Notes
Note H1311
Index
[Robert Ruhl and Mary Farrier 20081222.GED]
born 1807(gs)
Card #2407 gives death date as 1872.
Notes
Note H1313
Index
[Robert Ruhl and Mary Farrier 20081222.GED]
(son of Joseph & Sally D. of Bath, N.H.)
buried Hancock Cem., (shot).
Notes
Note H1314
Index
[Robert Ruhl and Mary Farrier 20081222.GED]
Priscilla wife of Israel Hobart baptized Jul.23,1738, Middle Parish
Notes
Note H1315
Index
[Robert Ruhl and Mary Farrier 20081222.GED]
at least one chile by union
CONJECTURE:
Indiana Marriage Collection 1800-1941 has marriege of Floyd G and Hilda H Griffin. If Floyd a transcription error and this is Loyde's 1st wife? Need to see original
Notes
Note H1316
Index
[Robert Ruhl and Mary Farrier 20081222.GED]
widow Deborah Spear a. near 70 bapt. Sep.17,1773 "never before baptized" - Christ Ch.Rec.
widow Deborah Spear warned out of Walpole 1785, last from Braintree. (Register 57-142).
Notes
Note H1317
Index
[Robert Ruhl and Mary Farrier 20081222.GED]
6 children
Notes
Note H1318
Index
[Robert Ruhl and Mary Farrier 20081222.GED]
[2485774[1].GED]
Continued from Jacob Conser notes:
McDonald Ford. After crossing the John Day River, the wagon train continued toward the
Deschutes River. On about October 2nd, the Jacob Conser family saw their first view of the
Columbia River. They followed the Columbia about four miles until they came to the
Deschutes. The emigrants forded that river by employing an Indian guide as the Deschutes
was a rapid stream and required much caution in getting safely over to the other side. Afte r
crossing the Deschutes, the wagon train moved west for about a day when they arrived at
The Dalles along the Columbia River. It was now about October 5, 1848, five months after
the emigrants had first journeyed west across the Missouri River west of St. Joseph,
Missouri. The emigrants were not yet at the end of their road, but they had survived the
most grueling part of their trip.
James Miller later described what the emigrants witnessed in the area around The Dalles
stating, "There was only one house in sight at this camp. Indian Agent Nathan Olney had a
cabin, one-half mile below on the flat. He had an Indian wife. This was the first house or
settler that we found on our route, after leaving the Big Blue River, not over 100 miles fr om
Saint Joseph, Missouri except at the different forts on our route, namely, Forts Laramie, H all,
and Boise, all of which had adobe houses occupied by traders, who followed the business of
trading with Indians for their furs."
The emigrants camped at The Dalles for a couple of days before they moved a few miles
down river to the area know as Crates Point. It was decided that it was too late in the
season to attempt to go through the Barlow road as the path around Hood Mountain would
soon be snow bound. At Crates Point, the emigrants readied themselves for a journey down
the Columbia. As James Miller recalled, "We went to work cutting dry pine trees, hauled
them to the river and built a large raft to carry our wagons and our effects down to the
Cascade Falls. We knocked down the wagons and put first the running gears on the raft,
then the wagon beds; then all our other property, and the families on last. There was a
detail of six men and boys to drive the stock down the trail to the Cascade Falls. The raft
and stock started for their places of meeting again. At Cascade Falls, our raft arrived on e or
two days before the stock, as the trail down the river was slow. We found good grass all
along the trail. At or below Wind Mountain (about eight miles above Cascade Falls, currentl y
Cascade Locks), we swam our cattle and horses over to the north side of the river and
drove them down to or near our camp."
This was near where those on the raft also had come ashore on the north side of the
Columbia River. There the emigrants reformed their wagon train. They hitched up their
teams for a five to ten mile trip over the portage, which bypassed the falls of the Columbi a
River. After reaching the area down stream from the Falls, the emigrants readied themselves
for a river journey again while some of the emigrants herded their livestock along the nort h
side of the Columbia River toward Fort Vancouver. James Miller remembered that the
emigrants took their, "wagons and other effects from the lower Cascades (the place they
were then at) to Fort Vancouver in a large bateau, a boat about 40 feet long, 6 feet wide , 3
u feet deep." The boat carried the emigrants and their possessions, with the exception of
the livestock, to Fort Vancouver. There, the emigrants landed on the south river bank
opposite of Fort Vancouver. After a few days, those emigrants assigned to drive the stock
down arrived at Fort Vancouver where the swam the livestock over to the south bank of the
Columbia where they joined the rest of the emigrants.
