California papers bring the news of the death of Joseph Carey Geer at Modesto, in that state, on January 12, as the result of
a complication of diseases incident to old age.

Mr. Geer was born in Madison County, Ohio, on the first of February, 1825, and with his parents moved to Knox County,
Illinois, in 1840. In 1845, when a young man of 20, he surrendered to the "Oregon fever" and hired out to the late Samuel
Barlow, who lived not far away in an adjoining county to drive one of his ox teams across the plains, for no compensation other
than his "keep." In this capacity he assisted in cutting the celebrated Barlow road through the forests of the Cascade
Mountains, and drove one of the first wagons which ever entered the Willamette Valley, across that hitherto formidable barrier.

Mr. Geer worked at "logging" in the vicinity of Oregon city and such other vocations as offered them selves under the
prevailing circumstances in those primitive days until the discover of gold in California, when he joined the general exodus and
spent a year in search of the yellow metal. Returning to Oregon, he located in Salem and worked at carpentering for several
years in partnership with Jonathan O'Donald, who yet lives in the capital city. There are buildings still standing in Salem
which were constructed in the early '50's by these young contractors.

During the mining days in Eastern Oregon and Idaho Mr. Geer was a resident of that section, but in 1885 he went to Modesto,
Cal., and at once entered extensively in the raising of olives and in the manufacture of olive oil, which business he pursued
until his death.

Joseph C. Geer was the last of five brothers who came to Oregon in the early days to pass over the Great Divide. His father,
Joseph Carey Geer, Sr., crossed the plains from Illinois in 1847, at the age of 52 years, bringing with him his wife and eight
children, two others, Joseph C., having preceded them in 1845, and Fred W., in 1846. The sons of this pioneer family were Ralph
C., Fred W., Joseph Cary, Isaiah and Heman J., and the daughters were Emiline, afterward Mrs. John W. Grim, of Aurora; Mary,
afterward Mrs. Robert V. Short, of Portland; Juliet, who died at the age of 20; Elizabeth, afterward Mrs. Kent, of Portland, and
Iantha, afterward Mrs. J. L. Kruse. Of this entire family, Mrs. Kent, whose home is 561 East Salmon street, Portland, is the
only survivor.

"Cary" Geer, as he was always called by his acquaintances, was a man of rugged mold and his entire life was characterized by a
marked independence in the formation and expression of his opinions on public questions. For many years he had been a citizen of
California, but he had many old-time friends in Oregon, who will regret to hear of his death. He leaves a wife and two sons,
Schuyler, of Modesto, and T. M., of Portland. He was also an uncle of Homer Davenport, the cartoonist, and of ex-Governor T. T.
Geer. At the time of his death he lacked but 20 days of being 84 years of age.