Lockley, Fred. "History of the Columbia River Valley, From The Dalles to the Sea." Vol. 3. S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928. p. 190. JUDSON WEED Judson Weed, whose well improved homestead lies four miles southwest of Vernonia, Oregon, has lived on this place over fifty years and is entitled to his full share of the credit due those whose early efforts laid the foundation for the present prosperity of the Columbia river valley. Mr. Weed was born in Jackson county, Ohio, April 14, 1846, and is a son of Gilbert and Abigail (Patton) Weed. The Weed family is of English origin and is traced back to King Egbert, the first Saxon king of England, from whom the family is descended. The progenitor of the family in America was Jonas Weed, who came from Yorkshire, England, to Stamford, Connecticut, in 1629. He had a crown grant of land, a part of which is still owned by the Weed family in Connecticut. In the maternal line Mr. Weed is descended from Olive Branch, who became the wife of William Weed. Gilbert Weed was born in New York state in 1800 and his wife in Virginia about 1803. He moved to Ohio in an early day, locating in Jackson county, where he engaged in farming during the remainder of his life, and his death occurred there. He enlisted for service in the Mexican war, but the conflict came to an end before he got to the scene of hostilities. The family has been active in the wars of this country, as Judson Weed's great-grandfather, Gilbert Weed, fought in the Revolutionary war and his grandfather, William Weed, was a soldier of the War of 1812. Gilbert Weed and his wife had twelve children, eleven of whom grew to maturity, and four are still living, namely: Judson; Oren, who lives in Anderson, Missouri; and Luther and Calvin, who live in Jackson, Ohio. Of these twelve children, seven sons fought in the Union Army during the Civil war and one, Andrew was killed in action at Kerntown, in the Shenandoah valley of Virginia. Judson Weed attended the public schools of Jackson county, Ohio, and the National Normal School at Lebanon, that state, after which he taught school for several years. In 1875 he went overland to San Francisco, California, thence by boat to Portland, Oregon, and taught school for one year in Linn county, this state. In 1876 he took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres four miles southwest of Vernonia, Columbia county, all of which was covered with heavy timber and brush. He first built a small house of split cedar boards, there being no sawmills in this locality at that time, and then entered upon the task of clearing the land. He also taught school for several years and so greatly was he interested in the advancement of the educational interests of the community that he helped to build the first schoolhouse in Vernonia district, and was the second teacher there. HE cleared and put under cultivation about fifty acres of his land, planted a good orchard, and for many years gave much of his attention to raising cattle, stock cattle at first, but later dairy cattle, mainly Jerseys. His principal crops have been hay and vegetables, and in the operation of the ranch he has met with very satisfactory success. During the years that he has lived here he has made many permanent and substantial improvements and now owns one of the best farms in this section of the county. On July 13, 1879, Mr. Weed was united in marriage to Miss Emma Van Blaricom, who was born in Minnesota and is a daughter of Henry and Catherine (Gearing) Van Blaricom, the former born in Ohio and the latter in Missouri. Her father died in August, 1904, and her mother is still living, at the age of eighty-five years. Mr. Van Blaricom came to Oregon in 1872, at which time he took up a claim of timber land, a large part of which he cleared off and developed into a good farm. He farmed there for many years and then sold and moved to Cowlitz county, Washington, where he bought another farm. Later he sold that place and moved to Hood River, Oregon, where he bought city property and lived there until his death. To him and his wife were born six children, namely: Mrs. Emma Weed; Lawrence, who lives in Newberg, Oregon; Isaac, of Hood River, Oregon; John, of Everett, Washington; Samuel, of