Early Oregon Series: John Letsom of Yoncalla, Oregon

This post is being submitted to Sepia Saturday.  To find similar stories on Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, please type "Early Oregon" in the search bar on the top left hand corner.  To see more old photos and read more old stories from around the world please click here: Sepia Saturday.

Today, I am focusing on my Great-Great Grandfather John Letsom.  There is a lot of info available on his wife, my Great-Great Grandmother Sarah,  but I'll work more on that project another time.

The following article is from page 340 of the book "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912, Volume 4".  The book was written by Joseph Gatson and George H. Hines.  Thank you to Bill Hedrick for giving me the link to this information:  The Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912

Source:  Cougar Dave by Pat Cary Peek

This photo is courtesy of  the book 
"Cougar Dave Mountain Man of Idaho" below.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

1912:

"John Letsom, who came to this state in 1850, is one of the few surviving representatives of the early pioneers of southern Oregon and  is one of the most highly esteemed citizens of Douglas county, residing on a ranch six miles northeast of Yoncalla.  As an agriculturist he has won  a gratifying measure of prosperity, owning three hundred acres of valuable land in Scotts valley.His birth occurred in Shropshire, England, on the 13th of March, 1828, his parents being Thomas and Mararet (Davis) Letsom, both of whom  were Natives of Wales.  They came from England to the United States in 1845, and after two years' residence in New York city, removed to Wisconsin, purchasing a farm near Racine, on which they spent the remainder of their lives. 

John Letsom was a youth of seventeen when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Wisconsin in 1845 but did not remain  in that state,  returning to New York where he obtained employment as a die sinker in a steel toy factory.  In the spring of 1848 he formed one of the first parties to leave for the California gold fields and made the voyage by sailing vessel around Cape Horn, reaching his destination at the end of six months.  During the following winter he worked in San Fransisco and in the spring of 1849 began mining on Stanislaus river, remaining there through the summer.  In the fall he formed on of a company of about fifty men who banded themselves together for cooperative mining, but the venture proved unprofitable and Mr. Letsom left the gold fields.  In the spring of 1850 he cam north, to Oregon, spending the following summer and winter in Milwaulkie, Clackamas county, where he worked in a blacksmith shop.  In the spring of 1851 he went to the gold fields of Yreka, California, and there spent one year.  In the spring of 1852 he came to Douglas county, locating about six miles northeast of Yoncalla, where he took up a donation claim of one hundred and sixty acres and where he resided for five years or until he had proved up his claim.  During this time, he had married the widow of S.M. Lewis, formerly Miss Sarah Harrer, who was a native of Arkansas and who had three living children by her first husband.  It was in order to give these children the advantages of a an education that in 1861 Mr. Letsom took up his abode in Yoncalla, where he remained for about 10 years.  On the expiration of that period he removed to the place whereon he has resided continuously since -- a fine ranch six miles northeast of Yoncalla.  He owns three hundred acres of valuable and productive land and has long been numbered among the best known and most highly respected citizens of southern Oregon. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Letsom were born five daughters and four sons.  The six surviving members of the family are as follows:  Thomas, who is a resident of Portland, Oregon; Mary, who is the widow of F.M. Goodell and now resides with her father; Lewellyn, living  in eastern Oregon; Martha, the wife of J.W. Harris, of Chelan, Washington; Evan [Kit], who operates the home farm; and Talitha, who is the wife of B.E. Hedrick, of Douglas county.  The wife and mother was called to her final rest on January 19, 1898. 

In politics Mr. Letsom is a stanch and loyal republican.  For two terms he served as assessor of old Umpqua county before Douglas county was cut off.  From the time of his arrival in the county until 1911, covering a period of about fifty-nine years, he served continuously on the school board in one capacity or another.  To fill vacancies he served by appointment as justice of the peach and also in the office of postmaster at Yoncalla.   In the early days he knew everyone living in the northern part of Douglas county and the circle of his friends was almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintances.   He has now passed the eight-fourth milestone on life's journey and enjoys the respect and veneration which should ever be accorded one who has traveled thus far on this earthly pilgrimage and whose career has been at all times upright and honorable."

