PEYTON WILKES
ON THE OREGON TRAIL
In the Spring of 1845, Peyton, Anna and their family started on the long journey to Oregon. They traveled from Independence, Missouri to Oregon on the Oregon Trail.
They endured many hardships along their journey. The most distressing event was the death of Anna and Peyton’s son, Marmaduke “Duke”. Duke’s death was caused by what they called Mountain Fever. He was buried along the trail in Malhuer County, Oregon. Several years later, family members returned to try to find the site but were unable to find the grave. Another version of this story is that Indians stripped the body and left it nude and it was reburied by another emigrant party.
When the Wagon Train reached The Dalles, they found it would be impossible to subsist through another winter. Peyton, ill advised, undertook to cross the Cascade Mountains. A snow storm made progress by wagon impossible. Dr. McLaughlin heard that a party had started across the mountains and knowing the fate that would be waiting for them, sent “Noblis Ellis”, a sub-chief of the Klickitat Tribe, and two of his braves to their rescue. Peyton and other families attempted to take part of their oxen across the mountains with packs on them, but the cattle, packs and all, were lost by falling over the cliffs and were never recovered. The families lost all of their written records and belongings except for the few clothes they were wearing.
They arrived in Oregon City on Christmas Day, 1845.
All through the year of 1846, Peyton labored to gather the means to start a home of this own and in the year 1847, he moved into his Donation Land Claim. It was located where the town of Banks, Oregon is now situated. Since Peyton was a tanner, he passed on the rich prairie land that was available for the taking and settled on the west fork of Dairy Creek where Oak timber was plentiful. He spent his declining years in the crude but substantial comforts of an Oregon pioneer home.
Anna’s hands were never idle. Her knitting was always at hand. She was an excellent cook making biscuits from the Willamette Valley flour, ground in a Burr Mill, and baked in a dutch oven over the open fireplace. Anna was especially good at making what she called “Peach Lather”. It was made of ripe peaches worked up into a paste and spread on the roof to dry in the sun.
Peyton was gifted with a calm, unruffled nature. His wife, Anna, had a fiery temper and sharp tongue. Peyton, like most men of his times, is said to have liked his “likker”. But even when under it’s influence is said to remain calm and kind. He endeared himself to all with whom he came in contact.
Anna was deeply religious. Neither Anna nor Peyton could read but in Anna’s later years, she took up the task of learning to read.
Research and story by Ruth Lewis
PEYTON WILKES
THE EARLY YEARS
Little is known about Peyton Wilkes’s family. It is believe that his mother, Sarah, was born in Virginia. War records list Samuel Wilkes as Peyton’s father. Samuel was born in Loudon County, Virginia on October 24, 1764. While a boy, Samuel moved to Bedford County. He enlisted in the 1780’s or early 1781 and served three months in Captain Triggs Company. He re-enlisted in the fall of 1781 and served six months in Captain Newell’s and Captain John Slaughter’s Companies.
Peyton’s father is believed to have died when Peyton was at an early age leaving Sarah with five children. Sarah was unable to care for the children so they were bound out according to the law in Bedford County, Virginia.
Peyton was seven years old when he was bound out. The Bedford County Court Order read “22 January 1798, ordered that Peyton Wilks son of Sarah Wilks be bound out by the overseers of the poor to Stephen Martin, according to law.” Stephen Martin had married Elizabeth Dobyns in 1794. The children of Sarah Wilkes, who were bound out, went into homes of near relatives or friends, all who lived on Goose Creek or nearby in Bedford County, Virginia.
In 1810 Peyton was bound out by the overseers of the poor to George Walker. George Walker was a tanner and it is believed that Peyton was apprenticed to Walker to learn the trade.
Peyton served in the War of 1812, enlisting as a private at Single Block on Goose Creek in Bedford County. He served in Capt. Wiley Jones Company of Virginia Volunteers and served from September 8, 1813 to March 10, 1814. He was first a drummer and was later in the artillery.
Peyton lived near Lynchburg, Virginia for a while. His eldest children were born there. It is believed that he also spent some time in Kentucky during the 1820’s. He lived in Indiana for a while before moving to Newton County, Missouri in the early 1840’s.
Peyton, his wife Anna, and their children left Independence, Missouri in 1845. They traveled by wagon train to Oregon, in search of a better life.
Research and story by Ruth Lewis
DEATH OF AN EARLY PIONEER
Wife of Archibald Wilkes
Mahala Glenn Wilkes
"Died at the home of Wm. Thompson on Alder Creek, Wheeler County, Oregon, September 9 , 1905 , Grandma Wilkes , a pioneer of Oregon, who crossed the plains with an ox team from Missouri in 1845. She was 81 years of age at the time of her death.
Thus passeth away another of the pioneer people of Oregon and none other of the writers acquaintances has filled a larger, or better, place in the pioneer history of Oregon than she."
