Carey, Charles Henry.  "History of Oregon." Vol. 3. Chicago-Portland: Pioneer
Historical Pub. Co., 1922.  p. 172.
 
JASPER NEWTON BURGESS

     For many years Jasper Newton Burgess, now deceased, was prominent in the
sheep, stock raising and banking circles of Pendleton, Umatilla county.  He was
a native son of Oregon, born in Douglas county on the 5th of March, 1872, a son
of Thomas and Ellen (Smith) Burgess.  The father was a native of Columbus, Ohio,
while the mother was born in Oregon, in which state she is now residing, making
her home in The Dalles.  When a young man Thomas Burgess set out for the west
and making the journey around the Panama canal arrived in California, where he
remained for some time.  He then removed to Oregon, settling in Douglas county,
and there operated land for some time.  His marriage occurred during his
residence in that county. In 1874 he moved to Wasco county, where he purchased a
ranch and engaged in the cattle business for a number of years.  About 1902 he
removed to The Dalles, where he retired, and there his death occurred.
Throughout his life he was a stanch democrat.
     The boyhood of Jasper Newton Burgess was spent on his father's farm in
Wasco county, known as Bake Oven, and he assisted in the farm work until 1896
when he bought a ranch at Antelope, Oregon, moving thereon in 1897 with his
wife.  He operated this in connection with his father's ranch until 1905, when
he removed to Pendleton and purchased the Charles Cunningham ranch consisting of
about nineteen thousand acres.  He organized the Cunningham Sheep and Land
Company, becoming president and manager, and operated this business until his
death, which occurred as the result of being shot by a robber at Claremont
Tavern, on the 21st of November, 1919, at the age of forty-eight years.  Mr.
Burgess was prominent in the political circles of the county, having served as a
representative in the state legislature from Wasco county from 1903 to 1907 and
he was elected to the state senate and served from 1911 through 1915.  He
belonged to the National Wool Growers Association, serving on the board of
directors, and he was president of the State Wool Growers Association.  He was a
member of the Highway Commission and of the State Live Stock Sanitary Board, and
in the financial circles of Pendleton he took a prominent part as president of
the Pilot Rock Bank and director of the American National Bank of Pendleton.
     In 1897 Mr. Burgess was married to Miss Mary Ashby, daughter of William J.
and Nancy (Downing) Ashby, and a native of Umatilla county, Oregon.  Her father
and mother were natives of Illinois and crossed the plains when children,
settling in Marion county, Oregon.  There they were married and later removed to
Umatilla county, where they engaged in farming.  To the union, of Mr. and Mrs.
Burgess two children were born:  Ralph Newton and Madeline, both at home.
     On reaching man's estate Mr. Burgess became a stanch supporter of the
republican party and his fraternal affiliations were with the Masons, in which
he had attained the thirty-second degree, and the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks.  About three years before his death Mr. Burgess built a fine home
on Jackson street and there he resided, a successful and representative citizen.
His death came as a severe shock to his family and many friends and left a void
in the community which it will not be easy to fill.

 
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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.