Columbia-Multnomah-Statewide County OR Archives Biographies.....Caples, Harry H. October 11, 1870 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com October 24, 2009, 2:41 pm Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Page 97-98 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company HARRY H. CAPLES, who is now retired from active business pursuits, is the oldest native-born resident of Columbia City, Oregon, where he is living within three blocks of the spot where he was born. He has led an active life, has met with fair success in his material affairs, and has well earned the leisure which he now enjoys. He was born on the old Caples donation claim on which now stands Columbia City, on the 11th of October, 1870, and is a son of Hezekiah and Minerva (Bonser) Caples, the former born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, in 1834, and the latter in Columbia county, Oregon territory, February 21, 1854. His paternal grandfather, Joseph Caples, left Ohio in 1843 for Missouri, making the journey overland with ox teams. In the spring of 1843, with his sons, Hezekiah and Charles, and daughter, Joanna, (the mother having died in Ohio in 1838), he started for Oregon, crossing the plains with ox teams and covered wagons. They arrived in this state in the fall of that year and spent the first winter at Salem. In the spring of 1845 he went to Portland, which at that time consisted of one lone cabin. There he was offered a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres for five hundred dollars, but not liking the looks of the place or perhaps not having the five hundred dollars, he declined the offer. On that land the main part of the city now stands. He went on down the river towards Astoria and in 1846 filed on three hundred and twenty acres of land at what is now Columbia City. While on his way down the river, looking for a location, and when opposite what is now Columbia City, he saw a large eagle dart down to the river and grab up a large salmon. It landed the big fish on the bank of the river and Mr. Caples at once grabbed up his rifle and shot the bird, thus securing both the eagle and the salmon. It was a beautiful spot and they made camp there. He was so attracted by the place that he filed claim to the land. After building a log house on the river bank, he began cutting wood for the river steamers which were then beginning to ply the stream, but soon afterward went to Clatsop county, where he worked on a dairy ranch for a few years. He then returned to his claim and again began cutting wood for the steamboats, this serving the double purpose of affording him some revenue and of getting his land cleared of its heavy timber. He found on his land a lot of squared timbers, the presence of which puzzled him. Going to Fort Vancouver, he told Dr. John McLoughlin, the Hudson Bay Company factor, about them. The Doctor told him they were cut and squared by the Hudson Bay Company's men and were intended for building a new fort there, but that, because of the hostility of the Indians, the plan was abandoned. Mr. Caples took a deep interest in the locality where he settled and served one term as sheriff of Clatsop county. His death occurred in 1881. He was a man of strong character, great determination and personal courage, and bore his full share of the burden of the new community in which he settled. Hezekiah Caples received a somewhat limited education in the public schools of Salem, Oregon, and assisted his father in clearing the ranch and planting an orchard. They gave their attention chiefly to raising of cattle, and raising hay sufficient to winter them. In 1889 Mr. Caples moved across the river into Cowlitz county, Washington, where he bought five hundred acres of land, on which he raised stock cattle, and later on ran a large dairy. He lived there until his death, which occurred November 26, 1921. His wife died February 24, 1903. Mr. Caples served six years as a member of the board of county commissioners of Cowlitz county, and was a member of the Masonic order at Kalama, Washington. He was a steamboat captain and pilot and owned a vessel, which he sailed on the river for many years. To him and his wife were born four sons, namely: Harry H.; Ralph, who was a steamboat captain and died in 1921; Arthur, who is a widower and has a married daughter, Velma, now the wife of Austin Burt; and Hugh, who is married and has two children, Nineva and Donald. The three brothers live in Columbia City, and still own a large part of the townsite. The Indian name for Columbia City is "Kumahi." Harry H. Caples attended the public schools of Columbia City and spent two years at Oregon Agricultural College, where he pursued a course in mechanics. After leaving college he assisted in the operation of the home farm for two years, and in 1897 he and two other young men took a trip to Rossland, British Columbia. In the spring of 1898 he went to Fort Wrangel, Alaska, and from there to Fort Simpson, British Columbia, where he worked for the Hudson Bay Company as assistant engineer on a steamboat on the Skeena river, transporting goods to the various posts, from which points they were carried by pack mules to the interior. The Skeena river is known as one of the most dangerous for steamboating in the northwest. Mr. Caples remained with the Hudson Bay Company four years and then returned to the home ranch at Columbia City, where he remained two years. In 1903 he went to Portland and, after taking an examination, was granted a chief engineer's license, after which he followed steamboating on the Columbia river for over twenty years. He and his brothers owned tugboats and Ralph was also a pilot and master mariner. In 1924 they sold their boats and Mr. Caples came back to the home ranch and, building a nice home in Columbia City, retired. He also owns a ninety acre dairy farm a mile and a half down the river, on which he is raising pure bred Jersey cattle. In 1900, at Victoria, British Columbia, Mr. Caples was married to Miss Maude Graham, who was born in Oceana county, Michigan, a daughter of George and Albina (Hills) Graham, of whom the former was born in Illinois and is deceased, while the latter was born in New York state. Mr. Graham came to Oregon in 1881 and followed the business of commercial fishing on the Columbia river for many years. His death occurred in February, 1924, and his wife is still living in her own home and doing her own work, being remarkably active for her years. To them were born six children, Ernest, deceased; Edward, Maude; Albert, deceased; Elmer; and Orwin. Mr. and Mrs. Caples are the parents of a daughter, Ethel May, who was born on the old donation claim in Columbia City and is the wife of Arthur Oberg. They have two children, Ruth Eleanor, born October 6, 1925, and Doris Jeanette, born March 3, 1928, they being the fifth generation to live on the old Caples homestead. Mrs. Oberg attended the public schools of Columbia City and graduated in 1921 from the Girls' Polytechnic School in Portland. Mr. Caples is a member of St. Helens Lodge, No. 117, I. O. O. F., in which he has passed through the chairs; also Golden Rule Encampment, at Portland, and Canton No. 1, P. M. at Portland. He and his wife are members of the Rebekah Lodge, I. O. O. F. Mr. Caples is a man of splendid personal qualities, honorable in all of his dealings and cordial and friendly in his relations with those about him, and throughout the community in which he lives he enjoys the genuine regard and good will of his fellowmen. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/columbia/bios/caples902gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 8.0 Kb