Alfred Bainbridge Collver (Culver) (b. 12 Dec. 1819, Warrensville Ohio) His mother Philura Brown supposedly died in his childbirth, and his father remarried to Brazilda Rosalin Cook. It is unclear as to whether she passed away at Alfred's birth or at the birth of a later child. The family left Ohio in 1839 and moved to Tipton Iowa. He met Ruth Rice (b. 29 Oct. 1827, Matua Ohio) on the wagon train to Iowa and were married 13 Jul. 1845.
He purchased lots from Carl George and K. Vanderburgh in June of 1849. The deeds showed that he owned over 100 acres and that certificates were signed by President James K. Polk. It is interesting to note that he also bought land from a John and Emily Vanderburgh, his sister was Emily and was married to a John Vanderburgh, so it is a good bet that was his sister and brother in law. The Federal Census records of Sept. 1850 showed Alfred and his family living at Center Township, Cedar County, Iowa, and apparently lived next door to his brother Orris (Orace) Culver. It also showed he was a farmer with a real property value of $800.
In the will of Gabriel Collver, there was a glaring absence of Alfred in the will. His father in law, Beckwith Cook and Alfred’s brother Orace (married to Lucy Ann Cook) are listed as the executors of the estate. Orace was placed as legal guardian of the younger siblings.
Their first born daughter, Mary Philura (b. August 16 1846) died in 1849, reason unknown, but since Gabriel died the same year, maybe there was a connection, possibly an influenza?. After the birth of their daughter Henrietta (1848) and son Ansel, (July 15, 1850), Alfred must have started to plan to go across the Great Plains of America. The reasons for going farther west are not known, but some sort of family falling out may have taken place as suggested by Orace being listed as executor of Gabriel’s will. Or it may have had to do with the fact that Alfred and Ruth were traveling with Ruth’s parents and many of her natural and step siblings. He may have used the proceeds of the will and land sales for the trip as the preparations were expensive, and materials had to be selected with great care. The lives of the entire family depended on good durable equipment, and an adequate amount of food. At last all was in readiness, and the family set out for the Great Oregon Country. Their children were 1 and 3. Alfred sold 15 acres back to Carl George in 1851. They left in late spring 1851
NEW STUFF that I havent embedded yet:
The train consisted of 10 families and possibly 38 individuals.
1. Beckwith Cook and Mary Rice with three children.
2. Seley Mansfield Cook and Nancy B. Rice with three children(one born enroute)
3. Joel B. Cook and Mary E. Rice with one child.
4. Alfred B. Collver and Ruth Rice with three children( Adelia Was born in enroute ).
5. Linus Bushnell and Lucinda Rice with five children(one born enroute).
6. Hoarce Rice and Eliza Bolton with one child.
7. Abraham Cutlip and Harriet E. Cook.
8. Absalom Bolton and Olivia Bolton ( cousins )
9. Daniel Bolton and Elizabeth
10. Henry B. Smith and Sophia A. Cook with two children(one born enroute).
Many of these families are related to each other through marriage.
Beckwith Cook was the wagon master.
Mormons wanted a tithing and Beckwith said no, that they were only wintering.
The Bushnells and Hoarce Rice separated at Bridger Wyoming and onto Fort Boise, pushed on to the Dalles and Oregon City.
The rest went to Salt Lake City or Provo.
and were late getting to the Rockies. Ruth was expecting another child so they wintered in Provo Utah. The next spring they were again on the trail in an Oxen Drawn covered wagon, arriving in Oregon.
In Alfred’s youth the Oregon Territory was under joint control of the British and US, with the only inhabitants of Oregon until 1838 being fur trappers for the Hudson Bay Company. Next came the missionaries followed by the settlers. The Hudson company and the missionaries were against forming a territory government, but not so the settlers. They had visions of statehood, but were successfully blocked unless they could get more settlers to come there. They actively went out to advertise Oregon and recruit wagon trains to come there. They espoused the riches of Oregon and its ample farmlands and as a result large wagon trains headed out and was dubbed the "Great Reinforcement". They were able to tip the balance at next meeting and force the issue to be a US territory and set up a government. Washington started a new policy of issuing donation claims to fuel the westward expansion to the Oregon country to guarantee US control over the area.
Iowa and Missouri became jump off points for westward expansion, and many families that came across the plains stayed at one of the two places for a short while. Life must have been hard in Iowa (The winters especially) such that Oregon sounded as a much better alternative. Salt Lake was another popular point on the Oregon trail, as the trail split off North to Oregon and south to California. It was also a wintering site before attempting a crossing of the deserts and mountains to the west. When Alfred arrived in Utah, the Mormons had been there only three or four years, but it was said that the Mormons treated the family very well. Adelia Emily Collver (b.17 Jan 1852) was born in Utah.
