Koger, Silas W.

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

SILAS W. KOGER is one of the prominent and capable farmers of Union county, who has done a good part in its development and has maintained a reputation untarnished and displayed ability and integrity in all of his endeavors that are becoming and commend him to all who are lovers of the upright and desirous of progress.

Our subject's father was a native of Kentucky, as also the mother. While quite young the father began the task of getting an education by unaided effort, which to his praise be it said he accomplished in a becoming manner. His birth occurred on November 11, 1816, and when he had arrived at the age of his majority, he took up the work of the ministry in the Baptist church, with this difference from the common clergyman that he never preached the gospel of grace for wages, deeming it more in accord with the spirit of this distinguished message that it be promulgated by men free. Until the time of his death, which occurred on October 2, 1870, he was more or less in faithful adherence to the dispensation of the gospel. He was married in Kentucky, migrated to Missouri, thence to Iowa, and then across the plains to Linn county where our subject was born on July 5, 1862. In 1865, the father removed to the Grande Ronde valley, taking the present place where our subject lives, three miles north from Cove. The mother lived until June 13, 1892, when she too was called to enter upon the rewards awaiting her in another world, and peacefully the faithful and venerable pioneer and his gracious wife sleep until the morn of eternal waking.

Our subject looks to Linn county as his native place and the Grande Ronde as the place of his early childhood days, receiving in this latter place his education. He was always occupied on the farm and while his father was engaged in the ministerial labor he attended to the farm, commencing when he was fifteen years of age. He has a good farm of one-quarter section, well improved and all cultivated and producing abundant crops in response to the skill of his husbandry.

On December 6, 1893, occurred the marriage of Mr. Koger and Miss Ella, daughter of William F. and Elizabeth (Phillip) Alexander, pioneers from Missouri. Mr. Alexander is now operating a livery stable in Cove. Mr. Koger is a member of the Masons, cove Lodge, No. 91. His father came across the plains in the train that was lost in the famous Meeks cut off and was instrumental in discovering the famous blue bucket diggings that have never been seen since. On the farm of our subject stands one of the old landmarks of 1866, in the shape of a well preserved log cabin. To the faithful efforts of such men as the subject of this sketch are due the steps of progress from the wilds of nature to its present opulent position that our county has made, and he is deserving of especial mention in this volume as one of the builders of the county.

Source: Illustrated History of Union and Wallowa Counties, Oregon

  Go Back