Lockley, Fred.  "History of the Columbia River Valley, From The Dalles to the
Sea." Vol. 1.  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928.  p. 1060 - 1094.
 
COLUMBIA RIVER VALLEY
W. H. RECTOR
PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF BARLOW TRAIL
     Historians are always seeking original sources. It was my good fortune
recently to happen on the original journal of W. H. Rector which has never seen
the light of print and which gives much information not hitherto available about
the early day industries of the Oregon Country. Mr. Rector was the man who
projected the building of the woolen mill at Salem and he also did much for the
sheep and wool men of the Oregon Country. I give his journal just as he wrote it
not changing his spelling or language in any way. It is an original document of
real historic importance.
 
 
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE LIFE OF WILLIAM HENRY RECTOR
                           Written by Himself
     Believing it will be of some intrust to my posterity to know somthing of
their ancestry hopeing they may derive som benefet from my experiance and avoid
my mistakes is the object of the folowing pages:
     All that I can say of my ancestry is tradition. I have a very clear
recolection of what has been told to me by my parents in my young days.
     My grandfather Henry Rector was one of three brothers that came from
Germiny and settled in Virginia when it was a british colony. Whether they
brought their wives with them or maried in Virginia I am not able to say, but
they all maried young and raised large families. My grand father Rector raised
fourteen children all lived to be men and wimen grown. My grandmother Rector was
a danish woman with a red head. She was rather an extraordinary woman celebrated
as a doctor and accouchur by her profesion aded materily in the accumulation of
a considerable welfch, for that early time my father was the younger but one of
the fourteen children these hardy industrous germans all succeeded in
accumulating conciderable welth and became danish their children marrying
cousins to aome extent which practise it was thought to have deteriorated the
orignal stock. My father maried the eldest daughter of Nathan Cochran a
Scotchman blackmith to trade but no ordinary man alltho in humble circumstances,
he possesed som of the genious of Robert Burns, he could get up a song on any
occasion at short notice when wanted to ridicule or resent an insult, his songs
had the effect of geting up many a fight which was the custom in those days of
settleing dificultys but his friends allways don the fighting. Som of his songs
had the effect to ruin som men as efectualy as Burns did Wholey Wiliey or doctor
Hornbook.
     As for grand mother Cochran I am not able to gave much account onley to say
that she was an amiable woman and raised a good family. they gave more attention
to education than the rector family did the oldest son James Cochran was a
captan and served in the war of 1812 with honour.
 
page1061
     My father marying the schotch blacksmiths daughter was not agreeable with
the Rector family, my mother was a strong minded woman and spereted enough to
not like to be concidered an inferior to the Rector family. She prevailed on
father to move to Ohio at that time a far off back woods country, for which I
allways have and allways will honourd her pluck. About this time the Rector
family began to scator off from Virginia the most of them went south. It was in
the year 1809 that my father and his family of three children crossed the
alagany mountains in to Ohio. it was as great an adventure at that time as it
was for me when I started to cross the plains and mountains to Oregon in the
year 1845 and the heardships and privations war even greater, myself being the
younger only three years ould but I recoleet som incidents in the journey and
very distinctly the little vilage of St. Clairsville where we stoped the first
winter. Father was disconsolate and spent the two first years without
acomplishing anything. Grandfather Rector died in the meantime father went back
to Virginia and got som money of the estate then bought 160 akers of land about
10 miles west of St. Clairsville and moved on to it. the land was poor and
hilley covered with timber and rocks with the exception of about two akers
cleared by a squater with a small cabin on it father paid the squater for the
improvements and moved into the caben. Since that time I recoleet every
important event very distinctly. how mother was delighted and chearfull, there
was but few neighbours no schools or churches the later we did not kneed father
brought religion enough from Virginia to last him his lifetime and mother was
god enough to live without religion. It will doubtless seem strange to the
reader how we managed to live so intirely on our own resorces. all the goods
that came to the country was hailed by teams from Baltimore, It required one
year to make the trip of course goods was scarce and very dear. there was
nothing produced in the country to sell but a little flax all the money that
came in to the country was brought by the travel until the national road was
built, this road was graded and Mcadamised with lime stone broken to about the
size of hens eggs covering the road to the thickness of one foot, this road was
called the Baltimore and ohio road and was being built about the years 1823 to
1824 in that part of the state. I would pass over the time from 1809 to 1824
onley that the occurances dureing that period had much to do with formeing my
habets if not fixing the destiny of my after life.
     I have allways believed that we had two much comerce for the wellfair of
the mass of the people or for the general prosperity of the country at large,
these opinions may have been influenced by the habits of my early experiance. I
am going to tell how we did live without comerce on our own recorces. when I say
we I mean to include the country at large for our family was as well to do as
any of our neighbours, evrybody kept a few sheap and raised flax spun and wove
and made our own clothes raised our meat and bred made our own sugar taned
leather and made our shoes.
     It soon folowed that we had mills and mecanicks shops sumcent for all our
wants, we lived well and enjoyed good health but had to work hard.
 
page 1062
evrybody worked clearing land evry year to add a few more akers to the farm, the
people war friendly and orderly Law suits was a rair ocurence their little
differences was generaly settled by arbitration or a fist fight. I have no
recolection of a criminal case in the county, the worst feature of that time was
the want of education, the people ware mostly from Virginia and of the porest
class, the oald Virginia aristocrats educated their children at great expence
but the man of the people ware unlearned and yupersticious of such was the
settlement in eastern ohio.
     My father was brought up in the Prodisten Episcopal church, all his
children born in Virginia was baptised in that church, there was no church of
that order in the new settlements in ohio. that church are never forward to go
whare the people are poar the methodis, qakers and Babtiats ware all the
denominations that I knew anything about for many years. Father thought there
was no safty out of a church so he joined the methodist, but allways adheard to
his early training, the riged obserance of the saboth was truly tortureing I
dreaded the day we had to be so quiet--I will relate one instance that I have
good reason to recoleet. on a Sunday I got to my store of walnuts filled my
pockets got a hamer went behind the house and cracked them father heard me but
said nothing until Monday morning then gave me such a dressing that I have not
forgot them walnuts yet.
     I am writeing of my self it is hard to avoid the frequent occurance of the
big I or of takeing the liberty of Judging of my own personal qualitys and
disposition. I will onley say that I was posessed of a quick temper full of
life. otherwise I was a good boy. but was often sevearly punished for geting
angry, but never to my recolection for doing rong. Father believed that he could
whip that temper out of me and that it was his duty as a christan man to do ao
or he would be responsible for it heare after, I could not understand how all
those sevear punishment was to benefit him heareafter. I was obediant and
truthful and regarded the punishment unjust and cruel and had the tendaucy to
alienate all the filial affections that is due to a father, it inclined me to
think for my self at a very tender age I doubted the truth or justis of his duty
to punish me for no offence and became skeptical of all immaterial things thafc
was talked of so common believeing in nothing but what was material and
tangible, all these ould ideas may seam strange for one so young it may be they
ware born with me and it may be they ware whiped in to me. It was a universal
thing in. them days for evry body to believe in witches and ghosts. I knew one
man that had see the devil he was very religous and no dout believed he had see
the oald chap. It was a common thing for such storys to be told when neighbours
got together to spend the long winter evenings, my own parance was not exempt
-from these foolish notions. I was fond of hearing them but my skeptisiasm was
so strong they had no teror. I remember on one accasion they ware telling about
som poor felow that was witch ridcn, how they would transform him in to a horse
and ride him of dark nights through swamps bush and briery. I was so delighted
with the story that had to speak out and say I wish the witches would make me a
horse and try to ride me. father was so
 
page 1063
horified that he exclaimed fervently Lord have mercy on the child, it seems
strange to me now while I refer back to this times that onley sixty years that
such a thick cloud of superstition hung over rational adults. I have tryed to
convey in these few remarks a corect idea of the manors and customs and
superstitions of tlie people of my acquaintance in that country at that time.
     That you may realize the advance in light and knowledge and what education
is capable of doeing for the people.
     Our family consisted of fuur children my brother John was five years oalder
them myself sister Susan was three years oaider and sister caty was four years
younger, the disiplen was very sevear espacily on myself we had to work early
and late and all day and evry day except Sunday but that was the hardes day in
the weak for me. brother John maried when he was 21 years oald and left the
place sister Susan maried soon after and left the place Father had became
disable with a paralytic affliction gradualy dochneing for five years before he
died. dureing all this time the burthen of the mantainance of the family was on
me. it was a hard one. for moar them one year I had to lift and handle father
like a child lie required all my time when about the house. I was anxious to
leave the piace but could not do so owing to the condition of the family.
brother John would not corn and take my place until after the death of father
which occured in the year 1828. I think in the month of July. in August 1827 I
maried Ann Perkins an orphan! guri enured to heardships as well as myself this
act I never had occasion to regret, we got releaced from the farm in the spring
of 1829 my brother moveing on to it, we started westward with our infant son L.
J, Rector and had but little elce but we felt free and happy, we got as far west
as piekaway county in the sciota country whare I had som relations living.
      I didnot go to farming again as I had been raised to that buisiness and
had an over doce of it in my childhood in fact I was a natural born meckanick
and improved evry oporfcunity from the farm labour in som mecanical work. had
learned to make furniture and spinning wheals. in fact I could make anything
that I had the tools and materials to do it with. So I relyed on my mecanical
skill to make my living and succeeded beyond my expectations, my great ambition
was to get land and make a home of my own. In five years I had acumulated enough
to buy government land besides a good outfet of team and wagon to move me to
elkhart county Indiana whare government land was to be had. there was a great
many people muveing to that country, some of my intimate acquaintances  had
moved to that country and wrote glowemg accounts of it. I moved  in the sumer of
1834 sloped in the town of goshen the county seat of  Elkhart county it was a
very new place the streets were full of stumps  and the country settleing very
fast. I soon made my purchase of land  in the timber five miles from town. I had
no use for the land but it was  object long desired and now obtained I was ready
to do to work at my  trade (cabnet makeing) which offered great inducement,
there was no  furniture moved to the country on account of its remoteness and
bad roads.  from the precedes of the sale of my wag'on and horses I was able to
start
 
page 1064
a cabnet shop the forests abounded in the best of timber for cabnet work there
was several saw mills in operation, but to get seasoned lumber for imediate use
I had to resort to the early settlers to get their cabin lofts which was
generaly floared with broad boards laid loose with the view of haveing furniture
made of them when seasoned, they was very kind and let me have the seasoned
lumber by replaceing it with green boards from the mills, in this way I got a
good stock of walnut, chery and poplar. I had a young man with me that learned
the trade with me in Ohio. he was a god boy sober and industrious, we both
worked heard and sold all our work as fast as it could be made, the next year I
bought ground and built a house and shop and horse pour lathe, then took in two
more gennamen cabnet makers and a prentice and a turner and a chair maker and a
painter who was allso a finisher, there was ready sail for all our work at fair
profits, there was iron works started at Mishawaka 25 miles grom goshen on the
St. Joseph river, then the small foundrys started in all the towns, the mill
wrights came to me for patrons I acquired som knowledg of that buisiness and got
an additional taste for machinery  which I have never been able to divest myself
of to this day my business  soon accumulated som surplus money that I loned to
two diferent merchants in town at that time I thought all merchants wer ritch.
G. D. Defreece one of the merchants that I had loned money to proposed to me to
go in partners with him and put a store at benton. a small vilage seven miles
from goshen. he said I was makeing a drudg of myself when he knew that I could
do better to sell out my shop and stock and get my money from Haras, he would go
to N. York and buy the goods and I go to benton and build a storehouse. I
declined the proposition to sell the shop but agreed to put in what money I had
add the precedes of the shop from time to time as it might accumulate. Now this
is mistake No. 1. When I notified haris that I wanted my money he insisted to
know what I wanted to do with it. when I told him what I was going to do he gave
me som fatherly advice which I took it all as his own selfish intrust that maybe
it was not conveniant to raise the money, he said he was sorey for me for he
knew that I was geting ritch and that I did not know it, your shop under the
management of a foreman would as likely to loose money as to make there is not a
merchant in town that has got as good a buisiness as you have but if you ar
deterend to try it I will get your money for you, but I want you to remember
what I have said to you. I did remember it and will remember it as long as I
live. there was other reasons for acepting Defrieses proposition them the hope
of gain, the locality about goshen was extreamly sickley, the country round
about was flat and heavy timber except the elkhart pararie which was seven miles
long and three miles wide, the elkhart river ran one one side and a small
marshey stream on the other side, these was three mill dams on the rive  that
backed the water from one to the other, the same condition of things  existed on
the small stream all of which was in the immediate vicinity of
goshen The concequence of which was agua and fevour of the wrst tipe  and so
univeraly that for three or four months in the fall of the year ther  was not
well people enough to take proper care of the sick. those that
 
