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Legislative Act Of Jan. 7, 1852,
Authorized Partitioning Of
Southern Oregon Territory
Douglas county, born Jan. 7, 1852, is 100 years old
today. Carved from Lane county, and abutting Umpqua
county, Douglas preceded Jackson county by only a few
days, botli being created by the Territorial Legislature of
1852.
The vast Oregon country at that
time embraced what we now call
the Pacific Northwest.
For purposes of government,
the Territory was divided by the
Columbia river.
The first division of what Is now
Oregon into districts for purposes
of election and local government
was made July S, 1843. Western
Oregon was known as Yamhill dis
trict, while everything east of the
Willamette river to the Rocky
g mountains was designated Cham-
pooick district
In December 1946, because of
the increase in settlers in the
northern Willamette valley, Yam
hill district was divided by the
Rogue valleys and were demand
ing their local government.
Jan. 7. 1852. the territorial leeis
lature established Douglas county,
south ot Umpqua county, and on
the 12th of the same month, cre
ated Jackson county to embrace
everything south of Douglas.
Coos county was created from
Umpqua and Jackson counties in
1853. Josephine county was organ
zed in 1836.
Umpqua county was a very busy
and prosperous unit at the time it
was created, as Scottsburg was
the point of entry for vessels from
San Francisco carrying supplies
lor Southern Oregon's active mm.
i ..cuff
f2
r . I
n
In
creation of Polk district, which ! ,nBmrtali'- ,':. f. ,ho
had the approximate north line of
the present Polk county Boundary
as its division with Yamhill, while
the southern boundary was the Cal
ifornia line. Two years later the
northern end of Polk district was
set off and the southern portion
was organized as Benton district
The Champooick district, which
later became known as Champoeg,
was split into Marion and Linn
districts.
The legislature authorized the use
of the word "county" to replace
"district," and in 1851 subdivided
mines of Southern Douglas county
and the Rogue Valley, caused ac
tivity at Scottsburg and Elkton to
decline. The cost of maintaining
county government became bur
densome. Umpqua County Absorbed
In the year 18G2 Umpqua county
was absorbed by Douglas county.
By the year 1868, however, set
tlement of the northern part of
the county, particularly in the
Oakland area, led settlers to seek
restoration of Umpqua county. The
Linn and Benton counties into Lane j legislature called a special elec-
and Umpqua counties. lion. me proposal lor suDuivi&ion
Umoqua County Formtd ianea
Lane county embraced all of
Southern Oregon excepting Ump
qua county which, for its northern
boundary, followed the southern
line of Benton county and the sum
mit of the Calapooia mountains,
to the headwaters of Calapooia
creek, thence along Calapooia
creek to its confluence with the
Umpqua river, thence along the
Umpqua river to the ocean.
This left all of Southern Oregon,
other than that section within the
boundaries of Umpqua county, still
a part of Lane county.
By 1852, a number of settlers
had moved into the Umpqua and
Various boundary adjustments
followed through the years be
tween Douglas, Lane and Coos
counties, bringing their lines to
existing locations.
It was not until 1853, a year
after Douglas county was created
that the State of Washington was
carved from Oregon Territory.
Prior to that time, what is now
known as Washington was called
Northern Oregon and for govern
mental purposes was designated.
as Vancouver county. Lewis coun
ty later was created to embrace
settlements along the Cowlitt riv
er.
Survivors Of Indian Battle
At Port Orford Prominent
In Lower Umpqua History
A tale connected with the settlement of Scottsburg and
rnnperriinr two residents who were to gain much prom
inence in the early days of Douglas county is told by
Mrs. Anne Kruse in her book, "Yoncalla Home of the
Eagles." In a chapter dealing with the early settlement
along the Umpqua river, Mrs. Kruse writes:
Cyrus Hedden arrived on the
Umpqua in late September of 1851,
naked, starving, weak and bat
tered. He was a native of New
jersey, a member of a naval
company engaged in making a sur
vey of the Oregon coast that year.
