One of Notis first stores, Courtesy Helen Burton. The Lane County Historical Society Vol. XXXIV, No. 2 Summer, 1989 The Lane County Historical Society Ethan Newman, President, 2161 University, Eugene, OR 97403 Membership Secretary, P.O. Box 11532, Eugene, OR 97440 Lane County Historian, Vol. XXXIV, No. 2, Summer, 1989 Lois Barton, Editor, 84889 Harry Taylor Rd., Eugene, OR 97405 Janet Burg, Assistant Editor, 2229 Blackburn, Eugene, OR 97405

CONTENTS NO TIE - NOTI, OREGON by Helen Burton 23

FIRST TRIAL IN LANE COUNTY 30

GEORGE COFFEE'S MEMORIES OF EARLY EUGENE 34

THE EARLY PIONEER FAMILY OF WILLIAM NELSON LUCKEY by Eugene E. Luckey 38

WAITING IN OREGON by Eugene E. Luckey 40

BOOK REVIEWS 45

Has your family story been told? Do you have pictures of early Lane County people, places, events? We would like to help you preserve these valuable bits of history for posterity, if you have something to share, please write your editor at the address above, or phone me at 345-3962, and we will plan to be in touch to work out details.

ISSN 0458-7227 Portola Inn and Noti in 1910 or '11, courtesy Helen Burton. NO TIE - NOTI, OREGON by Helen F Burton

About 20 miles west of Eugene, Long Tom River, which then runs Oregon, straddling Highway 126, is a through the Coast Range Mountains small town with the strange name of to the Pacific Ocean. Noti.Until1912thisrural According to the old legends, the community was called Portola, after name change was due tothe Don Gaspar DePortola, who was the continual mix-up of mail,since commander of a Mexican expedition Portola and Portland, when written, sent to find the first European looked so much alike. When the early settlement believed to be somewhere residents seemed unable to decide on in northern California. a new name for the community,they DePortola came too far north, fell back on an earlier Indian story entering Oregon, so the oldtimers which said that a white man and an have said. Noti is located where Indian who were on a trip from several meandering creeks join Eugene to Mapleton contracted to together, forming the west fork of the share a horse. Since the trip took 23 Summer, 1989 several days in those early years, the town. They also bought the big house white man was to ride the first ten that Ed Mix had built and turned it miles then tether the horse toa tree, into a bed and breakfast station for and walk on. The Indian, who had travelers. It was named Portola Inn. walked the first ten miles, would then In 1911, Herb Suttle, in partnership ride the second ten miles. Andso, in with Edward Rapp, built the first this fashion, each man would walk store in Portola. A few years later, and ride the same distance, making Rapp sold his share to Suttle and the long rest periods unnecessary. front facade bore the name, "H.G. After his turn, the whiteman Suttle - General Merchandise". decided he no longer wanted to leave Shopping in those early days was a far the horse for his Indian companion cry from how it is today. As there were and so, he rode on. When the Indian no shopping aisles or displays of reached the place where the horse merchandise, customers had to ask a should have been, he found it missing. clerk for the items they wanted to Shaking his head sadly, he muttered, buy. The clerk would then climb a "No tie. No tie." ladder to the upper shelves where Since post offices in the earlyyears things were kept, and bring down the established a settlement's identity, asked for articles. The Portola Post they were carefully recorded. And the Office was also housed in Suttle's records for Portola say that James P. store and he acted as postmaster. Cheshere, acing as postmaster, In 1911, the railroad began to build established a post office in his home a branch line that was, upon on April1,1875. It was named completion, to run from Eugene west Chesliere. He had, in 1862, purchased through Cushman and on down the the 600 acre donation land claim of coast line to Coos Bay. Everyone was Edwin Bagby and John W. Crooks. excited about this project because it The Cheshere post office was closed in would give work to a lot of men, and February 1892, since George Hale, in it would also make the transportation 1886, had established one in his home, of farm and household supplies easier. which continued in use until 1907. In It was said that a trip to Eugene in 1892, the Varien post office was also those days took all day, so transpor- established by Paul Varien Boleman, tation would also be much faster by its postmaster, and it was located rail. above today's railroad trestleacross On March 27, 1913, Portola's name from Elk Creek. was officially changed to Noti. The first house built in Portolawas Railroad records say that the rails constructed for Angie Jay. A second had reached Cushman by the fall of house was built for Bessie Gates. And 1914, and when the first train rolled in 1908, Ed Mix built the third house. into Noti on September 14, 1914, At that time, Earl and Edna Parsons there was a large celebration with owned most of the land in Portola, 1,500 people attending. Horse races and it was the Parsons who divided and baseball games entertained the the land into streets and lots for the crowd while the tables were heavily 24 Lane County Historian laden with homemade picnic goodies. Lola Moorehouse took on this job. Like most of Oregon's rural In 1939, the Swanson and May communities nestled in the tall partners built a second lumber mill forests, Noti became a lumber mill and Noti became a true mill-town. town when, in 1922, the Forcia and Then Mr. May sold his interests in the Larsen Mill was built at Star Camp mill to the Swanson brothers, who west of Noti and its planer built in then operated it for the next twenty- Noti. The lumber was floated down to nine years until, in 1968, Sam Konnie the planer through a flume. The mill bought a share. employed a large number of men and In February of 1946, the old Forcia the payroll was sizable each month, and Larsen mill burned down. Since but it is said that Noti had no police Swanson's mill was the only one left force because none was ever needed in in Noti, the brothers enlarged their those early years. mill to have added drying kilns, a In 1924, a Mr. and Mrs. Alley chipper and a new planer. When Ray, bought the Portola Inn and made it the last of the Swanson brothers, into a rooming house for the men that retired in 1984, Sam Konnie bought worked in the mill. the mill and is now sole owner. As the lumber mill brought more Konnie says the mill is still in full people to Noti, the Suttles built their operation at this writing, although third store, which replaced the second many of Oregon's lumber mills have one built in 1918. Here with his wife, had to shut down due to a log Edna (Hale) Suttle, he served as post- shortage. master for 45 years and continued to As you travel to the coast, through operate the store until his death inNoti, the big old Portola Inn, now 1967. Mrs. Suttle died in 1968. minus its sign, is still being used as After Suttle retired as Noti's a private home. And on out the high- postmaster, postal records say that a way, on the north side of the road,

Old Noti school, 1918. Echo Spores, Teacher, Courtesy Helen Burton.

