Byron Anderson Stover (November 8, 1890 – February 24, 1984), also known as B. A. Stover or Dutch Stover, was an American businessman and politician from the state of Oregon. He was a Republican who served four years in the Oregon House of Representatives, where he represented a large rural district in central and southern Oregon. Today, Dutch Stover Park in Bend, Oregon is named in his honor.
Early life Stover was born in Versailles, Ohio, on November 8, 1890, the son of William H. Stover and Lucinda (Hole) Stover."Byron Anderson Stover", Oregon, World War I, Veteran State Aid Applications, 1921–1938, citing San Francisco Military Service database, Oregon State Archives, Salem, accessed 27 December 2018."Byron And Stover", Oregon Death Index database citing Deschutes County certificate number 84-03432, Oregon Death Index, 1903–1998, Oregon State Archives and Records Center, Salem, Oregon, accessed 30 December 2018."Byron Stover"; member of the William H. Stover household, Dayton Ward 4, Montgomery, Ohio, United States; United States Census, 1910; enumeration district ED 68, sheet 4B, roll 1216, FHL microfilm 1,375,229; National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, District of Columbia; accessed 27 December 2018. He attended Parker Elementary School in Dayton, Ohio."Parker School Sends Out its Contribution", Dayton Daily News, Dayton, Ohio, 10 June 1904, p. 10."Every Day for a Whole Year, Honor Pupils", Dayton Herald, Dayton, Ohio, 10 June 1904, p. 10. Stover then attended high school in Dayton, graduating from Steele High School in 1908."Will Go Forth to Battle with the Stern Problems of Life", Dayton Herald, Dayton, Ohio, 10 June 1908, p. 6.
Stover went on to attend college at Ohio State University. While there, he played football and was a two-year letterman in that sport.Joslin, Les, "Byron A. Stover, Mr. Bend", Legendary Local of Bend Oregon, Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, South Carolina, 2016, p. 45."Stover Stars in Big Game", Dayton Herald, Dayton, Ohio, 11 November 1912, p. 12. He was also a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity."Fraternity Men to Enjoy Annual Feast Saturday", Dayton Herald, Dayton, Ohio, 12 April 1912, p. 2. Stover graduated from the university in 1913 with a degree in forestry."Byron Stover, Bend, Out for Legislature", Herald and News, Klamath Falls, Oregon, 11 March 1950, pp. 1–2."Graveside Service Set for Stover", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 28 February 1984 (reprinted by the Bulletin 1 March 2009)."Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry", Executive Documents, Annual Reports for 1913 made to the Eightieth General Assembly Extraordinary Session of the State of Ohio, F. J. Heer Printing Company, Columbus, Ohio, 1914, p. 616."Byron Stover Goes to Oregon", Dayton Daily News, Dayton, Ohio, 18 March 1914, p. 4.
Businessman Stover moved to Bend, Oregon in 1914. In Bend, Stover found a job with the Bend Company, which operated a sawmill on the west bank of the Deschutes River. However, he soon secured a position as a bank teller with the First National Bank. He stayed with the bank until the United States entered World War I."B.A. Stover to Seek Place in Legislature", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 10 March 1950, p. 1.
When America entered World War I, Stover volunteered for military service. He was accepted into the United States Army officer training program and received his training at the Presidio in San Francisco, California."Bend Boys to Go to Presidio", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 10 August 1917, p. 1."131 Oregon Men to be Officers", Eugene Register, Eugene, Oregon, 10 August 1917, p. 1. When he finished his training, Stover was commissioned as a second lieutenant."Dayton Youth is Army Lieutenant", Dayton Herald, Dayton, Ohio, 23 November 1917, p. 9."Byron Stover is Given Commission", Dayton Daily News, Dayton, Ohio, 25 November 1917, p. 21. He served in France with the 17th Field Artillery Regiment. While in Europe, he participated in the Battle of Chateau Thierry, spending six weeks on the front lines. After his combat tour, he was sent to train troops in South Carolina for three months before being sent back to France."Cablegram Tells of Safe Trip Over Sea", Dayton Herald, Dayton, Ohio, 1 February 1918, p. 12."Arcanum", Dayton Herald, Dayton, Ohio, 14 July 1918, p. 37.
After the war, Stover spent several years in Seattle, Washington."Charming Singer is Much Feted During Her Stay", Oregon Daily Journal, Portland, Oregon, 20 March 1921, p. 37. While living there, he began his career in marketing and exhibited motion pictures. In 1923, he moved back to Bend and purchased the Capitol Theatre there."Former Bend Resident Takes Capitol Management Next Friday", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 1 June 1923, p. 1. A year later, he married Ruth Cushing and she joined him in Bend."B. A. Stover Marries Miss Ruth Cushing", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 10 June 1924, p. 5.
Over the years, Stover became one of Bend's most prominent businessmen. After purchasing the Capitol Theatre, he went on to buy the adjacent Liberty Theatre and several other movie theatres in and around Bend. He was well known in the Bend community for treating local children to a free movie every year on his birthday and on Christmas Day as well. He also gave free tickets to local high school athletes. He remained in the theatre business until 1946. After retiring from the theatre business, Stover became a partner in a men’s clothing store in downtown Bend. However, he continued to own and operate a theatre in Gilchrist (a small community south of Bend) until 1964."Bend Theaters to Form Corporation", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 19 July 1941, p. 8.
