The Klickitat County Agriculturist, Goldendale, WA., June 17, 1932, page 2

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES: COLUMBUS AND VICINITY

     An historical article on "Childhood Memories of Town of Columbus and Vicinity," by Nellie and Nanna McCann, was read at the Klickitat Valley Pioneers' association meeting held at Goldendale June 4th. As the article is of value to all of our citizens of the present day, the association requested its publication in the Agri.
     We came to Columbus April 12, 1866. The peach trees were all in bloom on the flat where the town is and on the bench above the bluff. The "fire canoe" as the Indians called the steamboat, had gone from the river when the O.R. & N. Ry. was built on the other side of the river. There still remained in the town and vicinity some of the early pioneers. Some who helped load wood on the steamboat, some who helped in the railroad construction and some of the early settlers of Klickitat Valley.
     Pioneer days were over when we came but by associations with the people who lived in Columbus, we felt the spirit of those days. This is the way Columbus looked to us the first few years we were here and the people living here then, and the things they told us.
     There were two ferries crossing the river. One where the present is, and one from the Hicenbotham place to Biggs, Oregon.
     We crossed the river from Grants, Oregon. We cannot recall who owned the ferry at that time, but I think Mr. James Leverett was one of the owners. The ferry consisted of a small steam tug, "Nellie", and a flat-bottomed scow with a sail mast. When windy they crossed with a sail. There were several buildings here and we were told the first settlement and store was here. The house where Mr. Shane lives was remodeled from a house Mr. H.P. Trask built. He owned the ferry before we came. East of the Trask house was a small house where some of the ferrymen lived. Across the bridge was a large store and warehouse building where John Presby and Tom Johnson had a store. Mr. Johnson sold out to Mr. Presby and established a store in Goldendale. West of the store building where the house Mr. Leverett built and was living in is now the Daniel Gunkle home. West of this was a small house, known as the Nag's house.
    The wagon-road from the ferry to Columbus went down the river beach and the road to Goldendale up the canyon.
     Rev. W.T. Jordan's orchard was owned by John Presby, "Uncle John" as he was known to everyone. He laid out and planted the orchard about 1880. The land was a portion of a pre-emption claim deeded to Uncle Amos Stark, April 1, 1865. It was granted and signed by Abraham Lincoln, President of the U.S. We were shown this deed by Mrs. Ida Sanders, a niece.
     The Presby orchard as it was known, was one of the largest orchards around here at that time. Mr. Presby lived in the house now occupied by Dufur Cooper and family. Just back of the Presby house was another house facing their river occupied by Mr. Crawford and family. He worked in the orchard. This house was destroyed by fire many years ago. Where Mr. Jordan's house is, was where the box house stood. The boxes were made here and the fruit packed. None of the fruit was wrapped. The orchard was laid out in three sections running east and west. These were sub-divided north and south. Poplar trees were used for wind-breaks, and planted on the division lines. A double row of trees known as the avenue grew where the S.P. & S. Ry. track is now. The portion south of the railroad track was all in peach trees. A tramway ran from the box house to the river. The packed fruit was taken by tram car to the river, there transferred to a large sail boat, (built by Uncle John Presby). It was hauled by wagon to Grants depot for shipping. We have heard Uncle John say that Helena, Montana was one of his best fruit markets. The best market peaches of that time where the white, the White Tillison and Cherokee free-stone being favorites. A large late yellow peach known as the "Presby seedling" was one of several varieties of fruit he originated. The south-east portion of the orchard was a nursery where he grew, grafted, and budded, nursery stock for himself and others. The orchard was irrigated with water from several large springs. The water was conducted to and through the orchard by 1 x 12 wooden flumes made in a "V" shape. This large orchard gave employment to several men year around and to many more during the fruit season. Families from Klickitat Valley came down and camped for a week or more, to dry fruit on shares. This was one of the best methods of preserving fruit for winter use. Not much canning was done then, and only in tin cans, not glass. The drying scaffolds were back of the box house. The dried and fresh fruit was sold at the orchard also sent by wagon to Goldendale and to Oregon towns. The fruit industry was one of the leading occupations at that time on the Columbia river foot-hills.
     In 1895 Uncle John sold this orchard to Mr. Ballou. Robert Ballou's father, Mr. Ballou made many changes in the orchard. He took down the large store building at the ferry and built it into the beautiful house were Mr. and Mrs. Jordan live.
