Early Oregon ~ Sepia Saturday: McNeil School/Panther Creek School, Gunter OR

 The Traylors, Gunters and McNeils

This week's Sepia Saturday photo is of McNeil School, also known as Panther Creek School.  It is located near the Drain, Oregon area in a community named Gunter.   Click here to learn more about Gunter, Oregon.

The children who attended McNeil/Panther Creek school in the photo below were from four families: The Gunters, The Haneys, The McNeils and The Traylors.

Albert Traylor is my great-grandfather (my Grandpa Floyd's father).  His brother, Boyd, grew up to serve in World War I.  As Boyd was on his way home from the war, he was struck by a street car and died.  Dang, he made it almost home without injury and then that happened.  Later, Albert was killed in a logging accident when my Grandpa Floyd T. was a young boy.

"McNeil (Panther Creek) School"

Taken around 1900

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

• Marion Gunter
• Albert Traylor
• Homer Haney
• Merle Gunter
• Jassie Haney
• Loretta Traylor
• Daisy Haney
• Sylvia Traylor
• Arnie Haney
• Nannie Haney's by the teacher
• Johnny Gunter
• Paul Gunter
• Boyd Traylor
• Victor Gunter
• Asburn Gunter
• Ina Gunter
• Cecil Gunter
• Frances Gunter
• Leila McNeil
• Mary Gunter

There are other pictures of Gunter and Smith River at this link: Curtis Irish Collection, Flicker

Okay here we go.  The following notes were taken when I was in high school and interviewed our great aunt Gail.  I hope that they are accurate!

Maude Craig was born to John and Lillie Matoon Craig in 1889.  She is my great-grandmother (Grandpa T.'s mom and my mom's Grandma).  Maude married Albert Traylor, and they are included in a post about I did on my Grandpa T. last week, which you can find by clicking here.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

The Craigs and Matoons came to Oregon

John Craig, Sr. and his brother-in-law Jim Gunter came to explore the west as young men. They liked what they saw, especially a place on the Smith River in Oregon, 25 miles from Drain.  This was in the early 1800's. They sent for their parents and spouses to come to the homestead that they had chosen. The young men raised their families with 10 or 11 kids between them.  

John then moved his family to Portland.  One of his sons, John Craig, Jr., found work in Oregon City, with a family named Mattoon.  The Mattoons had a daughter named Lillie.  When she was 16, and John was around 20, the two were married.  (Click here to see the post about Oregon City and the Willamette River.)

Lillie Matoon Craig's father, John, had walked the distance from Iowa to Oregon.  John and his eleven brothers herded cattle for the wagon train, while their parents rode in the wagon. When the wagons were stopped at Fort Hall,  a woman named Mrs. Sarah Jane Stephenson Gartlets gave birth to a baby girl, Mary Elizabeth Gartlets. 

When she was 16, Mary Elizabeth Gartlets married Mr. Matoon and they had Lillie, in Drain, Oregon. 

If you have more info on the McNeil (Panther Creek) school, or on any of my ancestors, please make sure to leave me a comment or send me an email at:  oregongiftsofcomfortandjoy@hotmail.com  Thanks! 

July 24, 2012 from Stanley Buck:
  
"I did see your picture of the Panther Creek School. It's not exactly as I remember it though. It had either been replaced, or altered somewhat. It was a very modest and old Grange Hall when I lived on Smith River. It had no indoor plumbing. We kids carried the water from a spring about 50 yards down the road from there. There were two out houses. The old school even had a belfry with the bell and a rope hanging down at that time. We kids could not enter when the adults, nearly everyone on Smith River, were having a meeting. But we were there for social events like parties and dances. There was great gayety, goodwill, and friendship. There was also much good food, and games. Ina (Gunter) Johnson was a marvelous cook, and brought homemade breads, coffeecakes, and even main course dishes. Other ladies brought good things, too."


I am entering this post in "Sepia Saturday".  If you enjoyed it, and would like to see more old photos and learn some more history please click here.

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