Oregon Historical Quarterly/Volume 63/The Cowlitz Farm Journal, 1847-51

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The Round Hand of George B. Roberts

Oregon Historical Quarterly, Volume 63

The Cowlitz Farm Journal, 1847-51

Letters to Mrs. F. F. Victor, 1878-83

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4034217Oregon Historical Quarterly, Volume 63 — The Cowlitz Farm Journal, 1847-51

Cowelitz Farm Journal August 1847^[1]

August

Monday 23rd. Morning cool, midday very warm, air filled

Copy of Map of Cowelitz Farm

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MAP OF COWLITZ FARM as cultivated in 1845 and spring of 1846. Note that 1847 and 1848 crops are also indicated. (Photostat from Cartographic Branch,. National Archives, Record Group 76, Boundary and Claims Commissions and Arbitrations. U. S. and Great Britain, Hudson's Bay and Puget's Sound Agricultural Companies, Treaty of June 15, 1846.)

Cowlitz Farm Buildings

Put up in 1838, "the principal building, the dwelling of the agent" was "of hewed logs framed in the French style, clap-boarded on the outside, and lined and papered on the inside; the windows were from the Old Post at Fort George … … it was something like 50×30 feet, with an L one story high; the main building was two stories high. There were three or four other small dwellings, for different classes of servants … a very large granary 40×100 feet, three stories high…framed of large hewed timber and boarded on the outside…" There were stables,sheds for hogs and sheep, in all "some ten or twelve barns and sheds…a large gang sawmill…" (v. 2, P.S.A. Co. Ev., 27–28, 71, 75).

COWLITZ

Valuation of Buildings, Land &c at the Puget Sound Company's Establishment at the Cowelitz:

1 Dwelling House 50 × 30 ft ....... ? 450. 1 Saw Mill & improvements attached, incomplete .............. . 120. 1 Store 100 × 40 ft ....... 1,000. 1 do. 4o × 30 ft ....... 280. 1 do. 40 × 30 ft ....... 280. 1 Granary 25 × 20 ft ....... 125 . 1 do.30 × 20ft.......15O. £ 2,405.

Outbuildings

I Close Barn 8o x 25 ft ....... ? I6o. IBarnNo.I105x30ft..157.I0. Ido.2I05x20ft..05. Ido3Io5x20ft..I05. Ido4I05X20ft..105. Ido5IO5X20ft..05. Ido6I05x20ft..05. Ido7I05x20ft..los. Ido8I05x20ft..05. Ido9IO5X20ft..05. IdoI0I05x20ft..05. IdoII105X20ft..I05. Ido12Io5X20ft..I05. IdoI3IO5X20ft..05. 2 Piggeries ...... .. 2 Stables ...... 140 . 6 Men's Houses ...... I20. ? I,8I2.I0 . II8I8yds.fencing72000railssd @ pr. m. 67/6 243 I432 2 Acres of Land under cultivation @ I 00/- . .. £ 7,162.10. £ 7,405.10. £ 11,623.

(From inventory of Hudson's Bay and PSA Company properties south of the 49th parallel made in the winter of 1846–47 by Ogden and Douglas at Simpson's request. See Elliott, "British Values in Oregon, 1847," OHQ, XXXII:36.) with smoke, wind changed from North to WNW. The 15 cradles commenced to cut down the 30 acres of oats in field No. 25. Indians binding & carting in wheat—some pulling up flax. Mr. [Wm. F .] Tolmie^[2] left after breakfast for Nisqually, Mr. [James] Douglas^[3] & party after dinner for Ft Vancouver. With the assistance of Mr Douglas men we have cut down 220 acres of grain since Tuesday last.

Tenasman35 engaged to work on the farm at $6 pr month.

Tuesday 24th. Warm weather, strong westerly wind; air quite filled with smoke. There is a great deal of the surround ing country on fire. Commenced cutting our last field of Wheat No. 19. Indians binding carting oats-changing cattle & sheep pens. The indians have finished the salmon weir across the river opposite the farm; and altho the river is unusually high for the season & the water turbid, still they most unaccoun[t]ably cannot take a s[in]gle fish. (I pow is^[4]) engaged to work on the farm. Two lads began to cart out manure to day which operation is to proceed this fall Winter & Spring with the least possible interruption.

Wednesday 25th. Warm smoky weather, strong easterly wind. Cutting Binding & Carting Wheat from field No. 19. Counted the Band of ewes; there are 283 of the Cowlitz flock & 232 just received from Nisqually making 515 in all—there are still a number of the Old California Stock among them; began to park^[5] the sheep on the Coleseed. 2 Carts leading out manure upon field No 8 in order to clear out the shed for Wheat.

