Professor J.H. Orcutt
Biography
Julius Hiram Orcutt was born March 14, 1845 in Warren County, New York near Lake George. He was the eldest of five children born to John O. Orcutt and Rozilla Bentley. When he was about 4 years of age his father moved the family to Crawford County, Pennsylvania where he purchased land. Julius attended school there until 1856 when his father sold the land in Crawford County, moved the family to Iowa, and settled east of Maquoketa, Jackson County. While living in Crawford County, Julius had been joined in the Orcutt family with two brothers. Two more siblings would be born in Iowa, a brother and a sister.
The move to Jackson County, Iowa no doubt had been influenced by the fact that two of Rozilla Bentley's brothers had moved there about 15 years previously.
Julius attended school at the academy in Maquoketa until his graduation in about 1870. On September 14, 1867, Julius married Emma Justina Wade, daughter of John West Wade and Marion Janette Rhodes of Maquoketa. It is not known for certain what Julius did during the years between 1868 and 1870, but he is mentioned as a farmer in the 1870 census. He may have been living on the farmland of his father, John Orcutt, who had moved into Maquoketa and had a drug store there. Five children were born to Julius and Emma. They were Eva Jeanette, Ettie Estelle, Elsie Alberta, Albert Newton and Gena Leila Orcutt. Eva Jeanette was born September 02, 1868 in Maquoketa, Jackson County. Ettie Estelle was born January 12, 1871 in Bridgeport, Jackson, County. Elsie Alberta was born November 05, 1875 in Delmar, Clinton County. Albert Newton was born February 13, 1878 in Delmar. Gena Leila was born May 10, 1889 in Odebolt, Sac County.
In 1870 Julius Orcutt accepted a position as Principal of the Monmouth School of Jackson County and remained there for four years. In 1875, now becoming well known, Professor Orcutt became the first Principal of the graded-school in Delmar when that school building was finished. He held that position until 1881 gaining creditable recognition for himself throughout the State. In 1881, he became the Principal of the Wheatland Schools of Clinton County. This position he held until 1884.
In 1884, when the Principal of the Odebolt, Iowa public schools resigned, Professor Orcutt was secured as the new Principal of the Odebolt Schools. His excellent work in Clinton County had been noticed throughout the State and he was considered to be an outstanding choice to serve as the new Principal for the Odebolt Schools. He continued to serve as head of the Odebolt Public School until 1894.
In 1895 Professor Orcutt and his family were in Waterloo, Black Hawk County for a short while before he accepted the position as head of the Hawarden Independent School in 1895. During the school year of 1900-1901 Professor Orcutt became aware of a responsible position that was available in Oregon. This position offered a salary of $125 a month and a large amount of responsibility since the position required supervising of other schools within the district. Since Professor Orcutt thrived on new challenges and responsibilities, he applied for and received the position as President of the Oregon State Normal School in the town of Drain, Oregon.
His wife Emma was not anxious to move to Oregon and it was also the middle of the school year, so Professor Orcutt left the family in Hawarden, Iowa and proceeded to this new adventure alone, arriving in Oregon in the winter of 1901.
Professor Orcutt returned to Hawarden in the summer of 1901 in an attempt to persuade his wife to join him in Oregon. Emma Orcutt elected to remain in Iowa that year and Professor Orcutt returned to Oregon. His son Albert Orcutt joined him in September of 1901 as a member of the faculty of the Normal school. This was a lonely time for the Orcutt family but after over a year apart and numerous letters, Emma Orcutt with daughters Ettie and Gena, arrived in Drain, Oregon in the summer of 1902.
Professor Orcutt continued his excellent work at the Normal School until 1903 when he again felt the need of a new challenge and took a new position as President of the Woodson School in The Dalles, Oregon. He remained at the Woodson School until 1906 when he retired from teaching. During this period he made numerous trips to surrounding area schools continuing his interest and involvement with teacher organizations, lectures and providing guidance to his school's baseball team.
