Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis
Pub. Co. 1893.  p. 889.
 
HENRY J. NOBLE

     a typical Oregon pioneer, and a man highly respected for his many estimable
qualities, resides on a farm near Newberg. The lives of many of these Western
pioneers, were they written up in full, would make a volume more interesting
than any novel, for truth is, indeed, stranger than fiction. The following
sketch, while only a succinct one, will be found of interest to many, as Mr.
Noble is well known in this vicinity.
     Henry J. Noble was born in Kentucky in 1832. His ancestors came from
Scotland to America previous to the Revolutionary war, and his grandfather,
Alexander Noble, fought for independence in that struggle. His father, Henry
Noble, was born in Pennsylvania, and his mother, Mary (Layton) Noble, was a
native of South Carolina. In 1845 this worthy couple and their six children
started across the plains for Oregon. The company with which they traveled
finally divided, some going to California, some continuing on the old emigrant
road, while about forty wagons, among which were Mr. Noble and family, followed
Mr. Meek on his cut-off, which he thought would bring them by a shorter way to
the Willamette valley, without passing the Dalles. The history of this
expedition is well known, their harrowing experiences having been portrayed
minutely and forcibly by many a master hand. They became lost, whereupon Mr.
Meek deserted them and they wandered helplessly about in the great American
desert for six or eight weeks. They traveled for days at a time through sand and
sage brush, the branches of which latter shrub were six or eight feet long.
Their teams became footsore and jaded, so that they made very slow headway, some
days making not more than five or six miles a day. Their provisions became
short, besides which all of Mr. Noble's family, except himself, the oldest
daughter and the subject of this sketch became stricken with mountain fever. Two
of our subject's brothers eighteen and eleven years of age, died of this disease
and were buried by the wayside. Henry J. was then thirteen years of age, and
remembers distinctly the distressing incidents of that long and tedious journey,
and recalls with what sorrow they left the newly made graves of their loved ones
and continued in sorrow their westward way. The mother was also stricken with
this dread disease. They lost some of their stock on the way, and thus pulled
through, leaving a road resembling a swath through wheat, which if not a good
one, was very plain. When they reached the Dalles they were entirely out of
provisions, and Henry paid a good price for two pints of flour for the sick
ones, while he himself subsisted for several days on bacon rinds that he found
in a meat-box, and on beets which he got of the Indians. When they reached the
Columbia river the family divided, the father remaining with the stock, and the
subject of our sketch coming down the river with his mother. They hired an
Indian to run them down the rapids in a canoe. Coming down the rapids in this
way was frightfully dangerous, but was accomplished in safety, and the rest of
the journey they made in a bateau, and landed at Linnton. The mother was sick,
they were out of food, and it became Henry's duty to go out several miles in the
country, where they had a friend who would bring a team and take them to his
place. Trails and creeks were numerous, many of the latter he had to wade, and
after going some distance, found he was on the wrong road. A friendly stranger
gave him the right directions, and he changed his course, but night overtook
him, and, footsore and weary, he found his way to an Indian camp. Soon an Indian
retired and came back, bringing with him a white man, a Mr. Wills, who took the
young boy to his cabin, and the following day sent him to his destination. The
mother was brought out, and they remained at this place (Mr. Clasly's) until
spring. Then the father joined them, and they settled on a donation claim, five
miles northwest of where Newberg is now located. From 1846 till 1872 the father
lived on this place. His death occurred in Portland in 1885, aged seventy-three
years. The mother passed away in 1870. She was a member of the Methodist Church.
     The subject of our sketch continued to live on his father's claim until
1857. On the 24th of May, that year, he was married, and soon after his marriage
he purchased the quarter section of land upon which he still resides, the
purchase price being $1,200. He went in debt for it, and by honest industry was
enabled to pay his way out. Here he and his worthy companion have spent many
happy years, and have reared a large family. Mrs. Noble was, before her
marriage, Miss Martha Boyles. She was born in Missouri in 1842, daughter of John
Boyles, and in 1852 started with her parents across the plains for Oregon. Her
father was taken sick and died, and they buried him near Chimney Rock. The widow
and her three daughters continued their way westward, and some time after their
arrival in Oregon she became the wife of James Davis. They resided near
Portland, where her death occurred in 1878. She was a member of the Methodist
Church, was a woman of many Christian graces and great, heroic bravery.
     Mr. and Mrs. Noble have had twelve children, all of whom are living except
one. Their names are as follows: John Edward; Charles Oscar, who died at the age
of twenty-four years; Henry Oliver; Jesse Irwin; Frank E.; May, wife of Charles
Murry; Jane, wife of Charles Martin; and five who reside with their parents,
Jacob L., James W., Walter A., Mary and Benjamin F.
     Mr. Noble has been a Republican since the organization of that party. He
has been a member of the Grange, and is now associated with the Farmers'
Alliance. He and his good wife still live in the quiet and unassuming manner of
early days, and as honest and upright people have the respect of all who know
them.

*******************

Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in December 2008 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.