Malheur Illustrated history
Chapter II
Political
Until the winter of 1887 the thousands of square miles now embraced in Malheur county constituted the southern portion of Baker county. At that session of the legislature this county was created, an on February 17th, 1887, Governor Pennoyer approved the act. Under the provisions of that act the governor was empowered to appoint the required corps of county officers, who were to hold office until the general election to be held in 1888. Governor Pennoyer appointed the following citizens the first officers of Malheur county: F.K. Froman, county judge; John F. Lackey and C.T. Locey, county commissioners; E.H. Test, county clerk; Henry C. Murray, sheriff; L.A. Sevey, county treasurer; William Richie, assessor; W.G. Thomson, superintendent of schools; E.L. Bradley, surveyor.
The county court held its first meeting on Thursday, April 7, 1887, at Vale, the temporary county seat, the full court being present. The first business transacted, after the officers had been sworn in, was the passage of a resolution authorizing the county clerk to correspond with some firm regarding the construction of a county jail, the Baker county jail to be used meanwhile. Then the matter of a court house was taken up and bids were solicited for furnishing a building suitable for a court house, said building to be situated at Vale.
At the regular meeting of the court, May 2nd, the following road districts and election precincts were created, the boundaries of precinct and district being identical: Ontario, Vale, Stone, Mormon Basin, Malheur, Carlisle, Castle Rock, Bully, Three Forks and Jordan Valley. At this session bids were received and accepted for the erection of a jail to cost $4,500 and a vault to cost $125. No bids having been received for furnishing the court house, the county judge and the clerk were instructed to contract for the erection of a court house, which was completed that summer, L.B. Rinehart donating the site. This building cost $1,400.
Robert Boswell was appointed stock inspector for this county at the July term of court, and at this term the first county road was ordered and subsequently accepted. This road was built along the Malheur river between the county bridge at Vale and the Tom Glenn ford, several miles up the river. In October the court levied a county tax of 22 mills, the rate deemed necessary to raise $21,186, the amount estimated as required to pay the first year’s expenses in the new county. A school tax of 5 mills was also levied.
The first term of circuit court held in the newly created county was convened by Judge L.B. Ison, at Vale, June 27th. Morton D. Clifford was present as district attorney and A. Sicord served the court as bailiff. Principally for the sake of preserving a partial list of those who were in the county at the time, we herewith present the first panel of jurors drawn in the county: W.G. Pennington, G.W. Pierce, W.L. Logan, Joseph A. Madde, Isaac McCumsey, H.F. Norton, George W. Brumm, J.D. Locey, W.C. Johnson, F.P. Smith, M. Crisman, Charles Becker, J.B. McLaughlin, J.L. Yantis, J.G. Lamberton, H.M. Plummer, John McMahon, William Shelby, L. Faulkner, W.L. Boston, J.S. Hunter, James Lynn, A.S. Moss, Emory Cale and William J. Kane. The first grand jury was constituted as follows: J.S. Hunter, foreman; W.L. Logan, Charles Becker, William Shelby, M. Crisman, W.G. Pennington and Isaac McCumsey.
The grand jury brought in five true bills in all, only one of which was disposed of, that of the stave vs. Marquis Stewart, indicted jointly with Frederick Yangen for horse stealing. Stewart pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a three years’ term in the penitentiary. Court was in session give days.
As before stated, until 1887 Malheur county was a part of Baker county. Therefore its political history up to that time is identical with that of the latter named county and will be found in that chapter. The first election held in this county took place November 8, 1887, and was a special one, several amendments to the state constitution being voted upon. In Malheur county the prohibition amendment received 149 affirmative and 226 negative votes; that relating to the salaries of state officers received 105 affirmative and 242 negative votes; that relating to the changing the time of holding the general elections, 290 affirmative and 57 negative votes.
