This biography donated by me. If this is part of your family, please contact me so I can put your e-mail address below for a family contact. If you have any biographies you can donate, please drop a line to Janine M. Bork.Your information can help others.

ELIAS and KATHERINE BAIR. - Mrs. Bair, formerly Miss Katherine Carter, daughter of W.M. and Sarah (Bowen) Carter, born September 25, 1837, in Rush county, Indiana, was educated in her native county and remained there until she was eleven years of age. The parents then removed to Lawrence county, Indiana, and one year later to Morgan county, in which place she was married at the age of sixteen years, to H.L. Thomas. They removed to Lawrence county, Indiana, and thence one year later to Wayne county, Iowa, remaining there until 1862, when they took up the dangerous trip across the plains with ox teams, intending to reach the Salmon river mines, but not getting on the right cut off, they landed in the Grande Ronde valley, Their train consisted of two families, and seven men all told was the force to repel the savages, but they were providentially guarded all the way through. Being worn out, and some of the party sick, they determined to stop in the valley. They occupied themselves with what was to be done until the following spring, when the husband went to the Idaho mines, and our subject opened a small bakery, doing well, then operated a boarding house for three years, removing then to the Iowa settlement, but returned two years later to Lagrande. The following children were born to this couple: Henry A., married and living in Elgin, this county; Sarah, wife of George Quimby, in Island City; Michael T., deceased; Lyman, deceased; William, married and living in Island City, and said to be the second white child born in the Grande Ronde valley; Florence, wife of Robert Shepard, and living in Fairhaven, Washington; Edward, deceased; Katherine, wife of Dr. Esra brooks, and living in Bodie, California.

Mr. Elias Bair was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, on April 2, 1837, being the son of Reuben and Mary (Berlin) Bair, who removed with their young son to Shelby county, Missouri, and there he was educated in the village schools, remaining with his parents until he was twenty-six years of age. In 1863, he took steamer and came via Panama to Portland, consuming thirty days in the trip. He came to the Grande Ronde valley in 1886 and freighted for a number of years, and in 1869 took up the livery business, continuing therein for two years. In 1877 occurred the marriage of Mr. Bair and Mrs. Katherine Thomas, and in 1879 they went to Island City in the hotel business and have continued in the same since. They run a fine house which receives its proper share of patronage form an appreciative public, and they are well and favorably known throughout the county, being esteemed as faithful and capable. Mr. Bair is active in the realm of politics, being allied with the Republican party. Mrs. Bair is one of the faithful pioneers that have labored constantly for the welfare of the county, and her friends are numbered from every walk in life, while she has made a record faithful and good.