Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 4.djvu/74

64 these noble and unselfish men, except one, have passed on to their higher home—H. W. Corbett, the surviving one, a pioneer of 1851, loved, honored, and justly called the Father of Portland, is still the first to give his time and money for the betterment and upbuilding of the city and state. God grant that he may be spared many, many more years. No monument need be erected to their memory. The nobility of their lifework is woven and cemented deeply in the hearts of the people.

December, 1855, Multnomah County was organized. In January following L. Limerick was appointed county school superintendent. December 4, 1850, the first weekly Oregonian was published in Portland by T. J. Dryer. In 1851 the first regular monthly mail service began between Portland and San Francisco, per steamer Columbia.

Before Oregon was admitted to the Union in 1859 the log cabins had been cleared away, showing the pioneers were progressive.

In 1858 C. Stewart erected the first theatre building in Portland.

Wilcox School—The first day school of any kind was opened in Portland in the fall of 1847, by Dr. Ralph Wilcox. It was conducted in a house erected by Mr. McNemee at the foot of Taylor Street. It was properly a private school and continued one quarter. The names of some of the pupils are given: Frances McNemee (now Mrs. E. J. Northup), her brothers Moses, Adam, and William; Charlotte Terwilliger (now Mrs. C. M. Cartwright), Milton Doan's children—Sarah, Mary, Peter and John, Henry Hill, Helen Hill (now Mrs. Wm. Powell), J. Miller,—Murphy, Lucy and Charlotte Barnes, Emma and Sarah Ross, Lorenzo Terwilliger, and John Terwilliger. Doctor Wilcox came to Oregon in 1845.

Carter School—In February, 1848, Miss Julia Carter taught school in a log cabin on the corner of Second and