Back in 1858 they were trying a new experiment in Mendocino County called "Law and Order". It was only loosely applied, and usually only used when they couldn't keep things quiet. The early ranchers thought that mendocino county should be "free range" for their cattle. The homesteaders thought that they should fence their homesteads in to keep their livestock in and other livestock out. Many people died, or were run out of Mendocino over the fenced property idea.
One of the first real murder trials that Mendocino had involved one of my probable ancestors by the name of William Poe.
The following was researched and provided for me By "Oldmanriver" (Jerry Lambert was my and and a Cousin by the name of Tom Poe's 3G grandfather):
People vs. George Dutton.—On the 15th day of November, 1858, in Long
valley, Mendocino county, George Dutton shot William Poe through the abdomen
under the following circumstances, as testified to by J. Lambert, an eyewitness:
"William Poe went to work on a place in Long valley on the 15th of November,
1858; George and Edward Dutton came to where he was at work. George asked Poe
what he was doing there; he said he was going to fence in a piece of ground.
Dutton claimed the ground—said it was on his land. Poe had been at work on the
place about three weeks. Poe said to George Dutton, that if that was not his
(Poe's) place, he (Dutton) had moved the lines. Dutton said he did not care a
d—n if he (Dutton) had moved the lines, and jammed his fist into Mr. Poe's face,
and told him he was a mind to mash him; then Poe stepped back about two steps.
George Dutton drew a revolver and fired at him; then Poe struck him with a hoe ;
the blow knocked him down; Dutton raised and fired again. Edward Dutton now came
running up where they were fighting with a knife in his left hand, and struck
Poe with his fist under the ear. Five shots were fired, one of which took
effect. Poe lived till the 20th of November, when he died. Both George and
Edward were arrested, and the above facts were established and the jury found
that "Edward Dutton was an accessory to the murder, and that he did aid, abet,
incite, counsel and command the said George Dutton to do the murder." A true
bill was found against both of the men by the grand jury, with bail fixed at
$5,000.00. On the 23d of November, 1859, Edward Dutton was admitted to bail in
the sum of $2,500.00, by virtue of a habeas corpus. The records are silent in
regard to any further action in the matter.
Recently I recieved an email from Tom Poe asking if I could connect William Poe to Robert poe. Robert Poe was My 2G grandfather, He was also Tom Poe's 2G grandfather.
Ernie,
> >
> > I am a distant cousin through Robert Hardin Poe and Louisa Lambert.
> > Robert was my gg grandfather, his son, John Wesley Poe was my g
> > grandfather, his son, John Wesley Poe (Jr. I guess) was my grandfather and
> > my father who passed away last month at the age of 90 was Myron Logan Poe.
> > I have been trying for years to determine if Robert's father was William
> > Poe who was killed in Laytonville by the Dutton's in 1857. Been so very
> > hard to make that connection. I met Ben Branscomb in Laytonville in about
> > 1978 when I was up that way on business. I grew up in Long Beach and live
> > next door in Los Alamitos. Would love to see if you have any more info.
> > Thanks
> >
> > Tom Poe
> > Los Alamitos, CA 90720
I replied:
> Tom
> I can't answer that question right now but I do indeed have some interesting
> stories about the Poes. If you will give me permission to post your letter
> on my blog site, I would be glad to see if we can dig up that information
> for you. Uncle Ben died years ago, but his family is alive, well and
> healthy. I would, of course, leave out your street address.
>
> You may have inadvertantly answered a question for me. My family has never
> known if it was "Louise" or "Louisia" Lambert. Do you know for sure?
>
> Robert Hardin Poe was my G G Grandfather also. His daughter Zarillda (Poe)
> Branscomb was my G Grandmother. Pleased to meet you!
>
> Ernie
Tom replied:
Would love to have you post on your blog. Yes, it was Louisa not Louise as it says on the tombstone and other documents. It's just like Robert Hardin Poe's tombstone in Laytonville saying Richard H. Poe by mistake. If I remember, Ben passed away in the early 80s so I was sure glad to meet him. He invited me to some reunions in Laytonville in the late 70s but sadly I couldn't make it and now regret that. Wasn't Zarilda also known as Sally. Glad to connect with the family. Look forward to hearing from family, kissing cousins and friends. Thanks Ernie!
