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He was born in Indiana county, Penn., in the year 1832. Received a limited education, and passed his younger years on a farm. He afterwards learned the trade of blacksmith and wagonmaker, and in 1856 removed to Illinois, where he settled in Henry county, and farmed until the breaking out of the civil war. At that trying period, when the union called on hex faithful sons to preserve her inviolable, young John, on April 17, 1861, enlisted in com- pany D, Twelfth Infantry Illinois Volunteers, in which company he served tUl August, 1861, when he was mustered out at Cairo, Illinois, and on the same day re-enlisted in the 19th regiment lUiuois Volunteers. His regi- ment was assigned to a place in the army of the Cumberland, and he passed through the various battles from Cairo to Atlanta, under General Thomas. He was again mastered out on August 2i, 1864, having passed through thir- teen of the hardest fought battles of the war. He immediately returned to his home in Illinois, and took up once more the rusty plowshare. He was married to Miss Mattie Bellows January 1, 1865. In 1867 he removed to Jasper county, Iowa, where he farmed until 1870, when he, with his family, came to Oregon and settled in Marion county, where he has sj. ice lived. He has been a staunch Republican ever since the birth of that party, hav- ing voted for J. C. Fremont in 1856, and has been honored himself with several offices by the people in the different States in which he has resided. Although there was a break in the ranks of the Republican party at last election, Mr. Bleakney was elected by a handsome majority. He is a mem- ber of Committees on Claims and several special committees. He has al- ways been an ardent temperance man, and active member of the Good Templars for sixteen years. He is also a respected member of order of Odd Fellows.

HON. BENJAMIN F. NICHOLS.

It would be base ingratitude were I not to make brief mention of this ex- cellent gentleman. A tall, commanding-looking man, with long and silky hair and whiskers, as black as jet, a clear blue eye, ijrominent nose, tine shoulders, magnificent physique and easy carriage — he walks along the streets of Salem as erect as an arrow, this good-natured, generous, mirthful man of fifty-seven summers. He was born in Clay covmty, Missouri, in 1825. He received the education awarded by the common schools of Clay county. When yet a boy, he worked on a farm in Northwestern Missouri, and after his day's work was finished he would get his book, seat himself by the fireplace and study hard until the clock announced the hour of bed time. In this way young Benjamin obtained a store of practical knowledge that fitted him for the responsible positions he has been called upon to fill in after life, and the duties of which he has discharged in a way that reflected credit upon himself and made for him a large circle of steadfast friends. He came to Oregon in 1844, and wintered at Dr. Whitman's station, near Walla Walla, the next year moving to Oregon City, where he remained three or four months, and in 1845 went to Dallas, where he resided until 1877, most of which time he spent in farming. He was the first sheriff of that place under the pro^'isional government, and afterwards, when the territorial