page 1065
ware able to be out of bed was more dead then alive- the sickness in my family
was so distressing to me that I would have all most don anything to avoid it,
the vilage of benton was so far above the mill ponds that it enjoyed beter
health, hence it was one inducement to accept Defriess proposition. I put my
shop under the management of a foreman and moved to Benton built a store house
had it ready when the goods arrived. I should have said in the proper place that
defriese had a store in goshen at the same time and bought goods for both
places, goods was onley laid in once a year, haveing to be brought from New York
round the lakes to Micigan city and hailed from thare to the store by teams, my
stock was run very low by the next spring muck of it on the book. defriese saw
that he was going to be imbarased and proposed to sell his interestin the benton
store to me I had to decline but he said he must sell and I should have the
privelage of chusing my partner. So I took Albert Banta a gentlman of good
apperance who had just moved to the from ohio clameing to have money back that
would be forth comeing in due time. all things being arainged I left the store
with Banta and went to Newyork bought a clever stock of goods mostly on credit
gaveing our notes payable at the bank of eonstentine Michigan before these notes
came due the war that president Jackson waged against the banks culminated by
the removal of the deposits and issueing an order that nothing but gold and
silver coin should be taken for dues the government this produced a ded lock in
buisiuess but few could pay their debts and notheing could be colected  by law
when the sheref executed and offered property for sale there was no one to buy,
my shop had proved to be of no benefit to me under the management of the forman.
my partner failed to bring any money from ohio as was promised, the condition
was a trying one for me Pwas so sencitive of my credit regarding a protested
note as an everlasting disgrace it cost me many a sleepless night. I sacrifised
my shop and stock in a word evry thing that would bring any money, by so doing I
pafd all my notes as they became due without a protest but it reduced me to
about seven hundred dollars but I felt great relief I had closed out the store
before the time came to buy goods again but I received solicitations from New
York from houses that I nothing of, the houses that I had bought goods ofered to
ship me goods on my orders there was ut one other merchant within my knowledg
but failed or suspended. Now hear was my second mistake in not useing the credit
that I had ganed at such a sacrifise but there was a combination of
circumstances that detered me from makeing any ventures. I was so thorowly
disgusted with the buisiness and with mankind generaly. it was my first leson in
human nature, the great panick seemed to bring out all the meanness that man is
possessed of, In the meant time T had been favoured by Albert S. White Senator
in congres from our destrict with Capt Wilks report. I believe Wilks had bee
sent by the government to the Columbia river, at any rate he furnished a map and
soundings of the river from the mouth to the caskades togather with a pamphlet
descriptive of the general caractor of the country all of which was most
desirable prominent amongst all was the health the pine forests and limped
streams, took my fancy when con-
 
page 1066
trasting it with the malarious country in which we lived. I had lost much of my
ambition for welth or society, and often indulged In visions of a happy retreat
from the agua and fevour and from the toils and vexations of a buisi.ness life.
I could not think of going tu work again in that country so I took a trip
westward through the state of Illinois, found agua every place, went to Iowa
found agua there went to St. Louis and up the Misure to Liberty in clay county
then to Independance that was about as far was as I could go. I liked the
apearance of the country and the condition of the people for health and
prospertiy while at Indepedance I met with the santafee traders and rockey
mountan trapers, from them I learned more of Oregon and the Pasinck countrys I
determined to move to Indepedance and sojourn at least for a time. still had my
visions of happynes in a cabin of pealed pine logs and a health happy family. I
returned home and set about prepairing to move to Indepedance the next spring in
the year 1839.
     I should have mentioned the increase and condition of our family in the
proper place but it is proper that I mention it now I have allready mentioned
moveing to Pickway county with our infant son L. T. Rector. he was born May 20,
1828. John Rector was born in pickway county Nov. 4, 1829 Franklin Rector was
born Oct 10, 1831--John Rector died of scarlet fevour June 16th 1832 John 0.
Rector was born december 5th 1833. Volney Rector was born August 14th 1836
Evilelia Rector was born Sept. 27th 1838 and died Oct. 17, 18S8 at Indepednance
this is all the family record up to the date and time of this narrative--haveing
decided tomove to Independance Missouri, the next thing was to know how to move
the roads (or rather the want of roads) rendered it impossible to move with
wagons, by diligent enquire I learned that the Cankakee river had no
obstructions and was probibly navigable for a small boat allfcho it had never
been navigated, this river is a tributary of the Illenoys river and heads in a
lake in indiania but a short distance from South bend on the St. Joseph river. I
built a flat botom boat 30 ft long and 8 ft wide cabened and roofed like a canal
boat. furnished with a good cooking stove and ample stock of provisions and
beding. took with me a man with small family who had lone experience on water,
alls a single young man to assist in rowing, thus equipt we set out from goshen
on the elkhart river ran over three dama before we got in to the St. Joseph
river and in that river before we reached South bend, of course we didnot take
these dangerous leaps over tlie dams with the wimen and children in the boat at
South bend we got teams to hall the families and goods to the lake. an by means
of low trucks and many oxen we hailed the boat to the lake and lanched it on an
allmost unknown water the lake was shole with long grass growing in the water.
We knew nothing of the outlet of the lake but by folowing the incline of the
grass we were able to keep in the deepest water and find the outlet, we did not
accomplish the voyage of the lake in one day and it was not posible to folow the
man chanel in the night so we ankered the boat by sticking the oars in the mud
and tie to them. this was the most romantick night that I ever spent we ware out
of site of evrything but swamp when night set in it was very dark and calm. the
 
page 1067
mosketos swarmed the frogs set up such a consort as wag never hear before it was
truly distressing we could not hear each other speek in a ordinry tone of voice
it would be impossible to convey any adiquet idea of the infernal din all that
night, as soon as it was light enough to see which way the grass leaned we
started and that day we cleared the lake and got fairly into the Kankakee we met
with but little difaculty in the way it is a slow slugish stream we had to row
most of the way. tied up every night an caut catfish in abundance, soon after we
got in to the Ilinois river we came to another dam that seemed to be dangerous
to run over with our boat. finaly we unloaded the bot and dashed over. without
any damage onley sniping a few barrels of water. We loaded up again took in a
fresh lot of fish and went on our way rejoiceing. When we reached Peoria we ware
warmley greated by the people of that thriveing town they had been advised of
the adventure by the goshen papers and had a lively intrust in knowing that it
was posible to navigate the Kankakee they were greatly in want of timber and
knowing there was fine poplar timber on that stream in the state of Indiana that
could onley be obtained by way of the river, we ware thorouly interviewed by
noosepaper men and others as to the caracter of the river and the timber all of
which seemed to gave great satisfaction with the demonstration before them. I
got som newspaper notoriety on that account. I learned soon after that there was
a lively lumber buisiness cared on and very soon the timber country was settled
up. on leaving peoria we traveled comfortable and cozy until we got below perue.
the river was very slow and the ateamboats passing us every day. we sold our
boat and took pasage on a steamer for St. Louis whare we arived in good time,
then took the first boat for the Misura river landed at Independance all well,
It was onley the year before that they had drove the mormans out of that country
I had no sooner got settled in a house when five men cam in and intervieued me
in a maner that I regarded as very impertinent. I treated them with sivility it
was more them a year after this that I learned the object of the cll. it had
been noticed that I bought a barel of flour had it taken to my house and that my
axe had a shaped handle I was supposed to be a morman the five men that called
and quised me so close was a comity appointed for that purpose, one of that
comitty had told me one year after that they ware in doubts what to make of me,
some of them thought I was a morman or a abolitionist com to steal their negros
but I was never molisted. I soon found imployment to ocupy all my time until the
next spring when I formed a partnership with Lorance Flournoy to build a steam
sawmill. I got the mill going in due time and don a good buisiness for that
time. but they cheated me so bad that I traded my intrust in the mill for a farm
of 80 akers near Independance, put the family on the farm and bought 40 hed of
large stall fed catle on credit drove them to St. Louis and shiped them to
Orleans. I bought them for eleven dollars pur hed and sold for fifty dollars
makeing about one thousand dollars clear of all expence. next I tryed takeing
hogs to St. Louis on fiat boats another of my dangerous  adventures. I did not
more them get even on that the next spring I took a fiat boat lode of beef catle
to St. Louis don well on them. Now

 
page 1068
Roland Flournoy a brother of Lorance Flournoy whom I had been in partnership in
the sawmill, had a neat little flour mill intended to go by water pour but the
stream proved to be two light to run this mill, he proposed to gave me an equal
intrust in the mill and 40 akers of land if I would put a steam engin to the
mill all at my own proper cost. I took the proposition went to St. Louis bought
the engin and necessary gear soon had the mill going by steam--this was another
of my mistakes, it proved to be a bad investment there was not much flour used
in the country they onley eat wheat bred for brakfast on Sundays, the grinding
was mostly corn and had to be tolled when corn was onley worth a bit a bushel--I
see there was nothing to be made with the mill and concluded to try my luck once
more on catle bought up a drove and went to St. Louis with them could not sell
to any advance there shiped them to Orleans found a gluted market had to sell at
heavy loss. when the catle was closed out I discovered a demand for hogs. I did
not like to go home so badly worsted, concluded to make another effort took the
first boat up the river got off at New Madrid went in to the country and bought
hogs as long as my money lasted drove them to new madrid for shipment, but there
was no boats runing the rivers ware frozen above the mouth of Ohio. I had to
keep the hogs severa week before the rivers opened, and when the boats did run
they ware all loaded with hogs so that I could not ship until the market was
supplyed. I lost again, concludeing that the fates ware against I went home.
when I arrived at Independace the emigrants for Oregon was colecting and
randavoseing preparitory for the journey to Oregon, I had witnessed the sean the
years preceding and would have been glad to be one amongst them, but was allways
too much enguaged to be in condition to leave, in 1842 I was at the Shawney
mishion puting up a steam engin for their mills when the emigrants war
randavouseing near by I see there was a number of families of respectible
people, the applegates Waldo and many others of like good caraetor. I was onley
incumbred with the little farm at that time but that was about all that I had. I
thought then that I would be ready the next year but when the next year came I
was worse incubered with property them ever, haveing the Flournoy flour mill on
hand.
     I will heare say somthing more about the, Shawney mission. It was an
institution belonging to the Methodist and was supported by large appropreations
by congress they had a large amount of land in cultivation and worked 30 to 40
men besides all the Indians they could tame. I never lived so hard as I did
whilest I was starting that engin. one day when going to diner I see the butcher
had a parsel of hogs butchered hanging in the sun the grean flies swarming on
them it was hot weather. I asked what he was slotering so may hogs at that time
he said they had been spaying them and those had not done well and they slotered
them, the bellys war swolen red and to me the most revolting thing in the way of
food that I ever looked upon it raised my gorge so that; I coul not eat my
diner, at the next meal the meat was on the table I did not partake of any tryed
to eat corn doger but found it shortned with lard, the next day I went home and
eat so much that I was sick for a weak before I could
 
