KLAMATH ECHOES

Sanctioned by Klamath County Historical Society

NUMBER 13 Site of the Fulkerson home in Langell Valley. The spring still flows from a point be­ hind the burned out shell of a later day house that sat on the original Fulkerson home location. (Helen Helfrich photo) FORGOTTEN ACRES Still life! Here droops an open sagging gate, A strip of grayish splintered wood. The loop of wire-no hand of late Has placed upon its weathered post.

The frosted-red brick fireplace stands, Charcoaled chips upon the hearth; Two tongues of iron-rusted bands Half buried in the barren ground.

A wheel hub- four spokes still intact; The boot of brown without a heel With leather stiff, unyielding-cracked Into an ancient time-worn fret.

The bent horseshoe-a bit of glass Sun-amethyst, I bend to touch, And see a dark-striped Lizard pass; A lightning proof that here is still­ Life! Ellen Elizabeth (Hiatt) Fulkerson. October 2, 1851 to September 13, 1936. (Courtesy Vance Shelhamer)

DEDICATION

We respectfuUy dedicate this the thirteenth issue of Klamath Echoes to EUen Elizabeth (Hiatt) Fulkerson, who along with the other pioneers in this book, cared enough to leave a written record of their times.

·II· Klamath Echoes Staff

DEVERE HELFRICH ...... Managing Editor HELEN HELFRICH ...... Assistant Editor

OFFICERS Klamath County Historical Society

WILLI AM E. KRAL President NORMA UERLING Vice President J IM PETERS ...... Secretary-Treasurer JIM COLEMAN, LEONA ANGEL, JERRY CARL and DEVERE HELFRICH Directors

Address all communications to: KLAMATH ECHOES P. 0. BOX 1552 KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON 97601

THE COVER: Our cover was drawn by Deborah Runnels, Art Teacher at KJamath Union High School.

-III- EDITOR'S PAGE

During Klamath FaJis' Centennial year of 1967, two issues of Klamath Echoes, Numbers Four and Five, were published. They recounted the early illstory of Link­ ville from its founding to the mid-1920 period of Klamath Falls, its successor. The illstory of Linkville-Klamath Falls to a large extent is the history of the KJamath Country. Since 1967, and especially during the preparation of Klamath Echoes for the years 1972, 1973 and 1974, considerable new information has come to light concerning our early Klamath Country history. First and foremost, perhaps, was the manuscript of Mrs. Ellen Hiatt Fulkerson's recollections written in 1935. Discovery of tills manuscript came about during the preparation of Klamath Echoes Number Ten, the Langell Valley-Bonanza Issue of 1972. During the fall of 1971 this writer and his wife, accompanied by Mrs. John S. (Florence Boggs) Horn and Donald Pilllpotts of Bonanza, made a circuit of Langell Valley with the latter two pointing out locations, homesites and various bits of associated illstory. At tills time it was learned that Mr. Philpotts had in ills possession a ty·ped copy of an early day resident's recollections of the Langell Valley vicinity. It seems that a few years before, Mr. Philpotts had visited a deserted and little known cemetery on the west side of Langell Valley. One of the headstones (there were only two then in existance) had been knocked over and broken into several pieces. It was of a native stone, but after considerable effort Mr. Philpo~ts was able to restore it to some semblance of its former shape and to decipher the name thereon, "Jasper Thurston Fulkerson." This writer, when told of the existence of such a manuscript, was allowed by Mr. Philpotts to read and copy it. Tills writer was impressed with the historical value of the manuscript to the Klamath Country, so immediately planned to pass it on to Klamath Echoes readers when sufficient research had been done to intelligently edit it. At the same time a search for relatives began. It was learned that a Volney E. Fulkerson had lived at Lincoln City, Oregon, but had moved to Prescott, Arizona. Next, out of a clear sky came a letter, received September 25, 1973 from lnga E. Fulkerson, inquiring about Klamath Echoes Number Ten, the Langell Valley-Bonanza Issue. She proved to be the wife of Volney E. Fulkerson, who had passed away Novem­ ber 25, 1972, and who was the son of Calvin Thomas Fulkerson, Grandmother Ellen's third child. Through this correspondence a snapshot of George Edward and Calvin Thomas Fulkerson was obtained from Inga E., as well as other information and newspaper clippings. Also obtained was the address of Mr. Vance Shelhamer, the son of Nettie Rae, Grandmother Ellen's seventh born child. From Mr. Shelhamer was received a group picture of the entire Fulkerson family at the Golden Wedding Anniversary of John T. and Ellen Fulkerson in Yakima, Washington on December 12, 1916. Since the Fulkerson history did not supply enough material for a complete Klamath Echoes Issue, a Bi-Centennial "Pioneer Issue" was conceived. Over a period of years tills writer has secured copies of a number of pioneer remin­ iscences while doing research for those issues of Klamath Echoes previously published. Some were secured from old newspaper files and three, the J.O. Hamaker, Ruby Hillis McCall and John Humboldt Hessig stories, copied directly from original manuscripts. For the first we are indebted to the files of the Jacksonville Democratic Times at the Jacksonville Museum and the Klamath News files in the Herald and News office. For the original manuscripts we are indebted to Earl Hamaker, Ruby Hillis McCall and Richard L. Hessig. -IV- As a result of this issue of Klamath Echoes we are now able to reconstruct the pioneer ranch homes from Lost River at Olene, to Linkville (Klamath Falls) during the 1882-1884 period. The same thing can be said of Linkville itself. In conclusion, it is this writer's fervent hope that someone will undertake the task of constructing a scale model of Linkville during the next two years for our Bi-Cen­ tennial celebration during 1975 and 1976. The Editor

The Barron Stage Station south of Ashland, Oregon as it looked December 17, 1887, when the last stage coach south over the Siskiyou Mountains halted there. John T. and Ellen Fulkerson were working here at the time of their marriage December 16, 1866.

Barron Stage Station as it looked May 8th, 1975. (Helen Helfrich photo).

-V- TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pioneering Life of Mrs. Ellen Hiatt Fulkerson Epilogue ...... 38 Memories of the Old West ...... 38 First Fourth of July Celebration in Linkville 40 1880 Recollections of J. 0. Hamaker ..... 44 Reflections and Recollections of Circuit Judge A. L. Leavitt ...... 51 Klamath Neighbors Didn't Boost .. 61 Notes on the Fire of 1889 66 Reminiscenses of Ruby Hillis McCall 66 Reminiscenses of John Humboldt 75 Historic Ranch Sold ...... 79 Bangtails First Sport in Klamath . 82

-V 1- -.

The Fulkerson family at John T. and Ellen's Golden Wedding Anniversary, December 12, 1916. Standing, left to ri~t : Calvin Thomas, Marsha Bell, George Edward and Sadie Mae. Seated: Nettie Rae, John T., leona Evalyn (in front), Ellen Elizabeth and lewis Hiatt. (Courtesy Vance Shelhamer) PIONEERING LIFE OF MRS. ELLEN HIATT FULKERSON

(Reminiscences by Mrs. Fulkerson) the branch of the Oregon Trail from the 1831-1936 Omaha-Council Bluffs vicinity on the In the early days of immigration from Missouri River. Thence westward to the Atlantic Coast and New England Southern Idaho by the Oregon Trail States to the Central or "Prairie States," where they would have turned into the there were two families, one by the name California Trail down the Humboldt River of Hiatt and the other by the name of in present Nevada. Finally they would Jaquette, moved from the state of Vir­ have turned into the Applegate Trail and ginia to Cass County, Iowa and located followed it into the Rogue River Valley.) on adjoining property about 1830 or Hiatt family or party of this caravan con­ 1831. Lewis Hiatt sisted of Grandfather and Grandmother [ Cass County, approximately twenty­ Hiatt, Lewis Hiatt and Lydia Hiatt my four miles square, lies about midway be­ parents, myself a baby about seven tween Des Moines and Council Bluffs, months old, Katherine Jaquette, thirteen Iowa. It was crossed obliquely from year old sister of my mother, and Jesse northeast to southwest by the main emi­ Hiatt, my father's brother who was still grant road from Illinois, Indiana and in his teens, about sixteen or seventeen. Ohio, now .closely approximated by U.S. They had two covered wagons, each Highway 6. The county seat is the city of drawn by four oxen, a few oxen and a Atlantic, population 7,000 to 8,000. I milk cow or two. They got along very and Lydia Jaquette, son and daughter of well until in July when Grandmother these two families, grew to manhood ami Hiatt took ill with cholera and died July womanhood here as neighbors and school­ 31st, 1852 and was buried beside the mates and in 1848 were united in mar­ road August I st, wrapped in her feather­ riage and on October 2nd of 1851 "the bed. Just one month later, August 31st, stork" made them a visit and left me with Lydia Hiatt, my mother, died of moun­ them and they named me Ellen. About tain fever and was buried September 1st this time these families had received news near the road but in a coffin the men from friends in California and Oregon, by made out of an abandoned wagon bed returning freighters, of the wonderful they found nearby. Where my mother is climate of the Pacific Coast and of the buried is now covered by Boulder Lake discovery of rich gold claims in California. created by Boulder Dam which was built This news gave some of them a desire to across the Colorado River in 1933. go to these western states and after talk­ [Mrs. Fulkerson is in error regarding ing the matter over, the Hiatts decided to Boulder Dam. At the nearest point on go and immediately began preparations the emigrant trail, near Wells, Nevada, she for the trip by disposing of all their crops, would have · been approximately 400 stock and property except what they miles f!"om the Colorado River at Boulder would require for the journey, put their Dam. She is probably referring to the wagons and all equipment in good repair American Falls Dam and Reservoir on and May I st, 1852, joined a caravan or Snake River, west of Pocatello, Idaho. "train" as they called it at that time, and Two smaller dams and reservoirs, one at as it is still called, to cross the Great Bishop Creek on the headwaters of the American Plains by way of the Oregon Humboldt, and the other at Rye Patch on Trail. The the Humboldt near the Applegate turn­ [The route followed, would have been off from the California Trail possibly

-1 - could have been the site to which she miles from Jacksonville, and knowing referred.] they could not look after me while get­ ting some buildings on the homestead, The loss of these two left me, a baby, took me to Albany and left me with a to the care of the men folk and my aunt Mr. and Mrs. Snead. Being old enough to Katherine. Late in October this caravan realize that r wanted to be with my own arrived at J acksonville, Oregon. My aunt father and gra11dfather they had a time Katherine secured work soon after arrival getting me quieted from my crying and at Jacksonville, and took care of me until screaming when they told me I was not I was about two years old when my father going back with them but was to stay saw it was too much for her and adopted with Mrs. Snead until they could build me to a Mrs. Rachel Brown. Aunt Kath­ a house on the homestead. I was only erine had to pass Mrs. Brown's place to about 4% years old at this time but I re­ and from her place of work and one member it as well as if it had happened evening on her return from work she only yesterday and I am 84 years old saw Mrs. Brown slap me across the mouth now. When I had been with the Sneads a and it made her so angry she picked me little more than a year or when l was al­ up and took me with her but after she most 6 years old my father came and got over her anger she realized she could took me to live with a preacher and his not take me from Mrs. Brown because I wife by the name of Davis who lived had been adopted by her so the next near Salem near the Santiam River not morning she took me back but told Mrs. far from a school and near a family by Brown she would not stand for any more the name of Chambless. I soon got sus­ such treatment of me. My father and picious that Mr. and Mrs. Davis were grandfather, who had enlisted as volun­ stealing their vegetables and fruit. They teer Government Escort Guards on the would leave their home late of evenings immigrant trail soon after arriving at with a couple of sacks each and when Jacksonville, were discharged and came they returned later they would have the , I home and on four sacks about half full of several kinds (The "volunteer Government Escort of vegetables and fresh fruits. When I Guards" was undoubtedly that company finally asked them where they got the of 30 men under John E. Ross, all from things. they said, " You never mind where Jacksonville, who patrolled the Apple­ we get them. That is our business." After gate Trail that season. This writer's great­ that I got more and more suspicious and great uncle, Daniel Barnes, was a First finally I learned they were stealing them Lieutenant in this company.) from the Chambless place and I grew to hate and despise them, and became very learning of Mrs. Brown's mistreatment of much attached to the Chambless family me my father wanted me back but found and especially to Lucy, who was about out he would have to buy me out of my age and I went with them to school. I adoption, which cost him $700.00. He was with Mr. and Mrs. Davis about a did not adopt me out again but had me year. There were 8 or 10 children in the taken care of by several different people Chambless family, most of them in until he found what he thought was to be schooL While I was with the Sneads and a permanent home for some time with a Davises which was about three years and Mrs. Abram Timbrook. I was with Mrs. without me knowing about it, my father Timbrook until I was about 4 1h years old and Aunt Katherine were married and or the summer of 1856 when she decided there had been born to them a girl baby to return East to friends and relatives as which they named Rose. Th is made my she and her husband did not expect her Aunt Katherine my stepmother as well as to recover from what they thought was my aunt, and the baby Rose would be my T.B. This same summer my father and half sister and my cousin. The fall of Grandfather filed adjoining homesteads 1859, when I was almost 8 years old, my on some land near Ashland, about 20 father and my uncle Jesse came to take

-2- me home from Mr. and Mrs. Davis. Ar­ we were afraid the other children would riving home and finding my auntie there laugh at us. Just a few months after this with supper ready, I was told about my I heard that Liza had died of scarlet fever. father and auntie being married and that This was surely a surprise and shock to my auntie was now my mother as well as me for we had been such devoted friends. my atmt and that the baby was my sister, I stayed home helping with the house­ also my cousin. I was so surprised and work and also with the outside work dumfounded to learn that all this had wherever and whenever I could and at­ taken place without my knowing about tending school only four or five months it, and when we all gathered around the during the winters until I was fourteen table, Grandfather, Father, Uncle, Baby years old when I went to work for a and Auntie-Mother, the tears began trick­ Major H. F. Barron, who had quite a large ling down my cheeks and finall y I burst [The Barron rancn was located about out crying. When asked why I was crying, five miles south of Ashland, Oregon on I said, "I guess because I now have my Mill Creek, immediately south of the father, a mother, and a baby sister. Just present junction of State Highway 66 what I have wished for for a long time." and Old U.S. Highway 99.] Then my mother-auntie said, "Well now, cattle ranch and employed quite a large don't cry any more Dearie. I am going to crew of men. One of the crew, a man 26 try to be a good mother so perk up now years old, quite dark, about six feet tall and eat your supper." I was only home a by the name of John Fulkerson, and I few months when Mrs. Timbrook re­ struck up quite a friendship right away turned from the east all cured of her and quite often of evenings after the trouble which proved not to be consum­ day's work was done we would go for a tion at all, and wanted me to go live with horseback ride. We were out together so her and go to school. I said I would like much that everybody could plainly see to go so my father and mother finally what it was going to come to and the agreed to let me go as it would be a good men got to kidding John a little until chance for me to attend school. I was the one morning Mrs. Barron said to me, fourth girl Mrs. Timbrook had attending "Why don't you two lovers ride down to school and helping with the housework. Jacksonville and get married? You are The youngest of the three was about my not fooling any of us. We all can see you age. Her name was Eliza Condry. The are in love. So go ahead and get married. other two were quite grown-up ladies, 16 I think you are suited to each other and or 18 years old. Lize, as everyone called I know John well enough to know he her, and I became very much attached to will be a good husband for you." Well, each other and the best of friends and we took her advice and on December 12, were always together, but this was des­ 1866 we went down to Jacksonville and tined to be of short duration. It was were married at the Harris [or Horn- -- practically impossible for my father to Editor] Hotel without anyone but Mr. find help for the farm work so he had and Mrs. Barron knowing what we went me at home to help what I could in the for, but of course they were not long house and also to help what I could with finding out about it. We continued on the outside work. with the Barrons for the winter and the Before Father and I left for home I spring of 1867. We rented a part of my went with Liza to the schoolhous.e for father's homestead and farmed that year, my books. We had to go through a small and the late summer of 1867 the stork tract of timber on our way to the school­ visited us and left us a girl baby and we house, so we stopped in the timber out of named her Clara Ann, but she did not re­ sight of the schoolhouse and hugged and main with us very long. Due to improper kissed and cried a little because we had care, she took a bad cold which developed to be separated so soon . .We did this be­ into pneumonia and she died and was fore we got to the schoolhouse because buried in the Jacksonville cemetery.

-3- After we got all our crops harvested until they got the rest of the things ready and sold we went back with the Barron and it fell over into the ashes. I picked it outfit for the winter of 1867-68 and in up and was about to throw it away, but the spring of 1868 my husband and an­ seeing the amused expression on the other of Barron's men, Isaac Harris, de­ mens' faces, decided not to but cleaned cided to go into partnership and take a it the best I could and it wasn't so bad few of Barron's cattle on a share proposi­ but it was a little dirty. Man y a time after­ tion, which Mr. Barron had agreed to, wards I had the same experience and oh, into .what is now Klamath County, Ore­ such beds we had to sleep on. Did you gon. They bought two saddle horses and ever have the experience of sleeping on a saddles and two pack mules and when I bed with rocks for springs? Well, our first saw that my husband had bought only night we camped on the bank of a little one outfit I asked him why he had not stream called Jenny Creek, right on a spot bought an outfit for me, and he said, covered with cobble rock and boulders. "You surely do not think you can make We just leveled them up best we could such a trip do you?" I said, " I certainly and made our beds with a couple of do and I think you are going to get me blankets for our mattress and really slept an outfit so I can go with you." He pro­ very well. When we awoke the next tested, saying it would be too hard a trip morning, April 2nd, the little creek was a for me, but I persisted that I could and raging torrent. Well, we had to cross this wanted to. So he finally gave in and raging torrent and the men insisted I bought me a frisky, high-spirited pinto should ride one of the pack mules across pony and, of all things for a mountain so I did and it was well I did so for the trip, a lovely sidesaddle and on the fust stream was so strong that it almost got day of April 1868, after a lot of fuss and my pony. He was so light that it would excitement and kidding and joking, my have gotten him but he happened to be husband and Harris finally got the pack upstream from one of the oxen and mules all loaded and the few head of lodged against him and in that way was stock consisting of two yoke of oxen, piloted across. My lovely new saddle was one cow with a three-month old calf, soaking wet but I mounted and herded and five or six yearlings together. We the stock together and watched them started out on what surely proved to be a while the men took the pack mule I had rough, cold, stormy six-day trip over the ridden back across the stream, repacked old Siskiyou Mountain Range. him and returned. We got started again but oh, how it did rain all that day as we (This range is now considered a part moved on up the old Klamath River Trail. of the Cascade Mountains; the Siskiyous I was the Leader of the outfit and reaching lying several miles to the southwest along the crest of a ridge, I decided to walk the Oregon-California State Line.) down, thereby giving my pony a little re­ lief, so I dismounted and started down Sometimes when we stopped for the the trail. I had not gene far when I night I would be wet and muddy and slipped, it was so slippery, and sat flat cold but would not complain because I down and coasted quite a distance down had insisted that I could make the trip. the trail. My pony lost his footing in the Despite all these hardships I really en­ same place and came sliding down and joyed it and got a lot of fun out of it stopped just a few feet above me. We also. Up to this time I had never, to my both regained our footing without any knowledge, seen a meal cooked over an serious injury. I wiped the mud off my open campfue, much less eaten one. hands the best I could on a big boulder When we stopped for our first meal one beside the trail and decided I would ride of the men baked a frying-pan of bread or the rest of the day so I mounted my pony cam p flapjacks and leaned it against a and proceeded on our way. When we small stick near the fire to keep warm made camp that night I cleaned the mud

-4 - off my clothes the best I could and stood my husband and I surely had a time with around near the big boniue the men had them but after a chase and a rechase of built especially for my benefit at what about a mile we finally got them back was called Trappers Cabin and we spent with the outfit a.nd on down to the valley a very good night on a bed made of fir below where we found Mr. Harris un­ boughs inside the cabin. When we awoke packing the mules and a campfue going. the next morning everything appeared It was about 10:30 and I objected to more bright and cheerful. The sun was nooning so early and said, "Why are we shining and wild birds were singing all having dinner so early?" Mr. Harris said around us in the big trees. By night of "Why not?" and I replied, "Well, why this same day we got to what was called not go on to our intended destination?" "The Road House" run by a Mr. and Mrs. Then he and John (my husband) had a O.T. Brown. It is now known as good laugh and said, "This is the end of our journey, our future home." I said, [Mr. and Mrs. O.T. Brown, at first em­ " I don't like it. It is too wild and rugged." ployed at Fort Klamath, located on what but woman-like, I made the best of it and is now Spencer Creek at about the same dismounted to help with the dinner with time O.A. Stearns homesteaded south­ which Mr. Harris had been busy during west of Linkville, lat~ in July, 1867. this conversation. Dinner over and every­ Within a very few years they resettled on thing put away, we all got busy establish­ a site easterly from the Stearns home­ ing camp. The first thing we did was to stead. If, as stated by both the History cut enough rye-grass that was quite thick of Central Oregon (1905), and the His­ and as tall as the men, to fill three bed tory of Klamath Counry (1941 ), Mrs. ticks that we had brought with us on Mrs. Brown was the first white wo man to set­ Barron's advice. After we got the bed tle in the Klamath Country, it then fol­ ticks all filled nice and full, we got busy lows that Mrs. Fulkerson was the second on a shelter to sleep under until we and Mrs. Harris the third. However, there could build a good log house. We set two is one qualification, two other women, a posts about six feet tall and about ten Mrs. Lee and a Mrs. Aylesworth, whose feet apart and two al;>out eight feet tall husbands worked at Klamath Agency and opposite and about twelve feet from the Fort Klamath, may have lived for a time six foot ones. This would make a shelter in the Klamath Country prior to Mrs. about I 0 x 12 feet. Then we fastened Fulkerson and Mrs. Harris.] poles on top of these from the six to the "Spencer Creek lnn." The Browns were eight foot ones about 18 inches apart very nice people and after getting washed and fastened them together at all con­ nections with wood pegs. On top of this and cleaned up a little we sure had an enjoyable evening, especially for Mrs. framework we placed heavy fu boughs stem end towards the eight foot or high Brown as she had not seen a white woman for more than three months. The Road part until we had a good thick layer to shed the rain or melting snow off and it House was on the east side and at the base of Juniper Ridge and just after we took quite a heavy rain to make it leak. got over the crest We let the boughs extend over enough to form an eave. We also fastened fir boughs [Actually, Brown's Road House was around the sides the same way but left about I 00 yards east of Spencer Creek, an opening in the eight foot high end for while Juniper Ridge lay some six miles a door. We made no cupboard but kept farther east with several other ridges in our supplies in our saddle bags on the between.] floor in one comer and covered them of the ridge the next morning, our three with boughs. By night of the second day month old calf decided he didn't want to we had our first shelter completed and go on and did he try to go back! Its also a table and three three-legged stools mother, of course, tried to follow and for chairs. We did all this work with one

-5- saw, hammer and an auger and used wood I will make you a shirt of my riding skirt." pegs in place of nails or screws. Our dishes He said, "Oh, can you make a shirt for consisted of tin plates, cups and spoons, me?" As 1 was only sixteen years old I the old time iron knives and forks, two guess he thought I did not know much frying pans and a tin pail to carry water about sewing. He asked me, "where will from the lake and to heat water in. We you get a pattern?" "Well," I said, where made our table, stools, and frame of our there's a will, there's a way! f'U tear up shelter of juniper. We kept the calf tied one of your old ones for a pattern." to a tree near our shelter where we could When I had it completed after about watch it and see that it did not get at it's three days planning and sewing by hand, mother and take all the milk. We wanted I presented him with a very well-fitting some of it for our coffee and also to use garment of which he, as well as myself, with the berries we might find growing was very proud. nearby. Contrary to my f'rrst impressions One afternoon as I sat in front of our of this place, r found it very beautiful lodge on a log, sewing, l heard a scratch­ and interesting. I was awakened the first ing on a tree nearby and looked around morning by the twittering, singing and to see what it could be but saw nothing calls of what seemed to me thousands of so decided it was just a squirrel or maybe birds and water fowl from the trees and a rabbit and resumed my sewing. After a a marsh, or it might be called a backed bit I heard it again and became a little un­ water lake, for beyond this lake could be easy thinking it might be a wild animal or seen the smoothly, quietly flowing Klam­ an Indian. I turned around facing the ath River, second largest river in the state tree from which I thought it came, watch­ of Oregon. We built a raft of some small ing and sewing away unconcernedly, but logs and the men started across the lake a little uneasy. After a few minutes I saw in search of wild duck eggs and they an Indian girl peeking from behind the found an island in the lake with an Indian tree. I said "Hello" and smiled at her and burial ground on it from which they got she answered me with a smile and asked quite a collection of trophies consisting if I was afraid of her. I said "No, come of beads, buttons, thimbles, rings, some on over here and sit by me," She was brass bars, crystals, flint arrowheads, pins, very pleased to know she had not fright­ needles, buckles, and several other things ened me and came and sat' by me. We had supposedly obtained from traders or a very pleasant visit which I surely en­ from the emigrant trains of the plains. joyed after being out there alone with This island was quite an elevated peak or only my husband and Mr. Harris for only butte. Later we used the raft for fishing, three weeks. We became very friendly using a chalk line for our line and quite a and she finally said, " I see you go fishing large hook with minnows or mussels for m the river." I said "yes, but I don't like bait and a large cork for a float. For our to go fishing slone." Then she asked me rod we cut a slim fir sapling and peeled it. if I would like to go fishing with her. I With this outfit we caught trout IB and told her I surely would. She said, "All 20 inches long, weighing as much as right, you come over to river on raft, three or four pounds. then I get in canoe and come over on this side and we go fishing together." We Well, after being here about three did quite often and became quite close weeks I saw that my husband needed a friends. If I did not have very good luck new shirt, timber work being rather se­ she would insist on me trying her pole vere on clothing, especially on shirts. and line. I didn't like to do that because Being one hundred miles from the near­ I had learned she was catching them for est place where drygoods could be gotten her father to market. He was taking them I began to wonder what I would make it to Eureka [Yreka- - -Editor], California; of and finally remembered my brown but she said she did not care. She would drill riding skirt and said to him, " I guess rather I should have them.

