"An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties : with a brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon." Chicago?: Western Historical Pub. Co., 1902. Page 607. Malheur County. SYLVESTER F. BUSH The subject of this sketch is a pioneer in the real sense of the word, and has tried the various hardships and labors and deprivations of the frontier in many places of the west, displaying always staunch virtues and courage and wisdom, which have given him the meed of success, and an enviable prestige among his fellows. Mr. Bush is a native of Canada, being born on Wolf island, in the St. Lawrence, on April 21, 1837, the son of Eli E. and Mehetable (Hadley) Bush. His father died when he was small, and he came with his mother to Dexter, New York. Both of his grandfathers were members of the body guard of General Washington during the Revolution, a position of great distinction, while his father fought in the war of 1812. From Dexter our subject went with his mother to Hennepin county, Minnesota, and there he enlisted in Company I, of the Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. Eighteen hundred and sixty-one was the year of his enlistment, and he served throughout the entire war. He was in Sherman's department, and engaged in the battles of Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge and others. Being honorably discharged at the close of hostilities with the rank of corporal, having enlisted as private, Mr. Bush then soon went to Helena, Montana, with a large emigrant train, and there engaged in mining. In the fall of 1868 he came thence to Mormon basin, in Malheur county, it being then in Baker county. Mining claimed his attention until 1880, then he spent a couple of years in looking the country over for a location, finally deciding upon his present home place as the spot. He filed a homestead right on it on September 14, 1882. It is fourteen miles west from Westfall, on Bully creek, and the estate is now of the generous proportions of two hundred acres. It is well supplied with water, has good buildings and orchards, and is well kept. In addition to this, Mr. Bush has three hundred and twenty acres of Clover creek, which is fenced and partly cultivated. On June 8, 1874, Mr. Bush married Miss Ella I., daughter of Jeremiah and Eliza M. (Starbird) Jarvis, and four children have been born to them, as follows; Ernest E.; Charles J., a graduate of the College of Idaho, at Caldwell, Idaho; Brian B., attending college at Valparaiso, Indiana; Elfa M. Mr. Jarvis came from Maine around Cape Horn to California in 1849, and engaged in mining. In 1853 his wife came thither via Panama, and they dwelt in Marysville, where Mrs. Bush was born on July 17, 1854. In 1856 the family came to Portland, later to Burnt river, near where Durkee station is now, remaining there until the death of Mrs. Jarvis, in 1885, November 3, when Mr. Jarvis returned to San Francisco, where he died on October 10, 1897. Mr. and Mrs. Bush are capable and intelligent people, entitled to the esteem and confidence of their fellows, which they enjoy to a generous degree, and they are deserving of much credit for their faithful labors here. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2006 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.