page 1069
go back to finish my job, there was an Irishman recently imployed as whip sawyer
he came thare with a good horse an new sadle and rig. he kept his saddle an
rigings in his bed room for fear the Indians would steal them. one day the
preacher took his sadle and rode it to west port. doherty missed his sadle.
thinking the Indians had stole it he gave full vent to his Irish temper greatly
to my amusement. Bergman was the principal of the place, a very sedate man. It
was to him that doherty addressed him self after this wise--"I tell yo man you
cant tame oald Indians, without puting an ounce of lead in him--Mr. B, did you
ever hear the like man havent I see pitchurcs of them kilt in a day thats the
way they do in South America they kill all over seven years oald and tame the
young ones. I woudent gave a troop of solders for all the misionarys between
hear and hell to tame ingens. you are al a set of blagards there is not a coledg
educated gentleman amongst you I will hoald you fifty pounds that I can out pray
either of you myself the next morning the sadle came home and Doherty was
discharged. On my return from Orleans in the spring of 1845 the emigrant were
geathering in prepairing for the journey to Oregon I found the mill onley had
work for one day in the week the toll corn would not pay the miller it was truly
a discourageing buisiness I went to doctor Waldo to pay him money that I had
borowed in my droveing buisiness. he waned to know how I had don in my tradeing.
after telling him all about it he advised me to go to Oregon he had heard from
his brother daniel that had gon to Oregon in 1842 and that he was well pleased
and doing well if you was in Oregon and use as much energy as you have in this
country you will surely succeed Sell the mill at once and outfit with the
proceeds. I will help you all that I can. you can sell on credit and I will take
the notes and gave you the money. I acted on this advice and soon accomplished
the trade by takeing cattle and teams wagon, &c the balance in promisory note
which Waldo cashed -- I will heare say that in all my adventures I have never
taken any risk that would result in loss to anyone but myself, and feal a
concios prid that no one has ever lost or been delayed in geting all their just
dues from me. I was not ready to start with the man carivan but ther was quite
enough of us for the first part of the journey, as small companys travel faster
them large ones we soon over took them. I was a novis with oxen and don many
stupid things at the start and never did get to be an expert driver. Our family
now consisted of six children I have allready recorded the berths of the
children born in Ohio and Indiana being four in number liveing in addition to
two to them, born in Misuria was William Henry Rector born Aug. 4th, 1840.
Theresse Rector born Sept. 4th, 1843. In addition to my family, I had a young
man who was an assistant for his pasage my outfit consisted of two wagons with
ox teams and a buggy and horse which proved to be a luxury but was a sorce of
much jealousy and envy it being the onley vehickle of the kind on the road and
the first that ever crossed the plaines.
     It was my thoughts at the start that we would all bee like one great and
good family of brothers and sisters relying on each other for asistance in times
of nedd and as a comon defence against the Indians should
 
page 1070
we be atacted by them. but in all this I was sorely disapointed. when we
overtook the main company they were quarleing holding meetings, makeing new laws
and regulations which ware not respected for one day, many of them would
transgress just to show their independance or perverse cusedness. It was a
school in which I learned something of the nature of many that I had ben
ignorant of all my life before, as for my part I took no part in their meeting
or elections obayed all laws while they lasted, was well able to get along on my
own recorces.
     We experienced two sevear storms before we overtook the main company such
as I had never see before we saw it coming and stoped to prepair for it but
before we had time to unhich the teams it was upon us. Wind rain and hale
accompanyed with mighty thunder and lightning an ox was struck and killed very
near to us. my want of experiance in such buisiness kept me in: one continued
state of excitement for a time. when we got in the valey of the plat river the
road was so good and the teams thoroughly trained that evry thing went well I
began to feal more at ease. the searnery was the same day after day and began to
be monotioness the same ridg on our. left that bounded the valey continued
without inter mision. One day I determined to see what was beyond, so about noon
I started alone on foot supposeing the distance not to excede one half mile but
when I had traveld a half mile it did not seem any nearer but kept on and on
determand to go to the bluff if it was not going from me for such was realy the
apperance I reached it at last. and found it much heigher than I had thought, my
recolection is that it was five hundred feet above the level of the valey, when
I reached the top there was nothing to be sean but one vast plain, the most
solitary place that I had ever looked upon there waa no liveing thing to be seen
or heard but one long beaked bird that cherped ocasionly a solem note that was
in perfect unison with the solitude of the place. I began to reflect upon my
self seariously for starting on such an adventure with a woman and children when
I woke from the unplesant revere an turned my eyes on the valey again I could
just see the train of wagons going in to camp for the night. I knew then it
would be long after dark before I could reach camp an started at once on a
lively walk, takeing the bearings knowing that when dark set in I would be
likely to lay out all night, when darkness did shut out my object I took a star
for my guide as the wise men did when they found christ. I was misen at camp
they built a great bonfire and fired guns before I reached campi for this
truance I was sevearily repremended. The valey of the Plat river was the best
natural road except the dust for so long a distance that was ever found before
but it was such a sameness of seanery that made it dull and tiresome and sleepy,
it may have been somthing in the climate that made us sleepy it was with the
greatest exertion that we coul keep awake while travleing if it was realy the
effect of climate that made us so sleepy we should not be surprize if another
rip vanwinkle should turn up in that country before long. We ware not molisted
by Indians in fact we did not see but few of the savages until we got to fort
laramey from thare on to fort bridger we met with them frequently but they ware
sivel and never molisted us in any way whatever the same may be said of the
Indians throughout the intire journey.
 
page 1071
     I am inclined to believe that much of the trouble emigrants have had since
1845 have growen out of indiscreat conduct on the part of our own race. I will
relate one little incident that occured in our camp that onley for a little good
fortune wo would have had trouble--We had just formed the corell and camped for
the night all hands making fires and cooking when about forty indians came on
horseback at full spead as they aproached the corell they fired ther guns in the
air jumped their horses in to the corell rushing round and yelling like demons
raiseing a fog of dust. a good oald gentleman of our partie got his gun out of
the wagon in great hast I was near by and caught the gun befor he had time to
use it but he was frantick and strove with me for the gun. I telling him all the
time the Indians ware friendly it was their maners but he persisted in
wanting to shoot saying he would learn them better maners. By this time the
Indians had dismounted and shakeing hands all round, he finaly gave up but he
was sulen mad. I believe this is the way that much of the trouble with the
emmigrants and Indians originated the Indians manors are disagreeable to us but
we ware in their country and it is better to bare with it them to resent it by
violence, but the oald man was a genuine iron jacket babtis and would persist in
it that if we would kill a few of them it would learn them beter maners.
     After leaveing Larime the country became rougher an concequently more
dificult to travie we had lost much of our fear of Indians and seperated in to
smaller companys for conveniance as the large company had so many catle it was
dificult to get on in the mountains, the small camping places didnot admit of so
large a band of cattle, again the bad disposition that the people seamed to be
afflicted with bad growen worse insted of better so much so that it was
necessary to separate if there had been no other cause it proved to be of great
benefit in evry respect we traveled faster enjoyed the fruits of friendship for
a time until something would occur to cause another devision of the company and
so on to the end of the journey. Strange as it may seam when the journey was
over all their little troubles on the road was forgot and a tie of friendship
like that of brothers took its place with a lasting endureance. they loved to
recite over the incidents of the journey the toils and privations with all the
vexations atending it with many amuseing occurance that hapned It is dificult to
account for the extraordinary change in the disposition of men, it can hardly be
atributed to climate alltho the sudent change from the malarious districts of
the western states to the pure air of the mountains and dry sandy plains was
very great. We should rather atribut it to the circumstances that beset them on
the journey. I noticed that most of the troubles originated with those that had
lived in retired places they ware apt to think their, wrights ware intruded upon
or that sombody had got in their way whitest those from towns or more dencely
populated places ware aeustomed; to being jostled in a crowd without complaining
-- at the crossing of grean river we took the road that went by fort bridger and
sloped at the for a few days to rest and trade for some fresh animals. I got a
horse to work; to the buggy in turns with my horse that was failing very fast.
by so doing I was able to get my favourite horse through to the
 
page 1072
Willamet valey whare he lived to a good oald age and don much good service. When
we reached fort hall on snake river a tradeing post ocupied by the hudsons. bay
company we found it best to stop and recruit again. I called on Capt Grant who
was then in charge of the place for the purpose of geting som information in
relation to the caractor of the country through which we had yet to pass. I
found Capt Grant a very clever and obligeing gentleman from whom I got some
valuable information. he spoke of the rude behavour of one of our felow
travelers that called on him but it seemed to amuse him rather them ofend, I
will gave it as he related it to me. he first asked if I was a. british subject
and if I was not aware that this property belonged to the united states that
would soon have to leave the premises Will you be kind enough to let me know who
you are. I am a freeborn son of america the land of liberty, at the same time he
took a seat on my bed still talking in the same strain soon he layed down on the
bed with his dirty boots on. I walked up to him and asked him if this was the
liberty that you speck of, to get on a mans bed boots and all with that he left
but not without thretening me with a speedy removal.
     The Indians about the fort seemed to be under good disiplen and very sivel
with one exception. Our minister was aproaehing the enterance to the house, an
Indian stood in the doar. as the oald minister aproached with his osilating
motion for one leg was short, the Indian saluted him with a loud Wo haw god dam
you the oal man rocked back a few steps as if he had been shot at, it was all
the english that the Indian knew he wished to be sivel and apear smart so he
saluted in strong english.
     Soon after, we left fort hall we met with a painful accident our youngest
son William had a leg broke by a wagon riming over it about midway betwene the
knee and ankle, the boan protruded through the flesh, there was no doctor in,
our company Mr. Avery and myself set the boan and secured it as well as the
means at hand afforded, it occured while the train was traveling on the dry and
dusty plain no water near, so there was no tome to be lost we soon moved on to
the first camping place whare we remained until the next day. In the mean time I
arainged the buggy so as to have a bed in it and a tent over it for the boy, he
was onley four years oald but very healthy in this way we continued to travie
without furthe delay the boy doing well. It may seem increditable to relate but
he was well enough to walk when we got to the dalls, I am sorey that I have no
means of knowing the length of time but think it could not excede six weeks.
     We folowed Mr. Grants directions and crossed the snake river at a certain
foard whare the Indians rendered us material service, Then crossed a dry country
to the Boise river, thare the Indians stole two of our horses, one was a fine
mair belonging to Mr. Avery and one of my buggy horses. We hunted one day for
them until we ware satisfied they ware stolen, there was an Indian hanging round
the camp that I suspected for the thief. I proposed to pay him if he would find
my horse and bring him to me i would pay him in order to know which was my horse
he went to a horse near by an plucked som white hairs and some bay hairs
 