James Miller describes the last part of the journey declaring, "After crossing all of the s tock
over, we then hitched up our teams and drove sixteen miles arriving at Oregon City, the
capital of the provisional government of the territory of Oregon. We arrived here the first
week in November, making our trip from Saint Joseph, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon, in
about six months." Jacob, Nancy, Manuel, John, and Phoebe Conser had survived their most
memorable trip of their lives.
The Oregon that Jacob Conser witnessed in 1848 was very different than later generations
of Oregonians would ever know. James Miller, a member of the Conser immigrant party, later
wrote about what Oregon and Oregon City was like when they arrived in 1848:
"On our arrival to Oregon City, I found everything quite different from what I had expected ,
so I now have many subjects to relate and treat upon. Oregon City contained a population
of 350-400 whites, possibly 500, including half-breeds and Indians. There were three small
churches, Methodist, Congregational, and Catholic. The Baptists held their meetings in a
schoolhouse. There were three stores, a large one of the Hudson's Bay Company, one
owned by Abernethy and Clark, not a very large store, and one owned by Kilborn and
Pettygrove. There were also one or two blacksmith shops, a wagon shop, one meat market,
possibly one saloon, two four mills, two sawmills, and one weekly newspaper, Oregon
Spectator, whose editor was Aaron E. Wait. The Spectator was the only newspaper
published at that time in the Oregon country. The Willamette Valley was sparsely settled.
Tualatin, Yamhill, and Clackamas counties at that date had more population than all others.
There was a Methodist mission at Salem, which was them a small village, the same we
found Portland in 1848. The latter city had only five or six houses, in a forest of large r ed
and yellow fir timber.
Traveling at that time in the Willamette Valley was done either by canoe or small boat or o n
the hurricane deck of a cayuse pony or in wagons. We had only three regular sailing vessels
running into the Columbia River in 1848 and 1849, Jane A. Falkenberg, Ocean Bird, and brig
Henry, the latter owned and in command of Captain William K. Kilborn. The three vessels
were regular Columbia River carriers. There were other tramp vessels trading in and out of
the Columbia. I have known the Henry and other vessels to load with produce and lumber
for California and go down to the mouth of the Columbia and lie in Baker Bay from two to
three weeks at a time, waiting for favorable weather to get over the bar. At that time no
other entrance was known into the Columbia River, except the north channel immediately
under Cape Disappointment, into Baker Bay.
Emigrants learned the Chinook language from the Indians, and it seemed the most
outlandish talk that I had ever heard. It was often used in the families of white people mo re
than their own language. We could buy from the Indians a salmon weighing from 20 to 30
pounds for almost anything that we had to give in old clothing, or, if we had any money, 25
cents. In the year 1847, bran made at the flour mills was thrown into the river to get it o ut
of the way, no demand for it.
There was no paper money, but occasionally one might see a piece of coin or a Mexican
dollar in the hands of some emigrant of recent arrival. According to the territorial laws , one
bushel of wheat was legal tender for $1. For labor on any other indebtedness, an order on
the Hudson's Bay Company, George Abernethy and Clark, or Kilborn and Pettygrove's store
was good, but in almost two months after our arrival, absent fathers and brothers began to
arrive overland and by the return trips of the sailing vessels. All, without exception, ha d gold
dust; some had large amounts in the thousands of dollars. Then, prices on all property
began to rise, and the mode of payment turned to the primitive gold scales, and soon the
large trading establishments put in large gold scales. Gold dust was $16 per ounce, in
payment of all purchases."
