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

JOHN P. BOOTH AND FAMILY
Wasco County 1851

     John P. Booth was the son of a Baptist minister and was born, raised, and educated in Michigan. He learned the trade of harness and saddle making and worked at it while in his native state.
     Mary Louise Riggs was the daughter of an eminent jurist who migrated from the South to Michigan in an early day. She grew to womanhood as a neighbor and school-mate of John P. Booth and then became his wife. During the war of 1812 her father was officer on the staff of Col. James B. Ballis. In Michigan he was one of the framers of the Constitution of the state, and was appointed Indian Agent for that section. Later he became Supreme Judge of the state of Michigan and his decisions are quoted as authority to this day. His father, Jeremiah C. Riggs was aide-de-campe to General George Washington during the Revolution.
     Mr. and Mrs. Booth came to Oregon in 1851 by way of the Isthmus and located at The Dalles. He brought his tools for making harness and saddles, which were shipped on a small boat following the passenger boat. The small craft sank and an Indian was hired to dive and recover them. These were the first harness tools taken east of the Cascades. He established a shop which he continued to operate for twenty years.
     John P. Booth was the first Justice of the Peace in Wasco Co., and performed the first marriage ceremony there. Mr. and Mrs. Booth were charter members of the First Congregational Church organized. Mr. Booth was a thirty-third degree, Scottish rite Mason and was instrumental in obtaining the charter for Wasco Lodge No. 15, A.F. & A.M. of The Dalles. In 1871 he closed his shop and operated a farm on Five Mile Creek where he engaged in market gardening. He died in 1876. The family made their residence in The Dalles until 1898, most of the children being in school during that time.
     The oldest son, Latimer, was employed as a bookkeeper for J.T. Peters. His wife was Nettie Hobart, daughter of Charles Hobart, who was for many years master mechanic for the O.R.N. Co. at The Dalles. They had two children, Hobart and Leah. Latimer died April 5th, 1897.
     Jennie Booth became Mrs. Sharp and Mabel Booth married (?).
     Mrs. Booth with her two children John and Caroline moved to Portland in 1898, moving to Hood River in 1901.
     John S. Booth was born in The Dallas August 26th, 1870. He received a good education in The Dalles schools, then became a commission merchant in the fish and produce business. Ten years later he sold this business and became agent for the steamers plying between Portland and The Dallas. In 1901 he resigned and opened a mercantile business in Hood River where he was assisted by his sister Caroline for several years.
     For his military record we must turn back to Dec. 15th, 1886, when he enlisted in Co. C. at The Dalles under Captain Charles Morgan. When the Third Reg. of the Oregon National Guards was organized he was appointed on the staff of Col. Houghton, serving four years. He was then elected Major of the same regiment, in command of the First Battalion, where he served another four years. He then served as Commissary officer on the staff of Gen. Houghton, where he remained until chosen captain of Co. G. in 1898 and went with his company to Camp McKinley at Portland. There his company was absorbed by the Second Oregon Volunteers and he became 2nd Lieutenant of Co. L. Under orders from General Beebe he took up the task of reorganizing the Oregon Militia. He gave fourteen years to military service and was highly commended for faithful performance of duty.
     On June 9th, 1904, Major Booth and Loretta Edwards were united in marriage at Hood River, Oregon. They made their home in the town of Hood River for several years where a daughter, Margaret, and a son, John, were born. Closing out his mercantile business, the family moved to Canton in the Willamette Valley. The mother's health failed and she passed away and the father followed not long after, both dying while still young in years, leaving two young children who became inmates of the home of Dr. Edmunds, the brother of Mrs. Booth.

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