-6 - Her father was Bob Whittle, a white Mr. Harris, whom he passed, as they were man, who at that time was the owner of working near the trail on his way. When a " Rancheree" or ranch, with quite a the men came in that night my husband collection of Klamath Indians around told me about receiving them and said him, on the south bank of the Klamath the launching was to be the following River where is now located the vilJage of Sunday. I said "Yes, I received a special Keno, Oregon. I spent many afternoons invitation from Mrs. Brown to attend and with her and we grew to like each other I will be awfully glad to attend." John very much. Her name was Caroline said, "Oh my, I don't think you should Whittle, her mother being a Klamath In­ go." I said "why not?" He said "well, J dian woman. If she were still living I promised Trafton {the man helping him would enjoy seeing her again. with the fencing) he [Trafton's home, as shown on an early (Caroline Whittle, born about 1852 General Land Office Survey map, was at or 1853, the daughter of Bob and Matilda the approximate location of the old Whittle, founders of Whittle's Ferry (now Snowgoose ranch buildings, one-half mile Keno), later married Frances Picard, east of present Keno, on the south side Whittle's old trapping companion. She of the Klamath River.) was the grandmother of Willard W. Wright could ride your pony." I said "Well, 1'm who wrote an article on Bob Whittle for very sorry but I'm goingto ride my pony the 1969 Klamath Echoes No. 7 Issue myself." He did not think I could stand (Merrill-Keno), pages 56-58.) the trip ''after my long trip from Ash­ During this time, about three or four land," but I finally convinced him and he weeks, the men were splitting pine for gave in and consented alright. When the fence rails and building fences to enclose time came we all saddled up and rode our garden plot and for a corral for our down to the celebration. Our horses were stock at nights. At this time there was all so frisky after their three or four week also being built at the O.T. Brown Inn a rest and feeding on the young, luscious ferry boat to be operated on the Klamath grass that grew there. River. Mrs. Brown sent me a special in­ At the launching I met Trafton and vitation to attend the launching which asked him if he was mad at me for not was to take place soon, said invitation letting him have my pony, and he said having been delivered to me by a Mr. "I should say not. You did just right. I Orson Stearns who had stayed overnight had no right or business asking for it in with the Browns on his way from Ash­ the first place, and leave you there all land to his place farther up the river. day alone." After delivering mine he A week or two later we packed up (O.A. Stearns, Klamath County's first and went back to the Barron's Ranch to homesteader, born in Illinois in 1843, drive in the balance of our one-hundred­ came west by the Oregon, California and fifty head of cattle. We left May 22nd Applegate Trails in 1853. As a member of and arrived back Ju'le 1st. On this trip the Oregon Volunteers in 1864, he was Mr. Harris took back with him his wife stationed at Ft. Klamath until J uly 19, and family of four children. 1867 when he was mustered out. Soon [According to Klamath County deed thereafter he settled at his homestead records, the State of Oregon deeded Lots upon which he had previously filed in I & 2, Section 32, T. 39 S., R. 8 EWM to April. This homestead was located ap­ Isaac Harris and his wife M.C. on April proximately seven miles southwest of 29, 1873. This land was located on the Linkville, now Klamath Falls. Further, extreme southern point of Juniper Ridge, it was situated north of Klamath River a mile or so northeast of Keno on State and adjacent to what is now State High­ Highway 66. The brush shelter built by way 66.) the Fulkersons, according to Mrs. Fulker­ also delivered one to my husband and son's description, must have been close to

-7- or on this point and near the road leading and was very proud of it as also was my out to the old Claude Kerns ranch in the husband. "low-lands" which in 1868 was covered Well, along about the first of August by a back-water lake from the Klamath I 868, we had our first scare by the In­ River. Harris probably filed on this land, dians. While it did not mean anything at or "squatted" there sometime during the all, we of course thought it did at the early summer of 1868, but did not com­ time. We always kept one of the saddle plete payment for the property until the horses staked or tiec! to a tree to keep above date in 1873. According to old­ the rest of them from wandering too far timers, years ago a delapidated cabin away. You know if you secure one of a stood just to the southeast of the present bunch of saddle horses the rest will not highway on this point.] stray away to any great distance. I went Husband and T moved out and let the out to move the staked horse so he could Harris family have our fir bough house get at more good grass and heard a and we camped under a juniper tree about whooping and yelling. Looking up the fifty yards from the bough house. While mountain trail from which the whooping camping here under the tree the lizards and yelling seemed to come, 1 saw a got quite friendly and would crawl right bunch of Indians coming down towards up on my lap when I was sewing. I was our place. Thinking they were on the war preparing clothes for our second baby path, I turned the staked horse loose and which was expected that fall. started for our camp but changed my I did not mind the lizards so much mind and went to the Harris place to be but was afraid of the rattlesnakes which with the children, Mrs. Harris being away, were quite plentiful enough. One night but she returned before the Indians ar­ while Husband was out with the cattle, rived and we were surely scared. The In­ which had to be watched continually day dians came on down but instead of going and night to keep them from returning on by the trail, came over to our grind­ to Barrons, I felt a snake crawl across the stone and pretended to be sharpening bed over me and I surely held my breath their knives. Two or three of them would with fear. The next morning I told my hold their knives on the stone· and one husband, Jhis is ·when we build a bed­ would turn it. They would poke each stead," and we did surely get our bed up other and jump around and squeal and off the ground. We made a bedstead out yell and finally one of them asked us, of juniper and made it about 24 inches "You 'fraid?" We answered " Oh no. We high and laced it with rope which made no 'fraid." But all the time we were so a very good bed and a very comfortable scared and trembly we could hardly ans­ one to sleep on and I had no more snakes wer them in a calm voice and without crawling over me. Deciding also that a letting our voices betray our feelings, stool was not a very comfortable thing to thi.nkJng what they might do to us. They rest on or to sit on while sewing, and finally asked if we had milk, and of course grasping the meaning of that age old we said yes and gave them some, thinking axiom. "Where there's a will there's a what they might do if we refused. They way," and that other one, "Necessity is kept asking for more until they drank all the mother of invention," we decided we had and then began preparing to move since we had done such a good job mak­ on. We managed to muster up enough ing a bedstead, to try our hands at mak­ courage to ask where they were going. ing a more comfortable chair. My husband They told us they were "going fight" got busy and every time he had a chance but did not say where or with whom, between his turns at herding the cattle, and of course that worried us, too. As worked on the chair and in a few days he they started on down the trail they kept had the chair finished with a high back to coming back and calling, "Goodby. Good­ it which made it much more comfortable by." We learned later they were Klam­ than just a stool. I surely appreciated it aths sent out by the Government to

-ll- round up and bring in a bunch of Modocs only for cutting rye grass and tule hay by who had left their reservation and were "squatters rights."] committing depredations. This was the began getting out the timbers and squar­ method the Govemment employed to ing them up for our first real log cabin. ln prevent open warfare between the dif­ a couple of weeks he had enough mater­ ferent Indian tribes and the whlte settlers. ial ready to start putting it together and The balance of the summer (1968) after a couple more weeks time, had the passed quietly and smoothly with the walls up ready for the roof of a log cabin cutting and putting up our hay and put­ twelve by fourteen feet. Early one morn­ ting away what few vegetables we had ing after breakfast, Husband and the man raised along with a few purchases to carry who was helping him, a Dennis Crowley, us through the winter months. took the team and borrowed a wagon My husband had located a preemption and went down the claim of eighty acres bordering on and [Dennis Crawley, for several years an extending into the marsh or back water inmate of an insane asylum, arrived in lake and extending back from the lake the Klamath Country in November, 1867 about three-eighths of a mile, the line and settled some two miles from the being well up on the eastern slope of Stearns homestead, on a site now un­ Juniper Ridge. known, at least to this writer, Crawley [From Mrs. Fulkerson's description of lived for a time at the Stearns' cabin west this "preemption claim of eighty acres" of Briar Springs (near the Round Lake it appears this tract might differ from the tum-off on State Highway 66, west of 162.93 acre (probably swamp land) pur­ Weyerhaeuser mill).] chased from the State of Oregon. It would river some place and brought back a load be on this latter tract that they would of pine shakes for the roof, but before build a log cabin. The preemption claim we got through dinner it began to rain seems to have been westerly from the and Mr. Crowley remarked, "Faith and swamp land tract. The later disposition of beGorra, John, let's get up thar' and put this preemption claim is unknown.] on some roof so's to git tha' lady outen The hay we cut on the marshland was a tha' rain." So they climbed and in a very small type of the Tule specie and grew short time had on enough to make a good from twelve or fourteen inches to as high shelter for myself and what few groceries as twenty-four and twenty-six inches. In we had on hand. ln ·two weeks we had the late summer and fall during the low built our first real horne, a log house or water season, the marsh lands would be log cabin properly speaking, with a small dry so we could cut the tule and stack it cobble rock fireplace in one end, a small back on the higher land for our stock window in the other end and a door in during the winter season, and they seemed one side. The window was made by cut­ to like it and really put on weight. After ting out a small section of two· of the our crops were all put away we built our­ logs. We had no glass for our window so selves a shelter of boughs like the one we had to fasten a cloth of some kind over built on our arrival and let the Harris the opening of nights and during bad family have. Every spare minute my hus­ weather. We had no way of getting ma­ band had from the cattle herding, he terial for a floor and as it was too stormy worked on the shelter. When we got set­ to work outside, especially in the timber, tled in it, Husband at hewing it out with an ax, we just beat [The first two Fulkerson home sites, the earthen floor down until it was al­ or brush shelters were presumably near most like cement. Our door was made the southern tip of Juniper Ridge, south out of.shakes hinged with reather from of the old Emmit Ranch, once known as an old shoe and an old time latch on the Plevna, and now owned by Don Johnson. inside with the latchslring througlta hole They may have controlled this land, used hanging on the outside. My broom was a

-9- Approximate location of the Fulkerson home, northeast of Keno and southwest of the Pioneer Grocery on Highway 66 between Keno and Klamath Falls. Building at the wild goose wing tied to the peeled stock ward for one mile, at times on both sides of a small juniper sapling. of the highway. It will be noted that Now we were more comfortable and both Harris and Fulkerson paid $2,00 felt that we could get through the rough per acre for their land. What would it winter. We lived in this log house during bring by today's inflated prices? Further, the winter of 1868-1869 and our second from old-timers' recollections, the little baby was born in this log house or log log cabin must have been situated south­ cabin. west of the Pioneer Grocery, approximat­ [The log cabin built by John T. Ful­ ely 200 yards south of the highway. It kerson was undoubtedly located on the must have been somewhere in the vicinity land deeded to him by the State of of a present day tin-roofed shed, which Oregon, on December 31 , 1873. Its legal in November, 1974 was filled with baled description is, Lots 5 and 6 of Section hay.) 32; and Lots 1 and 2 of Section 33, T. In the spring of 1869 my husband 39 S., R 8 EWM, containing 162.93 split juniper and put a floor in our cabin. acres. The price paid for this tract was When we got settled in ihis log house, $325.86. The deed was not recorded un­ just my husband and I, our nearest neigh­ til September I , 1887, as shown in Book bors, other than the Harris family, were 3, page 299, Klamath County Deed Rec­ four miles away and there were only men ords. This land stretches for one mile on our side of the Klamath River and an­ along State Highway 66, on both sides other bunch of men across the Klamath of the Pioneer Grocery. In other words, three miles from a point three eighths of a mile west [According to General Land Office of the Pioneer Grocery it extends east- survey maps and other sources, the men

-10. extreme left is an old freight barn owned at one time by Robert A. Emmit. (Helen Helfrich photo) living along the Klamath River on Mrs. ion, six miles on from the mens' place. Fulkerson's side would have included So that made a ten mile ride for the some at least of the following: O.A. doctor and the weather was so bad he Stearns, Lewellyn Colver, Dennis Crawley did not arrive at our place until noon of H. M. Thatcher, - Bryant (opposite the next day. Our baby, a boy, came at later day Teeters Landing), - Woodruff twelve o'clock midnight with only my (near Gore Island), and an Aarant along husband to wait on me and care for the the river midway between Gore Island baby. When the doctor did arrive he pro­ and the present Weyerhaeuser mill. On nounced us both fine and doing alright, the south side of the river at an early date so after giving us some instructions and we have four names: Bob Whittle (at receiving his ten dollar fee, he departed, present Keno), - Trafton (at the old leaving us alone to do the best we knew Snowgoose ranch upstream from Keno), how and to our own liking. Our baby -Walton (another mile or so upstream), was bom just before twelve o'clock mid­ and finally Judson or Dennis Small (near night December 7, 1868. We named h.im what later became Teeter's Landing).] George Edward and he was the first white away, it was agreed that if at any time I child born in what is now Klamath felt I needed him I was to hang a white County, Oregon. cloth of some kind where he could see it. [At one time or another ten different When that time fmalJy did come, he was children have had claims advanced for not very long getting home to me and he them as being the first white child bom rode horseback to the mens' place four in what is now Klamath County. There miles away and had one of them go for now seems to be no doubt that to George the doctor we had engaged for the occas- Fulkerson belongs this honor. Following

-11- Klamath County, July .16, 1871. 4. Sadie Mae Fulkerson was born near the Pioneer Grocery, some two miles northeast of Keno on State Highway 66. Sadie Mae was born August 24, 1870 and was the first white girl to be born in what is now Klamath County. 5. Vinnie Shadier was born at Ft. Klamath on March 2, 1872. Her father was a blacksmith at Ft. Klamath. 6. Alice Applegate (Peil), was born at Klamath Agency March 28 , 1872. Her father was the well known Ivan Applegate. 7. Calvin Thomas Fulkerson was born near the Pioneer Grocery, some two miles northeast of Keno on State High­ way 66. Date of birth, September 20, 1872. It is also claimed that he was the first white child born in Linkville, now George Edward Fulkerson, the first white Klamath Falls. See further explanation child born in what is now Klamath Coun· ahead under Editor's note following Mrs. ty, about one mile northeast of Keno on Fulkerson's account of Calvin Thomas' what later became the old Robert A. birth. Emmit ranch. (Courtesy Vance Shelhamer} 8. Alex McDonald was born in a are the ten for whom claims have been log cabin on the West Side Road in Upper advanced, together with their places and Langell Valley. Date of birth January 31 , dates of birth, with added remarks: 1873. I. George Edward Fulkerson was 9. Emma Evalyn Wilson was born born near the Pioneer Grocery, some two at Haynesville (later Lorella) on the east miles northeast of Keno on State High­ side of Langen Valley. Date of birth way 66. Date of birth, December 7, 1868 March 14, 1873. She was the daughter of 2. Earnest Union Lee was born Simpson and Nancy Ellen Wilson, men­ presumably at Klamath Agency, since his tioned above. father was employed there. It has been 10. Joseph Stukel was born March told that the name Union was given to 17 , 1873 probably at the original Stukel this baby to distinguish his family from ranch, north of Shasta Way and east of that of the J.P. Lee family, who were present Mills Addition in Klamath Falls. from the Confederate State of Tennessee. All of the above babies were actually J.P. Lee arose to Captainsy during the born in what was Jackson County at that Civil War, and was later Klamath County time, later Lake County and presently Assessor. Earnest Union Lee was born Klamath County.] December 28, 1868 and was living in During this same fall {1868) my hus­ Eugene, Oregon in 1941. band dug a well and had to go only about 3. Rufus Aylesorth was born pre- fifteen feet deep to get a bountiful supply sumably at Ft. Klamath, where his father of water the year round. As soon as I was stationed or employed. He was born was able to wait on myself and the baby, June 25, 1870. His mother was the for­ my husband went out to Mr. Barron's mer Rachael Hall, daughter of lchabod to borrow a wagon to bring in our win­ Hall, later of Langell Valley, and was the ter's supply of groceries. After he got elder sister of Nancy Ellen Hall, the wife through telling Mr. and Mrs. Barron all of Simpson Wilson, also of Langell Valley. that had taken place out on our claim, Simpson and Nancy Ellen were the first Mr. Barron said, "Well, well, now that is white couple to be married in present just fine. Now you go back and take care

-12· of that baby and you and Harris round stream to a mere trickle. I up all your stock and I'll get your sup­ Linkville at that time consisted of a plies and be in in a few days with the store building about sixteen by twenty­ buyers." In about three days my husband four feet built of logs and covered with was back home. I was so surprised that pine shakes. One window was made by he would come right back so soon and cutting out a small section of about three without anything. He explained every­ logs. This window was for ventilation as thing and after having a lunch immed­ well as for displaying a few of the goods iately proceeded to gather in the stock. that would attract the attention of the The next day the Major arrived with the Indians, such as bright colored shawls, grocery supply and a cookstove as a sur­ blankets, bandanas, beads and rings. This prise for me. I thought he was the grand­ store was owned and conducted by a est old fellow and surely a "friend indeed George Nurse, who also owned the only in a time of need." How I enjoyed that hotel which was also built of logs and had cookstove which we thought was a real only two small bedrooms, a kitchen, and luxury for there! The cattle buyer did a dining room. It was more commonly not come with Barron. This of course, called an inn or just a stopping place for was the first time the Major was ever in meals. This was Linkville in 1868 and there and he seemed to like it very much. what is now Klamath Falls City. He had brought his sadde and after hav­ [This is the only eye-witness descrip­ ing something to eat, saddled up a horse tion of George Nurse's original store and and helped to round up the stock we hotel this writer has ever read. However, wished to sell. After a couple of strenuous the History of Central Oregon (I 905). days in their saddles they had all the recorded the following: "* * * lumber stock they wished to sell together and was rafted down from the fort that sum­ proceeded to drive them to Linkville, mer ( 1867), and the pioneer building in which is now Klamath Falls, and across Linkville, a little box lumber cabin, was the Klamath River. There they turned constructed." Who originally related the them over to the buyer and returned "box lumber cabin" bit of history, un­ with one cow out of Major Barron's less it was O.A. Stearns, is unknown.] bunch that they could not persuade in Well, in a week or ten days I was able any way to enter the water to cross the to do my housework and care for the river with the rest of them. The Major baby. We got through the winter. just gave this cow to us and also his share in fme, Husband looking after the feeding the few remaining head as well as our of the cattle, a few calves, our two or share in the receipts of the sale. three horses, and ten head of high grade Here I wish to tell of a phenomenon heifers that one of our neighbors had of the stream between the upper and brought us to winter for him. lower Klamath Lakes. Whenever there is The winter of 1868 was not so very a strong wind directly up this stream, the severe and we got through it with very waters of the upper lake are forced back few losses of stock. What we did lose enough so that this stream will be almost were from getting out on the ice of the dry as long as two or three hours and lake too far when it was covered with one can walk across and hardly get the snow and breaking through and drown­ soles of his shoes wet and also pick up ing. About the first of March, 1869 my quite a lot of fish. This connecting stream husband went out to help Mr. Barron for is Link River. about a week and was gone three instead [The last time Link River blew dry of one week and I believe they were the from southerly winds seems to have been longest three weeks of all my life, there July 18, 1918. No further drying up by all alone with my three months old baby winds is recorded for the simple rea.son and a dog. There was quite an open place that a dam was finished across the river on the side of the ridge that the trail in October, 1921 which itself reduced the came through and every evening I would

-13- sit in the door with my baby on my lap be so." They came so quietly they were and the dog lying by my feet, watching right at the door before I knew it and I for my husband. When it would get too was so disappointed that I did not see dark to be able to see him if he did come, them come down the hill on the trail. I would have a little cry and putting the This same spring (1869), Mr. Harris baby to bed would go to bed fearful of withdrew from the partnership with my what was the reason of his failure to husband, but Husband continued the come. I always felt more uneasy at night partnership with Barrons. The first year than during the daytime and especially (1868) the men cut all their hay with after the week was up and he had not re­ hand scythes but the spring of 1869 a Mr. turned. I well remember one day when I Stearns brought in a mowing machine heard what I thought at first was distant and rake and wherever they could they thunder but it was so prolonged. I went would use the mowing machine and rake, to the door and looking out, saw what I but still had to cut quite a lot with the took to be five hundred or more antelope scythes, but of course this made the work in a solid mass not more than two hun­ faster and easier. The summer of 1869 dred feet directly in front of the house. passed without any other particular e­ Of course they were on their way across vents than the ones mentioned. My the valley and were so startled to find Indian friend, Caroline Whittle, came to such a thing as our house in their way, see me quite often and we went fishing they stood there and gazed at me for at in the canoe the men had made by hol­ least five minutes. I guess l made a move lowing out a log. She was surprised on of some kind and they turned and circled her first visit in the spring to find I had a around the house and around the marsh­ baby. She thought he was a very pretty land and disappeared. Another night I baby because he was so white and he was was awakened by something. I did not the first white child born in that part of know at the time just what it was but Oregon. We remained very close friends finally recognized it as the tread of a and if she were living now I would enjoy horse and then heard the dog growl and a visit with her but r do not know if she bark and then heard the horse walk away. is living at this time or notSometimes I I mustered up enough courage to open would go fishing alone and sometimes ther· door and saw by the bright moon­ Mrs. Harris would go with me. I always light a brown saddle marked horse with a took my baby with me. Mrs. Harris's long drag rope. The next morning a man children were old enough to look after with a foreign accent in his words came themselves. One day in the late fall of to the door and asked me if I had seen a 1869 Mrs. Harris and I were fishing and horse. I told him that a brown horse with on catching a good sized trout, threw it white saddle-markings and a long drag in the bottom of the boat. Soon after­ rope came by last night. He asked me wards Mrs. Harris called to me to catch how I knew it was a brown horse with my baby and turning round I was just in white saddle marks and a long drag rope time to catch him trying to get his leg and it being in the night. When I told him over the edge of the boat to get away it was a bright moonlight night, he said from the trout which he was afraid of. "T'anks," and left in the direction I gave This spoiled our fishing for that day and him. The next morning quite early my we went home. After that l always took husband came and with him was an elder­ a small rope along to tie him with so he ly man who stopped over with us that could not do that again. We always kept day and the following night. He thought the boat tied to a stake driven into the I had a very nice baby but said, "Oh yes, ground near the bank of the river and you feel quite smart and proud of your would walk around the marsh or go across baby and I don't blame you for that but it on the raft to get to the boat. We al­ just wait until you have a family of eight ways fished from the boat. About the or ten of them and you will see it will not first of March, 1870, an Indian known as

-14- "Link River Jack" stopped at our place him. They stayed overnight with us and to see our baby who was now about he persuaded me to go with them to sixteen months old and learning some Ashland. The next morning after having words. He learned to say this Indian's our breakfast and fixing a lunch to have name and for a long time after that on our way, as the trip would take a good would call to every Indian that passed, long day if nothing happened, we got "Hello, Link River Jack." The Indians started. Everything went all right until we seemed to get a lot of amusement out of got over the summit of the mountains it and seemed to enjoy hearing him say it when one of the wagon wheels broke in his baby way. down, and as it was getting along late in There was a white family by the name the evening, Mr. Waite gathered some dry of Waite, consisting of the father and wood and made a big bonfire and we ate mother and six children living about ten our lunch. He then divided the hay he miles from us near "Tule Lake." The had brought for the team and spread it in children were quite young, the baby be­ the wagon bed for the two babies and me ing only a week old when the mother and put a blanket over us and covered died of complications after the birth of the rest of the children with coats and a the baby. They had no near white neigh­ blanket. Then by keeping the bonfire bors so the father got an Indian woman going all night we managed to get through to take care of the baby and he looked the night without any of us taking severe after the other five at home for about a colds. Here we were about twenty-five month when the baby took sick with a miles from the nearest blacksmith and up cold. Mr. Waite was trying to find a white in the mountains at that; but Mr. Waite woman to take care of the baby and got busy with his ax and cut some small someone told him I might take care of it flr to get some sticks and patched up the so he came to see me. Of course I told wheel so it would get us on to Ashland him I would take care of it, but wanted where his sister's family seemed to be it brought to me. He agreed to gjve Hus­ pleased to get the children. I never saw band ten dollars to go back with him and the baby after that but heard of her often bring the baby to me. So he stopped even after she was grown and married. over night with us and early next morn­ I visited with friends in Ashland for a ing they left for his place and late that few days and then my husband came and same afternoon Husband arrived back we went home. home with the baby. He had carried it The rest of the summer of 1869 and the ten miles on his saddle horse without the winter of 1869-1870 passed without changing its position on his arm for fear any other events worthy of mention and it would awaken and cry, thereby causing with the usual routine of the pioneer life it to get worse. When he handed it down on a cattle ranch; cutting and stacking to me I said, "Oh! What a tiny baby," our winter's supply of hay, cutting and and he laughed and said he had begun to getting in our winter's supply of wood, think it weighed about fifty pounds. I looking after our livestock, taking care of took it into the house and gave it a good our boy, and catching fish which surely warm bath and dressed it in some of my helped out. Our half-blood Indian friend, boy's baby clothes. When J undressed it Caroline Whittle, visited us quite often I found a package of peppermint leaves and she and 1 would go fishing together fastened to its shirt over its chest, the and always came home with several mce Indian method of treatment for colds. fish. I had the baby about two months, divid­ The winter passed and the spring of ing my milk between it and my own 1870 opened with lovely weather and baby, George, when Mr. Waite came by everything came out and seemed to grow with the rest of the children on his way so rapidly. This spring we built a new and to Ashland where a sister of his lived who larger house back farther from the marsh had agreed to take care of all of them for on higher ground. We made it 14 x 20

