THE SUNDAY OKEGONTAX. PORTLAND, MARCH 10, .1918.
CANDIDATE FOR U. S. SENATE OWES MUCH TO MOTHER
Sirs. Robert N. Stanfield Mothered Three Stepchildren, Raised Family of Eight Others and Started Them on Road to Success.
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T
BT ADDISOM EEXXTTT.
O tU tb story of Mr. Robert
StaaackL Br it will o itnuarr
to nr aomcthlnv about br bu-
tmjid. who dlod April IS. IMU. at tb
Staaflald rmacb oa ButUr Crwok. I'mi
tUU Coontr. 1I u at tba tin of bi
4th. u b Itad boon for a number of
7ara. oat of tho moat rospoctad cltl
aa of Eutira Ocicol But about
twa 7ar befora his deatb ba was
taksa 111 aad aarar recovered. Durtoc
the time of bla alcknesa bis business.
farming aad feedlas caUle. bad been
loeelr and successful!? looked after
ty bta wife and a foreman, lie was
the father of 11 children, all of whom
a-re aim llvtnar. At tho time of bis
deal tho oldest. Kra. As B. Thomp
son, was a few weeks oer 11. the
younrest. Katharine, was a few months
at .
Mr. Stan Held was bom la Sancamoa
Cooaty. Illinois, oa December I. 1112.
lila father died wbea Kobert was t
yeara old and two years later bla
another married aala. Affairs were
apparently not pleasant trader tba role
f tho new head of tho family and lit
tle Kobert was hired out to a nelch
borlna; farmer at the enormous wage
of til a year. Thoucb but a little tot
aader years old. bo bad to milk IS
cowa nl tit and morning and do most
f the chorea. Ha was supposed to
oret some schoollnr. but about three
months was tho sura total of his school
attendance. Bo stuck to bis Job for
several years and then worked for
others la the vicinity of bis old boms.
LI ace la's EuaU Fallowed.
While bo fat ao schoollnr. bo did
continue as best bo could with bis
studies, borrowing: books here and
there. Ba ased to say that ba got the
moot of bis education from aa old dic
tionary; at any rata bo became a fairly
well-read man. aa expert bookkeeper
aad In a business deal was careful aad
atft.
Wbea ba was between If and IT a
AhsSe Ae. Zzrrr "52J 5- jO 7f &
: a
OaaT JET. SoT77jfss7''
p
family l) tar him was to start for Ore
ton and Robert made a bargain to
drive tho ox team across the plains for
bis board. None of bis relatives cams
with him or followed him.- Tbay were
sis months oa the lone trail and land
ed la the Fall of 1141 near MciUnnrUle,
In Yamhill County.
Ia tba Sprint; of US be went to tho
mines of California and Nevada and
by .1110 ho bad accumulated enourh
money to purchase a One ranch on Mid
dle Shasta River and to purchase suf
ficient cattle to stock It. Hs did very
well tho Oret year, but tho terrible
Winter of 'fl-'el practically wiped out
his livestock.
Or area Reached la 1M3L
Ho sold his ranch at aa Inslrnlflcant
sum. purchased a muls and packhorss
and came to Oreg-OB. Bs learned on
his Uip that Cmatllla was a rood busi
ness point and ho went there, arriving
la tho early Summer of 1SC2. Umatilla
was at that time a thrlvlnff town of
somethlnr over 1000 people. It had
been established a year or so before
by removlnr the unloading point of
tho Columbia River boats from the
Umatilla landing, a alte on the river
where Irrtson Is now situated, to the
point above tho UmatlHa River, to save
fording the UmatHla. All of the sup
plies for the Boise Basin and other
mining sections of Idaho were shipped
that way. Umatilla was then the
county seat of Umatilla County and
Mr. Stanfield aaw a chance for building
up a business by building a warehouse
and transferring frsight from the boats
to tho warehouse.
From the first ho prospered. He
gradually Increased his holdings of
hnriM and mnlH and ra n ltvrv
business In conjunction with his trans-1
far business. While there he met a
family by tho name of Atwood, from
Benton County, and soon .married the
daughter, Phoebe. Ho erected a dwell
ing la Umatilla and took his bride
there. Three children were born to
them, Jessie, Sidney and Ralph. On
May 20, 1871, the first Mrs. Stanfield
died, leaving these three young chil
dren, aged 1, S and 6 years. Mr. Stan
field kept his little, family together and
on June 19, 187S. he married the pres
ent Mrs. Stanfield. whose maiden name
was Hattle T. Townsend.
