Oregon Republican League: History 104 Biographies

Every Wednesday, the Oregon Republican League will post the biographies of important figures, in the League's/State of Oregon's history. Feel free to comment or share stories of your family's Republican affiliation.

An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, (1902) by Western Historical Publishing Company of Chicago, page 234

PATRICK H. MILES

The son of James and Bridget (Doolen), natives of Ireland, our subject first saw the light in that famous little isle on December 29, 1841, and amid the rural scenes of his native land he passed the first six years of his life. 1847 was the year that the family tore themselves from the home land and sought their fortunes in America, settling first in Ontario county, New York, whence, two years later, they removed to Lockport, Illinois, where the father and mother passed to the other world, and at eighteen Patrick H. found himself on his own resources in this new land. He was possessed of strength and a dauntless spirit, coupled with consumate courage and pluck, and his energy at once caused him to try the west, his first venture being to Pike's Pkeak, where he mined and freighted for two years and then at the very beginning of the war enlisted in the Second Colorado Cavalry and did faithful military service for his chosen country in the army of the frontier in Missouri, Kansas, Colrado and New Mexico until the war closed. Soon after this time he was married to Miss Mary Crimmons, a native of Illinois, and together they migrated to Oregon, settling first in Union county, near the town of Union, and in 1869 he took land on Big creek in the same county, where he remained for twenty years, devoting his attention to the cultivation of the soil and stock raising. Following this period, he removed to his present place of one hundred and twenty acres in the Lower Powder river valley, fifteen miles from Baker City, where he is dividing his attention between agriculture and placer mining, which latter is prosecuted on Eagle creek. He is also interested in the recent oil finds in Malheur and Crook counties, this state, his son being the first discoverer of the same. In political matters he is a Republican and has frequently been called by his fellows to discharge the duties of public office, which has been done with faithfulness and the manifestation of ability.

To Mr. and Mrs. Miles have been born the following children: David A., James D., John D., Charles H., Ellen A., wife of W. Davis of Eagle valley, Roland G.

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History of Central Oregon, published 1906, Biographical Sketches of Lake County by James Small, page 903

Holder, William

William Holder is now one of the thrifty tillers of the soil and lives in the vicinity of Paisley, Crook county, Oregon his home being eleven miles south of that place. He was born on August 11, 1854, near Cornwalll, Benton county, Oregon. His father, Adam Holder, was born in Pennsylvania, crossing the plains form Iowa in 1853 to Benton county and in 1859 settled in Corvallis, where he followed blacksmithing. In 1885, he came across the mountains to Sherman county where he is now living, aged eighty-two years. He married Julia A. Kompp, who was born on the Rine, in Germany. she came to the United States when a girl and lived in Iowa where she was married. She is now seventy-two yeas of age and is still living. Her father, August Kompp, was an officer in the German army. Our subject has one brother, Lewis D. of Sherman county, Oregon and one sister Mrs. Pinkie Johnson, deceased. William was educated in the public schools and the agricultural collage at Corvallis. In 1881 he went to Sherman county, his name appearing on the Republican ticket and he was the first Republican sheriff of the county. So well did he fill the office that two years later he was chosen again to the same position and in 1898, the people determined to give him a third term and accordingly he was overwhelmingly elected. This gives him six years of continuous service in that important office and he left a record of uprightess and faithfulness seldom exceeded. In 1900 Mr. Holder went to Shaniko, where he operated a newspaper for a while , then he bought the Prineville Review and conducted it for a time. After that , we find him in charge of the Paisley Post and in the fall of 1903, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of good land where he now resides, one-third of which is in cultivation and it is a splendid estate. It possesses some natural meadow, has an abundance of water for irrigation , has all the improvements and conveniences, as house, barn, orchard and so fourth.

Mr. Holder has been twice married and has six children: Nellie, the wife of Erwin Pike of Sherman county; Minnie, wife of Prof. Frank Henry of Moro, Oregon; Carl; Neva; Eulalia; and Thomas.

Mr. Holder is past grand of the I.O.O.F. and present noble grand. He is a member of the encampment, and of the W.W. the Maccabees and the K.P. He has been representative to the grand lodges of the I.O.O.F. and Maccabees. He is a man of energy and intelligence, well informed on the questions of the day and a progressive, public minded citizen.