Casper J Durbin (1823 - 1905)

Born 26 Apr 1823 in Bellville Richland County Ohio, USA

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 11 Mar 1905 at age 81 in Oregon, USA

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This profile is part of the Durbin Name Study.

Biography

Casper was born in 1823. He passed away in 1905.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11623029

• United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF8T-HGD : accessed 10 May 2016), Casper J Derbin, Oregon, United States; citing p. 1, family 5, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,784.

research notes

It is with no little pleasure that we essay the task of outlining the career of the venerable Pacific coast pioneer and the successful farmer and stock raiser whose name appears at the caption of this review. He is one of the most thrifty and progressive of the agriculturists in the vicinity of Huntington, and his premises and environs bear eloquent testimony to his industry and good management. Though apparently not particularly ambitious for leadership among his fellows and never a candidate for any office, he takes the interest every good citizen should in the general welfare of his community and county, and ever manifests a willingness to contribute his share towards say enterprise of public concern. *Our subject was born near Belleville, Richland County, Ohio, on April 26th, 1822, his parents being John and Sarah (Fitting) Durbin. He worked on a farm; attending school a few months out of each year, until about nineteen years old, then accompanied his parents to Clinton County, Missouri, remaining a period of two years. He then returned to Ohio, but the year 1845 found him again in Missouri. His parents crossed the plains that year to Polk County, Oregon, finally locating in Marion County. *In 1853 our subject also crossed the plains with ox-teams, rejoining the remainder of the family at Salem, Oregon, where he became a partner of his brother in the hotel and livery businesses. In 1855, he engaged in farming in the vicinity, and in 1862, he removed to Auburn, Baker County. He ran a feed stable at that place until 1864, then entered a homestead about a mile northwest of Huntington, where his home has ever since been. As may be supposed from the length of time spent in this one spot and the progressive character of Mr. Durbin, his place has been improved by the erection of a comfortable home, a fine large barn, all needful fences and everything which goes to make rural life attractive, and has been brought to an excellent state of cultivation. It produces an abundance of hay and fine fruit of many varieties, as well as other crops of different kinds. *Mr. Durbin once return to his old home in Ohio, intending to find a location there and dispose of his property in the west, but like most of those who go east with similar intentions, he soon concluded that he would not exchange his occidental home for an farm in the east, if one condition should be that he should live there. *On March 1, 1849, our subject married Miss Julia Anne, daughter of William and Betsey Draper, a native of Canada, and to their union was born nine children only two of whom are living, John B., living at the head of Durbin creek, and Alice B., at home. Mrs. Durbin died March 28, 1884. *Our subject's father died at Salem, Oregon, at the age of one hundred and three, and his mother at ninety-eight. The latter was a first cousin to the late President William McKinley. It is of interest also to record that Mr. Durbin cast his first vote for William Henry Harrison in 1844, and has supported the Republican ticket ever since. Mr. Durbin was in the employment of the United States government for five years and helped build the first house in Grand Island, Nebraska, it being built for the government, and he also was one of the first at Fort Laramie, Wyoming, being in the quartermaster's department. *—Source: History of Baker, Grant, Mahler and Haney Counties, Page 200