ASHLAND DAILY TIDINGS
26 Feb 1927
EARLY PIONEERS SHOWED
REMARKABLE FORESIGHT AND INDUSTRY
WHEN CITY WAS ESTABLISHED.
WHEN CITY WAS ESTABLISHED.
In browsing around
at the library recently some interesting history of Ashland and
Jackson county, giving some of the earlier business enterprise of the
city was discovered and are reproduced. Many of the names of
early pioneers who built the foundation for the now beautiful and
prosperous city, are familiar to those who now reside here. The
captions on the various cuts that show some early Ashland scenes were
furnished through the courtesy of F. W. Wagner.
The early pioneers
of the Rogue River valley have with singular unanimity and
earnestness born witness to the sensation with which their
hearts were thrilled, when they first set eyes upon the fair region
of their dreams.
Those tired and
travel worn men and women had set out for the Pacific shore as
for a land of promise, and throughout the long and terribly wearying
journey had traveled slowly toward the setting sun, intent only upon
reaching the country so often but dimly described, and from whence
such romantic and charming accounts had come. The desolate
never ending plains, the drouth, the imminence of death from
thirst and hunger, and the ever present fear of hostile Indians,
weighed upon the souls of even the strongest and many laid down their
heavy burdens and sank to rest far from the goal they had struggled
to reach. Perhaps there never lived a class of men and women of such
a strong and self reliant character of those early pioneers.
Six Months Journey
After the straits,
to which a six months land journey across the most desolate part of
north America had brought them, how welcome to their vision must have
been the sight of the grassy plains, the wooded slopes, and
tree fringed water courses of Southern Oregon. The country was
one of primitive wilderness, yet of obvious fertility and production.
The wild grasses grew in profusion, covering everywhere the land as
with a garment of the softest and most luxuriant verdure. The rich
soil, as yet unimpaired in fertility, sent up the stalks to the
height of a man or of a horse. Wild berries flourished and the clear
mountain streams, clear as glass, ran, unpolluted by the dirt
from mines. The wild deer and elk, grazed undisturbed in the open
meadow, or sought the shade of their leafy coverts and gazed out upon
their quiet world. The hill tops, now mainly covered with dense
thickets of manzanita, madrone and evergreen brush, were then devoid
of bushes and trees because of the Indian habit of burning over the
surface to remove obstructions to their seed and acorn gathering. In
the streams roved the trout, the salmon trout and the salmon, a
favorite sustenance of the Indians.
Some scattered
villages of natives formed the only fixed population of the beautiful
Rogue River valley, which were located near Table Rock, on
Ashland creek, Little Butte creek, and a few other points, where in
after years they struggled manfully against the incoming tide of
white settlers.
Such was the aspect
of the lovely valley of Rogue river when first beheld by the
immigrants at the close of their arduous journey. The current of
emigration which, settling at first for the vale of the Willamette,
had been partially diverted toward the gold fields of California,
suffered a still further change by the beginning of 1852, when the
gold placers of the Rogue River country were discovered and the town
of Jacksonville was founded.
In the year of its
discovery a considerable number of people entered Oregon, passing
through the Rogue river valley the line of travel entering at the
head of Bear Creek and following the old California and Oregon trail
from the Siskiyous down Bear creek to the Rogue river.
In 1851 began the
settlement of Jackson county, or more properly speaking, it then
began to be looked upon as a possible home for settlers. In the
spring and summer of that year three houses or stations became
occupied permanently by white men, these being the three ferries on
Rogue river, namely, Long's, Evans' and Perkins'.
Shortly after, Judge
A. A. Skinner came to the valley in pursuance of his duties as Indian
agent and took up his residence southeast of Table Rock, on a
donation claim, supposed to have been the first taken in Jackson
county, or in the whole Rogue river valley, for that matter. His
house was the first built on Bear creek and was a small log
structure. With Judge Skinner resided the government interpreter,
Chesley Gray. Moses Hopwood came with his family and settled upon
the well known Hopwood farm on Bear creek. Several other settlers
came in at nearly the same time, and early in the year 1852 Judge
Rice occupied the location next to Skinner's and brought his wife and
small family, the lady probably being the second of her sex to locate
permanently in the valley. Mrs. Lawless possessed the distinction of
being the first white woman settler, coming some time in 1852. In
December 1851 Stone and Poyntz took up their land claims at the
crossing of Bear creek.
