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. 467.
 
JAMES W. HARVEY

     proprietor of the Rufus Hotel, Rufus, Sherman county, was born in Polk
county, Oregon, May 3, 1856, the son of Job and Ellen (Perry) Harvey. The father
was a native of Pennsylvania, his parents the same, and his grandfather was
English; his grandmother Scotch. The mother of our subject was a native of
Maine, a member of the old and distinguished Perry family. Of these Commodore
Perry, the historically celebrated naval officer, Oliver Hazard Perry, who
fought the battle of Lake Erie, and others who became distinguished in American
history, were members.
     The father of our subject came to Oregon with his parents, with ox teams,
in 1850. His father, Amos, secured a donation claim which is now the present
site of a portion of the city of Portland. The Multnomah county court house
stands on part of it and the entire quarter section extends down to the
Willamette river. The locator remained on this land nine months and then
disposed of the improvements for a ranch in Yamhill county, which he later
exchanged for Polk county property where he died. Our subject's father owned a
half section adjoining upon which James W. Harvey was born. The latter's father
died when he was seventeen years of age; his mother when he was eleven months
old. He has no remembrance of either of his parents, the father having died in
Montana. Our subject lived with his grandfather and uncles until he was nine
years old, and then he ran away to The Dalles. Here he worked for Mr. Grimes,
mentioned elsewhere. He passed eighteen months at The Dalles and was eighteen
months with Henry Barnum, mentioned in another portion of this work, on the
present site of Moro. Returning to the Willamette valley he found employment in
a livery stable in Albany. Here he remained two years and then he went east of
the mountains as general manager for Robert Saltmarsh, a sheep grower.  Three
years subsequently he went to Heppner where he filled a similar position in the
cattle business for William Taylor. He then purchased beef for a Portland house
four years and the two years subsequently he traveled about, engaging in no
business. Mr. Harvey returned to Umatilla county in 1876, and at the breaking
out of the Indian war joined the company of Frank Mattoc's with which he
remained one month. Then the United States government employed him as a scout
for a period of three months when the war closed. Subsequently for two years he
bought and sold horses on his own account, going to Grass Valley, Sherman
county, in 1879.  There were then only two houses in the place; one belonging to
"Doc" Rollins, who is mentioned elsewhere; and one owned by a man named Hough.
Our subject located a claim near "Doc" Rollins', which he disposed of to, Mr.
Van Winkle, mentioned in another .portion,of this work.  On this he resided
seventeen years, going, in 1887, to Ellensburg, Washington, where he passed a,
few months. After this, during a portion of eight years he remained in Portland
engaged in contracting on street grading. During that period he took a contract
for railroad work near Winlock, Washington, in which he lost all his funds owing
to the fact that the principal! contractor failed to pay the sub-contractors.
This loss was a severe one amounting to about $16,000. After this he completed a
small contract near Olympia and returned to Portland. In 1893 Mr. Harvey located
in Peoria, Linn county, Oregon, where he worked for H. F. Fisher in a mill and
warehouse for six years. Going to Viento, Wasco county, he was in the employment
of the Oregon Lumber Company five months. Thence he migrated to The Dalles where
for a short period he conducted a shooting gallery, and the following summer he
was in Centerville, Washington, one year, in the confectionery and ice cream
business. He continued the same line of business ten months in Wasco, but August
1, 1904, he rented the Rufus Hotel. He still owns a farm on the edge of Peoria
which he rents.
     March 15, 1884, at Grass Valley, our subject was united in marriage to
Margaret Emma Shanklin, born in Burlington, Linn county, Oregon, the daughter of
Robert and Martha (McCartney) Shanklin. Her father was born in Fleming county,
Kentucky. His ancestors were Scotch pioneers. Her mother was a native of
Indiana, and her father of Tennessee. Her grandparents were Scotch and Irish.
Our subscriber has one brother living, Daniel P.; another brother, Charles C.,
is dead. Mrs. Harvey has three sisters living; Edna; Edith (in Idaho); Effie,
wife of Walter Barber, of Peoria, Linn county, Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey have
four children, Clinton, Clyde, Robert and Edith, living at home. Mrs. Harvey is
a member of the Methodist (South) church.  Politically, Mr. Harvey is a
Republican although not particularly active. Our subject is a popular man
throughout the county and numbers a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2010 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.