Of course the permanent location of the county seat was the all absorbing issue at the first general election, held June 4, 1888. There were several strong contestants for the honor, Vale, Jordan Valley, Ontario, Paris (a town site laid out by enterprising ranchmen on the upper Malheur river), Grove City (another embryo town recently surveyed) and Baxterville (likewise a point selected by an ambitious settlement). However, the prize fell to Vale by the following vote: Vale, 215; Jordan Valley, 202; Ontario, 163; Paris, 146; Grove City, 30; Baxterville, 2.
From a party standpoint the first election resulted in an overwhelming Democratic victory, as will be seen from the following vote taken from the official records: For congressman, Binger Hermann, Republican, 387. John M. Gearin, Democrat, 396. G.M. Miller, Prohibitionist, 3; supreme judge, John Burnett, Democrat, 407. W.P. Lord, Republican, 377: circuit judge. W.M. Ramsey, Democrat 417, J.A. Fee, Republican, 362: district attorney. T.H. Crawford, Democrat, 445. J.L. Rand, Republican, 334; representative to the legislature, H.P. Napton, Democrat, 401, I.H. Holland, republican, 366; sheriff, H.C. Murray, Democrat, 351, C.E. Boswell, Republican, 256, Thomas Dryden, Independent, 162; clerk, E.H. Test, Democrat, 489, J.M. Harbour, Republican, 283; commissioners, Conrad Ryan and J.C. Skelton, Democrats, 678 and 418, respectively, C.T. Locey and W.G. Pennington, Republicans, 395 and 114, respectively; county judge, J.T. Clement, Democrat, 419, A.W. Kime, Republican, 347; treasurer, L.A. Sevey, Democrat, 478, A.J. Newman, Republican, 259; assessor, W.S. Lawrence, Democrat, 391, T.W. Halliday, Republican, 377; superintendent of schools, Frank Moore, Republican, 411, William Gribble, Democrat, 359; surveyor, Henry Hedges, Democrat, 4--, John E. Johnson, Republican, 360; coroner, Larry Faulkner, Democrat, 414, J.H. Kime, Republican, 357.
At the November election the Republican candidate for President received 330 votes, the Democratic candidate 303 and the Prohibitionist candidate 14.
By the terms of the creating act, unless one town received a majority of all the votes cast for the county seat at the first election, the two receiving the highest number should again be candidates for the honor at the second general election, or that of 1890. So at the June election of 1890 Vale and Jordan Valley again came before the voters as aspirants for the county seat, the former winning by an overwhelming majority, the vote being as follows: Vale, 459; Jordan Valley, 138. This settled the county seat question, as the legislature has never granted the county another opportunity to again vote on this matter.
The official vote for Malheur county at this election follows: For governor, H.S. Pennoyer, Democrat, 362, Thompson, Republican, 337; secretary of state, W.M. Townsend, Democrat, 358. G.W. McBride, Republican, 343; state treasurer, G.W. Webb, Democrat, 356, Philip Metschan, Republican, 343; superintendent of public instruction, A. Leroy, Democrat, 352, E.M. McElroy, Republican, 351; state printer, John O’Brien, Democrat, 361, F.C. Baker, Republican, 342; supreme judge, B.F. Bonham, Democrat, 364, R.S. Bean, Republican, 339; circuit judge, sixth judicial district, M.D. Clifford, Democrat, 364, Robert Eakin, Republican, 331; district attorney, Charles F. Hyde, Democrat, 362, John L. Rand, Republican, 329; congressman, R.A. Miller, Democrat, 355, Binger Hermann, Republican 348; joint state senator, Dodson, Republican, 354, Chandler, Democrat, 340; state representative, Thomas B. Littig, Republican, 384, Henry Elms, Democrat, 299; sheriff, J.N. Fell, Democrat, 390, L.Cole, Republican, 298; clerk, E.H. Test, Democrat, 430, J.S. Edwards, Republican, 258; assessor, W.C. Carleton, Republican, 377, R.W. Worsham, Democrat, 310; treasurer, J.W. Sevey, Democrat, 346, A.W. Kime, Republican, 340; commissioners, William Cowgill, Republican, 403, A.W. Turner, Democrat, 282; superintendent of schools, J.D. Denman, Republican, 371, William Thomson, Democrat, 319; surveyor, John E. Johnson, Republican, 348, John R. Johnson, Democrat, 324 coroner, no vote recorded.
