pire17.html

History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon.
Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon

PIONEERS HOLD ANNUAL MEETING, TOUCHING ADDRESS
September 17, 1917

The 80th birthday of E.L. Smith and Mrs. William Boorman Celebrated.

In celebration of the 80th birthday of their fellow pioneers, Mrs. Wm. Boorman and E.L. Smith, the members of the Hood River Pioneer Association held their annual reunion on Monday last. Following a sumptuous dinner served at noon by the mothers, daughters and granddaughters of pioneer families in the Odd Fellows Hall, the tables were cleared away and with the audience swelled by many friends of the early settlers who have resided in this valley less than the twenty-five years necessary for a membership, touching addresses telling of incidents in the history of Mid-Columbia settlement and progress were given.
Those who made talks were Judge Wilson of The Dalles, Henry L. Howe, who was reelected secretary of the association, Rev, Troy Shelley, Dr. T.L. Eliot, pastor emeritus of the First Unitarian Church of Portland, Newton Clark and Milton Odell. Mrs. Boorman and Mr. Smith were the recipients of huge bouquets of flowers and both received handsome remembrances from the pioneer society. The presentation of the token from his old friends to Mr. Smith was made by Rev. Troy Shelley, while Dr. Eliot presented that of Mrs. Boorman.
T.R. Coon, who now resides at Lyle, was reelected president of the association. Judge Wilson in the course of his address suggested that the people of Oregon made too little of the history of their pioneers. He declared that the children of Oregon schools should be privileged to study the biographies of some of the noted figures of pioneer times, and thus learn how the pioneer really lived and carved from the wilderness the great commonwealth of Oregon. The love that the pioneers of Hood River county display, for the valley's Grand Old Man is truly touching. There is scarcely an early family of the now famed fruit valley that does not remember the day that Mr. Smith assisted them at a time of great need either financially or by the cheering spirit of his encouragement.
The younger generation was privileged to learn of some of these noble traits at Monday's meeting and tears welled in the eyes of many. Telling of some of the early day experiences, Mr. Odell said: "I am telling you this today for the first time I have ever made it public. It is one of those things we hold sacred, not to be spoken of often." In his response Mr. Smith recited the poem telling of the angel Abou Ben Ahmed, and declared that it was his wish that he, too, would be recorded as loving his fellow man.
Those present for the dinner were: Mr. and Mrs. Geo. T. Prather, Mr. and Mrs. F.C. Sherrieb, C.A. Ross, Mr. and Mrs. Jos. Frazier, Carl Ehrck, Robert Rand, E.C. Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. M.V. Rand, Rev. Troy Shelley, James English, Mr. and Mrs. M.D. Odell, E.S. Olinger, F.H. Miller, Herman Pregge, Mr. and Mrs. Warren Miller, C.G. Roberts, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Lewis, Mr. and Mrs. Newton Clark, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Davidson, Mrs. Maud Frary, W.A. Husbands, T.E. Wickens, Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Miller, J.W. Morton, Mr. and Mrs. S.F. Blythe, Mr. and Mrs. Jasper Wickham, Mr. and Mrs. Sieverkcropp, Mrs. Lura Cunning, Mrs. Jessie Watt, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. I. Slocum, Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Carter, M.A. Scobee, Mrs. Laura Henderson, Mrs. Chas. Ehrck, Emma Sieverkropp, Hulda Sieverkropp, Lenora Larson, Elizabeth Eggert, Mary McFarlane, P.H. Stanton, Mr. and Mrs. C.D. Nickelsen, J.H. Shoemaker, Mr. and Mrs. H.F.J. Sieverkropp, Mr. and Mrs. R.H. Husbands, Roy C. Slocum, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Boorman, Lucy Crapper, Lulu Crapper, Pearl Parker, Ellen Blount, Dr. Thomas Lamb Eliot, Pearl Macrum, Mrs. Wm. Stewart, Mrs. Flora Hartley, Mrs. O.J. Nelson, John Kroeger, Mr. and Mrs. S.E. Bartmess, Mrs. F.E. Newby, Ethel Miller, Mrs. Lucretia Storey, Mrs. Mary Scott Myers, Mrs. Mary Cram, E.L. Smith, E.D. Calkins, Mr. and Mrs. A.H. Jewett, Mrs. Eleaner La France, Mrs. R.E. Harbison, Mrs. Joseph Frazier jr., Mrs. H.E. Clelland, Mrs. Sue Henderson, Mrs. Geo. Crowell, Miss Aldine Bartmess, Mrs. C.E. Seymour, Mrs. N. Tostevin, Mrs. M.H. Disbrow, Mrs. Emma Koberg, J.H. Koberg, Mr. and Mrs. S. Copple, Mrs. N.A. Nonroe, Mr. and Mrs. H. Nickelsen, Judge and Mrs. L.N. Bowers, Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Rigby, Olive English, Mr. and Mrs. H.L. Howe, Mrs. and Mrs. J.B. Hunt.
For a number of years it has been the custom of the Pioneers Association to celebrate the September birthday of some early day settler. On last year the Association met on Sept. 21, celebrating the birthday of the late David Turner who was then eighty years old. Mr. Turner passed away just after Christmas in l916. At the time of his death Mr. Turner had resided continuously in the Valley for fifty six years, longer than any other person in the community. Mr. and Mrs. Boorman have lived in the valley for thirty one years, he is 88 years of age and tills a garden near his cottage on Sherman Ave. They are the oldest couple in Hood River having been married 61 years. Mr. Boorman is a native of England, coming to America with his parents at the age of twelve. Mrs. Boorman's maiden name was Lucy Rand and was born in Virginia. They are the parents of Scott and Alfred Boorman, Mrs. Ackerman, Mrs. Eastman, Mrs. Ellis, Mrs. Warren Miller, Mrs. F.C. Sherrieb, and Mrs. Frank Caddy. Mr. Smith has won the name of Hood River's Grand Old Man by years of devotion to the spot he chose for his home forty years ago. He has been prominently connected with all the Pacific Coast states, having served in the legislature of both California and Oregon, and been Sec. of State in Wash., and acting governor during the absence of the governor. He has been prominent in the fruit business in Hood River and is the last surviving man on the Pacific Coast that was present at the nomination of Abraham Lincoln in Chicago in 1860. Mr. Smith was married on March 4, 186l to Georgianna Slocum at Galesburg, Ill., where both had been students at Lombard University. They started at once for the Pacific Coast by was of N.Y. and the Isthmus of Panama. Mrs. Smith died in 1911, deeply mourned by her many friends, Their daughter Laura passed away at the age of fifteen and a son Everett died at the age of two years.
The remaining children are Mrs. J.E. Watt, Mrs. William Stewart, Mrs. J.E. Rand and Mrs. J.O. Nelson.
The Pioneer meeting was opened by singing "The Star Spangled Banner". A read-ing was given by Miss Catherine Hartley. Miss Florence Brosius sang a solo accompanied on the piano by Miss Aldine Bartmess, and were called back for an encore. A piano duet was rendered by Misses Aldine and Marie Bartmess.
The historian, Mrs. T.R. Coon, reported nine deaths among the pioneers during the year.

Gleaned from Hood River Glacier