Pentland, William

The following data is extracted from History of the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and Washington, 1889.

WILLIAM PENTLAND. - This town-builder and founder of Lexington was born December 26, 1835, in Fleming county, Kentucky, and removed with his parents in 1831 to Platt county, Missouri, and three years later made a new location in Buchanan county. He was there engaged in agriculture. In 1847 he made the great journey with ox-teams across the plains to Oregon, and located near the present site of Corvallis. He remained with his people in that neighborhood until 1867, receiving a good, practical education during his early days at the common schools of Corvallis. he was married in 1860 to Miss Jane Nordyke, and afterwards engaged successfully in farming and stock-raising in Benton county.

In 1867 he came to Willow Creek, in Eastern Oregon, and has been identified with the stock interests of that section ever since. He has become the owner of an immense flock of sheep, having twenty thousand head, owning also a small band of horses. For the sustenance of this truly patriarchal flock, he owns fourteen thousand acres of land.

In 1885 he laid out the townsite of Lexington, Oregon, and is therefore the father of that most vigorous, active prosperous and moral young city. The large agricultural section and immense grazing region tributary to that town is sufficient guarantee of its future prosperity. It is now supplied with a gristmill of a capacity of fifty barrels per day, which does a good business.

In that beautiful village Mr. Pentland enjoys a happy life with his family, and devotes himself to the public good.

Source: History of the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and Washington, 1889

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