Women’s History
Notable Women Biographies
Annie Miner Peterson (1860-1939)
- 1860: Born at Willanch Slough
- 1861-75: moved to Yachats area of Coastal Reservation. Kept Coos traditions alive while learning Hanis, Miluk, and English
- 1876: moved to Siuslaw River area. Married William Jackson.
- 1880: left Jackson and moved to Empire / South Slough area. Worked at odd jobs like cranberry picking on North Slough
- 1918: Married Carl Peterson. Collected native baskets.
- 1934-35: recorded Coos history w/ anthropologist Melville Jacobs
South Coast Reminders:
Miner Creek near Bastendorf Beach
Hanis and Miluk (Coos languages)
Read More:
* Lionel Youst, She’s Tricky Like Coyote: Annie Miner Peterson, (1997)
* Stephen Dow Beckham, Oregon Indians: Voices From Two Centuries, (2006)
Libby Tinilon
Coos Indian who was a domestic servant for Ellen and Patrick Flanagan at home near Newport Mine.
Ellen helped Libby escape capture during roundup of Natives during the Rogue River Indian War.
South Coast Reminders:
Libby area and Libby Lane named for her
Clara Annette (Johnson) Stauff (1884-1894)
Singer, Mother, Coos County Treasurer
1884 – Born March 26th in Marshfield. Both of her parents (Peter Johnson and Johanna Nelson) were Swedish immigrants. Clara was baptized and confirmed at Marshfield’s Trinity Swedish Lutheran Church.
1880s – “Father walked to work [at shipyards] in North Bend on Monday morning and back home on Saturday evening. Ten hour days.”
1895 – Learned to play the church organ.  Learned Swedish in order to sing in church choir.
1902 – Clara graduated (10th grade) at Marshfield Central School.
1903 – Clara began work as an accountant for Charles Stauff at his grocery store on Front Street, Marshfield.
1904 – Married Charles Stauff on June 22nd. Charles (1876-1948) was a member of the Marshfield Concert Band. Stauff ancestors were members of the Baltimore Colony. Clara joined the Chaminade Club – a female choir directed by Lydia Horsfall.
1908 – Child Margaret born July 24th. In October, Stauff family moved to homestead land in the dunes north of the bay. Charles walked and used a gasoline boat, the Dandelion, to work at his grocery six days a week.
1912 – Stauff family moved back to Marshfield by this time. Daughter Marion born April 22nd.
1916 – Clara and her sisters Millie, Inez, and Esther formed the Johnson Sisters Quartet by this time.
1918 – Clara was in charge of distribution of all sewing materials on the South Coast during WWI.
1920 – Daughter Marion died on January 16.
1920s – Charles Stauff sold his grocery store in the late 1920s and began work in the Coos County Treasurer’s office. His father, Alexander Stauff, had once been County Clerk/Assessor and Deputy Sheriff.  Johnson Sisters Quartet very popular and performed at local, state, and national events.
1930 – Charles was appointed Coos County Treasurer when treasurer T.M. Dimmick died in office.
1936 – Stauff family moved to Coquille. Clara began work in county treasurer’s office and is a member of the Professional Women’s Club and Soroptimist Club.
1948 – Charles died on February 28th. Clara was appointed by the Coos County Commissioners to fill her husband’s position as County Treasurer. She was re-elected to the position twice.
1953 – Johnson Sisters Quartet made final appearance at funeral of Lydia Horsfall in February.
1954Â Â Â Â Â Â Clara retired as Coos County Treasurer and moved back to Coos Bay.
1984Â Â Â Â Â Â Clara died at age 100 on August 6th and is buried at Sunset Memorial Park.
Fanny Getty (1878-1965)
OSU basketball player, teacher, business woman
1878 July 21 – born in Empire to Charles Edward Getty and Huldah Joella Wilson. 4 brothers, 1 sister. Worked as carpenter and assistant light keeper.
1879 November 15 – Victor Andrew Wickman born in Finland. Immigrated in 1885.
1884 – Charles E. Getty led Empire City Brass Band.
1896 – Fanny enrolled at Oregon Agricultural College in Corvallis. Played on first woman’s basketball teams in 1898 and 1899.
1900 – Fanny graduated at OAC. Got first job at Haynes Inlet elementary school in Coos County.
1902 – Fanny teaches at South Slough elementary school.
1903 – Fanny teaches at Washington elementary school in Coquille.
1906 – Victor Wickman severely injured in a logging train accident.
1907 – Fanny teaches at Prosper elementary school near Bandon.
Victor joined Coos Bay Life Saving Station as a surfman.
1908 March 31 – With former teacher Effie Collier, owned and operated Getty & Collier (“The
Popular” confectionery on the north side of Front Street in Coquille
1909 November 29 – Fanny sold her interest in the confectionary.
December 7 – Fanny married Victor A. Wickman in Empire City.
1910 July – wreck of the Czarina off the North Spit. U.S.L.S.S. took blame for deaths of 23 sailors. Wickman and others resigned from U.S.L.S.S.
1911 July 16 – Wickman saved a drowning (drunken) man on the lower Coquille River. Criticized by the man for not saving his case of booze. Victor and Fanny apparently own and run a confectionery (Wickman & Wickman) in Coquille.
1912 – Fanny’s father, Charles, died. Buried at Marshfield Pioneer Cemetery. Son, George, is born.
1913 May – Victor and Fanny sold their Coquille confectionery. Daughter, Isabella, born in Coquille.
1917 – Victor and Fanny Wickman family living in Seattle, WA area during WWI. Victor is an inspector for the U.S. Shipping Board’s Emergency Fleet Corporation.
1920 – Wickman family move to Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island, WA.
1942 – Fanny’s mother, Huldah Joella (Wilson) Getty, who has been living in Portland, died.
1943 December 7 – Victor Wickman died in WA. Buried in Portland. Fanny moved to Portland.
1965 June 29 – Fanny died and is buried in Portland.