California

Badsky, Ted Alvin – Obituary

Ted Alvin Badsky, 80, of Lemoore entered eternal rest Monday, June 29, 2009, in Lemoore, Calif. Ted was born in Haines, Ore. on May 29, 1929, to Victor and Elizabeth Badsky. He graduated from the last class of the Muddy Creek School. Ted was a Navy fight pilot for 22 years and he spent the remaining of his career as a software engineer. Ted leaves behind his loving wife, Maxine Badsky, five children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A graveside service was held at 10 a.m. Monday, July 6, at the Grangeville Cemetery in Armona. Arrangements were under the direction … Read more

Bishop, Myrtle W. Mrs. – Obituary

Myrtle W. Bishop, 92, was born on Feb. 16, 1917 in St. Augustine, Fla., and passed away peacefully at her home in Laguna Niguel, Calif. on June 6, 2009 after a very short illness. She and her husband, Ernest W. “Red” Bishop, who predeceased her in 1992 after 57 years of marriage, moved to Inglewood, Calif., in 1941. During World War II she was employed as a riveter at North American Aviation. She subsequently worked as a seamstress at Virtue Brothers Mfg. in Inglewood, Calif. In 1964, she and her husband moved to Laguna Niguel as one of its first … Read more

Biographical Sketch of T. S. Coffin

T. S. Coffin, merchant, Oakland; born in Cornville, Somerset Co., Me., Oct. 7, 1832, where he was engaged in farming and attending school in winter until 18 years of age, when, after finishing his academic studies, he engaged in school-teaching for two years, then as clerk in dry goods store four years; he then engaged in the dry goods business for two years, when, in 1858, he went to California, where he resided about nine years, mining and speculating in mines, making and losing several fortunes, but finally was successful, and in the fall of 1867, he spent the winter … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Isaac Vail

Isaac Vail, proprietor of livery, feed and sale stable, Charleston; was born in Dutchess Co., N. Y., Nov. 29, 1833; in 1839, his father removed with his family to Chautauqua Co., N. Y., and after residing there ten years, to Erie Co., Penn., thence the next year to Steuben Co., Ind., and, in 1851, to Coles Co.; his father located 800 acres of Government land in Hickory Tp., four miles north of Charleston, at a cost of $700. Three years later he removed to Livingston Co., where he is a prominent farmer. Mr. Vail left home in 1852, driving an … Read more

Biography of Samuel Van Meter, M. D.

Samuel Van Meter, M. D., physician and surgeon, Charleston; was born in Grayson Co., Ky., Nov. 8, 1824; he is a son of John and Catharine (Keller) Van Meter, the former of whom died in 1827; his mother then removed with her family to Illinois, settling in Coles Co.; he received such education as the common schools in those pioneer days afforded; at the age of 15 years, he was apprenticed to the tanner’s trade, but before completing his apprenticeship he purchased his time of his employer, and was in turn bound to Dr. T. B. Trower, and entered upon … Read more

Biography of Thomas Stoddert

Thomas Stoddert, merchant, farmer and stock-dealer, Charleston; among the early settlers of Coles Co. was the Stoddert family, consisting of the mother, Mrs. Mary Stoddert, and nine children, who came from Grayson Co., Ky., at different times from 1836 to 1838; they are descended from the old Massachusetts family of Stodderts, their grandfather, Benjamin Stoddert, being a Major in the Revolutionary war, and was wounded at the battle of Brandywine; he was afterward the second Secretary of the United States Navy; Gen. Ewell, of the Confederate army in the war of the rebellion, was a cousin; their father, Benjamin Stoddert, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of A. F. Shaw

A. F. Shaw, Police Magistrate, Charleston; is a native of Illinois; he was born in Paris, Edgar Co., Feb. 10, 1824; he is a son of Smith and Elizabeth Shaw; his father was born in North Carolina; was raised in South Carolina, and when a young man, emigrated to Tennessee, and from there to Kentucky; he was one of the pioneers of Missouri, from which State he was several times driven by the Indians; he afterward came to Illinois, long prior to its admission as a State, and finally, in 1822, settled in Paris, where he died about sixteen years … Read more

Biography of John D. Daly

It is with pleasure that we are permitted to write concerning the talented and enterprising business man whose name appears above, since he is one of those men of honor and stability who form the real strength of any community, and since he is numbered as one of the leading business men of the county of Harney, and has here and elsewhere achieved a success which is very gratifying both in the results to him individually and in the general business world of eastern Oregon, where he has operated. Mr. Daly was born in Canyon City, Oregon, on May 13, … Read more

Biography of Charles O. Brown

Charles O. Brown, who has been mentioned in these pages already, was born in New York, and when but a young man came west. He is said to have been a member of the Giant on band which was engaged in gathering scalps of the Indians in Chihuahua, for which they received $150 each. Reference to this band has been previously made. Brown had gone to California when Glanton and his associates were murdered by the Indians at Yuma. It is not certain when he returned to Arizona, probably about the year 1858. He was a saloon man and a … Read more

Biography of L. J. F. Jaeger

The following biographical sketch of L. J. F. Jaeger was furnished me by his son, now living at Tucson: “My father, L. J. F. Jaeger, was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He worked as a mechanic in the Baldwin shops, Philadelphia. Later was appointed mechanic in the arsenal at Washington, D. C. In the latter part of 1848, he took the first sailing vessel out of Philadelphia bound for San Francisco, the ‘Mason. ‘ On reaching San Francisco he worked for a while as a carpenter. At that time the Bay extended to Montgomery Street. He was then employed as … Read more

