BROOKINGS-HARBOR PILOT, BROOKINGS, OREGON
Thursday, June 2, 1949
the World’s Best Climate
PAGE THRE3
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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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HAROLD
A.
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Also printed floor coverings
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