Part 5

Albany’s first settler, however, was destined never again to see the area he had claimed, for he died in Iowa the following winter. Abner’s youthful son, Abraham Hackleman, settled his father’s estate in Iowa and brought the family to Albany, arriving in 1847 and taking up his father’s donation land claim. In the meantime, Hiram Smead, precariously holding down a claim to which he had no title, sold the land to the Montieths for four hundred dollars and a horse, when he received news of Abner’s death.

In the spring of 1848, Walter and Thomas Montieth, two energetic young Scotsmen, came into the valley seeking a location. After viewing the country, they concluded to buy out Mr. Smead. Judging from the lay of the country—with its broad prairies reaching back to the picturesque Cascade Mountains, which suggest unlimited resources for agriculture, and with its great possibilities in water power for all kinds of industries offered by the Willamette and Calapooia rivers—the young men concluded that this spot was a very desirable site for a town and that the surrounding country could soon be made to blossom as the rose. So they at once decided to file on another claim. They had the land surveyed and that part adjacent to the river they laid out in town lots. Their first cabin, at a point now known as Second Avenue and Washington street, soon was ready for occupancy. They named the new town Albany in remembrance of their home town in New York.

Early in 1849, they began the erection of the first framehouse built in Albany. It still stands and is often pointed out as a “relic of bygone days.”

The gold excitement in California that summer put a sudden stop to all building, as the Montieth brothers were among the first adventurers to catch the gold fever. The building just begun was finished the next year. It was a two-story structure, and although it has been remodeled several times, the framework is still sound.

According to information given by Mrs. J. V. Pipe, daughter of Thomas Montieth, “Thomas and Walter Montieth crossed the plains by wagon train to the Willamette Valley, arriving in the spring of 1847. In 1849 the Montieth brothers built the first frame house in Albany ... where both families lived. The dividing line of the two Montieth claims ran through the house, making it possible for the brothers to live under the same roof, yet each on his own claim. The dining table was affixed to the floor so each could eat on his own property.”

Mr. Thomas Montieth donated the ground upon which the first Albany College was built.

Providence Baptist Church _Lenore Powell_

The Reverend Joab Powell was of Quaker descent, born on July 16, 1799, in Claiborne County, Tennessee. He went to Missouri in 1832, crossed the plains by covered wagon train with his large family in 1852, and took up an Oregon Donation Land Claim south of Scio, Oregon. The next Spring he had his farm underway, so that he, several members of his family, and neighbors built a log church in a beautiful fir grove on a hilltop on his farm. They named it Providence Baptist Church, and on that site a larger Providence Community Church still stands today. He became its pastor, with Reverend J. G. Berkley as assistant. The Reverend Powell preferred to hold evangelistic meetings through the territory, while Brother Berkley stayed at home taking care of Providence Church.

The Reverend Powell preached at Good Hope, Washington Butte, Scio, and Sublimity churches, besides his many seasons of revivals. At first he would not receive any compensation for his work except the hospitality of its members, but later he did not refuse a small salary.

Joab’s wife, Ann Beeler Powell, was a small, quiet woman of German ancestry. She and the older sons ran the farm, while Joab rode far and near, holding church services in the widely scattered settlements. He would return each fall to the home on the Santiam river, ragged and dispirited. His home was a well of strength. Each night by the fireside, throughout the winter, his wife would read chapters of the Bible to him. Joab would listen and later repeat them word for word, by memory. She would refer with pride to his summer’s achievements. Slowly his confidence and courage would build up; and, in the Spring, he would be ready for new conquests.

Elder Powell had friends in all walks of life. His adaptability, no doubt, was one of the underlying reasons for his famed evangelical success. He was a straight and honorable man, and his preaching far and near was followed by spiritual awakenings of great power. His work stood the test of time. He died in 1873 and lies buried in Providence Churchyard beside his wife. Ann died as she had lived—gently—in the early Spring of 1872. Joab never rode the circuit again. He died seven months after his wife was gone.

Each third Sunday in June, an all-day service is held at the historic Providence Church to commemorate the achievement of Elder Powell and his faithful adherents, and the community’s tribute to a pioneer circuit rider.

In tribute to the pioneer preacher, the late Professor J. B. Horner of Oregon State University wrote: “During his ministry he baptized nearly 3,000 souls, a greater number than any other person baptized west of the Rocky Mountains. The Reverend Powell was illiterate from an academic standpoint, but he was so thoroughly versed in the Bible that he did not require it for reference in the pulpit, although his sermons abounded in Biblical quotations. He understood men and he communed with nature as with a friend.”