Tom Poe
More Notes from Ernie:
Here is what it says about the Poe family in “Pioneering in the Shadow of Cahto Mountain” By Kate Mayo: [Notes in square brackets are mine. Ernie]
Louise [Actually spelled “Louisia”] Lambert Poe was the daughter of Jerry Lambert, who arrived in Long Valley with his wife and children in 1858. Jeremiah (Jerry) was born August 28, 1818 in Kentucky, and died June 2, 1882. His wife Zarilda (Clark) was born December 5, 1817, and died March 5, 1878. Their daughter Louisia married Robert Hardin Poe, January 23, 1855. He was born January 22, 1832 and she was born July 28. 1840, in Fremont County Iowa. They had eleven children: William Henry, born in 1856; John Wesley, 1862; Nancy, 1865; Mary, 1867; James, 1869; Zarillda [was called Sally]1871, Julia, 1873; Minnie, 1876; Ada, 1878: and Robert Percy, 1884.
William H. married Emma Delaney. He died in 1932. John Married Julia Alford and died in 1913. Mary (D-1898) married Charles Drake; Zarillda (Sally) married Joseph Edmond Branscomb August 2, 1887. [ Joseph went by the name “Ed”, so all of the old stories about Ed are actually Joseph. “Ed and Sally” were actually Joseph and Zarilda.] Minnie married Lycurgus Prothero in 1895. He died in 1935. Ada married Ed Dyer; Julia married Sol Harmon in 1870 and later married Jim Downing; Nancy married George Holmes and later, after her sisters death married Jim Downing. Robert married Eunice Hazel Walker in 1906 and later married Esta Williams in 1918. James married Susan Crimes [ Grimes?] in 1897.
Now for the Salient question: How was Robert Poe related to William Poe? Father? Brother? Or not related?
Adendum 1:
Recent update from Tom Poe, who gives credit to Pat poe from Fort Brag who gave the photo to him back in 1970.
Tom Poe and my 3G Grandfather Robert Hardin Poe:
Addendum 2:
Tom Poe sent me the following as per my request. It clears up a few missing links for me. I agree that William B. Poe was probably Robert Hardin Poe’s father.
POE AND ALFORD FAMILY HISTORY
Originally prepared by Thomas Allen Poe, great great grandson of Robert Hardin Poe in October 1995. (There is a fair amount of supposition here trying to connect Robert Hardin Poe to William B. Poe but I seem to be gathering more and more information which I hope will prove right – Tom Poe May 2009)
William B. Poe was born in North Carolina in 1809 and he later moved to Missouri in the early 1830’s. He married Nancy Mulkey in Missouri on Janurary 26, 1833. Nancy was also born in North Carolina in 1818. (This was likely a second marriage for her as I suspect her maiden name to be Nancy Johnson and the Mulkey she was married to died).
They had three children as of the 1850 Missouri Census taken in September. The family lived in Washington Township, Buchanan County:
NAME AGE DATE OF BIRTH PROFESSION STATE BORN
William B. Poe 41 1809 Carpenter North Carolina
Nancy 32 1818 North Carolina
Robert 15 22 Jan 1835 Missouri
Julia 14 1836 Missouri
James 12 15 Jan 1838 Missouri
Just when they went west is a little murky here. According to a letter written by my aunt, Birdie Poe Umstead, granddaughter of Robert Hardin Poe and my grandfather’s sister, the Poes and the Alfords joined a wagon train west, according to her in 1849. But according to census records in 1850, the Poes lived in Buchanan County, Missouri while the Alfords and the Lamberts lived in Fremont County, Iowa about 100 miles to the north. But as St. Joseph, Buchanan County Missouri was one of the major starting points for the wagon trains west, it is not unlikely that all met up there before heading west. (Again just speculation).
Aunt Birdie also said that some of them must have split up close to their destinations with the Poes and some of the Alfords going up into Oregon and the other Alfords settling in the Squaw Valley (near Lake Tahoe) region of California.
So just what year did they really come west? According to my further research, I believe they came to Oregon in 1853. Captain Perman Henderson led a wagon train caravan of 63 wagons from Buchanan County, Missouri to Benton County, Oregon. They left on April 15, 1853 and arrived by September 15, 1853. The William B. Poe wagon was joined by the wagons of Philip Mulkey, Soloman Mulkey and Elijah Mulkey. Philip Mulkey arrived between August 5th and 8th, Solomon Mulkey arrived between August 20th and 25th and Elijah Mulkey and William B. Poe arrived between September 9th and 11th. Why there is such a wide disparity of arrival dates, I don’t know. Captain Perman Anderson actually arrived between September 12th and 16th probably bringing up the rear. What is really frustrating is that there are no details as to who was in each wagon, only the names of the lead person.
