Ammon Shadden
The following article about Ammon Shadden comes from a document titled: "Portrait and Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley, Oregon; Containing Biographical Sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present; illustrated; Chapman Publishing Company; Chicago; 1903; Genealogical Forum; Portland, Oregon".
AMON SHADDEN. It was on December 20, 1853, on the farm where he yet lives near McMinnville, that Amon Shadden was born, i representative of an honored pioneer family. He is a son of T. J. Shadden, one of the pioneer settlers of this portion of the state. The days of chivalry and knighthood in Europe cannot furnish more interesting or romantic tales than our own western history.. Into the wild mountain fastnesses of the unexplored west went brave men, whose courage was often called forth in encounters with hostile savages. The land was rich in all natural resources, in gold and silver, in agricultural and commercial possibilities, and awaited the demands of man to yield up its treasures, but its mountain heights were hard to climb, its forests difficult to penetrate, and the magnificent trees, the dense bushes or the jagged rocks often sheltered the skulking foe, who resented the encroachment of the pale face upon these "hunting grounds." The establishment of homes in this beautiful region therefore meant sacrifices, hardships, and oftimes death, but there were some men, however, brave enough to meet the red man in his own familiar haunts and undertake the task of reclaiming the district for civilization. The rich mineral stores' of this vast region were thus added to the wealth of the nation; its magnificent forests contributed to the lumber industries and its fertile valleys added to the opportunities of the farmer and stock-raiser, and to-day the northwest is one of the most productive sections of the entire country. That this is so is due to such men as T. J. Shadden, whose name is inseparably interwoven with the history of the region. He was born February 26, 1809, near Nashville, Tenn. His parents were farmers by occupation, and when he was but a small boy his father was accidentally killed in a sparring match in which he was engaged for exercise. The son then remained at home with his mother until about fifteen or sixteen years of age, when he startec out to make his own way in the world, going first to Mississippi, and afterward to Arkansas, where he worked as a general laborer. In early manhood he married Martha Sumler, a native of Arkansas, and in 1842 they joined .a small colony of emigrants for the northwest. Their outfit consisted of a wagon drawn by oxen, and they carried with them a few household effects. Long was the journey and difficult the way, but eventually they reached Green river, Idaho. There they abandoned their wagons and came on by pack trains to Oregon as far as The Dalles, proceeding thence by skiff to Portland, while the cattle were driven across the country. Mr. Shadden and his wife first settled in Tualatin plain, where they remained until the spring of 1844, at which time they started for California, also journeying by pack train at that time. They became residents of Sacramento, where they resided until 1850, and there Mr. Shadden followed prospecting and mining. He also engaged in speculating to some extent, and conducted a large ranch and trading post, bravely meeting the difficulties and. hardships incident to frontier life. In 1850, however, he returned by boat to Portland, after a successful sojourn in California, bringing with him $180,000 in gold dust. He took up a donation claim on Beaver creek, about two and a half miles west of McMinnville, and there he continued to make his home until his death. His labors resulted in the transformation of his land from a wild tract to one of rich fertility. He placed many improvements upon his farm, and at one time he owned two thousand acres of rich land in this vicinity. Extensively engaged in raising and dealing in stock he found it profitable, and as the years passed he added continually to his possessions. Mr. Shadden was a self-made man who deserved great credit for what he accomplished. He carried forward to successful completion whatever he undertook. He had no advantages, but with determined purpose and unfaltering energy he worked his way upward, and all that he acquired was the direct result and merited reward of his own labor. He was also a popular and prominent citizen, deeply interested in the welfare and prosperity of his community, and was a liberal contributor to school and church enterprises. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Shadden were born thirteen children: Lucilla, Madison, Jasper, Thomas, Henry, Mary, Eliza and Riley, all of whom are deceased; Amon, of this review, and four, who died in infancy. The father passed away in 1894, at the age of eighty-five years, and the mother, when eighty-six years of age, and both were laid to rest in McMinnville cemetery.
Amon Shadden, whose name introduces this record, began his education in the district schools and afterward attended high school and McMinnville College. He married Maggie Mitchell, a native of New York City, and they went to the home of Mr. Shadden's parents, whom they cared for in their declining years. Both became helpless and had to be wheeled around in invalid chairs for a number
of years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Amon Shadden was born one son, Granville, who is now living upon a part of the old donation claim. For his second wife, Amon Shadden chose Emma Stewart, a native of Minnesota,.and their only child, Emma, is now deceased. His third wife bore the maiden name .of Docia Gillum, and is still living with him upon his farm in Yamhill county.
Throughout his entire life Mr. Shadden has carried on general agricultural pursuits and stock-raising, making a specialty of Jersey cattle, Berkshire hogs and of draft and trotting horses. He owns about two hundred and sixty-four acres of land, most of which is the old donation claim. He has placed his fields under a high state of cultivation and has done not a little to improve the grade of stock in this locality by introducing valuable animals. In recent years ie has discovered gold upon his place. He has found larg« <juaatit4e« -ef -Wtte quartz encased in silver coating, besides lead, silver and gold indications, and he is confident that the mineral deposits will .give him a rich yield. His life has been one of untiring industry and his energy has been a large factor in his success. In his political views Mr. Shadden is a Democrat, and his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Christian Church. For a half century he has lived upon the farm which is now his home, and this period covers his entire earthly pilgrimage. There have been no exciting chapters in his career or startling incidents, but probably no sketch given in this volume proves more conclusively the force of industry and honesty as factors in winning success.