Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/518

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he became useful to the American Fur Company, with whom he remained eight years, finally leaving the service and settling in Oregon near his former friend, F. X. Matthieu, on French Prairie. When the gold discoveries at- tracted nearlj^ the whole adult male population of Oregon, to California, he joined in the exodus, returning soon with $12,000. This capital invested in business at Butteville and Oregon City, made him a fortune. He died at Oakland, California, Feb. 2-3, 1877. Oregon City Enterprise, March 8, 1877.

Ashbel Merrill died at Fort Hall, his wife, Mrs. Susannah Sigler Merrill, and children pursuing their way to Oregon. Mrs. Merrill was born in the Shenandoah valley, Virginia, March 20, 1800. She was married to Ashbel Merrill April 23, 1823, in Ross county, Ohio, and moved to Illinois, and thence in 1847 to Oregon. Their children were, William, George, Mary A. Emert, Lyman, Electa, Alvin and Lyda. Six of these resided in Oregon chiefly in Columbia county, and had numerous families. Mrs. Merrill has celebrated her 82nd birthday. St. Helen Columbian, March 31, 1881.

Joseph Carey Geer, went from Windom, Conn., to Ohio in 1816. The family removed to 111., and from there to Oregon. The founder of the Oregon family of Geer was born in 1795. He settled in Yamhill county, in 1847, and in the number of his descendants has outdone the Canadians, there being of his line 164 on the Pacific coast; all honorable men and virtuous women, be- sides being physically people of weight. Portland West Shore, February, 1880.

Ralph C. Geer, was the pioneer nurseryman of Marion county. He also taught the first public school in the section where he settled, having 30 pupils in 1848, all but four of whom were living 30 j'ears afterward — a proof that the climate had nothing to do with the fatal character of the diseases which carried off the natives in early times. Geer planted apple and pear seeds to start his nursery in the red soil of the Waldo Hills, which he found to be excellent for his purpose. His father also put an eqiial amount of apple and pear seeds in the black soil of the Clackamas bottoms, but was disappointed in the returns, which were not equal to the Waldo Hills, where R. C. Geer has had a fruit farm and nursery for more than 30 yeai-s.

John Wilson drove to the Willamette valley a number of choice Durham cattle, from Henry Clay's herd, at Blue Grass Grove, 111., and also some fine horses, greatly to the improvement of the stock in the valley. J. C. Geer also drove a fine cow from this herd.

Stephen Bonser, who settled on Sauvie's Island, drove a herd of choice cattle, which improved the stock on the Columbia River bottoms.

Luther Savage took to the Willamette Valley a blood race-horse called George, whose descendants are numerous and valuable.

Hugh Fields drove a flock of fine sheep from Missouri in 1845 which he took to the Waldo Hills. Before getting settled he and his wife both died under a large fir-tree, with the measles. The sheep were sold at auction in small lots, and being superior, the Fields sheep are still a favorite breed in Oregon. Headrick, Turpin, and Mulkey took a flock of fine sheep. Turpin's were Sax- ony. This lot stocked Howell Prairie. R. Patton took a large flock to Yamhill county.

Mr. Haun of Haun's Mills, Mo., carried a pair of mill buhr-stones across the plains to Oregon.

A. R. Dimiek carried the seeds of the "early," or "shaker blue" potatoes from Mich., planting them on his farms in the north part of iMarion Co. From these seeds sprung the famous Dimiek potato, the best raised in Oregon in early days.

Mr. Watson of King's Valley, Benton Co., drove some short-horn stock to Oregon. The above notes are taken from Geer's Blooded Cattle, MS., a a valuable contribution on the origin of stock in the Willamette Valley. See