Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/26

 the local tree growth or by someone interested in Texas history. In any event the post office was established May 19, 1900, with Fred McCoy first postmaster. Available records are incomplete and the compiler cannot tell when the office was discontinued, though it did not have a long life, perhaps not much after 1905.

, Linn County. "Albany was founded in 1848 by Walter and Thomas Monteith, named after Albany, New York" (Bancroft's History of Oregon, volume II, page 716). The first settler arrived in 1846, (Oregonian, November 18, 1888). The Monteiths bought the squatter's claim to the townsite in 1848 from Hiram Smeed for $400 and a horse. The first house in Albany, then the finest residence in Oregon, was built in 1849 by Monteith brothers, at Washington and Second streets. The first store was established in 1849. The town of Takenah was started in 1849, near Albany, and by act of January 12, 1854 (Oregon Session Laws, page 27), the legislature gave that name to both towns, but in 1855, the name Albany was restored by the legislature. The first school was operated in 1851, the first flour mill in 1852. The first steamboat arrived in 1852. For additional information about the Monteiths and early history of Albany, see Oregon Journal, December 5, 1925, editorial page. G. H, Stewart of Albany calls attention to the fact that Bancroft's statement that Albany was named at the request of James P. Millar cannot be true because Millar did not arrive in Albany until 1851. Postal records indicate that Albany post office was established on January 8, 1850, with John Burkhart first postmaster. The name of the office was changed to New Albany on November 4, 1850. At this point the record becomes confused. It shows that James P. Millar became postmaster on January 3, 1852, on which date the name was changed back to Albany. However another entry shows that Millar became postmaster on January 3, 1853, and the name was changed on that date. It is probable that the second entry is correct and that the clerk forgot about the new year when he wrote the entry dated January 3, 1852. James H. Foster became postmaster at Albany on July 16, 1853. On 1925 George H. Himes wrote that Takenah, the name applied in 1849 to the locality of Albany, was an Indian word which referred to a hole in the ground, apparently near the mouth of Calapooya River where the current had cut away the bank.

, Umatilla County. The land plat for the community of Albee, Umatilla County, was filed in 1887, with the name of Alba. Alba is Latin for white. The place is now and has been for many years known as Albee for the Albee brothers, well-known local stockmen. The compiler does not know the reason for this discrepancy in names. Possibly the land was platted with an old family name, at a time when Albee was spelled Alba. Possibly the similarity of names is merely a coincidence. However that may be, Albee is the name of the place at present. The post office was established with the name Snipe on June 17, 1881, with John H. Clifford postmaster. The post office name was changed to Alba on April 17, 1882, and to Albee on July 30, 1907.

, Harney County. For more than a score of years Alberson was a post office on the extreme east edge of Harney County, in the locality of township 30 south, range 36 east. As with similar offices, it was moved around a little. The office was established September 20, 1907, with William E. Alberson first of nine postmasters. The office was named in honor of the official, who was an early settler in the vicinity of Juniper Lake. The office was discontinued September 29, 1930.