CORRESPONDENCE 465
are daily passing. These valleys are fast filling up with set- tlers and it is confidently believed that the largest portion of the arable land will be taken up before the first of next January. The population of the Umpqua Valley may now be estimated at 1500 or 2000 souls, among which I found six Baptist members. On the 25th I preached at Winchester, 274 the only village in the main valley, to about 60 attentive hearers. Winchester is situated about the center of the val- ley, or rather assemblage of valleys, on the south bank of the north fork of the Umpqua on the great road. It contains four families and one store, a saw and grist mill and two or three mechanic shops. The seat of justice for the county will probably be located about six miles south of this on the south fork. The valley contains nearly two counties, and, as yet, not a single preacher of any denomination. This district of coun- try lies contiguous to the gold mines, is extremely rich in agri- cultural resources, and of water power there is no end. Great anxiety was expressed by the citizens of every description for the settlement of ministers and school teachers among them. It is about two years since the first white family settled in the valley and probably not more than five or six evangelical ser- mons have been preached in that whole district. Mr. Jesse Ap- plegate, 275 the leading man in the valley, assured me, if the Baptists would locate a school in his neighborhood with a view of raising it to an academical school, he would donate 40 acres of choice land and he and his brother 278 would each give $1000 toward erecting a suitable building and he thought another brother would give $1000 for the same object. In
274 Winchester was laid out in 1850. It was on a trail to the coast and to the mines. The county seat of Douglas County was there until 1853, when it was trans- ferred to Roseburg, as the author prophesies. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore., II 1183, 711.
275 Jesse Applegate was a well-known figure in early Oregon history. He was a leader in the immigration of 1843. He was a prominent member of the provisional legislature in 1845 and 1849. In 1846 he helped open a southern route to the Will- amette Valley. In 1849 he settled near Yoncalla, in the Umpqua Valley. He was' Indian agent in 1870, candidate for U. S. Senator in 1876, and died in 1888. Ban- croft, Hist, of Ore., 1:393, 473, 544, 568; 11:178, 564, 673, 763.
276 Charles Applegate came to Oregon in 1843 and settled in the Umpqua Val- ley in 1849 near his brother. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore., 1:393, 569.
The other brother was Lindsey, who also came to Oregon in 1843 and who had settled where Ashland now stands. Ibid. 1:569, 393.
