Oregon Republican League: History 104 Biographies

Oregon Republican League: History 104 Biographies

Every Wednesday, the Oregon Republican League will post the biographies of important figures, in the League's/State of Oregon's history. Feel free to comment or share stories of your family's Republican affiliation.

From the The Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume II published by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago, 1912.

William T. Pattison: Eugene Gardener and Orchardist

William T. Pattison has been successfully engaged in gardening and fruit raising on his ranch located two miles east of Eugene, Oregon, for the past twenty-seven years. He was born in Lane county on the 1st of June, 1860, and is a son of Robert and Isabel (Eakin) Pattison, the father a native of Illinois and the mother of Ireland. Robert Pattison passed the first eighteen years of his life in his native state, whence he crossed the plains to Oregon in an emigrant train with his parents in 1849. They located at Oregon City, but later removed to Puget Sound, residing there for some years. Returning to Oregon, in 1859 Robert Pattison and Miss Eakin were married at Camp creek and there settled. Robert Pattison devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits during the remainder of his life meeting with such lucrative returns that he acquired four hundred and twenty acres of highly improved land three miles from Eugene. This he devoted to general farming in connection with which he also engaged in dairying. He passed away in January, 1908, and the mother in February, 1910. They were the parents of five children, as follows; John, who is living on the old homestead; Maggie, the wife of Mark Flemming of Eugene; and Belle, who is living in Eugene.

William T. Pattison was reared on the ranch where he was born and obtained his education in the common schools. While engaging in the mastery of the common branches of English learning he was becoming familiar with the duties of an agriculturist by assisting his father with his work of the fields and care of the stock. After leaving school he gave his entire time and attention to the operation of the home ranch until he was twenty-five. He then left the parental roof and began farming for himself. In 1885, together with his brother he purchased one hundred acres of land that they cultivated in cooperation for two years. The brother having died, at the end of that time the land came into the possession of Mr. Pattison, who has ever since resided there. His home ranch now contains seventy-five acres, all improved and in a high state of productivity. Here he engages in gardening and fruit-raising and in dairying on a smaller scale. He has directed his undertakings in a highly intelligent and capable manner and has prospered accordingly, and in addition to his fine home ranch owns twenty-two acres adjacent thereto that is likewise devoted to gardening and fruit growing.

In 1895, Mr. Pattison was united in marriage to Miss Alice Campbell, who was born in Union county, Oregon, on October 28, 1866, and is a daughter of James and Mary Jane Campbell. The father was a native of Ireland and the mother of Ohio. They were married in the Buckeye state and there passed the first five years of their domestic life. In 1858, they came to Oregon by way of the isthmus, first locating near Monroe, Benton county. Later they disposed of their ranch there and went to Union county and bought land, that the father cultivated for five years. At the end of that period they returned to Benton county and two years later they purchased five hundred and forty acres of land in Lane county, sixteen miles northeast of Eugene. Here they made thereafter their home, the father devoting his energies to general farming, hop-growing and stock-raising for thirty-nine years, with gratifying success. The parents are now both deceased, the mother having passed away in 1907 and the father in April, 1910. Their family numbered eleven children, seven of whom are still living. In order of birth they are as follows: Sarah E. and Luther, who are deceased; George, who lives in the state of Washington; Coyle, who is a resident of Spokane, Washington; Laura, the wife of Charles Brattain of Camp creek, Oregon; Oscar, who is living in Eugene; Mary, the wife of Mathew Male, of Springfield, Oregon; Mrs. Pattison; James, who is deceased; Clara, who married Richard Male residing in the vicinity of Eugene; and Frank, who is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Pattison have four children: Florence, who was born on the 1st of November, 1896, and is a high-school student at Eugene; Edna, whose birth occurred in 1898, also attending school; Melville, born on the 25th of April, 1899, a student of the public schools; and Frank, born February 2, 1902.

