An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company,
Spokane, WA. 1905, pages 341-342

GEORGE A. HARTH has made a record in Wasco county that speaks very plainly of
his ability and sagacity. A brief epitome of his life can but prove interesting
and with pleasure we append the same.      

George A. Harth was born in Wisconsin on September 7, 1848, the son of Frederick
and Teresse (Best) Harth, natives of Germany. The father came to the United
States, settling in Milwaukee, then a small village, in 1834, then took a
homestead in the heavy timber twenty-three miles from that town and spent twenty
years in clearing up the land and improving it. Later, he sold and moved to
Trempealeau county, Wisconsin, and bought government land where he remained
until his death in 1887, being then aged seventy-seven. He was a very active and
enthusiastic Republican, was prominent and influential in early days in
Wisconsin, held various offices and was an excellent man. His wife came with him
from Germany, where they were married, and died in 1889, aged seventy-two. Her
parents came from a very prominent family and are related to the famous brewer,
Best. Our subject remained with his parents until twenty-six, having received,
in the meantime, a good public education. Then he went to Dakota and took land
and remained until 1891.      

On December 25, 1875, at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Mr. Harth married Miss Phebe
J. Sims, who was born in Iowa. Her father was born in New York and married Miss
Sarah Josslyn. The Sims family is a very prominent and influential one in all
professions and commercial life. The noted Dr. Marion Sims is one of this
family. The Josslyns were promoters of a very large land grant in the early days
of the colonies and many of them were in the Revolution. Many of Mrs. Harth's
immediate ancestors were among the brave minute men in those days of trouble.
Mr. Harth has three brothers, Philip, John W., and Fred, and the following named
sisters: Mrs. Effie Uhl, Mrs. Christian Uhl, Mrs. Kate Bouling, Mrs. Rachel
Jacobus, Mrs. Mary Adams, and Mrs. Rosie Neely. Mrs. Harth has two brothers,
Thomas L. and Charles A., and one sister, Mrs. Adeline Park. Four children have
been born to our subject and his wife: Charles A., a stockman at Canyon City;
Rosie, Mabel and George, at home.      

Mrs. Harth is a member of the Evangelical church. In politics, Mr. Harth is
independent. well informed and active. In 1891, Mr. Harth was forced out of
Dakota by the drouth and came to Multnomah county, Oregon. Three years later, he
landed in Wasco county with eighty-five dollars and four horses, that being the
only property that he owned. He was befriended by Mr. J.A. Gulliford, who rented
him land, and since that time he has prospered exceedingly. Mr. Gulliford, by
the way, has taken great pleasure in assisting many men in the same position in
which Mr. Harth found himself, and owing to these kind and manly deeds many a
man has come from a place of poverty to competence. Mr. Harth has bought land at
different times until now he has nine hundred acres, all tillable soil, one half
section of which is said to be as fine as is found in northern Oregon. He is a
man of thrift and industry and his estate shows it. When all the improvements,
that he is contemplating, are made, he will have one of the finest places to be
found in the west, and Mr. Harth is to be congratulated upon the brilliant
success he has achieved.

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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.