Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/520

Rh Nathaniel Ford, of whose settlement in Polk County I have spoken, after a useful and honorable life, died at Dixie, in that county, January 9, 1870, at the age of 75 years. Lucinda Ford, his wife, died January 4, 1874, aged 74 years. Dallas Times, Jan. 15, 1870; Salem Statesman, Jan. 10, 1874. Samuel Walker, who had served 23 years in the army of the United States, and emigrated in 1844, settled near Salem, where he lived 26 years, and accumulated a comfortable property. He died July 20, 1870, at St Joseph's hospital, Vancouver. Vancouver Register, July 23, 1870. Joel Crisman, a native of Virginia, died in Yamhill County, Aug. 16, 1875, aged 80 years. E. E. Parrish, born in West Virginia, Nov. 20, died in Linn County, Oct. 24, 1874.

E. B. Magruder, a native of Maryland, for a long time a resident of Jackson County, died July 1875, at Jacksonville, aged 74 years. He was identified with early enterprises in southern Oregon. With him emigrated to Oregon Theophilus R. Magruder, also a resident of southern Oregon, and a merchant. He died Oct. 5, 1871, aged 39 years. Theophilus Magruder resided for several years at Cresent City, California.

Jas B. Stephens was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1806. At the age of 8 years he removed with his father to Indiana, where he remained until he was 26, when he made another westward movement, and located on the Mississippi River, opposite Fort Madison, where he supplied the steamboats with wood and continued to reside for 11 years. Emigrating in 1844 to Oregon with his family, in the autumn of 1845 he bought a land claim on the east bank of the Willamette, opposite Portland, which is now the site of East Portland, and where he still resides. Overton, who had claimed on the other side, but wished to leave the country, offered Stephens his land for $200, but the latter having no money, and nothing to depend on except his trade, which was coopering, declined. It was after this offer that he purchased East Portland at an administrator's sale, Lovejoy being the seller. Nesmith was present for the purpose of bidding, but learning that Stephens desired the place for his business, and to make a home, the former gave way. This was during his term as judge of probate, the sale being under his order. The incident illustrates the generous spirit of the men of 1843. Minto's Early Days, MS., 32.

Franklin Sears was born in Orange County, New Jersey, June 28, 1817. At the age of 10 years he removed with his parents to Saline County, where he loft them to join the emigration to Oregon in 1844. The following year he went to California, and settled in Sonoma County, where he held a large farm.

Isaac N. Gilbert, a native of New York, was born at Rushville, June 27, 1818. He went to Illinois when still a very young man, and from there emigrated to Oregon at the age of 27, in company with 3 others. He took a land claim 2 miles north-east of Salem, and in 1850 married Miss Marietta Stanton, daughter of Alfred Stanton, an immigrant of 1847. Gilbert was the first county clerk of Marion county, holding the office for 3 years, and was for a time surveyor of the county. He made the first plat of the town of Salem. He laid out the road from Salem to Philip Foster's, at the foot of the Cascade Mountains, in 1846. He was one of the four original founders of the Congregational church in Salem in 1852; and during his life one of its principal supporters. He died March 20, 1879, at his home in Salem. ''Or. Pioneer Assoc, Trans.'', 1878, 82-3.

Mrs Henrietta Gilliam Coad, daughter of Cornelius Gilliam, and wife of Samuel Coad, died at Salem, March 30, 1875, aged about 32 years. Mrs Pauline Ford Boyle, third daughter of Nathaniel Ford, died in November 1874 of consumption. H. C. Jenkins, in alluding to her death, remarked that of the Ford family of 13 who crossed the plains in 1844 with him, only 2 were then left. Elijah Bunton died in 1831, on the Walla Walla River, during the gold excitement. His widow married a Mr Watson. Mrs Keziah Watson died March 19, 1 874, at Weston, in Umatilla County. Mrs Mary Jane Roberts Rogers, wife of Clark Rogers, died March 4, 1875, aged 43 years. Portland P. C. Advocate, March 25, 1875.