1895 - 1910
Business was prospering at the turn of the century. Goods and services were readily available. City Hall, built by a local stock company to provide a building in which the militia could drill, was constructed in 1892. Joining the Methodists in meeting the spiritual needs of city residents, the Congregational Church, now The Hubbard Community Church, was built in 1893 while the Catholic Church was built in 1900. Horses and buggies delivered mail along rural postal routes. A traveling photographer came through town selling postcard photos of Hubbard, identifying the town as "on the road of a thousand wonders." Daughters and sons of those days remember them well.
LENORE SCHOLL: Grandfather and grandmother came to Hubbard and built a hardware store under the name of Scholl & Fry. It was located on G Street, just east of the railroad tracks. Grandfather's first name was John. Fry was his brother-in-law, who passed away. Their son George, my dad, was in business under the name of Scholl & Son.
I was born in the little house which still stands, facing 99E Highway in the White School area, Scholl Road now, one and a half miles from here. This house I am currently living in, on 3rd between H and I, was built between1909 and 1910. My brother and two sisters were born in this house. Mrs.Dreyer, a mid-wife across the railroad, took care of mother.
ED SCHOOR: My father and my grandfather were in medical practice in Missouri and quite a few Mennonites had come to Oregon. Even though my parents were not Mennonites, they had a great many friends who were. They needed a doctor and so eventually that is why he came out. He was a house doctor for the Hoyt Hotel in Portland before he settled in Hubbard. I've been told it was around 1905.
He moved to Hubbard, started his practice here, and had an 11-bed hospital for a while on G Street between 3rd and 4th. His first wife was a registered nurse. Early one morning while coming back from a call, the car was hit by a train. She was killed.
While family photographs and framed certificates of honor festoon the walls of his home, former pilot Louis Mishler remembers:
I was born in '04, but we didn't move to Hubbard to stay until I was about eight years old. I was in second grade.
When Dad got the meat market, he ran the meat wagon and had horses for that purpose. I would sometimes go on the meat route with whoever was working for Dad and we'd go out toward Donald. There would be an old man sitting on the porch out there, in a chair. I would stop off and listen to him tell me about the early days of Oregon until the meat wagon came back when I'd catch it to go back into town. The old man's name was (F.X.) Mathieu and when he was a young man, he voted at Champoeg when Oregon became part of the U.S. instead of England.
Velma recalls her industrious grandfather who bought a portion of the Charles Hubbard claim:
Grandpa Wolfer cleared land with the help of Chinese labor and raised hops for a few years. Eventually, he made bricks. I remember seeing the old building sand kilns. He probably took some of the ground for the bricks out of the hillside at 7th and D Streets. Grandpa also had a farm store for a short while and then went into the business of well digging along with his farm operation. In his later years he loved to go to farm auctions, for it was there he met old-time friends and ex-colony people. From these contacts and others, he also built one of the largest gun collections in this area.
Twenty-six years old in 1908, married and mother to two small children, Sadie Wolfer Scholl was leading a traditional, matronly life. She proposed writing a Round Robin letter to circulate among several of her Hubbard schoolgirl friends - women friends now, who had scattered across the map following their husbands' jobs. Eighty three years after it was written, Sadie's letter is still rolled up and bound by a pink ribbon.
Hubbard, Ore.
Jan. 1, 1908
Hello girls, all of you
Stella Dodge Kromling, Hubbard
Ethel Taylor Shoales, Silverton
Margie Martin, 190 Lownsdale St., Portland
Charlotte Coyle Barrett, Seaside
Eliza Kromling Baker, Seaview, Wash.
(Valaria Martin Pullen, Juneau, Alaska)
I wish you all a Very Very Happy New Year and will now explain the object of this letter. It is simply a scheme proposed by Valeria, as a means of each of us hearing from the other without writing but one letter... when one of you receives this and has added what she cares to, she simply sends it on to the one next on the list until I receive it and then I shall send it on the round again... & will you please to just write on one side Of the sheet and paste or sew them as I have done and then mail in a roll as it will be easier to handle in that shape.
Isn't it strange how we are all scattered, just as (our Sunday School teacher) Mrs. Poinisett once told us we would be, but I for one didn't realize what changes a few years could make. You may wonder why Delina is not included in this but I couldn't get her adress, nor have I heard anything of her other than that she has a little son, her name now is Barnes.
My two babies are growing so fast I can hardly call them babies anymore and they are just as healthy as they can be in fact we all are.
Mrs. Pointsett is getting along as usual ... now girls don't you think it would be a nice idea to each of us send her a letter or a postal on her birthday ... she has done so much for us, let us do it. I will find out when it is and add it somewhere to this letter.
I remain as ever Your friend Sadie Wolfer Scholl.
Hubbard, Oregon
Jan 4, 08.
My dear friends,
I often think of all of you although have not seen you for a long time. Itdoesn't seem to me as I see the girls now around town they dont have thegood times we used to have.
Wouldent it be grand if we could all be together wonce more and have one of those good parties like we did at Mrs. Pointsetts old farm home.
My two babies are quite well, the oldest is all fun. I Remain as ever your friend.
Stella D. Kromling
P. S. Mrs. Pointsett's birthday May 23.
Silverton, Oregon.
1-12-08
Dear Friends,
I received the "Chain Letter" yesterday and I thought I would add a few lines and pass it right along.
I think the same as Stella. I don't believe the girls that are growing up do injoy themselves the way we girls use to. Didn't we have grand times?