-15- feet with a door on each side opposite, a around for awhile. They seemed to be window near the door on the west side, very fond of the salt grass that grew near and a cobblestone fireplace on the north the marsh. end, and a lean-to kitchen ten feet wide Haying time, 1870, came and with it on the south. the usual routine of preparing for the [It is told- that Robert A. Emmit's winter: stacking the hay in the sheds, get­ first home was a log cabin out in the ting in the winter's supply of wood, and swamp which he moved to his later home putting away what vegetables we had site, where Don Johnson now lives. This raised. One morning in August, the twen­ may have been the second Fulkerson ty-fourth to be exact, 1 told John I cabin, here described.) thought he had better stay near the house end. As we were too far from the first or within calling. distance, so telling the well we dug to carry water from it, we men he was going to sharpen up the dug a new one and had to go only about mower sickles preparatory for the next fifteen feet deep with it to get a good haying which was only a few days off, be supply of water. We left a short ladder remained with me, helping with the hanging in the well which proved to be housework, looking after baby George, very convenient as will be seen later on and preparing meals for our men. One of in my story. our men who had been with us for some One morning about the first of March time slept on the hay under the shed. The I happened to be looking up at the crest others who were neighbors went home of Juniper Ridge and noticed a small for the night. streak of dust ascending upwards and After the evening's work was done and kept watching it to see if I could find out baby George was put to bed, along about what was causing it. Finally when the ten o'clock our new baby arrived, and base of it was within about half a mile of after John had looked after me and our the house I could make out what I de­ new baby, a sweet little blue-eyed girl cided was elk. He seemed suddenly to weighing about five and one-half pounds, scent something. He stopped and raised he ran out to the shed and called, "Jack, his head just as high as he could and Jack, where are you?" and Jack answered seemed to be making an investigation of rather excitedly, "Right here, John. Can the surrounding country and after what I do something for you?" John answered seemed to me to be a thorough survey he "Oh no, I just wanted to tell you we have moved on down Juniper Ridge, crossed a little dish washer," meaning of course the canyon between Juniper and the that we had a girl baby. We named her higher ridge and disappeared over a small Sadie May. Baby and I got along just fine spur of the larger ridge. When my hus­ and so the band came in I told him about it and he [Sadie May Fulkerson was born Aug­ said, "Oh you surely could not know it ust 24, 1870. She would therefore be tne was an elk!" 1 replied, " It surely was an first white girl baby born in what is now elk and if you don't believe it was, you Klamath County. Although born in a dif­ go up there tomorrow and see for your­ ferent cabin than her older brother George self. His tracks will be there to prove I am Edward, the location would be approxi­ right." So the next morning bright and mately the same, southwest of the Pio­ early he and one of our men rode up neer Grocer, some three eighths of a mile, there and found I was right. The tracks and about 200 yards from State Highway were elk tracks all right and that was 66.) generally believed to be the first elk ever fifth day after she came I was up and seen on that side of the Siskiyou Moun­ able to help a little with the housework. tains [Cascade Mountains- - -Editor] . It While I was still in bed the Indian, Link was no unusual thing to see deer and River Jack, came again and was very antelope by the dozen or more come much surprised and pleased that we had down to drink at the marsh and feed another baby and he called it a "tenas

-16- Boston papoose" which in the Chinook apron unfastened and then told the dogs means "little white baby." to go after them at the same time shaking Our dog Fanny had brought us a my apron at them. They turned and ran, family of puppies a few days before our the dogs chasing and barking at them. baby came and after I had been out of The dogs soon returned and the cattle bed about a week the puppies were crawl­ made a wide circle around over the point ing around and three of them got too of the hill and carne right back again but close to the opening in the center oF the stopped a few hundred feet from me. well cover and fell into the well so I had One of the old cows came out a little in to remove a part of the covering to get front of the rest of them and pawed the those pups out. I got down into the well dirt and bellowed at me. I repeated my with the aid of the sho{t ladder that I ohn first performance and the dogs chased had left hanging from the top of the well, them over the hill again and they did not got the pups out, dried them the best I return but when I got home l was aw­ could, wrapped them up good, and put fully shaky_ When I told John about my them in the house near the stove to warm, day's emergencies, he told me not to go then went back with the pail and a rope, so far from home again as those cattle dipped the water out, washed the walls were wild cattle from what was called of the well with clean water, and then The Lake of the Woods Basin which was dipped it all out again. The mother dog a very wild mountainous region and I surely made a lot of fuss until she knew surely remembered his warning. I had her pups all out and safe. Then I The fall of 1870 we bought a large replaced the- boards over the well and stack of hay of a Jake Thompson whose found a short piece of board to cover the place was just over Juniper Ridge from hole to prevent a recurrence of the acci­ us, and his and our cattle had been rang­ dent, I surely had all I wanted of that. ing together so they rounded them all up Soon after this J thought I would Like and drove them all to his place for the some of the wild gooseberries I had s.een winter feeding. Thompson's house was about a mile from the house out near the not as large as ours but we took along edge of the woods so I took a pail, a our stove, bed, cooking utensils and blanket, the babies, and two of the dogs dishes. We were somewhat cramped for and went out to get some. On arriving at room with Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, and the berry bushes I started to spread the Husband and I with our 18-month-old blanket over a large flat rock for the boy, George, and our tiny baby, Sadie babies to lie on while I picked the berries Mae. We got along all right though, and and to my horror I saw a rattlesnake returned home the following March. lying against and under the sunny side of [The Jacob Thompson place was across the rock. I spread the blanket a short dis­ Klamath River, northwesterly from pres­ tance from the rock, put the babies o n it, ent Keno, beyond the ridge paralleling and chased the rattler away by throwing the river on that side. It was on the old rocks and sticks at it. After getting the Southern Oregon Wagon Road in the snake far enough away to be safe. I got general vicinity, probably westerly, from busy with the berries and soon had all I the present Klamath River Acres Tract cared for. Then, gathering up the blanket office. Jacob Thompson and Enoch E. and taking the baby up in my arms, we Walker, his father-in-law, were partners in started for home . I had not gone very far the cattle business together at one time. when I saw a bunch of cattle coming Although living in separate houses, they right towards me. I soon saw they were accommodated the wayfaring public. I not ours and recognized them to be The summer of 1871 we bought a range cattle that had come down from wagon and one work horse, and as we the hills. They stopped a few hundred had o ne horse that was broken to work, feet from me, and not knowing just what we had the convenience of our own to do I finally very cautiously got my wagon and team. But even with this con-

-17- venience I often went to visit my nearest neighbor, who lived two miles from us, taking l)lY two babies on Jolm's saddle horse. This saddle horse was rather un­ ruly when he saw a cow by herself and wanted to herd her home. It was pretty hard for me to handle him with the two babies in my arms so John finally ob­ jected to my riding him and I was willing to give up the idea of using him any more. By the spring of 1872 we had also managed to obtain a plow, a harrow, and some hand tools so we started farming. We raised some wheat and rye. We used the rye for hay and threshed the wheat by trampling it out with the horses and cleaning it with a hand operated fanning machine. This same spring my father and Calvin Thomas Fulkerson, the seventh his family and my grandfather came from white child born in what is now Klamath California and lived with us the early part County, also claimed by living members of the summer and then moved on into of the family to be the first white child a little valley known as Langell Valley born in linkville. (Courtesy Vance Shel· but left sister Arilla with us which made hamer) it very pleasant for both of us as we had not seen each other for about six years. history, Calvin was the first white child On Monday September fifteenth, sister born in Klamath Falls when it was known Arilla and I went out to the threshing as Linkville." This editor will make no floor to help John fan the wheat but attempt to assess who is right or wrong were not there very long when two men in this instance.) came for John to help them survey some Of course we were very proud of him and marsh land they wanted to buy. When he was a very pretty boy baby. After all John left he told us to leave the wheat was over and the baby bathed and put to until he got back but we were too am­ sleep we all had a good night's rest. In bitious to quit and kept working at it and four days I was up and around and able had it all finished when he got back that to help a little with the housework. evening, sister and I taking tum about at In November of the same year, 1872, cranking the fan and feeding the wheat we sold our place to the two men John into it. had helped to survey the marsh land and On Saturday, September twentieth moved to Langell Valley and bought a [ 1872- - -Editor] , we did up our week's partly improved place adjoining Father's washing, cleaned up the house, and pre­ [Both the Harris and Fulkerson places pared for Sunday as we usually did and were sold to Jacob Thompson and Enoch about II :30 that night our second boy F. Walker, the two men here mentioned, was born to us with only my sister and on June 11, 1873 and July 2, 1874 re­ Husband to look after baby and me. He spectively. Robert A. Emmit who arrived weighed about nine and a half pounds in 187 5 later acquired both places to add and we named him Calvin Thomas. to land purchased by him from the State [On October 3, 1973 Mrs. Inga E. of Oregon. The above mentioned land Fulkerson of Prescott, Arizona, wife of was probably bargained for for some Volney Fulkerson, deceased, in part time before the deeds were issued on the wrote this editor: "My husband's father above dates.) was Calvin Thomas. Even though Grand­ taking only about forty or fifty head of ma Fu1kerson did not mention it in her our cattle and our tools and farming

·18- implements. In this exchange we came time before. In later years it became a into possession of a three room log house, wayside stop and was known as the Es­ one room being a leanto kitchen which condido Inn around 1916 and later.] was the first house built on this place, quite a commotion outside and soon the other two rooms having been built on afterwards some men entered later, and in I 876 we built on some more, [Actually this was the evening of making it a five room house. November 29, 1872.] [The first occupation of this "im­ carrying three wounded men and with proved place" is more or less clouded. the bad news that the Modoc camp had According to the General Land Office been surrounded and that there had been survey of 1871, one "Bratton," (possibly quite a battle but the Indians had man­ Thomas J. Brattain, Lake County's first aged to escape after wounding these elected Sheriff who lived near what is three men. Whether there had been any now Paisley) was then in possession of a Indians killed or wounded they did not home on this land. This more or less cor­ know because in those days the Indians responds with Mrs. Fulkerson's statement always managed to take their killed and of a three-room log house already there wounded with them in their getaway if when they arrived. Perhaps "Bratton" possible. These men said they had sent occupied the land by "squattor's rights," out riders to the different settlements to preemption or some other form of early wam the people that the Modocs were on day acquisition. Actually the first trans­ the warpath. John asked them if they had action of record found to date is when sent a rider to Langell Valley and when John T. Fulkerson made application on they answered they had not he said May 13, 1.873 for a homestead of 160 "well, I am going and right now." The acres (the NW~ of NEY.., N!h of NW~ . others protested, saying he would be and SEY.. of NWYa, Section I 5, Township killed but he said " I am going because my 40 South, Range 13 East WillametteMer­ fainily and my father-in-law and his idion). He received the final certificate family an: llu:n:." As tired and worn as May 19, 1879 and his Homestead Patent he and his horse were after their twenty­ No. I 5, Klamath County, was issued mile drive, he started, warning the settlers April I 5, 1880. Above records from the along the road. Some of them took him Bureau of Land Management Office, seriously but a few thought he was drunk Portland, Oregon.) and would answer in a careless way, "Oh, About October first, 1872 another all right", but after due consideration and sister, her husband and three children appeals from the women, they gathered came to be with us awhile and stayed un­ up their things and would bunch to­ till Christmas. On October 15 John went gether, several families at a place so as to back to the old place with two men to resist the Indians more efficiently if at­ get the rest of our cattle and some hay tacked by them. John arrived home we had left when we moved. They got about midnight. Being surprised at his back as far as the Gap on Lost River the return so soon, I asked him how it hap­ first day, which was a twenty mile drive, pened he was back so soon and at such and put up at the Road House. While an hour and he answered in an indifferent they were at the supper table, there was way. "Oh, I wanted to get home in a l The "Road House" at Lost River hurry," and then he asked Henry [Henry Gap Uust east of present Olene) would B Stafford-- -Editor] my brother-in-Law, have been the cabin or house of Robert "how are the bullets? Have we a lot of G. Galbreath undoubtedly at the same them?" and Henry said, "Why do you site of the former A.O. Roenicke home, ask me that, John? Are the Indians on sold last fall (1974) after 22 years occu­ the warpath?" John said, "Yes, the sol­ pancy. It is known that the Galbreath diers and settlers had a battle with the cabin was in existance at least as early as Modocs at Little Tule Lake and the April 3, 1871 and probably for some Indians had kil.led Bil1 Nues [W endolen

-19- Nus- - -Editor), Henry White (?) , and The. next day we got word that the two or three of our old neighbors around settlers should congregate and fort up, so Link:ville and wounded several others." we went to the ranch of Mr. Isaac Wilson The Indians escaped and scattered in in the upper end of Langell Valley, four small bands, burning several homes. At families of us, and built a fortress around Lower Tule Lake at the Body [Boddy--­ the house, and the government sent in Editor I Ranch Scarfaced Charlie's band four soldiers to act as guards. Most of the found Mr. Body, a son-in-law, women and children were very nervous, [According to all records examined by uneasy, and scared. There were about this writer, Scarface Charlie was not con­ fifteen children at this place. Nothing nected with the killing of any settler. further developed. No Indians showed up However, he was reported killed several to molest us but the troops prepared to different times by the newspaper reports meet them if they of that time.] [Isaac Wilson (as recorded in the 1972 and two sons out in the juniper timber Klamath Echoes No. 10) seems to have cutting wood and shot all of them. Body's lived on the East Side road of Upper team came running home with one of the Langell Valley (at the later Sol Dewey sons hanging over the end of the wagon place).) box. The Indians then went to the Broth­ came. After two weeks passed and no­ erton place and killed Mr. Brotherton and thing happened, we went back to our his two sons, then made their way to the home and immediately made prepara­ Lava Beds where the whole Modoc tribe tions for an attack by taking up a portion congregated. of the floor and digging a trench from [No attempt will be made to change beneath the house back under a high Mrs. Fulkerson's version of early events ridge and dug out an underground room connected with the Modoc War. This so that if the Indians came back and reminiscence relates Mrs. Fulkerson's burned our house we could escape by story as she remembered it after a lapse this means. We made this in such a way of 63 years. Needless to say, the version that we could have an outlook hole and as now more or less accepted varies to a a place to shoot through if the Indians great extent from the first contemporary came. We provided it with a stock of food accounts related by the settlers as well as also. Nothing further took place until those printed in newspapers in late 1872 Christmas Eve when our troubles began and early 1873. Numerous accounts have again. I was sitting by the fireplace mak­ appeared and still do, as new data is un­ ing a few Christmas things for the child­ covered which refute the pioneers' under­ ren and sewing on a rag doll for our Uttle standing of what actually transpired. Mrs. girl, Sadie May, when twelve volunteers Fulkerson's version will be given intact rode up to the door. We went out and in­ without reconciling it to modern find­ vited them in but they declined saying ings.] their mission was to warn the settlers to After dispatching the bodies to Link­ move out to Linlcville to fort up. Two of ville for burial. Mrs. Body and her daught­ them remained and the rest continued to er, Schira [Kate Shirra, later Mrs. George the different paices on the same errand. Nurse, and later still Mrs. Rube Hatton] The whole neighborhood, twelve fam­ started out to walk over the hills to the ilies, congregated at our place and soon Lost River Gap Road House about ten after four o'clock started for Linkville. miles through a foot of heavily crusted On our way down a long sloping hillside snow. Before they got there, Mrs. Body the Indians shot at us and the volunteer had to carry the daughter and when they guards returned the fire but no damage arrived at the inn, they were both almost was done. shoeless, their feet were bleeding, and [Quoting from Klamath Echoes No. they were almost frozen. I 0: "The original West Side road followed

-20- the base of the foothills north from the wipe my tears away he called " Henry B. old Langell Ranch to near the site of the Stafford," my sister's husband. Then we later day Vinson school, where it headed were certainly upset and frightened and northeast toward the Big Springs. This thought we were just as good as widows road ran about midway between Lost right then. When the roll call was over River and the present West Side paved and the men came in, my sister and I road, or about one mile east of the latter. exclaimed, "Oh why did you join?" and It came through a gap in the hills due they said, "because we want to show south of the Bonanza Cemetery, as plat­ those Indians they can't run us out of ted by the General Land Offici! survey here." They laughed good-naturedly at of 1868 and undoubtedly was the route our crying which was really provoking to traveled by the fleeing settlers."] us. Our leader Fiock ordered us to go the From Swan Lake we traveled over the rest of the way down the hill on the run mountains through rain, snow and mud a so we did and gained a thicket of willows distance of fifteen miles escorted by this at a safe distance from the Indians where armed force. On rounding a point, the our leader called a halt. Then he told us advance guard saw a wild cat and shot it we could go directly to Linkville by way and of cou.rse we thought they had met of the main road but the Indians could up with the Indians again. When our cap­ head us off and trap us in the Gap and tain learned they had only shot a wlld perhaps kill all of us but said he could cat, he warned them to do no more lead us on a different route and gain our shooting at all as he was afraid it would objective without perhaps any more excite the Indians as well as the white trouble with them. Some of the people women and children, and if the Modocs objected but he insisted, saying ''I'm a should hear the firing, they might attach squaw man and I know the ways of the us. Indian. You take my advice and follow We arrived in Linkville that evening me and I'll lead you out of this." So they and encamped in a large school-house finally decided to let him lead us out the with way he wanted to and we camped that [The original Linkville school was sit­ night in Poe Valley at a J ohn Shook's uated at about the center of North Ninth place and the next night we camped at Street, between Main and Pine Streets. I Swan Lake after a drive of twenty miles. a Large fueplace, near the hot springs. The [Quoting_ from Klamath Echoes No. desks in the schoolhouse were fastened I 0: "John Shook's place at that time was down to the floor but the benches were across Lost River southwest of present not so we stacked the benches back to Bonanza. ft was not in Poe Valley but one side and made our beds down be­ the southeasterly extension of Alkali tween the desks the best we could. We Valley. The Swan Lake camp site was mothers did not sleep much that night as probably at Brookside, the old Lucian we were kept busy with the children. It Applegate ranch.") was so cold and many of us were wet, and The next morning sister and I wem it was impossible for aJJ of us to get near out in the yard to hear the roll call by the fireplace and it did not warm the our Captain Applegate. In !tis command whole room any too well. Then there he had about twenty-five KJamaths and was the inconvenience of cooking over Warm Springs Indian warriors. After cal­ the fireplace fire. I never put in such a ling the names of the Indians he called night in all my life as I did in that school­ the names of the white men settlers who house. had volunteered. He had called only a The next morning we all went looking few names when to my surprise and for some place to live. Father and family horror he called "John T. Fulkerson" and a sister and her family went into and J said to my sister. "Oh my God! some cabins belonging to a Jesse [Enoch John has joined them and before I could F. ?) Walker about twelve miles from

-21- Linkville, and John secured the Thomp­ place and we could bear the boom of son place where we fed our cattle the them from our place. Some of the young winter of '71-'72 for sister and me, fellows who went out to enlist were re­ which was only about half a mile from jected and came back in a couple of days. Father. The fourth day 1 saw a neighbor's boy [As stated before, the Jacob Thomp­ riding across the fields toward the scene son and Enoch Walker cabins were north­ of the battle and thinking be might know westerly from present Keno across Klam­ something of what was going on, I went ath River on the old Southern Oregon out and hailed him but all he could tell Wagon road, now approximated by the me was that his brother, who was one of Oover Creek paved road one mile north­ the young volunteers, had been shot in east of Keno.] the arm and he was going out to take Captain Applegate and his troops stop­ care of him. ped at our place on their way to the Lava Later in the day a rider, or runner, Beds to rout out the Modocs. After their came from the battlefield and brought dinner was over which the troops pre­ the news that several had been wounded pared over their campfires, except for and a few killed but the name of neither John and Henry who came in and had of our husbands was among them. Later dinner with sister and me, they told us the three other fellows returned and did good-bye and we did not see them or not feel so good after witnessing what hear from them for over a month. war really meant. This Lava Bed was sup­ During this time our place was made posed to be an old dead volcano, crater a stopover for the teamsters who were shaped and with rough craggy sides al­ freighting from Jacksonville to Linkville, most perpendicular, with fissures and hauling supplies for the regulars the Gov­ large boulders here and there, and way ernment had stationed at Linkville, and down in it was a large flat space shaped believe me! It was a sight to see those like the bottom of a saucer or plate and freighters coming up the road with as in this space the Modoc squaws and many as twenty-four mules to the wagon, children were congregated as if they had the mud axle deep, the mud and slush come to stay. Captain Applegate had in­ just pushing ahead of the wagons, and structed his men to keep about ten feet the mules knee-deep in the slush. and apart and encircle this depression. The mud, the drivers yelling at and urging the Modocs were concealed in . the crevices mules for if they should stop there was near and under the sides and in firing at no telling what might happen. Some of the troops would be shooting upward, them would pass on by us if it was not which put the troops in a very precarious mealtime and go up about five miles to position if they got too far out over the the Stearns place which was also a stop­ crest. While John and his nearest comrade ping place. were walking along near the crest of the Things went along like this until the rim, John said he thought they were too 16th of January when we got the word close together and just at that moment that the troops were going to attack the his comrade was shot, but he was in the Indian stronghold in the Lava Beds on act of shooting at one of the Indians and the 17th of April, 1873. There had been got the Indian just before or as he fell. only a few small battles with them but John fired at the spot from which the only minor affairs so a lot of the young shot came and two Indians sprang from fellows saddled up their horses and has­ the sheltering rock and started on the tened to join in the fray. They rode away run for another shelter but John got one very proudly and enthusiastically to know of them. Then, turning to see about his they were going to have a fight with the comrade he found he had been shot Modocs, thinking no doubt they could through the heart. John spread his hand­ capture the whole outfit. The regulars kerchief over his face and did not try to had transported a few howitzers into the take him out because the lndians were

-22- advancing at the volunteers to closely three days and nights as one of the guards and all the time keeping concealed by the to the ambulance wagons conveying the large boulders and crags. The troops re­ dead and wounded to Fort Klamath treated a short distance and established which was located six miles [approximat­ camp but kept a close watch on the In­ ely 25-Editor) from Crater Lake be­ dians but as diligently as they watched tween Linkville (now Klamath Falls) and them, after they placed a few shots from Crater Lake. The dead were buried at the howitzers into the midst of their Linkville and the wounded were taken to camp, the Modocs began sneaking out the barracks to the hospital there. Henry and trying to get back to their reserva­ Stafford, my brother-in-law, was driver tion. The troops noticed that the Modoc of one of the ambulance wagons. forces were getting smaller and knew it After a couple weeks rest about June was because they were trymg to sneak 1st, 1873, John went back to LangeU back to their reservation thinking they Valley to see what was left of our home. would be safer there. Captain Jack was He found that the buildings had all been Chief of the Modocs and was of a peace­ ransacked and stripped of everything ful mind but was influenced by his sister movable except the stove. There were a who was of a revengeful nature and few cattle ranging about but we never forced him into this trouble. Captain found any of our hogs, about eight or Jack and two other Modocs were sur­ ten head. We had to leave in such haste rounded in a tree and captured and taken that we just opened the corrals and the by the troops to Fort Klamath and after hog pens to let them forage for them­ a few weeks it was proved they were of selves, and this act of the settlers turning the bunch that killed the Bodys and the their hogs loose was perhaps the origina­ Brothertons, seven in all, and were con­ tion of the wild hogs of Oregon. Henry demned to hang. Before they were hanged sold his interests in the valley to John as the preacher was talking to Captain Jack he did not want to go back there. John and telling him how nice it would be in and several of our former neighbors re· Heaven and that God would take care of mained during the months of June and him and old Captain Jack said, "All right! July and did some planting and repaired All right! You take my place. You go the damage done by the Indians and the Heaven and I give you all my horses, all whites who had remained with the In­ my land, all my everything." Of course dians. My father and I did not return to the preacher refused to accept the offer. our homes with our families until John Of course this was only hearsay on my had replaced the things that had been part but I heard it repeated so many carried away and was through with the times that I presume it must have been planting which was about the first of true. August. When we had all returned, Father About the first of May,l873, Captain and his family to their home and I to my Applegate discharged all his Klamath home and husband, after aU these excit­ Indians as well as all the white settlers ing times, we were all happy again. who had volunteered and John and By this time the Government had sub­ Henry Stafford returned home safe and dued the Modocs, rounded up all they sound but badly worn out as John had could find and transferred them to a res­ been in the saddle. ervation set aside for them in one of the [By now it becomes apparent why states farther east where they would be John Fulkerson waited until the middle nearer the Government center and put of May, 1873 to apply for his homestead the young ones in Langel! VaUey. The Modoc War had [The Modoc Reservation was located completely disrupted his farming plans in the extreme northeastern corner of until he was once again free to pursue Indian Territory (now the state of Okla­ them.) homa).]

