Page:History of Oregon Literature.djvu/640

 for a time with the Duniways and worked with Mr. Mc- Cord, notably on the Abiqua Church, and on the Rock Creek Church in Clackamas County.

Edwin Markham

It was no doubt the location of this homestead which gave rise to the report in the spring of 1935 that the poet was born on Abiqua Creek, causing the Oregon City chamber of commerce to engage in extensive geographical research to find his exact birthplace in that town. In any controversy, a literary historian could not help being in favor of a commercial club that would go to so much trouble over a poet, but, in view of the back and forth movements of the family as described by Mr. Down, it is easy to see how the report could have got started.

Samuel Markham, who arrived in Oregon on December 6, 1 847, later settled on a donation claim on upper Abiqua at the Dunigan Bridge. With his wife he owned consider able property in Oregon City, and the family in the early 50's divided the time between Oregon City and their residence on the Abiqua farm. Edwin Markham, a son, is one of America's most distinguished poets.

Samuel Allen

In connection with The Prairie Flower it will be remembered that Charles L. Camp, the historian, cited as part of his evidence against Moss' authorship the fact that in the copy of the book in the Bancroft Library the words "S. and A. Allen" are written in pencil on the title page in substitution of the printed name of Emer son Bennett. "Perhaps it should be added," said Mr. Camp, "that there was a Samuel Allen in Oregon in 1847." So there was, but as portrayed by Mr. Down does he sound much like the author of a novel ?

Samuel Allen was born in East Tennessee on July 21, 1805. He was a son of William Allen, a soldier of the War of 1812. .. . in 1826 he married Sarah, a daughter of Dan iel Benson, a native of Tennessee. He removed to Piatt County, Missouri, in 1836, and thence, in 1847 crossing the plains to Oregon, . . . spending the winter of 1 847-8 in the cabin of John Patterson, where the family was threat ened with death by the Klamath Indians, out of which