Carey, Charles Henry.  "History of Oregon." Vol. 3. Chicago-Portland: Pioneer
Historical Pub. Co., 1922.  p. 442.

CHARLES PERRY NISWONGER

	Charles Perry Niswonger is numbered among the successful and enterprising
citizens of Bend and has for a number of years served as coroner of Deschutes
county.  A native of Ohio he was born in that state In 1874, a son of Moses and
Maria (Murray) Niswonger. The Niswonger family were pioneers of that state and
the paternal grandfather was descended from the Braumbaugh family, one of the
earliest and most prominent families in Ohio.

	When but four years of age Charles Perry Niswonger removed with his parents
to Michigan and was reared on his father's farm. He attended the grade and high
schools in the vicinity and remained under the parental root until he reached
the age of twenty years, when he engaged in the lumber business. Subsequently he
learned brick masonry and was active along that line in Washington and Oregon
for twelve years. In 1902 he decided to try his luck In the west and in that
year came to Washington, where in 1907 he acquired timber lands. The dam across
the Deschutes river that furnishes the power for the Bend Water, Light & Power
Company was one of the first jobs on which he worked and the Bean building is
also one of the samples of his ability with the trowel. He was not content to
follow this line of business throughout his life, however, and in 1911 entered
the Cincinnati College of Embalming. Completing his course in that institution
he returned to Bend and being a licensed embalmer, established a business. His
ability as an embalmer and funeral director is well known throughout the county
and in 1918 he was elected coroner of Deschutes county. In 1920 he was elected
to succeed himself and is still active in that capacity.

	In 1901 occurred the marriage of Mr. Niswonger and Sadie Hibbard, a daughter
of James Hibbard, a well known farmer of Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Niswonger have
two children: Lillian Alvina, who married Fred Van Matre of Bend; and Ida
Jennette, who is a junior in the Willamette University, where she is majoring in
chemistry, a study in which she shows special aptitude. She is active in Sunday
school work and is well known in social circles.

	Fraternally Mr. Niswonger is identified with the Elks, Odd Fellows, Woodmen
of the World and the Moose and he was one of the organizers of the Odd Fellows
lodge in Bend. The family are consistent members of the Methodist church and Mr.
Niswonger is a trustee of that organization. He is treasurer of the Pilot Butte
Cemetery Association, of which he was one of the organizers, and a director of
the Oregon Funeral Directors Association. He built the handsome brick mortuary
chapel on Irving avenue and it is modern in every detail. Since coming to Bend
Mr. and Mrs. Niswonger have been active in all public affairs and have won the
high regard of the community. During the World war both took an active part in
all drives and patriotic movements and gave generously of their time and money.
Mrs. Niswonger is prominent in the social and club circles of Bend and was the
first president of the Civic League and is an ex-president of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in July 2016 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.