From "A History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties"
Provided by The Grant County Museum
WILLIAM ARMSTRONG -No more worthy class of men ever walked the free land of the United States
than those who left the comforts of home and civilization to brave the terrors of the desert, the
dangers of hostile savages, the hardships of the pilgrim's life and the want and suffering incident to
those who are thus isolated. To them is the honor of opening a new realm to the ingress of the thousands
that were crowded out of eastern sections of congestion, who have come to the broad fields of the west and made
for themselves homes and names and carved out fortunes from the boundless resources of nature's lavish display
in these favored regions. Not least among these intrepid and sturdy ones is the gentleman whose name is at the
head of this article, and who has wrought well and successfully in the furthering of the development of this
country.
In 1830, in the mother country, he first saw the light and for twenty-nine years he labored and studied in his
native country and then led by an adventurous spirit he migrated to the new land, settling first in Grant county,
Wisconsin, where he remained for a few years, then came direct to Oregon, arriving in Canyon City as early as 1864.
His attention was turned to mining here until 1870, when he purchased the old military road ranch, where he is now
living, two miles north from Mount Vernon, at the Mount Vernon warm springs. Here he gave himself to stock raising
and the improvement of his property, and the success that has attended his efforts has given him a good competence
and a comfortable home. His is a well kept ranch, bearing evidence of thrift and industry in every particular.
His improvements are tasty and substantial and he has been satisfied to take a medium sized ranch and
improve it well rather than to have a great quantity of land that is half cultivated.
The marriage of Mr. Armstrong and Miss Hannah Stonehouse, a native of England, was solemnized in 1862 and to them
have been born three children: Robert E., Lizzie, deceased, and William C.
