Bushnell, James Addison - Revision history

64.13.12.12: /* 1855 */

2008-09-23T18:50:48Z

1855

←Older revision		Revision as of 18:50, 23 September 2008
Line 155:		Line 155:
	====1855====		====1855====

-	On the third day of December 1855 commenced the first school ever taught in this part of the country and my first school also. I taught in an old cabin sixteen feet square, seven feet to the poles above and a large dirt fireplace at one side which smokes fearfully at times. I had a wild and frolicsome set of boys. Twenty- seven in number, all nearly grown and one little boy and little girl. I however succeeded pretty well in keeping order and instilling into their minds the rudiments of a common school education. This winter was bitterly cold a part of the time with a deep snow on the ground. Going to school one morning and almost freezing on the way I found the house full of snow and no scholars and so postponed for a week. We had no thermomenters (sic) in those days so could not tell how cold it was but it must have been below zero. This year I built a better and larger house and moved into it December sixteenth. The next spring, the Grand Prairie school house was built I taking the contract of ceiling and seating the house, dressing and mateing the lumber all by hand. I had the pleasure of teaching the first school in it. This house was used for a great many years by all the surrounding country for all purposes of a public nature. Here the Grand Prairie Church of Christ was reorganized and met here for worship until 1878-9 when it was moved to Clear Lake. We had the services during this time of most of the old pioneer preachers, Elder Philip Mulkey, Gilmore Callison, John A. Powell, John Rigdon, John E. Murphy and later Joe H. Sharp a home preacher who caused a us a great deal of trouble and had finally to be withdrawn from. September first 1857 my second daughter Ursula Josephine was born. October ninth 1859 Mary Elisabeth was born who only stayed with us two weeks. The night following her burial Josephine was taken sick with arysipelas. She died November third 1859 after suffering intensely a victim of an ignorant doctor who poisoned her with tartarized antimony. She was beautiful bright and loving little thing and it was one of the greatest trials of my life to give her up, my first great trial so great, would most gladly have gone with her if it had been God's will to have let me do so. I have had greater trials since then but none which seemed to tend my very heart strings like this. Taught a term of school this summer. July tenth there came to our home a little boy and we called him willie (sic) Francis. Our oldest boy Charles Alvah was now nine years old and Jennette seven. The summer of 1861 spent in fencing in my farm of three hundred and twenty acres which I succeeded in doing that fall. We had a bountiful harvest although it was not the custom to save up anything for stock to eat during the winter. There were large bands of horses and Spanish cattle running at large and ranging whereever (sic) they pleased, winter and summer the cattle with their long shapp (sic) horns and half wild ways were a terror to women and children. This winter however put an end of them for good. We had a very pleasant fall until November first when it commenced rainning (sic), it was just cold enough in the mountains to snow and lay on, rain- ing and snowing every day through the month. December first it turned very warm with heavy rain, the snow went off with a rush, raising the river very rapidly and covering nearly the entire valley. It covered the ground around my house forteen (sic) to eighteen inches deep. It swept away nearly all of my fencing. My fences were dry and light and nearly every panel floated off. A great many rails came down from above and lodged on the highest ground so that had enough to refence a few acres of wheat which hastened to do getting all fenced in that week. Sunday, the eighth of December the water again came out still higher than it was at first. My now laid fence doubled like a fan and all went out together leaving me in the same fix as was at first. The water had scarse (sic) run down when it turned bitterly cold. The grass had all been under water and was all covered with sand and mud. I had a good barn and had put up all my last summers crop in the sheaf so had plenty of food, which saved not only my own stock but a great many of my neighbors as well. Sheaf wheat and oats selling before the winter was over at one dollar and one and a half dollars a dozen sheaves. I was nearly the only one who had feed on the prairie and people came from far and near to buy. There came a heavy fall of snow which laid on till March with a covering of sleet. Every blade of grass or twig being covered with a heavy coating of ice. O the long and bitter winter, the cold and dreary days, the half wild Spanish cattle ranged the Ice covered prairies without a morsel to eat only as they pawed away twelve to sixteen inches of snow to get to the ground. The cattle soon starved to death but the horses held out longer but only two as far as knew lived through the winter. I had plenty of feed for my stock and carried them all through the winter but most of them died in the spring from eating some poisonous root that came down in the flood. The old settlers speak of this as Noah's flood and the winter as one of the coldest known.	+	On the third day of December 1855 commenced the first school ever taught in this part of the country and my first school also. I taught in an old cabin sixteen feet square, seven feet to the poles above and a large dirt fireplace at one side which smokes fearfully at times. I had a wild and frolicsome set of boys. Twenty- seven in number, all nearly grown and one little boy and little girl. I however succeeded pretty well in keeping order and instilling into their minds the rudiments of a common school education. This winter was bitterly cold a part of the time with a deep snow on the ground. Going to school one morning and almost freezing on the way I found the house full of snow and no scholars and so postponed for a week. We had no thermomenters (sic) in those days so could not tell how cold it was but it must have been below zero. This year I built a better and larger house and moved into it December sixteenth. The next spring, the Grand Prairie school house was built I taking the contract of ceiling and seating the house, dressing and mateing the lumber all by hand. I had the pleasure of teaching the first school in it. This house was used for a great many years by all the surrounding country for all purposes of a public nature. Here the Grand Prairie Church of Christ was reorganized and met here for worship until 1878-9 when it was moved to Clear Lake. We had the services during this time of most of the old pioneer preachers, Elder Philip Mulkey, '''[[Callison, Gilmore\|Gilmore Callison]]''', John A. Powell, John Rigdon, John E. Murphy and later Joe H. Sharp a home preacher who caused a us a great deal of trouble and had finally to be withdrawn from.
		+
		+	====1857====
		+
		+	September first 1857 my second daughter Ursula Josephine was born.
		+
		+	====1859====
		+
		+	October ninth 1859 Mary Elisabeth was born who only stayed with us two weeks. The night following her burial Josephine was taken sick with arysipelas. She died November third 1859 after suffering intensely a victim of an ignorant doctor who poisoned her with tartarized antimony. She was beautiful bright and loving little thing and it was one of the greatest trials of my life to give her up, my first great trial so great, would most gladly have gone with her if it had been God's will to have let me do so. I have had greater trials since then but none which seemed to tend my very heart strings like this. Taught a term of school this summer. July tenth there came to our home a little boy and we called him willie (sic) Francis. Our oldest boy Charles Alvah was now nine years old and Jennette seven.
		+
		+	====1861====
		+
