An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, 1902
published by Western Historical Publishing Company

James B. Stoddard

One of the giants of local industrial achievement whose career we must now essay to outline, is a native of Utah, born January 15, 1857, the son of John and Emily (Kershaw) Stoddard. He grew to man's estate in the commonwealth of his nativity, receiving such educational advantages as the public schools afford, also a complete course in the college at Logan, Utah, and another in Salt Lake City. Upon retiring from college, he accepted a position as principal of the high school at Wellsville, but later he engaged in the lumber business with his father and brothers in Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho, with them, supplying the lumber for the Utah Northern Railway and for the Union Pacific. In 1884, he went to Ogden, from which point as a center, he operated saw mills in various, all of these being property of his father and himself and brothers. He was afterwards with the Ogden Lumber & Building Company and the Rocky Mountain Lumber Company, both of Ogden, Utah.

After an active experience in the lumber business in Utah, covering a period of fourteen years, our subject sold out his interests, came to Baker City, Oregon, and before a year had passed was again in the lumbering industry in Sumpter, his partner in this venture being Thomas McEwen. Later Mr. McEwen sold to A. W. Ellis, who in turn sold to George Stoddard. A year later this last partner also withdrew, and Mr. Stoddard has conducted the business alone since. His mill has a capacity of twenty thousand feet per day, and furnished practically all the trade of Sumpter and all the mines except those that have their own mills. Most of the materials out of which the town was built were manufactured by the plant of which our subject is the owner. He also ships large quantities of his product as far east as Wyoming and into southern Utah and Idaho.

Mr. Stoddard is extensively interested in Sumpter realty, being the owner of the hospital located there, a large share in the new hotel now being constructed, the Sumpter laundry and other property of high value, including a fine home at the foot of Main street, consisting of six acres of land and the handsomest residence in the town.

Mr. Stoddard is a past consul commander in the W. of W., of the local camp, of which he was an organizer. His marriage was duly solemnized in Utah, on January 6, 1881, Miss Esther, daughter of James A. and Catherine (Thomas) Leishman, then becoming his wife. The issue of their union is five children, Leon B., bookkeeper in his father's office; Carmen E., attending the Baker City high school; Milton A., Bessie K., and Sophia G.

It is but fair to add that our subject is as active in promoting the public good whenever opportunity offers as he is in building up his own business. He has ever manifested a public spirited interest in town, county, and state, himself serving as a member of the city council. He was active in securing the organization of the town, and was a candidate for the mayoralty thereof in its first election.

Of Mr. Stoddard's father we must say a word. The old gentleman and David Eccles established the Oregon Lumber Company, which has since spread out over the whole of Oregon and Utah, putting in many branch establishments, and building numerous mills. The older Mr. Stoddard built the large mill at Baker City, also the one at Hood River, and was one of the incorporators of the Sumpter Valley Railway. It is safe to say that he did more for the development of the lumber business in eastern Oregon than any other one man. He died in Utah in August, 1894, aged fifty-eight years.

Return to the list