A man of prominence in Wallowa county, not in that he has been desirous of personal preferment in political times, but prominent in those qualities that make the real substantial and worthy citizen, the subject of this sketch is justly deserving of a generous representation in this history of his county, since he has labored long and faithfully for the building of the county and has gained and retains the esteem and confidence and gratitude of an appreciative and discriminating people.
Mr. Levi Tulley was born in Piatt County, Illinois, on March 2, 1840, his parents, Addison and Mary (Bailey) Tulley, being natives respectively of Ohio and Ireland. The father was a farmer in Illinois until the time of his demise. Our subject in company with his brother went to southeastern Kansas, where they both took claims and set to work to make homes for themselves. They labored faithfully until the strife of civil war broke in all its sadness and fury on the country, and then the subject of this sketch was quick to leave the duties of the civilian and joined the Ninth Kansas Regiment of Volunteer Cavalry, his company being captained by Goss. This occurred in the fall of 1861, and from that time until the close of the strife he did faithful and valiant service. Most of the time he was in duty in the most disagreeable and dangerous section of the hostile country, namely, the border regions of Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas, being exposed not only to the hostilities of the war, but to those hateful and insidious jealousies that served the ends of personal animosity under the cover of the great blanket, war. He served under Blunt and Steel and in 1863, went into Arkansas, where at DuVoll’s Bluff he was discharged from the service at the close of the conflict. At the time of his discharge he was quartermaster sergeant of Company F. In 1865, our subject and his brothers undertook the long and weary journey across the plains to the Pacific coast. They stopped in the Grande Ronde valley, and purchased farms and at once engaged in stock raising and farming. Here he lived until 1873, then came to Wallowa county, or the territory that is now embraced in Wallowa county. A few months after arriving here he took up a homestead, where his son now resides. He acquired title to more land from time to time and his estate now aggregates six hundred and seventy-five acres all told. He lives three miles southeast from Wallowa and still gives his attention to the oversight of his property and to raising stock, being one of the most prosperous stock handlers of the county.
Mr. Tulley married Miss Alma J. Stewart, daughter of A.H. and Elizabeth (Hodge) Stewart, on November 17, 1872, and to them have been born ten children: Lucien A.: Julia E., wife of Charles McDaniel, of Wallowa: Flora, deceased: Florence H., twin with Flora: Arthur E., Jesse E. Henry M., Cora O., Mable E., Stewart W., Florence H., is the wife of Charles Brown, of Wallowa. Mrs. Tulley’s father was an early pioneer of the Grande Ronde valley and a prominent holder of real estate in both Union and Wallowa counties. Our subject is one of the prominent men of our county and has ever manifested that wisdom and integrity and ability that have insured the success that he now enjoys, while also he has won encomiums from his fellows and is admired by all.