		+	The summer of 1861 spent in fencing in my farm of three hundred and twenty acres which I succeeded in doing that fall. We had a bountiful harvest although it was not the custom to save up anything for stock to eat during the winter. There were large bands of horses and Spanish cattle running at large and ranging whereever (sic) they pleased, winter and summer the cattle with their long shapp (sic) horns and half wild ways were a terror to women and children. This winter however put an end of them for good. We had a very pleasant fall until November first when it commenced rainning (sic), it was just cold enough in the mountains to snow and lay on, rain- ing and snowing every day through the month. December first it turned very warm with heavy rain, the snow went off with a rush, raising the river very rapidly and covering nearly the entire valley. It covered the ground around my house forteen (sic) to eighteen inches deep. It swept away nearly all of my fencing. My fences were dry and light and nearly every panel floated off. A great many rails came down from above and lodged on the highest ground so that had enough to refence a few acres of wheat which hastened to do getting all fenced in that week. Sunday, the eighth of December the water again came out still higher than it was at first. My now laid fence doubled like a fan and all went out together leaving me in the same fix as was at first. The water had scarse (sic) run down when it turned bitterly cold. The grass had all been under water and was all covered with sand and mud. I had a good barn and had put up all my last summers crop in the sheaf so had plenty of food, which saved not only my own stock but a great many of my neighbors as well. Sheaf wheat and oats selling before the winter was over at one dollar and one and a half dollars a dozen sheaves. I was nearly the only one who had feed on the prairie and people came from far and near to buy. There came a heavy fall of snow which laid on till March with a covering of sleet. Every blade of grass or twig being covered with a heavy coating of ice. O the long and bitter winter, the cold and dreary days, the half wild Spanish cattle ranged the Ice covered prairies without a morsel to eat only as they pawed away twelve to sixteen inches of snow to get to the ground. The cattle soon starved to death but the horses held out longer but only two as far as knew lived through the winter. I had plenty of feed for my stock and carried them all through the winter but most of them died in the spring from eating some poisonous root that came down in the flood. The old settlers speak of this as Noah's flood and the winter as one of the coldest known.
	I am not so sure of that but certainly there has never been such a flood since		I am not so sure of that but certainly there has never been such a flood since
	the country has been known to the white man but there is no reason why		the country has been known to the white man but there is no reason why
-	it may not occur again. The summer was mostly spent in hauling rails and refencing my farm. The bitter strife which was raging so fiercely in the Eastern States did not effect us here only in a secondary degree. A great many, myself among the number raised a liberty pole to show where we stood. We also organized a company of cavalry of which I was first sargeant (sic) but there was fortunately no fighting to do. We went into camp at Salem the summer of [[1864]] and took the prize given by the state for the best drilled and finest equiped (sic) company in the state. I remember very distinctly that the morning in which the news came of the assassination of President Lincoln and part of his cabinet. The bitter vengeful spirit which it aroused for time in the breasts of the Union men. It would have been as much as a man's life was worth to have said a word in favor of the rebels or against the loved president. The Christian Church on Grand Prairie was split in two by the war, uncle Philip Mulkey and all his children and connections who were all democratic leaving the church in a body. The old man who had been preaching all his life the gospel of piece (sic), denied that he ever was a preacher and declared if he was in Missouri he would take his gun and help shoot down abolishonists (sic). To such an extent did party spirit lead astray one of the best of men. He lived to see and deplore his conduct in this crisis of our country's history. Our dear little boy Willie was called away from us to a brighter, better world. He was sick but a short time with pluresy (sic) and all we could do for him seemed to do no good. To get away from our sorrow wife and I joined a party to go down to Yaquina Bay. Where there on the fourth of July and celebrated the Fourth in good old fashioned style. Elder Gilmore Callison, who was with us, delivered the oration after which captian Kellogg who was running a small steamer on the bay gave a good talk. The country was then all owned by the indians with not a white inhabitant west of the summit of the mountains. The dinner was spread on an immense log washed up by the tides and was real good. After the whites had eaten the indians were allowed to clean up which they did in a thorough manner. This fall I bought of [[Judkins, Thomas\|Thomas Judkins]], his own and his two son's, donation land claims, aggregating eight hundred acres for four thousand dollars. I rented my place on the prairie to my brother-in-law Jas. Adkins who had crossed the plains that summer, and moved down to my new home occupying the old double loghouse connected by a long shed, large enough for a wagon and wood shed, built forteen (sic) of fifteen years before.	+	it may not occur again. The summer was mostly spent in hauling rails and refencing my farm. The bitter strife which was raging so fiercely in the Eastern States did not effect us here only in a secondary degree. A great many, myself among the number raised a liberty pole to show where we stood. We also organized a company of cavalry of which I was first sargeant (sic) but there was fortunately no fighting to do.
		+
		+	====1864====
		+
		+	We went into camp at Salem the summer of '''[[1864]]''' and took the prize given by the state for the best drilled and finest equiped (sic) company in the state. I remember very distinctly that the morning in which the news came of the assassination of President Lincoln and part of his cabinet. The bitter vengeful spirit which it aroused for time in the breasts of the Union men. It would have been as much as a man's life was worth to have said a word in favor of the rebels or against the loved president. The Christian Church on Grand Prairie was split in two by the war, uncle Philip Mulkey and all his children and connections who were all democratic leaving the church in a body. The old man who had been preaching all his life the gospel of piece (sic), denied that he ever was a preacher and declared if he was in Missouri he would take his gun and help shoot down abolishonists (sic). To such an extent did party spirit lead astray one of the best of men. He lived to see and deplore his conduct in this crisis of our country's history. Our dear little boy Willie was called away from us to a brighter, better world. He was sick but a short time with pluresy (sic) and all we could do for him seemed to do no good. To get away from our sorrow wife and I joined a party to go down to Yaquina Bay. Where there on the fourth of July and celebrated the Fourth in good old fashioned style. Elder '''[[Callison, Gilmore\|Gilmore Callison]]''', who was with us, delivered the oration after which captian Kellogg who was running a small steamer on the bay gave a good talk. The country was then all owned by the indians with not a white inhabitant west of the summit of the mountains. The dinner was spread on an immense log washed up by the tides and was real good. After the whites had eaten the indians were allowed to clean up which they did in a thorough manner. This fall I bought of '''[[Judkins, Thomas\|Thomas Judkins]]''', his own and his two son's, donation land claims, aggregating eight hundred acres for four thousand dollars. I rented my place on the prairie to my brother-in-law Jas. Adkins who had crossed the plains that summer, and moved down to my new home occupying the old double loghouse connected by a long shed, large enough for a wagon and wood shed, built forteen (sic) of fifteen years before.

