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About Brookings-Harbor pilot. (Brookings, Curry County, Oregon) 1946-1978 | View Entire Issue (June 2, 1949)
BROOKINGS-HARBOR PILOT, BROOKINGS, OREGON Thursday, June 2, 1949 the World’s Best Climate PAGE THRE3 ------------ Early Curry History Told By Essay Of Gold Boach H. S. Student Conservation In CO Through Georgia Fromm, Cur- «..mor nf the Rogue. Thomas VanPelt informed w eren't afraide of-a little blood ¿y County school superintendent, of the settlers ¡and f Wright, who was the sub-Indian and danger. the Pilot was given this story, public house anda ri\< n . • agent, that the Indians were The packers soon came and T OOO written by Burton Dignan oi the decided to kick the Ind.ans out planning war. Wright laughed at the e group Proun of now about 21 men IO 10101 $OZfVW Gold Beach high school, telling of their side, of Jh^nven and him and ignored the warning. began traveling toward Pistol Curry County Agricultural con without consulting the other set River, planning to go on to the servation association committee About two after his visit. Van of early-day history of this coun tlers attacked and killed three Rogue River. When they came to met last week approving practices ty. This article was the prize Pelt visited his good friend Chris , , tian Tuttle. He left then, return Pistol River they were made by totaling $27,000. Approved plans winner of the Judge Allen Boice Indians. This started a short and bloody a large body of Indians, and had will be mailed to each farmer trust fund. war. About two weeks later Van ing to his own cabin, meaning more than they could handle. showing the extent to which gov to pick up some supplies. There THOMAS VAN PELT Pelt, Jim Jones and Evan Field he found twigs tied to his door They sent a man past the In ernment co-operation will be ap Thomas VanPelt was born in ing, who were living at the mouth dians to get aid. They tought at plied. The payment to any one about 1830 in Lexington. Ken- of the Winchuck river, about five which were Indian locks. No self close quarters until a fog came farm or farmer cannot exceed respecting Indian will invade a fucky. He moved to Minnesota miles from the Chetco River, in. One young man was killed and and then to Illinois where he were attacked by about 7o In house adorned in that manner. VanPelt and Tuttle protected the $700.00. C. J. Doyle, chairman of the lived from the time he was 15 to dians. The attack occurred when Van Pelt concluded that the out man where he was wounded, in county committee, points out that break had come and Chief Ne- about 20 at which time he trav Jones was washing dishes and the middle of the Indian lines, all practice payments have been eled to the Oregon country. Ever Van Pelt and Fielding were down et-cas had taken that precaution finally carrying him back to the made in full in previous years. to protect his house. since he had been 15 he had been at the beach. . “Short Thumb” as VanPelt was camp where he died. Help finally All payments made were within associated with Indians, the Chip Jones fled from the kitchen for called by the Indians, because oi i arrived from a detachment of the maximum farm allowance, pewas, the Menomonees, and the his life and met the other two soldiers which the messengers which last year was $500. He Sioux. Consequently, he had a men. Together they ran up to the his left thumb being off at the’ had been able to intercept and warns that* heavy participation pretty good knowledge and un cabin and cleared t h e Indians first joint, was much respected by | the Indians were driven off. this year will reduce payments derstanding of the Indians and from the house. Van Pelt thought the Indians. During April, a Capt. as much as GOG. Farmers are s VanPelt then, with some other Jones, while traveling down the their ways. He spoke the Chetco’ they should hold the house as urged to complete the most im Indian language and jargon lan long as they could so they re coast to Crescent City for sup men, wen up to Grave Creek and portant practices first. guage which was a broken lingo pulsed three attack by the In plies, stopped at the VanPelt buried Wright and Poland. Charles Fox, Langlois, and Ce All through his life Thomas cil Watts, Brookings, each repre used by the Indians and whites, dians. Finally the Indians left, house while he was gone, and stayed over night. When he and VanPelt had been one of the sented their communities. The introduced by the Hudson Bay having lost three or four of their Company. number already. The three left his men left they did not replace leading leaders in the develop-1 committee was assisted by 'fed He was a blacksmith by trade the house and began hiking the Indian locks, and Indians fol ment of the coastal country, and' Dunwoodie, field man from the but while living in Oregon, in south. About four miles north of lowing behind the troops burned by his courage, alertness, and’ state office, Portland. 1890, he was a justice of the Smith River they came across the VanPelt house. As the troops character of trustworthiness, did peace for several years. He also four settlers who had evidently crossed the Chetco River, a ser much to prevent bloodshed be served in the justice court as gone to Crescent City for sup geant was suddenly struck by an tween the Indians and the set- Pilot Classified Ads Get a lawyer but was never admitted plies. Bloody, ragged, and darty arrow, and an Indian rushed out qers Even when war did come, You Quick Results f to the bar. He was very influen plies. Bloody, ragged and dirty and drove it clear through his due fO his knowledge of the In- They are low-cost way of tel’ tial with the Indians and rated tening spectacle for the leader body. The soldiers shot the In dian tongue, he often kept the ing what you want, or have to far above the regular Indian sup of the group leveled his rifle at dian and found him to be ( hief individual chiefs from going on sell. They bring results, too! Ne-et-cas, who in a violent rage erintendent. them as they ran towaid him. at the