Ralph Carey Geer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ralph Carey Geer
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| Member of the Oregon Territorial Legislature | |
| In office 1854–1855 |
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| Constituency | Marion County |
| County Clerk | |
| In office July 1868 – June 1870 |
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| Constituency | Marion County |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 13, 1816 Willimantic, Connecticut |
| Died | January 9, 1895 (aged 78) Waldo Hills, Oregon |
| Spouse | Mary Catherine Willard |
| Relations | Homer Davenport |
Ralph Carey Geer (born March 13, 1816 – died January 9, 1895) was an American farmer and politician. He was born in Connecticut and lived in Ohio and Illinois before traveling west on the Oregon Trail. In Oregon, he started a plant nursery, raised animals, and grew flax. He served in the Oregon House of Representatives and worked as a county clerk. He was also related to famous people like Homer Davenport and T. T. Geer.
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Growing Up and Moving West
Ralph C. Geer was born on March 13, 1816, in Willimantic, Connecticut. When he was a boy, his family moved to Madison County, Ohio. On January 8, 1837, he married Mary Catherine Willard in London, Ohio. Later, they moved to Farmington, Illinois.
In 1847, Geer and his family traveled to the Oregon Country using the Oregon Trail. They had six children in total. Two of their children were born after they arrived in Oregon.
Geer settled in an area called the Waldo Hills, which is east of Salem, Oregon. He started a plant nursery there. He brought apple and pear seedlings with him all the way from the eastern states.
Besides farming, Geer also worked as a teacher. In 1858, he brought English sheep to Oregon. He was also one of the first people to grow flax in the Willamette Valley. Flax is a plant used to make linen fabric and oil.
Helping During the Cayuse War
The Whitman massacre was a sad event that led to a conflict called the Cayuse War with Native Americans. Many groups of men were formed to help protect the settlers. In 1848, Ralph Geer became a Captain of one of these groups.
His group was assigned to protect the Willamette Valley. In March of that year, he led his troops into a fight known as the Battle of Abiqua Creek.
Political Work
In 1854, Ralph Geer was chosen to be a member of the Oregon Territorial Legislature. This was the group that made laws for Oregon when it was still a territory, not yet a state. He represented Marion County in the House of Representatives from 1854 to 1855.
Later, in July 1868, he was elected as the Clerk of Marion County. He served in this role for two years, leaving office in June 1870.
Later Life and Family Connections
Ralph Geer was the uncle of Theodore Thurston Geer, who later became the Governor of Oregon. He was also the grandfather of Homer Davenport, a famous political cartoonist.
Ralph Carey Geer passed away in the Waldo Hills on January 9, 1895, when he was 79 years old. He was buried at Mt. Hope Pioneer Cemetery, which is east of Salem in the Waldo Hills. Geer's old house is still standing on the land he claimed when he first arrived in Oregon. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the R. C. Geer Farmhouse.