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Aunt Martha, Granny Litha and Uncle (Evan) Kit Letsom

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 This photo is from our family archives.

Source:  Cougar Dave by Pat Cary Peek

This photo came from the book below.

To learn more about Sarah Harar Lewis Letsom, this book is a great place to start:

This book, written in 2004 by Pat Cary Peek, tells us the story of Elijah David Lewis.  Dave was Sarah's son from her first marriage and John Letsom's step-son.   David Lewis is better known as "Cougar Dave".

The story begins with the marriage of Cougar Dave's father, Stephen Marther Lewis, and his mother Sarah Harar Lewis.  They  began their family, and then traveled over the Oregon Trail in 1852 by wagon train.  After settling in Scott's Valley and securing a land claim, Stephen suddenly died, leaving Sarah with three young children.  John Letsom met Sarah when he moved onto the land claim next door, and they were soon married.


One thing that I find so interesting, is that the young Lewis couple came from Crawford County, Arkansas which is where my husband's grandmother is from.  My father's family resided in Washington County, Arkansas (the county next door to Crawford County).   Another thing that I find very, very interesting, is that I would not be surprised if John Letsom and his parents had been acquainted with the Ingalls family from the "Little House on the Prairie" series.  They were all living in Wisconsin around the same time.

It is a small world after all.

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Early Oregon: Oregon Pioneers John and Louisa Hedrick of Drain

This post is being submitted to Sepia Satuday.  To find similar stories on Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, please type "Early Oregon" in the search bar on the top left hand corner.  To see more old photos and read more old stories from around the world please click here: Sepia Saturday.

These two folks are my Great-Great Grandparents on my Mom's side.  This is a very long post, but just in case some long lost relatives are trying to find this info, I am going to put as much info as I can into this one spot. Plus, I think it is very interesting reading, and not just because it is part of my family history.  I hope that you will enjoy it too! 

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 John Hedrick

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Louisa Jackson Hedrick

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

The following two newspaper clippings were forwarded to me via email from our cousin Becky W., in February, 2006.  Becky thinks they must have come from the local newspaper, the Drain Enterprise.  I left the spelling and grammar exactly as the articles were written.

Going by the math, this one was written in 1904:

BIRTHDAY PARTY

"On June 26th the friends and neighbors of John and Louisa Hedrick assembled at their home to celebrate Mr. Hedrick's 78th birthday.

John Hedrick was born in Tennessee June 26, 1826 and Louisa, his wife, was born June 23, 1833, so their good friends celebrated both their birthdays on the same day. They were married in Missouri in 1852 and started across the plaines in April the same year. They first settled in the Willamette Valley, but some time in the fifties they moved to Douglas County. Nine children were born to them, all of whom were present and joint in the celebrating of their birthday.

These old people have led an exemplary life and have seen this country in the various stages advance to the forefront of civilization. They have had many adventures and can tell of many things that would make a volume of interesting reading.  Mrs. Hedrick has been a good mother to the entire neighborhood and was never to tired to wait upon the sick and administer to their wants and relieve their sufferings if it was in her power. John is a man whose honesty and integrity has never been questioned. It made these old pioneers very happy to be so kindly remembered by their many friends. They are passing down this hillside of life and will soon be numbered with the silent majority, but when they do go they will find a home that has been well earned by a life of toil and will be like the scarred oaks in the forest, no one can fill their place."


This one was written in 1902:

GOLDEN WEDDING

(1852 - 1902)

"Mr. and Mrs. John Hedrick, two of Douglas County's honored pioneers, celebrated their golden wedding at their home near Drain, March 26. The old folks were most pleasently surprised when their children, grandchildren and a few neighbors, who arranged the celebration arrived with well-laden baskets and announced thw purpose of their unceremonious visit.

Mr. Hedrick was born in Tennessee Jun 26, 1826.  Mrs. Hedrick, whoes maiden name was Louisa Jackson, was born in Iowa, June 23, 1833. They were married in Missouri March 18, 1852 and soon thereafter, with a small company of immigrants, started for Oregon. The arrived at Oregon City in the Fall of 1852 and spent their first winter near that place. In 1865, Mr. Hedrick and family moved to their present home six miles west of Drain, where they have lived since.

