E.A. Bishop led a fine Christian Life

A big thank you to Carol of the Tehama County Genealogical and Historical Society for sending me news paper clippings. Below is the obituary of my Great Great grandfather Erastus Asbury Bishop.

Red Bluff Daily News and Time Sentinel, Red Bluff California 22, June 1922

 

E.A. Bishop led a fine Christian Life

E.A. Bishop, pioneer of the Los Molinos colony, passed away at the sisters hospital in Red Bluff Tuesday June 21^st at 2:30 P.M. following a lingering illness. Erastus Asbury was born in Pottawattamie county, Iowa, March 20 1853, being at the time of death 79 years of age.

He crossed the plains in a covered wagon with his parents, being six months of age when they reached the state of Oregon. It was here he grew to manhood, wooed and won Miss Margaret Jane Compton, who he took as his bride on April 11 1874 at Scio, Oregon, and who has been his faithful companion of over 57 years. To this union were born seven sons and three daughters, two of whom have passed to their reward.

With the members of his family still under the same roof he came to California in 1911, becoming one of the early settlers of the Los Molinos colony.  Being one of those who suffered of influenza in the epidemic of 1918, he was left with a weekend heart from which he had continually been handicapped since and which at last was responsible for his death.

At the age of 21 he gave his heart onto the keeping of his Christ and during the past 14 years of suffering has found great comfort in his abiding faith. At the time his summons came he was a faithful member of the Bethel church of Red Bluff.  He was always ready to give his testimony for Christ to any and all whom he came in contact, and expressed to his loved one many times his readiness to go and be at rest, when his call should come.

In his passing there will be greatly missed  a true and faithful companion, a loving father and a staunch and loyal friend. Those left to mourn their loss are his faithful wife, Mrs. Mrgaret J. Bishop, and his sons, J. Arthur Bishop and Roy E. Bishop of Portland Oregon, H.H. Bishop of the Los Molinos colony; William O. Bishop of Rupert Idaho; O.R. Bishop of Redding and Floyd E. Bishop of Susanville; Daughters, Mrs. Rosa Powers of Wallowa Oregon; Mrs Florence Wilson of Redding; twenty two grandchildren, four great grandchildren, five brothers and two sisters, Oliver, Will and Marvel Bishop of Washington and Elmer Bishop and Mrs. Ella stokes of California, and Mrs. Ora McKinnis of Oregon, besides a host of friends.

The last sad rites will be held at the Bethel chapel in Red Bluff, Thursday at 2:00 P.M. Rev. L.A. Dodson pastor of the church officiating, followed by interment in the oak hill cemetery.

Treasure of unspeakable value!

My parents had commented to me with one of the fist pictures I scanned, Oh we have that album.

Unidentified girl circa 1860-1870

I was doubtful that it was that same album but curious none the less. It turns out in the back of my grandparents closet burred under various random things was a think very old photo album. So I drove over to my parents house to give it a look, and was not surprised that it is not the same album (Square holes as opposed to round), but was shocked at what it contained. 

Judge this book by the condition of its cover and you will be wrong.

Sitting on my parents table is a old cloth bound book, about 6" thick, the rear cover is torn off and has been sitting on an October 4th 1987 news paper for so long It is now the rear cover. The condition of the book is bad, the bindings are torn, the pages coming loose, there are splotches on the cover and the latch that once held it closed is long gone. However the pictures themselves look almost new. 

I put on my cotton gloves and slowly and carefully opened the cover. 

Not only was it amazingly well preserved (Acid free paper at the beginning of the 20th century?) Every single picture is labeled with a name, and many with a relationship or event title (Cousin or Wedding). This book is the find of all finds for the work we are doing. Thirty Seven pictures, all but one with names! 

My Great Great Great Grandmother, born in 1836

I took possession of the book yesterday, and spent 3+ hours carefully removing each picture, cautiously dusting it off, scanning and then returning it to the book. Most of the pictures are Cabinet Cards and Carte De Visite, with a few Tin Types and other Albumen prints. About 1/2 of the cards are stamped with a photographers information which will help with dating. 

Carte De Visite and Cabinet Cards have been in this book for 100 years or so.

While I was doing this my wife was busily trying to find the people on Ancestry.com, and find out who the relationships are to.

The back page: To Bill & Florence Wilson, Presented by Mother Bishop

So the basic work is done, next will be tagging all the pictures and using the data to identify some of the unknown pictures we are still going through. Hopefully this will help as family and friends slowly piece together  the story these 100+ years of photographs tell. 

Here are just a few of the pictures.

 Florence May Bishop (Thin Albumem print) 

Miss Emma Compton

 Roy Kinser (Aunt Emma's Boy)

Henry and Arthur Bishop <Tin Type>

buchtel and stole photographers

Joseph Buchtel (1830-1916) became one of northwestern Oregon's most influential and renowned early day photographers. He started hi artistic carrier in 1851 when  he purchased a "daguerreotype outfit" in Urbana Illinois, leaving in 1852 with a forty wagon party bound for Oregon Territory.

Unknown photo from my family collection dated 1873-1879

Butchtel began to produce the new cabinet cards in January of 1867 in rented rooms at 89 first street in Portland Oregon. In April 1873 Buchtel and his new partner E.H. Stolte opened "First Premium Gallery" and put their new "Viewing Wagon" into the field, this mobile studio was for "the taking pictures of buildings etc." the firm issued a number of sterographics titled Oregon & W.T. Scenery  and advertised for sale the likenesses of Captain Jack and other Modoc warriors.

Unknown photo from my family collection dated 1873-1879

In late 1878 or early 1879 the partnership broke up, Butchtel continued to produce award winning photographs until his retirement from the art in 1880 with his election as County Sheriff. Buchtel served two four year terms as Sheriff as well as a two year term as the fourth fire chief for the city of Portland's professional fire department. He died at home on August 10th 1916.