Narrative
The following article came from A History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harvey Counties Oregon by Isaac Hyatt, published 1902.
WILLIAM R. STURGILL: Among those who came to this country in the early years of ots existance and who have wrought faithfully during all of the years that have followed for its material welfare and substantial progress, ever standing for the principles and ways that work for the good of us all, especial mention must be made of the gentleman whose career it is now our pleasant task to outline and whose life carved for himself a place in the world of property and wealth.
The birth of Mr Sturgill occurred in Sullivan Co., Missouri, near the city of Milan on May 31, 1843, and there he remained until he passed the first score of years of his life and gained a good education in the common schools. His first venture was a trip to Virginia City, Montana, where he spent eight months as a laborer in the mines and then went to Denver and from there he later went back to his earlier home in MThe marriage of Mr. Sturgill and Miss Virginia A. Talley, the daughter of William and Rachel Talley, was solemnized on March 4, 1866 at Milan Mo. They have become the parents of six children. [All named here.]
Mr Sturgill is affiliated fraternally with the W of W lodge no 100 in Baker City. He is also a member of the Baptist Church and is an exemplary Christian, a loyal citizen and a highly esteemed neighbor.
Note: this history was found in the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. DAS - pg 132
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When WILLIAM STURGILL and his brother George made their trip to the Montana gold mines in the fall of 1863, William did not leave a young wife behind, as did George. Perhaps that is the reason William was not in as big a hurry to get back home as George, and he decided to stop off in Denver on their way back to Missouri. Just what William did in Denver is not known, but he apparently remained there for a couple of years before returning to Missouri to marry his childhood sweetheart, Virginia A. Talley, in 1866.
William and Virginia made their first home on a farm in Missouri, where their first son was born, in 1867. As all of his family and many of his friends were now in Oregon, William and his wife decided they would join them there. In the spring of 1868, they packed all their belongings in a wagon drawn by a team of mules and with their infant son, they began the long trip across the plains and mountains alone. At that time several Indian tribes were on the war path in the territory through which they had to pass, but fortunately they did not encounter any of them and made it safely to Oregon. Their infant son died there, shortly after they arrived. -pg 135
