Born ‎± 1803‎

Born ‎± 1805, died ‎ Jul 4, 1900 at San Antonio, Bexar Co., TX‎, approximately 95 years

Born ‎ Jul 14, 1809 at Cupeper Co., VA, died ‎ Feb 16, 1829 at VA‎, 19 years

Born ‎ Jul 22, 1811, died ‎between 1830 and 1838‎, 26 or 27 years

Born ‎ Jul 10, 1813 at Culpeper Co. VA., died ‎after 1874 at Henry Co., Iowa‎, at least 61 years

Born ‎ Feb 15, 1816 at Culpeper Co., VA.---see notes, died ‎ May 19, 1875 at Lincoln, KS. - 2nd death date 4-19-1892 !! J K Richardson‎, 59 years
GED2HTML v2.4a
He came with his father and his family to Wisconsin Territory in the mid 1830's. They probably resided in an area which later became Keokuk Co., IA. A marriage record shows that on 6-2-1839 an Elzab [probably Elijah, and incorrectly written] L Menefee married Sarah M.[oon] Farmer. They first showed as a couple in 1840 census in Henry County, and did not own any slaves. This would tend to confirm the story of William Tecumseh Menefee who said that John M. and his family left VA because they did not approve of slavery. He also reported that in a generation back of him, and a Menefee boy had married a Farmer girl a Menefee girl had married a Farmer boy. They would be Elijah and his wife Sarah Moon Farmer and his sister Lucy and her husband Charles C. Farmer.

The Keokuk County History of 1880, page 326 states: "In 1846 the government offered for sale all the lands in Keokuk County, all the sales were made exclusively for cash. The Government would receive nothing but bills on the State Bank of Missouri and Species in payment...Bidders came to the land office in Fairfield...Minimum price of the land was $1.25 per acre." Among those purchasers was Elijah Menefee.

Sarah, Elijah's wife, died 19 May 1867 and is buried in the Brethren Cemetery, Richland, IA. Elijah later married Sarah [___] Skates. The 1870 census shows them living in Jackson Township, Keokuk Co. with a number of Skates children. Elijah died in 1875 according to his brother's [William Reynold Menefee] biography. His widow Sarah is seen in the 1880 census living with her son, William Skates, in Steady Run Township, Keokuck Co., IA. There are no known children of the latter marriage.

Posted by: Warren Rhodes (ID *****9717) Date: February 20, 2005 at 07:36:22
In Reply to: Re: Information on "Mountin Harry" Menefee by Bill douglass of 826

Warren Rhodes, posted on Menefee Genforum:
My mother was the daughter of William Burk Rhodes & Katie Lucretia Menefee, Katie or Lou as she was called in our family was the daughter of John Malrey Menefee & Lottie Yates, John was the son of Elijah Lewis Menefee & his third wife Sarah Scates, Elijah was the son of Captin John Malrey Menefee & his second wife Lucy Partlow, Captin John was the son of Henry "Mountin Harry" Menefee, who was the son of Jonas Menefee. I thought there was probably a good story behind the name Mountin Harry. I you can tell me I would appreciate it. Thank You!GED2HTML v2.4a
He came with his father and his family to Wisconsin Territory in the mid 1830's. They probably resided in an area which later became Keokuk Co., IA. A marriage record shows that on 6-2-1839 an Elzab [probably Elijah, and incorrectly written] L Menefee married Sarah M.[oon] Farmer. They first showed as a couple in 1840 census in Henry County, and did not own any slaves. This would tend to confirm the story of William Tecumseh Menefee who said that John M. and his family left VA because they did not approve of slavery. He also reported that in a generation back of him, and a Menefee boy had married a Farmer girl a Menefee girl had married a Farmer boy. They would be Elijah and his wife Sarah Moon Farmer and his sister Lucy and her husband Charles C. Farmer.

The Keokuk County History of 1880, page 326 states: "In 1846 the government offered for sale all the lands in Keokuk County, all the sales were made exclusively for cash. The Government would receive nothing but bills on the State Bank of Missouri and Species in payment...Bidders came to the land office in Fairfield...Minimum price of the land was $1.25 per acre." Among those purchasers was Elijah Menefee.

Sarah, Elijah's wife, died 19 May 1867 and is buried in the Brethren Cemetery, Richland, IA. Elijah later married Sarah [___] Skates. The 1870 census shows them living in Jackson Township, Keokuk Co. with a number of Skates children. Elijah died in 1875 according to his brother's [William Reynold Menefee] biography. His widow Sarah is seen in the 1880 census living with her son, William Skates, in Steady Run Township, Keokuck Co., IA. There are no known children of the latter marriage.

