History and Genealogy

1773-1977

By

Maurice Hyde Gardner  

1853 --1900

  (publishers note: "Daniel and Lorena Gardner -- History and Genealogy 1773 - 1997" by Maurice Gardner is presented here in four parts for easier HTML download. Part I focuses on Daniel and Lorena's journey westward along the Oregon Trail in 1852.  Part II covers the period of 1853 to 1900 focusing on the Gardner contributions to the development of Clark County, Part III is a collection of family photos, and Part IV is a compilation of the sections of book that focus on individual family members).  

The hardships experienced in the early years of pioneer life in the wilderness capture the imagination of current generations. In order to portray the conditions that were encountered, family stories and photographs have been copied, and recollections of families living in the Woodland area were gathered. Many of the stories have been copied from A HISTORY OF THE WOODLAND COMMUNITY. 1850-1958. Curtis Gardner, Chairman. 

 Daniel and Lorena Gardner had lost their cows and had little or no money with which to buy farm machinery when they arrived at the site of their future donation land claim. They immediately prepared the ground and planted potatoes. "Here, at this time," said Mr. Gardner, "was one of the outposts of civilization." There were no settlers beyond his domain on the Lewis River. He was the first settler in the district that was eventually named Hayes. He cut some logs, placed them four above each other, and then stretched a covering of tent cloth, and thus built a home ten by twelve feet in size.

 Only a chair survived the trip across the plains. The other furniture required for their living quarters was made from odds and ends. The end gate of the wagon made an excellent table. Poles placed athwart the tent and covered with fir boughs and feather beds formed a couch for the whole family. Later a log house was built that served until their permanent log home was built in 1866. Their grandchildren and great grandchildren remembered that house for years. In the 1950s the site of both houses was marked by a grapevine and maple tree.

 Three sons and two daughters were added to the family after their arrival in the Lewis River area: Daniel Wells, Mary, George, Emma, and Edward, making nine children (two had died before leaving Iowa). The Gardner home became a meeting place for the growing area, and Daniel became a leader in community life. He was the first school I       teacher. He was a religious man and organized a Sunday School and was its first Superintendent. He also organized the first singing school. Before long he was appointed Justice of the Peace and Notary Public. As Justice of the Peace he was often called to perform marriage ceremonies. Later he became an Ordained Minister in the United Brethren Church. His fine quality is attested by one who knew him well on the trip across the plains, who said: "there was no known instance of his losing his temper on that trying journey."

 His work as Sunday School Superintendent resulted in his preaching occasional funeral sermons. He conducted the funeral service for Squire Bozarth on the Lewis River. Daniel also held funeral services for other members of the Bozarth family and performed the marriage service for a number of them as well.

 Daniel organized the church of Hayes, presumably the United Brethren, as he was a member of that denomination. Lorena was a nurse for all the county and in the very spirit of the times her services were always free. Daniel was a cabinet maker and a carpenter and he did considerable carpentry work for the more distant neighbors on the river. He build a house for the Bozarth family and one for Mr. Strong. These two were still standing in the 1960's, one west of Woodland and the other west of the highway, Sam Conrad lived in it. The houses had hand planed siding and were still solid though built around 1853.

 In the fall of 1855, A. M. Hastings, a friend of the Gardners, came down the river from Yakima, Washington and told Daniel that they had better get out as the Indians were coming. Daniel told him that he was not scared. Mr. Powell, another friend up the river a half mile, took his boat from the Cowlitz County side and crossed the river to St. Helens, Oregon. A second man came along and warned Daniel and still he was not scared, but Lorena pleaded and they went to St. Helens and remained until June of the next year. They then returned to the Woodland area and moved into Soloman Strong's old house. They had put in crops before moving, and afterwards made trips back to their farm to cultivate them.

 The people of pioneer communities were very cooperative, helping one another with tasks, building homes, barns, and farm work. Many women acted as mid-wives for their neighbors as it was impossible for doctors to reach patients in time for births, even if there had been money to pay them. There were quilting bees, and bam raisings. A Literary Society was organized. During the meetings there was singing and dancing in addition to readings.. Because there was little money to spend, every one shared. When butchering was done, people sent neighbors a piece of meat. Then when neighbors butchered, they returned some meat. This was a practical way to avoid the need for long time preservation of meat and strengthen neighborhood bonding.

 From stories told by descendants of pioneers, there were few luxuries in their childhood. A piece of store candy lasted a week. The children had more responsibility yet they found time to play using home made materials and blue clay from creek banks for sculpturing. There were so many children in most pioneer homes that it was necessary for them to wait and eat at the "second" table.

 A story was told about a teacher who had to board at a place where there were surveyors boarding too. She had to sit at the "second" table. She was told by the landlady that if she wanted butter, she would have to buy it and then share it with the others at the "second" table.

 Children of pioneers trapped and sold skins of animals for needed cash. One eleven year old boy shot a bear. The money for the pelt was used to buy him his first "store bought" suit of clothes.

 Even though the pioneers lives were very rugged, they were modest in their language. Certain words were taboo for ladies such as "bull" or "boar". A story is told of one lady who wanted to borrow some borax. In order to avoid using the work "boar" she asked for some "he-hog-ax."

 The Schurmans were good friends of the Gardners. August Schurman told the story

of how he married his second wife. When August had to leave home to work, his wife stayed in the wilderness with all its loneliness. Two years after taking up their homestead, his wife died. The neighbors understood the position of a man who had lost a wife and they took the children. One of them said to him one day, "I have a sister who would come out from the east if you would send her money for the passage." Being assured that she was a desirable person, August agreed. She came and he ended up marrying her.

 Daniel Gardner joined the Indian War Army and was honorably discharged in February 1856. His discharge papers are the only account of his time in the army. A copy of Daniel's discharge papers was found in the Oregon Historical Society files at Portland. The only other known account of family service in the Indian Wars was that of Henry Messner's great-grandfather who died of injuries sustained in the war. His widow, Thais Messner's great-grandmother, married a man by the name of Cowley and settled on a homestead at the east fork of the Lewis River just above Interstate 1-5. No record has been found of Gardner men in the Civil War.