Accounts of the travels of the Rices and Cooks as they headed for Oregon (They left Iowa at about the same time) mention a lot of hardships and death along the Oregon Trail. I don’t have anything in particular on Alfred’s journey unfortunately as his diary was destroyed in a fire in Empire City (Coos Bay) Oregon in the late 1800's.
In 1852 they arrived in the Portland in a caravan of about 50 wagons. A man offered to trade Alfred 640 acres of land (in what is present day East Portland) for the 28 oxen that he had driven in. He was going to sign the papers the next morning, but there had been a frost. He decided to push on southwards instead, in search of a warmer climate. Supposedly he had a relative in the area of the Dalles, but this is uncertain, but is possible because the Rices and Cooks also headed west. He also had brothers or sister that headed west, but it is unclear where they went.
They settled on a donation land claim near Looking Glass Valley, ten miles southwest of Roseburg Oregon. The certificate showed that they settled the claim certificate 291, on August 31, 1852, 321.07 acres, on sections 10 & 11 T27S, R7W. Donation claims were very popular about then, as an incentive to get people to move west. It was like homesteading, in which you could lay claim to so many acres, as long as you agreed to live on it and produce a certain quantity of produce from it.
They had settled on land that had been previously occupied but abandoned. In turn he sold the land to the Fourneys, and the land was there after referred to as French Camp. The Williams were their neighbors and their daughter Clara later married Alfred's son Andrew.
According to the Peterson-Powers book, Alfred is mentioned along with Lionel Bushnell in the diary of John Alva Harry. He indicates that in 1854, He explored the headwaters of the Coquille and in 1856 they formed the Coquille Guard for the Indian war.
Son William Albert Collver was born May 14, 1855 at Sitkum, an Indian Fort during the 1855- 56 Indian War, near Melrose area of Douglas County. Apparently the original family homestead stood as late as 1954. According to Myrtice Collver, Alfred on his way to the grist mill, became separated from his party while being chased by Umpqua Indians. Now supposedly he ended up on the Rogue River and worked his way up the Coast to Coos Bay. Now this was a long journey, and a rather difficult one too. It is true the Rogue Indians were fierce, and the Coquille were a bit rough as well. I believe the Umpqua were warlike as well. The Coos Indians however, were a rather peaceful group. It is said that Alfred came across what was then one of the first homesteads in Marshfield, and he decided that he like the place so much, that he decided to move there. Let's take a little historic perspective here and review a little of Coos and Curry county history.
The first major white party to visit the south coast of Oregon, was the Jedediah Smith expedition in June of 1828. It consisted of 18 men and 300 pack animals, and they moved up the Oregon coast trapping for furs. They encountered many of the tribes along the Coast, but were largely unharassed. The area from Bandon to Coos Bay in what was later called Seven Devils, was virtually impassable, and they were only able to travel a couple of miles a day. When they reached the Umpqua, they were attacked by Indians there and only three men escaped, one of them Jedediah Smith. The Hudson Bay Company recovered the furs and supposedly punished the Indians, although there was speculation they had put the Indians up to it, to drive off American trappers.
In June of 1851, the unsuccessful "first" settlement by Captain Tiechnor of Port Orford, resulted in the fight at Battle Rock, the party escaped to the Mouth of the Umpqua where a fort was located. Teichnor tried again that same year and six months later troops "Dragoons" were sent from Benecia California to provide protection. The ship carrying the Dragoons, "The Captain Lincoln" ran into a storm and beached at the North Spit of Coos Bay. The rescue parties from Roseburg and Winchester were suprized by the land in Coos Bay and set about to raise a company to settle it.
The Community of Jacksonville (near Medford) at that time was frustrated with lack of markets for their goods. So they pushed for opening of the Coos and Coquille Rivers to provide them with a seaport, and thus access to San Francisco. They fostered the settlements of Coos County by encouraging people to move there and giving it an image of a land of plenty. A sort of fever broke out over Coos Bay and a number of people gave up their claims and headed for Coos bay.
By 1855, a war broke out with the Indians along the Rogue River. A group of settlers calling themselves a militia, attacked a settlement of Indians west of Jacksonville Oregon, killing many innocent women and children. Chief John was outraged and swept through the valley, wiping out many homesteads from Table Rock, Applegate and Galice. The Indians had the advantage in the first few months of the war, but the settlers organized and formed militia units from places as far away as Portland, Salem, Winchester, Roseburg, Marshfield, Jacksonville and Gold Beach. It seems as though most adult males during that time served for at least one campaign, which was about three to four months in length, then were discharged.