Wheat Deal Unfortunate
It la not necessary to continue this
story of the senior head of the Stan
field house further than to say he con
tinued business until the railroad was
built to Umatilla and then on to Pen
dleton. As soon as It reached the lat
ter city he moved his business and
family there; when It passed on to La
Grande he sold his business and went
into the milling business, erecting a
flour mill at Umatilla. He bought a
large amount of wheat at 70 cents a
bushel and the price dropped 40
cents and remained at that figure. He
quit with Quite a load of debt and went
to a place he had bought on Butter
Creek.. where he lived until his death,
April 15, 1896. No man in that sec
tion had a better name than Robert
Nelson Stanfield. Honest, fair, square,
a good friend to all, he had a reputa
tion surpassed by none in Eastern Ore
gon. I want you now to picture In your
mind the Stanfield bride going to the
home of her husband where there were
three little children, the eldest a little
over S years of age. Mrs. Stanfield was
but a girl of 19. She had a fairly good
education which she had secured at
Pendleton, then a little city of about
35 families. She worked for her board
and attended the school of Jim Turner,
remembered by many who got their ed
ucation by working for it, as did Mrs.
Stanfield.
She went to the Stanfield home to
those three little tots. But they never
knew but what she was their own
mother. Children were never better
cared for, never loved more tenderly or
cared for more motherly than those
three children, all of whom are living
today, honored and respected, and each
one of them will tell you that there
never was a more loving mother than
their step-mother.
Eleven Children In Family.
Soon other little tots came, eight of
them In all, making a family of 11 lit
tle folks In the Stanfield home. Let me
give their names, beginning with the
three step-children given before: Jes
sie, now Irs. J. B. Perry, of Pendleton;
Sidney, in business in Odessa, Wash.;
Ralph, in the banking business at Echo.
The eight children born to her are as
follows: Carrie, now' -Mrs. Asa B.
Thompson, of Butter Creek; Robert
Nelson Stanfield, now one of 'the largest
sheep and wool owners in the United
States, residing at Stanfield, Or., can
didate for United States Senator; Daisy,
now Mrs. Walter Frazier, of Pendleton;
Hush L., now on the old homestead, but
interested with "Bob" in the sheep bus
iness; Chloe, now Mrs. Carl Helm, of
Hermiston; Gerald E., of Ontario, a
partner with "Bob"; Lucy Javina, now
Mrs. Arthur G. Mears, of Vale, but also
a stockholder In the sheep company.
and Katherine May, who resides with
her mother in Portland.
I should have said in regular order
that Mrs. Stanfield was born on a farm
which embraced a part of the present
site of Vancouver, Wash. Her father
was born In Bangor, Me., and crossed
the plains with an ox team in 18S2. He
married Miss Alamanda Elouisa Taylor.
at Sandy Bar, at the mouth of the Sandy
River. They each had a donation
claim, taking in the territory about the
present town of Fairview.
When Mr. Stanfield died in 1896 he I was the only break In the Stanfield
left his affairs in about the ordinary I family.
CAsSc? oJ S& SJ??cf Srs-
condition of the farmers and stock:
feeders of his time. There were debts.
There was a family of seven minor
children. He had started the three
children by his first wife in business
by giving to each of the boys 250 head
of cattle and a year's supplies, and they
went up to the country about Odessa.
Their sister at the same time was given
160 acres of land and for the others he
deeded their mother 400 acres of the
cream of the Butter Creek ranch.
"Bob" Takes the Reins.
When he died young Robert was go
ing to school at the Western Normal.
He came home and after the funeral
he asked his mother how she was going
to manage about the stock for Winter
feeding. Mind you he was only 19
years old. His mother replied that she
would have to leave the matter to the
foreman. "Bob" at once said he could
do it and wanted to get at it. Mrs.
Stanfield gave him a checkbook and
told him to go and get 100 head on
.trial. He came back after making as
good deals and in as good business
shape as the father could have done
and from that moment "Bob" was at
the head of the -Stanfield business.
There were liabilities to meet, there
were the six younger children to feed,
clothe and educate. But the sturdy
young fellow was equal to every emer
gency and soon, there was a balance on
the credit side of the ledger, for the
Stanfield farm was out of debt and
was making money.
When "Bob" was of age, after han
dling the farm for two years, he told
his mother he was considering getting
married and wished to lease the place.
She told him she was favorable to both
propositions and gave him a lease for
five years. He made good and at the
expiration of the lease he took It for
another five-year term and made 1
money. Then he wanted it for another
term, but his mother told him Hugh
must have his chance, so "Bob" moved
to a place he had bought and Hugh
took the farm.
Estate Never Settled.
There never has been a settlement of
the estate. None has been necessary.
