Washington

Biographical Sketch of Edward K. Matlock

EDWARD K. MATLOCK. – This young gentleman, a leading druggist of Mount Vernon, Washington, was born in Ohio in 1858. His father was a Methodist minister. The son traveled with him extensively; but at the age of eighteen, beginning to do for himself, he went South and found employment at a sugar refinery at Bellevue, Louisiana, and there, and at another sugar town, spent four years. The Southern climate, however, becoming disagreeable, he determined to try the famous atmosphere of Washington Territory. Coming as far as San Francisco on his way, he stopped at the metropolis of our coast a … Read more

Biography of John Marshall McCall

JOHN MARSHALL McCALL. – Among the substantial and favorably known residents of Southern Oregon, none have occupied a more useful place in the upbuilding of the state since the days of its infancy than the gentleman whose name is the heading of this brief memoir. His is one of those aggressive, go ahead dispositions that is an example of that time-honored adage, that “God helps those who help themselves;” and his whole life has bristled with instances of this belief. A man of strong convictions and honest prejudices, scorning hypocrisy in all things and in his dealings with friend, foe … Read more

Biography of J. W. McCarty

J.W. McCARTY. – Mr. McCarty, whose phenomenal success as a hop-grower in the Puyallup valley is well known, was born in La Porte county, Indiana, in 1833, and lived with his parents until 1852. As a young man of ambition and sterling qualities, he, in that year crossed the plains to Oregon in company with George Belshaw, now of Lane county, Oregon, and his two brothers. With his brothers he went to Puget Sound in October, 1853, assisting himself to the beginnings of a fortune by working in logging camps and in the sawmills. In 1854 he secured the claim … Read more

Biography of Gen. Morton Mathew McCarver

GEN. MORTON MATHEW McCARVER. THE FOUNDER OF BURLINGTON, IOWA, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA AND TACOMA, WASHINGTON,- General McCarver was born near Lexington Kentucky, January 14, 1807. Of an independent, roving spirit, determination, courage and enterprise that knew no bounds, he quit his home at the age of eighteen years and went to Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, and not finding anything congenial to his tastes returned and settled in 1830 at Galena, Illinois, where he was married to a Miss Mary Ann Jennings. He served in the Black Hawk war, and after the surrender of the great chief of the Sacs and Foxes, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Alexander C. McClelland

ALEXANDER C. McCLELLAND. – The present registrar of the United States land-office at La Grande, Oregon, is a native of Indiana, having been born there in 1842. He received his education at the Berlin High School, Wisconsin, and in 1863 came west to Montana as a gold-seeker. He found the employment of his intellectual acquisition more profitable, however, and for a number of years engaged in school-teaching and educational work in the Willamette valley. In 1867 we find him in the mines at Baker City, looking after “lodes” and “leads,” and also in 1870 engaged in the stock business with … Read more

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

Biographical Sketch of James McCurdy

JAMES McCURDY. – This gentleman, who worthily bears the name of his honored father, Doctor Samuel M. McCurdy, was born at St. Andrews, New Brunswick, in 1840. He was early sent to school, and spent his time to advantage until as a lade of fourteen he began the work of his own maintenance, finding a suitable position in the general merchandise store of Vose & Joyce at Robbinston, Maine. Four years later he engaged as clerk at New York. In 1859, however, he determined to join his father upon the Pacific coast, and reached Port Townsend, Washington Territory, in September … Read more

Biography of Rev. John McCarty, D. D.

REV. JOHN McCARTY, D.D. – The Reverend John McCarty, D.D., reached the Pacific coast first in January, 1853, as chaplain of Fort Vancouver. For a time he also had charge of Trinity church, Portland. It was with great difficulty, oftentimes, that he met his appointments at Trinity. There were no easy and frequent communications between the two places then; and he generally walked from Vancouver to Portland. This was no easy matter when the Columbia river was swollen and had overflown the lowlands. It is related of him that he did more than once, when he found the water too … Read more

Biography of Napolean McGilvery

NAPOLEON McGILVERY. – The life of this pioneer is full of interest, and embraces many of the most interesting occurrences on the coast, particularly the campaign of Frémont’s little band, which secured California to the union. Mr. McGilvery was born in the Lake of the Woods, Upper Canada, at the Hudson’s Bay post, his father being for many years an officer in that company. In 1839 he came to Vancouver with a considerable party, and was occupied in the service of the company until 1844, when he left the British and became his own American master on Howell’s Prairie. In … Read more

Biography of Hon. John McGlynn

HON. JOHN McGLYNN. – This influential resident and proprietor of the well-known hotel that bears his name in La Conner, Washington, and whose portrait appears in this history, is a man fitted by nature with qualities that insure success, and which are held in especial esteem among men. With manners suave, a disposition to accommodate, and generous promptings towards his fellows, he greets the stranger, the customer of the friend in a manner indicating the kindness of his own feelings, and which seldom fails to leave with the recipient a desire to do a favor. This is a happy faculty … Read more

