The gentleman whose name appears above is one of the stock kings of Wallowa county, as well as holding great distinction in the county as a promoter of industrial interests, while his steadfastness and stanch and true character make him one of the most valued, and highly respected men in this section of our state, and his excellent capabilities have place him in a distinguished position of prestige that is justly merited.
Hector McDonald is a native of northeastern Oregon, having been born in the Grande Ronde valley, on December 24, 1868. His parents, John and Jane (Grant) McDonald, reside on a farm of one-half section, between Summerville and La Grande, and are numbered among the most prominent and respected residents of Union county. Our subject received his educational training in the schools of the county of Union and was also well drilled by a wise and practical father, and when he had arrived at the age of nineteen years he took active part with his brothers, John, Peter and Duncan, in the stock business. The four brothers own eight hundred acres of the finest of the Grande Ronde valley farmland, besides three thousand acres of soil in Wallowa County. Our subject and John are managing the estate in Wallowa County and Peter and Duncan attend to that in Union County. They pay much attention to raising stock, principally cattle, horses and hogs. Also the firm has been engaged in handling horses for the United States army and also for the British government. In the last two and one-half years they have purchased over two thousand five hundred head for this purpose. Our subject lives on Diamond prairie, two and one-half miles west from Wallowa and there has a ranch of sixteen hundred and forty acres and an elegant residence. They have about seven hundred head of stock cattle and other stock in proportion.
On May 15,1901, Mr. McDonald married Miss Margaret, daughter of Alexander and Jessie Cameron, of Walla Walla county, Washington. Mr. Cameron is a native of Scotland and a pioneer of this western country and he is one of the prominent and substantial men of the county where he resides. In addition to their other enterprises, the brothers handle a large butcher shop and packinghouse in Wallowa, and have continued it for four years. Among all the stockmen of the county there are none who manifest better executive ability, finer characteristics of talent and integrity than the subject of this sketch, and we are pleased to grant to him this review in the history of our county, where he is justly entitled to the admiration and confidence of his fellows and which is his to enjoy in generous measure.