"Portrait & Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley Oregon."  Chapman 
Publishing Company, 1903. p. 1391.
 
CAPT. PLEASANT C. NOLAND

     The loyalty and patriotism which Capt. Pleasant C. Noland has always shown
in the time of his country's need are two of his most salient traits, and added
to these he has lived a life of quiet, earnest, persevering, work which has
numbered him among the useful citizens of a pioneer day. When a mere lad he
responded to the call for volunteers in the Mexican war and faithfully performed
his duty in a company wherein he was the youngest in age, and also occupied that
position in relation to the entire brigade. Since locating in Oregon he has
acted the part of a patriot and a loyal citizen in the defense of his country
and its incipient civilization, and deservedly won the title by which his fellow
citizens now know him.
     In Missouri, the middle western state that gave to the more remote west so
many sturdy emigrants, Capt. Pleasant C. Noland was born September 29, 1830. His
father was engaged at his trade of stonemason and also in farming in Jackson
county, and was also active in politics, giving his support to the Democratic
party, and winning for himself a prominent place in the affairs of his
community. He engaged heartily in the Mormon war and was one of the  treaty
commissioners. Owing to a large family, Pleasant C. Noland being the fourth in
age among ten children, the father was unable to give his son many advantages,
but undaunted by the obstacles which he must face he set about the
accomplishment of the task himself and received considerable knowledge from an
attendance of the district school. He remained at home until he was sixteen
years old when he enlisted for service in the Mexican war, first in Captain
Craig's company, but on account of his age, being truthfully stated by himself,
was rejected, and one week later was accepted by saying he was twenty-one years
old, joining Stewart's company, at St. Joseph, Mo., in 1847. This company was
detailed to guard duty on the frontier, where this lad served for eighteen
months, as brave and uncomplaining as those many years, his senior. The company
was mustered out at Ft. Leavenworth, and Mr. Noland, not then wearing his
official title, returned to his home and spent the winter following attending
the district school in the vicinity of his home. In May, 1849, from the spirit
of adventure as well as the more sober reason of a thoughtful man, which he had
become through his assumption of early responsibilities, young Noland started
for the gold fields of California. He met with no serious trouble from the
Indians, and after a journey of a little more than four months he reached his
destination and immediately entered upon the life of a miner. He continued so
occupied for two years and met with fair returns for his labor. In 1851 he
returned to his home in Missouri, via the Isthmus of Panama, spending a like
period in the more quiet and less uncertain pursuits of the middle west. In 1853
he again crossed the plains with ox-teams, taking with him his mother, Sarah M.
Noland, his brothers and sisters, as he felt the west to hold much greater
chances for advancement. While crossing the plains this family left the train of
emigrants at Harney lake and were lost in the mountains, where they remained
wandering about for forty-two days, and very nearly starved before finding,
their friends again. On arriving in Lane county, Ore., Mr. Noland took up a
donation claim of one hundred and sixty acres located one mile north of
Creswell, bought the squatter's right and proved up on the land, and at once
entered upon the improvement and cultivation of it. In the fall of 1854 Mr.
Noland's mother died. In 1855 the son enlisted in Company B, Oregon Mounted
Volunteers, and he was afterward elected second lieutenant for services in the
Rogue River war. He served in this company a little more than five months, and
took part in a number of skirmishes. In March, 1856, the company disbanded, and
its re-organization was attempted and successfully completed by Captain Noland,
who now secured this official title. The company, still bearing its old name,
went back again into service and participated in the battle of Big Meadows and
other minor engagements, remaining until July 4, 1856. At one time during a
skirmish on Rogue river the captain and his men were in a tight place, being
surrounded by Indians. Seeing a canoe, he succeeded in getting a load of his men
across and landed among the red men and drove them back to the river through the
brush, having succeeded in getting behind them through strategic movement. A day
later they got among the red men again and the captain succeeded in capturing
six squaws and one Indian, and from this man he secured a revolver which he kept
for years. He was ably assisted by a brave boy, Benton Kent, who swam the river
and secured a canoe, and in this manner the captain was able to duplicate his
deed of the day previous. None of his men  was wounded in either skirmish. The
reason for his crossing the river was that three wounded men of another company
were at the mercy of the Indians, one of the men being Clay Huston.
     After his discharge Captain Noland returned home, and January 1, 1857, was
united in marriage with Lenna Jane Stewart, a native of Polk county, Mo. They
lived on the home place until, her death, in 1873. They had two children, James
E., ex-sheriff and ex-county surveyor, lives in Creswell, and George, an
attorney, of Astoria. In 1879 Captain Noland married Mrs. Melissa R. Davidson,
who was born in Fayette county, Ill., April 30, 1849, and was married in St.
Louis, Mo., to Green C. Davidson, and with him came to Oregon in October, 1870.
Mr. Davidson died in Salem, Ore., August 15, 1878, leaving two children, John
C., a jeweler, of San Francisco, and Minnie, the wife of John P. Hayden, of
Walla Walla, Wash. Captain Noland and wife have one child, Neva, who is still at
home with her parents. The home of this worthy couple then remained upon the
farm until 1893, when they located in Creswell, and upon his farm of four
hundred and eighty acres the captain now carries on general farming and
stock-raising, besides which property he also owns a neat dwelling, a brick
building and several lots in the town. His wife is a member of the Baptist
Church. Fraternally Captain Noland is a member of the Masonic order, and in
political convictions he adheres to the Democratic party, having always been
active in the advancement of the principles which he endorses.

     
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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.