Gaston, Joseph. "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912." Vol. 2. Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 924. MRS. RHODA JOHNSON The women who assisted in conquering the wilds of Oregon will always be regarded as belonging to a remarkable race. Many of them have passed to their reward but others are still living and among the latter should De named Mrs. Rhoda Johnson, of Tillamook county. She was born in Peoria county, Illinois, in 1844, a daughter of James and Annie (Pitzer) Quick, the former of whom was born in 1817, a native of Shenandoah county, Virginia and the latter of Ohio. The parents were married in the Buckeye state and subsequently removed to Illinois. Having heard of the advantages of the northwest and the rich lands open for settlement, they started for Oregon in 1851, but after having advanced several hundred miles on the overland trail lost their oxen. Mr. Quick was not a man to be easily discouraged and accordingly he returned with his family to Iowa and outfitted once more for the long and tiresome journey. In the spring of 1852 he again started on the trail and arrived in Marion county, Oregon, on the 14th of September following. In October, 1853, he came with his family to Tillamook county and located a donation claim of six hundred and twenty acres, there being only three claims of this size ever taken up in the county. He built the first road in Tillamook county and also was the builder of two boats, one of which was named the Champion in honor of Joe Champion and the other Ellen in honor of one of Mr. Quick's daughters. This worthy pioneer died on December 28, 1892, his wife being called away when she was sixty-six years old. Of nine children in the family four survive, namely: William W., who is now sixty-nine years of age and makes his home at Tillamook; Rhoda, of this review; Martha Ellen, who married James F. Sanders, of Milwaukie, Oregon, and Nellie, who is the wife of W. S. Stinson, of Portland. At the age of eight years Rhoda Quick, now Mrs. Johnson, crossed the plains with her parents and she has ever since made her home in Oregon. She was educated in the public schools and grew to womanhood under the parental roof. In 1861 she was married to William Johnson, who was born in Canada. He came to Oregon in 1851 and gained a position as one of the successful farmers of Tillamook county. There were seven children in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson: Lewis, who is now living in this county; Henrietta, who first married Benjamin Higginbotham, and after his demise, Marston Bush, and has three children; Jessie, the wife of John Emblum, also of this county; Edmund C., who died at the age of twenty-one; Eva, who is the wife of W. H. Leach, of Tillamook county; Thomas P., of Tillamook; and Lottie, who married James Hunt, of this county. Mrs. Johnson is the owner of a homestead of one hundred and seventy-four acres seven and one-half miles from Tillamook on the Trask river but has given the remainder of the family estate to her children. She is living with her daughter Mrs. Hunt and as one of the pioneer residents of the county is greatly honored wherever she is known. She has ever been loyal to her family and her friends and can look back on a long life, in the course of which she has been instrumental many times in lightening the burdens of those with whom she associated. She is of a generous and kindly spirit and is a worthy representative of the pioneers whose descendants are ably carrying forward the work so well begun by their noble ancestors. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2008 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.