Born ‎ 1817 at Culpeper Co., VA., died ‎ Apr 19, 1847 at Louisa Co., Iowa‎, 29 or 30 years

Born ‎ Nov 14, 1817 at Culpeper Co. VA., died ‎after 1856‎, at least 39 years

Born ‎ Jun 25, 1822 at Culpeper Co., VA.--see notes, conflicting death dates-serious, died ‎ Jan 14, 1823 at Culpeper Co., VA. [Menefee records vs. Partlow records][marriage]‎, 0 years, buried ‎ at Partlow records show d . 1897, m. Mary A. O'Bannon
Conflict in dates - Menefee history says died 1-14-1823, 6 1/2 months old, Partlow history says he died 1897 and married Mary A. O'Bannon.

Born ‎ Dec 5, 1823 at Rappahannock Co. VA. [ JKR says Culpeper Co.], died ‎ Jun 11, 1906 at Dufur, OR.---------------------see notes‎, 82 years
Submission Number: 2348346-0722103123049, Submission Number: 2805120-0813104164654 Notes: Available on CD-ROM Disc 13, Submission Number: 816100-0404100091713;


From same History of Central Oregon, 1905

Wm. [R] Menefee, one of the oldest settlers, in the county comprising Wasco County, and a retired farmer, resides at Dufur. He was born Dec. 5th, 1823 in Rappahannock County, Virginia, at the time of his birth known as Culpeper County. He is the son of John M. and Lucy M. [Partlow] Menefee, natives of Virginia. In 1837 John L. Partlow, the brother of Lucy M. Menefee was sheriff of Rapahannock County.

In a subscription school in Virginia Wm. R. Menefee, our subject, received his education, and in 1835 his parents removed to Henry County, Iowa. To reach this place they were obliged to travel overland with horse teams. It was in 1852 that our subject came to Oregon and located on a donation claim in Yamhill county, but it not being entirely satisfactory he secured another claim in Walla Walla County. Washington, and in 1855 started for that locality with his wife and two children. At the Dalles he learned of the horrible atrosities connected with the massacre of Dr. Marcus Whitman, and decided to postpone his advent into that territory. On the repeal of the Donation Law he came this vicinity accompanied by seven other families. They concluded to build a fort and take up land on Fifteen Mile Creek.

There were in the colony the Combs, Crooks, Bolton Zachary, Flett, Walker and two other families. They ran up part of the stockade, but as there was no immediate trouble with the Indians completion of the stockade was abandoned. It is true some stock was stolen, but they were not fully convince that this was not the work of white men instead of Indians.

Until quite recently our subject has been a Republican. At present he is a Prohibitionist. For eight years he was Justice of the Peace, and has been school director, and was the first Clerk of School District No. 2 upon its organization. He has never been an office seeker, but has always taken an active interest in party politics. For many years he followed the business of farming and stock raising, but in 1885 he disposed of his land, of which he at one time had 600 acres, and removed into the town of Dufur. During one year he was in the hotel business, conducting old Fifteen Mile House, and one year he was engaged in improving his town property. In company of two partners he erected a windmill and built waterworks, draining water from the creek. These were the pioneer waterworks of Dufur. Later a company of eight was organized, including Mr. Menefee, and they enlarged the system,and of this plant he is now superintendent.

Since 1889 he has been a Notary Public. Our subjects wife owns residence lots in Dufur, and a house on Main Street. Mr. Menefee had one brother, Elijah L., who died in 1875. Four sisters are deceased: Clarinda, Lucy, Sarah and Catherine.

