Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/592



James P. Stapleton, were prominent members of the Oregon bar for many years. Star CREEK, Lane County. Star Creek is tributary to South Fork McKenzie River from the west at a point just about due south from McKenzie Bridge. It flows into South Fork about a half mile north or downstream from the mouth of Augusta Creek. It bears the family name of a former forest assistant who was stationed at McKenzie Bridge, one Starr, but for a long time the stream has been known as Star Creek and that style seems to be in general use. The compiler has been informed by competent authorities that young Starr began to pay his respects to (was a settin' of) Miss Augusta Young, daughter of Carl Young, an early day forest ranger in the neighborhood, and by the time their engagement was announced, their names had been joined in a sort of nomenclative couple. The two streams were named Star Creek and Augusta Creek and thus sylvan romance has become preserved to posterity.

STARKEY, Union County. Starkey was named for a pioneer homesteader, Fred Starkey. The post office was first established in 1879. Starr CREEK, Benton County. Starr Creek is southwest of Corvallis. It bears the name of a pioneer family. See under MONROE.

STARVATION FALLS, Hood River County. These falls were so named because it was at this place west of Dog (Hood) River that a party of pioneer travelers suffered because of some defection in their commissary.

STARVOUT, Douglas County. The locality called Starvout is on a stream of the same name which flows into Cow Creek a few miles east of Galesville. The place has been called Starvout since early days. Early in 1946 Miss Bess A. Clough of Canyonville was able to get the history of this name from her uncle, George Elliff, then mining gold in northern California. The Elliff family were well-known Douglas County pioneers. Some time in the '50s Hardy Elliff grubstaked one George Walton and sent him up on the creek to prospect. Gold was scarce and when Walton came out in the spring, neighbors said he had starved out, hence the name of the stream. Some good diggings were found later on, farther up the creek. Starvout post office was established on the banks of this stream on February 18, 1888, with H. L. Miser postmaster. For the subsequent history of this office, see under the heading AZALEA.

STAL'FFER, Lake County. Stauffer is in Lost Creek Valley, and local residents wanted the post office called Lost Creek, but the postal authorities objected to the name because of duplication, and instead selected the name Stauffer, for C. J. Stauffer, the first postmaster. The post office was established September 13, 1913.

STAVEBOLT LANDING, Clatsop County. This landing was named because it was the place where bolts or logs were dumped into Lewis and Clark River and towed away to the mills. Stavebolt Landing is about eight miles airline south of Astoria. Stavebolt Creek flows into Lewis and Clark River about a half mile above the landing. These names have been in use for many years.

STAYTON, Marion County. Stayton was named for Drury S. Stayton, who founded the community. The following news item printed in the Oregonian for November 18, 1875, tells of early days in Stayton: "The new town of Stayton in Marion County has grown rapidly during the past season. A new flourmill and a sawmill have been built.