History of
JACKSONVILLE
■y
Jessie
Beulah Wilson
*
Chris Ulrich
Dealer in
Manufacturer of
The fidlowing sketch of the early his them. One day in August the sound of
tory of Jacksonville was prepared by Miss a Si wash rifle was heard in the eastern
Jessie Beulah Wilson, oneot the pupils of part ot town and a mule with a bloody
the Jacksonville High School, and read saddle came galloping along California
by her at the commencement exercises street ami was recognized as that of
of the school held at the V. S. hall last Thomas Wells, who had Item absent from
Friday. While but a brief sketch it gives town but a few hours. Armed men went
many facts in regard to the early history to the place ami found Thomas Wells,
of the oldest town in Southern Oregon a prominent citizen, mortally wounded.
that will be of interest to both the This deed frightened the people and
Each made of select
pioneers and the new settlers of Jackson what made things worse there was but a
Planing, turning and
ville and vicinity:
small supply of ammunition in town. A
ed grain and quaran-
We are enjoying privileges and com few days Liter a man named Nolan was
other wood vsork done
teed the best on the
Two Indian
forts to-day in this picturesque old town shot dead by the Indians.
boys
came
to
tow
n
named
Little
Jim
and
that would not be possible if the pioneers
on short notice.
::
market
::
::
had not endured privations and hardships. anot'*?r mere stripling whom the people
thought
wen-
spies.
They
were
seized
It seems fitting that we pay some atten
tion to the events which occurred during bv an excited crowd that did not know
what to do with the prisoners.
The
the infancy of this village.
Much of the history of Jacksonville is mob wavered between desire and doubt
unwritten but fortunately many of those until F. M. Patton decided the question.
that helped build the foundation still sur The boys were hanged on an oak tree
vive ami upon the faithfulness of their . near Jackson creek protesting all the
memories the accuracy of the records is while they had never wronged the
whites.
assumed.
The first regular court was held Sept-
Jacksonville is the oldest town in South
ern Oregon and the county seat of Jack- i ember 5. 1853, by Hon. Matthew P.
son Couuty. It is connected with great i Heady, who neld the office of district
historic events.
Many people wonder judge. Columbus Sims, prosecuting at
why Jacksonville was situated in such an torney, Joseph W. Drew, deputy marshal
isolated place. The problem is easily and Matthew G. Kennedy, sheriff, were
solved. It was on account of the rich the other officers.
During
gold mines found in Jackson Creek at
„ the spring
.
„ of 1853 the Metho-
this early day. The news of the rich | dist church was founded^ The most act
discovery extended far and near and soon ive workers were Rev. Joseph S. Smith,
the hills ami gulchs, as if touched by the the first pastor, his wife and the Misses
I have it? my hands at the present time a large num*
They solicited
wand of an enchanter, whitened with the Overbeck ami Royal.
monev
from
the
miners,
gamblers
ami
her of Bargains in FARM, FRUIT ami GARDEN
tents of thousands of miners.
The
It was in December 1857 that Rich i sporting men, for the church,
LANDS, and TOWN PROPERTY, of which the
Gulch was struck, the first gold being church was not finished this year but
found near the present crossing of Oregon was removed to where it now stands and
following is a partial list.
Street. Gold had been found earlier in afterwards finished by T. F. Royal, It
Jackson Creek opposite the city brewery was used as a place of worship by the No. I -Is 550 acres more or less, .¡mi acres
No 26 House mid 2 lots in Phoenix, lots
for ■ over
by two young men who comunicated the Methodists and Presbyterians 'Ï
Rogue River bottom land, al) fenced,
•10x1211 feet each.
twenty-five
years.
fact to James Cluggage and J. R. Poole
good house, bam ami other buildings. No. 30 -18 acres well improved, house,
Communication was opened in May
who were traveling through the valley.
The balance, alxiUt 250 acres, good for
barn and other out buildings; one-luilf
_____ , _ a
Afterwards, the discovery of Rich Gulch , by Cram, Rogers & Co., of Yreka,
tindier
ami
pasture.
This
place
is
sit
in
voung orchard; near Phoenix.
was made by James Sktnner and Wilson branch of the Adams Express House &
uated on Rogue River, near town.
Price
»1200.
C. C. Beekman,
who claimed four hundred feet of the Co.,,San Francisco.
The land is of fine quality. Price per No. 31 ■An 811 acre farm seven miles
Gulch. It did not take the discovery- • then a sturdy young man, was dispatch- |
■ere..................................