With a company of eight other
men who were exploring along a
river in Port Orford area, they
were attacked by Indians and five
of the party killed. The four sur
vivors scattered and escaped. One
of these, a youth by the name of
L. L. Williams, shot through the
body by an arrow "head split open
to the bone, beaten and covered
with blood, fought off his assail
ants with a clubbed gun, and man
aged to reach the forest where he
found Hedden, who, except for be
ing badly beaten, was uninjured.
Williams' pants had fallen down
during the tussle, and he had no
recourse but to kick inem away so
he could run.
Struggle Recounted
For one long week Hedden strug
gled northward through dense for
est, deep ravine, thick underbrush
and across shifting ocean sands
with a man so sorely wounded that
death seemed likely to occur at
any minute. They had nothing to
l eat but some three leaved sorrel,
' and a kind of snail which they
found in the woods. Williams man
aged to partake of the snails, but
Hedden was unable to stomach
them. The weather of nights was
cold and foggy. Hedden, sleeping
in the late afternoons, worked
over his companion all night rub
bing and striving to keep the cir
culation going. Williams, in his in
tense agony, begged his companion
to leave him to die, and try to
reach the settlements on the Ump
qua, which he could have easily
done. This Hedden refused to do.
At last Williams was able to stag
ger only a few feet at a time, his
body swollen, the pain so severe
that he refused to ko farther.
Thereupon Hedden removed his
own shirt, twisted it into a sort
of a rope, which he tied about
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Mon., Jan. 7, 1952 TW Ntwt-IUvUw, ftoMbwo;, Ort. 3
Roseburg's Beginning Dated
Year Before Douglas County
Was Organized By Legislature
In 1851, the year before Douglas county was created,
Aaron Rose built the first cabin UDon land that l
to become a thriving city which honors his name.
loming trom Michan, Aaron
a leading i habitants. A turn-ot-the-century tete is pictured above, photo
RECREATION IN DOUGLAS COUNTY has had
place in activities throughout the 100 years since the counry graphed in wnat now is the Laurelwood residential community
was organized. Earliest historical records speak of the abund- in Roseburg. Picture furnished by Veva Buick Poorman,
ance of game and fish, pleasant surroundings, unsurpassed Salem, Ore.
scenery and the hospitality and friendship of the county's in-
North Half Of Douglas County
First To Be Organized; Was
Scene Of Much Early Activity
By ANNE APPLEGATE KRUSE
Umpqua county was established by the Territorial
Legislature in 1851; disestablished in 1863, having been
in effect for twelve year3. It was the first county to be
officially organized south of the Calapooia mountains, was
approximately 5,000 square miles in area, and extended
to the vicinity of the presenr. city of Roseburg.
While there is no record of early
exploration through the upper
valleys of the Umpqua county, A.
R. McLeod of the Hudson's Bay
company, together with a party of
30 men, reached the Umpqua riv
er in 1826, followed it to its mouth,
and explored as far south as the
Rogue. They were accompanied
by the botanist, David Douglas,
for whom the Douglas fir is
named. He had been sent out by
the Horticultural Society of Lon
don in search of information re
lating to a tree of large growth
along the Pacific shores thought
be be the sugar pine,
Douglas Fir Named
Snelling, a nephew of the Boston
merchant, Gardiner, w ho had
been sent a cargo of merchandise
around the Horn in the ship Bos
ton ian" which was wrecked at the
mouth of the Umpqua. The cargo
was unloaded and moved to a site
about seven miles up the river.
Here a town was immediately es
tablished, and was named for the
Boston merchant, Gardiner. The
location is beautiful, and it was
known for many years as the
"White City by the Sea."
Levi Scott bought the old fort at
Scottsbur' and converted it into
a hotel. This he traded to Daniel
where he was warmed and given
water. Then came a party of men
in a rowboat with Captain Gibbs
and removed both Hedden and
Williams first to Gardiner and
then to Scottsburg where they re
ceived every care and comfort.
Hedden speedily recovered, and
spent most of his long life in
Scottsburg. He acquired the mer
chantile business of the Hinsdales
which he operated for many years,
He was succeeded in the enter
prise by his son. John N. Hedden
Now a century ater the business
is carried on by a granddaughter,
Miss brnma Hedden.
