"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 306. Baker County. WILLIAM D. EMELE this honored pioneer and successful farmer and stockman of the Powder river valley was born in Illinois, near the city of Quincy, on February 11, 1839. His father, William, was a native of Germany, and his mother, Evaline, of Illinois. The father died when he was quite young and the family moved to Iowa, settling near Burlington, in Des Moines county. Our subject received a good common school education, and with this for his only equipment, he set out at the age of twenty to try his fortunes in the wild and rugged west, crossing the plains by the primitive fashion of the times, namely with ox-teams. His objective point was the Golden state, where he farmed for a period of two years, thereupon coming to Oregon. After arriving here he settled first in the Big Creek country, but soon he filed on a quarter section of government land in the Panhandle country, sixteen miles northeast of Baker City, where he now lives. For many years he has devoted himself assiduously and exclusively to the basic art and he now has a very excellent and well improved place all under irrigation. He keeps about forty head of well graded cattle, and in addition to his fine farm with its stock and equipments, he is the owner of some valuable city property at the county seat. The marriage of our subject and Miss Elizabeth Bowman was duly solemnized in the state of Missouri, on April 15, 1871, and they now have five children, namely, Elmer, living on Big Creek, six miles north; Estella wife of J. M. Dean, a resident of the valley; Eveline, wife of R. J. Jameson, of Baker county; Benjamin, and Elizabeth. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in September 2005 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.