An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., 
The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, page 412

	JOHN J. ROHN, one of the thrifty farmers and pioneers of the State of
Washington, was born in Germany, November 22, 1835. He is the second youngest in
the family of five children born to Nicholas and Caterina Rohn, the maiden name
of the mother having been Caterina Zipf. Both of the parents died when he was
but ten years old, leaving him to make his own way in the world. He found a home
with his uncle, going to school until he was fourteen years of age and then
working until he was seventeen years old, at which time he concluded to try to
get to America, knowing that in this country there was a much better chance for
a poor young man to carve his way to fame and fortune. On the day that he was
seventeen years of age he set sail for New York, and upon arrival in that city
worked at his trade of wood-gilder for two years. At that time he proceeded to
Baltimore, Maryland, remaining there ten months. About this time, in 1855, he
enlisted in Troop C, of First Dragoons of United States Army, and proceeded to
California. Soon after his arrival in that State, he was sent to fight the
Indians, and during his five years of army service he was engaged in that kind
of warfare almost entirely, being in all the engagements from 1855 to 1860, in
California, Oregon and Washington. After his honorable discharge at Vancouver,
in 1860, he proceeded to Walla Walla, where he took a claim of 120 acres on Mill
creek. He invested in cattle the $500 he had saved out of his salary while in
the army. On this land he engaged in cattle-raising, but not having had
experience in that line met with some heavy losses in the cold winters, it being
very difficult to protect the stock from the severe weather. Not allowing his
misfortune to discourage him, he proceeded further down the creek, where he
purchased 160 acres of nice, rolling land, and built a comfortable house where
he has since resided. He now has 407 acres of land, 200 acres of which are
devoted to raising grain, the yield being about 3,500 bushels per year. Having
learned by experience the best methods of handling stock, he now keeps a herd of
about 100 cattle and horses. Although a very poor boy when he landed in America,
Mr. Rohn is now one of the wealthy residents of Walla Walla county, having made
all his money since his discharge from the army. After six years of happy
married life he had the misfortune to lose his beloved wife, since which time he
has endeavored to be both father and mother to the four little ones she left
behind her. So devoted to her memory was he that he has never chosen anyone else
to fill her place. The maiden name of this most estimable woman was Sarah E.
Sanders, a native of Indiana, who married our subject in 1866. Six years later
she was taken away by death. The four children are as follows: Katie, wife of
Thomas Bryant, living at Pullman; Malinda, wife of Harry Gilbertson, of Lincoln
county; Fred, now in California; and Sarah J., who died August 24, 1874. Mr.
Rohn is a member of the Indian Veterans Association, and politically is a
Democrat. Few men enjoy the esteem and respect of their fellow men to a greater
degree than our subject, who has won his way in the world unaided and alone.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in October 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

* * * * 

Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.