Hood River-Statewide County OR Archives Biographies.....Reavis, T. A. September 19, 1853 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com October 8, 2009, 12:35 am Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 18-21 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company T. A. REAVIS, who is now spending the golden sunset years in his well improved and comfortable ranch home, a mile south of Hood River, Oregon, has led an active and useful life, during which he has played his full part in the great drama of civilization which has been enacted in this section of the country, and today he commands the respect and confidence of all who know him. Mr. Reavis was born in Jasper county, Missouri, on the 19th of September, 1853, and is a son of David B. and Elizabeth (Lee) Reavis, both of whom were born in Cooper county, Missouri. The family is of English origin and the grandfather, Andrew J. Reavis, was a pioneer settler in Cooper county. David B. Reavis came across the plains, with mule teams and covered wagons, arriving in Oregon, September 5, 1877. In November of that year he located at Wallowa, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land, each of his two sons also taking up homesteads, and here he engaged in the stock business, running large herds of cattle and horses over the country, which was not fenced. At that time the locality in which he lived was Union county, out of which was later created Wallowa county, and he became the first county clerk of the new county, serving three years. Later he also served as sheriff of that county, and he took a leading part in the building of the town of Enterprise, which is now the county seat of Wallowa county. In 1878 he organized the D. B. Reavis Company of Oregon volunteers, for service during the Bannock Indian war, and during that period he served as a scout for General Howard. Mr. Reavis spent his remaining years in Wallowa county, dying at Enterprise in 1909. His wife died in 1887 in a hospital at Walla Walla, Washington, to which she had been taken for treatment. They were the parents of ten children, namely: Mrs. Alice Wheeler, who lives at Wenatchee, Washington; T. A.; William P. and Gilbert S., who are deceased; Mrs. Molly Wade, of Enterprise, Oregon; James L., who is county auditor at Walla Walla, Washington; Joseph L., who is a merchant in Walla Walla; David L., who died in 1904, and two who died in infancy. T. A. Reavis attended the public schools at Kingsville, Missouri, completing his studies at the Warrensburg State Normal School, in Johnson county. He went to Texas, where he remained about a year, and after coming to Oregon began teaching school. He taught the first school in Wallowa county, occupying an old log building, heated by a big fireplace. This was, a sort of community house, and neighbors came to it from a distance of twenty miles to attend singing school. In 1878 Mr. Reavis took a teacher's examination from L. J. Rouse, at that time superintendent of Union county, who rode one hundred miles on horseback, in the middle of winter, to give the examination. Mr. Reavis was the first teacher in Wallowa valley to obtain a first-grade certificate. He taught school in that county for ten years, and was also the first teacher in the county to draw public money for teaching, taking half of his pay in cash and the balance in fence rails. During the Bannock Indian war he was a member of the military company of which his father was captain and he and George H. Holmes carried to General Howard at Wallowa the news of the capture and execution of Chief Egan, the Bannock leader, in the Blue mountains of Oregon. Mr. Reavis took up a homestead in Wallowa county, and also a preemption claim, three hundred and twenty acres in all, and later also took up one hundred and sixty acres of fine timber land adjoining. He devoted his attention to the improvement of his land and eventually had one of the finest farms in that valley, with well built and substantial house and barns, the land being fenced and cross fenced and a fine stream of living water flowing through the land. However, the altitude was too high for his wife's health and in 1901 he sold out there and went to Ashland, Oregon, where he ran a livery stable for one year. He then again sold out and, going to La Grande, Oregon, bought a harness shop, which he sold a year later and, coming to the Hood River valley, bought twenty acres of land, which he planted to strawberries. Later he planted an apple orchard and improved the place, so that he was able to sell it to advantage, and during the following years he bought and sold a number of farms, but he has now established his permanent home on a small ranch one mile south of Hood River, where he is very comfortably situated. In September, 1914, Mr. Reavis was appointed postmaster of Hood River, to which position he was later elected, and served two full terms, or eight years, under the administration of President Wilson. On April 5, 1893, at Enterprise, Oregon, Mr. Reavis was united in marriage to Miss Ida Daniels, who was born in Leavenworth, Kansas, and is a daughter of Neal and Rebecca (Richmond) Daniels, the former born in Belfast, Ireland, May 10, 1820, and the latter in Ohio November 22, 1824. Her father was brought to the United States in 1827, when seven years old, and located at Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He became a sailor on the great lakes, following that pursuit for a few years, and in 1857 went to Kansas, where he engaged in the livestock business, buying and selling cattle, sheep and hogs until his death, which occurred November 7, 1873. His wife died August 23, 1850. They were the parents of eight children, namely: Mrs. Mary C. Smith of Kansas City, Missouri; Albert, Alfred and William, who are deceased; Mrs. Ida Reavis; Frank W., of Kansas City, Missouri; Laura and Cora, both of whom are deceased. Mr. Daniels was a member of the Masonic order, in which he had passed through the chairs. He took an active interest in public affairs and at one time served as deputy sheriff at Leavenworth. Mr. and Mrs. Reavis are the parents of a daughter, Gladys, who graduated from the high school at Hood River and studied two years at Whitman College, Washington and is accomplished in both vocal and instrumental music. She is now the wife of F. S. Gilbert, of Hood River, and they have a son, Thomas R., born May 19, 1921. Mrs. Reavis also is a splendid musician, possessing a good voice. Mr. Reavis is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, being a past master of his lodge, and Mrs. Reavis is a member of Hood River Chapter, O. E. S. at Hood River, Oregon, the first chapter of that order instituted in the state. Mr. Reavis has always shown a keen interest in the welfare of the communities in which he has lived and in former years served a number of terms on the school board, and as clerk of the board. While living in Wallowa county he took an active part in the construction of the first roads in that section, and in various ways has aided his fellowmen in any good work. Because of his long and worthy career, his excellent personal qualities and his kindly and hospitable manner, he commands to a notable degree the friendship and genuine regard of all who know him. Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/hoodriver/photos/bios/reavis847gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/hoodriver/bios/reavis847gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 7.8 Kb