page 1073
for me to show him which was my horse, I then knew that he had the horses hid
for my horse was gray and Averys was bay. I agreed with him for the pay and
advised Avery to do the same but he said he would not buy his own horse, the
Indian said, or rather signed for us to go on and if he found the horse he would
bring him to the next camp. Soon after we had camped the next day the Indian
came in with my horse I gave him the pay agreed upon. Avery was vexed and had to
berate me for buying my own horse, I denied that I had bought my own horse, he
had been my horse but when the Indian stole him he belonget to him acording to
the laws of the country we ware in--
     We reached Snake rivery again at fort Boise another tradeing post belonging
to the hudsons bay company. We had to ford the river it was deep and dangerous
but we got over safe the Indians again asisted us for which I was allways wiling
and did compensate them. At fort boisie I called on the man in charge of the
place and found him a clever and obligeing gentleman, he made out a memorandon
of ail the camping places with the distance from one to the other with remarks
on the caractor of the road over which we had to travle. there was a company of
emigrants a, few days a lied of us that was traveling under the guidance of
Steven Meek who proposed to take the company in to the Wallamet valey on a
shorter and beter rout. but it proved that Meek knew nothing about the country
over which he proposed to take the company, the result was great delay and
hardship with much suffering an loss of property, the instructions that I got at
fort Boise was corect and was of great service to our company. It seems strange
to me now that our people ware so distrustfull of the hudsons bay people, the
most of them had had the same fealings toward them that the man had that got on
to Grants bed with his boots on. our company got along well without any more
trouble or dificulty them we had reson to expect the Indians from the Umatila
met us at grand rond with vegatables which was a great luxury and truly
apeciated We ware never molisted by the Indians. I am sorey that I cant say as
much for all of our felow travelers, while coming down the Umatila one of my
best yoke of oxen ware stolen, this was a sevear loss at that stage of the
journey, we lost one day in hunting for them believeing finaly that the Indians
had stolen them, but it afterword came to light that they ware stolen by a
little partie of very pias people that seperated from the company on account of
the wickedness of the ungodly, they ware caped about one mile ahead of us and
started early their teem being refreshed inabled them to out travle us we
looseing one day hunting our oxen and being weakened in team. I found one of the
oxen the next year in the Wilamette valey and took him from the pias theaf. I
afterwards learned that they divided the oxen as it was a prize belonging to two
parties the other one I never gofc but I see him in California when hear mining
I inquired of the driver whare he got that ox he said he bought him from a man
that brought him from Oregon. Since that time I have allways had more confidence
in an Indian them a pias hypoerate.
     When we arived at the dalls this being the end of the journey for wagons at
that time. The acumulation of emigrants was allready large,
 
page 1074
the onley way posible at that time of geting from the dalls to the Willamet
valey was by way of the Columbia river Doctor Maglochlin of the hudsons bay
company had very kindly loaned all their boats to assist the emigrants in geting
down the river, with instructions to bring the sick and most distitute
first--Soon after I arived at the dalls the company that had went with Meek from
boice began to arive at the dalls insted of going direct to the Willamet valey.
as was their intention, they ware in a deplorable condition compleatly woren out
with heardship and starvation many ware sick and all ware destitute haveing lost
nearly everything they had.
     I began to see that my chance of geting a pasage down the river was slim
and the suplys of provision at the mision was well neigh exhausted. Mr. Waler
then in charge of the mision station had represented that it was practicable to
go with wagons in to the Walamet valey by going South of Mount hood and
earnestly recomended it as the best thing we could do as it would be imposible
to stay long at that place on account of suplys and it be long before we could
all get down the river.
     A company of twenty wagons had allready started on Wall's recomendations I
mustered a few recruits and started after them after three days travle we
overtook them in campwateing the return of the exploaring party that had gon a
head. the same evening two of the party returned reporting favourable they had
been beyond the sumet and found a place of grass and that a few days work would
enable the wagons to reach it, but Mr. Joel Farmer, a man of sound sence and
indomnible energy thought best to look a little further before returning to the
camp, in doing so he found it to be impratible or at least very adventurous
concidering the wimen and children, with this view he returned to the camp with
all posible haste so as to stop the wagons before they descended a certain hill
that would be impossible to retreat. It was mid night before he reached the camp
haveing wakled our fifty miles that day and night--After hearing Farmers report
the company decided to return to the dalls and go down the river, I learned from
Farmer that it was practible to get on to the trail that they ware driveing
cattle over without going back to the dalls, after informeing Palmer the
condition of affairs at the dalls when I left thare, I advised that we go as far
as we could with the wagons and pack through on the catle trail and that two men
should go through on foot to the settlments and get fresh horses and asistance
to pack through or in the event that it should be found pvactible to get through
with the wagons they could provide for that event, Som of the party ware not
wiling to abandon their wagons, to remedy that objection I proposed that if they
would open the road to the sumate pararie whare there was grass that if the
wagons had to be left I would insure their safety until the next June at which
time the road could be opned. The value of the wagons and goods that would be
left with them was worth more them two thousand dollars. I found two young men
that ware wiling to stay with the wagons for a reasonable compencation. I agreed
to insure the wagons and goods that would have to be left for ten, percent of
their proper value. This proposition was accepted and satisfiectory to all
parties. It was aloted that Mr. Barlow and my self should go through to the
Settlements acording to the proposition.

page 1075
     We started the next morning at day light with onley two days rations which
was suposed to be ample. Barlow and Farmer had been heigh up on mount hood so as
to overlook all the mountains and see the valey, but they ware not competent to
judg of distance from such an elivation and thought two days was time enough to
go in to the valey. but we found to our sorow that it required six days for us
to reach Oregon City, not that the distance required six days had we known whare
to go. It was a rough trip som incidents of which have become mater of history--
     At that time I was near forty years oald in prime of life Barlow was my
cenior by fifteen years very spry good walker but had not the botom or indurance
that I had he became very frail but did not seem to sufer with hunger as I did.
the mountain air and violent exorcize made me very hungry. I had a light shotgun
but there was nothing to shoot, at that time of the year. the aproach of winter
evrything had left the mountains for lower ground. So sharp was our appetites
that Barlow remarked after the first days travle that he could eat all his food
for super. I realy felt the same way. then Barlow made a very sencible
proposition that we eat just half every time and we would never get out of
provisions to which I readily asented and lived strictly up to it. I should have
said before that each one of us had our rations seperate we neither borowed or
loaned or divided--The second day was heard traveling a light misting vain all
day. me had to deeend a long way down into a kenion to get to water it was
geting dark when we go to water in trying to start fire the matches was wet and
would not make fire. We tryed the gun but that was no better Barlow was
disponding believed we would never get out of that kenion it was very coald and
raining and without fire our chance to survive was truly bad. I got stride of a
dry fallin tree with a dry lim began to rub violently called Barlow to help, we
set fase to fase on the log with a blanket over our heads and both took hold of
the stick and rubed with all our power until the place was very warm then laid
machea on the place to dry in this was we succeeded in drying the matches so we
got fire. I worked all night geting wood and keeping fire Barlow slep after a
scanty breakfast we started again but had to asend out of the kenion to the
mountain side to travle the rain had stoped but there was a heavy fog all day.
after traveling several hours paralell with the kenion Barlow thought we were
below the kenion and there was the valey that he had see when he was on mount
hood. we tryed it but found it worse them. ever. I then determined to go no
farther in that direction, knowing that the catle trail was north of us and that
we would chance to fall in with som one driveing eatle, I had a small compas and
proposed to Barlow that we travel as near north as the country would permit
until we found the cattle trail to which he was agreed, and we started out
course led directly up the mountain it was steap and tiresom. at length we got
above the fog and see the mountain get heigh above us finaly we reached the
sumet. heare I discovered that Barlows mental faculties was failing as well as
his fisical pours, he persisted in saying that he had been on that identical
spot before and that it was not one mile from the wagon camp. I found it was not
posible to reach his reasoning facaltys and took absolute con-
 
page 1076
trole of him, he complained biterly that he had to be controled but kept on with
me. He got frail and would frequently fall and hurt himself I caried the axe and
gun so as to relieve him of any incumberance he walked behind me sulen and
silant once he spoke in kindly way and said Mr. Rector if I should brake a leg
in som of these falls what would you do with me. I wuld eat you was my reply he
said no more I looked round at him and see that he was sheding tears. Why Barlow
you old fool I wont eat you neither will you brake a leg we will get to the
trail early tomorrow but he insisted that it was very likely that he would never
be able to get out of these mountains, and made the solem request that if he
should get disabled so that he could go no further that I would knock out his
braines with the axe and lot let him linger in paidn but he took god care not to
fall any more.
     Well as I had predicted we got to the trail the next day and had the good
luck to fall in with a partie diveing cattle we got refreshed and went on to
Oregon City. It is remarkable how circumstances will change a man when in
trouble and danger he will be pias and humble but no sooner out of trouble them
his piety is gon and then ly and swair and do other nauty things.
     Well we are at Oregon City and our cloths toren all to rags so much so that
we ware not fit to be seen. Barlow aske the the landlord to go with us to a
store and intercede for us to get clothes for which we would pay for when we got
our effect out of the mountains he wanted to go to an american store he did not
wish to patronize them d--md English the landlord said all right but I think you
will have to go to them before you get anything, the first call was at an
american store the case was stated but the reply was I dont do buisiness in that
war Barlow insisted that it was an extreme case and that he would asuredly get
his money in a short time. but all to no purpose. We then went to the misionarys
store but found no accomodation thare finely to the English store and stated the
case to the clerk, who threw down clothing to us without returning a word
telling us to select what we kneeded and hoped we would be prompt as he took the
respocibility himself I mention these acts of kindness and will have moar to say
about the husons bay people heareafter not withstanding Mr. Gray the historian
has gave them a very diferent caractor them my experiance would justify.
     We lost no time in geting horses and returning to the wagons. On the ways
back we met the company coming in packing on oxen. the wagons had onley moved on
one days travle or as far as they could go without work. a son of Barlows
proposed to take the contract of guarding the wagons and that he would take them
whare they ware without cuting out the road to the sumet pararie, of course they
ware all anxious to get to the settlements and not disposed to work they agreed
with young Barlow and started on the catle trail takeing all my catle and my
oaldest son with them. When I got to the wagons I outfited as well as I could to
get the family in to the settlements with onley two horses and two poar oxen
that they had left. we made one days travle which took us up to mount hood a
snow storm set in that night and continued all the next day
 
page 1077
So as to render the pasage over the mountain exfcreamly dangerous if not uterly
impossible our onley alternative was to go back to the dalls and go down the
river. We reached the dalls in safety after five days heard travel there was
people thare yet trying to get down the river some ware building rafts, one of
the hudsons bay company boats in charge of Mr. Ogdan came down the river and
landed for a few momants I applyed to have them take my family on board which he
declined to do for the reason that they ware on express buisiness could not
posibly be incumbered with a family in geting past the caskudes. I stated the
case of the suplyes of provision being: exausted at the mision and that we must
get away from thare or suffer for food. - Mr. Ogden sad he couid gave me some
releaf in the way of food and gave me an order on the mision for a half barel of
pickled beef one large hag of hard bred one bag of dryed peas, for which I
ofered to pay he refused to take pay saying he was glad to have it.in his pour
to do that much for me. I then joined the raft builders and got down to the
caskades on a raft--from thare we got boat pasage to Linton a piace near the
mouth of the Willamet. whare we got a canoo and rowed ourselves up the Wilamet
to Oregon City camping the first night up the river bank whare the City of
Portland now stands.
	We remained at Oregon City dureing the winter and don work enough to pay for
our liveing besides exploaring som of the country on foot which fell far short
of meeting my most reasonable expectations towards spring I went with a partie
on a boat bound for the mouth of the Columbia river. I had heard much said about
the Clatsop plains and supposed that must be the place from which writers had
drawn their fine pen pictures of Oregon. Imagion my disapointment when I onley
see a sand beaek of the ocean--It will be remembered that the coutry was by
treaty in joint ocupaey with England, the hudson bay company had a tradeing post
called fort George, then in charge of an Englishman by the name of Latty. Cornal
McClure an american built a cabin near by the fort determined to hold the cite
of the future city some of our boat crew had taken a keg of blue ruin to have a
good time with McClure this blue ruin was made by fermenting molaseas and
distelling it in an iron pot with a cap of fir wood and a tin pipe for the
condencing worm. the liquor had a bluish colour hence the name blue ruin it was
a vilmous drink very intoxicating and crazeing McClnre sent for latty to drink
with them after the liquor began to take effect McClure began to get offencive
to latty so much so that Laty left the company and went home a little the worse
for blue ruin. McClure took another drink and then he thought he was in comand
of an armey and under orders to take the fort. he sholdered his gun gaveing
orders as if in comand of troops. Advance, halt. take ame, fire, suiting his own
acts to the order then go through the manapolations of loading then advance,
halt, take ame, fire allway ameing at Lettys fort until he got in the yard and
his bulets paling against the house, one of the servent men took alarm an ran to
rouse up latty who was dozeing off his blue ruin, when he steped out of the dear
McClure was loading his gun and gave in command latty thought it all a joke and
offered his breat for a targate McClure took ame and snap, his gun missed fire
but he was so
 