-23- in school especially established for them. a slight knoll in the vicinity of the junc­ Scarfaced Charlie being a young man and tion of Miller Creek and Lost River on of a very intelligent mind received a very the east side of the Ia t ter.) good education both in school and in The school house served as a church as religion and studied for the ministry. He well as a school. George and Sadie sttend­ returned to Langell Valley and went to ed school at this place. They would walk the Body home, thinking I suppose of to the school of mornings and I would making amends to the widow for his send Calvin to meet them about half way part in the killing of her husband and in the evening with the horse and George sons. When he rapped on the door, Mrs. and Sadie would climb on and ride the Body opened it and on recognizing him rest of the way home. I had obtained reached for the gun. Charlie, realizing some books and John and I taught them what she intended to do, sprang back some at home. I had taught George some and got away as fast as he could. He re­ before they started to school. About this mained around for awhile but kept away time I bought a sewing machine, one of from the white settlers as he knew his the first sewing machines that was oper­ life was in danger. While he was quite ated by hand. intelligent for an Indian, he was also About the last of November 1874, cunning and tricky as an Indian. Before after we had our crops all taken care of the Modoc war he was involved in several and had just returned after a short visit skirmishes and the white men tried to to Linkville, it began snowing and look­ shoot him thinking that if they could ing very much like winter and our family get him the trouble would end. Several began taking down with the measles. We thought they got him because when they did not know they had been exposed in would shoot at him he would drop as if Linkville until they began breaking out, hit, then crawl away through the grass the baby Calvin first and in a few days and brush and escape and show up some George, Sadie and myself. We were all other place to the chagrin and disappoint­ quite sick and John did his very best to ment of the ones who thought they got look after us and his outside work, too, him. This was when we had the first but it was only a few days until he took trouble at Tule Lake. down also. There we were, the whole [ ln the hysteria of the early events of family sick and no one to go for help as the Modoc War, several different leading the neighbors were afraid they would get Modoc braves were reported killed, both it and stayed away from us, but we man­ by the army officials and the volunteers. aged to get along although John and I Probably the result of wishful thinking were awfully sick, but one at a time. and unfounded rumors.) Father and his family had gone to Link­ Well, I am wandering back in my ville on a visit and took down with the story so will get back to it in the proper measles there and remained there until place. The fall of 1873 and the early winter was over. spring of 1874 there were quite a number About the time we bagan to get over of families who came into Langell Valley the measles the whooping cough got us and took up homesteads all around us, all down again so we were kept in all a,nd as there were quite a number of child­ winter and well along into the spring ren of school age, we had to establish a days. None of us were seriously sick and school district and build a schoolhouse the lovely spring weather soon brought which was located about four miles from us out of it and we were all cheerful and our place. patiently did our individual part. On the [The first little log school in LangeU 16th of March, 187 S another baby girl Valley was located about one fourth of arrived to add to our famfly which we a mile east of the Gale road which runs named Marsha Bell. She weighed eleven due south from present Lorella. Further, pounds and had quite long dark hair and it was situated out in the swamp lands on blue eyes. I believe she was the best baby

-24- George Edward Fulker· son (left) and Calvin Thomas. Photo taken in the late 1940's. (Courtesy Vance Shelhamer)

Apple tree at the old Fulkerson home in lan· gell Valley that still bears fruit. The tree wa.s planted by Ellen Fulker· son approximately 100 years ago. (Helen Helfrich photo)

·25· of them all. Of course I mean in disposi­ or acting postmaster.] tion. She would just eat and sleep and fixed up mail boxes in one corner of our grow. My! How she did grow, At this living room and conducted the postal present time. 1935, she resides in Juneau, work in our home until the fall of 1887 Alaska where she owns her home and a when we sold our place and moved to a group of fourteen miner's cabins located donation claim about one-half mile from on Willoughby Avenue. this home. With all my family work and In July 187 5 John took sick with helping outside I took care of the Post what they called sun pain or sun stroke, Office work, making out the postal re­ which was a very peculiar malady, the turns every three months, and writmg up subject not being able to get out in the and sending news items to the Ashland sun and even in the house when the sun Tidings newspaper. was bright would have the most terrible The fall of 1876 and the winter of headache and would have to have the 1876-77 passed as usual with card parties house dark all the time. There was no spelling bees, basket socials, and dances, doctor to consult as the nearest was at They always came to our house for the Ashland over one hundred miles away, dances because our living room was large so I did the best I could for him and tried enough for two sets of the square dances, everything I heard of but found no relief the quadrille and the lancers. My father for him until I finally thought of the always furnished the music with his white mustard growing in the garden. I violin and sometimes some of the boys gathered a lot of the leaves, pounded would help out with the Jews harp and them with a hammer until I had a soft the harmonica which was called the mash and then poured boiling water over mouth organ at that time. it and spread it on two p1eces oJ cloth, Came the spring of 1877 when the and when it was cool enough so it would trees and the meadows were sending out not burn, placed them on the bottoms of their welcome to the bright sunshine and his feet, and on the evening of the second the birds were singing merrily from day he began to feel better. I continued everywhere. That spring on March seventh this treatment for three or four days and the stork made us another visit and left the pain left his head, and after a few us a ten-pound boy, our third son, and more days to build up his strength he he grew as most boy babies do into a fat was out again looking after crops and little fellow always with a smile for every· stock. He was down about three weeks body and always ready for a romp. We and I had to look after my family and named him lewis Hiatt. the outside work while Sadie, who was One day in May 1877 I sent George, now about five and a half, looked after who was now about eight and one half the younger children while I was outside. years old, to get some wood. Sadie of I had four cows to milk, several pigs to course went along and children like they feed, and a team of horses to take care thought they had to use the axes a little. of, all this with the help of George who Sadie had dropped her ax and stooped to was seven years old. My family was now pick it up as George was in the act of beginning to be quite a burden but also chopping and she got in the way of the of some help. descending ax, but George had the pre­ The fall of 187 5 and the winter of sence of mind to twist the ax and instead 1875-76 passed without any other un­ of striking her on the top of the head, he usual events and the summer of 1876 I caught her just a shaving blow, shaving was appointed Postmistress for our settle­ the scalp and apiece of skull about the ment. We size of a dime. I heard her scream and [According to U.S. Postal records, then cry and moan "Where are you, John T. Fulkerson was appointed post­ Mama?" I ran out and picking her up, I master on December 15 , 1873. Mrs. carried her in and cleansed the wound Fulkerson may have been the assistant good with a solution of calomel and

-26- bound it up with a cloth saturated in the the neighbor gave me. When we got the calomel solution, and with diligent care cow, we made a sling and got her in it and treatment she got along just fine. This and raised her up, by means of a rope and reminds me of the time she got caught in pulley, with the team so she was off the the rat trap when she was about eighteen ground and would not have her weight on months old. that leg. The summer ofl877 passed with the The fall of 1880 John went with a same old routine and in the fall we spent neighbor to drive some beef to California our evenings making things for the chil­ market and was gone about three weeks. dren's Christmas and during the days The late summer of 1881 we started John worked at getting out logs and split­ building our new barn but did not get it ting shakes for a new barn. During the completed for use for the winter of winter of 1877-7 8 quite a few more 1881-82. The snow came early in 1881 people came into the valley and it was beginning in November, and by mid­ becoming more thickly populated and winter it was about four feet deep and consequently there were more sociabili­ crusted heavily and held on until late in ties entering into the lives of the people; April 1882 on the north slopes but on card parties, dances, basket socials, and the south slopes it disappeared by mid­ spelling bees. Spring and summer of March. In April when everybody had fed 1878 passed with the usual routine, up all available feed and could not get building fences, putting up hay, raising anymore, they set together and decided and harvesting our crops and preparing to drive what remained of their cattle in for the winter months. November nine­ one herd to the south slopes in the hope teenth, 1878, the stork made us another that they could pull through on what visit and left us an eight-pound giii which grass they could find there, and by made our fourth-born giii, the third one browsing from the brush and juniper. living. She was a decided blond and was But bad luck was against us for it turned the pet of the family. We named her extremely cold and the cattle being weak Nettie Ray. As usual 1 was up in a few would lie down and then could not get up days and helping sister who was always because their legs would be frozen stif with me on these occasions, with my and they just lay there and died. So the housework. men got together and went out and Winter was with us again with Christ­ skinned them and brought the hides in mas things to prepare for the children, on sleds, thereby saving that much out of dolls for the girls and we bought some them. John got about twenty hides and marbles for the boys. We made some hung them up in the barn to dry. candy and doughnuts, and bought a few Sister and I were out in the barn one nuts and oranges and apples. The winter day looldng over the hides and I found of 187 8-79 passed about as usual with the one of my pet cow and 1 just could the same ldnd of weather as in former not keep from crying when I saw it. We winters and the year of 1879 was about would have had enough hay to have the same routine as former years. The carried us through the winter with out winter of 1879-1880 was very moderate twenty-five head but Sister's husband and everything went along fine. Our cat­ Henry Stafford ran out of feed for his tle were doing well and we got through herd of twenty-five and thinking we might the winter with about twenty-five head have enough to pull his as well as ours of stock, cows, calves and steers. We were through the winter, he brought them to milking seven or eight of the cows. The our place. The winter held on very late year 1880 was a very good year and we and when we began to run short of feed, enjoyed berry picking, picnicing, and neither one of them could find any to visiting with our neighbors, but the winter buy. We lost them all but one two-year of 1880-81 was not as mild as usual and old heifer out of fifty head. One of our we lost the cow with the broken hip that neighbors who had shelter and feed

-27- enough to get his through let us have a anything in their path but would go right milk cow so that we could have milk and over it. We had to tie our clothes tight butter for our children. In the early about us to keep them from crawling up spring of 1882, I think it was, in March, on us while we were trying to fight them while the snow was still on, some of the away from our garden, little of which we men went out to see if they could get a did manage to save. They even cut the deer or two for the grease they could get gooseberries off the stems to get the little out of them as everyone was getting low green stems but did not eat the berries on grease for cooking. They found and and stripped the bushes of all foliage. shot a couple but they were so poor they They took everything except the onions, did not produce much grease and that potatoes, rye, and timothy which they was what we wanted more than the meat, did not seem to like. Well, after they dis­ so we cracked the bones to get the mar­ appeared we got busy and did some row but even that did not prove sufficient. planting and just about the time these Where they shot the deer was too far to things got up and going good, the second carry them in so they drew them and crusade of the crickets came and destroy­ hung them up in a tree as high as they ed them just as the ones before did, just could and went with a sled the next day leaving the potatoes, onions, rye and to get them, and I went with them. On timothy. Now we were discouraged but our way back, as we came over a little thinking we might be able to get another mountain ridge, down in a little flat be­ planting up and mature enough for winter tween this ridge and another one was a use, we planted again. When this planting drove of deer which we estimated at got up and coming along nicely, the third about or close to five hundred head crusade of crickets came and did just browsing on the sagebrush and shrubs what the first and second ones had done, but the men would not shoot any more and we surely were discouraged now, as as they said they would be too poor. it was too late to plant again. We fought About the first of June or late in May these crickets the second and third times 1882, just as our pasture was getting by plowing ditch around our garden pretty good, there were some cattle be­ and putting leaves and chips in it ing driven through from another valley and setting them on fire but the to market in California and on arriving at crickets would just jump over it. Quite our place the herders, or owners, bar­ a lot of them did jump into the gained for our pasture and when they blaze and were destroyed but enough of settled up for it they traded us a cow, them got over to destroy our small which they thought wollld come fresh garden vegetables. Well, we had our po­ the following winter, for our two-year­ tatoes and onions for our table and the old heifer but the cow did not come rye and timothy for what stock we had fresh until January 1883. In July 1882 and John and the boys went to the came our second misfortune in the form marsh lands on Lost River and got some of the red crickets, millions and millions of the marsh grass to help out for our feed and with all our hard luck and of them and large ones some of them troubles we never really suffered from two-and-a-"half inches and three inches want of feed. from tip to tip, taking most every green thing in their path. They seemed to travel With all of this T managed to keep the in colonies, the colonies, traveling some children up in their school work, four distance apart but over a large area all of them: George, Sadie, Calvin and told, in fact right across the valley, and Marsha. Lewis was only about five and when they came to an obstruction they Nettie Rae just past two. By trading and would go right over it. We could see them swapping, as the Indians say, we man­ going straight over our house and over aged to get a new start of eight or ten fence posts and large rocks. They would cows and calves, mostly heifers, and a not give way to right or left or around sow with some little pigs, about all we

-28- thought we would have feed for, for the safe and unharmed. The neighbor took us winter months of 1882-83. On the twen­ home, about half a mile. The sleigh and ty-ninth of October, 1882, we had an­ harness were badly damaged but not be­ other visit by the stork and this time he yond repair. left a nine pound boy. He was a dark The balance of the winter of 1883 blond and we named him Jasper Thurston. passed without any further particular Now with the care of the babies and events other than the usual winter enter­ keeping up the older ones in their school­ tainments, and in the spring some of our work, looking after the Post Office work, young heifers came fresh as well as two and preparing some things for the child­ or three of our cows. We made fifty and ren's Christmas, we were surely a busy sixty pounds of butter a week most of family. As our youngest before this baby which we sold at the store at Bonanza or was nearly three years old, he was cer­ traded for things we needed. We also had tainly made a lot of and we were afraid fifty or sixty laying hens and sold or he would be a spoiled baby but he proved traded all our spare eggs to the store or otherwise. He was surely a lover of music to our neighbors who had no hens. John and while quite small would try to go had built a stone milk house over the through the motions of dancing whenever little stream that came from the base of he heard music. In January 1883 a travel­ the ridge a couple hundred feet from the ing photographer came into Langell Val­ kitchen door. He diverted the stream by ley and stopped at a neighbor's home for means of a trough right past the kitchen a few days taking pictures in the neigh­ door so it would be handy for me to get borhood. I told John I would like to the water for my housework. I still very have some pictures of our baby Jasper so clearly remember one morning when I he hitched the team to a sled we had and went to the milk house to take the milk 1 took all the children except George in. I discovered a polecat behind a box and went to the neighbors where the and backed out and found John and told photographer was stopping and had some him. I said I was afraid everything would pictures taken and then started back he ruined hut he said he did not think so home. We were enjoying a lovely sleigh­ and by evening Mr. Polecat was gone and ride unW we came to quite a steep hill everything was all right. and the team could not hold the sleigh The summer of 1883 passed as usual from crowding up onto them and they and about the first of November we got excited and started to run. Calvin rented a small house in Bonanza and the was driving and he was not strong enough children and I lived there to be near the to hold them, (he was only about ten new schoolhouse that had been built years old) so I thought I would help him there, so the children would not have to and took hold of the lines and when I go so far to school. John stayed at the pulled with Calvin one of the lines broke. ranch to look after the stock and chick­ Then they did run. I was expecting the ens. Besides my own five chi}dren I took sleigh to upset any minute so wrapped a girl about the same age as Sadie to keep the baby closely in a blanket and threw so she would be him out into the snow, and sure enough (Mrs. Fulkerson then had six children, the sleigh did upset and threw the rest of George, Sadie, Calvin, Marsha and prob­ us out into the snow but none of us were ably Lewis in school, and Nettie Rae, too hurt. Calvin ran back and got the baby young for school.) Jasper. He was not injured and was smil­ near the school. The first day of school, ing as usual. The team broke loose from of course, they were asked all sorts of the sleigh and ran on home and we walked questions by the teacher and when she to the home of a neighbor which was not asked if our children had ever gone to far from where we had upset. It was not school before, George said, very little be­ long until George and his father came, cause the school was too far from their all excited as to our safety, and found us house and some days it would be too

-29- stormy for them to go so far it being summer we bought an organ of a man about four miles. The teacher then said, who had brought "How come you then bring third readers, [This school known at times as the all of you, George, Sadie, Calvin and Vinson and Lower LangelJ VAlley school, Marchie the same?" Sadie answered her was located near the junction of present with, "Our mother taught us at home." day West Side and Teare Roads. On Feb­ After they recited their first lesson the ruary J 2, 1887 it was adopted into the teacher, said, "Your mother has done Klamath County system as Lookout, or very well and we will get along fine." And District No. 14.) they did. Lewis and Nettie Rae were it from the Lakeview and Goose Lake getting along fine also. I was teaching country where he had been demonstrat­ them in a way at home as young as they ing it and taking orders for future deliv­ were. I will tell you a good little joke we eries. The organ was something new on always had on Nettie Rae. When she was the market here in the west and he had about five years old, I had her go to a got quite a few orders. He stopped with near neighbor on an errand and when she us a week and tau~t us all he could in returned she told me she saw a big hen that length of time and told us if we with her head cut off and just bleeding would give him a hundred dollars and and bleeding. l found out later it was a cancel his board bill we could keep the turkey gobbler and she thought his red organ and he would send Calvin a good wattles were blood. She had never seen a violin from Portland as soon as he got gobbler before and thought it was a large there. We made the deal and in a couple hen with her head cut off. This winter of weeks we received a violin. Calvin was 1883 was a very busy one for me with all not at home when we made the deal and these children to look after and keep in he did not know about it unW the violin school, but John came quite often and came. He was surprised and pleased about brought us supplies from the farm, vege­ it and soon learned to play some by ear • I tables, eggs and meat. He brought in a and we surely had some good times that whole small pig once which we salted winter. We now could furnish the music down, and he brought a chicken quite for the dances and we always had them often. We had a cow with us and 1 man­ at our place. Our living room was large aged to make a little butter and have enough to dance two sets of the square some milk and a little cream. Forgetting dances, the lancers and the quadrille. We the little spats and disagreements our got a music teacher to give Sadie and children had with the girl I had taken to Marchie a few lessons and with one of keep in schook, we got along just fine. them at the organ, Calvin with his violin, This girls's name was Anna Horton and George with his harmonica we surely [Anna M. Horton was born October 2, had the music such as it was and it was 1870, the daughter of William H. and not bad at all. Marchie and Calvi.Jt were Elizabeth (Poe) Horton. She was married the best. Marchie was past nine and to J. 0. Hamaker August 3, I 885 at the Calvin was almost twelve. They made Horton Ranch in Poe Valley.] very good music for dallcing. In the spring of 1884 when school We had six in school the winter of was out we went back to the ranch. We 1884-85 in the new schoolhouse. We had were still running the Post Office, John church in the schoolhouse Sunday morn­ having looked after it while I was a way. ings and in the afternoons we usually had This spring and summer of 1884 quite a a crowd of young folks at our house and few more people came into the valley and we would play and sing every song we it was more thickly settled and there could think of and we always had a jolly were quite a few more children of school good time. The first of September 1885 age. We established a new school district we let Sadie go back to Bonanza toschool and built another schoolhouse which was as we thought they had a better teacher only two miles from our place. This same there than the one in our district. We got

-30- her a room at the hotel and she played on wife lined it nicely and when he brought the organ they had there. She was there it and lifted the cover for me to see it about two months when she took sick there was a little white burial suit and the and we brought casket full of flowers and we laid him to [The hotel where Sadie Mae stayed rest the evening of November 12, J 885. was probably the original boarding house The doctor remained with us until the kept by Mrs. Benjamin (Melissa) Price children were all and later still by Ma thias Walters. This [Jasper Thurston Fulkerson was buried hotel stood at the northwest corner of about one half mile southwest of the present day Big Springs Park in Bonanza. I Fulkerson home on a pine covered slope her home and a few days later all the of Bryant Mountain west of the West rest of the children took sick also. We did Side Langen Valley road. According to not know what the trouble was until the reminiscenses of J. 0. Hamaker the John took sick and some of the children site was known as the Hiatt Cemetery. began to get delirious. George did not get This might indicate it was on Hiatt (Mrs. so bad and was getting better so we sent Fulkeron's father) land, or, that some him on a horse to Bonanza for the doctor, member of the Hiatt family had previous­ an old army doctor. When he arrived and ly been buried there.) examined on the way to recovery. Our most stub­ [Dr. Stacey Hemenway previously had born case was Nettie Rae but we finally been army surgeon at Ft. Klamath. After got her improving and soon had her out practicing at both Bonanza and Linkville of danger. (Klamath Falls) he entered the Indian By the spring of 1886 we were all on Service 1889.] our feet again and able to do our work everybody he pronounced it scarlet fever without help. We then sold our place and and dipthena combined, which made it turned the Post Office over to Arthur so much worse and in a very bad form. Langell but he said that with my good nursing [The Fulkerson ranch was sold to and care and his medicine we might be Arthur LangeU on March 16, 1886 for able to pull them all through. He stayed $2,000.00] right with us and he and I took turns at and he moved it to his place and we the care and nursing and we soon had moved out to our government donation them all except Nettie and Jasper on the claim about a mile from this place, on way to recovery. They were the worst of which we had built a house and barn and them all but Nettie finally began to show some corrals and fences, and here we signs of improvement but Jasper who began all over again what we had done on was only about three years old, lingered every place to improve on until he passed on November II, 1885. (Klamath County Deed Records indi­ Our neighbors were afraid to come in and cate this place consisted of 80 acres, help us but two of the men would come probably school land since it was in Sec­ and do the outside chores until John got tion 16. The eastern 40 acres was pur­ able to do them. After little Jasper passed chased from the State of Oregon, Novem­ on, one of our neighbors would come in ber 20, 1873 for $50.00 and was deeded and help us during the day and would go to John T. Fulkerson. The western 40 home for the night. I objected and told acres was purchased from the State of him he might carry the same trouble to Oregon for $80.00 and was deeded to his home but he insisted, saying he felt Ellen E. Fulkerson on April 23, 1886. it was his duty to do so, and I am sorry The legal description of this 80 acre tract to say that just twelve days after we laid is S~ of NE%, Section 16, T. 40 S., R. our baby Jasper away he Laid his little 13 EWM.) boy away also. Another neighbor, Arthur it. The children attended school in the Langell, came and took measurements new schoolhouse. Our house on this place and made a casket for our Jasper and his was a one-and-one-half story building

-31- with a large living room and a good sized Leona Evalin. Sadie and her husband bedroom on the ground floor of the main came when the baby was about three building and a shed-roofed kitchen-dining weeks old and it was awfully hard for her room combination on one side. The boys to break away and leave us so soon. had their beds upstairs in the half-story After Sadie and her husband had left part and the _girls were in the large bed­ we began packing and getting ready t~ room with John and me. move to the Yakima Valley in central ln August 1886 Calvin took sick and Washington Territory. We traded our after two or three days we saw he was place for a bunch of very nice horses, in­ not getting better so sent for the doctor tending to go into the horse raising busi­ from Linkville. When he arrived he said it ness or maybe was typhoid and in the second stage, too late to attempt to break the fever, and [This last home of the Fulkersons in leaving some medicine and instructions Langel! Valley was deeded to a Willaim and telling us he wanted to hear from us A. and Nancy J. Hall on July 30, 1888. in about twenty days, he returned to Consideration $1 ,400.00.] Linkville. The twentieth day came and trade them for some property in this New Calvin showed signs of getting worse so Yakima country. We selected a couple of[ we rushed George off for the doctor teams out of the horses we traded for again and when he arrived he told us we and had Calvin and Lewis drive the rest of were giving him the right treatment. We them to the Tule Lake marsh lands to had been giving him hot foot baths and pasture until we were ready to leave for massages. The doctor said he would come Yakima Valley. The boys were hatching along all right now if we could keep him and watching the horses that they did not from taking cold. He did come out of it get away, corraling them at nights and but was three months doing it and was herding during the daytime. One night delirious most of the time. In June I 887 about a week after they got there, they Marchie took sick and we got Dr. Hall were awakened by the barking and fussing right away and she was not down so long, of the dogs and going to the door they about eight weeks. could hear the bells of the horses (they [Dr. John Hall lived near Lost River at had bells on several of them) as if they the extreme upper, or southern end of were running, and rushing to their saddle Langel! Valley, approximately six and horses they soon discovered they were one half miles southeast of the Fulkerson being driven away on the run. Calvin fol­ home. He may have lived at two different lowed them but Lewis rode as fast as he locations, about one mile apart.] could for home to tell his father who The fall of 1887 and the winter of immediately got a posse of men and 1887-88 was very mild and nice and we made chase after the thieves but did not got through just fine. February 22, I 888 overtake them. The thieves learned they we had our first wedding in our family. were being followed and they selected a Sadie was united in marriage to Charles few of the best saddle horses and suc­ Walter and in two or three weeks they ceeded in getting over the boundary line went on a claim he had located near into California. We never knew if we got Round Mountain. They remained on that all the place until that [The California-Oregon State Line where Lost River was intersected was [Round Mountain is unidentified. It about eight and one]lalf miles southeast­ may have been Yainax Mountain, also erly from the Fulkerson Ranch.) once known as Bald Mountain] thieves left for they were scattered so by fall, 1888, when they moved to Bon­ the time John and his men discovered anza. On May 24, 1888 we had another that the thieves had got across the line, visit by the stork and he left us a seven­ but they rounded up all they could find, poum~ blond girl. She brightened and about twenty head out of our original cheered our home and we named her thirty and drove them back to our pas-

-32- ture but the thieves got all our best by the U.S. Government for railroad saddle horses. construction purposes. A few of the Well, we sold everything we could not people accepted the offer and some of get into one wagon and what was called the first buildings of the new location a thoroughbrace, into which we loaded were moved from what is now Union the organ and a few small things. Sadie Gap to the new location on wheels and and Charles had their own light wagon the new location was named North Yak­ and things. I drove the thoroughbrace ima and was later changed to Yakima with Nettie Rae, who was about ten years City. old, and Lennie Evalin, who was about six months old, with me. John had not My two sisters, Rose Hiatt Shearer fully recovered his normal health from and May Hiatt Greer, were working ip a his last sickness and the exposure from hotel in North Yakima and another sister, trying to catch the horse thieves so Arilla Thomas, lived in Cowichee Valley George went with him on the wagon with about sixteen miles northwest of North a four-up team, and Calvin, Marchie and Yakima. My sister Arilla and her husband Lewis rode horseback driving the extra met us at Satus in the southern part of horses. Before we left Langeli Valley we Washington where we camped the night built a picket paling around our baby of November eleventh and the next day Jasper's grave and carved and placed a we moved on up to North Yakima. On headstone. November thirteenth we moved 'on up [Jasper Thurston Fulkerson's tomb­ into the Cowichee Valley to my father's stone has for a second time been almost place which at this time is owned by a destroyed, this time at least probably by Mrs. A.J. Splawn. We remained with loose cattle. The picket fence has long Father and Mother a few days and then ago disappeared and only the knowledge went on up to the south fork of Cow­ of a very few people can identify it. With­ ichee Creek about four miles to my sister in a few feet is the grave-stone of Frank­ Arilla Thomas' place. We were so well lyn Calavan, killed in the Laws-Calavan pleased with this location that instead of feud of 1882.] looking around for a place to locate we traded most of our horses to Thomas for We left Langell Valley October 13, fifteen acres in the canyon on Cowichee 1888 and one month later on November Creek. 12th we camped near the present site of I was satisfied to remain here where the Walnut Street Northern Pacific via­ we were all together again, Father, Moth­ duct-subway beside a small stream which er, and sister Arilla. We were all so happy was called Shanno Creek but which was to be reunited. Grandfather Hiatt passed really a small irrigation canal that was on January I , 1882 in North Yakima and built by some people by the name of was buried in the Vaughn Cemetery Shanno to carry water from the Naches whjch was just southwest of Yakima River to their farms located near the about 1896. On December 7. 1888 while town of Yakima, which is now Union we were with sister Arilla the stork made Gap. When the Northern Pacific Railroad our famjly another visit but this time to was built through the Yakima Valley, on leave a ten-pound boy for Sadie and reaching Yakima the company said the Charles, which they named George Ray­ town was in a very poor place for what mond. About two weeks after this we they predicted would some day be of moveJ into our own houe which we had some size and importance and they a­ bought of a Colonel Tigert and moved greed to give the residents of Yakima, or onto our fifteen acres. It was a story and what is now Union Gap, plots of land a half building in which we could have farther up the valley in a more central two bedrooms upstalrs and three rooms location in the valley if they would move downstairs. We got along with this until onto it and establish a new town site on the summer of 1889 when we built a a section of Land donated to the company shed-roof addHion on one side of it for a