Wounds Cause Suffering
Williams, however, was not so
fortunate. After four years of suf
fering, the arrowhead broke cones,
inrougn me nesn airecuy opposite
the place it had entered. The open
ing was not large enough for its
removal, so he cut around it with
his knife and pulled it out with
his fingers. The joint of the shaft
had broken loose from the arrow
and remained in his body for near
ly four years more, causing intense
pain all the time. In February,
1859, a point of it became vis
ible, and he removed it with a pair
of bullet moulds.
Williams was born in Vermont
in 1830, began his roaming at the
age of fifteen, having never at
tended a regular school in all his
life. Yet he possessed a mind so
intelligent and receptive that his
career was one of great benefit to
the new country. He was treasurer
of Umpqua county, later and for
many years, county clerk for
Douglas, being reelected term aft
er term. He served as chief clerk
for the United States Land office
at Roseburg. In the course of his
duties he became better informed
in law than many practicing at
torneys. In the old record books
in the court house in Roseburg
are page alter page written it
the strong, clear and concise hand
writing ot this remarkable man.
He was held in high esteem by all
His first sight of the tree which!- "n ,ur me er i aonaiion
c in k.a, hi. n.ma u,. I'M claim near Drain. The hotel
was at first conducted by Mrs.
Lyons' parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jo
seph Putnam. After that, Mr. and
Mrs. Lyons became sole operators.
Mr. Lyons, a blind man, a tal
ented musician and composer, be
came editor of the "Umpqua Gaz
ette," the first newspaper pub
lished in southwest Oregon.
Subsequently a Scottsburg hotel
of note, the Palmer House, was
owned and operated by the Hon.
P. P. Palmer and his charming
wife, Mary Slocum Palmer.
Settlers Arrive
Interest in the lower Umpqua
Williams, looped it over his own who knew him. He died in 18801
shoulder, and half carried, naif I leaving a consinerame estate,
was to bear his name was on
Thursday, April 7, 1825, as he
viewed the shore of Baker's Bay
at the mouth of the Columbia from
the deck of the Hudson's Bay com
pany's ship, the William and Ann.
His journal records the pleasure
at the sight of land after nine
months at sea, and then he writes
of the different trees familiar to
him," and a species that may
prove to be P. Taxifolia." His sur
vey brought him into the Ump
qua county when he was enthralled
at the magnificence of the forests
spread out before him. It is said
that he found a fine specimen
about ten miles below Elkton. This
Immense tree had blown down. It
measured 215 feet in height, and
was 57 feet and nine Inches near
the roots. Even after seeing the
Douglas still spoke of the
tree as a pine, pinus taxifolia, or
the pine with the yewlike foliage.
After much research the special
ists that came after him decided
that, botanically, It was more of
a hemlock than a pine though not
exactly a hemlock, so they called
it Pseudotsuga taxifolia, or false
hemlock with a yew like foliage.
In honor of the young botanist,
it was named the Douglas fir.
David Douglas died in Hawaii on
June 12, 1834.
Jebediah Smith and a company
of trappers entered the lower Ump
qua regions in 1828. They had
crossed the plains to California
the year before only to be ordered
out by the Spanish governor. Trav
eling north, they reached the Ump
qua river where they were at
tacked by Indians, all but three of
the outfit were killed, and their
valuable furs stolen. The three sur
vivors, Jebediah Smith, Arthur
Black and John Turner eventually
reached Fort Vancouver where
they were succored by Dr. Mc
Loughlin, who, through his influ
ence with the Indians, recovered
their furs. The branch of the river
on which this adventure occurred
is now known as Smith river.
dragged the wounded man on
ward.
Quoting from Williams'
"Sept. 19, 1851. Hedden, worn to
a skeleton, working like a beaver
all the time, day and night, kept
me alive. In the morning I was
bent forward much more, and my
body more inflamed, swollen and
discolored. No one could have be
lieved that I could live another
hour. Each step, carefully made,
seemed like taking life, yet in
obedience to Hedden's command
I was obliged to make an effort
to proceed. For choice, I would
have preferred to be left alone,
and I begged Hedden to go on to
the settlement and save his own
life, but he preemptorily refused
i to allow me to even talk about it."
