Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 4. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 210.
 
C. M. SKEELS

     Coos county lost one of her most successful and upright business men and
one of her most liberal and charitable citizens when C. M.Skeels died at his
home in Coquille on March 6, 1911.  For twenty-four years he had been in the
general merchandise business in Coos county and had built up a substantial
business by reason of his progressive policies and his unquestioned honesty and
his death closed a career which had been useful and valuable as well as upright
and worthy.  He was born in Ohio in 1848, a son of Thomas B. and Rebecca (Smith)
Skeels, natives of that state.  they were the parents of seven children; C. M.,
the subject of this sketch; Thomas W., a resident of Ohio; Ella, the wife of
Rev. Leggith, of Ohio; Oreta, who is the wife of John Beemer, of the same state;
Ernest M., also of Ohio; Teresa, who has passed away; and one child, who died in
infancy.
     C. M. Skeels was educated in the public schools of Ohio and spent his
childhood and early manhood in that state.  In 1887 he came to Oregon and
eventually settled in Coos county, establishing himself in the general
merchandise business at Bandon.  After one year he sold his enterprise and came
to Coquille where he operated a general store.  His success was rapid from the
beginning and he soon became well known by reason of his attractive, complete
and tastefully arranged stock, the fairness of his prices, the quality of his
goods, and his honorable business methods, and a fine patronage soon repaid his
care in all directions.  At the time of his death his prosperity was evident,
ranking him among the most important merchants in Coquille.
     In 1873 Mr. Skeels was united in marriage to Miss Nellie J. Henry, a native
of Ohio, and a daughter of James and Nancy (Durbin) Henry, both of whom were
born in that state.  Her father died when Mrs. Skeels was ten years of age and
her mother passed away in 1893.  In their family were fourteen children, six of
whom are still living; Isaac H., and Vincent H., both of whom reside in Ohio;
Izora, the wife of Jacob Brown, of Ohio; Elizabeth, who became the wife of John
Lunsford, also of Ohio; Sarah C., who is the wife of Columbus Evans, of the same
state; and Nellie, the wife of our subject.  To Mr. and Mrs. Skeels were born
eight children:  Charles T., who resides in Coquille, and is a partner in the
business which his father left, and who is married and has one daughter, Marvel,
aged eleven years; Mary, the wife of Charles Lorenz, who is  engaged in the
merchandising business in Bandon, by whom she has four children, Marjorie,
George, Harry, and Dorothy; Oreta, who became the wife of Fred Nozler of Bridge,
by whom she has three children, Gladys, James, and Fred; Grace, who married
George Baxter of Creswell, and who is the mother of two children, Nellie and
Clay; Portus and Nellie, twins, who have passed away; Dolly May, who resides at
home with her mother; and Paul, who resides at home and who is a partner in the
merchandise business with his mother and brother.  All of the children in this
family completed their education in Coos county, and Paul took a business course
in a business college at Salem.
     Mr. Skeels gave his allegiance to the republican party but was never an
office seeker.  He was a devout adherent of the Methodist Episcopal church,
North, and well known in religious circles.  Although successful as a merchant
his truest claim to remembrance does not rest upon his business attainments.  It
lies in his broad and liberal charity and his deep religious spirit which made
his life one of constant giving to worthy causes.  The poor of Coos county hold
him in memory as a man who did his utmost by personal kindness and material aid
to lighten their burdens and lessen the hardships of their lives.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in December 2006 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.