 The Encyclopedia Americana includes this information about the Indian Wars:

 "In the Pacific Northwest, rapid expansion on the mining and farming frontiers brought settlers into confrontation with the numerous but tribally indistinct Indians of that region. Civilians carried out campaigns of extermination against some California Indian bands. After several years of intermittent clashes, the Rogue River War (1855-1856) forced most of the Indians in northern California and southern Oregon to accept living on reservations. The Yakima War in 1855, during which Indians attacked from Seattle to the Walla Walla Valley, ended inconclusively, but the 'Expedition Against Northern Indians' carried out by U.S. Army troops in 1858 at least discouraged attacks on Washington settlements thereafter."

 A post office was established at the Gardner's home (in 1876 or 1877) and was named Hayes in honor of the newly elected president, Rutherford B. Hayes. In 1889 a church was built on Daniel's Donation Land Claim and named Gardner's Chapel in his honor. He donated the two acre church site, and his son Edward donated land for the adjoining cemetery with the provision that a quarter be reserved for Gardner relatives. Daniel was the prime mover in providing a place of worship for the community.

 The building of the church was the fulfillment of his dream. He was seventy-five when the structure was completed. The work was donated and subscriptions were pledged with which to buy materials. The foundation beams were hewn timbers supported on cedar posts well bedded in the ground. The framing lumber and flooring were obtained from Ad Reid's mill at Cedar Creek and floated down the Lewis River in square rafts. These rafts were held together with wooden dowels at the comers and were steered by sweeps consisting of a board nailed on to one end of a sapling and anchored to the edge of the raft by dowels.

 D. Wells Gardner, Daniel's son, told many exciting tales about his work on lumber rafts. Steering the raft with a sweep at each end while hurtling down over the riffles took Herculanian efforts to prevented a smashup. He also told of log driving exploits when he worked with crews and never wore calks, figuring with a peavy or pike pole that he could stay on top of the logs. It didn't always work out but he was a good swimmer.

 Men hewed the timbers from trees which had been felled near by. Mr. Empaytizer, an Irish rancher across the Lewis River, was a shipwright and former sailor. He bossed the slick-and-adz gang. A log was rolled up on skids to a convenient height. Then a chalk line was snapped full length of the log along opposite edges. Vertical cuts or scarfs were made with an ax at 20 to 24 inch intervals neat to the chalk mark. The intervening slab was then split out and the surface smoothed down. Then the log was laid flat and the two other sides smoothed, leaving it a square timber. Bricks from the base of the furnace (stove) used to heat the building and the excavation for the furnace room were still evident at the site of the church in 1996.

 The neighbors all pitched in, and with the ladies furnishing the noon lunches, the building was completed and served the community as a place of worship and social gatherings for many years. (When I was a young boy, my parents took the family to the Gardner property. The 23 Acres, and I played in and around the church. The local schoolhouse which had been abandoned years earlier was on the other side of the road and unfortunately, I was one of the kids who threw rocks at the windows. MHG)

 Daniel donated the bell with the admonition that it was to be rung only to bring

people to worship. The bell was shipped by steamboat to Bratton's Landing. When the chapel was no longer used, the bell was stored at Curtis Gardner's home. The frame still showed the makers label and the shipping address. It now tops a monument at the Hayes Cemetery #5 (Gardner cemetery) honoring the Gardner contributions to the Hayes community. A new tradition of tolling the bell at family funerals was started by Curtis and Oliver Gardner. It is believed that Daniel would approve as funerals are a time for worship. When he died in 1900 he was buried in the Gardner cemetery.

THE GARDNER CHAPEL, HAYES BUILT IN 1889.
FOR MANY YEARS IT WAS THE COMMUNITY CENTER 

 Hayes people were proud of the church. With the establishment of a school and post office, the district attained a population of moderate size. There were services and Sunday school, prayer meetings on Thursday nights, temperance programs, and a daytime singing class for all ages. The families came with their lunches and studied music, both before and after lunch. The choir director. Professor Winsedt, had a big chart on the wall showing musical terms and scores. He would strike his tuning fork on the window pane to get the key sound. The song books were marked with appropriate notations for the singers. The Christian Church in Woodland had the books for many years.  

THE GARDNER CEMETERY 

Occasionally, evangelistic services were held through the week. At the end of the week, an emotional appeal was made for sinners to come to the alter. Then on the next fair Sunday the converts were baptized in the cold Lewis River. At one of the "protracted meetings", an earthquake occurred while a bunch of the kids were down in the furnace room. It was a severe shock. They were scared, dashed up stairs and saw one of the parishioners running out the door shouting, "the end of the world is at hand."  

 Curtis Gardner, who wrote the first Gardner Genealogy and many of these stories, recalled many happy times at the church. Writing about Daniel, his grandfather, he recorded:

 “I well remember him walking to church in his frock coat and high silk hat, carrying a cane. I can see him on his knees, facing his seat, with uplifted head and gray beard standing out, praying those long prayers, the 'Amens' coming from the preacher. I have no recollection of hearing him preach. Perhaps he was then too old. "

 Another event Curtis remembered was an A. P. A. (American Protective Association, an organization opposing Catholicism) address by Mr. Sutton from Portland. As he approached the pulpit, he pulled six shooters out of each pocket and laying them on the table , said, "Gentlemen, I've been rotten-egged for the last time."

 After the speech, Mr. Sutton called for new members. Membership cost one dollar. Mr. dark was a grizzled and whiskered Hayes farmer who served as newspaper reporter for the Vancouver Independent. He rose and said, "I've got just ninety cents toward joining this organization." Before he could explain, Mr. Hoffman, sitting next to him, said "Here's a dime Henry." Henry responded, 'No, that isn't it. It's the secrecy of the organization I don't understand. "

 Curtis remembered that in those early years Christmas and the Fourth of July were the two big days. At Christmas time the tree was decked with wreaths of colored paper, popcorn, and wax candles. (Even in my lifetime, farms did not have electricity and I remember Christmas trees decorated on the green limbs with candles that were lighted on Christmas Eve. MHG.) 

