George Leghorn : Short Biography

George Leghorn came to the United States from Clones, Monaghan in about 1870. His parents were probably John Leghorn and Martha Bryson. I don't know much about his life in Ireland, but believe that his father died there. Someone with that name died in Clones in 1881. In 1883, his mother came to America with her son James William Leghorn. They settled at Buffalo, Marquette, Wisconsin. There was a sister Mary, who never married, but worked as a nurse for a time in South Africa and spent at least some time in Oregon where George lived. George's obituary tells a lot about his life.

George Leghorn left Belfast, Ireland for New York on the "City of Paris."  He was 17 Years of age at the time.  When he was 20 he went to California by ship, making the dangerous crossing of the Isthmus of Panama. He first settled in the San Francisco Bay area in Contra Costa County shere he met his future wife, Lena Babbe. There first three children were born in California. They moved to the Pacific Northwest around 1881.

In the 1880 Census, he gave his father’s birthplace as Scotland. After that time he said Ireland, but his ancestors were very likely to have been from Scotland.

OBITUARY: ARLINGTON BULLETIN, FRIDAY FEBRUARY 15, 1929; page 1.

GEORGE LEGHORN Pioneer Citizen Heeds Last Call: George Leghorn, Arlington's oldest living resident, passed away at his home in this city last Sunday. The cause of his death was heart trouble. Mr. Leghorn was born in Ireland December 4, 1850 & was 78 years, 2 months & 6 days at the time of his death.

At an early age he came to New York & from that city journeyed to California by the way of the Isthmus of Panama when 20 years of age. September 7, 1875 he married Miss Lena Babbe at Antioch, California. To this union 7 children were born, the following besides the widow surviving: JH Leghorn of this city, Mrs. HE (Anna) Dodson of Portland, Burwell C. Leghorn of Kelso Washington, FD Leghorn of Portland, Benjamin C. Leghorn of Arlington, Clyde M. Leghorn of Arlington.

Mr. Leghorn lived in California from 1870-1881 when he moved to Bickleton, Washington where he lived for 1 year, moving to Arlington, Oregon in 1882 & has resided here until his death. For a number of years he was employed as a clerk in the general merchandise store owned & operated by J.W. Smith. He also worked several years in the local railroad yards. There were not 50 people living in Arlington when Mr. Leghorn arrived. He lived to see the place grow from this small beginning to an important place along the Oregon Trail.

Mr. Leghorn was a man of sterling worth & character & the community suffered a distinct loss by his death. Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon from the Methodist church, Rev. Alexander Hawthorne in charge. Burial was made in the Arlington Cemetery.

Not mentioned in Obituary notice. In Arlington he was the person who knew how to make bricks and he also built the wood which supplied the city’s water. He helped plant the town’s cottonwood and locust trees.

Also, while digging the spring house for Mr Smith, he found a dinosaur bone. A newspaper article about it was printed in California. The bone was sent to the Smithsonian.