"An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties : with a brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon." Chicago?: Western Historical Pub. Co., 1902. Page 498. Grant County. EDWARD S. PENFIELD It were impossible to compose a volume that had to do with the biographical part of Grant county without giving a prominent place to the esteemed gentleman and worthy pioneer whose name heads this article, and who has been a leading and distinguished figure about Canyon City and in this region for about forty years being especially active in church work and in the advancement of those things that are for the good of all. Mr. Penfield was born in Greene county, New York, in 1819, thence, being still a young man, he accompanied his parents to New York City. In 1849 his adventurous spirit was not contented to remain in the realms of civilization, and, accordingly, he came via the Isthmus to California, landing first in San Francisco, and immediately he engaged in mining, continuing the same for one year, and then returned to New York City. He remained in the east for a time, but the attractions of the west were decidedly too strong for a long stay there and accordingly he came again to San Francisco and opened a mercantile establishment at the foot of Sacramento street, where he had purchased a building. After one year there in business he repaired to Santa Cruz, continuing in the same business. In the early fifties he came to Oregon and opened a mercantile establishment in Portland; later he removed to The Dalles, and when the gold excitement broke out in eastern Oregon he came to Canyon City, expecting to soon return, but the years rolled by and he is still a resident of our beautiful county. He mined for some time after arriving here and then erected a sawmill, it being about the first that was built in this region. One year after he built it he sold out and went down on the John Day river and took up a ranch and commenced to raise stock and till the soil, and this occupation has engaged him constantly until a few years since, when he sold out entirely and retired from the more arduous activities of life. He is at the present time acting as agent for some of the leading insurance companies, and is one of the highly esteemed and respected business men of the city. In church work Mr. Penfield enjoys the distinction of being the real pioneer of the county, having been instrumental in organizing the first church in the county, the Methodist, which he formed in 1864. From the beginning Mr. Penfield gave liberally of his means and of his time and talent to push forward the work that was so dear to his heart. He has stood by it in all the years that have intervened and many times he has assumed the responsibilities of the pulpit, being especially favored in this line as an interesting and fervent speaker of the gospel that has given cheer to his own life of over four score years. Mr. Penfield is deserving of much credit for his valuable and self-sacrificing labors in this work. ******************* 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.