Lane County Historian

The Beaver Ferry. fourte6y Smith MountjoCotIeciIon, Lan. County Mueeum The Lane County HistoricalSociety Vol. XXIV, No. 2 FaIl, 1979 LANE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Hallie Hills Huntington, President, 89239 Old Coburg Road, Eugene, OR 97401 Mrs. Daye flulin, Membership ChaIrman, 1600 Adklns St., Apt. 4, Eugene, OR 97401 Lane County Historian Vol. XXIV, No.3 Fall, 1979 Lois Barton, Editor, 84889 Harry Taylor Road, Eugene, OR 97405

We are looking for rnatuscripts on Lane County history. Payment is in copies. Pictures illustrating the stories weko,ne. Self-addressed stamped envelopes must be included if you want your materials returneS

CONTENTS THE SEAVEY FERRY 51 JUDGE WALTON TO THE RESCUE- C.D. Sexton 55 THE EAST SIDE TERRITORIAL ROAD- Olga Freeman 58 THISTLEDOWN FARM- Lois Barton 63 THE ONION KING- Lois Barton 67

Membership entitles you to receive THE HISTORIAN published three timesa year by the Society. Members are eligible to participate in periodic Public Interest Meetings and in projects to preserve and collect Lane County History. Participating Annual Member (includes subscription to Lane County Historian) $5.00 Sustaining Annual Member $25.00 Affiliate Member Oregon State Historical Society (includes subscription to Oregon Historical Quarterly) $7.50 Contribution to Society's Preservation Projects $ THE SEA VEY FERRY (I am indebted to the following persons for information about the Seavey Ferry: George Logan. Hazel Seavey Kienzle, Alice Forrester, Kate Elkow, August Rodakowski, Farmer Franklin, Harry Harbert, Veda Chase, John Jaqua, Palmer King, Grace Smal4 the staff of the County Museum. Editor)

The Seavey Ferry crossed the Mc- In 1979 Harvest Lane in north Spring- Kenzie River about four miles east of field gives access to the old ferry land- Armitage Bridge. It was put into ser- ing. The river channel has changed vice by Alexander Seavey, probably since the ferry quit operation. There is shortly after he took up residence on a gravel bar along the north side. That the north side of the river in 1855. bar was building the last few years the There was a trail (in later years a dirt ferry ran. Users built a platform out road passable by horse and buggy in the about one-third of the way across to summer) running from the Seavey drive out on because the river had ranch along the north side of the river become too shallow for the ferry to get to the Amritage crossing, but the ferry up to the bank. provided the main access. During the George Logan of Springfield remem- years when Seavey's grew hops and bers a time when the cable broke and until the CCC completed an improved the ferry swung down river 150 yards. road along the north side of the river in They pulled it back up with a team of the '30s, all the hop pickers as well as horses and repaired the cable. When the hops on their way to market crossed George Logan went to work for Seavey on the ferry. in 1927 the ferry in service was fairly

Passengers croming on the Seavey Ferry. Cowteny Smith Mountloy Collection. Lane County Museum

FaIl, 1979 51 new. The old one was pretty well rotted served primarily to link the Seavey out, but still sitting on the bank. He ranch with the outside world, it was couldn't tell me whether that old one really a private transportation system was the original ferry or one in a series. made available to others as a conve- There was a "fin" about 2 x 14 feet on nience. the upper side of the boat which could The ferry platform could aecommo- be let up or down that helped propel the date two model T's at one time. It would craft across the water. When it was haul a team and wagon with 30 two- lowered into the water the current ran hundred-pound bales of hops, plus the against it, pushing the ferry across the driver and the ferry man, a total of four stream, guided by the cable from which tons or better. It was important for the it was suspended. Mr. Logan said you load to be well distributed during late could set the ferry after you got off and summer months because there was dan- it would go back across the river by ger of going aground if the load gotoff itself. balance. Rodakowski's lived on the farm at the Harry Harbert, who began work for south end of the crossing in the early Seavey at the age of 14 and worked for years of the twentieth century. There several years between 1918 and 1924, was a big tree on their place to which was one who crossed the river hundreds the cable was anchored. Mr. Rodakow- of times on that ferry. Mr. Harbert was ski said the ferry was used occasionally born on the Deadmond place down river for a year or two after his marriage in about two miles, and remembers that 1941. Then it remained tied to the bank the Deadmond Ferry was still operating until purchased for use in a movie being in 1914. 'Everybody who had to cross filmed in the area. He pointed out that the river in those days built a ferry," he Bob Goodpasture also had a ferry before said, "because they couldn't afford to the Goodpasture bridge went in. That build bridges which were likely to go ferry also was sold to the movie makers. out during high water." One recollection tells of a time when Mrs. Elkow began working at the the river got really high and brought Seavey hop yards soon after she came to the ferry right to Alexander Seavey's Oregon in 1919. She hoed and trained door. He, being a seaman, knew how to hops during the summer months, then get it back to the river. Alexander's picked hops in the fall. She remembers youngest son, Jim, was in charge of that it took 10 to 15 minutes to cross the running the ferry one summer. When river, During hop-picking season when people came to the south bank and the rains began, often the river would wanted to cross they would halloo to be high and it was a fearsome crossing raise somebody at the house, and some- and went much faster. times had to wait an hour or more She said whole families used to come, before they could reach anyone to bring bringingtheir cow and sometimes the boat across to them. chickens as well. The cow would go in Another recollection of a former user the pasture with Seavey animals, to be was that this ferry was still in opera- milked morning and evening for the tion after Spores and Deadmond's had family table. The family spent the both discontinued service. Fishermen month in a cabin or tent provided for who had been fishing the McKenzie hop pickers. Seavey's ran a store where River found it very convenient and the pickers could buy stapies. Back of appreciated the crossing service because the store was a dance hall where dances it saved Springfield residents a good were held on Saturday nights.Usually many miles. some of the pickers had musicalinstru- There is no record that this ferry was ments and provided music for the ever licensed for public service or ever dances. Many of the buildings burned charged a fee for crossing. Since it years ago, but the store and dancehail