After assessing the situation in the Oregon City area, Jacob Conser purchased another
man's rights to property near Scio, in Linn County. The following year, Jacob took up a cla im
of 320 acres and bought another 320 acres at Santiam City, Oregon. This site was later
flooded many times and in the late twentieth century much of this land lies under the
Santiam River. It was located about two miles downstream from Jefferson, Oregon. At
Santiam City he was a partner with Mr. Evans in a gristmill on the north side of the rive r in
Marion County. He was also the postmaster of Syracuse, a community on the south side of
the Santiam River just opposite Santiam City and served as the postmaster of Santiam City
until 1852. After the flood in 1851, he left Santiam City and took up a claim upstream
between Mr. Bates and Mr. Holt and started his own community called Conser's Ferry, later
Jefferson. Jacob did everything that he could to draw other settlers to his community. He
understood the river by which he settled and realized that Jefferson was the best location
for a community, not Santiam City. As the town name suggest, he immediately began
operating a ferry at the new location and tried to attract other person's to his locale. I n this
effort he had a difficult time. On the surface, Santiam City offered every advantage which
Conser's Ferry, just beginning, could not. Santiam City had established mills, stores, an d the
ferry. However, Jacob realized that the location of Santiam City was naturally flawed and i t
would meet one natural disaster after another. Jacob was right and in 1861 a large flood
virtually wiped out all of Santiam City. Many of the people then realized that Jacob was ri ght
and they moved to Conser's Ferry, which was then beginning to be called Jefferson.
Between 1851 and 1854, Jacob built a variety of mills, aided on these endeavors by a
former partner of his from Santiam, Thomas Holt. He arranged to have an educational center
in Jefferson established and platted the town of which he began selling lots to prospective
businessmen and townspeople. In 1853 he started a sawmill in Jefferson, later erecting a
flour and gristmill. With his partner, John Burnett, he added to the mill until in 1870 i t had a
capital of $25,000. The Conser family was realizing the fruits of Jacob's labor. Many of hi s
sons were also working in the now extended family business operation named Jacob Conser
and Sons. In 1854, just three years after establishing Jefferson and five years before
Oregon became a state; Jacob built the Conser Home and Hotel. This building was the first
elaborate frame home in Jefferson. Just over a decade later, Jacob added to his home near
the ferry landing making it a three-story residence which at the time was the finest home i n
the country. This home was later taken over the city of Jefferson and used as a public libr ary
and city hall to protect this piece of history.
In addition to his business and town building interest, Jacob also was called upon to serve
the people in his area politically. Jacob was elected to the first Territorial Legislatur e for Linn
County in 1849, just a year after his arrival. He was also elected to serve in the special
session from Marion County in 1852 and was elected again in 1855-56. In 1859 he was sent
to the first state convention in Eugene. He continued to be active in government and the
Democratic Party. After completion of his legislative terms, he served as a judge in Marion
County. On October 29, 1870, a charter of incorporation was granted by the Oregon
legislature to Jefferson. An election was called on December 5, 1870 and Jacob was elected
as the first mayor of Jefferson. He also served as one of the first board of trustees of
Willamette University and was a director in the Oregon Central Railroad.
Meanwhile, Jacob and Nancy's family continued to grow. Lewis Cass Conser, named in honor
of 1848 Democratic Presidential nominee Lewis Cass from Michigan, was born on July 8,
1849 and Mary Ann was born on February 5, 1851, both at Santiam City. Five more children
were born between 1852 and 1862, all at Jefferson. They included Wesley Shannon on
November 22, 1852, George Witherite on November 23, 1854, Pleasant Bell on February 17,
1858, Henry Philip on June 23, 1860, and Hope Douglas on July 18, 1862.
Tragedy occasionally hit the family as three-year old Pleasant Bell Conser died on May 4,
1861. Three years later, on May 12, 1864 twenty-four years old Manuel Conser died of small
pox. Their mother and Jacob's wife, Nancy (Gunsaules) Conser died near Walla Walla,
Washington on April 18, 1879 at the age of fifty-six while visiting with her sister. She wa s
buried at Jefferson Cemetery northeast of Jefferson. The cemetery was on land earlier
donated for that purpose by her husband.
At the time of their mother's death, most of the children were going off on their own: Joh n A.
Conser married Synthia Jane Jones on August 13, 1860, Phoebe married A.J.S. Watson on
August 13, 1860, Lewis Cass married Elizabeth Hunsaker on October 1, 1883, Mary Ann
married Royal Thomas in 1872, Wesley married Ruth Hosmer in 1876, and George married
Lillian Rhen. Henry was eighteen years old and Hope Douglas was sixteen at their mother's
death.
After Nancy's death, Jacob, then sixty-one year old, continued to live and conduct business
at Jefferson. On May 5, 1881 Jacob married a lady that he had known for a long time,
Elizabeth (Felix) Humphrey. Mrs. Humphrey was the widow of Norris Humphrey, whom had
come to Oregon in the same pioneer company from the mid-west in 1848 that the Conser
family traveled. After marriage, the couple settled in Eugene, Oregon where Jacob retired i n
1885 at the age of sixty-seven.