Although the Populists appeared strong in numbers throughout eastern Oregon in 1892, for some reason they did not become strong enough in this county to nominate a ticket until two years later. As between the Democrat and Republican parties, the county election of 1892 was about evenly divided.
The vote in Malheur county follows: For congressman J.H. Slater, Democrat, 295. W.R. Ellis, Republican, 240, J.C. Lude, Populist, 54, C.J. Bright, Prohibitionist, 30; supreme judge, A.S. Bennett, Democrat, 297, F.A. Moore, Republican, 257, W.H. Walker, Populist, 43, B.I. Welch, Prohibitionist, 25; attorney general, G.E. Chamberlain, Democrat 331, L.R. Webster, Republican, 304; circuit judge, M.D. Clifford, Democrat, 325, Harrison Kelley, Republican, 265, William Green, Populist, 33; district attorney, C.F. Hyde, Democrat, 319, C.H. Finn, republican, 259G. Griffin, Populist, 40; member state board of equalization, W.G. Hunter, Democrat, 320, William Morfitt, Republican, 308; state representative, W.R. King, Democrat, 370, T.B. Littig, Republican, 257; sheriff, J.N. Fell, Democrat, 571, seven scattering votes; clerk, E.H. Test, Democrat, 365, S.L. Payne, Republican, 270; county judge, C.H. Brown, Republican, 322, H.C. Murray, Democrat, 313; commissioner, Webb Anderston, Republican, 341, M.W. Hart, Democrat, 293; treasurer, A.W. Kime, Republican, 394, J.W. Sevey, Democrat, 237, assessor, C.W. Platt, Republican, 332, L.B. Boyle, Democrat, 299; superintendent of schools, J.D. Denman, Republican, 394, W.C. Hoseason, Democrat, 539, no opposition; coroner, Dr. G.A. Pogue, 120, James Mahan, 42, several scattering.
In November Harrison received 246 votes, Cleveland 265, Weaver 95 and the Prohibition candidate for President 19.
The official returns for the election held June 4, 1894, follow:
For governor, W.P. Lord, Republican, 313, William Galloway, Democrat, 241, Nathan Pierce, Populist, 238, James Kennedy, Prohibitionist, 17; secretary of state, H.R. Kincaid, Republican, 323, Charles Nickell, Democrat, 234, Ira Wakefield, Populist, 230, F.M. Kercher, Prohibitionist, 14; state treasurer, Phil Metschan, Republican, 323, T.L. Davidson, Democrat, 239, R.P. Caldwell, Populist, 220; Isaac N. Richardson, Prohibitionist, 18; superintendent of public instruction, G.M. Irwin, Republican, 298, D.V.S. Reid, Democrat, 252, T.C. Jory, Populist, 209, Helen M. Harford, Prohibitionist, 24; state printer, W.H. Leeds, Republican, 314, John O’Brien, Democrat, 232, George M. Orton, Populist, 225, James H. McKibben, Prohibitionist, 16; supreme judge, Charles E. Wolverton, Republican, 316, A.S. Bennett, Democrat, 253, R.P. Boise, Populist, 219, T.P. Hackleman, Prohibitionist, 17; attorney general, C.M. Idleman, Republican, 303, M.L. Olmstead, Populist, 233, W.H. Holmes, Democrat, 226, C.J. Bright, Prohibitionist, 20; circuit judge, James A. Fee, Republican, 555, J.N. Hudson, Populist, 211; district attorney, John L. Rand, Republican, 337; J.M. Corrall, Democrat, 212, William Parsons, Populist, 197; joint senator, Baker and Malheur counties, Will R. King, Populist, 434, C.A. Johns, Republican, 321; Representative, I.W. Hope, Republican, 386, R.A. Lockett, Democrat, 374; congressman, W.R. Ellis, Republican, 321, James H. Raley, Democrat, 245, Joseph Waldrop, Populist, 