"Portrait & Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley Oregon." Chapman Publishing Company, 1903. p. 661. LEVI HAGEY As one may inherit the color of one's eyes and hair, a peculiarity of disposition, a distaste of certain things, a love of others, so the pioneer instinct is transmitted from generation to generation, giving evidence of its existence in the restlessness of the various members of a family. So true is this pioneer instinct and so forcible in its results, that these men make the best inhabitants of an unsettled country, going out to the congenial work with the inner consciousness in complete accord with the work of the hands. This theory may account for the fact that those of the name of Hagey have always been successful in the work they came to do. August 15, 1825, Levi Hagey was born in Davie county., N. C., the son of Andrew Hagey, born at the same place in 1800. The father was a farmer, and a few years after his marriage with Catherine Grimes, a native of North Carolina, he emigrated to Indiana, taking land there after the laws of that day, in Putnam county, where he remained for six years. The son, Levi, was then eight years of age, and he recalls quite vividly the trip into Des Moines county, Iowa, where his father purchased land, engaging in general farming. In 1848, dissatisfied with their location, the old people followed their son across the plains, settling in Oregon, where Mrs. Hagey outlived her husband by thirty years, his death occurring in 1851, hers in 1881. Levi Hagey received his education in the log schools of Iowa, gathering with the schooling process the general information and independence that characterized the pioneer schoolboy, and with his pioneer inheritance coming to the front, he was not long in breaking his old associations and starting for the land of the setting sun, where he felt his ability great enough to overcome the thousand and one obstacles in the way of the success of the young man who came empty-handed into the wilderness. It was literally empty-handed with this young man, who went to St. Joseph, Mo., in 1847, joining an emigrant train of one hundred and twenty wagons, one of which he drove on the seven months' trip to pay for his passage. In the fall of 1847 the train reached Chehalem valley, each man hastening to find a suitable location for his future home. Mr. Hagey took up a donation land claim of six hundred and forty acres adjoining the town of Dundee, Yamhill county, Ore., and on this location he has ever since remained, finding in those uncultivated fields an outlet for his strong pioneer desires. In March, 1900, he removed to McMinnville, intending to pass the remainder of his days here, having divided his farm among his children, and retaining only seventy-four acres in his own name. March 18, 1847, Mr. Hagey was married to Elizabeth Shuck, a native of Indiana, born in that state March 11, 1826. In 1888 Mrs. Hagey died, leaving a family of seven children : Susan Parrot and Anne Robertson, located on their shares of the old donation claim; Andrew, in Newberg; Jacob, farming on his inheritance; Eliza Grames, in Newberg, Henry, on property acquired through his own efforts, also that of his inheritance; and Peter, who is also farming his share of the old homestead. Mr. Hagey's second marriage occurred August 13, 1891, his wife, Mrs. Emily Chaney, being a native of Polk county, Mo., born March 30, 1834, of the union of David and Mary (Hall) Stockton, natives respectively of Tennessee and Kentucky. Mr. Hagey has served the public in various ways, holding, through Democratic influence, the position of constable, road supervisor and school director at various times. In his religious views, though not a member of the Lutheran Church, is in sympathy with its teachings, as he was brought up in it and it naturally means more to him than any other. He now makes his home in McMinnville, retired from the active duties of life. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2007 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.