USA > Oregon > The centennial history of Oregon, 1811-1912 > Part 88
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During the winter Mr. Hill came to visit 11s. His family had come to Oregon the year before and settled in Rogne River val- ley. It was arranged that we should be married in the spring when father's house was ready to move in. During the winter
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and spring I put in all my spare time pre- paring for my marriage. I had four quilts pieced. Mother gave me lining for all and cotton for two and I carded wool for two and we quilted them all. She gave me muslin for two sets of sheets and pillow cases, two table cloths and four towels. I cut and made two calico dresses for myself and assisted her with my wedding dress which was of pretty sky-blue lawn. Mr. Hill came in April and assisted us in moving into our new house. On the 4th of May, with only our old friends, the Perrys, and minister be- sides our family, we were married. I was still very small. My husband was five feet and eleven inches and I could stand under his outstretched arm. I grew slowly until I was twenty-five. Am now five feet and four inches. Just prior to our marriage, Mr. Hill had bought a farm of three hun- dred and sixty acres, four miles from fath- er's, bought on credit for six hundred dol- lars to be paid in two years. The improve- ments consisted of a little log-cabin, twelve by fourteen, without floor or chimney. The roof was made of boards tied on with poles. One window consisted of two panes of glass, a section of log sawed out. Later I chinked the cracks with grass and mud. About ten acres had been fenced and seeded to oats and wheat. A rough open shed sufficed to shelter six or eight cattle. Our furniture consisted of the pioneer bedstead, made by boring three holes in the wall in one corner and then one leg was all that was required. The table was a mere shelf fastened to the wall. Three small shelves supplied for a cupboard and were sufficient for my small supply of dishes. My cooking utensils were a pot, bake-oven, frying pan and coffee pot. A washtub and board and a large pot for washing and a full supply of groceries I got on my father's account as he told me to go to the store and get what I wanted. He also gave me a fine saddle mare, Queen. a fresh cow and calf and a heifer that would be fresh. Mother gave me a feather bed and pair of blankets. My husband's possessions consisted of a horse and gun and less than twenty dollars in money. The Hon. John Hobson had once said to me, "Your father could make money faster than any man I ever knew. He came to Clatsop with fifty cents in his pocket and I don't think there were one hundred in the county, and in ten years he was worth twenty thousand," so I had high hopes and great expectations. My husband was strong and healthy. I had been bred to thrift and econ- omy and everything looked beautiful and bright to me. My soul overflowed with love and joy and my bouyant and happy nature enabled me to enjoy everything, even to cooking outdoors without a shelter over my head.
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Soon after our marriage father urged my husband to begin at once to fell trees and hew them so as to put up a good house be- fore winter; but he was never in a hurry to get down to work. He frittered away the whole summer in going to camp meetings, reading novels and hunting. In September
when the mornings and evenings grew cold we bought an old second-handed stove which we set up in one corner of the cabin. This was a great comfort to me. Soon after this we had a heavy rain. The next morning our house was flooded, and in one corner the water was bubbling up. That was from a gopher hole. It was late in November before the logs were even ready to be hauled for the sixteen by twenty house. Father provided doors, windows, shingles, nails and lumber for floors. He had all on the ground long before the logs were ready. At last all was ready and father came with men to help raise the house and mother came bringing bread, pies and cakes to help me with the dinner. The house was soon up and the open- ings for the windows and door were sawed out. Father said, "Now Lagrand, go right at it and get the roof on, for we can look for a big storm soon." Next morning I slip- ped out of bed and milked the cow and had breakfast almost ready when I tickled my husband's feet to get him in a good humor, because he was not pleased at what father had said. At breakfast I said, "Now we have an early start and we will show father how soon we can get the roof on and the floor down." I was so excited over the pros- pects of having a fine new house with a floor and windows. By the time the roof was on Mr. Hill was getting tired and suggested a hunt, but I begged and coaxed for only half the floor so we could move in, till he reluctantly went ahead. When sufficient floor was down for our one-legged bedstead it was moved in and made up and then one of my new braided rugs went down. No young wife of wealth could have looked with more pride on her velvet or Turkish rugs than I did on mine that I had made from scraps. When half the floor was down Mr. Hill stop- ped to put in the door and mashed his finger which meant a lay-off for a time. Novem- ber was nearly gone. The cooking must be done in the old hut. There was no opening for the pipe and not sufficient pipe. I was planning to get the pipe with the butter and few eggs I could save the next week. Our groceries had all been bought with the butter except what mother gave me. Winter was on us and we were in a dilemma. I re- alized our condition. Though but fifteen I knew that it was due to the want of indus- try. He suggested that we go to father's for a visit. I did not like that for I real- ized that father did not approve of shiftless- ness, but I had to consent for he had begun- to exhibit temper when I objected to his plans. We got up the horses, nailed up the house and taking our cow and calf we took ourselves to fathers. There we stayed for two weeks, then father got us a box of groc- eries and stove pipe and he and mother came over and helped us get settled and now with two cows we could get along.
