Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis
Pub. Co. 1893.  p. 258.

HON. JOHN W. GRIM

     An honored Oregon pioneer of 1847, now deceased, was born in the State of
Ohio, June 16, 1820.  He was of German ancestors, who were early settlers in the
State of Virginia.  The names of his parents were Jacob and Martha (Walker)
Grim, both natives of Virginia, who removed to Ohio and later to Illinois.  They
had a family of eleven children, four born in Ohio and seven in Illinois.  The
father died in his eightieth year.
     Our subject, John, was the eldest child and was eleven years of age when
they removed to Knox county, Illinois, where he was reared to manhood in his
home and attended the common schools taught in the little, log schoolhouse in
Ohio and afterward in Illinois.  August 16, 1843, he was married to Miss Frances
Emaline Geer, a native of Ohio, born September 16, 1621, the daughter of Joseph
C. Geer.  Three children were born to this marriage:  Lois, Byron and Martha,
and with his little family our subject started to cross the plains to Oregon,
April 7, 1847.  There was quite a company, as all of the family of Mrs. Grim
came along except the two oldest sons of Mr. Geer, who had preceded them.  Of
course the journey was beset with great danger, but they met with no misfortune
on the way and arrived safely at French Prairie in Marion county.
     At this place he purchased a donation claim of 640 acres, of land, paying
for it $300 and upon this property he began the life of the Oregon pioneer and
resided upon this property forty-four years.  Here he labored, planted a fine
orchard and in 1852, he built a good and substantial mansion, the one in which
the family now resides, and it was one of the best in the State when it was
built.  He had been one year in the State when gold was discovered in California
and with others of this neighbors he made the overland trip to the gold-diggings
of California.  The journey was made with pack animals and they were a month
reaching their destination.
     This journey to the gold mines was one beset with great danger, as every
printed record of those days tells, so numerous that it would not be possible
within the compass of as short an article as this history can give, to publish.
When within a mile and a half of Sutter's Fort they made camp and five of the
company were sent on to prospect on the American river, while the others were to
get ready for the winter's mining and our subject was one of the party which
went prospecting.  A few days after they had left, the boys in charge of the
camp met with James W. Marshall and also Captain Merrick and they both advised
going to Moquelumne river for the winter mining.  this was some fifty miles
south of Sutter's Fort.  They broke camp and started in the direction of the
mining designated.  After traveling for a day they went into camp and concluded
to remain until the prospectors had returned.  While thus waiting news was
brought to them that the little party of prospectors had been surprised by a
large number of Indians.  The attack was made in the night while all were
asleep, that a Mr. Lewis was killed, a Mr. Grim was badly wounded; O. S. Thoma
and R. Ady slightly so, while A. J. Vaughn was the only one who escaped unhurt.
A half-dozen of the best horses were at once saddled and two of the men at once
set off to the relief of the party with medicine and bandages.  They found that
Mr. Lewis had been buried where he had fallen; Mr. Grim had received three
wounds from the barbed arrows and one of these had pierced the cavity below the
shoulder blade, but by slow, short marches they reached comfortable quarters
near Gold Hill on the Moquelumne where our subject remained until mid-winter.
Of course he was unable to work, but an equal share of the gold washed out by
the others was weighed at the close of the day's work and put in his buckskin
bag.
     Finally, Mr. Grim, accompanied by Mr. William Whity, returned home by way
of San Francisco and it was after this that he was elected to the first
Territorial Legislature, and the following year he was made County Commissioner
and ex officio County Judge, serving two terms.  In 1858 he was chosen as one of
the Senators from Marion county, serving in that capacity until 1866 and again
in 1878, serving until 1882.  Mr. Grim was well and favorably known through his
life in Oregon.
     Our subject during life was a man who took a deep interest in the public
affairs of his State, was pre-eminently a worthy citizen, a reliable friend, an
intelligent, thoughtful man, a leader among his people.  His opinions were asked
and relied upon and his fellow-citizens placed the utmost confidence in him.  In
politics he was a Republican, and during the time that the Union was endangered
his voice and influence were in favor of the Government.  He was also a member
of the Masonic fraternity and highly valued in the brotherhood.  His death
occurred January 18, 1892, when in his seventy-second year, lamented by the
whole county.
     Beside his two children mentioned as having been born in Illinois, eleven
more were born after removing to Oregon, and they are as follows:  William T., a
farmer residing near, and has four children; Thurston resides at Butteville and
has three children; Isaiah, residing in Portland; Edwin and Edgar were twins,
the latter married and resides in Portland; while the former resides at home and
is the manager of the farm; John W. is also on the farm; Mary married Mr. Henry
Beebe and resides near by; Ralph C. resides in Clackamas county and has one
child; Alice is now Mrs. Dr. S. W. Weaver and resides near home and has two
children.  There are thirty grandchildren in the family.
     Mrs. Grim is now in her seventy-second year, a bright and pleasant lady,
enjoying good health.  She is a good representative of the Oregon pioneer woman
of 1847 and she possesses the love and respect of her numerous family as well as
of hosts of warm friends.
 

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in October 2005 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.