	====1867====		====1867====

64.13.12.12: /* November */

2008-06-12T23:49:41Z

November

←Older revision		Revision as of 23:49, 12 June 2008
Line 148:		Line 148:

	=====November=====		=====November=====
-	November first I stayed just below the Bundy bridge on the Long Tom. The next morning we went up a short distance above Monroe where I left my companion. It was the last time I ever met him which I have often earnestly desired to do, not only because of his friendship, but because of my indebtedness to him for financial aid. had paid my last dime for lodgings the night before and now struck out afoot and alone and penniless for Springfield where I hoped to find or hear from my family as being the nearest point where the emmigrants (sic) from the middle fork would reach the valley. I left the Long Tom behind and crossed the pathless prairie to the Willamette, passing not far from where Junction City now stands. Struck a trail at the Bridges places now owned by I.N. Edwards, crossing the Willamette at [[Eugene]] and reached Mr. Mahlon Harlow's house about one and a half miles from Springfield where tired of tramping I spent the night. After I had retired for the night Mr. Harlow came home from Springfield and told me that there was a young woman and child at [[Briggs, ~~Isaac~~\|Mr. Brigg]]'s. It was then too late to get up and go up that night, but I did not sleep much that night.. neither did I stay for breakfast next morning after a separation of twenty months and crossing the continent three times. I will now go back to the spring of 1853. My wife Elizabeth had sold the farm and with a part of the proceeds had bought a team of three yoke of oxen and one yoke of cows. My brothers Jason and Corydon furnishing the wagon. They with mother started across the plains. At the Malheur river they induces to take a new route to come in on the middle fork of the Willamette. There was a large number of emmigrants (sic) together and they had not gone very far before they found out that their guide did not know anything of the country and that there was no trail out or even marked out. In this condition they had to cut out their own trail which was often wrong, then they had to retrace their steps and try again. Their provisions of which they had plenty to last them if there had been a open trail, now began to fail and they had to depend on their cattle for food. With increasing weakness they still struggled, on cutting their own road into the mountains and almost despairing of ever getting through. In the meantime a party of four young men Frank Owens, Robert Fandy, and the other two whose names I have forgotten struck out into the settlements and obtained help for the emmigrants who were now on the verge of starve ation. After several days of crawling on hands and knees through thickets climbing over logs, wading down stream, their provisions gave and out and they were reduced to the necessity of living on snails and mice and anything they could lay their hands on. They at last reached the cabin of a settler who took them in and cared for them and as soon as he learned of the condition of the emmigrants got on his horse and spread the news. There was not a moments delay in the efforts of the settlers to furnish relief. All night they worked in getting together supplies and as soon as morning dawned a large pack train was on its way for their relief. It came not a moment too soon for they had been living for a good many days on half starved beef alone. They had now all scattered out in search of homes, or places to make one. My wife and little boy Charles Alvah were staying at ~~[[Briggs, Elias\|~~Mr. Briggs]] who owned the townsite and had a sawmill and was putting up a gristmill in partnership with his father uncle Isaac Briggs who lived on the first claim above. After staying here a few days I went down on Grand Prairie to look after mother, brothers and sisters. I found them camped on their claims in the grass of the prairie. I took up a claim and built a house just one forth mile south of where J. C. Jennings now lives. This house was a rather cheap and primitive affair. The frame was made by setting two rows of poles in the ground four feet apart, one row six feet apart and the other ten feet. High upon these were laid poles for rafters, the hole covered with four foot split boards making a room twelve by sixteen which did not need any windows and did not have any floor until I went to the river and got some puncheons. In this apology for a house we spent the long dreary and cold winter.	+	November first I stayed just below the Bundy bridge on the Long Tom. The next morning we went up a short distance above Monroe where I left my companion. It was the last time I ever met him which I have often earnestly desired to do, not only because of his friendship, but because of my indebtedness to him for financial aid. had paid my last dime for lodgings the night before and now struck out afoot and alone and penniless for Springfield where I hoped to find or hear from my family as being the nearest point where the emmigrants (sic) from the middle fork would reach the valley. I left the Long Tom behind and crossed the pathless prairie to the Willamette, passing not far from where Junction City now stands. Struck a trail at the Bridges places now owned by I.N. Edwards, crossing the Willamette at '''[[Eugene]]''' and reached Mr. Mahlon Harlow's house about one and a half miles from Springfield where tired of tramping I spent the night. After I had retired for the night Mr. Harlow came home from Springfield and told me that there was a young woman and child at '''[[Briggs, Elias\|Mr. Brigg]]'s.''' It was then too late to get up and go up that night, but I did not sleep much that night.. neither did I stay for breakfast next morning after a separation of twenty months and crossing the continent three times. I will now go back to the spring of 1853. My wife Elizabeth had sold the farm and with a part of the proceeds had bought a team of three yoke of oxen and one yoke of cows. My brothers Jason and Corydon furnishing the wagon. They with mother started across the plains. At the Malheur river they induces to take a new route to come in on the middle fork of the Willamette. There was a large number of emmigrants (sic) together and they had not gone very far before they found out that their guide did not know anything of the country and that there was no trail out or even marked out. In this condition they had to cut out their own trail which was often wrong, then they had to retrace their steps and try again. Their provisions of which they had plenty to last them if there had been a open trail, now began to fail and they had to depend on their cattle for food. With increasing weakness they still struggled, on cutting their own road into the mountains and almost despairing of ever getting through. In the meantime a party of four young men Frank Owens, Robert Fandy, and the other two whose names I have forgotten struck out into the settlements and obtained help for the emmigrants who were now on the verge of starve ation. After several days of crawling on hands and knees through thickets climbing over logs, wading down stream, their provisions gave and out and they were reduced to the necessity of living on snails and mice and anything they could lay their hands on. They at last reached the cabin of a settler who took them in and cared for them and as soon as he learned of the condition of the emmigrants got on his horse and spread the news. There was not a moments delay in the efforts of the settlers to furnish relief. All night they worked in getting together supplies and as soon as morning dawned a large pack train was on its way for their relief. It came not a moment too soon for they had been living for a good many days on half starved beef alone. They had now all scattered out in search of homes, or places to make one. My wife and little boy Charles Alvah were staying at Mr. Briggs who owned the townsite and had a sawmill and was putting up a gristmill in partnership with his father uncle Isaac Briggs who lived on the first claim above. After staying here a few days I went down on Grand Prairie to look after mother, brothers and sisters. I found them camped on their claims in the grass of the prairie. I took up a claim and built a house just one forth mile south of where J. C. Jennings now lives. This house was a rather cheap and primitive affair. The frame was made by setting two rows of poles in the ground four feet apart, one row six feet apart and the other ten feet. High upon these were laid poles for rafters, the hole covered with four foot split boards making a room twelve by sixteen which did not need any windows and did not have any floor until I went to the river and got some puncheons. In this apology for a house we spent the long dreary and cold winter.

	====1854====		====1854====

64.13.12.12: /* November */

2008-06-12T23:47:41Z

November

←Older revision		Revision as of 23:47, 12 June 2008
Line 148:		Line 148:

