An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company,
Spokane, WA. 1905, page 263-264.

JOHN W. WATERMAN, a well known stockman of influence and wealth, resides at 1107
Lewis street, in The Dalles, Oregon. He was born on April 10, 1845, in Missouri,
the son of Ezekiel H. and Mars A. (Stroud) Waterman, natives of New York and
Ohio, respectively. They are mentioned elsewhere in this volume. The mother died
in Marion county, Oregon, in 1866 and the father then married Nancy Smith. Our
subject came to California with his parents in 1852, and six years later
journeyed with them to the Willamette valley, where he grew up and was educated
in the district schools and Jefferson institute. In 1862 he came to eastern
Oregon with cattle, accompanied by his father, and was also interested with his
father in the mercantile business at Jefferson, Marion county, whither they
returned in 1864. When twenty-one he entered the drug business for himself and
continued at that for two years. After that, he came east of the mountains,
settling in Grant county, that portion which is now Wheeler county. His exact
location was about twenty miles east from Mitchell. There he did a large stock
business and for six years gave his entire attention to it, then again he
removed to the Willamette valley and took up sawmilling. He was occupied by that
for four years, then opened a general merchandise store at Caleb postoffice, in
Grant county. In the spring of 1882 he had again taken up stock raising in Grant
county. In 1895, Mr. Waterman turned the various business interests which he
possessed over to his sons and they are handling the stock and operating the
general merchandise store at the present time, with excellent success, having
recently removed the business to Mitchell. Mr. Waterman retired from active
business entirely in 1903 and removed to The Dalles where he purchased his
present residence.      

On February 13, 1867, at Jefferson, Oregon, Mr. Waterman married Miss Mary E.,
daughter of Absolam and Sarah (Cullison) Smith, natives also of Illinois where
also they were married. The father was accidentally drowned in the Willamette
valley and the mother still lives at Jefferson. Mrs. Waterman was born in
Illinois, crossed the plains with her parents with ox teams, and died in 1882 at
the ranch near Caleb.      

On April 15, 1895, Mr. Waterman married Mrs. Angie M. Laswell, the daughter of
Enoch and Eliza (Mundy) Baniford, and a native of Canada. Mr. Waterman has one
half brother and one half sister. He also has seven children; Hanley A., a
merchant at Mitchell; Everett O., who is handling his father's stock: William,
in the livery business at Moro; Virgil, with his father; Mattie M., the wife of
Everett Knox, a merchant at Antone, Wheeler county; Veva, wife of V.E. Boardman,
a graduate of the Washington University, and taking a post-graduate course at
Chicago University; Mary, single and with her grandmother in Jefferson. By her
former husband, Mrs. Waterman has four children: James E., in Montana; Lulu,
wife of C.P. Johnson, a merchant at John Day, Oregon; Anna, wife of Frank
McCallum, a merchant at John Day; and Rena, wife of Hanley Waterman, our
subject's son. Ernest V., eldest son of our subject, died at Caleb in 1897, aged
thirty. He was associated in business with his brother, Hanley, and his father.      

Politically, Mr. Waterman is a Republican and is active at the county and state
conventions. He has been justice of the peace for many years and is a refined,
gentlemanly citizen, progressive and highly esteemed.

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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.