BIG BEND p. 251: JUDGE E. A. HESSELTINE

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     JUDGE E. A. HESSELTINE is a magnificent example of what one can do when possessed of determination and energy. He is decidedly a self made man and so well has he completed the job that he has won the respect and confidence of all who know him. He came to this country with practically no capital at

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all except two good willing hands and a resolute purpose to carve out the future for himself. A brief outline of Judge Hesseltine's career will be interesting to all.

     E. A. Hesseltine was born in Brown county, Kansas, on June 25, 1860, being the son of Eli and Electa A. (Frazelle) Hesseltine. The father was born in Norway township. New York, in 1820. He became a pioneer to Ohio and Kansas and during the Civil War was orderly sergeant on General Lane's staff and was postmaster in Ohio for several years. In 1863 he crossed the plains with ox teams to California and two years later came to Oregon and there engaged in the lumber business. He was a prominent business man of Clackamas county and had a good trade. Our subject's mother was a descendant of the Earl De Frazelle, a prominent Frenchman who served in the Revolutionary war with General Marion. Our subject's maternal grandfather, A. D. Frazelle, was an early settler in Ohio where he followed the mercantile business. Our subject's mother was born in Johnston, Ohio, in 1821. Owing to the fact that his father was a settler on the frontier in various new countries, our subject was unable to attend school much, consequently it became necessary for him to use his spare hours in reading and acquiring an education which he did with such marked success that at the age of eighteen he was enabled to teach school. He taught part of the year and then went to school the balance. Later, we find him attending night school while he was engaged in labor in the day time. It was as early as 1882 that Mr. Hesseltine came to the Big Bend country and he selected the homestead six miles north from Wilbur. He taught school, improved his farm and continued his studies. In 1887, he went into the law office of Turner and Forster in Spokane, continuing the study of law until he was admitted to the bar. He became expert in land law and was the first attorney to open a law office in Wilbur. He has steadily applied himself to the law since together with the oversight of his farming interests, having now several thousand acres of valuable wheat land. He has been city attorney for a term, and police judge for eight years. Judge Hesseltine has one of the fine residences in Wilbur, a good library and an extensive law practice.

     In 1895, Mr. Hesseltine married Miss Carrie A. Woodman, who comes from a prominent Michigan family. She has one uncle in the legislature and one on the bench. Mr. Hesseltine has three brothers, Apollos H., Randolph F., and Rudolph U. To Mr. and Mrs. Hesseltine one child has been born, Lee F.  Judge Hesseltine is a member of the K. O. T. M. and the town of Hesseltine was named for him. On one occasion trouble was reported brewing with the Indians. Mr. Hesseltine offered his services as scout. All the male settlers in the Big Bend then chanced to be in Colfax making filings, except two, and as Mr. Hesseltine was new in the country, he determed to find out the truth of the reports. It was said Chief Moses and his band were on the war path. However, after investigation, the Judge ascertained the rumor to be groundless, but this is an instance of what the Big Bend settlers had to be prepared for at all times.