    The house where Mrs. N. Geer lives was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hibberd They were old pioneers but I cannot remember much about them. This place soon became the home of Mrs. C.C. Hope and family. They lived here many years. Just west of this place were two houses, one stood just south of the depot and the other just south on the corner on the corner of the block. These were the homes of the Rev. White and son, Maurice. They were pioneers of early days. They were managers of the Presby orchard. A Mr. Marvin and family lived with Grandpa White and worked in the orchard. Later they moved to Camas Prairie, where some of the family is still living. These houses were torn down when the railroad was built. These houses were surrounded by beautiful shade trees, fruit trees and gardens. These places formed the west line off the Presby orchard and the east line of the town of Columbus.
     Amos Stark and William Hicenbotham, among the first settlers and land-owners, laid out and platted the townsite of Columbus in four streets. This was recorded May 8, 1878, by J.A. Stout, county auditor. We have been told that this record-book of townsite plats was one brought from Rockland to Goldendale. At that time all the records were carried by one pack horse to Goldendale. Also, the assessor, when not assessing, carried the tax rolls in his hip pocket. Columbus, at one time, lacked but one vote of getting the county seat.
     The Advent church was built in 1888. On the corner where I.C. Robinson's service station is, was the home of Mr. and Mrs. W.J. McClain. They came across the plains in 1852. First settling in Jacksonville, Oregon, then coming to Klickitat county in 1871. Later moving to Columbus. He was an Indian war veteran.
     Just west of McClain's was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Leloh. He was a Civil war veteran. He worked in the orchard and gardens. There was a large family. We cannot remember when they came west. This place is now the home of Mrs. Ida Sanders.
     Where the house of Fred Burgan stands was a large two story building, built by the Starks and Henderson, some time in the '70s. This building was used for the post office from 1895 to 1907, when it was destroyed by fire.
     Just the three houses were all the buildings on this street when we came here.
     On the next street, opposite where Mrs. Sanders lives, was the house of Indian Lucy. She was a Modoc Indian. She was tattooed on the chin, the Modoc method of marking their tribe. We remember seeing her dressed in a beautiful green velvet dress. She was Hadley's squaw. Hadley was perhaps the first permanent settler. In 1858 he took a contract to furnish a thousand cords of wood for the steamboats. This woodyard was where the Jordan orchard is now. The wood was hauled in logs and cut up in the woodyard. The logs were cut and hauled from the north side of the Columbia river foothills. This timber, or what is left of it, is owned by M.M. Hoctor and Joe Young. The old ox-trail or road, can be seen yet as it winds down through our pasture. After loading their logs on a wagon, they chained one on behind, to drag, to help hold the wagon back from running into the oxen. We have been through this strip of timber many times and remember of seeing a large stumps of trees that were cut down in steamboat days. Hadley died in 1878 and was remembered as an old man. Lucy died in 1896. They were buried in the Columbus cemetery.
     Two blocks west of Lucy's house was the store and home of Mr. and Mrs. P. Michell. Mr. Michell was born in England and came to the Northwest via Panama. Mrs. Michell came across the plains in 1853. They kept the only store and the postoffice. Mr. Michell was also engineer of the lower ferry, a steamboat called the Rattler. One time when we were at the store, we noticed Mr. Michell looking at something in the river through a field glass. He said it was a man swimming a bunch of horses across the river. He was to stingy to pay ferryage. Mr. Michelle said horses all crossed except one colt. We thought then, and still think it a foolish thing to do.
     Just across the alley from the Mr. Michell's house was the school house. It was a story and a half structure. Some of the teachers lived upstairs. The stairway was built on the outside at the back of the building. It was built about 1881 or '82. A search of the records did not show when the district was organized, but the description showed that the west line was east line of District No. 1, Rockland, and the north line, the tops of the Columbia river foot hills. The east line was the west line of District No. 3. The line was about where the county farm is now. The first school was taught by a Mr. Wall, in a house back of the Methodist church, about 1878. The school house now stands across the street from the old one and was built in 1889.
     Just west of the Michell's, in the next block, lived Mr. and Mrs. James Jenkins, a brother of Uncle Tommy Jenkins. The Jenkins across the plains in 1844.
     Just west of the Jenkins, in the next block, was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Waterberry. We cannot remember when they came west. They were working in Stark Bros'. orchard that summer, and we lived in their house.
