"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 604.  Malheur County.

GEORGE W. BLANTON

     The subject of this article was born in Monroe county, Tennessee, on
October 28, 1832, being the son of Vinson and Sarah (Marshall) Blanton, farers
of that place.  He came when eight years of age with the balance of the family
to Morgan county, Kentucky, and there had the privilege of walking four miles
each day to attend the school in a log cabin, which had split logs for benches.
His education was acquired by dint of hard application and he also labored hard
on the farm during the summer seasons.  At his home place, on April 25, 1853,
Mr. Blanton married Miss Fannie J. Oliver, and in 1856 they journeyed to Coles
county, Illinois, where he took up farming.  In the spring of 1860 he removed to
Linn county, Kansas, and there on July 16, 1862, he was stirred by the call of
patriotism and enlisted in Company G, Twelfth Kansas Infantry, being first
sergeant, and his regiment was in the Seventh Corps of the Western Division
under General Steele.  At the battle of Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas, which was a
hotly contested struggle, he participated with credit to himself, and in many
other severe fights he did faithful duty.  Three years after the enlistment the
fighting was done, the disloyal guns silenced, the government saved and our
subject laid aside the weapons of war and returned to his home, whence he
removed the family to Johnson county, Kansas, near Kansas City.  In that place
he continued to till the soil until the spring of 1881, when he came across the
plains with his family, making the trip with mule teams, and consuming three
months in the journey.  He located his present place of one-quarter section,
four miles southwest from Ontario, and began the good labor of building up the
county and improving his place.  The first land has grown to two hundred and
eighty acres, well tilled and watered and improved with comfortable and
substantial buildings.  When Mr. Blanton settled here the country was wild,
covered with sage brush, populated with jack rabbits and an occasional settler
amid the waste, and the howling coyotes were his nightly companions.  He was a
man of keen perception and fearless courage and he saw that it was capable of
great development if only one could weather the trying days of pioneering; he
has bravely done so, and has labored with a skill, stability and enterprise that
have given him the meed of a worthy position among his fellows, and a goodly
competence.  He built the first lumber house in the valley, assisted to erect
the first house in Ontario, and has been a leader in conserving the interests of
the county and thereby of its citizens, having ever brought to bear the same
wisdom and energy in these noble labors that has characterized him in the
prosecution of his private business enterprises.
     The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Blanton are named as follows:  William
F., of Johnson county, Kansas; Mrs. Sarah J. Leavitt, of Douglas county, Kansas;
Margaret, deceased; Georgian, deceased; Mary J., deceased; James M., near
Ontario; John W., near Ontario; Mrs. Emma J. Smith, near Westfall; Mrs. Ida
Hulery, near Ontario; George W., near Ontario; Mrs. Dora Herron, of Lind,
Washington; Lena Belle.  Mr. Blanton is past master of the A.F. &  A.M., Acacia
Lodge, No. 118, having been a Mason for forty years; and he is also affiliated
with the G.A.R., A.P. Hovey Post. No. 21, being past commander of the same.  He
has always taken an active interest in the advancement of educational interests
and the betterment of the facilities of this important branch of our government.
Mr. Blanton has also been active in the affairs of the county, as becomes the
intelligent citizen, and it has profited much by his wisdom and labors.  In 1898
he was elected on the fusion ticket as commissioner of Malheur county, and for
four years he has done creditable service in this office.  At the convention in
the spring of 1902 he was placed in nomination by the Democratic party for the
same position and was elected by a handsome majority.  He has done faithful
service in this office and has always the interests and welfare of the county at
heart.  It is readily seen that Mr. Blanton has been a leading figure wherever
he has operated, being especially fitted by nature with keen and fine ability
for this position, and as a sturdy pioneer, capable man, brave defender of his
country and faithful citizen he is esteemed by all.
 

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2006 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.