* A portrait has been posted on-line at http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~westklic/wcportrait.html
JOHN J. WOOLERY, who resides about twelve miles southeast from The Dalles, is one of the leading and substantial farmers of the county. He was born in Cooper county, Missouri, on September 25, 1830, the son of Henry and Lettitia (Beatty) Woolery, natives of Pennsylvania and Missouri, respectively. The father's people were of German ancestry. The mother died in this county. Missouri was the home of our subject until 1852, and during that time he became an excellent farmer and received a good education from the common schools. In the year last mentioned he crossed the plains, his mother accompanying him, and they used ox teams for the trip. The journey was completed without incident other than is customary on such a trip, and they settled first in Yamhill county. Here Mr. Woolery took a claim and after six months abandoned it. After that he was employed in the valley for wages until 1856, when he joined the Oregon rangers, Company B, under Captain Hiram Wilber. They were out for two months after the redskins and had one pitched battle. In the following spring he came to this side of the mountains and settled on Tenmile creek, some ten miles below where he now resides. After eight years there, he sold his improvements and located near where his home is now. He preempted, homesteaded and bought other land until he has nine hundred and six acres. He cultivates five hundred and pastures the balance.
Mr. Woolery's marriage occurred in Wasco county, when Mrs. Ada Wilson became his bride. She was born in Clatsop county, Oregon, and her death occurred in this county, on September 5, 1881. Mr. Woolery has two children, Ina A., and Floyd, both born in Wasco county. In politics we find our subject a stanch Republican, and his interest in matters of educational import and general enterprises is lively and worthy. Mrs. Woolery's parents crossed the plains in the early forties. Her father was Francis Drake Shane, a Kentuckian and descended from a prominent southern family. The Shanes were related to the Drakes and Mrs. Woolery's father was named from the great navigator, Drake.
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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.