James Jefferson Blevans
Aug. 24, 1913; Oregonian, p 6
"Busy Life if Ended"
Joseph, Or., Aug. 23

   James Jefferson Blevans, one of the first settlers of Wallowa County and one of the earliest Oregon pioneers, died at the home of his son, John, in this city August 15, after an illness of six months, resulting from a fall in February. The interment took place last Sunday in the Prairie Creek Cemetery.

   "Uncle Jeff" Blevans is well known in both Eastern and Western Oregon, having taught 64 terms of school in this state, served two terms as County Clerk of Lane County, fought in the Indian war of 1855-56, and having represented the people of Union County in the Legislature of 1880. He taught at several places in Marion County as well as in Umatilla, Lane and Wallowa counties, having taught his last school in Wallowa County 25 years ago.

   He was born May 5, 1829, in East Tennessee. His parents moved to Missouri in 1831, and from there he came West in an emigrant train in 1852. He was present at the laying out of Eugene, and was one of the first students enrolled at the old Cumberland College, established by the Presbyterian Church in that city. Here he was intimately acquainted with and a classmate of such men as W. H. Byers, John Ogis, John W. Thompson, J. D. Matlock, James Fountain and Joaquin Miller, all of whom have done their parts in building up old Oregon.

   He was married in 1860 to Elizabeth Small. Of the four children born to them three are still living, Murat, whose home is on the Imnaha River, John, residing at Joseph, and Doroc, residing at French Gulch, Cal.

   For many years he had been partially deaf, and his failing eyesight cut him off from his extensive correspondence and reading during his last few years, but his resourcefulness provided occupation for his sever restless, aggressive disposition.