White Spires United Presbyterian Church _Mrs. Wayne Dawson_

In the late 1840’s, missionaries of two branches of the Presbyterian faith—the Associate and the Associate Reformed—arrived in the Willamette Valley. In July, 1850, Dr. T. S. Kendall organized the Associate Presbyterian Church in the Oakville neighborhood, and this is still a strong rural church. In 1851, Wilson Blain arrived in the valley. He had lived in Oregon City and had been editor of the “Oregon Spectator.” He organized a church at Union Point, near Brownsville, Oregon. Other missionaries followed.

The difficulties of travel and the great distances from church centers soon caused the question of union to come up, resulting in a compact being drawn up uniting these bodies into the United Presbyterian Church of Oregon. Taking part in the Union were Dr. Kendall, Dr. Irvine, and Rev. J. P. Millar of the associate group. In the Associate Reformed group were Rev. Blain, Rev. James Worth, and Rev. Jeremiah Dick. This union took place at the home of Rev. Blain, October 20, 1852. These two bodies united in Pittsburgh into the United Presbyterian Church of North America in 1858.

In October, 1853, the Albany Church was organized, the first to be organized as the United Presbyterian Church. The Rev. J. P. Millar was pastor until his death in April, 1854. He was killed by an explosion of the Steamship “Gazelle” near Oregon City.

Dr. Irvine, who was pastor at Oakville (Willamette), followed the Rev. Millar, by giving part time to the Albany Congregation until 1873. He severed his connection with the Willamette Church, moving to Albany, where he was pastor until his death in 1895. He was Moderator of the General Assembly in 1878.

The Albany congregation met in the Courthouse, an octagonal building which burned in the 1860’s. A church was built in 1863 at Fifth and Washington, on ground obtained from Thomas Montieth. This building served many years, but on June 20, 1891, the cornerstone of the present church was laid and the church formally dedicated, August 7, 1892.

The General Assembly met in Albany in 1894, and Dr. Irvine was able to attend one meeting in a wheelchair. The next pastor to remain many years was Dr. W. P. White. He came in the fall of 1901, and was pastor until 1920. In 1906, the Dr. S. G. Irvine Memorial pipe organ was installed at a cost of over $2,800. It is still in use.

Again the General Assembly met in Albany in 1952, with commissioners from all over the United States and the mission fields. In 1953, the church observed the “100th Anniversary” of the organizing of the church. The contractor for building the church was J. B. Cougill; it cost about $16,500. The architect, who drew the plans for the present church, was Walter Pugh, of the firm of McCauley and Wickersham of Salem. The name “White Spires” was made official on January 8, 1958.

The spires are outstanding and are the highest points in Albany. The supports are made of laminated wood. Though swaying badly during the typhoon of October 12, 1962, it stood, although traffic was blocked off for hours. The stained-glass windows were not broken. They are very unusual both in design and coloring. The White Spires Church still stands and the present pastor is the Rev. Ralph R. Hawthorne.

Boston Mills (Thompson Mills) _Lottie E. Morgan_

“Boston Mills” was a familiar name to early Oregon pioneers. It was one of the early gristmills. Men would take their wheat by horseback or in wagons from miles around to this mill and take home the flour for their families. Boston, like many other settlements, hoped to be a city and perhaps the county seat.

Eliza Finley Brandon (Mrs. Thomas Brandon), 1850-1948, says: “My father, Richard Chism Finley, built the original mill at the old town of Boston in 1856-1858. He owned a half interest. Alexander Brandon and P. V. Crawford each owned one-fourth interest. It was destroyed by fire. With the flour-mill there was a carding factory. There a fire was kept burning all the time to warm the wool as it was worked. The fire probably started from this. Soon after the fire, the mill was rebuilt. All the massive timbers for both mills were cut out and hewed by hand in the woods near Crawfordsville, and hauled to Boston—an immense task.”

There used to be fairs at Boston in the early days—not really in Boston but in the country to the east across the Calapooya, at the foot of a small hill between Saddle Butte and the Calapooya River. This hill was called Bunker Hill because it was near Boston, and one time two settlers had a fight there over a land claim, “The Battle of Bunker Hill.”

Pioneers relate that Boston once had a post office, established September 22, 1868, two stores, and a blacksmith shop, in addition to the mills. When the railroad passed one and a half miles to the west, Boston failed to develop as a town, and Shedd became the railroad station.

Mr. E. D. Farwell, pioneer, says the ownership of the mill ran like this: Finley, Crawford and Brandon; Finley & William (Billy) Simmons; Simmons Brothers; Simmons and Knoll; Simmons & Thompson, then Thompson, the present owner.

We are told that the old timbers, mentioned earlier, remain in the present reconstructed structure, and that the old millstones lie under the water of the millrace. The white walls of the present mill are reflected in the clear waters of the millrace, the busy wheels continue to hum, and flour is ground for descendants of the pioneers of early days. The well-kept home of Mr. Otto Thompson, the present owner, stands nearby, only a short distance from the home of “Billy” Simmons, the miller of earlier days.

