Nicholas and Sarah Hopper Lee

Posted on October 26, 2010 | Leave a comment

By Hon. Joseph D. Lee

The best information of the Lee family is that three brothers came from Normandy, France, with William the Conqueror in the year 1066. Their Norman name was DeLei and was Anglicized Lee.

Intervening history is too lengthy for recital in this paper. Joseph Lee, related to the Revolutionary Lees, was born in Cape May County, New Jersey, about 1781. When some 30 years of age he married Amy Lunbeck. In 1817 with their first child Jonathan Johnson Lee they moved to Pike county, Ohio, where were born Nicholas, Richard, Joseph Dunn Bradford and several daughters.

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Five High School Youths Brave Sands, Rain, Ocean During 105 Mile Hike

Posted on June 11, 2009 | Leave a comment

Hike Down Coast Proves Hilarious
By Virginia Muhle

A T-R Feature
Dateline July 1946

Malcolm March, Jim Hart, Dick Bennette, Joe Jensen and Dick Muhle made historic 105 mile trek down Oregon Coast in 1946.It was June 9—day for the realization of several weeks of planning when five McMinnville high school boys set off on the first lap of a proposed 105-mile hike down the Oregon coast. The five, Malcolm March, Jim Hart, Dick Bennette, Joe Jensen and Dick Muhle, planned stops all along the stretch of sand, trees, rain and ocean between Ocean Lake and Reedsport and they intended to make the trek within 10 days.

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The Wolf

Posted on May 19, 2008 | Leave a comment

As told by Anne Kemp Gowdy

When I was about ten years old – 1853 – there was no school near where we lived in Salem, Oregon. So I went to stay with my married sister, Mary, or Mollie, as we called her. She was living somewhere near the Santiam River. Continue reading →

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My Grandmother’s Wedding Gown

Posted on May 19, 2008 | 1 Comment

As told to Elsie Odell Bennette by Beth Gowdy

When my Grandmother, Sally Newbill, was preparing for her wedding in 1828, the most of her outfit was made, spun and woven by her own hands. Continue reading →

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Paul & Ruby Tuggle’s Short Trips 1975-79

Posted on May 19, 2008 | Leave a comment

from the diary of Ruby Tuggle Continue reading →

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John Glenn Newbill’s Slaves

Posted on May 19, 2008 | 4 Comments

As told to Elsie Odell Bennette by Beth Gowdy about her mother, Anne Kemp Gowdy

John Glenn Newbill of Virginia was a slave owner but his slaves were well treated. When his daughter, Sarah, and her husband, Riley Kemp, moved to Pettis County, Missouri, he gave her a couple. Continue reading →

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Riley’s Bet

Posted on May 19, 2008 | Leave a comment

As told by Beth Gowdy

Riley Kemp was sheriff of Pettis County, Missouri, for eight years. Once before an election he and the other candidate made a friendly bet that the one who lost would give the other one an overcoat. Continue reading →

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The Rattlesnake

Posted on May 19, 2008 | Leave a comment

by Martha Roelofson Caffee

Among the early pioneers of Kentucky were your great, great, great grandparents, Lawrence and Mary Roelofson who were married in 1796. They were the maternal grandparents of your great grandfather, John T. Gowdy.

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J. T. Gowdy and the Indians

Posted on May 19, 2008 | Leave a comment

As told to Elsie Odell Bennette by Beth Gowdy about her father

The summer of 1862, John T. Gowdy and a friend went north to Canada to hunt for gold. They had very little success, but John did bring home a very small amount of gold dust.

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Crossing the Plains

Posted on May 19, 2008 | Leave a comment

Personal Recollections of the Journey to Oregon in 1852, by Mrs. J. T. Gowdy of McMinnville

I was born Nov. 23, 1843, in Pettis county, Missouri, near where the city of Sedalia now is, but there was no city there then, the county seat, Georgetown, was the nearest town from where our farm was.

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The Cougar

Posted on May 19, 2008 | Leave a comment

As told to Beth Gowdy by her mother, Anne Kemp Gowdy

When I was ten years old, we lived for about a year in a little log cabin in Polk County, near where Fort Sheridan stood. Ever since we had been in Oregon, we had lived in Salem, and had near neighbors with children to play with me. This was a lonesome place, no houses in sight and no near neighbors.

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The Sun Bonnet

Posted on May 19, 2008 | Leave a comment

Told by Anne Kemp Gowdy.

I was six years old in November, 1849. The next spring I went to school for the first time. We were living on a farm, near where is now the city of Sedalia, Missouri. My teacher was Mrs. Ferguson. She taught, or kept school, as we said then, in her home.

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The Bee Story

Posted on May 19, 2008 | Leave a comment

As told to Elsie Odell Bennette by Beth Gowdy

Bellpassi was a little town, that was moved to be by the railroad and its name changed to Woodburn. Before that Mr. Brown had the station for the stage stops between Oregon and California. Mrs. Brown cooked for the passengers. The horses were changed there and my father cared for them, and made trips back and forth to Portland.

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The Oxen

Posted on May 19, 2008 | Leave a comment

As told to Elsie Odell Bennette by Beth Gowdy

Your great grandfather, John T. Gowdy, was only seventeen years old when he crossed the plains in 1852 by ox team. By the time he was telling this story to his children, he had forgotten the name of this river.

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