They wore the Indians down in a series of short but violent battles. Coos County was largely spared the wide spread bloodshed that Curry County endured as every single homestead was burnt to the ground. The Coquille Indians were not very violent, but of course the locals formed a militia and attacked the Indians encampment near present day Bandon Oregon. A unit was formed in Coos Bay and a contingent was sent to help the people of Coquille. At the end of the war, all the Indians were gathered from the south coast and put onto a reservation on the Umpqua. The Umpqua, Coosus, Coquille and Tatuni never received an official treaty with the US Government and they eventually drifted away into extinction.
Alfred settled his claim in 1852 then was said that he blazed an Indian trail into the head waters of South Coos River and brought in the first Dairy Cattle. This comes from several sources, but they cant agree on the dates, which range from 1853 to 1857, most sources agree that he blazed the trail, brought the cattle in the early 1850's then brought the family in 1857. He apparently purchased the cattle in Roseburg and drove them over this trail.
My hypothesis is that he was blazing the trail, brought in the cattle, while leaving the family in Looking Glass. He fought in the 1855-56 Indian wars leaving the family at Fort Sitkum. After the war he brought the family to Coos River. This is based on the birth data on William Albert and an 1878 land grant received for military service in the 1855 and 1856 Indian War, issued by the government.
The herd consisted of Durham cows, which formed a large part of the cattle population and was later bred with Jerseys. The land was purchased from James Gordon and was later sold by Alfred to become the R.G. Rooke farm at the forks of Coos River. I think research of the 1855-56 war may clear some of this up, but material is rather scarce and review of the muster sheets, he hasn't appeared in any of the rosters of the troops from that period. The date on the deed for service coincides with when Congress actually got around to paying people for their service (It took almost 20 years). It could be that the deed was transferred to him by another person who served (It was common for people to sell their land grants) or he actually performed service but it wasn't documented, another although unlikely possibility is that he falsely obtained the land. If he did serve, did he serve in one of the Roseburg, Winchester, or Coos Bay troops?
An interesting distant relative was living near Alfred in the Medford area at the exact same time. Samuel Culver, he was a prominent figure in the early settlement in Oregon. He was born and raised in Ohio at about the same time as Alfred, then went off to fight in Texas. When he came back he moved onto Oregon South of Medford in a the town of Phoenix. He settled what is now the oldest home in Jackson County, and what is known as the Culver house. It served as a fort during the Indian War and as center of activity for the local community during peaceful times. He was apparently a rather eccentric character who liked to make up short rhymes, limericks and such, and read them to all that would hear (whether they wanted to hear it or not ). He served as Indian agent for a short time prior to the 1855-56 Indian War and was a holder of a large amount of real estate. His only son was fatally wounded by a neighbor over a case of mistaken identity. He himself died a mysterious and violent death... He was found drowned along the Rogue river after riding out alone. He was known to have some enemies and there was rumor of land swindles, but nothing was ever proven.
Coos Bay was indeed a land of plenty, it was very difficult to starve there around that time. The lakes, rivers and Ocean were loaded with fish, the shores with shell-fish. Due to the annual rainfall in excess of 100 inches a year, there was lots of brushes containing berries and edible roots which in turn feed a lot of Deer, Elk and other wild game. The Indians that lived there were very peaceful and were well fed, and many had never traveled more than 10 miles from their village, as everything they wanted was near by. The climate was cool and mild, very few frosts thus ideal for dairy farming.
According to "A History of Coos and Curry Counties", Alfred came to Coos River in 1853, bringing the first dairy cattle with him. Thus his herd was to have great impact on the later Famous Dairy cattle of Coos County. It is said that he purchased the Cattle in the Willamette valley before coming to Coos County. Why Dairy cattle? The region in Ohio that he came from was also a dairy center, so maybe he had a familiarity with it? It is said, Alfred brought the family over 4 years later from Looking Glass in 1857.
The September 13, 1860 Census shows the family living at Empire Township, Coos County, Oregon, occupation laborer, Real property $0 and Pers Property of $1500. A homestead certificate 2187 recorded in 1862, shows lots 2, 3 and W 1/2 of NW 1/4 section 11, T26S, R14W, totaling 152.12 acres in Alfred's name.
