Biographical Sketch of Joseph P. Rector

Among those who have gained a remarkable success in Harney county we are constrained to mention the gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph, and who has wrought such wisdom, energy and assiduity that he has gained one of the finest holdings of the county and is numbered among leading stockmen of this section. This is more to his credit when it is mentioned that he came to the county with no means and has gained his entire property by his thrift and wise management since his advent. Joseph P. was born in Schenectady county, New York, on August 28, 1844, … Read more

Biography of William L. Clark

Among the successful business men of Harney county is to be mentioned the gentleman named above, whose well known establishment of general merchandise at Lawen, where he has done business for some time, is one of the prosperous business houses of the county; and in addition to handling this, Mr. Clark has a hay farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which he attends to and also raises cattle, and also he has been a mail contractor of the interior of Oregon. William L. was born in Carroll county, Indiana, on April 3, 1845, being the son of Thomas and … Read more

Biography of Thomas Howard

This substantial and capable gentleman is one of the real builders of the county of Harney, and it is quite proper that he should be accorded representation in its history, being a man greatly respected and worthy of the high esteem given to him. He was born in the city of New York, on May 11, 1833, being the son of Patrick H. and Mary (Ford) Howard. The father was an engineer, operating a stationary engine. Thomas grew to manhood, gaining a good education meanwhile, and part of the time working in the markets, where he learned the butcher trade. … Read more

McCoy, Margaret Elizabeth Young – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Margaret Elizabeth Young McCoy Margaret Elizabeth Young McCoy, 88, of La Grande died Feb. 2 at a local care center. A celebration of life will begin at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Loveland Funeral Chapel. Mrs. McCoy was born June 19, 1918, to Fred and Sarah (Monroe) Young in Crane. She moved to La Grande in 1921 with her family and grew up with her three sisters. The family operated the Young’s Ice House and Delivery, harvesting ice near Riverside Park. On April 3, 1935, she married Ralph McCoy. They farmed in the Mount Glenn area and, after … Read more

Taylor, Margaret Irwin Mrs. – Obituary

Margaret I. Taylor, 77, of 1760 Valley Ave., died Saturday August 14, 1982, at St. Elizabeth Nursing Home. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Grays West and Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. The Rev. Greg Eicher of the United Methodist Church will officiate. Interment will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Mrs. Taylor was born September 10, 1904, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Andrew and Sharah Irwin. She attended schools in Burns and Baker. She married B. A. Taylor in Caldwell, Idaho on June 9, 1952. She had worked in bakeries in Portland and the the Gwilliam … 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 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

Ellis, Christopher John – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Christopher John Ellis, 38, of Silverton, a former Baker City resident, died April 25, 2004. A small family memorial service will be scheduled later. Chris was born on Aug. 21, 1966, at Portland and spent his early years in Medford. In 1978, the family moved to Silverton where he completed high school and was active in athletics, particularly baseball. He graduated from Eastern Oregon University at La Grande with a degree in accounting. He married Sami Baisley of Baker City, and moved to Burns to work as an accountant. He became a certified public accountant CPA, remained … Read more

Newell, Eliza Jane Stubblefield Mrs. – Obituary

Imnaha, Wallowa County, Oregon Imnaha Pioneer Passes In Idaho Mrs. Eliza Jane Stubblefield Newell, next to oldest child of Mr. and Mrs. W.K. Stubblefield, pioneer settlers in Wallowa county, passed away in a hospital at Boise, Idaho, January 3. Funeral services were held at Montour, Idaho, and burial was beside her husband, who died 18 years ago. Eliza Jane Stubblefield was born in Carroll county, Arkansas, January 23, 1870, and was married to Charles Newell and they came west in 1886. they lived with her parents on Horse Creek, lower Imnaha, for a time and their daughter, Laura was born … Read more

