The Sunday Oregonian., September 27, 1914, SECTION THREE, Page 8, Image 44

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THE SUNDAY O RE G O XI AN. PORTLAND. SFTTF.11T?ER 27, 1914,
ROBERT A. BOOTH, SON OF HARDY PIONEER, IDEAL MAN
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Addison Bennett Reviews life of Republican Candidate -tor United States Senate and Finds Him to Be Fitted Admirably for High Post.
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BT ADDISON BENNETT.
WHEN Robert Booth and his wife
and family crossed the plains
from Iowa to Oregon In 1852. lit
tle did he think, little did any of his
Xriends think, that he would be the
founder of a family that would, within
a half century become one of the most
remarkable in Oregon. If any person
should have suggested to him or his
wife that the head of the family, then
82 years of age, would be living in
health and comfort 62 years later well,
they would not have believed it, but
would have thanked God from the bot
. torn of their hearts for the mercies and
blessings already bestowed upon them
and for the future would have said
"Thy will be done."
But this is not to be a story of Rob-'
ert Booth and his family only as such
a story bears upon the life of one mem
ber of that family Robert A. (Asbury)
Booth. Robert A. Booth is now mak
ing a canvass for the highest office
within the gift of the people of Ore
gon, which is also one of the most hon
orable positions any man can hold in
our country the office of United States
Senator. Mr. Booth is the nominee of I
the Republican party, having received
the nomination in the primaries last
June by one of the largest pluralities
ever Iven a candidate, opposed or with
a clear field, in Oregon.
Candidate Not Officeseeker.
It behooves the voters of the state to
look well upon a candidate for any of
fice but with greater scrutiny upon one
seeking so high an office. So I am
going to tell the readers of The Orego
nian a disconnected story about Robert
A. Booth. I may seem to go far afield
In my remarks. I may seem to go into
trivial details having no bearing on the
subject. Indeed, I expect to wander
through the history of Oregon for the
period of 62 years in my desire that
you should see Mr. Booth as I have seen
him, know him as I know him.
Not Robert A. Booth, the officeseek
er, for he is not, never was, never will
be an ofllceseeker for the sake of the
honors or emoluments of office. In
deed, he is not an officeseeker in any
sense. He did not allow his name to be
advanced before the primaries until
thousands and thousands of his friends
had told him, either personally or by
telegraph or mail, that he was the best
equipped man in Oregon for the office
and it was a duty he owed his friends,
his state and his Nation to make the
canvass.
Oh. that's not a fairy story. I know
and thousands of others know that be
fore Ben Selling announced himself as
a candidate in 1912 there was a cry
of "Booth for Senator." At that time
Mr. Booth effaced himself from the can
vass. Having this year sensed the
wishes of his friends and received such
an overwhelming vote in the primaries
Mr. Booth now is in the campaign Just
like he has gone Into every venture of
his life with all his mind and all his
strength.
Career Convincing; Test.
How are we to judge a man who as
pires to such a high office? Are we
to first inquire into the character of
the man and then into his ability? I
take it that is the proper way. Nor
should we confine ourselves to such
matters as they appear today. Char
acter Is something of slow growth,
ability Is best shown by deeds, by a
long series of deeds.. And there is
something else that appeals to us in
casting our ballots, smothing difficult
to explain with cold type the balance,
the fiber of the man as a son, a brother,
a husband, a father, a friend, a busi
ness associate and an employer.
I think it would generally he eon
Ceded that a man who had been a lov
ing son, a kind brother, a constant and
always-lover husband, a just and dutl-
ful father, a faithful friend, an able and
diligent business associate and an em
ployer whose employes look upon as
their best friend I think a man who
can fill up to that measure is a man to
be trusted. Still, there Is the further
question of fitness and that, still
further, of money. Not that the latter
ought to cut any figure with a candi
date. But In these times men are apt
to gauge their fellows by the length
of their purses, the size of their bank
accounts, the amount of their income-
tax. However, if I go on In this strain
I will not get anywhere. What I want,
as I said earlier in this article, is to
lead up to the present from the pioneer
days and show you what sort of- a
man R. A. Booth Is by showing what
nis eariy opportunities were, how he
embraced them and what his career
has been.
Family la Oregon In 1852.