According to an Oregon Land Grant, William B. Poe arrived in Oregon on September 9, 1853, and recorded his Deed of Land on March 1, 1854 in Washington County (near present day Portland). When the land was sold to a James Johnson in 1866 by Wesley and Mary Mulkey, it said that the original deed was a Donation Land Claim of William B. Poe, who was deceased and Nancy Poe, his widow. What is not said is when William died.
If we are to believe that this William is the same one who was shot and killed by the Duttons in 1858, then William must have moved from Oregon down to Laytonville as it says in the book “A History of Mendocino County” in 1857. Why do I say that? Because I have just run across the following records in the Oregon State Archives that probably bring me a little closer to confirming that William B. Poe is Robert Hardin Poe’s father.
In the Territorial Census taken in Washington County in both 1856 and again in 1857, W. B. Poe and Robert H. Poe show up on the same record (hooray!). They also show up on the same Tax Roll for those years. But now it gets interesting and may help prove that W.B. Poe moved in 1857. Robert H. Poe shows up in the 1858 Tax Roll but W.B. does not. Thus, we can assume, William moved to Laytonville in 1857 as the book says. (I have just emailed the Oregon State Archives asking if there is more information on the census such as other family members, ages, occupations, dates of birth, where born, etc. and hope to hear from them in the next two weeks).
So that now brings up another question on where Robert Hardin Poe and Louisa Lambert married. The earlier records I have seen all state that they were married in Mendocino County but I believe they were probably married in Oregon. Robert Hardin Poe and Louisa Lambert (daughter of Jeremiah Lambert) were married on January 23, 1855.
They had 11 children in all. Their first son, William Henry Poe (known as Henry) was born in Oregon in 1856 but all the other children starting with their second child and son, Christopher Columbus Poe who was born in 1860 were born in Laytonville , California. So it appears that Robert Hardin Poe and his family moved down to Laytonville after 1858 as he appears in the Oregon Tax Roll in 1858 and his son, Christopher was born in California in 1860.
Their children were as follow:
NAME BORN DIED BURIED
William Henry (Henry) 1856 1932 Laytonville, California
Christopher Columbus (Chris) 1860 1938
John Wesley 1862 1913 Exeter, California
Nancy 1865 1960
Mary Jane (Mollie) 1867 1898
James Washington 1869 1956
Zarilda (Sally) 1871 1941
Julia 1873 1925
Minnie 1876 1964
Ada 1878 1962
Robert Percy 1884 1957
In September 1979, I received a letter from Ben Branscomb in Laytonville. His mother was Zarilda (Sally) Poe who married Joseph Edward (Ed) Branscomb. He related the following story:
“Great Grandfather Robert Poe died in 1907 before I was born but I do remember Great Grandmother Louisa. I remember playing in his old barn when a boy, and seeing the wires in the hay loft where he dried his home grown tobacco. There was a set of elk horns on his woodshed from the elk he killed in the area in the early days. I know that he was a very heavy set man in his later years and I was told that when he went to town in his wagon, he rode in a special seat fastened to the bed of the wagon…I was also told that he killed a deer and ate it all in one night!
I understand that in his early years he was quite a hunter, trapper and Indian fighter. He participated in the Indian fight at Bloody Run a few miles east of here.
Great grandmother Poe’s sister, Abigail, was the first girl married in Long Valley Township. The first church services held in the Valley were held in the home of her parents, Jeremiah and Zarilda (Clark) Lambert." End Tom Poe quote:
Tom
I agree that Robert Hardin Poe and Louisa were probably married before coming to California. They were married January 23, 1855. The Poes most likely came to California with Jeremiah and his wife Zarilda (Clark) Lambert in 1858. (Month and day unknown)
Robert Hardin Poe and his wife Louisa’s first born was named William Henry Poe. He was born in 1856, so it wasn’t him that was killed. He would have been only 1 or 2yrs old at the time of the killing. The Old-Timers went to work young, but I doubt he would have been building fence at than age. The name strengthens the connection to William B Poe.
However, there are some mistakes in your Branscomb family history. Joseph Edmond Branscomb’s son was Roy Edmond Branscomb, who was Benjamin Branscomb’s father. So Roy came between Joseph, and Ben. Ben is Penny’s father, and my uncle.
Tom Poe said: ”In the Territorial Census taken in Washington County in both 1856 and again in 1857, W. B. Poe and Robert H. Poe show up on the same record (hooray!).”