page 1078
crazy he did not know it and preceded to load again, latty laughing and ofering
his brest for a targat. the next time the gun went off one ball went through his
sieve and grazed his skin then the Englishman saw it was not so funney ran in
and got a cavlery sword in an iron scaberd when he reached McClure he was
loading again but latty struck him with the sword in the scabard, knocked him
down and beat him allmost to deth then draged him to the clift and threw him
over on the broken rocks below it was a long time before McClure recovered and
was said by som that blue ruin was surely the elixor of life or he never could
have recovered  Well I returned to Oregon City a little more discouraged them
before but resolved to make the best of it I moved up the country to near the
methodist mision whare the city of Salem now is I took up a land dame according
to the laws and plowed and planted spring wheat enough to make bread for another
year. by this time the road was opened so the wagons could be brought through
our teams war fat we started with them to the oald wagon camp found everything
safe and got all home in good order. then I began to feal better went to work
and built my cabin of pealed pine logs according to my oald visions when we had
the agu or fevor. I had plenty of work at mill wrighting my boys ware good to
work with their mother for a boss the buisiness at home went on well, In the
fall of 1846 wilest I was absent from home building a mill I was elected a
member of the provisional govement legislators which I attended the winter
folowing dureing the sesion the news of the massacre at the Whitman mision came
and occasioned great excitement, the fealings amongst the members of the
legislator was evidantly for war on the Indians not for defence as the
settlments was in no danger but for revenge it was my misfortun to be on the
comitty to whom the matter was refered. I was not in favour of trying to
punishing the Indians until we ware in a beter condition the sean of action was
remote from us beyond the mountains in a coal country with no means of supplying
an armey no armes but such as had survived the journey over the plains and
mountains no amunition onley such as the setlers had for their own use, with all
these facts before me I was unwilling to hazard a contest with the Indians all
for glory, besides all this I was in doubts whether the Indians was ao much to
blame for what they had don and with all that has corn to light since I am still
of the same belief but there was not a few of the members but what wanted
noteriaty as cournals captains, &c
     Well the result of all was that the armey was raised and sent to fight the
Indians on their own ground, they suffered untold heardship hunger and cold and
lost som valuable lives without accomplishing anything more them killing a few
Indians and capturing som horses and createing a debt of six milions dolars
which was paid by the government but who got the money was never my privlage to
know. I could say more about this Indian war but it has long since passed away
and could be of no use as it would not agree with what has gon in to history and
it is not my purpose to write a history or to critisize what has been writen,
yet I do regret that there has not been a more faithfull and unbiast history
writen of the early settlement of Oregon--
 
page 1079
     The stand that I took in the legilator in relation to the Indian war was
not poplar but i have never regreted it for I prefered to enjoy the conciousness
that I was right to all the poularity that could have been gained by hypocricy
but enough of this--we made good progress in the way of makein a farm our catle
increased abundant we lived well enjoyed good helth and began to be happy with
an increase of twin children a boy and a girl they ware bom the 14th June 1847.
Casius and Alwilda the girl died Aug 29th 1848 Casius died Nov 6, 1858 Adrienna
was bom April 2th 1851 I have now mentioned all the berths and deaths of our
family
     About the first of August 1848 there was a small sailing vesel came in to
the Columba river and the Willamet to Oregon City. it was a misterious craft and
for a time was the occasion of much speculation as to what was its true
caracter, it was not concined to any one nor haled from no place and displayes
no flag, the editor of the little paper undertook to interview the comander but
found him very reticent even to insulting. the editor published the arival of
the misterious craft and recomended tying him up unless he gave some account of
himself, intimateing that he was a piret. In the mean time he was purchasing
flour and bacon loading his vesal when his purchases ware all made then he
opened the secret, he was from California the gold mines was discovered he had
letters and papers with full accounts of the mines he had a larg purs full of
the metal which he exebted so that all could see for themselves he went for the
editor in true sailor stile and gave him a round cursing concludeing with saying
I will depopulate your country, the addressing himself to the croud said corn
boys as many of you as can get on the ship I will take you in a few days whare
you can soon make your fortune, they did not wate for the second invitation, It
would be imposible to describe the panic that insued all buisiness was stoped
onley that of prepairing to go to the mines, fields of grain was left
unharvisted, as for my part I was abut don thrashing a fine crop of wheat and of
course I would go or it would not be like myself
     There was no settlements outside or beyond the Willamet valey at that time
and no road through to California, there had been cattle drove from California
some years before but it was necessary to have a guide for the first parties
that went over.
     It was thought to be dangerous on account of Indians but the people had
becom so used to Indians that they did not hesitate on that account, one company
went with wagons, but they had a hard time of it as for myself and party we had
no trouble with Indians or anything eice onley the heardship incident to such
trips We reached Suters fort in due time purchased supplyes and went to a place
south of the McCosmey whare we sloped a few days we found gold but no water
onley stagnet in pools it was so bad that we had to leave and go north to the
american river We fell in with a camp of Oregon people before we got to the
American river at a place now called plaserville. We stoped thare for a time two
of our party was sick with fevour, there was many sick people at that camp, the
water was scarce and bad, While we remained at that camp my son L. G. Rector who
had corn with a partie that was in advance of me came
 
page 1080
to our camp they had been on the ameriean river and gave a favourable account of
good mineing on the river bars whare the water was good and plenty I determined
to go thare at once as I valued my helfch far above gold and prevailed on my son
to go with me, accordingly we started alltno one of our sick inen was bairley
able to sit on his horse but he soon got well when we got to good water, we
sloped on the midle fork of american river as far up as it had been explored at
that time. the place was called Rectors bar but now called Yankey Jims--
     It was there I done the most of my mineing. it soon became necessary for
someone to go for provisions, the lot fell on me I went on foot to whare fulsom
now is. Our horses had been left at that place I had great trouble in geting
enough of them to pack the provisions that was required. finaly I got to the
imbarkadary with four horses had to keep them tied up without food while I
prepaired my packs I worked all one night in geting ready to start in the
morning. I hired a lazy ;iwkword Misurian to asist me on the journey he was some
help but. he eat nearly one horses load before we got to camp. It was not long
after this before it began to snow and did not stop until it was fourteen inches
deep. I then determind to leave the mountains and sold my intrust in thu
provisions to a party that came thare intending to say all winter. I took the
horses and my son went with me and got out of the mountains as fast as posible.
     these are onley a part of the hearciship and privations that I have endured
I mention it onley to show what can be indured and live when I think over what I
have indured I wonder that I am heare trying to write after passing my seventy
fift year, but I enjoy good helth notwithstanding all this.
     When we got to whare Sacramento city now stands they ware surveying and
stakeing off the city I was earnestly soUceted to join them in what they thought
one grand seem to get ritch quick without work. but I had set my hed for
property in Sanl'ranciseo but when I got thare I found there was no aecurety in
the titles or so it apeared to me I went to Saugos spent part of the winter
thare when I returned to Sanfrancisco I found the place full of Oregon people
all wanting to go home to Oregon, after som time we contracted with &om parties
to fit up an oald east India bark and take us to Oregon there was eighty seven
of us we gave one hundred dollars each makeing 8700 dollars when the ship could
have been bought for half the money and a cargo o-f lumber back would have paid
for hur four times over I often wonder at the stupidity of 87 men, Well just
before we was reaty to start governor Lane and his escort came on their way to
Oregon to orani'ze the teritorial government the wrights of ownership to the
country haveing been settled with English government--of  course we had to take
the govnor and his escort with us it made rather  a crouded ship and rough
scanty fair. the &hip was a slow sailer eight  days from Sanfrancisco to the
Columbia river five days on allowance of  water, then had a pull ourselves up
the river in row boats and canoos  the provisional legislator of 1849 had passed
a law authorizing the coining  of money in the name of the provisional
government as the gold dust was  not a eonveniant curency and besides that there
was but little eice, there
 
page 1081
had been several attempts made to coin the gold but all proved a failur. as soon
aa I was ianded at Oregon City I was employed to get up somthing that would put
the gold in a conveniant shape for use as money, with the ade of a good
blacksmith and a guage rest for turning Iron I got up an original eontriveance.
for coining money one of the mission ministers don the engraveing, the money was
not elegant up to the times, but equaly as good as the english coin of George
the thirds rein. I was well paid for this work and continued to work at it until
about the first of September 1849 when I determmd to go to the mines again, they
did not coinany more gold after I left
     I took three of my sons and two Indians so I had my own company without
going partners with any one. When I reached the mines again I was surprised to
find so many people. I had calculated on such a rush but not so aoon. I had
calculated one year for the news to get circulated in the states and another
year before the people would believe it but in all this I was much mistaken,
they were not onley from the US states but from England, Ostralia, Chile with
som from China notwithstanding the rush I was not iong in geting n good mineing
claim and went to work ali hands, but heare I made another grand mistake had I
built a cabin and calculated to stay and work the mine as long as it was
profitable it would have been the grandest move of my life, but there was
reasons why I dicinot do so. we believed the country to be deathly sickley for
so it seemed to be they ware sick and dicing all round us, but the some country
is now healthy, it is to be supposed that it was not the county but the maner of
living heardship want of constitution audent change of climate some or all of
these must have been the occasion of so much sickness and deaths, another reason
was that I had contracted with parties liveing at Napa to finish a saw mill in
the redwoods eight miles from Napa city on a small stream that onley furnished
water enough to saw dureing the winter rains, they ware to get a!l the material
ready before winter, when I was to go and finish the mill and run it as long as
the water lasted that winter, they ware to kebp the mill in logs and gave me
half the lumber. if they failed to keep the mill in logs they -ware to pay me as
much as the mill would have made for me while idle for want of logs. lumber was
heigh and likely to be much heigher before spring, and I thought it better to
pass the winter in this way them to try to winter in the mountains when the
raines set in we sold the dame and went to Napa. I was not long in geting the
mill going this was the heard winter of 1849 and 50 there was no lack of water
we soon sawed up the stock of logs on hand and all they ware able to furnish the
excess of rain had softened the ground so as to make it imposible to hall logs
or to hall the lumber to Napa alltho the price had got up to four hundred
dollars pur thousand if I could have got my lumber to Napa then it would
realized me at least twenty thousand dollars but before the lumber could be
hailed the great  fleat of shipin came in from the east with lumber and houses
allready built ready onley to be aet up this releaved the great demand for
lumber  so that before mine could get to market the price was down to forty
dollars  pur thousand.

