WPA Interview: Case, William Thomas
INTERVIEW, 9 Nov 1938
Case, Wm. Thomas
At the time of the interview Mr. Case was busily engaged at work in his barn and could give little time to the interviewer. However, he turned over to the worker certain family records and it is from these that most of the following information is taken. It was a slow and difficult task to arrange and co-ordinate the data given without much explanation from the family, but it is hoped that no serious mistakes have been made.
William Thomas Case is a son of Benjamin Case. The family was originally very early pioneers in the Sacramento Valley of California. Little data could be obtained of the Case side of the line save that a Mr. Bennett, believed to be an uncle of W. T. Case's grandfather built the first sawmill and flour mill in the Sacramento Valley. (Confirming information of this fact was obtained from Mrs. Whitehead, an aged resident of Brownsville who stated that as a small child she had often played upon the logs in the above mentioned Mr. Bennett's mill yard.)
Mr. Case Sr., father of the party interviewed was a pioneer in the Sacramento Valley in 1849. His name was Benjamin Case. Benjamin Case married Nancy Walden and it is of the Walden family that this narrative chiefly deals. Nancy Walden was born at, or near, the present town of Halsey, Linn County, Ore. About the year 1862. The Walden home was just north of where Halsey now stands. The father of Nancy Walden was Smith Walden, a pioneer of 1858. At the time that Smith Walden reached Oregon he was already married. His oldest son, Ben Walden was at that time sixteen years of age. Other sons and daughters of Smith Walden were:
Daughters:
Sons:
All of these persons are buried near Weston, Oregon.
The above Nancy Walden married Benjamin Case as previously stated. To that marriage there were born 7 children as follows: William, (Narrator). Living near Brownsville, Oregon Walter, Member of the Spokane police force with a service record of 20 years
Smith Walden, grandfather of the owner of these records, after settling near Halsey and taking up a donation land claim at that place resided there for only a short time, probably until about 1863 or 1864 and then sold out and removed to eastern Oregon, settling in the vicinity of Weston, Umatilla Co. Before leaving Halsey Mr. Waldon transformed much of his wealth into cattle and drove them to his new home. An interesting incident connected with this removal was the fact that somehow the rumor had spread that Smith Walden had buried money on his home claim, and many people excavated in the vicinity of his old home in the hopes of finding the buried wealth. Many years later a son returned to Halsey to visit. While there he heard of the treasure search, being told that "The whole place and community was dug up to find Smith Walden's wealth."The son laughed loudly at these stories, declaring that "If Smith Walden, my father, had any money then he certainly took it with him."
(A large amount of the records submitted by Mr. Case for the workers inspection consisted of a narrative account written by his Maternal great-aunt Sarah Lemmon Walden, wife of Benjamin Walden, and sister-in-law to Smith Walden, owner of these records. It is with the life of this Sarah Walden that the remainder of this interview is chiefly concerned.) Sarah Lemmon was born in Sangamon County, Illinois, Sept. 16, 1828. Her parents were John Lemmon, born in Kentucky, 8 June 1800, and Jane Bourn Crocker, born in June, 1808, who were married in 1826.
After the birth of a daughter Sarah and a son Lemuel this family removed from Illinois to Indiana, then to Ohio and finally to Missouri. While residing in Illinois this family had for neighbors a Mr. and Mrs. Linus Brooks with their family consisting of three sons; Henry, Seldon, Samuel and one daughter, Maria. Later his family was to immigrate to Oregon and become prominent citizens in the Salem region.
At the age of sixteen the narrator, Sarah Lemmon, was married to Benjamin Walden, the exact date was 16 April 1845. A few months before her marriage the bride, her father John Lemmon, and her brother Lemuel Lemmon had suffered a severe attack of "lung fever". Upon their recovery, the doctor in charge informed them that they could not hope to survive in the cold climate of the east. He informed Mr. Lemmon -"You can't brave it. Your lungs and the boys and girls are not for such weather as this. Go to Oregon where there are pine and fir trees and grouse."Following the doctor's advice, the family started for Oregon in the spring of 1845.
The party ferried the Mississippi at St. Joseph, Missouri and camped upon the western shore. At that camp a temporary Captain was elected and the train organized. None of the party had any practical experience in conducting a train but Benjamin Walden, husband of the narrator had a copy of Lewis and Clark's narrative and the route was largely determined by his supposed course. The actual start of the emigration for Oregon from west of the Mississippi was on 6 May 1845.
Buffalo were encountered almost at once in large numbers. The train was at times endangered by their immense stampeding herds. However, the emigrants were not successful in killing buffaloes, so little so, that there was a shortage of meat in the camp until they reached the camp of a Mr. Whitlock from whom they purchases a large supply of dried meat. As the plains extended and trees became more scattered the party were forced to use buffalo chips for fuel, a practice of which the narrator seems very squeamish and touchy. She, however, considered the use of buffalo chips less objectionable than the conversation concerning it by rude emigrants.
On the Platte River the emigrants were alarmed by an anticipated Indian Attack. A near panic ensued and there seemed no leader capable of handling the situation. Conflicting orders were issued, some wished to remain in camp and others felt that safety lay in flight. There was great confusion but finally the discord was quieted by the arrival of Captain Kearney and Lieutenant John C. Fremont who gave intelligent directions as to the manner of arranging defenses.
Although Indian alarms were frequent throughout the journey no real trouble was experienced until nearing the Whitman Mission in the Oregon country. However, one Marion Poe, sent back to bring up a straying cow had a somewhat narrow escape and except for the coming of help might have suffered the loss of his cow if not of his life. This party passed through the region of the present Yellowstone Park and viewed many of its wonders with amazement.