210, A.F. Miller, Prohibitionist, 15; sheriff T.W. Halliday, Republican, 306, James M. Duncan, Democrat, 298, W.S. Lawrence, Populist, 183; clerk, C.W. Platt, Republican, 342, B.L. Milligan, Democrat, 294, J.C. Skelton, Populist, 150, commissioner, Dennis Dyer, republican, 331, G.B. Glover, Democrat, 241, Joseph Whiteley, Populist, 209; assessor, F.G. Wilson, Republican, 290, C.T. Yantis, Democrat, 241, W.G. Pogue, Populist, 238; treasurer, James Weaver, Republican, 371, J.W. Sevey, Democrat, 224, E.F. Allen, Populist, 177; superintendent of schools, Susie W. Moore, Republican, 320, Mrs. R.G. Wheeler, Populist, 252, Theresa Keenan, Democrat, 199; surveyor, L.A. Pickler, Democrat, 635, no opposition; coroner, Benjamin McDonald, Populist, 407, James Mahan, Democrat, 221.
The now famous campaign of 1896 was fully as exciting in Malheur county as in other portions of eastern Oregon and the country generally. Curiously enough, however, while the Republicans were given the largest vote at the June election and succeeded in electing n[e]arly all their candidates for county offices, at the presidential election Bryan received more than twice the number of votes McKinley did, or 654 votes to McKinley’s 312. Each of the three parties had tickets in the county field, but without going into details we present the vote as cast: For congressman, W.R. Ellis, Republican, 310, Martin Quinn, Populist, 260, A.S. Bennett, Democrat, 230, H.H. Northrup, Independent Republican, 61, F. McKercher, Prohibitionist, 18; supreme judge, R.S. Bean, Republican, 344, Joseph Gaston, Populist, 278, John Burnett, Democrat, 217; district attorney ninth judicial district, C.W. Parrish, Republican, 390, O.F. Buse, Populist, 236, C.A. Sweek, Democrat, 223, M. Dustin, Independent, 34; member state board of equalization, I.H. Holland, Republican, 422, G.W. Pierce, Populist, 392; state representative, I.W. Hope, republican, 441, M.N. Fegtly, Populist, 387; county judge, J.G. Lamberson, Populist, 351, B.C. Richardson, Democrat, 345, C.H. Brown, Republican, 196; sheriff, Charles E. Boswell, Republican, 310, J.N. Fell, Democrat, 293, J.D. Locey, Populist, 295; clerk, C.W. Platt, Republican, 422, E.C. Bunch, democrat, 313, W.C. Carleton, Populist, 162; commissioner, James Morfitt, Republican, 424, Sidney Knight, Democrat, 289, G.J. Gray, Populist, 81; treasurer, J.M. Weaver, Republican, 407, J.W. Sevey, Democrat, 266, John Doran, Populist, 198; assessor, A.G. King, Democrat, 321, John Ward, Republican, 303, J. Henry Wilson, Populist, 251; superintendent of schools, F.J. Stanton, Republican, 340, W.J. Calloway, Democrat, 268, William Lemmon, Populist, 260, surveyor, J.S. Millikin, Populist, 389, L.A. Pickler, Democrat, 356; coroner, F.K. Froman, Democrat, 365, R.N. Linebarger, Populist, 348.
As is well known, Malheur county furnished the Fusionists with their candidate for governor in 1898, and this may account to some extent for the failure of a single republican candidate, with the exception of two, Dr. H.T. Hoople, candidate for coroner, and William Miller, candidate for district attorney, to receive a majority of votes cast for any office. Mr. King resides at Ontario, where he enjoys a lucrative law practice. The Democrats and Populists joined their forces in this county as well as in the state.
