In 1887 Mr. Shaffer was married to Miss Amanda Scott, who was born in Baker county, Oregon, a daughter of John B. and Amanda M. (Cantonwine) Scott, the former of whom was born in the east and the latter in Iowa. They were pioneers of Baker county, Oregon, and both met death at the hands of the Indians. They were a young couple living beside the old Emigrant road on Lower Burnt river. It was about half a century ago that they started with a load of peaches and vegetables for the little mining town of Rye Valley, about eight miles distant, expecting to do some trading and also visit friends whom they thought they would meet at a dance that night. The next day they started home, Mr. and Mrs. Scott occupying the wagon seat and their two-year-old boy and baby girl asleep in the bottom of the wagon. Suddenly the Indians sprang from ambush with yells and delivered their fire at close range. Mr. Scott plunged forward across the dashboard dead and dropped the reins between the horses, but his wife caught him and dragged him back into the wagon. The team, of course, started to run, but she climbed over the dashboard to the wagon tongue, secured the trailing lines and regained her place in the wagon, where she crouched low, followed by many bullets. She guided the frightened animals down the difficult road, forded Burnt river at the foot of the hill and proceeded to her home. She had saved her husband's body and herself and the lives of their children, but received two mortal wounds. To those present she told her story, made her verbal will, consigning her babies to the care of their grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. George Cantonwine, of Walla Walla. She left in the hands of a neighbor the gold watch and chain which she took from her neck, with the request that they be given to her parents for her little daughter. If ever Oregon produced a heroine the girlish looking Mrs. Scott was she.
Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer have become the parents of five children, namely: Ernest M., of Spokane, Washington; Mary Ada, the wife of W. E. Volmer; Charles P., who is farming with his father; Audrey Grace, who is in high school; and Clarence, who is an eighth grade student.
Mr. Shaffer is a stanch republican and for two terms served as county commissioner. He has also been a member of the school board and many projects for the public welfare have benefited by his hearty co-operation. His fraternal connections are with Lodge No. 135, I. O. O. F., of Dayton, and with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. His wife belongs to the Congregational church and is much interested in its various activities. They have made many friends in Waitsburg since removing here and are well and favorably known throughout the county.
DOUGLAS V. WOOD.
Douglas V. Wood is the senior partner of the firm of Wood & Lane, prominent and successful dealers in automobiles in Walla Walla. He was born in middle Tennessee, on the 5th of October, 1859, a son of William and Elizabeth Wood. The father served as a soldier of the Union army in the Civil war and died while at the front.
Douglas V. Wood was educated in the public schools and in Mount Vale Academy, now Mount Vale College, at Celina, Tennessee. He took up the profession of teaching and in 1885 he came west to Walla Walla county, after which he was employed as teacher in the Waitsburg schools for two years. On the expiration of that period he turned his attention to the real estate and insurance business and also engaged in grain buying, with which undertaking he was identified in Waitsburg for fifteen years. He later spent two years in traveling over the country and in 1908 he took up his abode in Walla Walla. After one year devoted to the real estate business he turned his attention to the automobile trade and in 1911 sold an interest to C. B. Lane, thus forming the firm of Wood & Lane. The firm has the agency for the White, the Cadillac, the Oldsmobile and the Maxwell cars, and thus handling moderate and high priced cars, they do one of the largest automobile businesses in Walla Walla. They also maintain a splendidly equipped garage and their repair department is meeting with excellent success, while their annual sales of motor cars have reached a large figure.
On the 25th of December, 1888, Mr. Wood was united in marriage to Miss Laura R. Lane, a daughter of Joseph and Mary Lane, who were among the pioneer families of the county. To Mr. and Mrs. Wood have been born three children: Merrill D., who is a practicing physician of Spokane; Robert V., at home; and one who has passed away.
In politics Mr. Wood is a stalwart democrat and has served as a member of the town council of Waitsburg and was also mayor there for a number of years. His record as a public official is one which has brought to him honor and respect by reason of his loyalty to duty and his faithfulness in the performance of every task that devolves upon him. Fraternally he is connected with Touchet Lodge, No. 5, I. O. O. F., of Waitsburg, and with the Woodmen of the World. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church and are interested in its growth and development. Aside from his automobile interests Mr. Wood became one of the organizers of the Peoples State Bank and has continuously been one of its directors. His activities and his interests are thus broad and varied and he has done much to further the material, intellectual, social and moral progress of the community in which he resides. His aid and influence are always on the side of improvement and advancement and his labors have been resultant forces.