Editor’s note: We set out to present six to eight profiles on Silverton residents who share traits with Silverton’s own “Country Boy” Homer Davenport, the author and political cartoonist who worked for newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst about 100 years ago. What we found were many who exhibit his passion, interest in many pursuits, and love of Silverton. We wish we could have written about all of them. We encourage you to visit our Facebook page and share someone you think represents the Homer spirit.
HOMER CALVIN DAVENPORT
BORN: March 8, 1867 to Florinda and Timothy Davenport. Died: May 2, 1912 at age 45. He is buried in Silverton next to his father.
PROFESSION: Political cartoonist, Arabian horse breeder, author of several books.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: The view that Davenport himself cultivated was that of a simple “country boy” who had no schoolin’ and was entirely self-taught. Well, not completely. Harvey W. Scott (1838-1910) editor and publisher of The Oregonian said: “There seemed to be a desire on the part of writers to make the artist and humorist a crude, unlearned, unlettered man, the son of a rude and uncultured people. The difference in education between Homer Davenport and the graduate of a university was that Homer held no diploma.”
IT’S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW: Through some family connections, Homer is hired by the San Franciso Examiner and later the San Francisco Chronicle.
NEXT TIME YOUR CHILD WRITES ON THE WALL: Drifting from job to job, Homer leaves drawings on walls and bridges all over the countryside, including his grandparents’ home, GeerCrest Farm. First graffiti artist?
ONE OF THE HIGHEST PAID MEN IN JOURNALISM: Homer earned $15,000 a year or $377,000 with inflation by today’s dollar.
CHUCK WHITE
AGE: 63
PROFESSION: Realtor; HR consultant and director, Oregon School Personnel Association; Christmas tree farmer
HOBBIES: Fishing, hunting and traveling with family and friends
LAST BOOK READ: The Price of Politics by Bob Woodward
ACCOMPLISHMENT: Graduation from Oregon School Personnel Association’s Human Resources in Education Leadership Program.
QUOTE: “I’ve always been one to try something new or blaze a new trail. When I was teaching in the 1970s I was one of the first teachers to have a computer in the classrooms for students to use. Later I included lessons involving computer labs for my economics students that simulated activities that involved their classmates in a group decision-making process.”
HOMER SPIRIT: Though amiable and soft-spoken, he is in his element when leading. Trusted by associates, he’s organized and “very task oriented” in getting the group to accomplish its mission. “I love solving problems, working with people and creating opportunities for successful outcomes. I’m of the school that luck occurs when preparedness meets opportunity.”
JIM TOLERAGE: 66
PROFESSION: Owner, Willamette Organics and fifth-generation owner of GeerCrest, a working educational farm.
HOBBIES: Tinkering, building and inventing around the farm and hanging out with Davenport Arabians ‘Special’ and ‘Alf’ or Al Fayed.
GOOD BOOKS: The Decline of Nature by Gilbert F. Lafreniere; Powerful Rockey by John W. Evans
FAVORITE MOVIE: Gettysburg
LATEST ADVENTURE: “Davenport Days is an adventure between a booth at the festival and all the activities up at the farm.”
ACCOMPLISHMENT: Brought the Organic Land Care Movement to the West Coast and with Oregon Tilth developed its training and accreditation program.
QUOTE: “When I’m gone, this farm will still be here, doing the same things we’re working to have it do right now and that is to be a doorway to nature for kids and let them have a look at the way things used to be. That drives me.”
HOMER SPIRIT: Independent thinker, storyteller and kindred Country Boy at heart. …Only he’s staying on the farm.
JULIE YOUNT
AGE: 51
PROFESSION: School Security Officer, Silverton High School
HOBBIES: Gardening, reading, family and outdoor action adventures with husband Tim
FAVORITE MOVIE: “We’re kind of living our own movie.”
ACCOMPLISHMENT: SHS Classified Employee of the Year 2012-13
“My accomplishment is having a grandbaby and seeing our kids move onto that next stage.”
RECENT ADVENTURE: Finishing another school year – a bittersweet but much-needed breather for someone whose heart is drawn to kids with the odds stacked against them. “Making sure the building is secure is important, but to me it’s being sure that the kid’s life is secure.”
HOMER SPIRIT & WIT: Hairdresser and stay-at-home mom whose youth group involvement inspired her at age 40 to become a reserve police officer. Their three kids grown, Julie and her husband the financial advisor have more time for travel – and Julie’s jokes. “We’re both in securities, but I carry a glock.”
QUOTE: “We actually feel like we’re newlyweds – only we have money this time.”
TIM YOUNT
AGE: 51
PROFESSION: Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Investments
HOBBIES: Between action-packed snorkeling trips, he and wife Julie enjoy going to the gym, biking and babysitting their granddaughter Emma Marie Hailey, who is 1.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: His Silverton branch ranks in the top 3 percent of more than 12,000 Edward Jones Investments offices nationwide.
SILVERTON’S HOME: …because of its “friendly people and the ability to have an influence and an impact on the community. I’m a 23-year Kiwanis member; with all the people; the relationships, I just can’t see living anyplace else.”
QUOTE: “Seems like almost every trip we go to is one more destination where we snorkel and take pictures. In Cancun we went rappelling, zip-lining and snorkeled in a cavern full of stalactites and stalagmites – all in one day.”
HOMER SPIRIT: “I want to travel across the country and around the world to see things, do things and mark things off my bucket list, and find ways to bless people along the way.”
THERESA SHARRAR
AGE: Politely declined to share except to say she grew up in the 60s
PROFESSION: Artist who paints with oils, acrylics and watercolor. “My artwork is somewhat impressionistic, surreal and realistic. When I am painting, it literally elevates my mood and makes me feel happy. “
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN ART: “When I was 13 years old, I was using makeup like mascara and painting women’s faces. I knew that art was how I was going to make my way in the world.”
HOBBIES: Writing poetry, gardening, cooking, enjoys doing outdoor activities, sewing, playing with grandchildren
LAST BOOK READ: Wild by Cheryl Strayed. “I love that book. This is a woman who did some soul searching and went on an amazing journey where she listened to her heart and had the courage to do what she needed to do.”
LATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: My “Farmlands” show at Lunaria in May.
HOMER SPIRIT: “He loved the outdoors and animals as much I do. We both draw and write and observe people. He lived his life on his own terms and that is pretty much how I live mine.”
GUS FREDERICK
AGE: 58
PROFESSION: Multimedia specialist for the state of Oregon plus he does projects for businesses. Volunteer for the Homer Davenport Festival; Silverton Historical Society, Silverton Grange, Oregon Cartoon Institute and NW History Network. “I don’t watch TV or surf the Internet so I can get a lot done.”
HOBBIES: “Where do I begin? History, antique phonographs, photography… ”
LAST BOOKS READ: The Uncrowned King, Out of Thin Air and The Colonel
LATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Publishing the second edition of Cartoons by Davenport – The Annotated Edition. He also wrote Silverton, part of Arcadia Publishing’s series “Images of America.”
FAVORITE QUOTE: “Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life” – Mark Twain
PROFILE: Highly visual, optimist, likes to see the good in everything, inquisitive, curious.
HOMER SPIRIT: “I share his facination with the natural world. He was a journalist, he wrote as well as drew cartoons. I like to have the ability to describe the world around me. I had parents who were free thinking and encouraged me to pursue what I was interested in.”
