. MEDFORD MATTi TRIBUNE, TtfEPFQRD, 1 ORKfipy, SUXDAY, MAY 3. 1029.
PXCIB.FIYB
HISTORY OF PIONEER COLVER FAMILY
ERECTION OF OLD HOME NEAR PHEONIX
(By Ncllio Hose Jones)
Tho Culver houno Ht Phoenix.
Jackson county, Orosnn, now
Known as "The . bluo V I o w i r
I.odgc." Ih tho olilcMt hutiHO Htuml
inB In Jacksoir county today. It
was completed In 1805. and la.
perhaps, one of tho most inter
esting structures erected in Ore
Bon during the pioneer period of
tho slate. It was built by Samuel
Colver and ills wlfo, llulduh Cul
lender Colver, on their donation
land claim number 4 2. It was
constructed, primarily, for hotel
purposes and also as a refuge for
the, various families In the set
tlement duiinit the Indian up
risings. As Mr. Colver did not
tako kindly to the idea of pre
siding over a hostelry, the hotel
project., was abandoned and the
building was never used for that
purpose during the more than
seventy years when the Colvers
and their descendants occupied it.
It furnished protection from the
Jr Indians to the neighbors for miles
around on several occasions.
Considering - the early, day In
which it was built, it ' was an
enormous- structure . being 60 by
GO feet, built of smoothly hewn
logs, 14 inches In thickness. The
logs were planed smooth on their
outer surface .and .dovetailed to
gether at the corners. .The port
holes in the second story are not
now visible as the outside has
been weatherboarded over. The
house is plastored throughout, and
originally contained four fire
places. Tho kitchen fire-place
has been removed.
This historic old home was the
old community center. Tho largo
second floor, now divided Into
thirteen good sized rooms, was.
et ono and' tho same 'time, school
room, dance hall, church, lodge
and play-house. , Old timers still
refer to this old homo as tho
"block house." Originally, an up
per balcony extended across the
entire front of tho house, connec
ted by an outside stairway with
tlie lower porch. This upper bal
cony was removed In 1918 in or
der to give the house a more mod
ern appearance. This home re
mained in the Colver family from
the time of its construction in
1855 until 192.1, when it was sold
to Miss Edith Prettyman, who
converted it into an inn known
as "The Blue Flower Lodge."
Tho "History of Jackson. Jose
phine, Douglas, Curry and Coos
Counties," published by A. -G.
Vailing. In 1884, says, in writing
about Phoenix. Oregon, (p 374
375): "Samuel Colver In tho fall of
1861 ho being one of tho very
first pioneors took up a dona
tion claim where tho town now
stands and has ever., since con
tinued to occupy it. In 1864 Phoe
nix had reached Its cllmacerlc.
, and all was prosperity. The town
4 was tho homo of lawyers, doctors,
I artisans and merchants. Busi
ness was very brisk and the mines
were producing well. But this
era of prosperity had an end
sometime along tho last of tho
sixties; aud in 1874 a stray trav
eler wroto of th place; 'decay,
desolation, death are Inscribed on
her walls; dusty in summer and
muddy in winter. It is the abode
- of hard times.' But the dyspep
tical fellow cheered up some
what, and going into details, add
ed: 'Tho peoplo aro Industrious,
tcmperato and always ready for
a religious revival. ' It contains
two gristmills, a store, tavern,
school and a Good Templar's or
ganization.' Tho chief point of
Interest about Phoenix are tho
grave, now empty of Captain
Stewart, U. S. A... the 'Forty-nine'
mines. Camp Baker and tho S.
S. Colvcr's residence. Tho curious
visitor would do well to Inspect
the latter remarkable building, a
relic as it Is of times of Indians'
assaults had to be . provided
against. In 1854 the town of
Phoenix was laid out on the land
of Samuel Colver. In 1855 S. M.
f Walt built tho largo flouring mill
on land donated by Mr. Colver.
In tho summer of 1852, Hiram
Colver eamo bringing tho families
of both Samuel and Hiram, who
had been left with tho Geers and
Davenports, relatives, who lived
In the Waldo Hills near Salem.
Samuel and Hiram Colver each
took up a donation land claim
of 640 acres. Also in 1852 came
Samuel VanDyko, Matthew Little,
E. B. Ooro and O. V. Hoxlo. In
1853 came James Sterling, John
and H. M. Coleman, Cleorgo T.
