"Portrait & Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley Oregon." Chapman
Publishing Company, 1903. p. 945.
WILTON LEROY SIMERAL
March 22, 1896, Wilton Leroy Simeral was appointed steward and head farmer
of the Oregon State Reform School by Governor Lord, and with the exception of a
nine-months leave of absence, he has since held this large responsibility. In
the estimation of those who are privileged to witness the many improvements
inaugurated by the present steward, no better man could have been found for the
position, his many years of association with various lines of activity in the
west having fitted him for most tactful and satisfactory dealings with trustees
and others interested in state institutions. There are six hundred acres in the
school farm, all of which land is under his direct supervision, and the
operation of which involves a large amount of calculation and good business
judgment. He also has charge of the purchasing of the cattle and other stock.
The many claims to consideration acknowledged by all who know him, are by
no means based solely upon his good work with the reform school, for Mr. Simeral
has been a resident of Oregon since 1865. He was born near Maquoketa, Jackson
county, Iowa, March 9, 1855, the son of John H., a veterinary surgeon, and the
grandson of another follower of the same calling. The father came of German
ancestry, and was born in Indiana, where he was there reared to manhood,
removing thence to Iowa. In 1864 he outfitted with wagons, provisions and horse
teams and crossed the plains, settling near Boise City, Idaho, soon after
removing to Pendleton, Ore., then a small hamlet containing a hotel and
blacksmith shop. In September of 1865 he came to Marion county by team,
locating near Salem for two years, and then moved upon leased land in the Waldo
Hills. In 1871 he bought three hundred and twenty acres of timber land in
Clackamas county, which he occupied for two years, when he sold that and bought
one hundred and twenty acres near Silverton, where he lived until 1890. Some
months later he died in Macleay, at the age of sixty-six years, the date of his
death being December 21, 1891. He is survived by his wife, who was in
maidenhood Elmira E. Crane, and who was born in New York, October 28, 1832. W.
L., is the oldest of a family of five children, the second oldest of whom is A.
Frank, a boot and shoe merchant at Silverton; he married Elsie Riches, and they
have six children: Vernie, Ada, Wayne, Frank, Manley and Elsie. Carrie is the
wife of H. S. Hicks, of Silverton, their one daughter being Florence. Newell L.
died in 1864, at the age of three and a half years; and Clarence John is a
traveling inspector for the San Francisco machine firm of Baker & Hamilton; he
married Ariadne Cornelius, and they have one son, Claire, and make their home in
Salem.
At the age of twenty-one years, W. L. Simeral started out into the world to
make his own way, and was married November 29, 1876, Emma Catherine Anderson
becoming his wife. She was the daughter of John Franklin and Lucinda (Jarvis)
Anderson, the father being a farmer on Howell Prairie, and justly famed for his
neat, practical methods in the pursuit of his agricultural labors. He also
served as county commissioner in Marion county. Of the other children of Mr.
and Mrs. Anderson we mention the following: Solomon F., a successful farmer in
the Waldo Hills, married Amanda Stormer, by whom he has one son, Carl; George
S., engaged in farming on his father's place, married Elizabeth Limbeck, and
they have one daughter, Ruth; Elizabeth M. became the wife of Robert Florer, who
is located near Des Moines, Iowa, their five children being as follows: Jennie,
Margery, Maxwell, Maurice and Dorothy. Carrie is the wife of Frank Bowers, the
cartoonist, living in Indianapolis, Ind. Both parents are still living, and
make their home on Howell Prairie, the father being sixty-nine and the mother
seventy-one years of age. For a year after his marriage Mr. Simeral rented the
Hubbard farm, four miles from Salem, with his father, then removed to Howell
Prairie, and with his father-in-law farmed one year, and then moved three miles
southeast of Turner and rented a farm of three hundred and twenty acres of W. C.
Morris. After six years of successful management of this large property he felt
justified in branching out into land ownership, and purchased one hundred and
sixty acres in the Waldo Hills, ten miles east of Salem. In 1899 he removed
with his family to the Governor Greer farm, and now owns in all two hundred and
five acres of land. An aid to Mr. Simeral in his farming and stock-raising
enterprises has been his knowledge of veterinary surgery, learned from his
father and grandfather, and which he has had occasion to use extensively since
engaging in independent farming. He was appointed county stock inspector,
serving for nine years, and was associated for some time as local inspector with
State Veterinary Surgeon James Whitcomb. This was carried on in connection with
general farming, and was not abandoned until the appointment to his present
position with the reform school. For nine years he served as chief marshal of
the Oregon State Fair.