Mr. Hill had been receiving letters from his folks who were doing well and urged us to sell out and come out there in the spring. In April we were to pay three hundred dol- lars on the farm and we had not a dollar. Nothing had been added to or taken from the
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place excepting the house and father had furnished everything except the bare logs. Mr. Hill was handy with tools and could have had work all the time at good wages. The owner was anxious to get the place back and offered sixty dollars to have it returned, so we decided to go early in the spring. We traded the younger calf and crop for another horse as I would have to ride Queen to drive the cows. We remained sev- cral inonthis with his father and mother and tlien he decided to go to Yreka, California, so he sold my cows and now that he had money he suggested that we ride back and see my folks before we went so far away. I was homesick and glad to go. Father did not ap- prove of his having sold my cows. He said, "Now take my advice and settle down, and remember it does not take long for a few cow's to grow into money." Mr. Hill had an aunt in Yreka. As soon as she heard we were there she came to see us. She had part- ly raised him. She said, "Now Lagrand, you must get right into work. There is plenty of it at good wages; but you must not leave this little wife alone. There are too many rough men here. She will be safe with me and I can help you both so you pick up and move right over to my house." I was delighted and she proved to be one of the best of mothers to me. She was an executive woman. She had two cows, and chickens. She sold milk, eggs and made cakes and pies for sale and took in sewing and so we worked together, she giving me . me suffering at times for many years. all and more than I earned. "Now, I am go- ing to see that you have plenty of nice clothes and I shall see to it that you do not give it to Lagrand to fool away." He sold the team and wagon. She would say, "Now, Lagrand, I want you to buy a house and lot while you have the money." In March there was a lot and a small one-roomed battered house with a barn, too, for sale for four hundred and fifty dollars, which we bought just across the street from Aunt Kelly's, which was a bargain. We paid three hun- dred dollars down, which was all the money left from my cows, heifer and team. My Queen was out on pasture which was now a bone of contention as she was only an ex- pense; but I refused to have her sold and Aunt Kelly stood by me. We moved in and on April 17 our baby was born and Aunt Kelly begged me to give him to her. She would say, "Now, Bethenia, you just give him to me and I will educate him and make him my heir. I know Lagrand will just fool around all his life and never do any- thing." I continued to work for Aunt Kelly who was overworked and by this means I was able to keep up the house.
