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"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!

(The first two paragraphs on this page were typed by seventh grader, Amy C., during the spring of 2002. The remainder was typed and edited by Dean Bones.)

On this particular trip, a woman tourist asked to accompany her.  Rose agreed on condition she walk the six miles fast enough to reach the mouth of the Bay by lowest tide, the only tide a person could get safely around the point.   Continually, Rose had to urge and demand the woman to make more haste.  When the mouth of the Bay was reached, the woman refused to go around this more than dangerous place.  It was impossible for her to remain where she was except at low tide.  Rose told her to climb the steep cliff, walk one and a half miles to the cannery.

In the meantime, Rose would have gone to the cannery and returned.  The women refused to move. In desperation, Rose had to grab hold of her and forcibly drag her with her, risking her own life doing so.  They reached the Cannery got a large fresh salmon which Rose put into a gunny sack, slung it over her shoulder and returned home.  She got her fish.

First lumber used was picked up on the beach. First lumber brought in on the "Kate 'n Ann", a small boat which was the first to bring merchandise to the settlers. Hardy Rock and Jeff Shaw obtained all the lumber for their new houses via the "Kate 'n Ann". The correct name was "Kate and Ann", but the settlers pronounced it in two syllables, "Kate-an", accent on "an". Previous to this, houses, barns and sheds were built of logs 8 foot shakes hewn out in the timber. They were often rived out so smooth no plane was used.

Musical Instruments

First musical instrument in Little Nestucca country was a melodeon brought strapped to the back of a large old ox over Galdy Trail when James B. Upton moved his family from Oregon City to his homestead. Chris Christensen superintended the pack train using his own shoulder to steady the melodeon over rough places. This instrument proved a great social help to the little community cut off from contact with the outside world because that was not possible except horse or mule back and not even then during winter months. Mrs. Upton played the melodeon and was assisted later on by Albert O. Yates (English homesteader) with his beautiful flute, which he had brought from England. These two persons had excellent voices; Mrs. Upton, alto and Mr. Yates, a fine tenor. Albert Osborn Yates also composed several songs and poems.

Neskowin, named by Mrs. Sarah Page. The Indians called Slab Creek "Nechesne" meaning
"plenty fish". When Mrs. Page became the first postmaster there, she gave it the present name.

Slab Creek, so named because so much slab wood washed ashore there from a wrecked ship. Name was changed to Neskowin Creek in 1925 by U.S.B.G.N.

Meda, named by Wallace Yates (first postmaster there) for the fiancé of his brother, Albert O. Yates, who dies shortly before the date set for their wedding.

Emma Post Office, named for Emma Chitwood, wife of John Chitwood, the postmaster.

Upton Falls, named by James B. Upton when he acquired them and some surrounding property. They now belong to his daughter.

Continue to page 37 of "Short History of the Little Nestucca River Valley and Its Early Pioneers!"

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