WPA Interviews

INTERVIEWS, VOLUME IV 2

INTERVIEW

Interview with Mrs. Anna (Brandon) Morgan. Resides on the Morgan farm 4 miles east of Shedd, Oregon.

My name is Anna Morgan. My husband's name is Elza Morgan. He is a son of Joseph William Morgan and a grandson of Miller Morgan who came to Oregon in 1847.

My maiden name was Anna Brandon and I am a daughter of Alex Brandon who was an early millwright and miller connected with the Finley mill at Crawfordsville and the "Boston" mill on the Calapooia near Shedd. I cannot give you much of my family history but what I give may be a small addition to the history of early Linn County mills and millers.

My father, Alex Brandon, was born in Indiana on November 19, 1826. He died April 21, 1904. My mother was born in Pennsylvania on November 8, 1841. She died January 5, 1924. Mother's maiden name was Arminda Whipple.

Mother first married Harrison Andrews and came to Oregon with him by way of the Isthmus of Panama in 1866. Harrison Andrews died at sea after passing Panama and was buried at sea. My mother had one son by her first marriage. His name was Clarence Andrews and he was born in 1864.

My mother, Arminda Whipple Andrews and my father, Alexander Brandon were married in 1866. To them were born the following children:

Barta Brandon. Born 1867. Married name Wheeldon.

Mary Brandon. Born 1869. Married name Wiles. (Walter T. Wiles was her husband's name.)

Alfred Brandon. Born 1872.

Lucy Brandon. Born 1874.

Anna Brandon. Born 1879. (The informant) Married Elza Morgan and lives about 4 miles east of Shedd, Linn Co.

My father came to Oregon in the year 1851. With him was his brother, Thomas Brandon, the only two members of the family to come to the Pacific Coast. Father took up a Donation Land Claim where the town of Plainview, Linn County now stands. He was a carpenter and millwright and helped to build the mill at Boston, Linn County, Oregon. He owned one-fourth interest in that mill, P. V. Crawford owned a one-fourth interest, and "Uncle" Dick Finley owned a half interest.

Besides his mill interests father did general carpentry. He built the schoolhouse here in the Morgan District where I now live.

My father's brother, Uncle Tom Brandon married a daughter of R. C. Finley, father's mill partner. Her name was Eliza Finley. She still lives at Halsey at a very advanced age. Aunt Eliza's sister, Finley's oldest daughter, married Cyrus Vawter who was also a very early miller at the Finley Mill at Crawfordsville. Thus the Finley's became more or less connected by marriage to all of his hired millers.

When my father first settled at Plainview there were few neighbors but I have heard him speak of the following families:

Alfred Whealdon, the Ward family, and further north, the families of the Parkers and Frums.

(From certain Brandon family records the following account was copied. It does not correspond to the above as to dates but it was thought best to add it here for comparison.)

Moses Brandon was a native of Pennsylvania and when a young man removed to Madison County, Indiana, where he married a Kentucky lady. Subsequently he lived in Minnesota and in that state he died. *** Two of the sons of Moses Brandon left Minnesota and crossed the plains to Oregon in 1851. Their names were Alexander and Thomas Brandon. Both of them settled in Linn County. Thomas Brandon married a daughter of R.C. Finley, a pioneer miller. Alexander Brandon married Miss Arminda (Whipple) Andrews and settled on a Donation land claim at the site of the present town of Plainview.

The wife of Alexander Brandon was born near Meadville, Crawford County, Pa. She was a daughter of Albert Whipple, also a native of Pennsylvania. She first married Harrison Andrews and moved to Ashtabula County, Ohio. In 1863 the Andrews started for Oregon traveling by way of Panama. A few days after leaving Panama Mr. Andrews died at sea. His widow then continued on to Oregon. By her marriage with Andrews she became the mother of one son, C.L. Andrews, who after reaching maturity became Chief Deputy Collector of Customs at Skagway, Alaska.

Mr. and Mrs. Brandon resided on the Donation land claim which he took up near Plainview. They have five children-Mrs. B. Whealdon, of Idaho; Mrs. Walter Wiles; Alfred Brandon who resided on the Brandon claim; Mrs. O.G. Chamberlin of Athena, Oregon."

(Note: Other data in the writer's possession seems to indicate that Thomas Brandon did not come to Oregon until 1864. This, however, cannot be verified. L.H.)

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.