February 8, 1849, at Grant View {Grandview], Louisa County., Iowa, was united in marriage to Nancy Jane Benefiel. She has one brother living in Spokane, Washington. She had three sisters, Susan, widow of Robert Ireland; Louisa and Hester, deceased. Mr. Menefee has seven children living: Henry of Dufur; Frank; William R., a druggist in Gaston, Oregon; Mary, wife of F.M. Gilliam of Fossil, Oregon; Carrie, married to E.B. Dufur [first wife Frances Susan Zimmerman] of Gold Hill, Oregon; Hannah, widow of Warren Emerson and Evaline, widow of Hugh Moorehead. Both Mr. and Mrs. Menefee are members of the Christian Church.---
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------- From Verna Frances Menefee Plummer Sampson:
"I remember when I was very little, visiting Grandma and Grandpa Menefee in Dufur. Often they sat at a long library table, a kerosene lamp centered between them, each reading a bible. Grandpa knew the Scriptures, chapter and verse.
They would sit on the front porch of their house in Dufur, each in a rocking chair and Nancy Jane smoking from a corncob pipe. They rocked and waited for the rents to be brought to them from their property in Dufur."
__________________________________________________________________________ ___
For 8 years he was a Justice of the Peace, and in 1865 he ran the Eight Mile house, a hotel on Fifteen Mile Creek, fifteen miles from The Dalles, Wasco Co. Oregon.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------
From Verna Frances Menefee Plummer Sampson:
"I remember when I was very little, visiting Grandma and Grandpa Menefee in Dufur. Often they sat at a long library table, a kerosene lamp centered between them, each reading a bible. Grandpa knew the Scriptures, chapter and verse.
They would sit on the front porch of their house in Dufur, each in a rocking chair and Nancy Jane smoking from a corncob pipe. They rocked and waited for the rents to be brought to them from their property in Dufur."

Our Great grandfather [Aunt Birdie's grandfather], E.B. Dufur, was instrumental in getting statehood for Oregon. He went to the US Congress and presented them with the reasons why Oregon should no longer be a territory. He was an attorney, studying law while watching sheep for the family as a young man, before he married.

My brother, Ed, [insert by Glenna Menefee Inglis] read a case he had either prosecuted or defended [I do not remember which; it was while he was in the service for WW II and I was too young to know the difference] in True Stories Magazine. He taught law to Nancy Benefiel Menefee and my grandfather Frank Menefee. They dissolved their partnership when Edith Dufur and he were divorced, about 1901. Aunt Verna was graduated from Reed College, which the Dufur's founded. We have their piano, the first grand piano in Oregon territory. It is an upright grand and, according to Aunt Birdie, came around the horn, as they had come across the plains and too many things were lost.

I started to tell you yesterday that when Nancy Jane Benefiel Menefee drove in the wagon train, William Reynolds Menefee, her husband, had sent money for her to secure passage on a ship around the horn [not always a safe method, either]. I guess you can see where Aunt Birdie and the rest of us have gotten our independence.

I hope you don't get inundated by family stories, but not all of it is written [I have tried my best], but after I'm gone, I want your side to know, too. Just let me know if it's too much, or if you want more info., but I thought this would be possibly be needed for the memorial.

"From same History of Central Oregon, 1905"

Wm. [R] Menefee, one of the oldest settlers, in the county comprising Wasco County, and a retired farmer, resides at Dufur. He was born Dec. 5th, 1823 in Rappahannock County, Virginia, at the time of his birth known as Culpeper County. He is the son of John M. and Lucy M. [Partlow] Menefee, natives of Virginia. In 1837 John L. Partlow, the brother of Lucy M. Menefee was sheriff of Rappahannock County.

In a subscription school in Virginia Wm. R. Menefee, our subject, received his education, and in 1835 his parents removed to Henry County, Iowa. To reach this place they were obliged to travel overland with horse teams. It was in 1852 that our subject came to Oregon and located on a donation claim in Yamhill County, but it not being entirely satisfactory he secured another claim in Walla Walla County. Washington, and in 1855 started for that locality with his wife and two children. At the Dalles he learned of the horrible atrocities connected with the massacre of Dr. Marcus Whitman, and decided to postpone his advent into that territory. On the repeal of the Donation Law he came this vicinity accompanied by seven other families. They concluded to build a fort and take up land on Fifteen Mile Creek.

There were in the colony the Combs, Crooks, Bolton Zachary, Flett, Walker and two other families. They ran up part of the stockade, but as there was no immediate trouble with the Indians completion of the stockade was abandoned. It is true some stock was stolen, but they were not fully convince that this was not the work of white men instead of Indians.

Until quite recently our subject has been a Republican. At present he is a Prohibitionist. For eight years he was Justice of the Peace, and has been school director, and was the first Clerk of School District No. 2 upon its organization. He has never been an office seeker, but has always taken an active interest in party politics. For many years he followed the business of farming and stock raising, but in 1885 he disposed of his land, of which he at one time had 600 acres, and removed into the town of Dufur. During one year he was in the hotel business, conducting old Fifteen Mile House, and one year he was engaged in improving his town property. In company of two partners he erected a windmill and built water works, draining water from the creek. These were the pioneer waterworks of Dufur. Later a company of eight was organized, including Mr. Menefee, and they enlarged the system, and of this plant he is now superintendent.

