FootNote
The new kid on the block, FootNote is known for digitizing historical
documents... many of which are genealogical gems. With naturalizations,
city directories, war records, newspapers, town records, etc... this new
kid is quickly being recognized as an alternative to Ancestry.
While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
Dr. D. S. Baker, who became the millionaire
of Walla Walla, was one of the men of this day in our city.
In 1850 William S. Ladd stepped ashore at the little
primitive wharf. He is a Vermonter by birth, although his
early life was spent in New Hampshire. He developed his
energies upon a farm, bringing into productiveness one of
the most stumpy and rocky pieces of land in the Granite
State. Engaging early in the work of school teaching, he
amplified his academic acquisitions, and as employe at the
railroad station in his place of residence gained business
habits and breadth of outlook. He became somewhat familiar
with the products and resources of the Pacific Coast, and
upon the news of the discovery of gold in California,
reasoned, that not the region of the mines, but that from
which provisions came to the mines would ultimately get most
wealth. Finding that the Willamette valley sustained this
relation to California, he determined to come to our
territory. He stopped at San Francisco on the way and
conferred there with an old friend of his, C. E. Tilton, but
not being able to persuade him to go into the business of
selling at retail the goods he was receiving from New York,
came on up to Portland, bringing a few articles of
merchandise with him, and started a small store on the
ground opposite the present site of the Esmond Hotel. Mr. H.
W. Corbett also belongs to this era. Of this gentleman, as
of the others foregoing, a full account is given in another
portion of this volume. H. McDonald, an architect and
builder of skill, from Rhode Island, who did some government
work and put up an opera house at San Francisco, and A. R.
Shipley, now of Oswego, were also "Forty-niners." W. P.
Abrams, a millwright, a man of great intelligence and public
spirit, arrived with his family the succeeding year. A
native of Grafton, New Hampshire, he always carried his New
England thrift and conscientiousness, together with great
kindliness and generosity, into his daily life. For a few
years before coming to Oregon he had lived in Alabama. While
in San. Francisco he was sought out and secured by Stephen
Coffin to come to Portland and build the first steam saw
mill. Upon arriving in our city he successfully accomplished
this task, and for many years thereafter was engaged in the
manufacture of lumber at Portland or The Dalles. In January
of 1850 Mr. Cyrus A. Reed, Oregon's landscape painter,
arrived in the city, having made the voyage from San
Francisco on the Brig Sequin, under command of
Captain Norton. He, also, was a New Englander, a native of
Grafton, New Hampshire, and had received there a substantial
education. In 1849 he set sail for California, and engaging
in his trade, as painter of signs, was very successful
financially. With Mr. Abrams, however, he came to Portland,
and has been a devoted lover of Oregon from the day of his
arrival.
Much interesting and characteristic incident is related as
to the building of the old steam sawmill. It was begun in
December, 1849, and finished in the summer of 1850. The main
portion being forty by eighty feet, and the timbers solid
fir beams sixteen inches square, it was found impossible to
obtain men enough in the city to " raise " it. Coffin set
off for Oregon City with a flat boat for help, but even thus
could not secure a sufficient force. The very painful and
somewhat ridiculous predicament appeared of having a mill
too big to be put together by all the available men in
Oregon. At this juncture Mr. Reed, who had been employed
from the first in all sorts of work about the building,
offered to build a derrick, agreeing to forfeit one hundred
dollars. of his wages if he failed. By means of derrick,
blocks and tackle, he enabled the men present to lift every
timber to its place, and the work went on swimmingly. In
1852, after teaching a term of school, he became a partner
in the mill, which was operated under the firm name of
Abrams, Reed & Co. Among the workmen on this structure was
J. W. Trutch, afterwards Surveyor-General of British
Columbia. In 1852, John Gates, Portland's great inventor,
came up from San Francisco and joined the company, acting as
engineer. General Coffin was still a silent partner, dealing
much in lumber, shipping it to San Francisco. On one
occasion---to show the uncertainty of business-he is said to
have consigned two ship loads to Winter & Latimer, of that
city, who reported a low market and advised at length that
they were compelled to sell at a sacrifice. They, moreover,
presented a bill of eleven thousand dollars for wharfage,
demanding immediate payment. By Mr. A. B. Bonnell, as agent,
it was discovered that there were fifteen thousand dollars
due Coffin; a judgment for which was obtained.
