Ontario was founded on June 11, 1883, by developers William Morfitt, Mary
Richardson, Daniel Smith, and James Virtue. In March 1884, Richard Welch
started a post office for the quarter of Ontario, so named by James Virtue
after Ontario, Canada. Two months later Joseph Morton applied for a Morton post
office at an island about one mile south of town, with Oscar Scott as
postmaster. Unfortunately for Morton and Scott, merchants Morfitt and
Richardson of Malheur City, gold miner Virtue, and lumberman Smith of Baker
City acquired more land and were better financed. More importantly, Morfitt had
negotiated a train depot
