OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PUBLIC AUDITORIUM
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Volume 53, Number 16.
Smith P. Devin,
53-Year Pioneer,
Passes at Home
Rites Today From
Masonic Hall; Was
Long Police Chief.
For the second time in two days,
Heppner's Masonic hall is the scene
this afternoon of funeral rites for an
honored pioneer who reached his
reward this week.
S. P. Devin, for many years city
chief of police and a resident of the
county for 53 years, passed away in
his sleep at his home in this city
early Tuesday morning, culminating
a career active until the very last.
The day before he had tended to his
duties as usual as janitor of the
Masonic building, and on leaving the
W. O. Dix store just as Mr. Dix was
preparing to leave, he told Mr. Dix,
"Well, I guess I've done all the dam
age I can for one day, so will hit for
home." Though advancing years
had made their mark to notify his
family and friends that his health
was declining, his passing in the
sudden manner came as a shock to
everyone.
The large floral tribute at the rites
this afternoon, including special flor
al pieces from city government and
various fraternal organizations that
he served so faithfully, and the large
attendance of friends testify the high
esteem the departed gained in the
hearts of all.
Heppner lodge 69, A. F. & A. M.
in which he was raised as a member
Dec. 22, 1909, is officiating at the
services, with Alvin Kleinfeldt,
Christian minister, assisting. Spe
cial music is being provided by Mrs
J. O. Turner at the piano, and a
quartet composed of F. W. Turner,
Charles Barlow, Joseph Belanger
and Allen P. Schuck. Pallbearers
are John and Robert Wightman,
Clarence and Harvey Bauman, E.
R. Huston and F. S. Parker. Lodge
rites are being held both at the hall
and at the commitment in Masonic
cemetery. Phelps Funeral home is
in charge of arrangements.
Smith P. Devin was born in Polk
county, Mo., July 11, 1867, to Joseph
B. and Elvira (Pickle) Devin, natives
of Pike Co., Mo., and Nashville,
Tenn., respectively. The family first
came to Morrow county 53 years
ago, and the original farm was lo
cated in Blackhorse.
Mr. Devin married Sylva Shaner
at Hardman, May 16, 1900, and for
a time the couple lived on a farm
on McKinney creek, shortly moving
' into Heppner where Mr. Devin be
came engaged in the shoe business
with Mat Lichenthal, one-time coun
ty treasurer. He then worked for a
time for Norman Kelley on Willow
creek, before acquiring the farm now
owned by R. I. Thompson, near the
Kelley farm, where the family home
was made for a number of years.
Retiring from the farm to Heppner
with his family, he served as chief
of police for 13 years, in which posi
tion he served faithfully and well.
He left that position about a year
ago, and for the last few months has
served as janitor at the Masonic
building.
Like that other pioneer, Jesse J.
Wells, who was buried from the
same hall the day before, Mr. Devin
saw Heppner grow from the grass
roots, and in many ways contributed
to its progress. He was affiliated
with Masons, I. O. O. F., Rebekahs
and W. O. W. fraternal orders.
Surviving are the widow, three
daughters, Alma D. (Mrs. John
Clouston of Lakeview), Etta D. (Mrs.
Loyal R. Parker of Heppner), Leora
D. (Mrs. Adolph Hayden of Stan
field), and one son, Harlan Devin of
Condon; also two brothers, M. J. of
. Heppner and Charles of Corvallis,
and two sisters, Mrs. D. O. Justus
and Mrs. Irena Straight, both of
Heppner.
All members of the family are pre
sent for the funeral services.
HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 1937.
New Police Signal
Assists Doctor
In Beating Stork
As the stork hovered over the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Edmund
Gonty last Thursday evening, van
dals crossed the path of Dr. L. D.
Tibbies who was hastily preparing
to race the bird.
Going upstairs to his office to
complete preparations before mak
ing the dash, the doctor had left
his medicine case open in the car,
and beside it the instrument case.