Curtis wrote:

 "What memories they bring back! That smell and flickering glow! Santa Claus had a bag for everyone. It contained an orange, candy, and nuts. The bags were not paper but netting, hand-made and decorated red, white, and blue. " (Father continued the tradition for many years. We children would first sew foot shaped mesh bags and then sit around the breakfast table and fill them with rock candy, tangerines and nuts. We then delivered them to neighbor's homes. MHG)

 The church finally fell into disuse, and during World War II, when building materials were scare, it was dismantled and the lumber used to build a church in Woodland. Glenn Houghton related this story about the use of the materials from the chapel:

 "In the early 1940's my mother, Dapel Houghton, an ordained minister of the Church of God, built a church in Woodland on Goerig Street. The congregation had little money and lumber was scare during the war years, so grandfather Charles Houghton, well known in the community, purchased the Gardner Chapel for the lumber and contents. Using my mom's own funds and what little the Church of God had, volunteers dismantled the chapel and build the church in Woodland which she ministered for several years. All of the structure and contents, including the amber colored windows, pews, and pulpit were salvaged. In later years the Woodland church was remodeled using the old pews that had been stored to help reinforce sections of the wall. "

 Daniel White Gardner's dream of building the Gardner Chapel was realized in his lifetime. Vestiges of the structure remain as a monument to his work in the service of the Lord. Over the years, the Woodland church has been occupied by the Church of God, Baptist, and Foursquare congregations.  

 An ancestor with gold fever was Jonathan Titus Gerow, Ellen Gardner's husband. He was in the California gold fields in 1852. From his statement of the time and distance from his home in Pennsylvania, it is assumed that he traveled to the west by sea instead of the Oregon Trail. He found that wages and supplies cost much more in the gold fields than those reported in the Oregon Trail diaries. While in California, he wrote the following letter:

 August the 12, 1852

 Dear Brother and Sister,

   After making my five dollars to day under my oak tree in my little rancho.  I will endeavor to tell you something about California – and I am well present and I hope these few lines will find you both too and the little two.  After a long tedious journey of about 6 thousand miles I arrived in the land where the gold is.  But the thing is to get it and to keep it.

 Since I lost that hundred and twenty five $125. I have worked to the amount of 160 dollars. By next week we will get in the sweard and then the wages will be from five to 8 per day.  I wish you was here with me and daniel and bloomfield was here two you could make money. Things are verry high at present. Flour is 18 cents per lbs beef 25 potatoes 15 cents  ham 45 cents butter $1.00 teach 100 onions 30. boarding out is $10 a week but I think it costs me about $6 a week I take comfort here in my little rancho a lone I can sing & praise God as I please & I can truly say I enjoy much religion  God is good to me hear as he was there.  There is a meeting house in about 1 mile – 2 miles & a half from here there is a splendid red meeting house.  I begin to feel my self at home this is healthiest climate I ever seen.  I am in better health than you ever saw me work ten hours a day.  We have 2 hours noon which gives us a good rest.  I have swet a goodeal of the mould out. I think that when I get mony to buy me a farm that will suit me I will come home and without that I never will.  When I think of old times it makes my heart full & the tears flow but like a good soldier I brush them from me  if I could see eny of you it would please me verry much but that I never expect to for none of my brothers has spunk anuf to come out here I send my love to you both and your sisters I want them to write me if they please and you two as the night is getting far spent I can do no more than give you my blessing.

May God bless you derest sisters.

 Dobbous Satich yourba Co

                                                                                     Call”

Signed: Jonathan T Gerow

 Mary Lynch tells a story her mother Ellen Futtrup often related about her grandmother Ellen Gardner Gerow on the occasion of Jonathan Titus' death in 1907. The minister was comforting her, she had celebrated her golden wedding anniversary, and she had borne eleven children. The minister said, "My what a nice big family" Clarence, Ellen's youngest son who had been left mentally retarded after a childhood illness, spoke up and said, "Yah, but we'd have had more but Pa died. "  

 David Kenyon who married Sophia Gardner always had the lure for gold in his blood- Nothing pleased him more than to take a pan, pick, and shovel, shoulder his knapsack and prospect the nearby creeks, always finding some colors. His second love was chewing tobacco. He was an expert with a chew. He could hit the fireplace from halfway across the room. His favorite cuss work was "By Crackie".

 David had come to the Sutter Gold fields from the east in 1852. While panning gold there he heard of the gold strike on the Fraser River in British Columbia and with his poke of dust headed there. Not finding pay dirt, he headed back to California, When he reached Portland, running out of funds, he hired out as a woodcutter to Jonathan Gerow who operated a wood yard in St. Johns, Oregon. It was there that he met Sophia Gardner who was helping her sister Ellen in the cook house. David and Sophia were married in 1861.

 Cassie Russell, Lorena Kenyon's daughter, married Alvin Utter. Alvin's parents, Gustave and Kristine had come from Sweden to Minnesota, then to Portland and eventually Etna in 1888. Mr. Utter bought the homestead rights to Mr. Peterson's place near Cedar Creek. He was a miller by trade and continued in that capacity in the Portland Flouring Mills for three years after moving the family on to the homestead, to 1891 he leased the Cedar Creek Grist Mill from Mike Lynck. He installed additional machinery including a turbine, and began grinding grain into the different varieties of wheat and oat products such as whit and graham flour, midlings, shorts, and bran. Farmers brought wheat, oats, and occasionally corn and barley from a wide area. When the "93 depression set in and people had no money, Mr. Utter ground for shares, taking wheat which he fed to his hogs and marketed the pork.

 The parents of Amanda Gardner's husband Elisha, "Lish" Colvin, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Colvin, left California for The Oregon Territory in the fall of 1865. They wintered at Scottsburg, Oregon, and the next spring they came to the Lewis River country. Mr. Colvin took up a homestead and in the same year Lish met Amanda. After the younger Colvins were married, they took up a homestead just north of LaCenter. Later they moved to Ilwaco, Washington, and eventually became managers of the Odd Fellows home in Walla Walla, Washington. Lish died there in 1906 and Amanda continued management of the home for several years. She eventually moved to Portland where she died in 1924.

 The elder Colvins lived many years on their homestead. Francis owned a tannery and made shoes for the family and neighbors. He also had a small store. Colvin's Landing was at the up-stream end of the earliest steamboat runs on the Lewis River.  

 Henry Houghton and Sarah Gardner were married in 1869. They were prosperous farmers and alert to the necessities of the times. The Lewis River farmers depended on steamboats to market their products and in 1891 when farmers had become dissatisfied with the rate charged by Jacob Kamm's steamer Mascot, Henry joined with a group of seven to form the Woodland Navigation Company. They bought the steamer Toledo and ran it as an opposition boat. Unfortunately, after one year's operation the venture failed.

 Henry and Sarah Houghton's son Charles was born July 27, 1875 in the Washington Territory. He grew up on his father's farm and worked his horse team in logging camps. He contracted with Bakers Bay trap fishermen to supply trap poles. He boasted that nobody could peel a trap pole faster than he could.