The family attend the services of the Presbyterian church in which the parents hold membership, and fraternally Mr. Pattison is identified with the Woodmen of the World, belonging to the camp at Eugene. He votes the republican ticket, but has never held an official position. He is a very diligent and enterprising man, as is manifested by the well kept appearance of his ranch, and exercises good judgment and much sagacity in the direction of his energies. His entire life has been passed in the vicinity of his present residence, where he has many friends of long years standing.

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From the The Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume II published by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago, 1912.

James A. Ebbert: Springfield Pioneer Rancher

Through his judicious speculations in real estate and the capable direction of his agricultural pursuits, James A. Ebbert, who lives retired on his ranch three and a half miles east of Springfield, is known as one of the most prosperous pioneer ranchmen in this portion of Lane county. He was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, on March 25, 1831, and is a son of James and Eliza (De Vecmon) Ebbert. The father was a native of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and the mother of Cumberland, Maryland, but they were married in Fayette county and made that their home until 1851. In the latter year they removed to Van Buren county, Iowa, where the father bought some land that he cultivated until the mother's death in 1866. He subsequently disposed of his farm and went to Birmingham, Iowa, and lived retired until his death in 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Ebbert were the parents of a large family, some of whom died in Pennsylvania and others in Iowa, our subject being the eldest of the six who are living. The others in order of birth are as follows: George, a resident of Monmouth, Oregon; William, of Condon, Oregon; Harrison, who served for three years in the Civil war and is now living in Salem, Oregon; Ingabe, the wife of Joseph Keck, of Seattle, Washington; and Harriet, who married A. H. Morris, of Van Buren county, Iowa.

At the age of sixteen years James A. Ebbert left the parental roof and began earning his own living. He accompanied his brother to Iowa in 1851, and upon his arrival there rented some land that he cultivated for a year. At the end of that time he continued his journey westward to Oregon, having been eighty days in crossing the prairies with an ox team. He first located near Hillsboro in Washington county but subsequently went to the Rogue River country and prospected in the gold mines for eighty days. He returned to Portland in 1852 and the next year he came to Lane county and took up a donation claim near Springfield. He energetically applied himself to the cultivation of this for four years selling it in 1859 for one thousand dollars. This he immediately invested in one hundred sixty acres of land which formed the nucleus of his present ranch, and continued his agricultural pursuits. In the direction of his activities he has met with good success and has extended his property holdings until he now owns five thousand acres of rich land in Lane county, Oregon, and Whitman county, Washington, all of it under high cultivation. His home place is well improved and fully equipped with every appliance or machine essential to modern agricultural methods.

On the 15th of December, 1853, Mr. Ebbert was united in marriage to Elizabeth Brattain, who was born in Illinois in 1930, and was a daughter of Paul and Martha Brattain. They removed from Illinois to Iowa, and there the mother passed away in 1846. Six years later the father, with the other members of the family, crossed the plains to Oregon. Mr. Brattain took up a donation claim in the vicinity of Springfield, and continued to reside there until his death in 1883. He was one of the prominent and influential citizens of the pioneer period and assisted in framing the state constitution, and he served in a like capacity in Iowa. Ten children were born of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Brattain, all but three of whom are deceased. Those living are as follows: Amelia, the wife of J. F. Smith, of Jasper, this state; James Cyrus of Springfield, where he resides on the old Brattain donation claim, still owned by the heirs of the family; and William, who lives in Okanogan county, Washington. Mrs. Ebbert passed away on the 29th of July, 1902, her death occurring in Oregon, as did likewise those of the other members of the family.

The political allegiance of Mr. Ebbert is accorded the republican party, but he has never been identified with governmental affairs in an official capacity. His residence in Oregon covers a period of sixty years, fifty-eight of which he has passed in Lane county. During that time he has substantially contributed toward its progress and development along agricultural lines through the capable efficient methods he has adopted in the cultivation of his extensive holdings.