Vlnlng, Clrldlcy, C. S. Sergeant,
James P. Burns, W. Lynch, Mil
ton Llndlcy, William Matlies, Hur
ry and Harvey Oatman and Henry
Church. Harvey Oatman built the
first hotel in Phoenix, and Henry
Church and Harrison B. Oatman
were tho first merchants. Col
ver and Davenport, and Wait and
McManus were also engaged In
mercantile affairs In early years.
Judge Orango Jacobs, of subse
quent celebrity, (Jacobs became
Judge of tho Supreme Court of
tho State "of Washington) was a
teacher of youth for tho carl'
settlers of Phoenix and also prac
J tlced his profession of law In
that locality." ,
Judgo Orango Jacobs married
Lucinda Davenport who was a
first cousin of Samuel Colver.
Lucinda Davenport was an aunt
of Homer Davenport, the famous
cartoonist.
Hon O. A. Stearns, deceased,
of Ashland. Oregon, was closely
associated with Samuel Colver
ovor a period of forty years and
has left some Interesting notes
concerning tho life of this well
known pioneer and builder of the
colver House. Mr. Stearns relates
that "Samuel Colver was a native
of Ohio (b 1816). and attennea
the common schools of that state
until, In his early teens, no. in
company with a yoiyiger brother,
Hiram, was sent to a well known
college to complete his education.
Hero he found the strict ortho
dox requirements so distasteful toi
him that he was often in erim
f conflict with his teachers, and
his ryming witticisms and caustic
criticisms soon brought him to
open conflict with tho faculty un-
Historic Old
til, finally ho was publicly reprl-
manded and given his choice of
publicly apologizing or leaving
the college. Ho t hose tho latter love for horses, dogs and all ani-1 lo country in IMS wlin -.o-courso
which terminated his scho- mals was a dlstlnculahlnir liecu-1 ?rnor V,n,hroB- and waa a mm"
lastio career. About that time tho j
state of Texas attempted to throw
Off Ihfl Vnl'A tt tla-Un nn.l '
Colver i.pnt . i,i
where there was abundant room ;
for adventurous spirits, and no
restrictions by narrow orthodox
teachers. Young Colver joined
tho Texan army under the banner
of Sam Houston, and served as
Texas Ranger until after the san
guinary battle of Ran Jacinto,
which established Texan inde
pendence. After the Independence
of the Ione Star stato was estab
lished, Colver served under tho
flag on the frontier, ns' scoilt and
trader with tho Indians, some-
times in conflict with hostile j
tribes and in peril of his life.
On one occasion ho was forced to
cross a wide extent of country oc
cupied by a hostile tribe of In
dians, and his only method of
travel was on foot and by night.
The cactus and other thorny
shrubs soon toro his clothes to
Shreds and ho had to clothe him
self with the utUanned skins of
wild animals and eat their un
salted flesh for days at a time
until he reached a settled portion
of tho country.
His next nd vent lire was In his ;
native state, which he canvassed j
prctty thoroughly as public lecfur-1
or on Jthe then " newly discovered
science of niesmorlsm. Shortly
after completing his lecturo tour,
Colver met and married Huldah
Cullender, and for a few years
lived with his parents Samuel
Colver. Sr., In tho' old homestead
near Irwin, Union county, Ohio.
Soon after tho discovery of gold
and tho opening up of the Oregon
country to settlement under tho
liberal donation land law, the
Colver brothers, Samuel and Hi
ram,, together with their families,
undertook tho long and perilous
journey across the plains by way
of the Old Oregon Trail, to tho
Willamette valley, at that time
tho only welt known' part of the
Oregon Territory. This wns i
1S5Q,'.
In 18,Sli Saimicl Colver was In
dian Agent and wns pne of .the
signers of the peace ireary mado
by den. Joseph lain and others,
September J I), 18&3, ut Table
Rock, Oregon. V
Samuel Colver was an athlete,
and -was always an out-door, man.
He was very hospitable and his
house was' open to strangers. His
wife, "Aunt Huldah," as she was
familiarly called, was ono of the
most generous nnd kind-hearted
women that ever lived, a fine
cook and housekeeper; a very do
mestic nnd hnme-loving women;
BBefff
a eap.ltfs wise t
epmparo ..-with''
5.11 .
