Oregon City, Ore., March 28, 1831 -Salem, Ore:, March 28, 1931
Pace Twenty-onb
Q
eer Home in Waldo H
pry of 80 Years
St
ills Speaks
of History
By Helen m. Comstock
! Preeminent am one the spot
of historic interest In the Waldo
Hills is the Geer farta "which has
been owned by the Geer family
for 80 y tars.
This home which was built by
Ralph C. Geer in 1851, has be
come famous not only as the
Geer home, bat also as that of
Homer, Davenport, world famous
cartoonist, who was; a grandson
of Ralph Geer. '1
-Ralph C. Geer, with his wife
and four children, crossed the
plains to Oregon in 1847, en-
daring all the naraanips oi pio
neer travel. They came first to
Portland and later o the home
of Mrs. Geer's unclej James Cul
ver, near Macleay. The trip from
tortand to the Culver farm took
five days.
! The story" is told! that shortly
after -their, arrival Geer sold a
sheet iron stove thai he brought
across the plains for 9125. The
first year found the; family with
very little money, but Mrs. Geer
had brought with her a stock of
needles', pins, buttons and calico
print. Mr. Geer packed two suit
case with these and started out
with his ox? team to sell to his
neighbors, In a few cases he was
back with on case: unsold but
enough supplies to last the fam
ily all winter.
j Ralph Geer was the first
school teacher in the dUtrict.
The school was built north of,
the "Warren cemetery; and Is still
standing. Thirty pupils were en
rolled. Located on Supposed
Road to California
When in 1851 the Ueers decid
ed to build a home they chose a
site on an Indian trail which
they hoped would; be a road to
California. If the proposed Cas
cade highway becomes a reality,
it. will pass Just a few rods to
one side of the house.
.Hand hewn timbers were used
in the house and they were mor
ticed and pinned in all joints
and braces with four by four
studding, hand sawed. Boards in
the ceiling' are of varying widths
but all the same length, 36 feet.
The floors were the same, being
of tongue and grooved ash. The
floors were In use until three
GEER RANCH
A
-:r
.V I ?
4 f t
, a
IS
TTVF A. A. C.F.KTI T"ARf TN THE
WAi.no Hii.T.e is iiw HisroHirAi.
1 NT'KK EST IN M AKIOX : COUNTY. IS
THE HOUSE AKK WAXY OV THK
iRwixas or tiomfr davkspokt.
KAMOl'g (MHTOOMT, UKA.NDiON' Oi'
RALPH OEKR.
years ago, when the grandson.
A. A. Geer relald them.
The door and windows came
around the Horn'. The door cas
ings had been made before the
doors arrived and were too large
so that the doors iiad two-inch
piece added, which are notice
able today. Some of the same
window glass is in use and com
pares very unfavorably with that
purchased later.
Much has 'been written of the
cartoons of the grandson. Homer
Davenport, which are to be found
about the house. The tree, now
more than 80 feet high, which
stands near the house, is said to
be the Tiding whip of Homer's
mother which was stuck care
lessly into the ground.
The story of the big rock
near the home has, however,
never been written. According to
the family tradition. Mr. Geer
had brought with him an un
mounted cannon and when sur
prised by Indians, had set it off
many times during the journey
across the plains. He placed it
close to this rock, and many
times when danger from Indians
threatened he set It, off, and
neighbors answered the signal
and hurried to congregate at Cap
tain Geer's borne.
"Bert" Hoover, Chubby,
I Freckled-Faced Youth
pearly memories of Salem are
jflot complete without recalling
thie freckle-faced lacf who used
to be "office" boy tor the old
Oregon Land Co. in the '90's,
and is now President. 'Herbert C.
Hoover.
B. C. Miles is one person in
Salem who well remembers him.
MrV Hoover was born In West1
Branch, Iowa, 10 years follow-
ing the birth of Mr. Miles in the
same towp. Mr. Hoover left the
vlljfage when about 'seven years
. old to come to Newberg, Oregon.
"Mit Miles followed several years
later and became an instructor
of Mr. Hoover in the old Pa
cific academy, wow Pacific col
lege. Then Mr. Hoover came to Sa
lem with his uncle, Dr. J. Min
thorn, a brother-in-law of Mr.
Mites, his Grandmother Min
thorn and his brother "Tad" and
sisr, Myv; They Uuk up resi
dence on the northwest corner
of jthe present Hazel and High
land, avenue, which house is
pointed to today as a landmark.
