Oregon Republican League: History 104 Biographies
Every Wednesday/Thursday, 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.
An Illustrated History of Umatilla County & Morrow County, by Colonel William Parsons and W. S. Shiach with a brief outline of the early history of the State of Oregon. W. H. Lever, Spokane, WA, (1902), p. 390-391.
JOHN S. VINSON. - This prominent business man, successful educator and esteemed citizen is one of the early pioneers of Umatilla county, and has been a potent factor in its industrial development for thirty-five years, holding in this time many public positions, where he has ever shown a faithfulness and wisdom that have endeared him to the constituency and commanded the respect and admiration of all.
He was born to James S. and Catherine (Sackette) Vinson, in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 25, 1848, and crossed the plains with his parents in 1852. They settled in Clackamas county, establishing the post office of Needy, James S. Vinson being the first incumbent, who also operated a general merchandise establishment until he became bankrupt by taking the Oregon Indian war script from the settlers, which depreciated in value to almost nothing. At this time his wife died, and he turned to the mines in Idaho for employment, remaining there for three years, after which time he married Mrs. Asenath Long, a pioneer of 1862. They removed to this county, settling on Butter creek, where they remained until 1882, when Mrs. Vinson died and he returned to Iowa on a visit to his sister, wife of General Weaver. In 1895, he returned to the Willamette valley, where he passed away to his rewards in another world, in November, 1895, being eighty-six years of age. He had been a prominent man in public affairs, always faithful and efficient. It was he who was the commissioner appointed by the court to locate the town of Pendleton.
Our subject was educated in the public schools and higher institutions in the Willamette valley, and then taught school in this county for six years, taking rank with the first educators in this part of the country. Succeeding this he was appointed postmaster at Vinson post office on Butter creek, occupying that position for ten years and operating a prosperous general merchandise establishment meanwhile. After this he removed to Nolan and established a post office, adding the grain business to his merchandising. During this time he was nominated by the Republicans for legislator from this county, but was defeated by the division of the county. In 1892 he again received the nomination, but that year the county went entirely Democratic. He has ever displayed that activity and interest in political matters that becomes the loyal citizen. In 1895 he purchased a fruit farm and gave his attention to its cultivation and improvements for three years, and then traded it for a general merchandise business in Milton, continuing there with a fine trade until one year ago, when he sold out and brought his present business in Freewater. In addition to his business, which is very prosperous, he owns city property in Freewater and in Pendleton that is quite valuable.In fraternal affiliations he is identified with the K. of P., the Pioneers of the Pacific, and is counselor of Harmony Lodge, No. 237, Order of Pendo, all of Freewater.
By the way of reminiscence it is interesting to note that during the Bannock war Mr. Vinson remained on the farm on Butter creek with only one companion when thirty-five of the Indian lodges were on his place. Some men who were hunting stock, having stopped at his house on the night of the Willow creek fight, were murdered the next day, and stragglers from that battle came announcing that the volunteers were all murdered, which caused considerable consternation, and our subject was useful in allaying the fears and removing those who were wounded and the women and children of an emigrant train that had just arrived to a place of safety, although he returned the next day and remained on his farm.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Oregon Republican League: History 104 Biographies
Oregon Republican League: History 104 Biographies
Every Wednesday/Thursday, 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.
An Illustrated History of Umatilla County & Morrow County, by Colonel William Parsons and W. S. Shiach with a brief outline of the early history of the State of Oregon. W. H. Lever, Spokane, WA, (1902), p. 390.
FREDERICK A. HILL. - Deceased. To the esteemed citizen, worthy pioneer and respected gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph we accord this memorial in these chronicles of the county where he labored so long and faithfully, ever striving for the betterment and advancement of his fellows and the upbuilding of the commonwealth. He was in the van guard of that noble class of men and women who gave their lives to cut the way into these regions for the ingress of civilization’s principles, and to lay the foundations of the nation broad and deep, extending it to the limits that nature intended, and which noble work cannot be eulogized in too exalted terms. While many transients were within the borders of the county at different times, there were comparatively few actual settlers here when Mr. Hill took his ranch on Umatilla river about four and one-half miles southwest from where Pendleton now stands, in 1859. His widow owns the place and resides there to-day. For the first few years he was engaged in raising cattle and then went into the sheep business, which he followed continuously until his death. He owned a ranch on Crab creek , which was headquarters for the sheep, but this, however, he sold a little while before his death, leaving to his widow three other ranches and a large amount of stock, valued at about ten thousand dollars. Mr. Hill was always interested in politics, formerly adhering to the principles of the Democratic party, but later affiliating with the Republican party, whose platform more nearly expressed that which he believed to be for the good of the nation and the state.