I take it that all will agree with
me that It is not out of iplace for me
to go rather deeply Into the family
affairs of the Booths. I know they
will not when they find what a charm
ing story I am passing over all too
lightly. Indeed, I think the story of
Robert Booth is one of the most fas
cinating to be found among the annals
of our pioneers. I have written of It
before for The Oregonian, but that
was several years ago. At that time
I sat for several hours with the senior
Booth in his son's office in Roseburg;
later at the home of his son In the
same city. Such a story as he told
me but let me give it very very
briefly again. I think It will go far
toward showing you why his son, Rob
ert A., is the man he Is.
Robert Booth was born In England
in 1S20. He came with his parents to
this country when 10 years of age. The
family lived in and around New York
City five years, during which time
Robert got his only schooling. In
1834 the family came to Wisconsin,
via New Orleans and up the Mis
sissippi. There Robert learned the
stone mason's trade, was married and
four children were born to the young
couple. The elder Booths were poor;
Robert got but little ahead. Besides,
he was of a religious turn of mind and
wanted to enter the ministry. He
thought ' his opportunities would be
better In Oregon, so in 1852 they
packed up their scant store of earthly
goods and came across the trail to
Oregon.
The family first settled on a claim
above Willamlna, The father worked
at his trade as he had the opportunity,
but he -had the misfortune, while build
ing his house, to injure his leg, which
laid him up for a long time. He hob
bled around, preached here and there
as he had the opportunity worked out
by the day as he could find employ
ment, got along about as the pioneers
of those days did who had no means.
Schooling First Thought.
After a few years, having then nine
children, the question, of education be
came a serious one. For the father
had made up his mind that no matter
what happened, no matter under what
difficulties he labored, every one of
his children should have, must have,
a good education. So in 1865 the fam
ily removed to Bellevieu, In Yamhill
County, where the children had better
advantages. They remained there two
years, when the father got a charge
at Wilbur, near One of the best edu
cational institutions of those days, the
Wilbur Academy. (I think I forgot to
mention that Mr. Booth had been ad
mitted to the Methodist conference of
Oregon in 18oo.)
The preachers of those days were, as
a rule, very, very poorly paid. But the
men who then were laboring in the
ministry were not preaching for the
money, but for the cause. Robert
Booth was one of the most ardent and
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persevering of the Methodist preach
ers of his time. His name was known
over all Oregon. His "salary" ran
from $200 to $400 a year but not In
money. Some years he did not get a
dollar in cash from his congregation.
His pay was In cordw'ood, bark, po
tatoes, pelts, hay, fruit, poultry, eggs,
meat sometimes an order on "the
store" for goods.
His wedding fees, if anything," were
of the same nature. "I haven't any
money, parson," the bridegroom might
say, "but. I will dig potatoes two days
for Mr. Applegate and fetch you the
two sacks of potatoes I get for pay."
Such an offer would not only be ac
cepted; it would be so far above the
average as to be jumped at.
Mrs. Booth Mother to All.
Meantime how about the wife, the
preacher's wife, the mother of this
large family, soon numbering 12 chil
dren? How many hired girls or,
"maids" did Mother Booth have? Never
a one. She sometimes had as many
as seven boarders, but then she had
the help of her oldest daughter, Nancy.
Yet there was the sewing to do for a
family of 14. All the clothing had to
be made, much" of the cloth had to be
woven, even the wool carded and spun.
The household duties must have been
something almost beyond the under
standing of a present-day housewife.
And yet Mother Booth did It all cheer
fully and joyfully. Not only that
she was a mother to the entire con
gregation and the entire neighbor
hood. Was anybody sick? A call upon
Mother Booth was responded to almost
Instantly day or night, far or near.
Who was it that soothed the dying,
attended the mothers as midwife, com
forted the suffering and all without
the hope or even thought of pay?
Mother Booth!
Let me give the names of the 14
children: Nancy L., John O., William
A., George M.. Sarah F., Jane' A, Rob
ert A., Amanda V., Ida E., Cora B..
J. H. and Bertha M. Remember, these
were all living at the time- I have
been talking about. The first death
In the family did not occur until 32
grandchildren had been born, and then
it was a grandchild. Echo, the little
daughter of R, A. Booth and his wife.
Of the second generation all are liv
ing save John O. and George M.
