Details of Stevens Addition Plat Map
Several of my friends have a jigsaw puzzle always in progress, usually located on a table where visitors, as well as family members, can work on them in odd moments. They delight in those aha moments when, suddenly, the picture clarifies a bit and they find the perfect spot for a puzzling piece. I’ve always admired that use of free time but find that my own leisure is often taken up with another kind of puzzle.
I have a built-in desire to pour through files and papers almost anywhere, but especially right here in my office. Many times I come across a little fact or piece of information that I have overlooked for years and I experience my own aha moment! I can’t explain why it’s an all-of-a-sudden thing. Perhaps, I’ve finally gleaned enough other pieces so that my own mental picture clarifies enough to make a little more sense of things.
Take the copy of the 1984 letter that I just found (again!) written by Sedoris Daniels, a descendant of two early Oysterville families — the Crellins and the Stevens. The letter was sent to the late Pacific County historian, Larry Weathers, and he photo-copied it and sent it to me. It is full of interesting information, but what struck me this time were her remarks about the Stevens Addition in Oysterville.
For years I have wondered why we have a framed copy of the “Stevens Addition” plat map hanging on our wall in the East Room along with other historic documents and photographs. Finally, Sedora’s remarks made sense: Aha!
My mother told that her father, Gilbert Stevens, bought half of Oysterville from I.A. Clark. I have no idea as to the date. Grandfather Stevens died in 1889 in Portland. I believe the Espys bought the Stevens’ property after that date. My mother, Laura Stevens Jordan, received $1,000 as her share of the sale. Sedoris then names three others who shared in the proceeds.
Stevens Addition Plat Map
At the bottom of the plat map is written in longhand: Recorded May 5th 1886 at 10 o’clock P.M. EB Wood, Recorder Pacific County, W.T. I wonder if Larry looked up the information and wrote to Sedoris that the sale to R.H. Espy occurred before, not after, her Grandfather died. Or was that a piece of the puzzle that she never did find out about? Unless another, related piece of information shows itself, that’s a part of the puzzle that may well remain unsolved… at least for Sedoris who died not too many years after she had written that letter to Larry.
You asked about stories from Bruceport. My great, great grandfather, Alex Milne arrived in Bruceport shortly after the sinking of the Robert Bruce. He married Maria. Her mother, Celestum, a Chinook woman, was from Wa-hut-sun, the village at the sight of Bruceport. They had two daughters, Kate and Caroline, my great grandmother. Caroline married Joseph McBride. At first they lived in the town then they moved to the point below the present day park. There were still a few stones from the chimney sixty years ago, the last remains of the town.
My grandmother told of falling asleep on a log and floating out on the tide. She had to be
saved by her father with his oyster sloop. We have a picture of that sloop, the Bluejacket.
One story we have not been able to complete involved Wiegardt. An Alex Dart willed a parcel of land in the town to McBride. Wiegardt bought the parcel for $20.00. The following week, McBride bought it back for $25.00. We do not know who Alex Dart was or why the transaction took place.
I get back to you later
Hi Charles,
Great information! I love it that your ancestors and Dobby Wiegardt’s ancestors knew each other and even did some sort of business transaction with one another! Do you know of other present-day Pacific County residents who trace their ancestry back to Bruceport and whose forebears knew your family members in those days? I love those old connections and am so glad that we have not completely lost the thread even after all these generations! Whatever else comes to mind, I am very interested in hearing about.
Thank you so much!