 Charley married Joella Mathews in the Gardner Chapel in 1897. The newlyweds first lived on the old Littler place. The tract of land was adjacent to the D. W. Gardner Donation Land Claim. For a year or so, he drove team at his Uncle Tom Wilson's logging camp near La Center. He eventually bought the David Kenyon and Orlando Miller farms in what later became the Clover  Valley District. He built up a beef and dairy cattle herd and acquired a reputation of being a shrewd trader in horses and cattle.

 Jesse Houghton worked on his father's farm and as he grew into his teens, looked for an opening where he could better display his talents. In 1887, when a Mr. Kock started the first cheese factory in Woodland, Jesse became his helper. Two years later when Peter Mclntosh, by an invitation of the newly formed Woodland Dairy Association, began making cheese, Jesse went to work for him. Mr. Mclntosh's reputation was such that all of the milk  in the area came to his factory and Mr. Koch, a hard man to deal with anyway, was frozen out. There Jesse mastered the cheese making business.

 Laura Eggars and Jesse were married in the Gardner Chapel in 1895. They set up housekeeping in Grandpa Houghton's house across the creek from the Henry Houghton place and Jesse started making cheese in a building erected for that purpose adjoining his parents' house using his father's and local farmers' milk. After a few years he and his family moved to Mohler, Oregon where he made cheese for a year or so. They then moved to LaCenter, Washington, on the Jonathan Gerow place where they lived until 1907 when they loaded up their belongings and with their family of five children headed for the Siuslaw country to take up a homestead on the North Fork. Here they built a house, barn, and small cheese factory. They bought adjoining property and developed a large dairy farm which their son Herbert operated.

 Laura's father, John Eggars, moved his family to the Hayes district about 1890. A story is told about Laura's brother Bill. Earl Alien and Bill got into a fight while in school and Professor Soney gave each of them a licking. Bill took his first, then when it was Earl's turn, he stooped over to give the teacher a good chance. As the teacher laid the whip to him. Earl counted the lashes-one-two-three until the tenth one. He then raised , turned around and said "That's enough!!" and it was.

 The Vancouver Independent newspaper's March 3,1877 issue gave the following report:

 "A wagon load of young couples headed for an oyster supper at D. W. Kenyon's home up the North Fork of the Lewis River had an accident. The wagon slipped off the side of the road and tipped over, spilling all hands out. The men pulled the young ladies to safety. Also, with the horses straining on their tugs, they were able to get the wagon back on the road. They then completed their journey covered with mud from head to foot."  

 Martha Gilson married Daniel Wells Gardner in 1877. Her parents. Allen and Elizabeth Gilson came across the Oregon Trail in 1852. Elizabeth's parents, the Jacob Johns, and brothers and sisters traveled in the same wagon train. While in search for the Bozarth family, Jacob and Alien traveled down the Lewis River in 1853 and each located land and obtained Donation Land Claims that year. The Clark County History report of 1885 states: "Mr. Gilson, starting in a small way eventually by honesty and fair dealing succeeded in carving out for himself fortune and fame. He erected a saw mill known later as Gilson's Mill."

 While living in the Hayes area, D. Wells, as he was known, taught school, farmed and held public office positions. He and Martha took time to raise their six children, Archie, Curtis, Lillian, Lloyd, Floyd, and Oliver in a loving family manner. Unfortunately Lloyd died at an early age. (Curtis was the first descendent of Daniel and Lorena known to have graduated with a four year university degree. It was at the University of Oregon that he met Hattie Hyde who graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Mathematics degree in three years. They were married when she graduated, MHG).

 In 1900, D. Wells and his wife Martha moved to Clayoquot, British Columbia, on a mining and timber cruising venture where she died of breast cancer in June. (According to cancer specialist, breast cancer was known as early as 1885, MHG.) He stayed on a few years and moved to Kalama in 1909. In 1918 he relocated to Portland where he met and married Annie, a lady recommended by his minister, and spent his remaining years near his children.

 In Curtis Gardner's autobiography, he wrote about life in the D. Wells family before the turn of the century as follows:

 "In our family, there were five of us who grew to maturity. Archie and I were husky boys. We played and fought. For years I could show a scar on the back of my left hand where Archie bit it and lie would show a scar on the top of his head where I hit him with a hoe. I guess father figured to spare the rod was to spoil the child because I remember being whipped with a switch with both of us lined up so we got the same switch on our backs. I always managed to get on the near side figuring the switch wouldn't sting so hard there.

 "In 1895, when I was twelve, fattier. Grant Wills, Archie and I took bedding and grub up the Lewis River in the skiff to the Homer Straight place above the present Ariel Dam. Our aim was to climb Mt. St. Helens. At Homer Straight's we got fits son Alvin to go as guide and they packed the bedding and supplies on an ox and struck out for Trout Lake via Cooney's place. We stayed overnight at the lake, and made to the foot of the mountain that day. We made the ascent the next day. I was proud to say I climbed Mt. St. Helens when I was twelve years old.

 "The summer of 1900, Milo Alien and I went to Eastern Oregon wheat fields to hire out for the thrashing season. We went by steam boat to Portland, where we stayed overnight. The next day we took the train up the Columbia to Biggs, a station above The Dalles. At Biggs, we changed to a branch line running up to Wasco, Grass Valley and Shanico. We got off at Wasco and hired out to Mr. Huck, three miles out of town, for $2.00 a day and keep. We worked all summer there. Milo ran a header box, and I was sack sower. Mr. Huck threshed his crop with a three horse tread mill. We had to tend the horses. My job after the day's threshing was to take care of the three tread mill horses. A crew consisted of a header man, three header box wagons, one loader and Mr. Huck.

 "We hired hands slept in the hay mow over the horses. I remember when Mr. Huck paid me off. I had $200.00 in gold. Paper money was not used then to pay hands. That evening I walked down to Biggs with that money in my pocket a little concerned about being field up. When I got home, (back to Hayes) I found Grandpa Daniel White Gardner had died.

 "On Saturdays, there was plenty to do around the farm and sometimes I would carry the mail from Caples Landing to Kerns, via Woodland, when Mr. Klady had other things to do. Mr. Klady was usually the successful bidder on the contract to carry this route. Tills was a daily mail route. We would meet the steamboat from Portland about 9:30 a.m. The mailbags were handed to Mr. Copies, who trucked them up to his house. First class mail was in a leather pouch under lock and key and second and third class mail was in canvas bags. Mr. Caples would have the proper key and unlock the first class bag, shake the letters out on the floor, sort the mail for Caples Landing, and re-sack the balance and lock it. He did the same to the canvas, except they were not locked.