page 1082
     As it was not possible to keep the mill in logs I proposed to take five
hundred dollars and quit which they readily agreed to do least I should hold
them to the contract. It was our intent to go to the mines again in the spring
but we began to teal reluctant about it and concluded to sell our horses and go
home as there was a ship up for Oregon to sail soon. So this ended my mineing in
California. We arrived at home all well then went to work and built a good house
Improved the farm. built a large house in Salem. built a sawmill on my farm
built the state house by contract for $15000.00. The country proved to be
healthy for sheap the flocks already in the country had increased so that it was
an object to utalize the place hither to they had onley been used for meat there
being no market for the wool. We got up a title company in the year 1856 to
build a small factory, there was no relyable water pour at Salem whare we wished
to build the factory. In order to have the factory at Salem we made a large
ditch from the Santam river so as to have the water at Salem by so doing we made
a good and relyable water pour. It was my lot to be detailed to the work of
makeing the ditch which was well ny completed ih one sumer. late in the fall I
went east to purchase machinery for the factory, at that time I had no practical
experiance in manufactorying concequently had to go slow after visiting several
faetorys observing the machinery they used, and otherwise ganing information. I
was fortunate enough to get everything right and of the best used at that time.
after which I went to Washington on buisiness conected with the building of the
State house which was settled satisfactory. I got some skilled help for the
factory and returned home. the machinery arrived in due time all safe the
factory was soon put in operation and eventuly proved to be a grand success. I
left the farm and moved to town fealing a greater intrust in the factory alltho
I had more invested in the farm but the factory was more congenial to my natural
mecanical disposition, again it afforded a beter oportunity to educate the
younger children with more advantage of society. The viseting committy of the
state agricultural society of California made a tour through Oregon in the sumer
of 1858 they ware surprised to find a woolen factory at Salem. they insisted
that we should send some of our goods to the fair ofering to pay all the cost of
trasportation and free pasage for myself, these very liberal offers induced me
to attend the fair with a liberal display of goods, which was the great
attraction, of the pavilion. Mr. John Center obtained from me information about
the buisiness whare the machinery was obtained what it cost in a word evrything
in relation to the factory, this gave rise to the building of the mision woolen
mill in Sanfrancisco. He lost no time in geting the same amount of machinery
from the same shop and started the mision woolen mill. which afterwrds grew to
great notoriety, I left the goods that was on exhibition with Mr. Crocker a
merchant in Sacramento city who sold them in short time and at good profits sent
me the money and ordered more goods,
     It was now very evident that our town was greatly in want of building
material. In order to supply this want I built a steam saw an plaining mill. not
that I thought of makeing it profitable for I had sawmill experi-

page 1083
ance enough before but being afflicted with more local patrotism them was good
for my personal benefit I built the mill and ran it greatly to the advantage of
the town without their thanks, but I lost nothing in the operation eventuly but
some time with a broken leg. About this time the masons established a lodg in
Salem. It seamed to me that evrybody belonged to som order or church and that I
had them all to fight in self defence, I could not join a church and be a
hipocrat and morgan had gave the masons a black eye, but so 'far as I knew they
ware an honourable people, besides it had stood the test of time and was likely
to continue to do so morgan to the contrary notwithstanding, I finely concluded
to send in my application which i did and asked for something to read that I
might get all the information the order wouid allow, they gave me a book I think
it was called the moniter I did not like it. the order seemed to have its origen
in a dark age of the world before they knew it was round or that there was cause
for evry effect that they see, but attribeted evry thing to som thing
supernatural, they marked men as we do cattle but no so visible, yet they could
tell to what tribe they belonged. It appeared to me that no great good thing
could corn from a people so destitute of the laws of nature or of government yet
I thought the masons ware rather a select order of men above the con-ion rable
and I would go in. In due time I was notified that I was accepted an the time
when I would be initiated then came warm greating from men of alltogether a
lower order them I had expected to be associated with, on that accound I
withdrew my application and have never regreted it alltho it may have been a
benefit but I have never been able to see it. I enjoy the coneilation that I am
a free man and expect to remain so while I am parmited to live.
     I must now say somtb'ng about politics alltho I never was much afflicted in
that way. but was allways oposed to the democrat partie. Oregon had becom a
state, consequently there was more them an ordinary intrust taken in elections,
the country was decidedly dimocratick under the teritorial government, but the
free soil movement in the eas and midle states was thining their ranks which
gave us incouragement to make an effort in Oregon, ailtho we ware scarce of
material to make a strong fight, the country being so strong democrat that no
able statesmen that had any aspirations had ventured to stop in the country. In
order to suply this want we induced Col. E. D. Baker to move from California to
Oregon prior to the canvas of 1860, with his asistance and a desperate effort we
caried the state for Lincoln and so much of the legislator as enabled us to get
Baker elected to the U S Senet, the democrats in Oregon ware not well posted in
the free soil movement in the States, they regarded it all abolision and that
lincon was their candidate concequietly they ware all rebels in favour of
secesion, there is no question but there was a movement on foot at one time to
bring about the sesesion of Oregon and California and to make confederates of
the Indians, the Indian affairs ware in the hands of the democrats they had it
in their pour to do anything 11-iey wished with the Indians. Som of the agents
did tell the Indians that our people was all at war and that their treatys was
not good ther would be no more anuitys paid to them that they could
 
page 1084
go and take the country that they sold. they felt the agencys and the Indians
with these impresions. som Indians did go back the the country that they had
sold clamed it as their own and turned their poneys in the wheat fields. Such
was the condition of thing in Oregon when a commision came to me for supt of
Indian affairs, it was not a very plesant position under the existing
circumstances there was no money and no agents and but small military force in
the country, I had the right to appoint agents and don so but could not get
money until my bond was sent to Washington, but there was som patriotick
merchants who did advance merchandice on the credit of the government to comply
in part with the treaty stipulations an satisfy the Indians that their treaty
was good and would be all paid soon. In this I was fortunate in geting all
the Indians back to their agency without any fighting or great expence to the
gov.
     When the conspiracy to secede the pasifick states was discovered and
checked in California the democrats in Oregon began to understand the situation
and many of them became good union men.
     Now that the money for the Indian service had come to hand no further
trouble anticipated I thought to move at ease but in this I was mistaken It had
allways been said and generally believed that the money apropriated for the
Indians had been used for other purposes to gane popularity, with an get to
heigher positions. I soon learned that there was som truth in what had been said
but haveing no aspirations in that way I was determined to do all the good in my
pour with the money and hoped to have the approval of all good men and be
sustained in this course but in this I was mistaken, whilest such a course would
be aproved in ordinary buisiness it would not do in politics. In order to be
better understood I will relate a case. The imployes on the grand rond agency
mistook their place and each and all of them conceived them seivs to be
government officers and all they had to do was to sign a voucher and draw the
money, they conspired to remove the agent and get one of themselves apointed
this trouble called me to the agency after an investigation I found the best
thing that could be don was to discharge all the farm imployes which I did and
then imployed an elderly man that I knew to be a good farmer with instructions
to imploy Indians as labourers knowing there was many of them good farm hands,
this proved to be a success, it cost less money and got more work don. the
result of which was a large surplus produced instid of a deflcency as had
allways been the case now this was all rong and well calculated to gane the
displesur of at least one county that had allways found the agency to be a
profitable market for their surplus produce James Nesmith (one of my
predecesors) in order to justify so large an expenditure of money anuly for
subsistance. reported the lands of the reservation baren steril and had defied
the skill of the best of farmers, now this was the way to gane popularity, it
disberced government money and harbered a lot of idle men at the agency with
nothing to do but sign vouchers and draw pay. Now it so hapned that Nesmith was
a U. S. Senator in Washington when I reported the abundant crops with a large
surplus demonstrateing the great firtility of the soil. of cours this was
 
page 1085
all rong in a political sence, the result of which was my removal, but I have
allways ben thankfull that Mr. Nesmith did not atact my caracter onley to say
that I was not the proper man for the place which was true in a political sence.
this may be called one of my mistakes but I have never regreted it or felt that
I was disgraced. But this was not the onley trouble that I had to contend with.
som of the agents managed to get a large portion of the money that I turned over
to them to cary out the treatys with the Indians but they allways had vouchers
to balance their accounts, when this came to my knowledg beyond a doubt I
interfered to stop this practise which was my sworen duty to do of course this
was all rong in accordance with all precedents and not to be tolerated. It made
me enemys instid of friends. I soon learned that no man could hold that office
and deal honestly with the government and all parties without haveing to take
much abuce, In fact I began to learn that ther was no more honesty in the Indian
department at Washington them there was in Oregone concequently I made no effort
to sustain myself prefering to be relieved rather them live so boistrous a life
and take the abuse concequent for a righteous corse of conduct
     I believe that our government has allways pursued a rong policy with the
natives, they have allways regarded them as a soveran pour and held treatys with
them as such, when in reality they never had any nationality above a patriarele
or tribel relation with harbrous laws and customs that afforded no protection to
life or property. In this condition they are asembled on reservations with an
agent of the government resident to cary out all the provisions of their
treaty--without any legal write to interfere with their own laws. There was a
case occured under my supervision that showes how hopeless it is to ever expect
to sivelize Indians acting under their own laws if they may be dignified as
such. The case is this there was several tribes or chiefdoms assembled on the
Silets reservation a chief killed an Indian belonging to another tribe, the
Indians settled the case by paying for the Indian killed the agent in charge
arested the chief and imposed on him a fine which was that the chief should cut
eighty cords of wood to which the chief demured. when i viseted the agency the
Indian brought his case before me and argued it substancily as folows
     I am chief I sold my country but did not sell myself or my people. I am not
a slave or a dog, I killed a doctor for the reason that he killed on of my men.
It is our law when a doctors hart gets bad and he uses his medicine (juglery) to
kill people that doctor must be killed, this was our fathers law and the law
that we live by. I paid six horses for the doctor His tribe is satisfied and
what right has Mr. -------- to make me cut eighty cords of wood. I wate for yu
answer.
     I felt in a close place, to disapprove of the agents action in presence of
the Indians would have been heighley improper and to meet the chiefs plain
logical statement with any show of reason justifying the agent was hard to do. I
onley questioned the pour of the doctor to kill anybody by his medicine said to
him that we used to believe in all such things but now we knew better and was
shamed to talk about it. but I would have a talk with the agent about it I did
talk with the agent and questned his
 
page 1086
right to punish any Indian witli laws of his own make, cut cord wood for murder,
but he had an eye to buisiness. there was a garison of solgers thare and he had
a contract to furnish it with a certain number of cords of wood which he made
the Indians do by imposeing fines on them for all maner of offences that was not
his buisiness I could say may things against the polssy of the government in
dealing with the Indians even if it was honestly caried out it would seein that
it has been tried long enough to convince anyone that they must be delt with in
a very deferent way if the great object is ever atained of sivelizeing them,
they must be subjugated and brought under our government before there is any
hope of sivelization, we treat with them as a soveran pour alowing them to live
under their own barbrous laws which they have the rig-ht to do, any attempt to
cored or punish them for crimes comitecl amongst them selves is the signal for
trouble, but if the present policy is onley for the purpose of disburceing
government money to sustain the political party in pour I dont know that it can
be improved. But as I am not writing a history there is enough said allreariy on
the subgeet of Indian affairs, alltho my personal knowiedg of the Indian
caractor and my experiance in the service of the Indian department would enable
me to say much more on the subject.
     In the winter of 1864 there was a few men (ardent friends of the rebelion)
bought up the stock of the manufactoring company so as to get the controleing
intrust with the view of holding the ofices and sharing all the precedes as
salerys amongst themselves. I owned one tenth of the stock but soon see that I
was not to have a salry or dividend but I was likely to be a troublesom stock
holder so they bought my stock at a good figur I was now out of buisness and had
the most of my effects in money. It was necessary for me to go to Washington to
settle my accounts with the Indian departments now this was about the darkest
time in the rebelion the govement credit was very low. I was at a loss to know
what to do for the best as nothing seemed to be safe I went to the new england
states and spent the most of my time in the manufactoring towns, ther was great
distress amongst the manufactorers for want uf material to work on and no
certain value in the money and more loud mouthed rebels thare them I had found
anywhare eice. all of which was truly discourageing to me. I thought that if
that section of the country had and tolerated such a rebel yperit amongst them
it was surely a hopeless case for the union, and in the event of a disalution of
the states that the pasifick states would be likely to go off to themselves--Now
I was aware of the fact that the legislator of California had pased some laws to
encourage the cultivation of cotton and the mamifaetoring of coton goods, many
of the factories ware puting out good cotton machinery to make room for working
wool. the machinery was for sale at extremely low rates, ao I finely concluded
to buy cotton machinery and start a factory in California knowing that cotton
could be had in Mexico in the event it could not be grown in California, with
this view I puchased all the necessary machinery to constitute a cotton factory
of thirty two looms and shiped it to California whare it arrived in safety in
the spring of 1865. In the
 