	=====November=====		=====November=====
-	November first I stayed just below the Bundy bridge on the Long Tom. The next morning we went up a short distance above Monroe where I left my companion. It was the last time I ever met him which I have often earnestly desired to do, not only because of his friendship, but because of my indebtedness to him for financial aid. had paid my last dime for lodgings the night before and now struck out afoot and alone and penniless for Springfield where I hoped to find or hear from my family as being the nearest point where the emmigrants (sic) from the middle fork would reach the valley. I left the Long Tom behind and crossed the pathless prairie to the Willamette, passing not far from where Junction City now stands. Struck a trail at the Bridges places now owned by I.N. Edwards, crossing the Willamette at [[Eugene]] and reached Mr. Mahlon Harlow's house about one and a half miles from Springfield where tired of tramping I spent the night. After I had retired for the night Mr. Harlow came home from Springfield and told me that there was a young woman and child at [[Briggs, Isaac\|Mr. Brigg]]'s. It was then too late to get up and go up that night, but I did not sleep much that night.. neither did I stay for breakfast next morning after a separation of twenty months and crossing the continent three times. I will now go back to the spring of 1853. My wife Elizabeth had sold the farm and with a part of the proceeds had bought a team of three yoke of oxen and one yoke of cows. My brothers Jason and Corydon furnishing the wagon. They with mother started across the plains. At the Malheur river they induces to take a new route to come in on the middle fork of the Willamette. There was a large number of emmigrants (sic) together and they had not gone very far before they found out that their guide did not know anything of the country and that there was no trail out or even marked out. In this condition they had to cut out their own trail which was often wrong, then they had to retrace their steps and try again. Their provisions of which they had plenty to last them if there had been a open trail, now began to fail and they had to depend on their cattle for food. With increasing weakness they still struggled, on cutting their own road into the mountains and almost despairing of ever getting through. In the meantime a party of four young men Frank Owens, Robert Fandy, and the other two whose names I have forgotten struck out into the settlements and obtained help for the emmigrants who were now on the verge of starve ation. After several days of crawling on hands and knees through thickets climbing over logs, wading down stream, their provisions gave and out and they were reduced to the necessity of living on snails and mice and anything they could lay their hands on. They at last reached the cabin of a settler who took them in and cared for them and as soon as he learned of the condition of the emmigrants got on his horse and spread the news. There was not a moments delay in the efforts of the settlers to furnish relief. All night they worked in getting together supplies and as soon as morning dawned a large pack train was on its way for their relief. It came not a moment too soon for they had been living for a good many days on half starved beef alone. They had now all scattered out in search of homes, or places to make one. My wife and little boy Charles Alvah were staying at Mr. Briggs who owned the townsite and had a sawmill and was putting up a gristmill in partnership with his father uncle Isaac Briggs who lived on the first claim above. After staying here a few days I went down on Grand Prairie to look after mother, brothers and sisters. I found them camped on their claims in the grass of the prairie. I took up a claim and built a house just one forth mile south of where J. C. Jennings now lives. This house was a rather cheap and primitive affair. The frame was made by setting two rows of poles in the ground four feet apart, one row six feet apart and the other ten feet. High upon these were laid poles for rafters, the hole covered with four foot split boards making a room twelve by sixteen which did not need any windows and did not have any floor until I went to the river and got some puncheons. In this apology for a house we spent the long dreary and cold winter.	+	November first I stayed just below the Bundy bridge on the Long Tom. The next morning we went up a short distance above Monroe where I left my companion. It was the last time I ever met him which I have often earnestly desired to do, not only because of his friendship, but because of my indebtedness to him for financial aid. had paid my last dime for lodgings the night before and now struck out afoot and alone and penniless for Springfield where I hoped to find or hear from my family as being the nearest point where the emmigrants (sic) from the middle fork would reach the valley. I left the Long Tom behind and crossed the pathless prairie to the Willamette, passing not far from where Junction City now stands. Struck a trail at the Bridges places now owned by I.N. Edwards, crossing the Willamette at [[Eugene]] and reached Mr. Mahlon Harlow's house about one and a half miles from Springfield where tired of tramping I spent the night. After I had retired for the night Mr. Harlow came home from Springfield and told me that there was a young woman and child at [[Briggs, Isaac\|Mr. Brigg]]'s. It was then too late to get up and go up that night, but I did not sleep much that night.. neither did I stay for breakfast next morning after a separation of twenty months and crossing the continent three times. I will now go back to the spring of 1853. My wife Elizabeth had sold the farm and with a part of the proceeds had bought a team of three yoke of oxen and one yoke of cows. My brothers Jason and Corydon furnishing the wagon. They with mother started across the plains. At the Malheur river they induces to take a new route to come in on the middle fork of the Willamette. There was a large number of emmigrants (sic) together and they had not gone very far before they found out that their guide did not know anything of the country and that there was no trail out or even marked out. In this condition they had to cut out their own trail which was often wrong, then they had to retrace their steps and try again. Their provisions of which they had plenty to last them if there had been a open trail, now began to fail and they had to depend on their cattle for food. With increasing weakness they still struggled, on cutting their own road into the mountains and almost despairing of ever getting through. In the meantime a party of four young men Frank Owens, Robert Fandy, and the other two whose names I have forgotten struck out into the settlements and obtained help for the emmigrants who were now on the verge of starve ation. After several days of crawling on hands and knees through thickets climbing over logs, wading down stream, their provisions gave and out and they were reduced to the necessity of living on snails and mice and anything they could lay their hands on. They at last reached the cabin of a settler who took them in and cared for them and as soon as he learned of the condition of the emmigrants got on his horse and spread the news. There was not a moments delay in the efforts of the settlers to furnish relief. All night they worked in getting together supplies and as soon as morning dawned a large pack train was on its way for their relief. It came not a moment too soon for they had been living for a good many days on half starved beef alone. They had now all scattered out in search of homes, or places to make one. My wife and little boy Charles Alvah were staying at [[Briggs, Elias\|Mr. Briggs]] who owned the townsite and had a sawmill and was putting up a gristmill in partnership with his father uncle Isaac Briggs who lived on the first claim above. After staying here a few days I went down on Grand Prairie to look after mother, brothers and sisters. I found them camped on their claims in the grass of the prairie. I took up a claim and built a house just one forth mile south of where J. C. Jennings now lives. This house was a rather cheap and primitive affair. The frame was made by setting two rows of poles in the ground four feet apart, one row six feet apart and the other ten feet. High upon these were laid poles for rafters, the hole covered with four foot split boards making a room twelve by sixteen which did not need any windows and did not have any floor until I went to the river and got some puncheons. In this apology for a house we spent the long dreary and cold winter.

	====1854====		====1854====

64.13.12.12: /* 1854 */

2008-06-12T23:45:20Z

1854

←Older revision		Revision as of 23:45, 12 June 2008
Line 151:		Line 151:

	====1854====		====1854====
-	The snow lay deep on the ground and it was bitterly cold, how cold I do not know, but all things have an end and spring came at last, when finding I could bet a better piece of land I put my house on runners and moved it one mile east and one half mile west of the new Grand Prairie school house. This summer I spent in fenceing (sic) and improving my place. November first 1854 my oldest daughter Lucy Jennette was born and the twentyfourfh of the same month we left our claim and went to work for Elias Briggs; I to run the sawmill and she (my wife) to help cook. We stayed there six months and came home with two cows, some lunder (sic) and other things which we badly needed to fix up our house and farm. Elder Philip Mulkey commenced preaching around in private houses the spring of this year. Fourth Lord's Day in June Elder Mulkey organized the First Christian at Clear Lake with forteen (sic) members. At a meeting held in July of this year at a B. Bryant who lived on the Iake a couple of miles south of where Junction now stands I united with the Church of Christ and Elisabeth also uniting by confession and immersion. Elder Gilmore Callison also preached for us occasionally. I was selected as deacon for the church.	+	The snow lay deep on the ground and it was bitterly cold, how cold I do not know, but all things have an end and spring came at last, when finding I could bet a better piece of land I put my house on runners and moved it one mile east and one half mile west of the new Grand Prairie school house. This summer I spent in fenceing (sic) and improving my place. November first 1854 my oldest daughter Lucy Jennette was born and the twentyfourfh of the same month we left our claim and went to work for Elias Briggs; I to run the [[Briggs and Driggs Company \|sawmill]] and she (my wife) to help cook. We stayed there six months and came home with two cows, some lunder (sic) and other things which we badly needed to fix up our house and farm. Elder Philip Mulkey commenced preaching around in private houses the spring of this year. Fourth Lord's Day in June Elder Mulkey organized the First Christian at Clear Lake with forteen (sic) members. At a meeting held in July of this year at a B. Bryant who lived on the Iake a couple of miles south of where Junction now stands I united with the Church of Christ and Elisabeth also uniting by confession and immersion. Elder Gilmore Callison also preached for us occasionally. I was selected as deacon for the church.

