Oscar Hayter
Submitted by:  Lynn Mack
 
Oscar HAYTER, a representative of the Oregon bar, practicing his
profession at Dallas, has spent his entire life in this state.  He was
born December 3, 1873, on a farm near Dallas, and is a son of Thomas
J. HAYTER, an honored pioneer of Oregon and a representative of an old
southern family.  The father was born February 8, 1830, in Franklin,
Howard County, Missouri, and there attended school to the age of
nineteen years, when he joined an expedition bound for California.  He
was first employed as a teamster for a large concern, transporting hay
from the Sacramento meadows to the various mining camps.  In August,
1849, he engaged in mining on his own account, but in the fall of 1850
sailed from San Francisco for Oregon, arriving in Portland at a time
when it was but a small settlement with a few dwellings.  He at once
made his way to Polk county, where he took up a donation claim, but
disposed of this in 1852 and returned to Missouri with the intention
of bringing his aged parents to Oregon.  But they were too frail to
attempt the long journey and in 1854 he returned to this state, taking
up his residence on a ranch three miles west of Dallas, where he
engaged in stock raising.  In the fall of 1855 he volunteered for
service in the Yakima Indian war and in the following year disposed of
his stock ranch, locating on a small tract of agricultural land three
miles east of Dallas, on which he resided for more than a quarter of a
century, adding many improvements to his farm.  In 1884 he took up his
abode in the town and there spent his remaining years, passing away on
the 30th of October, 1918, at the age of eighty-eight years.  He
occupied a position of prominence in his community and in 1876 was
chosen to represent his district in the state legislature, where he
rendered most valuable service.  He was a man of liberal culture,
gained through judicious reading, and was largely instrumental in
advancing the educational standards of the state, contributing
substantially to the support of La Creole Academy and serving as a
director of his local school distract.  In 1856 he wedded Miss Mary.
I. EMBREE, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carey D. EMBREE, and they became
the parents of six children, namely: Eugene, who is vice president of
the Dallas National Bank; Mark, a prominent dentist of Dallas; J. C.,
who is here engaged in merchandising; Oscar, the subject of this
review; and Alice and Frank, both of whom are deceased.
 
The son, Oscar HAYTER, attended the district schools of Polk county to
the age of ten years and then became a pupil in the public schools of
Dallas, subsequently pursuing a course in La Creole Academy at Dallas.
Following his graduation from that institution he took up the study of
law and while thus engaged also acted as compiler of abstracts for the
Clackamas Abstract & Trust Company.  On the 9th of October, 1895, he
was admitted to the bar and at once engaged in the practice of his
profession, forming a partnership with Judge J. J. DALY of Dallas, an
association which was maintained until 1900, since which time Mr.
HAYTER has practiced alone.  Mr. HAYTER also has important business
interests, being a stockholder and director of the Dallas National
Bank and the Fuller Pharmacy, and has made investments in farm
property, having fourteen acres devoted to the raising of cherries.
 
On the 20th of July, 1904, Mr. HAYTER was united in marriage to Miss
Bertha L. FULLER, daughter of Hon. W. V. and Eliza (STEWART) FULLER,
residents of Dallas, where her father is prominent in timber
investments and horticultural circles.  Mr. and Mrs. HAYTER became the
parents of four children, of whom one died in infancy.  Those living
are Elizabeth, Robert and Philip.
 
Mr. HAYTER has also attained prominence in Masonic circles.  He was
raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason in Jennings Lodge, No. 9,
A. F. & A. M., of Dallas, March 13, 1896; was exalted to the august
degree of Royal Arch Mason in Ainsworth Chapter, No. 17, R. A. M. of
Dallas, May 27, 1897, and received the degree of Royal and Select
Master in Hodson Council, No. 1, R. & S. M., of McMinnville, October
28, 1897.  In the Scottish Rite Consistory the fourth to the
thirteenth degrees inclusive were conferred upon him January 10, 1899;
the fourteenth degree February 7, 1899, by Oregon Lodge of Perfection,
No. 1; the fifteenth to eighteenth degrees inclusive were conferred
upon him December 19, 1899, by Ainsworth Chapter, No. 1, of the Rose
Croix, the nineteenth to twenty-ninth degrees inclusive, January 19,
1900; the thirtieth degree was conferred upon him January 20, 1900, by
Multnomah Preceptory, No. 1, Knights of Kadosh; the thirty-first and
thirty-second degrees, January 20, 1900, by Oregon Consistory, No. 1,
of Portland; and the thirty-third degree, honorary, January 17, 1920.
He also received the degree of Christian Knighthood in De Molay
Commandery, No. 5, K. T. of Salem, Oregon, November 4, 1909; and is a
member of Al Kader Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. having crossed the sands
of the desert on the 20th of January, 1900.  He served as worshipful
master of Jennings Lodge from 1898 to 1899 and from 1905 to 1906 and
in the chapter he served as excellent high priest for six years, from
1904 until 1910.  He was appointed grand master of the second veil in
the grand Chapter of Oregon, June 12, 1905, and by regular advancement
was elected grand high priest June 10, 1912.
 
In his political views Mr. HAYTER is a democrat, active in support of
the principles and candidates of the party.  Since 1913 he has been a
member of the state board of legal examiners and in 1918-19 he served
as president of the Oregon Bar Association.  He has been a member of
the American Bar Association since 1908.
 
History of Oregon, Biographical, Vol. II, The Pioneer Historical
Publishing Company, 1922, Pages 383-384.
 
 

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