52 Lane County Historian Hop pickers' tents, Seavey hop yards Ca. 1920 Courtesy Lane County Museum building still remains. Duringthe growing andpicking His mother was a friendly person who season. hop-yard workers who did not enjoyed other people's company and felt live on the ranch would come to the isolated on the Seavey ranch, partly river bank each morning and wait for because it was almost impossible for a the ferry. A man from the ranch woman alone to wind those windlasses. brought the ferry across about the same A husky man was hard put to it to time each morning. During the depres- manage alone if the water was low and sion years many people from Spring- motive power came primarily from the field would join the regular hands at cable. There was a pike pole on the ferry the river bank, waiting for the ferry in to help them along when needed. He hopes that they might get a day's work. noted that the ferry hauled 500 people If there was nothing for them that day and their rigs in and out during the they walked back to Springfield after picking season. the regular help had been ferried over In the winter when theriver was to work. When the picking began there really raging they couldn't cross atall. was work for everyone. And the Franklin's were thereuntil W.T.D. Franklin was foreman at the 1937. One Thanksgivin and oneChrist- hop yards for many years. His son, mas stand out in Mr.I armer's memory FarmerFranklin,arrivedfrom as times of isolation.There'd be tots of Missouri with the family in 1912. He drift in the river, even big trees,and it started high school in Springfield in was too dangerous toattempt a ferry 1913. Re went to school on horseback crossing. Sometimes they'd be maroon- from the Seavey ranch, crossing on the ed for two or three weeks at atime. ferry and riding into town each day. He Once a child died on the ranchduring recalls that everything went out from high water and his body had tobe taken the Seavey ranch by ferry until about on horseback toMohawk and across 1930.

FaEI, 1979 53 fireplace is Alexander Seavey in living room of home he built Hazel Kienzle crew, with the exception of thecaptain Hayden Bridgetogetittothe and the cook, had died of yellow fever. mortuary. This boat was destined for San Fran- Thisbrief excerpt from WILLA- cisco, and one hundred and seventy- MEVrE VALLEY PORTRAIT AND . onthe trip. BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD, page 909, three days were required. . describes the man who first put the Once in California Mr. Seavey went to the mines of Trinidad. ..where he ran Seavey Ferry into operation. started a little "AlexanderSeavey was bornin a pack train. Then he Rockland, Maine, April 1, 1824. As a store on Aithouse Creek, Josephine lad he played in the sands of Penobscot County, Oregon, in partnership with George 0. Collins. ..At the end of five Bay. . . As he grew older he used to go his partner out in fishing boats, and his joy and sor- years Mr. Seavey sold out to row was gauged by the size of the catch and went on a mining expedition to the which he sold as a means of livelihood. Rogue River. In 1855 he came to Lane Gradually the shore limit grew tire- County and took up one hundred and some, and to realize his dreams he sixty acres of land in the hills, three embarked in a sailing vessel in the West miles north of Springfield, and there engaged instock-raising on a large Indian trade in 1849, shipping as mate scale, starting with a band of 350 cows on the bark Challenge. The Challenge and calves. With the money made from ..burned off the Brazilian coast, the crew making their escape in boats. For this successful enterprise he purchased faithfulmariners his present farm of eleven hundred threedaysthe acres, and in 1883 startedhop-raising wandered around the open sea, and increasing after reaching land remained on Brazil- on a small scale, gradually until his one hundred acres are invaded ian territory until the following July. by an army of pickers every fall and Taking passage on a Scotch ship, handsome Oughtertyre, from Aberdeen, Scotland, reap for their emp'oyer a Mr. Seavey learned that the former fortune. .