Mr. and Mrs. Hedrick have nine children and 22 grandchildren. The children are Henry C. Hedrick, Matthew M. Hedrick, Mrs. Aurilla Putnam, George W. Hedrick, William M. Hedrick, John F. Hedrick and Benjamin E. Hedrick, of Drain; Mrs. Jessie Delauney of Comstock, Oregon and Charles Hedrick of Divide, Oregon."

This excerpt from the book "Historic Douglas County, Oregon" copyrighted in 1982, can be found on page 159. 

The Hedricks Of Hardscrabble

John Hedrick, father of a numerous Oregon family, became the first citizen of Drain before the town was founded. He and his wife Louisa came to Oregon by covered wagon with the Charles Drain party in 1852. Louisa was related to the Drains.

Both families settled first in the Willamette Valley; the Drains near Lebanon and the Hedricks near Halsey. The Hedricks moved south in 1854 to a Donation Land Claim that included much of the present town of Drain. Later they traded it for the Drain property near Lebanon. The town was established after Charles Drain gave land for the railroad right-of-way and station.

John Hedrick (1826-1905) was born in mountainous Jefferson County of Eastern Tennessee. Little is known of the family background. The Tennessee Hedricks were very poor, and their children were not sent to school.  John, the ancestor of many teachers, was taught to read by Louisa, after their marriage. (Hedrick Junior High School in Medford is named for a grandson, Ercel Hedrick, a distinguished educator and Medford Superintendent of Schools for over 30 years.)

While there was almost no money in the Hedrick Home in Tennessee, food was plentiful enough so that John grew tall and powerfully-built. He ran away from home when about 13, and thereafter was on his own. He was working as a boatman on the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers when a fellow crewman named Jackson invited him to visit his home in Van Buren County, Iowa. There John met Louisa (1833-1910) eldest of the seven children of Augustus Jackson, a minister of the United Bretheren church. They were married in 1850.

When Charles Drain was organizing a party for Oregon in 1852, he offered young Hedrick the expense of passage, and perhaps small wages, to help handle the herd of loose cattle to be driven west. John and Louisa happily accepted. Their first child was born shortly after they arrived in Oregon. Their family was:

Henry: born 1852, married Gertrude Putnam, died 1930
Aurilla: born 1854, married Horace Putnam, died 1935
Matthew: born 1856, never married, died 1841
George: born 1859, married Susan Putnam, died 1842
Jessie: born 1861, married Roger DeLaunay, died 1916
William: born 1863, married Louretta Boots, died 1938
John: born 1866, married Myra Wagnor, died 1937
Charles: born 1868, married Edna Youmans, died 1913

Benjamin, born 1871, married Clara Ward (who died after bearing son Hobart), and then Ben married Talitha Letsom, and they had John, Florence and Homer.   Ben died in 1957.  Here are their children:

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 John, Homer and Florence

When the Hedricks lived at present Drain, John was charmed by a small nearby valley, particularly by the farm of a German-born settler. He asked if the property might be for sale and was told no. He told the German to let him know if there should ever be a change of mind.

After several years in the Lebanon area, the Hedricks moved south to present Merlin in Josephine County, but again were not satisfied. John received word that the German immigrant wanted to sell, and he hastened to Drain to make a deal. The family's last move followed. 

John's birthplace in Tennessee is said to have had the local name of Hardscrabble --- perhaps because of making a living there was such a hard scrabble. Not far from where the Hedricks lived near Lebanon, a hill was named Hardscrabble, probably by John. The little valley near Drain where the Hedricks spent their remaining years had no name, so John named it --- Hardscrabble.

Neighbors who didn't like the name succeeded in getting the now-vanished school named Eureka in the early 1900's. The name Hardscrabble remains for a small stream that runs into Elk Creek about three miles west of Drain.

Louisa's parents, Augustus Jackson, his second wife Melinda Jane, and their two children crossed the plains to Oregon in the 1870's. They settled in Drain, where Augustus died in 1882.

