Washington County OR Archives Biographies.....Sappington, Edward Baker September 1, 1861 - ************************************************ 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 L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com May 19, 2009, 11:56 am Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company EDWARD BAKER SAPPINGTON, who has served for a number of years as treasurer of Washington county, Oregon, has an enviable record as public official, farmer and citizen, and it would be hard to find in this section of the Columbia River valley a more popular or highly respected man. He was born one mile east of Carlton in Yamhill county, Oregon, on the 1st of September, 1861, and is a son of J. W. and Lucinda (Laughlin) Sappington, both of whom were brought to the coast in childhood, his Grandfather Laughlin having taken up a donation land claim in Yamhill county. J. W. Sappington, who died in 1896, was born in White county, Missouri, and in 1845 came west with his parents, James and Mary Sappington, who drove ox teams across the plains. Arriving at The Dalles, they proceeded down the river by boat to their destination in Yamhill county. James Sappington died shortly before the hard winter of 1862, probably in 1860, and later his widow became the wife of Judge M. L. Roland, of McMinnville, Oregon, who owned that townsite, and there their deaths occurred a number of years later. J. W. Sappington, who was nine years of age when the family arrived here, received his education in the early schools and eventually became the owner of eighty acres of the Roland donation land claim, where he carried on farming until about 1863, when he moved to Washington county and bought the John Campbell donation claim, three miles east of Gaston, on which he lived until about 1884, when he moved to Gaston. There his wife's death occurred in 1891. Soon afterward he moved Hillsboro and was elected county treasurer. He died during his second term in that office. He was a republican and was a member of the Oregon legislature in the '80's, during the John H. Mitchell legislative fight, and he also served for many years as justice of the peace at Gaston. Lucinda (Laughlin) Sappington was born in Missouri nine months before her family started on their journey to Oregon, which was made by ox team and covered wagon to The Dalles, from which point they floated down the Columbia river to Vancouver, where they arrived in 1843. Her father, Samuel Laughlin, was a farmer and owned a large donation land claim in Yamhill county, Oregon, at what was known as Laughlin's Gap. To Mr. and Mrs. Sappington were born eleven children, namely: James, Rosa, E. B., W. D., Fanny, George, Nancy, Alma, Inez, Horace and Herbert. Edward B. Sappington secured his early education in the public schools and attended old McMinnville Academy two years. He followed farming on the old home place east of Gaston until 1892, and then he engaged in the livery business at Forest Grove. On the death of his father in 1896, he was appointed to fill out the latter's unexpired term as county treasurer, after which he served six years as deputy sheriff. During this time he bought an interest in a livery stable at Hillsboro and remained identified with it until 1904, when he sold out and returned to Forest Grove, where he still lives. There he took charge of the electric light and water plant, to the management of which he devoted his attention until the fall of 1911, when he was appointed county treasurer to fill out an unexpired term, and by subsequent elections has held that office continuously to the present time, having discharged the duties of that responsible office in a manner highly satisfactory to the voters of the county. Mr. Sappington has been married twice, first, in 1883, to Miss Sara Wright, and to them were born nine children, as follows: Edward, who met death by accidental shooting about twenty-five years ago; Mrs. Birdie M. Leopold, who died leaving a daughter, Ursula; Mrs. Amy Christiansen, who died leaving one child; Mrs. Bessie Hanley, deceased; Mrs. Gertrude Fogel, who died leaving one child (the three last-named daughters died within the same month, from influenza); two who died in infancy; Irene, who is the wife of G. R. Chapman, of Hillsboro, and they have a daughter, Patricia; and Harold B., who lives in San Francisco, is married and has one child. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Sappington married Miss Lizzie Scoggin, who was born and reared near Gaston, Oregon, and is a daughter of W. G. and Elizabeth (Grubb) Scoggin, early settlers in this section of the valley. Mr. Sappington has always shown a live interest in matters affecting the welfare of his community and served two years as a member of the city council at Forest Grove. He is a charter member of the Knights of Pythias at Forest Grove, of which order he has been a member for thirty-seven years and in which he has passed through the chairs and held official position in the grand lodge. Mrs. Sappington is a member of the Pythian Sisters and the Woman's Relief Corps. Mr. Sappington is a man of strong character, inflexible integrity and sound judgment and has proven one of the best treasurers Washington county has ever had. He is cordial and friendly in manner, enjoys a wide acquaintance, and all who know him hold him in the highest esteem. Additional Comments: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 743-744 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/washington/bios/sappingt685gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 5.8 Kb