Carey, Charles Henry.  "History of Oregon." Vol. 3. Chicago-Portland: Pioneer
Historical Pub. Co., 1922.  p. 704.
 
EDWIN H. CATON

     A prominent resident of Athena, Umatilla county, is Edwin H. Caton, who for
many years engaged in farming in this county but is now living retied, enjoying
the fruits of his diligence and industry.  He is a native son of Oregon, his
birth having occurred in Marion county, on the 22d of July, 1854, a son of
Nathan T. and Martha A. (Harren) Caton.  The father was born near St. Louis,
Missouri, and when about nineteen years of age came west, making the journey by
way of the Isthmus of Panama and settling in San Francisco for a short time.
For one year he followed mining, in which venture he achieved a substantial
measure of success, but gave up that occupation in 1852, and removed to
Willamette Valley, Oregon, taking up a donation claim in Lane county.  He later
obtained some land in Marion county near Salem, on which he built a log house
and resided thereon for a number of years.  He was a prominent man of his
community and held various public offices.  During the administration of
President Buchanan he was appointed to the office of postmaster and he served as
county clerk a number of terms, likewise representing Wallowa county in the
legislature for two terms.  Nathan T. Caton had devoted considerable time to the
study of law and soon after his removal to Lincoln county he was called upon to
fill the office of district attorney.  He was attorney for the Northern Pacific
Railroad and in 1896 was a presidential elector.  Mr. Caton continued his
professional practice until his retirement a few years before his death, which
occurred at the home of his daughter in Rothland, B. C.  He was then
eighty-three years old and had lived a useful life.  His political allegiance
was given to the democratic party, his religious faith was that of the Christian
church, and his fraternal affiliations were with the Masons and Knights of
Pythias.  Nathan T. Caton enlisted in the Union army, during the Civil war and
served bravely and gallantly.  He saw active service in the Mexican war and
likewise participated in the Indian wars of southern Oregon.  He married Miss
Martha A. Harren, on the 14th of April, 1853.  She was born in Decatur county,
Indiana, and in 1845 crossed the plains with her parents, who made the trip as
members of a wagon train.  Many hardships were endured during the journey and
they were the center of several Indian attacks.  They followed the old Oregon
Trail and were lost trying to find the Meeks cutoff, nearly starving before they
reached The Dalles, Oregon.  They stopped here but a short time and then went to
Marion county and settled near Salem, taking up a donation claim of six hundred
and forty acres, which he brought to a high state of cultivation and on which he
built a substantial log house.  On this land the death of Mrs. Caton's father
took place, March 2, 1864, and her mother passed away on the 15th of September,
1881.  Mrs. Caton's demise occurred in Davenport, Washington, at the age of
sixty-seven years.
     The boyhood of Edwin H. Caton was spent in Marion county, where he received
his education and when twelve years of age he removed with his parents to
Wallowa county, Washington, where he resided until he was twenty-five years of
age and followed the bricklaying trade.  In 1887 he left Wallowa, Washington,
and came to Oregon, where he purchased his present farm of ninety-one acres.  On
this land he lived for a number of years and there is no phase of agriculture
which he does not understand.  While residing in Wallowa, Mr. Caton has studied
law quite extensively but because of failing eyesight he was forced to give up
his efforts and hopes in this connection.  Mr. Caton is now living retired in
Athena, enjoying the results of his life of diligence and industry.  While on
his farm in Umatilla county he followed dairying, in which venture he was also
successful.
     On the 29th of October, 1879, Mr. Caton was married to Miss Catherine
Lieuallen, a daughter of Josiah and Johannah (Campbell) Lieuallen the former a
native of Nashville, Tennessee, and the latter of Knoxville, Kentucky.  When a
young man the father of Mrs. Caton went to Missouri, settling in Mercer county,
where his marriage took place and where he engaged in farming until 1863, when
he brought his family across the plains and located near what is now Athena on a
ninety-one acre tract, on which he built a log house and otherwise improved the
land.  He operated this land until his death which took place on the 30th of
October, 1890.  His wife died on the 25th of June, 1887.  The political
allegiance of Mr. Lieuallen was given to the democratic party and both he and
his wife were consistent members of the Baptist church.  To the Union of Mr. and
Mrs. Caton, four children have been born:  Blanche, Mary, Mattie, and Thomas.
     Mr. Caton is a democrat in politics, stanchly supporting all measures and
interests which he deems of value in the upbuilding of community and
commonwealth.  He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Woodmen of
the World.  His interest in public and civic affairs is manifest in his
connection with the city council and the school board of Athena.
 
 
 
*******************

Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in September 2006 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.