a lady of rare education, culture, and social abilities. Mr. Strowbridge has given generous aid towards defraying the expense of collecting material for the history of his branch of the Strowbridge family, and Mrs. Strowbridge has also assisted greatly by furnishing the most of the records of this branch.

"Mr. Strowbridge, universally known as one of the leading business men and philanthropists of Portland, Ore., was born in 1835, in Montour co., Pa. With his parents he early made a home in Ohio, receiving the substantial home training of very careful Christian parents, and gained thereby the habits of thrift, industry, and enterprise which have made him uninterruptedly successful through life. He was also afforded excellent advantages at school, and prepared himself to enter the Ohio Wesleyan university at Delaware, O., with a view of studying law. When but a lad of fourteen he was promised by an eccentric old gentleman, a Mr. Oldham, a school to teach if he could obtain a certificate from the board of examiners. Encouraged by this incentive he at once set to work to make the attempt, and appearing with some fifty or sixty other applicants before the board at Marion, passed the examination with flying colors, and was complimented by the examiner, Mr. John J. Williams, who was enough impressed with his youthfulness to address him, "My boy. " Mr. Oldham was as good as his word, and young Strowbridge finished his term with success and pleasure, although many of his pupils were older and larger than himself.

"He deemed it a considerable sacrifice to forego his plan of study, and come to Oregon. The journey was undertaken in October, 1851, and was performed that autumn across the several States with the comparatively easy and expeditious conveyance of horse teams to St. Joseph, Mo. There the winter was spent in taking care of the stock and giving attention to matters pertaining to the comfort of the family, while the young man secured a school by the employment of a Mr. Robinson, and, gathering a considerable number of pupils, taught a very pleasant term.

"The rest of the Journey was performed in the season 1852. That was the year of the great immigration when cholera raged among the trains and tents, and dotted the wayside with graves. Mr. Strowbridge's family was invaded by the pestilence, and one of the children, a little boy, fell a victim to the scourge. By this event the father was very much dispirited, and feeling anxious and apprehensive for the safety of his family, and determined to do all in his power to get them to Oregon alive, he