Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1916-09-12
PIONEER WOMAN DEAD
POLK COUNTY RESIDENT PASS
ES AWAY IN FOREST GROVE
Settled Near Monmouth in 1894. Sons
Prominent in Agricultural
Work.

Mrs. Helen Mar McEldowney. pio
neer resident Of Polk county died a
the home of her son, VIM. Fl. in For
est Grove last Friday afternoon a
the advanced age of 81 years and {
months. She was we'll known il
Polk county having made her home
with son, Thomas, on the old FAM
lily farm near Monmouth, until a
month ago when she went to Forest
Grove.
Helen Henderson was born in Mer-
GER county Pennsylvania on May 20,
1885. She was married to Thos. Law
McEldowney on April 6, 1855. They
moved to Washington county, Iowa
the same year. In 1864 they crossed
the plains by OK team and located at
Virginia City, Nevada, and from
there went to Chico, Calf. in 1868
The family first came to Oregon in
1871 and in 1894 they settled on a
farm just south of Monmouth, on the
Luckiamute, a part Of the old J. S.
Holman donation land claim. Tt was
on this farm that Mr.. McEldowney
started pioneer movement in Ore
gon to put the ranch on a business
basis and take up systematic farm
ing. He kept account of each ami
NAL s food, credited each COW with
the milk she produced and each horse
with the work it did, had each Of his
fields numbered, charged them with
the work put on them and gave them
credit for what crops they produced.
Many farmers in Polk county and the
Willamette valley afterward took up
this method of farm management.
The six sons which survive Mrs.
McEldowney have all had promi-
nent place in the agricultural develop
ment of both Oregon and Washing {
ton. Will, the Oldest son, for a num- |
ber of years had charge of the Broad
mead farm of Ladd & Reed at Broad 1
mead station, his father, who died t
20 years ago, having also had charge 1
# this farm at one time; Frank had
harge of the Ladd & Reed dairy l
arm, that part of Portland which is (
low known as Laurelhurst, Ed. t.
ad charge of the Ladd & Reed Sau- 2
lie island farm in the Columbia. lust
Glow the mouth of the Willamette,
or a number of years; Tom has C
barge of the old home place near Ii
lonmouth; Jim, who was on the farm b
or many years, is now postmaster at II
Venatchee, and Sam has charge of Ii
lg stock ranch in the Big Bend coun- 6
~ above Wenatchee. 1t was on
ANS place, some ten years ago, that W
lie outlaw Tracy stopped for dinner c'
ne day. Sam was away from the tC
ouse on Tracy's arrival and on his es
turn at noon the outlaw was intro es
iced to him by his father-in-law, Is
m. Sanders, as Mr. Tracy. The in te
oduction was made in a joking way as
'cause of the notoriety Tracy had 81
lined at that time, but the newcomer So
most serious mood informed 3s
EN- that he was the real Tracy and ce
ate his dinner with his Winchester ee
ross his knees. When he left he co
ok Sans saddle horse and Mr.
.nder's saddle. At present these VI
rs reside at the following places:
i'll H. at Forest Grove, Ed. L. at Nj
nifty, Thos. A. at Monmouth, Fred
at Oakland, Calf. Sam ]. and
mes H. at Wenatchee, Wash. tai
The old timers of the county sin nu
ely regret the passing of Mrs. Nc is
lowney as she was held in highest TIL
eem by every one of her acquain- the
ces, which she numbered by hun few
ds, in Polk county and throughout Po
Willamette valley. pai
he funeral services were held on con
nday from the First Congregation ure
church in Forest Grove and inter- aga
ut was made in the Riverview Gem at
ry, Portland. Uni