We are pleased to add to the list of leading and prominent citizens of Wallowa county the name of the estimable lady whose life’s career it is now our pleasant task to outline, since she is one who has labored for the advancement of the interests of the county and has wrought here with skill and industry for many years, and her thrift and good financing have rendered her a generous possession of this world’s goods and she is highly esteemed among all.
Our subject was born in Indiana, being the daughter of William and Nancy (Anderson) Warnack, natives, respectively, of Ohio and Indiana, and when three years of age was taken by her parents to Kansas, remaining there until 1879. The father was drowned on June 24, 1869. In 1879 the mother and her children came to Wallowa County with teams, locating near Joseph, whence they removed to Crow creek. The mother died on August 14, 1884, and is buried in the Prairie creek cemetery. She had been a devout member of the Dunkard church. The paternal family consists of nine children, as follows: Thomas, living in California: David D., on Crow creek: Alexander, a large stockman on Snake river: Daniel, on Crow creek, also large stock owner: Celinda, wife of George Branscome, of Ogden, Utah: Mary E., now Mrs. Perkins, and the immediate subject of this sketch; Rubanna E., now Mrs. Veit, in Southern Oregon; William P., a heavy stock owner on the Imnaha; Robert N., a prominent stockman in Yaquina Country, in Lincoln County, Oregon.
On October 9, 1881, occurred the marriage of our subject and Luther Perkins, a native of Wisconsin, and to them have been born the following children; Cornelia N., Luther H., Mercie E. Mrs. Perkins owns a fine stock ranch of two hundred and forty acres near the Imnaha and is engaged in supervising it, doing general farming and handling stock. She is blessed with good success because of the skillful management of her affairs and the untiring care of detail, wherein she displays commendable wisdom and skill, and an unflagging industry that is sure to bring its reward. She is numbered with the leading and substantial property owners of the county and is esteemed and highly respected by all. It speaks much for the wise management, industry, keen foresight and excellent executive force of our subject when we note that she came to the county with but little money and now is well to do, as also all of the family are too, having good homes and large herds of horses and cattle.