Hon. Ransom Beers is one of the oldest pioneers of this section and a man of enterprise and energy, having wrought in all the arduous and trying occupations of the frontier life, being eminently successful in them all, as well as having done much here for the up building of the County, while his life of uprightness and integrity, with manifestation of sound principles, has commended him to the confidence and esteem of all who have the pleasure of knowing him.
The birth of our subject occurred in Ohio, near Columbus, on March 27, 1831, and his parents were Conrad and Jemima (Zin) Beers. He was reared on a farm and received his education in the primitive log schoolhouse of that section. At the early age of ten, his mother died and he knew the sorrows of that sad event mingled with his boyhood days. Until the fall of 1852 he remained with his father, and then he removed to Henry County, Iowa, and the following spring set out across the plains in a train of twelve wagons to California. Four months later he was digging gold in Placerville, having completed the trip without special incident. Eleven years were spent in that section in mining and success crowned his efforts. Then, in the spring of 1864, he went by ship to Portland, and thence to Mormon basin, where he engaged in placer mining until 1872, being also successful in that venture. Mr. Beers rented his mines in that basin and opened a store which occupied his attention until 1874, when he came to his present place, which is five miles southeast from Malheur. Here he owns one-half section of land, well improved and stocked. He has a fine eight-roomed residence, a good barn and a nice bunch of cattle. Mr. Beers took this land from the raw country and has made all these improvement, being one of the most successful farmers and stock men of the country.
In fraternal relations Mr. Beers has been for thirty-nine years a member of the I. O. O. F., and is one of the charter members of the Baker City Lodge, No. 25. In 1868 the people of the section where he resides called him from the pursuit of his private enterprises, and elected him to represent the County in the state legislature. And in that capacity Mr. Beers manifested the same thoroughness, good judgment, ability, and faithfulness, that have ever characterized him and he filled the office with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituency. He was elected on the Democratic ticket. We desire to say that Mr. Beers started out in life with no capital except his hands and’ a good stout heart and he has accumulated a fine property because of his thrift and industry. He still owns the mines in the Mormon Basin. In the time of the famous Centennial, Mr. Beers went to visit the exposition in Philadelphia. In 1900 also he went to the east, but in all his travels Mr. Beers disclaims having found ally place which pleases him as well as his western home. He is now spending his golden days in the quiet enjoyment of his portion, which he has wrought out with his own hands, and he is one of the highly esteemed and respected men of the County, being beloved by all. Mr. Beers has always cast his lot with the ways of celibacy, being content to enjoy its quieter walk than the responsibilities of the connubial relations.