Biography of Herman Ehrenberg

Herman Ehrenberg, for whom the town of Ehrenberg on the Colorado River is named, was a German by birth. At an early age, he left his native country, and, landing in New York, worked his way down to New Orleans, where he had located when the Texas War of Independence broke out. He enlisted in the New Orleans Grays, and was present at the battle of Goliath and Fanning ‘s defeat, being one of the few who survived the barbarous massacre of prisoners who surrendered at that time to the Mexican authorities. He returned to Germany at the close of the Texas … Read more

Biography of Samuel Hughes

Samuel Hughes, probably the oldest pioneer Arizonan now living, was born in Wales, British Isles, August 28th, 1829. In 1837 his father settled in Pennsylvania, where Mr. Hughes lived up to 1848, when he became a cabin boy on the Mississippi River, which vocation he followed until 1850, at which time he came to California overland from St. Louis. His first mining was done in Hangtown, California. In 1851 he went to Yreka, California. In 1852 he crossed the mountains to Rogue River Valley in Oregon, where he was one of the first to discover Rich Gulch at Jacksonville. In … Read more

Biography of Henry Wickenburg

Henry Wickenburg was a native of Austria, born in that empire in 1820. In 1847 he came to New York. He went to San Francisco in 1853, and came to Arizona in 1862. He remained at Fort Yuma for a time, then went up the river to La Paz. At La Paz, he learned that a party of explorers had left there a few days before* to go through the country to Tucson. Henry took their trail and overtook them at what is now known as Peeples’ Valley, having travelled nearly two hundred miles alone through the Apache country. After … Read more

Biography of King S. Woolsey

Among the most notable of the early pioneers of Arizona, was King S. Woolsey. He was a native of Alabama, but was raised to manhood in Louisiana, from which state he emigrated to California when only eighteen years of age. He came into this territory in 1860 in company with Mr. Benedict of Tucson, and Colonel Jackson, who settled in Yavapai County. When they landed in Yuma, all the money in the party was five dollars, which King Woolsey had. In addition he had a horse, rifle and pistol, and the others were similarly mounted and armed. They had ridden … Read more

Biography of Jackson McCracken

Jackson McCracken, a member of the Walker Party, served in the First Legislative Assembly of Arizona Territory in 1861, as a member of the lower house from Yavapai County. He was born in South Carolina in 1828. After his arrival in the territory with the Walker Party, he spent his time in mining and prospecting. Evidently, he was not very fastidious as to dress or personal appearance, for the following story is told of him: After his election, some of his constituents went to him and told him that he was now a member of the First Legislature of the … Read more

Biography of Charles Trumbull Hayden

Charles Trumbull Hayden, whose name is linked with the early history of Arizona, was born in Windsor, Connecticut, April 4th, 1825. When eighteen years old he taught school in New Jersey, and afterwards near New Albany, Indiana, and in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1848 he loaded a wagon with merchandise, and left Independence, Missouri, for Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he marketed his goods and returned in the fall. He continued in business at Independence for some time, but when the gold excitement began in 1849, he outfitted a train of ox teams, and started over the Santa Fe Trail. … Read more

1884 Hester Roll Index

Há-tchoo-túc-knee, Snapping Turtle, a Half-breed, George Catlin, 1834

An index to the 1884 Hester Roll, compiled by Joseph G. Hester as a record of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in 1882-1883. This roll lists Cherokees residing east of the Mississippi River. Joseph G. Hester, a Special Agent, conducted the enumeration in 1882-1883, and the roll was approved by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs on January 24, 1884. The roll itself provides both the Chapman roll number and the English and Indian names of the individuals.

Biography of James Wilson

A man who has fought his country’s battles in two wars, manifesting in it all a courage never excelled and rarely equaled, constant in all kinds of frontier and seafaring life for many years, a pioneer to this valley and one of the most intrepid and daring men in Wallowa County, facing the bloodthirsty savages in the time of their war here, the subject of this sketch is eminently fitted to appear in honorable mention in any history of the county or of the northwest, and it is with pleasure that we grant him space in our volume. James Wilson … Read more

Biography of George M. Cannon

Any work which purports to give in review the leading points in the career of the prominent citizens of Wallowa County would be open to serious criticism were there failure to incorporate within it an epitome of the life of the esteemed gentlemen whose name heads this article, and who has labored here constantly from the time of the early settlement of the north part of Wallowa County until the present, manifesting, meanwhile, commendable intelligence, activity and energy, together with uprightness and sound principles, which have commended him to the esteem and confidence of his fellows in every respect, and … Read more

Biography of David Diggins

Although the subject of this sketch has not resided in Wallowa County so long as some others, nevertheless, he is one of the earliest pioneers of this section, having braved the dangers and suffered the hardships and deprivations in the fifties to assist in opening this country for the advent of civilization’s march. Mr. Diggins has lived the life of a typical frontiersman and pioneer, and to him and his companions is due the honor and distinction of discovering the leading placer mines of this northwest country, which in fact rivaled any on the Pacific coast, and during these long … Read more