Was there any record of Jeremiah Lambert in those tax records in Oregon? That would strengthen the thought that they came to California together.
Also there is some evidence that Jeremiah Lambert was involved in the mysterious "Battle of Bloody Run".
Robert and Louisa came to CA by wagon train from Missouri in the mid 1800s. They settled in Branscomb near Mud Creek and raised a large family. This information from Lois Poe Eriksen.
ReplyDeleteRobert(Bob)Poe and Esta William's daughters Betty Ann Grider and Roberta Yokum both live in Willits, CA. You should call Betty or Roberta because they probably have information about William.
I'm Ben Branscomb's daughter and I'm related by marriage and blood to the Poes. Sally by marriage to our ggrandfather Ed Branscomb, and Lois Poe Eriksen is my mother's sister in law. Pleased to meet ya, Tom.
Penny
Thanks Penny, I just knew that you would have a lead. I didn't even think about Betty and Roberta.
ReplyDeleteIt seems strange that Jerry Lambert would be a witness to the William Poe killing if he wasn't in some way connected to William Poe.
Jerry Lambert, arrived in Long Valley with his wife Zarilda (Clark)
ReplyDeleteand children in 1858. [according to Kate Mayo’s book]
Louise [Actually spelled “Louisia”] Lambert Poe was the daughter of Jerry Lambert. Louisia married Robert Hardin Poe, January 23, 1855. [So they must have arrived in Long Valley as a family, with Robert Poe and Lousia already married. But, we still don‘t know who Richard Poe was, other than he was murdered by George Dutton in 1858, while trying to build a fence. Jerry Lambert was a witness. It seems unlikely that Richard was not related to Robert Poe and Jerry Lambert.]
Ernie, I think I remember Betty talking about an Uncle Richard and how the wrong name was on the headstone at the cemetery, when we were getting information for their story about 5 years ago. I really need to connect with them again when I have time to write more information down. I may call Betty Ann tonight.
ReplyDeleteCousin
Great! I was working up the courage to call them myself, but I don't know them as well as you do. I was afraid they would mistake me for a telemarketer.
ReplyDeleteBetty doesn't recognize William as being a family member, but said she would talk to Roberta about it. She has a Mendocino County history book that is very thick. Said she'd check it out. Said William could be brother to RHPoe. She'll try to research it.
ReplyDeleteWe must also remember that some of the local Poes of that era raised children from the massacres - just a thought - don't know their names.
Cousin
In about 1907-8, the anthropologist Pliny Earl Goddard interviewed Polly Po, an Indian woman, in Bull Creek who was once married to a Mattole. Jack Woodman a native of Bull Creek had been sold to George Woodman of Long Valley and thus acquired his name. He said Woodman was mean. Polly Po became Polly Solta and acquired a 160 acre Indian allotment north of Briceland. Her husband Sam was from Phillipsville and had an adjoining allotment. He had survived a military attack at Phillipsville and internment at Smith River. Polly certainly must have acquired her name from the Long Valley Poes.
ReplyDeleteAs a side note...in vol II of the Elder series, the aforementioned Ms. Eriksen reported that Jack Farley raised an Indian boy and name him Poe after his close association with the elder Robert Poe.
ReplyDeleteWilliam Poe was most likely not an Indian person. The time frame doesn't seem to be logical. The killing took place in 1858. The Lamberts and the Poes only just arrived in 1858.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling that there is something about this story that somebody didn't want to tell.
There are three kinds of history. There is "Recorded History", there is the "twice Told Tale" and the there is the "Never Told Tale". For what ever reason this tale is just not being told. I have a few of those stories myself, and I can respect that, if that is the case.
I think you are right Ernie. However, that description of the case came from some people who were going from newspaper accounts and county records, and they admit that they don't bring all the details.
ReplyDeleteThere is still a search of the County Records of the Grand Jury for more info...Mr. Lambert might have had to say his relation to those fellas in the court record.
i think it was river that gave me a link to an ancestor search site and there was someone asking about the simmerlys. it was my great aunt hazels great grandson who was given up when he was a baby and a friend hooked him up with 39 pages of ancestors, mostly mine too. his great grandfather was frederick simmerly, johns older brother, who married sarah hagler. well, sarahs mother was elizabeth susan ferguson whose older brothers john and henry wrote about their trip to california back in 1849. with them winding up in the alexander valley in 1857 some of the very first settlers of healdsburg. its a great story,
ReplyDeleteand all of a sudden ive got all these other threads of ancestors hooking up and connecting. so it's like ernie said, all my relations.
