The Northcutts and the Rogue River Indian Wars

Settlement of  Oregon

In 1834, to encourage settlement of western lands, the U. S. Government passed the Indian Intercourse Act, which provided "the United States shall make indemnification out of the Treasury for property taken or destroyed in certain cases by Indians treaspassing on white men." Between 1840 and 1850, over 11,000 settlers traveled the Oregon Trail.

The Rogue River Indian Wars

During the late 1840s and early 1850s, there were a several "wars" between the native Indians and the settlers. From 1855-1856, there was a major outbreak of violence known as the Rouge River War. (The Rogue River is located in southern Oregon near.)

Three brothers owned a store and hotel in Deer Creek Valley, in Josephine County, Oregon. The firm, E. J. Northcutt and Brothers, was owned by Edward J., Shadrach D., and William W. NORTHCUTT. A fourth brother , Salathiel T., worked at the store but was not an owner. In the early morning hours on 24 Oct 1855, the Northcutt home and business was attacked. Their house and property were destroyed or carried off by Indians; an accounting of lost property included:

40 lbs butter, worth, per pound, 75 cents ($30), 50 lbs bacon, worth, per pound, 40 cents ($20), 40,000 lbs potatoes, worth, 8 cents ($3,900), 3,000 pieces of board, per M pieces, $150 ($150), 50 hogs, each worth $15 ($750), 2 American horses, each $280 ($560), 2 yoke oxen, each worth $250 ($500), and 1 building, store and hotel ($1,000). The total loss was $6,100.

By 1880, Edward had moved to Idaho, William had returned east, to Missouri, and Shadrach and Salathiel had moved north to  Salem, Marion County, Oregon. In Jul 1880, Shadrach, the only brother from the firm of E. J. Northcutt and Brothers remaining in Oregon, filed a claim for compensation from the 1855 Indian raid under the Indian Intercourse Act of 1834. Although the act had been repealed in 1859, claims could still be filed for earlier actions.

It took eight years for the government to process the claim, but in 1888 the claim, reduced to $5,450, was finally approved.

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NORTHCUTT FAMILY IN OREGON

The four Northcutt brothers were sons of Willis NORTHCUTT, a brother of Jeptha NORTHCUTT (great-great grandfather of my wife, Judy).

Willis was born between 1805-1810 in Champaign County, Ohio. On 24 Jan 1828, in Clark County, Ohio, he married Sarah (Sally) TURMAN. Willis and Sarah had six children in Ohio: Margaret (1828), a infant son who died young (c1829), Edward J. (1830), Shadrach D. (1832), William W. (1835), and Salathiel T. (1836).

In 1839, Willis and Sarah left their home in Champaign County, Ohio, and moved to Sagamon County, Illinois, where their last two children were born: Mary Elizabeth (1839), and Harriet M. (1841).


Apparantly Willis and Sarah were divorced, as Willis married, 18 May 1847, in Sagamon County, Emily GREEN(E). Sarah also remarried 3 Sep 1847, (probably in Sagamon County), Samuel SMITH. Sarah had a daughter, Clarinda M. SMITH (1851).


In 1851, Willis NORTHCUTT moved to Oregon Territory. Once in Oregon, Willis lived alone in northern Oregon; first in Benton County, then Yamhill County, then Polk County. On 8 May 1851, Willis NORTHCUTT wrote a letter to his brother, Jeptha, who was living in Westville, Champaign County, Ohio. Willis wrote from Council Bluffs, Iowa, which he described as "the extreme end of the United States." (This letter was taken from Pat N. Stephen's web site. Used by permission.)

Jeptha Northcutt, Champaign County, Westville, Ohio

Cainsville, "Jocuay" seven miles above Council Bluff

May 8, 1851

Brother in my last letter I in form you that I was on my way to Oregon. We have arrived at the extreme end of the United States nothing but the Missouri River to cross and we enter an indian possessions an they are very hostile and have assembled 500 "braves" to dispute our passage or to pay tribute for passing "through" there country that we will pay in powder and lead or with our blood on Monday next We intend to cross the river or "dyi" we are at this moment mustering our strength which will not exceed 75------men a small force to repel so many "Sarcys-Sarcigs???" I have no doubt there willl be a severe battle for all are "resolved" to go through and will or they must bury us all well Thank God excuse my halt as I am riting they have appointed me to the "command" thirty "Mannert-warrants" at I am in form give my love to father and mother an all in "grieving family" 

Yours in hast

Jeptha Northcutt Willis Northcutt 

" " indicates a difficult word to read. Guess has been made 

-----indicates hole in page.

No punctuation at all in letter

Transcription by Donetta Northcutt

Sarah SMITH and her younger children also moved to Oregon in 1851. Her eldest daughter, Margaret, was married and remained in Iowa. They crossed the Missouri River at Council Bluffs, Iowa, where Omaha now stands, and the first night out the Indians plundered the camp but because of the fierce resistance offered by the emigrants they got but one steer. The next day Edward, age 21, was chosen captain of the train, which he piloted through, having many trying experiences and some severe fighting with the Indians.

Sarah and her children settled in southern Oregon, living in Deer Creek Valley, in what is now Josephine County.


In 1852 the mining town of Althouse was established as a trading post by A. G. WALLING, E. J. NORTHCUTT, and B. J. BELL. A few years later Edward established a store and hotel in Deer Creek Valley. The business was operated as "E. J. Northcutt and Brothers" (Edward, Shadrach, and William). Salathiel was employed there.

S.S. (RMS†) Lucania - The Luxury Cruise Ship That Brought the Langen Family to America

On 11 Oct 1902, Herman LANGEN and his son, Andrew Albert LANGEN boarded the S.S. Lucania in Liverpool, England. On 12 Oct, 1902, after picking up additional passengers in Queenstown, Ireland, the ship departed, arriving in New York on 19 Oct 1902.