A Republican in politics, Mr. Simeral has never aspired to office, though
solicited many times by his friends. Fraternally, he is a member of Pearl Lodge
No. 66, A. F. & A. M.; Macleay Lodge No. 50, A. O. U. W.; Degree of Honor No.
84; charter member of Salem Camp, M. W. A.; Capital City Lodge No. 34, I. O. L.,
and member of the Macleay Grange. Four children have been born into the Simeral
home; Leroy J., who was educated at the Oregon Agricultural College, married
Linnie English, resides in Macleay, and is rural mail carrier; Raymond W., a
page in the state senate in 1894, when twelve years old, and is now operating
the home farm; George F., who graduated from District No. 100, of the public
schools, at the age of sixteen years; and Myrtle C., at home. The two older
sons are members of Macleay Lodge No. 50,A. O. U. W., in which Raymond acts as
recorder, and Mrs. Simeral is a member of the Degree of Honor and holds the
position of recorder. Mr. Simeral is capable and resourceful, and keeps abreast
of the times on agriculture and general business. He is upright and
progressive, and in his relations with his subordinates maintains the first
principles of consideration, tact and humanity.
Transcriber's additional notes:
08-09-1860 Jackson Co, IA; Monmouth Pct, Waterford & Cobb PO, p 365
John Simmeral, 34, IN, farmer, $1600 / $150
Almira, 27, NY
Welton, 5, IA
Francis, 2, IA
08-08-1870 Marion Co, OR; Silverton Pct, p101
J. H. Simeral, 44, IN, farmer
Alma, 34, NY
William,15, IA
Francis, 12, IA
Carey, 10, IA
Clarence, 5, IA
06-26-1880 Marion Co, OR; Turner Pct, p 141 (next to J.H., Elmira E, &
Clarence J. Simeral family)
W. L. Simeral, 24, IA, IN, NY, farmer
Emma C, wife, 22, IA, IA, IA, keeping house
Jerry Conway, boarder, 49, single, IRE, IRE, IRE, laborer
06-15-1900 Marion Co, OR; Turner Pct, Oregon State Reform School, p236
Wilton L. Simeral, 45, March 1855, IA, IN, NY, farmer, married 24 yrs
06-11-1900 Marion Co, OR; Macleay Pct, p 180
Emma C. Simeral, 42, Aug 1857, IA, IA, VA, mar 23 yrs, 4 children-4 living
Wilton L, head, 45, Jan 1855, IA, IN, NY, mar 23 yrs
Roy J, son, 19, Sept 1880, OR, IA, IA, farm laborer
Raymond W, son, 17, July 1882, OR, IA, IA, farm laborer
Georgia S, dau, 14, May 1886, OR, IA, IA, att. school
Myrtle C, dau, 12, May 1888, OR, IA, IA, att. school
Almira E, mother, 67, Oct 1832, NY, --, --, Wd, 5 children-4 living
Milton Brown, 18, Jan 1882, single, OR, --, --, farm laborer
Lawrence Hardman, 19, Feb 1881, single, OR, --, --, farm laborer
08-08-1910 Marion Co, OR; Macleay Pct, p 102
Wilton L. Simeral, 54, IA, IN, NY, mar 1x 33 yrs, farmer
Emma C, wife, 52, IA, IA, VA, mar 1x 33 yrs, 4 children-4 living
Frank J. Anderson, f in l, 74, Wd, IA, KY, KY
Harvy Brown, hired man, 19, single, OR, OR, OR, farm laborer
OR Death Index; for a Milton/Wilton L. Simeral; Clatsop Co, died May 25, 1919,
cert. # 327
01-06-1920 Marion Co, OR; Salem Wd 1, p 5, 1165 Marion st. (next door to son
Raymond)
Emma C. Simeral, 63, Wd, IA, US, VA
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in July 2006 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.