Bishop Building, Baker City, Oregon
Frank W. Bishop was born in Emporia, Kansas** December 12,
1872 to Frank and Hannah White Bishop.
Frank W. Bishop was joined with 5 siblings, of whom four are now living, Thomas
W., Charles W. and Nellie.
Frank Bishop
Frank W. Bishop resided at the place of his birth until
nine years of age to Buena Vista, Colorado, where he continued until he
reached the age of sixteen. At Ogden he entered the plumbing business
as an apprentice, his term of indenture covering five years, and later he
was employed as a journeyman until February 8, 1903, when he founded his
present business, opening a general hardware and plumbing establishment.
Both departments are liberally patronized, and his sales have reached a
large annual figure. He owns the block which he occupies at No. 2108 Main
Street. This is a stone structure, two stories and basement, fifty by one
hundred feet. It is a double store, one half of which is rented to the
Eastern Oregon Light & Power Company. In
addition to his commercial interests Mr. Bishop is connected with quartz
mining in Baker County.
On the 2nd day of June 1896, in Ogden, Utah Frank W. Bishop was married to
Miss Florence Moore a native of that place and a daughter of D. M.
Moore who has conducted an extensive nursery business there for the past
twenty-five years. Three children were born to them, Virginia M.,
Norma and Florence M., their second daughter Norma who died in infancy.
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| Frank & Florence Moore Bishop | Virginia and Florence |
In 1904 Mr. Bishop was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who passed
away on the 7th of March in that year. In Boise. Idaho, he married Miss
Jennie M. Maxwell, a native of Spokane.
According to the 1900 R.L. Polk Business Directory, Frank W. and his
family along with brothers Tom W. and Charles W. were living in Baker at
1618 Center (Main) Street and were employed by the
Peter
Basche Hardware Company in Baker City as plumbers for the firm.
In the 1901 and 1903 R.L. Polk business directory the brothers still work
for the Peter Basche Hardware Co., as plumbers in Baker.
In the 1903 R.L. Polk Business Directory Frank W. and his family are living
at 1709 East Street. Brothers Thomas W., and Charles W. Bishop are living at
1817 1st Street.
Inside the Bishop Building
Frank on right. Others could be two brothers or employees
According to The Centennial History Of Oregon it is mentioned that on February 8, 1903 Frank W. Bishop opens a business known as Frank W. Bishop Hardware and Plumbing at 2108 Main St. I am making an assumption that this building was probably a wooden structure or stone.
Bishop Building Present Day
The date 1908, which can be seen at the top of the Bishop
building, Frank W. Bishop had built a stone structure, two stories and
basement, fifty by one hundred feet and is named Frank W. Bishop Hardware
and Plumbing at 2108 Main St. It is a double store, one half of which is
rented to the Eastern Oregon Light & Power with address of 2106 Main St.
Later Eastern Oregon Light & Power moved to the vacated McCord Hardware
located in the Masonic building located at 2195 Main St.
Ryder Brothers then rented the half vacated by Eastern Oregon Light & Power
Company located at 2106 Main St Ryder Bros. was quite active in Baker City,
at one time published a newspaper, The Eastern Oregon News that they
ultimately sold to
The
Record-Courier located in Baker City and then continued as Ryder
Brothers, according to
Phyllis Badgley, Baker City, they were selling school supplies and most
likely office supplies in Baker City.
At sometime I believe prior or after 1919 Thomas W. Bishop was working alone
as a plumber and his brother Charles was working for White Pine Lumber Co.
Frank W. Bishop and his family moved away.
On the plaque that Historic Baker City put on the Bishop
Building it mentions Ryder Bros. occupied the upstairs and a portion of the
downstairs along with Geddes and Smithpeter, a grocery store.
After the fire in 1940 Ryder Bros. moved to 1911 Main St. and opened their
business, just west across the alley they put a warehouse together and it
still stands today in the 1900 1st St area.
When the J. C. Penny store closed their doors at 1735 Main St. Ryder Bros.
moved to that location and are operating as an office supply and school
supply store with other merchandise and is a vibrant store today.
Contributed by: Virginia Schalk (photos) and Gary Jaensch
**Frank and Hannah (White) Bishop. The father was born in
Whitehouse Lane, Bristol, England. December 16, 1830, his parents being
Thomas and Jane (Thorn) Bishop, who spent their entire, lives in England
where the father was a farmer and laborer. Frank Bishop, Sr., was the second
of seven children and the first to come to the United States, but later two
others followed him, Charles William, who became a resident of Oregon, and
Albert, who made his home in Troy, New York.
Source: The Centennial History Of Oregon 1811 – 1911 Biographical Vol II
Joseph Gaston Illustrated. The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago,
Illinois 1912.
