"Portrait & Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley Oregon." Chapman Publishing Company, 1903. p. 453. JUSTINIAN WILLIAMS KIRKLAND A resident of Independence, Ore., for the past twenty years, Justinian Williams Kirkland has played no unimportant part in the affairs of the city. By his judgment and excellent management of his business affairs he has made himself a worthy factor in the progressive movements of the community. His life has been full of the varied experiences that befall the man who has visited the different sections of country at a time when some unusual happening has drawn the attention of the world to that location, and of the past years he recalls many pleasant memories of occurrences which have marked his wanderings in the seventy-five years which he has lived. The father of Mr. Kirkland was Abraham Kirkland, who was born in Mercer county, Ky., and after his marriage with Miss Elizabeth McGee, also a native of that state, he removed in 1812 to Boonville, Cooper county, and later to Monroe county, Mo. In 1843, while assisting at a house-raising, he was killed by a large log falling upon him. The mother also died in her Missouri home in 1883. Of the five sons and two daughters born to Mr. and Mrs. Kirkland, Justinian Williams Kirkland was next to the youngest, his birth occurring at Boonville, Mo., February 15, 1828. With a rather limited education received in the common schools of Missouri, he began life for himself, the first occupation being that of farming, and later he engaged in buying stock and disposing of the same in the St. Louis market. In this he met with good financial returns. In 1850 he joined a party bound for the new El Dorado, the trip being made with the customary ox-teams, and was of brief duration compared with the length of time considered necessary for a Californian journey. They started March 15 and reached their destination October 1, their stock of supplies having fallen so low that they had been on half rations for some time. Mr. Kirkland's first experience in California was a two months' illness, and upon his recovery he at once entered the mines near Rough and Ready. A two years' residence among these scenes netted him moderate returns, and in 1852 he went to San Francisco and shipped for New Orleans, via Panama and Havana, Cuba. His trip across the Isthmus of Panama was one of interest, being made on foot a skiff used to convey him down the Chagres river a distance of sixty miles to Aspinwall. Upon his arrival at New Orleans he ascended the Mississippi river to St. Louis, where he was once more welcomed back to his home. With a desire to try his fortunes in the business world he engaged in the grocery business, in which he met with success until he had the misfortune to lose his property by fire, upon which he returned to the cultivation of the soil. In 1862 he responded to the call of the South in which he had been born and reared, and became a captain in the Confederate army, serving for three years in the Fourth Missouri Cavalry. Upon Lee's surrender he returned to private life, and with the changed conditions of Missouri he chose again to emigrate to newer fields of endeavor. In the spring of 1865 he crossed the plains to Montana by ox-team and located at Helena, where he engaged in mining and freighting, and in 1869 he continued his journey westward and arrived in Polk county, Ore. He engaged in farming for four years near Independence, and at the close of that period purchased three hundred and twenty acres near Rickreall, making his home in that vicinity for fifteen years, engaged in general farming. In 1885 he removed to Independence, where he engaged in the real-estate business. Upon the corner of Second and B streets he built a handsome little cottage where he now makes his home. Among the other town property which he owns is a forty foot lot on First street. Mr. Kirkland's first wife was Miss Katherine M. Johnson, a native of Kentucky, whose death occurred in Independence in 1891, at the age of sixty-two years. His second union was with Mrs. Sarah Douty, who was born in the state of New York. Four sons were born unto J. W. and Katherine M. (Johnson) Kirkland; A. P., of Wallowa county; W. J., of Arlington; P. M., a druggist in this city, and John E., of Independence. During his residence in this city Mr. Kirkland has taken a prominent place in its affairs, having served two terms as mayor, as councilman many terms, also as county commissioner of Polk county for one term. His offices have been held through Democratic influence, of which party he is a consistent supporter. He has also been president of the board of trade of Independence. Fraternally Mr. Kirkland is associated with the Masons, in which he has taken the chapter degree; Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and Knights of Pythias. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2007 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.