He was married, on January 29, 1862, to Miss Phoebe, daughter of Jacob and Annie (Brown) Messinger, natives of Ohio. The fruit of this union has been the following: Daniel, Ellen Jane, wife of William Barber; Jacob C.; Frederick A.; Ernestine, wife of John Padon; Augustus F.; Dora Annie, wife of Luther Mathews; Rachel, wife of Charles Kidder; Rosa Ada, deceased; Phoebe, deceased; and Chancy E.
Mr. Hill was born in Leipsic, Germany, on September 4, 1832, remaining there only thirteen years, at which age he took up a seafaring life and followed the same for seven years, after which he came to California and spent a number of years in the search for nature’s hidden wealth. Then, as mentioned above, he came to this county and here in 1886 he was called from the scenes of earth to the world beyond. His children and widow mourn a devoted husband and a loving father. Mrs. Hill still resides upon the old homestead, where so many of their happy days were spent and around which cluster the memories and endearing thoughts of the days that will never return, again passing here quietly the golden years of her career, winding the last knots of the thread of life that has been well spun, cheered by the remembrance of days of industry and years in which integrity and uprightness were the constant dominant powers of her existence and wherein she stands at the present time.
Every Wednesday/Thursday, 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.
An Illustrated History of Umatilla County & Morrow County, by Colonel William Parsons and W. S. Shiach with a brief outline of the early history of the State of Oregon. W. H. Lever, Spokane, WA, (1902), p. 390.
FREDERICK A. HILL. - Deceased. To the esteemed citizen, worthy pioneer and respected gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph we accord this memorial in these chronicles of the county where he labored so long and faithfully, ever striving for the betterment and advancement of his fellows and the upbuilding of the commonwealth. He was in the van guard of that noble class of men and women who gave their lives to cut the way into these regions for the ingress of civilization’s principles, and to lay the foundations of the nation broad and deep, extending it to the limits that nature intended, and which noble work cannot be eulogized in too exalted terms. While many transients were within the borders of the county at different times, there were comparatively few actual settlers here when Mr. Hill took his ranch on Umatilla river about four and one-half miles southwest from where Pendleton now stands, in 1859. His widow owns the place and resides there to-day. For the first few years he was engaged in raising cattle and then went into the sheep business, which he followed continuously until his death. He owned a ranch on Crab creek , which was headquarters for the sheep, but this, however, he sold a little while before his death, leaving to his widow three other ranches and a large amount of stock, valued at about ten thousand dollars. Mr. Hill was always interested in politics, formerly adhering to the principles of the Democratic party, but later affiliating with the Republican party, whose platform more nearly expressed that which he believed to be for the good of the nation and the state.
He was married, on January 29, 1862, to Miss Phoebe, daughter of Jacob and Annie (Brown) Messinger, natives of Ohio. The fruit of this union has been the following: Daniel, Ellen Jane, wife of William Barber; Jacob C.; Frederick A.; Ernestine, wife of John Padon; Augustus F.; Dora Annie, wife of Luther Mathews; Rachel, wife of Charles Kidder; Rosa Ada, deceased; Phoebe, deceased; and Chancy E.
Mr. Hill was born in Leipsic, Germany, on September 4, 1832, remaining there only thirteen years, at which age he took up a seafaring life and followed the same for seven years, after which he came to California and spent a number of years in the search for nature’s hidden wealth. Then, as mentioned above, he came to this county and here in 1886 he was called from the scenes of earth to the world beyond. His children and widow mourn a devoted husband and a loving father. Mrs. Hill still resides upon the old homestead, where so many of their happy days were spent and around which cluster the memories and endearing thoughts of the days that will never return, again passing here quietly the golden years of her career, winding the last knots of the thread of life that has been well spun, cheered by the remembrance of days of industry and years in which integrity and uprightness were the constant dominant powers of her existence and wherein she stands at the present time.
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