John and Louisa Hedrick remembered the United Brethren Church when Philomath College, near Corvallis, was founded in 1865. They had little money, but their gift of $400 was quite substantial for those days. Their eldest daughter, Aurilla, later attended Philomath, and became the first Drain teacher.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 The Drain Normal School

Drain, Oregon 

(Submitted by John L. Hedrick.  Prior to typing this, I was re-reading the chapter called "From the Tennessee Hills" in Tin Pot Alley by Wilfred Brown.  I think Uncle John got a lot of his information from that book.)

The next two portions of this post contain some duplicate information, but I decided not to rework it at this time:

The Children of John and Louisa Hedrick

Their father was John Hedrick from Dandridge, Jefferson County, TN.  He was born on June 26, 1826. He died on June 29, 1905 in Drain, Oregon.  He was married to Louisa Jackson and they had nine children. John and Louisa were my Grandma T.'s grandparents.

In alphabetical order, these are his kids (Benjamin is my great-grandfather).

1. Aurilla Maria Hedrick was born on July 11, 1854. She died on May 28, 1935 in Drain, Oregon. She was married to Horace Putnam. She was the first teacher in Drain.

2. Benjamin E. Hedrick was born on October 14, 1871 in Drain, Oregon. He died on July 24, 1957 in Drain, Oregon. He was married to Clara Ward and then to Talitha Letsom. He had four children: Hobart (with Clara) and John, Florence (my grandma) and Homer.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Ben Hedrick farming at Jack Creek Ranch

3. Charles Augustus Hedrick was born on March 30, 1868 in Drain, Oregon. He died on January 11, 1913 in Cottage Grove, Oregon. He was married to Edna Youmans.

4. George Washington Hedrick was born on January 12, 1859. He died in 1942 in Drain, Oregon. He was married to Susan Putnam.

5. Henry Clay Hedrick was born on October 31, 1852 in Halsey, Oregon. He died on February 19, 1930 in Drain, Oregon. He was married to Cynthia Gertrude Putnam.

6. Jessie Hedrick was born on March 4, 1861. She died in September 1916 in Cottage Grove, Oregon. She was married to Roger DeLauney.

7. John Franklin Hedrick was born on January 30, 1866.  He died on November 8, 1937 in Drain, Oregon. He was married to Myra Wagner.

8. Matthew M. Hedrick was born on November 24, 1856. He died on September 15, 1941 in Drain, Oregon. He never got married.

9. William M. Hedrick was born on May 3, 1863. He died in 1938 in Ashland, Oregon. He was married to Louretta Boots.




I got this information from this website: http://www5.familytreemaker.com/user/b/l/o/Mary-D-Bloemker/COL.25-0293.html  Or: Genealogy.com Bloemker/McDonnell Pages 293 of 800.  I did this research in February 2006, and I hope the website still connects.

FAMILY HISTORY ... THE HEDRICKS

John Hedrick (1826-1905)

and

Louisa Jackson Hedrick (1833-1910)

Their Nine Children:

1. Henry Hedrick (1852-1930) married Gertrude Putnam

2. Aurilla Hedrick (1854-1935) married Horace Putnam

3. Matthew Hedrick (1856-1941) never married

4. George Hedrick (1850-1942) married Susan Putnam

5. Jessie Hedrick (1861-1961) married Roger DeLaunay

6. William Hedrick (1863-1938) married Louretta Boots and had the four kids in bold:
 

Ercel Hedrick married Helen Norcross from Central Point, OR
(Helen was a professional writer who wrote short stories for The Atlantic Monthly and the Saturday Evening Post. She published a book in 1942 called "The Blood Remembers", a novel about whites and native Americans set in the mountains of the Oregon-California border. Ercel is the accomplished educator mentioned in the post below that the Medford junior high was named after. Their children were:  Eva Hedrick, William Hedrick, Lola Hedrick and Caroline Hedrick.