page 1087
mean time I went to Mexico whare coton was grown and made conditions by which I
could get coton to run the factory and preceded to erect the building to receive
the machinery. I had all along calculated on my interprise or adventure meeting
with the hearty approval and incouragement of the capital and buisiness men
generaly. but in this I was mistaken my interprise was regarded rather as an
intrusion, they prefered to send their gold to the east and sell it for curcncy
to buy goods with to be sold again for gold the state rebeled against the legal
curency of the government and passed a contract law which law was sustained by
the courts all of which was don by the moneyed intrust of the city of
Sanfrancisco greatly to the detriment of the best intrusts of the state, it made
som milioners but it was death to evry industry that came in the way of the
import trade, had the state of California adopted the national curency insted of
rebeliously rejecting it. there is no doubt but the population would have
greatly increased and many industral institutions would have been started and
prospered Insted of this desirable state of affairs, the population decreased it
not in number it surely has in the class of industrous people that go to make a
prosperous country, the state has ever since been aflicted with worthies tramps
hunting somthing to do but there is nothing doing to gave imployment to those
that would work, the result of all this bad state policy has been to nil the
state prison with crimnels and taxing the people to support them in idleness
least they should manufactor somthing that would come in competision with the
import trade the results of this mistaken policy has been to build up som
milioners in haste and depress the general prosperity of the state at large, the
welth of the few enabled them to grab all the best land on speculation and hold
it at so heigh a price as to exclude those that would have improved and
cultivated it. the more adventurous have purchased land at exorbitant prices on
time with intrust, but few of them ware ever able to pay the debt and intrust
ginaly have to lose ther time and labour of improveing the land, this state of
things has kept back the beter class of emigration and discouraged those that
are hear now, it is difieult to concieve the ammount of damage the currency law
has been to the state. It was the creator of the monoplys that is now aquezeing
the life blood ouf of the people and diminishing the population by thousands as
the election of 1882 shows beyond dispute, alltho California as a state in point
of resorces is superior to any other state and would soon be the weltheyes
amongst hur sisters if it ware released from the grasping monoplyes, we know
that money has the pour and it will be used as long as there is oportunitys to
do so, I dont conden the capital we would all do the same thing if we ware in
their place. I condem the laws that had much to do with makeing the way easy to
monoply. But to return to my narative. myself and three of my sons put our
factory in operation as soon as posible there was some coton raised in
California. Which we son worked up and then got our cotton from Mexico there
being no duty or raw or unmanufactored coton, our goods ware well suited to the
demand for home use, but it was dificult to get it in the market for the reason
that it would be in the way of the importers owing to the curency trafick before
mention what
 
page 1088
ever kind of goods we made the trade would run down on to such ruinous rates
that we would be compelled to try somthing eice finaly they got a heavy duty on
raw unmanufactored coton, that shut of our suply of Mexican coton we then
applyed for parmision to import coton in the seed as it was evidently not the
colon of comerce as contemplated in the law but this was refused. We then
brought our suplyes from New York and fought for our existance near four years
when it became evident that it was useless to strive against so pourfull a money
intrust. We had resorted to the aitenative of makeing our goods up in flour
sacks but that met the same strong oposition, finaly I thought of changeing the
buisiness from cotton to jute and make grain sacks which was in good demand and
likely to increase as the product and expoart nf wheat was rapidly increasing.
but to do this it. required more money them we had. our capital was well ny
exausted in the cotton buisiness but not entirely so. it has allways been my
policy in alt my adventures never to go beyond my means so as to do ingery to
credtbrs. I approached som capitalists but they did not seam to be willing to do
any thing without quicker returnes such was the active use for capital. I then
thought of soliseting the wheat growers to take stock and to that end got
circlers printed showing what it would cost to make the jute bags that they ware
payeing fifteen to eighteen cts for, before I had time to gave circulation to
the circulars one of the bag importers got holt of it and gave me som repemends
for publishing so much of a buisiness that should not be made publick. I
informed him that i expected to get the stock taken by farmers he opposed this
vehemently and proposed to look in to the buisiness himself which he did and
with the association of others they took the stock, the company was then
properly organized to start on rather a small scale, the machinery for spining
jute was onley to be had in england. I was assigned to that task with
instructions to take time enough to gane all the information that was poKible in
relation to the buisiness. I started for England in April 1868 by way of panima
and N York I went to the New England. state before going to England for the
purpose of learning something about weaving the seamless sack. Wile thare I see
a steamer avertised to sale from Quebeck for Liverpool by way of London dary on
the north of Ireland, the fair was 80 dollars includeing the R. R. Fair to
Quebeck. I took the offer and was pleased with to oportunity of seeing the
country and the oald historick town I had one day to spar in the oald town so I
hired a guide to hall me all day and show all the oald battle grounds and all
that I had red about and wanted to see. it was a day of great intrust to me
alltho it was cold with occasinal shours of rain (mist) I have to say Quebeck is
the poarest an forione place that I had ever see. the same may be said of most
of the country on the way to Quebeck it was one day and night R, R. from Boston
what sort of country we passed through in the night I dont know but have no
reason to suppose it any better them what I see by day. The vouas'e from Qusbcck
to Liverpool was good and very interesting, the ship wa.s not crouded with
pasangers and the acomodationa ware good after passing out of the gulf of St
Lorance and along the coast of Newfoundland we soon came to the ice, it was
father
 
page 1089
south them comon so said the captan of the vesel much so that the ship was
comelled to go off the cource farther south but kept in sight of the ice all the
time they called it field ice. it looked like a vast prairie covered with snow
oecasionly mounds standing in it, these ware ice bergs, this cenery lasted
several days the ship was so near it at som places that we could see the waves
lash against the perpendickler wall of clear ice. it seemed to be 12 or 15 feet
thick above the level of the sea and boundless in extent, we passed several ice
bergs that was south of us in the open see they looked just like mountains on
land covered with snow with deep ravines down the sides, the ship kept at a
respectifut distance from them. I was impressed -with the belief that they was
of eternal existance as the mountains of land and rock, it dont seem possible
that imence bodys of ice could ever thaw, the air was cold for miles away from
them, after passing the ice the climate was mild and plesant, the ship ancored
at Londondary on the north of Ireland and discharged freight and passengers,
then through the north chanel and the Irish sea to Liverpool, landed in a
misting rain much like Oregon, I soon fell in with an American that proved to be
southerner who had been an oficer in the confederate army. he was a young man
evidently of good breeding and proved to be of intrust to me alltho I son let
him know that I was a friend to the union, this did not seem to displease him in
the least for he soon became very comunicative and gave me very interesting
account of the Balls bluff affair whare Baker was killed, he sad it was a trap
laid for baker and intimated very plain that it was a consperisy to get rid of
him, I have sorely regreted that I did not interview him farther, but it
awakened such thoughts that I was dum and onley alowed him to tell what he
volentered, he was in a condition to tell all he knew for he was disguested with
the war haveing been several times sevearly wounded and expected to die soon, he
said he could not get well at home and could not die so his friends had sent him
abroad to see what effect travle would have on him, I onley remained one day at
Liverpool or I would have been likely to have learned more about the Balls bluff
affair-- I went to Manchester and met with Mr. Leopold Hayneman to whom I was
consigned by letter. I foun Mr. Heyneman a very agreeable gentleman wo devoted
several days of his time with me in manehester went with me to Leeds after
visefcing the machine shops geting estimates on the machinery that I wanted re
returned to machester. there was no jute manufactory in Leeds I wanted to get
som knowledg of the practical work before ordering the machinery for that
purpose I went to Dundee in Scotland. I had to spend some time thare before I
could gane admitance in to any of the factories, but finaly did succeed to my
entire satisfaction, their factory buildings ware very heigh, the oald scotch
stile, it soon oeured to me that it was not appropreate for handling such an
amount of heavy material I made som remarks to that efect which was radily
admited after som explanation they informed me that there was some new factories
in London built intirely on a diferent plan that was said to obviate much of the
in conveniance and labour that they had in their tall buildings, this was one of
the inducement that caused me to go to London as well as to gratify my own
 
page 1090
curiosity, I took the road that went by Edenburg, I spent one day in that
historick place with one of the official guides at my servac of couree one day
was not sufficient to see and learn much of that wanderfull quaint oald town
that Bums sang so much about. I have often regreted that I had not taried
longer. I was greatly interested in vistin the oald castle of quean mary, it
stands on the top of a hill that is perpendicular on one side the building
stands even with the perpindicular clift or side of the hill. I was showen the
window that the infant king James was passed out ov in a basket with a rop
attached and let down the perpendickler side from whare he was taken out of
reach of those that saut his life, the oald canon stands to guard the front or
rather the approachable side The gun is a wonderful curiosity in its self, it is
made of large bars of Iron joined togather after the maner of makein cooper work
with strong iron bands shrunk on it, a pile of round bolder lay by it intended
to be used as shot. the gun is bursted I think the guide said it had never been
fired but once. These things about the Castle so absorbed me that I could onley
see other thing but dimley in spite of any effort that I could make my mind
would go back to the dark and troublesom times when these things ware enacted,
but why should I attempt to write about Edenburg there is so much history as
well as moderan visetors has wrote of the place, but I will say that to know
anything about Edenburg you must see it--I should have said more about Dundee It
is a very diferent kind of a place being a manufactoring town all most
exclusively its numerous places of industry seems to occupy allmost the intire
population dureing work hours. The streets are allmost clear of anything like a
comersial city but as soon as work hours are over the streets and sidewalks are
alive with people the trafick and shoping seemes to be don in the after part of
the day. in a word Dundee is truly a model of industry--The general appearance
of the country round and about the city reminded me very much of places I have
see in Oregon The fir timber and nearly all the native srubery is identicaly the
same so far as I was able to see. A conversation I had expressed a desire to see
ancent things such as had become historick. to obliged me a party of jute
manufaetorers took me for a days ride in the suburbs and surounding country it
was truly a day of intrust to me, one of spacial intrust was an oald steam engin
that had been built by Watt and Smeton over one hundred years old. it had been
out of use many years but was taken good care of as a presious relick. I will
not attempt to discribe it but can say that it was very rude but the principal
was thare and all the wonderfull improvements in the steam engine since that one
was built is nothing to be compaired with the first origination by Watt.
     The partie took me to see the Kings tomb (as they called it) I don't know
if there is any history for it or whether it is only tradition but the story was
related that when the danes invaded Scotland they war met near their landing on
the shore of the german ocean, a great batle was faught in which the danes ware
defeated with the death of their king. there is a round eolum of stone planted
to mark the place whare the king fell in batle, this was within an large
inclosure of woods land belonging
 
