Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/364

358 358 W. D. FENTON. now Linn, Marion, Lane, Josephine, Coos, Curry, Benton, Douglas, and Jackson counties; the Clackamas district included what is now Clackamas County, eastern Oregon, a portion of Montana, and all of Idaho, and Washington. At this election 15 to 22 votes were cast in the entire Tualatin district, and 140 to '244 in the entire country for candidates. Ira L. Babcock was elected supreme judge at this time, receiving in the entire Oregon Country 88 votes as against 39 cast for James W. Nesmith. The first speaker chosen was M. M. McCarver, and was so elected at the session of the legislative committee held at Willamette Falls June 18, 1844. All legislative acts were framed by this committee, but were required to be submitted to the people for popular approval before going into effect. The emigration of 1844 added about 800 people to the American population. The starting point were Independence, Mo., the mouth of the Platt and Capler's Landing near St. Joseph. There were three trains or divisions, commanded respectively by Cor- nelius Gilliam, Nathaniel Ford, and Major Thorp. In that year came Joel Chrisman, Gabriel Chrisman, William Chrisman, the Goffs of Polk, Daniel Durbin of Marion, the Gilliams, the Fords, the Gerrishs, Jacob Hoover of Washington, now dead, Joseph Holman, George Kibbler, G. L. Rowland, at one time living east of Carlton, James Johnson and wife, John Perkins, whose donation is located near North Yamhill; Daniel Johnson, now dead, whose donation lies immediately northwest of Lafayette and upon which the Masonic cemetery is located, Elzina John- son, his widow, who is still living at Lafayette ; John Minto of Salem ; the McDaniels of Polk ; Nehemiah Martin, whose sons live near McMinnville ; Luke Mulkey, George Nelson, the venerable "Uncle George," whom many of us knew years ago at Lafayette ; and J. C. Nelson, his son, still living at West Chehalem. There was also Ben