$2 5
from railroad, level land, gixxi soil, 15
long to leak out when men washed out ed as messenger extending his trip over No. 2 — Is a tract of 1520 acres, all fenced,
acres cleared and fenced, 2»l acres in
a pint of gold in a day. In Feb. 1852 the lonely mountains to Crescent City,
1200 acres good alfalfa land; a stream
pasture, remainder easily cleared.
every foot of land in Rich Gulch was carrying letters, |>a|A.'rs,aml hundreds of
running through it of 150 miners*
Dwelling house well finished, cost ov
claimed, and bv March all the hills and thousands of dollars of gold dust. It
inches of water with which the whole
er
|5<M>. Bearing orchard, fine well
looks
strange
that
the
plucky
tn
ssenger
gulches around were taken in spite of the
1200 acres can be irrigated. The other
and springs,.is sub-irrigated, and can
was never molested, going alone most of
hostility of the Indians.
320 acres is higher ground, which is
I m - made one of the lies, small farms of
The first trading post was established the time and always choosing night for
well situated for reservoirs ami feed
Jacksoil county, Is owned by a non-
February, 1853, by Uppler & Kenney. his lonely journey.
grounds.
This tract is situated in
resident who will give a bargain in or
James Cluggage McCully was the first
The stock earned consisted of a few tools,
Klamath county, alxrnt 20 miles from
der
to sell quick.
white
child
i>orn
in
Jacksonville
on
Aug
the roughest clothing, boots, and a large
Klamath Falls, a county road running No. 33 -I5j$ acres, all in cultivation;
quantity ot tobacco and a liberal supply ust 27, 1853, -on of Dr. and Mrs. Mc
by it and a railroad now within about
house, Ixirn, etc., near Phoenix; will
Every miner and trader in the
of whiskey, not the royal nectar, but Cully.
50
miles and building rapidly towards
I k - sold all together or divided.
nevertheless the miners, solace in heat town considered himself a godfather to
it ami is certain to ¡ miss near by it, or No. 34.
12»*» acres all improved.
and cold, and I am sorrv to state in pros the new comer and made it their business
cross it in the near future. A good
Fine* bottom land, Rogue River run
perity and adversity the same. Let us i to spoil the little codger and teach him j farm house ami Iwirn and corrals on
ning through it; 500 acres under irriga
state here that this one vice has been the lessons that it took years of Sunday
the place. One of the best bargain* in
tion
ami balance easily watered. Gotxl
i
school
training
to
eradicate.
ruin and downfall of many a noble man, I
all Southern Oregon. Price j»er acre
buildings and other improvements; six
but it seems as though this vice is J The year of 1853 was a year of greatest ,
.................................
»10.
miles from railroad; near (xrstoffice and
prosperity, a hasty peace had been patch
second nature to a miner.
No. 3 — House ami 4 lots in Phoenix.
school. Fine alfalfa, fruit or garden
ed
up
with
the
Indians,
and
the
miners
The first house was built by W. W. I
Price....................................................... $600
land. Is the cheapest land in Jackson
Fowler near Main street, then the only . were ready to go to work again without No. 4 — 204 acres of good land, all
county. Price jx-r acre.................... $30
being
molested.
A
large
quantity
of
street in town. Lumber was whip-sawed j
fenced and in cultivation.
good
in the gulches and cost »250 per thous gold was brought into town and on Sat- ' farm house and barn. A No 1 farm. No. 36 1743 acres of pasture land on
Rogue River. Will I m - sold at a bar
and. Soon dapboard houses were erect unlays and Sundays the streets were
Near town ami railroad. Price »9,500.
gain.
ed with real sawed doors and window crowded with buyers and sellers. Night No. 8—55 acres, house ami 2 burns, 12
was the season of gayety and enjoyment.
No. 37—15410 acres, 800 acres of it fine
frames.
acres bottom land, the balance, 43 ac
The first brick kiln was burned in 1853
plow land; all well watered by fine
In 1852 a miner named Potts was shot
res, all good land, X*Iuile from depot; 1
by a man named Brown. There were no for the store of Morford & Davis,
creek ami springs. Large jstrt under
12
acres
under
ditch
at
the
head
of
the
cultivation ami all under fence. Will
written laws so they accepted the Iowa ; The winter of 1853 was very pinching,
ditch. Price..... ............................... $5000
lx- sold in tracts to suit purchasers.
Code.
W. W. Fowler was appointed 1 the small store of flour was divided until No. 9— 400 acres, within four miles of
Convenient to market and in g<xxl
judge. There were twelve men elected I it was exhausted. One evening Henry
Medford;
is
a
fine
farm,
well
improved
j
m-ighborhixxl.
to act as jury. Brown’s case was tried Klippel and John Hilman were passing
good buildings, small orchard; the last
he was proved guilty and was hung on through a back lot while going home
No. 39.— 2’4 acres, three fourths of a
bargain
for
a
farm
in
Jackson
county.
an oak tree north of the Presbyterian when Klippel suddenly stopped and said,
mile from Medford. Good garden
Price per acre...................................... $10.
