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One important date in the calendar of our subject is November 1, 1872, when he began his advent in this life's career,Union county being the place of hisnativity and Thomas and Lucy (Jackson) Wade his parents. The parents were early pioneers to this county, coming here as soon as 1863, in which year the father acquired title to land above Summerville. He was one of the ablest and most progressive of our population, increasing his estate from one quarter section to a number of sections, owning at the present time over eight hundred acres.He was also in the front ranks of those who were active in promoting good stock, and introducing thoroughbreds into the county. The senior Wade has retired from the activities of business life and is living in quiet enjoyment in island City, while our subject has rented his magnificent estate and succeeds to his father's business in the farming and stock raising industries. In addition to this, George I. has two hundred acres four miles south from Summerville, which he handles besides the nine hundred and forty rented from his father. He has about five hundred acres in grain and the balance of the land is used for hay and pasture. He now also owns the fine herds of blooded cattle that were justly the pride of his father and he also is greatly interested in the growth of fine cattle. He has some Durham cattle that have taken the prize in the Eastern Oregon Fair. In addition he has a specially fine Shorthorn bull from Missouri, registered. Mr. Wade has also a very attractive and comfortable residence that is surrounded with fine barns and substantial outbuildings, while his farms are a picture of neatness and thrift, being among the best handled and kept in the state.

On November 15,1898, occurred the marriage of George I. Wade and Miss May Chattin, daughter of William and Sarah (Russell) Chattin, pioneers to Union county in the year 1862. Three children have come to bless this union. Georgie M., Wilma W. and Jessie Ethel. It is a pleasure to cast a retrospective glance to the days of pioneer life here, and now to see those worthies enjoying the days of their later life in happiness and retirement, while the younger men born here are pushing the county's banner higher and accomplishing achievements that bring honor to themselves and reflect great credit upon their ancestors.

HON. JUSTUS WADE. - The senior member of the well known firm of Wade & Son, merchants of Summerville, one of the earliest pioneers of this section, and a man who has been identified with the industrial development of the county since the time of its organization, both in prosecuting private business enterprises, with discretion and vigor, as well as in assisting materially in shaping the destiny of the county and in making good laws for the state, the subject of this article is deserving of especial mention in the history of his county with the builders and prominent men of the same.

In the Old Dominion state on September 27,1843, to George and Mary (Eakin) Wade, the subject of this sketch was born, whence, in 1852, he was taken by his parents to Wayne county, Iowa, where they were numbered with the prosperous agricultural population, as they had been in the home state. In 1878 the mother died in Iowa and the same year makrs the date of the father's migration to oregon, where he located in the Grande Ronde valley, purchasing a farm three and one-half miles south from Summerville, but living with his son, Thomas Wade, until the time when he was called to meet his reward in another world. The immediate subject of this sketch was liberally educated in the public schools of Wayne county, Iowa, and by patient and constant application in other lines and in that state he started in the walks of life to achieve for himself good fortune and a place and a name worthy the effort that he was capable of bestowing and the prominent position that he holds to-day, together with the excellent property assets that he controls, abundantly testify that he has been eminently successful in his endeavors. In 1864 he fitted mule teams and undertook the perilous journey across wild plain and rugged mountain to Nevada, and the same year saw him pull up his pilgrim conveyance in the fertile Grande Ronde valley, whence his brother Thomas had preceded him in 1862 and also his brother, Pharos in 1863. Here he immediately associated himself with his brothers in farming, and they wrought thus together until 1868, when our subject again returned to Iowa via the Panama route and in that state continued the life of the agriculturist for five years or until 1873, when he again became a resident of this valley and purchased a farm of two hundred and forty acres three miles west from Summerville. He laid it all under tribute to produce abundant crops and also gave some attention to dairying, also raising cattle and horses in Wallowa county,having purchased a range immediately east from Lostine. In 1885 he closed out the horse interests in Wallowa, and confined his attention to cattle, importing some excellent Shorthorn registered thoroughbreds from Iowa. This industry was prosecuted with vigor and attendant success until 1898, when he sold the entire property, having also sold his farm property in 1892. It was in 1886 that Mr. Wade entered into the mercantile business in Summervile, being associated with his brother, Thomas, in the enterprise and they also took as partner, John Kerchoffer, doing business under the firm name of Wade Brothers & Company. In 1888 the Wade brothers bought the interest of their partner and operated the store together until 1900, when Thomas retired. Subsequent to that event our subject took his son in the firm and they conduct a good business at the present time, having a patronage that testifies of their ability and deferential treatment of customers.

