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.

McDONOUGH B. REES.-- This is a brother of the well-known pioneer, W. H. Rees, of Marion county, and has in his own right earned a wide reputation as a man of unusual force of character and enterprise. He was born in Ohio in 1831, and came to Oregon in 1854. Much of his life on this coast has been devoted to prospecting and mining. As early as 1855 he was at the Pend 'd Oreille mines, and in 1846 returned to the Willamette valley amid great dangers from the Indians. After farming a few years in the Willamette valley, he went to the Salmon river mines. His return to the Willamette was again amid perils, closely following the Jaggers party, which perished in the snow on the John Day hills; and one of their party, a Jew with forty pounds of gold dust, which he would allow no one else to carry, died of fatigue and exposure. His operations in the same mines the next summer were remunerative. In 1863 he was at Placerville, thence to the Upper Clearwater diggings; and in 1866 he brought a band of cattle from the Willamette valley to the Grande Ronde. He continued the business of drover until 1869, and thenceforward has devoted himself exclusively to farming and stock-raising in The Cove, Oregon, where he owns sixteen hundred acres of fine land, and one hundred milch cows, besides other stock. He also has town property. He was married in 1856 to Miss America [Frances] Hall, of Marion county. They have five children.

McDONOUGH B. REES. - An active, energetic, and progressive man, the subject of this sketch has ever been in the van guard of advancement and his vigorous spirit and fine abilities have been an equipment for the conflicts and struggles of life which have given him victory at every point and caused him to be attended with prosperity, while his walk has been of such a character that he has always to the fullest extent enjoyed the esteem and confidence of his fellows. Mr. Rees has been a man of wide and extended experience in many walks of life and his powers of adaptability have ever given him a prestige and success that many another has missed, while the many years of activity in all the leading occupations that man has taken up and especially in the varied callings of the frontiersman Mr. Reese has acquired a wealth of knowledge and wisdom that few have the privilege of enjoying, and which have made him a very valued citizen and one sought after by his fellows.

The birth of our subject was in Butler county, Ohio, on February 10, 1831, being the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Griffin) Rees. The old log school houses of the primitive days were the centers whence the lad received his educational training, which was more highly prized as the means were simple and incomplete. For the first seventeen years of his life, he was at home and in the service of the farm and working for neighbors and then he started into the commercial world as a peddler, handling oil cloth, pumps, and wind mills, and later selling lightening rods through Tennessee and Mississippi. In the fall of 1852, he returned to Ohio and entered business with his brother, J.G. Rees, who was proprietor and editor of the Greenville Journal, in Darke county, of his native state. Two years he operated in that capacity and then started for the Pacific coast, making the trip by way of New York, the isthmus, and the Pacific ocean to Portland. His brother, W.H. Rees, had previously, in 1844, settled in what is now Marion county, and there he went, settling at Butteville on the old French Prairie, remaining there until July, 1855, engaged in various occupations. At the date mentioned, he went on a mining trip to the mouth of the Pend Oreille river, where placer diggings had been discovered. He went by steamer to The Dalles and thence by horseback to his destination. Success smiled upon him and he was enabled to have the joy of returning to Butteville with a goodly portion. The following winter was spent in that place and there, in 1856, was contracted his marriage with America Frances Hall, whose parents, James and Cynthia, were pioneers to that section in 1845. Mr. Rees then bought a farm and also taught school for some time in the vicinity of Butteville, being occupied also in tilling his farm until 1860, when he was again stirred to take part in mining and so went to the new and thriving camps of Oro Fino, in Idaho. One summer was spent there and then he repaired to Florence, where two years were spent, being crowned by reasonable success. In the fall of1862 he returned to Butteville and the following spring found his vigorous and exploring spirit in the Bannock camps in Idaho, whence he returned to Butteville for the winter of 1863, and there in company with J. Herren bought cattle, which they drove to Union county in the spring and herded them on Willow creek and arrived in the Grande Ronde valley in the fall of 1864. Here he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land near Cove and there made his home until 1869. In this vicinity, Mr. Rees has accumulated nine hundred acres of good land and just recently he purchased twelve hundred and forty-six acres two miles south of Elgin, which is used partly for raising crops and partly for pasture. In 1886, Mr. Rees took up the sheep business, handling only the improved breeds and in1889, sold out the entire bunch.

There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rees seven children, four of whom are now living, namely: Sherman, manager of the flour mill at Cove: Edward C., farming near Cove; Walter; Harry C., farming on the property near Elgin. Politically, Mr. Rees has always taken the part of the intelligent and progressive citizen, yet never pressing himself for preferment. However, in 1866, his friends placed him in nomination on the Republican ticket for the state legislature, and in 1892 he was also brought forward for the senate but to use his own words, he was "fortunate enough to get beaten each time." In all of his dealings, Mr. Rees is a man of uprightness and is a prosperous business man and a highly respected member of the community and citizen of the county.