S. S. Lucania

The Lucania was built in 1893 by Fairfield Shipbuilding Companie in Glasgow for Liverpool to New York service. She measured 622 feet long and 65 feet 3 inches wide. Her average speed was 21 knots (max 23 knots), produced by two 5-cylinder, triple expansion engines that generated 30,000 HP. She had a crew of 415-424 and accommodation for 600 1st class, 400 2nd class and 1,000 3rd class passengers (2,000 total passengers).

S. S. Lucania, and her sister S. S. Campania (built in 1892) had rendered all other liners obsolete, setting a new standard for both spead and appearance. On her maiden voyage (2 Sep 1893) Lucania set a new record crossing from Liverpool to New York, breaking the record of Campania. The two ships continued to set new speed records until 1898, when the newly built German Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse passed them.

First Class Smoking Room

In their day, Lucania and her sister offered the most luxurious 1st class passenger accomodation available. It was Victorian oppulence at its peak – an expression of a highly confident and prosperous age that would never be quite repeated on any other ship. All the 1st class public rooms, and the en suite staterooms of the upper deck, were generally heavily panelled, in oak, satinwood, or mahogany; and thickly carpeted. Velvet curtains hung asside the windows and portholes, while the furniture was richly upholstered in matching design. The predominant style was Art Nouveau, although other styles were also in use, such as French Renaissance, which was applied to the forward 1st class entrance hall, while the 1st class smoking room was in Elizabethan style, comprising heavy oak panels surrounding the first open fireplace ever to be used aboard a passenger liner.

First Class Dining Room

In 1901 Lucania became the first Cunard liner to be fitted with a Marconi wireless system, followed a few months later by Campania. Shortly after these installations, the two ships made history by exchanging the first wireless transmitted ice bulletin; and two years after that, Lucania made history again, this time by publishing on board newspaper based on information received by wireless telegraphy while at sea. The newspaper was called Cunard Daily Bulletin and quickly became a success.

In 1906/1907, two new Cunard ships were built, the S.S. Lucitania and the S.S. Mauretania. The Lucania voyages gradually decreased and her last voyage was 7 Jul 1909. On 14 Aug 1909 fire raged through the entire vessel. As firefighters poured water into her, she took on a list, and by the early hours of the next morning she took on a severe list. Tugs worked to right the vessel and she was taken out into the middle of the dock where she settled into the mud. She was beyond economic repair, the end had finally come. It was found that her massive engines had escaped undamaged and so, with the diginity she deserved, it was under her own steam that Lucania progressed to Ward's breakers yard in Swansea, Wales, there to be slowly cut up.

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^†RMS (the abbreviation for Royal Mail Ship) is the prefix used for seagoing vessels that carry mail under contract to the British Royal Mail. Technically, a ship would use the prefix only while contracted to carry mail, and would revert at others times to a standard type designation, such as S.S. (steam ship). Having the title RMS was seen as a mark of quality and a competitive advantage, because the mail had to be on time.

IMAGES of S. S. LUCANIA

(click photo to enlarge)

Mitchelville, Missouri - Family History in a Ghost Town

Mitchelville is a now extinct town located about five and one-half miles southwest of Bethany, in Harrison County, Missouri. The community, located where a gravel road (now called W 347th Street) extends east from  what is now U. S. Hwy 69. The community was named after an early settler, James MITCHELL. The post office was established in 1865. The Mitchelville School was one mile east.

Mitchelville Church (1999)

(click to enlarge)

The Mitchelville Church sits on the southeast corner of the intersection. Built in 1869, it is the last remaining evidence of the rural community that at one time was home to a store and sawmill. About a quarter mile south of the church is the Burris Cemetery, and across the gravel road north of the church, in the field of the Claude Cox Farm is the remains of the Mitchell Family Cemetery. (In 1974 descendants of James M. MITCHELL collected the surviving markers and placed them in a concrete foundation. It is surrounded by a chainlink fence.

To get to Mitchelville: Travel west from Bethany on U. S. Hwy 136, go south on U. S. Hwy 69 for 2.8 miles to W 347th St. Mitchelville Church is on the east side of the road. The Claude Cox Farm is .2 miles east of the Hwy, the entrance to Burris Cemetery is .3 miles south of Cox Farm on W. 187th Ave.

William and Jacob MITCHELL (relationship unknown) settled in the area in 1838. During that year and 1839 several families settled at different points in the county and the communities were known by the names of some of the more prominent of the first settlers. Communities such as Dunkerson's Grove, Taylor's Grove, Harris' Mill, Foster's Farm, and Allen's Big Spring were common. These localities became known among the people and were used as commonly as the towns and villages.

1876 Map of Mitchelville

(church in blue)

(Click to enlarge)

The site of Mitchelville was along Big Creek in the northern part of newly organized Daviess County. In 1845, Daviess County was divided and Harrison County was formed and Mitchelville was now in southern Harrison County. By this time, Jacob's father, James Mullin MITCHELL had arrived with his family from Indiana. James built a sawmill on Big Creek, west of the church. Other families who called Mitchelville home included Arnold, Burris, Gardner, Noble, Slaughter, and Tilly. John Noble operated the store and was postmaster of Mitchelville from 1869-1888. The church was built on his land.

Mitchelville declined as rapidly as it grew. After 1900, most of the early families had left the area or were buried under the ground of Mitchelville. After 1917, it no longer appeared on maps of the area.

NOTE: James Mullin MITCHELL is the 3rd great-grandfather of my wife, Judy.