WPA Interviews

Galbraith, Iva (Templeton)

Interviews Volume III

Interview with Mrs. Iva Templeton Galbraith. 21 Oct 1937.

Mrs. Iva Templeton Galbraith, residing at 413 Ellsworth Street, Albany, Oregon, is the daughter of James Templeton and the granddaughter of William T. Templeton. Both her father and grandfather were Oregon pioneers of 1847.

William T. Templeton was married to Elizabeth Ramsey on June 3, 1830, in Indiana. Together they crossed the plains in 1847, bringing with them their already large family consisting of the following children:

David Templeton.

James Templeton. (Father of narrator.)

Samuel Templeton.

Margaret Templeton who later married Wm. Finley.

Joseph Templeton. (He was a pioneer photographer.)

William A. Templeton. (Father of Clarence and Lloyd Templeton of Albany)

John C. Templeton

Matilda C. Templeton. (Trice married. First Husband's name was Robt. S. Linville, 2nd, was Foster, 3rd husband was Hausman.) Mother of Clyde Foster.

Robert R. Templeton.

Later children who were born in Oregon were:

Isaac Law Templeton (Died young)

Albert Marion Templeton.

Two other children, names not known, died in infancy, making a family of thirteen in all.

At the time of the Templeton's emigration to Oregon Robert R. Templeton was an infant, and his mother carried him in her arms. He was born in Holt county, Mo. October 3, 1846.

The Templetons reached the Tygh Valley in eastern Oregon, and at that place found their oxen much exhausted, so they left one wagon there and proceeded with the rest of their outfit. The wagon left behind was fully loaded and contained cloth and supplies to last at least a year. It was the father's intention to return and bring the wagon on at a later date, but there were Indian outbreaks shortly thereafter and their wagon was never more heard from.

When the Templetons arrived in the Willamette Valley, at Molalla, their oxen were completely exhausted so they made preparations to spend the winter there. However, before they were fully settled, Jonathan Keeney who had already reached Oregon and settled on the Calapooia, came to that region, and finding Templeton there remonstrated at his settling in that place. Mr. Templeton replied that his oxen were almost dying, and that he could go no further. At that Keeney returned to the Calapooia, got two yoke of fresh oxen, and moved the Templetons on to the upper valley. They arrived there late in the fall and took land eastward from the present town of Brownsville.

Grandfather William Templeton's home was about three miles east of Brownsville. Grandfather's home was about three miles east of Brownsville. Grandfather's claim reached from the Hugh Fields claim to the ford on the Calapooia. That ford was near the present Oak Grove schoolhouse where a private suspension bridge now crosses the river. The bridge is used at present by a Mr. Milde to reach his farm on the north bank of the river. Near that bridge it is still possible to find the old grades cut on the bank where the ox teams descended to the ford.

My father was only fifteen years old when he reached Oregon. After the family was settled on grandfather's claim word reached Oregon of the gold discovery in California. My father, James Templeton, his brother, my uncle, David Templeton, and Jonathan Keeney started for the gold mines. That was in 1849. They were away at the mines only three months but the two brothers returned with $3,000, very good for two striplings not yet of age. They gave grandfather $1,000 of this money to help establish the family, and each boy had $1,000 left to establish himself upon a claim.

Uncle David Templeton's claim began at the ford where grandfather's ended, and extended eastward. My father, James Templeton's claim was next east of that, extending as far as Dick (R.C.) Finley's claim line. These two were the only ones of Grandfather's family who took up land. The others were too young. Even they could take only 320 acres each since they were unmarried men.

Father and Uncle David were soon married. Uncle David married Lavina Pell and built a house where the Gray Rice barn stands. There was a living spring on the riverbank near there. (This place is now owned by a Mr. Hughes. Leslie Haskin, field worker) Father married Martha Ritchey. She was of Irish descent.

On the east my father's nearest neighbor was R.C. (Miller) Finley. He built the first mill on the upper Calapooia river. It is still standing and is now owned by John McKercher. The Finley home was on the rise some distance east from the mill, here where the cemetery is now located.