 Mr. Klady's mail rig was a one horse hack I would sometimes have a passenger from the boat headed for Woodland or Kerns. Old Baldy was slow and it would be noon by the time we reached Woodland. Then, by the time I made the circuit back to Caples, and on home, it would be time to go out and chase the cows up to the barn for milking.

 "I was glad to have the mail carrying job. It was usually cold but there was excitement in seeing the wonderfully elegant sternwheelers coming down the Columbia from St. Helens where they always had to stop. Sternwheelers were the mail boats and before the railroad, they were the only way to get mail from Portland to the Cowlitz Corridor and up to Olympics.

 "The 'Bailey Gatzert' usually was the mail boat. I could see the steam pouring out the whistle valves several seconds before flooring the whistle when she signaled for St. Helens. Then I noticed that as I got down to the water's edge and watched the boat leave St. Helens, twelve miles away, I couldn't see the hull. I could only see the super structure. This gave me firsthand evidence that the earth is round. There would nearly always be one or more log rafts being towed up to Portland by sternwheelers. Their speed up river would be only a little faster than a rowboat. One outfit would be in view from Copies Landing a distance of sixteen miles for five or six hours.

 "Then it would be a treat to see a windjammer, with sails juried, being towed up the river by sternwheeler. Boats seldom stopped at Columbia City. It had been started on an ambitious scheme to make it the terminal for passage to Tualatin Plains. It's day of glory never occurred but now it is coming back."

 The Fourth of July was always a time for celebration. Curtis Gardner wrote about one he remembered in 1895:

 "A big celebration was field in Woodland. My older brother, Archie and younger sister, Lillian and I wanted to go. Our father was away and mother stayed home with our younger brothers Floyd and Oliver. So the three of us struck out on foot. We found, or made a raft at the present Bonholzer place, and poled and paddled across the river. There was no bridge at that time. The bridge wasn't built until 1913. I don't remember how we got back home, probably caught a ride with neighbors. Lillian was to ride on the Liberty Wagon, representing one of the states.

 "This was a big celebration. A procession formed downtown on Division Avenue, headed by the Woodland band. The band, dressed in natty blue uniforms with gold braid, consisted of Bill Englert --Maud and Mable Englert – Bill Bozorth - Edward Gardner - Webster Kenyon -.

 " The Liberty Wagon followed, drawn by four prancing grays bedecked with flag, --.Edith Gillot was Goddess of Liberty and the 44 or 45 states were represented by that many girls, each holding a flag and draped with sash showing the name of the state she represented, while high up on her throne, with crown and scepter, sat Queen Edith ruling in her majestic splendor. "

 Curtis continued his fascination of river boats the rest of his life. He wrote in the A History of the Woodland Community:

 "Much history has been written of steamboats on the Columbia, Willamette and Cowlitz Rivers but to my knowledge, none has been written about Lewis River steamboats. This is an area of interest where I as a barefoot boy thrilled at the sight and sound of steamboats coming around the bend. So, with the following sources a/information, I set myself to this task realizing that errors will creep in, but in the main it will be a true account.

 The first record I have of steamboats running up the Lewis River was that of the Fashion, the Ex-James P. Flint, a side-wheeler 50 feet long. Mrs. Lena Hamblen has a bill of lading for goods shipped on the STR. Fashion, to A. Lee Lewis at the 'The Oaks' in 1854. The Oaks was opposite the Lee Lewis place just below Woodland.

 "The Eagle, 1858-1868.--The Cowlitz, 1866.--The Carrie, 1869-1871.--The Swallow, 1870-1874.--The Hydra, 18765-1878.--- -The Latona, 1878-1886.--The Dewdrop, 1881-1887.--The Rescue, 1864-1878.--The Lucia Mason, 1882-1891.--The Lena, 1884-1895.-- The Isabel, 1887-1890.--The Mascot, 1890-1911.--The Toledo, 1891.- -The Egalite, 1891-1896.-The Messenger, 1891-1896.--The Elwood, 1894-1898.--The A Bismark. 1892-1898.--The H. C. Grady, 1895-1897

 There are far too many steamboat stories told in the History of the Woodland Community, to be repeated here but it is noted that the boats were not in service for very long. The detailed accounts of each shows that fire and foundering ended the service of most of them. One of the stories tells that the fare going up stream was first, second and third class fare while the fare coming down stream was all first class. The reason given was that the second and third class passengers going up stream had to be willing to help pole and pull over riffles. The second class passenger could do their work staying on the boat while the third class passengers had to pull by wading in the water. There was little need for help coming down stream.

 Another story was about the Lucia Mason. "Pete Moe recalls that this boat sank at Brattons landing. He says with Olin Hosford in command she came downstream around the bend full speed ahead and the momentum carried her against the rocks. This was in the night time and Pete says the Indians at the point near the Indian Village, seeing the crew standing around waiting for help, rescued the Chinese cook but would not lend a hand to the whites. Indians and Chinese were always forced to stay of the lower decks when traveling on steamboats."

 And still a third story tells of an incident between the H. C. Grady and the Mascot steamboats. It was known that there was a cargo of potatoes at the Etna Store for the first boat to arrive. About midnight the Mascot with lights out quietly passed by the Grady tied up at her dock, but the eagle eye of the watchman spotted her and he gave the alarm. All hands aroused, got up steam and gave chase. It looked hopeless for them but luck was with the Grady. The Mascot went aground up river and the Grady beat her to Etna and got the freight

 In the early days the settlers traveled by horse, oxen, and water. The Woodland area was selected for homesteads because of the junction of the Lewis and Columbia Rivers. The first oxen teams were ferried by water, and when the railroad was constructed on the north shores of the Columbia, the train and equipment was ferried across the river. Paved highways in the area appeared in 1922.  

 The Sunday Oregonian of April, 18, 1963 carried this story about Albert Luelling, Mary Gardner's first husband, when he was a boy crossing on the Oregon Trail. (Mary married Charles Oleson after the death of Albert):

 "It was a big, fat, red apple hanging from the tender limb of one of the small trees Henderson Luelling had brought in a soil-bedded wagon across the plains from Iowa. The first apple, produced while Luelling's trees were still in nursery row, was the forerunner of Oregon's great fruit industry.

