"Portrait & Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley Oregon."  Chapman 
Publishing Company, 1903. p. 778.
 
SAMUEL ORR

     One of the most progressive and enterprising men in Polk county is Samuel
Orr, who is extensively engaged in farming and hop-growing on his well
cultivated farm adjoining Rickreall. His birth occurred in Tyrone county,
Ireland, May 12, 1845. He is a son of Samuel Orr, who was also born in Tyrone
county and died in Ireland at the age of eighty years. His mother was Jane
(Shankleton) Orr, also a native of Erin. Samuel Orr, Sr., followed the
occupation of farming throughout his entire life. Unto him and his wife were
born eight children, of whom Samuel Orr is next to the youngest child and the
only one in America.
     Samuel Orr of this review received his early education in the common
schools of his native land. At the age of twenty years he started out in life
for himself, removing to New Zealand. There he engaged in farming, and in
contracting for farm work. He resided in New Zealand for ten years and then
returned to his home on a visit. He determined to seek home and fortune in the
land of the free, and accordingly, on November 9, 1865, he landed in Portland,
Ore.  He possessed no means except what he had acquired from his own labors. He
came direct to Rickreall and purchased his present farm, which consists of three
hundred and forty acres,  the most of which is now under a high state of
cultivation. When he took this place it was in poor condition, containing a
great deal of wet land. He has made many improvements upon it, has drained it
thoroughly, having put in nearly four miles of tiling. The present condition of
the land is such that it is a source of pride to the owner, as it denotes his
careful supervision and progressive spirit. He has sixty-five acres in hops. The
capacity of three kilns of hops is three hundred and twenty-five boxes per day,
and next season his plant will have a capacity of five hundred kilns. In the hop
season Mr. Orr employs nearly one hundred people. The capacity of the store-room
is at present one hundred thousand pounds of hops. Next season the capacity of
the store-room will be two hundred thousand pounds. Mr. Orr has thirty-five
thousand pounds of last season's hops awaiting sale. His hop fields are laid out
in an artistic way, evenly and beautifully, very pleasing to the eye of the
beholder.
     In 1874 Mr. Orr was united in marriage to Miss Charlotte Gardner. They have
six children : Charlotte, wife of J. B. Nesmith; Robert; Lizzie, wife of Otis
Weight ; John W. Fannie wife of F. Stimson, and Glenn E.. Mr. Orr built an
elegant residence on his property for his son-in-law, Mr. Weight.
     In the new world Mr. Orr found the opportunities for advancement which he
desired, and in the great northwest his brightest expectations have been
realized. Through his sound sagacity and keen discernment he has achieved
success. He has grasped that "There is a tide in the affairs of man, which taken
at the flood, leads on to fortune," and by those who have watched with interest
his business career, he is regarded as a self-made man.

     
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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.