These are biographies that Tom Childers has been kind enough to donate. Both Tom and Gary Jaensch have donated the Jesse W. Spencer Bio. Jesse Spencer's wife being a part of Gary's family also. Please send them a big thanks.

It is very pleasant to note, that as the staunch pioneers of this section who have wrought more nobly than can be described, begin to pass form the scenes of active business into retirement, and some, alas, to take the long journey to that borne, whence no traveler returns, there is rising in their stead, native sons of the county to take their places and to carry successfully on the commendable work of advancement. Among this class of enterprising young men, mention should be made of the esteemed and excellent man, whose name is familiar to all in the valley, and is placed at the head of this article.

Jesse W. was born in Union county, Oregon, on September 22, 1875, being the son of Joseph and Mary J. (Buchanan) Spencer. Island City was his native place, and in this county he has been reared and here also he received a good education, utilizing the years from his birth until 1896, to complete the same. Since leaving school he went to farming for himself, previous to that time he had assisted the father in the care of the latter's large estates. He now lives six miles east from Island City and success attends the young man, as it did his father, mention of whom is made in another portion of this work, and continuously he has wrought in the production of the fruits of the field and in the material development and progress of the county.

Mr. Spencer married Miss Minnie E., daughter of John and Amanda J. (Hammack) Childers, on August 24, 1897, and to them have been born two children, Eva R., and Gerald LeRoy. Mrs. Spencer's parents are pioneers of the county and now live in Island City, and the father is one of the heavy stock owners and real estate holders of the Grande Ronde valley. It is pleasant to state that Mr. Spencer is esteemed highly in all the relations of life, and he is now just beginning life's journey with a bright sky and ability and sound principles, with a staunch character, which, together with his energy and good executive ability presages a good future for him.

Among the list of noble men who joined the ranks of the pioneers in the times of the 'sixties, we are constrained to mention the worthy and intelligent gentleman, whose name is at the head of this paragraph, and who has been a potent factor in the development of Union county, and is to-day one of its prominent and substantial citizens, and to his credit we are pleased to record that he has ever manifested those priceless qualities of integrity, sagacity, industry, and moral worth, that stamp him as a capable business man and valuable member of society.

Joseph Spencer was born in Jefferson county, Iowa, on April 4, 1846, and there he was reared and educated. He assisted his father in the farm work in the summers and attended the schools in the winters. When he had reached the interesting age of nineteen, he went with the rest of the family to Missouri, and in 1864, he began the arduous and dangerous journey across the deserts of plains and mountains to California. What it was that turned the train aside, we are not told, but six months after the beginning of the journey with the Dick Calaway train, our subject landed in what is now La Grande. He paid to J. Bartimass, three hundred dollars for his relinquishment to a quarter section, and there he settled and commenced his Union county career. He afterward paid one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre for this land to the government. It is of note that Mr. Spencer sold his first crop of wheat for three dollars per bushel. In 1884, he purchased another quarter section of wild land for pasture and embarked in raising cattle and horses, and as in his other undertakings, so in this, he has had success from he beginning.

In December 1871 Mr. Spencer married Miss Mary J., daughter of William and Ellen (Cullen) Buchanan, farmers in the Island City country. To Mr. and Mrs. Spencer have been born the following children, Marion F., Jesse W., Charlie B., LeRoy J., Frederick W., Lawrence G., and Albert R. Jessie W. married Miss Nannie Childers in 1898, and they live on the Cove road. Politically our subject is allied with the Democratic party and is a staunch supporter of the old Jeffersonian principles of Democracy. He is actively interested in local politics and in school matters, while also he has ever labored for the advancement of the county's interests, and the welfare of all.