 "Luelling and his family had started from Iowa in four ox-drawn wagons, two of them custom made to carry one thousand small fruit trees planted in a foot of soil. It was a hot dusty, dry and perilous trip but Luelling and his eldest son Albert, guarded the delicate fruit grafts from threats of both nature and man. Many of the thirsty members of the wagon train they joined suffered aloud when the little trees got their extra ration of water. The trees however, saved the lives of the immigrants at one stage of the journey.

 "At the Umatilla River crossing, the Luellings were surrounded by Indians. Before arrows flew, however, the Indians got a glimpse of the waving trees and shrubs to the wagons and withdrew. They believed the Great Spirit dwelt to trees and reasoned he must have a special interest to the band of whites."

 The A History Of The Woodland Community 1850-1958 includes the following information about the Luellings:

 "The Luellings crossed me plains to 1847 and settled to Milwaukie. The Bozarth family settled to 1847 on a portion of the present Portland International Airport where they lived until 1851. Both families came from Iowa and may have been acquainted there or it was while living to adjoining communities here mat John Shaw Bozarth and Aseneth Luelling met and were married May 9,1850. They took up a D C L on me Lewis River to 1852 and it must have been while visiting his sister or working to me Lewis River area that Albert, Aseneth's brother, became acquainted with his future bride, Mary Gardner. Mary had other suitors but Grandma Gardner strongly advised to favor of Albert"

 

 After Emma Gardner married Thomas Wilson they obtained one-hundred and twenty acres of wooded land in the Pine Groves area between La Center and Hayes. There they built a small two bedroom house and a barn. Over the next twenty years, enough land was cleared to plant a large orchard consisting of various varieties of apples, plums, pears, and cherries. In time a prune dryer was built. In the fall, after harvest of the large grain field they had cultivated, they would drive by team and wagon to Cedar Creek Grist Mill to have their wheat ground into flour.

 In the early years of 1900, there was a boom in Northwest railroad building, which created a demand for ties. The Wilsons bought a one hundred and sixty acre tract of timbered land and built a tie mill. A flume was built along Brizzee Creek to float ties to the east fork of the Lewis River near La Center, a distance of about three miles. This was an easy method of getting them to market, as the roads at that time were unimproved and muddy. After the ties reached the river, they were cribbed or rafted and sent to buyers. After the timber supply was exhausted, a new site was purchased east of La Center in the Diamond Hill area and the mill was relocated there.

 In later years, Thomas' health began to fail and he closed the mill. He started developing a large farm east of La Center on the Lewis River. Buildings were erected, land cleared, a modern water system installed (including indoor plumbing) and an acetylene light plant built. Thomas died in 1911 from complications of diabetes. Emma continued to live on the farm for about ten years, operating it with family and hired help.  

 When Edward Gardner was 13 and his father 63, their cleared acreage on the Lewis River was the largest in the neighborhood. Edward and Emma were the only children left on the farm in 1877. George Gardner, their brother, had drowned two years earlier. Work on the farm threw a heavy burden on both. But Ed was a dashing young blade as well. He squired the girls, took parts in plays, and belonged to debating societies. He courted Lida Littler while she was teaching at the Hayes school. When Ed and Lida were married, June 30, 1890 in the new Gardner church, they received a grand reception from the neighbors. Lida was the organist at the church as long as they lived there.

 By the middle 1890's, Ed's legs began to fail. He was unable to do farm work so he rented to Newell Ward and Charley Houghton. Charley stayed on from 1897 to 1903. Soon after, Ed sold out and moved to Kerns for a year, then to Portland for a year or two, and then to Sacramento where he died in 1924. Lida continued to live there until her death.

 Ed and some of the other Gardners probably attended a prize fight between Jack Dempsey and local man, Dave Campbell. The fight was held on the Lewis River to 1885 and reported to the Oregonian newspaper.

 "It must have been quite an occasion. Prize fighting was illegal to Oregon but four steamers. The City of Salem, Fleetwood, New York, and Calliope, each carrying its full load, took fans to me spot picked for me bout on the South bank of the Lewis River near the farm house of J. Specht.  Another steamer, the Clara Parker brought others from Astoria. About 1000 to all attended

 "After a half-hour's ram storm, it developed mat no one had remembered to bring sawdust Consequently me ring was very slippery. Captain James Carroll was referee, James Gearghant and B. Fitzgerald were timekeepers. At me close of me second round, Dempsey was heard telling his second, I’ll finish him up in the next round, and he did

 "Campbell, eager to press matters, struck a terrific blow which fell short and he slipped a little. The next instant, Campbell lay prostrate on his back having fallen as if shot through the heart.  It was a great surprise to everybody. Subsequent inquiry elicited me information that while Campbell was recovering from his slip, Dempsey landed a swinging blow with the left on Campbell's breast, then instantly planted one with the right on me side of Campbell's nose. This was me only real blow to Campbell to me fight" This fight was talked about to Woodland pool halls and barber shops for years. The local fans had placed bets on Campbell and lost.

 

 One of me Gardners colorful neighbors was George Backman Jr. who lived up me Lewis River a few miles on the Clark County side. He had varied experiences. He was born in Detroit and crossed me plains when but two years old.  Later, he was packed by his parents to the mines, lived on a California farm, lived through Indian attacks, survived a buffalo stampede, and pioneered with his parents on Chelatchie Prairie and Lewis River Valley. A History Of The Woodland Community, 1850-1958 includes this story about me Backman's journey from California to me Washington Territory:

 "On the trip north they had some excitement to the Rogue River county, for the Indians seemed threatening. Near one of their camps two horsemen with a packhorse each camped for me night on a hill side. Indians slipped up mere but found a dog to their way. Incautiously, one of them gave me dog a kick landing him on the remains of the camp fire. The dog gave a howl that startled me entire camp below. Men and women seized their rifles, for many of me latter could shoot and were desperate enough to do it, too.

 "One Indian was badly wounded Following me wounding of me Indian they expected a general attack, but it did not occur. Mrs. Backman was so worked up about me occurrence mat she wanted to go back to California, but as their going alone would have been worse man going ahead with me train, there was nothing to do but to go on. Reaching St Helens they were detained until after the Fourth of July for lack of boats. When they did cross they built a house on me southeast comer of me Archie Lee Lewis place. Not satisfied with me prospect of having their house float away during some flood as they were told would happen, Mr. Backman moved his family to Chelatchie Prairie to January 1860, having taken claim mere.