54 Lane County Historian JUDGE WALTON TO THE RESCUE (Notes from the life of Caroline Sexton, Oregon Pioneer)

Caroline Sexton was born in Ohio on him, was shot by the volunteers. My the first of May, 1826. At the ae of mother witnessed the execution in 1854. eighteen she married Hiram Niday. Mr. Niday located a donation claim They became interested in the far west, on Jump-Off-Joe Creek near the present finally crossing the plains with ox site of Hugo. teams and arrived at the old Foster In April. 1855, Mr. Niday died, leav- place in the Willamette Valley in the ing Mother with three small children, year 1852. In the spring of 1853 they one a baby eight days old, in an un- came south to Applegate, Josephine settled country full of hostile Indians. County, and located a farm. The Rogue On the morning of October 5, 1855, River Indians, under the leadership of the Rogue River Indians again went on chiefs John, Sam and Limpy, went on the warpath. On that day occurred the the warpath. Mr. Niday flew with his greatest numbers of murders of the family to Fort Vannoy on Rogue River, early pioneers that Southern Oregon a distance of three miles. The next ever knew. The details I do not care to morning three men, Tom Frazell, Tom enter here. Mungo, and a friendly Indian, went out At the time, my mother and family a short distance from the fort to get hadjustfinishedtheirbreakfast. some horses. The Indians attacked Mother came to the door looking south them. Frazell was killed, Mungo fatally along the Jump-Off-Joe valley and saw wounded, andthefriendlyIndian smoke rising from the scattered farms severelyinjured.Mungo, however, and houses. She had an idea that the managed to crawl into brush and fight Indians had broken out and began to theIndiansoffuntilthefriendly gather her gems together and bar her Indian, wounded as he was, ran to the doors, preparing a defense for the fort for aid. The company set out, children and herself. She was deter- rescued Mungo and brought him to the mined to sell her life as dear as possible. fort. There being no doctor at the fort, (Another narrative of Mrs. Biller's in my mother dressed his wounds and the file from which this story comes cared for him. He died the next morning mentions Mrs. Nidays three hired men atdaylight.ThefriendlyIndian working in the field October 5th, and recovered. she was washing. She called the men to There were not enough men to defend the house and prepared for defense.) Fort Vannoy, so after staying there two Just as she had almost completed her days, Mr. Niday decided it was unsafe preparations, four men came running and on a dark and rainy night took his by and Mother asked them to help her family on horseback, slipped by the get away. The Indians had shot one Indians and ran to Fort Haistead on the man's hat off and another's bridle rein Rogue River just above Grants Pass. in two. One of these men was Judge The next day the volunteers captured a Walton of Eugene. The other men I do young Indian chief by the name of not know. Mr. Walton said to my Taylon, who, with his band had mur- mother, 'Have you any way to et away dered seven white men on Galice Creek. from here?" Her reply was, "No, all I He was tried by the volunteers and have is my race mare in the barn.' And sentenced to die. He was then taken out he said, "GOOd. So much the better. You of the Fort and tied to a laurel tree, and will need a race horse to outrun those while hollering to his Indians to rescue red devils."

Fall, 1979 .55 The other three men began to get Indians were close upon them. After uneasy and scared and started to go on. getting to the top of Grave Creek, she Mr. Walton, seeing this, drew his six- succeeded in getting her horse stopped, shooter and called, "Halt! I will shoot and jumped off to tighten the saddle. In the first man who attempts to leave. doing so, she broke the cinch and then Now there are three of you here and waited until the men came up. She three little children. Each one of you asked them to fix it, but they told her take a child and it will not be good for that the Indians were too close; to throw the man who fails to take a child to the that saddle off and jump on bareback. fort. I will bring the woman with me, or She did as she was told and took off the Indians will get my scalp." down the mountain. Just as she started By this time everyone had left the the Indians fired upon her, but luckily placeexcept my mother and Mr. did not hit her. Walton. He then asked my mother if The party was fired on several times she had any money in the house. She during the chase down the mountain, said, "Yes, I have two thousand dollars but they reached Fort Leland un- in buckskin sacks in the trunk." harmed. The Indians surrounded Fort He said to her, "You go and get the Leland and fired on the fort all day and money." She went into the house, but all night. At daylight a company of the trunk was locked and she could not volunteers from Jacksonville drove the find the key. She then came out of the Indians away. house again and Walton asked her if With the volunteers was an Indian she got the money. She told him she scout by the name of Hank Brown, who couldn't find the key. walked into the fort and said to my "Take the axe and break the trunk. I mother, "Was you scared yesterday will watch, and if I holler you come." when the Indians were after you?" She They expected the Indians any minute. said, "Yes, Hank. I wish they were all With the aid of the axe she broke the dead." Just then he threw seven long- trunk open and got the two bags of dust haired scalpsinto herlap,saying, and ran out of the house and gave it to "There are seven good Indians, my part Walton. He said to her, "Get on that of last night's fight." horse and we will go. Don't attempt to After staying at Fort Leland a few ride sideways. Get on squaw fashion." days, my mother and her children were As they left the house Walton looked taken to Fort Eliff on Cow Creek. The down the road and saw the Indians. He Indians came into Cow Creek Valley said to my mother, "Here come the and began to murder the settlers there. Indians now, two or three hundred, as There were only a few men there, for near as I can guess." Mr. Eliff took his family and my Now comes the ride for life to Fort mother's family to Fort Levens three Leland, a distance of five miles over miles distant. They had just reached rough mountain trails. My mother and there when the Indians began to fire on her children were the first family from the fort. There were only twelve men at Fort Ben Haistead above where Grants the fort. Pass now stands to her place near Hugo I will not go into details of that that escaped being murdered by the night's happenings, but will say that Indians. My mother's race horse ran one of the men was a minister bythe away with her and Walton was soon name of Miller who became so frighten- left behind. She passed the three men ed that he couldn't shoot at the Indians. who had the children about where Mr. My mother took his gun from him and Ward lives now (1927). They asked her helped the men defend the fort. While to stop but she couldn't stop her horse, she was fighting her little daughter so they told her to keep on the trail and Mary took suddenly sick and died in the to tell them at Fort Leland that the room her mother was defending.

