Page:Centennial History of Oregon volume 2.djvu/626

This page needs to be proofread.
620
THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OREGON

manifested a sense of justice and a fair- mindedness that won him the admiration and respect of all. Every phase of pioneer life was familiar to him. He was among those whose efforts replaced the evidences of frontier life by the conditions of the ad- vancing civilization. He became the first postmaster of Ashland and continued in that position for twenty-seven years, or from 1S55 until 1SS3. He was never ambitious to hold oflice but when duty called him he never hesitated in the performance of a public service. Mr. Uelman was married twice. He first wedded Martha J. Kanagy, their wedding being celebrated in Wooster, Ohio. Unto them were born eight children: Mrs. Al- meda L. Shepherd, who is living in Califor- nia; .John K., whose home is in Ashland; Jlrs. Mary E. Niles, of Adin, California; Mrs. Martha J. Carter, living in Ashland; Abraham Lincoln, now residing in Idaho; Benjamin Hutler, of Ashland; Ulysses Grant, of Pctaluma, California; and 0. 0. Helman, also of Ashland. The wife and mother died many years ago and Mr. Helman afterward wedded Mrs. .Sue Rockfellow, who still sur- vives him. Mr. Helman ranked high in Odd Fellow Circles, having a wide acquaintance among the order throughout the state. He was one of the first members of Ashland Lodge, No. 45, I. 0. 0. F., and for many years served as one of its ofiicers. filling every position in the subordinate lodge. In 1S92 he was grand master of the grand lodge of Oregon. He became a member and past patriarch of the Pilot Rock encampment and he was also grand patriarch of the grand encampment of Oregon. For two years he was grand representative from Oregon to the sovereign grand lodge sessions and he was also prominent in the Rebekah organi- zation. He was laid to rest with the hon- ors of the order, having passed away on the .Ith of March, 1910, when almost eighty- six years of age. He had remained almost to the last a splendidl.v preserved man, vig- orous and alert both physically and ment- ally. He was free from ostentation and dis- play but the sterling traits of his character were always manifest in his relations to the individual and the community at large. Wherever known he was highly esteemed and most of all where he was best known, and at liis death lie left the enviable record of an untarnished name.

FRANK O'GARA, who has been connect- ed with various lines of business in the northwest, is at present conducting a retail grocery at 214-21 G Coirt street, Pendleton. Ills birth occurred in Sacramento, California, on I he 15th of March, 1875, his parents be- ing Dominick and Mary (Fay) O'Gara. The fntlier was a native of Ireland and the mother's birth occurred in California. Dom- inick O'flara came to California with his parents in 1849 via the Isthiuus of Panama. Mis death occurred in Portland in 1895 when lie was fifty-two years of age. Before he Nettled in Oregon he was engaged in mining, but after his arrival in this state he worked for the Union Pacific railroad for several years before engaging in agricultural pur- suits. He owned a gold mine in California which had been left him by his father. Fra- ternally he was a Mason and exemplified in his life the beneficient spirit of the craft. The mother is living in Pendleton. To their union five children were born: Frank, who is the subject of this review; Maggie, who is the wife of A. Gale, of Alberta, Canada ; May, who is married to Henry Collier, an attorney of Portland; Ella, who is living in Portland; and Bernard, who is assisting his brother in the management of the store. Frank O'Gara was reared by his grand- mother with whom he made his home until 1892. During those years he attended the public schools and acquired the education which prepared him to enter Heald's College in San Francisco. When he was seventeen years of age he located in Pendleton and ac- cepted a position as bookkeeper for Kem- ler & Baker, that being his first eniployment. He returned to California subsequently and worked for the Merchants National bank of Los Angeles. Desiring to make his perma- nent home in Oregon, however, he returned to this state and accepted employment with Jacob Stubenbordt, who subsequently be- came his father-in-law. After his marriage he became a partner of the company and after Mr. Stubenbordt's death was sole man- ager of the business. A short time afterward he disposed of his business interests and departed for Idaho, where he worked for John P. Volmper & Company, who were owners of several stores in that region and also did a general banking business. After again returning to Oregon in 1902, Mr. O'Gara opened his present store and started in the retail grocery business, carrying a stock valued at fifteen thousand dollars. Early in life he acquired a good, staple busi- ness education and later, through his experi- ence with various firms, learned the rules for conducting a larg« enterprise. AH this has been invaluable to him during the past ten years while he has been the proprietor of his present store. His is the success which brings highly remunerative returns, and at present he is the owner of three business houses besides the store which he is occu- pying. He also owns three dwellings in this city. On the 10th of December, 1896, Mr. O'Gara was married to Miss Gertrude E. Stuben- bordt, whose birth occurred in Burlington, Iowa, November 20, 1874. She is a daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Oieler) Stubenbordt, natives of Alsace-Lorraine, Germany. The father was a merchant throughout the great- er part of his life. In 1881 he settled in Pendleton, where he and his wife passed away. To Mr. and Mrs. O'Gara four chil- dren have been born: Wesley, whose death occurred when he was one year of age; Lorin, who is eight years of age; Curtis, who is seven years of age; and Francis, who is a baby seven months old. In politics Mr. O'Gara gives his support to the republican party. He is a thirt.y-sec- ond degree Mason, and is also connected fra-