Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon
Pioneer Is Dead – Was 79 Years Old
David Diggins, Who Crossed the Plains In 1859
David Diggins, a pioneer in the northwest, died on Monday at his home in Joseph. He was 79 years old and some time ago suffered a stroke of paralysis. The funeral was held on Tuesday and burial was in the Prairie creek cemetery, Rev. B. F. Miller officiating.
Mr. Diggins was born in Pennsylvania in 1833 and when 23 years old moved to Illinois, where he lived two years, farming in the new Prairie state. But the love of the frontier would not let him rest with life in the central states and he started for Colorado in 1859. Hearing reports of rich regions in the far northwest, he continued his journey to Washington, arriving at Walla Walla September 11, 1859.
The next year he went into the wilderness in search of gold to the district where Pierce City and Oro Fino are now situated. The camp prospered and Mrs. Diggins staid there for two years, when he returned to his homestead near Walla Walla. He sold his land there in 1877 and moved to Umatilla County, Oregon, where he again went into farming. He was very successful and was well to do when he sold out in 1894 and came to the Wallowa country settling on a farm some miles southeast of Joseph.
Mr. Diggins was married twice. The first wife was Miss Malvina Pennington. Two sons were born, of which one survives. Mrs. Diggins second wife was Mrs. Isley of Joseph, who survives him.
Enterprise Record Courier, Wallowa County, Oregon, Thursday Sept. 5, 1912
Contributed by Charlottte Carper