Harney County OR

Biographical Sketch of George M. Stanclift

Surely the subject of this review has passed the various stages of all kinds of pioneer work, with its hardships, deprivations and dangers, while he has met each point with a calm determination to overcome and make his way through it all, which he has done in a most commendable manner, being now one of the stanch and upright men of Harney and one of its well-to-do citizens, having his home on one of the finest pieces of soil in central Oregon, the same being one hundred and fifty-three acre, one mile north from Burns, which forms the family home … Read more

Miller, Dillie Marie – Obituary

Dillie Marie Miller, 94, of La Grande, died Oct. 7 at her home. A funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St. Burial will follow at the Grandview Cemetery. Dillie was born on Nov. 12, 1912, to Bird and Amanda (Rollins) Bennett in La Grande. She was educated in La Grande. On Oct. 16, 1929, she married Elmer T. Miller. They would have celebrated 78 years of marriage this month. During the early years of their marriage they lived in Burns before returning to La Grande in 1947. Those who knew … Read more

An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties Oregon

These 91 biographies and sketches have been taken from the manuscript “An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties Oregon.” Presently this is an incomplete offering so subscribe to this page if you’re interested on further updates. We will eventually provide the entire manuscript here.

Berland, Barbara Ruth – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Barbara Ruth Berland, 92, of Pendleton, died Feb. 25, 2004. She was born Aug. 31, 1911 to Burton and Mabel (Gray) Kelsay in Burns. After graduating from Redmond High School in 1931, she lived with an aunt when she was selected as a princess for the Fourth of July Celebration in Enterprise. She married Marvin “Jake” Berland of Paradise in 1933 and together they ranched in Wallowa County for the next 30 years. She did office work for the Agricultural Stabilization Conservation Service for 10 years, served on the Deer Creek School Board and substitute taught. She moved … Read more

Oard, Albert G. “Al” – Obituary

Albert G. “Al” Oard, 84, a resident of Baker City, died June 17, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. A private family celebration of life services will be held at a later date in the Burns Cemetery in Burns. Coles Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Al was born on Feb. 2, 1921, at Lawen to James and Clara Kesterson Oard. Their home was a ranch near Lawen, and Al attended the Crane and Drewsey grade schools. He was a 1938 graduate of Crane High School. He went on to college, attending Oregon State College at Corvallis from … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George W. Page

Among the leading stockmen of the country, the subject of this article also stands with the prominent and substantial citizens of the county of Harney and is one of the real pioneers of this section, being also a westerner by birth. He owns Sonoma county, California, as his native place and February 13, 1858, is the date thereof. His parents were Joseph W. and Nancy (Johnson) Page. In 1867 they all came overland to Lane county, Oregon. The father had been operating a large dairy in California, and in Oregon he devoted his attention to farming, also raised stock. In … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James P. Dickenson

James P. Dickenson has gained a good success in material things in Harney county since his advent here and is one of the substantial and leading stockmen and farmers to-day. He and his family have two good hay farms near the Narrows and also three near Lawen. These fine tracts of land return him annually large amounts of hay and give him opportunity to handle many head of stock. James P. was born in Grayson county, Virginia, on February 18, 1842, being the son of John and Rosa (Hale) Dickenson. He grew up on the farm and gained his education … Read more

Reed, Irene Adell – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Irene Adell Reed, 93, of La Grande died Aug. 7 at Grande Ronde Hospital. Viewing will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday and the funeral at 11 a.m. Saturday at La Follette’s Chapel in Burns. Burial will follow in the Burns Cemetery. A memorial reception in La Grande will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the First Baptist Church fellowship hall. Mrs. Reed was born Aug. 5, 1913, to Leonard Lincoln and Alda Bertha Elliot Davis in Leland, Idaho. She graduated from Kendrick High School in 1931 and Lewis and Clark Normal School 1933. … Read more

Thornton, Pamela Liebig – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Pamela Liebig-Thornton, 56, of La Grande, died at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise after a long and courageous battle with cancer. A recitation of the rosary will begin at 7 tonight at Loveland Funeral Chapel and Crematory. A Mass of Christian burial will begin at 2 p.m. Friday at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, 1002 L Ave. Burial will follow at the Grandview Cemetery. Pamela was born May 22, 1951, in Portland to Norman and Dorothy (Drinkwater) Liebig of Hines. As an infant she lost her first mother and was raised by her father’s second … Read more

Shreffler, Clem – Obituary

Clem Shreffler, 96, of Prairie City, a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 6, 2006, at Prairie City. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Darrell Johnson of Grace Chapel at Prairie City and Ed Niswender of Calvary Baptist Church at Baker City will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will until 7 o’clock tonight at the funeral home. Clem E. Shreffler was born to Ferd and Mary Shreffler in Culdesac, Idaho, on Feb. 22, 1909. Clem was the fourth of six children in the family. At … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John W. Biggs

It is perfectly natural to admire pluck and ambition in a young man and this no doubt is one reason why he whose name heads this sketch has won so many friends during  silence in Oregon. He is of flint class who are opposed to leading the routine life of all unambitious citizens, but with the energy and enterprise characteristic of Young America when untrammeled with restraint, he seeks higher and nobler spheres of life, and looks forward to securing fame and fortune before being overtaken by old age. Mr. Biggs was born in Georgetown, Kentucky, in 1870, but moved … Read more