Joining my father's claim on the south was that of Josiah Osborn. Josiah Osborn and his family were at the Whitman Mission at the time of the massacre. Mr. Osborn was the only man to escape with his life. I used to know the Osborn family well, and have heard them tell about their escape. Part of the trouble there, and what finally roused the Indians was the fact that many Indians were then dying of the measles, and the ignorant natives thought that it was some curse brought upon them by the whites. At the time of the uprising Mrs. Osborn had just given birth to a premature child, and was therefore very sick. Besides that all of the Osborn children were also sick with the measles. When Mr. Osborn saw the beginning of the massacre they were staying in a cabin nearby. Mr. Osborn hid his family beneath the puncheon floor and the Indians failed to find them. When night came they crawled from beneath the floor. Mrs. Osborn was very weak, and the children were all sick. In that terrible plight they stole away, fearing every moment that the Indians would find them. When they had traveled about three miles Mrs. Osborn could go no further, so her husband hid her and the children in a hollow tree and went on to find help. He walked on hundred miles to the fort carrying his sick son, little John. When he reached the fort they would not let him in and he had to walk back all the hundred miles. A trader and a friendly Indian finally helped him. All that time his family was hiding in the hollow tree. When they finally reached Oregon City Little John died and was buried there.

Josiah Osborn was a wagon maker. He was a very large man. I was well acquainted with his daughters. One of them, Mrs. Malinda Osborn Crenshaw is still living. (Note: Not now,???, 4-17-39) Her address is Lincoln Street, Eugene, Oregon. Care of Mrs. Luella Bristow.

Most of the Osborn girls had very red hair. A funny story is told concerning my uncle, Albert Marion Templeton. Albert, or "Bert" as he was usually called was always playing tricks and making jokes. One time at a party he was poking fun at the Osborn girls' red hair. "Look out," he told another boy, "don't get too near those girls or you will catch fire from their hair." The reply that one of the Osborns made was, "'Bert' don't need to fear anything like that. He's too green!"

Josiah Osborn was a very big and heavy man. One time at a church meeting at Brownsville he went to church and fell off from the seat, (which was only a rough split-log bench without a back.) People were very sober and reverent in church in those days, and although it was a strain on the youngsters, not a face showed a smile.

Josiah Osborn and his wife, Margaret, and son Wilson are all sleeping in the old McHargue cemetery, south of father's old claim, on the Courtney creek. Their graves are quite unmarked, but I know just where they are for they have often been pointed out to me.

The old McHargue schoolhouse was situated near where the cemetery is. There is still a stone laying there which was formerly the stepping stone at the entrance to the school. (Just at the entrance to the McHargue Cemetery)

The entire Templeton family was zealously Presbyterian. My family was very active in the organization of the old Union Point Presbyterian Church, later to become the first United Presbyterian Church in the world. That church was not organized at Union Point, as most people suppose, but at the home of Nancy Courtney, on Courtney creek, about three or four miles southeast of the present town of Brownsville. The two churches which made to the final Union were that one and the Willamette Congregation at Oakville. The Union Point congregation were Covenenters, those at Oakville Seceeders. In the Calapooia neighborhood where my parents and grandparents lived services were first held at Nancy Courtney's house, later in other residences about the country, and in the McHargue schoolhouse. Finally a church was built at Union Point. There was an old road which lead southwest from my Grandfather's claim, through to Courtney Creek, and following the foothills past the homes of the McHargues and Osborns to Union Point. The Templetons followed that old road when they went to church.

Communion was first dispensed on this region in 1850. William T. and Betsey Templeton took communion and united with that church as charter members, and remained members in it until Dr. Geary came (he came around the Horn) when they organized an Associate Reformed Church in Brownsville. Templetons were very active in the Brownsville Church for many years, and many Elders of the Church were Templetons. At the 50th Anniversary of the Brownsville Church there were forty Templetons in attendance. Now there is not a single Templeton that is a member of that congregation.

As the town of Brownsville grew the little town of Union Point slowly declined. Now there is nothing there save a schoolhouse. After the town of Union Point lapsed the members of the United Presbyterian Church there moved their meeting place to Brownsville. They purchased an old Methodist meetinghouse which was called the McKinney Church and worshipped there. Just when the change was made from Union Point to Brownsville no one seems to remember, but in 1873 there was no church at Union Point.

I was born on my father's donation land claim in the year 1867. My schooling was received at a number of places. I attended school for a time out on the prairie between Brownsville and Halsey where the Falk and Kirk families now live. I went to school in Brownsville where George Blakely, son of Capt. Jas. Blakely was my teacher. I also attended school in North Brownsville where the teachers were Prof. J.B. Horner and his wife. At that time the North Brownsville school was on the high hill to the north of the town. I believe that the Horners taught there about the years 1881-1883.

