The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1916-04-13
OF
FIRST FARMER
EXCERPTS TAKEN FROM OLD DAIRY
Twelve Votes Cast in Congressional Elec-
tion GO Years Ago Tragedy
OF an Indian Doctor

ssots Wv AS@Ae Eh6S AAooSy
Of an Indian Doctor
This is the fifth and last of series
of articles written by H. G. Coe, son
of Nathaniel Coe, Hood Rivers first
permanent settler. The articles ap-
peared in the Glacier April, 1903.
Many of Hood Rivers pioneer resi-
dents have pasted the stories in their
scrap books. Early files Of the Glacier
having been burned. these articles were
reprinted through the courtesy OF Mr..
and Mrs. W. L. Clark.
Our meteorological record commences
February /, 1857. but no family record
was kept until June, 1858. Tread from
the record:
Sunday, October 10, 1857. .-Ther-
mometer broke by the first frost that
touched it."
This was q serious loss, as we were
unable to obtain another one until the
following June.
Almost the first entry / find is ON
June 3-"Took 10 bushels potatoes to
Dalles sold for $3.50 per bushel."
Farm hands came high those days.
From an old account book read:
'William Paige, by work commenc-
ing May !, 1857, to October 22-5 mos. /.
| 22 days-$238" Tor $40 per month and
board. This man Paige was an old
English sailor whom my father picked
up in Portland and hired for year at
| $40 per month and board. He after
wards obtained unenviable notoriety
by his connection with the noted Ma
gruder murders near Lewiston, Idaho,
about 1864 or 1865. Paige, with three
others. brutally murdered a packer
named Magruder and his entire party
of FIVE or six, for their money. and es-
capped to California. They we're cap
tured in San Francisco and taken back
to Lewiston. Paige turned states evil
dence and saved his neck; his three
companions we're hanged. He was at
terwards shot in saloon brawl.
August 10, 1858, q young man by the
name of Arthur Gordon. who, with bis
cousin Henry, had been at work on the
river, took up the claim afterwards
known as the Peter Neal place, and my
brother, Eugene, took up claim he
afterwards sold to Jesse Neal, a son Of
old Peter.
August is, read, peaches anl
plums begin to ripen." And on the
Goth, "Took two bushels peaches t
Dalles; these brought 25 cents
pound"
Sometime during the summer s. B.
Ives and family and A. G. Phelp
moved up from the Cascades. Ives 10
Gated on what we called Round Prairie
west and north Of the Belmont church
and Phelps directly west, on the creek
later known as Phelps creek, Patto'
creek and Fall brook. Later an oil
sailor named Cowperthwaite took u
the place south of the Ives place, after
ward owned by Ward, Whitcomb, Prat
and others. Amos Underwood and job
M. Marden also located on what IS no'
] known as the Haynes. Morton farm
and a man named Wilson on the Bal
rett place. !,
N. S. Benson, who went east in tn
early fall, to get him wife, returne
H in November, bringing. also, Mis-
Maggie Williams. j. M. Benson's fiar
Gee. These new arrivals made a we
| come addition to our little neighbol
hood. J. M. Benson had taken up
farm on Indian creek. so called ftol
Il the Indian village of some ten
Il twelve houses built of split ceds
II boards and used during the winters.
II January 22, 1859. from our record
II read: "Killed two hogs; weight q
II pounds; IA cents, or $39.20."
II There was money in raising hos
N then.
II FEBRUARY Ia Sold one yoke oxen
III John Day: price $780," This was Il
II man for whom the John Day river wi
II named.
II Our record does not tell of the fir
Il postoffice and postmaster, but it mu
Il have been opened in 1859, with MI
Il Bertha Benson P. NJ, and was kept
II the N. s. Benson place, just east
II the Lost Lake Lumber company's So
II mill. This was a great convenienc
III az before that time the mail car
III through the pursers of the boats a
iii was frequently delayed and lost.
III Tuesday, February 22 - Steam
II Mary sunk at Horns landing; ran
HI submerged stump" This landing
HI on the Edgar Locke farm. Bro
II thermometer again, and it could not
re placed until June !.
II In March MIR. and Mrs. Butler
4 MIR. and Mrs. Whiting came. N
/ Butler took up the place afterwal
H known as the 0dell ranch, and Whit
II took place adjoining on the west.
II Monday, June 6, 1859 -Commene
II papering the rooms; won't they ia
iii nice with such pretty paper?" This
iii in mothers handwriting.
iii Tuesday. June Walker and MI
III well. road makers, came to supper
III This was the party that opened wi
iii was known as the Walker trail to
III Willamette valley via the west fork
I|I Hood river and Chitwood lake.
Hi "Monday, June 27- Election retur
II precinct OF Hood River: Congressn
ii b. Logan, rep. 8: Lansing Sto
HI dem., 4.
II Some time in the spring of this y
III a man named Stadden took up
II place now known as the Turner ia
~ and built log cabin on it. This ca
was used by Butler and Whiting
ri store room while they we're build
III their houses; Stadden assisting tn
III On returning to the Stadden house
iii evening, they were surprised to
that some person or persons
broken into the cabin and stolen
bulk of their provisions. Inquiry
the cabin of the Gordon boys elic
the fact that a band Of Indians
passed up the valley that day by
of Stadden's. OF course, 1t was
iii Indians that were guilty. and on
III return of the band they were acct
of the theft. This they indigna
III denied, and opened their packs fol
spection. They then demanded
the cabin of the Gordons be scare
and declared they would do 80 II
whites did not. So the only thinf
be done was to 60 and prove %
white man was incapable OF viola
III one of the Ten Commandments.
Cordons declared they would not
the cabin searched. but seeing "