Page Thks
iiaeing
regon
Westward Migration of Kentuckians, Tennesseeans Brought Fever for Fine Horses With
It; Rigors of
Settlement Retarded Sports; State Fair; Was Center. of Earliest Contests
,'
Oregon City, Ore., -Maech. 28. 185ll Salem, Ore., March 28, 1931
Morse
(SdEQe$--t6
o
By Oswald West
101
1911
in a state ot isolation,
their own creation and
Governor of Oregon.
7TIHE. early settlers of Kentucky and Tennessee came large-
, A ly from 'Virginia and the Carolinasl Most of them were
horse lovers and crossed the mountains and the pathless wil
derness mounted on stock that carried in their veins some of
the-best racing blood of Old Virginia.
, 'For years these, pioneers lived
Their amusements were largely of
consisted principally of making whiskey, racing horses
and shooting. In these lines they excelled and,,m time, Ken
tucky whiskey, Kentucky horses and Kentucky rifles to say
nothing of its women became la-O
mous throughout the Union.
As trade follows the flag, so did
the "race boss" follow the Ken
tuckians and Tennesseeans as they
moved westward into Missouri and
the Ohio , valley and when, m the
40's and BO's,' the movement across
the 'great American desert to Ore
gon took place, sprinkling j of
blooded sires and dams were to be
found, in practically every wagon
trafe. -'V
Unon". arrival in Oreroiu of
course, - these wagon trains were
broken up and .families' scattered
11 vwvinfa mnA mafa pttlpmrit
in localities offering some particu
lar attraction. The task of building
a home and providing food and
clothing during the first few years,
so completely took their time, that
they had but little, if any, to de
vote to , horse' racing and kindred
sports.. So the Sport of Kings"
remained only, a memory kept
green, however, by the presence of
a few scattering thoroughbreds and
their get. '
State Fair Started
at Oregon City
: In time there grew up among
the' settlers a demand for an an
nual meeting place where livestock
and farm products could be ex
hibited and acquaintances renewed.
As a result the Oregon state fair
was organized. The Jfirst meeting
place was near' Oregon City in
1861. The reported receipts were
$1,444.17 , and the ! disbursements,
including premiums, $1,200.67. . A
little later the fair was permanent
ly located at Salem, and in time
was given state aid.
Along in the Wi and '70s a
number of the counties organized
fair associations and as a result,
in addition , to Salem,' race meets
were held at Albany, Hillsboro and
Portland. The early races were all
running--the trotters and pacers
were to come later.
These early race, meets at the
state fair saw a gathering of the
clans. The horses enjoyed but little
training, the jockeys were inex
perienced and the track little bet
ter than a county road. Time, how
ever, cured all this. j
Horses Bred on Farms
and Brought to Fair
In these early times the horses
were bred and raised on farms and
stock ranches throughout the state
and often in remote sections. A
trip to the fair, which was held in
the fall, often called for a journey
of ' several hundred miles over
mountains and deserts on abomin
able roads. As fair time approach
ed, the old ' camn wagon was
brought ' into - service and loaded
with food," equipments and the fam
ily. The boys brought up the rear
astride or leading the race horses.
Every county and every section.
sent 'its caravans and when fair
week arrived the camp ground was
dotted into tents and hundreds of
camp fires illuminated the night.
Around these camp fires would
gather the sturdy pioneers who
found Oregon in the rough, .pushed
back the brow. of the wilderness,
built homes, schools and churches
and .established a stable govern
ment, j They now renewed acquain
tances, discussed past experiences
and planned for the future. -
Those old ' days' - are now gone,
and with them the pioneers and the
camp fires, but -the memory of it
all is cherished by those now living
who were fortunate enough to have
witnessed such : scenes as the old
gathering place,-
Not all those who met - at the
fair grounds were owners of race
horses. Many were there as ex
hibitors of livestock and products
of the farm and home. It is safe
to say, however, that practically
all men and women, were fond of
horse racing and honored the race
track with their presence when the
hour for the races arrived.
