G.R. COLBY, farmer; Sec. 18, P.O. Oregon; born in the town of Holland, Erie Co., N.Y., June 15, 1833; his father Ezekiel Colby, born Aug. 12, 1790, in Corinth, Vt., was a pioneer of 1808, in Erie Co., N.Y. He married Anne King, born Sept. 6, 1794, in Cayuga Co., N.Y.; was a soldier of 1812, and a life-long farmer; he came West with the three youngest children in 1850, locating on Sec. 16, in Oregon. The parents lived, about fifteen years prior to the father’s death, with G.R.; the sire died June 4, 1880, the mother still surviving; she and her daughter Ruth (widow of James Smith) are with the son G.R., who settled on part of this present 187-acre farm many years ago, and has erected every building upon it, and the fences, etc.; during a few years in early times, he worked by the day and month to help the old people; he spent 1863 and 1864 in the gold mines of Oregon and Idaho.  Is a Republican and a mason in good standing. He married Mrs. Jennie Shepard, of Evansville, Wis.; she was born in Indiana, and her former husband, Freeborn Shepard, died, leaving a son Ernest; Mr. and Mrs. Colby have a son, Eugene, born Aug. 12, 1879.  A niece of G.R. Colby married Edwin Cook, and located with him in Northern Wisconsin, where they perished by shutting themselves in a cellar during the memorable fire of 1871.