Clark, Robert Carlton, Ph.D. "History of the Willamette Valley Oregon." Vol. 3. Chicago: Chapman Publishing Company, 1927. p. 215. J. R. LILES Among the fruit raisers and market gardeners of Lane county J. R. Liles is well known because of his successful record, as well as for his high personal character. Mr. Liles was born near Crow, west of Eugene, in 1868, and is a son of J. W. and Margaret M. (Job) Liles. The father, who died in 1898, crossed the plains in boyhood with two brothers, Joseph and William, and a sister, Barbara, all of whom are deceased. He took up a donation claim near Crow, Lane county, and in his early days here gave his chief attention to raising cattle. He took a leading part in the development of the new country, doing much donation road work and serving as a member of the school board. He served through the Rogue River war as a spy and had many exciting experiences with the Indians. He also participated in the stirring events of early California mining days. The mother, who died in October, 1926, was brought across the plains in 1853, when but a child, her father taking up six hundred and forty acres of land near Elmira. She was a very active woman and retained her bodily vigor to a remarkable degree almost up to the time of her death, which occurred when she was eighty-one years of age. She was the mother of nine children, all surviving except one. J. R. Liles secured his education in the public and high schools of Eugene, after which he turned his attention to the hop business, being one of the first to plant hops in this locality. He carried on that business for twenty-five years, and during that period lived at Creswell and Pleasant Hill. About 1920 Mr. Liles bought two hundred acres of land where he is now living, and planted five acres to peaches, two acres to cherries and a considerable tract to strawberries and raspberries. He engaged extensively in the raising of cabbages, meeting with such success that in 1926 he was called the champion cabbage raiser of Oregon, shipping his product to all sections of the coast. He is planning to raise two hundred tons of cabbages in 1927. He has a fine farm, well improved in every respect, and has shown excellent judgment in its operation. In 1898 Mr. Liles was united in marriage to Miss Lucy Mulkey, who was horn in Kansas, a daughter of Willis J. and Mary (Davis) Mulkey. Her father died in 1918 and her mother now lives in Eugene. The Mulkeys are an old family in this section of the valley, though her own family came here about 1886, when she was nine years of age, locating near Pleasant Hill. Mr. Mulkey was a nephew of Philip Mulkey, who arrived here in an early day and took up a donation claim where Mulkey cemetery is now located. He was a preacher and rode the circuits in this part of the state. Two of Willis J. Mulkey's brothers, I. N. and A. H. Mulkey, also were preachers, the first named locating at Pleasant Hill, near Eugene. To Mr. and Mrs. Liles have been born six children, as follows: Paloma, the wife of E. A. Jones, of Eugene, and the mother of two children, Alberta and Lois Helen; she entered the University of Oregon at the age of fifteen years; Vesta, who is the wife of Arthur Stolda, who lives on the home place; Elwood, Vernon, Larry and Mary Margaret, at home. Mr. Liles has served as road supervisor of his district and is now chairman of the Santa Clara school board and Mrs. Liles also takes an effective interest in the welfare of the schools. He possesses a valued relic of pioneer days, consisting of a large part of a wagon that was hauled across the plains by his father's party. Possessing many excellent qualities, Mr. Liles has shown a helpful spirit in all community affairs and in every relation of life has done his full part, being regarded as one of the worthy citizens of his locality. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2016 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.