"An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties : with a
brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon." Chicago?: Western
Historical Pub. Co., 1902.  Page 269.  Grant County.

HON. CHARLES S. DUSTIN

     Distinguished in a number of commendable lines, as a pioneer of the west, a
veteran of the early Indian wars, where he did faithful and brave service in the
military, later by his success in the agricultural and stock raising
industries, and then especially in the halls of legislation, where he has twice
been sent by a discriminating people, and in which capacity he has left a record
that is worthy and gratifying, while throughout he has ever maintained a mien
that manifests both sagacity and integrity in connection with capabilities that
are recognized as far above the average, the subject of this sketch is properly
granted representation in this volume.
     Charles S. is the son of Dudley B. and Catherine (Slosson) Dustin, and was
born on February 23, 1840, near Cincinnati, Ohio.  Thence, in the same year, the
father removed with his family to Muscatine county, Iowa whence in 1850 he came
across the plains with ox teams to Portland, Oregon, which was at that time but
a small village.  After exploration they settled in Washington county.  When
Charles S. Dustin had reached the age of sixteen years he enlisted in the
Washington Territory Volunteers under Captain Hamilton J. G. Maxon to fight the
Indians who were making trouble at that time.  He enlisted at Vancouver and from
there the company went to the Sound and from thence across the Natchez pass in
the Cascades to the Yakima country, then to Walla Walla, and finally on to the
Grande Ronde country, where they had a severe conflict with the savages, three
men being killed and a number wounded, while many horses were shot.  The company
of soldiers numbered eighty, while the Indians were two hundred strong.  After
this they returned to Vancouver, and he was mustered out.  Then he went to
Forest Grove and attended college for two years, when, in 1862, he came with a
company of men to the Elk City mines in Idaho, and for nineteen days after
reaching that famous camp he industriously mined, and found at the end of that
time that he was twenty-one dollars in debt.  Here his actual experience in
digging for gold ended.  He turned to freighting, packing goods into Oro Fino,
Elk City, Warren, Silver City, Boise Basin, and even to Blackfoot, Montana, and
Kootenai, British Columbia.  this occupation was followed by him until June
1868, and then he returned to the Willamette valley, where he was married to
Mrs. Rufina Smith, daughter of the Hon. Bart Curl, formerly member of the state
legislature from Linn county.  The nuptials occurred on December 18, 1868, and
the fruit of the union was the following children:  Rufina L., wife of William
Coy, of Red Bluff, Montana; Julia E., wife of Albert Ballance, of Susanville;
Charles B.; Kate, wife of D. S. Flynn, of Ritter.  On March 20, 1880, Mrs.
Dustin was called from her family and home by death.
     On June 25, 1891, Mr. Dustin was a second time married, the lady of his
choice being Mrs. Gearhart, daughter of J. F. Miller, of Prineville, and they
have two children, Ruth S. and Hannah.
     In August, 1869, Mr. Dustin removed from the Willamette valley to Mount
Vernon, on the John Day river, and there followed ranching and stock raising
until December, 1878, at which time he removed to Longcreek, and lived on the
present site of that village.  Later he bought the present large estate of eight
hundred acres, three miles northeast from Longcreek.  His farm is all fenced and
well improved and he has a comfortable residence and gives his attention to the
agricultural art and raising various kinds of stock.  He has been notary public
and justice of the peace and twice was elected to the legislature from Grant and
Harney counties, and recently he has given considerable attention to the
practice of law.  Mr. Dustin descends from English forefathers, among whom was
the noted "Hannah Dustin" and on his mother's side he traces back to the Dutch
from the Mohawk valley in New York.  Mr. Dustin is a man of ability and
uprightness and has successfully wrought in the country for one-third of a
century and is one of the substantial and worthy citizens of today that has the
respect and esteem of all.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in September 2005 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.