page 1091
to a rick gentlman and kept exclusively for game We encountered the game keeper
before we got to the kings toom. he was armed and dressed in som outlandish
uniform that made me think of Roderick Dhu, he accosted us rudely demanded us to
take the rod we corn after some parley my friends drew a botle of whiskey on him
he surendered and alowed us to go on to the kings tomb with the express
injunction that we keep out of the woods least we scar the fesents from their
nests as it was breeding time with them. We did not see any phesants or game of
any kind. I could not help thinking how rong it was for so much land and timber
to be held from the use and necessarys of life by one man onley to gratify his
idle plesure.
     I went direct from edenburg to manchester then to London whare I spent one
week onley I did see the new stile of buildings for gute factories and thought
well of them and see som of the great city but it would have required more time
them i had to spair to see much of it had to content my self with viseting som
of the most remarkable places of intrust, first of all was the oald historick
tour I was not pleased with the maner of the guide he hureyed us through and
rattled of his harangue without gaveing time onley to glance at things as we
passed along alltho there was much to be seen. there was no opertunity to ask
questions we had to be content with what he had to tell and that was clatered
over so fast as scarsely to be understood but not withstanding the limeted time
and want of deliberate conversation it was a few hours of great intrust to me,
there is a vast colection of ancient things such as war impliments, relicks of
ancient and barborous times, the building its self is a curiosity it is very
rude, but strong enough appearantly to stand as long as the mountains, there is
a place of reception for visetors to the tour out eide of the grounds whare the
tour stand, when there is sufficient number of visetors colected one of the
guides will conduct them through the tour and back to whare you start from. I
dont know how many of these guides it requires I saw three one set we see in the
tour and met another as we came out, they seem to have som order to prevent
getting two great a croud at any one place, If the place is continualy viseted
as it was on that day it is the gratest money makeing place in the world.
     I went through the fish market (bilingsgate) but did not stop long, the
people ware rough and noisey had a bad oder so I passed out without observing
much or learning any more of the language called Bilingsgate. I spent a litle
time in the house of Lords but it did not interest me. the deliverations ware
conducted in the same maner of our congress or legislators. the subject under
concideration did not seem to be of much importance concequently no excitement.
I made a viset to the cristal palace which is som distance from the city on an
eminance this is another great place of resort and of course a great money
catching institution, the day that i viseted it was on no particular occasion,
but the great number of people thare and constantly coming and going was
wonderful!, thare is much of intrust to be seen. it is one great show evry thing
ancient or remarkable that the world afords is to be seen thare, the colections
from egypt atracted me most of all amongst which there was two of the great
stone phinx so large that the wonder is how they ware brought from egypt and
placed in england, they ware apearently soled stone without a
 
page 1092
flaw, black and shineing as polished metal indicating hardness that defied any
maring by vandalism or time.
     Next I viseted west minster abby whare the elusterous ded are comemoratcd
but a description of this place by me woud not be of intrust as it has been so
ably writen up by many authors I can onley say that the reflections it ocasions
adds to the solemnity of the place and makes one rather see liveing things of
intrust, the ded they so much honour ware onley men and wimen like our selves,
but creaturs of circumstances may of them without merit. London being the great
city of the world all the world goes to see it and pays for it, that is one of
the reasons of its great welth, thare is but little of the industries to be
seen, all seemed to be trafick, but I have to say that London is the most
orderly city that I was ever in, there is not such a display of hotels as there
is in the United States, they afford all the requirements necessary for comfort
which I was pleased with and do think we in this country have over don the hotel
buisiness so as to rather be annoying them a place for rest and refreshment, but
this is non of my buismess.
     There is a number of small steam boats on the river they are very small and
handy stop and start alirnost as quick as a team. they are a great convenience
goeing up and down the river on both sides stoping at frequent places put off
and take on pasengers doing the buisiness of city hacks, all for a few peneys, I
would have enjoyed the viset much beter if I had not been all alone as it
seamed, amongst a wurtd of strangers I realy felt lonesom. I was foolish enough
to go to the top of Sainfc Palls church all a loan and could not get a view of
the city for it seemed to be eveloped in smoke, one afternoon I see that a
celebrated actor was to apear at the queens theater in the rol of Shylock in the
Merchant of venas. I determined at once to go and see the play whare it first
apered on the stage. I called a hackman and directed him to take me to the
Queans theatre, it was a long drive and very interesting there was much to see
on the way and the play was good, When I came out of the theator evything was
light as day, the fine display of the shops and show windows atracted me to walk
for a time knowing that I could get conveyance when- ever i wanted, I did not
know if I was going in the direction of my hotel or not so I inquired of a
poleace man and found that was not far rong he was very polite and directed me
in a sencible way insted of nameing the street as it our custom, he would say go
so many turns then turn to the left or right as the case ma be go so many turns
then turn again then inquire again this way very conveniant the seanery
continued grand and T continued to walk and inquire until I got to my hotel,
this night walk waa very interesting in which I learned something of the good
order of the city. I can say so far aa that locality is concerned it is the most
orderal citty that I have see.
     now that I was don with London and my buisiness all don and a ship to sail
from iiverpool I bid good by to the great city an turn my face hoamword, the
voyage was good no incident worth mentioning but saw
 
page 1093
great Iceberg to brake the monotony of a sea voyage I will relate- one little
ocurrance that i will not forget, The sip ancored of Queans town Ireiand I went
on shore just to see Ireland and such a sean i never witnessed before, the
streat was literacy jamed with the most squalid retehey that ever I see before
mostly wimen all beging at the top of their voice it made one infurnal din. one
word could be distinctly hear that was the lord will bless you. the poiice don
ali they could to keep them of us so that we got to the hotel whare they are not
corn in, the hotel was kept by wimen well up in blarney. We all took Irish
whiskey I took a cigar and set from the table smokeing. Just before we left one
of the wimen presented me with a nice boca i.n a very corteous maner as folows
Will the nobk general grant exept this humble token of a poar Irish womans
regards. I replyed that I was no general grant but she insisted that she knew I
waa for she had my picture, this raised the laugh on me the busy was biding for
a soveren so I went by name of general the rest of the voyage. I liked the
regulations on the atlantiek much beter them the panamo and pasinck in one
partickler spacily they pay their stuards and all servants insted of alowing
them to bum their pay off the passangers -winch is one intolerable nuisence that
has to be indured-
     On my arivie at home I set about prepairing for the jute machinery which
arrived in due time, the machinery was in large cases and very heavy, my
position was that of superintendant and as such I made arrangements to have the
machinery unloded from the ship on to a large lumber scow that was ample to cary
it all in sat'ty cross the bay to the factory building, but the president of the
company thought he was the proper man to attend to that buisiness and had the
machinery onloaded at the city and put in warehouse at heavy cost, on account of
the larg cases and great weight, then had it again hailed to warf and loaded on
a small schooner of thirty tons burthen, there was 110 tons of the machinery
which would have made three loads but they put 60 tons on at once all deck load
the cases being two large to go in the hold. they sailed out to mid way of the
bay and capsized the boat leaveing the entire load sunk in 60 foot water. I
never could look on the transaction in any other light them a wicked designe
with intent to defeat the interprise, the oposition that I met with in attemting
to manul'actor colon goods would allmost warrent the belief that the, man was
paid to sink the machinery in the bay, It may seem strang to persons not
acquainted with the conditions existing at that time that there should be such
oposition to any manufactoring being done on this cost. but som explanation will
make it plane, the government had isued a large amount of paper money making it
a legal tender, the deiars in money made gold and silver a comodity to be bought
and sold regarding it as haveing an intrinsick worth, whilest the paper money
was onley worth what confidence they had in the government which went sometimes
as low as forty cents to the dollar now there was plenty of gold coin on this
cost so the bankers and merchants managed to get a law passed called the
spesifick contract law. All note bills and accounts ware specified payable in
gold coin this constituted the contract which the courtes decided could not be
paid in eurency. and trans-
 
page 1094
acted all buisiness under that law on a gold bases, the merchant sold his goods
for gold then sold the gold for curency in the east to buy goods with, the
bankers made the same use of their gold in exchange, this was a bad thing for
California as a state but it made milioners of a few while the industry of the
state suffered in proportion, nothing could be manufactored to profit that could
be brought from the east, and no capital would corn hear with his national
curency to invest in anything by which the state would be benefited as well as
himself, this state of affairs gave a deth blo to the prosperity of the state
that will require many years to recover, it was a great rong but who is to
blame, when to take a philosophical view of the whole affair I don't know that
anyone ia to blame. man is onley mortal and his strongest instincts is self
preservation and aggrandisement, they made milions and milions made pour an
control over milions that toil for them. it seems rong but it was the condition
of government that made the oportunity and men in condition to avale themselves
of it has onley acted as nature laws seem to dictate, the sivel war was the
ocasion for isueing paper money on the credit of the government and declar it a
legal tender.
     But to return to my narative, when the machinery was sunk in the bay I gave
up all hope of succeeding with the jute factory, haveing no available means to
pay the necessary assessments to cary on the proposed interprise, therefore I
was rather compelled to fall back on my native reaorces, hapily I enjoyed good
helth alltho avanced in years I was allso advanced in the knowledge of the
condition of affairs in the county at that time. I had lost nothing of my
mecanical skill so I relyed on that and went to work again with a will. by so
doing I soon provide the means of obtaining a comfortable liveing which I am
content with. Now this is about all the events of my checkered life up to the
present time. I will be readily seen that it has been a life of two much rash
adventure to warant success in the accumulation of welth and two much relyance
on produceing welth without obtaining it from those who had allready produced it
by labour, but with that I have nothing to regrett.
 
 
Transcriber's additional notes:
The following obituary was contributed by Robyn, the 4th great grandchild of
William H. Rector.
 
 
Daily Republican
25 Feb 1890
p. 4, col. 3
 
IN MEMORIAM
 
Wm. H. Rector was among the early pioneers to Oregon. He came ãfull handed,ä as
the saying was current, from his old Kentucky home, and settled in Salem. He was
among the sturdiest of the settlers. In the Territorial period he was prominent
and took active part in politics. At his house the meetings and caucuses of the
Whigs were held. He was a firm party man, but always a kindly neighbor, and his
bounty was as free as his generous hospitality. ãUncle Billy Rectorä as he was
familiarly and fondly known, was as popular among Democrats, even in high and
turbulent party times, as with the members of his own party. He never sought
office, still office was thrust upon him. President Lincoln appointed him to the
only office he ever consented to take. It was to the charge of the Indian
Department. He faithfully fulfilled the duties of the station and retired. He
was a man of enterprise and energy. He came to California and projected a cotton
mill÷the first in the State. It failed for lack of support. Not discouraged he
embarked in the manufacture of jute goods÷grain bags and the like. His adventure
encountered something worse than failure÷it was purposely wrecked by parties in
whom he placed confidence, but whose interests were improved by the wrecking.
Tired of encountering this kind of antagonism to enterprise, Mr. Rector made his
home in Sonoma county, in the Mark West district. There he held his residence,
as miller and as farmer. Rectorâs flour was choice in the market during his
milling. ãUncle Billy Rectorä was esteemed by all who knew him. A good neighbor,
a genial man of the olden school, one of Natureâs gentlemen, and, as the saying
goes, as honest as the day is long. The old patriot and patriarch has gone to
render the clean account of the record of his long life, beyond four score, as
one of pure heart and of straight ways only can. He lived honored. Dead he is
mourned. His aged wife survives. He has left bereaved also sons and daughters.
There is not a blot upon the family. In this his life was happy and his going
the content of that advanced age which takes from death its sting. Peace to the
ashes of W. H. Rector.

 
*******************

Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in April 2008 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.