"Portrait & Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley Oregon."  Chapman 
Publishing Company, 1903. p. 1315.
 
CORNELIUS B. STARR

     As one of the substantial, residents of the vicinity of Monroe, Benton
county, Mr. Starr occupies an enviable place in the estimation of his
fellow-citizens. Coming to the state when a youth of fifteen years, his life
from that time forward has been passed under Oregon skies, and that it has been
well and worthily spent a perusal of this short life history will prove.
     Cornelius B. Starr was born in Belmont county, Ohio, August 11, 1838, but
has no recollection of his birthplace, as his parents moved to Iowa when he was
only six months old. Moses Starr, his father, was born June 22, 1787, in old
Virginia, but in an early day and when quite a young man moved to Ohio, where he
engaged in mercantile pursuits. In his wife, who was Elizabeth Calhoun, also a
native of the Old Dominion, he had a wise counselor and true companion, whose
nobility of character was proverbial. From 1839 until 1853 the parental home was
in Iowa, the father following general farming and also acting in the capacity
of sales agent, as his farm duties permitted. The year 1853 was a memorable one
to the Starr family, as it was April 4 of that year that they started ion the
long and perilous journey across the plains, ox and horse-teams furnishing the
motive power. When they reached The Dalles the father was taken ill, and soon
after reaching Clackamas county his death occurred. Saddened and bereaved though
she was, the mother courageously took his place at the head of the little band
and led them on to their destination, and in Benton county, one and one-half
miles northwest of Monroe, took up a donation claim of one hundred and sixty
acres. With true pioneer, instinct she set about to bring order out of chaos and
her success was exemplified in the fine improvements which from time to time
were made upon the tract. Her ability as a physician was of an unusual order,
and many a sickroom  was brightened and cheered by her presence. Of the twelve,
children born to her, five sons were ministers of the gospel, in this respect
following in the footsteps of their father who was a local preacher and
class-leader. Another son, Samuel F., became the first sheriff of Benton county.
Mary J. became the wife of James Campbell of Lane county ; Milton C. resides in
the vicinity of Monroe ; Elizabeth A. is the widow of Jesse Hawley and resides
in Grass Valley; and Martin L. resides in Washington. At the time of the
father's death he was sixty-six years of age, and the mother seventy-nine at her
demise.
     Until twenty-four years of age, Cornelius Starr remained at home, dutifully
assisting his mother in the care and maintenance of the farm. At this age,
however, he started out in a new line of endeavor, and in freighting goods to
Jacksonville met with considerable success. The Civil war had been in progress
for some time, and when no longer able to resist the call for volunteers, he
laid aside personal considerations and enlisted as a member of Company A, First
Oregon Infantry, and November 30, 1864, was mustered in at Salem. From
Vancouver, the first field of action, the regiment went to Fort Yamhill, and
from there to eastern Oregon, thence went into camp. After a service of nineteen
months he was mustered out at Fort Yamhill, from there returning to his home and
resuming the peaceful life of the farmer.
     The marriage of Cornelius B. Starr and Miss Mary A. Howard was solemnized
November 21, 1869. She was a native of Illinois and crossed the plains with her
parents in 1852. Mrs. Starr is a daughter of Pontius P. and Sarah (Grimm)
Howard. The father was born in Wisconsin, and came to Oregon in 1852. He now
resides in Washington, where he has lived for the past twenty years. He was in
the Civil war. The mother died May 17, 1901. She was the mother of nine
children, seven of whom are still living: Albert of Washington ; Alpheus of
Benton county ; Mary A., now Mrs. Starr ; Adelia, Mrs. Joseph Baird; Oren, of
Cottage Grove; Sarah E, now Mrs. George Ludwig; Maria, resides in Monroe. On a
claim adjoining the home of Mrs. Starr's parents the young people began
housekeeping, making it their home for the following eleven years. From there
they went to Corvallis, where Mr. Starr was engaged in the livery business for
four years. After a period of six months spent in southern Oregon, he settled on
the tract of seven hundred and fifty acres which now forms his home place. The
place is embellished with a commodious residence and convenient barns and
out-houses and, all in all, is one of the model estates in the country
roundabout. While he carries on general farming to a certain extent, Mr. Starr
is more particularly interested in stock-raising, his ranch being stocked with
Shorthorn and Polled Angus cattle. Four children blessed the marriage of Mr. and
Mrs. Starr, as follows : John H., a resident of Junction City, and has one
child, Loris B. ; Sylva J., Artie B., and Mamie C., the three latter at home
with their parents. The family are identified with the Methodist Episcopal
Church, in which Mr. Starr is serving as trustee. Politically he upholds the
tenets and candidates of the Republican party.

     
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in August 2007 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.