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CHARLES P. DAVIS. - To omit the name of this gentleman, well known and capable, who has wrought in an intelligent and enterprising manner for the material progress of Union county as well as for the adjacent territory, would open our volume to criticism which would be rightly given since Mr. Davis is one of the influential and capable men of the county to-day and is highly esteemed by all who are acquainted with him.

In Marion county, Iowa, on August 2, 1869, Charles P. was born, his father being J.E. Davis of that county. Our subject received a good education in the common schools and then attended the high school and at the age of nineteen graduated therefrom, having also pursued additional studies. He then repaired to Las Animas, Colorado, whence he soon removed to Joplin, Missouri, and after two years spent in industrial pursuits there he came to the west land, locating near Enterprise, Wallowa county, where he took up a pre-emption, remaining there for five years, after which he sold his interests there and came to Union county, locating one mile east from Lagrande. He has a fine place well improved and producing an abundance of fruit of different varieties, for which he finds a ready market in the neighboring town of Lagrande, selling both to local consumers and shipping to different sections of the west. In 1901 he went to Utah for the purpose of overseeing some industrial work there being accomplished and in the spring of 1902 he returned to his home.

On November 29, 1890, Mr. Davis married Miss Ora M., daughter of J.P. Atkinson, of Wallowa, and they have become the parents of two children, Pearl A. and Lawrence V. Mrs. Davis was born on October 23, 1873. Mr. Davis is a member of the United Artisans, carrying a good policy there. In political preference he is allied with the Republicans and is actively interested in the affairs of government and local matters, while he evinces a manifest interest in the advancement of educational facilities. Mrs. Davis is a member of the Friends church, and they are both, because of their affability and geniality, well liked in their associations and stand high in the esteem of all.

Mr. Davis was born in Wisconsin in 1861, being the son of J.E. and R.E. (Romaine) Davis, who were natives of Ohio and New Jersey respectively, and came to the west and settled in Union county in 1876. In 1884, the father passed to the rewards of another world and the mother followed in 1898, both being buried in the Union cemetery. At the age of eighteen the subject of this sketch embarked on life's sea for himself, taking up the art of agriculture until fifteen years since, and then he went into the commercial world and operated as salesman for some six or seven years, after which he entered into partnership with Mr. Wright in the mercantile and flour mill business. Success attended their efforts as it constantly had the endeavors of Mr. Davis. In 1898 this partnership was dissolved, Mr. Davis with C.E. and A.B. Davis, taking the milling business, and at the present time he is manager of the Union Roller mills, in Union, a fine plant, and which is operated with good business and executive ability. In addition to the well equipped and thoroughly furnished mill, which has all the up-to-date machinery for the manufacture of flour, Mr. Davis has a large estate of seven hundred acres four miles north of North Powder, in Baker county, where he is operating a large herd of cattle, in addition to raising the products of the soil. The people have been well impressed with the ability and integrity manifested by Mr. Davis in handling his large and varied business affairs, and they have installed him as chief executive of the city at the present time, and in years past he has filed the same office for four different terms. He is Republican in politics, and his name has been before the state convention for representative to the national legislature, which speaks much when it is stated that Mr. Davis is not a politician, and public offices in his case have to seek the man instead of being sought after.

The marriage of Mr. Davis and Miss Adeliah Welsh was celebrated in 1883. They have three children: Ethel, Vernon, and Arys. Mr. Davis is high in Masonic circles, and has passed all of the degrees of the York rite and filled all of the chairs, being at the present time grand king.