The CalArchives chapter on Mendocino County notes William Poe, and George and Edward Dutton, in this history of early settlers:
ReplyDelete"Long valley may be considered to include Cahto also, at least we will so
consider it for our present purposes. The first actual settlers in the valley
were Robert White and John P. Simpson, who came early in 1857. Those who
followed without families were Jackson Farley, George Woodman, Harry Schroeder,
George and Edward Dutton, and William Poe. The first family was that of Dr. G.
W. Sargeant, who came to the valley in 1857, and settled near Cahto, but soon
after located on the place where his relict Mrs. Henry, still resides in Long
valley proper. The next family that came was that of Jerry Lambert, consisting
of his wife and three children, who arrived in the spring of 1858. On the 19th
of September of that year J. G. Wilson arrived, having with him his wife and two
children. They settled on the place where they now reside. Shortly after the
Wilson family came A. E. Requa with a wife and one child, and settled in the
south end of the valley. During this same fall Clement Beattie and Thomas Smith
came in and settled in the valley. Beattie is dead, but the others all reside
just where they located years and years ago. Early in 1859 came Benjamin S.
Barnes and Rufus Ward, and later during the same year Seth Toney and --
McChristian came in and settled. All of these people were engaged in
stock-raising at that time. A number of settlers came into the township between
the years of 1856 and 1860 whose locale we have been unable to determine. As far
as we have been able to collect them their names are as follows: Leonard Dodge
settled in 1855, J. W. Morris in 1856, James L. Burger in 1857, W. J. Hildredth
in 1858, A. Redemeyer in 1858, James O. Toney in 1858, William E. Willis in
1859, and William H. White in 1859. Of course there were others who settled in
the township in an early day, but the above list is as complete as we are able
to make it at the present time.
The first murder committed in the county after its organization was in
this township, as will be seen by referring to the chapter on Homicides in this
work. The first natural death which occurred in Long valley was James Moore, who
died in 1861. The first death in Little Lake valley occurred at the residence of
Alvin Potter in 1857, and the deceased was named Abner.
The first marriage in the Long valley section was in 1860, and Miss
Abigail Lambert, daughter of Jerry Lambert, and Richard Kenney were the
contracting parties. The first school was taught by a Mr. Dennison in 1860, who
boarded at B. Burns'. The first minister to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in
the valley was the Rev. Cox, and the services were held at the residence of
Jerry Lambert. This was in 1859."
I can understand why the Poes are confused about their ancestry. William and Robert never seem to be mentioned in the same story, but they were certainly contemporaries in time.
ReplyDeleteGreat work OMR!
I must admit, I'm having a hard time following all this but it is very interesting. Thanks (again!), omr... how nice to sit back & let you do the work!
ReplyDeleteRe: your Branscomb/Bowman comment, Ernie: a Branscomb has married a Pinches so that's probably good enough to tie all the old settler families in Long Valley together forever!
Robin:
ReplyDeleteThe Branscomb who married the Pinches actually married a Smith/Pinches. The mother is a Pinches who is cousin to Bowman. It was a heck of a job, but they got it all figured out before the wedding so there was no blood relationship, ha - a close call!! It was a spectacular wedding with 700 guests!! wonder why.
OMR: I'm so enjoying your research. My dad had some copies of newspapers from Cahto and Long Valley township from late 1890. Lots of fun looking at all the familiar families names.
As for Wm. and RHPoe they were grown men during the time of the massacres. Betty thinks that RHPoe came from a large family but doesn't remember their names. I promise I will find the connection if any to Wm and RHP.
Think I'll call Elizabeth Ferguson whose family was Thomas Smith. Isn't it amazing how many generations stayed or returned to Long Valley?
Penny
I would love to see a Long Valley map for each 1800's decades, starting with 1860, showing the settler families in their locations and growing towns
ReplyDeleteA graphic like that would sure help a newcomer. Maybe Penny could have that in her next book.
I actually started to map out some family genealogies and ran into such a thickly branched wilderness that I decided that it was better left in its wild state. Families were large and I got lost quickly.
I will leave it to the genealogy pros.
Again, we are the unofficial historians and bullshistorians for the 150th anniversary of those times. It is good to honor the times and peoples by telling the story of the times, sparse as the details may be.
I'm still here, it's just that I've been busy.
ReplyDeleteI'm working on a post about lumber milling in the 1850's.
