Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co. 1893. p. 278. WILLIAM M. McLEOD A prominent lumber manufacturer of Washington county, Oregon, is a native of New Brunswick, born October 27, 1826, son of Captain William and Jenette (Morrison) McLeod, both natives of Invernesshire, Scotland, whence they emigrated with their parents to Charlotte county, New Brunswick. Eleven children were born to them, seven sons and four daughters. Our subject was the fourth son and was educated principally in his native country. In 1846 he went to the State of Maine and engaged in the lumber business, which he has continued ever since. Mr. McLeod first worked for wages, learning the business in his chosen occupation, he engaged in manufacturing and building. During his residence in Maine, Mr. McLeod's principal occupation consisted in getting logs in winter and making them into lumber the following summer. In the fall of 1851 he, with his wife and one child, took passage in the ship Venetia, lumber-laden, from St. Stephen's, New Brunswick via Cape Horn for San Francisco, Captain Absalom Christie in command. The ship was wrecked in February, 1852, in the gulf stream with forty passengers and her crew, making fifty-two souls on board. After five days and nights of intense suffering they were rescued from their perilous condition by Captain Wm. Drinkwater of the bark Hiero of Yarmouth, Maine, who, after twenty days' sail, landed them in Fayall one of the Azores islands, where they remained near two months, awaiting passage in the good bark I.O., Captain Pillsburg, for Boston. After this they returned to Calais, Maine, their former home, destitute of cash and nearly so of clothing, but thankful to the Giver of all good that they had escaped with their lives. Then followed seven years of close application to business, in which he succeeded in providing a home for the family, and, leaving them thus comfortably supplied for a season, he with characteristic energy, left the loved ones at home and started a second time for the shores of the Pacific, the reputed land of gold. In 1859 Mr. McLeod came to the coast, via Isthmus of Panama. Upon landing in San Francisco he remained in the coast counties for three years and was also engaged in the mines in El Dorado county, on the American river. After gathering some gold, he came to Puget sound, in the fall of 1862 and was engaged in lumbering. In the fall of 1864 he came to Polk county, Oregon, where he met his family, after nearly five years of separation, and resided for a time near Dalles. In 1867 he came to Forest Grove, where he now has a sawmill, near Dilley station, three miles south of Forest Grove. Mr. McLeod built a mill on Gale's Creek, that now bears his name, in 1868. In 1889 he built his present mill, with a capacity of 1,000 feet of lumber per hour. A large amount of his manufacture is sold at the mill, but he has also shipping facilities, both north and south by Southern Pacific Company's railroad. He has, a fine body of ash, fir and cedar timber near his mill, with good floating water for logs in the Tualatin river and its tributaries. In addition to his other interests, Mr. McLeod is engaged in farming. For twelve years he served as Postmaster and railroad agent at Dilley. >From 1879 to 1889 he was engaged in merchandising. In 1849 Mr. McLeod married Miss Peers, a native of Nova Scotia, born in 1829, daughter of Mr. D. B. Peers, of Wallace, the same place. Mr. and Mrs. McLeod have had seven children, namely: Frederick S., Marian L.; William E., superintendent of his father's mill; Annie E., wife of Mr. Nels W. Durham, editor of the Spokane Falls Review; A. L. McLeod, railroad agent at Gaston and is running a warehouse at Forest Grove; Jean and Mable. The last two named are both in Portland and are employed on the Oregonian force. Mr. and Mrs. McLeod are both members of the Congregational Church at Forest Grove. In politics he is a Republican and the family are highly respected and esteemed. Mr. McLeod is a business man of integrity and ability. Transcriber's additional notes: 1870 - Washington Co, OR; Forest Grove Pct, page 463 Wm. McLeod, 43, New Brunswick, lumber manufacturer Mary A, 41, Nova Scotia Frederick, 19, New Brunswick Marian, 14, ME William, 12, ME Anna, 9, ME Lincoln, 6, OR Nettie, 4, OR Mabel, 5/12, OR, b Dec. John Lord, 24, New Brunswick, sawyer C. A. Peaks, 21, ME, sawyer 1900 - June 14; Washington Co, OR; Wapato Pct, page 224 William McLeod, 73, Oct 1826, CAN, CAN, CAN, farmer, mar 50 yrs Mary A, wife, 70, Aug 1829, CAN, CAN, CAN, mar 50 yrs, 8 children-6 living John M, brother, 68, April 1832, CAN, CAN, CAN, mar 30 yrs, lumberman ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in October 2005 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.