     Just west of the Waterberry's, in the next block, was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Price. They came across the plains in 1853. They settled at Sandy Spring, Oregon, just south of Columbus. Later in the '70s they moved to Columbus. Mr. Price built the steam tug "Nellie." Later his son, J.A. Price, was one of the owners. West and south of the Prices was the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Hicenbotham, -- also, their east line was the west line of the town of Columbus. Mr. Hicenbotham came up the river in the '60s. He was commissioned a Major in the army, also had been a pony express rider. He was given a license to operate a ferry at Columbus in 1868, the third ferry on the upper Columbia. We do not know when Mrs. Hicenbotham came, but remember her telling us she began teaching when only 14 years old. Their orchard was the first to be planted in this section. We remember distinctly what a beautiful orchard and garden they had. They brought water from a large spring in bluff back of Columbus, to irrigate the orchard.
     Mr. Hicenbotham, Uncle Tommy Jenkins, Mr. P.E. Michell and William Geasentanner were running the ferry, from Columbus to Biggs, the Rattler. Oregon stockmen brought their sheep and cattle to Washington for summer range. The first time we remember seeing the ferry come across it was bringing over sheep.
     Just south of the Waterberry house was the home of Mr. and Mrs. N. Morris. They came west by way of San Francisco, on a boat to Portland. They lived for a while on Souvies Island, in the Columbia. They came up the river to Columbus, in the '70s.
     Just east of the Morris home was the parsonage and Methodist Church. Rev. G.M. Booth and family were living in the parsonage. The church was built about 1884, and the parsonage about '85 or '86. We have heard Grandma Price and Mrs. Hicenbotham tell how everyone helped, whether they were believers of that faith or not. Everything was donated. Mr. P.E. Michell was superintendent of Sunday school. Miss Grace Michell was organist.
     Three blocks east of the church was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clendenning. They came to Klickitat Valley and homesteaded the place where Claud Eshelman lives. Later, about 1882, they moved to Columbus. They had an orchard and garden. Their house faced the river. It washed away in 1894. This is the place where Ira Henderson lived, and is now owned by Charles Depee. The Clendennings used to tell how the Indians would run the cows into the river, in deep water, and keep them there until they drowned. Then the whites would give the Indians permission to eat them.
     Just east of the church, and across the alley, was the home of Mrs. Halbert and sons, Bill and Lindsey. One of the boys was a blacksmith. Bill Halbert acted as a guide to the stockmen taking them across the Klickitat Valley to the mountains. The Halbert house was used as the first schoolhouse.
     Just south of the Halbert house, on the next street, was the Jew store. It was vacant when we came. The Jews were Monhanamer and Tanhouser. We do not know how long they kept store, but we have heard many a merry tale of some of their business methods. Mr. James Wheelhouse used to tell this one: One winter they brought in a stock of overcoats. They were all exactly alike. The men who bought coats began to compare prices paid. It was found Dr. Chapman had paid the most. Because of his high calling they supposed he had paid the most. Just west of the Jew store, on the same street but in the next block, was the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Graham. He was an old sailor and came around "The Horn", when arriving in Portland, deserted his ship. Mrs. Graham was born in Oregon Her folks crossed the plains in 1844. Later they moved to Oregon, living on the bluffs, just south of Columbus. The Graham house and barn, the Halbert house, and the Jew store were washed away in 1894.
     Just west of the Graham's, and east of the Hicenbotham's, was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Helm. We can't remember when they came west. Their daughter, Miss Martha Helms, was a school teacher and taught for a number of years. She married Harrie Wheelhouse.
      Between them Helms' and Hicenbotham's, in a little white house facing the river and surrounded by trees, was the home of and old man, Uncle Johnny Pitts. He was a regular "old-timer" but can't remember much about him.
     Uncle Amos Stark was the first known man to come to Columbus. He came up the river in 1849, but on hearing of the discovery of gold, went back to California. Then coming back again about '57. Uncle Tommy Jenkins and Mr. Hicenbotham coming in the '60s. These men we knew. There were others they told about. In the next article will deal with people living on flats above Columbus.

(Note, - A slight difference of opinion prevails as to who was the proprietor of the first store in the town of Columbus. Mrs. McCann, in the above article gives Thos. Johnson credit for the first store. However, other authentic sources are to the effect that Edwin Richardson - an uncle of Mrs. Catherine Lucy of Goldendale - and his sister, Helen Richardson, were first in the field with a store. The Richardsons later traded their interest to Thos. Johnson, who shortly after moved it to Goldendale, -- being the first store in this town).

     The Klickitat Valley Pioneers' association welcome correction, if errors are noted, or if you have a more accurate information.

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©  Jeffrey L. Elmer