 "One night of that year, during the absence of the elder Backman, a great number of Yakima Indians came to the house and ransacked it. Trepady, an Indian whom Mrs. Backman had befriended by giving him bread and milk, came to the rescue and got the Indians out of the house. They took fence rails to build camp fires and remained for some time. Tepardy sat on the doorstep until the others went away and then asked for some bread and milk which was given him. How long he remained on guard they never knew, but when morning came he was gone. The Yakimas were to their war paint and were believed to have come over to this side of the mountains to persuade the Lewis River Indians to enter another war against the Whites, but the proposition did not interest the Indians of this section. Only two families were on Chelatchie Prairie at that time. All goods had to be packed to over Indian trails on horses or by boat on the East Fork above La Center at a landing on the main Lewis River, on the present Backman place.

 "At times Indian squaws came to the house, sat on the door step and wept over what the country was coming to. The white men were plowing up the ground and destroying the grass, while their hogs were rooting up and eating the camas; so it came about that their lament was, 'Camas all gone, papoose die; grass all gone, horse die'."

 Another family well known to the Gardners was Henry Laffer Caples and his wife. On May 15, 1852, the couple's two sons as well as Henry's uncle Philip Laffer and his wife, were part of a 16-wagon train which started from Sidney, Ohio, for the Pacific Coast. After a seven-month trip across the plains, the Caples settled on a donation land claim near where Columbia City is now located. Their scant supply of provisions was almost exhausted when they completed their journey. The river was blocked with ice and the trail to St. Helens three miles back was covered with snow. Caples loaded his double-barreled shotgun with the last of his ammunition. With one barrel loaded with bird shot, the other with buck shot, he started to the settlement. On his way, he shot a pheasant. Once there, he bought a half bushel of potatoes and a gallon of shelled corn for a dollar. Returning with his purchases, he fired into a flock of wild geese and killed three.

 Margaret Caples made lye from hardwood ashes and converted the corn to hominy. They survived until the river was free from ice and supplies became available from St. Helens and Portland.

 At that time St. Helens was supposed to be the head of navigation and the coming metropolis of the Columbia. Portland was but a small hamlet and it was not considered feasible for steamships to navigate the Willamette.

 Squire Bozarth Sr. settled on a Donation Land Claim to the Lewis River Valley to 1851. Squire and his wife Milly with eight children migrated from SE Iowa to the Oregon Territory to 1845. (The only account of the plains journey was to mention that an ox team was used.) The Bozarth family was closely associated with the Gardner clan but little was written to the A History Of The Woodland Community 1850-1958 about their activities. Martha Gardner, D. Wells wife, was the fourth daughter of Alien and Elizabeth Gilson who had nine children. After the death of Alien, Elizabeth Gilson married Owen Bozarth. The Bozarths have been longtime Woodland residents and Squire Bozarth Sr. participated to many Gardner activities.

 An article written about Jacob John, Curtis Gardner's maternal grandfather, includes information about the Bozarths and gives the following information:

 "After wintering to Portland, meanwhile looking for a location and working hard, our subject, Jacob John, to me Spring started out to find me Bozarth family whom he had known to Iowa. Finding them on the Lewis River, he located on the North Fork of that stream to April, erected a cabin and commenced facing the hardships of pioneer life having his crops destroyed by water and cold. to 1861-62, he moved to Mill Plato where he lived until his death, December 10,1863, being 61 years of age. His wife sold her Donation Land Claim to George Backman, know as me George Backman place three miles above Woodland on me dark County side."

 Another acquaintance of me Gardners was John Robinson. An interesting story is told by his granddaughter Agnis Burnman:

"In later years grandfather built a larger house which was a stopping off place for people going up the river. Mother remembered Indian Zack as a little gin. She told mat he often was at grandfather's. He was very old and rode a mule. He would be gone prospecting for days at a time. He carried his tomahawk and usually brought back gold One time when he stopped he hadn't any gold and said that there had been a big slide. He prospected up around Mt St Helens.

 "Grandfather and grandmother were friends with me Indians and could speak their language. On one occasion some white settlers had shot some of me Indian dogs. There was quite an uprising among the Indians and it took a bit of talking to settle them down.

 "When grandfather butchered, me Indians would come with their cups and drink me warm blood of me animals. Grandfather was a hunter and trapper and kept several hounds. Wild game was plentiful and it wasn't unusual to see deer drinking from the creek near the house. He also had a blacksmith shop, shoeing for his neighbors as well as for himself He also was a logger having his own ox team."

 References:

Vancouver Sun dated Nov.30,1923; an interview with Amanda J. Colvin tided The Gardner clan.
The Fred Lockly column of the Oregonian dated April 17,1925; an interview with May E. Oleson.
HISTORY OF THE WOODLAND COMMUNITY. 1850-1958. Curtis Gardner, Chairman of the report.
The Clark County History published October. 1885, by B. F. Allen and J. P. Munro-Fraser

 The New World Book of Gardners gives this information:

 "The surname Gardner appears to be of occupational origin. Our research indicated that it can be associated with me English and French, meaning "one who tended an orchard or kitchen garden." Although this interpretation is the result of onomastic research, you may find other meanings for the Gardner family name. Many surnames have more than one origin.

 "When you begin to do more extensive research on the Gardner name you may have difficulty finding it with the exact spelling which is used today. It, to fact, may very well have been spelled differently hundreds of years ago, or you may even know of someone to your family's past who actually changed his name. The more research you do, the more likely you'll find several different spellings. Language changes, carelessness and a high degree of illiteracy compounded me number of ways a name might be spelled. Often the town clerk spelled me name me way it sounded to him."

 Other references to the origin of the Gardner name give strong evidence the name was originally spelled Gardiner.

 Gertrude Mclrvine of the Ellen family branch recorded a story compiled by Webster Nathaniel Kenyon. He wrote extracts from the History, Genealogy and Miscellany of me Gardner family to America reporting a reunion to 1906. The following is a portion of his report:

 “The founder of the family was one George Gardiner who in 1638 forsook old England for New England, setting in Rode Island.  It was his descendants who nearly three centuries later celebrated their first family reunion.

 “As a family the Gardners have played a credible part in the development of the new country and the useful portion it now occupies is testified to the very considerable number of prominent and able members it includes.