Famous Names of Owners
in Early ,'70's
The old records show that dur
ing the TO's there were around 100
Oregonians : actively engaged .. in
breeding and racing horses. Among
the more prominent participants in
the running races were: U. S. Sen
ator J. W Kesraith and C. J. Bas
kett of Polk county; General John
F. Miller and James T. and William
Bybee of Marion; William Bigham
of Wasco; J. C. Tolman of Jack
son; William Gird of Linn; James
Cozart of Grant; W. H. Musgrove,
William Tennant and J. A. . Crabb
of Multnomah; also Daniel Young,
W. A. Scroggin, M. L. and William
White, Christian Buckley, George
Coggin William Tompkins, Sank
Owens, Brick Pomeroy, George
Whitmore, A. D. Platner and as
many others.
When harness races came in
vogue new faces appeared at the
meets. Among them Congressman
Thomas H. Tongue, S. G. Reed, M.
O. Lownsdale, J. J. T relet, J. A.
Porter, John Taylor, Joseph Tay
lor, J. Misner, C. P. Bacon, Lute
Lindsey, John Watson, E. Whit-,
field, James Clarke, J. J. West-
brook; N. W. Fisk, B. B. Aker, J.
Proebstel and John Young.
While there were crooks and
gamblers following the races then,
as now, the old horsemen were, as
a rule, in the game for the love
of the sport and made every effort
to protect it, - The races were few
and the purses small. The oppor
tunity for financial gains was not
great, yet these old horsemen re
mained true to the sport until pov
erty, old age or death lifted the
bridle from their hands.
AN EARLY "STYLE SHOW
i t - v
liL
i
- - t f
1
GROUT IV FRONT OP "THE
STREKT, IN 1880'S.
- Copyright;. eBftoy'CrpniM Studio.
PALACE LEAD9". OUT COMMERCIAL,
."A'rf'-v -----
Fathers' DonatioW
r t
Claims are r arme
d
LOW PRICES IN '95
Portland markets 1895: Valley
wheat, 53c; hay, clover, $6; oats
27c;- poultry, broilers, 1.50 and
3.50 dozen;, eggs 12c dozen';
wool, valley; 9 and 11c; hops, 3
and 5c lb.; hogs, choice, 3.50
3.75; mutton 2i00-2.25; beef, top
Z and 3.50.
FATHER OF WRIGHTS
Milton Wright, United Breth
ren Treacher, was principal of
Sublimity institute in 1857; re
turned to Indiana; married; had
two tons. Wilbur and Orville
Wright, inventors of airplane.
WALDO HILLS, March 27.
There are today in this commun
ity five farms which were dona
tion land claims taken In 1847
and now operated by descen
dants of the man who saw the
possibilities of this fertile land.
Let us visit these modern farms.
We shall leave the city of Silver
ton, taking the Stayton road
about a mile and a half south, then
taking the road to our left which
winds over the hill south and
east. Here we are at the Mascher
farm. This farm of 640 acres was
taken in 18 44 by Christ F. Mas
cher, father of the man, I. Fred
erick Mascher. who now owns and
operates It. The elder Mascher
had come from Gerinany. It was
he who assisted in jthe organiza
tion of the Bethany church on
the Salem road. He passed away
in 1909. This farm lis noted for
its wealth of fruit, especially
grapes, the cultivation of which
is a hobby with Mr. Mascher, who
celebrated his 80th birthday De
cember 6. 1930.
Riches Farm Taken
In Days of '51
Now back to the highway and
south about five miles. A faiile
east from the highway lies the
farm now owned and operated by
Charles R. Riches. The land was
taken as a donation; land claim
in 1851 by George Riches, father
of the present owner An attrac
tive, modern home stands close
to the road. Grain fields are on
all sides. Back to thej main high
way and south a mile or so to
the claim taken by Mrs. J. S.