-33- combination kitchen-

-34- them lightly in the box. Most every fall seriously sick and advised them to get a after that our same bunch would go hop doctor as quickly as they could. When pirking together and would have a jolly the doctor came after a night's delay and good time as well as good full purses for asked what the trouble was. I told him it the Christmas holidays, but we had to was a serious case of diptheria. He work from daylight to dark to make a laughed at me and said it was only a very good day's wages. severe case of cold and sore throat. He The Indians and the white people gave some medicine and instructions and were always segregated in to separate left and the next night the little girl, groups but we were always on friendly Stella, died. When the doctor came again terms and we soon became acquainted he brought two other doctors with him with the Saluskin family, Saluskin being and after a consultation they pronounced chief of the Yakimas and always boss of diptheria. The two youngest boys and the Indians in the hop field, wherever his Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins were quite serious­ outfit happened to be picking. Saluskin ly sick but with the help of Sadie and had a place in the Cowichee at that time. Nettie Rae and some of the neighbors we When he and his bunch came to our managed to pull Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins place to<. pick hops we always gave him through and two older children but lost his noon meal at our house and we often the two youngest boys who were about had long talks with him about the early five and seven years old. We thought the habits and ways of the Indians and he rest of them were getting along fine but would tell us how the white man came Mrs. Hawkins suddenly got worse and and bought or traded the Indians out of was very seriously sick for several weeks their lands and started farming. but fmally began to improve but was not Well, we remained on our fifteen acres able to talk above a whisper for several in the Cowichee Valley ten years and months. While I was helping to take care planted a few hops each year until we of the Hawkins family I was helping with had about five acres. The fall of 1895 several other families also. There were and the winter of 1895-96 we had an several deaths in the valley but all child­ epidemic of diptheris in the Cowichee ren, and my family and I were surely Valley as well as in North Yakima. It was kept busy and when it was finally all generally thought it was carried from over we all needed a good rest, believe North Yakima to the Cowichee by the me. people traveling back and forth from By this time, 1897, our four oldest North Yakima because it hit there first. children were married or doing for them­ Our family was the first to have it but we selves leaving the three youngest ones, got through it without a doctor, John Lewis, Nettie Rae, and Lenna Evelin at having had quite an experience in nursing home with John and me. Sadie was with diptheria cases while quite a young man us also, having left her husband Charles in California. About the time we were Walter in 1896. On April 28th, 1897 she getting over it, one of our neighbors, a was married to U.S. Stewart at the home man by the name of Jack Hawkins, came of her aunt, Mrs. W.R. Searer, in North to see if I could help take care of his wife Yakima. Mr. Stewart secured a lease on and three children who were all sick in the A.J. Splawn place which Splawn nad bed. Some of the neighbors and he bought of my father, Lewis Hiatt, and thought it was only ooids and sore throats they lived there for seven years raising and a doctor they had called pronounced hops and cattle, living in the house my it the same, but it was not long until 1 father had built when he came to the recognized it as diptheria and when I Cowichee Valley from Oregon in the late told them they thought I did not know. I 880's. Splawn sold this place during Their little girl, Stella, .was very bad and their seventh year on it, to a Jack McNeff when Mrs. Hawkins asked me if I thought and after they had harvested their hops Stella was very bad I told her she was and what other crops they had raised,

-35- they sold all their cattle with the excep­ them for some fruit trees and set them on tion of sixteen head of four-year-old our lots, digging out just enough of the steers which Sadie's husband drove to his sagebrush to make a place for the trees, father's place southwest of North Yakima and carried water from the Shanno ditch to pasture for a few weeks to put a little to water them. Then we cleared the sage­ more weight on them. Then they bought brush from a space large enough for a two lots, 110 and 112 on South Tacoma small house and started building and by Avenue which is now South Seventh April fifteenth we had the shell of it up, Avenue in Yakima, and built a small the roof on, the doors hung, and the house on lot no. 112. They also bought windows framed. By that time we had a two-acre tract just south of the city run out of cash and would not go in debt limits between what is now Ninth and for windows, but we moved in so as to Tenth Avenues, which they sold a few stop paying rent. We would hang a sheet years later and improved their home or blanket over the window openings at property at 112 South Seventh Avenue night and during bad weather for a few where they are still living at the present weeks. About the first of July John se­ time, 1935, and they also built a five­ cured the job of carrying the mail to and room cottage on the II 0 lot which they from Fort Simcoe which is about sixteen rented for several years and finally sold miles south of Yakima on the Simcoe and further improved their home. Indian Reservation. As soon as his pay Well, the winter of 1897-98 we decid­ began coming in regularly every month ed we could not make anything raising and with the help of Lewis and Nettie hops as the price had dropped so low Rae, and with what I could make at there was no profit left. My husband's nursing, we soon had our house fixed up health was also failing as he had never so we could~ve in it very comfortabley. recovered his normal health after he had The fall of 1898 we all went to the the scarlet fever in Oregon, so we decided John Daverin place in the Lower Ahtan­ to sell our place and move to Nor th um Valley about five miles southwest of Yakima. I had become' quite efficient as Yakima and picked hops, and with the a practical nurse and thought by that help of Lewis, Nettie Rae, and Lenna means l could make enough to get along Evelin we managed to finish the house so the spring of 1898 we sold our place inside with ceilings, partitions, and win­ in Cowichee Valley and bought the two dows. The spring of 1899 John and Lewis lots, I 09 and Ill, on what was then cleaned up enough of the lots to raise Moxee Avenue and which is now (1935) enough garden for our own use, and with South Fifth Avenue. At that time the our hens and cow we got along just fine. streets west of the Northern Pacific right We could not carry water from the of-way and parallel with it were named Shanno ditch for all this so we bought a for the different subdivisions of the water right in the Shan no ditch. As John Yakima basin and for some of the leading was still carrying the Fort Simcoe mail cities of the state and in 1916 they were and did not have the time to dig a ditch changed to numbered avenues. to get water to our lots, I told him if he The two lots we bought were covered would stake out the course of it so we with sagebrush and the Shanno ditch ran would know where to make it, the boys along the alley or east end of them. We and I would dig it. My sister's boy, Bud rented a house west of Yakima, about Thomas, was with us part of the time. five or six blocks from the lots we had Thomas had sold his place in the Cow­ bought, and the first of March 1898 we ichee Valley in the spring of 1898 and moved our belongings from the ranch rented and moved into a house about two (four horses, one cow, two hogs, two or miles west of Yakima and soon after­ three dozen hens, and several stands of wards he went to Alaska. That was at the bees) but thinking the bees would not be time of the Alaska gold rush of 1898. profitable so near the town, we traded Well, the boys, Lewis and Bud, and I got

-36- the old horse and plow out and went to of garden vegetables of all kinds and work on the ditch and such a time as we several kinds of berries, and after four or had with it! The ground was so rocky five years we had a few fruit trees bearing and hard it was slmost impossible to keep and always a yard full of flowers of the plow in it so Bud being heavier than several kinds. By 1901 the town was Lewis rode on the plow beam and then spreading out more and several new when the plow would take hold it was houses had been built in our neighbor­ almost too much for the old horse, but hood. by taking time and by diligence and perseverance we fianlly succeeded with The summer of 1902 there were a lot plow, pick and shovel in' getting a ditch of typhoid fever cases in Yakima and in from somewhere near the junction of some cases the whole family of five or Fifth Avenue and Walnut Street to our six would be down at the same time and lots. The Shanno ditch was afterwards 1 had all the nursing I could handle. There combined with the Broadgage and Mor­ was one family who were all down and rison ditches and put through the city quite bad and the doctor asked me to limits in a forty inch cement pipe which take the boy, who was about fourteen was laid underground around the bench years old and who was quite sick, to my where the Senior High School is located house and take care of him. 1 took him and our irrigation water was piped from and pulled him thorugh and at the same this main from near the junction of Wal­ time I would go out to the other homes nut Street and Sixth Avenue. and help all I could: As soon as I got this boy (his name was Harvey Garrett) out A few years later the city bought of danger and where he could look after water-right shares in the Cowichee-Naches himself to some degree, I went to take Canal which runs around the east end of care of our son Calvin and his wife and the high ridge just west of the city, boy who were all down and I :;urely had known as Nob Hill, and the irrigation water for the central part of the city was all I could do. But while I was taking piped from this high, point. The city care of Calvin and his family, the doctor later put in irrigatio; systems for the brought in a baby about a year old with part of the city north and south of this typhoid pneumonia and wanted me to system and all the city irrigation water is take it and care for it. I told him I had under gravity pressure. Before the pres­ all I could look after but he said I would sure systems were created for irrigation, have to take it because he could not find there were ditches on each side of the anyone else to take care of it, so I gave in streets of the city from north to south and took it and soon had them all on the and shade trees along all of them. way to recovery. I wish to say here that just before Christmas 1934 (this is 1935) Well, in 1899 we built a barn and thirty-one years after taking care of corral for our cow and horses on the Harvey Garrett I received a lovely Christ­ alley end of our lots and made the corral mas card and letter from him saying he fence so that the animals could get at the could never forget the mother who water of the ditch any time they wanted nursed him through such a sickness and it. In the spring of 1900 we built a picket said he had a son eighteen years old. He fence around our lots to protect our also said he expected to be in Yakima garden and shrubbery and trees from our some time in 1935 and would surely see neighbors' dogs and an occasional cow me. It made me real happy to know he or horse that happened to be roaming had remembered me and that I would around in our neighborhood. In those soon see him again. early days it was not an unusual thing to Well, I have seen Yakima develop into see horses and cows in the streets of a sizable city. There are business buildings Yakima and especially during the hop all around my home and I finally had a picking season. We always raised plenty "OOd offer for the property, and my hus-

-37- band having passed on November 26, months old when her family made the 1924 and as I was alone most of the time trip across the plains. As Miss Ellen Hiatt I sold it and came to live with Sadie and she was married December 12, 1866, in her husband. Lewis passed on December Horn's hotel, Jackson County, Oregon, 27, 1924 and Lenna Evalin passed on on and afterward moved to Lake County, October 19, 1928. Marchie is still living which is now known as Klamath County. in Alaska. George is living in Oregon. Mr. Fulkerson was one of the first white Calvin is living in Alaska. Nettie Rae men to settle there and was ' the first Shelhammer is living here in Yakima and person to take stock to that country, so is conducting a business of her own, a became well known throughout the ladies' wearing apparel store. Northwest as a cattleman. He helped to subdue the Modoc Indians as a volunteer under Capt. Applegate. He later located in the Langells valley, where he served as postmaster for 13 years. Mr. and Mrs. EPILOGUE Fulkerson moved to the Yakima valley with their family 28 years ago. They have [Clipping from an unknown Yakima, seen the city grow from the time it was Washington Newspaper, December 12 moved from Old Town to the present 1916] site with much interest and have formed Golden Wedding Anniversary (ctr) a Large circle of warm friends throughout by Gladys Stewart (ctr) the city and valley. Many lovely gifts and messages and letters of congratula­ Mr. and Mrs. John T. Fulkerson were tion were received by the happy couple. the pleased and gracious hosts this after­ noon, when they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary and the culmination of 50 years of happy married life. They smilingly greeted the large gathering of relatives and friends who came and went Memories of the Old West during the receiving hours from 3 o'clock until 5. Appropriate decorations of gold [Clipping from an unknown Yakima, and green beautified the rooms. Stately Washington Newspaper, September 13, chrysanthemums, boughs of evergreen, 1936] bright colored autumn leaves and wreaths of holly tied with gold ribbon were artis­ Something of the vigor and romance tically employed to carry out the effect. of the old west died in Yakima the other Mr. and Mrs. Fulkerson were assisted in day with the passing of Mrs. Ellen Fulker­ receiving and entertaining their friends by son,a pioneer of pioneers. their four daughters and three sons, Mrs. Mrs. Fulkerson had lived in the west Fred Boynton of Juneau, Alaska; Calvin for 83 years, and all her memories-vivid Fulkerson of Olema and Lewis Fulkerson memories, indeed-were of it. Best of all, of Prosser and Mrs. U.S. Stewart, Mrs. Mrs. Fulkerson was articulate. One could Lenna Davidson, Mrs. Charles Shelhamer sit by her side for hour after entranced and George Fulkerson, all of this city. hour and live in a bright new world, the Mrs. Catherine Hiatt and Mrs. G.C. world of the pioneers. Thomas of Seattle, mother and sister of Mining camps- ghost towns today­ the hostess, were among the out-of-town would come alive under the magic touch guests present. ofher memory. Once more the wild ducks Mr. Fulkerson was born 76 years ago would fly, in fluttering thousands, across in Williams County, Ohio, and his wife, the green marshes of the Oregon lake who is 11 years his junior, was born in country. And again, the tricky Modocs Cass County, Ia. She was only a few would creep forth, with all their craft-

-38- ness and guile, to battle the handful of Ashland, Oregon. She died June 30, 1867 settlers and the few soldiers who guarded and was buried at Jacksonville, Oregon. them. George Edward Fulkerson was born Nor were the less exciting but no less December 7, 1868 on a farm some two enduring aspects of those times forgotten miles northeast of Keno, Oregon, thus by Mrs. Fulkerson. She could spread en­ becoming the first white child born in chantment over the homely and simple what is now Klamath County. He had delights in the lives of those early settlers. two sons, Charles and Carl, who lived in She could make her friendship with an Yakima, and two daughters. He died Indian woman, a friendship in which dif­ March 6, 1951 and is buried in the Pio­ ferences of race and creed were forgotten, neer Cemetery at Salem, Oregon. a revelation of the universality of loneli­ Sadie Mae {or May) Fulkerson was ness. born August 24, 1870 on a farm some She could recall the speedy and silent two miles northeast of Keno. She was the generosity that cared for the sick and first white girl born in what is now needy. She could remember the laughter Klamath County. Date of death unknown, that seemed to echo to her down the but she was buried in Tahoma Cemetery long trail of the years, and which fre­ at Yakima. quently bubbled up from the deep well Calvin Thomas Fulkerson was born of her own humor. September 21 , 1872 on the farm at Keno, Character and courage. They are empty according to his mother's reminiscences, words these days. Mrs. Fulkerson had but in Linkville (now Klamath Falls) ac­ them, in great measure, and the world is cording to some members of his family. poorer for her loss. If so, he would be the first white baby born in Linkville. However, this would seem doubtful to this writer in light of Fulkerson Family Ellen E's statements. Calvin Thomas had a son Volney, born February 24, 1893 in Vital Statistics Yakima, whose wife Inga, furnished much by Devere Helfrich of the material for this record. He also had a daughter. Calvin Thomas died May John Trucks Fulkerson was born Octo­ 21 , 1961 and is buried in the Tahoma ber 18, 1840 in Williams County, Ohio. Cemetery at Yakima. He was the son of J asper and Oara Marsha (or Marcille) Bell Fulkerson Fulkerson and had one sister who married was born March 16, 187 5 on a farm in a Dr. Frickel. He came west to California, Langell Valley, southwest of LoreUa settling in the San Joaquin Valley until Date of death unknown but she also was 1865 when he came to Jackson County, buried in the Tahoma Cemetery in Yaki Oregon. He passed away at Yakima, rna. Washington, November 26, 1924 and Lewis Hiatt Fulkerson was born March was buried in the Tahoma Cemetery at 2, 1877 on the farm in Langell Valley. He that place. died December 27, 1924 and is buried Ellen Elizabeth Hiatt, the daughter of in the Tahoma Cemetery in Y akirna. Lewis and Lydia Hiatt, was born October Nettie Rae Fulkerson was born No­ 2, 1851 in the Potawatomy District, Cass vember 19, 1878 on the farm in Langell County, Iowa. She was married to John Valley. She is the mother of Vance T. Fulkerson, December 12, 1866 in Shelhamer of Yakima, who furnished the David Hom's Hotel in Jacksonville, Ore­ wonderful picture of the Fulkerson family gon. Ellen E. passed away September 13, in 1916. She passed away in 1939 and 1936 at Yakima and is buried in the is buried in the Tahoma Cemetery in Tahoma Cemetery. Yakima. Clara (or Claracy) Ann Fulkerson was Jasper Thurston Fulkerson was born born June 27, 1867 on a farm near October 27, 1882 on the farm in Langell

-39- Valley. He died November II , 1885 and July 27, 1872. The Fourth at Link­ is buried in the little Hiatt Cemetery on ville, Linkville, July 5th, Editor the the west side of Langell Valley. It was Times: The glorious anniversary of Amer­ through this little forgotten and almost ican liberty, an occasion that gladdens lost grave that the Fulkerson story came and animates and unites all American to light. hearts has been aroused again and in the Lenna Evalin Fulkerson was born May Lake country met with a rousing recep­ 25, 1888 on the farm in Langell Valley. tion. The Linkville people to their honor She died October 19, 1928 and is also made au necessary preparations and as buried in the Tahoma Cemetery in the hour for the celebration exercises Yakima. drew near a new evergreen grove, impro­ End. vised for the occasion might have been seen waving by the river's side. Rows of green firs shaded the streets of the pic­ turesque little village on every side. The First Fourth of July new hall of Angle and Stevenson which had risen as if by magic, looked down the street, flags waved, wagons freighted Celebration in Linkville with people, good things for the table, came in from all directions and the fatted [Two items as reported in the Jackson­ calf killed that all might make merry, ville Democratic Times- Editor] baked and blistered in the barbecue. At II o'clock A.M. the procession June 22, 1872. Fourth of J uly Meeting was formed in town under the direction at Klamath. The citizens of the Klamath of the marshal of the day, J.D . Applegate country met at Linkville on June 18th, and his aids, N.D. Stevenson and William 1872 to make the preliminary arrange­ Forsythe and marched to the grove. ments for the Fourth of July celebration. Never before since those days when On motion, George Nurse was called to thousands of red men set their snares in chair, and O.C. Applegate to the pen. the Cascade mountains and rode our On motion, a committee on general beautiful streams in their swift canoes, arrangements was appointed, consisting has so long a procession wound its way of the following: William Angle, George along the ever raging floods of Link River. S. Miller, William Forsythe, George Nurse, Arriving at the grove, Dr. C.M. Saw­ A.J. Burnett, John T. Fulkerson, O.C. telle of Salem read the grand old Declara­ Applegate, S.W. Kilgore, Henry Duncan tion in a way to increase our admiration and F. Hefting. for those brave old heros who planted On motion, C.M. Sawtelle was chosen the banyan tree of our common country as reader, O.C. Applegate as orator, L.S. so deep in the American soil that the Dyar as chaplain, and l.D. Applegate as storms of aristocracy and oppression for­ arshal of the day. ever howl and blow around it in vain. Mr. On motion, the following resolution O.C. Applegate, the orator of this day, was adopted: Resolved that we are deter­ then followed with an able and beautiful mined to get up a rousing celebration at oration which was received as it richly Linkville and that we extend a hearty in­ deserved to be with enthusiastic applause, vitation to everybody to participate. after which the sumptuous repast spread On motion, the secretary was instruct­ beneath the evergreens was served and ed to forward the proceedings to the lemonade cooled with ice from the Cas­ Times and Senrinal with the request to cades flowed freely around the board. publish them. The afternoon was spent in promanading, On motion, adjourned, sine die. boat riding, etc., and in preparing for the George Nurse, Chairman ball which commenced rolling the same O.C. Applegate, Secretary evening and continued until old Sol

-40- looked over the mountain's top the next hotel did honor to hlmself and his house. morning. The current of good humor flowed like Throughout the day and night every­ our own river both day and night and thing was orderly and systematic. The dis­ everybody voted the first Fourth of July play of lovely damsels at the ball would celebration at Linkville a decided success. have done credit to a larger and older place. The supper at Uncle George Ncrse's A.H.M.

Goddess of liberty (Claudia Spink Lorenz) on float driven by John McCall, headed east on Main Street in Klamath Falls, near intersection of Fourth and Main. (Maude Baldwin photo)

Decorated buggy and team headed east on Main Street between Third and Fourth Streets. People unidentified. 1905 High School at top of hill. (Maude Baldwin photo)

41- 1898 parade on Main Street in the Court House Block. Notation on photo states, Mollie (Reames Jennings), Ethel ------and Maude (Baldwin). (In the Maude Baldwin collection)

1911 Elks parade passing the Livermore Hotel (old Houston Hotel) headed east. The Livermore, located just west of the present Willard Hotel, burned on September 6, 1920. Ten bodies were identified, and four more remains thought to be bodies were never identified. (Maude Baldwin photo)

-42- Rodeo bucking stock being paraded east on Main Street in the 500 block. (Maude Baldwin photo)

Parade headed east on Main Street at Ninth. The Central School building to the left and the older grade and High school in the background (later the McMillan Apartments at Tenth and Pine Streets). (Maude Baldwin photo)

43- feet and legs. The barn had stalls for 1880 Recollections of about thirty or forty horses, as l remem­ J.O. Hamaker ber it, and it was the main Stage Barn of the town. Written 55 years later, about 1935 That lake front making an ideal place to water the horses and being shallow for [Part 1 was printed in the 1974 issue some distance you could walk horses of Klamath Echoes, No. 12, pages 30- around and wash the mud off, thus saving 34 inclusive. It told briefly of Hamaker's the Labor of currying it off. birth July 30, 1856 in Iowa, his eventual It is reported that at one time a Clear arrival in Oregon at the "White Horse Lake citizen came to the town and pro­ Ranch," southeast of Steens Mountain. ceeded to imbibe that "Old Corn Liquor" From there he made his way alone on until he could imagine anything, and at horseback, via Warner, Surprise and his request one of the cowboys put a Goose Lake Valleys, past Bly and old halter on him and led him out in the lake Yainax to his mother's(Mrs. W.H. Horton) so he could gratify his whim of "drinking home in North Poe Valley where he ar­ like a horse." The water was probably rived on March I , 1880. This issue of one foot or so deep, and he put his hands Klamath Echoes continues Mr. Hamaker's down for front le~~;s and drank. story:) During those days Peerson, Pratt, Grub The morning of March the 4th I rode to Klamath Falls (then Linkville), which, and others were the freighters for this part, which consisted of a wagon haul as has been said before, was two towns­ from Redding, California, requiring about Bunchtown (down by the bridge), and four weeks to make the round trip, us­ String town from the old Central school ually six or eight horses and one or two house to about where the Murdock build­ tra.iler wagons to the rig. This was the ing [ 216 Main-Editor I now stands-this time when the merchants could truth­ was a carpenter shop of Hale & Fair­ fully say «J am out of that but I expect clulds. Where the present Court house some on the next load." Thatcher and now stands was a large barn owned and occupied as such by Herbert Dyer. A little Worden were the merchants at that time pathway was o n the right hand side of the and were installed in the Brick Store road, as that is what it was, through the [Northeast corner of the intersection of town, and this was the boasted sidewalk present Main and Conger Streets- Editor l, of Linkville, most of it being made when and I am told that Alex Miller once held the earth was made and had no covering an interest in the merchandise of Link­ on it yet except where it crossed the ville. gulch that was a part of the Court house I recall one Mr. Sperry, a large Scotch­ block, some eight or ten feet deep, over man, that I believe was the mason that which was some trestles and a couple of built the Brick Store, and my brother, 2 x 6 inch lumber coverings for say 40 S.C. Hamaker, moulded the brick that feet-only room for one at a time to cross was used in its construction, just out in this-it was of necessity the "one way the neighborhood of the bath-house traffic," the first and as I believe, the only [Along the hillside in front of present one in the history of the town as far back Klamath Union High School- Editor), as 1880. the lime kiln was erected out beyond the J.W. Manning, father of Horace M., General Hospital [For years the remains had a livery barn down on the edge of of a pit on K Hill above Pacific Terrace the lake [Across Main Street, south of has been in evidence, perhaps the one the present Baldwin Hotel-Editor) where started by these men- Editor] on the you could lead your horse out of the side hilL It was not first-class Lime, but it stall and "walk the plank" out a ways and has stood the test of the weather for let him drink and wash the mud off his some years and the sand was just as good

-44- as that now imported from Ma.rysville, Estate office north of the highway and California, for the simple reason that the east of the Fairgrounds- EditOI) was the people did not know anything better at Beach ranch owned by Joe and his that time and 50 years is proof that it was brother who made first stock history for good lime and good sand and good brick. this county by importing "a little Cayuse" People seemed different those days and as he was called then but afterwards desired efficiency rather than Stylish known as Altamont, who today holds the Reputation. Pacific Coast wagon record as a trotter. Right there the road turned to the right Now, let's travel out to Olene, then and over the rolling ridges past the Steve called Galbreath's Gap. Robert Galbreath Stukle ranch [just below the Main Canal had a pole covered bridge about where at the Eberlein Street bridge-Editor] and the present bridge now stands and had it the Hot Spring called the "Devil's Tea­ closed as his own property and if you kettle," [Approximately the center of desired to cross this structure you paid the East Side By-Pass, slightly west of the toll or else you did not cross. Then the bridge on Washburn Way- Editor) a traveling toward Linkville, the first house boiling spring about 8 feet across; then you came to was the Royley place, now the Q.A. Brooks house was next [Ap­ the Grigsby ranch [Just west of the pres­ proximately midway between the railroad ent Basil Brown home) , then a house and the Main Canal on the north side of where A.R. Campbell lives was known as Main Street-Editor) - there we enter a the Old Man Aarant place [approximately small flat that was sure muddy. [That one and one half miles west of Olene and section of land between Spring Street one quarter of a mile south of the high­ and the east side of the railroad immed­ way-Editor). John Shepherd's people iately east of the Klamath Falls Fire lived where John now lives [Approximat­ Department Station-Editor), and on the ely 200 yards east of Calvery Cemetery other side of it was the Bath house [Near and north of the highway; nothing re­ the Esplanade Street entrance to Modoc mains of this place-Editor], and at the Field-Editor] . On the right and a little Pine Grove School House lived Ben farther on the opposite [?-Editor) side of Shreeves. Next was the home of Frank the road was the Slaughter house of Aarant, yet known as the Aarant place Schallock brothers, Henry and John [Across the highway opposite the Pine (Near the intersection of Wall and Esplan­ Grove School and some distance south ade Streets- Editor next was the School of the highway-Editor), and Jim Shreeves 1, House on the little knoll where is the lived a little farther over the ridge toward Central School [Center of Ninth Street town [Just east of the Merrill-Lakeview between Main and Pine Streets-Editor] Junction and on the south side of the and then we were in "String town" with present highway- Editor the next house 1; Herman Conn's place on one side [Near was the John Smart place [South of the the present Shaw's Stationery Store­ highway in the neighborhood of the Editor) and Mr. Gordon's on the oppo­ Idella Grocery Store- Editor) , and on the site [Just west of the U.S. National Bank­ opposite side of the road back in the Editor]. Next was Newt Pratt's place on field was S.C. Hamaker's 120 [Land the block with Conn [Someplace between owned by the Hamaker family lay on the Shaw's Stationery and Seventh Street on north side of the highway, extending the north side of Main-Editor) and J.W. eastward from Summer's Lane or the Hamaker in the center of the block Main Canal one half mile with the ranch where the Kelsey Building now stands buildings someplace northerly from !­ della's Store. The land included the strip [Presently occupied by Jone~ Office of property between the Highway and Supply-Editor). Across the street was Shasta Way-Editor) . Where R.H. Bunnell the Graham restaurant [Probably later now lives [The present Cedarleaf Real the old Esmond or American Hotei-Ed-

45- Olene Post Office about 1911. Located on the north side of the present O.C. & E. Railroad tracks near the Highway crossing. (F .M. Priest photo)

~898. Indians drying suckers (mullet) at their camp on Lost River downstream from Olene. (Maude Baldwin collection)

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Altamont Store and Post Office about 1893-94. location near the present Payless Store in Shasta Plaza. John Ratliff on the wagon, G.W. Smith is the large man on the porch at right.

