American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-07-22
FIRST SETTLERS OF ROCKLAND

FIRST SETTLERS OF ROCKLAND
VIM. q. Watts, wife and three chill
dren, made a trip from McCammon to
ROckland during first week of July.
They drove through with team and
buggy. Mrs. Watts is q daughter of
Joseph Brown, n Of five children of
Mr.. and Mrs. Brown, who came to
Idaho with their parents. My father,
Joseph Brown was n OF the first
settlers of Rockland and built the
first house. The rest OF the party was
Mr.. and Mrs. VIM. Adshead and son,
Mr.. and Mrs. David Taysom. Mr.. and
Mrs. John Neild both women being
daughters of Mrs. Adshead.
They left there families at Neeley-
Vile, went down the Snake river to
look for a location and while there
they heard of Rockland and came back.
Next day they went owe horseback
and located a road part OF which had
been Travelled twice a year by Tinnens
and Taylor's mess wagon. The next
day they took their families over. My
father landed on Rockland on Gath
day OF July. 1879. His possessions
were so cattle, Is head of horses, two
new wagons, two sets of new harness,
cook stove. table. sewing machine, but
ter churn, one grain cradle, one grass
scythe. plenty OF clothes for his family
for one year, and some few hundred
dollars In money. Father settled on
one OF the choicest claims with an in
dividual water right and It is still n
OF the choicest OF places. Some OF the
party were dissatisfied. They all got
to gether and talked matters over of
going back to Utah, and I suppose
would have done SO but for the de-
termination OF mother. She said all
could 20 back that wanted to but she
together and talked matters over of
going back until at least we had tried
to do something. So they all decided
TO stay but Mr.. and Mrs. Neild, who
went back to Meadow Creek, Utah, the
same fall.
The first winter there our cattle
suffered from lack Of feed. Father
lost quite a few and Mr.. Adshead
lost more than father did. Early I'm
mad left Meadow Creek and was not
n cut down a few tons OF sweet
grass and bull PUSHES, and stacked
them up which helped out as feed for
tne cattle. He cut them from the
warm spring creek, what is now his
independent water right. We didn't
surfer any but u poor cattle did. The
Following spring father cleared some
Twelve acres and sowed to oats and
wheat, which when ripe we tbreshed
out with horses and cleaned enough
III the wind to grind for flour TO last
us a year. He cut It with his grain
cradle and bound II by hand. The next
year they all put In grain and father
pought a mower and reaper combined
WIN u SIDE rake so he also owned the
irst harvester In Rockland. The next
spring the railroad was being built
and American Falls started IN We
1 girls began to milk cows and mother
made butter and cheese. raised cbicL.
ems, sold produce off the farm IN al,
l VINO would buy. The first school wal
Q ,aught by Miss Clara Houtz, taught
4 M uheir homo. We children didn'
attend IL because our parents didn'
a think II wal safe for us girls TO wall
TWO n a half miles alone, as on,
brother Thomas. was with THINE,
ana Taylor Cattle Co. mt the time Tn,
0 school didn't last long. II was I'm m,
summer. That winter the next scboo
started up. held I'm a Mr.. HENRY
nome or two rooms One thew live,
IN, the other was the school room
III mad no floor and we used such hook,
rs we happened to have. II was ais;
a subscription school taught by a Mr.
>. nj. Bartlett. ! remember father nav
Ing him In cheese, eggs, butter. flon,
: n some money. The first hay fatbe,
sold brought $1,000 per ton and W,
y paid $500 for 100 pounds of suga,
then. ~
Now, when drove through the set
tlement OF Rockland you may depen,
IL thrilled my heart to see the Lowell,
d school buildings and churches, and m
BEAUTIFUL green grain fields. Man,
Z a time have drove over the road witt
rather and he would say: Sarah. yo,
3 viii some day see this sage brnsl
8 lands all turned In to beautiful graf,
fields and fine homes" Then TO rid
: over the same roads or practically tn
I same with my own children and SO
Q the prosperity OF the country Il certain
y. gave room for plenty OF thought
3 of course some OF the grain was burn
Q ing Tor the want OF rain fall, but thu
: ought not discourage any one. ]
8 doesn't happen every year and Their
' isn't sunshine without a little nigh
u MRS. WIN. @. WATTS.