Mr. Hill did not drink or use tobacco but as his aunt said he simply idled away his time, doing a day's work now and then, spending more than he made. Father had heard how things were going. Thus the time dragged on till September, 1857, when one day father and mother drove up, to our sur- prise. They came to see the country and baby. It did not take them long to see that we were living from hand to mouth. "How
would you like to go back to Roseburg? It is a growing town. I have several acres and I will give you an acre and lumber for a good house which you can build this fall." We were delighted and sold our house for less than a hundred dollars profit and were soon packed and on our migration. My only regret was leaving dear Aunt Kelly who had taught me so many useful things. With many tears I bid her goodby. The weather was fine and we enjoyed the trip till we came to a deep gulch with a high, narrow bridge. Mother sat on the back seat with my youngest sis- ter in her lap. I sat beside my husband. Father was leading Queen behind. The mo- ment we were across Mr. Hill started up the horses with the whip, to which they were unaccustomed on a hill. In springing forward the wheel came up against a rock, and in the attempt to bring them around they began to back. I saw the danger and with one bound I was on the ground with baby in my arms. Laying him on the ground I seized a chunk, and turning I saw father running and heard his commanding shout. "Whoe!" The next instant he had seized the spokes of the wheel and with one su- preme effort he stopped the wheel at the very edge of that forty-foot gulch. Mean- time I had placed the chunk back of the front wheel and thus an awful tragedy was averted. Not till the danger was passed did I realize that I was hurt. I had suffered a severe sprain of my right foot which caused
Upon reaching home father said, "Go over and select your acre and your building spot," which I gladly did. Then he told Mr. Hill to take the team and he and the boys could haul the lumber, which they did; but Mr. Hill had been talking to a man about making brick. The man had the land and the teams. Each was to furnish a man and I should cook for them for the use of the team. Father begged him not to attempt it as the ground had not been tested and it was too late to burn a kiln; but the more he talked the more he was determined to put all we had in the venture. So he moved me down in the low, swampy place in a tent and we began work. But before a hundred brick were moulded it began to rain and put a stop to the work and I was stricken down with typhoid fever. Father and mother came with the wagon and took us home. It was now late in No- vember and winter had set in. When I be- came convalescent, father urged him to be- gin on the house. He replied that he wanted a deed to the acre before he began the house. Father told him that he and mother had talked it over and had decided to deed the property to me and the boy; that they had given us one good start and now after three and one-half years we had nothing left but one horse. This enraged him and he said that he would not build on the acre unless it was deeded to him as he was the head of the family. Father asked him to think it over and not act rashly. He sulked for a time then bargained for a lot and hired a team and hauled the lumber off the acre to the lot and began to build. All this time We were living
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off father and mother who said nothing but furnished shingles and told him to get the nails on their account. In time the house was up and the roof on and floor down and kitchen partly finished. It was so open that the skunks made night hideous by racing under and on the floor and even get- ting on the table. My health was poor and baby was fretful and ill most of the time and things were going anything but smoothly.
A short time before the climax came I went home and told my parents that I did not think that I could stand it much longer. Mother was indignant and told me to come home, "that a man who could not make a living with the good start he had never would, and with his temper he is likely to kill you or the baby." But father broke down and said, "Oh, Bethenia, there never has been a divorce in my family and I hope there never will be. Go back and do your best to get along, but if you cannot possi- bly get along come home." I went back re- lieved for I knew I could go home. Our trou- bles usually started over the baby. He was so cross and had a voracious appetite. His father thought he was old enough to be spanked which I could not endure and war ensued and I received the chastisement. The evening before the separation he fed the child six hard boiled eggs in spite of all I could say or do. I did not close my eyes that night ex- pecting the child would go into convulsions. Early in the morning early in March after a tempestuous scene he threw the baby on the bed and rushed down town. As soon as he was out of sight I put on my hat and shawl and taking baby I flew over to father's. I found brother Flem ferrying a man over and I went back with him. By that time I was al- most in a state of collapse. I had run all the way, about three-fourths of a mile. Brother seeing that something was wrong and always anxious to smooth out the wrinkles, said with a smile, "Give me that little 'piggy-wig,' and shall I take you under my other arm? It seems to me you are getting smaller every year. Now hang on to me and I will get you up the hill all right. Mother will have breakfast ready and I guess a good square meal is what you need." The next day father saw. Mr. Hill. He found he had been trying to sell the house. He told him that he would come with me to get my clothes and a few things and he could have the rest. As the lot was not paid for the house would go with it, and when he sold it I would sign the deed. Before he found a purchaser he repented and came several times to get me to go back. I said, "I have told you many times if I ever left you I would never go back and I never will." And now at eighteen 1 found myself broken in health and spirit again in my father's home from which four years ago I had gone so happy and full of hope. It seemed I should never be happy or strong again.