56 Lane County Historian Judge J. J. Walton, Jr. Courtesy Lane County Museum

The Indians fired on the fort until left but the bare grouna. But it seemed just before daylight when, finding they that nothing could discourage her. She could not take the fort by shooting at it, had new buildings erected, the farm re- they commenced to throw fire brands fenced, and commenced life over again. on it, trying to burn them out. No doubt In 1857 she married my father, David they would have succeeded, but at H. Sexton, with whom she had become daylight a company of volunteers came acquainted during the Indian war. He from the Rogue River Valley and drove died February 3, 1908. aged 80. She con- them away and helped bury the dead, tinued to reside on her old home place including my little half-sister. near Hugo until herdeath May 20, After this fight, my mother returned 1911, at the age of 85 years and 20 days. to Fort Eliff and remained there until Signed, after the war was over. In the spring of C. D. Sexton 1856 she returned to her farm near Hugo. She found that the Indians had (Thisstory appeared inthe stolen and killed all her stock, and Josephine County Courier of burned all her buildings. Nothing was December 31, 1927.)

Fall, I79 57 TERRITORIAL ROAD EXTENDED INTO LANE COUNTY By Olga Freeman

An extension into Lane County of the commissoner received a wage of $3.00 East Side Territorial Road which ran per day. A few other expenses were from Oregon City to Brownsville was detailed, making the total cost of the authorized by an act of the Territorial survey $856.00. Legislature in 1851. The act provided As early as 1845, there was a trail of for a road from Brownsville to Pleasant sorts through the foothills into Lane Hill and ordered a survey of the entire County. It was 'argely used by Indians route from Oregon City via the Spores and horsemen. When settlers came, ferry on the McKenzie River to the they too followed the foothills for sound Elijah Bristow house at Pleasant Hill. reasons. The levelvalleyfloor was The road to Brownsville had been usually water-soakedinthe spring authorized by the Oregon Provisional when most of the travelers began their Legislature in 1847. It went through journey from Oregon City. Frequent Molalla,Silverton and Lebanon to floods were a hazard. Access to fire- Brownsville. It made a bend to the west wood, water and luxuriant grass with to cross Hale's ferry on the Santiam. which to feed their livestock was better The new act directed that the lengthy near the foothills. And if theysettled bend should be eliminated. Appointed there, the well-drained foothill land as commissioners to determine the made planting of crops and gardens more direct route and the extension earlier in the spring possible. were William Porter, a surveyor, and As the population increased in the Elijah Bristow, pioneer settler in Lane upper Willamette Valley, theCalifor- County. The commissioners apparently nia Stage Company inaugurated stage lost no time in surveying the route, travel over the East Side Territorial becausetheirreport was filed on Road about 1860. The stage went north July 31, 1851, with the Secretary of the from Eugene to Spores Ferry, around Oregon Territory. the foothills to Diamond Hill, through In this report they list the distance the "Big Gap" to Union Point, thence to from Oregon City to Elijah Bristow's Brownsville, Lebanon, Albany and to house over the proposed route as 103 Salem. It proved unprofitable and had miles and 38 rods. They meticulously ceased operation by 1865. set forth distances to various geographi- Perhaps this account by a disgruntled cal stakes. The survey from Spores traveler may have had something to do Ferry in Lane County followed approx- with lack of patronage. "On the 15th imately the present road from the inst. the rates of fare on the routes of McKenzie River to Springfield. The the Oregon and California Stage Com- survey notes stakes near the house of pany were raised to 15 cents permile. William M. Stevens (Gamebird Village We suppose the advance is caused by area), the west end of Mt. Misry, the bad roads. The more the passengers north bank of the Willamette(at have to walk and the harder they work Springfield), the west end of Mt. Pisgah, to pry the vehicles of that company out and finally one at the Bristow house. of the mud, the more they are charged The report meticulouslyliststhe for the privilege." expenses of the two commissioners. A marker near the bridge over the William Porter's bill as surveyor was McKenzie River at Armitage State $238.00 with an additional $38 for his Park marks the site of the Jacob C. notes. Bristow as chain carrier and Spores Ferry. Spores arrived in 1847 flagman had expenses of $232.00. Each and built his house, still standing, in

