Page:Pen Pictures of Representative Men of Oregon.djvu/161

Rh

Of East Portland, who is familiarly known by the appellation of "Uncle Jimmy," was born on the line of Brook county, Virginia, and Washington county, Pennsylvania, on the 19th of November, 1806. When he was eight years old his parents moved to Indiana, when that country was still a Territory, where he lived on a farm during most of the time. He learned the coopering trade and followed the business several years in Indiana and three years in Cincinnati, Ohio. He afterwards purchased a farm in Hancock county, on the banks of the Mississippi river, and established a grocery store on his place. He came to Oregon in 1844 and, taking up a section of land, located on the east bank of the Willamette river, now known as 'East Portland and also Stephens' Addition to East Portland. In 1846 he made 1000 flour barrels and 400 salmon barrels for the Hudson Bay Company, and in 1847 he made 400 beef barrels for shipment to the Sandwich Islands. In 1850 he laid out the town of East Portland, and, dividing it into town lots, offered them to settlers on their own terms, thus materially sliding to build up the east side of the river. Together with his aged and respected consort, he still occupies a portion—about twenty acres—of his old claim. He was married in 1830 to Miss Elizabeth Walker, and during that period they have had seven children, all of whom are dead but one. This aged couple, whose lives are fast drawing to a close, look back with pride to the many changes that the fast-fleeting years have wrought in this country, and contrast the improvements and conveniences of to-day with the dreariness and discomforts that surrounded them when they, with brave hearts, hopeful for the future, settled on the east banks of the Willamette. They have taken a prominent part in bringing about these wonderful changes, and therefore are entitled to the heartfelt interest taken in "Uncle Jimmy" and his honored helpmate by all who know and respect them.

The subject of this sketch is perhaps more clearly identified with the history of Salem, the lower Willamette valley and the State at large than any other single person in our hasty "Pen Pictures." Born in Grafton, N. H., in 1825, he was thrown in a measure upon his own resources at the age of eleven years by the death of both his parents. After receiving an academic education at the Northfield Seminary in that State he learned the trade of wagon and carriage-making and painting, studying the latter branch of the business with a thorough artist. Col. Reed came to California in 1S49 with the first of the argonauts, but after visiting the mines, concluded to come to Oregon, which he did, landing at Astoria and coming up to Portland in a small boat, arriving here on the 1st of January, 18r). He found the embryo metropolis with less than 200 inhabitants. He "took the school," being the second school teacher that ever taught in that "p'int of timber." He helped to build the first saw-mill here and to run it; the firm being Abrams, Reed & Co., Hon. Stephen Collin being the "Co." Mr. Reed purchased a farm in 18.52, near Salem, which he run with a paint-shop, drug and book store in Salem; was treasurer of the first agricultural so-