An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company, Spokane, WA. 1905, page 270-271. CLAUDE E. MARKHAM resides on the west side of Hood River about five miles south from the town, where he has a choice farm of fifty-seven acres. Three acres of this are devoted to strawberries, about fifteen to apples and the balance to general crops. He is one of the prosperous men of this section of Wasco county and has labored here for nearly fifteen years, in the good work of fruit growing in which he has gained a first class success. Claude E. Markham was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, on September 28, 1866, the son of John W. and Agnes E. (Blount) Markham, natives of New York and Wisconsin, respectively. The father died in 1889, January 24, and the mother is now married to T. J. Cummings, a retired capitalist in Hood River. The first twelve years of our subject were spent near Madison, Wisconsin, then the family went to Kansas, where they engaged in the loaning business at Clay Center and there remained sometime. After completing the graded and high schools, Mr. Mark-ham finished his education in the Lawrence business college. Returning to his home, he was employed in an insurance office for three years. It was 1890, when he came to Puget Sound and labored one year in the vicinity of Tacoma at various occupations then came in the spring of 1891, to Hood River where he bought eighty acres of land. He at once gave his attention to the cultivation of the same and its improvements and has labored continuously at that since. The place is well laid out and improved with good buildings, fences and so forth and is one of the nicest farms in the valley. On July 28, 1891, at The Dalles, Mr. Markham married Miss Mattie A. Morton, a native of Sparta, Illinois. Her father came from Ireland and died in Sparta, Illinois, in 1901. Her mother, Catherine (Stewart) Morton was a native of Ireland and died on January 27, 1904, on the old homestead in Illinois. Mrs. Markham was engaged in teaching school some years before her marriage, being employed in Kansas and Illinois. She has eight brothers and two sisters living and one sister deceased. Mr. Markham has no brothers or sisters living. Three children have been born to our subject and his wife, Wesley, Agnes and Edward. Mr. Markham is a member of the K. of P. and served three terms as C.C., and has also been a delegate to the grand lodge several times. He is a strong Republican and active in the campaigns and attends the conventions. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2005 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.