THEODORE D. GEER

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LINCOLN CO. BIO. INDEX

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      THEODORE D. GEER is not only a pioneer but a descendant from ancestors who made worthy records in this land.  He is closely related to some of the leading men of the west and has done a lion's share in the development of the country.  He now resides in Wilbur, Washington, and came to what is now Lincoln county, in 1880, nearly a quarter of a century ago and since that time has has been a progressive, prominent and capable citizen.

      T. D. Geer was born in Illinois, on October 13, 1843.  His father, Frederick W. Geer. was born in Columbus, Ohio, and crossed the plains in 1846, settling in Oregon, where he engaged in lumbering.  Later, he gave his attention to the mercantile business and also operated a hotel at Butteville, twenty miles from Portland.  He died in 1900, aged eighty-one.  The mother of our subject was Mary ( Prentice) Geer, a native of New York.  She shared her husband's journey across the plains and other pioneer labors and was a noble and faithful woman.  Her death occurred in 1892.  Our subject was three years of age when he came with his parents on the western trip and in Oregon he grew up and received his education.  In addition to working on a farm, he also labored with his father in the store and when twenty years of age went to farming for himself.  For four years he conducted his father's estate and in 1867 went to the. mines at Warren, Idaho.  He labored there nine months and in 1868, went to work on a steamboat on the Willamette river.  In 1876, we find him in eastern Oregon engaged in the stock business.  Then he went to western Oregon again and finally came to what is now Lincoln county, settling about seven miles southeast from where the town of Wilbur now stands.  He owns four hundred and forty acres of fine, well improved land, a good residence in Wilbur, and a block of lots in the same town.

      In 1863, occurred the marriage of T. D. Geer and Philomane Matthew, a native of St. Louis, Oregon.  Mrs. Geer's father, Francis X. Matthew, was born in Montreal, Canada, and came to Oregon in 1842.  He is still living on the old donation claim that he took that year, being aged eighty-six.  It is right near Portland and he is one of the early pioneers of that now thriving state.  During his earlier years, he was employed by The American Fur Company and was closely identified with the early history making incidents of Oregon.  He was a very active participant in the settlement of Oregon and a strong and patriotic American.

      Mr. Geer is a full cousin of ex-governor Geer of Oregon and also of Davenport, the great cartoonist.  He was the second post master in Lincoln county and is well known to all the old timers.  His first vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln and he has been a stanch Republican since.

      To Mr. and Mrs. Geer the following named children have been born, Fred E., Henry R., Stella May, Walter T., Charles V., Eva A., Ida R., Hattie F., Lester G., and Annette A.

      By way of reminiscence it is interesting to note regarding the worthy pioneer, Francis X. Matthew, that, in the trying times of the struggle between the Hudson's Bay Company men and the American settlers as to who would have the supremacy in the early days, he was a stanch worker for the American interests.  When the crucial test came in the meeting called in the Willamette valley, it was found that one hundred and two were there, fifty for the establishment of a provisional government by the Americans and fifty solidly for the Hudson's Bay Company, which was trying to hold the territory for the kingdom of Great Britain, and two who were doubtful.  Mr. Matthew was successful in influencing these two for the American cause and so the day won, in the glory of which he should receive no small share.