At the upper end of
the valley the Mountain House claim was taken up and here resided
Barron, Russell and Gibbs. On the Tolman place were Patrick Dunn,
Thomas Smith and Frederick Alberding. The following white
persons were residing in the valley on New Year's day, 1852: Major
Barron, John Gibbs, Russell, Thomas Smith, Patrick Dunn, Frederick
Alberding (R. B. Hargadine came to Ashland in January) Samuel Colver,
Judge Skinner, Chesley Gray, Sykes and two others residing at
Skinners; Moses Hopwood and two sons, N. C. Dean, Bills and son,
Davis Evans and one or two others at Evans' ferry; Perkins and
probably one assistant. Total, 27 or 28 persons, all males.
In January 1852, the
placers on Jackson creek were discovered by Sykes, Cluggage,
Pool and others and there began active progress and development of
this county. The seat of trade and activity was Jacksonville.
A great many land
claims were taken up in the year 1852, and nearly all the bottom
lands of Bear creek and vicinity were claimed, and a large number of
settlers had gathered here and found occupation. In the following
year, 159 wagons came to this valley, via the southern route,
accompanied by 400 men, 120 women and 170 children. These pioneers
brought 2600 cattle, 1300 sheep, 140 loose horses and 40 mules.
Jackson county was
organized by an act of the legislature passed January 12, 1852 and
its affairs were managed by a board and one of its first acts was the
establishment of a precinct at Emery & Co's. sawmill at Ashland.
By 1854 two flouring
mills upon Bear Creek were built, one by the Thomas Bros., and the
other by Helman, Emery & Morris of Ashland, which later was owned
and conducted by Jacob Wagner.
ASHLAND
The town of Ashland
was incorporated October 13, 1874 having then a population of 300.
The first officers were: Jacob Wagner, F. W. Ewing, J. R. Tozer and
H. C. Hill, trustees; C. K. Klum, recorder; W. C. Daly, marshall; and
J. M. McCall, treasurer.
On the sixth of
January 1852, R. B. Hargadine and Pease settled on the land recently
known as the Applegate farm, but now occupied by the railway depot
buildings. On the eleventh of the same month, Eben Emery, Dowd
Farley, J. A. Cardwell, A. D. Hellman and A. M. Rogers, also
came and settled near by.
The first house
built was the dwelling of Hargadine and Pease. The second was the
sawmill built by Eben Emory, J. B. Emery, J. A. Cardwell and Dowd
Farley.
It was commenced in
February 1852 and finished June 16 of that year at a cost of $8,000
in money and labor, and was named the "Ashland Sawmill" in
honor of Ashland, Ohio, Mr. Helman's former home, and also in honor
of the home of Henry Clay, Ashland, Kentucky, the majority of
the company being Whigs. The third building was the residence of A.
D. Hellman and the fourth that of Eben Emery.
In 1854 the Ashland
flouring mills were built by A. D. Hellman, Eben Emery, J. B. Emery
and M. B. Norris at a cost of $15,000 and were dedicated by a grand
ball on the night of August 25 of that year. These mills became the
nucleus of the coming city, which, was now laid out, with the mills
occupying the south side of the plaza, around which part of the
business of the town is now built, and the name of the sawmill
"Ashland" was transferred to the town. Simultaneously with
the mills the first blacksmith shop was built by the mill company.
Quite a number of
other buildings were soon erected, as follows: A hotel, by J. R.
Foster; a butcher shop, by Marion Westgall; carpenter and cabinet
shop, by Buckingham and Williams; a wagon shop, by John Sheldon and a
store by R. B. Hargadine.
Ashland school
district number 5, was now organized and the first school was taught
near the residence of Mrs. Erb two miles east of Ashland, by the Rev.
Myron Stearns. The first school of the town proper, was taught in
the house of Eben Emery in the year 1854 5, by Miss Lizzie
Anderson, who later became the wife of Gen. McCall.
Nothing more of
special interest transpired until April 5, 1853, when Dr. Sisson was
killed. This homicide is a dark page in the history of Ashland, and
cast a shadow over the community which was not easily dispelled.