There was a fine class of pupils who attended school with me under the Horners. So many of the pupils were about of an age. I can name a great many of them; and give their ages;

Amy Templeton 18
Sarah Coshow 17
Ida Coshow 16
Kate Coshow 14
George Coshow 16
Chas. Holland 18
Clyde Foster 17 (My cousin)
Alice Hausman 16
Ida McKinney 16
Ida Shackleford 18
Anna Shackleford 14
Florence Brown 18 )
                            ) Daughters of John Brown and Amelia Spaulding Brown.
Reddy Brown 16    )
Lib. Kay 16
Lorena Kay 14
Becky Leech 18
Frank Stannard 16
Harve Stannard 18
Idella Stannard 14
Fred Templeton 14
Harry Templeton 12
Ione Arthurs 14
Warren Arthurs 12
Gus Hausman 12
Frona Rice 16.

Later I went to school to a Mrs. Rowland and boarded with the Osborns.

One of the great excitements of my school days was the murder of Sidney Smith and his wife on the prairie near where I went to school. That occurred only a mile from my home. It was one of the first murders in that region. The murderer was Tom Smith, a brother. After the murder Tom Smith claimed that his brother, Sidney, had killed his own wife, and then committed suicide. That version of the tragedy would probably have passed except that during the inquiry a child of the family, a mere baby, innocently asked, "How could papa kill mama when he was dead already?" That gave an entirely different aspect to the case. Tom Smith was finally hung for his crime.

My father was married twice. His first wife was Lavina Pell. They were married at Union Point Church by Rev. Wilson Blain on Oct. 4, 1855. To this union the following children were born:

William Henry, Jan. 29, 1856

Charles, June 30, 1859

Iva (Myself), May 9, 1867

Edward Geary, January 18, 1871

Mother died January 29, 1871 when her youngest child was only eleven days old.

Father married a second time to Mary Yantis, in May 1873. To them two daughters and one son were born:

Hattie, (married to a Mr. Selter) Born May, 1873.

Anna (now Mrs. Kirk of Halsey) Born Nov. 7, 1876.

Infant son, Born and Died June 4th, 1884.

After I completed my education I taught school for a number of years. I taught the first school ever held at Foster, Oregon.

On July 11, 1880 I was driving with a party over the high bridge which was across the upper Calapooia a number of miles above Holly. A heavy load had just crossed the bridge ahead of us and must have weakened the timbers. The bridge collapsed while our team was crossing, and I was seriously hurt. On May, 1891, as a result of these injuries I was forced to have one limb amputated at the hip. I have been crippled ever since.

Other unconnected incidents related by Mrs. Galbraith.

Here is a picture of my grandfather's home. It was given to my mother in 1873, and was taken by my Uncle Joe Templeton. The big locust tree which you see at the gate grew from a tiny switch, which my father broke off at Oregon City when he went to market there in pioneer days when that was the only store in Oregon, 100 miles distant. He used the locust switch which he picked to whip his horse along the road. When he got home he stuck it in the ground by the gate and the picture shows the results. (It became a large tree). That happened about 1847. The house shown in the picture was built in 1848.

My grandmother Templeton was a very active woman. When the Finley's were building their first mill she helped Mrs. Finley cook for the workmen. She would get up in the morning, get breakfast for her twelve children, then pack a basket and walk up to the Finleys to help with the work there."

Joseph Sagie was the early cabinet-maker at Brownsville. There are many of his pieces of furniture still in existence in and about Brownsville. His home was situated just one block north of the present Blakely monument in south Brownsville. Mrs. Marsters lives on that corner now."

David Templeton, my father's oldest brother moved to Prineville in 1870 and became a pioneer of that region."

The Dinwiddie and Wilson families were among the early pioneers in my home neighborhood. They were also related to Wilson Blain."

My aunt Matilda Templeton was married three times. Her first husband was Robert S. Linville. Her second husband was Alex. Foster. They had one son, Clyde Foster, born in 1866. Alex Foster was scalded to death in a hot dye vat at the Brownsville Woolen mills on April 11, 1867. He was only 21 years old at the time. Her third husband was named Hausman.

Clyde Foster, son of Matilda and Alex Foster was married to Lautette Brown, in 1890. She was the daughter of John Brown and Amelia Spaulding Brown. Her grandfathers were Hugh L. Brown, founder of Brownsville, and Henry Harmon Spaulding, early Indian missionary and friend of the Whitmans."

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.