So. BartleU atnd 8th
Colver Homo
while "Undo Sam" Colver cared
little for home-life and seemed
to prefer the out of doors. His I
llarity of his. Sam Colver was a
good debator and was always :
I'A.l.lt, tn av..PAcu HI nnl.tlnm, nn !
.. .i,i,. '., i
litlonist and advocate of worn
'en's rights, and a prohibitionist
! of the most pronounced type and ;
ready to defend his beliefs at all
times and ngainst all comers. Tho
active in politics, he wns never an
office-seeker. While ho was n
pronounced agnostic. Aunt Hulduh
was decidedly religious, ,and her
house was a favorite .haven for
ministers, and seemingly without
protest from Unci Sam. Anoth
er peculiarity of Undo Sam's was
his habit of composing rhymes
which he would delight in sing-
ing to hfs own mus'c or reciting
beforo a. crowd. Some of his
compositions were very flno both
hi sentiment and in rhyme. Most
of Colver's verses were aimed at
pome common fault or frailty in
human nature and exposing the
same to ridicule.
About 1S60, Uncle Sam Colver
went to Texas, sold his land that
had been given him as bonus for
his services in tho war with Mex
ico, went to Canada and bought
a number of very flno blooded
horses. From that time on he
engaged quite extensively in im-
porting and breeding blooded
horses and rattle.
In 1867, Uncle Sam bought out
the interests of his eon In what
was known for many years, as the
Stearns ranch in Klamath county.
This ranch Is on the Klamath
Kalls-Keno highway. Ho kept
this property ns long as ho lived.
In 1884, his only son was accident
ally shot by a neighbor, P. W.
Olwcll, at Phoenix. Mr. Olwell
operated and owned the flourmlll
at Phoenix, (now the Fred Fur
ry property). Ono night he heard
someone prowling around his
home and thought ho wilh being
robbed, as ho often had consid
erable sums of money In his safe.
He raised a, cry for help and IoUle
Colver' nnd Dr. George Kahleiv
who were clone neighbors, were
the first to reach the Olwell homo
Louie Colver carried a lantern
and seeing Mr. Olwell standing
at the window, waved bis luntern
and shouted to Olwell not to
ghoot ns this was Colver. Mr.
Olwell was so excited that ho d:
not hear, at least ho did not heed
the call, and fired, killing Louie
Colver, one of his best Jriends.
Ths was In March 1884. In April
1885. Isabelle Colver Rose (wife
of Lewis Albert Rose), Uncle
Sam's only daughter, weakened
by grief over tho loss of her only
1 brother, succumbed to the ravages
THE
IMQi ft
Some people make a fundamental mistake
when they go to buy a car. They receive a
demonstration and they compare the new cap
only with the car they are about to trade in.
To help you avoid this mistake we have arranged a
special demonstration of the New Pontiac Big Six.
Sec the others, by all means. But see the New Pontiac
Big Six, if only for the sake of comparison.
THtM $74$ la $995, f. b. Ponlfee. MUhlgmn. plua rfUrrr thmrgttt. Bumper; tprlr tmwmt
mmd Ljoy ihock btorbor rtgulmr 9qulpmnt mt Hht ..Ira ca.l. Ganaral Jfalar. nta
fmjrment lan aaflaofa al minimum rata.
Consider the delirered price as well its the list price when comparing automo
bile raluea . . . OaUand-Pontiac delivered price, include only reasonable
charges for deliver and financing.
Sanderson Motor Co.
Robinson Motor Co.
Ajhland, Oregon
of diphtheria.' This double trag
edy left Uncle Kami and Aunt llul
dah Colver childless.
From this dato Uncle Sam spent
very little time In Rogue Klvef
valley. The loss of his children
preyed on his mind and ho seem
ed to want to . bo away from
scenes that would remind him of
them. He hud taken a very active
pint In the Modoc Indian war In
Klamath county and had boon
one of the first property owners
In tho Klamath country and had
many warm friends among tho
pioneers of this region. In Feb
ruary. 1891, while attempting to
pay a business visit to one William
Spencer who lived on tho west
I shore of Upper Klamath lake,
I Uncle Sam was drowned or froz
vn to death. Hlsbody was not re
i covered until several months lat
er. Ills remains aro now Inter
i red in tho Phoenix cemetery be
jside those of his wife. This com
j ctery is a part of his donation
i land claim.
j Family Ilittory
i Tho Colver family hus d most
interesting historical background.
