Lane County, Oregon

“ Joseph Lane, afterwards United States senator from Oregon, and a candidate for vice president in 1860, came out from his home in Douglas County and brought fifty men with him, to take part in the war. General Lane was a man of large experience in Indian warfare and in all military matters. He had commanded an Indiana regiment in the Mexican war and enjoyed a well earned reputation for bravery. On the day that General Lane arrived what is known as the battle of Little Meadows was fought. ”

“ The total woodland area has been estimated (1900) at 54,300 square miles, or 57 per cent. of the area of the State. Lane County has more timber than any other county, but is greatly exceeded by the corresponding area contained in the four counties in the northwest corner of the State. The coast forests are famous for their great density and the enormous growth attained by certain species of trees. Stands of 100,000 feet per acre for entire townships have been reported. ”

“ The population is between nine and ten thousand. Extending from the Cascade Mountains to the ocean, Lane county comprises a variety of topographical features, including the foot-hills of Calapooya Range, and the rougher hill land of the Coast Range, with the level surfaces of the Willamette plains. Its productions partake of this variety. Besides grains, vegetables, fruits, and dairy produce, it is the largest hop-producing county in Oregon, the crop of 1882 selling for a million dollars. Eugene City, the principal town, was founded in 1847 by Eugene Skinner. ”

“ The Indians had fortified their encampment by fallen timber, and being well supplied with arms and ammunition, made a vigorous resistance. In an attempt to charge through the brush, General Lane was shot through the arm and Captain Alden received a wound from which he never fully recovered. Several other of the attacking party were wounded, some of whom subsequently died of their injuries. Capt. Pleasant Armstrong, an old and respected citizen of Yamhill County, was shot through the heart, and died instantly.
The Indians and whites were so close together that they could easily converse. ”

“ They have 3 sons and 1 daughter. There came with them to Oregon John, Alfred, William C., Francis M., and James C. Brattain, brothers; and Eliza beth Ebbert, Mary Brattain, Millie A. Smith, and Martha J. Hadley, sisters.
Lane county, named after Joseph Lane, was organized January 24, 1851, out of Linn and Benton. Its southern boundary was defined December 22, 1853. Its area is 4,492 miles, of which about 229,000 acres are improved. The value of farms and buildings is $4,600,000; of live-stock, $700,000; of farm products, $900,000; and of all taxable property, about $3,400,000. ”

“ The large and varied exhibition of farm products, me- chanical skill, and the number of people on the ground, were enough to convince any one that Lane County possesses much of the enterprise and spirit of improvement which build up a prosperous and happy community. ”

“ No inland town could have a prettier location than Eugene, and few a more desirable one for other reasons. At the head of the Wallamet Valley, it combines many advantages; Lane County, of which it is the county-seat, extending from the sea-coast to the Cascade Range, and including grain and stock lands, timber and mineral lands, with abundant water-power. It is also the starting-point of the Military Road, crossing the Cascades at Diamond Peak Pass, and traversing Eastern Oregon near its southern boundary, to Owyhee, in Idaho. ”

“ In 1849 he went to the California mines, returning to Missouri in 1851. In 1852 he came to Oregon, bringing his family, settling in Lane County the next 326 GEORGE H. HIMES. % We can but admire the good taste of the officers of the society in their selection of one so closely identified with their inter- eststhe Governor being a practical farmer. Judging from this first fair in Lane, her citizens are awakening to their true interests, and will soon give the at present more pop- ulous counties of the State a tough pull for prominence. ”

“ General Joseph Lane of Douglas county, and Delazon Smith of Linn county, were elected United States sena- tors.
John Whitaker, the governor, was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, in 1820, and came to California across the plains in 1849, and up to Oregon in 1852; he was reared on a farm, and ranked as a farmer all his life. His first office was that of county judge of Lane county, and then he was sent to the legislature. After holding the office of governor, he was once elected to con- gress, and after that held the office of U. S. revenue collector for this district. ”

