Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1903-07-23
SOUTHERN OREGON ANNALS
History Incident to the Settlement
of Rogue River Valley.


states, says the Ashland Tribune, will
experience a natural interest in tn,
story of the early settlement of tn,
country. A. G. Wallings' history O.
Southern Oregon contains a narration
of most of the important incidents
but there is much of the early his
tory of the first settlements that ough
to be collated before all the old pio
neers have passed away. This woult
be useful work that could be taker
up by the societies of native sons ant
native daughters. The Oregon His
torical Society has been accomplish
ing good deal ON this line.
The Rogue River valley pioneers
have borne testimony of the delightful
sensations which filed their hearts
when they first set eyes upon this fail
region. After the straits to which q
six months trip across the plains and
mountains had brought them, how
welcome to their vision must have
been the sight of the grassy plains, the
wooded slopes, and the tree-fringed
water courses of Southern Oregon.
The country was one of primitive
wildness, yet of obvious fertility and
productiyeness. The wild grasses
grew in profusion, covering every
where the land as with garment OF
most luxuriant verdure.
The rich soil, as yet unimpaired in
fertility, sent up the stalks to the
height of man. Wild berries -four
ished the beautiful mountain streams,
clear as glass and of the most refresh.
ing GOODNESS, ran, unpolluted by the
dirt from the mines. The wild deer
and the elk grazed inthe open meadow
or rested lazily under the shade of the
groves of the oak and the fir.
The hilltops were not then covered
so densely by thickets of manzanita,
and evergreen bushes because of the
Indian habit of burning annually.
Some scattered villages of Indians
formed the only fixed population of
the valley of the Rogue. which were
located near Table Rock, on Ashland
Creek, Little Butte Greek, and at a
few other points, where in after years,
they fought against being displaced
by the white settlers. Since 1S43 the
Willamette valley settlers had re-
oeived small though steady accession
Of population. The Cascade range
was practically unexplored. To the
south lay the Southern Oregon
country known only to few who had
traversed it and who brought back re-
ports of the troublesome character of
the natives.
There had been expeditions of trap
pers through the region, but the mos
important one, since it promoted set
Element, was that of the Applegates,
in 1916, in search of route by which
the overland emigrants could reach
the Willamette valley more easil y
than by the route over the Blue
Mountains and through Eastern Ore
gon.
This journey resulted in opening "a
route by which great numbers entered
Oregon and Northern California, it
being known as the southern route. "
1t entered this valley near its head
and Emigrant creek takes its name
from the opening of this passage. 1t
ran on the south side Of Bear creek
and Rogue river to point near the
present site of Grants Pass. The Ap-
plegate party acted as guides for the
first emigrants who passed over the
route. They had some trouble with
the Indians, some of their stock being
stolen, and one white man was killed
at Lost river
During the progress of the Cayuse
war which followed the Whitman
massacre, Governor Abernethy wished
to send message TO the commander
OF the United States troops in Califor-
MIA, soliciting aid. Jesse Applegate
was chosen as messenger and was
provided with an escort of l6 men.
The party set out from Polk county
and arrived at the Siskiyou mountains
about the first Of February 1S4S.
Instead of crossing over directly in
to California they attempted to travel
Eastward for distance, and were lost
in snow. Half.the party turned back
taking all the horses, while Jesse Ap-
plegate with eight others, tried to go
on with the aid of snow shoes. They,
too, felt compelled to give up the
journey, and turning northward over.
took the others Of the party on. the
South Umpqua.
The valley was traversed in IS41,
lSi9 and 1850 mainly by gold seekers
en- route 20 California or returning
to the Willamette valley. Thus far
there had been no settlements in Jack
son county. In 1851 the first settle
ments were made, but they were mere.
ly stations on the road, these being
at the three ferries ON Rogue rive
namely, Longs, Evans and Perkins.
Other than these there wore no houses
between the South Umpqua and
Yreka. There were no white inhabi.
tants within the limits Of this county
except the employees Of these ferries.
In the Sprnig Of 1851 the Indian
depredations ON the trail had became
so bad that something 10 be done "a
keep it open, and Governor Gaines,
after a short, but effective campaign
against the Indians, made treaty
with them.
The leaders among the IGdians then
we're Sam and Joe who later become
prominent figures In the history Of
this region. Upon the close Of the
Indian hoatflfties Iudoa A A gkfn.