Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 3. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 810.
 
E. D. GARN

     Is one of the substantial farmers of Union county, owning and operating
three hundred and twenty acres of fine level land near Imbler, on which he
raises large quantities of wheat and from seventy-five to one hundred hogs each
year.  His farm requires no irrigation and is one of the fine agricultural
properties of the community.  He was born in Sandusky county, Ohio, in 1843, a
son of Martin and Catherine (Croyle) Garn, the parents both being natives of
Pennsylvania.  The grandfather, John Garn, was born in Holland and upon
emigrating to America at an early day he settled in Pennsylvania.  The parents
of our subject were married in the Keystone state and in the same year they
settled in Ohio upon a farm which the father cleared and cultivated, making his
home thereon until his death, which occurred when he was eighty-seven years of
age.  His son Chancy is now living upon the old homestead.
     Of the seven children born unto his parents E. D. Garn, of this review, was
the third in order of birth.  He spent his boyhood days in Ohio, where he
received a common-school education and remained upon the home farm until 1864.
Then in company with his brother Ephraim he went to Atchison, Kansas, by rail,
where each bought three yoke of cattle, and after equipping their wagons with
necessary commodities, joined a party comprised of seventeen wagons bound for
the far west.  The party was composed almost entirely of young men going west to
seek their fortunes, there being but one married couple in the company.  They
were detained  at the Big Sandy creek, in Colorado, for two months, owing to
trouble which the Indians were causing along the westward trail.  After that
long delay they continued their journey and although the Indians did not molest
them the savages watched the emigrants for a distance of two hundred miles,
being visible almost daily on the ridges surmounting the road which they
traveled.  The last seen of the Indians were signal fires supposed to have been
a call for assistance from other tribes.  At the Little Blue river Mr. Garn's
party passed a government outfit of seventy-five wagons, the Indians having
stolen the mules and set fire to most of the equipment, which was yet burning
when the west-bound party passed.  None of the party, however, had been killed.
Upon reaching Green river in Utah, a terrible snow storm, with exceptionally
cold weather, overtook the party in November and there their stock was all
frozen or starved to death.  The members of the party, however, made their way
to Salt Lake City where they passed the winter, then in the spring of 1865
started for Montana, first going to Virginia City, where Mr. Garn engaged in
freighting.  He continued in that business for seven years, operating between
various mining camps.  He had no trouble with outlaws but there were many such
characters in the country and on one occasion a stage coach just ahead of him
was held up and robbed by them.  He afterward went to Wyoming and remained there
for about eighteen years, being employed during most of that time as a carpenter
and builder.  After that he settled in Oregon in the grande Ronde valley, where
he lived for two years in Cove, after which he purchased half of his present
farm three-quarters of a mile west of the depot at Imbler.  In 1908 he purchased
another quarter section adjoining his original purchase, making his present
holding three hundred and twenty acres of fine land.  He devotes his attention
principally to raising wheat, and feeds from seventy-five to one hundred hogs
each year for the market.
     E. D. Garn was married December 27, 1870, to Miss Nancy M. Eldridge, a
native of Michigan, whose father died when she was an infant.  Her mother who
married again removed to the west when her daughter was two years of age,
settling in Oregon.  Unto Mr. and Mrs. Garn have been born four children, as
follows:  Catherine M., the wife of Edward Murcheson, residing in Walla Walla,
Washington; J. M., living on the homestead; Bertha B., the wife of David
Osborne, of Umatilla county; and Guy E., of Napa, California.
     Mr. Garn has been much interested in educational matters and has been a
member of the school board.  He has also served as road commissioner for four
years.  He is a careful and conservative business man, owning a magnificent
piece of agricultural property, which lies almost as level as a floor.  The soil
is of great fertility and the crops which it produces annually under his careful
management are very satisfactory.  He has an extended acquaintance in the county
and has long been regarded as one of it successful citizens.


*******************

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.