The vote cast in this county was: For governor, Will R. King, Fusionist, 555, T.T. Geer, Republican, 387, J.C. Luce, Populist, 27, H.M. Clinton, Prohibitionist, 25; secretary of state, H.R. Kinciad, Fusionist, 497, F.I. Dunbar, Republican, 405, Ira Wakefield, Populist, 39, H.C. Davis, Prohibitionist, 28; state treasurer, J.O. Booth, Fusionist, 476, C.S. Moore, Republican, 405, J.K. Sears, Populist, 60, Moses Votaw, Prohibitionist, 19; superintendent of public instruction, H.S. Lyman, fusionist, 473, J.H. Ackerman, Republican, 408, J.E. Hosmer, Populist, 59, B.E. Emerick, Prohibitionist, 24; state printer, C.A. Fitch, Fusionist, 449, W.H. Leeds, Republican, 376, D.L. Grace, Populist, 53, T.S. McDaniel, Prohibitionist, 19; supreme judge, W.M. Ramsey, Fusionist, 481, Frank A. Moore, Republican, 381, T.P. Hackleman, Prohibitionist, 28; attorney general, J.L. Story, Fusionist, 480, D.R.N. Blackburn, Republican 389, C.G. Bright, Prohibitionist, 25; congressman, C.N. Donaldson, Fusionist, 482, M.A. Moody, Republican, 392, H.E. Courtney, Populist, 54, G.W. Ingalls, Prohibitionist, 25; representative, J.R. Blackaby, Fusionist, 528, W.A. Sisson, Republican, 343, G.L. King, Silver Republican, 61; circuit judge, ninth district, M.D. Clifford, Fusionist, 548, C.W. Parrish, Republican, 376, Thornton Williams, Independent, 13; district attorney, William Miller, Republican, 458, Errett Hicks, Fusionist, 421; member state board of equalization, J.R. Gregg, Fusionist, 492, William Hall, Republican, 374; joint senator with Baker County, William Smith, Fusionist, 526, J.H. Aitkin, Republican, 402, sheriff, Julian D. Locey, Fusionist, 517, Charles E. Boswell, Republican, 427; clerk, Almer G. King, Fusionist, 498, C.W. Platt, republican, 345, J.W. Haworth, Silver Republican, 102; treasurer, E.R. Murray, Democrat, 441, James M. Weaver, Republican, 438, T.F. Olk, Silver Republican, 103; commissioner, G.W. Blanton, Fusionist, 447, R.H. Hart, Republican, 424; assessor, J.H. Wilson, Fusionist, 438, S.L. Payne, Republican, 438; superintendent of schools, B.S. Milligan, Fusionist, 470, F.J. Stanton, republican, 420; surveyor, J.S. Millikin, Fusionist, 558; coroner, H.T. Hoople, Republican, 486, John Doran, Fusionist, 376. The tie vote between Payne and Wilson was decided by drawing slips from an envelope, according to the law provided for the adjustment of such cases. Dame Fortune smiled upon Mr. Wilson as the lucky candidate.
During the interim between the campaigns of 1898 and 1900 political sentiment in Malheur county, which was growing very rapidly during that period, experienced a decisive change. Whereas in 1898 the Fusionists were in control, in 1900 the Republicans were generally victorious and at the presidential election in November Bryan received only three more votes than McKinley, the figures being Bryan, 281, McKinley 478.