Billie Mitchell, whose father once owned the Altamont Ranch. (Maude Baldwin photo)

-47- Linkville (Klamath Falls) in 1893, rebuilding after the disastarous fires of 1889 and 1892.

Klamath Falls during the construction of the Central School (left) in the winter of 1904-05. Looking southwest down Esplanade Street toward Klamath Falls about 1908, or before 1fle railroad arrived. (Maude Baldwin photo)

Klamath Falls in 1909' or 1910, after 1fle arrival of the railroad .

49- itorl. and on the <:orner was th..: J.N.T. Mam and Pine Editor j ; John Pierson ~hiler & Co. B:~rn I Now the loc:~tion of and another man {I have forgotten his l'ran'>am<'rica Title Jn,uranc<' Company name) had rcsidcn<:es in the hlo.:k where on the southe..:ond Jnd Thtrd Streets. south of Main wnh Carrick\ residl'ncc behind eh south of Mam Fditorl On west along .\1am Street but east of the the ba<:k of the lot from S.B. Cranston's present Baldwin llotel-Editor I, and op­ offJ..:c was his residence near the Public posite was the Manning Livery Barn Markel. now I The name should be 0 .0. [Almost due south across Main Street Cranston and his residence stood toward and the off-ramp from the Freeway, from th~ ba<.:k of propert} no\\ oc..:upied by the Baldwin Hotel-Editor). The Forbes th~ eastern poruon ( Bu~h Furniture Co .. Saloon on the opposite side I of Mam 221 Main) of the Willard Hotel. In 1935 Street Editor! of the Nurse Hotel I Later thc Puhli<: Marki:t o~.:..:upied the south­ to he<:ome the Lakeside Inn. south of ,~~st .:orncr of Third Jnd Main-Edttor): Main opposite Cobo's City Center Lodge­ and on thl' \ame blocl.. a little farther Edllor 1 and the Post Office between 11 wa' the restden<:l"! of John S~:hallock. set and the Brick Store I Forbes' Saloon was w.:ll hac I.. toward Pine Street [On land located at about the entran<.:e to Cobo'~ now oc.;u pied by the western half of the Lodge. with the po~t offic.;e farther west \V1IIard Hotel Editor I. and the Brkk Store extended out into the .\bout where Whit lOLl..·~ Undertakmg. pr<.!sent north-bound on-ramp to the Free­ parlor~ [ 1\orthwcst corm:r of Sixth and way. There is an Historical marker on the Pine Street~ - 1-ditorl w

-50- Joe Conger lived up the river, and a But when the Morning would appear squaw man Dave Du-vall I Duvaui-Editor) and the Liquor was dead, the town would also. Then across the river lived W.S. again assume "the quiet little place it was Moore where the road turns either way before the row starred." A man by the up and down the river [This building name of Greenman succeeded George "The Maples" still stands, immediately Nurse in the Hotel and ran it for a few south of the Klamath Art Association years, adding some improvements and Building. In early days, before Fremont additions to this prominent Hostelry then. Bridge was constructed, the Rocky Point, A man from Ft. Jones. California. by the Pelican Bay and Lake of the Woods roads name of G.W. Smith, who afterwards be­ turned north up Link River on Mill Street. came prominently identified with the immediately west of Favell's Museum, development of Linkville and Klamath while the Ashland and Yreka roads turned County, served at one time a term as south down Riverside Street- Editor). County Judge of the County. Also he had This, I believe, constitutes the towns of the distinction of building a two-story Linkville and String Town, at that date. building or annex to the Linkville Hotel. Some of the noted characters of those the lower story used as a store of which days were James Barkley, Dave DuvauL he was proprietor and the upper story Dennis Crawley, Bill Webb, Thomas was utilized as the County Court House McKay , (pronounced McKy), Frenchey, of Klamath County until one was erected and others. on the block where the present court It was not uncommon those days for house now stands. and known as the Old Jim Barkley and Tom McKay to get into Court House. G.W. Smith also built a an Irish mix-up and have a fake fight and store and hotel opposite the present then when the shades of evening gathered Court House, that was destroyed by fire. around the world, Tom McKay would He then moved to Altamonr where he cuss on the west side of the river for a erected a Store Building. and J .T . Bradley while at Jim Barkley who he thought was was clerk, until later he embarked in the at the Forbes Saloon, and to make his field as a merchant at Lorella and later profanity more impressive would locate moved to Bonanza, where he still is in the himself on a prominance on the side of General Merchandise business. (Died in the river opposite from the Saloon and 1932). with his Spencer rifle shoot up the streets [To be continued in some future issue between the Saloon and the Nurse Hotel, of Klamath Echoes- Editor). sometimes making it best for a person to remain indoors for several hours. Parr I

Reflections and . Summers Ill 1884. By 1895 he had held the office of Klamath County Clerk Recollections of for four successive terms. He became the Circuit Judge A.L. Leavitt first Mayor of Klamath Falls in 1893. Much later he served as Klamath County Address to the Daughters of the Circuit Judge for a number of years.] American Revolution, September 17, 1925 The Birth of Klamath Falls Daughters of the American Revolution: You have asked me to tell you something I Circuit Judge A. L. Leavitt was born about the birth of the city of Klamath in Sonora. Tuolumne County, California Falls. I respond with more pleasure than on October 17. 1858. He came to the you can imagine. I love the past: especiall} Klamath Country as a cowhand for Jesse that part of the past that has to do with

-51- the beginning, the growth and the devel­ temperature. Indeed I think it was rec­ opment of the City of Klamath Falls. I ognized as more of an attraction at that love, on occasion, to take my place in the time than now; at least it was a common reviewing stand set apart for silver-topped center to which we all drifted, on occa­ boys and as the procession moves past, sion, to scald our hogs. The townspeople point out to members of a later genera­ watered their horses and cows at a spring tion the part this or that personage played located about the middle of the intersec­ in the events going to make up the earlier tion of Main and Seventh streets, the over­ history of our city; to show how typical flow from the spring wandering off down of those days were the marchers in such a the easterly side of Seventh street to the procession. flat below. A rail fence along what is now Klamath Avenue from a point near the When I am to occupy the reviewing White Pelican hotel [Now the Balsiger stand this evening for a few brief mo­ Motor Company building at Main and ments the occasion is a bit too formal for Esplanade Streets- Editor) to the river me to give free reign to memory and let just below the bridge was the northerly it wander wheresoever it might; and be­ boundary fence enclosing what was then sides, to attempt to give voice and de­ known as the Brooks pasture, and it was scription in this narrative to a tenth part comprised of the territory now occupied of what such a procession reveals to me by Railroad Addition, Klamath Addition would be to extend this narrative to an and part of Mills Addition. A small hotel­ undue length, so I will content myself the Horton House, as its sign said - stood with what seems to me to be the out­ about where today stands the Golden standing features, the salient facts attend­ Rule store [The northeast corner of Main ing the birth of Klamath Falls. and Eighth Streets- Editor! , and was The earlier history of our city is too vacant. On the comer of Main and Sixth closely interwoven with the history of stood a livery and feed stable with a very Linkville, its predecessor, in interest that limited patronage [Now the location of I must perforce go back some little dis­ Transamerica Title Insurance Company­ tance for a starting point. As my narrative Editor) ; opposite was a blacksmith shop is to be based largely upon personal ex­ [Now partly occupied by the First Na­ perience and observation I have elected tional Bank- Editor) ; and in the same to begin with my arrival in Linkville, block were the residences of Mr. J.W. July 10, 1884, at three o'clock p.m. Hamaker and Mr. A.D. Carrick, the black­ smith. In the next block toward the river To begin with, I shall endeavor to give and on the same side of the street resided you a sort of birdseye view as I saw it John G. Shallock and a part of the Cran­ first. ston family; on the block opposite on the At that time, the eminence upon which present site of the Melhase Building stands the Central School [Ninth Street (Presently occupied by Sportland Distrib­ between Main and Pine Stre.ets-Editor) uters and Cascade Home Furnishing-Ed­ extended in a gradual slope across Main itor I stood a dwelling known as the J .N. T. Street to approximately the middle of the Miller house, a stone and adobe structure. first tier of blocks south of Main Street On what is now the Matthews property opposite; completely shutting off the view at the [Southeast- Editor) corner of Pine up Main Street from one approaching and Fourth, stood the house of the post­ from the east. The easterly approach to master [W.A. Wright- Editor). On the site the town in those days, and for a long of the Imperial garage [Southwest corner time afterward, was via the "Devil's Tea­ of Second and Main- Editor) stood the kettle," [Approximately the center of Cranston residence and opposite was the the East Side By-Pass, slightly west of the residence of R.B. Hatton (Near or wester­ bridge on Washburn Way- EdHor), cele­ ly from the Shell Service Station- Editor]. brated then, as now, for its scalding We have now reached Center Street going

-52- toward the river. Rounding the angle of people connected with the Modoc war. the street gives us a view of the real Link­ ville. There we behold the postoffice [ Lo­ The little town nestling in its primitive cation unknown-Editor], Dr. Summer's isolation was, I think, unconsciously strug­ residence [Location unknown- Editor] , gling for a place in the sun under a handi­ the Freise hall [Probably located just east cap imposed at its christening in I 867, of the Baldwin Hotel and wooden ~uilding by the pioneer George Nurse, who laid adjoining the hotel to the east- Editor], out and later platted the original town­ J.W. Mannings livery and feed stables site. Even while laboring under the handi­ [Across Main Street south of the Baldwin cap of its name, and its isolation, the Hotel-Editor), the "red" house- a two little town about that year began to de­ storey structure [Adjoining Payne Alley velop ambitious propensities, and though on the present location of Coho's City they builded slowly-with the tools at hand-they builded well the foundations Center Lodge office-Editor), Forbes upon which were to rest their dream saloon, the Baldwin and Forbes hardware, castles of the future. It was in the year a barber shop, the "brick" store [All fac­ 1884 that saw the first influx of new set­ ing Main Street on the parking area of tlers to the Klamath Basin and the town Coho's City Center Lodge- Editor) and profited to quite an extent. The fust the Linkville Hotel [Across Main Street newspaper, the Klamath County Star, be­ south of Coho's Lodge- Editor). gan making its weekly appearance. Tom Bear in mind, this is a description of Martin built a flour mill [On the West Linkville 41 years ago. Its setting was side of Link River, more than one quarter attractive even then, and its few inhabi­ of a mile above the Main Street bridge­ tants, pioneers, of course were real live Editor] ; G.W. Smith, having acquired the people, abreast of the times in a business Nurse Hotel property, remodeled and way. Their accomplishments in the line greatly improved the property and be­ of municipal development were meager stowed upon the structure the name but fully in accord with the development "Linkville Hotel." G.W.J. Wilson, and of the surrounding country. Hedged about Wm. Steele, settlers from Nevada, began as they were by mountains, contact with the construction of an irrigating canal commercial centers such as Portland, San which later became known as the Ankeny Francisco and Sacramento was not fre­ Canal. The Presbyterian church was erect­ quently possible. The railroad from Port­ ed. To give you an idea of the town's land south was then building just south progress: In 1886 there were seven stores, of Roseburg and in the Cow Creek can­ four saloons, three hotels, three black­ yon, and north from Sacramento in and smith shops, a brewery, three livery and about Delta in the Sacramento canyon. feed stables, four lawyers, a newspaper Communication from north and south and a population of probably three hun­ was via Ashland, and the mail came that dred and fifty souls. way by stage from Ashland over the old Ashland road. Transportation, in the mod­ The following year, 1887, a bill was ern signification of that term, was not a introduced in the legislature to incorpor­ burning question in Linkville. There was ate the town of Linkville. The measure no need of any propaganda for unity of failed; and it was not until February, action, and there were no factions. There 1889, that the town was finally incor­ was just one source of revenue, that which porated. On September 6th of that year was derived from the sale of beef driven occurred the big fire that eliminated south to meet the on-<;oming railroad. everything of an inflamable nature from As the mother of the city of Klamath Center Street to the bridge across Link Falls, Linkville was not nationally known; River, and would have eliminated the indeed I doubt very much that its exist­ bridge but for the heroic efforts of the ance was generally known outside the women.

-53- That disaster was closely followed by finally found a lodgment in the minds of the hard winter of 1889 and '90. The loss the people and a line of action was agreed of stock was very great. Ager was then upon. In December 1891, the post office the gateway to the Klamath country. Our department was petitioned to change the letters and papers, when received in Feb­ name of the post office at this point to ruary, were thirty days old. As an instance Klamath Falls, and in March, 1892, the of the numerous hardships encountered following communication was received by during that winter and of the intrepidity our postmaster, Mr. C.H. Withrow: of the sufferers, a Mr. Teaters, living on Washington, D.C. the river just above Keno, in the early March 11 , 1892 part of the winter, on foot leading a Sir: - The Postmaster General has milch cow, broke a trail through to Link­ changed the name of your post office ville and carried home on the back of the from Linkville to Klamath Falls, in the old cow three sacks of flour to feed his State of Oregon. The new name, how­ hungry family. A picture of the State ever, must not be used until the beginning Highway Department keeping the highway of the next quarter, nor until you have open to Ashland, Lakeview and Fort executed a bond and been commissioned Klamath during such a winter as that, under the new name. would be a real curiosity. That winter Q.G. Rathbone, witnessed the first serious epidemic of La First Assist. P.M. General Grippe in the United States; and how in the world it ever found its way into Link­ ville that \vinter is still an unexplained On April I, 1892, Klamath Falls be­ came the official name of our postoffice. mystery, but it did, and laid low the en­ A legislative act being requisite to there­ tire population at approximately the same incorporation of the town under the time. name of Klamath Falls, a proposed new charter was prepared and submitted to The fire of 1889 was a blow to the the board of trustees for approval on west portion of the town from which it December 19th, 1892, and being approved never recoven~d . and the business activi­ was submitted to the legislature of 1893, ties gradually but persistently sought and and on the stroke of I 2 midnight, Mon­ found locations east of Center Street. day, February 6, 1893, "An Act entitled About this time, viz., 1890, a civil engin­ an Act to incorporate the town of Klam­ eer, Isa Leskard by name, drifted to the ath Falls, and to repeal an Act entitled an Klamath country and was appointed city Act to incorporate the town of LinkvilJe, engineer. Nichols Addition and Klamath Oregon," was passed and the town of Addition had been laid out and platted Link ville ceased to ex.ist as a legal entity. as additions to the original town in a In accordance with the charter a new manner foreshadowing future complica­ board of trustees was elected. The per­ tions and the Board of Trustees deter­ sonel. of the new board was as follows: mined upon a resurvey and replatting of J.D. Fountain, Chas S. Moore, C.S. Ser­ the town. It was while engaged upon this gent and A.L. Leavitt. Your humble ser­ work that Leskard conceived the idea vant was chosen president of the new that it was altogether too important and board of trustees, an honor in which I promising a town to be handicapped in feel a pardonable pride even at this late its future operations by its then official day. W.W. Bowdoin was elected treasurer name, bringing forward numerous reasons and Chas. L. Parrish recorder. Thus was to support his contention. The first men­ the Town of Klamath Falls off to a flying tion of the subject in our local paper was start, and that too, at a time when the in April 1891. The subject became very entire country was in the throes of one much of an obsession with friend Leskard, of the greatest business depressions in its and no one escaped his importunities for history. While the Town of Klamath Falls a change of name for the town. The idea carne into its legal status in 1893. it was

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not until the adoption of the "Home The name Linkville is linked in my Rule" charter of 1913 that it assumed mind with many pleasant memories of the more pretentious and becoming name association with those intrepid spirits of of Klamath Falls. 1878. It is a source of great satisfaction Returning at this point to the year and consolation to know that the friend­ 189 5, two years after the re-incorpora­ ships then formed endured and will en­ tion, a mere matter of 30 years ago, a dure to the end. I note that there are in census gave the town a population of the audience a few-a very few- contemp­ 452; an underestimate, of course. The orary spirits of those early years. Time assessable property was approximately has dealt kindly with us and we return $167,000. But listen to this: In November humble homage to him who doeth all of this year a switch in a little power things well. plant on Link River was closed and elec­ I may remark in passing tl1at the tric lights flashed on Main Street and in history of Linkville is largely the history the residences in close proximity, and the of the Klamath country as a whole. It new water system was in operation. Truly was to the little settlement about the old a "red letter day." But that was destined wooden bridge spanning the river that the to be eclipsed as a red letter day when on early pioneers of the basin gravitated May 20, 1909, the old-timers went aboard quite naturally for human fellowship, the steamer Klamath at the wharf just be­ sustenance, news and refreshments. It is low the bridge, steamed down to the a far cry, for the writer, back to July 10, straights and rode in on the first train. 1884 that being the date of my arrival Little did the more optimistic of us real­ upon the scene. Many events are misty, ize, when assenting to Leskard's propo­ many more have passed from recollection sition to change the name of our town, completely. Many of the moving spirits of the magic charm of progress contained that period whose lights shone so brightly in the name Klamath Falls. Speak it. and shed lustre upon its current happen­ How well it becomes the mouth. Write it. ings have ceased from their pioneer labors How well it looks. Among the thousands and passed over the great divide. They of names designating cities and towns linger today as always in my memory. throughout the United States it possesses a distinctiveness that seems more fittingly About the hour of high noon of July to associate itself in the mind of the I 0, 18 84, the writer, sitting astride his listener or writer with the trend of the mount at the most elevated point on the times; with the march of progress. It has road in the Pine Grove djstrict viewed come to mean something in the industrial, with his companions the scene which was the social and the railroad world. Verily, destined to furnish the field for his future it being so christened, was a happy cir­ activities. It is doubtful if you who came cumstance in the life of the city. upon the scene even 20 years ago can picture in your minds the panorama of Part II loneliness, the unbroken expanse of giant sage brush that met the sweep of the eye Judge Reminisces Over on that hot July day 44 years ago. For be it known that aside from a small patch of Old Times in Klamath rye across Lost River, to our left, and an­ From the Evening Herald. February 29, other smalJ patch of the same grain on 1929 the old Frank Arant place, and the green of a few fruit trees on the old Steven Today we are to take a backward look Stukel place-afterwards known as the over a period of 50 years. Do any of us Reames and Martin ranch- there was no­ appreciate what that really means? Who thing of the hand of man to break the of us can fill the interim between 1878 monotony of the wide expanse of sage and 1928? brush between us and the little hamlet

-55- Northeast corner of intersection of Sixth and Main Streets, the present location of the First National Bank about 1901-02. Left to right: Strouse Grocery, Carrick's Wagon and Blacksmith Shop, George Biehn Saloon. Man unidentified.

Carrick's "Pioneer Blacksmith Shop" about 1901-02. The First National Bank now occupies this site.

-56- Hauling baled hay north along South Sixth Street in Klamath Falls. (Duncan photo)

Looking east on Main Street in the 500 block. Klamath Falls during the winter of 1912-1913.

-51· The Comstock Hotel, formerly the Klamath House, at 830 Main Street. Owned by the Biehn family around the turn of the century.

_.., .\.-. . ~- . The Houston Saloon at the northwest corner of Second and Main Streets, where the Livermore Hotel was later built. The site is now occupied by a Shell Service Station. Date, in the late 1890's.

-58- The Frank Ira White (man in shirt sleeves) Real Estate office on South Fifth Street opposite the Oregon State Liquor Store.

Intersection of Third and Main Streets (between buildings). The Methodist Church (white building on the northwest corner of the Courthouse block) also served as a Library and High School at times. The brick structure (still standing) was known as Hector's Store and The Boston Store.

