An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company,
Spokane, WA. 1905, page 424.

HENRY WAKERLIG has demonstrated his grit and pluck in his endeavors in Wasco and
adjoining counties, for his path has been beset with many losses and hardships
which he has overcome only by sheer force of will and determination. At present
he is dwelling at Bakeoven, being the postmaster there. He was born in
Switzerland, August 1, 1853, the son of John and Regla (Frei) Wakerlig, also
natives of Switzerland. The father served from twenty-one to forty-five in the
Swiss army, two weeks and one day each alternate year. Our subject grew up on
his father's farm, received his education from the parochial schools and in 1883
came to the United States. He came direct to Oregon, and herded sheep for
Solomon Hauser, deceased, for eight months. Then he located his family in the
vicinity of where Shaniko now stands and herded sheep for three years, being in
the employ of Al Porter, E.M. Gilsay, and William Jones. In 1886 he bought four
hundred sheep and started in for himself. He went to Crook county and took a
pre-emption in the Paulina valley that fall, and the hard winter took half of
his sheep. In the fall of 1887 he sold his place there and returned to the
vicinity of Shaniko. He rented the same place where he had first left his family
and the next year took a homestead and timber culture on Ocheco creek, a mile a
half from Bakeoven, where he lived until 1889. He purchased eleven hundred sheep
which he added to his others now increased to twenty-seven hundred. That winter
he lost all but three hundred of his sheep. He placed that remnant with another
man's sheep and commenced to herd again, as he was in debt and forced to raise
money. Two years were thus occupied and he finally made another start. And since
that time he has had better success. In January, 1902, he purchased the place
where he now resides, having moved there two years previously. He had between
nine and ten thousand sheep, but now handles about six thousand. He owns three
thousand nine hundred acres of land, and cultivates three hundred to grain and
hay. There are seventeen hundred acres of good tillable land in the estate. He
also owns fifty cattle and as many horses, and is one of the wealthy men of the
county, all of which is the result of his determination to make a success, which
he has done.      

In Switzerland, on December 12, 1876, Mr. Wakerlig married Miss Mary, the
daughter of Jacob and Katherine Wittweiler, both natives of Switzerland. Mr.
Wakerlig has one brother, Frederick, a sculptor in his native land, and one
sister, Barbara, the wife of Donathe Wittmer, a wagonmaker in New Haven,
Connecticut. The wife has no brothers but two half sisters, Mrs. Katherine Myer,
and Annie. Our subject and his wife have ten children, Henry, Edwin, Ernest,
Walter, Mary, Bertha, Rosie, Julia, Annie and Minnie. Mary is the wife of Albert
McKinley, three miles south from our subject's home, and Bertha is the wife of
Roy Logan, living near, and the balance of the children are all at home. Mr.
Wakerlig is a Republican, and is active in school matters, having been director
for many years.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2005 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. 
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.