Vancouver, Washington, and Otis, who died April 24, 1905. Mr. and Mrs. Weed became the parents of six children: Jessie Olive is deceased; Oscar, who lives on the old homestead, which he is helping to operate, is married and has six children, Eliza, Chester, and Melvin, who are in high school, and Oren, Mildred and Alice, who are in grammar school; Gertrude, who graduated from the California State Normal School in Los Angeles and attended Willamette University at Salem, Oregon, is now teaching in the public schools of Portland; Ethel is the wife of R. D. Coffman, of Los Angeles, California, and they have two sons, Donald and Robert; Ross is deceased; and Lesta, who was born at Philomath, is the wife of E. E. Garner and lives at home. Mr. Weed has always shown a helpful interest in public affairs and has given able service to his county. He served several years as county superintendent of school, eight years as a member of the board of county commissioners, two years as county assessor; two terms as the representative from Columbia county in the state legislature, and four years as county clerk, in all of which positions he gave able and conscientious service, winning the commendation and approbation of his fellow citizens, who had sought him for these various offices. Mr. Weed is a veteran of the Civil war, having enlisted, when seventeen years old, in Company I, One Hundred and Seventy-second Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He has long been a member of John Bucher Post, No. 70, G.A.R., of which he is the last surviving member. As teacher, soldier, farmer and public official, he has always done his full duty and is uniformly regarded as a splendid exemplar of good citizenship and true manhood, commanding to a marked degree the confidence and respect of his fellowmen. Transcriber's additional notes: Census 1850, Sept 10; Jackson Co, OH; Franklin Twp, p 298 Gilbert Weed, 46, NY, farmer Abigail, 38, VA Columbus, 18, OH, farming, att. school Olive, 15, OH, att. school Jemima, 14, OH, att. school William, 12, OH, att. school Rosetta, 10, OH, att. school Andrew, 9, OH, att. school Charles, 8, OH, att. school Oscar, 6, OH, att. school Judson, 5, OH Orin, 3, OH Samuel, 1, OH 1860, July 5; Jackson Co, OH; Franklin Twp, p 149 Gilbert Webb, 56, NY, farmer Abigail, 49, VA Rosetta, 20, OH Andrew, 19, OH, laborer Charles M, 17, OH, laborer, att. school Oscar, 16, OH, laborer, att. school Judson, 13, OH, att. school Oren, 10, OH, att. school Macas L, 5, OH John C, 4, OH Willam, 86, NY, farmer 1870, July 25; Wood Co, WI; Lincoln Pct, p 522 John Mills, 45, New Bruns., farmer R. W. Lee, 21, NY, laborer Andrew Meron, 20, OH, laborer Judson Weed, 25, OH, laborer David Traxler, 23, OH, laborer Jos. Anderson, 21, Scotland, laborer 1870, June 6; Jackson Co, OH; Franklin Twp, p 32 Gilbert Weed, 66, NY, farmer Abigail, 58, OH Oren, 22, OH, farm laborer Marcus, 16, OH, farm laborer, att. school John C, 14, OH, farm laborer, att. school 1880, June 3; Columbia Co, OR; Nehalem Pct, p 347 Judson Weed, 33, OH, NY, WV, farmer Emma, wife, 18, MN, OH, IN, keeping house 1900, June 2; Benton Co, OR; Philomath Wd 2, p 236 Judson Weed, 53, April 1847, OH, NY, WV, mar 21 yrs, dealer, groceries Emma, wife, 39, June 1861, MN, OH, IN, mar 21 yrs, 5 children-4 living Gertrude A, dau, 16, May 1884, OR, OH, MN, att. school Ethel J, dau, 10, Jan 1890, OR, OH, MN, att. school Columbus, brother, 67, Oct 1832, OH, NY, WV, Wd, salesman, groceries 1910, May 4; Columbia Co, OR; Auburn Pct, p 64 Judson Weed, 63, OH, NY, WV, 1st mar, mar 30 yrs, farmer Emma, wife, 48, MN, OH, IN, 1st mar, mar 30 yrs, 6 children-4 living Gertrude, dau, 25, OR, OH, MN, teacher, public school Ethel, dau, 20, OR, OH, MN, teacher, public school Lester, dau, 6, OR, OH, MN 1920, Jan. 20; Columbia Co, OR; Vernonia Pct, p 146 Judson Weed, 72, OH, NY, VA, farmer Emiline, wife, 59, MN, OH, PA Catherine Van Blaricom, m in l, 75, Wd, PA, GER, Unk Lesta Weed, dau, 15, OR, OH, MN Lena Coiner, boarder, 20, single, MO, MO, MO, teacher, public school Oregon Death Index http://www.heritagetrailpress.com /DEATH_INDEX Judson Weed, died May 10, 1929; Columbia Co, OR; cert. # 58 ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2006 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.