I Samuel Colver was sixth In dca-
cent from Edward Colvor,, the
Puritan, founder of tho family
'" America. Edward Colver camo
bcr of tho Massachusetts Buy
Colony. Ho served In tho Colo
nial wars. Ho was given a Krant
'"t 600 acres of land for scrvlco
j in these wars. Ho was anions
th founders of BmUon. pedhum
nd Roxbury. Massachusetts and
New London and Mystic, Con
necticut.
Samuel Colver was tho grand
son of Nathaniel Colver and Ruth
Kilbourn Colver of Litchfield,
Conn. Nathaniel Colvor '.was a
member of the Provincial Cong
ress -from Albany county, : Now
York and Ensign in tho Revolu
tionary war (1775-1783). '
Huldah Callendor Colvor was
tho daughter of Samuel Callcn
der, who served as fifer in tho
Revolutionary war and in tho war
of 1812. Captain John Callen
dor, captain of artillery at the
Battle of Bunker Hill, was great
uncle of Huldah Callendor Colver.
Her great grandfather was Eliozer
Cullender who served in the Rev
olution ns Captain of tho Virginia
Stato navy. Both Capt. John
Callendor and Capt. Eliozer Cal
ender, 'his father, were members
of the Society of tho Clnclnnata
of Virginia.
Lewis Albert Rose who married
Isabella Colver and who also
lived in tho old Colver homo for
four years after his . marrlago,
was the great grandsln of An
drew Rose who also served' In tho
Revolutionary war. Lewis Albert
Rose was thcr; second 1 cousin of
President William McKlnley, thru
tho Rose lino.
Colver Grandchildren
Grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs
Samuel Colver who aro still liv
ing are: Mrs. Charles Hemstreet,
Portland, Oregon; (Efflo Rose,
who was tho first child born in
the old Colver homo at Phoenix),
Mrs. Arthur Furry (Lita Colver)
Mrs. Wilbur Jones (Nolllo Rose
Nowbury), Klamath Falls,r Ore
gon; Mrs. Albort Solfss (Bertha
Roso Rador), Arthur Roso, Lloyd
Colver and Louis. Colver, all of
Phoenix, Oregon.
Great Gramk'hlldrciv
Groat grandchildren of Mr. and
Mrs, Samuel Colvor are: Mrs.
Lawrence Mehaffey (Maud New
bury), Antloch, California: Don
ald R. Nowbury, Mod ford, Oregon;
Carl Nowbury, Minneapolis, Min
nesota; Armond Taylor, Cle- El
lum, Washington; Colver Furry,
Phoenix, Oregon; Aubrey Ferry,
Birmingham; Alabama; Mrs. Jua
nta Furry (Mrs. Nell Franklin),
Med ford, Oregon; Jean Rose, Dor
Is Roso, Tluldah Rose and Lewis
Albert Rose, Phoenix, Oregon;
AgnesColver, Harold Colver and
PRODUCT OF
GENERAL MOTORS
Phone 1381
Klbert Colver, Phoenix: Wilbur
Jones, Jr., Klamath Falls, Ore
gon. (Nellie Hose Jones, who wroto
this story, was a charter member
of tho Oregon stato chapter
Daughters of Founders und Pa
triots of America. Ed.)
BIG 1NCREASMN
Announcement for plans for an
Increase In production during the
remaining spring months duo to
tho heavy volume of orders has
been mado by tho Ford Motor
Company.
The manufacturing schedule has
been balanced to provide for an
output of the entire line of passen
ger cars and commercial vehicles,
which now includes eighteen dif
ferent automobile types, tho recent
additions being the chauffeur driv
en town car, town sedan, sport cab
riolet, taxirah, station wagon nnd
tho do luxe delivery wagon.
A member of the Ford Motor
Company, says; "Tho production
program bos been arranged to In
clude tho new body types designed
for the Model A chassis and pro
duction has been stimulated duo to
current orders. Tho new types are
being built without curtailment of
the probram for tho other standard
cars. Orders on hand nre large
and reports from branches nnd
dealers Indicate that tho spring de
mand is greater in volume thau
was anticipated.
