An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, 1902
published by Western Historical Publishing Company
Stephen S. Pindell, deceased
Mr. Pindell was born near Marathon, Clermont county, Ohio, in February, 1834, and there passed his boyhood days. In 1852 he came to the coast, via the isthmus, and immediately took up mining in Yreka and at Scott's Bar until 1860, and after that date he was in most of the prominent camps of the entire northwest, having spent two years in the Kootenai district with his brother, Reason Pindell, and there he owned a large ditch and did much active mining on good claims. In 1871 he wintered in Walla Walla, being occupied in the commercial establishment of the Adams Brothers, and the following year he came to Sparta, Union county, now Baker county, and after mining for several years in Maiden Gulch he formed a partnership with Edward Wilkinson, and for four years thereafter they conducted a general store at Sparta. In the spring of 1883 the firm sold their entire interests at Sparta and Mr. Pindell moved to Pine valley, and there started the first general store in the place. Later he took as partner Robert A. Wilkinson, and soon thereafter he also took into the firm Edward Wilkinson, brother of Robert, and the three operated the establishment for ten years, and then the firm dissolved. They had one of the best trades in that part of the county and were generally esteemed and confided in by the people. Soon after this event Mr. Pindell repaired to a place that is now named Carson and there opened a general mercantile house and in the operation of the interests of this business he was constantly found thereafter. He did a good business, and best of all he had the love and confidence of every one in the community. His patrons were only limited by the population.
On February 12, 1900, the messenger of death came to Mr. Pindell and summoned him from the scenes of his home and cares of his business to the realities of another than this. No man in the community was more esteemed and beloved than was this worthy character. Upon the day of the funeral the weather was exceedingly inclement, and at that time there had been a smallpox scare that had scattered every public meeting for some time, but these things could not hold back the throng of loving and mourning friends from assembling in a great concourse and paying their respects to the memory of the deceased. Surely no man of the county was ever followed to his tomb by more or sincerer friends.
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