At this time I could not read or write legibly. I realized my position fully and de- termined to meet it bravely. Sorrow ended with cheerfulness and affection and nourish- ing food. My health soon returned and
with it an increasing desire for education. My little George felt the benefits as much as I. He was such a tiny mite that he was only a plaything for the whole family. I said one day, "Mother do you think I might manage to go to school?" "Why, yes. Go right along. George is no trouble. The chil- dren will take care of him." From that day I was up early and out to the barn, milking and doing all the work possible. Saturdays with the help of the children I did the wash- ing and ironing for the family. At the end of four months I had finished the third read- er and had made good progress with the other studies. In September, Mr. and Mrs. Hobson (sister Diana), came to visit us, and she begged me to go home with them. With a light wagon and good horses we had a de- lightful trip over the road where I had help- ed to drive the stock five years before. Be- fore going father had me apply for a di- vorce, the custody of my child and to change iny name to Owens. The next spring brother Flem met us at Salem with a light rig and took us home in time for the May term of court. The suit was strongly contested on account of Mr. Hill's widowed mother, who wanted the child, thinking that would induce her son to remain with her on her farm as all her children had homes of their own. I, however, won the suit.
Now the world began to look brighter to me. I was a free woman. I sought work in all directions, even washing, which was the most profitable in those days. Father ob- jected to this and said, "Why can't you be contented to stay at home? I am able to support you and your child." But no ar- gument could shake my determination to support myself and child. So he bought me a sewing machine, the first one ever brought to that part of the country and so with sewing and nursing a year passed very profit- ably. Now my sister, Mrs. Hobson, urged me to return to her on the farm on Clat- sop. She greatly needed my help. In the fall of 1860 she and I went to Oysterville, Washington, to visit an old friend, Mrs. Mun- son. The few days passed off too quickly and Captain and Mrs. Munson assured my sister that they would see that I reached home safely if I would only stay till I got my visit out. I told Mrs. Munson of my anxiety to go to school. She said, "Why not stay with me? We have a good school here, and I shall be glad to have you, especially further on." I said I would gladly accept if I could only find some way of earning my necessary expenses. She said, "There is my brother and his man. I can get their washing which will bring you in from one dollar to one dollar and a half per week. I gratefully ac- cepted doing their washing evenings. Work to me was mere play and change of work · is rest and I had plenty of it. Thus I passed one of the most pleasant and prof- itable winters of my life. Whetted with what it fed on, my thirst for knowledge grew stronger daily. My sister now urged me to go back to her, which I did. I said to her, "I am determined to get at least a common-school education. I know I can
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support myself and child and get an educa- tion, and I am resolved to do it. And I do not intend to make it over the wash tub, either. Neither will I work for my board and clothes. You need me and I will stay with you six months if you will send me to As- toria to school next winter." She agreed to that. Later I said, "Diana, don't you think I mnight teach a little summer school? I could be up at four to help milk and have the other work done by S A. M., and I can do the churning, washing and ironing evenings and Saturdays." She said, "You might try it." I asked Mr. Hobson if he would not get me up a little school. He said, "Take the horse and go around among the neighbors and work it up yourself." I lost no time and got the promise of six- teen scholars at two dollars each for three months. This was my first attempt. I taught my school in the first Presbyterian church in Oregon. Of my sixteen scholars there were three further advanced than my- self, but I took their books home and with my brother-in-law I kept ahead of them, and they never suspected my incompetency.