In addition to his business interests, Stover was always active in civic affairs. In 1931, he was elected president of Bend’s Kiwanis club."Ancient Auto to Visit Bend", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 9 September 1931, p. 2. Over the years, Stover served as president of the Bend Golf Club, the Bend Stampede, and the Bend Water Pageant. He was also chairman of two Red Cross fund raising campaigns. He was president of Bend Chamber of Commerce for two years and then became president of the Central Oregon Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the city’s parks advisory board for many years. In addition, he was a member of American Legion and local Elks Lodge. Stover was also a devoted fan and volunteer coach of local sports teams. In 1944, he headed a community war bond drive. To encourage people to buy bonds, he gave free movie tickets to everyone who bought a bond."4th War Loan Drive Off to Excellent Start", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 24 January 1944, p. 1. When the Bend Industrial Fund was created in 1945 to promote economic growth in the Bend area, Stover was elected to the Fund’s board of directors."Industrial Fund Board Named", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 30 March 1945, p. 3. In recognition of his extensive and significant contributions to the Bend community, Stover was selected as Bend’s Senior Citizen of the Year in 1951."B. A. Stover, Helmer Wallan Receive Citizen Awards", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 22 January 1952, p. 1."Rep. Stover Feted", Statesman Journal, Salem, Oregon, 24 January 1952, p. 2.
State representative In 1950, Stover decided to run as a Republican for the District 29 seat in the Oregon House of Representatives. At that time, District 29 included both Deschutes and Lake counties, two large rural counties in central and southcentral Oregon. He was unopposed in the Republican primary."Nominated for State House", Statesman Journal, Salem, Oregon, 21 May 1950, p. 16. In the general election, Stover faced Democrat William P. Vernon of Lakeview. Stover won by 465 votes, receiving 4,329 votes against Vernon’s 3,864 votes."On Deschutes Ballot; Count Shows Totals Unchanged", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 9 November 1950, p. 1.
Stover took his seat in the Oregon House of Representatives on 8 January 1951, representing District 29. He worked through the 1951 regular legislative session which ended on 3 May."1951 Regular Session (46th): January 8 – May 3", Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, Oregon State Archives, Salem, Oregon, accessed 28 December 2018. During the session, he served on the forestry, highways, and utilities committees."Committee Appointments are Announced for Legislature by Patterson and Steelhammer", Statesman Journal, Salem, Oregon, 9 January 1951, p. 12.
At the end of the 1951 session, Stover was appointed to a special interim committee charged to conduct an in-depth study of highway fees and regulations. The committee was directed to report its finding to the 1953 legislature for follow-up action."House Approves Bill Increasing Highway Loads", Corvallis Gazette-Times, Corvallis, Oregon, 22 March 1951, p. 1."Interim Committee Members of House Named by Speaker", Statesman Journal, Salem, Oregon, 11 May 1951, p. 6."Candidacy Filed By B. A. Stover", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 25 February 1952, p. 1. Over the next year, the committee held public hearings on highway weight limits and use fees."Highway Users Present Views to Interim Group", Medford Mail Tribune, Medford, Oregon, 4 May 1952, p. 1. The impact of logging trucks on state highways was a major focus area of the committee."Highway Hearing Slated Saturday", Medford Mail Tribune, Medford, Oregon, 27 April 1952, p. 1. The interim highways committee delivered its report in October 1952. Among its recommendations was a proposal to create a new state department of motor vehicles. The committee also drafted a bill to implement its recommendations."Oregon Legislature to Receive Measure for Department", Medford Mail Tribune, Medford, Oregon, 12 October 1952, p. 12.
In 1952, Stover ran for re-election."A Team to Keep Intact", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 11 February 1952, p. 4."Many Filings for Primaries on Last Day", Statesman Journal, Salem, Oregon, 8 March 1952, p. 9. He was the only Republican to file for the District 29 seat. In addition, no Democrats entered the race so he was unopposed in both the Republican primary and the general election."All Legislators Seeking to Keep Offices Win Out", News-Review, Roseburg, Oregon, 20 May 1952, p. 7."Lower House of Legislature", Statesman Journal, Salem, Oregon, 6 November 1952, p. 6."Final Unofficial Count Given for Deschutes County Voting", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 6 November 1952, p. 1.
The 1953 legislative session began on 21 January."1953 Regular Session (47th): January 21 – April 21", Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, Oregon State Archives, Salem, Oregon, accessed 28 December 2018. During the session, Stover was selected as chairman of the commerce and utilities committee. He was also assigned to the roads and highways, state and federal affairs, and forestry and mining committees."Representatives Get Assignments", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 5 January 1953, p. 2. As chairman of the commerce and utilities committee, Stover oversaw contentious hearings regarding a bill that would allow utility companies to cover the cost of new power delivery projects with a temporary surcharge to customers."Hot Debate on Power Company Surcharges Keeps Dutch Stover’s Gavel Busy at Salem", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 4 February 1953, p. 1. The session lasted three months, ending on 21 April.
Later life and legacy