Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 3.djvu/214

208 and that is, Pacific University in the state of his adoption, the University of Mississippi in the state of his birth, and Washington and Lee University of Virginia, his alma mater, have conferred upon him the honorary degree of LL. D.

Alfred Hovenden, deceased, who was one of the extensive landowners of this part of the state and an Oregon pioneer of 1849, was born in Kent, England, August 26, 1824, a son of George and Hephzibah Hovenden, whose ancestral history can be traced back through authentic records as far as 1500. Thomas Hovenden, born at Borden, was baptized March 4, 1672. The family through successive generations occupied one house at Borden for over three hundred, years. The name of some branches of the family has been spelled Overden.

Alfred Hovenden attended school in England and engaged in farming with his father until 1844, when at the age of twenty years he came with a brother to America, settling first in Illinois, where he worked on a farm. His father soon afterward crossed the Atlantic and both he and his wife died in Illinois. The year 1849 witnessed the arrival of Alfred Hovenden in Oregon. He made the journey over the plains with ox teams, experiencing the usual hardships, trials and dangers of such a trip over roads at times almost impassable, while at times the trail was most dimly defined. There was always the danger of Indian attack and when traveling over the arid plains there were times when it was difficult to obtain an adequate supply of water for the people and for the stock. At length, however, Mr. Hovenden reached his destination in safety and secured and settled upon a donation claim about a mile from the site of the present town of Hubbard in Marion county. There he built a log house, which he occupied for six years, keeping bachelor quarters.

At the end of that time he was married on the 29th of June, 1856, the lady of his choice being Miss Sarah Ann Soden, a daughter of Bartholomew and Anna (Goodall) Soden, who was born on the isle of Tasmania, near Australia, March i, 1839. Her father was a merchant and school teacher there and on leaving Tasmania in 1850 went to Honolulu, where he taught school for two years. He then came to Oregon and took up a claim near Aurora, occupying it for a brief period, after which he removed to Polk county and bought a farm. Both he and his wife died on that place, to the development and cultivation of which he had devoted his energies for many years.

At the time of his marriage Mr. Hovenden built a new log house for his bride and they occupied the farm for about a half century. Ten years after their marriage he replaced the log house by a fine modern residence. He at first took up three hundred and twenty acres of land and to this added by purchase from time to time until he had about a thousand acres, which he devoted to general farming, carrying on his business with gratifying success.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hovenden were born four children. Caroline is now the widow of John O. Dennis and the mother of three children, one son dying in infancy, the others being Bart and Eva H. Emma is the wife of M. L. Jones, Hving near Brooks Station, and they have six children, Mabel L., Ilda E., Gertrude v., Clara F., Ellis H. and Ronald E. Of this number Mabel L. married Anderson Cannon, of Portland, and has one child, Dorothy. Annie married Frank Gilbert, of Portland, and has three sons, Harold S., Alfred C. and Frank W. George, of Portland, married Hattie Hanna and has one child, Grace B.

Mr. Hovenden continued a resident upon his farm until he met death on the loth of December, 1885, being killed in a runaway accident. He was a strong republican but could never be induced to become a candidate for office. His time and attention were concentrated upon his business affairs and through the