I am very sorry that Delina never writes to any of her Schoolmates. I would be glad to hereftom her and I know the rest of you girls would injoy a letter two.
Sherwin & I are well and happy & I hope this will find all the girls happy & well I believe I have wrote my share and will close with my love to all & aHappy & Prosperous New Year.
Good Bye.
Ethel Taylor Shoales.
Portland, Oregon
Jan. 15-08.
Dear Friends:
Well I am the same old Marge and don't feel any older than when I was with you all.
I am working at stenography and my hours are from 9 to 5, and I most always have Saturday afternoons off. I studied millinery during the evening last year and now I make my own hats. I just loved the work I wish I could work at it all the time. I don't care for office work very much it is so confining. Instead of telling you about my babies and house I have to tell you about my work and myself. I guess I am the old maid all right. Sadie used to say she wondered who would be the first ones married out of the class. Well Val and I stuck it out until the last, now I am the only one.
Ethel said in her letter today to me for me not to get married until I get the right one, so this is leap year and I will have to see what I can do.
I have been to church this evening. They are holding special services at the 1st Presbyterian Church. I have been helping to sing in the Chorus. A young man from Seattle sang "Holy City" this evening. He has certainly got a grand voice. I do wish all of you girls could hear him.
Wishing you all a prosperous & happy New Year.
With lots of love to you all, Margaret
Seaside Ore.
March 7, 1908
My Dear Chums and old school mates,
Today is a lovely day the sun is shining clear and bright and it carries me back to school days when we had to hurry home from school to make flower gardens and how we used to gather on the old steps for a nice sun bath and tell our troubles one to the other.
Girls its true we had fine times I dont think there was any like them little did we think of the life that was before us but yet this life is what we make it.
To think of the good times we used to have at the parties at Mrs. Pointsetts and girls did it ever come to you of what dear Mrs. Pointsett did for us of what she suffered when she saw us do rong it never came to me then but is has since I have a little darling of my own. She watched over us as her own how happy it made her when we joined church. Oh! Girls we all would do different if we had it to live over we not any of us apreciated her love, her kindness like we should of, did we?
We are just doing splendid here. I am cooking in the logging camp andMarion is forman and we are both contented and love our work and are as happy as clams at high tide.
It isnt a large camp only 17 men and the work isnt hard ... and everything is as handy as carpenters can make it, and Margarete if you cant find a suitable huby in the city let me kindly whisper a bid in your ear to visit me this summer and take your pick from my gang of 17 husky loggers... if you girls remember I always did love to cook and I have my hearts desire now.
Love and kisses to you all I am your loving Charlotte Coyle Barrett
Seaview Wash.
March 13-1908-
Dear Classmates one and all,
Well I will tell you about myself the country, etc. This is a fine place to live ... it never gets to warm just pleasant in the summer... and they will soon complete a new railroad so it will be handier to get here just take a tug from Astor(ia) and cross the river and take the train. There is lots of building going on every year the carpenters are always busy, and wages are pretty good here.
I am well but am thin as usual have a fine boy he will soon be five years old, we think he is the only one. He keeps so well, but I dont let him play on the beach... I also have a fine husband and good home. I have a conservatory off my dining room. I have quite a lot of nice plants most geraniums they bloom so well here, I do like flowers so well. I am not very busy now just do my general housework you all know what that is.
I often think of the parties we had at Mrs. Pointsetts. I will remember her on her birthday.
Your Friend and Schoolmate
Eliza Kromling Baker
Seaview Wash.
Juneau Alaska.
March 31-08
My dear Friends:
"The letter" reached me about a week ago. But as the steamer returned in the wee hours of the next a.m. I did not have time to Ans. it at once.
It does seem ages and ages ago since I have seen any of you ... especially when I am alone. When Winfield is home I do not have a minute to get lonesome in. We had such jolly times last Summer together, we would take our lunch and go on a long tramp all over the Mts. or along the beach. The Beach here is very rocky and hard to walk over unless the tide is out.
Thurs. 26th was the first time I have ever seen the "Northern lights" Theheavens was covered in all directions. It looked just as if there was a largeflag, or curtin with all colors of the rainbow in it and the wind was waving it in all directions the most beautiful sight I have ever seen.
Alaska really is a very beautiful place after all. It is snowing today. Just think it is nearly Easter. I am sending a couple views of our "Basin Road". . . it goes five miles into the Mts to the mines. The creek is called Gold Creek... this particular point is called Cape horn. About 1 1/2 or 2 miles for town, a spendid walk & a good "flesh reducer" Yes I have tried it and know it is 0.K.
With love for you all I remain your loving friend.
Valeria Martin Pullen
Juneau Alaska
P.S. Do hope Delina can be found. Please remember me to Mrs. Poinsett and Mrs. Abbot.
Building businesses and constructing schools, churches and homes continued during the firs, decade of the 1900's. Plentiful construction kept carpenters busy. Helen Knight Beaver, whose childhood home was built on the corner of 4th and F Street says, "Mother told me the head carpenter was paid .35 an hour when our house was built."
Further development was keenly anticipated and in 1909 an opportunity brochure proclaiming the "healthy and prosperous condition of the people who are the happy and fortunate residents of this section" was published and distributed. Hubbard's leading citizens gave testimony to available opportunities. Fashionable homes were pictured while successful, proud businessmen were photographed in front of their establishments.