Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/733

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McCurdy has a brother, Martin V., in Lassen co., Cal., and another brother, Joseph, in Nevada.

Lake county, organized October 23, 1874, took its name from the number of lakes occupying a considerable portion of its surface. It formerly embraced Klamath county, and its first county seat was at Linkville. But by a vote of the people, authorized by the legislature, the county seat was removed to Lakeview, on the border of Goose Lake, in 1876, previous to the setting-off of Klamath county. It contains 6,768 square miles, less than 44,000 acres being improved. Its farms and buildings are valued at $451,000, the assessed valuation of real and personal property being about $700,000, and the total gross valuation over $1,039,000. This valuation is for the county of Lake before its division, there being nothing later to refer to. The population is less than 3,000 for the two counties of Lake and Klamath. The settlements are Drew Valley, Antler, Hot Springs, Chewaucan, White Hill, SumDer, and Silver Lake.

Among the settlers of this comparatively new county are Thomas O. Blair, born in Ohio, who emigrated in 1859 by ox-team. Before starting he married Lovisa Anderson. They reside on Crooked Creek, near Lakeview. Charles A. Rehart, born in Perry co., Ohio, came to Oregon overland in 1865. He follows farming and sheep-raising in the Chewaucan Valley. He married Martha Ann Brooks in Dec. 1876.

Michael Suit, born in Marion co. Ohio, emigrated overland to Oregon in 1859, in company with his sister, Mary Cruzan. He farms and raises stock at Summer Lake. He married, in 1880, Laura Bell Conrad.

George Clayton Duncan, who was born in 111. in 1827, emigrated to Oregon in 1854, and resides at Paisley, in Lake co. He married Eliza Binehart in 1848. They have 3 sons and 3 daughters.

Thomas J. Brattaiu, born in 111. in 1829, came to Oregon in 1850, over land, and resides at Paisley. He married Permetiu J. Gillespie in 1859. They have 3 sons and 1 daughter. There came with them to Oregon John, Alfred, William C., Francis M., and James C. Brattain, brothers; and Eliza beth Ebbert, Mary Brattain, Millie A. Smith, and Martha J. Hadley, sisters.

Lane county, named after Joseph Lane, was organized January 24, 1851, out of Linn and Benton. Its southern boundary was defined December 22, 1853. Its area is 4,492 miles, of which about 229,000 acres are improved. The value of farms and buildings is $4,600,000; of live-stock, $700,000; of farm products, $900,000; and of all taxable property, about $3,400,000. The population is between nine and ten thousand. Extending from the Cascade Mountains to the ocean, Lane county comprises a variety of topographical features, including the foot-hills of Calapooya Range, and the rougher hill land of the Coast Range, with the level surfaces of the Willamette plains. Its productions partake of this variety. Besides grains, vegetables, fruits, and dairy produce, it is the largest hop-producing county in Oregon, the crop of 1882 selling for a million dollars. Eugene City, the principal town, was founded in 1847 by Eugene Skinner. It was chosen for the county seat by a vote of the people in 1853, and incorporated in 1864. It is well located, near the junction of the coast and McKenzie fork of the Willamette, at the head of navigation, surrounded by the picturesque scenery of the mountains which close in the valley a few miles farther south. It is the seat of the state university, with a population of about 1,200. Junction City, at the junction of the Oregon Central and Oregon and California railroads, was built up by the business of these roads. It was incorporated in 1872, and has between three and four hundred inhabitants. The lesser settlements are Cottage Grove, Divide, Latham, Cress well, Rattlesnake, Goshen, Springfield, Leaburg, Willamette Forks, Irving, Cartwright, Chesher, Linslaw, Spencer Creek, Camp Creek, Cannon, Crow .Dexter, Florence, Franklin, Ida, Isabel, Long Tom, McKenzie Bridge, Mohawk, Pleasant Hill, Tay, Trent, and Walterville.

Linn county, named in honor of Lewis F. Linn of Missouri, was organized December 28, 1847, out of all that territory lying south of Champoeg and east of Benton. Its southern boundary was established January 4, 185 L, \n