Hunt. Her husband had one
across the road but I? has passed
into other hands but hers is in
the capable hands of! her grand
daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Hunt
Albaugh, who with ihe help of
Theodore Riches, is Running the
farm. Mrs. Hunt's daughter,
Mary, was the first wife of George
Riches and it was in an early is
sue of The Statesman that her
death was chronicled, j
Let ,n now turn back on the
highway toward Silverton ; to the
road leading to Salem, past the
.lovely- new club house recently
built by the Waldo HIUs. com
munity club. Tucked ,a,way from
the road to your left lies the
farm taken in 1847 by Ralph
Gees, as a donation claim. The
rambling farm house is still
there though modernised by the
grandson and present owner, A.
A. . Geer. Now west aid north . to
the old Hibbard claimi Taken in
1S47 by King Hibbard, grand
father of the present owners.- Mrs.
Helen Paget. Mrs. Gertrude Car
rie and Mrs. Josephine Hall. Both
Mrs. Paget and Mrs. Currie.;live
on the farm in- mpdern.-homes.
This claim has the distinction, of
having-land patent No. 1 issued-to
it. -
Boys, Separated on Trail,
Are Joined Again
A charming story of pioneer
days came to light when this in
formation was being secured. -The
Geer family coming west from
Ohio and the Hibbards westward
bound . from Illinois met- at the
Mississippi river. Calvin Geer and
King L. Hibbard,. boys. of. about
10 years bad . some delightful
days and besought their fathers to
Join the same train. But Mr. Hib
bard, fearing grass would not be
plentiful if the train became too
large, pushed on. The boys bade
each other farewell, never ex
pecting to meet again. One day
young King hearing, a new neigh
bor and his son had come to buy
poles ran out to. look over the
newcomer and beheld his much
mourned friend, Cal Geer. ? They
not only lived neighbors but
adjoining homesteads.
Breyman Whist
Party Was Jolly
Affair, Report
"On Tuesday evening Miss Amis
Breyman. gave a delightful whist
party at; the elegant residence of
her father,' Werner Breyman, cor
ner state ana (cottage -- streets.
Whist, dancing, games, music, etc,
caused the evening to pass hastily
and pleasantly.' There. were pre
sent Miss Anna Breyman, Mrs. W.
Breyman, Mr. and Mrs. A. E.
Strang, Miss Lena Breyman, Miss
Maggie S. Cosper, Miss Alice
Hatch, Miss Carpenter and Messrs.
Dearborn, Willis, Piper, Holgrate
and Manning." The Statesman,
Apr. 14, 1887.
fm v "T u. """v -v "
on
THE KEELEY CURE
In 1894 the Keeley Institute
for Oregon located in Salem and
The Statesman said the institute
"will be a welome adjunct to
the business and social life of
Salem."
THERE ARE 18 NOW
Trunk telephone line between
Salem and Portland completed
and opened for business, Nov. 7,
1890.
PLAY
on the
SALEM
GOLF
CLUB
COURSE
Located est
Rivers Me drive
2 H miles south
of Salem.
An 18 hole course with
green watered fairways and
beautiful large greens. Each
hole different.
(Formerly the old Hacghes
donation land claim.)
The Salem Golf club course
was opened for play in the
fall of 1928 and has proven
very popular. It was" laid out
under the personal supervis
ion of Ercel Kay, president,
and Graham . Sharkey, secre
tary of the club.
Mr. Sharkey and Mr. Kaa
are professional players, each
being par golfers. Both men
give their entire time to the
management and upkeep ot
the course, thereby assuring
the club members the beet
possible Bervice. The course
is open also to the public at
nominal green fees.
A ' new club 'house .was
erected about a year ago and
is at the disposal of members
and their friends. Constant
improvements are being made
on the fairways, and every
consideration Is given to the
golfer's pleasure.
the man's shop . . .
congratulates
the statesman
on this, its 80th
anniversary
the man's shop
hollis w. huntington
416 state: street.
tel. 528