Historic Hood River
Portrait at Depot
Notes
This attractive portrait was taken in front of the 1910 OR&N Company depot at Hood River.
We have some of the names, though they are in a loose script so I may be misreading some of these:
- #1 Unknown
- #2 Mr. J. H. Fredricy
- #3 Frank Higman
- #4 Mr. & Mrs. ____ + family
- #5 Frank Smith
- #6 Harold Patton
- #7 Unknown
Mr. Fredricy was a friend of Alva Day, though we do not know if Day took this image. Mr. Fredricy pops up with a surprising regularity in photos from this era. Matt’s become especially adept at picking him out of a crowd, no matter how distant or poor the focus.
We know from documents that Mr. Fredricy was the railroad agent at Hood River, so the setting of this photo at the depot is more than a coincidence. Fredricy also served on the Hood River Game Protective Association with Alva Day, as well as the Elks, and he was a big promoter of construction of a good road to Lost Lake.
I suspect “Frank Higman” is actually William O. Higman, who worked at the station with Fredricy. Perhaps this is a photo of the depot staff and family.
L.E.
What an interesting photo!
Is Mr Fredricy the man holding the child’s hand?
ArthurB
Yes, that’s him.
Homer Yasui
Great photo!.
I think that the Asian man on the left, holding the child, is Tomoichi Sumida.
I will guess that Mr. Sumida is holding his daughter, Hisako Sumida, and that Mr. Fredicy is holding Hiroshi Sumida’s hand, and the woman standing next to him is Ms. Tsuyayo Sumida.
I don’t have a clue as to identity of the Asian man in the middle holding the baby.
Longshot
Sure looks like the two asian men are related.
Jeffrey Bryant
If this photo includes the Sumida family, Hiroshi was born in 1923, Hisako was born in 1924, Masashi was born in 1926. There was also an older son, Teruo b. 1905, by a first marriage. This could account for all of the family members shown.
Arlen Sheldrake
Can anyone nail down that this is in fact a portrait of the HR OR&N depot staff? Pretty special occasion with all in their "Sunday best".
Love the hats including the kids.
ArthurB
Fredricy was born in 1868 and apparently was station agent from about 1907 to 1935. Those facts would not contradict a photo date circa 1926, as per Jeffrey’s genealogy.
L.E.
Here is a 1938 school photo of Oak Grove school featuring Hisako Sumida and also a Hiroshi Sumida.
http://www.carolynbrady.com/A30_1.html
While searching the Sumida name I came across this article. Not part of your HR Sumida family, but an interesting enough article that I can’t ignore it.
The Gaman Bird carvings of Masato Wayne Sumida.
http://www.armoryarts.org/exhibitions/exhibitions-2013/a-far-country-gaman-birds-of-masato-wayne-sumida/
Jeffrey W Bryant
An autobiography for J. H. Fredricy can be found in the July 17, 1913 Hood River Glacier at See autobiography in the Hood River Glacier https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071110/1913-07-17/ed-1/seq-7/.
He says he was born 1 March 1869, not in 1868 as indicated on his headstone.
L.E.
A bit of humor…..
From the September 11, 1913 HR Glacier
J.H. Fredricy created amusement for a crowd Sunday afternoon catching grasshoppers on the platform of the passenger station. It was thought by many that he was ridding the station platform of the hoppers, that had alighted there, to prevent them from annoying lady travelers. No doubt he had this in mind. However, the primary purpose of the local O.W.R.&N. agent was to secure some good fish bait.