Summer. 1989 25 standing like a worn dowager, is the large frame house that was built by George Hale and later became the home of the Farmer Hale family. This house isstilloccupied by some members of the family and has been given the rich standing as one of Oregon's Century farms. When the present grade school building in Noti was constructed, Farmer Hale was a member of the school board. Mr. Hale was instru- mental in getting major improve- ments for the Noti school, such as district ownership of school buses, and indoor restrooms for the students. The first church in Noti was built by the early residents.It was a Presbyterian Church then, but was later changed to The Church of Christ, which it has been for the past forty years. From about 1920 to 1945, dairy products were supplied to Noti residents and to families of workmen Old School above Blue School in Noti, 1918. at the Forcia and Larsen mill from Courtesy Helen Burton. the dairy farm owned and operated by Farmer Hale. needed sugar, flour, sides of bacon, or The old covered bridge spanning whatever else he was transporting. one of the creeks at Noti was one of Prior to the road for the freight- many built by John Taylor, who was wagons, and until Eugene grew also an early-day stage coach driver. larger, the men from Noti (Portola) Two other drivers were Darwin Hale made a trip to Oregon City each fall and Ernest Duckworth. Some of the to buy their winter supplies from stories have been set down in records incoming boats. This trip always took that these men told of their trips to them two weeks. After the corduroy bring supplies to the settlers before road was built, mail was delivered by Suttle built his store. Sometimes, the a man who drove a one horse cart. rail-freight wagons would get mired People hung a bag on a post by the so deep in the muddy narrow road side of the road and the mail was that the only means to free them was dropped into it. for the driver to throw his cargo under Bits and pieces of other information the wheels, and it might be much tell that the early stage lines were 26 Lane County Historian terminated in 1916 as the railroad sold it about a year later and since was finished to Coos Bay by then and then the building has been used for was transporting passengers and several kinds of businesses. merchandise of all kinds. Vesta Kull, an 80-year-old life-long During World War II, the people in resident of Noti, recalls that a dance the community of Noti, wishing to do hall existed in the town many years their part in the war effort, manned ago. And she says that only three of observation posts. The first one was Noti's original buildings still remain. a small shack established in March of Of course, one of them is the old 1942. Since it had no phone, the Portola Inn and the second one is women who manned it from 6 am. to believed to be the one built for Angie 6 p.m. had to walk to Suttle's store to Jay. But the third house was question- make their reports. Another small able. Vesta Kull also had in her building was turned into a second records a story on the first baby born post with a telephone installed, and in Noti (Portola). He was Donald enough watchers were appointed that Hackelman, born July 4, 1912. the posts could be manned on a The first school Mrs. Kull attended 24-hour day. Then on April 22, 1943, in Noti was located on the hill above a new larger post was dedicated, where the "blue school" is today. Mrs. complete with phone, log books and Kull believes it was built in 1904, but other necessities. Many of the women Lee Withrow remembered it some- had to walk to and from the posts in what differently. pitch darkness as no bit of light could Mr. Withrow was a retired professor be used. from the University in Modesto, The first dial telephones were put California,who passedaway in the settlers' homes in 1948. Until February 25, 1986, at the age of 82. then, people had used the old crank He was born in the Noti area, growing phones and everybody was on the up and attending school there, and same line, so no conversation was on being a Noti resident for many years a one-to-one basis. before he moved to California. This Following the war, army trucks reporter corresponded with Mr. served as school buses for a time. Withrow many times before his death, The Sailor Cemetery, locatedon and he related some interesting, and Highway #126, serves both Elmira occasionally humorous, facts about and Noti. Records show that the first his home and the people in Noti. burial there was that of Thomas Kent Mr. Withrow's recollections say, "I Duckworth of Elmira, but many of remember there was an elementary Noti's first citizens are also buried school on the old Montgomery ranch. there. It was a small building, had up and In 1959, street lights were installed down boards with a shake roof. in Noti. Darwin Hale was the last teacher The Noti tavern in operation today there before the school was moved to was built in 1924 (about) by John Noti. The building stood empty for Sawyer for an ice cream parlor. He several years." Withrow said that his Summer, 1989 27 These two photos were taken by O.M. Shields of Noti. Can you identify the school, the teacher, the pupils? Please call or write your editor with any information you can supply. Lane CountyHistorical Museum photos. 28 Lane County Historian father and several other relatives all collar," but there were trails at the attended this school, and that one of side of the road which the railroad his aunts was a teacher there. He crew used and he did, too. further relates that, "After the school In the summer, Withrow said this was moved to Noti, the parents in the road was the same one that he helped area got together and formed a new grade from Elmira through the Noti district. Number 145?' Lou Crabb bridge. He drove a team pulling a donated a full acre of ground, and the Fresno scraper full of dirt through the building was constructed in 1911 by bridge. The men were cutting down Mark Glass and Lou Peterson. This the hill on one side of the bridge and school was later called the Evers filling the low pass on the other side. School, and Withrow was a student Mose Evers and Bert Trout were the there in 1912. He said that when he other two men working with him. rode his pony to school in Noti, he was They each received $6.00 a day in never out of sight of the workers that wages. were constructing the tunnel above Interviewing Noti residents for this Noti. He said there were about one story, it was interesting to find that hundred in the group, and very few of some of the "old timers" still live in them could speak English. He said the area, and many of the descendants that in the winter, the road was a sea of those passed on also live there and of mud, "and the mud often ran say that they, "just hope they never through the lower part of the horse's have to move away?'

