Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 2. 
Chicago, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 1017.

HENRY W. PRETTYMAN

     Who is now living retired, having been an Oregon pioneer, a successful
business man and a prominent figure in state and local institutions for many
years, is among the many prominent citizens of Oregon who have contributed in a
large degree to the wealth and advancement of this great state.  He was born in
Delaware, July 31, 1839, his parents being Dr. Perry and Elizabeth (Vessels)
Prettyman, also natives of that state.  The father was of English extraction,
while the mother was of German parentage.  They grew up, were educated and
married in Delaware, where they lived until 1840, when they removed to Cass
county, Missouri.  There Dr. Prettyman bought a large farm and built a large
gristmill.  He also practiced his profession for seven years.  In 1847 he left
the state of Missouri and made his way across the plains of the great American
desert, first settling at Oregon City.  Our subject was at that time a lad of
eight years.  After living there for one year the family removed to Multnomah
county and in Mount Tabor took up a government claim of six hundred and forty
acres of land, all of which is now in the city limits of Portland, more than
one-half of it being covered with buildings.  To Dr. Perry and Elizabeth
Prettyman were born five children, as follows:  David D., who died in 1909;
Daniel L., whose demise occurred in 1905; Henry W., of this review; William D.,
a real-estate dealer of Albany, Oregon; and Hester H., who died at the age of
twelve years.
     Henry W. Prettyman received a good high school education and grew to
manhood in Multnomah county, remaining at home until he was twenty-five years of
age, when he went to Idaho and for two years engaged in gold mining.  He then
returned to Oregon and started in the nursery business, operating on a part of
his father's section of land, a business which he followed for twenty years.
During a part of this period he owned two other nurseries -- the Hanson nursery
of East Portland and the Seth Luelling nursery of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  At the
time of his retirement he had a stock of two hundred thousand trees, which he
sold to W. S. Failing in 1890.  Although still owning and operating a valuable
silver and lead mine in Idaho, he has since 1890 led a retired life.  Among Mr.
Prettyman's holdings is one of the fine farms in the Tabor district, a part of
his father's original claim.  The father before his death sold two hundred acres
of that section of land and the remainder was divided among four heirs, of whom
two are still living.  Mr. Prettyman also owns a fine home with three acres in
connection and likewise has a forty-acre farm in Halls Valley, fourteen miles
east of Portland, which is in a high state of cultivation.
     In 1865 Mr. Prettyman was married to Miss Rachel V. Vandevort, a native of
Des Moines, Iowa, and a daughter of William Vandevort, who was also born in that
state.  Her family emigrated to Oregon in 1852, where her father was a resident
of Polk county until his death, his wife having died previous to his coming to
Oregon.  Mrs. Prettyman was the only child of her parents.  She died February
25, 1902, leaving one daughter Sadie, born November 20, 1881, who, remains at
home with her father, and has a fine musical and high school education.
     Mr. Prettyman is of the republican faith, and has held a number of
responsible positions of trust in Oregon.  He was deputy game warden for Western
Oregon many years and for eight years was a special state game warden.  He was
also president of the State Penological Society of Oregon for ten years.  Mr.
Prettyman and his daughter are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, a
religious organization of which he has been a member since eighteen years of
age.  Among the retired business men of Portland few are better known or have a
larger circle of friends than Henry W. Prettyman.  by his long period of active
business life and public service he contributed in no small degree to the
upbuilding of Portland and community, while his valued services in connection
with his official positions, which he filled with distinction to himself and
satisfaction to the people of the state, have gained for him a very large
acquaintanceship, particularly among the better classes.  He has richly earned
the period of comparative rest in which he has been for many years living and,
still vigorous of body and young of spirit, he continues to be among the most
valued and respected citizens of Portland.


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

Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in August 2005 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.