Fall found me settled in an old hotel in Astoria in one small room. I had to take care of my nephew and my George. And now I encountered one of the sharpest trials of my life. On being examined in mental arithmetic I was placed in the pri- mary class. Words cannot express my hu- miliation at being required to recite with children eight and ten years old. This was of short duration, for with the teacher's as- sistance I was soon advanced to the second class and then to the third, the highest. At the end of the nine months I had passed into most of the advanced classes, not be- cause of ability but by determination and hard work. At 4 A. M. my light was burning. I never allowed myself more than eight hours for sleep. I permitted nothing to come between me and this, the greatest opportunity of my life. Next summer I was on the farm, milking, butter-making and doing all kinds of work on the farm. It was now 1862 and the state called upon the coun- ties to contribute to the "Boys in Blue." Clatsop, being a dairy district, decided to contribute a mammoth cheese. Mr. Hobson had a man who made cheese so he and I volunteered to make the cheese. Everybody contributed milk; the ends of a hogshead were sawed off and the middle was used for a hoop. After the cheese was made the hoops were filed off. The cheese was pronounced a suc- cess, and was sold and resold in Astoria and brought one hundred and forty-five dollars. I was then sent with it to the state fair where it was again auctioned off many times till it brought between four hun- dred and five hundred dollars, and then the money and cheese were forwarded to the Oregon soldiers. Whether they found it pal- atable or digestible I never learned. as such things were not as easily accounted for as now. In the fall I rented three rooms in As- toria and with scanty furniture which I pro- cured by the proceeds from blueberry picking and other work, I set up housekeeping. I was
eager for school but my expenses must be met and this is how it was done. I engaged to do the washing for two large families, and washing and ironing for one. Sunday night found George and I at Capt. C.'s. At 4 A. M. I was in the kitchen. George went to school with the children and at 10 I was there myself. Monday and Tuesday this was repeated. The other was done at my rooms. For all this I received five dollars per week, including the kindest of treatment. This was sufficient to provide for our wants, especially as we lived on the beach, which enabled us to pick up most of our wood. And thus I was happy in my independence.
At that time there was a kind and estima- ble man in Astoria, a Captain Farnsworth. He was a friend of Mr. and Mrs. Hobson. He knew of my struggles for an education. One rainy evening he called. George had been tucked in bed and I was ironing at the table with my book before me. Thus I studied while I worked. My hands were trained to do their part without calling upon the brain. Removing his heavy overcoat and seating himself by the table he said, "Have you no time to talk?" "Oh, yes; I can talk and work, too." "Well," he said, "I want you to put away that work. I have come to talk to you and I want you to listen well to what I have to say." I closed the book, folded the ironing cloth and sat down, not knowing what was coming, but feeling very apprehensive. He saw this and smil- ing, said, "Don't you ever get tired ?" "Oh, yes; but I get rested easily and quickly." ‘How long do you expect to go on this way?" "I don't know," I said. "I don't want to see you working in this way, and I have come to see you as a friend, and I want to be a true friend to you. I am alone in the world. The nearest friend I have is a nephew. I have more money than I need and I think I cannot do better than to help you." Trembling, and with moist eyes I exclaimed, "No, no; I cannot take money from you!" "Now, don't be foolish, but lis- ten to me. I know you are thinking that it will compromise you. Besides you are a great deal too independent for your own good. I am a good deal older than you and know vastly more of the world than you do, and I want you to understand that if you accept the offer you are never to feel under any obligation to me. My offer is this: You are to select any school in the United States for as long a time as you choose. I will furnish the money for all the expenses for yourself and boy and no one shall ever know from me where the money came from. If you say so I will not even write to you." Could there ever have been a more gener- ous or unselfish offer? I was now in tears, but my self will, independence and inexper- ience decided me to refuse it. I could not consent to such an obligation. The accept- ance of that offer would doubtless have changed my whole life, but who can tell for better or for worse. Captain Farns- worth was thoroughly disgusted at my ob- stinacy, though he was still my friend, yet he did not show the same interest in me
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from that time and many times in after years during my hardships and struggles in my supreme efforts to get ahead, I bitterly repented my hasty decision, feeling that it was the mistake of my life.
Others beside my generous friend, the Cap- tain, had been watching my efforts. Colonel Taylor and Mr. Ingalls were the school di- rectors, and as the wife of the principal was prevented from assisting they generously gave me the position at a salary of twenty- five dollars per month for the remaining three months. This was a wave of prosperity, and as one good thing sometimes follows another I was offered board and room for myself and George for the care of nine rooms in a private boarding house, which I accepted. I asked and received- permission to recite in two advanced classes. I also joined a reading and singing class which met once a week. When I was given charge of the primary department I had among my pupils a young lady who was far ahead of me when I attended the Oysterville school. Be- fore the school closed I received a call to teach a three months' school at Bruceport, Washington, at twenty-five dollars per month and board. Judge Olney was county school superintendent. With fear and trembling I applied for an examination. He said, "I know you are competent to teach that school. [ have had my eye on you for a year, and I know you will do your duty. I will send you a certificate," and he did. This was great encouragement and made me more determin- ed to do my best.
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