Summer, 1989 29 FIRST TRIAL IN LANE COUNTY The following material was provided by Ken and Jim Mortensen who got the details from the State Archives. Ed.

Action of Trover In Willamette Territory District Court for the first judicial district in the Territory of Oregon within and for the County of Lane in said Territory, A.D. 1853 - October term.

Jonathan Keeney defendants William Masterson Alexander King Robert Campbell John Thornburg J.K. McCormack Green Boyd John W Gilmore George Rugland? Franklin Green Joseph Gray Henry Gray John Fry William Miller William Cox James Biddle William Crow Jacob Crow Lewis Hardwick John Delemattin Furman West Fielding McMurry Young Henry Young

William and Eliza Masterson, courtesy Ken Mortensen. The defendants were summoned to complains for that whereas hereto- answer to Jonathan Keeney, Plaintiff, fore, to wit, on the 5th day of June, in an action of Trover, and thereupon 1851, he said plaintiff was lawfully the said Jonathan Keeney by W.S. possessed as of his own property of Brock and L.E Grover, his attorneys certain goods and chattels, to wit, ten 30 Lane County Historian cows, ten heifers, ten steers, ten Similar summons were issued on yearlings and four oxen of great value, the same date to the sheriffs of to wit, of the value of fifteen hundred Benton, Lane, Linn, Clackamas, and dollars, and being so possessed Marion Counties. thereof,he,the said plaintiff Trial begun October 5,1853, afterward, to wit, on the day and year continued because the plaintiff was aforesaid, at the County of Lane not ready to proceed. Thursday, sixth aforesaid, casually lost the said ten of October, a jury - twelve good and cows, ten heifers, ten steers, ten lawful men of the county, to wit, yearlings and four oxen, and the same Marion Scott,T.J.Holland, A.W. afterwards on the same day came into Patterson, James Breeding, William the possession of the said defendants. C. Spencer, William McCabe, Mathew Wallis, Josiah M. Lakin, John Defendants by finding Furguson, William Dodson, Wm. Yet the said defendants, though Smith and Hiram Richardson, who they well knew the said ten cows, ten were duly empaneled and sworn well heifers, ten steers, ten yearlings and and truly to try the issues joined in four oxen to belong to the said said cause, and said jury,after plaintiff, yet intending to injure and hearing the proofs and allegations of defraud him thereof, refused to the Plaintiff and Defendants as well deliver the same to the said plaintiff, as the arguments of Counsel, and the though there unto requested, but charge of the Court, retired under afterward on the same day committed charge of a proper officer, to consider the said ten cows, ten heifers, ten of their verdict and said jury after a steers, ten yearlings and four oxen to short absence returned into court the their own use, to the damages of the following verdict. We the undersigned said plaintiff two thousand dollars Jurors find the Defendants, Ludwick and thereupon he sues. Hardwick, William Masterson, Filed Sept. 7, 1853 Alexander King, Robert Campbell, E.F. Skinner, clerk John Thornberg, John M. Gilmore, District Ct. Lane Co. Fielding McMury and William Cox Filed Oct. 25th, 1853 not guilty, which verdict was received J.G. Wilson, cik, S.C. by the court and ordered to be entered On 9-7-1853 a summons was issued of record, which is herby done. to the Sheriff of Yamhill County Whereupon came counsel for the listing all of the defendants "if found plaintiff and gave notice of a motion in your county, to appear at the Court in arrest of judgment and for a new House in Eugene City, Wednesday, trial. October 5." And the court having heard the A reply from the summons was argument of counsel and being fully received 9-22-1853 signed by J.G. advised in the premises overruled Baker, sheriff, Yamhill Co. said motion and refused to grant a

Summer, 1989 new trial in said cause. evidence in the case. The plaintiff moved for a new trial, Other and material witnesses saying that Edward Mulholland and have been discovered since the John Muhiholland saw the two yokes reading of the verdict in this cause, of oxen in the possession of Alexander whose testimony will be vital to the King and Robert Campbell while they rights of said plaintiff in this suit. were on their way to Oregon in 1851 Brock and Grover, attys for pltf. and they each identified the said oxen Charge to the jury to be the property of Keeney. Reasons given for a new trial were 1st. The defendants ask the court to as follows: charge the jury that if they believe The court erred in admitting as from the testimony that the deft.s witnesses to testify on behalf of said found the cattle in controvesy in the defendants the following named country east of the Rocky mountains persons, to wit, Jona. Crow, William and west of the State of Missouri and McCarty and J. Galloway, who each not in any organized state or Territory severally testified on their vois cis that they did not commit them to that he was a member of the company their own use within the limits of who took up the cattle which are Oregon or any other organized State claimed as the subject of this suit, or Territory then this action will not that said cattle were sold by said lie, and they must find the deft.s not company, that he was present at the guilty. Refused. sale of said cattle by the company 2nd. The defts ask the court to aforesaid and received his equal share charge the jury that if they believe of the proceeds thereof. from the testimony that the cattle in The court erred in charging the question were found in the plains east jury empaneled and sworn to try the of the Rocky Mountains and not in issue found in said cause as follows to any organized state or territory and wit. "That if the jury believe from the were estrays and lost by their owner evidence that the cattle in the and that they were taken and driven declaration charged to have been by order of Zedrig Riggs who was converted to the use of defendants Captain and had command of the were taken up and sold by defendants company in which the defts. traveled, and others to preserve said cattle for and that said cattle were afterwards the plaintiff and without any sold at public auction by the said intentiontoinjurethem,or Riggs to pay and satisfy the expenses converting them to their own use to and trouble of their care and the exclusion of the plaintiff, the jury management and that said Riggs is will find for the defendants. dead, and that the defts. did not The jury disregarded the direct afterwards convert said cattle to their testimony of tow unimpeached as to own use in Oregon or in any other the identify of said cattle (enroute) organized state or territory, then this whose statement under oath did not action will not lie, and they must find materially conflict with other the defts. not guilty. 32 Lane County Historian 3rd. That unless from the evidence will find for the defendants. that the cattle in controversy 5th. That if the jury believe from belonged to Jonathan Keeney, or the testimony that the cattle in unless they believe from the evidence controversy belonged to Keeney, and that said Keeney was the general or also believe from the evidence that special owner and entitled to the the defendants disposed of the cattle immediate possession of said cattle, or without any intention of divesting the some of them, they must find for owner of his property in said cattle, defendants. and also believe from the testimony 4th. That if the jury believe from that the cattle were disposed of for the the evidence that the cattle in the purpose of enabling the owner to declaration charged to have been recover his property no recovery can converted to the use of defts., were be had against the defendants unless taken up and sold by defts. and others they believe from testimony that the to preserve said cattle for the benefit plaintiff has demanded the cattle and of the plaintiff and without any the defendants have refused to give up intentiontoinjurethem,or the possession of them or a portion of converting them to their own use to them. the exclusion of the plaintiff, the jury