“ Senator Bristow of Lane county supported Corbett and withdrew his name. The three Lane county representatives supported Mitchell.
Dr. A. W. Patterson, Democrat, and William W. Bristow, Republican, were the senators from Lane County. The three members of the House from Lane County, all Republicans, were C. W. Washburne, A. S. Powers and Nat Martin. The Senate passed the bill locating the State University at Eugene without much delay and sent it to the House. Rufus Mallory, ex-Member of Congress, was Speaker of the House, and S. A. Clarke was chief clerk of the House. ”

“ The compiler has no idea how the name happened to be dug up in far away New York. As far as the Indian meaning is concerned "long hill" is strictly accurate for the Lane County railroad station. It is about midway of the long climb from Oakridge up the summit of the Cascade Range. Wicopee in Lane County is not a community nor does it have a post office. It is just an operating point on the railroad with some company facilities. ”

“ The people of Eugene must at this time see the importance of erecting a building suitable to the carrying on of a graded school and extending the facilities in such a manner that the people of Lane County may know that they have a perpetual school at their county seat, where they may arrange to send their pupils to a model school at home among relatives and friends at a much less expense than must follow their going off to attend boarding school to places of much less notoriety in everything else except the interests of education than Eugene. ”

“ COTTAGE GROVE, Lane County. Cottage Grove is an important community in the southern part of Lane County, on the line of the Southern Pacific Company and on the Pacific Highway. Its elevation is 641 feet and the Coast Fork Willamette River Aows through it. The post office was first established east of the present site of Creswell, March 3, 1855, with G, C. Pearce as postmaster. Pearce had his home in an oak grove, and named the post office Cottage Grove. Andrew Hamilton became postmaster in September, 1861, and he moved the ofhce to the present site of Saginaw. ”

“ B. F. Do well, and was admitted to the bar, in 1864, by the Supreme Court of this State. He settled in Eugene City the following year, and in May, 1866, was married to Miss Emma A- Hoffman, of Jacksonville. He has resided in Lane county since 1865, and is highly esteemed as one of its most influential citizens. He is a staunch Democrat and represented that county in the House of 1870 and was elected State Senator at the last general election. He is a prominent Mason and a member of the A. O. U. W. He has three children and enjoys home life rather than the excitement of a public career. ”

“ McEwen, a pioneer settler.
MCFARLAND BUTTE, Lane County. This butte is just northwest of Cottage Grove and lies between Bennett Creek and Silk Creek. It was named for James McFarland, who came to Oregon in 1850 and settled near what is now Cottage Grove in 1853. His brother, John W. McFarland, was also an early settler in the vicinity. Several descendants have been prominent in the community.
MCGLYNN, Lane County. McGlynn was the post office name for the railroad station of Penn. Postal authorities were unwilling to accept the name Penn as a post office name because of possible confusion. ”

“ The name of this office was changed to Lancaster on May 7, 1866, when Joseph S. Lyman was postmaster. It seems probable that this office was at or near the place called Lancaster, which is just southwest of Harrisburg. Walling in his Illustrated History of Lane County, page 458, says that in the early '50s a man named Woody started a house of enter tainment in this locality and called it Woodyville. The term house of entertainment seems to have been a fancy name for a roadhouse. Walling also says that Johnson Mulkey bought the property, changed the name to Lancaster and built a sawmill. ”

“ There were at this date no settlements south of Lane county. The whole country was soaked with rains, except at an elevation great enough to turn the rain to snow. The route to California lay through that region roamed over by the Molallas, Klamaths, Rogue River, and Shasta Indians, making it necessary to stand guard at night to prevent their horses being stolen. But the party refused to regard themselves as "martyrs to their country s cause," and took enjoyment from spying out the land which was to flow with milk and honey for their descendants if not for themselves. ”

“ Joseph Lane arrived with a commission as governor. Dr. Atkinson consulted with ex-Governor Abernethy, George H. Curry, and other citizens, upon forming a school district and establishing a system of free public schools. A meeting was called and the subject discussed. Governor Lane's first message to the legislature recommended the establishment of free public schools, and Dr. Atkinson was appointed the first school commissioner to district the county and encourage the establishment of schools.
As free graded schools were deemed too expensive for Oregon City at the time, Dr. ”