Vet they pressed forward for
Relating to his many bequests
I quote from his will: "To my
diary, I friend, Cyrus Hedden of Scotts-
Durg, Douglas county, Oregon,
area in 1850 was widespread. The
firm of Winchester Payne and
Co., San Francisco, entered that
field of development early in the
year. A large number of share
holders arrived on the schooner
"Samuel Roberts" to take advant
age of the business opportunities
they felt to b e awaiting them.
Among these were Nathan Sco
field and his son, Socrates, both
surveyors. Scholficld creek Is
named for them.
Another of the company was
Herman Winchester for whom
Winchester Bay is named as is the
town of Winchester on the Mortn
Umpqua river, sixty miles inland.
Winchester was a lawyer and re-
mained in the new country, living
for a time at Scottsburg, later in
Roseburg, and finally in Empire
City. Another arriving at that time
was D. C. Underwood, long pro
minent in Umpqua and Douglas
county affairs.
The. San Francisco company
sponsored three cities, Winchester,
Elkton and Umpqua City. The last
named was at the mouth of the
Umpqua River where a townsite
of some twelve hundred acres was
surveyed, a fort built in which to
quarter the soldiers, and a large
hotel and various business enter
prises which were more or less
completed.
After the failure of the San Fran-
i e n . Day cuu.pai,, . nolder, remajned , the new COUn-
tabhshed trading posts along the by to engag ln profitabu. entcr
Umpqua in 1832. These were later I prises for themselves. Among
abandoned and the property re-. rh-,. am, c r.ihm.
News-Review Seeking Historical
Information For Publication
During County's Centennial Year
This is Douglas county's, centenniat year.
Observance of the county's 100th birthday is sched
uled for elaborate celebration later in the year.
The News-Review plans no special centennial editions,
but it is proposed throufehout the year to publish articles
ana pictures of historical interest.
Cooperation of readers is solicited in furnishing ma
terial from diaries, family records or other records, cov
ering events of historical character, pioneer personalities,
anecdotes, and other information of interest. It also will
be possib'e to use a limited number of nictures.
It is not ncessary that material be submitted In form
for public.'.tion. If facts and data are furnished, the news
sum oi nt; news-Keview will do all necessary editing.
SoilOnWhich First White
Man Ever Trod In State May
Have Been Douglas County
It It possible that Douglas ' current." This description, with It
county contains the sou upon
which rested the first Caucasian
foot that ever was set on the Pa
cific coast of the United States.
A. G. Walling, earlv dav his.
torian, whose history of Southern
Oregon was published in 1884 tells
of this possibility, although he
qualifies it with statements that
it is not fully supported by com
petent authority.
As the story is related In Wall
ing's history, Sir Francis Drake,
after plundering Spain's colonies
in Mexico and California, sailed
northward.
Drake had captured a snanish
sea captain by the name of Mor
era. Spanish records report that
on his northward journey, the Bri-
usn pirate entered a "poor har
bor," and put the Spaniard ashore
among Indians who never before
had seen a white man.
Morera succeeded, after terrible
hardships, to make his way back
down the coast to Spanish settle
ments, where his report was en
tered into the records. British re
cords contain no account of the'
incident.
The Umpqua river was first be
lieved to have been charted in
1603. A Spanish explorer in charge
of a small boat sailed along the
Oregon coast, mapping its head
lands. The record of that journey
reveals that "On the nineteenth
of January, the pilot, Antonio
Flores, found that they were in
the latitude of 43 degrees where
the land formed a cape or point,
which was named Cape Blanco.
From that point the coast begins
to turn to the northwest; and near
it was discovered a rapid and
abundant river, with ash trees,
willows, brambles and other trees
of Castile on its banks, which
they endeavored to enter, but
could not from the force of the
Rose and his family comnleted the
perilous overland trip to Oregon,
negotiating the Siskiyou and Cow
Creek Canyon trails, as they en-
terea me umpqua vauey.
The river plain unon which Rose
burg is situated pleased the small
but rugged emigrant.
Filing for his donation land
claim, he engaged in farming and
stock raising, and also conducted
small mercantile business.
