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. 491.
 
HENRY S. DeMOSS

     a well known citizen of DeMoss Springs, Sherman county, was born in Iowa,
February 4, 1860, the son of James M. and Elizabeth A. (Bonebrake) DeMoss,
sketches of whom appear in another portion of this work.  To Oregon he came in
his infancy, and it may be truthfully said that he was reared in eastern Oregon
and Washington.  He received an excellent education, and for one year was a
student in the Des Moines, Iowa, high school. While still of tender years he
commenced the study of music, his father being his instructor, and subsequently
he was with G. Lang, of Boston, who was a guest of his parents, in Union county,
Oregon. He then continued this musical studies under Virgil C. Taylor of Des
Moines, and was matriculated in the Chicago College of Music, under Prof. H. S.
Perkins. He also took an advanced course at the College of Music, Cincinnati,
Ohio. In addition to this he received a thorough course of musical instruction
at the Royal Academy, of London. His brother, George, and sisters Lizzie and
Minnie V., were there at the same time, and all graduated with high honors.  Our
subject was graduated in musical composition and voice culture. The family
traveled together until 1893 when the subscriber's father and his second wife
commenced conducting entertainments and Henry DeMoss was at the head of a
company known as "DeMoss Lyric Bards." This organization has proved wonderfully
successful since the close of the World's Fair at Chicago, and has acquired a
well deserved reputation throughout the country.
     Our subject owns several hundred acres of land individually, and more in
partnership with his brother, George. They are the proprietors of the townsite
of DeMoss Springs.
     July 24, 1901, at DeMoss Springs, our subject was united in marriage to
Julia R. Hall, a native of Ohio, born in Bellevue, October 24, 1882. She is the
daughter of John R. and Mary E. (Livermore) Hall, natives of Massachusetts. The
father was born at Pittsfield, and during the past three years has been a
retired Methodist Episcopal preacher. At one period he was advance agent for the
"DeMoss Lyric Bards," but was disabled in a railway accident. The mother is a
member; of the old Livermore family, one of whom came to America in the
Mayflower in 1620.                                       
     The following is an extract from the preface to "The Columbian Souvenir
Songs:" "For twenty-one years prior to the World's Columbian Exposition, of
which this folio contains illustrations, the authors of this work were known to
the American public as concertists. Having traveled from the Pacific to the
Atlantic coasts, and from the Lakes to the Gulf, scarcely a city, shore or
mountain pass, of this vast nation but has resounded to the strains of the
voices and instruments of the DeMoss Family Lyric Bards, of Oregon, as they have
sung in praise of God and country."  


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2010 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.