“John, I smell bread."
“So do I,”
church.
land. G«xxl box house.......... .... $350
No.
10
—
23
acres
all
fenced
ami
in
In the summer of 1852 Henry Klipjiel replied Hilman. In a few moments they
cultivation.
A
house
ami
barn,
alxmt
No. 40 —30 acres, on a creek affording
and Smith made a partial survey of the found two loaves set out to cool in the
50 fruit trees just coming into bearing.
plenty of good water; g<xxl soil and
town and formed Oregon and California rear of Sam Goldstein’s premises. They
1 l/t miles from town. Price..... $1,000.
fine fruit land. Three acres in alfalfa;
were
very
generous,
they
divided
with
streets.
No.II
—
145
acres
on
Butte
creek,
25
acres
go<xl
buildings; near good school and
The following winter was very severe the owner and took but one loaf. The
in cultivation, 25 acres more to put in;
other advantages. »1500, one-halt cash
and supplies became very scarce. Flour next morning they visited the trailer,
all fenced, fair buildings, Jackson
balance on time. Is a big bargain.
at once sold at a dollar tier pound, tobac priced clothing and boots and ventured
county, Oregon. A bargain.
No. 41.— 4000 acres of choice land select
“Ah, ha!" ex
co sold already at a dollar per ounce and at last on bread stuffs.
No. 12— 204 acres, all under fence, good
ed in an early day.
—.. Will l>e sold in
salt was priceless. Beef was plenty and claimed the trader, “I smell somedings,
5-room house, good spring, water con
tracts to suit. V.
Will make a dozen or
game also. The people subsisted on you are the rascals that stole my loaf."
veyed to house by pi|>e, 2 good barns,
20 fine farms. This is an opportunity
“We are” replied Klippel, “and we pro
meat entirely without the staff of life.
215
acres of choice land in cultivation,
to secure a home in the liest jiart of
Disputes arose among the miners pose that you divide flour as we divided
good for all kinds of grain,
or 40
the Rogue River valley.
concerning the water rights.
A big bread with you last night so shell it out.”
acres
would
produce
g<xxl
alfalfa.
This
meeting was held on the banks of Jack- With uplifted hands, Sam with a husky
No.
43.— 40 acres of unimproved lami.
is one of the best farms iu the valley,
son creek. At this meeting Rogers was voice assured them, “So help him Abra
Has some gixwl fir, pine and oak. Most
2%
miles
from
Phoenix.
Price
tier
I
appointed Alcade. The attorneys were ham," that it took the last spoonful of
of land etui be easily cleared; go: a I
acre............................................................ $35
Burying his
soil, plenty of water: half a mile front
P. P. Prim and Daniel Kenney, while flour to make that loaf.
No.
14
—
400
acres,
G
miles
from
Medford,
the ladies society consisted of Mrs. Jane face in his hands he wept, and the boys
a g<xxl house, 2 barns 100 acres in I school ami church. Six miles front
Information
McCully, Mrs. Nepolian Evans and Mrs. departed deeply touched.
Bybee bridge. Price per acre__ .../IO.
cultivation Phoenix.
as to the state of Sams larder caused
Lawless.
No. 45.— Over 80 acres of good alfalfa
No.
15
—
138
acres
on
Rogue
River,
100
Many buildings were erected this year, j a life-long regret that they did not take
land; 50 acres Bear creek bottom land
acres of as good land as any man could
Owing to the fact that supplies were . the other loaf.
with a large irrigation ditch. Two
wish for. No improvements. Thirty
brought on pack-trains, not a single j The first school was conducted by Miss
first-class houses, two good ban s and
acres of it could lie made ready for the
pane of glass was used that year, cotton | Royal in the fall of 1853.
a fine spring house. Adjoining land sell
plow with 15 days labor.
Price ..$500
drilling being substituted.
ing for »200an acre. Price |ier acre $130
The second brick building was built in No. 22— House and barn in Phoenix.
In 1853 a deadly war had been de 1854 on the corner of Main and Oregon
2 lots 00x120 feet. Price................ $650. No. 47.— City property, 2 acres, fine new
termined on by the Indians and several streets.
No 25— House and 3 lots in Phoenix, lots
house, good well and barn. Good land,
settlers in the valley had been killed by
On March 15, 1855, Warren Lodge No.
00x120 each; good house well finished.
4 blocks 1 in central school........ $750.
SASH. DOORS.
GLASS and
BUILDING MALLRIAL
CORN MEAL
and GRAHAM
Ground Barley, Cracked
Wheat and Other Feed.
C
. .
MATT CALHOUN
Real Estate Dealer