Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/561



SEGHERS, Washington County. Seghers is a station on the Southern Pacific line north of Gaston. It was named for the Most Rev. Charles Seghers, Catholic archbishop of Oregon in the early '80s, who was murdered in Alaska in 1886. See Catholic History of Oregon, page 152 et seq. Seghers post office was established June 21, 1898, with Augustine A. Roth postmaster. The office was closed June 14, 1924.

SELAH, Marion County. This station is on the Southern Pacific Company Springfield branch west of Silverton. Selah is a Hebrew term meaning to pause, and is used as a place name to indicate a place of rest.

SEELEY CREEK, Douglas County. Seeley Creek is a small stream flowing eastward under the Territorial road and into Pheasant Creek in section 19, township 21 south, range 4 west. This creek or brook flows through the ranch of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest J. Martin, which lies a few miles north of Anlauf and south of Lorane. Seeley Creek was named to commemorate Seeley Douglas Martin, a young son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin. Seeley was a seaman first class in the United States navy, reported missing in action May 23, 1942, while on duty in the Pacific area in the Midway campaign. He was a graduate of the Navy Communications School at San Diego. The application of the name Seeley Creek was approved April 12, 1947, by the Douglas County court and shortly thereafter the USBGN approved the selection.

SELLWOOD, Multnomah County. This part of the city of Portland was named for the Rev. John Sellwood. The name was first applied about 1882, and the post office was established in October, 1883. Sellwood was taken into the city of Portland in 1893.

SELMA, Josephine County. Selma post office was established by change of name from Anderson on July 10, 1897. When the name of the Anderson office was changed to Selma the office was moved south a few miles. The first postmaster at the new office was Robert C. Churchill. Mrs. Churchill selected the name Selma in honor of the little town Selma, in Van Buren County, Iowa, near where she was raised.

SENECA, Grant County. This post office was named for Judge Seneca Smith, of Portland. The name was given by Minnie Southworth, the first postmaster. The office was established September 17, 1895. Postal authorities wanted a short name, and the word Seneca suggested itself to Mrs. Southworth because her sister-in-law was Mrs. Seneca Smith.

SENOJ LAKE, Deschutes County. Senoj Lake is near the summit of the Cascade Range and about four miles west of Lava Lake. The name is in compliment to some person called Jones, with the spelling reversed.

SEPANEK, Morrow County. Sepanek post office was established August 2, 1917, with Bertha Sepanek first and only postmaster. The office, which was obviously named with the postmaster's family name, was closed September 14, 1918. It was about six miles northeast of Lexington, in the southwest part of township 1 north, range 26 east.

SEPARATION CREEK, Lane County. Separation Creek heads west of the South Sister, and flows westward, its waters eventually reaching McKenzie River. The creek was so named because it flows between The Husband and The Wife, two lesser peaks, west of the summit of the Cascade Range and members of the Three Sisters group.

SERRANO Point, Harney County. Serrano Point is between Alvord Desert and Alvord Lake, on the west side of Alvord Valley. Serrano is Spanish for mountaineer or highlander.