Biography of George B. Sturgill, 1902, Baker Co., Oregon: Surnames: Sturgill, Richmond, Abbott, Duckworth, Talley, Jones, Pierce,Osborn, Cranston, White, Kase, Stevenson, Sparks, York.

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Transcribed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
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An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, pub. 1902
by Western Historical Pub. Co. of Chicago. page 260

GEORGE B. STURGILL

Francis H. Sturgill and his wife, Caroline (Richmond), parents of our subject,
and natives, respectively, of Alabama and North Carolina, and who were married
in Virginia, Lee county, came to Missouri in 1841, settling in Sullivan
county, where the remained until 1865. At the last date mentioned they, in
company with their children, undertook the trip across the plains to Oregon,
and on August 29, while enroute, the mother was taken from them by death. She
was descended from a very prominent Virginia family, the Richmonds. Mr.
Sturgill first settled at Wingville and took up a homestead, where he devoted
his time and energy to agriculture until 1877, and then came to the lower
valley of the Powder river. One day, while Mr. Sturgill was mowing, he stopped
to remove the sicle and having completed that job leaned the sickle against a
tree in the rear of the machine. The horses became frightened and backed so
quickly that they caught his arm against the blade of the sickle, severing an
artery, from which he bled to death. He was esteemed by all who knew him and
his death was mourned by the entire community. He was in his sixty-second year
at the time of his death, and his funeral was taken charge of by the Masons
and in their cemetery in Baker City he lies buried. Mr. Sturgill had been very
prominent in the politics of the county and had held several public offices,
among them county assessor in 1870 to 1872. He was the father of the following
children: George B., the subject of this sketch; W. R., whose wife is Miss
Virginia Talley; Benjamin F.; Joel M.; Louis, married to Carrie Jones; Easter
C.; John I., married to Mary Stevenson; Mary E., wife of Mr. Abbott; Steven
D., married to Martha Pierce; Rachel, Rebecca, Robert, Henry, the last four
deceased.

Returning to our immediate subject, George B. Sturgill was born December 8,
1841, in Sullivan county, Missouri, and there received his education and
remained until the trip across the plains, above mentioned, on which occasion
he acted as captain, being eminently fitted for the responsible position since
he had been across the plains to Montana the year previous, and had spent the
summer of 1864 in mining in the famous Alder gulch of Montana. In 1868 he
commenced to buy and sell stock and for six years thereafter he resided in
Union county, then returned to Wingville, where he remained until 1893, when
he bought the present place in the lower valley of the Powder river, where he
is at present engaged in farming and raising stock, being one of the most
prosperous and substantial settlers of that community.

The marriage of Mr. Sturgill and Miss Lida A. White was solemnized in Missouri
in October, 1861. Mrs. Sturgill's parents, Madison and Elizabeth (Abbott)
White, were natives of Virginia and Ohio, respectively, and her mother died on
June 1, 1850, and is buried in the Williams graveyard, near Milan, Missouri.
To our subject and his wife have been born the following children: Jonathan
J., married to Barbara Duckworth; Elizabeth, wife of James Osborn; Lena C.,
wife of E. Cranston; May, wife of R. R. Sparks; Effie L., wife of James York;
Joel C., married to Mintie Kase; Madison W., clerk at Baker City; Thornton, in
Baker City. Mr. Sturgill is a member of I.O.O.F., Lodge No. 69, at Wingville,
also of the Modern Woodmen, Lodge No. 48, of the same place. He is prominent
in politics, having chosen the Populist party to affiliate with and frequently
he is nominated for important office, in 1892 running for coroner. At the
present time he is a member of the school board and is efficient and faithful
in the discharge of public duties.