But, it takes a lot of digging. I hope Olmanriver doesn't beat me to it!
Pardon my callous disregard for your desperate plea for help Ernie, but I am returning the helm to the captain of the blog.
ReplyDeleteOMR.
ReplyDeleteActually, I do appreciate your contribution to the research for this blog. You’ve dug up a lot of interesting facts. but this post that I’m working on will incorporate a lot of my own personal knowledge of the “Sawmill” subject. So you won’t be able to help much there anyway.
And, if you are patient, I might follow up on a little history on the Laytonville Mud Springs.
I know you appreciate my contributions Ernie...I am sorry if my attempt at humor had some bite to it, in person you would have seen my eyes twinkling.As we have discussed, I never know when you are throwing chum out for commenters.
ReplyDeleteI am way out of my league for anything logging as you know.
You have been more than gracious to allow my wide prescence as much as you have on your blog. Sorry if I disrespectfully overteased as you were getting ready to share from one of your areas of expertise........
Now can I have the Mud Creek stories?
Thank you to all my cousins and friends who have been contributing to this question about the connection between William Poe who was killed by the Duttons and Robert Hardin Poe. I will send what my speculations are a little later.
ReplyDeleteTom Poe
Tom,
ReplyDeleteWe probably lost a few regular visitors on this post, because it was mostly family history, but I’ve always though that family should come first. I was honored that you asked your question. I have learned with this blog that some stories just don’t want to be told. But, with this story posted here, I really think that some blood-lines will surface. Sooner or later.
I have found out in some of my previous posts, that some information was always there, I just didn’t know it. It is a real reward for me when I find a new tid-bit of history.
I would greatly appreciate it if you would tell us what you know about the early Poe’s. If you know, or believe some thing is fact, please note that, and if you suspect something happened but don’t know for sure, go ahead and make note of that, because sometimes false information can be disproved. I like to tell all I know, then let it be sorted out. I have made some amazing discoveries in history starting out with a Tall-Tale or a rumor.
Ernie,
ReplyDeleteI was also wondering if it is possible to put photos on your blog because I have some copies of Robert and Louisa Poe, John Wesley and Julia Alford Poe and the Charles Poe family.
Tom Poe
Tom
ReplyDeleteYes, you can post them, but what you have to do is email them to me. You already have the address, and I can add them to this post. I would like to do that.
I remember aunta Esta Poe and her daughters Betty and Roberta Poe. I see Roberta at the "Old Timers Day" in Laytonville most every August.
hey penny,
ReplyDeleteyou said that you were going to call elizabeth ferguson and my grandmas great aunt was named elizabeth susan ferguson. i've got the ferguson story about coming to california in 1849. maybe they are part of the same family.
Spy. Tried to call Elizabeth this evening. I believe her maiden name was Albright. Her ggrandparents were the Thomas Smith and Thomas Garnier Tracy families. Thomas Smith was listed in the information posted by OMR as one of the early settlers in Long Valley.(1867 as per Eliz.) Elizabeth was married to a Joe Ferguson (Joe passed away last year). I don't know anything about his family. Penny
ReplyDeletethanks penny,
ReplyDeletejohn and henry ferguson were elizabeth susans older brothers so if they had any kids they would be over 90 by now. they had a joe back in the 1700s. these fergusons been here since the beginning. john and henry wrote the story about coming to california in 1849 and winding up in healdsburg in 1857.
thanks, spy
Add this to the mix... in Volume I of the Mendocino County Remembered, Ed Downing tells the story of the horse thefts preceding the Bloody Run Massacre:"They stole some from my grandfather who lived up here in the valley for quite a while. His name was William Poe".
ReplyDeleteChecking the In the Shadow of the Cahto... his mother's father was Robert Poe. Later in the recounting in the Mendo County Remembered book, Ed says he doesn't remember many of his grandfather's stories, but does remember a "tamed" bear kept in a pen. As he tells it, the bear met its end after scarring his grandmothers face.
ReplyDeleteSo, I am guessing that it wasn't William Poe, but a memory glitch recorded in the oral history book?
Can you help Penny?
sorry, it was his mom whose face got scarred.
ReplyDeleteGreat picture.
ReplyDeleteI will copy Tom's story and show it to Roberta and Betty on Thursday as well as the picture. Perhaps that will stir up some old memories.
ReplyDeletePenny
great work Tom!
ReplyDeleteAnother angle to approach our history search would be to look for further mention of the Duttons...which I have not found. I am guessing, and it is pure surmisal, that the Duttons did't stay in that area after the murder.
