Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 3. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 596.
 
JAMES PELTON

     widely known because of his extensive ranching and stock-raising interests
in Klamath county, makes his home at Fort Klamath. He was born about twelve
miles northeast of Medford, at Bybee Bridge, Jackson county, June 9, 1860, and
is a son of Enoch C. and Mary Stuart (Rowe) Pelton.  The father's birth occurred
near Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1830, and the mother was born in Missouri, in
1837. About 1849 he crossed the plains to the mines of California and the mother
with her parents went to Oregon by way of The Dalles and over the old emigrant
road, rafting their goods down the Columbia river. This was in 1853, and in 1857
in the Willamette valley she became the wife of Enoch C. Pelton. They settled on
the Rogue river, where Mr. Pelton died of smallpox in 1865. In their family were
three children: Horace, who is living on the old home place, seventeen miles
north of Medford; James, of this review; and John, a resident of Roseburg. Some
time after being 9 left a widow Mrs. Pelton became the wife of her first
husband's partner, John Sisemore, and there were three children by that union.
The mother died at Portland about 1900.
     James Pelton resided at the place of his birth until the memorable flood of
1861, when all the buildings upon the place were washed away. The following year
the family settled in Sams valley on the old homestead that is now owned by
James and Horace Pelton. The brothers had been partners throughout their entire
business career. They own an interest in ranch lands in Jackson county, about
four hundred acres in Sams valley and eighteen hundred acres in Klamath county,
a half-brother, Linsy C. Sisemore, being also interested in the last mentioned
property. They also have about a thousand acres on Summer lake in Lake county,
each owning a third of this. They are also equal partners in extensive livestock
interests in Klamath county and they conduct business under the name of the
Pelton-Sisemore Company. The company altogether owns twenty-eight hundred acres
in Klamath and Lake counties and are running about eight hundred head of cattle
at the present time. They have had as high as three thousand head at one time
but as they are continually buying and selling, their herds vary in numbers.
They also handle about fifty head of horses, including thoroughbred sires and
Percherons. The Pelton brothers, Horace and Jamesł are also identified with. the
Gold Hill Bank and the Medford National Bank, while James Pelton is a director
in the Home Building & Realty Company of Klamath Falls and is president of the
Wood River Valley Cream and Butter Association, which was organized in the
spring of 1912. He resides on a ranch of eighteen hundred acres of the
Pelton-Sisemore Company's interests, and has personal management of this. It is
situated a mile and a half northwest of Fort Klamath, is supplied with artesian
water and is equipped with one of the best and cheapest irrigation systems to be
found in the entire valley, furnishing an ample supply of water from Anna Creek,
leading from Crater lake.
     James Pelton resided in Jackson county until 1884, when he went to Crook
county, where his mother and stepfather were then living, but the family
returned to Jackson county and James Pelton and his half-brother, L. C.
Sisemore, remained in Crook county.  James Pelton had a homestead in Crook
county on the Des Chutes river, proved up his claim and at length sold it. In
1901 he came to Klamath county and in 1903 he disposed of all of his interests
in Crook county, having in the meantime purchased his property in Klamath county
in, connection with his brothers.
     On the 30th of May, 1908, Mr. Pelton was united in marriage to Miss
Josephine Orth, a sister of the wife of his half-brother, L. C. Sisemore. She
was born in Jacksonville, Oregon, in 1869 and is a daughter of John Orth. In
politics Mr. Pelton is a democrat but has never been an office seeker. For many
years he has been an exemplary member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to
the blue lodge in Jacksonville, also the chapter in Jacksonville and to the
consistory and the Mystic Shrine in Portland. He likewise holds membership with
the Elks lodge at Klamath Falls and he is president of the Chamber of Commerce
at Fort Klamath. He is interested in everything relating to the welfare of the
community to the extent of giving active aid and cooperation to many movements
for the general good. His life is indicative of the possibilities open to the
ambitious man in the northwest, for it has been through the wise use of
advantages that any might secure that be has reached his present enviable place
as one of the substantial ranchmen and stockmen of his part of the state.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in August 2007 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.