Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers. "An Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties") Spokane, WA: Western Historical Publishing Co., 1905. p. 546. JAMES L. VAN WINKLE who stands at the head of a furniture and shoe house in Grass Valley, Oregon, is one; of the substantial ands popular men of this part of Sherman county. He was born in Morgan county, Illinois, on November 6, 1849, his parents being Thomas and Orpha A. (Barlow) Van Winkle, natives of Illinois. The father's parents were natives of Kentucky and came from Dutch ancestry. He had three brothers in the Civil war, Alexander E., Edward and John. The first two were wounded. The family crossed the plains with ox and horse teams in 1854 and settled in Petaluma, California. Later they came to Sacramento, where the mother died. The father was occupied in freighting from Sacramento to various points in Nevada, and our subject assisted him in this business when not attending school. Later the father came to Washington and died in Yakima county in 1889. Our subject bought a farm on Grand Island, about twelve miles below Colusa, which he sold, later and removed to Stanislaus county. There he lived nine years then went to Alameda county. For five years he was occupied in breaking and training horses, and in 1883 took a homestead, preemption and timber claim. It was about 1898 when he came to Grass Valley and engaged in his present business which he has conducted successfully since. On November 6, 1877, in Graysonville, California, Mr. Van Winkle married Jennie E. McReynold, a native of Sonoma county, California. Later they were divorced and on May 30, 1895, Mr. Van Winkle married Myrtle Shintaffer, a native of Hixton, Wisconsin. Her father, Cornelius D. Hinman, was born in New York and his father participated in the War of 1812. The Hinman family was one of the old colonial families, well known in history and prominent in the professions and commercial life. Many of them are in New England, New York and other portions of the country. Our subject has no brothers living, and has one sister, Fannie, the wife of R. Sisk, in Yakima county, Washington. Mrs. Van Winkle has one brother, George E. Hinman, a musician, in Tacoma. By his first marriage, our subject has the following named children : Wesley, of Stockton, California, who recently invented a friction clutch for automobiles that transfers the pulling power to the front as well as the rear wheels, for the American patents for which he has refused fifty thousand dollars ; Archie, of Farmington, California ; May, wife of Edward McReynolds, in Umatilla, Oregon ; and Daisy, the wife of Ray McReynolds, at Ukiah, Oregon. To our subject and his wife two children, have been born, E. Guy, and Thomas A., the latter March 10, 1905. By her first marriage Mrs. Van Winkle has one child, Ella, who is at home. Politically, Mr. Van Winkle is a Republican and is a member of the city council. His wife belongs to the Women of Woodcraft, and is also organist of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. and Mrs. Van Winkle are popular people and among the substantial and leading citizens of this part of the county. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2010 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.