	====1855====		====1855====

64.13.12.12: /* November */

2008-06-12T23:42:19Z

November

←Older revision		Revision as of 23:42, 12 June 2008
Line 148:		Line 148:

	=====November=====		=====November=====
-	November first I stayed just below the Bundy bridge on the Long Tom. The next morning we went up a short distance above Monroe where I left my companion. It was the last time I ever met him which I have often earnestly desired to do, not only because of his friendship, but because of my indebtedness to him for financial aid. had paid my last dime for lodgings the night before and now struck out afoot and alone and penniless for Springfield where I hoped to find or hear from my family as being the nearest point where the emmigrants (sic) from the middle fork would reach the valley. I left the Long Tom behind and crossed the pathless prairie to the Willamette, passing not far from where Junction City now stands. Struck a trail at the Bridges places now owned by I.N. Edwards, crossing the Willamette at [[Eugene]] and reached Mr. Mahlon Harlow's house about one and a half miles from Springfield where tired of tramping I spent the night. After I had retired for the night Mr. Harlow came home from Springfield and told me that there was a young woman and child at [[Briggs, Isaac\|Mr. Brigg]]'s. It was then too late to get up and go up that night, but I did not sleep much that night.. neither did I stay for breakfast next morning after a separation of twenty months and crossing the continent three times. I will now go back to the spring of 1853. My wife Elizabeth had sold the farm and with a part of the proceeds had bought a team of three yoke of oxen and one yoke of cows. My brothers Jason and Corydon furnishing the wagon. They with mother started across the plains. At the Malheur river they induces to take a new route to come in on the middle fork of the Willamette. There was a large number of emmigrants (sic) together and they had not gone very far before they found out that their guide did not know anything of the country and that there was no trail out or even marked out. In this condition they had to cut out their own trail which was often wrong, then they had to retrace their steps and try again. Their provisions of which they had plenty to last them if there had been a open trail, now began to fail and they had to depend on their cattle for food. With increasing weakness they still struggled, on cutting their own road into the mountains and almost despairing of ever getting through. In the meantime a party of four young men Frank Owens, Robert Fandy, and the other two whose names I have forgotten struck out into the settlements and obtained help for the emmigrants who were now on the verge of starve ation. After several days of crawling on hands and knees through thickets climbing over logs, wading down stream, their provisions gave and out and they were reduced to the necessity of living on snails and mice and anything they could lay their hands on. They at last reached the cabin of a settler who took them in and cared for them and as soon as he learned of the condition of the emmigrants got on his horse and spread the news. There was not a moments delay in the efforts of the settlers to furnish relief. All night they worked in getting together supplies and as soon as morning dawned a large pack train was on its way for their relief. It came not a moment too soon for they had been living for a good many days on half starved beef alone. They had now all scattered out in search of homes, or places to make one. My wife and little boy Charles Alvah were staying at Mr. Briggs who owned the townsite and had a sawmill and was putting up a gristmill in partnership with his father uncle Isaac Briggs who lived on the first claim above. After staying here a few days I went down on Grand Prairie to look after mother, brothers and sisters. I found them camped on their claims in the grass of the prairie. I took up a claim and built a house just one forth mile south of where J. C. Jennings now lives. This house was a rather cheap and primitive affair. The frame was made by setting two rows of poles in the ground four feet apart, one row six feet apart and the other ten feet. High upon these were laid poles for rafters, the hole covered with four foot split boards making a room twelve by sixteen which did not need any windows and did not have any floor until I went to the river and got some puncheons. In this apology for a house we spent the long dreary and cold winter. The snow lay deep on the ground and it was bitterly cold, how cold I do not know, but all things have an end and spring came at last, when finding I could bet a better piece of land I put my house on runners and moved it one mile east and one half mile west of the new Grand Prairie school house. This summer I spent in fenceing (sic) and improving my place. November first 1854 my oldest daughter Lucy Jennette was born and the twentyfourfh of the same month we left our claim and went to work for Elias Briggs; I to run the sawmill and she (my wife) to help cook. We stayed there six months and came home with two cows, some lunder (sic) and other things which we badly needed to fix up our house and farm. Elder Philip Mulkey commenced preaching around in private houses the spring of this year. Fourth Lord's Day in June Elder Mulkey organized the First Christian at Clear Lake with forteen (sic) members. At a meeting held in July of this year at a B. Bryant who lived on the Iake a couple of miles south of where Junction now stands I united with the Church of Christ and Elisabeth also uniting by confession and immersion. Elder Gilmore Callison also preached for us occasionally. I was selected as deacon for the church.	+	November first I stayed just below the Bundy bridge on the Long Tom. The next morning we went up a short distance above Monroe where I left my companion. It was the last time I ever met him which I have often earnestly desired to do, not only because of his friendship, but because of my indebtedness to him for financial aid. had paid my last dime for lodgings the night before and now struck out afoot and alone and penniless for Springfield where I hoped to find or hear from my family as being the nearest point where the emmigrants (sic) from the middle fork would reach the valley. I left the Long Tom behind and crossed the pathless prairie to the Willamette, passing not far from where Junction City now stands. Struck a trail at the Bridges places now owned by I.N. Edwards, crossing the Willamette at [[Eugene]] and reached Mr. Mahlon Harlow's house about one and a half miles from Springfield where tired of tramping I spent the night. After I had retired for the night Mr. Harlow came home from Springfield and told me that there was a young woman and child at [[Briggs, Isaac\|Mr. Brigg]]'s. It was then too late to get up and go up that night, but I did not sleep much that night.. neither did I stay for breakfast next morning after a separation of twenty months and crossing the continent three times. I will now go back to the spring of 1853. My wife Elizabeth had sold the farm and with a part of the proceeds had bought a team of three yoke of oxen and one yoke of cows. My brothers Jason and Corydon furnishing the wagon. They with mother started across the plains. At the Malheur river they induces to take a new route to come in on the middle fork of the Willamette. There was a large number of emmigrants (sic) together and they had not gone very far before they found out that their guide did not know anything of the country and that there was no trail out or even marked out. In this condition they had to cut out their own trail which was often wrong, then they had to retrace their steps and try again. Their provisions of which they had plenty to last them if there had been a open trail, now began to fail and they had to depend on their cattle for food. With increasing weakness they still struggled, on cutting their own road into the mountains and almost despairing of ever getting through. In the meantime a party of four young men Frank Owens, Robert Fandy, and the other two whose names I have forgotten struck out into the settlements and obtained help for the emmigrants who were now on the verge of starve ation. After several days of crawling on hands and knees through thickets climbing over logs, wading down stream, their provisions gave and out and they were reduced to the necessity of living on snails and mice and anything they could lay their hands on. They at last reached the cabin of a settler who took them in and cared for them and as soon as he learned of the condition of the emmigrants got on his horse and spread the news. There was not a moments delay in the efforts of the settlers to furnish relief. All night they worked in getting together supplies and as soon as morning dawned a large pack train was on its way for their relief. It came not a moment too soon for they had been living for a good many days on half starved beef alone. They had now all scattered out in search of homes, or places to make one. My wife and little boy Charles Alvah were staying at Mr. Briggs who owned the townsite and had a sawmill and was putting up a gristmill in partnership with his father uncle Isaac Briggs who lived on the first claim above. After staying here a few days I went down on Grand Prairie to look after mother, brothers and sisters. I found them camped on their claims in the grass of the prairie. I took up a claim and built a house just one forth mile south of where J. C. Jennings now lives. This house was a rather cheap and primitive affair. The frame was made by setting two rows of poles in the ground four feet apart, one row six feet apart and the other ten feet. High upon these were laid poles for rafters, the hole covered with four foot split boards making a room twelve by sixteen which did not need any windows and did not have any floor until I went to the river and got some puncheons. In this apology for a house we spent the long dreary and cold winter.
		+
		+	====1854====
		+	The snow lay deep on the ground and it was bitterly cold, how cold I do not know, but all things have an end and spring came at last, when finding I could bet a better piece of land I put my house on runners and moved it one mile east and one half mile west of the new Grand Prairie school house. This summer I spent in fenceing (sic) and improving my place. November first 1854 my oldest daughter Lucy Jennette was born and the twentyfourfh of the same month we left our claim and went to work for Elias Briggs; I to run the sawmill and she (my wife) to help cook. We stayed there six months and came home with two cows, some lunder (sic) and other things which we badly needed to fix up our house and farm. Elder Philip Mulkey commenced preaching around in private houses the spring of this year. Fourth Lord's Day in June Elder Mulkey organized the First Christian at Clear Lake with forteen (sic) members. At a meeting held in July of this year at a B. Bryant who lived on the Iake a couple of miles south of where Junction now stands I united with the Church of Christ and Elisabeth also uniting by confession and immersion. Elder Gilmore Callison also preached for us occasionally. I was selected as deacon for the church.