Clipping from the Fossil Journal of September 1905
NEWS PAPER ARTICLE - HILLSBORO ARGUS , AUGUST 5 , 1915
JACKSON FALLS VISIT
RECALLS OLD TRAGEDY
Two men were swept to death
Grist and saw mill washed away in winter freshnet in 1856
A visit to Jackson Falls, yesterday, Jackson Falls is located about 2 1/2 miles northeast of North Plains . Revealed one of natures famous beauty spots , for a half mile the little stream cataracts over a solid rock bottom. At the head of the falls there is a precipitation of about fifteen feet. Several hundred yards down from the fall , lays an old iron mill casting, and this strange curio naturally started a query, and the following imformation:
John B. Jackson, in the early 50's built a saw mill and flour mill at these falls. In 1856 , two men were working for him , Jas Hough and Jesse Columbus Wilkes, a brother of Jabez Wilkes , and an uncle of B. P. Cornelius. On the night of December 8, 1856 , the two men were running the grist mill on night tower, to grind for delivery at Oregon City, next day. John B. Jackson, realizing that the big freshnet was on went to the mill about nine o' clock at night to warn the men to leave the building as he feared the property would be swept away. Just as he entered the causeway to the mill the waters swept men and building into the torrent. The debris of the mill was carried a mile below into the valley and both men lost there lives. they were found the next day and buried in one grave in the Harrison Cemetery near the present Dersham Station on the United.
The mill was never rebuilt. J. C. Wlikes was the father of A. P. Wlikes of Near Scholis. He married twice, and A.P. is a son by his first wife. Wlikes second wife was a daughter of the late Flem Dobbins. There was a daughter by the second wife , but the heir was not located.
The beautiful glen, as famous as any in Scotland is now visited by many each summer. But the feast to the eyes gives no hint to the tragedy that cost two human lives nearly 50 years ago.
NEWS PAPER ARTICLE - HILLSBORO ARGUS , JANUARY 15, 1903
W.G. Wilkes, an Oregon Pioneer of 1844 and a brother of Jabez Wilkes, of this city, died at his home on Columbia Slough , sunday, and was buried tuesday. He came to this coast with the second big wagon train, the family settling on Dairy Creek, where he lived for a few years. he moved to Columbia Slough in 1847 and lived there until his death. his parents lived until they were about 100 years of age. Many of the old pioneers up on Dairy Creek will remember Mr. Wilkes. A wife and several grown children survive him. Dr C.H. Rafferty, well known in this county and around Mountaindale in particular, attended him in his last illness.
Grist and saw mill washed away in winter freshnet in 1856
A visit to Jackson Falls, yesterday, Jackson Falls is located about 2 1/2 miles northeast of North Plains . Revealed one of natures famous beauty spots , for a half mile the little stream cataracts over a solid rock bottom. At the head of the falls there is a precipitation of about fifteen feet. Several hundred yards down from the fall , lays an old iron mill casting, and this strange curio naturally started a query, and the following imformation:
John B. Jackson, in the early 50's built a saw mill and flour mill at these falls. In 1856 , two men were working for him , Jas Hough and Jesse Columbus Wilkes, a brother of Jabez Wilkes , and an uncle of B. P. Cornelius. On the night of December 8, 1856 , the two men were running the grist mill on night tower, to grind for delivery at Oregon City, next day. John B. Jackson, realizing that the big freshnet was on went to the mill about nine o' clock at night to warn the men to leave the building as he feared the property would be swept away. Just as he entered the causeway to the mill the waters swept men and building into the torrent. The debris of the mill was carried a mile below into the valley and both men lost there lives. they were found the next day and buried in one grave in the Harrison Cemetery near the present Dersham Station on the United.
The mill was never rebuilt. J. C. Wlikes was the father of A. P. Wlikes of Near Scholis. He married twice, and A.P. is a son by his first wife. Wlikes second wife was a daughter of the late Flem Dobbins. There was a daughter by the second wife , but the heir was not located.
The beautiful glen, as famous as any in Scotland is now visited by many each summer. But the feast to the eyes gives no hint to the tragedy that cost two human lives nearly 50 years ago.
NEWS PAPER ARTICLE - HILLSBORO ARGUS , JANUARY 15, 1903
W.G. Wilkes, an Oregon Pioneer of 1844 and a brother of Jabez Wilkes, of this city, died at his home on Columbia Slough , sunday, and was buried tuesday. He came to this coast with the second big wagon train, the family settling on Dairy Creek, where he lived for a few years. he moved to Columbia Slough in 1847 and lived there until his death. his parents lived until they were about 100 years of age. Many of the old pioneers up on Dairy Creek will remember Mr. Wilkes. A wife and several grown children survive him. Dr C.H. Rafferty, well known in this county and around Mountaindale in particular, attended him in his last illness.