WPA Interviews

Wheeler, A. D.

INTERVIEW with Mr. A. D. Wheeler, 4th and Lyons Street, Albany, Oregon, June 5, 1940. This interview concerns the life of his father, Leonard Wheeler, and his uncle, Jason Wheeler who was the first sheriff of Linn County. Mr. Wheeler related many incidents in the lives of his forebears and also furnished other material of record to fill out the narrative.

My name is "Ad A. D. Wheeler. I was born at Scio, Linn County, in 1866. I went to school at Scio, at Albany and what is known as the "Greenback" school on Muddy Creek. I am not an old man as people are called but I will be 74 years old the 28th of next September. Sixty-six years ago this summer I was going to school here in Albany and I have seen a great many changes in the town and the country since then. My first teacher, (at Scio) was "Doc" Smith of Salem.

My father came to Oregon in 1847. With him was his brother, Jason Wheeler who was two years older. Father was born in 1825. Uncle Jason was born in 1822. (Note: In this interview it is apparent that dates do not always agree but I can only give what I was told. L.H.)

Perhaps it will be best to begin with my grandfather and work down in order to later events. My grandfather was Deland Wheeler. He was born in Vermont and was a soldier during the War of 1812. My grandmother was Margaret (Court) Wheeler who was born in New York. She was a daughter of John Court who came from England. Grandfather and grandmother both died in Cayuga County, New York. Grandfather at the age of sixty years.

Grandfather and grandmother Wheeler were the parents of eight sons. Of these, five came, or at least started, for Oregon. Those who came were:

Jason Wheeler. Came in 1847.

Leonard Wheeler, (father of the informant.) Came in 1847.

John Wheeler. Came in 1848. He settled near Grants Pass in Southern Oregon.

Truman Wheeler. He started for Oregon in 1849 but died on the road somewhere near Salt Lake, Utah.

George Wheeler. He came to Oregon in 1872 and made his permanent home at Everett, Washington.

My father, Leonard Wheeler, took up a Donation Land Claim in Linn County on the banks of Thomas Creek and comprising the southern portions of the present village of Scio. There he established a small store in the early 1850's.

Jason Wheeler first settled on Peterson Butte but later relinquished that claim and settled further east between Lebanon and Scio. Perhaps it will be best for me to continue this as a history of Jason Wheeler and simply add such incidents as concern my father in their proper places. Jason Wheeler, "Uncle Jase" as we called him was the most prominent member of the family.

With the beginning of the Cayuse Indian war Uncle Jason enlisted and departed for the "Upper Country". The officer under whom he served was Captain Maxon. At the battle of Well Springs, on February 28, 1848, Uncle Jason was wounded in the knee. He was carried in a wagon to the Whitman Mission, a distance of almost fifty miles, for treatment. The jolting was the cause of terrific suffering. In May of the next spring he returned to the Willamette Valley but was still far from recovered. It was while he was in the volunteers, that he was elected Sheriff of Linn County at the first county election under the Provisional Government. The election, it is said, was held in a barn on the James Knox claim at the west end of Knox Butte.

All the records of this election were lost or destroyed so that some people now claim that it never occurred but I believe that there is plenty of proof to show that it was held. Being disabled from his wound and unable to perform the duties of his office, Uncle Jason appointed George Klum of Sodaville to be his deputy. (Note: See Jason Wheeler biography and George Klum biography, both given in Portrait and Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley. Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, 1903. pp. 205 and 1187 respectively. L.H.) My father, Leonard Wheeler was also appointed to act as deputy sheriff for the Scio region.

In the spring of 1849 my father and uncle Jason started for the gold fields in California. They mined on the American River for one summer and then father invested his savings in mercantile goods for his Scio store and the brothers started for home by boat. When they reached the vicinity of the Rogue River their boat was wrecked and they lost practically everything that they owned. An amusing incident following that wreck was the fact that among his goods father had a large consignment of little red caps. After the whites had abandoned the wreck the Indians boarded it and helped themselves to the scattered goods. After that, for many months, every Indian encountered along the Rogue River would be found wearing a perky red cap.

The party of shipwrecked travelers had nothing to do but to make their way as best they could through the southern Oregon mountains. Food was very scanty and they almost starved. Having left the river and ascended a high divide they lacked water. One of the men, a man named Shively, became insane from the suffering and privation.

There were eight persons in the party and about all that they had to eat for days was a squirrel, a pigeon, and a snake, the latter killed by this same Shively but never eaten. Finally they encountered a herd of elk and by carefully arranged approach succeeded in killing twenty of them, far more meat than they had any use for or, in their weary and weakened condition could even dress or carry to camp. A day later they killed another elk which puzzled them by not dropping when shot until they found that it was held erect by surrounding saplings. Thus they traveled, getting a deer or so for food, until they reached Cow Creek in the interior. That was somewhere near where the town of Riddle is now situated. There they met some hostile appearing Indians but by walking behind and keeping their weapons in readiness they were led to Canyonville and their rather unwilling Indian guides were dismissed. From there the party continued on towards the Umpqua, still almost starving. A wolf was seen but not shot because it was so thin. They finally reached "Welches Place" and were given some help in the form of food and rest for their tired feet. From there they managed to travel on to the Willamette Valley. "Welches Place" was a stone shelter used for defense against Indian attacks.

After this hazardous trip my father returned to his claim at Scio. Uncle Jason continued on to Portland and from there went down to Astoria where he helped in the construction of a sawmill. Later he returned to the Willamette Valley where he made his permanent home. However, during President Cleveland's administration he was appointed Agent at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation where he served for three years. In later years he lived at Albany. His house was situated on the site of the present Albany Hotel on Lyons Street. He owned and operated a livery stable situated just across Lyons Street from his home.

My uncle Jason was actively interested in building the Willamette Valley and Cascade Mountain Wagon Road, also the Albany-Santiam Ditch. He married Eliza D. Claypool in Oregon. She was a daughter of David Claypool who settled in the Rock Hill neighborhood, having come to Oregon in 1846. Besides being elected first Sheriff of Linn County, Uncle Jase was a Linn County Commissioner in 1866 and of the State Legislature in 1878.

My mother's name was ------ Miller. She was the daughter of Malcom and Jeanette Miller who came to Oregon in 1852 and settled in the present Shelburn neighborhood.

My father was a Justice of the Peace for many years in the early days. He performed marriage ceremonies in the Scio country. Even the Indians recognized his authority on points of law and justice for they often brought cases to my father for his judgement. Usually, if it was an important offense his judgement was that the culprit be taken out and lashed.

While running his store at Scio my father purchased local eggs and butter. To dispose of it profitably he had to take it to Oregon City. He kept a light "Democrat Wagon" for just that purpose so as to make quick trips to the distant city.

When I was a young man I was a railroader here in Oregon. That was way back in the 1890's. In later years I have worked as taxi driver, farmer, wool dealer and at numerous other occupations. In this county I have lived at Albany, Scio, Brownsville and Crawfordsville.

June 18, 2001

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.