Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 688.

HENRY H. WHEELER

     is better known, not only in Wheeler county but all through eastern Oregon,
to the early pioneers as well as of the people of to-day than perhaps any other
man of the section. It is a matter of great regret that space forbids a full
account of his career, as in itself it would be a magnificent history of this
section. Coming here at the beginning of the days of the gold excitement in the
eastern part of what was then Oregon territory and remaining here constantly
since, having been engaged during this time in some of the leading enterprises
in vogue, all this has combined to make Mr. Wheeler prominent, well posted,
influential and a leading character. The county of Wheeler is named in his
honor. Unanimously the people favored it as he was known as no other man was and
was most intimately connected with its development and the industries throughout
the county. A review of his life cannot fail to be intensely interesting to the
public in general.
     Henry H. Wheeler was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, on September 7,
1826. He is now living a retired life in Mitchell, Oregon, having gained a
goodly fortune to supply all things needful for the golden years of his life.
His parents, James and Maggie Wheeler, were natives of Massachusetts and moved
to Pennsylvania when young. There the father was engaged in farming and became a
wealthy and prominent man. The Keystone State furnished the educational training
of our subject and as soon as he had arrived at manhood's estate, he came west
to Illinois, where he remained two years. After that he returned home, then
again came west, this time to Union, Wisconsin, and remained two years. In 1857
he crossed the plains to Sacramento, California, and in the same year cast his
lot at Yreka. After mining sometime he turned his attention to sawmilling and
conducted the business for several years.  In 1862, he came to The Dalles and
went on to the Salmon river mines in Idaho. Afterward he returned to California,
then came back to Oregon and put on a stage equipment from The Dalles to Canyon
City, a distance of one hundred and eighty miles. Concerning this important item
of starting the stage line from The Dalles to Canyon City, Mr. Wheeler says: "On
the first of May, 1864, I started from The Dalles with a load of eleven
passengers for Canyon City, driving the stage-my self. I had eleven passengers
on the return trip from Canyon City to The Dalles, and the price for each person
was forty dollars. I made three trips each week, and got the first mail contract
on that route in the spring of 1865. I conducted this line until 1868, then sold
it.  This was the first stage through the country and one can well imagine that
its operation was continued with the most trying difficulties and hardships,
while dangers from the savages beset him on every hand. But Mr. Wheeler was not
one to put his hand to the plow and look back. He was a man of fearlessness,
carefulness, and stamina and when he started staging from The Dalles to Canyon
City, it became an assured institution. He personally drove it from 1864 to
1868, a period in which the Indians were constantly upon the warpath. A detailed
account of all the various fights and skirmishes that he had with the savages
would make a thrilling volume. On the 7th of September, 1866, he was jogging
along with his four horses and concord accompanied by one passenger, the Wells
Fargo manager.  They had the United States mail, ten thousand dollars in
greenbacks, diamond rings, three hundred dollars in coin, and other valuables.
Suddenly fifteen or twenty Indians appeared and the first shot struck Mr.
Wheeler in the face. Despite the shock from this, he was enabled to hold his own
and he and the passenger succeeded in escaping with the leaders. These
horses had neither of them been ridden and in the midst of the fight, they
mounted them bare-back and scurried away. The Indians cut all the top off the
stage, ripping open the mail sack, scattering the contents and throwing aside
the greenbacks, not knowing their value, cut up the harness and made havoc
generally before they departed. Mr. Wheeler and H. C. Page, his companion, made
their way to Meyer's ranch and then got back to The Dalles. This is one instance
of many similar ones. In all, Mr. Wheeler lost eighty-nine horses besides much
other property from the Indians.  Time and again his life hung in the balance,
but on each occasion providence ordered otherwise and he escaped. He came to be
known as no other man through the country was known. Not acquainted with fear,
upright and honorable, it seemed that the Indians had a reverence for him or
otherwise he would certainly have been killed. There were scarcely any
settlements from The Dalles to Canyon City and every opportunity was presented
to the savages to have their own way. Finally, in 1868, Mr. Wheeler sold the
outfit and engaged with the Holliday stage people. They were then operating a
line from Missouri to the Pacific coast. For two years he was with them, then he
came to The Dalles and with Wood Gillman, entered the stock business for French
Brothers in what is now Wheeler county. They located on the John Day and for
eight years operated the ranch. Then Mr. Wheeler bought property six miles
northwest from where Mitchell now stands and continued in the operation of that
estate until 1904, when he sold out and retired to Mitchell. He has lost several
fortunes through the depredations of the savages but has been enabled to so
conserve his interests that he is still provided with a fine competence for the
remaining years of his life.
     In 1873, Mr. Wheeler married Miss Dorcas Monroe and to them one child has
been born, Clara Wheeler. Mr. Wheeler has four brothers, Miles, in Pennsylvania;
George, deceased; Phineas, a veteran of the Civil war; and William, living in
Ohio.
     It is very pleasant for us to be able to chronicle the fact that in the
very section of the country where Mr. Wheeler had innumerable fights with the
Indians, where he endured everything that the frontiersman can endure, he is now
enjoying life surrounded by comforts, many friends and by all that wealth can
give him. He is an honored and respected citizen and fully deserves the generous
bestowal of confidence that is accorded him.    


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in December 2010 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.