Flax is now all pulled. Changed sheep & Cattle pens, a party making up fences round grain sheds. Pigs have now the range of the fields. Indian Women collecting clover seed. Carrier^[6] fixing Kitchen.

Thursday 26th. Close sultry weather, smoke exceedingly dense, unable to see more than a few paces before us. Em ployed cutting binding & Carting Wheat from field No 19. Collecting & thrashing Clover seed. Received from Mr. Handcock^[7] 640 bricks for a new oven. 2 carts at the manure. 3 Nisqually lads at the well.

Friday 27th. Clam [calm] weather, smoke very very thick. Employed cutting & binding wheat-carting out manure thrashing clover seed making up fences round the different sheds. 3 Nisqually Indians digging well. Received from Mr. Handcock 430 bricks.

Saturday 28th. Clam weather—the plain still enveloped in dense smoke. Cutting & binding wheat which is barely ripe in field No 19. As there is no grain to cart in, set all the carts & spare indians to cart out manure upon field No 2. Cleared out Salmon & wheat store. Counted the flock of lambs; there are 49 Wether lambs & 54 ewe lambs. Began to serve out potatoes on rations to the men.

Sunday 29th. Light westerly wind, air filled with smoke.

Monday 30th. Smoke still very dense, light westerly breeze-cutting binding & carting wheat of field No I9. Indian Women collecting timothy, thrashing clover & &. Potatoes are now suffering for the want of rain, indians stealing them by wholesale in spite of a Watch; they are not ripe yet scar[ce]ly more than half grown. Sent over the river for horses to start three ploughs on the pea field tomorrow. 2 Carts leading out manure.

Tuesday 31st. Very close & smoky, light air from North and West-finished cutting & binding-employed cradlers & carters this afternoon hightening & making a secure fence round the large potatoe field. Women cleaning, collecting & thrashing timothy & clover seeds. Leclair39 & Kamaka40 making up fences round the sheds of grain. 2 Carts leading out manure. Plomondons41 new saw mill commenced operations.

[September, 1847]

Wednesday 1st. Close smoky weather, unable to see more than a few paces before one. Sent the 4 men who were lately ordered to be kept here to Vancouver that they may have an opportunity [of] getting their little traps here and bring up a batteux with salt, sundries & servants orders-accord ing to directions received from Mr Douglas. Employed much as yesterday, making secure fences round the potatoe fields. Indian harvest women collecting & thrashing clover & tim othy. The three indians at the well fortunately found abun dance of good water at the depth of 27 feet. Louis Leclair & harvest indians thrashing with the machine flax & self sown wheat.

Louis Leclair or Leclaire is listed as a laborer and middleman, Cowlitz Farm employee lists, H.B.C. Arch. He went to work at Nisqually in February, 1850, was fired, June 1850. Nisqually Journal, WHQ, XI:145, 229. A Louis "Lecleine," probably a misreading of census taker Joe Meek's "Leclaire" is in the 1850 census for Lewis County. "Laborer" and "Middle man" were the lowest and next to lowest in the Company classification of employees (see Barker, McLoughlin Letters, 45). 40. Probably a Kanaka or Hawaiian Islander, classified as a laborer, 1847-50, Cowlitz Farm employee lists, H.B .C . Arch. 41. Simon Plomondon (Plamondo, Plomondeau) was an old Company employee (see Barker, McLoughlin Letters, 321). Born in Canada, he retired from Company service in the late 1830s, and took a claim on the Cowlitz, the site of "Plomondon's Landing," located about a mile south of the present town of Toledo. See George F. Plamondon, "Simon Plamon don and the Early Northwest," in Cowlitz County Historical Quarterly, I (August, 1959); also Plomondon's testimony in v. 2, P.S .A. Co. Ev., 11-15. Thursday 2nd. The air has become rather clearer, strong breeze blowing from north. Employed much as yesterday. Carted in this afternoon the remainder of the wheat off field No. I9 which concludes the harvest. 2 ploughs agoing, Car rier arranging others to start as soon as possible. Began to dig a well on the hill behind the house. Friday 3rd. The weather much clearer to day & the sun has at length been able [to] strike its beams thro the Smoke. Paid off the harvest indians. Carrier has 8 ploughs now ready & several of the lads are preparing to commence ploughing. Carting manure, making up fences round potatoe fields & as usual. The 2 mnen digging the well have got down 9 feet. Saturday 1th. Close sultry smoky dusty weather. 4 ploughs agoing, getting 2 others ready. Employed digging well; weve got down 12 feet in two days. Sunday 5th. Air much clearer of smoke and cooler. Smart breeze from Westward. Monday 6th. Smoky still strong NW breeze-employed ploughing removing mill to white wheat shed-digging well (i6 feet deep to night). Sent Laportre42 to Naw wa cum43 for bark. Carrier pulling down & carters removing Gilbeauts44 old house to below the hill where it is to be set up again to answer for a stable this winter. Boys carting manure. En gaged two heads of indian families. Sow a sow & Kawasi45 to look after the sheep for four months at the rate of I 2 Blkts pr month. Engaged 5 Indian women to work at the thrashing machine or elsewhere until strawberry season summer '48. The water in the Cowelitz exceedingly low. The indians at the weir take but very few salmon. Sal-lal ripe.

