Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 2. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 552.
 
JOHN R. STEARNS

     A farm of one hundred and sixty acres, situated not far from Williams in
Josephine county, pays tribute to the care and labor bestowed upon it by the
owner, John R. Stearns. He is one of Oregon's honored pioneers, having come to
this state in 1853. He was born in New York, December 18, 1848, so that almost
the width of the continent separates him from his birthplace. He was one of a
family of six children, whose parents were M. N. and Dorcas R. (Ray) Stearns.
The family remained residents of the Empire state until 1853 and then, upon the
tide of emigration that was steadily flowing westward, came to the Pacific coast
country with Oregon as their destination. It was a long and tedious journey
behind slow plodding oxen and day after day passed until the days had lengthened
into weeks and the weeks into months ere they reached their destination. They
traveled hundreds of miles without seeing the habitation of a white man and
added to the arduous nature of such a trip there was always the danger of Indian
hostility, but without very alarming or exciting incidents the Stearns family at
length reached the Sunset state, within the borders of which John R. Stearns has
since made his home.
     He was only in his fifth year when the family made the overland trip to the
northwest. He entered the public schools, mastering therein the usual branches
of learning, and in the summer months he worked upon the home farm until he
became familiar with the best methods of tilling the fields and caring for the
crops. He was eighteen years of age when he left home and began to earn his own
living, working for wages in the neighborhood. At length he resolved to
establish a home of his own and in 1888 was married to Miss Mary Pedcliff, who
was also born in the east. They became the parents of two children, Alpha and
Georgia. Mrs. Stearns passed away on the 17th of December, 1891.
     In 1907 Mr. Stearns purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres which
he improved, converting the wild land into productive fields and annually
gathering therefrom good harvests. He has studied the question of the crops that
are best suited to soil and climatic conditions here and in his farm work has
followed most progressive methods.
     Mr. Stearns votes with the democratic party and, while he does not seek nor
desire office, is able to support his position by intelligent argument. He holds
membership with the Knights of Pythias lodge at Ashland and he is well known
throughout his part of the state for his sterling traits of character. He is
always found reliable in business, progressive in citizenship and loyal to his
friends.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in August 2007 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.