Upon coming of age or getting married
each heir has been provided for and all
are now well to do in their own right.
and the estate worth far more than It
was when the father died. And, as
Mrs. Stanfield says, "due to the rare
business Judgment of her eldest son.
A few years ago Mrs. Stanfield pur
chased a fine home in Portland, where
she and Kate, the "baby" of the family,
reside. They live in the" full enjoy
ment of everything they wish, but they
are frugal and happy. To see Mrs.
Stanfield you would take her to be on
the sunny side of 50. You would never
think of the trials and hardships she
has endured in bringing up a family of
11 and all well and doing welL The
death of her husband, 22 years ago.
- 1
FOR THE. YOUNG I
PEOPLE
THE RED CROSS NURSERY
O COAL tn the school basement
aad no school for two weeks!
Goody! Goody! Goody r ex
claimed Rath, as she rushed Into the
boose one Monday morning aad tossed
bar coat aad mltteaa oa the coach!
"And If they don't ret a lot of coal
then, there'll be no school for three
weeks," added her sister. Dorothy.
"three whole weeks with aothlnr to
do!"
"I should think you'd ret pretty tired
, with nothing to do." laughted the girls'
THY BAD THETJ TOMT AXD I tliWT DOLM TOB UJCKCO SOLDIERS
uoxs roa t iuu.TJukT
mother. "Two or three weeks of It
sounds stupid to me."
"Oh, we didn't mean nothing to do
really-truly. mother." explained Ruth,
"we meant no lessons or work. We
can plsy dolls all we want."
"Very well." said their mother, "we'll
see, Tou shall do only what you want
to."
With that permission the sisters hur
ried off to the nursery and were seen
only at mealtime and bedtime for the
rest of that day. But the next day
things didn't go so well. Both wanted
the same doll and the same dresses
and the same bed; and there were fre
quent quarrels. By the end of the third
day the girls were decidedly tired of
doing "only what they wanted to do.'
and came to their mother for advice.
"n bat shall yon do to amuse your
self?" repeated Mrs. Ferguson when
appealed to. "well, let me see." She
thought a minute and before she had
time to answer. Aunt Grace, who had
happened in a few minutes before.
spoMe for her.
Why don't yoo forget about trylnr
to amuse yourselves that s always
suca bard work. I think and do some
thing Interesting?"
"Well." said Kuth doubtfully.
"Why don't you." continued Aunt
Qrace. as though she hadn't noticed the
lack of Sntbualasm. "why don't you
nave a rtea uroas nursery T
"That sounds fine." said Dorothy, de
lightedly, "but how could we have ltT"
Well start this very minute," said
Aunt Grace- and she took off her wraps
and prepared to go upstairs. "First we
tidy up the nursery and get all signs
of play away. Tou girls may do that
while I hunt up your outfits and sud-
plies."
row -clearing up" Is usually the stu
pidest sort of business but it wasnt
this day! Ruth and Dorothy set to work
with a Tim and before their auntie
reached the room the doll clothes were
packed away In the trunks where they
belonged, blocks were put In their
proper boxes, puszles were picked up
and the room was In "apple pie" order.
"Uood housekeepers! said Aunt
Grace, approvingly, as she glsnced
about the tidy room. "I see you de
serve your caps." And at that she set
os, each girl's head an attractive Red
Cross cap mad to look, exactly like the
caps the ladies wore at the class Aunt
Grace taugbt downtown.
"There now!" she added, as the girls
admired their new possessions in the
nursery glass, "I brought those Just
the right day. didn't IT I Just thought
I bad two little nieces who should be
taking a first-aid course." And then
she explained their lessons. The girls
were to take a first-aid course that
was exactly like the course the big.
folks took, only instead of practicing
on real folks they were to take their
lessons on dolls right there In their
own nursery.
"And can we do everything Just like
you do in your lady class?" asked
Dorothy, to whom the whole plan
seemed almost too Interesting to be
true.
"Just exactly the same." 'said Aunt
Grace, "though perhaps we won't al
ways use the same order of lessons.
First we'll learn bow to make beds in
hospital fashion: then we'll learn how
to make bandages and how to take
care of hurts of all kinds and how to
do the many things that first-aid'
nurses must do."
Ruth get out a fresh supply of sheets
for the doll beds and they had their
first lesson at once.
After that there was no time for play
In that Red Cross nursery indeed no!
Aad the work -was more interesting
than the play had been, the girls soon
found that out. They had tK their
Tommy and Sammy dolls for Injured
soldiers home for treatment and the
lady dolls were nurses who had been
disabled while on duty near the front
and sent back to the hospital.
Ruth and Dorothy studied hard and
practiced so diligently that at the end
of two weeks Aunt Grace gave them
each a diploma.