42. Jean Baptiste Lapoitre (Laportre), a middleman, 1847-49 , Cowlitz Farm employee lists, H.B.C. Arch. He appears in the 1850 Lewis County census, and in 1851 took charge of Muck Farm, a Nisqually outpost, after John McPhail left (Nisqually Journal, WHQ, XIL224).

43. Edmond Meany, in Origin of Washington Geographic Names (Seattle, 1923), 187, mentions the Puget Sound Agricultural Company farmsite called Newaukum. The Newaukum River is a tributary of the Chehalis, and a prairie and later town were given the name.

44. Hilard Gilbeault, middleman and farmer, 1847 -48 , Cowlitz Farm employee list, H .B.C . Arch. He was at the farm as early as 1842 (HBRS VI:66n).

45. Probably Indians. Page:The Cowlitz Farm Journal, 1847-51.djvu/9 Page:The Cowlitz Farm Journal, 1847-51.djvu/10 Friday 17th. Fair weather. Employed as much as usual. Sowed 18 Bus Wheat in field No 5. Thrashed 41 Bus Wheat. Started the 2 Wheel plough to prepare the potatoe land for next year.

Saturday 18th. Fair sultry weather—sowed 7½ Bus: Wheat—thrashed 23 Bus. Killed an ox and took up potatoes for rations. Received 21 Bus: Wheat from a Mr. Saml Davis.^[8] Kalama has got 40 barrels repaired for the salmon fishery.

Sunday 19th. Overcast—heavy squall from from [sic] Southward this evening attended with thunder & lightening.

Monday 20th. Light showers of rain; splendid farming weather. 8 ploughs & 4 prs harrows agoing. Sowed 18 Bus Wheat. Thrashed [left blank] Bus Wheat & Bus Oats—3 men house building. Carrier collecting Iron from about the old Saw Mill. Made an attempt to get on with digging the well again. Kalama repairing salmon barrels. Sent down 40 Barrels to Plomondons landing place. Forwarded a letter to the Board of Management pr Mr. Hall^[9] just received by him from Nisqually.

Tuesday 21st. Splendid weather—employed much as usual. The new oven finished. Sowed 18 Bus Wheat in field No 5—thrashed 58 Bus. oats. Sent off the Batteux with 50 empty casks & Laportre with a little Outfit to begin the fishery at the Forks—the batteux is to go as far as Thibeaults^[10] to bring up the salt lately left there.