33 GEORGE COFFEE'S MEMORIES OF EARLY EUGENE

George Coffee, recently deceased, granted an interview on August 12, 1988, in which he detailed early street car routes in Eugene. He also spoke of many other things he remembered. George was born in Benton County and grew up in the Monroe, Belifountain, Irish Bend area, moving to Eugene when he was 13 years old, in 1922. The following material is excerpted from the interview. Ed.

Lois: You said you used to deliver time I rode motorcycles. I had three groceries. of them. George: I delivered groceries for Originally I started out, when I was everything from McMoran and Wash- going to grade school when I first burne. I worked for the Merchant's moved to Eugene, working for the Delivery. They had five or six trucks. Eugene Auto Wrecking Company, We collected groceries, dry goods. We which was the first automobile delivered groceries for Otto Smith's wrecking company outside of Port- grocery. We delivered meat for land. Their operation was on West 8th Nebergall Meat Market, which was across from Brenners. They towed the on east 11th. We delivered groceries cars in and totally disassembled for Beaver market which was a little them, one at a time. Washed the parts hole in the wall about midway in raw gasoline. I did, by hand. So you between the alley and Oak Street on came in and asked for a rear end ring the south side of Broadway ...We gear out of a certain model auto- delivered meat for Green's Market mobile, and you walked to the bin and which was across the alley from picked it up and sold it to the man - Haskell's Market. Haskell had their for half the price of a new one. own delivery. We delivered meat and I worked there while I ws going to groceries and hay and feed for grade school. I went in - I needed a Granger's Market which was on job because across the alley was Broadway...People called in and Garret's bicycle store. Harry Garret ordered their groceries and they'd was the uncle of Earl Hutchinson who come out in boxes. We also picked up had Hutch's bike store. He sold out to freight for all these stores at the Earl when he left and went to Southern Pacific freight depot. There California. He had a $15 second-hand was a little grocery, Thng's Market, on bicycle and Ididn't have penny east 13th right where the Harley- number 1. So I went in - Chet Good Davidson Motorcycle was last. was manager of the wrecking house Henry's Knife Shop used to be on the because Cogs Campbell was playing corner where Williams retail store is. football at the University of Oregon. The motorcycle shop was there at the He weighed 260 pounds and he didn't 34 Lane County Historian have an ounce of fat on him and he G: Yeah. could do a back flip just, bingo, like L: How did you get into the pump that. He was the anchorman on the service business? tumbling team. His partner, Mack G: Well, when we moved to Eugene, McLean, was the tumbling professor I dropped out of school and I helped at the university, and they were build the first Crystal Ice plant, partners and started this wrecking which was a wooden building. We house. They were both going to school. built it from scratch. We poured the Chet Good was the manager and footing out of five gallon buckets of Isaac Newman was wrecking the cars concrete that we mixed out on in the back. He was an uncle of the Franklin Boulevard in the rain. Four Newman Fish Market brothers. of us. Another kid by the name of So I went in. Good told me to come Bennett and I and Mack McLean and at noon and his boss would be there. Cogs Campbell. And we built it on I went in and Cogs Campbell was part of the ground that Mannerud settin' there with his feet on the desk, Huntington was using for a wood half as big as a skinned mule, with an yard. The ground belonged to A.C. Oregon sweater with a big 0 on the Mathews sand and gravel and we front of it. built the building right there where "What d'ya want, kid?" Romania R.V. Center parts and office "I want a job." building is. We started on that in the "What can you do?" fall, and I pulled the first 300 pound "Anything anyone else can do." cake of ice out of the tank the 5th of "How much money do you want?" July, 1925. I worked there for a while, "50 cents a day." At that point I then McLean -- they decided to build didn't realize a day was nine hours a new plant where the building was and was six days a week. on the west side of the railroad tracks "Go back and start washin' parts." at 777 East Broadway. So I helped So I worked for a couple of weeks build that plant and they moved the and I could see that I was kinda machinery out of the old plant into spinnin' my wheels. I'd gained six that plant, and at that point, when dollars toward this fifteen dollar the plant was about ready to start bicycle. So I asked him for a raise and operating McLean sold out to he gave me six bits a day, 75 cents. I Campbell, as he did in the wrecking worked for another couple of weeks house. He and his wife separated and and hit him up for another raise, and McLean and I went to Alaska one he gave me a dollar a day for the rest summer to work. I was nineteen. I'd of the summer. That paid for the been delivering ice for them and bicycle, and it was my chore to take operating the ice plant, the old ice the money to the Bank of Commerce, plant, the original one. We spent the which was on the northwest corner of summer in Alaska and then I came Eighth and Willamette. back and went to work for this L: The money from the wrecking Merchant's Delivery when I returned. yard? L: What were you doing in Alaska? Summer, 1989 35 G: Helping build a canning round wooden tank, and a 16,000 company plant. It belonged to the gallon tank. Fisher Eddy Corporation. It was in L: What kind of wood? the Narrows west of Ketchikan at G: Fir. A sixteen thousand gallon Crow Point. We worked an eight hour round wooden tank, and assembled shift. The cannery only ran two weeks the whole thing. Poured the concrete. because of the drought. The fish didn't I had the fellow, Ford Nelson, come in. So they closed it up. We engineer the tanks. Had 'em cut so completed that job, then we built a the stays were beveled so you could shed over a marine railway cradle. caulk 'em and up six inches from the L: What in the world is a marine bottom they had a groove cut in 'em railway cradle? where they fit in the bottom of the G: That's a car that goes down on tank. To assemble a tank like that, a railroad track into the water. They you cut the bottom out like you'd cut taxi a boat in on a cradle, then they the bottom of a barrel and you put dry bring it up in dry dock, see? So splines in it that fit each plank and McLean went back to Carnegie Tech you lay that on these wooden founda- to study engineering and I came tions. Then you get a bundle of No. 4 home. cedar shingles and you put one up I paid the hundred dollarsI against the edge of the tank bottom borrowed to go up there on. I borrowed and drive a six penny nail in it. And another dollar in Portland and came reach up and butt a 1x4 brace on it home with one cent. Then I went back and tack that to the bottom of the to work for the Merchant's Delivery. tank. Then you put another'n beside I worked for them for a year or so, and it and do the same thing, and go then I went back to manage the ice inside with a cedar shingle and tack company for Campbell. During that it to the two of 'em. You go clear period when Manerud Huntington around the thing. It's lined with cedar moved the fuel business from the coal shingles at the top and tacked at the shed right there on the spur back of bottom. Then you take three twenty- where our ice plant used to be, I took foot bars of cold roll iron to make the that over and went into the retail coal hoop. The bottom hoop was three and wood business, for myself, in quarters of an inch, right around the conjunction with deliverying ice. bottom of the tank. And every foot Then in 1934 came the depression there was another one. They went and everything went gunnysack. I down to half-inch and then down to built a cider and vinegar plant back three-eights near the top. You tacked of the ice plant there on east them - put a nail in and imbed it and Broadway and did custom cider press- put those around. You had clamps ing. I've got some of the handbills that that went around. You tightened as I put out on that. I built that all by tight as you could get it, or reasonably myself. A five hundred gallon round tight, and fill it full of water. And let wooden tank, a thousand gallon it swell. It leaked profusely for a round wooden tank, a 2,500 