	====1855====		====1855====

64.13.12.12: /* 1853 */

2008-06-12T23:36:14Z

1853

←Older revision		Revision as of 23:36, 12 June 2008
Line 148:		Line 148:

	=====November=====		=====November=====
-	November first I stayed just below the Bundy bridge on the Long Tom. The next morning we went up a short distance above Monroe where I left my companion. It was the last time I ever met him which I have often earnestly desired to do, not only because of his friendship, but because of my indebtedness to him for financial aid. had paid my last dime for lodgings the night before and now struck out afoot and alone and penniless for Springfield where I hoped to find or hear from my family as being the nearest point where the emmigrants (sic) from the middle fork would reach the valley. I left the Long Tom behind and crossed the pathless prairie to the Willamette, passing not far from where Junction City now stands. Struck a trail at the Bridges places now owned by I.N. Edwards, crossing the Willamette at [[Eugene]] and reached Mr. Mahlon Harlow's house about one and a half miles from Springfield where tired of tramping I spent the night. After I had retired for the night Mr. Harlow came home from Springfield and told me that there was a young woman and child at [[Briggs, Isaac\|Mr. Brigg]]'s. It was then too late to get up and go up that night, but I did not sleep much that night.. neither did I stay for breakfast next morning after a separation of twenty months and crossing the continent three times. I will now go back to the spring of 1853. My wife Elizabeth had sold the farm and with a part of the proceeds had bought a team of three yoke of oxen and one yoke of cows. My brothers Jason and Corydon furnishing the wagon. They with mother started across the plains. At the Malheur river they induces to take a new route to come in on the middle fork of the Willamette. There was a large number of emmigrants (sic) together and they had not gone very far before they found out that their guide did not know anything of the country and that there was no trail out or even marked out. In this condition they had to cut out their own trail which was often wrong, then they had to retrace their steps and try again. Their provisions of which they had plenty to last them if there had been a open trail, now began to fail and they had to depend on their cattle for food. With increasing weakness they still struggled, on cutting their own road into the mountains and almost despairing of ever getting through. In the meantime a party of four young men Frank Owens, Robert Fandy, and the other two whose names I have forgotten struck out into the settlements and obtained help for the emmigrants who were now on the verge of starve ation. After several days of crawling on hands and knees through thickets climbing over logs, wading down stream, their provisions gave and out and they were reduced to the necessity of living on snails and mice and anything they could lay their hands on. They at last reached the cabin of a settler who took them in and cared for them and as soon as he learned of the condition of the emmigrants got on his horse and spread the news. There was not a moments delay in the efforts of the settlers to furnish relief. All night they worked in getting together supplies and as soon as morning dawned a large pack train was on its way for their relief. It came not a moment too soon for they had been living for a good many days on half starved beef alone. They had now all scattered out in search of homes, or places to make one. My wife and little boy Charles Alvah were staying at Mr. Briggs who owned the townsite and had a sawmill and was putting up a gristmill in partnership with his father uncle Isaac Briggs who lived on the first claim above. After staying here a few days I went down on Grand Prairie to look after mother, brothers and sisters. I found them camped on their claims in the grass of the prairie. I took up a claim and built a house just one forth mile south of where J. C. Jennings now lives. This house was a rather cheap and primitive affair. The frame was made by setting two rows of poles in the ground four feet apart, one row six feet apart and the other ten feet. High upon these were laid poles for rafters, the hole covered with four foot split boards making a room twelve by sixteen which did not need any windows and did not have any floor until I went to the river and got some puncheons. In this apology for a house we spent the long dreary and cold winter. The snow lay deep on the ground and it was bitterly cold, how cold I do not know, but all things have an end and spring came at last, when finding I could bet a better piece of land I put my house on runners and moved it one mile east and one half mile west of the new Grand Prairie school house. This summer I spent in fenceing (sic) and improving my place. November first 1854 my oldest daughter Lucy Jennette was born and the twentyfourfh of the same month we left our claim and went to work for Elias Briggs; I to run the sawmill and she (my wife) to help cook. We stayed there six months and came home with two cows, some lunder (sic) and other things which we badly needed to fix up our house and farm. Elder Philip Mulkey commenced preaching around in private houses the spring of this year. Fourth Lord's Day in June Elder Mulkey organized the First Christian at Clear Lake with forteen (sic) members. At a meeting held in July of this year at a B. Bryant who lived on the Iake a couple of miles south of where Junction now stands I united with the Church of Christ and Elisabeth also uniting by confession and immersion. Elder Gilmore Callison also preached for us occasionally. I was selected as deacon for the church. On the third day of December 1855 commenced the first school ever taught in this part of the country and my first school also. I taught in an old cabin sixteen feet square, seven feet to the poles above and a large dirt fireplace at one side which smokes fearfully at times. I had a wild and frolicsome set of boys. Twenty- seven in number, all nearly grown and one little boy and little girl. I however succeeded pretty well in keeping order and instilling into their minds the rudiments of a common school education. This winter was bitterly cold a part of the time with a deep snow on the ground. Going to school one morning and almost freezing on the way I found the house full of snow and no scholars and so postponed for a week. We had no thermomenters (sic) in those days so could not tell how cold it was but it must have been below zero. This year I built a better and larger house and moved into it December sixteenth. The next spring, the Grand Prairie school house was built I taking the contract of ceiling and seating the house, dressing and mateing the lumber all by hand. I had the pleasure of teaching the first school in it. This house was used for a great many years by all the surrounding country for all purposes of a public nature. Here the Grand Prairie Church of Christ was reorganized and met here for worship until 1878-9 when it was moved to Clear Lake. We had the services during this time of most of the old pioneer preachers, Elder Philip Mulkey, Gilmore Callison, John A. Powell, John Rigdon, John E. Murphy and later Joe H. Sharp a home preacher who caused a us a great deal of trouble and had finally to be withdrawn from. September first 1857 my second daughter Ursula Josephine was born. October ninth 1859 Mary Elisabeth was born who only stayed with us two weeks. The night following her burial Josephine was taken sick with arysipelas. She died November third 1859 after suffering intensely a victim of an ignorant doctor who poisoned her with tartarized antimony. She was beautiful bright and loving little thing and it was one of the greatest trials of my life to give her up, my first great trial so great, would most gladly have gone with her if it had been God's will to have let me do so. I have had greater trials since then but none which seemed to tend my very heart strings like this. Taught a term of school this summer. July tenth there came to our home a little boy and we called him willie (sic) Francis. Our oldest boy Charles Alvah was now nine years old and Jennette seven. The summer of 1861 spent in fencing in my farm of three hundred and twenty acres which I succeeded in doing that fall. We had a bountiful harvest although it was not the custom to save up anything for stock to eat during the winter. There were large bands of horses and Spanish cattle running at large and ranging whereever (sic) they pleased, winter and summer the cattle with their long shapp (sic) horns and half wild ways were a terror to women and children. This winter however put an end of them for good. We had a very pleasant fall until November first when it commenced rainning (sic), it was just cold enough in the mountains to snow and lay on, rain- ing and snowing every day through the month. December first it turned very warm with heavy rain, the snow went off with a rush, raising the river very rapidly and covering nearly the entire valley. It covered the ground around my house forteen (sic) to eighteen inches deep. It swept away nearly all of my fencing. My fences were dry and light and nearly every panel floated off. A great many rails came down from above and lodged on the highest ground so that had enough to refence a few acres of wheat which hastened to do getting all fenced in that week. Sunday, the eighth of December the water again came out still higher than it was at first. My now laid fence doubled like a fan and all went out together leaving me in the same fix as was at first. The water had scarse (sic) run down when it turned bitterly cold. The grass had all been under water and was all covered with sand and mud. I had a good barn and had put up all my last summers crop in the sheaf so had plenty of food, which saved not only my own stock but a great many of my neighbors as well. Sheaf wheat and oats selling before the winter was over at one dollar and one and a half dollars a dozen sheaves. I was nearly the only one who had feed on the prairie and people came from far and near to buy. There came a heavy fall of snow which laid on till March with a covering of sleet. Every blade of grass or twig being covered with a heavy coating of ice. O the long and bitter winter, the cold and dreary days, the half wild Spanish cattle ranged the Ice covered prairies without a morsel to eat only as they pawed away twelve to sixteen inches of snow to get to the ground. The cattle soon starved to death but the horses held out longer but only two as far as knew lived through the winter. I had plenty of feed for my stock and carried them all through the winter but most of them died in the spring from eating some poisonous root that came down in the flood. The old settlers speak of this as Noah's flood and the winter as one of the coldest known.	