“ Then show the Willamette River from its mouth to, say, Springfield, in Lane County, then draw a line south from Springfield to the California line. This will be the boundary separating Twality and Clackamas Districts and Yamhill and Champooick Districts. Draw a line from the mouth of the Yamhill River west to the Pacific Ocean. This will be the line separating Twality and Yamhill Districts. Then draw a line from the mouth of Pudding River east to the Rocky Mountains, this will be the line separating Clackamas and Champooick Districts. ”

“ When the white people first reached the land now included within the present limits of Lane County, the only tribe of Indians that lived in it was the Callapooias, although it was visited and made the place of short stops by various other tribes. ”

“ Throughout the country, west of the Mississippi River, his fame is established for all time. It is fitting that a county of Oregon should be named for him. Crook County is now bounded: on the north by Wasco County; on the east by portions of Wheeler, Grant, and Harney Counties ; on the south by Lake County and a portion of Klamath County; and on the west by Linn, and portions of Lane and Marion Counties. Its county seat is Prineville. Morrow County. Morrow County was created February 16, 1885, by the State Legislature. (Special Laws of 1885, page 239) . ”

“ Dr. Harry Lane, Mayor of Portland, Oregon 457
Enormous Timber Growth in the Siletz Country 463
James Rudolph Garfield, Secretary of the Interior 465
Scene in the Sunset Oil Fields, Kern County, California 468
An Humble Home in the Siletz Country 470
Palatial Residence of a Siletz Homesteader 471
Ira Wade, Clerk of Lincoln County, Oregon: 472
United States Senator Charles W. Fulton, of Oregon 475
Sample Residence of a Siletz Homesteader 476
R. A. Ballinger, Ex-Commissioner General Land Office 478
Thad. ”

“ James M. Parker and Mr. H. Clay Huston, in a log house on my claim in Lane County. The branches taught were A B C's, spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography. I do not recollect which of these two gentlemen taught first. I taught many terms of three months each in various districts. In early days most districts were weak financially, and but few could afford more than one term in a year. Public money from school funds would not be quite enough to pay the bill, and rate bill would be made for balance and collected from patrons. ”

“ HON. THOMAS G. HENDRICKS, The hold-over Senator from Lane county, is a member that does credit to his constituents and the party he represents. Politically speaking, he is a Democrat, and never swerves from his partisan principles. He is one of the best-looking members on the floor, dresses with taste, and is considered one of the most honorable citizens of Lane county, from whence he hails.
REPKESENTATIVE MEN OF OREGON.
He was born in Henderson county, Illinois, in 1848, ana, with iiis parents readied Oregon the same year, settling in Lane county, where lie has re- sided ever since. ”

“ A makeshift automobile road has been cut in the face of the point, but the writer feels that he would just as soon be drowned as scared to death. Hugo, Josephine County. Hugo post office was established in 1896, and was named for Hugo Garber, an early settler who was instrumental in securing the office.
HULBERT LAKE, Lane County. This is a long narrow lake fed by intermittent streams and surface drainage. It is four miles west of Harrisburg and has an elevation of 295 feet. It was named for Joseph Hulbert, a pioneer settler nearby. ”

“ He represents Lane county, and is eminently qual- ified to advocate the views of the class of people who form the majority of the citizens of that section. He is engaged in stock-raising and farming and brings to the House that free, breezy disposition so characteristic of '* the men of the hills. ”

“ For the fourth time the Democrats nominated Lane for dele- gate. The Clique would have preferred another man, but his hold upon the people was still strong, and in the face of threat- ened rebellion in the ranks, the leaders feared to put up a less popular man. 1 The reception in certain counties of the conven- tion's proceedings was ominous of coming schism in the Demo- cratic party. For example, the National Democrats in Yamhill county withdrew from the regular county convention, which en- dorsed the Salem platform and reassembled in a convention of their own. ”