The Chase Orchard _Fannie Chase_

Oregon pioneers must have had a diverting time clearing the land, planting orchards, tilling fields, and erecting homes. Doing all the planning called for constructive creation and real achievement. However, I wonder whether the one who moves into a ready-made house doesn’t have even more thrills and flights of imagination. I consider myself a fortunate mortal to dwell in a place with an interesting historical background. I was fascinated by the Oregon farm that my father and mother bought, near Albany.

My early childhood was spent in the sandhills of Nebraska, a land characterized by tumbleweeds, prairie fires, and hot winds. Until I arrived in the Willamette Valley, I had never seen a lilac or a rose in full bloom. I shall always remember my first glimpse of the new Oregon home. On that Spring morning, no sky had ever been so blue, no fields so green, no fruit trees so pink and white.

The house with its high ceiling, grained woodwork, and flower conservatory aroused my greatest curiosity. How excited I was after several weeks’ sojourn to discover a tiny cellar that had escaped unnoticed! It had been the special location of a barometer and other instruments for official weather records.

The farm was a part of the Cline donation land claim of the 1860’s. In 1887, Mr. and Mrs. John Briggs bought ten acres of this tract, cleared the land, erected buildings, planted trees, and established a rose and shrub nursery. In 1902, fifteen years later, when Mr. Briggs began to fail in health, the farm was sold to J. L. Howard; and, in 1906, it was sold to Nels Savage.

My father purchased the farm in 1908. For fifty-four years it has been called The Chase Orchards, but older residents still refer to it as the Old Briggs Place. Old Mr. Briggs was a dyed-in-the-wool Britisher. Everything he planted was English to the extreme: English box, English laurel, English holly, English hedges—all fashioned in precise rows, circles, and squares.

If Mr. Briggs could see his old home now, he would find many changes. The little pines, firs, and cedars are giant in size, real patriarchs of the forest. English ivy covers the farm buildings, and the box hedges are broad and rambling. The nursery stock forms a rose-garden lawn with panels of the same old-fashioned roses that were planted seventy-five years ago. Filbert, walnut, and holly orchards have replaced some of the original trees.

In those early days, there were two entrances: a large gate for the carriage, and a small picket gate leading to a narrow walk between the hedge and the driveway. At another corner, near the farm buildings, was a secondary entrance designed for farm vehicles and delivery wagons. Woe to the misguided laborer who, inadvertently blundered through the wrong gateway!

Much of our knowledge of the early activities was gained from Mr. Briggs’ widow, who lived only a short distance from us. From her we acquired a floral language of technical titles for trees, shrubs, bulbs, and flowers. We ourselves made a special contribution to the time-honored Pacific Coast flora by adding a cutting from the rosebush that our Great-grandfather Chase had brought to New York State, a century and a half ago. We are not pioneers. We are not Webfoots. We are not Oregon mossbacks. We cannot claim relationship to a native son or a native daughter. We simply adopted a friendly Oregon community, which is still animated by the courage and industry of former beauty-loving Oregonians.

History of Early Albany Schools _Mary Myrtle Worley_

The account of perhaps the first instruction given in Albany, dates back to the 1840’s. Since there were not enough children in the community for organization of a school, it cannot be classed as one. Mrs. Abraham Hackleman gathered a few small children into her home, a log house which stood in Hackleman’s Grove, and taught them reading, writing and numbers.

The following incident illustrates the very busy life of these pioneers: When it came time for the geese to be picked, Mrs. Hackleman did not want to neglect the children, so the geese were brought in, and the picking went on with as little interference with spelling and writing as possible.

The first school was situated in the west part of town, not far from the cemetery, and was taught (1851) by Dr. Reuben Cohman Hill. Dr. Hill was a practicing physician and a Baptist minister. In 1850, he crossed the plains to California on the back of a mule and soon after came to Albany, where he taught the first school before returning east for his family. Soon after this, Andrew J. Babb conducted a subscription school in one small room near the location of Takenah Park. During the Civil War, feeling ran so high that the school was divided. One subscription school, the Republican, stood where the Methodist Church was on Third and Ellsworth streets; and the other, known as the Dixie School, Democratic, was located on the southwest corner of Second and Montgomery streets.

A daughter of Oregon pioneers, Miss Lottie E. Morgan has said: “In Albany, Takenah Park has been officially marked as a part of the Pioneer Oregon Trail, and it eventually became the site of Albany’s first Central School. One who attended the first Central School, in 1866, tells that it was a one-room building, some thirty by fifty feet in size, standing in the block known as Takenah Park. Soon after this date, two ells were added, forming a T-shaped building, where more teachers, perhaps three, and more pupils were accommodated.”

