Wilford H. Gross was educated in the Valley Grove school and in the public schools of Waitsburg, supplemented by a course in the Waitsburg Academy and by a commercial course in the Walla Walla Business College. When about twenty-two years of age he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land and began farming on his own account. He has since been identified with general agricultural pursuits and is now the owner of three hundred and twenty acres in township 8 north, range 36 east, and also one hundred and sixty acres near Eureka. He also cultivates land belonging to his brothers and a sister, thus utilizing in all ten hundred and forty acres. He is numbered among the extensive wheat growers of this section of the state and his business affairs are carefully and successfully conducted. His energy knows no bounds and his indefatigable effort has produced splendid results. He has made a close study of soil and climatic conditions and is thoroughly familiar with the best methods of wheat growing in the northwest, so that he annually produces splendid crops.
On the 21st of October, 1903, Mr. Gross was united in marriage to Miss Grace M. Houghton, of Cowlitz county, Washington, who was a teacher in the old Seeber school at the time of her marriage. They now have three children, namely: Dorothy, Charles and Houghton. Mrs. Gross is a daughter of Henry and Sarah A. (Gardner) Houghton. Her mother located near Woodland, Washington, in 1851 and in 1867 she married Henry Houghton, who followed farming in Clarke county, on the Lewis river, where he still maintains his home. Mrs. Houghton passed away October 9, 1908. The Gardners were among the earliest settlers of Clarke county, crossing the plains and enduring all the hardships of pioneer life.
In politics Mr. Gross maintains an independent course. Fraternally he is connected with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, while the religious faith of himself and his wife is indicated in their membership in the Christian church. About ten years ago they took up their abode in the city of Walla Walla, where they make their home and from that point Mr. Gross has supervised his farming interests, which are wisely and carefully controlled.
JEROME L. KEISER.
Jerome L. Keiser is now practically living retired in Waitsburg, although for many years he was prominently identified with building operations and with mercantile pursuits in the city where he still makes his home. He is a representative of one of the oldest pioneer families of the northwest. He was born in Portland, Oregon, on the 12th of July, 1850, when that beautiful city of roses was a hamlet, containing only a few cabins on the banks of the Willamette. His parents were William M. and Roxcia (Ingalls) Keiser. The father was a native of Rensselaer county, New York, born October 7, 1827, while the mother was a native of Hamilton county, Ohio, the date of her birth being May 22, 1828. They were married in Pittsfield, Pike county, Illinois, on the 4th of April, 1849, and on the 10th of that month they began their journey across the plains with an ox team for the California gold fields. They arrived in Oregon City, Oregon, on the 18th of September, having traveled for thousands of miles across the hot stretches of sandy desert and over the mountain passes. In the same wagon train with them came a married sister and her husband, a married brother and his wife and two single brothers of Mrs. Keiser. It was a wedding trip for Mr. and Mrs. Keiser and also for her brother and wife, but it lacked many of the joyous features and comforts that are supposed to attend wedding trips. From the time they left Missouri they passed only a few forts but did not otherwise see a human habitation until after they had crossed the Cascade mountains, where they approached a settlement and heard the chickens crowing. With thoughts of mother and friends back home Mrs. Keiser sat down and had a good cry. On reaching Oregon City they decided to go into camp and spend a little time there. There had been talk of a city being built on the present site of Portland, which at that time, however, was occupied only by a little store building built of shingles and a few shacks. In fact they thought that Oregon City would be a much more progressive place and occupied a much more favorable location than Portland. However, Mr. Keiser purchased a lot on the site of Portland and built a frame shack. Liking the country, they determined to abandon their California trip and live in Oregon. They resided in Portland until the spring of 1852, by which time the town had expanded to a little village of about two streets situated along the water front. They then went up into Clackamas county, where Mr. Keiser took up a donation claim on which they resided for twenty years and in the meantime although they experienced all the privations and hardships of pioneer life, the work of improving and developing the farm was continued and their land was transformed into rich and productive fields from which they annually gathered good harvests. In 1872, however, they came to Walla Walla county, Washington, and settled in Spring valley, where Mr. Keiser purchased a small farm near a schoolhouse. There he settled down to agricultural life and devoted five years to the development of his farm property, at the end of which time his life's labors were terminated by death. Mrs. Keiser continued to reside upon the farm until 1877, when she removed to Waitsburg, where she has since made her home. She yet owns the old homestead farm, however, comprising two hundred and eighty acres, some of which was purchased by her after her husband's death. In 1851 the first Masonic lodge was organized in Oregon, this being at Portland, where meetings were held in a shack, and Mrs. Keiser, lovingly called Aunt Roxcia by her many friends, was called upon to make the Masonic aprons, as she was a fine seamstress and her brother-in-law, J. B. V. Butler, being one of the prominent members of that organization. She also made some of the wedding clothes for Dr. D. S. Baker, one of the pioneers of this region, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. To Mr. and Mrs. Keiser were born six children of whom three are yet living, Jerome L., Millard H. and Frank T., all residents of Waitsburg.
JEROME L. KEISER