A
HISTORY OF MOSIER
A
HISTORY OF MOSIER
Said to be amongst the first white families
here, next perhaps to J.H. Mosier were William C. and Amelia McClure
who'd come to Mosier in 1866. Wm. C.McClure is possibly the only 1812
war veteran known to be buried in Wasco County.
The Josiah Marsh family had taken up a donation land claim near Rowena in 1854. Their son, Andrew, married Amanda McClure who then gave birth to Wm. A. Marsh in 1884. Wm. A. Marsh married Elsie Middlewart and they had three children: Bessie, Charles Uncas, and Wm. Franklin. Bessie is remembered for her many years of elementary teaching at Mosier. Some of her earlier teaching years were at the one-room school house, #64, on Seven-Mile Hill when teachers were expected to perform custodial duties as well. Both McClure and Marsh families have descendants living on portions of their original homesteads today.
Other early residents were the Bills who'd come to Hog Canyon from New York in 1875. Their granddaughter, Laurene Dunsmore Moe, lived on the ranch for many years. More recently, the property has been developed into homesites under the name of Rowena Dell. A few of the original buildings still stand; one of which is the old barn erected by the Lawrence H. Leininger family. A niece Or Laurene Moe, Shirley Dunsmore Jones, currently lives on Seven-Mi1e Hill.
Amos Root is credited with putting out the first commercial orchard (cherries, peaches, apples) in 1878. He and his wife, Hanna, motivated by difficulties with the Indians in Crook Co., moved from there where they had been in the sheep business to establish the Rosedale Fruit Farm in Mosier.i Of their eight children (Elmer, Leslie, Clyde, Alice, Nora, Edna, Rosella, and Leo), Clyde still lives. Amos's grandson, Verne, and Bill Reeves each separately farm a portion Or the original Amos Root holdings. In addition to Verne Root there are five other grandchildren who are living in Mosier. They are Emily Husbands Roscoe Davidhizer, A Root, V'Ona Evans Blanchard, and Delores Evans Marsh.
The Wallace Husbands family came to Mosier in 1882. Mr. Husbands operated a blacksmith shop from 1904 to 1938. Their daughter, Emily, lives in their family home in Mosier.
Leander Evans took up his homestead in 1887. He cleared his land and set out sixty acres of prunes, cherries, apples, and pears. His farm passed to his son, Fred, then to his grandson, Darrell, and presently "Evans & Son" refers to Don (Darrell's Jon) and his son, Gilbert. Gilbert and Linda Evans have three sons. Philip, Kurtis, and Lynden.
In 1894, John Leininger and family came to Mosier from Nebraska. His grandson, Bill,is one of twelve grandchildren from his son Lawrence's family and the only grandchild to remain in Mosier.
Other families of current Mosier residents who had arrived shortly
before or after the turn of the century were the CHAMBERLAINS, the
PROCTORS, the DUVALLS, the HUSKEYS, the VEATCHES, the BROOKS, the
CAMPS, the SHROGRENS, the CARROLLS, the BAILEYS, the DAVIDHIZERS, and
the Samuel EVANS. Their descendants now living in Mosier are: Keith
Chamberlain; Dora Proctor Root; Louise Duvall Leininger (a Proctor on
the maternal side); Mabel Huskey, her children and grandchildren; Ben
Veatch and Shirley Veatch Bagge; Blanche Brooks, Paul Brooks, and
&race Brooks Richey; Hattie Camp Hudson and Margie Camp Gholston;
Frances Shrogren Stranz and Marie Shrogren Taggesell; Rosa Carroll
Bailey; Jake Bailey, Mabel and Izetta Bailey; Roscoe Davidhizer; and
Lydia Evans.
People, through the good and bad economical times, did and do make for the backbone of the community. A sustaining force for these Mosier Valley families was, and still remains, agriculture.
The Evans and Roots were instrumental in organizing the Mosier Valley Growers' Association in 1907. The building itself was built in 1920 and performed many functions no longer conducted, e.g., prune drying, apple sorting and parking, and shipping via railroad car. At one time, under their Snow Cap Brand, they were said to handle 100,000 boxes of apples per season. Roy D. Chatfield was manager from 1911 to 1952, Louise Leininger from 1952 to 1975, and Margaret Roberts from 1975 to the present. The 1907 Directors were: Amos Root, E.J. Middleswart, Lee Evans, J.M. Carroll, and A.P. Bateham. Today's Director's are: Bob Gosslee, Bruce Eccles, Forrest Evans, Jr., Lester Roberts, and Ken Hudson.
During the early 1900's, there was an intense optimism in planting apple orchards. Much of the Valley, including the higher elevations such as Ortley, was planted to such varieties as Spitzenberg and Newton apples. A promotional brochure to entice prospective farmers and investors to Mosier Valley read: "For those who desire to engage in fruit growing under the most favorable conditions, the Mosier Valley offers an ideal location. Uncleared orchard land can be bought for from $25 to $40 an acre. Bearing orchard land is worth anywhere from $300 to $1000 an acre, according to improvement thereon and distance from town". This brochure, entitled HOW TO GET TO MOSIER, OREGON, distributed by the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company, also stated that the Mosier Valley was comprised of some 50,000 acres and that half would be suitable for fruit growing and other cultivation.
Due to poor growing conditions, these apples of the past have pretty much been replaced with cherries. At this time, Mosier cherries are much revered by growers and consumers alike, and optimism again is at a high peak.
A
HISTORY 0F MOSIER
|
|
|
|
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at ewingl@chenowith.k12.or.us
6/13/2000