gallon while, and then it swelled up, then it 36 Lane County Historian was ready to use. time half the juice was run out. And L: Wouldn't the fir flavor the apple pressed 'em and when it came out the juice? piece that was left was about an inch G: No. Wouldn't have any effect on thick and it was like a dry door mat. the apples. That was a storage tank You could throw it like a pan. for the vinegar stock. The sweet apple And the vinegar plant, I got it goin' juice was put in bottles and put in cold a couple of years later. At that point storage and sold to customers. the price of vinegar had gone from L: You made vinegar too? 25 a gallon in fifty gallon drums - G: I had a friend of mine who was at wholesale - down to 15 a gallon a student at the University make me retail. I bought apples from this apple a vinegar testing outfit. I assembled company in Monroe at 3a bushel all the machinery. I bought a number and I got three gallons to the bushel, 4 cider press from a fellow in Salem, the juice. At the end of three years I and hauled it up and rebuilt the ended up with $600 and the plant was whole thing and putallthe complete and it wasn't payin' off. I machinery in there and assembled wasn't makin' any money on it. I gave these tanks. There was four floor the plant to Campbell, who was a full levels on it. Had a conveyor that took partner with me on it because he the apples out of a washing vat with financed the material. an agitator in it - false bottom and I took the $600 and went to San an agitator that kept the apples going Francisco, worked as a salesman for into the elevator, see? a while. Came back and worked for And you stood there and you'd run Eugene Sand and Gravel for a while. the apples through a grater, which Then Mack McLean came back to was a little cast iron cylinder about town and I helped him build a shake two feet long with teeth like a planer and shingle mill. Then I went to work knife with grooves in it, and it had for the Vitus Electric as a salesman. concaves - spring loaded concaves - That didn't pan out and Vitus hired that fit right out within the thickness me as a pump mechanic. That's where of a dime of these teeth. And you drop I started in the pump business. r an apple in there and it would go Editor's Note: pfsst, like that, and you'd see a little The rather extensive picture files at fog come out. Nothin' much. You had the Lane County Historical Museum a rack, and you put a burlap cloth in do not include a photo of Cogs there, and pulled a chute and dumped Campbell, nor of the Crystal Ice this sludge in there - it was just soup Company or the Auto Wrecking Com- - and fold it over like you'd fold a pany George Coffee told about. If you baby didy and put a rack on top of have any of these pictures in your that. Took what I'd call the frame off albums, please consider making a and put a press rack on top of that, copy for the Historical Library, or set the frame down and repeated the loaning them to your editor for process until you got about six or publication in a future issue of the eight of those built up, and by that HISTORIAN. Summer, 1989 37 THE EARLY PIONEER FAMILY OF WILLIAM NELSON LUCKEY by Eugene E. Luckey James and Nancy Luckey lived in At least 30,000 died on the Oregon Athens County, Ohio and they had trail, a pioneer grave for every 80 sixteen children. Eight boys and eight yards of trail, from the Missouri River girls. to the Willamette. Their second son was named Wm. The bluffs along the trail were black Nelson Luckey, who was born in 1807. with buffalo. One morning a herd He left home at age 12 and traveled stampeded through camp, smashing to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, where he wagon tongues, and ruining cooking married Elizabeth Leasure in 1831, sites. Their huge, black bodies and they had children: Nancy,appeared enormous in the early William Nelson Jr., and John. morning light, scaring the women About 1845 the family moved toand children, and raising hell in Missouri where Warren and Allen general. were born, then the family moved on When the family reached The to settle a few years in Des Moines Dalles, they loaded their household County, Iowa, where Wm. Nelson effects into Indian canoes and drifted learned the blacksmithing trade. down the river to the locks, and from Lured by free land in Oregon, the there made their way to the family set out from St.Joseph, Willamette. Missouri in the spring of 1850, as a The wagons, horses and cattle were member of a covered wagon train driven over the mountain to the consisting of fifty wagons. valley. At that time, Wm. Nelson was 42, Coming down out of the mountains Elizabeth 37, Nancy 18, William Jr. was just as bad as going uphill. They 15, John 11, Jim 9 and Warren 5. Just chopped down trees at the top of a imagine what a wonderous chance for grade and used them to drag behind adventure it must have semed to the the wagons, to keep them from over- children! running the oxen. At the bottom of At the Platte River, eight members the worst grades, there would be great of the wagon train died of cholera, piles of logs, used by preceding parties including the train's doctor. They for that same purpose. The trail was stripped the bark from cottonwood becoming well worn by 1850. trees to make coffins for the dead, who The first winter was spent on the they buried early one morning and Sitletz reservation. The following headed west again. spring Wm. Nelson and his eldest son Mother Elizabeth cried and wanted William filed two Land Donation to go back home, but Wm. Nelson was Claims; 642 acres-TWP18S, R3W, determined to go to Oregon, so on Sections 7,17,18.; 139 acres- they went. TWP17S, R3W, Section 5, which 38 Lane County Historian included much of the northern This was at a time when the free portion of today's Eugene. roving eastern Oregon Indians, The family firstlocated near especially the cruel War Chief Coburg, Oregon, afterwards moving Paulina and his followers, were angry to a place at Butte Disappointment, with Reservation Indians, because which is present day Dexter, Oregon. they had given in to the white man After arriving in Oregon, Wm. and moved onto the reservation. John Nelson and Elizabeth had three more and James Luckey were called upon children: Allen, Thomas and Mary. many times to help protect reservation At first the family tried to keep Indians during numerous attacks. horses to work and to ride, but the Later, when the army began operat- Indians stole them as fast as they ing in eastern Oregon, John and could buy them, so they finally settled James were called upon to scout for on owning oxen for work and the army, because of their familiarity transportation. with the terrain and Indian ways. Wm. Nelson earned his living by John Luckey established a residence farming and following the blacksmith in Prineville in 1869, a year after trade. Macys had a blacksmith shop Barney Prine settled on the Ochoco. one mile north of "west point" and He had two wives, Ella Miller and Nelson had a shop west and south of Sallie Hodges. John was Deputy Macys. Nelson's son, William, brought Sheriff for the Prineville area for the first anvil to Eugene by dragging many years and his personal it all the way from Portland, in an residence is still in use as an annex oxen-pulled travois. for the Crook County Sheriff's William married Lucinda Anderson Department. James Luckey also in Lane County in 1954 and they becameaDeputySheriffin later moved to Hood River Co. where Prineville, then later, became Indian he raised a large family. His second Agentforthe Warm Spring wife's name as Amanda A. Miller. Reservation 1889-93. He married In 1865 Warren and James Luckey Eunice Robbins and they later moved enlisted in the army for one year and to Portland to live. fought Indians in eastern Oregon. Wm. Nelson's son, Eugene, moved to Warren returned to follow the a ranch near Prineville where he blacksmith trade in Eugene for the lived for a few years until returning remainder of his life. He married to Eugene to start a profitable drug Laura Wilmot, the daughter of store at the S.E. corner of Broadway Springfield's Rev. William Wilmot. and Willamette St. Eugene was also After being discharged from the Deputy Sheriff in Prineville for a army, James Luckey and his brother short while, as was Wm. Nelson's John went to work for the Bureau of brother, Jerry Luckey. Eugene dis- Indian Affairs at the Warm Springs appeared mysteriously from the Indian reservation, teaching Indians streets of Portland after leaving the how to farm. Imperial Hotel and was seen taking

