Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/544

 orth west of and up Silk Creek from Cottage Grove. There is not much left of this little community except the school. Royal post office was established April 6, 1887, with Royal H. Hazelton postmaster. The office operated until September 19, 1899, and it was doubtless named for the first postmaster. Incidentally Silk Creek was at one time known as Hazleton Creek. Royal H. Hazleton received two patents for government land in this vicinity in 1867. Royce MOUNTAIN, Klamath County. This mountain is northeast of Crescent Lake. It was named for George Royce, an early day stockman of the Deschutes Valley. Royston, Klamath County. Royston was a post office in the east part of the county about eighteen miles northeast of Bonanza. The name Royston is still preserved at Royston Spring which is a little to the east of Yainax Butte on the old road from Bonanza to Bly. Royston post office was established December 14, 1892, and operated continuously until August 6, 1908, with Mrs. Lura E. White the only postmaster. Mr. and Mrs. Sanders White moved to a ranch in that part of Klamath County in the early nineties and soon felt the need of a post office. Erle R. White, a son, wrote the compiler from California in June, 1948, saying that his mother wanted the name Agnes for the office but this name in the form Agness was already in use in Curry County. Mrs. White selected the name Agnes in compliment to a sister living in Illinois. The name Royston was then suggested and accepted. Mr. White is of the opinion that his mother selected the name because she found it in a book she was reading. There are at least two places in England named Royston and it is possible that one of them may have been the source of the name of the Klamath County post office.

RUBY, Douglas County. Ruby post office, which was in operation from June, 1895, to August, 1901, was just east of Tahkenitch Lake in the extreme west part of the county. It was on the old Coast wagon road. The office was named at the request of Myrtle E. Wilson, daughter of Joseph E. Wilson, the first postmaster. This young lady liked the name Ruby because it had a pretty sound. Mrs. Mary Slonecker was postmaster at Ruby from 1898 to 1901. Ruby was ten or twelve miles north of Gardiner, and when Mr. Wilson had the office it was on Perkins Creek. When Mrs. Slonecker was postmaster the office was on Fivemile Creek. Ruch, Jackson County. Ruch was named for C. M. Ruch, who bought a small tract of land in 1896, where the community is now situated, and built a blacksmith shop, a store and a house. In 1897 he was appointed postmaster and was given the privilege of naming the post office, which he did, for himsell.

RUCKEL CREEK, Hood River County. This was formerly Deadman Creek, a melancholy designation. At the request of the Oregon Geographic Board, federal authorities adopted the name Ruckel in honor of j. S. Ruckel, who built the portage tramway on the south side of the Columbia River at the Cascades, completing the project in May, 1861. He was an original incorporator of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company. Ruckel signed his name as here written and not Ruckle nor Ruckles.

RUCKLES, Douglas County. This place was named for M. C. Ruckles, who owned land where the Southern Pacific Company now has its station. The community was formerly known as Oak Grove, but when the post office was established this name could not be used on account �