In a few minutes he returned to
find the instrument case missing,
and contents of the medicine case
in a mess. Also missing were a
shotgun and flashlight he carried
in the car.
A hurried look up and down the
street revealed no sign of Homer
Hayes, policeman, so he imme
diately bethought himself of the
new police signal a red light lo
cated at the corner of Main and
Willow streets, lighted from the
telephone office to tell the police
when needed. He called, and in a
very few moments Hayes respond
ed, helping the doctor on his way
to beat the descending bird.
Who the vandals were has not
been revealed, but the missing ar
ticles were located at the school
grounds. The instrument case had
been thrown on the playground, its
contests scattered, and the gun
and flashlight were pitched thru
a window into the gymnasium.
Also found were articles which
were ascertained to have been re
moved from the Billy Cox car,
probably by the same vandals.
3.02 Inches Rainfall
For June Nears Record
Rainfall at Heppner had reached
3.02 inches for June yesterday
morning, reported Len L. Gilliam,
government weather observer, near
ing the record for the last 25 years
for which figures are available.
While no precipitation has taken
place since the reading was report
ed and clear skies were the order
this morning, there remains time yet
for this to be the wettest June of
record.
The wettest June recorded at
Heppner was in 1912 with 3.14 inches.
June, 1916, was second with 3.12.
Last June, with 167 was the wet
test since 1916. Both 1912 and 1916
were heavy crop years in the county.
Reports from over the county show
that rains this week have covered
the county generally, and crop pros
pects have been brightened every
where. Up to last week end, a strip
of country north of Lexington thru
the Swaggart butte district had been
almost completely missed by pre
vious rains,.it was reported.
C. N. Jones Named
School Director
C. N. Jones was elected school di
rector for the three-year term at the
annual meeting of School District
No. 1, Monday afternoon, receiving
25 votes to 13 for Harold Cohn, the
only other nominee. Mrs. Muriel
Vaughn, unopposed, was elected
clerk with 41 votes. Jones succeeds
Dr. A. D. McMurdo on the board,
and Mrs. Vaughn succeeds Mrs.
Merle Becket as clerk. Both Dr.
McMurdo and Mrs. Becket declined
further service, Dr. McMurdo hav
ing served six years on the board,
and Mrs. Becket a year as clerk.
Spencer Crawford, chairman, J. J.
Wightman and C. N. Jones will com
pose the board for the ensuing year.
The budget, calling for $21,230.17
to be raised by special tax the ensu
ing year, was passed with two oppos
ing votes. The budget report showed
the district bonded indebtedness to
be $34,000 and warrant indebtedness
$20,000. Total estimated expendi
tures for the ensuing year were
shown as $40,350, with estimated re
ceipts not including proposed tax of
$19,119.83.
Edward Chinn was reported ill at
home this morning.
Special Election
To Decide Bonds
Set for July 14
$7000 Issue Asked
for Street Surfac
ing; Talk Camp Site
The special election to decide on
the issuance of $7000 in bonds for
street surfacing will be held July 14.
The date was set by the council
Monday evening on adoption of a
resolution to present the matter to
the qualified voters through amend
ment of the city charter.
Discussion revealed that the $7000
will be -used along, with $6000 pro
vided in this year's budget, to sur
face the principal streets of the city
with oiled macadam, and other
streets with crushed rock where
needed. Estimated cost by the en
gineer for the work is $13,000.
Gravel only will be placed on
Riverside drive and streets on the
hills.
The bonds will be issued on the
basis of repayment beginning after
five years and retirement at the rate
of $1000 a year thereafter, linking
onto the city's present bond retire
ment program.