The mill was burned in 1853-after Reed had removed to Marion
County-entailing a heavy loss upon the owners. It was
situated near the foot of Jefferson street, at the mouth of
a deep gulch which has long since been filled up.
Mr. J. A. Strowbridge arrived in Portland in 1852. He was
then but a youth, and the early days of his life in our city
were much distressed by the death of his father, who had
contracted mountain fever in crossing the plains. Being,
however, of a courageous spirit, the young man soon
addressed himself to business, engaging in the purchase and
shipping of fruit to San Francisco. He was one of the first,
if not the very first, to consign Oregon apples to dealers
in California, and was of much service to the State in going
among the farmers and encouraging them to plant orchards,
under the promise that he would take all their fruit at
remunerative figures. He after-wards engaged in the boot and
shoe business, and later in the leather trade, with great
success, and is now one of our most wealthy and popular
citizens. His brothers were also engaged in business with
him at an early day.
Mr. George W. Snell, the pioneer druggist of Portland, a
native of Augusta, Maine, arrived at Portland early in the
spring of 1851, having spent some ten months previously in
California. With him was Dr. J. C. Hooper, also of Maine,
and the two formed a partnership, bringing to Portland a
stock of drugs. Dr. Hooper died in 1851, and Mr. Snell was
soon succeeded by Mr. George L. Story, and the latter in
turn by Smith & Davis. In the course of time this firm was
consolidated with Hodge, Calef & Co., and under that
designation did business for many years. Latterly, however,
it is operated under .the firm name of Snell, Heitshu &
Woodard. This house, with which Mr. Snell has been so long
connected, and indeed at the head, is known throughout the
Northwest as one of the great wholesale establishments of
our city.
Mr. Nelson Northrup, long known as
a merchant in old Oregon, was born in
Auburn, N. Y., and coming to Oregon engaged
in business at the Cascades, but soon
brought his stock of goods to Portland,
where he went into partnership with
Montreville Simonds, from Massachusetts. In
1856 he went to Coos Bay, but subsequently
returned to Portland, where he died.
Edward James Northrup, the son of the *
foregoing, was born in Albany, N. Y., in
1834. He came to Portland in 1852, and for a
few years served with his father as clerk,
but in 1856 engaged in business on his own
account, opening a hardware store under the
name of Northrup & Blossom, which was the
beginning of the present extensive
establishment of Thompson & DeHart. Mr.
Northrup died at Portland in 1883.
Judge P. A. Marquam, whose memory will be
perpetuated in the name of the hill at the
south of the town, as well as by his public
works, arrived in Portland, August 13th,
1851. A man of keen observation and
excellent memory it is most delightful to
listen to his account of his voyage hither,
and of his impressions upon his arrival.
Upon crossing the Columbia Bar, he was much
attracted by the sight of the verdure of the
hills, and of the general appearance of
natural exuberance of the soil. Portland, as
a city, took the new comer somewhat aback,
being yet in the deep woods. The streets
were mire holes during the rainy weather,
and settlers from below town hauling wood
used frequently to be mired on their way
through. A - striking habit of the place was
also the manner in which the country people,
having come to town in their wagons and
camped over night, used to get up early in
the morning to pound on the doors of the
stores to wake the still slumbering clerks.
The Canton House on the corner of Washington
and First streets, built by Stephen Coffin,
was the principal hotel. It was a
three-story wooden building, and inay now be
seen in its present position at the foot of
Jefferson street. The Columbia Hotel had a
famous proprietor in the person of Col.
Gordon, properly Gen. Hinton, of Ohio.
J. C. Carson, a man of wealth and influence
in Portland for nearly forty years, was born
in Center County, Pennsylvania, in 1825. In
1832 he went to Ohio and there spent his
early life, gaining an education and
studying medicine. In 1850 he came to San
Francisco with the intention of aiding his
former instructor in medicine in the
establishment of a hospital in that city.
From considerations of health, however, he
decided to come to Oregon, and arrived here
in the autumn of '51. He operated as
contractor and builder until 1857, when he
erected at the foot of Jefferson street a
sash and door factory, the first in the
city. This business, long since removed to a
site at the north end of the city near
Weidler's saw mill, has now grown to immense
proportions. Mr. Carson has been active in
our city in educational, religious and
political circles. He is one of our most
prominent men.
