Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 1015.
 
EDWIN CASEBEER

     Born near the town of New Philadelphia, Ohio, August 18, 1849, Edwin
Casebeer was the son of Josiah and Elizabeth (Mosier) Casebeer, and the fourth
member of the family of five children. The following are the names of his sister
and brothers: Mrs. Mary Morgan, Kansas; William Casebeer, Colorado; George, in
Kansas; and Jacob M., at Ashland, Oregon.
     Mr. Casebeer's father was a native of Pennsylvania, who, as a youth,
emigrated to Ohio. From Ohio he removed to Buchanan county, Iowa, in about the
year 1854, traveled extensively over the United States and finally settled in
the, Rogue river valley, Oregon, in 1873 and died seventeen years later in
Ashland, Oregon, aged seventy-six years. The mother was a native of the state of
New York and died during her eighty-seventh year in Ashland, Oregon, in the year
1903.
     The first eighteen years of Mr. Casebeer's life were spent with his
parents, after which he went to Sedgwick county, Kansas, where he engaged in the
stock business, and upon attaining his majority he took a homestead. Kansas was
comparatively a wild state at that time and Mr. Casebeer can recount, many a
buffalo killed by him almost from his door-step. In 1871 he came to California
and to the Rogue river the year following. Here he engaged in ranching and fruit
raising until 1879, when he came to the Sprague river valley and again engaged
in the stock business. He brought into the country the first band of Hereford
cattle to be imported into the Sprague river valley, and at the same time he
imported a start in the mule raising business, which he has since successfully
followed in conjunction with his cattle raising. In April, 1898, he took a band
of mules into Alaska for sale. He went through British Columbia over the old
Telegraph trail and up the Frazier river to Glenore, on the Stehikin river,
where he disposed of his animals at a profit. From that point he went via dog
sledge to Skagway, whence he took a steamer for home. While on this trip Mr.
Casebeer suffered many hardships, such as frequently befalls travelers in the
far north. On one occasion his supply of provisions became exhausted and he was
compelled to sustain life for several days on a diet of badger meat.
     In 1900 he sold his cattle and three years later invested in a flock of
sheep and has been engaged in the raising of wool ever since. His sheep number
some thousands and he also owns a thousand acres of fenced land, a few hundred
acres of which is hay land and well improved with a large twelve-room house, two
barns and other outbuildings in proportion. His dwelling is one of the largest
and finest farm houses in the state, of Oregon. His home lies three fourths of a
mile east from Ely.          '
     On October 28, 1889, occurred the marriage of Mr. Casebeer to Mrs. Caroline
H. (Owen) Watts, a native of dark county, Missouri, and daughter of James and
Susan F. (Tull) Owen, natives, respectively, of the states of New York and
Kentucky. Mr. Owen. removed from the state of his birth to Hancock county,
Illinois, where his parents both died, after which he went to Clark county,
Missouri, being an early pioneer of that county. The brothers and sisters of
Mrs. Casebeer are: John S., Haden Hill, California; Mrs. Mary L. Kilgore,
Langell's valley, Oregon; Mrs. Margaret E. Long, Susanville, California; James
H. Owen, residing near Ely; and George W. Owen, Ashland, Oregon.
     Mrs. Casebeer's father started across the plains as a member of a large
train of emigrants bound for California. He had with him his wife and five
children and experienced many hardships in making the journey on account of the
hostility of the tribes inhabiting the plains. On one occasion the entire train
narrowly escaped a massacre. His family were among me first to settle in the
Sacramento valley, and lived in many places in California before coming to the
Sprague river in 1878. Here Mr. Owen engaged in the stock business, and followed
that occupation until his death in 1901. The mother died ten years previously.
     Mrs. Casebeer was living in Aden, Modoc county, California, during the
Modoc war, and several times during that struggle between the red men and the
white she was a witness to the Indian war dance. In 1870 she was married to S.
Watts, now deceased. She has two sons, John S. and James 0. Watts, who are
merchants of Bly.
     Mr. and Mrs. Casebeer have two children, Edwin J. and Susie May Casebeer.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in May 2011 by Diana Smith.  Submitter has
no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.