Background
William Offield was born 24 March 1793 in Sullivan County, Tennessee and died about 1881 in Oregon, United States of America.
William Offield was born 24 March 1793 in Sullivan County, Tennessee and died about 1881 in Oregon, United States of America.
He and William Miller were the first two settlers in the area. He was County Commissioner of Montgomery County from 1823 to 1824. His cabin, which was only 12 X 15 feet, was on the south side of Secretary
16, T. 18 North., R. 5W. Mr.
Offield moved from the settlement on White river in a single wagon, in company with. All except Mr. Offield stopped in Putnam Company
. A son of John Sigler, named Andrew, accompanied Mr.
Offield to Montgomery Company for the purpose of taking back the wagon which the latter had borrowed from some one in the White river settlement to transport his household goods to his new home. The whole country through which they traveled was covered with undergrowth, in some places so thick that Mr.
Offield had to cut it out with his axe to enable the wagon to pass. In going down a steep hill Mr.
Offield would construct a brake by cutting down a busy-topped sapling, making the butt-end fast to the hind axle of the wagon and leaving the top to drag on the ground.".