REV. ISAAC D. DRIVER.
A life of great usefulness and of far reaching influence ended when on the 30th of October, 1907, Rev. Isaac D. Driver was called to his final home, at the age of eighty three years. For over fifty years he devoted his attention to the study of the Bible and he became known as one of the most eminent theologians in the country as well as a debater of nation wide prominence, frequently engaging in theological debate with Robert G. Ingersoll and other noted agnostics. He also gained prominence as a writer and lecturer and his work in behalf of the church was of untold benefit.

Dr. Driver was born on the Maumee river, near Fort Defiance, Ohio, August 17, 1824, a son of Thomas and Thankful (Travis) Driver, natives of Pennsylvania, and of Puritan ancestry. Emigrating to Ohio, the father became one of the pioneers of that state. He was a loyal and patriotic citizen and during the War of 1812 he served as a lieutenant under General William Henry Harrison, being stationed at Fort Meigs. In 1828 he was commissioned to conduct the Indians across the Mississippi river when the fort guarded a trading post on the site of the present city of Chicago. In days of peace he worked at his trade of silversmith and also engaged in the practice of law. In 1827 he removed to Fort Wayne, Indiana, and in the following year, in company with his son, Isaac D., he explored the country near South Bend and also camped on the low lying marsh land and open prairie which was destined to become the site of the metropolitan center of the west. At Fort Wayne Mr. Driver and his brother were largely engaged in trading with the Indians and in buying and selling land. In 1834 they removed to Goshen, Elkhart county, Indiana, where they engaged in farming and trading for a decade, and in 1844 they went to Noble county. They engaged in farming in that section of the country until 1852, when they sold their holdings and started across the plains to Oregon. They reached Iowa in the fall of that year and spent the winter in that state, continuing their journey in the spring and reaching their destination in the fall of 1853. Taking up his abode in what is now Douglas county, the father there engaged in farming and was thus active until his death in 1861, at the age of eighty seven years. The mother, however, had died in 1853, while en route to Oregon, and she was buried on the Bear river.

Dr. Driver was the seventh in order of birth in their family of twelve children and he attended school in Indiana to the age of thirteen years, when he began the work of carrying the mails on horseback between Fort Wayne and South Bend, Indiana. This was a very hazardous undertaking for a boy of his years, as the country was then wild and unsettled, harboring many hostile Indians and highwaymen, and for his bravery, regularity and safe discharge of duty, he was allowed double wages. He worked at this task for three years and having saved a sufficient sum of money he reentered school, continuing his studies until he reached the age of twenty two years and acquiring the best education obtainable at that period. After completing his schooling he engaged in farming and stock raising.

In 1848 he married Rebecca Crumley, who passed away at the end of a year, leaving a son, Samuel M, now deceased. In 1849, in company with about four hundred others, Dr. Driver crossed the plains to California, several of the company dying of cholera en route, the remainder arriving at Steep Hollow on the 1st of October of that year. In that section of the state he successfully followed mining until the spring of 1850, when he went to San Francisco, where he sailed for home, going by way of the Isthmus of Panama. On arriving in Indiana he resumed his farming operations and in 1852 was united in marriage to Mary Hardenbrook. In the fall of that year he joined his father and brothers in the trip across the plains to Oregon, the party consisting of fifteen people, four ox teams and two wagons drawn by horses. They arrived in the Willamette valley on the 14th of September, 1853, and on the 4th of October filed on their claims in the Umpqua valley, in what is now Douglas county. There Dr. Driver followed farming and stock raising until his health became impaired and then began studying for the ministry, entering upon the work of preaching the gospel in the Umpqua valley in 1857, conducting services in his home. In 1858 he united with the Oregon conference of the Methodist Episcopal church and was first assigned to Jacksonville and later to Eugene, Corvallis, The Dallies and Oregon City. In 1867 he was appointed agent of the American Bible Society for Oregon, Washington, Montana and Idaho, in which connection he traveled throughout the northwest for the purpose of locating preachers for the distribution of the Bible, and in accomplishing his work he met with many dangers and difficulties but never suffered serious injury. In 1867 he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who passed away leaving five children, of whom three survive, one residing in Oregon, another in Washington and the third in California. In 1871, in Eugene, Dr. Driver was united in marriage to Leanna Iles, whose demise occurred seven months later. He became a presiding elder over the Oregon Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church and after serving for a period of seven years as agent for the American Bible Society he resigned and made a trip to the east, where he wedded Anna Northrup. He returned with his bride to Oregon and was appointed presiding elder of the Salem district, which office he filled for two years. In 1875 death again entered his household, removing therefrom his wife, who had become the mother of a daughter, Anna, who is now Mrs. Hemphill, living near Stockton, California.