The first Church (United Brethren) on Coos River was helped organized by Alfred as well as helping to organize the first public school in the county, district #1 on the Coos River. The school was located where the Coos River cemetery is now situated. It was a one room school with forty pupils. School lasted for the three months of summer. By 1906 the school term was six months. A deed was recorded on January 28, 1867 for a mortgage of 902.87, the note was "fully satisfied" on February 1, 1871. The June 15, 1870 Census again shows the family at Empire Township, Coos County Oregon. Did the census people just place the people to the County seat as Empire was at the time, even though they lived up Coos River? The census showed that they had Real Property at $7,000 and Personal Property at $2,500 and his occupation was farmer. A series of deeds show Alfred buying and selling land with in the same year in and around Marshfield. This occurred from 1874 to 1878.
From "Coos Bay, the pioneer period 1851-1890", by Stephen Dow Beckham comes the following article:
Alfred B. Collver, a pioneer of Douglas County who moved to the lower reaches of the South Fork of the Coos River in 1857, was one of those who contributed to agricultural development in the region. On his ranch, the former James Gordon homestead, Collver planted the largest orchard in Coos County. Within 8 years of planting his orchard, he was ready to market his fruit, and, if necessary, to devise methods of getting it most adequately to the consumer. Collver initially considered constructing a Plummer Fruit Dryer on his property so that he could dehydrate his apple crop and pack it for shipment. That he needed some special assistance in the pre-refrigeration era was evident. In 1874, his first year of the harvest, Collver shipped 7,000 boxes of apples to San Fransico. His neighbor, Anson Rogers, had shipped out 2,500 as well.
By the fall of 1876 Collver had purchased the Alden patent for a fruit dryer and commenced
construction of a four story building on a hillside on his ranch just below the mouth of Daniels Creek
Collver disposed of his ranch, dryer, apple house, and orchards in the early 1880's to a William A. Luse, son of Henry H. Luse of Empire. Luse, who was deeply involved in steamboat and steam tug transportation on the bay, did not devote himself to the continued development of fruit drying and production on the ranch.
Hurley Collver, Alfred’s grandson related that Alfred lost a large shipment of fruit, about 7,000 boxes to a shipwreck of the N. California coast, as this was his major income for the year and there wasn't insurance, he was forced to borrow from William Luse against the factory. Another tragedy a couple of years later occurred when a barge of fruit on its way to the ship, upon exiting the mouth of Coos River was swamped by high winds and waves from the North West. It wasn't until several years later that another load was lost, putting Alfred into financial jeopardy, thus Luse foreclosed on the factory. The ranch and orchard were sold later to Mr. Rooke. The Orchard consisted of over 1,200 fruit trees.
In 1878, Alfred received a deed from the US Government an assignment from James Jordan for military service in the Rogue River of 1855. It totaled 188 acres and another deed for 44 acres. He in turn mortgaged the property. In July 7, 1880 Census, it shows the family living at Coos River Precinct, Coos County Oregon, and again as a farmer. In 1884 Alfred and Henrietta (his daughter?) moved from the Coos River area down to the lower bay at Catching Inlet establishing homesteads (T26S, R14, Section 11 or 23??).
The 1900 Federal Census shows Ruth Collver age 72, as head of household and renting a home in Marshfield and living with a couple of the Grandchildren. Alfred and his sons worked a homestead at South Bay near William’s Pt. which is now a state wildlife refuge. Apparently they lived apart the later 10-15 years. It is rumored that she said that she would not go another step west, and refused to move to South Bay. At her age, it was probably not to wise to live the rough pioneer life. It was also about then that Sarah died and she cared for a few of the younger Grand-Children. If they were estranged, it is unknown, but if they were, then divorce was probably out of the question as it was frowned up in the "Victorian" society of the late 1800's and early 1900's. Apparently Henrietta did move out to South Bay with her father and brothers. Apparently both Henrietta and William were extremely short and in fact considered Dwarfish. This may explain Henrietta's lack of a husband in an area notoriously short on avail- able women (but that of course is speculation).
I found the following in a book called "Coos River Echoes" located at the Pioneer Museum in North Bend OR.
ALFRED BAINBRIDGE COLLVER, of Scotch Irish descent, crossed the plains with his wife Ruth Rice, whom he married in Iowa in 1852. They first settled on a donation claim near Roseburg. Collver blazed an Indian trail into the headwaters of South Coos River in 1857. He then bought homestead rights from James Gordon. This land in now known as the R.G. Rooke farm. The patent which Collver received for the place bears the date June 15, 1864 and the signature of Abraham Lincoln. The patent which Collver received May 1, 1869 for adjoining 44.5 acres was by President U.S. Grant. A. B. Collver was a brother of Emily Vanderburgh, who came to the river area in 1865; his wife was akin to Chloe Harry Laird, who lived in Coquille valley.
Alfred was among those who helped organize the first public school in the county, in a district numbered 1, which was Coos River. He helped organize the first church (United Brethren) on Coos River. Over the blazed trail he brought some of the first dairy cattle to the lush valley.