The council was waited upon by a
committee of citizens and taxpayers
in the interest of locating the pro
posed forest camp at Heppner, tow
ard providing a site for which the
city voted at its last meeting to con
tribute $250. The matter was held
up by the council and county court
being unable to get together on foot
ing costs of the site. Council and
the delegation agreed to have rep
resentatives present at a meeting
with the county court as soon as such
meeting could be arranged, to dis
cuss the site matter on an amended
basis. '
Jack Milsom was present and on
behalf of Ed Dick made application
for temporary permit to construct
a 6 x 8 foot wooden structure on
the old Palace hotel corner to be
used as an office until their proposed
garage and service station building
reaches' a point necessary for its re
moval. Council granted the permit
until January 1, 1938.
All members of the council and
other city officers were present at
the meeting.
FOREST CAMP SITE
ASSURED THROUGH
CITY AND COUNTY
Definite agrement was reached by
the city council and county court
this morning in providing a tract of
land adjacent to Gilliam & Bisbee's
store as a site for the proposed for
est camp at Heppner, when the court
agreed to accept the $250 voted by
the city dads as half the purchase
price. A large delegation of taxpay
ers from inside and outside the city
were represented in a delegation
waiting upon the court to urge im
mediate action.
F. F. Wehmeyer, ranger in charge
of the local district, was absent from
the city this morning and could not
be contacted up to press time to as
certain what effect he believes the
action may have upon location of the
camp here, though he recently re
ported that representatives from the
state office who looked at the site
had suggested that the site acted
upon might be acceptable. Tentative
estimates were that the government
might spend between $30,000 and
$50,000 in establishing the camp.
Mr. Wehmeyer recently received
word that authorization had been
given for the government standing
cost of abstract at a stated amount
in case the proposed site were given.
Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Edmund
Gonty at 11 o'clock last Thursday
night, Raymond Edward, weighing
8V4 pounds. Both mother and babe
are reported to be doing nicely.
Henry Heppner Visits;
But Not Ghost of
City's Godfather
Henry Heppner visited in the
city several days last week. No, it
wasn't the ghost of the city's god
father, and so far as the gentle
man knew, none of his relation.
This Henry Heppner, initials E.
H., hails from Lincoln, Neb., and
drove to Heppner from Spokane on
a tour of the northwest just to
learn something of how the city
came by its name, and if, per
chance there might be a family
connection.
Though he knew of Jewish an
tecedents in his family, he was
unable to determine whether the
Heppner from whom the city's
godfather hailed were in any way
related to his own family. While
in the city he called at the Ga
ette Times office and viewed such
pictures of the historic man who
gave Heppner his name as were
on file.
While not making any family
connection, he asserted he was
proud to carry the same name as
Heppner's founder, complimenting
the city on its progressive appear
ance. Prospects Bright
For Grazing District .
Marvin Klemme, regional grazier
at Burns, was in the county Monday
to go over the land in Oregon dis
trict No. 7 with G. L. Hankins, forest
range examiner, and Joe Belanger,
county agent. R. G. Johnson, pro
fessor of range management; E. L.
Potter, head of the department of
agricultural economics; Millard Rod
man, junior administrative assistant
of the Soil Conservation service at
Heppner, and Waldo ' Frandsen, in
charge of range survey work in that
area, joined in the inspection tour."
Condition of the range this year,
largely due to favorable moisture
conditions, is far better than it has
been for several years, according to
range operators in the area. The
heavier than normal rainfall, coming
as it does on the first year of con
trolled grazing in the area, should
be a big help in improving the condi
tion of the range, Mr. Belanger re
ports. According to the date set by the
directors of the grazing association
this year, June 15 is the last date on
which sheep or cattle will be per
mitted on land handled by the as
sociation. In the past, there have
been a few bands of sheep kept in
the lower country throughout the
summer which have made a practice
of getting as much grass as possible
wherever it could be found. This
practice, according to Mr. Klemme,
will be highly hazardous from the
operator's point of view since ade
quate policing of the district has
been arranged by the grazing ser
vice. Final Checks Come,
1 936 AAA Compliance
Checks totalling $10,433.60 have
just been received at the county ag
ent's office as final payments under
the 1936 agricultural conservation
program.