In the stae of Iowa, in 1869, Mr. Wade married Miss Mary Conner and to bless the happy union four children have been born to them: Adelia, wife of I.W. Sims, of Walla Walla: Irvin, partner with his father: Gladys and Isis at home. In political matters Mr. Wade has always taken active part and he is oneof the influential men of the county. In 1896 he was nominated on the Populist ticket for the state senate and was elected. In 1900 Mr. Wade was re-elected by two hundred and thirty-eight majority. In the halls of legislation, as in his private matters, Mr. Wade has characterized with wisdom and integrity and his record was quite acceptable to all of his constituents. Almost constantly since his residence here he has acted in the capacity of school director or city councilman and in both some of the time. Mr. Wade has a fine residence in the town of Summerville and is one of the highly respected men of the county and his friends are numbered from all parts and all classes.

THOMAS WADE. - Any compendium purporting to give the leading men of Union county would be sadly incomplete were there failure to chronicle the salient points in the career of the esteemed and well-known gentleman, whose name is at the head of this article, and who has been one of the prominent men of this county for over one-third of a century, conducting himself in a manner becoming the typical mind and patriotic citizen, and manifesting the wisdom and keen foresight that have characterized him in his walk, while his unswerving integrity is well known to all.

Our subject was born in Wadestown, West Virginia, on March 15, 1837, being the son of George I. And Mary (Eakin) Wade, being reared on a farm and receiving in his native place his schooling. When he was sixteen years of age, the parents removed to Wayne county, Iowa, where he remained until 1862, spending some winters, meantime, in study at the schools there. At the date last mentioned, he fitted out mule teams and took up the dangerous journey across the plains, there train being composed of about forty wagons. At the Snake river, the party broke up, some leaving their wagons and packing their mules for the Florence mines, while our subject remained for a time there and then came on to the Grande Ronde valley, thence to Walla Walla, where he went to work in the harvest fields, and the following winter he cut one hundred and fifty cords of wood, then came to the Grande Ronde and took a claim near Summerville and devoted his attention to general farming and stock raising. He gave diligence to his business and his thrift was rewarded by attending prosperity that enabled him from time to time to add to his estate by purchase, all of which investments were wise and returned a good dividend to the owner. At the present time he owns there about eleven hundred acres of land. In 1883, he built a fine residence of elegant design, and the estate has two dwellings and five barns, besides all the out buildings that are necessary for the carrying on of a first-class farm. He also owns a body of four hundred acres in Wallowa county, besides much other land, making him the proprietor of a magnificent domain bordering on two thousand acres. In addition, he owns a fine home in Island City, where he resides now, having generous and well laid out grounds. He owns one hundred head of horses, one hundred and fifty cattle, all Shorthorn thoroughbred and registered, one hundred and fifty blooded hogs, besides much other property, which manifests to us that he is one of the heaviest property owners of the entire county, and it is without doubt that he is one of the most intelligent and successful farmers.

In 1871 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Wade and Miss Lucy J., daughter of William and Asenath (Chandler) Jackson, and to them have been born three children; George I., married to Mary Chatten, and living on the Summerville farm; Waitman W., married to Viola Kuhn, and living at Lostine, Oregon; Jessie M., attending St. Paul's Episcopal school in Walla Walla. Mrs. Wade was born in Van Buren county, Iowa, in 1850, receiving a good education and for five years she was numbered with the leading educators of that section. In 1871 she came west via Kelton, Utah, to Union county, having been married to Mr. Wade just previous to this journey. She and her husband made two trips back to the old home and she went once alone. Her mother was born in New York in 1810, and when very young was taken to Pennsylvania by her parents and in 1843 removed to Iowa and in 1883 came thence to Oregon and is now living with her daughter, Mrs. Wade, and although she is in her ninety-second year, she is vigorous and active, attending church and Sunday school each Sunday. Mr. Wade is one of the most substantial men of our county, has always taken the part of the intelligent citizen in the politics of the country, being liberal in his views, and for thirty years he has labored for the interests of education in the director's chair and his life is commendable in every respect.