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Portland Telegram Pg. 11 (Name is misspelled throughout) Gratton Land Sold at Last. Only death could lossen the grasp of the Gratton hand on the Gratton homestead in St. Johns. For 72 years, William Gratton held his land against literal "Hell and High Water" and he died last year in possession of the original 360 acres taken up by him in 1852. The court settling the Gratton estate has accepted the dock commission's offer of $1,000 per acre for 50 acres. The "high water" that swirled around the river frontage of the Gratton land did not rob the owner of acreage. On the contrary, it added more land to his holdings and he was able to claim an acre of two under riparian rights. The "hell" was furnished by neighbors who wished him to sell part of his holdings. Holds to Land The whole story would be possible only on the western frontier. Gratton brought his wife and babies to Oregon about the time that Oregon joined the Union. He took up the limit of land possible for a family man, cut down some of the trees for a house, grow a garden on the fertile peninsula soil and located on the river to make a living. He raised his family of three boys and a daughter, buried his wife and one drowned boy in the Gratton graveyard, and clung to his land with the steadfastness of an obsession. Time and again neighbors and townspeople came to the old man, urging him to vote for some tax for schools or whatnot; they wanted an acre or two for a church; they brought excellent offers of real money for factory sites; they used persuasion, threats, maledictions, indignation meetings, and even tried to bring pressure on his sons. Through it all Gratton wavered not an inch. Refuses Big Offer One time, as the story goes, a request came from an eastern lumber company, which planned the largest lumber mill in the world. Part of the Gratton land made an advantageous site for the mill. In fact, it was the only site possible on the Peninsula. But he refused to sell. It was not the money, but Gratton would not give up the land. his sons, grown men over 50 years old, had no influence with him. The lumber company moved down the river and set up the mill at Longview. Gratton died at 92, still possessed of his original holdings. Now his sons and daughters will receive $1,000 an acres for 50 acres. At any rate the lengthy abstract that accompanies most real estate deeds will not be necessary, as nobody ever owned the land by Gratton. ©Christie Shellito Donated by Christie Shellito but a combination of many researchers works. |
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Oregonian
Page 20 PIONEER ST JOHNS RESIDENT 92 YEARS OLD
William Gatton Sixty-seven friends and relatives of William Gatton, pioneer resident of St. Johns, gathered with him at his home Sunday to celebrate his 92d birthday. Among the guests present were 19 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren in addition to his one daughter, Mrs. A.J. McClure, and three sons, Thurston, George and Minor. Mr. Gatton, despite his years, is hale and hearty and still directs his own little business. his present home is on the same site which he selected when he received his donation land claim and was among the first settlers to select St. Johns as a permanent home. Mr. Gatton's brother, Samuel, who also arrived in the west at the same time, is now 90 years of age and a resident of Woodland, Wash. He was unable to attend the celebration here owing to press of business. In addition to serving as the birthday anniversary of Mr. Gatton, the social affair likewise served as an observation of the 65th anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Susan Roberts, also old time residents of the St. Johns district. ©Christie Shellito Donated by Christie Shellito but a combination of many researchers works. |
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died: June 05, 1902 Running down of George Southwell, a Mute, was accidental. An inquest on the remains of George Southwell, a deaf mute, who was run down and killed by an O. R. & N, train near Troutdale, Thursday morning, was held yesterday. The testimony of O. L. Barrett, engineer of the train which ran Southwell down, showed that the deceased was walking eastward on the track when he was first noticed by the men of the westbound train. He held his head downward and he did not pay any attention to the danger signals which were sounded when the train was approaching him. Guy Southwell, a brother of the deceased, testified that he and George met for a few hours before the latter's death. George, in mute language, told him that he was going East to be a "rider". Mr. Southwell thought, that in the friendly terms of Eastern Oregon, he meant to be a cowboy. The deceased started across the Morrison Street Bridge and that was the last the witness saw of him. When they parted the witness laughed, for he thought his brother was only joking and that he intended to board the train for The Dalles, where their mother lives. The next he heard of him was of his death. Examined by the Coroner, Mr.Southwell had suffered a stroke of paralysis when he was 13 months old and that deafness and dumbness followed, Mentally the young man was very bright. After listening to the evidence the jury decided death was due solely to accident and was not caused by the negligence of any one. ©Beth via Sara Hemp |