In addition, $10,751.99 for payments
under the range program have been
received. The county committee is
meeting Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday of this wek at the county
agent's office to definitely outline
with range operators the practices
which they intend to follow in 1937
to comply for payments under the
agricultural conservation act, and
to give tentative approval prior to
the range examination for such prac
tices as will qualify under the dock
et. Nearly 500,000 acres of range
land are included in applications al
ready made, giving Morrow county
one of the largest range allotments
of any county in the state.
License to wed was issued at the
clerk's office Tuesday to Lydia B.
Ulrich and George W. Burroughs,
both of Heppner.
Subscription $2.00 a Year
Jesse J. Wells,
Assessor 26 Years,
Dies at Portland
County Pays Tribute
at Final Rites; Was
Born on Rhea Creek
Jesse J. Wells, Morrow county as
sessor for the last 26 years, died at
2 o'clock Monday afternoon in Port
land where he had gone ten days
before for medical attention in an
illness of several years duration.
Son of pioneers, he was born on Rhea
creek at what is now known as the
Emil Groshens ranch, and his entire
life was spent in this county.
The affection and esteem in which
Mr. Wells was held was evidenced by
the overflow attendance at funeral
services at Masonic hall at 2 o'clock
yesterday afternoon, with Heppner
lodge 69, A. F. & A. M. officiating,
and Case Mortuary in charge. Alvin
Kleinfeldt, Christian minister, gave
the funeral address in which he paid
fitting tribute to the deceased. Hon
orary pallbearers were Frank Rob
erts, T. J. Humphreys, J. G. Thom
son, W. E. Pruyn and C. Darbee of
Heppner, A. C. Barnekoff of Port
land, and H. O. Ely of lone. Active
pallbearers were J. O. Rasmus, F. S.
Parker, A. E. Johnson and L. L. Mat
lock of Heppner, Harry Jayne of
Boardman and Bert Mason of lone.
Special musical numbers were sung
by a quartet, Mrs. Alvin Kleinfeldt,
Mrs. R. B. Ferguson, Russell McNeil
and John Anglin, with Mrs. J.
O. Turner presiding at the piano.
The beautiful lodge funeral service
was read by the officers with J. O,
Turner, worshipful master, presid
ing, and the lodge commitment ser
vice was also read at the graveside
in Masonic cemetery. The floral
tribute was profuse.
Mr. Wells was going on his 41st
year as a Mason, having been in
itiated Dec. 5, 1816, passed Jan. 2,
1897, and raised Feb. 6, 1897. He
served as worshipful master of
Heppner lodge in 1902.
Mr. Wells was also a member of
Heppner lodge 358, B. P. O. Elks,
with which he became affiliated
many years ago.
All immediate members of his
family from out of town were here
for the funeral services.
Jesse Jacob Wells was born April
18, 1875, to Abe S. Wells and Betty
(Yocum) Wells, natives of Arkadel
phia, Ark., and St. Jose, Mo., re
spectively, who were among the first
settlers on upper Rhea creek. He
was reared to young manhood on the
farm, and received his schooling in
the Heppner schools,, attending
school in the old building which once
stood on the site of the Edward
Chinn residence on Gale street.
He first married Alice Leatherman,
also a native of the county, born on
the same farm on Rhea creek, at
Hollister, Cal., November 21, 1903.
To this union were born four chil
dren, Thomas J., Helen, Myra and
Harry. For many years the family
home was made in south Heppner
near the Cowins ice plant. Mrs.
Wells passed away March 16, 1925,
and on June 28, 1931, Mr. Wells mar
ried Bertha Otto at Heppner, and
the family home was made on the
little farm just north of the city
limits, which had been acquired by
Mr. Wells a few years before. To
this union was born a daughter,
Betty.
Continued on Page Five
Assessor Applicants
Sought by Court
The county court announced this
morning that the successor to the
late Jesse J. Wells as assessor will
be named within the next few days
due to the importance of the office.
Anyone intending to make appli
cation is advised to make the same
in writing and present it to the court
within the next two or three days.