Carey, Charles Henry.  "History of Oregon." Vol. 2. Chicago-Portland: Pioneer
Historical Pub. Co., 1922.  p. 752-3.

WILLIAM GEORGE WEBER

One of the best known manufacturers of central Oregon is William George Weber,
who is conducting a harness and saddlery manufactory at Hood River, where he has
developed a business of substantial proportions. He was born in St. Joseph,
Missouri, in 1860, his parents being John and Caroline (Rebmann) Weber, who were
representatives of old families of Missouri and Ohio, the ancestral line being
traced back more than a century.

William G. Weber was educated in the graded and high schools of his native city
and was first employed as a stripper in a tobacco factory, where he worked for
three years. He was ambitious, however, to gain advancement and realized that
education constituted a most potent force in that direction, so that he again
took up his studies. At an early age he learned the trade of saddler and harness
maker and traveled extensively in search of a location for a permanent home. He
worked at his trade in Wyoming and in various parts of Montana and on coming to
the Pacific coast settled first in Walla Walla, Washington, and there resided
for eight years. He then removed to Milton, Oregon, establishing a harness and
saddlery shop which he conducted for four years and on the expiration of that
period opened a harness factory at Joseph, Oregon, where he continued for eight
years. While there residing he was active in the public life of the community as
a member of the city council. He was also the general agent of the Wallowa Stage
Company, which handled the entire transportation of that section until the
building of the railroad.

In 1914 Mr. Weber removed to Hood River and established the business which he
now conducts. His factory and show rooms are located at First and Oak streets.
The introduction of the automobile for pleasure driving and to a large extent
for commercial use has narrowed his business to specializing in the manufacture
of heavy farm harness and fancy saddles. He makes on order anything in the line
of harness and carries a large stock of leather goods. He has also added an
automobile department to his business and is agent for the Stevens Salient Six.
He likewise handles the Miller and the Lancaster tires and carries a full line
of automobile accessories. In this connection he is building up a very
substantial business, which is adding materially to his income.

In 1884 Mr. Weber was united in marriage to Miss Laura Murray, a daughter of
Cornelius Murray, a pioneer farmer of The Dalles, and a granddaughter of Dr.
Nathaniel Robbins, one of the early physicians of Oregon, who not only
successfully engaged in the practice of medicine but also represented his
district in the first legislature of the state. Mr. and Mrs. Weber have become
the parents of two Sons and a daughter: William H., living in Salem, Oregon;
Georgia Irene, the wife of Harry Wilson, a well known underwriter, now of
Seattle, Washington; and Frederick Earl, who is associated with his father in
business. During the World war he was athletic secretary of the Young Men's
Christian Association, having accepted that position after trying vainly to get
into the service, being repeatedly rejected on account of the condition of his
heart.

Mr. Weber and his family are most widely and favorably known in Hood River and
he has never had occasion to regret his determination to try his fortune in the
west, for here he has found good opportunities and in their utilization has made
steady progress.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2006 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.