59· nestling against the hill in the distance. - Editor]; on block 36 there was no Had I been permitted to read the poems building except an adobe building be­ of Robert Service prior to that day I longing to J.N.T. Miller [Between Fourth actually believe the exclamation would and Fifth Streets on Main- Editor) ; on have escaped my lips: "Yes, I have seen Jot 4, block 18, was the small residence of it; its the cused'est land that I know." Dr. Stacy Hemenway [Where the Old They told us in Lakeview: "That God Elks Club now sits- Editor] ; on lot I, was tired when he made it; that it was a block 19, stood quite an imposing dwell­ fine land to shun." But today there's ing occupied by 0.0. Cranston [Back some as would trade it for no land on from Main Street on property now occu­ earth and I'm one. pied by the eastern portion (Bush Furni­ Linkville marked an outpost on civil­ ture Co., 221 Main) of the Willard Hotel­ ization's outward rim about which re­ Editor I ; opposite across Main Street was volved in logical sequence those pioneer the small residence of R.B. Hatton [South events leading up to the development of side of Main between Second and Third the present day. Bonanza, Bly, Fort Streets in the building now occupied by Klamath, Keno and Dairy-contemporary the various Labor Unions-Editor]. There outposts on civilization's outward rim­ was a small carpenter shop on Jot 8, contributed in generous measure to the block 33, later the site of the Central activities and the folk lore of those fast Saloon and Houston's opera house [At receding days. one Lime the location of the Imperial Garage, now the C & M Service on the Let me paint you a brief word picture southwest corner of Second and Main of Link ville as it was on July 10, 1884: Streets- Editor] ; on the opposite side Just opposite where we were encamped of the street [Main-Editor] was the resi­ on Klamath Avenue on the eminence dence of Otto Heidrick (Near the north­ where stands the Central school building east corner of First and Main Streets was the school house [On Ninth between where the Arco Station now sits- Editor]. Main and Pine Streets-Editor I in which On the next block was the residence of Marion Hanks and a few other boys of W.C. Hale, county clerk. [Northwest cor­ like age received their first lessons in how ner of First and Main , now the site of the to bust a bronco and brand a maverick; Pony Pass Motel- Editor]. Now we are at the benches and a desk or two were scat­ Center Street; beyond and toward the tered about on the outside-mute evi­ river was the real old Linkville. city of dence of the turbulent character of the the pioneer! By him who sits afar across scholars. A small dwelling stood on about the great divide, and by him who sits the center of block 14 [occupied in 1880 near unto thee, and by the sons of pro­ by Herman Conn-Editor] ; across the gress this peaceful day, and by the ever­ street stood the little shack of Daniel lasting who is above and beyond us all­ Gordon (Just west of the U.S. National be you all heard as witnesses testifying: Bank-Editor]. On block 38 stood the There was a day when old Link ville didn't Horton hotel [Also probably known as stand open to the children of men, and the Graham Restaurant. Esmond, and all that was in the town belonged to them, American Hotel, in the center of the 600 and there was no other town except block south of Main- Editor), and in the String-town. same block, on the corner of Sixth and Main, stood a large barn [Now the Trans­ Then came the newcomer and built america Title Insurance Company-Edi­ over and beyond Center street; yet the tor]; on lot 8, block 16 [Unidentified­ pioneer stayed on in Linkville. Then the Editor] was a small adobe residence; on boomer of String-town, following the· the same block, sitting back toward Pine, newcomer, built over and beyond Fourth was the small residence of John Schallock Street, though without excluding the [On Pine between Fifth and Sixth Streets pioneer. The K.D. company, following

-60- the boomer of String-town, built beyond Whi te Pelican; we looked toward the city Ninth Street, excluding the pioneer, and there was a sea of men extending though by permission he might pass down to Third Street. through as an emigrant. The knoll beyond was the court house site. Then was usher­ Governors, judges, and lawyers, and ed in an age of strife: The ground that almost a generation have come and gone; held the old court house was not the and there are new maps of additions property of the county. The tears of the from which old names have been dropped. pioneers were but watering a barren site. As for old Linkville, naught remains but The pioneer from Bonanza, from Dairy, a memory, a tradition and hope; here and Fort Klamath and Keno, asked for a there a pioneer, yonder a group of new­ guide, and the pioneer of Linkville walked comers. While the surrounding hills and with them. At the base of the knoll upon valleys re-echoed the shrill blast of a which the court house stood, was the Great Northern locomotive. Klamath Neighbors Didn't Boost to 1884 [From the Klamath News, May 10, 19281 Klamath's sister cities in the year 1884 camped on the present site of the post did not have any too good an opinion of office, and Judge Leavitt started uptown her; at least, they didn't give this city any to find feed, grain and provisions. favorable publicity. At what is now Sixth and Main Streets In the summer of 1884 a heavily laden he met John Schallock, uncle of Fred wagon, a buggy, and 150 head of loose Schallock of the Ewauna Box company. horses camped just outside the town of He asked him where he could get grain, Lakeview. Jesse N. Summers, Sam Sum- potatoes, and pasture for the horses. The mers, A.L. Leavitt, Janie Summers, and grain cost them 5 cents a pound, the po- Mrs. J.N. Summers were among those tatoes 6. The party decided that the who were with the caravan. "robber" part of the Lakeview indictment J.N. Summers and A.L. Leavitt went was entirely correct. into Snyder's store in Lakeview and asked It was decided to rest the stock for a the best route to Spokane, where they few days. During these few days, John had set their hearts on going when they Schallock and Jesse N. Summers rode left Mono county, California. over the entire territory, to Fort Klamath They were informed that the best way in a northerly direction, and as far south north was to go by way of Linkville (now and east as Merrill. Klamath Falls), and thence northward After a week or more, Jesse N. Sum- along the big marsh. They asked what mers announced to the other members of kind of a place Linkville was. The reply his delegation that he had decided to was unprintable. locate here in Klamath. He had never, he A few days later the cavalcade came to declared, seen richer soil, or better pros- a halt under the pine trees which border pects for future development. the Lakeview highway at Pine Grove. A few straggling houses were dimly visible Summers purchased 320 acres of land. at the mouth of Link River canyon. Jesse This tract is now the Ezell ranch. [The N. Summers remarked that as near as he Summer's property was situated approxi­ could tell, through the blistering heat mately one mile south of Highway 140 rays which were radiated from the im­ at Altamont. Further what is known as mense sage brush flat, that the citizens of the Ezell house still stands at the corner Lakeview were entirely in the right. The of Summers Lane and Bristol A venue. party held a lengthy consultation as to This property is north of the Klamath whether they dared entrust their lives and County Nursing Home and on the east property to this den of cut-throats. They side of Summers Lane-Editor 1. finally decided to risk it. Judge Leavitt and other men who were After three hot hours' travel, they working for Summers then hauled a huge

-61· About 1911. Threshing machine near Altamont. (F .M. Priest photo)

Binding grain in 1911 somewhere in the Klamath Basin. (F.M. Priest photo)

-6 2- Threshing wheat in 1911. Machine run by horse-power (left). (F .M. Priest photo)

Traction engine pulling sawmill equipment east of Klamath Falls (background), prob­ ably near Mills Addition.

~3- Klamath Falls first water and light plant (tank in center of picture). located about 200 yards above the link River Bridge and between link River and Conger Street.

Ivan Applegate and daughter Alice Applegate Peil in 1915, atop Gillem 's Bluff at the Modoc lava Beds. (Maude Baldwin photo)

-64- Butchering day in the Langell Valley area around the 1911 period. People unidentified. (F .M. Priest photo)

Cattle roundup in the Enterprise-Mills-Altamont district. (Maude Baldwin photo)

~5- pile of slabs from the water power mill on by G.W. Smith, and which .contained a Lirik River, owned by the Moores, to what front parlor, office, bar-room and barber is now Klamath Avenue. Here they stacked shop. Next to the hotel was a two-story the slabs in such a way that they would building, used sometimes for a court dry. Summers, Leavitt, Sam Summers house and sometimes for a dance hall. (later county commissioner) and others Next in line came livery stables, black­ plowed and cleared 160 acres of the land smith shops, several small shacks, another that fall and the following spring. The two-story bWlding which contained the old residents said they were crazy to town newspaper, and a drug store operat­ plant anything but rye; they planted ed by William A. Wright, father of Dr. wheat and oats. After the planting was George Wright. done, they fenced the 160 with posts and Across the street were located a num­ rails from the slabs. There was a big rain ber of residences, barns, and the "Good in May, 1885, and a crop such as had Templar's Hall," built to offset the dan­ never been seen before in Klamath County gers of the saloon. Several grocery stores, was the result. a shoe shop and a few more residences, It was proved that other grains than back on the hill, completed the outlay of rye would grow here. The following year, Linkville. At the corner of what is now 1886, the orchard which still grows fruit Payne Alley was a two-story building, on the Ezell ranch was planted, and also Roberts' grocery, and some more saloons. five acres of alfalfa, which Summers Baldwin and Forbes hardware, and the thought would do well here. old Brick store, which is still standing. That year William Steele and G.W.J. All of the structures were wooden Wilson started construction of what was with the exception of two buildings. later known as the Ankeny canal, and On the morning of September 6, 1889, shortly afterward the Summers place had the ftre broke out in the back of Forbes' irrigation. saloon. There was no fire protection, no Judge Leavitt declares that he was possible chance to save any of the build­ much disgusted when Summers decided ings. Each resident was busy trying to to stay here, and declared hjs intention save his personal belongings. The fire of going on alone to Spokane. He talked swept the settlement in a few minutes, with Summers and decided to stay a­ swallowed houses, barns, stores and every­ while. He is, he laughingly says, still stay­ thing from the bridge several blocks east. ing. One stone building and a warehouse where several barrels of hard liquor were Notes on the Fire stored [The old Rutenic two-story build­ of 1889 ing at 52 Main, long ago to~ down, and by Charles I. Roberts the warehouse on Payne Alley back of From the Klamath News, February 20, the old Baldwin Hardware Store which is 1931 still standing, and which may well be the Not to be excelled is the story of the oldest building in Linkville, now Klamath Linkville fire, unknown to most of the Falls- Editor), and a grocery and hard­ present residents of Klamath Falls, which ware store [Location unknown-Editor I is related by Charles I. Roberts. were all that remained of Linkville after The fire· occurred 42 years ago when the fire. The railroad was 60 miles away. Mr. Roberts was 13 years of age. He gave Very little food was available, but by a description of Linkville, telling of the hard work and much saving the little set­ formation of shops and stores from Link tlement grew up again. Reames and Martin ville bridge east several blocks, where the hurriedly built a temporary building. town ended [ 1889- Editor I. First came Baldwins followed and Smiths built an­ the harness shop, operated by W.W. Bald­ other. It wasn't long before there was win, then several old buildings. Adjacent ample food and clothing. to them was the Linkville Hotel, erected End.

~6- Reminisenses of Ruby Hillis McCall

[Ruby Martha Hillis was born in Cleve­ near cities. Now I was to go by Southern land, Ohio on November 15 , 1884. These Pacific to Thrall, then by Logging Rail­ reminiscences recount her arrival and road as far as Pokegama, and the rest of early years spent in the Klamath Country. the way by stage. On November 14, 1909 she was married When the conductor looked at my to John A. McCall, who served as Klam­ ticket, he talked to me at some length ath Falls postmaster from April 3, 1922 about my trip, then called the brakeman, to May 8, 1935. Mrs. McCall, ninety years discussed it with him, and as the day of age, lives alone in her own home on passed, several of the passengers became Owens Street. She is the mother of two interested in the subject, also. daughters, HilUs Christianson of Coos At about 8 p.m., as I remember, the Bay and Jean MacBeth of Klamath Falls. conductor came for me, and the train Both daughters are long-time teachers in whistled and came to a stop at Thrall. It the Klamath Falls schools.] was very dark outside, and as I stepped One of the most beautiful ranch homes off the train on the side of a steep bank of early days was Brookside Ranch in the of rock, there was no sign of a light any­ Swan Lake Valley: It belonged to Lucien where. The brakeman stood there wonder­ B. Applegate, and his three daughters ing what to do next, when he finally usually spent the winters in California sighted a lantern moving through the studying. That is where I met them and darkness quite some distance away. At we became close friends. about the same time he discovered a man In the spring of 1906, Bessie Apple­ riding under the car, and ordered him gate was at Roble Hall, Stanford Univer­ out. The fellow crawled out and disap­ sity, Evelyn and Elsie Applegate were peared in the darkness in the opposite studying violin and piano in San Jose, direction from the on-coming lantern. where my brother and I lived with my Now the brakeman signalled the train to mother. That was the year of the big go ahead, and I stumbled off in the earthquake, and upon hearing that Roble direction of the oncoming lantern. Hall had collapsed, my brother and I The none too-friendly individual with started a search until we located the three the lantern finally got within talking sisters- all of them unharmed, luckily. distance and 1 asked about a hotel. He We all came back to our house, where for said there was a cabin, and I could get several nights we slept in the back yard breakfast, but the evening meal was a (or tried to), listening to the dynamiting thing of the past. When we reached the and watching the flames burning San cabin, he opened the door, lit a candle, Francisco. It seemed it was the end of announced the time for breakfast, the everything at the time, and the girls want­ time the logging trail' left the next day, ed us to come with them to Klamath and left me to my own company. ln the Falls. We soon became so involved in the cabin there was a bed and a chair- nothing business of clearing up and helping to else that I remember. The night was warm straighten things out where we were em­ and the little room seemed stuffy. There ployed that we just could not leave. was a window, but I kept thinking of the By the time a year had passed- it was man who crawled from under the train, now May of I 907-l decided to follow the and decided to leave it closed. There advice of my doctor, who told me to take seemed to be no way to lock the door, a rest or suffer the consequences. I set but I leaned the chair under the knob, and out for Klamath Falls, I was twenty-two felt somewhat more secure. years old at that time, and though I had After putting the candle and matches traveled a good deal, it had always been within reach of the bed, I slept a little un-

.07- At lucien Applegate's Brookside Ranch in Swan lake Valley around the 1905-1910 period. left to right: Chandler Watson, Harry Holgate, Francis Bowne, Ruby Hillis

Barns and haystacks at Brookside from the southeast. Everything was burned in the early or mid 1920's.

~8- McCall , Frank Sargent, Dr. George H. Merryman, Louise Sargent and Will Baldwin. (Maude Baldwin photo)

Cattte pens and ranch buildings at Brookside Ranch in Swan Lake Valley.

~9- til I was awakened by someone trying drivers managed the long trains so skill­ the door! Then I heard voices, and reai­ fully. We crossed the long swaying bridge IZmg one was that of a child, and that over the Klamath River at Chase's Station there were people now occupying the with its little schoolhouse, and then room next to mine, I felt better, and was stopped at the big barn at Keno to change soon asleep for the rest of the night. horses. There were good homecooked In the morning the family ate break­ meals to be had along the way-served fast with me and then left by team for family style, of course, and always includ­ their destination somewhere in California. ing the ever present beans. As I remember the train that I boarded Upon arriving at Klamath Falls, the that morning, it was an open car, like a Applegate girls were waiting for me, and flat car with seats in it- anyway, I know we spent that night at the old Riverside I could see out in all directions. Even the Hotel which Mrs. McMillan ran. That constant jolting and jerking were lost to evening I met many of the people who me in admiration of the beauty of the helped to build the town- the old timers country in early spring-so different from of today. Next morning the girls drove me the rush and scramble, the crowded build­ to Brookside Ranch in a hack, which in ings of life in the city. There were no the East we would have called a spring women on the train other than myself, wagon. The road to Swan Lake at that and none on the stage when we left time went over the hill where OIT is now Pokegama. located. It was a stiff climb with a team and at the top we stopped to look back Though part of the journey into Klam­ over the Klamath Valley- very few build­ ath Falls was often made by boat, as 1 ings then, and most of them clustered made it many times later, we came all the close to Main Street. way by stage over rough roads this trip. Swan Lake was a real lake at that time It was very difficult to be dignified on a and as we came down from the moun: stage coach, as you were bounced and tain and suddenly caught sight of the jolted this way and that against your valley with the water, the meadow land fellow passengers, and up and down and ablaze with spring flowers, it was a never backward and forward. Being new to to be forgotten sight. At one end of the stage travel I got inside the stage at Poki­ valley was beautiful Brookside Ranch gama, but later learned that the coveted with its brook, big hospitable house, and most comfortable place to ride was trees, lawn, flowers, barn, tool shed, cook house, granery, smoke house and other on the seat with the driver, or the seat buildings. There were corrals, with cattle just in back of him, up on the roof so to and horses, and it seems like a bad dream speak. Somewhere on the trip by stage, yet, that all of this was to disappear after someone graciously surrendered the place the terrible fire in later years. of honor, and I entered Klamath Falls in The Fourth of J uly was always a big the seat beside the driver. celebration, and everyone came from Since it was early in May, the roads miles around to join in it. There were were still muddy, and we had six horses long tables under the trees on the Court pulling the stage. The driver seemed to House lawn, with food of every descrip­ know about when to expect a freighting tion for everyone. There was a parade team, and we pulled out to the side down the dusty street, and people watch­ several times to wait for them to pass on ing from the wooden sidewalks-most of the narrow roads. There would be from the stores and aU of the saloons had shel­ six to twelve mules or horses pulling the ter coverings over the sidewalks. The band big wagons, and harness bells would played, speeches were given, ice cream jangle, the drivers would call out greet­ was sold in dishes, plenty of lemonade ings to one another, making it a thrilling was available, and everyone was dressed experience. One marvelled at how the in their best. That evening there was

-7(}. dancing on a barge anchored in Lake such interesting pieces of furniture. Ewauna, with gay Chinese lanterns lighted I think at that time, the American by candles adding color to the scene. Fire­ Bank and Trust Company at F ifth and works were set off, and admired by all. Main, now the Town Shop, was the only After all the festivities were over, we brick building in town other than the spent the remainder of the night in town Baldwin Hardware Building. Major Wor­ and drove back to Brookside the next den, Fred and Gus Melhase, and William morning. Shive were some of the principal stock­ holders. The Holcomb Realty Company Having lived all of my life in cities, [ had their office in the back of the build­ was astonished to find that the doors at ing facing Fifth Street. A.M. Worden was Brookside were never kept locked. wheth­ the cashier- later Fred SchaUock was er anyone was at home or not, and there. whether it was day or night. I remember being surprised one morning when the As spring arrived, I remember mostly family awoke to find Susanne Homes, the dust blowing from the valley, and from the unpaved Fifth Street. It was Lyle Watson (later Mrs. J.F. Kimball), inches deep everywhere, and we had many her brother, and a cousin aU asleep in the wind storms and whirl winds that spring. living room. They had come over from Ashland- a two day trip-horseback, and The near depression of I 907 was be­ had camped out the night before in the ginning to be felt at this time, and Calif­ mountains. Such happenings were fre­ ornia was using script. The expected de­ quent, I found out. Of course ranchers velopment in Klamath Falls did not pro­ went to bed early, so late comers might ceed as rapidly as had been expected. have found themselves out of luck with When Judge Henry L. Benson and Judge locked doors. Charles F. Stone, who were going into I went back to San J ose in August, partnership, offered me a position as sec­ 1907, by the same route I had come in retary, I accepted. George Hill thought by; this time there were several acquaint­ he could carry on alone, and he did for ances also going to California, so I did not awhile, but eventually gave up the struggle feel so strange. At that time I had no idea and the Holcomb Realty Company was of that Klamath Falls would ever be my the past. home, but as things worked out, it was 1 moved upstairs in the same building, not long before I was on my way back. where the Judges had a suite of three Fate works in mysterious ways. 1 had rooms on the Northwest side- a vacant no idea when I returned to California after lot next door where Miller's store is now. my very enjoyable visit that I would so Each room had a wood stove, and school soon be heading North again. After some boys earned spending money packing the unusual coincidents, the Holcomb Realty wood upstairs. Judge Benson had a good Company offered me a very good position deal of business in the Lakeview area, and in the office they were just opening in the prospects of trips over there were very Klamath Falls, and offered to pay my unpleasant for him. As I remember, the expenses there. If I stayed an entire year, mail stage ran between Klamath Falls and they would pay my expenses back to San Lakeview, stopping overnight at Bly. We Jose. J.C. Hill, senior member of the firm, would heat bricks for the J udge's feet, and others, accompanied me on the trip, and then when they slopped in Bonanza, and we were met at Weed by George Hill people there would heat them again. with a team and hack. It was a long drive What with the cold, and the constant to Klamath Falls in November in an open jolting and bumping, the poor man would vehicle, and a bit chilly. The night we be lame for days after such a trip. spent at the "Hole in the Ground" near At this time Judge Benson's brother, Dorris, california, I slept in the parlor Frank Benson, was Governor of Oregon. with an old-fashioned organ and other As the Judge was a good orator, his

-71- brother would sometimes call on him for how it all came about, but one day Helen help in the writing of his speeches, and Hogue, who was employed in the Recla­ as Judge Benson could not dictate when mation Office, Mr. Rolfe and his daughter, he was sitting down, he would pace up and I left in a hack for somewhere near and down, and talk, and 1 would take the Bly to meet a timber cruiser. I think it talk directly on the typewriter. Every was John Shannon. Sometime in the Little while, he would come and read over night we reached Bly, and with a few what he had said, and we would interline, short hours of sleep, the locator drove etc. This all needed to be copied later, of to somewhere near the claims 11e had lo­ course. Judge Benson never got underway cated. We walked miles and miles over with work until nearly noon, and was in rocks and ruts, which was extremely hard his best form late in the evening. on our stout shoes. One young woman, a On the other hand, Mr. Stone got to recent bride, undertook to walk in high­ the office very early-started fires, and heeled dress shoes. The shoes were ruined, was ready to call it a day by late after­ and she was too, almost. Her husband noon. I had to work for both-often com­ finally carried her pick-a-back. ing down at night for Judge Benson. As it was not considered safe for a lady to We returned to Bly in the evening, and then began the race to Lakeview to get walk at night down the Main Street past one saloon after another, an escort to see there before somebody else did, and get me safely home was part of the job. the claims filed. Mr. Rolfe was very very Marriage and motherhood brought to nervous; and also tired. It was extremely an end my association with the firm of dark, and we could not see the road. The Benson and Stone, Lawyers, and Judge country was new and strange to us, so we Benson, who was not happy in private women took turns sitting on the front practice, was soon back as Circuit Judge. seat and holding a lantern out of the side He later ran against McNary for Judge of of the wagon so that Mr. Rolfe could see the Oregon Supreme Court, and I was his to keep on the road. The two on the back secretary during the campaign-he lost by seat finally gave up trying to stay on the one vote- then was adjudged winner by seat and just sat on the floor. We were two votes in a recount. about dead when we arrived at the Lake­ view Hotel, only to find no rooms avail­ Judge Benson was handicapped by able. They very kindly let us in the short funds, while McNary was compara­ Ladies' Room where we stretched out on tively weal thy. One old friend in Eastern the floor and dozed until the time for the Oregon wrote that he would Like to get Land Office to open. We even got there a out and campaign for Judge Benson, but little early, and waited at the door until hadn't a decent suit. The Judge sent a we could get in and record our claims. boy to his home to bring down his frock coat and pants. He took off the only busi­ Mr. Rolfe, when the business was ac­ ness suit he owned, and I wrapped it up complished, was Like a snapped main and mailed it to his campaigner. I remem­ spring. There were some vacancies in the ber how much Judge Benson appreciated hotel by that time, so we all got rooms Mr. McNary's attitude at the time of the and food. However, our hopes of a restful contest. McNary was later appointed to night were short-lived, as the rooms were the U.S. Senate, was reelected and ran badly in need of insecticides, and we had later for the vice-presidency of the Repub­ the added worry of taking back to Klam­ lican ticket, and was defeated. Judge ath Falls more than we brought over. Go­ Benson stayed on the Supreme Court ing over the road on the way back, it was Bench until his death. daylight, and we were able to see the ruts and rocks and brace ourselves somewhat. About this time, someone thought I We found the same conditions in the should take up a timber claim, as there hotel rooms at Bly where we spent the were not many left. I can't remember next night, but arrived safely home the

-72- next night. fir boughs in a little meadow, and it was Though we did not add greatly to our very much nicer than the previous night's riches when we later sold our timber lack of comfort. claims, it was quite an experience, and The next day we drove as far as Annie part of the West at that time. Springs, and put up the tent. Beyond this point there was only a trail, and we would During the summer of 1908, I was in­ walk to the Crater Rim. vited on a trip to see Crater Lake. The The climb started early the next morn­ Reverend George T. Pratt, minister of the ing. There were no other people in the First Presbyterian Church of Klamath region where we were hiking, and we saw FaJJs, and his father were on a fishing trip; no one except the members of our own and Mrs. Pratt, daughter Catherine, who party all that day. The feeling of awe. ac­ was two years old at the time, and I were companied by the great silence. as we to join them at Agency Landing. We were caught our first glimpse of the beautiful to go by motor boat that far. Everything lake, was overpowering, and no one spoke. went well for a time, but the tules proved After a few minutes, the men went off to too much for the motor at one place, and look around, and we women decided to it stopped running. In trying to pry our­ do a little looking, also. It didn"t look selves and the boat out of the bothersome very far down to the water's edge, so tules, we lost an oar, and then we were foolishly Mrs. Pratt, little Catherine, and in a fix. AJJ we could do was to try to I decided to try to go down. There was a start the motor as we nervously drifted sort of trail, but in places it had been on the lake. FinaUy the motor started, we very nearly washed out by storms. but again were on our way, and soon arrived down we went, keeping a tight grip on at the meeting point, where the men were the little girl. waiting for us with a hack and team. Late After eventually reaching the bottom in the afternoon as we were traveling of the trail, we began to realize how much along, a terrific storm hlew up, and we fartht:r il had been than we had thought were glad to stop at the first house we at first. Now began the long climb back came to. The people were kind enough to to the rim, and it was a rugged one. M~s. offer us their barn, as a substitute for Pratt's face was very nushed and she satd camping out in the rainstorm. With nice her heart was hammering. I couldn't seem fresh hay in the loft, it seemed a pleasant to breathe. Later my companion told me place to spend the night. As the evening I was as white as a sheet. We were ex­ wore on, the storm became even louder, hausted when we finally reached the top. with flashes of lightning, and noisy thun­ Soon we must start the long walk back to der soon following. The loft was hot and the camp at Annie Springs. At least it stuffy-somebody got hay fever-the little was down hill. and it seemed wonderful girl was restless and unhappy-nobody just to have lived through the other or­ got very much sleep that night. deal. We received little sympathy from the men, who thought our adventure a In the morning the sun was shining little foolish! bright as could be. The men made a fire That night there were more thunder outside, and Mrs. Pratt, skilled in outdoor storms· but the men dug a trench around cooking, made a fine breakfast, whi~h the te~t to allow the water to drain off, helped us all to feel quite cheerful ag3.ln. and the tent stayed up safe and sound. ln The road beyond Klamath Agency was the morning we had quite a time trying made more enjoyable (if that term can be to keep the fire going and cook breakfast used to describe any of the roads of that in the rain. but managed to make out. By time) by the rain, which had settled the the time we got back to th.e ranch near layers of thick dust. Fort Klamath where we had stayed be­ That night we camped at a ranch house fore, the weather was fine, and we again a little beyond Fort Klamath. We slept on slept in the meadow. During the night a

-73- herd of cattle came into the field, and Everyone went by motor boat that decided to rush over to investigate the evening to Eagle Ridge, and had a won­ strange creatures lying all in a row near derful time. The dance floor was rough the shed. We stood up against the build­ planks, many of the men were loggers, ing, grabbing the bed-clothes to keep them and most of the other male guests wore from being trampled on. The social call only boots, so the ladies' feet suffered was a short one, however, and we soon somewhat. It was all great fun, though. settled down for the rest of the night, After returning to Rocky Point to get with a bright, cheerful moon shining some much needed rest, we were forced down on us. to listen for hours, it seemed, to music In the morning we made our way from the houseboats anchored near our around the head of the Lake to Rocky camp. Phonographs were just making Point where the Telford family and others their appearance, and people were en­ were camping. It seemed we would never tranced, of course. "Pretty Red Wing" reach the spot, and it was already dark was a favorite, and was played so re­ when we finally made it. Mrs. Telford, in peatedly that most of us wished that her usual genial way , soon had us all well night that he could fly South. fed and happy, and though 1 don't re­ It was necessary for me to return to member just how it came about, we all Klamath Falls on Sunday, where I filled spent the night on the houseboat of B. St. an order for groceries for the Pratts, and George Bishop. Mr. Bishop was in the went" back to work again on Monday furniture business in Klamath Falls-there morning. were wonderful beds on the boat; but The Reclamation Project and the com­ after our nights of roughing it, none of us ing of the railroad were bringing many seemed able to sleep well. interesting people into Klamath Falls, but The next day was Saturday, and we there were no automobiles, and no roads had been traveling since Monday. The for them either. The rich and the poor Telfords urged the Pratts to make camp had the same kind of recreation, and we and stay a week at Rocky Point. This were all dependent on each other for help they decided to do. Saturday was a busy in sickness or in pleasure-the roads were day for the campers, for that evening so bumpy and as dusty whether you were many people came with motor boats, and a millionaire or poor as a churchmouse. the excursion boat would arrive for a There wasn't a decent restaurant that I party and dance at Eagle Ridge. One of can remember, and we all ate at boarding the Telford boys was going into Klamath houses family style, with good wholesome Falls for supplies, and to bring a group of food and wonderful companionship. young people back. Though there was plenty of water to Few of us want to give up our modern wash away the grime of the days of travel­ conveniences, but I am glad to have lived ing, I couldn't go to a party or dance in in this Klamath Country when we were the clothes I had with me. The Reverend poor in conveniences, but rich in exper­ Pratt, a wonderful person, and a good iences. sport, arranged to go to town with the One thing that has always stood out in Telford boy, and there went to my room, my mind after travel in this country in found the clothes I needed, including my the early days was that cold canned toma­ dancing slippers, and brought them to me. toes were always part of the fare at every In those days whenever we went any­ meal, as well as beans, and nearly always where where there was to be dancing, we sourdough biscuits. When a lunch was put always carried our slippers in an em­ up by a hotel, as when we staked our broidered or bejeweled bag, and put them claims, the cold canned tomatoes were on when we arrived at the party. Nobody present. There were no thermos bottles could manage wooden sidewalks and un­ then and coffee always had to be made if paved streets in dancing slippers. you were to have any.