Summer, 1989 39 a cab. He was never seen orheard Wm. Nelson's brother, George from again. Luckey, came to Oregon to join him Thomas Luckey married Nellie at an early date, but he later returned Davis of Lane County and moved to to Iowa where he would live out his live in Tacoma, Washington. days. Another brother, Jerry, came to Allen Luckey was the victim of an Oregon and stayed in Eugene, to live accidental gunshot which killed him out his days, as did bachelor brother in Oakland, Oregon in 1867. Joseph Free Luckey. Still another Nancy Luckey married William brother, named Samuel, along with Smith in 1851 in Lane County and his wife and children, were drowned they lived in Eugene. on the Brother Jonathan,while Joe Luckey opened an early day enroute along the Pacific Coast in jewelry shop and was a familiar figure 1865 on their way to Oregon. around Eugene for years. He had two Wm. Nelson and his wife, Elizabeth wives, Elizabeth Stewart and Jennie Leasure Luckey, are buried in Spencer. Eugene's Masonic Cemetery, as are Mary Luckey, the last child in the many other members of the Luckey Wm. Nelson family, never married, family, along with many other early and died young in Eugene, at age 32. pioneers. WAITING IN OREGON by Eugene E. Luckey The way west to Oregon in the early "Brother Jonathan' operated by the days was fraught with many dangers, California Steam Navigation Co. no matter how one chose to travel. There was a total of 232 passengers The machinations of fate and the will aboard for the trip from San Francisco of God are difficult to understand. to Victoria, with a stop at Portland, Jeremiah Luckey traveled to Oregon. Oregon from Athens County, Ohio, in Among the dignitaries aboard was 1863. He was the younger brother of General George T. Wright and staff, William Nelson (Uncle Billy) Luckey, who were to take command of Ft. who came to Lane County in 1850. Vancouver;AnsonG. Henry, After becoming established he sent GovernoroftheWashington for his wife, Catherine, and their two Territory; Senator J.W. Nesmith; the children, who had remained in Ohio. newly-appointed superintendent of Catherine Luckey and her two the mint in The Dalles, H. Logan and children, Charles and Margaret, wife; James Nisbet, editor of the San accompanied by her brother-in-law, Francisco Bulletin; Major Eddy, Samuel Nelson Luckey, his wife U.S.A. paymaster, and a $200,000 Elizabeth, and their daughter Miss army payroll. Forbes, traveled to San Francisco. On As the ship's cargo was being July 27, 1865, they boarded the 1359 loaded, the Captain, Samuel J. tonsidewheelsteamship,the DeWolf, protested to a company 40 - Lane County Historian official against what he considered DavidFarrell,theSteerage the gross overloading of his ship. The Steward, continues the report from Captain's warning concerning the the time the ship struck the reef. overloading was ignored and the "She struck very hard, apparently loading continued. about halfway between her stern and At noon on July 28, 1865, Brother foremast. She did not appear to strike Jonathan slipped her moorage lines her stern; but raised on the swell and and set a course northward along the settled directly upon the rock. The Californiacoast,directly into a next sea that struck her carried her summer northwesterly. as far on the rock as her foremast. After laboring up the coast for two Her bottom was badly torn to pieces, days, bucking increasing headwinds and her foremast dropped through and a rough sea, she passed the town until stopped by the yardarm. She of Crescent City, California, where remained swinging at the mercy of she fired the usual one-gun salute in the waves until she sunk. The officers greeting. were very cool, and were doing all in On Sunday, at 12o'clock, the their power to save the lives of the Captain determined the ship's posi- passengers, who were very calm tion from a sun sight. The ship had under the circumstances. reached a point about 16 miles north- "When Captain DeWolf found the west of Crescent City and all forward ship was bound to sink, he walked progress was thwarted by wind and forward and coolly said, 'All hands aft sea. Quartermaster on watch Jacob and try to save yourselves.' The first Yates, reported, "I took the helm at boat that was lowered was the forward twelve o'clock. A northwest gale was boat on the port side, and was blowing and we were four miles above swamped; its crew were swimming PointSt.George. The sea was around her. When we last saw her running mountain high and the ship there was one man sitting astride of was not making headway. The her, and she was upside down. The Captain thought it best to turn back next boat that was lowered was on the to Crescent City and wait until the starboard side of the ship, directly storm had ceased. He ordered the astern of the wheel. This was under helm hard aport. the charge of Campbell, the Second "I obeyed and it steadied her. I kept Mate, and contained a larger number on due east. This was about 12:45. of ladies, but was swamped before she When we made Seal Rock, the was free from the davits; her stem was captain said 'southeast by south'. It smashed in against the ship's side. was clear where we were, but foggy The First Officer, Allen, hauled her and smoking inshore. passengers on board ship again. "We ran until 1:50 when she struck "The Captain, who was standing on with great force, knocking the the hurricane deck just aft off the passengers down and starting the wheelhouse, spoke to me, and told me deck planks." to put the plugs into the boat Summer. 