Historic Hood River
“A Good Cause…”
11-6-2023
Notes
Morganne’s Monday object is an autograph book. It’s open to a page from February 11, 1889, where Claude Copple inscribed the message, “Friend Oscar, A good cause makes a stout heart and a strong arm. Your Friend and schoolmate, Claude Copple.”
Claude was the son of Simpson and Alice Copple. We saw his sister Cora in this image. As he was born in 1870, he would have been about 19 at the time of this signing.
You can read of his 1901 marriage to Flora Young in this article. Or you might be distracted by the passage of Ordinance 28 allowing Charles Early to stretch lines from pole for use in conducting electricity.
The note “cousin” was added in ballpoint pen much later, perhaps by “Oscar” or a descendant.
Category: Downtown Hood River
Tags: 1880s, artifact, autograph book, Copple, electricity, Morganne's Mondays
Tags: 1880s, artifact, autograph book, Copple, electricity, Morganne's Mondays
Jeffrey Bryant
Claude Copple came to Hood River in 1886, when he was 17, and was born in Centralia, Illinois. He was educated at the Northwestern Christian college and the University of Oregon, but the schoolmate may have been from his youth. Does the autograph book include any other notes to Oscar that might give a clue as to his last name?
L. E.
I did a quick look through Claude’s aunts and uncles to see if any of them had a child named Oscar, but didn’t come up with anything.
I have a couple of old autograph books, and those who signed were neighbors and class mates of the owner. Many of their neighbors, I know did not have much education, but their hand writing is beautiful.