"During March the rate of pro
duction was Increased to more
than 8,000 cars and trucks a day.
Total production for March was
181,894 cars, as compared with
125.984 in February.
"The six-day factory woo U,
which went into effect at Dearborn
March 1, has been of great assist
ance In building up tho production
schedule and has permitted tho de
velopment of an expanded program
for the spring and summer months.
Tho output of the new body types
will bo increased in accordance
with this schedule.
"The commercial vehicles consist
of the Model AA truck with ex
press, panel and platform bodies,
the light delivery piokup, and the
panel delivery and tho do luxe do
livery." GOLD BEACH, Ore. May 4. (P)
Disagreement of many years ntand
Ingr' has been settled by th'e Curry
oounty boundary board -which has
allowed the area surrounding Ag-
neas- on the Ttoguo Mver in a re
mote aectton of tho'coast range, to
be divided. Wednesday rival fac
it's th
e
COSTLY CAR BEAUTY AT
AMAZINGLY LOW PRICE i
WZ entire line of new
Superior Whippet Fours
and Sixes is distinguished by
such beauty of design and rich
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And Whippet is a big car, too,
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Mechanically, no other low
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tant advantages full force
feed lubrication, silent timing
chain, big four-wheel brakes,
extra long wheelbase, oversize
balloon tires, invar-strut pis
tons, "Finger-Tip Control,"
higher compression engine
giving more speed, pick-up and
power and, in the Six, a heavy
seven-bearing crankshaft.
WHIPPET FOUR COACH
- i
!550
tSSO; C-f tsl"l
$6ts 04 Imm him ftyj; IWiw
Sfxl 4-fu. Himr fjjo; CVH-j.M
Umiim ls9Si T"'t StVJI Cmrnrf
tul (Mm, fjSa.
ttuns appeared before tho board.
and for the first time In tho hU-
try of tho long feud, agreed that
ttwy wanted to permanently din-
aKreo and have two school districts.
L'ntlt this time tho Kucue river
had cut through tho mtddlo of the
diatrlct.
jl-oii can't compromise
with Pride of Ownership
De Soto Six
MEAD-FURCH MOTOR CO.
114 South Riverside
HEY ALL DAY
smartest
NEW. SUPERIOR
W 0
Y f FOURSjf X S
.WILLYS-OVERLAND, INC.;
TREICHLER MOTORS, INC.
30 North Holly '
HALF CAMPUS IS FARM
Bl'T XO "AG" IS TALGUT
TOP10KA, Kan. (jP) Washburn
college offers na academlo coura-
v In farming, yet half Ha camp-
ua Is operated as a farm.
The "south 80" of tho school's
IfiO-nern cnmpiifl forms a ctilrkn
The owner of a De Soto Six has a sound basis
for his pride of ownership he is driving
exactly the car that he wants to drive a prod
uct of Chrysler Motors.
Cars of lower price attracted him not at all.
He knows they lack many of his essential
demands. And he didn't need to buy a more
expensive car because he found complete satis
faction full realization of his personal
standards of performance, comfort, economy
and durability in the De Soto Six.
Here is a car that is literally built to order for
those whose budgets are not unlimited a car
that even the most discriminating motorist
can own without either sacrificing his pride
or straining his pocketbook. '
Before deciding on your purchase, give the
Chrysler-built De Soto Six your most critical
inspection. You will find all the advantages
and comforts, all the zestful driving, and all
the pride of ownership that are associated iu
your mind only with cars of much higher price.
CHRYSLER MOTORS PRODUCT
Medford
car at the club"
Phone 615
and stock farm this year.' Last -31
year corn was the principal crop.
the barn on the farm, which in i J
leasod by tho school to prlVaU, : f ,
fur-morn, waa Washburn's first -
gymnasium. m
Malt Trlbuno ads are read
by X
20.000 peoplo every day.
i
$845
and upatthm factory
Famton . . . . . $tti
Boadtter fUpanal BS
Sedan Cockm
S4S
4S
M5
B83 :
953
Cupa BmhutM
Sedan . .
Cupe de Lujo
. Sedan de Lujo
All
Phone 1109 "
".S.
850
Cut S9SI C"f S & (
StJtntStO- Mlriltyf-OnrlmJprkm ',
jttl tweiengt trfiiaf mitm, ;
TOLEDO, OHIO
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