Umatilla County OR Archives Biographies.....Raley, Hon. James H. January 20, 1855 - 
************************************************
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:
Carlene Still crstill@oregontrail.net July 31, 2006, 5:10 pm

Author: Colonel William Parsons 

Page 352, 353

HON. JAMES H. RALEY
	James H. Raley was born in Nebraska City, in what was then the 
territory of Nebraska, on January 20, 1855, and resided with his parents, 
Jonathan and Rachel Raley, in Nebraska until the spring of 1862, when the 
entire family emigrated to Oregon, crossing the plains by teams and arriving 
in The Dalles in October of the same year.  The following winter was spent in 
Portland, and in the spring of 1864 the family came to Umatilla county, 
locating first about one mile below the present site of Pendleton.  Mr. 
Raley’s education was obtained from the common schools of Umatilla county, 
supplemented by a brief course at the State University of Oregon.  His boyhood 
pursuits were chiefly stock raising and assisting his father on the farm, 
during all of which time, however, he was a close student of books. 
	Very soon after attaining his majority he was elected county surveyor 
of Umatilla county and then was elected to a second term.  This was his first 
advent into politics, since which time he has filled many important offices of 
trust.  He was elected one of the first councilmen of the city of Pendleton, 
and afterward was elected mayor of the city, both of which offices he filled 
with credit to himself and great satisfaction to his constituents.  He served 
eight years in the state senate of Oregon and is the author of the irrigation 
law of that state, which bears his name.  He is also the author of the bill 
creating the Eastern Oregon State Normal School and has been one of the 
regents of that institution since its founding. During his legislative career 
he ranked as one of the ablest members of the senate, and the legislation of 
the state between the years 1888 and 1896 was entirely satisfactory to the 
counties represented by him.  He was a delegate to the national Democratic 
convention in Kansas City in 1898.  He was admitted to the bar in 1895 and is 
one of the prominent attorneys in the state and has been most successful in 
practice. 
	In 1879 Mr. Raley was united in marriage with Minnie A. Pratt, and is 
blessed with a most happy family of three daughters and one son.  His friends 
are legion.


Additional Comments:
 An Illustrated History of Umatilla County by Colonel William Parsons and of 
Morrow County by W. S. Shiach with a brief outline of the early history of the 
State of Oregon.  W. H. Lever, Publisher  1902.



File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/umatilla/bios/raley110gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/

File size: 3.0 Kb