Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 1015.
 
IVON D. APPLEGATE

     The name Applegate is indissoluble from the history of Oregon.  No mention
of the early history of this state to any extend can be made without including
the labors of different member of this leading family. It is our purpose to deal
particularly with the gentleman whose name stands at the head of this article
and had we the full data, it would be very interesting to mention more fully
regarding the other members of the family as well.
     Ivon D. Applegate was born on January 25, 1840, in St. Clair county,
Missouri. His father, Lindsay Applegate, was a native of this county and married
Elizabeth Miller. As early as 1822, he settled in Missouri and there was
married.  In 1843 he crossed the plains and settled in the Willamette valley,
Oregon. The history of that most wonderful trip in which these brave pioneers
with their families wended their way through the unbroken regions of deserts and
mountains, beset with wild animals and wilder men, forms an epoch in the history
of this great country and Lindsay Applegate with his brothers took a very
prominent part along with Dr. Whitman. They were men composed of the right
material for such an enterprise as a calm review of their acts indicate and
their subsequent lives prove. A limited account of that journey would fill a
volume in itself and has been mentioned in other portions of this publication.
In. due time, Mr. Applegate readied the Willamette valley and with his brothers,
settled near what is now Dallas, in Polk county, being among the very first
settlers there. From this time, until Oregon assumed proportions of a prosperous
territory, the Applegates were moving spirits in assisting emigration, in
opening up the country, in fighting the savages and in all movements for the
general good of the people. Their efforts were not confined to any local section
but were as broad as the state itself and their influence was always for the
good. Lindsay Applegate and his brother, Jesse, located, the south road through
the Tule lake country to the Willamette valley in 1846. Thus they were among the
first pioneers of what is now Klamath county. In 1861, Lindsay Applegate was
captain of the volunteers and he came through this vicinity again. Our subject
was with him at that time and was appointed Indian agent and helped to establish
the Indian reservation. The father died in 1891, aged eighty-three, Swan lake
being the place of his demise. Our subject was with his parents on their
memorable trip across the plains and lived with them in Polk county and received
his education from home training and the primitive schools of the country and in
1850, went with them to Douglas county. In 1859 they journeyed to Jackson county
and in 1862, he enlisted in the militia as captain. In 1864, he was appointed
recruiting officer, by Governor A. C. Gibbs and stationed at Eugene. In 1868, he
was appointed by Superintendent Huntington in charge of the commissary in the
Indian department of the state. While in this position, he acted as interpreter
of the Snake Indians and took charge of that trip, bringing them to the
reservation. He established Yirnax agency in 1869.  In 1870, he settled in Swan
lake valley and laid aside public duties, preferring to devote himself to stock
raising. The next year, however, he received a special appointment from the
government as special representative to the Modoc, Indian camp on Lost river and
while in this capacity participated in the first battle of the Lava Beds, one of
the first battles in the western Indian warfare. The personal bravery of Mr.
Applegate is shown in that he went with six men in the very heat of danger to
secure the bodies of some citizens who had been slain. He was a man who knew no
fear and owing to this was most successful in handling the savages for the
government, which has resulted in untold good to the pioneers. Mr. Applegate was
among the very first settlers in this county, and has done a lion's share in
developing it and stimulating others to worthy effort. In addition to his
estate, he has a fine residence in Klamath Falls where he is making his home at
the present time.
      On July 14, 1871, in Jackson county, Mr. Applegate married Miss Margaret
Hutchinson, a native of Pennsylvania and the daughter of Richard and Anna
Armstrong Hutchinson. Mrs. Applegate came west in 1869. To this marriage, five
children have been born, Alice A., who graduated from the state normal school at
Monmouth and has been retained as a member of the faculty in the training
department, and later was transferred to the Ashland normal as principal in one
department, afterward was principal of the Klamath Falls public school and is
now assistant principal of the Klamath Falls high school; Ada F., deceased, who
was the wife of J. G. Pierce and was also a graduate of the state normal school;
Moray Lindsay, who graduated from the state normal school at Monmouth in 1896.
Following that he matriculated in the state university at Eugene and in 1898
enlisted in the Second Oregon Volunteers and served eighteen months in the
Philippine wars. He was with Company C and participated in the principal
campaign in that conflict. From the fourth of February until the following June
he was in almost constant fighting and in 1898, he returned to the university
and graduated with honors in 1900. In the fall of that year, he returned to
Manila and was appointed assistant to the Superintendent of Public Instruction
in that city. He continued in that capacity until 1902, then was with the
ethnological survey. After that, he was collector for the Philippine exposition
for the world's fair exhibit and directed that work until everything was
completed for the exhibit. Later, he returned to Klamath county and now expects
in the near future to enter the stock business with his father. Lena L. was
educated at the state university and is now the wife of Dr. Hargis of Klamath
Falls. Jessie is still at home.
     Mr. and Mrs. Applegate are leading people in Klamath. county and as stated
before, the Applegates are leading people in the state of Oregon. Our subject is
a man of unquestioned integrity whose life has shown forth self sacrifice and
uprightness and whose labors have been most excellent in bringing about the
development of the county and the state of Oregon. He has been a great
benefactor to his fellow men and receives what is right, a most generous
compensation in esteem, respect and love.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in May 2011 by Diana Smith.  Submitter has
no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.