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History
"Short History of the Little Nestucca River Valley and Its Early Pioneers" written about South Tillamook County, Oregon
The page below was written by Mrs. Hardy Rock (Alexandria LEY Rock) and published in 1949. NVMS students have retyped her history so that many may read it. Although some punctuation errors have been corrected the text remains as written by Mrs. Rock.
Note that Alexandria LEY Rock's "Short History of the Little Nestucca River Valley and Its Early Pioneers" has been republished in book form as of January 2007 and is now being offered for sale by the Tillamook County Historical Society!
p. 48 Trails continued and Twins and Unusual
(This page was typed by ? during the fall of 2002 and edited by Dean Bones.)
Litchfield staked many setters for five years. He made a deal with Lervis Boxley, an early homesteader, to open a trail up Slab Creek to reduce the distance, but this was never finished. When James B. Upton moved his family from Oregon City to his homestead, his small daughter, Maude, was carried by Hardy Rock in front of him in his saddle and, part time, in his arms over this Gauldy Trail.
The Melodeon was strapped to the back of a very large old ox to make the trip; the pack train was guided by Chris Christensen. Later on, Lenoneber and Brown, owners of the salmon cannery, had to trail out from Steve Bauer's farm 6 miles up Slab Creek along the mountain ridge which ended near the Dearsmith and Genteel farms near Boyer on Salmon River. They intended having fresh salmon packed via this trail to the Willamette Valley which provided impractical.
When the road down Little Nestucca River from Dolph was opened in 1882, it was used by all the settlers. This will be better understood if the reader will remember both Little Nestucca River and Slab Creek flow northwest, not west; that Dolph is directly east of Neskowin; that the distance from Oretown to Dolph over the Little Nestucca Road is 8 miles in a southeasterly direction; that Hebo is 11 miles from Dolph; and that Neskowin is not far from Salmon River. A trail was opened from upper Slab Creek through the ? and Sutton' homesteads crossing parts of sections 11, 2, 1, 30, and 25, where it joined the Little Nestucca Road.
Twins
First twins in our community were born to Bessie Dunn, Mrs. Dick Dunn, who lived in Meda suburbs; both were girls born in 1891. They grew to womanhood. Same year, 1891, twin girls were born to Mrs. Rome Dunn of Meda, Lizzy Whitman Dunn. One died in infancy.
In 1898, twin girls were born to Mrs. Andy Commons, Kate Wilson Commons. One died at the age of one year.
Twins were born in 1901 to Mrs. Al Brown, Mrs. Minnie Page Brown, at Neskowin. The girl died in 1905. Boy is still living.
Mrs. Carl White, Reba Powell White, gave birth in 1919 to twin boys at Beaver where her mother resided; Carl and Reba were residents of Meda at the time. Both died in infancy. In 1945, soon after the death by drowning of Merle Porter of Oretown, his wife gave birth to twin girls at the mother's home in Silverton, Oregon. Both girls are still living at the home of their mother, Mrs. Dorie Marshall, at Meda.
Sou'western storm, in January 1939, blew down several barns, $75,000 damages at Neskowin. Watching for Halley's comet, May 30th, 1910, at 9:30. Tail was dim.
Large tidal wave, Nov. 23,1915, rolled over into the lake, carried away bluestone tank at cannery; water one foot deep on dock at bay. Great damage at Neskowin.
Octopus washed in on beach, taken to farm of Hardy Rock for observation. Cattle often mired in swamps, pulled out with team of horses and suspended on a sling between trees until it could get use of its legs. Many died.
Continue to page 49 of "Short History of the Little Nestucca River Valley and Its Early Pioneers!"