Lockley, Fred.  "History of the Columbia River Valley, From The Dalles to the
Sea." Vol. 2.  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928.  p. 618.
 
DAVID S. STEARNS

     David S. Stearns, a Portland capitalist, has sown wisely and well and his
life has been a succession of harvests. His labors have been of direct value to
the city and his public spirit has been expressed by effective service for the
general good. At an early age he demonstrated his ability to provide for his own
livelihood and has worthily earned the distinctive title of "self-made man." He
has always resided in Oregon and is a member of one of its honored pioneer
families. A native of Medford, he was born September 18, 1857, and is of
colonial ancestry.
     His father, the Rev. Samuel E. Stearns, was born in Vermont in 1813 and in
his youth went to Ohio, where he was married November 12, 1844, to Miss Susan
Terry Whitaker. She was a daughter of Judge Israel and Lucinda (Schaler)
Whitaker and a granddaughter of Major Schaler, a gallant officer in the American
army during the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Stearns was born in Clermont county,
Ohio, and received her education in that state. Her husband engaged in teaching
and was also a Baptist minister. It was in 1853 that Mr. and Mrs. Stearns left
Ohio, journeying as far as Rockford, Illinois, where his brothers and sisters
lived, and from that point they all started for the Pacific northwest. For a
considerable distance they followed the course of the Platte river and when they
reached Laramie, Wyoming, joined another train of emigrants for protection from
the Indians. Captain Hannibal acted as escort to the train, which came to the
coast by the Yreka route through the Klamath country.
     On reaching southern Oregon, Rev. Stearns and his family settled in the
Rogue River valley, where he took up a donation claim of three hundred and
twenty acres, and this land is now included within the corporation limits of
Medford. They lived on that ranch for four years and Rev. Stearns then became a
traveling missionary, following that calling until his death, which occurred in
Idaho, December 29, 1891. He was an eloquent speaker, imbued with firm faith in
the doctrines he preached, and his labors in behalf of the church were
productive of much good. The mother passed away in Portland, to which the family
had removed in 1863, during the formative period in the history of the city.
Rev. and Mrs. Stearns became the parents of nine children, two of whom died in
infancy. Edwin was port engineer for the Northern Navigation Company and died in
1904, at the age of fifty-two years. Those living in 1911 were; Louisa, the wife
of Charles A. Stewart, of Fairview, Oregon; Anna M., the widow of J. Frank Niles
and a resident of Walla Walla, Washington; Joseph O., a prominent attorney of
Portland; David S. and, Gustavus M., the first twins born in southern Oregon;
and Andrew J., who embarked in the printing business in North Dakota.
     David S. Stearns has experienced every phase of pioneer life in this region
and is now the oldest twin in Oregon. He was a child of six when the family came
to Portland and during their boyhood he and his brothers, "Gus" and "Joe,"
earned money Portland. For a time he carried newspapers and at the age of
fifteen became an iron molder's apprentice, working for John Nation, whose stove
foundry was located where the Inman-Poulsen lumber mill now stands. Mr. Stearns
followed that occupation until 1880, working in all of the old foundries of
Portland, and then became a retail cigar dealer. His first store was situated on
Front street near Oak and later he secured a more desirable location at No. 65
First street. For about four years he was thus engaged and then became route
agent for the Sunday Mercury. His next position was that of advertising
solicitor for the Oregon Siftings and later he was employed in a similar
capacity by the Daily News, building up the advertising department of that
paper. In 1886 he entered the real estate field, starting with John Kiernan,
practically as his godfather in that line, whose advice and assistance proved
invaluable, and was next associated with Colonel W. H. West, with whom he
continued until about 1891. Mayor Mason appointed him to fill a vacancy in the
office of city assessor in 1892 and at the end of twenty months' service he
returned to the real estate business, with which he was identified until 1913.
An expert valuator, his advice and opinion were constantly sought and many
important transfers of property were consummated through his agency. His
holdings in Portland include a fine business block at Nos. 188-90 Fourth street
and other valuable property and he is also president of the Grand Rapids Show
Case Company, a local agency.
     Since his retirement from the real estate business Mr. Stearns has been
active in public affairs, instituting well devised plans for the advancement and
betterment of his city, county and state. For ten years he has served on the
industries committee of the Portland Chamber of Commerce and in 1923 started the
movement for Multnomah county to take over Lone Fir Cemetery. Through his
tireless efforts this object was achieved March 12, 1928, when the county
acquired possession of what is now known as Memorial Lone Fir Cemetery, which is
to be preserved as a memorial to Oregon's pioneers. With the assistance of Hon.
Joseph Dunne, Mr. Stearns was able to put the measure through the state senate
and for five years acted as chairman of the committee appointed by the Oregon
Pioneers Association to take charge of this project.
     Mr. Stearns was married February 17, 1884, to Miss Martha A. Wilkinson, a
daughter of Isaiah A. Wilkinson, who fought in the Civil war and who died at
Evansville, Indiana, from illness contracted while serving in the Union army.
Mrs. Wilkinson settled in Brownsville, Oregon, during the childhood of her
daughter Martha, who came to Portland in 1883 and lived where the Lumbermen's
building now stands. Mr. and Mrs. Stearns have a son, David Lloyd, who was
graduated from the University of Oregon and is his father's business associate.
He married Miss Natrude Larsen, of Miami, Florida, and both are prominent in
social circles of Portland.
     David S. Stearns is one of the directors of the Oregon Historical Society
and an ex-president of the Oregon Pioneers Association, of which he is now the
treasurer. He is also identified with the society known as the Sons and
Daughters of Pioneers, the Oregon State Motor Association, the Portland Chamber
of Commerce, Lang Syne Society, and the City Club. In politics he is a
republican and champions all projects of reform, progress and improvement. His
has been an exemplary life and the years have strengthened his position in
public esteem, bringing him a large and ever widening circle of loyal, steadfast
friends.
 
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in August 2007 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.