Mother Booth died in 1900. The re
mainder father,' children, grandchil
dren and great-grandchildren all live
In Oregon.
It would be well, if I had the space,
to go into the lives of various .other
members of this family besides R. A.
He has made a success in life, but he
is by no means the only one. How
many of my readers remember the
E Mr f ' .jr'Ks S ;n. .k
death, the first among the children,
of Rev. George M. Booth, at The
Dalles, In 1903? He was a brother of
Robert's. He was presiding elder . at
the time of his death and a "very able
man. Indeed, Oregon has had few
clergymen who were the equal of Rev.
George M. Booth. Other members of
the family have made their mark in
various ways; not one of them has
ever been guilty of a wrong, so far as
I have ever learned.
Robert Booth now resides In Salem.
He is in his 94th year. He Is hale and
rugged. His health is excellent and
he looks good for 20 years yet. - I do
not suppose there is another parent in
the country who is prouder or who
has greater reason to be proud of his
family than Rev. Robert Booth.
Suppose I now take up the life of
Robert A. at the time the family moved
to Wilbur, in 1867. Little Robert, born
May 15. 1858, was then about 9 years
old. He had attended school a short
time back in Yamhill County. But now
his education began in real earnest.
Remember, there were eight of the
children then of school age; only one
of them younger than R. A. Amanda.
Remember also that it took money to
send children to school in those days
real money for that was before the
days of free schools in Oregon. Owing
to the fact that Mr. Booth was a
clergyman, he got half rates for his
children, but the sum had to be paid
In cash, or Its equivalent.
Work Pays Tuition.
So to help his family out 9-year-old
Robert became the Janitor of the
school, and not only paid bis own tui
tion, but that of four more of the
family. For his pay for about three
hours' work a day he received the
munificent sum of $2.50 a month. No,
he did not receive It; his brothers and
sisters rather, his family received
credit for it. So on the third day of
September. 1867, when - 9 years, 3
months and 18 days of age, Robert
became one of the breadwinners of
this remarkable family. As he began
as janitor, so ended his school career.
"I never attended school a. day that
I did not act as Janitor," he remarked
to me as we were looking over the
records of the old academy a few days
ago. In doing so I noted that always,
for the eight years he attended that
school, he stood not lower than third
in any of his classes, usually at the
head. .
He graduated in 1875 and taught a
Summer school at Civil Bend, Doug
las County. In the Fall of that year
the family removed' to Crook County,
where Robert went to work for his
father on a farm. In those days it was
supposed that a son had to work for
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his parents until 21. In the Booth
family that had to be the rule. Neces
sity required it. The elder Booth, how
ever, made it a rule to give a horse
to every child upon reaching his or
her majority. This rule be adhered
to faithfully. But in Robert's case the.
money was returned to the father be
cause the demands of. the time re
quired it. The horse had been sold
for $125, on a year's time; the father
received the note and got the cash
for it.
Farm Hand's Work Done
From the time Robert was 18 until
he became of age he did the ordinary
work of a farm hand. Coming of age
be made an arrangement with Henry
Settlemeier to sell fruit trees, and did
very well. He then, borrowed $200
from Fendel Sutherlin and went to a
business colege in San Francisco for
one term and he was also janitor
there. Returning he again sold trees
and made enough to repay Mr. Suther
lin, and had $103 left, which he put lh
with his brother in a store at Yon
calla. He remained there until 1883,
when he sold out for $1300.
I have purposely passed over a por
tion of his laborious life and some
of his teaching experiences, for he
taught several tearms at different
times. When in Eastern Oregon he
got his first suit of "store clothes"
by picking wool from the bushes (I
suppose the -reader will understand it
originally grew on Bheep), which he
sold at The Dalles. He later took a
flyer in the newspaper business at
Drain, where he was running a small
retail lumber yard in the forenoon and
teaching in the Drain Academy in the
afternoon. He had to have something
to occupy his spare time, so he and the
late Governor Frank W. Benson and
Dr. William Kuykendall started the
Drain Echo, the doctor's sons doing the
mechanical work.
First Oregon Press Bought.
Mr. Benson was often heard to re
mark that, the Kuykendall boys fur
nished the skill and muscle, Kuyken
dall, Sr., furnished the experience.
