Buell, Hosmer L.

The following data is extracted from Illustrated History of Union and Wallowa Counties, Oregon.

HOSMER L. BUELL.-The subject of this sketch deserves to be placed in the history of Union county for various reasons. He is a man of ability, which is amply demonstrated in the fine drug business that he manipulates in the city of Elgin, where he does a thriving business. He has passed a life of great activity in various leading industries, being ever at the ehad both because of his energy and because of his fitness for that purpose. When the call came for men, brave and true, to face the cannon of the hosts of rebellion, our subject never wavered, but surrendered himself to the fortunes of war and the God of the battle field, and fought through te long struggle until the last shot was silenced and the broken foe bowed in repentence and raised from the field to leave the land to mourn for its dead.

Hosmer L. was born in Delaware county, New York, on May 31, 1836, being the son of Dewey and Aurelia (Goddard) Buell, natives respectively of New York and Pennsylvania. The father was a farmer and in 1872 removed with the family to Dallas county, Iowa, remaining there until the time of his death which occured on July 14, 1875, and the mother died in Kansas in 1890. Our subject worked with his father until the age of twenty-three and then went to farming and lumbering until the outbreak of the war, when he enlisted, August 1862 at Troy, Pennsylvania, in the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, Company C. under Col. George Wyncoup, in the Army of the Cumberland. Many hard fought battles were participated in by him and constant military duty was his lot until the close of the war being mustered out June, 1865, at Nashville, Tennessee. Subsequent to the war he went to the oil regions of Pennsylvania, operating for some time, then retired to McHenry county, Illinois, where he farmed for a year, then went to colorado prospecting. In that state and in New Mexico he operated for the Kansas and Pacific railroad, looking for coal and water. In 1872, he went into business for himself, boring for salt and coal in Kansas and Illinois. In 1878, he commenced the manufacture of boring machinery in Clay Centre, Kansas, continuing in the same until 1888, when he sold the entire plant and removed to Idaho, and there bored for water for a time, then opened the Mountain Home, a resort at the Hot Springs, which institution was prospered exceedingly under his skillful management. this was sold in 1890 and he then came to Elgin and engaged in the lumber business for one year, after which he purchased his present business, a large and well equipped drug store, one-third of which is owned by his son, Joseph. In addition to this good business, Mr. Buell owns much real estate and a number of buildings in the city of Elgin and also the store property where he is now doing business.

In 1859, Mr. Buell married Miss Arah Miller, a native of Pennsylvania and one child was born to them, Joseph.

In 1873, Mr. Buell married a second time. Lizzie Abbott becoming his wife on this occasion and two children were born to them. Hale and Mable. Mr. Buell is one of the substantial men of the city of Elgin and apublic spirited citizen of the county and enjoys the confidence and esteem of all who know him. He is a member of the Masons, Elgin Lodge No. 93. and of the Blue Mountain Chapter, O.E.S. No. 52 and also of the Nathan Baker Post of the G.A.R. of Elgin.

In June 1900, the G.A.R. elected Mr. Buell surgeon general for the state of Oregon and he served for one year. it is of note that it was Mr. Buell's brigade that captured Jefferson Davis.

Source: Illustrated History of Union and Wallowa Counties, Oregon

  Go Back