+	November first I stayed just below the Bundy bridge on the Long Tom. The next morning we went up a short distance above Monroe where I left my companion. It was the last time I ever met him which I have often earnestly desired to do, not only because of his friendship, but because of my indebtedness to him for financial aid. had paid my last dime for lodgings the night before and now struck out afoot and alone and penniless for Springfield where I hoped to find or hear from my family as being the nearest point where the emmigrants (sic) from the middle fork would reach the valley. I left the Long Tom behind and crossed the pathless prairie to the Willamette, passing not far from where Junction City now stands. Struck a trail at the Bridges places now owned by I.N. Edwards, crossing the Willamette at [[Eugene]] and reached Mr. Mahlon Harlow's house about one and a half miles from Springfield where tired of tramping I spent the night. After I had retired for the night Mr. Harlow came home from Springfield and told me that there was a young woman and child at [[Briggs, Isaac\|Mr. Brigg]]'s. It was then too late to get up and go up that night, but I did not sleep much that night.. neither did I stay for breakfast next morning after a separation of twenty months and crossing the continent three times. I will now go back to the spring of 1853. My wife Elizabeth had sold the farm and with a part of the proceeds had bought a team of three yoke of oxen and one yoke of cows. My brothers Jason and Corydon furnishing the wagon. They with mother started across the plains. At the Malheur river they induces to take a new route to come in on the middle fork of the Willamette. There was a large number of emmigrants (sic) together and they had not gone very far before they found out that their guide did not know anything of the country and that there was no trail out or even marked out. In this condition they had to cut out their own trail which was often wrong, then they had to retrace their steps and try again. Their provisions of which they had plenty to last them if there had been a open trail, now began to fail and they had to depend on their cattle for food. With increasing weakness they still struggled, on cutting their own road into the mountains and almost despairing of ever getting through. In the meantime a party of four young men Frank Owens, Robert Fandy, and the other two whose names I have forgotten struck out into the settlements and obtained help for the emmigrants who were now on the verge of starve ation. After several days of crawling on hands and knees through thickets climbing over logs, wading down stream, their provisions gave and out and they were reduced to the necessity of living on snails and mice and anything they could lay their hands on. They at last reached the cabin of a settler who took them in and cared for them and as soon as he learned of the condition of the emmigrants got on his horse and spread the news. There was not a moments delay in the efforts of the settlers to furnish relief. All night they worked in getting together supplies and as soon as morning dawned a large pack train was on its way for their relief. It came not a moment too soon for they had been living for a good many days on half starved beef alone. They had now all scattered out in search of homes, or places to make one. My wife and little boy Charles Alvah were staying at Mr. Briggs who owned the townsite and had a sawmill and was putting up a gristmill in partnership with his father uncle Isaac Briggs who lived on the first claim above. After staying here a few days I went down on Grand Prairie to look after mother, brothers and sisters. I found them camped on their claims in the grass of the prairie. I took up a claim and built a house just one forth mile south of where J. C. Jennings now lives. This house was a rather cheap and primitive affair. The frame was made by setting two rows of poles in the ground four feet apart, one row six feet apart and the other ten feet. High upon these were laid poles for rafters, the hole covered with four foot split boards making a room twelve by sixteen which did not need any windows and did not have any floor until I went to the river and got some puncheons. In this apology for a house we spent the long dreary and cold winter. The snow lay deep on the ground and it was bitterly cold, how cold I do not know, but all things have an end and spring came at last, when finding I could bet a better piece of land I put my house on runners and moved it one mile east and one half mile west of the new Grand Prairie school house. This summer I spent in fenceing (sic) and improving my place. November first 1854 my oldest daughter Lucy Jennette was born and the twentyfourfh of the same month we left our claim and went to work for Elias Briggs; I to run the sawmill and she (my wife) to help cook. We stayed there six months and came home with two cows, some lunder (sic) and other things which we badly needed to fix up our house and farm. Elder Philip Mulkey commenced preaching around in private houses the spring of this year. Fourth Lord's Day in June Elder Mulkey organized the First Christian at Clear Lake with forteen (sic) members. At a meeting held in July of this year at a B. Bryant who lived on the Iake a couple of miles south of where Junction now stands I united with the Church of Christ and Elisabeth also uniting by confession and immersion. Elder Gilmore Callison also preached for us occasionally. I was selected as deacon for the church.
		+
		+	====1855====
		+
		+	On the third day of December 1855 commenced the first school ever taught in this part of the country and my first school also. I taught in an old cabin sixteen feet square, seven feet to the poles above and a large dirt fireplace at one side which smokes fearfully at times. I had a wild and frolicsome set of boys. Twenty- seven in number, all nearly grown and one little boy and little girl. I however succeeded pretty well in keeping order and instilling into their minds the rudiments of a common school education. This winter was bitterly cold a part of the time with a deep snow on the ground. Going to school one morning and almost freezing on the way I found the house full of snow and no scholars and so postponed for a week. We had no thermomenters (sic) in those days so could not tell how cold it was but it must have been below zero. This year I built a better and larger house and moved into it December sixteenth. The next spring, the Grand Prairie school house was built I taking the contract of ceiling and seating the house, dressing and mateing the lumber all by hand. I had the pleasure of teaching the first school in it. This house was used for a great many years by all the surrounding country for all purposes of a public nature. Here the Grand Prairie Church of Christ was reorganized and met here for worship until 1878-9 when it was moved to Clear Lake. We had the services during this time of most of the old pioneer preachers, Elder Philip Mulkey, Gilmore Callison, John A. Powell, John Rigdon, John E. Murphy and later Joe H. Sharp a home preacher who caused a us a great deal of trouble and had finally to be withdrawn from. September first 1857 my second daughter Ursula Josephine was born. October ninth 1859 Mary Elisabeth was born who only stayed with us two weeks. The night following her burial Josephine was taken sick with arysipelas. She died November third 1859 after suffering intensely a victim of an ignorant doctor who poisoned her with tartarized antimony. She was beautiful bright and loving little thing and it was one of the greatest trials of my life to give her up, my first great trial so great, would most gladly have gone with her if it had been God's will to have let me do so. I have had greater trials since then but none which seemed to tend my very heart strings like this. Taught a term of school this summer. July tenth there came to our home a little boy and we called him willie (sic) Francis. Our oldest boy Charles Alvah was now nine years old and Jennette seven. The summer of 1861 spent in fencing in my farm of three hundred and twenty acres which I succeeded in doing that fall. We had a bountiful harvest although it was not the custom to save up anything for stock to eat during the winter. There were large bands of horses and Spanish cattle running at large and ranging whereever (sic) they pleased, winter and summer the cattle with their long shapp (sic) horns and half wild ways were a terror to women and children. This winter however put an end of them for good. We had a very pleasant fall until November first when it commenced rainning (sic), it was just cold enough in the mountains to snow and lay on, rain- ing and snowing every day through the month. December first it turned very warm with heavy rain, the snow went off with a rush, raising the river very rapidly and covering nearly the entire valley. It covered the ground around my house forteen (sic) to eighteen inches deep. It swept away nearly all of my fencing. My fences were dry and light and nearly every panel floated off. A great many rails came down from above and lodged on the highest ground so that had enough to refence a few acres of wheat which hastened to do getting all fenced in that week. Sunday, the eighth of December the water again came out still higher than it was at first. My now laid fence doubled like a fan and all went out together leaving me in the same fix as was at first. The water had scarse (sic) run down when it turned bitterly cold. The grass had all been under water and was all covered with sand and mud. I had a good barn and had put up all my last summers crop in the sheaf so had plenty of food, which saved not only my own stock but a great many of my neighbors as well. Sheaf wheat and oats selling before the winter was over at one dollar and one and a half dollars a dozen sheaves. I was nearly the only one who had feed on the prairie and people came from far and near to buy. There came a heavy fall of snow which laid on till March with a covering of sleet. Every blade of grass or twig being covered with a heavy coating of ice. O the long and bitter winter, the cold and dreary days, the half wild Spanish cattle ranged the Ice covered prairies without a morsel to eat only as they pawed away twelve to sixteen inches of snow to get to the ground. The cattle soon starved to death but the horses held out longer but only two as far as knew lived through the winter. I had plenty of feed for my stock and carried them all through the winter but most of them died in the spring from eating some poisonous root that came down in the flood. The old settlers speak of this as Noah's flood and the winter as one of the coldest known.
	I am not so sure of that but certainly there has never been such a flood since		I am not so sure of that but certainly there has never been such a flood since
	the country has been known to the white man but there is no reason why		the country has been known to the white man but there is no reason why

