"An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties : with a
brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon." Chicago?: Western
Historical Pub. Co., 1902.  Page 495.  Grant County.

JOHN G. NEALEN

     Among the sturdy pioneers, who early pressed into these regions held by the
wilds of nature and nature's savages, there is none living in the county to-day
better known and more highly respected than the estimable gentleman whose name
initiates this paragraph.  A worthy representative of that indomitable race,
whose little island home is become famous the world over for the energy, stanch
qualities and intrinsic worth of its inhabitants, Mr. Nealen possesses in a
generous proportion the force of character, strength of purpose, keenness of
wit, open hearted public spirit, so characteristic of the true Irishman, and
these excellent qualities together with his commendable demeanor is his walk in
our midst have made him universally beloved and esteemed by his fellow citizens.
     Killogeary township, in Mayo county, Ireland, is the place of his birth,
and April 20, 1839, the date.  His father was a stockman and the years of
minority of John G. were spent in handling cattle on the farm and in market,
while he also gained his education from the common schools.  With the budding
years of manhood's estate came the rising spirit of adventure that has pressed
the world's darkness back before the onward march of civilization's forces, and
Mr. Nealen found himself a captive to its siren voice and soon bade farewell to
home and its loved ones and sailed away to New York.  On May 10, 1860, he
stepped from the Adriatic to the wharves of the new world's metropolis, made his
way to Scranton, Pennsylvania, and there listened to the memorable call of
Abraham Lincoln for men to save the Union, which so stirred his young blood that
he hastily signed the enlisting roll and seized a musket in defense of the
country he had chosen for his home.  In the Twenty-first Pennsylvania Volunteer
Infantry he served the term of his enlistment as one of the ninety-day men,
received his honorable discharge and turned again to the quieter walks of
industrial life.  In the fall of 1861, he migrated via New York and Aspinwall to
San Francisco, whence he went on the steamer to Victoria, where he wintered,
then went with the influx to the famous Cariboo mines on the Fraser river.  A
short time was spent there and he returned down the river to Vancouver and there
spent some time in the service of the government making hay, and in the fall of
1862 came to Canyon City, where he went at once to mining.  He secured some
valuable placer claims, which he worked with very gratifying success until the
fall of 1870, when he sold his mining interests and went to the Big Basin
country in this county and engaged in stock raising.  He owned fine stock farms
in different part of the country and in 1880 he moved onto one near Monument,
where he made his home and headquarters.  In 1898 he began to sell his stock and
real estate holdings, desiring to retire from the more weighty cares and
responsibilities of active business.  He was attended with fine success in
handling stock and at the present time he holds securities in many places
through the county and in adjacent counties, while he is also one of a rich
company that has promoted a salmon cannery in Alaska, on Dundas Bay.  He
obtained a patent from the government for a large portion of the bay and erected
buildings and put the enterprise in active operation.  In the spring of 1901 he
made a visit of four months to this property and is much enthused with its
favorable outlook.  Mr. Nealen carries two heavy policies in two of the old line
companies.
     It is of note that during the Indian scare Mr. Nealen offered twenty
dollars per day for men to assist him in putting up hay for his stock, but was
unable to secure hands and so did the work himself alone at great risk.  During
his long career on the frontier he has met all sorts of hardship and dangers and
has faced many trying ordeals, in all of which there has been the true Irish
force of character to outride them all and to-day he is well and favorably known
to almost every resident of the county, having maintained a faithful walk among
his fellow citizens, and a strong adherence to the principles of patriotism and
freedom and the beloved institutions of our government, for which he fought with
valor and intrepid courage.  During his career Mr. Nealen has always been
partial to the quiet joys of the celibatarian and has never ventured on the
uncertain sea of connubial relations.  Now as the golden years begin to draw
apace, with the consolation of a wellspent career in the past, enjoying the
plenty that his thrift and sagacity have accumulated, while his geniality has
won him friends on every hand, Mr. Nealen is passing the days of the best years
of his life in quietness and peace amid the good wishes and hearty good cheer of
all who know him.

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