Page:Pen Pictures of Representative Men of Oregon.djvu/234

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of Corinth, battle of Corinth, Siege of Vicksburg, capture of Little Rock, and other engagements of lesser note. Mustered out in 1864, he re-enlisted in the Second United States Veteran Vohmteer Infantry, under General Hancock, and served a year in the Army of the Potomac. In 1866 he crossed the plains from St. Joseph, Misiouri, to Montana, with an ox team, coming by way of the Black Hills, through the Sioux country. The train with which he traveled was harassed and detained several times by hostile Indians, and from Fort Reno it was piloted to Gallatin valley by Jim Bridger, the cele- brated scout and Indian fighter. Mr. Blythe settled on a quarter section of land in Gallatin valley in the fall of 1866, but abandoned it the next Spring for a "sit" on the "Montana Post," in Virginia City. After setting type for a year at one doUar per thousand, during which time he had a "fat take" for forty days on bill work during the legislative session, he thought he had all the money he wanted and went to the States in the Spring of 1868, mak- ing the trip down the Missouri by steamboat from Fort Benton to Sioux City. He returned to Montana in the fall of 1868, by way of the Union Pa- cific railroad as far as Green river, the end of the road at that time, and passed over ground along the Platte river in a few hours where he had toiled for days and weeks with an ox train but two years before. He went to California in 1869 and came to Portland July 5, 1870, along with the ma- terial for the old " Bulletin." Of the large force of employes that came with the "Bulletin" material, Mr. Blythe is the only one left in Oregon. He was a compositor on that paper up to the time of its suspension in 1875, with the exception of one year, when he was employed on the " Evening News." He was married July 30, 1873, to Miss Emma J. Nation, of Port- land, and they have two children. He was one of the incorporators of the " Portland Bee," in 1875, but disposed of his interest when a majority of the stockholders voted to change its independent character. His health be- coming impaired, in 1877 he removed to Hood River, where he engaged in farming for three years. In 1881 he came back to Portland and has since been associated with Edward Casey in the publication of the " Farmer and Dairyman."


CAPTAIN J. R, WILEY,

Whose name is familiar to all those who have resided in Portland for any number of years, is a gentleman whose natural aspirations are such that it is with a positive degree of pride we place his name on record as one whose example is worthy of emulation by the ambitious students who are destined to occupy prominent positions in life for years to come. Captain Wiley, as he is familiarly called, is the step-son of the late William P. Burke, who was foremost amongst Oregon's best citizens. Captain Wiley was born near Mineral Point, Iowa county, Wisconsin, December 30, 1847,'and with his parents removed to Portland in December, 1852. His school-boy days were spent principally in the Portland Academy, from 1861 till 1664. In the latter year his parents sent him to the Jesuit College, Santa Clara, Cali- fornia, and he graduated therefrom in 1867. The devoted fathers of that institution still refer with pride to young Wiley's adaptation