He was born in Ohio in 1831, and came to Oregon in 1854. Much of his life on this coast has been devoted to prospecting and mining. As early as 1855 he was at the Pend d'Oreille mines, and in 1856 returned to the Willamette valley amid great dangers from the Indians. After farming a few years in the Willamette valley, he went to the Salmon river mines. His return to the Willamette was again amid perils, closely following the Jaggers party, which perished in the snow on the John Day hills; and one of their party, a Jew with forty pounds of gold dust, which he would allow no one else to carry, died of fatigue and exposure. His operations in the same mines the next summer were remunerative. In 1863 he was at Placerville, thence to the Upper Clearwater diggings; and in 1866 he brought a band of cattle from the Willamette valley to the Grande Ronde. He continued the business of drover until 1869, and thenceforward has devoted himself exclusively to farming and stock-raising in The Cove, Oregon, where he owns sixteen hundred acres of fine land, and one hundred milch cows, besides other stock. He also has town property.

He was married in 1856 to Miss America Fe Hall, of Marion county. They have five children.

SHERMAN G. REES is well known in business circles of Union county as the proprietor of the Mount Fanny Mills at Cove, which are up-to-date and modern in every particular and which he has successfully conducted for the past twelve years. His birth occurred near Salem, Oregon [Butteville], on the 8th of July, 1864, his parents being McDonough B. [Bainbridge] and America F. (Hall) Rees. The father was born in Butler county, Ohio, on the 10th of February, 1831, a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Griffin) Rees, both of whom were natives of Delaware. The paternal great-grandfather of our subject was native of Wales and the Griffin family also comes of Welsh stock. The maternal great-grandfather of Sherman G. Rees took up his abode among the pioneer settlers of Ohio, as did also the paternal grandfather or our subject. Thomas Rees devoted his attention to general agricultural pursuits throughout his active business career and passed away in the Buckeye state at the age of seventy-two years. His wife lived to attain the age of eighty-two. Unto them were born twelve children.

M.B. Rees, the father of Mr. Rees of this review, was the seventh child born to his parents and spent his early boyhood days in Ohio. In 1854 he came to Oregon by way of the Isthmus of Panama, joining an older brother [Willard Hall Rees] who had preceded him to this state and located in French Prairie. This brother passed away in Portland when eighty years of age. M. B. Rees resided in French Prairie until 1864 and in the meantime had worked at mining in British Columbia and in Idaho where he spent the winter of 1855-56. In 1864 he came to the Grande Ronde valley and located on the property now owned by George Holmes. As the years have passed he has bought and sold land to good advantage and his home ranch now comprises about one thousand acres. The period of his residence in this state covers almost six decades and he enjoys an enviable reputation as one of its prosperous and well known citizens. Though now eight-one years of age, he still enjoys excellent health and is as active as if he were yet in the prime of life. It was in November, 1856, that he wedded Miss America F. Hall, a native of Missouri and a daughter of James E. Hall, who was pioneer of Oregon. Unto them were born the following children: Zella, who is deceased; Sherman G., of this review; Edward, at home; Harry, who is a resident of Cove, this state; and Walter, who follows farming the Grande Ronde valley. The wife and mother was called to her final rest in 1902.

Sherman G. Rees spent his boyhood and youth at Cove, Union county, where the family home had been established when he was but four months olds. In 1900, in association with his father, he purchased the Mount Fanny Mills at that place, which were originally built by S. G. French in 1867. For the past twelve years he has successfully managed the mills, which have a capacity of seventy barrels and which are run by water power supplied by Mill creek, which has a fall of sixty feet. During the dry season electric power is utilized. All the machinery of the mills is of the most modern and best pattern and is kept scrupulously clean. Mr. Rees has prospered in his business undertakings and owns a handsome residence near the mills.

On the 22d of November, 1893, Mr. Rees was united in marriage to Miss Caddie B. McDaniel of Cove, her parents being E. P. and Frances (Jay) McDaniel. The latter, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, made the journey to this state by team in company with S. D. Cowles and settled in Cove, Union county, where in 1864 she have her hand in marriage to E. P McDaniel. The mill now owned and operated by Sherman G. Rees was purchased from S. G. French by E. P. McDaniel, who subsequently sold it to our subject. Mr. McDaniel and S. D. Cowles owned the property on which the town of Cove has been built and the former donated the site now occupied by the Episcopal church. Mrs. Frances (Jay) McDaniel was the first white woman who climbed to the top of the mountain east of Cove and it was named Mount Fanny in her honor. Unto Mr. And Mrs. E. P. McDaniel were born the following children: Samuel, who is deceased; Bruce, a resident of Portland; Mrs. Caddie B. Rees; Grace, who makes her home in Portland; and Roy and Bertie, who also reside in that city. Mr. And Mrs. Rees have one son, Sherman G., Jr., who is now attending school.

Mr. Rees gives his political allegiance to the republican party and has ably served as a member of the school board. His fraternal relations are with the Masons, the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His entire life has been spent in Oregon and his career has been in keeping with the spirit of progress and enterprise which has ever characterized the sons of the northwest and has made possible the rapid development and growth of this section of the country.