a boy to Winona, Minnesota, he was led by the call for soldiers during the war to enlist in Company K. Ninth Regiment Minnesota Infantry Volunteers. His regiment was detached to subdue the Sioux, who were then at war with the settlers; … Read more

Biography of A. P. Woodward

A.P. WOODWARD. – Those who had the sharp work of quieting the Indians, and of defending the homes and families of the Whites in 1855-56, did not at that time suppose that their work would ever be of historic interest. But the time is coming when every name of the veterans will be inscribed as with letters of gold upon the records of the state. One of these veterans is Mr. Woodward. He was born in Muskingum, Ohio, and, after the manner of many Westerners, spent his early days in gradually passing westward, moving by slow stages through Illinois and … Read more

Biography of Thomas A. Wood

THOMAS A. WOOD. – It is gratifying to observe that to a large extent those who first lived in Portland, Oregon, and took the rough blows and made the numerous shifts of the early days, have kept their position in the ranks, and as Portland has grown have become her men of wealth. Ladd, Reed, Corbett, Failing, Lewis and about a hundred others illustrate this fact, and so also does our subject Mr. wood. One so much a real-estate speculator as he should be the son of a speculator; and such we find to be the case. His father, William … Read more

Biography of Hon. Amos F. Tullis

HON. AMOS F. TULLIS. – Amos F. Tullis was born January 6, 1830, at Carthage, Rush county, Indiana. Both of his parents were natives of Ohio, and, having migrated to Indiana, followed farming. At the age of five years his mother died; and five years later his father followed her to the great silent majority, leaving a family of four sons and two daughters, of whom Amos was the fourth child. He lived on the farm of his parents until 1846, when he accompanied an older sister with her husband to Iowa. He resided at Mount Pleasant, Burlington and Ottumwa … Read more

Biography of Hon. Levant F. Thompson

HON. LEVANT F. THOMPSON. – There are but few lives of the pioneer settlers of the many communities upon the Pacific slope which illustrate in a greater degree than does that of the subject of this sketch the varied experiences of those who lay the bases of future commonwealths; the motives under-lying action; the vicissitudes which mold and alter resolution; and the patient waiting for the reward of following sagacious and far-seeing judgment in the adoption of location. Here is a man who was comparatively denied the education of the schools; who has assimilated practical knowledge as he struggles with … Read more

Biography of John M. Thomas

JOHN M. THOMAS. – Mr. Thomas was born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, July 8, 1829, and is the youngest son of a family of seven children. When he was four years old his parents moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where his father died a year later. In 1844 he went to an older brother in Kentucky, where he remained for five years, and in October, 1849, returned to Indianapolis. On March 30,1852, he went to St. Louis, and one month later to St. Joseph, and there joined a friend from Indianapolis; and together they started with ox-teams for Oregon. At Fort … Read more

Biography of Henry W. Beecher

The list of the real pioneers of Wallowa County would be sadly incomplete, as also the enumeration of the leading citizens of today, were there failure to add that of the worthy gentleman, and capable and patriotic citizen, whose name is at the head of this article and who is one of the prominent agriculturists of our county having wrought here since the earliest settlements and in addition to this, he is one of the immortal number who stepped to the front ranks when the call came from Columbia to her sons for strong arms to defend her honor. Mr. … Read more