After retiring from his teaching career, that had now spanned 36 years, he continued intellectual pursuits. He had an inquiring mind and sharp wit. These traits took him to new adventures. In the summer of 1906 he began a tour lecturing on the San Francisco earthquake using still and moving pictures. The tour was completed by October and once again it was moving time. This time the family, consisting of Julius, Emma, Ettie and Gena, moved to Portland, Oregon where a suitable home was found.
After arriving in Portland, Julius secured a position as salesman for the Grand Union Tea Company. The position involved door to door solicitation for products that the company sold. The company provided him with a horse but it became sick and died within a few months, leaving him with the local streetcars for transportation around the city and also as far as Vancouver, Washington. He continued doing this as part time work for several years, but the days were long and hard for him. In 1910 he also worked as a special assistant involved with the United States Census.
Julius
H. Orcutt, 1923, taken at Greenbush Stock Farm, the home of his daughter Eva and
her husband Arthur Mason, Sac County, Iowa
Over the years Professor Orcutt's ability and teaching methods earned him a great deal of respect and his positions and title brought favorable attention to himself and family. Professor Orcutt and Emma were life long members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The church was the center of their social life and Emma Orcutt was always engaged in church activities. The family members were introduced to this at an early age and all continued to be active in church affairs. It is certain that Professor Orcutt's church affiliation had a good deal of influence on his professional career. Professor Orcutt was intelligent, innovative, and ambitious and there is no doubt that he enjoyed a bit of humor.
Julius and Emma continued to live in their Portland home and Julius even found time for odd jobs at home and working his garden. Their church still remained the social center. Julius also continued to be in demand as a speaker at various events.
Emma Orcutt died February 13, 1915 in Portland, Oregon. After Emma's death Julius continued to live with his daughters Gena and Ettie. After Gena was married he continued to be a member of that household except for brief periods when he was with his daughter Eva in Iowa or his daughter Elsie. As Julius aged and Gena's family increased it became more difficult for her to care for him and he eventually moved to and boarded at a close by residence. Julius H. Orcutt died February 16, 1927 in Portland, Oregon. He is buried at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery beside his wife Emma. Two daughters, Ettie and Elsie, are also buried beside the parents.
The Orcutt Children
Of this family, Eva Orcutt was the only one who did not leave Iowa. On April 5, 1888, she married Arthur Lawrence Mason, who had a farm in Boyer Valley, Sac County. They had two daughters and two sons born in Sac County. Eva died in Storm Lake, Buena Vista County, Iowa on August 22, 1955. Some of their descendents still live in Sac County.
Ettie Orcutt remained unmarried and continued to live with her parents and then with her sister Gena after the deaths of Emma and Julius. Ettie died April 14, 1930 in Portland, Oregon as a result of injuries from being struck by an automobile while going home from church on a stormy Sunday night.
Elsie Orcutt graduated from the Iowa State Teachers College and became a teacher. She taught schools in Iowa before coming west where she was a teacher at schools in Washington and Oregon. She married July 28, 1909, in Portland, to Joseph Churchill Ryan who was also a teacher. They had three daughters and one son. Elsie died February 22, 1922, in Tualatin, Washington Co., Oregon.
Albert Orcutt attended and graduated from Cornell College. He also began a teaching career in Iowa and came to Oregon in 1901 to teach at the State Normal School. He married September 03, 1902 in Oakland, Douglas Co., Oregon to Dora Franklin Page, who was also a teacher. They had two daughters. In 1903 Albert changed professions and joined a law firm in Roseburg, Oregon. Over the years he created a very successful practice. Albert died in Portland, Oregon on June 12, 1957.
Gena L. Orcutt, the youngest of the family attended school in Iowa until coming to Oregon and continued her education in Drain and then The Dalles. Her final year of High School was at Portland High School where she graduated in 1907. She continued her education in business school and secured a position assisting in a law office. On April 27, 1918 Gena married Benjamin Walter Cooley. They lived in Portland and remained there until their deaths. They had three daughters and one son. Gena L.Orcutt Cooley died September 01, 1982; her husband Benjamin preceded her in death December 27, 1968. They are buried at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.
Submitted by Ben Cooley, grandson of J. H. Orcutt
Orcutt Family Photos
J. H. Orcutt, Early Odebolt High School Principal