Parsons, Col. William and Shiach, W. S.  "An Illustrated History of Umatilla
County and of Morrow County." Spokane, WA: W. H. Lever, 1902. p. 512.

GEORGE NOBLE

     It is with unfeigned pleasure we accord to the esteemed pioneer, worthy
citizen and capable business man whose name appears above, representation in
this volume purporting to chronicle the history of our county and the
achievements of some of her most prominent citizens, since in the subject before
us we have one whose life has been a brilliant success considered from a
financial standpoint, while his integrity and sterling principles have ever been
the dominant feature of his career, insomuch that almost constantly he has been
kept in the discharge of public trusts by a discriminating and appreciative
people.
     George Noble was born on November 12, 1841, in Germany, from whence come
some of the most substantial and worthy men found in the bounds of the United
States.  His parents dying when he was very young he was thrown early upon his
own resources and at the tender age of fifteen left behind the scenes of the
fatherland and the friends of childhood, seeking his fortune in the new world
and locating in Indianapolis, where he sat himself to learn the harness maker's
trade, which was accomplished before 1862, the date of his enlistment to fight
in the Civil war.  After various service connected with the fortunes of war he
was detailed to act as one of an escort to an emigrant train coming from the
Missouri river to Walla Walla, Washington, it being his lot to drive a mule team
over the entire distance.  Being discharged at the end of his service he turned
to the Boise valley to search for the hidden treasure in the mining fields,
continuing there until 1865 when he repaired to Salem, Oregon, and took up his
trade, following it uninterruptedly there for seven years and then came to what
is now Morrow county, arriving here in 1872.  His location here was on McKinney
creek, where he took four hundred and eighty acres of land, buying some
in addition, and then embarked in stock raising, handling cattle principally.
In 1886 he was called by the people to act as treasurer of the county, being the
first one elected to fill that office, and after two years of careful
fulfillment of the duties imposed upon him in that capacity he was re-elected to
the same office and immediately upon the close of this term he was asked by the
franchises of the people to take the sheriff's duties, and in 1892 was
re-elected to a second term in the same office.  At the close of this second
term, in 1894, he retired for a time from public service and devoted his
attention to his own interests, returning to the farm and personally supervising
his stock and estates for three years and then opened his present business of
harness-maker and dealer in Heppner, where he carries a full line of goods and
enjoys a large and increasing patronage, being exceptionally popular throughout
the entire county.  At one time he ran for member of the city council and
received on hundred and forty-two votes out of a total of one hundred and
forty-three votes in the town, the other vote being his own, which was cast
against himself.  His is still a member of the city council, being ever ready to
bring to bear the same energy and wisdom to conserve the interests of his
constituency that has brought to him such unbounded success in his private
business enterprises.
     The marriage of Mr. Noble and Miss Mildred M. Gray, granddaughter of
ex-Governor Jackson, occurred in Salem in January, 1870.  They have the
following children:  Eugene A., partner in the firm; George; Jennie; Frank;
Mildred.  He is affiliated with the A.F. & A. M. and with the I.O.O.F.
 
 
Here are other references to George Noble also included in the book:
 
 
Page vi; Endorsements
"We, the undersigned, pioneer settlers of Morrow county, have listened to the
reading of the manuscript containing the history of Morrow county to be
published by W. H. Lever in the same volume with a history of Umatilla county,
and we bear testimony that it shows evidence of conscientious research and
presents, to our best knowledge, an accurate, comprehensive and impartial record
of events."
 
Committee of Citizens of Morrow county.
Ellis Minor
Frank Gilliam
George Noble
 
 
Chapter II, Political
     "Prior to the adoption of the Australian ballot system in 1892, the
election returns were not very satisfactorily preserved and as we have not had
access to complete newspaper files for the first few years, we have not been
able to find the names of all the different candidates nor the majorities of the
successful ones.  The county officers elected in 1886 were:  Judge, William
Mitchell; clerk, C. L. Andrews; Sheriff, T. R. Howard; commissioners, William M.
Douglas and Andrew Rood; treasurer, George Noble; assessor, J. M. Shelton;
surveyor, J. J. McGee; school superintendent, J. H. Stanley; coroner, A. L.
Saylor."
 
 
     "The election of 1888 resulted as follows:  Joint senator, J. P. Wagner;
representative, T. E. Fell; county judge, William Mitchell; county
commissioners, J. B. Ely and J. A. Thompson; county clerk, C. L. Andrews; county
sheriff, T. R. Howard; county treasurer, George Noble; county assessor, J. J.
McGee; county surveyor, Julius Keithley; county school superintendent, J. H.
Stanley; county coroner, A. J. Shobe."
 
 
     " The nominees in the political campaign of 1890 were:.........for sheriff,
A. Andrews, Republican; George Noble, Democratic."    "The election resulted as
follows:.........for sheriff, George Noble, Democrat, majority, 369."
 
 
In reference to the 1892 elections:
 
"The nominees of the Republican party in 1892 for state and county offices
were:.............for county sheriff, N. R. M Vey."  (McVey?)  "The Democratic
nominees were:............for county assessor, George Noble."
"This year will long be remembered as the one in which first figured in Morrow
county politics that phenomenal organization known as the People's party, that
bright, effulgent start which so suddenly rose upon the political horizon, shone
with such brilliance in its meridian glory and sank so quickly behind the hills
in the west."  "The following nominations were made by acclamation:
.................. J. M. Kees, of Ione, for sheriff."
"The election which was held on June 6th resulted in Morrow county as
follows:.........for sheriff, George Noble, Democrat, 303."


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in July 2005 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.