58 Lane County Historian 1854. It may be seen just west of Spores Jasper, owned and operated much of Butte and on the right-hand side of the her father's holdings on the outskirtsof road traveling toward Coburg. Coburg. Jasper Wilkins was a member The ferry business proved to be profit- of the 1891 legislature. able due partially to travel generated Centennial Butte, the bald hill with a by the California gold rush. The ferry small clump of trees on top, was named was first licensed by the Territorial by Mitchell Wilkins upon his return Government, and upon organization of from the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Lane County, by the county. The county which commemorated the Declaration allowed the following charges: For each of Independence. He planted the trees wagon and one yoke of oxen or span of on the top andpainstakingly watered horses, $1.00; For man and horse, 25; them until they took root. For each pack horse and mule, 25t; For Rocky Butte, just north of Centennial each yoke of oxen, 20; For each head of Butte, was considered too rockyand sheep or hogs, 4 therefore unfit for pasture. It issaid From the ferry the old road went that no claims to it were filed. around the base of Spores Butte to the Continuing north on the freeway, just right following the foothills,If the beyond Rocky Butte, is West Point. Coburg interchange road is taken to the readily identified by the rocky ledge east, a close-up view of the foothills may near the top. be had. The VanDuyns, early settlers, The Coleman overpass road (named had their holdings on the north side of for Enoch Coleman, who represented the road. Lane County in the legislature) ends at If the next overpass road, the Wilkins the foot of the butte. The freeway at this road, is taken toits dead-end, the point is very close to the territorial rivate road to the right leads to the old road. At the base of West Point was a Wing S. (or Hulins) Miller place, the station on the stage line. Up the canyon birthplace of JoaquinMiller.Mrs. on the north side was the donationland Grace Wilkins Clark of Coburg was claim of Reason Willoughy, grand- born here and well remembers, as a fatherofHubertWilloughy(who child, roaming over portions of the recently died), who farmed the land on territorial road. It passed just below the both sides of the freeway here. present house. North of West Point, sharp eyes may The private road to the left off the detect a rock fence on the side of the Wilkins road leads to the fine home of hill. The territorial road ran just below Marvin Stoneberg, a great grandson of the fence. A short distance beyond the Mitchell Wilkins and a nephew of Mrs. fence was the location of the Pine post Clark's. It stands approximately where office, a somewhat later post office than the Wilkins house, long since gone, the Willamette Forks officein the stood. In front of the house may be seen Wilkins home. Back of the post office the osage orange treesplanted by and a bit farther up the hill was an Wilkins and other foothill pioneers for asylum. One of the descendants of an a distance of manymiles. The terri- early day settler remarked, "Our fore- torial road went in front of the house, fathers had their troubles, and some of around the north side of Centennial them were of their own doing." (Pine Butte and to the west of Rocky Butte, post office was established originally on both readilyrecognizablefromthe 8-19-1853 as Latshaw's Mill post office, freeway. with William H. Latshaw as post- The Mitchell Wilkins family came in master. The name changed to Pine on 1847. Two of the sons, Jasper and Amos, 1-3-1855. Thomas M. Weger was post- continued to farm in the Coburg area master. It closed 10-7-1887. .. .Ed.) for many years. Mrs. Clark, daughter of The freeway at this point begins to

59 FaIl. 1979 Uncle Johnny DiamondAn old bachelorone of the nicest old fellows in the communityhelped everybodykept yokes of oxenlived up in the mountains above Coburg" (inscription on back of photo). Courtesy Lane County Museum swing away from the foothills. To follow Where the Priceboro road intersects the old territorial road all the way into the Diamond Hill road was the location Brownsville, the Priceboro road should of the Diamond Hill school and post be taken. In the old days the Somerville office. The area was named for bachelor school was located on this road just John Diamond, an Irishman.Itis before the road turns north. At the alleged that he laid out his claim in the Hotie Walker place, the location of the shape of a diamond. Credulity may be road was just below the fence on the somewhat strained by the reputed kil- side of the hill. From there it went to ling one spring of 3,000 rattlesnakes at the right of the Luther White cemetery. Diamond Hill. The hill itself may be A lone white tombstone is silhouetted easily recognized by the huge gaping against the trees on the knoll. hole where rock has been excavated. Luther White, an early day surveyor, (Diamond Hill post office was estab- deserves mention. He surveyed the lished on 9-16-1858 with J. Pierce as county road from the pioneer settle- postmaster. It closed on 9-28-1869. Dia- ment at Syracuse on the Santiam to mond Hill post office opened briefly both Brownsville and Lebanon. He again on 4-23-1887 with D.H. Pierce as established many of the early claims postmaster, closing again on 10-4-1887. using the East Side road as his base ...Ed.) line. His instruments are on display at The territorial road at Diamond Hill the Lane County Museum. entered the "Gap" from which the pres-

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Fall, t97l Ill James Blakelyfounder of Brownsville. Courtesy Lane County Museum ent road takes its name. The Gap road thefirstterritoriallegislature. A to Brownsville, a most pleasant drive, is member of his church was Mrs. Hender- the territorial road. It emerges from the son, his sister-in-law, a widow with gap at Union Point, 2½ miles southof seven children. She supported her fam- Brownsville, an important settlement ily by making men's "Sunday-best" in the 1850s. All that remains today is shirts, and darning socks. one of the original homes. On a lane to The Gap road enters Brownsville past the east from the house stood the church the memorial monument to James and the academy. The settlement also Blakely. He came in 1846, and laid out had a post office, a wagon and black- the town of Brownsville in 1853 upon smith shop, a store, a gunsmith shop, a part of his claim. He hired Luther school, and a number of dwellings. White to do the surveying. He named (Union Point post office was established the town for his uncle, Hugh L. Brown, 2-18-1854, with William B. Blame as who also came in 1846. Blakely lived to postmaster.Itclosed on8-18-1859. be over 100 years old and died January Foundation stones of the church were 29, 1913. found near the Menefe buildings in It is hoped that this historical back- 1979....Ed.) ground of the extension of the East Side Union Point was founded by the Rev. Territorial Road from Brownsville to Wilson Blain, who came to Oregon as a Pleasant Hill may give present-day missionary in 1848 for the Associate travelers some concept of how the ReformedPresbyterianChurch.He pioneers plodded slowly and laboriously organized a church on June 18, 1849, over the rutted roads, spurred on by a and founded and taught at Union Point vision of a new and better life for Academy.he servedasterritorial themselves and their children. printer in 1849-50 and was a member of

