Oregon Historical Quarterly/Volume 25/Number 4/News and Comment

NEWS AND COMMENT

May 2,1924. The pioneers of Wasco county who were in the Oregon country prior to 1883, gathered at The Dalles to participate in the annual Wasco County Pioneers' Association meeting.

May 2, 1924. The eighty-first anniversary of the organization of the first American civil government west of the Rocky Mountains was commemorated at Old Champoeg, thirty-three miles south of Portland, on the east bank of the Willamette river. A special steamer was chartered to carry the pioneers to the celebration. Judge P. H. D'Arcy, ex-president of the Oregon Pioneer Association, was chairman of the day.

June 9, 1924. The commencement exercises at Pacific University had as their principal feature, a pilgrimage to the grave of Dr. Sidney Harper March, first presidnt of the institution, who died in 1879, and that of Professor Joseph W Marsh, prominent in the eary history of the University. Following the baccalaureate address in the morning, the pilgrimage proceeded to the little cemetery, where wreaths were placed upon the graves. Several addresses were delivered during the afternoon.

June 4, 1924. The twenty-ninth annual meeting of the Yamhill County Pioneer Association was held in conjunction with the Carlton Flower Show, at the city hall of Carlton. About two hundred and fifty pioneers from Yamhill and other counties were present. The annual address was given by Judge Thomas A. McBride, chief justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. Several other speakers, among them Mr. George H. Himes, curator of the Oregon Historical Society, spoke briefly upon different phases of pioneer life.

July 4, 1924. Mrs. Sarah Helmich of Albany, who crossed the plains in 1845, celebrated her one hundred first birthday anniversary.

July 4, 1924. The grave of David Lenox at Weston, Oregon, was marked by a memorial shaft, erected in his honor by two of his grandsons. Mr. Lenox was a pioneer of 1843 and rode at the head of the wagon train of that year, with Dr. Marcus Whitman. He died near Weston in the fall of 1873. Dr. S. B. L. Penrose, president of Whitman College, delivered the memorial address.

July 4, 1924. Atkinson Memorial Park, which has been presented to Oregon City by the Buena Vista Improvement Club of that city, was formally dedicated with a patriotic program, given under the direction of the club.

August 14, 15, 16, 1924. Port Orford entertained as its honored guests at their Pioneer Reunion, the men and women who first settled in Curry county. The celebration opened on the beach near Battle Rock, Thursday afternoon, with the arrival of the grand old pioneer, Binger Hermann. He and Senator Charles Hall were the principal speakers on the programme. Upon the last day of the reunion, the pioneers gathered around a big campfire that had been built upon the beach to exchange reminiscences of early days.

September 12, 1924. The Tillamook county fair held at Tillamook had as its first event an Old Timers' picnic and program. Mr. George H. Himes, curator of the Oregon Historical Society and secretary of the Oregon Pioneer Association, gave an address.

October 6, 1924. The Astoria Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution placed a bronze tablet memorial to mark the site of the first settlement at Astoria. The tablet was dedicated upon the one hundred and sixth anniversary of the actual restoration of Astoria to the United States, as provided in the terms of the Treaty of Ghent. It was unveiled by Mrs. A. S. Skyles, former regent of the Astoria Chapter; the principal address was given by Rev. J. Neilson Barry, of Portland. The tablet is inscribed as follows:

"The site of the Original Settlement of Astoria."

"Erection of a fort was begun April 12, 1811, by the 33 members of the Astor party who sailed around Cape Horn in the ship Tonquin and established here the famous fur-trading post which was the first settlement west of the Rocky Mountains."

"Placed by the Astoria Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, October 6, 1924."

November 11, 1924. Armistice Day was observed at Salem by the unveiling of a soldiers' monument which was purchased with funds raised through a campaign conducted by the local branch of the American War Mothers. Chaplain W. S. Gilbert of the 162nd infantry was the principal speaker of the occasion.