1989 41 swinging at the starboard davits, just ship's stem. In this manner we astern of the last that had been managed to get steerage way and the swamped. I did so, and he then told useof ouroars. We started me to remain in her, for the purpose immediately forshore. We were of keeping the men out of her, and told running quartering with the waves, me to take as many women as would which broke over us on nearly every go. I did so. crest, at times nearly filling the boat, "John P.Hensley brought two and had it not been for the bucket women and tried to get them into the that was given us by our brave- boat, but could not succeed; they hearted shipmate, John Hensley, begged him to let them go, which he there would probably never have been did. Seeing that the women would not a soul saved to give tidings of the get in, I said: 'John, you had better get terrible disaster. in yourse1f but he said he would not; "After we left the ship, there were that he would stay and assist others two guns fired; we looked back at the in saving their lives' ship and saw her smokestack go by Under repeated urging by General the board. We then went down into Wright, Mrs. Wright reluctantly took the trough of the sea so far as to make a seat in the boat and then she it impossible to see the ship. When we insisted that she return to the arose on the next crest, I saw the General's side.Witnesses later signal of distress flying at the related how the loving couple stood mizzenmast head. embraced as the ship went down. "We were again let down into the David Farrellcontinuesthe trough of the sea and when we came narrative, "I then said: 'John, if you up again, the ship had entirely will not go, give me a bucket.' He disappeared. I think the waves drove leaped from the hurricane to the her over the rocks, and that she went upper or pilot deck, and gave me one down stem first. of the fire buckets that were in a rack "We were about three hours getting on the wheelhouse. I tried again to to Crescent City, I should think The induce him to come, but he would not, water was very cold, and I think it saying that there were already would not have been possible for a enough in the boat. Allen then man to have lived more than ten commenced lowering us down. John hours had any tried to save them- Hensley was the last man I spoke to, selves by means of life preservers or and his last words to me were: 'Keep drift of any kind where they would cool and save yourselves - goodbye!' have been exposed to the watery' When we struck the water the ship (This only surviving lifeboat was in rolled over on us and nearly sunk us, the command of James Patterson, but we escaped with only the loss of Third Officer.) all our starboard tole-pins. "The people of Crescent City treated "We had hard work to clear the us kindly; and there were three or ship, which we could only do by four boats, including the one in which pushing the boat around under the we were saved, dispatched at once for 42 Lane County Historian the wreck, but after getting outside the doomed ship and wrote out his a short distance, they were forced to last will and testament, plus a return, as the seas ran so high as to goodbye note to a friend, Mrs. Casper make it impossible for them to go Hopkins. The pencil-written paper further. was recovered two days later when his "The officers were all very brave body washed ashore. (Eventually the men, and though death was staring will reached the California courts but them in the face, they were cool and was refused because of a lack of sensible." witnesses). Mrs.Stott, one of the rescued Captain DeWolf"s last words heard passengers, says that Yates, the by the surviving witnesses were, "Tell Quartermaster, did all in his power to them if they had not overloaded us we get others into this boat, and says that would have gotten through all right the reason so many of the crew were and this would never have happened." saved was, that this being the The Jonathan slid beneath the smallest boat, the officers and waves, into 300 feet of water within gentlemen on board considered it less 45 minutes after striking the reef, safe than the others, and sent all the taking with it 213 souls and $200,000 ladies into the larger ones, which in gold. were lost. Samuel Nelson Luckey, his wife and The preceding was an account of the their child, would never live in the attempted launching of two of the promised land of Oregon. Catherine larger lifeboats and the successful Luckey and her children would never launching of the smaller lifeboat, feelthe affectionate embrace of which contained five women, three husband and father, Jeremiah, who children and eleven crewmen. There was waiting - waiting for his loved was a total of six large lifeboats and ones in Oregon. the smaller one that survived. There (Thereisacommemorative is no eyewitness report on attempts to cemetery established in memory of launch the other four large lifeboats those who perished aboard the as the surviving witnesses hadBrother Jonathan, located already left the stricken ship. overlooking the sea, just west of James Nisbet, editor of the San Crescent City, California). Francisco Bulletin, sat on the deck of

