"Portrait and Biographical Record of Portland and Vicinity, Oregon." Authors: "a
compilation of this work....by a number of writers."  Chicago: Chapman
Publishing Co., 1903.  p. 41.
 
JAMES D. FENTON

     The genealogy of the Fenton family is traced to England, whence three
brothers came to America, one settling in Virginia, another in New York and the
third in New England. Descended from the Virginian branch was James E. Fenton, a
native of the Old Dominion, born in 1798, and in early life a resident of
Kentucky, but after 1820 a pioneer farmer of Boone county, Mo., where he died.
His son, James D., was born and reared in Boone county and became a farmer in
Scotland county, that state. From there, in May of 1865, he started across the
plains with ox-teams, accompanied by his wife and seven children. Joining an
expedition of over one hundred wagons, he was able to make his way safely
through a region inhabited by hostile Indians. During the winter of 1865-66 he
taught school near what is now Woodburn, in Marion county,
Ore., but in the spring of 1866 he removed to a farm near McMinnville, Yamhill
county. In addition to improving this property, he cleared a tract near
Lafayette, and on the latter farm his death occurred in February of 1886, when
he was fifty-four years of age. Through all of his active life he adhered to
Baptist doctrines and favored Democratic principles. At one time he held the
office of county commissioner.
     The marriage of James D. Fenton united him with Margaret A. Pinkerton, who
was born near Barboursville, Ky., and is now living in Portland, at seventy-two
years of age (1902). Her father, David, was born near Asheville, N. C., of
Scotch descent, and settled in Kentucky when a young man. After his marriage he
established his home on a plantation near Barboursville. In 1846 he removed to
Clark county, Mo., and from there in 1865, accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Fenton to
Oregon. His grandfather, David Pinkerton, was a cartridge box maker and rendered
valued service during the Revolutionary war. The Pinkerton ancestors became
identified with the Carolinas as early as 1745. In the family of James D. and
Margaret A. Fenton there were ten children, namely : William D.,
attorney-at-law, of Portland; Mrs. Amanda Landess, of Yamhill county; James
Edward, an attorney at Nome, Alaska; Frank W., an attorney at McMinnville, Ore.;
J. D., a practicing physician in Portland; H. L., a merchant at Dallas, Ore.;
Charles R., an attorney, who died at Spokane, Wash., in 1893; Matthew F., who is
engaged in dental practice at Portland; Hicks C., a physician of Portland;
and Mrs. Margaret Spencer, also of Portland.
 
 
Transcriber's additional notes:
 
This same biography appears in the following book:
 
"Portrait and Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley, Oregon"
A compilation of work by a number of writers
Chapman Publishing Co.; 1903, page 41

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