Mrs. Zella M. Burkhart contributed the following, copied from a manuscript by J. J. Davis, who came to Linn County with his parents in 1847, and attended the first school taught in Linn County in 1848: “Mr. Anderson Cox, having several children, built a school house on his place that summer and hired a teacher, Robert Huston, for a term of three months. He was the first teacher in Linn County.”

By the 1880’s, Albany had three schools. The Central School at Takenah Park has four rooms and four teachers and took care of pupils beginning with the advanced section of the third grade. Dr. Oliver K. Beers was one of the teachers at Madson, which was then a one-room building. There were sixty pupils in five classes of the first, second, and lower level of the third grades. The Maple School did the same grade of work. The schools at this time were free, being supported by taxation. Albany Collegiate Institute at this time had a preparatory department for those in the upper grades. Because some people had not yet outgrown the idea that free schools were for paupers only, there arose again two rival groups among the young people, known as College “Bummers” and the District “Scrubs.”

Linn County Courthouse _Florette Nutting and Helen J. Horton_

Linn County, Oregon, is a mountain and river-valley region, extending from east to west from the summit of the Cascade Mountains to the Willamette River. The Santiam River and the Calapooya River, tributaries of the Willamette River, which have their sources in the Cascades, traverse the valley at approximately the county’s northern and southern boundaries.

In mounds south of Albany have been found human skeletons, and utensils and weapons of possibly Indian manufacture, pointing to the custom of burying with the dead, the weapons and implements used in life. This indicates that Linn County was a happy hunting ground for a large tribe of Indians known as the Calapooya tribe, which gave this name to the river flowing into the Willamette River at Albany.

Earliest settlements were made in Linn County at Albany, Brownsville, and Lebanon, in the Spring of 1846, by pioneers who had crossed the plains the year before and had wintered near Oregon City. The first cabin was erected in 1845 by William Packwood, where the old Indian trail, between Scio and Lebanon, crossed Crabtree Creek. It was sold to John Crabtree in the Summer of 1846. The Earl family were the first permanent settlers. They built a cabin about two miles east of Knox Butte in the Spring of 1846, and in the same year settlers located at Brownsville and Lebanon.

Brownsville was the county seat then. The schoolhouse on the Spalding donation land claim in South Brownsville was the first courthouse. Organization of county government occurred December 11, 1849. Albany was designated as the county seat of Linn County by legislature in January, 1851; and, in 1852, a courthouse was erected.

Linn county’s second courthouse, erected in 1852, was identical in plan with the famed Octagon House. The Octagon courthouse cost nearly $5,000. This wood-frame building, located on West Fourth Avenue, Albany, burned to the ground September 1, 1861. The fire did not destroy the county records in use at the time, as they were protected by a fireproof vault. However, many records and historical documents from the early days of Albany and Linn County were completely destroyed.

The Courthouse, pictured here, was completed between 1862 and 1865, at a cost of $35,000. The architecture was similar to Southern Colonial. It had a brick portico and four large Corinthian columns, two stories high. In 1899, the third story and the clock tower were added to the original building.

At the turn of the century, the town that didn’t possess a large town clock, with chimes, was not a town worthy of mention. Accordingly, the courthouse addition was designed around the clock tower. The clock itself had four ten-foot faces and was kept in motion by 1,000-pound weights. The bells, which rang Albany people to work in the morning and sounded curfew at night, could be heard in Sodaville when the wind was right. The clock was made by the Seth Thomas Company and kept nearly perfect time throughout its lifetime.

Not only was this courthouse interesting from a material standpoint but also for its outstanding usefulness to the whole community. In addition to housing the courtroom and county offices, it often served as a town hall, meetings of various kinds being held in the courtroom or in the attic above the second floor. In these same rooms, many eminent lecturers, evangelists, and other visiting speakers drew appreciative audiences of town and country folks. Some of the county’s able lawyers made their first speeches there. Directly to the north of the courthouse lay a vacant block which, in those early days, was called the “Courthouse Square.” Also, closely associated with the courthouse was the square, two-storied brick jail which stood on the southeast corner of the block. It was erected in 1871 at a cost of $9,550. When the second courthouse was enlarged and remodeled, the addition of a third story, two towers, a town clock, a statue of justice, and other adornments changed the style and appearance of the building completely, and the old courthouse became only a memory to those who had loved it.

Portland West Union Baptist Church Joe Meek Donation Land Claim Old College Hall, Pacific University George Gay House George Fox College Belleque House Champoeg Farmland Amity Church of Christ Wheatland Ferry Salem Monmouth Normal School Stump House Fort Hoskins Bishop Simpson Chapel Albany Octagonal House Lynn County Court House St. Charles Hotel Montieth House White Spire Presbyterian Church Eugene Villard Hall Wilkins House Christian House Condon House Walton House Cartwright House (Lorane) Applegate House (Yoncalla)

Transcriber’s Notes

—Silently corrected a few typos.

—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication.

—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by _underscores_.