Summer, 1989 Brother Jonathan Memorial Cemetery Marker, Courtesy Eugene Luckey.

S.

Brother Jonathan as rebuilt in 1852, from EARLY AMERICAN STEAMERS, Vol. 6 by Erik Heyl, courtesy Eugene Luckey. 44 Lane County Historian Excerpt from Interview with Frances O'Brien, Blue River, OR by Jane Bigelow 10/29/83 Mrs. O'Brien taught school at Blue River in 1925 and recalled thegames and activities of the children:

"A favorite game was prisoner's Charles Shultze say, 'She's dead, let's base. The important thing was to get get some water and throw on her to someone who could run and dodge. see if she comes to!' There was a dare line out front and "Istillcouldn't say a word; I a safety zone behind. I was playing couldn't get up. I just lay there, and with them one day. We touched the here Charles comes with the water! dare line and were trying to get back. Just then I was able to raise up Of course the grounds had some rocks slightly and say only one word! on them. I caught my foot on a rock D00000n't! and fell and it knocked all the wind "Next thing they were telling me all out of me. about it. They said, 'We were never so "I couldn't say a word! I couldn't get scared in our lives! We thought you up! I couldn't ANYTHING! The kids were dead and we'd have to have a thought I was dead. I could hear NEW teacher!'

BOOK REVIEW THE COMPANY BY THE BAY era and most important, some very A portrait of Edward S. Evans and loyal and dedicated working people. the people of the Evans Products The Company by the Bay is not Company of Coos Bay, Oregon- a company history nor an official 1 928-1962 history. It is a book inspired, written This is a history aboutone of the and published by workers. It attempts most successful wood products to document in an accurate and lively companies in America between 1928 way a unique period when good and 1962 and the people who made it relations existed between workers a success. It is a book which examines and industry in a small lumber town why a far-flung group of former in the Pacific Northwest. lumber workers have gathered to The book is available from Sandra picnic every summer for 26years Beebe/By the Bay Press, 3105 since the closure of the companyon Gateway No. 206, Springfield, OR March1,1962. This book isa 97477. Regular price $20.00, include rememberance and celebration of a $1 postage per book. remarkable company, a remarkable Summer, 1989 BOOK REVIEW

Desiring to plot a safe crossing of SKOOKUM: An Oregon Pioneer mountains and swift-flowing rivers, Family's History and Lore. they charted a route whichentered By Shannon Applegate. the Willamette Valley fromthe south. Wm. Morrow and Co., Inc. 1988. Thus was born the ApplegateTrail. 459 pp. Bibliography, Illustrations, The Applegates had great rapport Index, $22.95. Hard Cover. with the Indians of the areaand had This is the story of the famous a good influence onkeeping them Applegate family who settled in happy and contented.The book Southern Oregon after an arduous contains many simple stories oflife trip from Missouri, on which they lost among the whites andIndians, and a child by drowning in theColumbia how they lived togetherharmon- River. iously. There isalso a list of Jesse, Charles and Lindsay Apple- Applegate descendants, of whomthe gate built their homes in the author is one. beautiful Siuslaw Valley. Charles' By Daye Hulin attractive home, completed in 1856, remains standing near Yoncalla, Oregon. LANE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Board of Directors and Officers for 1988-89 President: Ethan Newman Vice President: Jim Guistina Recording Secretary: Alfaretta Spores Membership Secretary: Alta Nelson Treasurer: David Ramstead Board Members Term expires 1989 term expires 1990 term expires 1991 John McWade Orlando Hollis Alfaretta Spores Ethan Newman Hallie Huntington Lois Barton Marty West David Ramstead Frances Newsom Bob Cox A.J. Guistina Don Smith

YOU ARE INVITED TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE LANE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Membership entitles you to receive THE HISTORIAN, published three times a year by the Society. Members are eligible to participate in periodic public interest meetings and in projects to preserve and collect Lane County History.

I would like to become a member of the Lane County Historical Society in the classification checked:

Family membership, annual $ 10.00 Sustaining Membership, annual $ 25.00 EliContributing Membership, annual $ 50.00 LIIPatron, annual $100.00 Lifetime Membership $500.00 LI Contribution to Society's Preservation Projects