Clark, Robert Carlton, Ph.D. "History of the Willamette Valley Oregon."  Vol. 3.
Chicago: Chapman Publishing Company, 1927. p. 243.

JOHN R. CARTWRIGHT

     John R. Cartwright, president of the Harrisburg National Bank and a
successful farmer in Linn county, has long been regarded as one of the most
prominent and influential residents of this community and commands to a marked
degree the confidence and respect of his fellowmen. He was born at Ellen
Springs, Arkansas, on the 14th of February, 1858, and is a son of Joseph and
Nancy (Mundy) Cartwright. The father was killed in battle during the Civil war
and the mother, who was a native of Tennessee, cared for her eight children in
Arkansas until 1875, when she brought six of them across the plains to Oregon,
locating on the Mohawk river, near Marcola, where she took up a homestead. She
remained there seven years and then moved to Lancaster, Oregon, but eventually
came to Harrisburg, where her death occurred in 1906.
     John R. Cartwright received but a limited school education and in his
boyhood went to work on the farm of Joel Weyer, who paid him three hundred
dollars a year. with two days' vacation. On starting out for himself, he rented
a farm in Lane county. Oregon, which he cultivated for two years and then rented
a ranch at Mohawk in which he lost his savings in one year. During the three
ensuing years he worked on James Howard's ranch and then again went to farming
on rented land which he continued until 1887, when he bought a part of the
Thomas Washburne ranch in Lane county. About 1890 he sold that place and bought
several tracts of land on the river, and about the same time moved to
Harrisburg, where he bought a comfortable home, which he now occupies, though
still giving attention to the cultivation of his land. In 1920 Mr. Cartwright
became one of the organizers of the Harrisburg National Bank, of which he was
elected president, and is still serving in that capacity. This institution has
made excellent progress and is now one of the strong and influential banks of
Linn county.
    On October 6 1884, Mr. Cartwright was united in marriage to Miss Margaret
Shakle, who was born in Lane county, Oregon, and is a daughter of Peter and
Winifred (Wilson) Shakle, who came across the plains to Oregon in the early
'50's taking up government land in Lane county, where they spent the remainder
of their lives Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright have a son Vivian, who has been married
twice, first to Miss Rena Bradison, and after her death to Miss Hazel Watson, by
whom he has two children, Margaret and Katheryn. Vivian, who lives in
Harrisburg, assists in the operation of his father's farm, and also gives his
attention to McCready springs, which his father bought in 1917. They have a
hotel of eighteen rooms there and it has become a very popular place for
tourists and pleasure seekers. Mr. Cartwright has taken the degrees of the lodge
and encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is a member of the
Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the
United Artisans, and also belongs to the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce. His
political support is given to the democratic party and he has taken a helpful
interest in local public affairs, having served as a member of the town council
and of the school board. A man of wide experience and mature judgment, he is
regarded as dependable and trustworthy in every relation of life, and is one of
the community's representative men.
     
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in April 2011 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.