Owen Summers facts for kids
Owen Summers (born June 13, 1850 – died January 21, 1911) was an important businessman and politician in Oregon. He is famous for starting the Oregon National Guard. A park in Portland, Oregon, called Colonel Summers Park, is named after him.
Contents
Early Life and Challenges
Owen Summers was born in Brockville, Canada, on June 13, 1850. He was one of five children. His family soon moved to Chicago, Illinois. Sadly, in 1856, his parents and one sister died from a serious illness. This left Owen and his three siblings as orphans.
Owen then went to live on a farm in Frankfort, Illinois, near Chicago. He worked hard on the farm to earn his food, a place to stay, and clothes. He also went to school whenever he could.
Joining the Civil War
In 1865, when Owen was just fourteen years old, he and four friends decided to join the Union Army during the American Civil War. Recruiters turned them away six times because they were too young! Finally, a kind man agreed to be their guardian. This allowed them to join the army.
On February 1, 1865, Owen Summers became a soldier in Company H of the 3rd Illinois Cavalry Regiment. He was sent to Mississippi right away. He might have seen some fighting before the war ended. After the war, his regiment was sent to Missouri. They helped in battles against the Sioux people in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Owen and his regiment finished their service in December 1865.
Building a Business and Community
After his time in the army, Owen went back to the farm. Later, in 1871, he moved to Chicago. He was there during the terrible Great Chicago Fire. He bravely helped rescue his new family and two other families from the fire. After the fire, Owen worked as a contractor, helping to rebuild the city.
He continued his contractor work on the West Coast. He worked in San Francisco and San Diego. In 1879, he arrived in Portland, Oregon. There, he started a crockery business with his brother-in-law, J. C. Olds. Their company, Olds & Summers, sold dishes and pottery to other businesses and to people. The business did very well, and Owen became a well-known businessman in Portland.
In 1896, Owen was chosen to be the United States Appraiser for the Port of Portland. This meant he was in charge of checking and valuing all goods that came into or left the port. He kept this important job until he died, except when he was away serving in the military.
Founding the Oregon National Guard
In 1886, Owen Summers was a member of the Oregon State Assembly. He helped pass a law that changed the state militia into the Oregon National Guard. He had already formed one of the new guard regiments in 1883. This regiment was made up of veterans from the Civil War.
When the Spanish–American War began, Owen's guard regiment became part of the 2nd Oregon Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Owen was its commanding colonel. In May 1898, the Oregon Volunteers were the first regiment to sail to the Philippines for the war.
Service in the Spanish-American War
The regiment arrived in Manila in August 1898. They accepted the surrender of 15,000 Spanish soldiers. However, the local people in the Philippines had been fighting the Spanish for years. They expected to become an independent country. Instead, fighting began between 11,000 American soldiers and the Philippine fighters.
The Second Oregon Regiment fought in many big battles. They also helped keep order in Manila. During their time there, the regiment took part in forty-two different fights. The Second Oregon Regiment returned to the United States in 1899. Owen Summers was honored with a special military recognition called a brevet Brigadier General.
His Family Legacy
Owen Summers married Clara T. Olds in Portland, Oregon, on July 23, 1880. Clara's family were some of the first settlers in Oregon. They had one child, Owen Summers Jr.. Their son also joined the military. He served in World War II as a Major General. He received many honors, including the Silver Star and a Purple Heart.
Owen and Clara Summers were very active in many community groups in Oregon. Owen Summers passed away in Portland, Oregon, on January 21, 1911. He and his son are buried in Portland's River View Cemetery. Many veterans of the Spanish–American War are buried there too.