A Brief History of Harney County Oregon

Harney Valley, Harvey Lake, Harvey City successor to Harney Camp, Harney County, and lastly Harney land district were named in honor of General Harney, who, so traditions of the Harney country tell us, “had a brush with the Indians while guiding emigrants through the valley.” The general in 1890 acknowledged this comment to his early army days, in an autograph letter to the to “council of Harney City. In area the county which was organized in 1889, is larger than any one of the six New England states, with the single exception of Maine; the valuation of its taxable property … Read more

Marshall, Katherin Mrs. – Obituary

Wallowa, Wallowa County, Oregon Mrs. Katherin Marshall died Sunday, Jan. 24th, 1937 at Wallowa. Funeral services were held at the Methodist church in Wallowa Tuesday afternoon, conducted by the pastor, Rev. E.A. Pollock. Burial was in Wallowa cemetery. Katherin Jones was born in Kansas City, Mo., in 1873 and died at the age 64 years, six months and 20 days. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Marion Jones. Her parents came to Oregon when she was a small girl and settled in the Grande Ronde valley where she was married to William Marshall in 1886. She and … Read more

Smith, Dorothy Mrs. – Obituary

Dorothy Smith, 85, of Unity, died July 30, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. Her graveside funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Helix Cemetery. Jack Pittman of the Baker City Christian Church will officiate. Dorothy was born on Aug. 23, 1919, at Burns. She was the valedictorian of her high school class at Entiat, Wash. She attended Washington State College and later earned a degree in education from Western Oregon University at Monmouth. She taught elementary school for many years at Nyssa, The Dalles and the Reynolds School District in Portland. She married Arthur W. Smith … Read more

Harney County, Oregon Census

Harney County, Oregon was formed from Grant County in 1889. 1890 Harney County, Oregon Census Free 1890 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1890 Veterans Schedule $ 1810-1890 Accelerated Indexing Systems $ Hosted at Census Guide 1890 U.S. Census Guide 1900 Harney County, Oregon Census Free 1900 Census Form for your Research Free 1900 Census Images and Index Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1900 Harney County, Census (images and index) $ Free 1900 Census Transcriptions Alvord Precinct Catlow Precinct Diamond Precinct Pueblo Precinct Wild Horse Precinct Hosted at Census Guide 1900 U.S. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles P. Rutherford

Hon. Chas. P. Rutherford, County Judge of Harney County. Is essentially a self-made man. Left an orphan at an early age, his education was that of the tallow dip and district school. At the age of sixteen he began ruining through Idaho and Oregon, also packing from Umatilla landing to Boise Basin. In 1873 he began raising stock in Grant County, but moved five years later to Morrow County. Returning in 1887 to Grant, now Harney, County, he has resided here since. He was formerly a member of the Democratic Party, but was elected County Judge in 1894 on the … Read more

Biography of William Henry Canaday

It is fitting that in a work that purports to accord to the leading citizens of Harney county representation there should be special mention of the well known business man whose name heads this article and who has labored in our midst for a number of years, gaining a good success and making for himself a name and standing which are enviable. Madison Canaday was born in Hillsboro, Highland county, Ohio, on October 21, 1831, and when a boy went with his parent to Illinois and then to Iowa, whence they crossed the plains with ox teams in 1852. They … Read more

Blaylock, Charles – Obituary

1933-2007 Charles Emery Blaylock, 74, of Burns, died March 11 at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. A celebration of life is planned for noon today at the Terrebonne Cemetery. Mr. Blaylock, known as Chuck, was born Feb. 3, 1933, to Martha Alice (Hill) and Cecil Emery Blaylock in Humboldt, Kan. In 1955 Chuck married Judith Nancy Bacon. Chuck lived his life on his own terms. He was a professional rodeo clown, bullfighter and entertainer for 27 years, retiring in 1976. He performed in Union County rodeos in 1967 and 1968. Chuck was also a singer, songwriter and comedian. Chuck … Read more

Ketscher, Ruth Jean – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Ruth “Jean” Ketscher, 84, of Burns and formerly of Enterprise, died Monday at her home. A memorial service at St. Katherine’s Catholic Church in Enterprise begins at 10 a.m. Monday. The service will be followed by burial at the Enterprise Cemetery and a celebration of life in the church hall. Arrangements are under the direction of Bollman Funeral Home. Mrs. Ketscher was born Oct. 9, 1922, in Detroit, Mich., to Catherine Gelineau and Ross Wadsworth Waffle, the second of sixth children. She graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in home economics and history, then became a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Martin V. Smith

A veritable pioneer of the pioneers is Mr. Smith, having come to the Pacific coast in the early fifties and continued here in worthy labors in various lines since that time, ever displaying the same courage, capabilities, tenacity of purpose, and integrity, that have made the pioneers such a noble class of people. Mr. Smith was born in Kennebec county, Maine, on January 10, 1833, being the son of James and Hannah Smith, natives also of Maine, the father being born near Portland. His death also occurred in that state. Martin V. received a good schooling and remained with his … Read more