This is an ever growing list of Union County Biographies. If there is just the page listed it is one that I have transcribed. Otherwise, it will have the name of the person who donated the biographies.  If you have any biographies you can donate, please drop a line to Janine M. Bork.Your information can help others.

JAMES M. BLOOM.-Among the earliest pioneers who settled in the territory that is now Union county, mention must be made of the esteemed and intrepid and enterprising gentleman, whose name initiates this paragraph, and who has passed through all of the trying and arduous labors and hardships incident ot the vrious vocations of the pioneer and frontiersman, having labored here with entergy and attendant success constantly since his advent, and is to-day one of the respected and retired business men of Cove. Mr. Bloom was a member of one of the first four families that settled in cove, they being, Lewis Bloom, George Ames, Thomas Babington, deceased, and Samuel Bloom.

Our subject was born on June 23, 1844 in Brown county, Ohio, being the son of Lewis and Mary (Mitchell) Bloom, farmers of that vicinity. From Ohio they removed to Illinois and thence to Iowa and in the spring of 1862, the family came across the plains, headed for California, but were turned aside to the Grande Ronde valley, arriving here in October, 1862. In the following June, Mr. Bloom engaged in packing from Umatilla Landing to the various mining camps of Boise Basin, and for eight years he was engaged in this labor and teaming. Following this time he took up farming for four or five years and during this interval he made two trips to Nevada with cattle, then until the railroad was built he was again engaged in teaming both to southern Idaho, and the northern part of the state. After the advent of the railroad, he went into business in cove and for eight years continued there and then sold out, meanwhile also handling stock and in 1892, he retired from the greater activities and began a quiet enjoyment of the competence that his labors have gained for him. During the year of 1885, he went to California by team and spent the summer in that state.

On December 20, 1874 the marriage of Mr. Bloom and Miss Ellen, daughter of Peter and Luzina (Flanners) Christman, was solemnized. They have two children which they have adopted. Mrs. Bloom's mother died in 1886 and her father in 1890. Her father was a native of Virginia and a veteran of the Mexican war, being wounded in the battle of Chapultepec. He came to Oregon in 1865, settling first in the Williamette Valley, and in 1871 came to Sand Ridge, eight miles from Cove. Our subject is not eager for personal preferment in the realm of politics but takes the interest of the good citizen. For two years he was constable of Cove. he could deliniate some interesting items of early life in this region and was well acquanted with all of the hardships and suffering incident to the pioneer life. He drove the first team into cove from Union and they were obliged to dig down the bankds of the Grande Ronde river to effect a crossing.

SAMUEL M. BLOOM.-Who will write the real history of the pioneer? Many have tried, many have written part, but who can portray on paper the thrilling and unique and distinctive experiences and labors of this most worthy class? Verily, it is beyond the pen of men to do this subject jsutice, still, however, with pleasure we are granted the opportunity to tell of some of the salient points in the career of one of this noble number, and one too, who has toiled steadily on here in this county for over a third of a century, stemming the tide, and surmounting the obstacles, and enduring the hardships, beating back the forces that combine to thwart the attempts of those who will venture into the wilds of nature, and winning from the dame of fortune rich laurels of success in spite of her objections and the combined currents of adversity, while also he has always maintained a stauch integrity and walked in the light of upright principles.

Samuel M. Bloom was born in Brown county, Ohio, on February 4, 1836, being the son of Lewis and Mary (Michel) Bloom, farmers of that section. From Ohio, the family removed to Illinois and thence to Iowa, dwelling in three different counties in the latter state, where the father bought land and gave himself to tilling the soil. He lived to a good old age, passing the river on June 3, 1885. Our subject remained on the farm until the spring of 1860 and then rented a farm for himself, tilling it for one year and then took up threshing and running a prairie team until the spring of 1862, when the reports from the opening west stirred his adventurous spirit to come hither in quest of a home and fortune. Accordingly he fitted ox and horse teams and started for California. The plans changed somewhat and he drifted into the grande Ronde valley. No sooner was the country seen than he determined to make this his home, and he has done so since. he arrived here October 1, 1862. Getting into winter quarters, he passed the first winter in various explorations and in the spring of 1863, he filed on a quarter sectin in cove and commenced the arduous labor of rearing a home and making a farm from the wild sod and raw timbers of the adjacent forests. his industry and skill were equal to the task and soon he had fine crops growing and little by little the farm was improved with good and substantial buildings. he raised well bred horses, handled cattle, and raised the cereals. For thirty-two years he held steadily to the line of his endeavors, toiling on through good years and bad, stopping neither for adversity nor the smiles of prosperity. The result was that he added to his estate, broad acres by purchase, and town property, until he was possessed of a fine portion of this world's goods. Eight years since, he sold the farms and removed to Cove and at the 0resent time he is living with one of his daughters, Mrs. Childs, the hostess of the Cove hotel.

The marriage of Mr. Bloom and Miss Martha Jane Murphy, a native of Tennessee, was solemnized in Jasper county, Iowa, and they became the parents of three boys and two girls, all living. On June 9, 1886, Mrs. Bloom was called to depart the scenes of thislife and go hence to the realities of another world. She was a woman of sweet virtues and beloved by all and her demise was mourned universally.

In fraternal circles, Mr. Bloom is associated with the I.O.O.F. lodge No. 52, of cove. He has never pressed forward in politics, being contented to send others to the seat of government. Mr. Bloom was one of the first settlers in the vicinity of Cove and he has seen all the marvellous growth that has taken place in Union county since 1862, having ever been in the van guard of the ranks that were laboring for substantial progress and material development of the county. He was personally acquanted with the hardships and sufferings of the early pioneers and it is no small stance of comfort to see some of them reaping the rewards of a quiet enjoyment of a rich competence that they have so well earned. He has always maintained a reputation unsullied and to-day he has the unbounded respect and confidence of all.