The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-07-13
DAILY INTELLIGENCER.
Wednesday, July Is. 1881.
"REMINISCENCES OF OREGON SET
ELEMENT.
No /.
BY D. 8.

ELEMENT.
mol.
BY D. s.
French Prairie, the northern part Of
Marion county. Oregon. bounded on
the north and west byWillamette river
was the first permanent settlement in
the WallAmet Valley. OF with perfec,
propriety il might be said, IN the Ore
gon Territory; i. e.. that vast region
west of the Rocky Mountains, bounded
south by the Cslifornis boundary (42
deg. N Lat..) and north by the Russian
line, 81 deg. 40 min.
Etienne Lucier was the first settler.
he had been . trapper. who had come
10 Oregon in 1911, in the overland
party of John Jacob Astor's Pacific
Fur Company, commanded by Wilson
P Hunt. one of the partners. Before
the spring of 1880, and the free trap
pers. Those who engaged in trapping.
not enlisted in service of the Hudson
Bay Company had selected farms upon
the French Prairie. several of the old
retired servants of the Northwest Com
psny had also made settlements.
From the parish register of st Paul's
Church. which contains the names of the
early settlers of French Prairie. birth,
age and date of death. Hon William
FL Rees. in his most valuable annual
address upon THE Early Settlements
and Settlers of French Prairie" deliy.
cred at the Pioneers Annual Reunion
OF Oregon. 1879. gives this most inter-
esting extract, furnished by Rev B De.
lorme, pastor:
Francis Quesnel, died 1874. aged 65
years.
Philip Degie, born at Sorel, Canada,
1879, died February 81. 1847, aged l0S
years.
This oldest inhsbitant first crossed
the continent with Lewis and Clark in
1905.
Francis Rivet, died September Is,
1852, sged 95, came first to Oregon with
Lewis and Clarke.
William Cannon. born in Pennsyl-
vania in 1855, died 1854. aged 80 years.
Etienne Lucier died March 6, 1858.
Lewis Lsbonte, died in 1860, aged so
years.
Joseph Gervais, died July 10, 1861,
aged "a years.
Cannon. Lucier, Lsbonte and Ger
vais were free trsppers. and together
came to Oregon. in 1911 in William P.
Hunts overland party.)
Francis Dupra, died 1858, aged so
years.
Andrew Longtain, born in 1882. died
ia 1879. aged 81 years.
OF this pioneer settlement, Mr. Rees
eloquently remarks:
French Prairie. comparatively lin.
tied in extent, is nevertheless prolific
field, Astounding in many stirring and
important events in connection with
the carly history of Oregon. Here have
lived and now lie buried two of that
gallant band of pioneers who with
Lewis and Clarke, in 1905, followed
the waters of the Columbia from their
source to the uttermost limits of the
west. Here were the homes of Gervais
Lucier, Cannon Jack. and on the west
side Of the river Labonte and La Fran.
boise-four Canadians and two Ameri.
cans. all Astormen, who came to Ore
gon with Capt Hunt in 1911, some oil
whom were with "Sir William Mack
enzie," the first white man who ever
crossed the Rocky Mountains. In later
years with the exception of La Fran
boise) these five free trappers were the
first to introduce the civilizing arts oil
husbandry IN the valley of the Walla
met. Here the pioneer missionaries
first proclaimed the salvation of the
cross to the native tribes. Here too
in ls41. were held the first political
meetings which eventuated, IN 1915, in
giving to the whole people of the Ter
ritory O provisional form of republican
government, q work of the Oregon
pioneers. the history of which must
endure while the River of the West
shall continue to roll his waters to the
briny Deep"
In the fall of 1880. the first servants
of the Hudson Bay Company, retired
by DIR Mclaughlin. commenced settling
upon French Prairie. These servants
canadian French, were married to ma
tive women, and some were about t.
have united themselves to the native
tribes to which their wives belonged
Through the influence OF DR. McLaugh.
lin they were induced to take claims
and cultivate farms.
Some of these retired servants had
also about this period occupied lands
adjacent to the farms of the Hudson
Bay Company. upon the Cowlitz Prai-
rie. north of Columbia river, in what
is now Washington Territory. Most oil
these settlers were Canadian boatmen
and voyageurs, so many of whom found
employment in pulling the boats of the
Company, in their annual VOYAGES
along the almost continuous interior
water. communication from York Fac
.ory. Hudson Bay Territory, to For.
J Vancouver on the Columbia.
While, DR. Mclaughlin was thus en-
couraging the retired servants to en-
gage IN agriculture on French Prairie,
he himself. in 1929, commenced the
erection of q saw mill at Wallame,
Falls. (now Oregon City). The em.
ployees engaged in getting ont the tim.
bers, wintered there in ls29-30. Pro.
gress was made in blasting out mill
race. four houses were built and the
timbers prepared for the saw mill and
q store. Some Of these improvements
were destroyed by Indians In 1890,
the Doctor cultivated small tract oil
land. The mill race was completed in
1882 In 1912 Oregon City was laid
out.