History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon. Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon

GEORGE D. CULERTSON AND FAMILY

     George D. Culbertson was born in Denton County, Texas, March 1st, 1868, the son of Elijah H. and Helen (Curtner) Culbertson. His grandfather, Andrew J. Culbertson migrated to Oregon with ox teams in 1852, located in Powell Valley, Multnomah county and lived there the remainder of his life. The father of George Culbertson was born in Indiana, December 28th, 1824. His mother was born in Mo.
     Her parents were natives of Crab Orchard, Kentucky and the family was of Scotch descent. James Gerard Curtner, the second governor of Kentucky, was an uncle of his mother. His father, Elijah Culbertson, founded the village of Stringtow, Indian Territory, where he was mill, owner and merchant before the days of railroads. Moving to Texas he raised stock and engaged in building and contracting.
     He built the first courthouse in Fort Worth. In addition to his business activities he was an Indian missionary and was instrumental in founding many M.E. churches. He died at Savanna Indian Territory, February 18, 1902, at the age of 78 years.
     George was educated in the district schools of Indian Territory and an academy in north Texas. He taught school in Choctaw and other Indian nations for three years, then became secretary and one of the Faculty of the Fort Worth Business College in Texas. He and his brother also carried on a profitable mercantile business in Savanna Indian Territory until they were burned out.
     He came to Oregon and for two years was an accountant in a dry goods house at Salem. He then made a visit to his mother at Savanna, coming back to Oregon he worked as accountant in a wholesale boot and shoe house in Portland. In 1901 he entered the real estate business in Hood River. In 1903 he was married to Miss Caroline Booth. In the following summer they built a neat little cottage in Winan's Addition on Lover's Lane and moved into their new abode.
     Mr. Culbertson's activities in the real estate business took him all over the county and finding some vacant land in the upper valley, he filed on it. Mrs. Booth, who made her home with her daughter, also filed on an adjoining tract. In 1908 the county of Hood River was created by an act of the Referendum and George Culbertson was chosen the first County Clerk.
     In July 1909 Mrs. Culbertson went to Portland to consult a doctor in the hope of warding off an impending evil, an operation delayed, but did not cure. They moved to Portland on her account.
     For eleven years she suffered with alternate hopes and tears, cheerful and patient to the last. She passed away in the fall of 1920 leaving her husband and Louise, 15 years of age, the only child. During the later years Mrs. Booth, her mother, lived with them also the orphaned children of John Booth. After Mrs. Culbertson's death, Mrs. Booth made her home with Mrs. Jennie Sharp in Portland, where she died some years later, more than ninety years of age. Mr. Culbertson is still a resident of Portland. Louise is now Mrs. Kenneth Murrell and lives in Portland. They have a son and daughter.

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