Jacob passed away at his home in Eugene at 9:50 Saturday morning on March 18, 1893. He
had been ill for a few weeks before his death from pneumonia. At his death he was survived
by eight of his children. They include: John Conser from Portland, Oregon, Mrs. A.J. (Phoeb e)
Watson from Chehalis, Washington, Lewis from Linn County, Oregon, Mrs. Royal (Mary)
Thomas from Turner, Oregon, Wesley from Portland, Oregon, George from Heppner, Oregon,
Henry from Linn County, Oregon, and Hope Douglas from Jefferson, Oregon. A half-sister,
Mrs. John (Catherine) Burnett from Sweet Home, Oregon in addition to sisters, Mrs. John
(Mary) From from Oxford, Nebraska, Mrs. George (Sarah) Burnett from Maquon, Illinois, and
Mrs. David (Amelia) Henney from Potters Mill, Pennsylvania, also survived him. Surviving
half-brothers include Benjamin Garrett from Oxford, Nebraska and Christian Garrett from
Fillmore County, Nebraska.
Brief funeral services for Jacob were conducted by the Eugene Masonic Lodge of which he
was a long member and were held at 9:30 in the morning on Sunday, March 19th at his
residence in Eugene. Following those services the remains were taken by train to Jefferson,
Oregon where larger services were conducted by the Jefferson Masonic Lodge at 1:00 that
same afternoon. Jacob was then buried next to his late wife, Nancy, in Jefferson Cemetery.
He was remembered as a great leader, whom enjoyed life and always liked a good joke
even when the joke was at his own expense. Jacob's second wife, Elizabeth, passed away
in 1898 in Eugene, Oregon.
Years after the death of Jacob, Jefferson citizens named the new massive steel bridge over
the Santiam River near Jefferson, the Jacob Conser Memorial Bridge in honor of all that Jac ob
Conser did in establishing Jefferson. Later, On February 22, 1967, a dedication ceremony
was held at the historic home of Jacob Conser in Jefferson. The citizens of Jefferson
recognized the home that Jacob built in 1854 as a permanent Jefferson landmark and
unveiled a historic marker that day telling the importance of Jacob Conser to the city of
Jefferson, Oregon.
Sources
1. George and Catherine Conser's oldest son, Jacob petitioned to the court in Centre County
just after George's death to have James Potter become a guardian for him so that Jacob
could learn a trade, carpentry, and became an apprentice to James Potter. This James Potter
was also a very close neighbor to George Conser as listed in the 1830 Census.
2. Marriage of George Conser to Catherina Kaup and proof of their children can be
established by estate record of Christian Kaup of Union County, Pennsylvania. Christian Kaup's Will
and Estate, File # 1851, and made in 1851 in Union County, Pennsylvania list Catharina as a daughter
of Christian Kaup. Jacob Conser and all other living children in 1875 of George and Cathari na
Kaup are cited given in pages 312-322 of these Union County records.
3. Marriage of Jacob Conser and Nancy Gunsaules can be found in Index to Marriage
Records of Knox County, Illinois, 1830-1878, Copied from Original Record Books in Knox
County Courthouse, Galesburg, Illinois by Knox County Genealogical Society, (Knox County
Genealogical Society, 1982), listed as Nancy Gunsolois and Jacob Causer under female index
on page 74 and Jacob Conser and Nancy Gunsalis under male index on page 256 with
marriage year of 1839.
4. Jacob Conser and Family are listed in the 1840 U.S. Census, Knox County, Illinois, page
71. Jacob is listed as Jacob Consor.
5. Steeves, Sarah Hunt, Book of Remembrance of Marion County, Oregon,
Pioneers,1840-1860; (Berncliff Press, Portland, Oregon, 1927).
6. Lang, H.O., History of the Willamette Valley; (Himes and Lang Printers, Portland, Oregon ,
1885), pp. 332-333.
7. Douglas, Jesse S., "Syracuse and Santiam City, 1845-1861, Oregon Historical Quarterly,
Volume XXXII, (September 1931), pp. 195-212.
8. Douglas, Jesse S., "Beginnings of Jefferson," Oregon Historical Quarterly, Volume XXXII,
(December 1931), pp. 316-331.
9. Miller, James D., "Early Oregon Scenes: A Pioneer Narrative, Overland Trail 1848" Oregon
Historical Quarterly, Volume XXX1, (March 1930), pp. 55-68.