↑ George Roberts' Cowlitz Farm journal was presented to the Oregon Historical Society by Edward Huggins in 1901. In editing it for publica- tion, some punctuation and capitals (for proper names) have been added to clarify the meaning (Thomas Vaughan and Priscilla Knuth, editors).
↑ Dr. William F. Tolmie was Chief Trader in charge of the P. S. A. Company's Nisqually Farm. He moved to Victoria in 1859. See Dorothy O. Johansen, "William Fraser Tolmie . . ." in The Beaver, September, 1937, 29-32.
↑ Douglas was on the Hudson's Bay Company's three-man Board of Management in charge of the Columbia District until May, 1849. See W. N. Sage, "James Douglas on the Columbia, 1830-49," OHQ, XXVII (December, 1926), 365-80.
↑ Presumably Indians Roberts hired to help temporarily with the farm work.
↑ Pasture.
↑ Onizime Carriere is classified as a carpenter in the lists of Cowlitz Farm employees, 1847–50. See District Statements in H. B. C. Archives, B.239/1/18, fos. 45–46; B.239/1/19, fo. 44; and B.239/1/20, fo. 45, Columbia Outfits for 1847-48, 1848–49, and 1849–50 . Information from these District Statements has been obtained for use in this article through the courtesy of the Hudson's Bay Company, London. (Hereafter cited as Cowlitz Farm employee lists, H. B. C. Arch.)
↑ Samuel Hancock came to Oregon in 1845, worked for Dr. Tolmie at Nisqually in 1846 or 1847. See The Narrative of Samuel Hancock, 1843–1860, introd. by Arthur D. H. Smith (New York, 1927), 56–57. Bancroft's History of Washington, Idaho and Montana, 9, states that Hancock and A. B. Rabbeson made bricks on Simon Plomondon's farm in 1847.
↑ Probably the Samuel Davis who settled in Yamhill County in 1849. He and his family came to Oregon in 1846 (Pioneer Card File, OHS), and he settled his donation claim in 1850 (Genealogical Material in Oregon Donation Land Claims, abstracted from applications by Genealogical Forum of Portland, Oregon [Portland, 1957], No. 1459). One neighbor was a D. Brock, and a witness was Mahlon Brock. Since a Brock family was among those who left the Cowlitz Farm area after the Indian disturbances in the winter of 1847-48, the Davises and Brocks may have moved together from Washington to Oregon.
↑ Pr—per, for, from (Roberts uses the same symbol for all three). Washington Hall, on the list of Vancouver voters in 1847 (Papers of Oregon Provisional and Territorial Governments, No. 1725). He settled at Shoalwater Bay (Clinton A. Snowden, History of Washington [6 vols., New York, 1909], II:445).
↑ The Lewis County census of 1850 has "Jochain Tibout," age thirty-eight, born in Canada. A French-Canadian named Thibault was

[p112-1] George Roberts' Cowlitz Farm journal was presented to the Oregon Historical Society by Edward Huggins in 1901. In editing it for publica- tion, some punctuation and capitals (for proper names) have been added to clarify the meaning (Thomas Vaughan and Priscilla Knuth, editors).

[2] Dr. William F. Tolmie was Chief Trader in charge of the P. S. A. Company's Nisqually Farm. He moved to Victoria in 1859. See Dorothy O. Johansen, "William Fraser Tolmie . . ." in The Beaver, September, 1937, 29-32.

[3] Douglas was on the Hudson's Bay Company's three-man Board of Management in charge of the Columbia District until May, 1849. See W. N. Sage, "James Douglas on the Columbia, 1830-49," OHQ, XXVII (December, 1926), 365-80.

[4] Presumably Indians Roberts hired to help temporarily with the farm work.

[5] Pasture.

[6] Onizime Carriere is classified as a carpenter in the lists of Cowlitz Farm employees, 1847–50. See District Statements in H. B. C. Archives, B.239/1/18, fos. 45–46; B.239/1/19, fo. 44; and B.239/1/20, fo. 45, Columbia Outfits for 1847-48, 1848–49, and 1849–50 . Information from these District Statements has been obtained for use in this article through the courtesy of the Hudson's Bay Company, London. (Hereafter cited as Cowlitz Farm employee lists, H. B. C. Arch.)

[7] Samuel Hancock came to Oregon in 1845, worked for Dr. Tolmie at Nisqually in 1846 or 1847. See The Narrative of Samuel Hancock, 1843–1860, introd. by Arthur D. H. Smith (New York, 1927), 56–57. Bancroft's History of Washington, Idaho and Montana, 9, states that Hancock and A. B. Rabbeson made bricks on Simon Plomondon's farm in 1847.

[8] Probably the Samuel Davis who settled in Yamhill County in 1849. He and his family came to Oregon in 1846 (Pioneer Card File, OHS), and he settled his donation claim in 1850 (Genealogical Material in Oregon Donation Land Claims, abstracted from applications by Genealogical Forum of Portland, Oregon [Portland, 1957], No. 1459). One neighbor was a D. Brock, and a witness was Mahlon Brock. Since a Brock family was among those who left the Cowlitz Farm area after the Indian disturbances in the winter of 1847-48, the Davises and Brocks may have moved together from Washington to Oregon.

[9] Pr—per, for, from (Roberts uses the same symbol for all three). Washington Hall, on the list of Vancouver voters in 1847 (Papers of Oregon Provisional and Territorial Governments, No. 1725). He settled at Shoalwater Bay (Clinton A. Snowden, History of Washington [6 vols., New York, 1909], II:445).

[p11-10] The Lewis County census of 1850 has "Jochain Tibout," age thirty-eight, born in Canada. A French-Canadian named Thibault was

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Oregon Historical Quarterly/Volume 63/The Cowlitz Farm Journal, 1847-51

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