Tom Poe
ReplyDeleteThe only photo that I was able to open was the one of Robert H. Poe, the other two were not allowed by Outlook Express.
Can you try to send them again? JPEG would be best.
My family, and yours, have been enjoying this post. I hope that we can eventually make the connection to William Poe who was murdered in Laytonville in 1857.
I am looking for information about the Wilson family of Laytonville. Lela Wilson was born (I believe in Laytonville) in 1882. She had two brothers, Victor and Ray, and one sister. Do you have any information about this family?
ReplyDeleteJust found some new conclusive information on the marriage of Robert Hardin and Louisa Lambert. Their marriage record from the BYU Idaho Special Collections and Family History office indicates that they were married on 29 January 1856 in Washington County, Oregon. I still can't find any record of her or her parents in Oregon at this time but I will continue looking. According to Kate Mayo's "In the Shadow of Cahto Mountain", her father and mother, Jeremiah and Zarilda and family didn't arrive in Long Valley until 1858.
ReplyDeleteOur family name is Lucas but come from the Merrifield and supposedly have a great great aunt named Polly Poe. She was given Indian land near Briceland. We are trying to find if anyone has ever heard of 2 Indian woman by the names Annie Woodpecker and Molly Sousa. Any information would be helpful to our family tree.
ReplyDeleteI have finally found some corroborating evidence that Jeremiah Lambert was indeed in the county in Oregon at the same time as William B. Poe and Robert H. Poe. And now, here is an Illustrated History of Idaho about William's son and Robert's brother, James W. Poe, who went to school at Portland Academy and soon became one of the founding fathers of Idaho. The following was written in 1899 and James passed away in Lewiston, Idaho in 1915 at the age of 77. Here is the article (PART ONE) ...
ReplyDeletePoe, James W.
The following data is extracted from Illustrated History of the State of Idaho, 1899.
James W. Poe, a distinguished lawyer and Idaho pioneer, residing at Lewiston, is a native of Jackson county, Missouri, his birth having there occurred on the 15th of January, 1838.
His father, William B. Poe, was born in North Carolina, and married Mrs. Nancy Mulkey, nee Johnson, a native of South Carolina, by whom he had four children, two of whom are yet living. He valiantly served his country as a soldier in the Mexican war, and in 1853 crossed the plains to Oregon with his family.
Our subject accompanied his parents on their westward emigration, and acquired his education at Forest Grove and in the Portland Academy. He has the honor of being the first male graduate of that then new institution of learning. Well fitted by superior educational advantages for the practical duties of life, he then entered upon his business career, and in 1861 came to Idaho. He engaged in mining at Oro Fino, Florence and Warren, and also conducted a mercantile establishment for a time, but wishing to enter the legal profession, he took up the study of law in the office and under the direction of the law firm of Williams & Gibbs. The senior partner, George L. Williams, afterward became United States attorney general, and Mr. Gibbs held the office of governor of Oregon.
In 1869 Mr. Poe was admitted to practice in the district court. His partner was the discoverer of gold at Warren's, and they operated and sold goods there for some time. Mr. Poe was elected the first district recorder of the Warren's mining district, and practiced law at Warren's and Mount Idaho until 1876, at which time he was elected attorney for the district comprising all of northern Idaho. He then established his office in Lewiston, where he has since made his home. He had served for six years previously as deputy district attorney, filling that position in all for ten years. He was elected and served in the territorial legislature in 1879-80, and took an active part in shaping the destiny of the territory during that period. Other public service of a very different nature also fell to his lot, as he was a participant in the Clearwater battle with the Nez Perces Indians, the conflict resulting in driving the Indians back into Montana. He was a leading member of the state constitutional convention, his knowledge of constitutional law rendering him an important factor in framing the organic law of Idaho. He also had the honor of presiding over the first mass meeting which was called for the purpose of adopting measures to secure statehood for Idaho, and is now, 1899, city attorney of Lewiston, and attorney for the board of education of the independent school district of Lewiston.
Here is PART TWO about James W. Poe, brother of Robert Hardin Poe and son of William B. Poe:
ReplyDeleteSuch in brief is the history of his public service, a service in which at all times and under all circumstances he has shown himself worthy of the trust and confidence reposed in him. He has studied closely both the conditions and needs of his state, both locally and otherwise, and at all times has manifested a most loyal and public-spirited interest in the common good. He is now engaged in the private practice of law, as the senior member of the firm of Poe, Anderson & Anderson, one of the most able and prominent law firms in this section of the state. He enjoys a large and lucrative practice and his clientage has been secured through his marked ability in handling the intricate problems of jurisprudence. He is careful in the preparation of his cases, clear in argument and logical in his deductions and has gained many important cases.