Pollentier, David Allen

David Allen Pollentier, 59, died on March 5, 2005, at his home. There will be a celebration of his life at 2 p.m. Friday at the First Church of the Nazarene, 1250 Hughes Lane. Pastor Jon Privett of the Nazarene Churchwill officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Dave was born on Jan. 15, 1946, at Ontario to Alfons and Doris Giesler Pollentier. He was raised at Jordan Valley and Burns, where his father was station commander for … Read more

I. S. Greer & Company

This establishment is a credit to Burns. Their building, of which we present a cut, was erected in 1892, and is one of the first stone buildings put up in the interior. They carry a large and well assorted stock of shelf and heavy hardware, stoves and tinnier, crockery, glassware, sporting goods, cutlery &c. They are exclusive agents for the Peters Cartridge Co., Queen heating stoves, Born steel ranges, D. M. Osborn & Co.’s farm machinery, Heath & Milligan paints, and other special lines. They have the only tin shop in the interior, doing plumbing, jobbing and repairing. The also … Read more

Singer, Carl Henry – Obituary

Carl Henry Singer, 88, of 130 Bryant Ave., No. 22, Walla Walla, Wash., died April 4, 2006, at St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla, Wash. Funeral service was held at Groseclose Funeral home at 315 W. Alder St. at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 3, 2006. The Rev. Albert Gillin of First Presbyterian Church officiated. Burial followed in Mountain View Cemetery, 2120 S. Second Ave. Memorial contributions may be made to Walla Walla Senior Center through the funeral home. Mr. Singer was born Nov. 22, 1917, in Boise, Idaho, to Henry and Carrie Chandler Singer. He graduated from Baker, … 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

Biography of Melvin Fenwick

A true pioneer, a man of exemplary standing and life, possessed of capabilities and qualities of worth, the estimable gentleman of whom we now speak, is entitled to representation in the volume of Harney county’s history. His parents, Alexander and Nancy (Long) Fenwick, were natives to Kentucky, and his father crossed the plains to California in 1849. He was a blacksmith and carried his tools on a pack horse and wrought at his trade, shoeing horses, and so forth, all the way. In 1851 he returned via Panama, and with his wife and seven children he came in 1852 to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jackson A. Bartlett

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 … 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.

Biographical Sketch of Edmund A. Fraser

The young and eminently successful gentleman whose name appears above is one of the leading men of Malheur county, being the owner of a controlling interest in the Malheur Mercantile Company, a large general merchandise establishment of Ontario, which does an immense business not only from the country adjacent to Ontario, but also from the interior of Malheur and Harney counties. Our subject was born in Woodstock, Canada, on September 2, 1870, being the son of George and Sarah (Sheperd) Fraser. He attended the common school, and at the age of twelve was ready to enter the Upper Canada College … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Geo. W. Hayes

Geo. W. Hayes stands high among the voting attorneys Eastern Oregon, and has established a foothold in Harney County from which it would be difficult to eradicate possessing as he does talent, energy, ambition and industry. He was born In Marion County, Iowa in 1859, coming across the plains with his parents in 1862, in an ox team. They located at Eugene, Lane County, where he stayed until 1874, having at intervals attended the log schoolhouse. Moving to Lake County, he kept up his studies, and at the age of 18 began teaching school, working also at the carpenter’s trade. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George W. Cawlfield

This worthy gentleman is to be numbered with the younger men of Harney county who have attained a good success in the stock business here and who bid fair to gain much better in the future, judging by their faithful and wisely bestowed labors of the past. George W. was born in Johnson county, Kansas, on October 21, 1870, being the son of David A. and Abigil (Evans) Cawlfield. The father was a native of Tennessee, and went across the plains to California in an early day and then returned via Panama, after which for some time he acted as … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Nathan Brown

The worthy pioneer and capable business man of whom we now have the privilege of speaking is one of the leaders in the business realm of Burns, being senior member of the firm of N. Brown & Sons, general merchants, who have one of the largest stocks in the county and do a mammoth business, being well established and highly esteemed by all. Mr. Brown was born in Germany, in January, 1835, and at the age of thirteen years came to America. In 1852 he came via Cape Horn to San Francisco, and thence to Oregon City, where he engaged … Read more