Tales of the Past: Pioneer farmer settles in near town of Metolius

James Henry Horney was born on Oct. 4, 1853, in Warren County, Illinois. He met Almeda Jackson, and they became romantically involved. Almeda was born in 1857. They were married on Dec. 21, 1881, in Green County, Ohio. They lived on a farm in Cameron, Illinois, after their marriage. They had four children.

They heard of opportunities in the West, and in 1891, they decided to move their family to Oregon. They traveled by train to California then by wagon to Oregon. They eventually settled near Brownsville, Oregon, where they farmed for nine years.

They heard of the developing region of Central Oregon, and in 1901, James traveled to Prineville and began looking for a homestead site. He filed a claim five miles south of “The Basin,” which later became the location of Madras. It was an isolated region at the time, with only a few other homesteaders. James returned to Brownsville across the Santiam Wagon Road and prepared his family to move to the homestead. It took them seven days to cross the Cascades. His sister, Mary, had also filed a homestead claim near his claim. James patented his claim on Sept. 22, 1908.

They farmed at the homestead for several years, assisted by their son, La Monte. La Monte also filed a homestead claim and established his own farm. James also was a director of the Fairview School, which was located on a portion of his sister’s homestead. Two of their daughters became teachers.

James had a house built in the town of Metolius in 1918. He and Almeda lived in the house and at their homestead site for several years. Almeda passed away on July 22, 1935. James continued on at the homestead and remained active and often walked six miles to Madras. He passed away on Nov. 1, 1944. Both he and Almeda are buried in the Mt. Jefferson Memorial Park in Madras, Oregon. A red barn with a large white painted “H” located on a small hill west of present Highway 97 south of Madras was the site of La Monte Horney’s farm and has stood as a landmark for several years.