Biography of Frank McGirr, 1902, Grant Co., Oregon
Surnames: McGirr, Hart, Haskins

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An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, pub. 1902
by Western Historical Pub. Co. of Chicago. page 461

FRANK McGIRR

Mr. McGirr's father was a native of Ireland and came to the United States when
a lad of thirteen, locating in Missouri, where later he married Miss Elizabeth
Haskins and they became the parents of five children, four of them being in
Grant county, and the other is deceased. In 1852 the family came across the
plains and experienced much trouble with the Indians enroute, losing one man
and nearly fifty head of stock in the many battles that occured on the
Humboldt river. They settled near Stockton, California, and later moved to
Nevada, where the father died, and in 1899 the mother died in this county.
Referring more particularly to Mr. Frank McGirr, the subject of this sketch,
we may say that his birth occured in Stockton, California, on January 23,
1860, but while still a child he went with his parents to Austin, Nevada,
where he was raised on a farm and in giving attentio to the herds his fathe
rowned. Here also he received his education in the public schools. At an early
age he commenced the life of the cowboy and rode for several years in Nevada.
It was in 1879 that he came to the north in company with thirty-five others
who were detailed to bring ten thousand lhead of cattle from Sterns mountain
to Wyoming for a Mr. Davis. The cattle were divided into three bands, and
twelve men were the number with each band. Before completing the journey Mr.
McGirr resigned his place and came through Fox valley enroute to Walla Walla.
In the following spring he returned to this place and took up a pre-emption
and then a homestead, where he now lives, at Fox postoffice. He has added
until his estate is nearly twelve hundred acres, and it is all fenced and
improved. He gives his attention to farming and raising stock and also to
buying and selling, being one of the heaviest dealers in this section. He has
some very fine specimens of throughbred cattle and takes a great interest in
improving the stock throughout the valley.

The marriage of Mr. McGirr and Miss Henrietta, daughter of Harice and
Marguerite Hart, late of Prescott, Washington, was consummated on March 21,
1880, and to this happy union there have been borning the following children:
Rhoda E., deceased; Nora May, deceased; Albert; Frank B.; Ettie E.; Nellie M.;
Cash E., deceased; Bertha N.; and Mabel Irene. In addition to the stock ranch
mr. McGirr owns a fine home in John Day, where the family reside during the
school season, that the children may have the advantage of the better schools.
It is of note that Mr. McGirr was the first man to bring a family into the
valley and since his settlement here he has been a power for the advancement
of all that is for the welfare of the people and interests of the community.
At the present writing he is feeding two hundred young steers on the John Day
and is one of the leading stockmen of this entire region.