Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 8.djvu/328

 320 GEORGE H. HIMES. vitation extended to Pblk County to unite with Marion in holding a fair. A committee was appointed to prepare an address to farmers on "upon the subject of agriculture and the best means of promoting the farming interests of our territory. " This committee was as follows: Wesley Shannon, A. W. Ferguson, E. E. Parrish, E. M. Barnum, and Samuel Sim- mons. In due time a constitution was reported and adopted at a meeting held May 13, 1854. The dues of the Marion County Society were fixed at $2.00. At a meeting of this society on July 8, 1854, Nicholas Shrum presided, with Ralph C. Geer, vice-president; J. G. Wilson, secretary, and C. A. Reed, treasurer; John Minto, W. J. Herren, J. Woodsides, J. Cox, Wesley Shannon, Thomas T. Eyre, executive committee. It was agreed that a fair should be held on October 11, 1854. It was held as appointed, and Jacob Woodsides gave an ad- dress which was noteworthy because it "was short, practical and sensible." The exhibitors and awards to each were as follows : Cox, Joseph 1 Martin, John 1 Cox, William 2 McCorkle, G. F 3 Cross, Thomas 1 Minto, John 1 Downing, John 1 Murphy, William 1 English, Leven N 1 Rickey, James 1 English, Mrs. Leven N. .. 1 Sappingfield, J 1 Eyre, Thomas T 2 Savage, Morgan L 1 Fitzpatrick, F 1 Shannon, Wesl ey 2 Geer, Ralph C 12 Shannon, Mrs. Wesley ... 1 Geer, Mrs. Ralph C 1 Shrum, Nicholas 1 Gessner, R. A 7 Stanton. Alfred 3 Kenyon, Wiley 1 Syphert, William 1 Lewis, Reuben 1 Woodsides, Jacob 1 Magone, Joseph 4 In connection with the organization of the Marion County Agricultural Society it is a matter of interest to note that Mr. John McCraken, who has been a prominent business man of Portland for almost fifty years, but was a resident of Salem in 1854, was present at the preliminary meeting above