-74- -1 recall one horseback ride away from non-obtrusive clothes. Those were the civilization when our lunch had been put days of big hats. A friend from Klamath up in a shoe box as usual, and the ride on Falls with her mother was shopping in horseback had thoroughly pulverized the San Francisco, and told the sales lady shells of the hard boiled eggs, and even that she wanted a hat suitable for wearing ground them into all the sandWiches and on the stage. She was shown all sorts of cake. We were practically starved, and I fancy, frilly affairs, and finally losing her managed to pick out a little bit of sus­ patience, she repeated rather angrily that tenance from the shells, but the man of she wanted something small to wear on the party finally helped himself to some the stage. Catching sight of her mother raw eggs he found in a nearby chicken­ bursting with laughter, she sheepishly house. realized that there was more than one Stage travel called for well anchored, kind of "stage."

Riminiscences of Jo hn Humboldt Hessig

[On or about January 1, 197 5, Rich­ leaving there on horseback and three pack ard L. Hessig, a member of the Klamath mules. Mother, father and two brothers County Historical Society, while going and a sister and myself piloted by my through papers that once belonged to his father across the same Trinity Mountains father (John Humboldt Hessig now de­ he had previously operated a pack train ceased) ran across a short summary of the of 57 mules from Red Bluffs to Eureka father's early life. Written about 1939 in for 27 years before to Hay Fork. ln May his own handwriting on the back of print­ was very early to cross such high moun: ed billing forms, the story told incidents .tains and in one case I well remember, al­ of John Humboldt's early life and how he though only 4 years old, of Coley the carne to install the first out of state tele­ mule turned his pack and fell in at least phone line into Klamath County. four feet of snow. Among some of our John Humboldt Hessig was born in cargo was a small rifle my father prized Hydesville, Humboldt County, California very highly and the stock and barrel was in 1880. His father, Louis Hessig, had stuck on top of pack under the ropes and been born in Galena, illinois in 1843, and later my baby brother Joe, 3, had noticed his grandfather, Jacob Hessig, was a native this and replied: "Coley lost his gun." It of Switzerland. was a fact nothing but the stock was there Jacob Hessig and his family, consisting and the barrel was 3 miles back buried of a wife and three children, crossed the some place in the snow, or by the trail. plains in 1850 to California, settling in This same gun belonged to my Uncle Shasta County near Weaverville in 1852. John who was killed near Hay Fork in Around 1860, Louis Hessig entered 1853 by the Indians but 18 years old the pack train business, running to points while building sluice boxes and digging a between Red Bluff and Eureka, Califor­ ditch to his mine and the Indians got to nia. He became the leading packer of that his cabin flrst and met him and beat him region, operating for 23 years, or until over the head with this his own gun­ 1883. The next year, 1884, he moved his killed him -a boy then only 18 years of family to Siskiyou County, from which age. At Hay Fork we proceeded in a wag­ point John Humboldt Hessig's recently on my father had previously traded for found reminiscenses take up the story­ and hitched two of our saddle horses and Editor.] proceeded north in a somewhat lower "The subject [John Humboldt Hessig­ altitude with road broken for it to Cala­ Editor] was born in Hydesville, June 16, han ranch, Fort Jones, Yreka to Ager later 1880 and lived there until May 1884, where there was yet no railroad. Arriving

-75- LF. Willets "Electric Cash Store" in the center of the 400 block on the south side of Main Street. First home of the Masonic Lodge (1893) upstairs in this building.

Schallock and Daggett Grocery Store on the northeast corner of Fifth and Main Streets, about 1905. Left to right: Fred Schallock, C.C. Heidrick, C.H. Daggett and Mark Schallock.

-76- The Straw Dairy milk delivery wagon which delivered bottled milk around Klamath Falls in the 1905-1910 period.

John Humboldt Hessig, builder of the first telephone line into Klamath County below Topsy Grade.

-77- at Shovel Creek where fish were so thick graph as she had a station on the Postal that Sealim and Puss had to be whipped telegraph line in Henley, Cal. that ran to make cross the creek account(?] of so from San Francisco to Portland. I got full fish[.) On J une 17, 1884 we took an very enthused and when school was out I option on a ranch there for 30 days and built a mile of telegraph line from my came on to Linkville to meet some very home near Beswick to the summer Resort dear friends of my mother and father's at Beswicks a mile long installed crow acquaintance in Humboldt Co. who were feet and blue vitriol glass batteries and Mr. and Mrs. Henry Schal[l]ock and Mr. telegraphed the news to and from and and Mrs. John Scha [ llo] ck who all were taught others for our own amusement. long time pioneers in Klamath Co. and This we carried on until 1902 when the are very likely mentioned herein. [This Bell patent expired on a certain part of last statement seems to indicate that John the telephone it was possible to purchase Humboldt Hessig was writing his reminis­ them. I immediately sent to the Calif. censes for The History of Klamath Coun­ Electric Co. of S.F. and purchased two ty by Rachael Applegate Good, which was telephones for my teleg[raph] line and published in 1941-Editor.) installed them. "We soon aU got our directions and "I soon gathered baling wire and knew father was going back to catch some barbed wire and extended it to a neighbor of those fish that actually filled the creek across the Oregon line in Klamath County that a team couJd not cross without slip­ [To the old Ed Way Ranch, a stage and ping on one and there we lived, fished, freight stop on the Topsy Grade Road­ daried, gardened, raised everything that Editor.) thereby installing the first tele­ was needed in a family except clothes, phone in Klamath Co[ unty) and extend­ shoes, salt and sugar. We were able to get ed it to Picard [California) on a short cut or grow our corn and fish, deer, ducks, fifteen miles. We got a connection at quail, wild plums, wild berries, wild rab­ Beswick and began to get business calls bits, and tree and ground squirrels, apples, and thot it best to make a charge for peaches, chives, pears, walnuts, plums, them. It paid from 50¢ to $1.00 per day nectarins, watermelons, tomatoes, corn, and in a few months we had some real beans, potatoes, squash, cucumbers, sugar. money and Father had a year or two cane, beef, pork, cruckens and anything previous or in 1899 left the ranch at else that could be raised in a climate of Beswick and went to Fort Klamath and 2500 feet elevation with a frost free per­ being lonesome for his boys thot it wouJd iod of six months. be nice if this line couJd not be extended from Picard, a now abandoned town "And also know how it couJd be done thiee miles west of Dorris, to Fort Klam­ as I was taught anyone could take 160 ath. He said he wouJd help do it so in the acres and raise a family of six in such a spring of 1903 we started from Ft. Klam­ climate all have plenty. lf the trains went ath and built as far as Klamath Agency on another strike for 5 years, as they did and the demand for a line from Agency while my father was there for many to Yainax was so great Father made us months. He said I would have to quit loan most [of] our new wire we had pur­ tobacco and my children would have to chased for our Agency to Picard line wear wooden shoes. But commercial life (70 miles) to the govt. for their line to competition, noise, wars or anything else Yainax . I agreed and took charge and wouJd(n't) worry us and we all went to started on it in June 1903. Every Indian a nearby country school and were happy. was to donate 3 days work. He got free beef and groceries issued to him at the "Enough for kid life. I soon grew to Agency Commissary. They came afoot, 12 years old and was going to school in with wagons, horseback and on bicycles. Hornbrook, Cal. and an old lady by the I had to put them to work. l went to the name of Smith taught me the Morse tele- Agency Sawmill and had 25 16-foot lad-

-78- ders made and went ahead at 4 o'clock in Incorporate it under the name of Klamath the morning and blazed trees and drove Telephone and Telegraph Co. and built pegs marking poles and trees for the route south to Klamath Falls, procured a fran­ and had five wagons to pick up the rear chise from the City to operate local workers and haul them ahead to new phones and a central office cor. 5th and work on the front and kept them all busy. Main in Schallock and Daggot's grocery They would work all day and at night store. We built down Pine St. and to Keno they all camped together and ate 3 lbs. and through timber to Picard by late fall of beef each and pitched horseshoes till and our connection was made and gave us dark. I finished the line in 30 days and an outlet through Ager. It paid about SS installed the telephones and it talked to S I 0 per day." Indian as well as white man. In May 1904 we began our own line at Klamath Agency [The End. No further notes have been after employing Mr. Hiram Muidock to found to date- Editor.] Histori c Ranch Sold by Charles Wood Eberlein The Klamath News. April 13, 1941

At last the famous old Nurse-Reames house stands with a magnificant and un­ and Martin ranch has passed into romantic obstructed view of Shasta against its dig­ hlstory. Fifty years ago it was a great nified background of great trees inhabited cattle Ianch a hundred miles from the by a myriad of birds. Adjoining upon the railroad. Then, less than 40 years ago the right is the famous old orchard, the first U.S. Reclamation Service engineers came in Klamath Basin, which until the rail­ and spread the waters of Upper Lake over roads and highways came was the fruit a fertile empire. Following them closely supply of the region. Ed Bloomingcamp came the railroad locating engineers and supplies the information that his father shortly after E.Ii. Harriman pushed his brought the trees for this orchard a long construction engineers and crews into an distance by wagon in the year 1879. empire vast in extent and resources with The old orchard in its hale old age is a the small, struggling cow town of Klamath striking feature in the landscape and when Falls as its capital. The world knows the in bloom adds wonderful beauty to the amazing story from then to the present. scene. This old orchard has inspired the The Enterprise Land and Investment new owners with the most appropriate of company came and bought the old ranch, names for the new tract upon which many and Mills addition immediately sprang up homes will soon spring up. The official in a great field. Klamath Falls felt the im­ name of the tract will be "Old Orchard petus and drove its Sixth Street down Manor." into vacant country and another miracle This tract is destined to be a unique came to pass. spot in the community. It is just out of Then the city of Klamath FaUs surged the city limits on Eberlein A venue and past its boundaries over the old ranch and Washburn Way, but it is five minutes by far beyond leaving that charming remnant automobile from the business center and which lies upon its eastern boundary and one block and a half from the 12-acre which during the past week has passed site bought by school district No. I for a into two ownerships- Or. George H. Mer­ large modern public school to be built, ryman and his son George H. Merryman and five minutes walk from the new Jr., and their wives in one parcel and to theatre on Sixth Street and Washburn Capt. Alfred D. Collier and Mrs. Collier Way. in another. This fragment of the old George Nurse, No spot in the Klamath Basin is better Alexander Martin, E.R. Reames ranch is known nor more admired. Its old ranch the last link between early Linkville and

-79- 1911 Sports Model in transportation. A one-horse power cart. People unidentified. (F .M. Priest photo)

I

Cookwagon in harvest time; forerunner of the present day trailer-house. Note the barrel for water. People unidentified. (F .M. Priest photo)

-8Q- The John B. Griffith water wheel on Lost River in 1911, located at approximately the Stephenson Wayside Park about one mile northeast of Olene. (F .M. Priest photo)

The latest in dirt movers around the 1911 period. Pulled by horse and mule power the contraption is working southeast of Klamath Falls on either an irrigation canal or a county road. Who remembers this machine? (F .M. Priest photo)

-81- its successor the city of Klamath Falls. was an officer of the military detail is the and an heroic past. It was on the travelled authority for these facts. He said that on route from old Linkville to all the country discovery the regimental blacksmith set east. The road, or trail left the Old Fort up his camp forge in the field just west of Klamath road at about the present Main the orchard and riveted the fetters on the Street bridge_ across the canal and mean­ doomed leader of that desperate but dered close to the line of the present hopeless Modoc resistance, making certain canal. Over it passed that long vanished the tragic fate that soon overtook the race of trappers, prospectors, stockmen, fearless leader of a friendless people. And Indians, soldiers and earliest settlers. The the land had peace. old ranch house, on the same site as the [The ranch above described had its be­ present one, with its wonderful spring of ginning in 1868 when Stephen Stukel the purest water in the whole country settled thereon in his first home in the was a welcome stopping place for all who Klamath Country. By November 26, 1877 passed its door. There came the weary, he deeded his property, some 320 acres, thirsty, foot-sore travelers, and the hard to George Nurse for $2,300. Nurse riding messengers of massacre and disas­ promptly acquired adjoining land, 320 ter, and marching soldiers. acres from the State of Oregon. After securing additional land from other sourc­ One late afternoon in the summer of es, Nurse, on August 26, 1882 deeded 1873, came a grim and dusty detail of the land, some 951 acres, to Peter F. soldiers. In their midst was a weary and Stenger for $3,500. Stenger in tum deed­ dejected body of Indians destined to be ed the property, by now 1, 061 acres, to the vicarious sacrifice for the sins of their Evan R. Reames on January 3, 1884 for people judged by the white man's stand­ $6,000. On February 28, 1899 Reames ard. That sin was resistance to the en­ sold his entire holdings, l ,721 acres, to croachment of white men on the lands of S.S. Mitchell for $12,5 00. Mitchell in their fathers and their ancestral home. turn, on July I 5, 1904 sold l ,081 acres During the halt at this same old place to a son, J.C. Mitchell. Then on November a keen eyed officer of the United States 7, 1905 J.C. Mitchell sold to William H. noticed that the Modoc prisoner, Captain Mills for $40,000. Finally on March 6, Jack, had furtively rubbed the weaker 1906, J .C. Mitchell, who was then living link of his leg chains until almost worn in Gazelle, Siskiyou County, California, through and which Jack evidently intend­ gave Alex Martin, Jr. the Power of Attor­ ed to break in the darkness and escape. ney with the $40,000 in three notes to be The late Captain Frank Aarant, who transferred to Martin- Editor]

Bangtail First Sport tn Klamath by Bob Leonard The Klamath News. June 8, 1941 In 1879 Abner Doubleday's epic idea had two years previously succeeded Uly­ of 40 years before had just flowered into sses S. Grant and was in the midst of the formation of baseball's first league­ serving his one, and only, term as presi­ the National; the Rugby "ax.rum" was dent of the United States. It was the year about to be abandoned in favor of a crude after Bulgaria, Montenegro, Serbia and football scrimmage line, and Dr. James A. Rumania were made independent- two Nesmith had 12 years to go before setting years before Alexander II, Czar of Russia, up his first peach basket in a Springfield, was assassinated by Nihilists in St. Peters­ Mass., YMCA and originating the game of burg, and three years before France be­ basketball. gan construction on the Panama Canal. Rutherford Birchard Hayes, republican, ln 1879, 500 souls were slowly build-

-82- •

Billy Shook

Rodeo action at the old fairgrounds near the later Railroad Depot-Round House loca­ tions in Mills Addition. (Maude Baldwin photo)

-83- •

Bull-dogging (steer wrestling) in front of the grandstand at the fairgrounds south of Lake Ewauna where Radio Station KLAD now stands. Date about 1911-15. (F.M. Priest photo)

Mounted Quadrille at the fairgrounds at the KLAD site, probably in the late teens. (Duncan photo)

-84- ing the town of Linkville and on July 4, judges' stand placed where the S.P. round­ 1879 they held their first horse race-in a house now is. It was a "regulation" mile snowstorm. strip with a high board fence running completely around. With the advent of It snowed so hard on that inaugural the railroad, the track and surrounding day the horses were barely visible on the property was sold to the S.P. far side of the track. One lad , a painter Another was soon built, in an early named Henry Webber, doffed his over­ day real estate move to throw the fair­ coat, hung it on a post for a brief minute grounds south, where the Shaw-Bertram and walked across the track. When he mill now stands [Near the present KLAD returned it was gone (He found it seven radio station- Editor). This, Klamath's years later in the Walters hotel in Bon­ third track, was reported to be dangerous anza, "whereupon he took it away from on one turn. Special trains were shunted the fellow wearing it"). to the field on race days. History is reticent about the field in After a comparatively brief existence, that ftrst race but probably Ryestraw was this one folded and another, according to somewhere close by. That great-hearted one account, sprang up where the Tower gray stallion, so revered he was buried in Theatre recently did the same. The pre­ a pine box near the county farm, was the sent County fairgrounds eventually super­ basin's first race horse. seded that one. Stories of races, riders and horses jibe Bred and raised at Oakland, Ore., he with but little disparity as pioneer mem­ was owned by Mark Bybee and stabled at ories interlock to give a historical bang­ the J .T. Miller ranch on Miller Island. tail jigsaw picture. Records refer to him as a champion but Of the old time jockeys, the names of are meager about details. He was ridden George Chastain, later and still a local once in a match race by Judge A.L. attorney, and Billy Schook, early Klam­ Leavitt, went from here to Salem, and in ath rancher who died a few years ago ap­ his last race, at Yreka, fell and killed his pear most frequently. rider. In 1885 Chastain, a youth of 17, used Will-o'-the-wisp memory , reaching back to come to Linkville from his ranch job over 62 years, puts the first Klamath at Bly to watch Sunday races in which race track in several different places. The Ryestraw was usually the main event. He preponderence of evidence, however,leads rode his first race in 1889 on a dark bay to the present site of the U.S. postoffice horse called Big Jim and owned by the with a half-mile strip running crosswise, Nail brothers, two negroes from LangeU crossing Oak to Walnut and Spring streets. Valley. There were no grandstands in those The test was a one-half mile match days, but bleachers with awnings made of race against a little Coos County mare river willows lined one side of the track. ridden by Billy Shook, by then an exper­ After racing, attended by settlers from ienced jockey. As was the custom in the miles around, dancing went on all night late days of the last century racing, the under the willow roofs. running start was used. Thus were the beginnings of horse racing in the Klamath district. From there Shook, taking advantage of Chastain's the turf trail has gone forward in spas­ inexperience, started from far down the modic but persistent strides culminating track, beyond what the judges considered in what appears to be the start of an an­ was a fair distance, so the horses were nual thoroughbred venture by the Klam­ brought up to "toe the scratch"- meaning ath Jockey Club. a standing start. The next track to appear in the Klam­ As the starter's flag dropped Big Jim ath area was an oval paralleling the bounded 21 feet, thereby taking a lead present Southern Pacific tracks with the Shook was never able to overcome.

-85- Later Chastain, together with Sam scheduled two rna tch races against a bet­ Walker, purchased Tenbrook, an ornery ter horse. but durable gelding foaled in Coos Coun­ In the first, Nichols' colt handily ty, from a breeder named A be Tenbrook whipped the other and a $200 bet was who had given up after several unsuccess­ placed by both parties on the second beat ful attempts to handle him. which the older horse won with surprising Tenbrook, with Chastain up, became ease. the turf scourge of Southern Oregon in It later developed the winning gentle­ succeeding years. At Central Point in a man had weighted the left forefront and match race against Sleepy Dick, he ran a right rear hoof of his camel for the first • 3/8-mile dead heat in 35 seconds, one­ heat and replaced the lead shoe:; for the half second off world's record time. Again second race. at Central Point, the Klamath horse and Tulare Chief, said by old-timers to rider scored an easy victory over an un­ have been undefeated in Klamath racing, known bangtail manned by Jimmy Co­ was the center-piece in another contro­ burn, at that time one of the west's lead­ versy which almost started a Bonanza ing riders. feud. It was Tenbrook who was almost The big bay gelding was owned by responsible for an early demise of the Henry Jackson, a prominent Indian of young horseman-and it happened when his time, and was the odds-on favorite in Chastain was riding against his own horse a purse race at Bonanza against several in a match race in Bonanza. other locally owned horses. A 3.4-mile test had been arranged be­ With Chief money begging for a call, tween Tenbrook and Oakwood, owned an opportunist of the period had con­ by Louis Gerber and slated to be ridden trived to get close enough, what with fire­ by one lrv Short, a Gerber boy. At race water and greenbacks, to the Chief's na­ time, Short backed down, reportedly tive rider to assure the favorite's defeat • afraid of his boss' mean colt, so the jocks in the first heat. With this in mind, he traded mounts. snapped up the waiting change. News of the "fix" leaked out, how­ With the break Tenbrook was out in ever, and just before race time Judges front with Chastaiu vigorously spurring Gerber and J.O. Hamaker substituted an­ Oakwood on the inside. At I 00 yards other rider, the Chief won, and the op­ Oakwood suddenly took off toward the portunist and the informer entered into rail, along which spectators' buggy teams a year of absolute silence which, happily, had been tied, and smashed headlong into ended without gunplay. Gerber's own pair. The reputation of other early bang­ Chastain, tossed over his mount's head, tails, heightened with the mellowing of landed on the buggy tongue which broke 60 years, come down to the present. the team loose. On the dead run down There was Leora, owned by Sam the track he tried to climb aboard one of Walker, a gray mare which "wheezed as the runaways but fell under the flying she breathed." Distemper had made her hoffs, suffering a broken nose and a badly short-winded so a silver tube was forced battered face. down her throat. She once ran a 3/8 mile But for a series of three match races in 34 seconds carrying 128 pounds. against Billy Shook a year later which There was Klamath, a trotter half­ Chastain won, this was his last ride. owned by Hamaker, which set an early High in the memory of the veteran record of 2:07. He was called "Eat 'em attorney is the story of an early day up Cookie" for the way in which he ral­ "fix." lied in the last quarter, once trotted a It seemed that Arthur Nichols, a pio­ final quarter in 29 seconds. neer breeder, owned a colt which he There was Altamont, a black stallion thought was better than exceptional and for whom the Altamont district was

-86- named- and Della Walker- and Lulu Riggs, er Herman, G.Y. Van Riper, McKinney owned by Marion Barnes and the founda­ and J.T. Miller, all of whom brought tion of many present strains- Dolly V horses in from Oakland, Oregon, when who always ran on a straight track-Dun Linkville racing opened. Doc, a buckskin raised by Bob Anderson John Simmons, pawed to death by his of Merrill. He always came in second­ horse Harry Gwynn- Alie Vinson, still Moose, a full brother of Altamont-Hot living in Langell Valley , who inherited Stuff Bessie and Phillip Fair, romantic Harry Gwynn- Jim Dodd, Silas Oben­ names in every pioneer's memory . chain, W.O. Smith, Alva Lewis, C.P. • Owners, breeders and followers crop DeLap, Sam Walker-noted as the owner up with every early recollection. of Tenbrook, one of Linkville's first Lou Gerber, who brought Oakwood deputy sheriffs. from Salem, put up a purse for his first Names and more names. Some have race, and won his own money back when lived and grown. Others have faded with Oakwood whipped the field-Selden Ogle, the years. breeder-trainer of the horse Klamath and But intact still in Klamath Falls is the Billy Clark, his trainer- Jim Glick, owner horse tradition they established in Link­ of Ryestraw-Oregon Representative Bing- ville in 1879. End

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A 1911 shot of a fast roadster, probably headed south on Summers Lane. (F .M. Priest photo)

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Six new 1914 Model T. Fords turning off South Ninth Street onto Klamath Avenue, headed west. They sold for $413 each at the time. (Roy LaPrairie photo)

Time, about 1911-15. Place, thought to be around Hildebrand. Men unidentified. (F .M. Priest photo)

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Unknown rider of an Indian motorcycle in 1915. (F .M. Priest photo) •

Out for a Sunday drive at Barclay Springs north of Klamath Falls sometime during the 1914-15 period. Left to right Mr. Kanatzer, Nelle Elliott Motschenbacher, Mrs. Kanatzer, Bob Elliott, Earnest L. Elliott and Jack Elliott. (Mrs. E. L. (Clara B.) Elliott photo)

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A one horse slergh on South Riverside. Men unknown. (Maude Baldwin photo)

The Parrish (left) and Gowan (right) homes on Main Street where the Willard Hotel now stands. Women unidentified. (Maude Baldwin photo) •

Repair or reconstruction of the east end of link River bridge about 1911. (F .M. Priest photo)

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fntersection of Sixth and Main Streets. Store building on the southeast corner of the intersection is now the home of Transamerica Title Insurance Company. Cross-town traffic seemed to furnish no major problems around the 1910 period.

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The Devil's Teakettle, now covered by the East Side By-pass immediately west of the Washburn Way bridge across the Main Canal. (F .M. Priest photo) •

The Van Brimmer cabin at the original site over Willow Creek south of lower Klamath lake. Mount Dome or Van Brimmer Mountain in the background. This cabin, well over 100 years old, is now in the process of being restored on the front lawn of the Klamath County Museum at 1451 Main Street, Klamath Falls, Oregon. (Devere Helfrich photo)

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Two photos taken by F.M. Priest during the 1911-1915 period, somewhere in the South Suburban District of Klamath Falls. Can anyone identify this family?

The upper photo shows the father, mother and six children. The lower photo prob­ ably taken a little over two years later indicates that twins have been added. Notice that both parents look a little grim in this last photo.

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