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Christopher Walter Dent From "History of Central Oregon," published 1906 Christopher Walter Dent is county commissioner of Lake county, Oregon, and a wool grower and stockman residing in Warner valley. His postoffice address is Plush, Lake county, Oregon. He is a native of St. Francois county, Missouri, and was born June 18, 1863, the son of Flemmon and Adaline S. (Tullock) Dent. The father also was born in St. Francois county, where his father, grandfather of our subject, Absalom Dent, was a pioneer of 1815. The mother was a sister of William Tullock, one of the first settlers in Drew's vallely, Oregon. The brothers and sisters of Mr. Dent are: William F., Big Springs, Texas; Mrs. Mary A. Waller, New Franklin, Missouri; Mrs. Lucy J. Sublette, Chico, California; Housten, Drew's valley Oregon; Albert, Lakeview, and Mrs. Rebecca E. Devine, Bismark, Missouri. Another brother, John H., died in Warner valley in 1893. Mr. Dent grew to manhood on a farm in his native state and started west August 22, 1885, arriving in Lakeview during September of that year and immediately engaged in herding sheep. In 1895 he purchased a flock of sheep and engaged in the sheep business for himself. He now has several thousand head of these animals, and a small herd of cattle. He has two ranches in Warner valley, one of which, contains two hundred acres of alfalfa pasture, and the other upon which he makes his home, is a natural meadow ranch, situated where old Camp Warner stood in early days. Both of these ranches are well improved. Mr. Dent also owns a handsome home in Lakeview. In 1904 Mr. Dent was elected to the office of county commissioner for Lake county, on the Republican ticket, which office he is still holding. During the past twenty years he has been a member of the I.O.O.F. fraternity, and is now a member of Lakeview lodge and also of the encampment No. 18. He also belongs to the Rebekah degree. On June 27, 1903 occurred the marriage of Mr. Dent and Mrs. Percy Benefield. Mr. Dent is another example of the sturdy type of men who came to the west without means, and who, by their indomitable energy and perseverance, have striven against adversities and eventually became well-to-do and influential citizens. After many years of toil he took a vacation during the fall of 1898, going first to San Francisco, where he sailed for the Hawaiian islands. Returning, he visited Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and his old home in Missouri. He consumed four months on this tour and returned with the impression that Lake county was the best country he had seen and is now more content than ever before to spend the remaining years of his life here. |