62 Lane County Historian THISTLEDOWN FARM By Lois Barton

This lovely old house on River Road took him, however, as a severe drouth north of Santa Clara was built by Louis ruined his crops and so crippled him Vitus for his bride, Frances Masterson, financially that he was unable to meet in 1898. Frances was the daughter of his second payment on the land, which Martha Ann Gay and James Masterson heaccordinglylost.Courageously, whose father, William Masterson, was however, he faced his firstserious captain of an 1851 wagon train. business calamity and decided to press Louis Vitus came to oregon with his westward to the Pacific slope. In the family in 1878. His father, Augustus spring of 1878 he arrived with his fam- Vitus, a weaver, had come to America ily in Albany, Oregon. With the greater from Prussia in 1852. He worked in part of their capital tied up in a cook "woolen millsinPhiladelphia until stove and provisions, he and his sons 1865, when he removed to Springfield, found employment on the surrounding Ill., where he secured similar employ- farms and earned enough to get them ment. In 1872 he took up his residence through. In the following spring, in in Caidwell County, Missouri, purchas- company with his sons, who for many ing one hundred acres of land, upon years had been in partnership with which he contemplated making substan- their father, he rented a farm in Lane tialimprovements and passing the County, upon which they began to work remainder of his life. Misfortune over- most enthusiastically. This venture also

63 FaIl, 1979 Courtesy Mrs. Charles Nelson Francis ilortense Vitus. Courtesy Mrs. Robert Rankin Louis Vitus. proved disastrous and at the end of a respect and esteem of the community. year the family found themselves facing The father. ..has held but one political debts amounting to $4000 on which they office, that of postmaster of Junction were forced to pay 15% interest. After City."(fromCentennial History of renting for five years they decided to Oregon by Joseph Gaston, Vol. II, p. purchase a farm, for which they were 567.) obliged to go into debt to the extent of twelve thousand dollars. Such a burden The land purchased by Augustus would have discouraged the average Vitus and his sons was the donation land claim of George W. Evans. The person but the father and sons set Gaston article goes on to say "on this bravely to work and within a reason- farm in the early days they made as able time the obligations were all met much as $13,000 in a single year on and the family was thoroughly estab- grain and stock. The farm comprises six lished both in its credit and in the hundred and ninety-five acres and on it the father and his four sons labored con- tinuously for sixteen years, establishing a standing of the highestorder and a reputation surpassed by none in the community." The 1880 census for Lane County lists the Augustus Vitus household in Lan- caster precinct, naming the following children: Oscar, Bruno, Rose, Agnes, Mary, Robert, Augustus Jr., and Louis, who was 11 years old in that year. It was in 1901 that Louis bought out his father's and brother's interest in the property which became known as This- Grandfather August Vitus with granddaughters Zine and Zona. Courtesy Mrs. Charles Nelson tle Down Farm. According to the Fred

64 Lane County Historian Broughers wholaterlived on the double doors open into theliving room. place,Louis raised clover and wheat. He Over the large fireplace thatwarmed kept a number of horses to do the farm the room was an ornate woodmantel work andhad steamenginesfor with a plate glass mirror alsoframed thrashing. ornately into the mantel. In 1934 the fat-rn was purchased by The dining room is also large and the Agnes and George W. Bond, and Fred kitchen has room enough, and a pantry. Brougher became their manager, a job The water came from a hand pump on he has stayed with up to the present the small back porch. In 1934 the house (1978). Broughers lived in the Louis was modernized. An electric pump was Vitus house for 33 years. put in, and plumbing. Electrical wires DorothyBrougherdescribedthe had been strung across the ceiling, so house. "Mr. Vitus had the huge two light fixtures and wall sockets were story frame house built for his bride. installed. Upstairs,a hallway leads to three Giant maple trees, planted in 1834(?) bedrooms, one with a bay window on bordered the Vitus place. 'l'he purpose the southwest The attic windows were was tokeeptherailfences from bordered with stained glass. washing into neighboring property dur- A master bedroom downstairs has a ing high water from the over-flow of the hay window to the north. The immense Willamette River before the dams were living room downstairs also has a bay built. Boats could navigate down State window on the southwest and is sur- Highway 99 (now River Road) in front rounded by a veranda. The front door of the Vitus place during flood time. had a stained glass window. The stair- Wagons went hub deep in mud in some way goes up from an entrancehall and spots before the road was paved.

