Biography of Francis M. Pearson

From "A History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties"
Provided by The Grant County Museum

FRANCIS M. PEARSON - Truly the west has reason to be proud of her sons, and one of the most enterprising and wife awake business men among them is the estimable gentleman whose name is at the beginning of this article, and it is with pleasure that we are constrained to grant him a representation in this volume of chronicles of the leading men of Grant count. A son of the occident, and one worthy of the boundless west, he has found here the scenes of his labors and the place of his home, believing in its unlimited resources and the conditions of prosperity that nature has so lavishly bestowed for the hand of man

Yam Hill [sp:Yamhill] county is the native place of Francis M., and his birth occurred in 1860, being the son of Joseph and Ella (Eads) Pearson. The father was a native of St. Joseph, Missouri, whence he came across the plains in 1850 to Yam Hill county, which was the native place of the mother. This worthy couple were among the sturdy pioneers of that time and the father now lies buried at Palouse, Washington, and the aged mother is still living at Fletcher, Idaho. At the age of twenty-four our subject stepped from under the parental roof and began the voyage of life as captain of his own craft. The first venture that was to attract his attention was buying and selling horses, wherein he was successful, and also in the art of agriculture, that he took up at the same time. In 1886 he took a government quarter where he now resides, twenty miles south from Canyon City, near Seneca, and gave his attention to subduing and improving the same, and also to raising sheep. In addition to these industrates his business ability to handle successfully a number of enterprises, and it is but right to say that Mr. Pearson is one of the leading business men of this section, being recognized as such by all.

Mr. Pearson and Miss Delia, daughter of Samuel S. Smith, of Pilot Rock, were married at Pilot Rock, and they have become the parents of five children: Austa, Olney, Ada, Edna and Fred. Mr. Pearson's fine practical knowledge and his capabilities were brought into play for the benefit of his fellows recently, he being chosen stock inspector, and so successful was he in this line that he was chosen as his own successor. Fraternally he is affiliated with the I.O.O.F., at Canyon City, and is held in high esteem there as well as in all his walk among his fellows. It is of ntoe that Mr. Pearson, senior, was one of the active participants in the Cayuse Indian war, and there rendered faithful and valiant service. Our subject was a volunteer in the Bannock and Piute war of 1878 and did good work in the battle of Beasley's mill, near Pilot Rock.

Š1998 Roxann Gess Smith
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