 “George Gardiner was evidently as educated man and took and active part in the affairs of the colony.  He was admitted as an inhabitant of New Port in 1638.  In 1644 he was present at the general county election and from that date until the date of his death about 1677. His name often appears in the State records.

 “The early history of the family is much the same as that of other settlers who helped give birth the young nation.  First there is the abode among the coastwise towns and then the hardier ones, with axe and rifle pushing forward on the blazed trail to the cabin and clearing in the wilderness.  Hardy beginnings these, populating the farms, emerging from the first pathway and entering the cities.  The family has increased and prospered until today its living members number in the 5,000.  A surprising number.  This was in 1906.

 “George Gardiner, the colonist at New Port, Rhode Island is evidently the common ancestor (1638) in the first generation in America of the Gardners.  After 1879 (1779?) the name is indexed as Gardner.  George Gardiner was married twice and was the father of fifteen children.

 “In the colonial records the name is spelled Gardner or Gardiner until 1670 when we find occasionally spelled Gardiner.  After 1780 the name is indexed as Gardner or Gardiner.  But as the arms have a common similarity, the evidence points to a common ancestor.

 “The Roxbury, Massachusetts record gives Thomas Gardiner as born in England and died is Roxbury November 1638.  His aged widow was buried Oct 7, 1658.  His son Thomas Gardiner born in England and married in Roxbury in 1641.  Now this date curiously corresponds and answers perfectly to the supposition that George Gardiner of New Port Rhode Island may have been the eldest son of Thomas Gardiner.

 “This fact or supposition is further confirmed that Caleb Gardiner, known grandson of Thomas Gardiner settled in New Port and died there drawn thither possibly by the consideration that his relatives were already there and established in the place. “

 A number of years ago, Larry Gardner, Archie’s son, sent me a drawing of a coat of arms entitled GARDNER.  I had stationary printed using that coat of arms.  The World Book of Gardners shows a different coat of arms.  In my opinion, coat of arms are over commercialized and I doubt the existence of one for the Gardners.  But it’s nice to think our ancestors had one. MHG

                                                          Larry's                                                                    The New World Book 

 The following document was photostatted from county records. The original is in a scribe’s handwriting and is difficult to read. Some words may have been misinterpreted. A computer printing of the document in script is intended to give some flavor of the original.

                                    Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 Franklin County SS.

 On this fourteenth day of August A.D. 1832, personally appeared in open court before the Court of Common Places of the said Commonwealth, now sitting at Green ? within and for said County of Franklin  Andrew Gardner a resident of Leverett in the County and Commonwealth aforesaid aged eighty three years, who having first duly Sworn according to Laws, doth on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of an Act of Congress Papers June 7, 1832.  That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and Served as herein Stated.

 --- I Andrew Gardner of Leverett in the Country of Franklin and Commonwealth of Massachusetts do declare and say that I was born in the town of Needham in the Commonwealth in the year 1749.  I know of no record of my age, if any there be it is the Book of Records in said Town of Needham.  When called into service of the Revolution I lived in Said Leverett where I have lived ever since the Revolution.  In the year 1775 I enlisted in the Militia in the Service of the Revolution under Capt. Oliver and Col. Doolittle’s regiment for the time of eight months, soon after I marched to Cambridge in Said Commonwealth was in the Battle of Bunker’s Hill on the 17^th day of June A.D. 1775.  Shortly after I was appointed by my officers an attendant in the Regimental Hospital for some more three months and then did the same service in the General Hospital where I remained until the expiration of the eight months the time my enlistment.  I never received any written discharge.  In 1776 I again enlisted as a Common Soldier under Capt. Williams Regiment for the Tome of three Months and soon after marched to Danburry in Connecticut from thence to Pickskill in the State of New York, from thence to Morristown in the State of New Jersey and there remained  until the said time of enlistment expired and was dismissed without a regular discharge.  In 1777 I again enlisted for two months.  Marched to Saratoga, New York under Capt. Joseph in Col. William's Regiment from Saratoga to Moors Creek between Fort Miller and Fort Edwards and was a part of the time at Stillwater until the expiration of Said Period of enlistment and again was dismissed without any written discharge.  Midad Montegue and Josiah Rice my precinct neighbors can testify as to my Character for veracity and their opinion of my service as a Soldier of the Revolution.  He hereby relinquishes any claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the [?] and declare that his name is not on the Pension Rolls of the agency of any State. 

                                        Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid. 

                                                            Andrew Gardner 

Attest        E.  Alvord                Clerk

And the said Court do hereby declare this opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department, with the above named applicant as he states. 

Attest  E. Alvord  Clerk 

I Elijah Alvord Clerk of Said Court do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original wording of the Court in the matter of application of Andrew Gardner aforesaid for a Pension.  In testimony whereof I have hereunto let may hand and affixed the seal of the Said Court.  This fourteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two. 

E. Alvord  Clerk 

La Center,        March 1st                 Wash. 1901 

Notes of our Family History

April 12th, 1900

Andrew Gardner came from Dedham to Leverett in 1773.  He built & lived in house on the site where Ebenezer and Neil Glazier now lives. he and Paul Newton raised their houses on the same day.  he was a Revolutionary Soldier was in the Battle of Bunker hill.  hi Co. had all retreated he stood alone blazing away was a pluck Soldier.  his Captail called to him to retreat he responded, not so long as my Powder lasts. he was the Father of 11 children 5 of whom settled in Leverett.  their names were. 

Elijah, our granfather, Benjamine, Sarah, Eunice, and Andrew. his Grandchildren now no. 56 or more a large no of Great Grandchildren the tital of Captain was given him by comon consent although he never held a Commision.  he has left the reputation of being a honest man a consistant Christian.  the rest of his Children's names were Charles, Henery, John, Elizabeth, Katie, Naby. 

Isaac & Bnjamin Holden the two Brothers came to Leverett from Southborough in what year is not known.  but was probly before the town was Incorporated.  Isaac had 7 Children all of whom settled in Leverett their names were Isaac, Benjamine, John, Nathan, Sarah, Naby & Submit. there were a large number of Grandchildren. 

Benjamin Holden had 4 children only one steeled in Leverett he was a Revolutionary Soldier. 

This information was handwritten, I believe by Emma Wilson, on lumber yard stationary. The copy was so faded that I have reproduced it the best I could using computer script. Spelling and punctuation are shown as written. MHG

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