* A portrait has been posted on-line at http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~westklic/wcportrait.html
HENRY PRIGGE, deceased, was one of the substantial men of the Hood River valley and labored long and assiduously for the improvement and upbuilding of the country. He was born on January 28, 1850, near Hanover, Germany and died on September, 10, 1903 at his home in Hood River. His parents, John and Laura Prigge, were natives of Germany where they remained until their death. He came to the United States in 1872, having received a liberal education in the latter country. Settlement was made at Winona, Minnesota first, and two years later, he went to San Francisco. After spending some time in various employments, he engaged in the saloon business and there remained until 1880. Then came the journey to Oregon and they finally selected the place which is the family home today. Mr. Prigge bought a settler's right and filed on a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres. It is especially fine soil, well improved and shows the marks of his long and wise labors bestowed here. Mr. Prigge was a zealous advocate of good roads, excellent schools and general advancement and labored here to attain these ends. He served as school director and road supervisor at various times and did excellent work in these public capacities. During the last five or six years of his life, Mr. Prigge was ill much of the time, being afflicted with cancer of the stomach. Finally, at the time mentioned, death claimed him and he passed from the scenes of his labors here to the world beyond. He was well known and highly respected and was deeply mourned at the time of his decease.
At San Francisco, on March 12, 1880, Mr. Prigge married Miss Wilhelmine Hillman, who was born in Saxony, Germany, on September 27, 1850, the daughter of Carl A. and Laura (Petculd) Hillman, natives of Saxony. The father was a tailor and musician and died there in 1890: The mother still lives there aged seventy-five. Mr. Prigge had the following named brothers and sisters, Lewis, John, Heinrich and Claus.
Mrs. Prigge had three brothers, Clemence, Emil and F. Henry and two sisters, Augusta and Emma. To Mr. and Mrs. Prigge, six children have been born, Herman, Louis, Freda, Emma, Annie, and Laura, all at home.
Mr. Prigge was a member of the A.O.U.W., while he and his wife were members of the Lutheran church. Miss Freda attended school at Napa, California, after attending the district schools in this place. Mrs. Prigge is a woman of many virtues and has many warm friends in this part of the country. She has a very fine family of children and is taking up the added burdens of life since the death of her husband with a fortitude and wisdom that are commendable.
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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.