Few men have achieved a better success in Wallowa County, than the industrious and enterprising agriculturist and stockman, whose name appears at the head of this article. Mr. Wade came to the territory now embraced in the county in an early day and with the energy, sagacity, and sound practical judgment of which he is possessed so abundantly, he assiduously set to work to develop the resources here found and to add wealth to the county’s assessment, while he prosecuted the industries above referred to. During these years that have since intervened he has steadily pursued his way and is now one of the prominent property owners and influential men of the county, while his excellent principles and moral virtues have rendered him esteemed and respected.
In 1848 our subject was born in Virginia to George and Mary (Eakin) Wade, who were married, and lived in the Old Dominion state until 1850, in which year they migrated to Iowa. There they settled down to the life of the agriculturist and later the mother died and the father came to Summerville, in 1879. Our subject passed the years of his minority in the parental home in Iowa, gaining a good education from the common schools and learning the art of producing the fruits of the field, and how to skillfully handle stock. At the age of twenty-three, he commenced to operate for himself in the actions of life and first rented a farm, continuing in that line until 1873, then came west to the Grande Ronde valley. There he farmed for about four years and then, in 1878, came to Wallowa county taking a preemption and homestead three miles southeast from where Lostine now stands. With vigor and skill he set to the task of making a home from the raw prairie land, and the well tilled fields, good buildings, and skillfully handled farms that he now owns, all testify how well he has succeeded. To the original holding he added by purchase until his estate is eight hundred acres. Mr. Wade has given proper attention to general farming constantly, but he has devoted a great share of his efforts to raising cattle and horses. At the present time he has some fine cattle and a bunch of one hundred head of well-bred Percheron horses. These horses are all fine ones and make a showing that may well excite the admiration of any lover of good stock, while their owner takes a pardonable pride in their Excellencies. Mr. Wade has always been an ardent supporter of handling good stock and has done much for the introduction of the same into the county.
In 1871 Mr. Wade married Miss Louisa, daughter of Hiram and Sarah (Robinson) Evans, and a native of Iowa. To them have been born four children as follows. Jennie, Maud, James, who was born on May1, 1881 and died on October 20, 1882, and Hiram S. Mr. Wade has made a commendable record during the time in which he has domiciled in our county, both in business success and in exemplication of those virtues of stanch manhood and patriotic citizenship.