Families began to arrive, and
Rose began dreaming of a town-site.
He became one-man rhnmhAr
oi commerce, extolling the virtues
of the site he had selected and
soon had sold a number of his
platted lota and the town began to
take form.
Lands Donated
Rose donated sites for schools.
churches and public buildings.
uuring tne Indian war of 1855,
Roseburg had a period of nros-
perity and growth when it became
The honor also was sought by Win
chester and Lookingglass.
Rose procured from the stata
legislature in 1853 an act author,
uing an election to determine the
matter of locating the county seat.
Roseburg, being in the center of
the rival communities, was chosen
as the site for the election, held
in March 1854.
Hospitality Won Vote
Legend has it that Lookingglass
residents, having a greater dis
tance to travel, arrived in Rose
burg in the morning. They were
taken to the Rose home where
they were treated to a fine repast
and other refreshments prin
cipally from botUes and kegs. By
the time the election meeting was
held in the afternoon, the Looking
glass people were so thoroughly
sold on Aaron Rose's hospitality,
that they voted en masse for Rose
burg as county seat.
Transportation problems plagued
the central point for the Northern I Roseburg even in its earliest days.
Battalion, which formed and pro
cured its supplies here. It was
about this tame time that the corn-
Residents promoted a road to Coot
Bay and also proposed construc
tion of a railroad. River navigation
mumty, previously known as Deer, was given much consideration.
Creek, took on the name Roseburg. One boat. The Swan, made the
I- lOCT II O I I IAf' I r. ,: , n I .
In 1857, the U. S. Land Office
was located at Winchester. It was
the most Imposing building in the
county. Not to be outdone, the resl.
dents of Roseburg constructed a
three-story school building, locat
ed on property where the junior
high school now stands, and, as a
result, nearly bankrupt the com-
munuy in nanuiing tne cost of
building and maintaining the new
and ego-satisfying structure.
Aaron Rose was determined that
his townsite should be second to
none and sought the distinction of
making the community the county
seat of the newly-formed county.
trip from Gardiner to Rosebure
during a flood, and a boat, The
Enterprise, was built especially
for the Scottsburg-Roseburg run.
Congress appropriated $22,000 to
make the river navigable. Approx
imately $14,000 was expended in
clearing obstructions. But in 1872
the Oregon and California railroad
company completed its tracks
front Rosebure to Portland and ef
forts to build up other transporta
tion facilities died. Roseburg re
mained the aouthern terminus ot
the railroad until 1882 when con
struction into California was resumed.
location, is believed to indicate
the explorers were off the mouth
oi tne umpqua.
Another early day story of the
river is that in 1732 a Spanish
vessel was damaged by rough
weather and was foroed to make
port. The mouth of the Umpqua
was observed, and the vessel as
cended the stream to a point near
Scottsburg where the ship was
made fast while repairs were und
ertaken. -
The story was told to the first
settlers by Indians, who pointed
out stumps from trees appar
ently cut many years before.
The Indians were reported to
have said that men with white
faces and beards had come up
the river in a boat and had cut
the trees.
No authentic historical record
exists to confirm the tale told by
the Indians.
vet ins tr txts&tmi
p ear ajfa m atew
I FURNITURE Can
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i INVESTORS $UCTffE FUND
INVESTORS STOCK fUKD ', J
INVESTORS STN0KITE Of AMERICA
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INVESTORS
DIVERSIFIED SERVICES
IrfuMUwd II? 4
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SUNNfAPOUS, MINNESOTA
CARL BEACH
Zone Monoger ond
Saving! Repreitntotlvo
RoieburgPhono Eve. 3-3243
Watch tor Nollee of Dividend!
Eech Month-
verted to settlers.
(for kind care and attendance ' Scottburg Founded
while suffering from wounds re
ceived from the Indians) I give
and bequeath the sum of five thou
sand dollars."
To my friend, Job Hatfield, of
Scottsburg, Douglas County, Ore
gon, for the same reason, the sum
of one thousand dollars."
Oregon Tax Refund Money
Poses Claimant Problem
SALEM I The State Tax
Commission has $50,000 it can't get
rid of.