white men for having the v.arpath by counseling them. After his more active days With the four settlers the trio were over he started a ranch. He went back to the Winchuck river broken his bargain with “Short also did a great deal of salting and inspected the house, which Thumb” had laid down his life to salmon and sent the fish to San was battered and burned where get revenge. At about this same time. Thom Francisco. He opened the first the Indians had tried to burn lumber mill in Curry county. them out. They threw the Indians as VanPelt who had been living He died a natural death Feb. into the river to be carried to on the Winchuck, received news that Ben Wright and Poland, the 17, 1898. , their watery ocean grave. This story tells of the exploits two leaders of the volunteers had Then with their larger party been murdered unsuspectingly of courage and good fellowship they proeeeded up the valley and while they were playing cards at of Thomas VanPelt who during viewed the other burned dwell a ranch near Grave Creek. Also. his lifetime was a material in ings of the settlers. fluence in developing this county ilium il __ The superintendent of the In 25 other settlers had been wound-' and saving the lives of the set dians began investigating the out ed or killed, and the war was tlers and pioneers by his timely break and arrested Miller. The on. Luckily VanPelt had prev warnings and influence. iously warned the settlers of the In July 1853 twelve men came Indians then returned the guns, outbreak and most of them were to the vicinity of Curry county blankets, and other articles taken at the fort and at a dance. at the Chetco river and began by the Indians during the war When he heard of the uprising. 4 to settle down. They divided the and peaco was restored. VanPelt undertook the dangerous After peace was restored ev mission of getting supplies from land into sections and put the claims into a hat from which the erything was quite for a while. Tuttle’s house. However, when men drew; thereby getting their Then in 1855 the Southern Ore he came to the river he saw BARGAIN FARES—ROUND TRIP, land fairly and without disputes. gon Indians began to go on the smoke coming up from the valley Christian Tuttle, A. F. Miller, warpath. A representative of the I and knew the Indians had beaten family plan, and joint fares discounts. Ask for de James W. Taggert. and Thomas United States government had ; him to them. He then got some tail. Call Southwest Airways, 2771, Crescent C'ty. Van Pelt were the most prom been buying the Indians birthright supplies from a nearby cabin of inent and the ones with which this of land* with blankets and trin-1 one of the men, who was one of Ci kets. When the Indians finally the five at the cabin and took story deals. At the mouth of the Chetco realized they had been selling i them to the cabin, and just in River on the south side was the * the land they had held since time time. Chetco Indian village. One night immemorial they .sent deputa The Indians burned a 1 1 the when most of the Indians were up tions to the other tribes of Cres houses around them but, aside WATCHES— the river gathering acorns and cent City. Smith River and Klam from three or four Indians, who CLOCKS— fishing for salmon, Miller, one ath tribes to request their assist they dispatched, there was no ance. These tribes refused t o attack made upon them. There All Makes: All Makes: Mantel, help because of the foolishness were some packers up the river of the Southern Oregon tribes. who did not know about the out Foreign, Domestic Alarm, Electric! It was by reason of these fre break, so that night, at the risk quent interviews that Thomas his own life, VanPelt made his Van Pelt heard of the unrest of of Prices Reasonable—all work guaranteed! Estate of Albert V. Muchmore. | the Indians. Before he re-built way up the river and warned them to get out as fast as they In the County Court for Curry ‘ I a house which had been partiany partially ■“ This Adv. Good for 50c on any job amounting to $2.00 or more County, Oregon. that the burned and destroyed, he went to .could. . He then made his way Notice is hereby given Executrix of the the chief of the Hasonta tribe of| back to the cabin. While in the undersigned as Executrix oi ln(lians On the Winchuck river act of doing this, he saw a group of riders approaching. Thinking estate of Albert V. Muchmore • and - made i i_____ — 1 — ...¡th a bargain with him hi nr deceased, has filed her final ac The chief Ne-et-cas requested it was just the packers, he paid count in the County Court for VanPelt to pay for the land no heed. Soon a lone horseman rode up, Curry County, Oregon, and that. where VanPelt’s house would be Friday, the 24th day of June, built and also if he would see named Alexander Coil, a man 1949, at 10 o’clock A. M., and the to it that lawless whites did not familiar with that party of the court room of said court has been destroy and burn his tribes’ country. Asked where the other appointed by said Court as the, houses. In return the chief agreed men that he was seen with, he time and place for hearing of ob to inform Thomas in case of an said, when they saw Van Pelt, jections thereto and settlement Indian outbreak, in plenty of with his haid streaming in the wind like an Indian, dragging th^ thereof. ,, , , Dated and first published May time to warn the rest of the set body of vhat might have been tlers, and would see to it that a white man. they decided that 26, 1949. his house was not molested. Date of last publication, June was one place not to be, About Feb. 15. 1856, Ben Wright there ._______________ i;i,« Until and rode off like Paul Rnverp. Revere. 23 1949 and two other men came to Van Coil promised them the next " anna H. MUCHMORE, -• -- Hugh C. Gearin, Executrix. an “ Attorney-at-law., Brookings, Ore. MEDFORD 1 Spilth West AirWays I . k - ■ CLOCK AND WATCH REPAIRING Notice of Final Account* N. M. JONES Watchmaker & Jeweler Templar Hotel Bldg., Brookings, Ore UN01WM STORE NOW OPEN DAILY! 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