Since 1889 he has been a Notary Public. Our subject's wife owns residence lots in Dufur, and a house on Main Street. Mr. Menefee had one brother, Elijah L., who died in 1875. Four sisters are deceased: Clarinda, Lucy, Sarah and Catherine."From same History of Central Oregon, 1905

Wm. [R] Menefee, one of the oldest settlers, in the county comprising Wasco County, and a retired farmer, resides at Dufur. He was born Dec. 5th, 1823 in Rappahannock County, Virginia, at the time of his birth known as Culpeper County. He is the son of John M. and Lucy M. [Partlow] Menefee, natives of Virginia. In 1837 John L. Partlow, the brother of Lucy M. Menefee was sheriff of Rapahannock County.

In a subscription school in Virginia Wm. R. Menefee, our subject, received his education, and in 1835 his parents removed to Henry County, Iowa. To reach this place they were obliged to travel overland with horse teams. It was in 1852 that our subject came to Oregon and located on a donation claim in Yamhill county, but it not being entirely satisfactory he secured another claim in Walla Walla County. Washington, and in 1855 started for that locality with his wife and two children. At the Dalles he learned of the horrible atrosities connected with the massacre of Dr. Marcus Whitman, and decided to postpone his advent into that territory. On the repeal of the Donation Law he came this vicinity accompanied by seven other families. They concluded to build a fort and take up land on Fifteen Mile Creek.

There were in the colony the Combs, Crooks, Bolton Zachary, Flett, Walker and two other families. They ran up part of the stockade, but as there was no immediate trouble with the Indians completion of the stockade was abandoned. It is true some stock was stolen, but they were not fully convince that this was not the work of white men instead of Indians.

Until quite recently our subject has been a Republican. At present he is a Prohibitionist. For eight years he was Justice of the Peace, and has been school director, and was the first Clerk of School District No. 2 upon its organization. He has never been an office seeker, but has always taken an active interest in party politics. For many years he followed the business of farming and stock raising, but in 1885 he disposed of his land, of which he at one time had 600 acres, and removed into the town of Dufur. During one year he was in the hotel business, conducting old Fifteen Mile House, and one year he was engaged in improving his town property. In company of two partners he erected a windmill and built waterworks, draining water from the creek. These were the pioneer waterworks of Dufur. Later a company of eight was organized, including Mr. Menefee, and they enlarged the system,and of this plant he is now superintendent.

Since 1889 he has been a Notary Public. Our subjects wife owns residence lots in Dufur, and a house on Main Street. Mr. Menefee had one brother, Elijah L., who died in 1875. Four sisters are deceased: Clarinda, Lucy, Sarah and Catherine.

February 8, 1849, at Grant View {Grandview], Louisa County., Iowa, was united in marriage to Nancy Jane Benefiel. She has one brother living in Spokane, Washington. She had three sisters, Susan, widow of Robert Ireland; Louisa and Hester, deceased. Mr. Menefee has seven children living: Henry of Dufur; Frank; William R., a druggist in Gaston, Oregon; Mary, wife of F.M. Gilliam of Fossil, Oregon; Carrie, married to E.B. Dufur [first wife Frances Susan Zimmerman] of Gold Hill, Oregon; Hannah, widow of Warren Emerson and Evaline, widow of Hugh Moorehead. Both Mr. and Mrs. Menefee are members of the Christian Church.---
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From Verna Frances Menefee Plummer Sampson:
"I remember when I was very little, visiting Grandma and Grandpa Menefee in Dufur. Often they sat at a long library table, a kerosene lamp centered between them, each reading a bible. Grandpa knew the Scriptures, chapter and verse.
They would sit on the front porch of their house in Dufur, each in a rocking chair and Nancy Jane smoking from a corncob pipe. They rocked and waited for the rents to be brought to them from their property in Dufur."
_____________________________________________________________________________
For 8 years he was a Justice of the Peace, and in 1865 he ran the Eight Mile house, a hotel on Fifteen Mile Creek, fifteen miles from The Dalles, Wasco Co. Oregon.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Verna Frances Menefee Plummer Sampson:
"I remember when I was very little, visiting Grandma and Grandpa Menefee in Dufur. Often they sat at a long library table, a kerosene lamp centered between them, each reading a bible. Grandpa knew the Scriptures, chapter and verse.
They would sit on the front porch of their house in Dufur, each in a rocking chair and Nancy Jane smoking from a corncob pipe. They rocked and waited for the rents to be brought to them from their property in Dufur."