George L. Story, a pioneer in the drug
business of our city, and at present an
efficient member of the Fire Commission, was
born in Manchester, Mass., in 1833, and
received his education at a private school
in Salem. In 1847 he entered a wholesale
drug store, and thoroughly mastered the
subject of pharmacy. In 1850 he came out to
California, and in '51 came on up the coast
to Oregon. With a partner, Devaux Babcock,
he bought out the drug store of Hooper,
Snell & Co. and carried on the drug business
here. He afterwards bought out Babcock and
formed a partnership with Story, Redington &
Co., of San Francisco. He closed out his
interest here, however, to Smith, Davis &
Co., and entered into a large wholesale
business in San Francisco, but returned to
Portland in 1862, and has remained here to
the present time. In 1872 he was appointed
to fill a vacancy in the Common Council, and
was thereafter elected to the same position
and served three years. He has also served
in the State Legislature from Multnomah,
County. At present he conducts a large fire
insurance business, and is a man held in
high esteem by all our people. Prom no one
better than from him may we gain an
understanding of the old times in Portland,
when the old pioneers were young men
together, ambitious and eager to succeed,
but all equals, and never so much engrossed
in their own concerns as to allow one
overtaken by bad luck to go by the board.
W. S. Odgen came on the bark Madonna
in 1849. Col. Backenstos was also a familiar
figure.
At the end of this chapter will be found a
list of the names of those living in
Portland prior to 1852, which it has been
attempted to make complete.
Public Events and Structures of the
Period
It is recorded that in 1849 the growing
population felt the necessity of some
building sufficient for public uses, and
that in consequence a movement was set on
foot for a schoolhouse, which might also
serve for religious and other public
meetings-the cooper shop now being too
small, or too much cumbered with its own
proper belongings, or the owner grown tired
of having his tubs and buckets turned upside
down for seats. Two thousand two hundred
dollars were subscribed and out of this the
public building was erected, and served at
stated times, in addition to the uses
indicated above. as a court room. It' was
near the Ainsworth Block.
Portland had as yet no newspaper. Its rival,
Milwaukie, was setting up the Western
Star, and at Oregon City the
Spectator was growing almost venerable
with the weight of years. Plainly such a
condition could not be endured. Col.
Chapman, with more or less definite purpose
to relieve the situation, went down to San
Francisco, taking along in the bark on which
he sailed a stick of fir timber one hundred
and thirty feet long, cut from the woods on
the elevation now occupied by W. S. Ladd's
residence. He intended it as a present to
the people of the golden city to serve as a
flag staff. Finding there one Thomas J.
Dryer, a journalist, with the plant of a
newspaper, he engaged his materials and
services, agreeing with him that he should
come to Portland and publish a journal to be
called The Oregonian. To this work
Dryer was also urged by H. W. Corbett, at
that time in San Francisco. The office was
shipped in October, 1850, on the bark
Keoka. By reason of hard winds and
storms the vessel did not reach the Columbia
as early as expected. The editor elect was,
moreover, stranded financially at Astoria,
and had to be relieved by a moderate advance
from the pocket of Col. Chapman. On this
account the new paper was preceded some
weeks by the Western Star. It was not
until the 4th of December that the first
issue appeared. On the night of its
publication all hands were busy and the town
was illuminated by an immense bonfire in the
streets. Various orgies were solemnized in
the office, one among them being the
initiation of the devil, who was blindfolded
and made to perform certain circuits and at
stated revolutions to abjure his former
occupation by affirming that he would split
no more rails. Col. Chapman provided a man
to take a bundle of the new issue and start
early next morning on horse back, on the
west side of the river, and distribute the
paper as far up as Corvallis and return by
the east side.
In its first issue the Oregonian
contained some terse and forcible English,
and complimented the people upon the rapid
growth of their city, and the neat
appearance of their residences, remarking
that Portland was a town which had sprung up
in an incredibly short time. "The buildings
are mostly new, of good style and taste,
with their white coats of paint, contrasted
with the brown and the dingy appearance of
towns generally on the Pacific Coast; giving
it a most homelike appearance."