Biography of Dr. W. C. McKay

DR. W.C. McKAY. – One by one the pioneers who braved the wilderness and its dangers, in order that their posterity might enjoy the fruits of their hazardous conquests of the domain of the savage are passing away. As the poet sang of the valorous knights of the days of chivalry, “Their souls are with the saints, we trust,” so, at no distant day, will the same be sung o’er the graves of the last of the pioneers. So, while yet alive, let us honor them as they deserve to be honored; and when dead let their deeds be recorded … 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 Hon. William Lair Hill

HON. WILLIAM LAIR HILL. – The distinguished lawyer, author, versatile writer and thorough student whose name introduces this sketch was asked to furnish such data as might contribute in its production; and he diffidently and reluctantly responded. Among other hastily prepared notes, he answered: “Have lived an honest a life as my environments seemed to allow, mainly for the reason that, according to my hereditary creed, one who is not at least indifferently honest, cannot be very happy. In all my laborious life the one single fact in which I have the slightest pride is that, like Jim Bludsoe, I … Read more

Peterson, Betty Lou Styles Mrs. – Obituary

Betty Lou Peterson, 66, of Walla Walla, Wash., a former Baker City resident, died March 11, 2002, at the Life Care Center in Kennewick, Wash. Her graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Mount Hope Cemetery in College Place, Wash. Pastor Boyd Olson will officiate. Visitations will be until 8 o’clock tonight and from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Friday at the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home at Walla Walla. Betty was born on March 10, 1936, at Greer, S.C., to James E. and Alice M. Middleton Styles. She attended schools in South Carolina. She moved to Baker City … Read more

Moser, Gary Eldon – Obituary

Gary Eldon Moser, 62, of Bellevue, Wash., and a former Baker City resident, died Dec. 15, 2001, of complications from pneumonia. A family celebration of his life was held in Bellevue on Dec. 22, and an additional memorial service will be held for the Baker City relatives and friends in spring 2002. Gary was born Dec. 22, 1938, in Baker City to Gladys Fern Morin Moser and Alvin Francis Moser. He graduated from Baker High School in 1957, and received both bachelors and masters degrees in education from Eastern Oregon University in La Grande. He married his soul mate, Chari … Read more

Biography of J. C. MacCrimmon

J.C. MacCRIMMON. – The rugged character of the Scotchmen has impressed itself everywhere upon our country. In the gentleman named above we find a native of the famous Isle of Skye, where he was born in 1848. He lived upon his native health, or cliff, only until 1851, and as a child was educated at Glasgow. There he remained, going to school until he was a lad of thirteen, and at that tender age went to seek his fortune on the shores of California, coming via Rio de Janeiro. The tediousness of the trip to San Francisco was relieved by … Read more

Biography of William Ranck

WILLIAM RANCK. – This representative citizen of Clarke county was born at East Waterford, Pennsylvania, in 1829. At the age of five years his parents moved to Huntington county in the same state, one and one-half miles from Shade Gap postoffice, where he received the common-school education of that early time which consisted chiefly of the “three R’s.” At the age of seventeen he went to Shirleysburg to learn the trade of a wagon and carriage maker. After some years of employment at Germantown, and at other points in Pennsylvania and Virginia, on the 1st day of April, 1852,he left … Read more

Stuart, Dorothy Arlie Coombes Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Dorothy Arlie Stuart, 87, a former longtime resident of Baker City and Richland, died Feb. 9, 2002, at her home in Omak, Wash. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Richland Christian Church. Pastor Gordon Bond of the church will officiate. Vault interment will be in the Eagle Valley Cemetery at Richland. Visitations will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at Gray’s West & Co., 1500 Dewey Ave. Dorothy was born on Feb. 11, 1914, at Ephrata, Wash., to Harvey and Martha Pruitt Coombes. She spent her younger years at Republic, Wash., … Read more

Barton, Howard A. – Obituary

Howard A. Barton, 82, of Baker City and a former longtime Halfway resident, died Oct. 28, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Leonard Hill of Halfway will officiate. Private vault interment will be at the Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Visitations will be for family only. Mr. Barton was born on Oct. 23, 1919, at Copperfield. He was the son of Fay W. and Grace Stewart Barton. He attended schools in Baker County and graduated from Pine Valley High School at Halfway. He attended … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph Mallett

JOSEPH MALLETT. – The proprietor of the Penobscot Hotel, in Snohomish, Washington, indicates the place of his birth in the name of his house, Penobscot county, Maine, is his native place; and the year of his birth was 1855. At the age of twenty he came to the Pacific coast with a brother, and after a short stay in California continued the journey to the Sound, locating first in Tacoma, and after a few months finding employment at Port Gamble. At Snohomish he began by logging, and increased his means by clerking for Mr. Cathcart. Returning to the logging business … Read more