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Tales of the Hardin and Riley cattle operations
The large California cattle partnership expanded into Central and Eastern Oregon
James Hardin was born in Kentucky in 1830. He came west with his family by ox team in 1853 and settled in Sonoma County, California.
He soon started raising cattle and expanded his operations during the next 40 years. Before the transcontinental railroad was completed, he had crossed the plains six times with herds of cattle.
He opened a general mercantile store in Petaluma, California, in 1859. In 1861, he formed a partnership with Amos Riley and opened several more stores in adjacent counties. Riley was born in Maryland in 1826. He helped supply capital for the expanding business operations.