Pioneer of Union County called to Final Rest
Another pioneer of the plains was called to his final rest last week when Benjamin Franklin See passed away after 89 years of sojourn here on this earth.
As a youth, he braved the long journey to the West Coast and Oregon with his parents to help build civilization in the Grande Ronde Valley in Union County.
In later years, about 1865, Mr. See freighted between Umatilla and La Grande enduring the hardships of the trail. He was a true pioneer of this vast western empire. Benjamin Franklin See was born in Estill County, Kentucky November 26, 1845 and died in Hermiston Oregon, February 14, 1935 at the age of 89 years, 2 months and 18 days.
He was married in 1865 at Clarinda, Iowa to Nancy Hammock on their way across the plains to Oregon. They located in La Grande where he lived until his wife died in 1913. Then he came to Hermiston and lived with his daughter, Mrs. Perry Arthur ever since.
He had eight children, five of whom survive him. They are Jefferson See of Stanfield, Oregon; Francis See and George See of Tacoma WA., Albert See of La Grande and Mrs. Anna Arthur of Hermiston. He had 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. He was a member of the Church of Christ for over 50 years.
The funeral services were conducted at the Prann’s Funeral Parlors Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. by C.R. Moore, Minister of the Union Church. The body was shipped to La
Grande where it will be buried in the family plot in the Summerville Cemetery beside his wife.
Hermiston Herald, Umatilla County, Oregon, February 21, 1935
Contributed by: Storm See
Gary Note: Nancy’s middle name was Ann. Anna Arthur was his daughter, Mary Ann Elizabeth See