This well known and representative business man of the town of Drewsey has a fine hotel, where he does a thriving business and also a large livery and feed stable, being a man of excellent capabilities and one of the prominent figures in this part of Harney county. He was born in Owen county, Indiana, on August 31, 1847, the son of James and Sarah (Alexander) Bartlett. He was reared on a farm and gained his education from the public schools of the vicinity and when he heard the call for troops in the times of fratricidal strife he enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Company B. He was largely on post puty, being in Louisville, Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee; and Decatur, Alabama. The date of his enlistment was February 14, 1865, and his honorable discharge occurred in October, 1865. He at once returned to his home in Indiana. In 1868 he migrated to Scotland county, Missouri, and there on December 25, 1870, occurred his marriage with Miss Arminta J., daughter of William and Margaret Myers. He followed farming there until 1887, and then with his family of wife and seven children he made the trip across the country to Union county, Oregon. The following year he came to the agency, in the vicinity of Beulah, Malheur county, entered a homestead, improved it and settled to raising stock. It was in 1896 that he came to Drewsey and bought a hotel and embarked in that business. He did a good business from the start, but in 1899 the entire property was destroyed by fire. He immediately rebuilt a fine two-story structure, fifty-six feet front and forty-four feet deep. He has a nice large office, parlors, dining room, kitchen and twenty sleeping apartments. In 1890 he sold his ranch and stock and devoted his entire attention to the hotel and feed stable.
The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett: Jesse, near Longcreek, Grant county; James C., who was elected in 1900, on the Democratic ticket, as superintendent of the schools of Harney county; Mrs. Grace Arnold, of Pine creek; Hattie, Hettie, Hugh, triplets, Hugh being deceased; Carl and Stella V.
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Transcriber’s Note: I’m sure that he was actually on “post duty”, but the above is transcribed as it was originally printed in the book. Also, being a direct descendant of this Bartlett family, I see that the writer missed one child born between Jesse and James “Curtis”, Mrs. Ettie M. Arnold, who was by that time deceased.