Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/838

Rh and located himself in Jackson co. In 1864 the remainder of the family, consisting of the parents, 3 sons, and 5 daughters, followed, and in 1870 John again became the pioneer, taking some land in the Klamath country, where Alkali is now situated, and being followed by the others and their joint property, 15 cows, with which they went into stock-raising, working for wages and investing all their earnings in cattle. John took a leading part in budding up the town of Bonanza, where he was postmaster for several years, and taught the first school. The Shooks in a few years were independent, and became the largest land and stock owners in the country.

Richard Hutchinson, born in Pa in 1826, came to Cal. in 1867, residing in Sierra and Mono cos until 1864, when he removed to Jackson co., Oregon, and subsequently to Tule Lake, Klamath co. He married Annie Armstrong, of Tyrone co., Ireland, in 1848.

Newton Franklin Hildebrand, born in Moniteau co., Mo., in 1843, came to Cal. in 1874, settling in Yolo co. In 1879 he made a tour through Idaho and eastern Oregon, and in 1884 settled in Klamath co. He married Rhoda E. George in 1872.

Joseph Henry Sherar, born in Vt, came to Cal. by sea in 1855, being then 23 years old. He proceeded to the Salmon River mines, where he remained 3 years mining. In 1859 he removed to Hoopa Valley, purchased a farm of 450 acres of good farming land, and a train of 40 mules, with which he carried on freighting to Arcata on the coast, to the mines on Salmon River, and 150 miles up the Klamath River. While in this business he had for a partner Jonathan Lyon, a nephew of Gen. Lyon of the army of the civil war. In the spring of 1862 Sherar, with a passenger and freight train, started for the Powder River mines. The route was along Trinity River to Trinity Centre, across the mountains to Scott Valley, from there to Jacksonville, and thence to Oregon City, crossing the Cascade Mountains by the old Barlow road, the snow in places being 20 feet deep in June, to Tyghe Valley, Des Chutes Bridge, John Day River, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Grand Rond, and over the Blue Mountains to Powder River. Returning to the Dalles he loaded his train for the John Day mines. A German in his party built an oven of clay to bake bread in, en route, giving the name to a settlement which was afterward formed there. This company also named Antelope Valley from the great number of those animals found there, and Cold Camp from the cold experienced there. Near this camp, while they lay there, Berryway killed Gallagher for his money and pack-train; he was arrested, tried, and hanged at Cañon City. Proceeding, Sherar's company named Muddy Creek, Cherry Creek, and Burnt Rancho, where Clark and his partner were burned out by the Indians. Bridge Creek was so called on account of a small bridge of juniper logs, built over it by Shoeman and Wadley, who came from Cal. and went to the John Day mines with a train. Beyond here was Alkali Flat, where the first hotel on the road was erected in 1863. Crossing the Blue Mountains to the head of Rock Creek, the trail led to the John Day Valley, and thence to Cañon City. This was the road afterward so much molested by Indians, 180 miles in length, and guarded by the 1st Oregon cavalry. Sherar continued to carry freight over it for two years. In 1863 he married Jane A. Herbert, and settled in Wasco co., raising horses until 1871. Sherar's bridge over the Des Chutes has the following history: In earliest immigration times, as my readers will remember, it was frequently forded, at some peril to the traveller; sometimes the Indians carried passengers over in canoes. In 1860 a bridge was built at the crossing by Todd and Jackson, carried away by high water in 1861, and rebuilt in 1862. Jackson sold to Todd in the autumn, who took in Hemingway and Mays as partners. Hemingway soon purchased the interest of the other partners, after which he sold to O'Brien, who sold to Sherar in 1871, for $7,040, who expended $75,000 in improving the roads on every side of it, 66 miles of which he kept in repair. In 1876 he purchased the White River flouring mills, which manufactured 40 barrels of flour per day. He had also a saw-mill cutting 2,800 feet daily. He purchased the Fenegan rancho 14 miles east of his bridge, containing 1,580 acres, worth $25,000; had 6,500