The vote in Malheur county follows: For representative, Harney and Malheur counties jointly, I.S. Geer, Republican, 472, W.D. Baker, Fusionist, 363, John L. Sitz, Independent, 73; congressman, M.A. Moody, Republican, 400, William Smith, Fusionist, 344, J.E. Simmons, Populist, 101, Leslie Butler, Prohibitionist, 38; supreme judge, C.E. Wolverton, Republican, 427, Thomas G. Greene, Fusionist, 410, C.J. Bright, Prohibitionist, 46; food commissioner, J.W. Bailey, Republican, 375, W. Schulmerich, Fusionist, 364, P.S. Kenady, Prohibitionist, 42; county judge, J.F. Stevens, Republican, 493, J.G. Lamberson, Fusionist, 428; sheriff, J.D. Locey, Fusionist, 646, J.A. Newton, Republican, 296; clerk. A. G. King, Fusionist, 569, S.L. Payne, Republican, 364; treasurer, J.C. Kelley, Republican, 525, William Plughoff, Fusionist, 406; assessor, W.H. Pullen, Republican, 498, M.N. Fegtly, Fusionist, 390; commissioner, T.A. Barton, Republican, 449, James G. Gartin, Fusionist, 441; superintendent of schools, B.L. Milligan, Fusionist, 662, no opposition; surveyor, J.S. Millikin, Fusionist, 614, no opposition; coroner, H.T. Hoople, Republican, 652, no opposition.
The last campaign is too recent to require any resume of party platforms. With the campaign of 1900 the Populist party went out of existence after its meteoric career, though traces of its belief are to be found in the platforms of both the old parties. It would be impossible to say truthfully whether the dominant political party in this county at the present time is Republican or Democratic, so evenly is the populace divided. As in all new counties the struggle for supremacy between the leading towns has entered greatly into the political activities here and has more than once resulted in bitter factional contests between members of the same party.
The official vote at the election of 1902 was as follows: For governor, George E. Chamberlain, Democrat, 549, W.J. Furnish, Republican, 543, A.J. Hunsaker, Prohibitionist, 20, R.R. Ryan, Socialist, 18; secretary of state, F.I. Dunbar, Republican, 564, D.W. Sears, Democrat, 474, C.W. Barzee, Socialist, 37, N.A. Davis, Prohibitionist, 35; state treasurer, Charles Moore, Republican, 552, Henry Blackman, Democrat, 447, T.S. McDaniel, Prohibitionist, 36, W.W. Myers, Socialist, 28; superintendent of public instruction, J.H. Ackerman, Republican, 513, W.A. Wann, Democrat, 457, R.W. Kelsey, Prohibitionist, 31; attorney general, A.M. Crawford, Republican, 526, J.H. Raley, Democrat, 438, T. H. Goyne, Prohibitionist, 25; state printer, J.R. Whitney, Republican, 504, James E. Godfrey, Democrat, 428, W.W. Brooks, Prohibitionist, 31, J.E. Hosmer, Socialist, 22; member of Congress, J.N. Williamson, Republican, 600, W.F. Butcher, Democrat, 447, Dietrich T. Gerdes, Socialist, 24, F.R. Spaulding, Prohibitionist, 21; United States senator, T.T. Geer, Republican, 518, C.E.S. Woods, Democrat, 407; joint state senator with Baker county, John L. Rand, Republican, 561, William Smith, Democrat, 520; joint representative with Harney county, E.H. Test, Democrat, 600, Fred J. Palmer, Republican, 511; sheriff, James E. Lawrence, Democrat, 625, A.L. Sproul, Republican, 484; clerk, W.G. Thomson, Democrat, 549, J.D. Fairman, Republican, 496; treasurer, J.C. Kelley, Republican, 673, H.B. Donahey, Democrat, 402; assessor, W.H. Pullen, Republican, 565, Thomas J. Goodyear, Democrat, 464, Z.G. Wilson, Populist, 79; commissioner, G.W. Blanton, Democrat, 489, Sanford Emison, Independent, 371, Cassius H. Brown, Republican, 254; surveyor, J.R. Evans, Republican, 576, John S. Millikin, Democrat, 499; coroner, H.T. Hoople, Republican, 542, R.O. Payne, Democrat, 500.
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©Shauna Williams