Next door to this old house- is,
that of Mr. and Mrs. j. N. Smith
who have lived there for the
past 39 years. Mr. Smith took
"Bert's" desk when he left the
Oregon Land Co. to go to Stan
ford, and as to Hoover's life in
Salem Mr. Smith has several
memories.
"Everyone called him 'Bert,
and he was a round, freckle
faced" lad, very boyish and ser
ious." said Mr. Smith. "Accord
ing to the men who worked with
him in the company he would he
reading Shakespeare when other
boys of his age were readiug
Diamond Dick, or fooling around.
When he left to go to Stauford
be called on me in Portland
where I wad with the Portland
branch of the Oregon Land Co.
At that time he Eaid if he got
into Stanford it would be be
cause the school needed stu
dents. He seemed d:acotiraeed
over Momt algebra and examina
tions." Hoover's Memory
Said to be Excellent
According to report. Hoover
had a wonderful memory. Mr.
Smith said that John Cook, a
salesman fn the old. land com
pany, had told him maiiy times
that ''Bert1' never lo-jctt asy
anything which came to hi 'at
tention, and that when any one
in the office wanted to recall
something in connection, with
the businesL "Bert" could tell
exactly if he had ever had any
thing to do with it.
There were: times, however,
when the future president was
not so . commendable. Mr. Smith
recalled having heard that Dr.
Minthorn useL to "get after"
, k
him for neglecting to care for
the horses. pr. Minthorn was
president of i lie Oregon Laud
Co. and the jbustnees required
the use of many horses.
It is also reported that Aunt
Phoebe Hammer, Quaker minis
ter aunt of Hoover, thought
"Tad" to be the smart one and
that "Bert" as "dull". How
ever that be, St was "Bert" who
became president, and it is
told that he It was who helped
"Tad" and several relative to
get educations! "Tad", Her
bert's brother, jwas linotype oper
ator on The Statesman, followed
Herbert to Stanford and la. now
it
dean of the school of engineer
ing there.
Herb's job ttf Pull
'Old Dock's Tail
Amusing anecdotes concerning
Hoover- include; the old horse-car
street railway system which ran
down Commercial street. Where
the new bridge is on North Com
mercial street there was in Hoo
ver's time a low-water wooden
bridge. A steep grade ran down
to the bridge on both sides. "Old
Dock" was one Of the horse
power". It was claimed that un
less his tail was pulled be would
balk on the hills. When Bert
took the horse-car home, so the
story goes, he i sat outside with
the driver and got great glee in
pulling jold "Dock's" tail when
the hills were, reached.
1 The Minthorns were hospitable
people ajnd always were "putting
travelers up jfor the night."
When beds were filled it was
Bert who had to give up his bed,
and his retreat at such times was
often the hayloft of the barn
where the "car-horses" were
stabled.: Here he slept in the
bed of Prank Frahmm, superin
tendent of the barn. The street
cars were owned by the Oregon
Land Co. so Bert had some claim
on the barnloftj bed.
W. C. T. U. PLEDGE
This is pledge 4ken by orlgw
fnal W. " C. T. U. members in
Salem;
, The first pledge in part: "We
hereby .pledge' ourselves fo disr
courage the use of anything which
can intoxicate and in order . to
strengthen our influence In this
regard, we promise not to use any
intoxicating liquors as , beverages
or in cooking nor to furnish them
at social entertainment." : ; ' '
WHEN CLEVELAND WON
"Salem last night was a
whooping, howling, ; ; boiling,
foaming, frothy, noisy asylum f
excited teothuslastlq people al)
interested In the hew from be
yond the flockles. ' A collection
tof various sounding musical and
boisterous instruments paraded
the struts up and down and ent
the wilq echoes flying; jumping;
skipping! and hopping through
the airl" Statesman, Nov. I,
19?.
SLOW NEWS
The semi-monthly steamers
carried the malls between the At
lantic ports and the ports of the
Pacific . . and the transit usu
ally required from four to fire
weeks. -Salem, 1S3S.
Took Girls to
Church-
Stayed Very Late
Another interesting anecdote
is that told about the present
Mrs. K. K. Lee Steiner. One
day she went i into t lie office
where Bert worked, to see Lu
clhi Hewlett. Who also worked
in the same off
Bert asked the
to church with
Sunday night.
Ilia church s
ce. While there
two girls to go
him the coming
They accepted.
irvices were in
volved with raiding some money.
The required amount had not.
been raised at midnight so the
nearly 2 o'clock! and her mother
doors were locked and no one
could leave until the money was
forthcoming.
