ADAM B. ROTHRACK, SR. – This representative citizen of the most progressive class in the Inland Empire was born in North Carolina in 1816. In 1839 he went out to the wild lands of Illinois, taking his wife and one child, and remaining until his removal to Iowa in 1863. Two years later he brought his family and effects across the plains to Oregon, and for three years engaged in agriculture in Marion county. In 1868 he made his final move to Umatilla county, developing an immense band of cattle; but, like many others, as he found the range becoming short, he turned his attention to wheat-growing, and has thereby become one of the most successful grain-raisers in Umatilla county, whose northern portion is supposed to be the best in the world in that line. His area of two hundred and fifty acres, sown this year, which will return a total of seventy-five hundred bushels, and upon which he will realize at least twenty-five cents per bushel, net, indicates somewhat the safe profits of wheat culture.
With a liberal spirit worthy of emulation, Mr. Rothrack has made a home for his family at Weston for the sake of educating his children at the excellent normal school of that place, although he still personally superintends his farm. Being of German extraction, he has recently made a visit to the old family home, where he has a brother who is a pastor in the Lutheran church. The climate of our state still preserves him in hale age; and he is held in high esteem by the entire circle of his acquaintances, and greatly enjoys life with his five children and nineteen grandchildren.