Thistledown panorama, 1930s. Courtesy Dorothy Brougher

FaIl, 1979 Mrs. Vitus loved flowers and trees. We ran a dairy for a long period She had three hundred rose bushes, before World War II and during the three or four varieties of cedar trees, an war. Now they raise mostly grain, mint oak and two large maple trees planted and dill. The Columbus Day storm in in the yard. There was also a mountain 1962 took some of the nut trees and the ash and a grafted 25-foot holly tree and freeze that followed some years later a sugar maple. destroyed the walnuts and some of the A half-circle driveway at the north of filberts." (From a taped report by the house proceeded past the old barn Dorothy Brougher IMrs. Fredj Decem- and on out again to the highway. The ber, 1978.) stage coach used W stop at the barn and Lucille Nelson, daughter of August change horses. That old barn was torn Vitus, Jr., remembers visiting Uncle down in 1935. Wooden pegs held the Louis and Aunt Frances at their farm heavy beams, and square iron nails held when she was a child. "Aunt Matty" the rest of the structure. When the barn (Martha Gay Masterson) lived with her went down the horses standing by were daughter in her declining years, and startled by the crashing sounds and ran used to entertain the children who came into the 40 acre walnut orchard, newly visiting with stories of the Gay family planted, back of the barn. trip across the plains andlife on Altogether, 5,000 fruit and nut trees the homestead south of Eugene. They were planted into orchards in the years thrilled to hear of the visits of the 1934-35. Fertile ground and an over- Indians and other adventures. Martha head irrigation system supported diver- was a "great story teller" who kept the sified crops such as sweet corn and beets children busy so they wouldn't upset for the cannery. Alfalfa, grain and hay childless Frances who worried about were grown for the dairy and beef her lovely home when children were cattle. Also hops were raised while we present. were there.

Ziniker's "German Ceatle" Courtesy Elsie Sutton

Lane County Historian 66 (This story continues from the Summer issue the reportabout Rue ggers and Zinikers who bought the Martin Baker Gay homestead.) THE ONION KING by Lois Barton

Courtesy Marie Erdman Ziniker family gathering onions

The Sunday OREGONIAN of July 25, working out the purchase price at SO' a 1915, carried a story about Edward day (about $3.00 an acre). Ziniker, Onion Grower, under the head- In 1890, when he was twenty years line THREE ACRES AND ONIONS old, Ed married Emma Rueggerin MAKE A FAMILY WEALTHY. Creswell, borrowing money to buythe Recent interviews with some of his marriagelicense,accordingtothe children and former neighbors have OREGONIAN article. By 1915 they had uncoveredinterestingdetailsabout ten children and owned320 acres of Ziniker's rise to "fame and fortune". land. Their son Paul says 100 acresof Edward Ziniker, then sixteen years that was bottom land in what is now old, came to the Spencer Butte area known as the Christensen Valley,and from the German border of Switzerland may have been partlybeaver meadow. in 1887, with financial help from his Quoting the OREGONIAN again:"'I uncle and two brothers who had preced- worked hard those first years,' saidMr. ed him by a few yeas. At first he hired Ziniker. I had no money to buyhorses out as a day laborer. Ziniker became a or tools with. I dideverything myself in land owner when he purchased his first the hardest way.'.. .Two acres he fifty acres from Albert Ruegger by planted to prunes. Three acreshe

67 Fall. 1979 planted to onions. (Paul says he spaded "Speakingof theSpencerButte the onion field those first years.) On country," the OREGONIAN quoted Mr. these five acres he concentrated his Ziniker, "You'd hardly expect a man to efforts. During the many years that he make more than a living there. It's hard has been at the business, Mr. Ziniker to do that raising general crops. I have has raised on that three-acre tract at made everything I've got by cultivating Spencer Butte1,500,000 pounds of just a few acres." onions. He has usually received abouta Onesecretoftheonionfield's cent and a half a pound for them. productivity was undoubtedly liberal Approximately he has grown $25,000 dressingsofchickenmanure. The worth of onions. This year (1915) he has Zinikers kept 300-400 laying hens. They three and a half acres. He expectsa had an incubator and brooder and yield of 50 tons. This is theaverage raised their own replacement flocks. annual yield." The old hens were sold live for meat The OREGONIAN goes on to say that when they passed productivity. for nine successive years theprunes His children remember with pride the bore heavily without asingle crop "handy" way their Dad fixed the failure, and that he has planted six chicken house to make care and feeding moreacreswhich"willsoonbe of the flock easy for Mother. Wheat beanng". storage bins were upstairs in the barn, with a built-in chute and a trap door at the bottom so grain could be drawn into a bucket right in the room where the chickens ate. A clean-out bin, accessible from the outside, had been built under the roosts, so raking out the manure was as simple as possible. All the conve- nience didn't make the job any less smelly, however. And that was the work the boys "got to do". Edward Ziniker was known in the Spencer Butte area as the Onion King. The title may have been earned in part by the "castle" he built to house his growing family. The work was done by Ziniker and his sons, without outside architectural or carpentering help, at a cost of $4000. Mrs. Florence Murdock, who lived in the house after Zinikers moved to town, said the interior was all beautifully finished with first grade tongue and groove panelingwalls, ceil- ing and floors. The living room was large enough to accommodate three sets of square dancers, and was used for community dances during the '20s when neighborswouldcome frommiles around, by horse and wagon, to dance all night. Old timers in the area still refer to the building as the "German castle". Unfortunately, it burned to the ground nearly fifty years ago.