November 11, 1924. Under the direction of the American Legion, a bronze tablet was dedicated to ex-service men, at the municipal auditorium of The Dalles on Armistice day. Harold J. Warner of Pendleton gave the dedicatory address.

A bronze tablet, memorial to Samuel K. Barlow, has been placed at Government Camp, on the Oregon Trail by the Sons and Daughters of the Pioneers. Mr. Barlow, in 1846, built and opened a road over the Cascade Mountains, on the south side of Mount Hood. The dedication services for this tablet will be held in conjunction with those for the new Mt. Hood Loop Highway, some time in the late summer, under the auspices of the Sons and Daughters of Pioneers. The land upon which the marker has been placed will soon be deeded to the state. Members of the committee in charge are: Mr. Harvey Starkweather, chairman; Mrs. D. P. Thompson, Mrs. Mary Barlow Wilkins, ex-officio; Mr. Leslie Scott, Mrs. W. B. Crane, Mr. George H. Himes.

For the fourth time in thirty-four years, the United States Geographic Board has ruled against changing the name of Mount Rainier to Mount Tacoma. This ruling was made public in the report of November 13, 1924.

The name Rainier, the report declares, is of world acceptance and to change it would be unreasonable. Evidences pro and con are specifically and carefully stated and this formal decision has again been given.

A bill introduced by Senator Dill, changing the name to Mount Tacoma, was passed by the senate at the last session of congress. It is now pending before the house public lands committee, which refused to hold hearings at the last session until a report had been received from the National Geographic Board.

The "Family Association of Mark and Susan Sawyer," pioneers of 1847, first organized about a year ago, held its second meeting on August 24th at the home of Mrs. Eva Sawyer Smith, a short distance west of Wheatland, with sixty descendants present, besides a number of intimate friends and neighbors of the family. After a sumptuous dinner in a grove near by, a business meeting was held and the officers chosen at the preliminary meeting were re-elected as follows: Ray L. Antrim, president; Nora Breidwell, vice-president; Ella M. Hendrick, secretary-treasurer. Then the entire company repaired to the site previously selected upon which has been placed a good sized boulder bearing a bronze tablet inscribed as follows: "In Memory of Mark and Susan Sawyer, Oregon Pioneers of 1847." This was located on the public highway running west from Wheatland at the half section line dividing the donation land claim of Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer. The company was then called to order, "America" was sung, prayer offered by the Rev. Mr.Blodgett, and the tablet was unveiled by Versa and Vestra Antrim, twin daughters of Hugh Antrim, and great-great-grandchildren of the pioneers to whom the tablet was thus dedicated. An appropriate reading by Miss Marian Hendrick was then given, followed with reminiscences by Mrs. Mary Robinson Gilkey, of Dayton, the first girl child born in Yamhill county, Mrs. Laura L. Kirchem, president of the John Bird Clan of Clackamas county, descendants of pioneers of 1847, and a brief address by George H. Himes, secretary of the Oregon Pioneer Association and Curator of the Oregon Historical Society.

Mark and Susan Sawyer left Lacon, Ill., in the spring of 1847 and arrived by way of the plains at Oregon City in September of that year.

Pursuant to a call by a descendant of Robert and Rachel Bird of Clackamas county, pioneers of 1847, one hundred descendants assembled at Gladstone Park on September 25, 1921, and organized the "Bird Clan." The object of the organization was to perpetuate the memories of the pioneers named, by marking their graves, and in addition to promote social intercourse among their children and children's children. The fourth meeting of the clan was held at the park named on August 10th, with fifty-seven present. After the important function of "Feeding the Birds" had been disposed of social intercourse followed, and a "get-together" feeling stimulated. During the afternoon a brief historical address was given by George H. Himes relating to Clackamas county, and a photograph of the assembly taken. A very interesting biographical sketch of the family, beginning with John Bird, who came to America from London in 1700, and carried down to the present generation, prepared by Mrs. Laura L. Kirchem, of Oregon City, a great-great-granddaughter, was distributed in typed form.