Booth furnished the capital, and he
(Benson) furnished the brains. .1 ex
amined a good many . copies of the
Echo, and it was a rather neat and
newsy little sheet. Mr. Booth says the
press used was the first ever brought
to Oregon. It was originally at Ore
gon City, but they bought it from the
old firm of Palmer & Ray.
Taking what capital he had, Mr.
Booth arranged with a Portland firm
for the machinery for a sawmill. FLad-
9
ing he could not (handle the deal on
his own money, he again went to Fen
del Sutherlin, "who," Mr. Booth re
marked to me. "was about the only
man In Southern Oregon who had any
real money in those days," and bor
rowed $2000. The mill was located at
Yoncalla, and made money from the
start. A year or so later he sold it
to George and Thomas Applegate.
Then he bought out his brother's share
and ran it a couple of years. He then
engaged In selling lumber, sash, doors,
etc., for the Sugar Pine Door & Lum
ber Company of Grants Pass. H. B.
Miller being the principal owner. Later
he became bookkeeper for the concern
and a stockholder.
Bank Is Orcanlicd,
In the Fall of 1889 what Mr. Booth
calls his real business career began.
At that time he organized the First
National Bank of Grants Pass and be
came -Us cashier. Much of the stock
was taken in Portland. Fleischner,
Mayer & Co. and Henry Failing being
among the subscribers. At first the
business was very slow, and he was the
sole employe of the bank, being
cashier, teller, bookkeeper, messenger
and janitor. Always Janitor! Surely
Mr. Booth may be considered com
petent to give expert testimony on the
duties, powers and prerogatives of the
janitor.
At this time Mr. Booth's assets con
sisted of $1965. I saw the figures set
down In his cash book,- which shows
all his early financial transactions. But
he took $5000 of the stoak in the bank,
borrowing the balance. When busi
ness began to pick up a bookkeeper,
who also acted as cashier, was hired
and Mr. Booth became president and
went to work during his odd hours for
the Sugar Pine Door & Lumber Com
pany, and soon became its manager.
Then, in 1896, he took an option on
the J. I. Jones sawmill, located at
Cottage Grove, and he and his brother,
J. H., with John and George Kelly,
organized the famous Booth-Kelly
Company.
Booth-Kelly Firm Formed.
Perhaps in all the West there has
been no concern that has received
more notoriety than the Booth-Kelly
Company. .And simply because it has
been wonderfully ' successful. If fhe
Booth-Kelly Company had done' every
thing it has done and timber and tim
ber lands had gone down or stood still
Instead of advancing a few thousand
per cent, as they have done,' never a
word of censure or complaint would
have been heard about this company
or any of its members.
At first thv 'fink..
timber lands worth mentioning, but
every timber owner wanted to sell to
them. Why? Because they had a won
derful organization. They were busi
ness men and every one of them was
a hard worker. The Kellys looked
after the logging and the manufactur
ing. It was said on every hand that
these men could get out the logs and
cut them into lumber at a less ex
pense than any other concern and yet
pay the same wages. The Booths
looked after the selling and the fi
nances, and the four partners' did the
iork of ten men. Succeed? Of course
they succeeded.
Later timber owners came to them
to sell; were urgent for them to bily;
so urgent that their first large pur
chase was made by the Booth-Kelly
Company undertaking simply to pay
the interest on the obligation. They,
paid not a cent down. Later they made
another purchase of something like
S0O.O0O acres, an old grant,, title to.
which had been passed upon by the
Supreme Court of the United . States.
A part of this was in an Indian reser
vation, which they had bought for
hay land. Indeed the pittance they
paid for this tract that Is. the pit
tance per acre they considered they
were paying for the land. They did
not reckon the timber as having any
value.
Opposed Swap Enriching.
When it became apparent to the Gov
ernment that the Indian needed the
hay land, the firm was approached to
make an exchange for lands with tim
ber. This the firm objected to ob
jected strenuously but Secretary
Hitchcock practically forced them to
make the trade, 'so they came Into pos
session of 87.000 acres of the finest
timber land east of the mountains
and lying in a solid body.
But all of this seems to presuppose
that the Booth-Kelly Company has al
ways stood as it began a firm it waa
not at first incorporated. As soon as
the larger transactions began, after
Concladed on iiT) ,