Mr. Davis was born On June 16, 1843, in Midland county, Michigan, being the son of John and Lucinda Davis, with whom he remained until the spring of 1861, and then accompanied his elder brother via New York and Panama to San Francisco. In the Golden State he at once set about searching for the treasures that nature had so richly scattered there, following the same in Yuba and Amandor counties until 1864, various kinds of success crowning his efforts meanwhile. After this period he went to the mines in Nevada and from there, after some time in prospecting and mining had been spent, he repaired to Montana, and when he arrived in Salt Lake City enroute, he heard the sad news of the assassination of the beloved Lincoln. For some time he prospected in this and adjacent sections and much in Montana, continuing the same until 1872, at which time he came to the valley where his home is now, and in the fall of that year he located a homestead, which he still owns. This land is situated about five miles west from North Powder and to the original homestead he has added by purchase until the estate is now six hundred and forty acres, besides one quarter of timber land. Upon the home place, Mr. Davis set himself to the industries of tilling the soil and raising stock and more or less constantly since that time he has been occupied in the same lines. Being of a progressive and enterprising nature and happily blessed with good practical judgment, he has had the joy to be attended with general success despite the hardships of opening the ranch and the various obstacles that nature throws across the path of the early settlers and the dangers and losses from the Indians who have done much to make the way of the pioneer anything but a path of roses. Yet in spite of all these things that he has had to contend with Mr. Davis is to-day one of the well-to-do and successful farmers of the county and a skillful and wealthy stockman. He handles cattle principally and has done much to aid in producing specimens that would be of greater commercial value and his skill has brought prosperity.

On December 25, 1873, Miss Susan D., daughter of David and Martha Daily, of Whatcom, Washington, became the bride of Mr. Davis, and the fruit of this union has been as follows: Mary, deceased; Ida B., wife of Harry Williams, living near Baker City; Laura, John W., Edward A., Samuel D. and Olive. Mr. Davis is now at the zenith of life's road and has had a very interesting as well as rugged experience in the various ways of the frontiersman, which has added stability and sagacity to already marked capabilities, and now in the enjoyment that comes from having achieved success, he stands in the county, as one of its most substantial citizens and faithful and upright men.

Mr. Davis was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, on December 3, 1830, being the son of Gardner and Prudie (Markham)Davis, farmers of Ohio, but who removed to Livingston county, New York in 1835. When Wilber F. was but four and one-half years of age he was called to mourn both the death of his father as well as of one sister and two brothers. Bereft thus in childhood's tender age of the care and protection of his father, and the association of loved ones, he learned early some of the sterner things of life. At the age of eleven years we find him cutting wood to pay the tuition that he might be favored with knowledge, and it is needless to say that opportunities bought so dearly were well improved. At the age of nineteen, he went to Wisconsin and took up a farm there, clearing the same for crops and also bought forty acres more and began the industry of raising hops. In 1860 he migrated to Colorado, and for two years he was busy hunting wild game for which he found a ready market in Denver. Returning to Wisconsin, he remained there until 1870(?), and then came west again, this time arriving in Oregon, where he located in Union county, erecting a saw mill and operating the same for ten years, selling the products to the local markets. Then he took the machinery to the Cornucopia district, and operated there for a time and then took up mining in 1880, selling the mill and continuing his efforts to mining. Until 1895 he continued this work and then sold his entire interest and retired from the more active walks of business life to enjoy the competence that his thrift and ability had accumulated.

On December 6, 1863,the marriage of Mr. Davis and Miss Fracelia Louisa, daughter of Albert and Sarah Bramon, natives respectively of Connecticut and New York was solemnized, and they have become the parents of three children, two of whom are now living as follows: Marion Francis, postmaster of Union, being appointed on March 16, 1899; Wilber B. Davis, assistant postmaster of Union. Mr. Davis was assessor of Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin during Buchanan's administration and during the years of 1879 and 1880 he was mayor of Union, and in all of this public service he was always dominated by the strictest principles of uprightness and integrity, while efficiency of the best kind was always in play. Mr. Davis's nephew, Ed Davis, is at the present time mayor of Union. The subject of this sketch is one of the citizens of our county, whom all love and respect, and whose efforts have added materially to its wealth, and his personality to the social and moral realm, and happy is the commonwealth whose citizens are as the gentleman, of whom we have written genial, upright, capable, and public-spirited, a noble man among men.

William Martin, the grandfather of our subject, fought in the great struggle of the Revolution. He was ninety-one when he died, and Wilber F. knew him well, as Mr. Martin lived in the home of Wilber's father for many years.