HENRY HEPPNER (continued)
became a partner in the Hep
pner store. Mr. Heppner and
Mr. Hlacknun each contribu
ted $50 toward starting the
Gazette in 1883. In 1888 after
the railroad reached Hep
pner, Mr. Heppner built a
large warehouse here. His
nephews Phil ami Jerry Conn
joined Heppner andlllacknian
as clerks. Mr. Heppner be
came owner of a large part
of the business section of the
town, leasing buildings to
others.
Mr. Heppner was an unpre
tentious nan, dressed sim
ply, and lived simply. He slept
in his store some of the time,
lived with his sister Mrs.
Blackmail some of the time,
and lived and boarded at
the Palace Hotel in later
years. Some report his man
ner was gruff, but he was
surely a respected business
man. Mr. Colin told Harold
Hecket about his grand
uneles's frequent assistance
to school children in need.
"In one case when a large
family came from the east,
without money, he paid the
tuition for those children to
go to school."
Mr. Heppner's success
brought other members of his
family to Heppner, the Henry
lllackman family, and the
Elizabeth Heppner Cohn sons,
Phil and Jerry. Mr. Henry
lllackman and Mr. Phil Colin
: n f
f
V
:2s
v r
Heppner's old school house which was located on Gilo
Street. Rachel Harnett still lives in part of the building
which was moved to Center Street.
were the executors of his es
tate. Thus the husband and
sons of two of his sisters
were associated with him.
A FINAL TESTAMENT
Mr. Heppner died in 1 1)05
(one newspaiHT account says
it was Feb. 1C, the birthday
of the founding of Morrow
County). The Heppner Gazette
included this tribute in the
obituary published then:
"In the passing of Henry
Heppner there goes a prom
inent and familiar landmark
in the history of the city and
county. He was a familiar
figure on the streets and was
one of the best known men in
the county. In public affairs
of both city and county for
more than a quarter of a cen
tury he has affiliated and has
been closely identified with
most of the questions that
have gone into history, es
pecially in affairs of the town
that bears his name.
"Henry Heppner's life has
been a long and useful one.
A hard and tireless worker,
his life lias been crowned
with success and thrift. He
was a man of keen business
judgment and lias left a large
fortune. Like the other
Oregon pioneers in helping
to build the solid foundation
of this country he experienced
many hardships and trials
in shouldering the many bur
dens that fell upon those
sturdv old iiioneers. While
a little eccentric in his ways,
his heart was always in the
right place, and his hand
was ready to go out to the
needy.-'
Henry Heppner was a mem
ber of the Masonic order
in Heppner. Many citizens
went to Portland to hear Dr.
Stephen S. Wise deliver a
tribute to him and to attend
final rites. He was buried
in the Heth Israel Cemetery
there. In the summer of 1UG7
Mr. and Mrs. Kaskel E. Hep
pner of New York City visit
ed here with Harold Cohn
and enjoyed looking through
the museum and seeing the
area.
Mr. Harold A. Cohn, who
has been outstanding in the
sheep ami wool industry, is
the only memlMT of this
founder's family still living
within Heppner.
NOTE: Mr. Cohn has gone
over tins 1972 re-writing of
the life of Mr. Heppner and
lias given this writer his
assurance that it is "factual."
A neither fine new history
of Umatilla and Morrow
Counties is now available -WAY
HACK WHEN, written
by Mildred Searcey.
Available at First National
here and at Hietminn's in
I one.
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