Our Great grandfather [Aunt Birdie's grandfather], E.B. Dufur, was instrumental in getting statehood for Oregon. He went to the US Congress and presented them with the reasons why Oregon should no longer be a territory. He was an attorney, studying law while watching sheep for the family as a young man, before he married.

My brother, Ed, [insert by Glenna Menefee Inglis] read a case he had either prosecuted or defended [I do not remember which; it was while he was in the service for WW II and I was too young to know the difference] in True Stories Magazine. He taught law to Nancy Benefiel Menefee and my grandfather Frank Menefee. They dissolved their partnership when Edith Dufur and he were divorced, about 1901. Aunt Verna was graduated from Reed College, which the Dufur's founded. We have their piano, the first grand piano in Oregon territory. It is an upright grand and, according to Aunt Birdie, came around the horn, as they had come across the plains and too many things were lost.

I started to tell you yesterday that when Nancy Jane Benefiel Menefee drove in the wagon train, William Reynolds Menefee, her husband, had sent money for her to secure passage on a ship around the horn [not always a safe method, either]. I guess you can see where Aunt Birdie and the rest of us have gotten our independence.

I hope you don't get inundated by family stories, but not all of it is written [I have tried my best], but after I'm gone, I want your side to know, too. Just let me know if it's too much, or if you want more info., but I thought this would be possibly be needed for the memorial.

"From same History of Central Oregon, 1905"

Wm. [R] Menefee, one of the oldest settlers, in the county comprising Wasco County, and a retired farmer, resides at Dufur. He was born Dec. 5th, 1823 in Rappahannock County, Virginia, at the time of his birth known as Culpeper County. He is the son of John M. and Lucy M. [Partlow] Menefee, natives of Virginia. In 1837 John L. Partlow, the brother of Lucy M. Menefee was sheriff of Rappahannock County.

In a subscription school in Virginia Wm. R. Menefee, our subject, received his education, and in 1835 his parents removed to Henry County, Iowa. To reach this place they were obliged to travel overland with horse teams. It was in 1852 that our subject came to Oregon and located on a donation claim in Yamhill County, but it not being entirely satisfactory he secured another claim in Walla Walla County. Washington, and in 1855 started for that locality with his wife and two children. At the Dalles he learned of the horrible atrocities connected with the massacre of Dr. Marcus Whitman, and decided to postpone his advent into that territory. On the repeal of the Donation Law he came this vicinity accompanied by seven other families. They concluded to build a fort and take up land on Fifteen Mile Creek.

There were in the colony the Combs, Crooks, Bolton Zachary, Flett, Walker and two other families. They ran up part of the stockade, but as there was no immediate trouble with the Indians completion of the stockade was abandoned. It is true some stock was stolen, but they were not fully convince that this was not the work of white men instead of Indians.

Until quite recently our subject has been a Republican. At present he is a Prohibitionist. For eight years he was Justice of the Peace, and has been school director, and was the first Clerk of School District No. 2 upon its organization. He has never been an office seeker, but has always taken an active interest in party politics. For many years he followed the business of farming and stock raising, but in 1885 he disposed of his land, of which he at one time had 600 acres, and removed into the town of Dufur. During one year he was in the hotel business, conducting old Fifteen Mile House, and one year he was engaged in improving his town property. In company of two partners he erected a windmill and built water works, draining water from the creek. These were the pioneer waterworks of Dufur. Later a company of eight was organized, including Mr. Menefee, and they enlarged the system, and of this plant he is now superintendent.

Since 1889 he has been a Notary Public. Our subject's wife owns residence lots in Dufur, and a house on Main Street. Mr. Menefee had one brother, Elijah L., who died in 1875. Four sisters are deceased: Clarinda, Lucy, Sarah and Catherine."

Born ‎ May 5, 1826 at Culpeper Co., VA. see notes, died ‎after 1880 at York, North Dakota‎, at least 54 years
In the 1860 census of Jackson Township. Keokuk Co., Iowa she was shown as a farmer, owning $2500 real estate and $500 personal estate. She lived near her brother Elijah and her father lived with her. Charles Farmer d. 2-19-1855. She was again shown in the 1880 census.