The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-05-06
CARSON MASIKER
AN EARLY PIONEER

Carson c. Masiker was born in Kane
county, ILL.,, February rs. 1852. The
family started overland for Oregon that
year, 1.-THE great cholera year" and
most of the number of the train we're
cut off by the cholera, mountain fever
and other diseases prevalent on the
Platte river. A mere remnant OF SIX
wagons reached Box Elder. Utah, in
October, too late to attempt the re-
naming portion of the trip that fall.
They and a few other belated emf
grants decided to build few cabins TO
winter in, and sent deputation OF
three men, of whom the father OF the
subject'of this sketch was one, down to
Salt Lake City 10 see Brigham Young
and ask his permission to winter there.
Ii was thought best to propitiate the
Saints" and keep on good terms with
them. brigham" received them quite
graciously and in response to their re-
quest said:
"Your teams are badly jaded from
your long trip. We want to form set
Element out there in the spring. How
would it suit you for US to send out
some fresh teams to do the hauling,
the men of your party to put up the
buildings, and build about twice as
many as you want for yourselves? |
will send out some people to winter
with you. You will be safer from the
Indians and when you leave in the
spring we are to have all the buildings.
They will be of no more use to you
then"
I Brigham's proposition was accepted
and its terms carried out. When the
buildings were completed the name,
eft. Box Elder" was adopted, and
the emigrants spent rather pleasant
winter there. But they we're anxious
to get through and made an early start
in the spring of 1853 for Oregon.
On the way they we're joined at Ft.
Hall by a family that had wintereo
there. All went fairly well with the
little party and they reached Oregon
City on the third of July, 1853.
George Masiker. the head of the
family consisting of his wife and Ithree
children, located donation claim one
mile east from where Fl. Yam-Hi il
was afterward built, in Polk county
where they resided till April, 1860
when they removed to Wasco county
settling near Dufur, where they re
mained till April, 1862. when they wen
across Deschutes river into what is nov
Sherman county. They were the sec
ond family to settle in the county
George Masiker died April 10, 1868, bu
the family continued to live there TO
many years. The place is now know
as Poplar Grove and is some seveI
miles west of the town of Wasco.
In 1867, at the age of l5, Carson Z
Masiker was out on the Canyon Cit
road driving a freight team for Col
Fulton. In 1868 he made trip t
Grande Ronde valley, assisting
brother-in-law and his family to NOV
there. Later he went to Walla Wall
and drove an OK team IN a logginI
camp up in the mountains on the Wall
Walla river, returning home late in tn
fall. Remaining at home until Janu
ary, 1870, he went to Portland with tn
intention of learning the machinist'
trade. Failing to get situation IN
machine shop, he went down to West
port and worked in the Westport log
gerry till spring when he started for tn
Boise mines. Returning from Boise /
the fall of 1870 he went up on job
Day river and settled in Hay Stac
valley and engaged in the stock bus
ness, which he followed for 20 years.
He was married on March 25, lS7t
to Miss Jennie ID. Parrish, whose ia
ther. T. M. A. ]. Parrish, crossed th
plains in 1874, and whose mother cam
around the Horn with the misisonarie
in 1887. Mrs. Parrish was daughte
of Alason Beers, who was a black
smith in the employ of the missionarie
and became Joint governor on the fol
nation of the provisional government
at Champoeg in 1843. Mrs. Masike
died in December, 1876, leaving an in
fant son. In June. 1878, Mr.. Masike
was married to Miss Mary isabel
Henderson, of Columbus. Washington
To this union there we're born five chill
dren. all but one of whom are living.
During his stay in Hay Stack MI
Masiker served for eight years as jus
tice of the peace. Selling out at Ha
Stack in 1890 he went to Sumpter Val
lev in Baker county, where he wa
foreman of the first construction gan
on the Sumpter Valley railroad. Re
turning to Sherman county in 1891 h
settled near Biggs not far from hi
old home, where he remained till Nc
vember, 1896, when he came to Hoo
River and bought land claim on Nea
creek, where he still resides.
Mr.. Masiker takes lively interes
in the pioneers of the Pacific north
west and has written numerous scrap
of history of the different localities b
has been acquainted with. He has ais
been a scribbler of verses for NOR