In 1876 be was assigned to Monroe, Oregon, and in the following year he was wedded Mary E. Williams, who was born in Illinois, February 18, 1851, a daughter of Smith and Irenia (Jones) Williams, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Illinois. The father was a farmer by occupation and in 1852 he crossed the plains from Illinois to Oregon, locating in Linn county, where he took up land east of the present site of Lebanon. This property he later sold and purchased land near Halsey, which he continued to operate throughout his remaining years. He passed away in 1870 at the age of forty two years and the mother survived him for many years, her demise occurring in January, 1899, when she was sixty nine years of age. To Dr. and Mrs. Driver were born eight children, namely: Grace Irene, Royal D., Livingston, Lena, Wiley A., Paul S., Ralph A. and Frances E.

After his fifth marriage Dr. Driver preached the gospel at Brownsville and Eugene and for four years was presiding elder of the latter district. In 1883 he purchased a farm of one hundred and thirty five acres near Eugene but did not engage in its active operation, the work being conducted by his sons, who also engaged very successfully in raising pure bred Clydesdale horses, Jersey cattle and Berkshire hogs. They continued to cultivate that farm for a period of twenty five years, transforming it into a valuable and well improved property.

In 1886 Dr. Driver was assigned to the Centenary church at Portland, Oregon, where he accomplished much good. For over fifty years he was an earnest and faithful student of divine truths and was greatly assisted in his research work by his large library, which includes the original translation of the anti-Nicene library from Christ down through all the Apostolic Epistles. He became known as one of the most noted authorities on the Bible in the country, and in 1889 when the Secular Union in session in Chicago issued a challenge to Protestant denominations to meet them in open discussion, comparing Christianity with secularism, the Rev. Dwight L. Moody induced Dr. Driver to accept the challenge. As Dr. Moody's representative he met Charles Watts, Esq., of Toronto, Canada, the champion of free thought, in a four nights' discussion at the Princess theater in Chicago. Dr. Driver devoted over fifty years to research work in order that he might meet the arguments of infidels and agnostics and he gained recognition as an eminent theologian. Charles Watts was the editor of Secular Thought and the associate of Charles Bradlaugh and George J. Holyoke, and he was known as the foremost debater in the "free field". For three months Dr. Driver remained in Chicago, attending Dr. Moody's School of Churches, and his work in connection with Bible teaching was of great worth and lasting benefit.

On returning to Oregon he was appointed general agent to build the Portland Hospital, which he accomplished at an expense of one hundred thousand dollars, soliciting the subscriptions and purchasing the land. In 1906 he purchased a farm of three hundred and fifty three acres one and a half miles south of Tangent, upon which be spent his remaining years. He passed away at the advanced age of eighty three years but for two years prior to his demise had been in failing health as the result of his untiring and zealous labors in behalf of the Christian religion. He was a noted lecturer and writer and a strong and eloquent speaker, imbued with a firm belief in the doctrines which he taught, and as a debater he attained nation wide prominence, having as his opponents Robert G. Ingersoll and other well known agnostics. In his political views Dr. Driver was a republican and fraternally he was a Mason, holding membership in the Royal Arch Chapter, of which for many years he served as chaplain, and in his life he exemplified the beneficent teachings of the order. He influenced many into choosing the better path of life and his good work goes on in the lives of those who came under his ministry. His name will ever be an honored one in the annals of the state and nation, and of him it may well be said: "The world is better for his having lived in it."

Mrs. Driver and her sons are still residing upon the home farm, and in connection with its operation they also conduct a dairy, their interests being most successfully managed. Paul S. and Ralph A., the younger sons in the family, rendered valuable aid to the country during the World war, the former serving in the navy and the latter in the army, and they are proving worthy sons of their distinguished father.

From:
History of Oregon Illistrated
Vol. 3
BY: Charles H. Carney
The Pioneer Historical Publishing Company
Chicago - Portland 1922