64.13.12.12: /* 1853 */

2008-06-12T23:23:52Z

1853

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198.6.33.31: /* FIRST GENERATION */

2007-09-27T21:08:59Z

FIRST GENERATION

←Older revision		Revision as of 21:08, 27 September 2007
Line 64:		Line 64:
	1 Gaston's Centennial History Vol. II p. 375		1 Gaston's Centennial History Vol. II p. 375

-	2 Clark's, Willamette Valley, Vol. II p.497	+	2 [[Clark, Robert Carlton\|Clark]]'s, Willamette Valley, Vol. II p.497

	==SECOND GENERATION==		==SECOND GENERATION==

198.6.33.32: /* 1867 */

2007-09-15T00:00:34Z

1867

←Older revision		Revision as of 00:00, 15 September 2007
Line 170:		Line 170:

	Had a big celebration in the grove. Was president of the day. Had a great crowd in attendance and a general good time.		Had a big celebration in the grove. Was president of the day. Had a great crowd in attendance and a general good time.
-		+	====July, 1888====
	[[Adkins, Edward S\|Edward S. Adkins]], husband of sister Helen, died. He had a large tumor just inside the rectum and suffered untold horrors with it before death came to his release. Reached Momoth in time to be at the autopsy performed by Dr. L. L, Rowland of Salem, the only one I had ever attended. The tumor was as large as a good sized hen's egg,		[[Adkins, Edward S\|Edward S. Adkins]], husband of sister Helen, died. He had a large tumor just inside the rectum and suffered untold horrors with it before death came to his release. Reached Momoth in time to be at the autopsy performed by Dr. L. L, Rowland of Salem, the only one I had ever attended. The tumor was as large as a good sized hen's egg,

198.6.33.32: /* 1853 */

2007-09-14T23:52:54Z

1853

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