Mr. Poe has also been the promoter of the horticultural interests of northern Idaho. He planted a large fruit orchard at Lewiston, and as the seasons passed gathered large crops, thus adding to his income and at the same time demonstrating the adaptability of the soil of this region for the production of choice fruits.
In 1877 Mr. Poe was united in marriage to Mrs. Fannie L. Turpin, a sister of Judge Moreland's wife and a daughter of Colonel John L. Cline, a Mexican war veteran. She had two children by her former marriage, the elder, Serena, being now the wife of Dr. C. W. Shaff, a prominent physician of Lewiston ; and Sarah E., who has been a successful teacher in the state university at Moscow since its organization.
Socially Mr. Poe is connected with the Masonic fraternity, having joined the order at Mount Idaho in 1876. He now affiliates with Lewiston Lodge, No. ID, F. & A. M. In politics he has been a lifelong and ardent Democrat, has kept well informed on the issues of the day and has rendered his party valuable service in the campaigns. The record of Mr. Poe is that of a man who has by his own efforts worked his way upward to a position of affluence. His life has been one of industry and perseverance, and the systematic and honorable business methods he has followed, together with his diligence and ability in his profession, have won him the support and confidence of many. Without the aid of wealth, he has risen to a position among the most prominent men of the state, and his native genius and acquired ability are the stepping stones on which he mounted.
Source: Illustrated History of the State of Idaho
The two anonymous comments above are written by Tom Poe (Poepuppet)
ReplyDeleteThank-you Tom
ReplyDeleteI'll tip my family to your recent research.
It's Susie Emily Grimes who married James Washington Poe (not Crimes). They married on 23 June 1897. James was my g-grandfather. The Grimes were a colorful family in their own right. Susie was the daughter of Cicero Grimes and Sylvia Middleton This Cicero http://www.coppercountrynews.com/v2_news_articles.php?page=77&story_id=3961
ReplyDeleteThank-you Cynthia.
ReplyDeleteInteresting indeed! I have a historian friend that would like to have your email address. If that is possible, could you send it to me At: ernie(at)branscombcenter(dot)com Sorry but I have to write it that way to keep the spammers away. So just adjust it into an email address.
Ernie
I emailed you, Ernie.
ReplyDeleteMore on the Grimes: the stagecoach robbery incident apparently inspired an episode of GUNSMOKE.
http://www.barntowire.com/smf/index.php?topic=54143.0
WILLIAM MULKEY WAS THE HALF BROTHER OF ROBERT HARDIN POE...Their mother was Nancy Johnson who first married John Mulkey in Ashe County, North Carolina where I believe all three families lived - the Poes, Mulkeys and Johnsons. After John Mulkey died, his mother, William and at least two brothers - Wesley and Henry, traveled in 1828 with a Johnson relative from North Carolina to the spot which became Kansas City. While the other parts of the family moved on to Oregon and then California and Idaho beginning in the 1840s, he stayed behind in Kansas City, married the daughter of the famous fur trader, Andrew Dripps, and his Otoe bride and became the most prominent founder of that city. He died in 1907 at the age of 83 having seen Kansas City grow up around him. Over time, I will share much more of his fascinating story but for now, here are a few sketches of this remarkable man and a photo and sketch of his home on a bluff overlooking the river.
ReplyDeleteWESLEY MULKEY WAS ANOTHER HALF BROTHER OF ROBERT HARDIN POE ....Wesley was born in Ashe County, North Carolina in 1818 and also came with the family to the Kansas City area in 1828. In 1843, he joined other Mulkey relatives and ventured to Oregon where he lived the next 20 years and had a number of businesses including a ferry. In 1863, he moved to Lewiston, Idaho to join his half brother, James Poe, who was establishing a law practice there. Wesley planted the first orchard there and, with the assistance of his wife, Polly Black, grew a special kind of pear first known as the Mulkey Pear and later as the Idaho Pear. Here is a photo of the Idaho Pear today and a typical orchard there.
ReplyDeleteHi Ernie, I am on Ancestry DNA now and you showed up as a DNA cousin match. (No surprise I guess.) I sent you a message. Lots of you are probably there (Tom Poe is).
ReplyDelete