But we don't want to stop! ex
claimed Ruth, when she read what the
diploma said, "wo want to learn more
it s fun!"
"I'm glad you think so." said Aunt
Grace, "aod I'll tell you what you can
do. Tou can get up a class of your
little friends and have them meet in
this nursery. And you and L between
us. will teach them all you have
learned."
So they did. And when school be
gan at the end of three weeks, all the
girls In that neighborhood had learned
something about nursing and had had
the "best aver" vacation, . J
MARY ELLEN'S SURPRISE -
M'
ART ELLEN DARRELL had al
ways dreamed of traveling around
the world. .Or If not all the way
around, at least far enough to see
etransre Deonles and sights. But alas I
There wasn't a chost of a chance of
her golng--not these many years!
One evening in the late Spring Mr.
Darrell came home a bit early and as
soon as he got Into the house he asked
for Mary Ellen. She hurried down from
her room In answer to his call, for she
guessed at once that he had some plan
afoot, and father's plans were run.
"Next Sunday, weather permitting.'
announced Mr. J Darrell, "I'm going to
take you on a trip to a foreign coun
try."
- Mary Ellen's eyes fairly danced, and
then she happened to think that what
he promised was plalnry impossible.
"Tou're only teasing!" she exclaimed,
disappointedly, "'cause there Isn't any
foreign country we can get to In one
day."
"Walt and see!" laughed Mr. Dar
ling, and without any attention to
Mary Ellen's remark, he got out his
road maps and began making plans for
the trip.
Of course, Mary Ellen and her mother
and brother Tom, and sister Jane, too,
were happy at the thought of a trip
to the country. They bad been shut up
so much more than usual during the
ions', cold Winter. So the plans made
were very happy ones though to tell
the truth not one of the family thought
much about Mr. Darling's promise to
take them to a foreign country.
Sunday morning dawned clear and
warm, a hard wind jot two days had
dried the roads and made the "going"
good. In less than two hours the city
was far behind, oh, miles behind! and
Mr. Darrell was Just about to say,
"Now, It's near here when "POP!"
went a tire and the car came to a stop.
Repairs didn't get finished as quickly
as usual and little Jane began to get
very tired of the long wait.
"While we're waiting," said Mr. Dar
rell, "suppose you take the children to
Holland, alary; Ellen; It'a close by ,
door. And then she had the biggest
surprise of all. The door opened and
out stepped a little Dutch boy dressed
in the funny loose clothes and wooden
shoes Dutch boys wear In their native
land.
He could talk Just a little English,
Just enough to make them understand
that they were to come into the house
and -see his mother and sister.
The children made friends at once,
and the Darrell family, Including father
and mother, stayed and ate dinner
that was cooked in a great pot before
an open fireplace Just as Dutch folk
cook their meals in the old country.
No wonder Mary Ellen, as they started
for home, felt as though she had begun
her trip around the world!
The Door Opened and Aut Stepped a
Little Dutch Boy.
Just down the road to that nearest turn.
round those trees and there you are."
Of course, the children and Mary
Ellen didn't one bit believe what he
said they thought he was playing a
Joke on them. But anything -was bet
ter than waiting, so off they started.
Down the road to the turn; .'round the
big clump of trees that grew so close
and thick, and there! right in front of
them, was a big Dutch windmill swing
ing idly around in the soft Spring
breeze! Mary Ellen could hardly be
lieve her eyes, she was that surprised.
Running ahead of the others, she
dashed up the stone walk over the
stones that were hand-scrubbed, clean
&nd white), and knocked .on tho front,
Raise Your Own Bees.
JF TOU would stand near a beehive
you would see a very busy family
at work. Did you ever ' think of
comparing your borne to a hive and
yourself to a bee? If the bees are noted
for their industry there are many rea
sons why children should be so in a
far greater' degree.
In every hive there Is a Queen who
rules, and In your hive you could be
the Queen who should "improve each
shining hour."
Now If you are the Queen, what
shall the bees be who are to work with
you? Suppose we place them in your
hive in the order of -their importance:
eee Obedient Is a very busy little
worker and a very necessary helDer to
the Queen. When your mother says
"Do this." or "Don't do that." Bee
Obedient will be rieht there to help
you.
The next Bee is not content to work
only In the hive, as for that matter
they all usually follow the Queen
wherever she goes. It is bee Indus
trious who watches golden opportuni
ties no matter whether in school or
In the hive, or out in the big garden
called the world. ,
Bee Loving settles in the very heart
of the hive and -tirs all the others up
until the hive is filled with a glow.
But still there Is room for ever so
many more and these new ones will
surely follow the others into the hive.
These are Bee Sincere, Bea Honest
Bee Tactful, Bee Quick.