[or-roots] childhood memories

[Charlotte Sawyer]

Aileen, I totally agree with your basic message of capturing info now --
even though I haven't started writing about my experiences yet, I am
gathering lots of pictures and papers which hopefully will help explain
things to folks.  Besides, like most folks probably, I believe I have lots
of time yet.  :-)

About the homestead papers, I doubt they were actually signed by President
Harrison.  They were more likely signed by an official in the county office
in President Harrison's name.  The two contributing facts that lead me to
believe this are:  1) there were SO many homesteads being set up across the
country, the President would have been sorely taxed to sign all the papers
and, 2) the length of time to get the papers mailed to and fro to be able to
have the President sign them.

Something I haven't done yet is to compare the signatures of homestead
papers from different counties or states to see how they compare or differ.
Hmmmmm interesting mystery.......



-----Original Message-----
From: or-roots-admin at sosinet.sos.state.or.us
[mailto:or-roots-admin at sosinet.sos.state.or.us]On Behalf Of Aileen Itzen
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2003 5:37 PM
To: or-roots at sosinet.sos.state.or.us
Subject: [or-roots] childhood memories


My great grandparents came to Oregon in 1874.  Their son, my grandfather,
fortunately loved history and kept every record he could find including old
school records, census records, even two original survey maps of the area
done in 1892 and the original homestead papers on their place signed by
President Harrison.  I have been blessed to have had those in my
possession.  When he was about 90 years old the family made several tapes
of conversations with him of his families trip from Minnesota to Oregon and
of the many things he had seen during his lifetime.

>From all this information I put together a 'book' for the family which
included copies of letters written to their Congressman requesting postal
service into the Nehalem Valley, pictures and odd tidbits of things he
remembered.  He had the foresight to ask contemporaries to write down their
remembrances of coming into the valley.  Some of these things I have given
to local historical groups so that other could enjoy them.  Therefore I
feel strongly that everyone should write down their history for generations
to come.  No matter how incidental you may think your life was.  It will be
important to your family in years to come.  Aileen.

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