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.

"Pioneer Days in Malheur County" by Jacob Ray Gregg, Pg #188-189
MILTON G. HOPE was born in Brookfield, Wisconsin, August 31, 1859. His parents were George W. and Emiline Williams Hope. In 1862, the father enlisted in the 25th Wisconsin Volunteers adn took part in the siege of Vicksburg and other engagements. While preparing to go with General Sherman on his march to the sea, he took sick and died in a hospital at Memphis, Tennessee, in 1863. In 1870, Milt Hope, with his widowed mother and other members of the family, migrated to Brown county, Kansas. Milt was educated in the community schools and Atchison (Kansas) Institute, after the family moved to Norton county in 1873. In 1880, he went to Colorado, and the next year was joined by his younger brother, Isaiah W. Hope. The two brothers formed a partnership, which continued after they went to Bellville, Idaho, on Wood river in 1882. The next year they located on teh Malheur river about the Stone House, and took up claims where the village of Hope is now located. In 1885, they established the first general mercantile store in Vale. Hope Bros. store later became the Vale Commercial Company in 1901. M. G. and I. W. Hope were instrumental in organizing the First Bank of Vale and were among the largest stock holders. Hope Bros. at one time owned sixty acres of land the embraced the famous Vale hot springs as well as other large tracts of land. M. G. Hope, a staunch republican, served eight years as a postmaster of Vale. He also served two terms as mayor of the city.

M. G. Hope was married twice. His first wife, Miss Emma H. High, whom he married in Nampa, Idaho, was the daughter of Francis and Sarah High of Norton, Kansas. The Hopes were the parents of three children. Their son, Leslie L. Hope, was for many years a prominent businessman of Vale. Mrs. Hope died in Vale. M. G. Hope's second wife, Miss Ora C. Smith, a native Oregonian, was a teacher in the Westfall and Vale schools before the marriage. They were married in Portland, February 5, 1907. Milton G. Hope died in Vale, January 29, 1927.

ISAIAH W. HOPE, younger brother of Milton G. Hope, was born in Brookville, Wisconsin, September 28, 1861. In 1880, the two brothers became associated in business in Colorado, which partnership continued in Idaho and Oregon until the elder brother's death. Upon their arrival in Malheur county in 1883 they took up homesteads on the Malheur river about Vale. Besides other interprises already mentioned they were instrumental in organizing the Vale Milling Company, which built the second flour mill in the county. Other business activities of I. W. Hope have already been told in the brief biographical sketch of his brother.

In 1880, I. W. Hope married to Miss Lillie B. Gillerman, daughter of Fredrick and Hannah Gillerman, who were among the first settlers on the Malheur river. They are the parents of three daughters, Norma E., Irma D., and Mazie. Mr. Hope was elected representative from this county to legislature on the republican ticket in 1894 and re-elected in 1896. Up to that time no representative from this county had been elected for a second term. Hope Bros. were the organizers of one of the first companies to drill for oil in the county. Several wells were sunk in the vicinity of Vale. I. W. Hope has always taken a leading part in the development of Vale and the county in general, working for the best interests of both from the time of the town's inception. Now at the age of eight-eight, still residing at the county seat, he is main official in the Vale irrigation system.