The girl who is now Mrs.
Steiner did not get home until
was waiting up for her. Bert
did not to tlie door for a
vcly good l euiiOU ' knrpiug
young ladies out until 2 o'clock
in that day was not "done" and
Bert even then was showing
simis of a Rood politician he
knew when to lie absent
fs . ' ; .
I
'I '
L . .. .. a
CRONISE STUDIO
i Established 1880
ARTISTIC PORTRAITS
193 N. Commercial Street
SALEM, OREGON
Cronise Studio Has Interesting
; History
Many of the old photographs appearing' in this Eightieth
Anniversary number of The Statesman are from the "Early
Days In Salem" collection of the Cronise Studio, ' ThU studio
has on file hundreds of
old negatives. thatBa.ro
now of real historic
value. The gallery it
self has an interesting
histpry. Fpundedi In
IS 80, the business . Is
one of Salem's pioneer
Institutions having : run
continuously for more
than fifty years. The
original owner, a Mr.
Johnson, was photog
rapher with great' en
thusiasm for his work
and no place or event of,
importance escaped the
everready lens of. his
camera: Horse shows
firemen's . tournaments,
Fourth of July, celebra
tions, picnics, steamboat
excursions, weddings,
parties, street scenes,
public buildings, resi
dences, factories, bridg
es, ferries, offices,
schools, individuals,
Ll.b mmI 1 a : all Mia
within range of his cam- HARRY CRONXSS
era and were recorded for posterity.
In 1830, Miss Sperry, who had been studying puotognplry
with Mr. Johnson, bongbt the studio and moved Jt to its,
present location in the Bush building, corner of Commercial
and Court streets. Miss Sperry was an exceptional artist.
Tbe grouping, posing and lighting of her subjects were ln-
variably artistic and full, of grace. Her studio was petron
iied by all of the well known families ef Salem during the
"gay nineties".: Miss Bperry sold her huslness to Hart and
McLennon who conducted it for a short time under the name
of the "Elite Studio?,
In 1902, the gallery was purchased by T. J. Crontse, s
well known business man of that period. Mr. Cronise se
cured the services of Mr. Carl Nordstrom, young artist
from Portland who brought with him a wealth of artistic
talent and many ideas that were fresh1-and new to the peo
ple of Salem.. Mr. Nordstrom'' was a source of much Inspira
tion to Mr. arid Mrs. i Cronise. Much of bis skill and artistry
were absorbed by them; and they always maintained a high
standard of quality in their work. Mr. and Mrs. Cronise
were "old timers" In Salem and their wide acquaintance and
friendly personalities together with their reputation for fine
workmanship and fair, dealing won for them a large fol
lowing. .Four years ago, with tbe passing of Tom Cronise. his son,
Harry, who had spent a number of years in Seattle In the
study of Architecture and Fine Arts at the University of
Washington, returned to Salem to be with his mother and
to carry on the photographic business, Mrs. Cronise died
December 1, 1530, leaving the studio in the hands of her
t?on, Harry.
Having b-en literally Lbrought up from childhood in a
photograph gallery, Harry Crontse is- thoroughly familiar
with all of the processes and materials of photography. Dur
ing the past four years he has made an intensive study of
modern photographic methods and has combined his artistic
t mining with hit knowledge of phptography to produce some
very creditable work. lie has introduced several new ideas,
; aniwng .them. Mon-O-Kronis and the new electric photo flash
in home portraiture. ! .
For studio portraiture be believes that natural daylight
combined with the electric spot Is tbe Ideal light source for
securing natural expression and artistic lightings. In this
opinion he is backed by no less an authority than Mr. Rich
ard Spalght. the Royal Court photographer of Europe, who
prerers daylight to any artificial light.
For the convenience of bis customers Mr. Cronise has con
templated moving to a more modern building; but he feels
that since his present location is the only bnlldlng in Salem
perfectly equipped for a studio, with tbe softly diffused na
tural light of a north skylight, the benefits of a now location
would not compensate for the loss in artistic quality of his
work. j , ; -
When Hairy .cVontse was introduced to a freshman at the.
University of Washington, Hih boy pondered over the rather
unusual nam for a j moment. Thun u happy light spread
over his faee and be isald, "I have it! 'Syri Cronise syn
croniee like they do in the talking pictures. That's how
I'll remember your name." From that day Harry Cronise
has been "Syn" Cronise to his fraternity brothers. And now,
believe it'or pbt, "Syn" Cronise makes "pictures that'talk."