That money was paid by 4,500
In 1850 Scottsburg was founded
by and named for Levi Scott. It
is situated at the head of tide
water on the Umpqua river some
twenty-seven miles inland from
the sea. It was first called Myrtle
Grove because of the beautiful
myrtle groves along the river, then
Scotts Town, and finally, as it re
mains today, Scottsburg. It soon
born in 1825 in New York State,
admitted to the bar there in 1849.
Arrived in the Lower Umpqua
eorntry in 1850. A man of splendid
attainments and pioneer spirit, he
became Governor of Oregon in the
Civil war period. In those first
years in the new country he served
as mail carrier between Yoncalla
and Scottsburg.
Stephen Foster Chadwick, a na
tive of New York, admitted to the
became a boom town. At the peak bar in 1850, came west with the
of its renown it boasted of sixteen San Francisco company the same
commercial enterprises, a large year. Remaining in the country,
hotel, and many other accomodat-1 he practiced law, served as county
ing trades and services. and probate judge, and held cer-
It was in two parts known as tain other state offices, includini
two davs more before they reached ; state income taxpayers wno are upper and Lower scottsburg, both that of Governor. He married, in
the Umpqua river and found help. entitled to refunds. Most of them , on the North side of the river. 1 1856, Jane Smith, a sister of Rob
They met some Indians who helped : either moved or submitted Incor- The first business house in.ert Smith of the Applegate Trail
carry Williams to their camp' rect addresses. Scottsburg was built by George 'fame.
TL ' . GET THE QUONSET'40
Frot-prooL
40 feet wide by iny Icnfih detirod,
in Mctiooi of 20 feet. th cloitvtpan
Quontt 40 provides 100 atabU
Boor apace . . . it ideal for teorct of
industrial, eommtrcial and farm mat.
Framed with Bailable Strao-Steel,
it eaa be erected quickly by trained
crewt, ia economical to buy and
r"-'nt-'-. f1lr nvf today.
r. u. b. r- or.
VALLEY BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION CO.
240 SOUTH STEPHENS PHONE 1-0341
ovowsFr iwtomos ah pioducts op iAr unit trm cotPotmoN
Diaacroaa
f . S. Shoemaker,
Preeldent
M. C Hitler.
V.-Preildent
H. O. Perteter.
Sea. end Mer.
V. J. Mleelll, Treei.
Kdyth allmour. -
At. Seorelery
A. n. Oreutt, Attr.
a. V. Wlmberlr
O. C. Tinier
Guy Cordon
B. R. Shoemaker
w. T. Herrle i
K, fullertoa
Condition of
THE UMPQUA SAYINGS AND LOAN ASS0.
ROSEBURG, OREGON
At Clou of Buiintii, Dtcember 31, 1951
RESOURCES
$ 161,831.41
Cash in Banks
Notes Secured by
D. R. Loans
Interest Receivable
Sales Contracts
Federal Home Loan
Bank Stock
Home Office Building
Advanced Borrowers
Government Bonds
Notes Secured by Stock
Total Resources
1,991,380.20
294.39
337.30
36,600.00
24,000.00
547.92
145,000.000
1,046.09
.$2,361,037.31
Investment Stock
Contingent Reserve
Surplus
Deferred Profit
Building Account Reserve
Undivided Profits
Employee's Old Age Ins.
Employer's Old Age Ins.
Withholding Tax-Federal
State Unemployment Ins.
Withholding Tax-State
Incomplete D. R. Loans
Reserve for Excise Taxes
Total Liabilities
$2,183,706.04
75;205.02
11,839,80
1,928.79
13,800.00
50,644.70
43.18
43.18
396.30
54.84
28.75
22,913.41
433.30
$2,361,037.31
State of Oregon )
, (SS
County of Douglas )
I, H. O. Porqeter, Secretory o( the above Association, do here
by solemnly swear that the above statement fs true, to the best of my
knowledge ond belief.
H. O. PARGETER
Secretary
ATTEST:
M. E. RITTER
Vire President
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 3rd day of January,
A. D. 1952.
W. F. HARRIS
Notarv Public for Oredbn.
Mv Commission Expires;- November 17, 1952.