Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 3. 
Chicago, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 7.

J. D. BELT

     Proprietor of a drug store at Willamina, was born in Missouri, August 31,
1849, the son of Dr. A. M. and Nancy (Ward) Belt.  The father, a native of
Kentucky, was reared and educated there and moved to Missouri in 1844, where he
practiced medicine until 1850.  In that year he crossed the plains with ox
teams, being six months on the road, and located at Salem, Oregon, after which
for twenty years he followed his profession in various part of the state.  He
died at Independence, Oregon, in 1878.  He was a widely known man, a strong
democrat, organized the first Masonic lodge in Oregon, 1855.  He owned the first
piano ever brought into Oregon, an old-fashioned square instrument which is
still in Portland.  The mother was born in Kentucky, a daughter of General Ward,
of the southern confederacy, and a cousin of Nancy Ward, the famous Kentucky
belle.  She died in Oregon.  In their family were eleven children:  Thomas,
Joseph and A. M., all deceased; B. F., of Los Angeles, California; J. D., of
this review; Charles, deceased; Emily, now Mrs. Jordan, of California; Sarah E.,
now Mrs. Hewlet, of Portland, Oregon; Myra, the wife of Judge Barnett, of Salem,
Oregon; and two children who died in infancy.
     J. D. Belt was educated in Willamette University at Salem, Oregon, and was
graduated in the class of 1865.  He was engaged in farming until 1878, when he
went to Salem, where he remained five years, conducting a drug store at that
place.  Subsequently he located in several communities in Oregon, continuing in
the drug business, until 1908, when he came to Willamina, where he has now a
store fully stocked with a complete line of sundries.  He also owns an interest
in a bank at Willamina and was one of its organizers.
     In 1878 Mr. Belt wedded Miss Nellie Hackleman, a native of Oregon and a
daughter of H. H. Hackleman, who was at one time state treasurer of Oregon.
They are the parents of five children:  Edith, the wife of W. H. Ormsby, a
freight agent for the Northern Pacific Railroad; Harry, county superintendent of
Yamhill county; Paul C., in business with his father; and Barbara and Marjorie,
at home.
     In politics Mr. Belt has been loyal to the democratic party and although he
has never sought public office he still has held sundry official posts.  He and
Mrs. Belt are members of the Presbyterian church in the affairs of which they
share a sincere interest.  They have been identified also with the order of
Maccabees.  As a true descendant of his worthy ancestors Mr. Belt has always
been a strong factor in advancing the interests of the community in which he has
lived.

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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.