68 Lane County Historian The house, completed about 1910, had an acetylene light plant which provided good illumination through gas lights in each room. There was a bathtub up- stairs and hot and cold water. "Oh, we were modern out there," says Edward Jr. "We had running water in the house, except the toilet. It was a three or four-holer out there over the creek." (A common practice in those days! Even the outhouse at neighboring Fox Hollow School was set over the creek, according to a former teacher, Janet Brown.) Marie Ziniker Erdman recalls with pleasure the evenings of singing around the fire in their home. Both parents were yodelers. Her mother had special skill. The children learned Swiss yodel- ing songs from them and from neigh- bors who often came to sing with the family. Nephew Leonard Ziniker of Creswell remembers his Uncle Edward as some- thing of a mechanical wizardwith an inventive turn of mind. He designed Edward and Emma Ziniker, Paul, Otto & Helen,1895. and built a unique fruit dryera wheel Courtesy Paul Ziniker dryer. The drying trays were stacked around a revolving central post within to break up the crust. We even had to a circular shaft having the furnace at hoe the potatoes the same way." the bottom, instead of the usual slant- "I used to didn't see any sense in hoe- ing tunnel arrangement. A door into ing when there was no weeds," Marie the upper part of the shaft allowed said of the mulching operation. trays to be moved to lower shelves as the fruit dried. The first such dryer The onions took more water. Ziniker Ziniker built was sold to his neighbor purchased water rights from some of his Charles Swaggart. In the summer of neighbors to augment his supply. He 1976Elsie Swaggart Sutton andI built a tank above the orchard in which counted room for about seventy trays in spring water was collected and then that. dryer. According to the children, released down a homemade wooden the second one built by their father was flume to flood-irrigate the first onion larger. The family dried prunes for patch near the house. Later when the neighbors as well as their own crop. beaver meadow in the valley was devel- Ziniker's garden and orchards flour- oped into an onion field, the irrigation ished with minimal irrigation because system was more complicated. Harry they practiced dust-mulching Farmers Taylor,Jr.explainedtheset-up. of the period in the Spencer Butte area "Ziniker laid a line of field tile under raised successful dry-land commercial the ground every four feet or so. He crops of strawberries, sweet corn and stood one tile on end at the beginning of tomatoes using this technique. each line. Then he'd fill all those tile "It used to rain more in the summer with water to sub-irrigate. time," Edward Jr. told me. "Every time "He must have had a small fortune in it rained Dad would make us stir the 2-inch galvanized pipe," Lester Swag- topsoil in the orchard with the harrow gart said.

FaIl 1979 "A lot of the springs dried up when for construction is this early ambition the timber was cut off," Edward Jr. cropping out. remembers. "Used to be a lot of fish in The house is unique and ingenious in that creek down by the onion field. its architecture. Every bedroom is a cor- Used to be big pools there, and my ner room with five windows. No space is goodness, we used to catch lard pails wasted. The house has three stories and full of trout. And there was two-three a basement. One attractive feature is a nice swimming holes, too." balcony on the second story around the After he moved to Eugene, Mr. chimney over the living room. The Ziniker and some of his sons became house has a wide area of porch and con- brick masons. By the time he retired in thins 14 rooms. the late '20s they had more than 700 "I have to have a big house," said Mr. fireplaces to their credit, including the Ziniker. "I have a big family." So he one in the farmhouse where the writer has. Ten children, five boys and five lives, not far from the former "Onion girls . ..Mr. Ziniker has moved his Kingdom". family to town so his children will have The OREGONIAN article concludes better educational opportunities. with a description of the new house The older boys will look after the which was located at 29th and Portland farm which now consists of 320 acres, streets in Eugene. the original 50 having long since been "The house in town was designed by paid for and added to. Mr. Ziniker will Mr. Ziniker, though the plans were devote his time to the two acres of black technically drawn and modified by a onion land which he has at his town Eugene architect. It is one of the best house in Eugene. residences in Eugene and stands in the "I expect these two acres to make me College Crest addition. When com- a living," he said. pleted,itwillcostabout$10,000. Mr. Ziniker is only 45 years old and Ordinarily it would have cost much has no intention of forsaking the onion more, but Mr. Ziniker and his sons have for some time yet." done most of the work themselves. One son wired the house, another supervised (Mr. Ziniker'spropertyisnow the concrete work and alldid the known as Christmas Tree Land, and carpentry work. When he was a boy it is located on Murdock Road, an ex- was Mr. Ziniker's ambition to become a tension of South Willamette Street, cabinetmaker and his love and ability south of Spencer Butte.)

70 Lane County Historian

LANE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIEFY Non-Profit 89239 OLD COBURG ROAD Organization EUGENE, OREGON 97401 U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 96 Eugene. Oregon

Hop o&ringro Courtesy Smith Mount joy Collection, Lane County Museum