Ray Hedrick married Millie and had a son named Jack
May Hedrick had a son named Thomas
Opal Hedrick

More of John and Louisa's kids:

7. John Hedrick (1866-1937) married Myra Wagner

8. Charles Hedrick (1868-1913) married Edna Youmans

9. Benjamin Hedrick  (1871-1957), married Clara Ward and had Hobart. When Clara died, Ben married Talitha (Lithia) Letsom. Ben and Litha's had 3 kids that are in bold:

John Hedrick ( - ) married Signa. When she died he married Mary. No children.
Florence Hedrick Traylor (1912) married Floyd Albert Traylor.  Florence and Floyd were my (Kathy) grandparents.

Homer Hedrick ( - ).
Homer married Dorothy, and had no children together, though Dorothy had a son from a previous marriage.  Homer lived and died in Drain, Oregon.

 

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Early Oregon Series: The Book Begins

Hello Friends,

Sometimes when it is time for me to learn something new, I take a long time to get my feet wet.  For example, when Cary got me my new camera a couple of years ago, I didn't start using it for quite a while.  I was afraid of it.  I knew how to use my "easy" one, so I let the new one just sit there for the first few months.  I was thrilled that Cary had believed in me and had spent the money on it, but I just wasn't ready to get down and dirty with that camera.  I had to get used to the idea for a while.  But when I did start using it, man, look at what happened!  My amateur photography career took off, and my blog became a lot more interesting.  Now I can't stop taking pictures for the life of me.


Well, a similar thing is now beginning to happen with me again, but this time it has to do with writing instead of photography.  I am so excited!  I began the research for my book last night and feel that it is all falling into place.  At the very least, I am getting ready to take the plunge.
  

It was a case of one thing leading to another, as it usually is for me.  God has been helping me take my little baby steps and they are now becoming strides.  It is interesting how participating in Postcardy Friendship Friday and Sepia Saturday are propelling me forward with this thrilling project.  At least it is thrilling to me.
  

It has been close to a year since I got my idea for a historical novel based on the history of some of my favorite places in Oregon.  I have a rough outline in my head, and have written some of it down.  I've told a few receptive people about it.  They are usually strangers who are politely listening but are really thinking, how do I get away from her?  Because it is a long book. Once I get going, they are stuck with me for awhile.  For example, my girl Kari listened politely and then said, "Mom, that sounds like a mini-series that I would really like to watch on t.v."  It could easily cover a whole season.
  

I have had some doubts.  A few little self-confidence issues to overcome.  I have never even submitted a short story for publication, so what makes me think that I can write a book as long as Gone With The Wind and that people will want to buy it?  What makes me think that somebody who is afraid of a new camera can really even write a book?  All I can say is, there is a story inside of me that needs to be told, and because it covers quite a bit of the settling and growing up of Oregon, well, I think that other people will want to read it.  If I can do a good enough job pulling it together.  One thing that I am good at and do enjoy is research.  I am looking at this project like one huge term paper, and term papers were something that I really did enjoy about college.
  

When I first started to pull things together last year, I was going about it in an opposite direction than I am now.  I had my ideas and was trying to research the facts to back up my story.  Now, I am researching the early history of Oregon and in doing so am creating my story.  My new motto is, "Write about what you know, and research what you don't."
  

When I learn some interesting bit of history or trivia, I will put it on here to share with you.  Anything that I may want to use in the future for my book will begin with "Early Oregon" on the title.  That way, they will be easy to find all in one spot.  Just go up to the very top left hand corner of my blog to the search bar and type in "Early Oregon", and you should find all my posts on historical Oregon.  Another category that I am starting is "Vintage Oregon", which is a time period in my mind that comes after "Early Oregon".  You will just need to be flexible with me on timelines here, as I get this figured out.  By the way, you can use that search tool for anything else too.  Like, "Tyler Matthews".
  

So, that is my news.  Thank you so much for listening.  I am so excited about this project.  I hope that I can really get it underway with few roadblocks.
  
Take care, God bless and have a wonderful Sunday!

~ Kathy

If you miss a day, you miss a lot!  Don't miss out on the news ... Please click here to go to my home page and see what is happening in Mayberry today.