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Henry O. Gorham, one of the oldest and best known citizens of this section passed this life at the Protestant hospital in Baker, Saturday evening of last week. Mr. Gorham's death was not unexpected. He had been failing in health for the past two years or more, since he suffered injuries in falling from a load of hay, on his ranch near North Powder. He was 92 years old at the time of his death.
Funeral rites were held from the Methodist church at North Powder Tuesday afternoon of this week and burial was made in the North Powder cemetery. The services were in charge of the Odd Fellows lodge of North Powder.
Henry Oscar Gorham was born in Logan county, Kentucky December 29, 1835. His parents being Henry S. and Mary Cooper Gorham, who were natives of Kentucky and Virginia respectively.
In 1863 Mr. Gorham became one of a party who had planned and had begun to journey toward the west with ox teams. The emigrants reached their destination with comparatively little trouble. He took up his abode in Baker City, Oregon where he engaged in the business of freighting and hauling goods between Umatilla and Boise city, Idaho, until 1867. He then took up farming in the North Powder district. In connection with his agricultural interests he carried on a general merchandising establishment at North Powder in association with the late Herman Rotschild.
In 1870 Mr. Gorham was married to Miss Mary Ann Nelson of Nebraska. To this union were born the following children: William, Mrs. John Haines of North Powder, Charles Edward, deceased; Mrs. Virginia Poland of Portland; Robert Franklin of Washington; Mrs. Robert Stockweather of Stanfield, Oregon; Arthur and Oscar both of North Powder; Harvey E., deceased, Bryan and Mrs. Bryce Denning of North Powder; and Baby Gorham, deceased. He is also survived by twenty-one grandchildren and two great grand-children.
For forty-one years he had been a member in good standing in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was the happy possessor of a veterans emblem.
Mrs. Sarah A. Gorham, mother of Jack Gorham of North Powder and Mrs. Enolia Brothers of Cove, died at the home of her neice, (sic) Vesta Green, at Slidell, Tex., July 26, last. The funeral took place in that city July 27, at the Methodist church, of which she was a member nearly all her life.
Mrs. Gorham and her family for many years made their home in old Mexico and her death recalls the murder of her husband, Franklin P. Gorham, by five Mexicans at Chamal, state of Tamaulipas, April 28, 1919. In 1903 the Gorhams were members of a colony of 35 families who moved to that section of Mexico and most of whom remained there until 1917 when President Wilson intervened and Americans were requested to return to the states, this government paying their transportation to any point in this country in which they wished to come. Mr. and Mrs. Gorham with their daughter and her husband, D.B. Brothers, and three younger sons came to North Powder, to which place two sons, Edgar and Jack had preceded them several years. Remaining here a part of two years, the elder Gorham returned to Chamal, where he and other members of the original colony still retained land and property. It was shortly after his return that he was waylaid and wantonly murdered, presumedly (sic) for the trifling amount of about $10 on his person. Members of the highwaymen who killed him are said to have confessed but, with frequent revolutions in Mexico at the time, it is believed they never were punished.
Sarah A. Taylor, daughter of William Taylor, was born near Little Rock, Ark., Jan. 31, 1859. She married Franklin Pierce Gorham in that state in 1875. About two years later they moved to Slidell, Tex., where they made their home for many years. They were the parents of 11 children. At about the beginning of the present century they joined the colony which settled in Mexico as stated. She did not accompany her husband to Mexico when he returned there in 1919, only to meet his death. He was accompanied by their son Otho, who died before his father was killed. Mrs. Gorham and her younger sons went back to Mexico in 1921, previously waiting to see conditions become settled in that country. She continued to reside in Mexico since, making several trips to the United States to visit her children, and came back the last time about a year ago. She expected to return to Chamal this fall. At different times she resided in Texas and Oklahoma, at Mangum in the latter state before originally going to Mexico.
The woman who rests from such a strenuous life leaves to mourn a devoted mother: Four sons, Jack, North Powder, Ore.; William, Arthur, and Edgar, Chamal, Tampaulipas, Mex.,; Joshua, Erick, Okla.; four daughters, Mrs. J.W. Marsh, Collins, Ia.; Mrs. Olive Everett, Erick, Okla.; Mrs. Louis W. Sweet, Mangum, Okla., and Mrs. Enolia brothers, Cove, Ore. The three children who died previous to their mother's passing were Otho, Thomas L. and Minnie.
Mrs. Gorham also leaves three brothers, Cicero Taylor, Glenrose, tex.; Symour Taylor and Ashley Taylor, both of Chamal, Mex., and one sister, Minnie Barrow, Shamrock, Tex.
Violet May Gorham, 89, Cove, died Sunday evening, May 23, 1993, in Cove.
A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Cove United Methodist Church. The Rev. Gerry Etchison will officiate. A concluding service an interment will follow at Cove Cemetery.
Mrs. Gorham was born on May 8, 1904, at Cove to William and Cora Van Schoonoven Bloom. On June 26, 1926, she married Henry Oscar Gorham at Cove. He died on March 13, 1963.
After she graduated from Cove High School, she attended Monmouth College where she received her teaching degree. She taught second grade in Cove for two years. She and her husband owned and operated the Cove Store. She loved sewing, handicrafts, needlework, the outdoors and gardening.
She was a member of the Cove United Methodist Church and Cherry Chapter No. 177 Order of Eastern Star of Cove.
Survivors include son Paul of Pendleton; daughter Ardith Towle of Cove; sister Miskell Gale of Union; seven grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Her brother Haskell Bloom died earlier.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Cove United Methodist Church of Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in care of Payne Family Mortuary, 1508 Fourth St., La Grande, 97850.
Donated by Tom Childers