Many theories regarding the crime were advanced, but the murderer was
never apprehended nor the cause of the assassination brought to
light.
The hotel known as
the "Ashland House" was built in the year 1859, by Eben
Emery at a cost of $3,000, by whom it was kept for 10 years and then
sold to Jasper Houck for $6,000.
The first public
school house was built in 1867 on a lot donated by R. B. Hargadine.
It was a substantial frame building 18 by 20 feet on a solid
foundation of cut stone, at a cost of $2,000.
In this new building
a school of nine months in each year was taught by the best
instructors the country afforded, from whence 250 scholars in its
several departments, drew their educations.
The next enterprise
was the marble sawmill and ships built by James H. Russell in the
years 1865 and 1869 for the purpose of utilizing the native marbles
of the country. To Ashland belongs the credit of the first marble
works in Oregon south of Portland. The sawing department of this
mill was destroyed by fire in 1879.
The planing mills
and cabinet shops of Marsh & Company were projected and partly
built by H. S. Emery in 1868. In 1874, they were purchased by Messrs
Marsh and Vaupel for $1,400.
The Ashland college
and normal school was inaugurated in 1869, at a quarterly conference
of the Methodist Episcopal church held at Ashland in June of that
year. Rev. C. Alderson, President of this meeting, proposed the
enterprise. Plans and specifications were made out by the Rev. J. W.
Kuykendall and a contract was closed with Messrs Blake and Emery for
the erection of the building. Before its completion, however, funds
failed and the enterprise was suspended. In 1872, Reverend J. H.
Skidmore, by the help of many friends, completed and furnished
the building and commenced the school as a private enterprise. Heavy
debts so embarrassed him that he was obliged to turn the school over
to his creditors, from whom it was redeemed in 1878 by its friends
and placed again under the supervision of the above church as a
college and normal school. Professor L. L. Roger, A. M., was chosen
president. Unforeseen complications, however, arising, it was soon
in the dust of humility; patrons forsook it, friends became
disheartened and Rogers resigned his position. Though the case now
seemed almost hopeless, the trustees resolved to make one more trial
and on August 26, 1882, Rev. M. G. Royal, A. M., was appointed to the
management and since his installation the course of the school was
onward and upward, and the state made it a branch of its normal
school system.
The Ashland Woolen
Mills was originally established by a joint stock company, consisting
of 30 members with J. M. McCall as the leader. It was inaugurated in
1868, under the name of the Rogue River Woolen Manufacturing company
with J. M. McCall as president; C. K. Klum, secretary and John Daly,
superintendent. The mill was completed and equipped with one set of
cards, one spinning jack, four looms, and some machinery at a cost of
$32,000. It was sold after three years to G. N. Marshall and Charles
Goodchild. During the second year of this administration James
Thornton became a partner in the business and in 1878 he bought the
entire stock of the concern. In the same year W. H. Atkinson, Jacob
Wagner and E. K. Anderson became partners with Mr. Thornton, when the
name was changed to "Ashland Woolen Manufacturing Company."
In 1881 Mr. Wagner retired and Capt. J. M. McCall again became
interested in the business.
The planing mill and
cabinet shop of Daly & Co. was built in 1878 at a cost of $3,000.
It was situated at the junction of Mechanic and Helman streets, and
the power used was the water of Ashland creek, acting on a turbine
wheel. The proprietors were W. C. Daly, J. R. Tozer and H. S.
Emery.
The extensive
nursery of Orlando Coolidge was established in 1868, and was the most
extensive of its kind in Southern Oregon. It contained almost all
varieties of fruits, nuts, shrubs, flowers and ornamental trees
to be found on the coast.
The public library
was organized in December, 1879, under the name of the Ashland
library and reading room, of which J. M. McCall, M. Baum, W. H.
Atkinson, W. A. Wilshire, James Thornton, H. C. Hill, J. P. Walker,
H. T. Chitwood, W. H. Leeds, W. Nichols and others were members.
The Ashland bank was
incorporated Feb. 9, 1884 with a capital stock of $50,000. The
incorporators were J. M. McCall, W. H. Atkinson and H. B. Carter.
Population of the
town in 1854 was 25; in 1864 was 50; in 1874 was 300 and in 1884 it
was 1000, and probably no town in Oregon has evinced such refined and
elevated sentiment as Ashland.