10. Jacob Conser and family are listed in the 1850 U.S. Census, living in Marion County,
Oregon. [1850 U.S. Census, Marion County, Oregon, Roll #742, p. 86].
11. Conser Family group sheets compiled by Flora B. Clark (granddaughter of Sarah (Conser)
Burnett), Ernest A. Garrett of Pocatello, Idaho, and Jean Ellen (Morris) Pfund, Rene' (Pfun d)
Murdock, and Arthur Martin Conser (nephew of Jaoob Conser).
12. Annals of Knox County, Illinois, (Knox County Board of Supervisors, 1921), reprinted in
1980 by the Republican Register Print, for the Knox County Genealogical Society, p. 133.
13. Letter to Max Henrici from Ada. P. Thomas (Granddaughter of Jacob Conser) of Turner ,
Oregon dated December 13, 1934 located in Henricic/Conser File at Lancaster County
Historical Society, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
14. Conser Family materials located in Henricic/Conser/Horan File at Lancaster County
Historical Society, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
15. Obituary of Jacob Conser found in Oregon State Journal, Eugene, Oregon, March 25,
1893.
16. Obituary of Jacob Conser and Nancy (Gunsaules) Conser also found in unknown
newspapers in holdings of Linn County, Oregon Genealogical Society.
17. Dictionary of Oregon History, edited by Howard Corning, (Binford and Mort Publishing,
Portland Oregon, 1956, reprint in 1989), p. 60.
18. McArthur, Lewis A., "Oregon Geographic Names", Oregon Historical Quarterly, Volume
XXVIII, (1927), p. 294.
19. Correspondence and family materials from Norma Harrington of Portland, Oregon from
1998-2000. Norma was the former wife of Ernest Dwight Conser (Great-grandson of Jacob
Conser).
20. Historical Atlas Map of Marion and Linn Counties, Oregon, (Edgar Williams and Co., San
Francisco, California, 1878),
Estate of James Gunsaulis
Posted by Harold Gunsaules
on Mon, 07 Aug 2000
Surname: Gunsaulis, Gunsaules, Church, Conser
No. 6729
This indenture made this twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of your Lord one Thousan d Eight hundred and forty five, Between Phebe Gunsaules, Manuel Gunsaules and Easter Ann hi s wife. Andrew Church and Mary Ann his wife, Jacob Conser and Nancy his wife, and John C hurch and Charity his wife, all of the County of Knox and the State of Illinois of the o ne part. And William Conser of the County and State aforsaid of the other part. Witnessed , that the parties of the first for and in consideration of the sum of thirty four Dolla rs and five Cents to be paid to the parties of the first part out of the Interest held b y Jacob Conser and Nancy his wife in the Estate of James Gunsaulis now lying the Count y and State aforesaid parties of the first part, do hereby grant bargain and sell conve y and confirm unto the said William Conser his heirs and assigns forever sell that tract or p arcel of land situated and being in the county knox and State of Illinois known as bein g part of the south west quarter of Section Eighteen Township Ten North of Range Three Eas t and Bounded as follows commencing at N.E. corner of said quarter section thence Running S outh Eighteen Rods and twenty links to a stake thence west fifteen rods to the State road, t hen North twenty four Degrees west along said Road Nineteen Rods Twenty links to g---stone , thence East twenty three Rods twelve links to the place of Beginning Containing two acre s and twenty seven home----.
Together with all and singular the appartencences there unto beginning of [----] apperta ining thereto To have and to hold the above so called premises unto the said Wm. Conser hi s heirs and assigns forever the said parties of the first part assigns the aforesaid premise s unto the said Wm. Conser his heirs and assigns the claim or Claims of all and every perso n whomsoever the parties of the first part do and will Warrant and forever defend and by ther e present. In Witness the said Phebe Gunsaulis, Manuel Gunsaules and Easter Ann his wife, An drew Church and Mary Ann his wife, Jacob Conser and Nancy his wife, and John Church and Char ity his wife, all the parties of the first part have here unto set there hands and seals th e day and year first above written.
Signed sealed and delivered
In the presence of
Thomas Vandel & Robert Ward
Phebe Gunsaules
Manuel Gunsaules
Easter Ann Gunsaules
Andrew Church
Mary Ann Church
Jacob Conser
Nancy Conser
John Church
Charity Church