At Powder River the party was surprised by meeting Dr. Marcus Whitman who had been warned of their approach and the danger of an Indian attack. This was by the hostile Walla Wallas. By Whitman's advice the chief of the threatening band was held as hostage, Mr. Walden and others watched over the chief until reinforcements arrived in the form of other trains as well as a party of friendly Nez Perces sent to their aid by Rev. Harmon Spaulding from his mission at Lapwai. Besides bringing military strength to back them these Nez Perce tribesman, Christianized Mission Indians, brought meat and other supplies to replenish their exhausted stores.
Before seeing Dr. Whitman, there had been some dispute about the future course of the train. At Bear Creek some wished to follow that stream downward to the Columbia, and at length a small party did split off from the main body and try to take that course. They followed the Bear River to the Snake and from thence tried to reach the Columbia, but that country was already a graveyard of lost explorers, and few returned to tell of their privations. Most of that small party died but a Mr. Hull finally reached The Dalles and guided a rescue party back to save a few miserable survivors, too weak to continue the course.
From the falls of the Columbia the party split. Some went by boat down the Columbia carrying goods and supplies. The remainder went overland driving the livestock. Those who went by boat found a party sent out by Dr. McLaughlin awaiting with better boats at the Cascades and continued their journey at once. Reaching Vancouver they camped beside the river for a few days and then continued by canoe to Oregon City. There they decided to settle for the winter.
In the meantime, those who were driving the stock across the Cascades were having additional hardships. Among them was Sarah Walden, the narrator, who had determined to accompany her husband and the stock over the difficult mountain route. The beginning of this long drive was the first day of October, 1845. One of the party was that same Marion Poe who had previously had difficulty with the Indians in the matter of a strayed cow. On the second day of the journey Poe, who was in charge of the packhorses and all their provisions encountered a band of Indians who stampeded the pack animals and thus robbed them of all means of sustenance. The party would then have returned to The Dalles for help but their own party was already two days down the Columbia and so could do nothing for them. Nothing then remained but to proceed as best they could, hoping that starvation might not overtake them before they could reach the Willamette Valley. A day or two later, however, they fell in with a small party of trappers who gave them a few supplies.
For days they were entangled in thickets of vine maple and "Mountain Laurel" (Possibly Rhododendron) and were often compelled to turn back and lose days in time. Also, their cattle ate the leaves of the "mountain Laurel" and their flesh became poisonous so that it was impossible to butcher them for food. Rains were falling heavily, changing to snows on the upper slopes of the mountains. The cattle became weak and could travel but a few miles each day. A Mr. Carson who was their guide became confused by crossing Indian trails and led them far up on the sides of Mount Hood where the Indians had gone to pick huckleberries. This trail leading to the huckleberry patches was not, however, an entire misfortune, for they found the remaining fruit very good, though not being acquainted with the fruit they at first feared that it might be poisonous. The whole party was now becoming very weak for lack of food. They trudged weary mile after mile across the snow fields on the upper slopes of Mt. Hood, finally reaching lower levels where the snow receded and where "weeds" were found with which to build a fire. Here a new difficulty presented itself. Not a man remained with strength even to fire a gun to ignite their fuel. Hans were so chilled and arms were too weak to pull the trigger. Mr. Walden, however, finally succeeded in doing it and the warmth helped to revive them though Mrs. Walden "screamed with pain" when the warmth began to penetrate her frosted hands and arms.
In the meantime all the cattle and horses save those that had strayed away and become lost. Some therefore remained in camp while the stronger members of the party set out to seek the animals. The cattle were all discovered sheltering in a warm nook beneath an overhanging cliff. They went onward in the hopes of finding shelter and food. The horses were now so weak that it was impossible to ride. Mr. and Mrs. Walden finally reached a stream and could see a fire on the further side. A Mr. Allen Miner, of their own party, had lit it. They attempted to swim their horses across the stream but the animals refused to enter until Miner called each mount by name and encouraged them. Besides building a fire Mr. Miner had killed one bird and cooked it. This he shared with the late comers.
The next day they continued on their way and at two o'clock in the afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Walden reached the cabin of Peter Hatch. During all of this terrible journey Mrs. Walden had carried with her in her saddlebags a clean new dress which she intended to wear upon reaching the Willamette Valley. Now, weak and starving though she was she insisted in changing her "blanket dress" for this fresh clothing before approaching the Hatch cabin. They were received kindly and cared for until their strength was recuperated.
After a few days the men returned to the mountains and succeeded in finding every head of their lost stock. From the Hatch cabin Mr. and Mrs. Walden proceeded to Oregon City where they rented rooms and passed the winter.
On the following spring Mr. Walden went up the Willamette River to the Methodist Mission and there took a claim near Brooks Station in what is now Marion County. Later they sold this claim and moved to the hills a few miles east of Salem. Mr. Walden taught school for a number of years at that place. Mrs. Walden gives the following list of persons whom she remembers as being in the emigrant party with them on the trip to Oregon:
Thomas Bowers and Jane Vanderpool Bowers had four children as follows:
Copyright © 2000 Patricia Dunn. All rights reserved. This transcription may not be reproduced in any media without the express written permission by the author. Permission has been given by the Transcriber to publish on the LGS web site.
| Owner of original | Transcribed by Patricia Dunn |
| Linked to | WPA Interviews for Linn County Oregon; Living |
