Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-08-24
'SONE INTERESTING
FACTS FROM SOME
OLD-TINE RECORDS
'Musty Records Of Champoeg
County Tells Story Of
Pioneer Days.

In the early days what is now Ma
rion county was known as Champoeg
county and according to the record Of
marriages in those early days, the
Rev. William Simpson did most of the
marrying.
The first marriage Of which there is
a record in Champoeg county was per
formed by the Rev. Wm. Simpson on
Feb. Is, lS49, the contracting parties
being Sidney Smith and Barbara Pres
ley. The second marriage was between
John Downing and Temperance Hunt,
April II, 1S49, both residents of Cham
,poeg county. The next marriage was be-
tween Archibald RAIDER and Drueilla
Simons, both of Champoeg county. On
Sept. 27, 1919, the records show the
marriage of William Allphan of Linn
county, and Febe Farier of Champoeg
county. The next marriage was Carsena
A. Huntley to Mary Priscilla Avery,
October Is, 1S49. John Crank of Linn
county and Minerva Prewett were mar
ried on Nov. l, 1s49.
The first will filed and now on rec
ord in the county recorder 5 office Is
dated April 25, 1858. 1t is the will Of
Mary Roy bequeathing to Jean Para
dis the land given him by her husband,
Thos. Roy, before he died In the will
she appoints Moses Lois and Louis Aus
SAINT as executors and instruets them
not to fail to give the land in question
to Paradis and to cultivate her own
farm FOR the use of her children. She
also instruets the executors to keep all
the cattle on the farm unsold for the
benefit of her children.
The second will on record in Marion
county is that of Flavius Laignon. He
first states that he makes his will as
"an ineurable malady is about to APP
pear" The will reads in part as fol-
lows: 81 give power to Alexis Labeach-
on, my friend and neighbor, to collect
after my death all the effects Of my
estate in order to keep together said
effects for the benefit Of my relatives
if they should ever come to declare
themselves. Herbert Petit of French
Prairie he states in his will, owes him
$50. The will closes with the follow
ing: 81 declare these to be my sincere
wishes, being too feeble to sign, Mr..
Matthew will support my hand and may
God receive me into his arms.
The first record Of district court
was when it met at Salem in Cham
poeg county, August l3. ls49, present,
the Hon. Vim. p. Bryant, chief Justice
of the supreme court and judge Of the
first judicial distinct of Oregon. Isaac
n. Gilbert was appointed by the court
as clerk.
The first grand jury was called Au-
gust IL, 1919, and included the follow
ing good and lawful II men" of the
county Of ChampOcg, territory of Ure'
gon. l.. n. English, John Ford, Cyrus
Pitnev, John lennon, VIM. 2. Pugh,
David Presley, Wiley Chapman, A. r.
Stanton, John D. Boon. T. Grump, John
w. Zeumalt, A. Towner, Samuel Sim
mons. William Greenwood Henry
Smith, Jadley Hobson and Edward Bel.
lnger
The first ease on the docket was that
of Joshua MeKenly, for the use of Je-
rome Waltng against John Durbin. The
attorney for the plaintiff was w. w.
Chapman while Mr.. Durbin appeared
for himself. The record reads; '"The
defendant offering NO testimony to sus
tain his plea, il is ordered that the
plaintiff recover Of the defendant the
sum of sl6750. the amount Of the prom
issory note,
The first divorce suit on the records
of the county was that Of James Camp
bell against Eliza Campbell, at the
same term Of court beginning Aug. II,
lS49 The records state that the de-
fendant was solemnly called three times
and as she did not appear in person, nor
any person Tor her, the divorce was
granted 10 Mr. Campbell.
By the March term of court in 1851
il Was Marion county instead OF Cham
poeg. AT this term of court, March
%, 1851, John Mimic applied to the
court to complete his naturalization
The record states that be had lived in
the territory two years previous to the
date Of filing his first declaration Of
The record reads; " And the
said John Minto, having proved that
be Is a man OF good moral character
aud attached to the institutions Of the
United States and had lived in the Ter
riturv for the past five years, the court
the oath Of allegiance
and admitted him 20 the privileges OF
a citizen Of the United States
The first legal handing in the eoun
~ was April II, 1851. Judge William
Strong pronounced the sentence on vii
liam Kendall April A. 1851, as follows,
after jury had foaaa him guilty Of
MnrdeF: "whereUpon the sentence %
the court is that said William Kendall
be taken from the place Of confinement
and then 10 be securely kept BY the
sheriff Of Marion county until the 18th
lay Of April instant. ard on that day
between the hours Of 10 clock in the
morning and O. clock in the afternoon
be taken hy the sheriff from said place
II confinement 10 some convenient
place IN said county and then be hang
"A hy the sheriff by the meek until
lead, dead. dead.