Ruth Collver took pride in her Herb garden and often collaborated with Dr. Jonathon Hodson, also an herbalist, in caring for the sick.
Eleven children were born to the Collvers. The three youngest, Andrew, Howard, and Tillo, were born on Coos River. Philura died when she was two years old before the family left Iowa. A.M. resided in Forest Grove. Adelia (Mrs. Isaac Powell) lived in Tygh Valley; she had 10 children. Orace made his home in Crook County.
William Albert, born in 1855 in an Indian fort near Melrose, came to Coos River when he was two. He married Naomi Stiennon (Stiennon Creek; near Fair- view, was named for her father) and their children were Myrtle (Mrs. Roy Douglas), and Josephine who married Fred Messerle, a grandson of the Charles Eckhoffs who at one time owned the land which the city of North Bend was built.
John married Emma Armfield ( a sister of Mrs. Stambuck) and they had two children--Clarence and Lora (Mrs. (* From here, I’m missing the rest of the article *)
From Orville Dodge in "Pioneers History of Coos and Curry Counties (circa 1898) writes of the Collvers:
COLLVER, RUTH, (Rice) was born in Mantua, Portage Co., Ohio, Oct. 29, 1827, and her husband was born in Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. Dec. 12, 1819. They arrived in Oregon July 3, 1852, but came to Coos Co., and settled on Coos river, Aug. 7 1857. Her maiden name was Rice and her children are Henrietta, 49; Ansel M., 47; Adelia C., 46; Orace G., 44; Wm. Albert, 43; John T., 41; Sarah D., 38; Andrew F., 35; Arthur Howard, 31; Tillo M. Her Husband planted the first fruit trees ever planted in Coos Co., and also assisted in establishing the first school and church privileges, sharing his home with the preachers and all Christians who wished to gospel.
Hurley Monroe Collver commented that Grandfather Alfred was asked to input a chapter into the book, but he refused, as apparently there was a fee to do so, and he felt that since he was doing all the work, he should be paid, instead of paying. Orville Dodge's book consists of family essays in which people paid for to help finance the printing. Most of the crops at that time were potatoes and fruits, an entry in Orville Dodges Pioneer History of Coos and Curry County states "A.B. Collver shipped nearly seven thousand boxes of apples last year to San Fransisco besides what potatoes he sent from the south fork of the Coos River. The Collvers set up some of the first Fruit Drying Kilns for exporting fruit to San Francisco. The Dairy cattle were used for local consumption of milks, cheeses and butter. Ships would pull into port and load up on Lumber, potatoes, fruits and local food crops then head south. Apparently potato farming declined within about 10-20 years due to soil wear. The Collver Dried Fruit business went up in flames and was sold off, as was the Cape Arago properties to a Mr. Simpson ( Of Simpson Lumber Fame ). In the 1890's, dairy became king of the County and the local dairies formed co-ops. Several of his sons became well known dairymen in the area.
Alfred Collver contracted cancer of the face and received word that treatment was available at Independence, Polk County, Oregon. He was unable to travel by coach because of his condition, so he walked the distance to Independence. At age 82, he passed away on May 7, 1902 at Independence at the Buena Vista Cemetery, space 55, near his mother-in-law and other relatives. The probate of A.B. Collver was filed by John T. Collver as petitioner. He left no will and the estate was appraised at $300b (real property W 1/2 of NW 1/4, and lot 2 & 3, section 11, T26S, R14W.). Ruth mortgaged the property and lost it to foreclosure. Ruth Rice Collver, age 75, passed away September 18, 1903 at Daniels Creek Oregon and was buried in the Collver family plot at the Coos River cemetery.
Family plot where Ruth Collver(Rice)
and others are buried.
Mary Philura Collver, born 16 Aug. 1846, Tipton Iowa.
Henrietta Mathilda Collver, born 1848, Tipton Iowa.
Ansel Mark Collver, born 15 Jul. 1850, Tipton Iowa.
Adelia Emily Collver, born 1852, Salt Lake City Utah.
Orace Gabriel Collver, born 16 Feb. 1854, Looking Glass Oregon.
William Albert Collver, born 14 May 1855, Melrose Oregon.
John Truman Collver, born 15 Feb. 1857, Noti Oregon.
Sarah Dewey Collver, born 3 Nov. 1869, So. Coos River Oregon.
Andrew Freeman, born 26 Jun. 1863, So. Coos River Oregon.
Arthur Howard Collver, born 9 Apr. 1866, So. Coos River Oregon.
Arthillo Monroe Collver, born 21 Oct. 1869, So. Coos River Oregon.
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