JAMES LUCIUS EDWIN CLARK
by CHARLOTT Y. JONES
luvnnonni@aol.com

Mary Caroline Berrian was the daughter of James W. Berrian and Sarah Reed. She was born 17 February 1833 in Binghamton, Broome County, New York. Her brothers were: Frederick, James Augustus, William F., and George Washington. She had one sister: Charlott Amelia, who would later marry William Baggs in Peoria Co. Illinois. Her family moved from New York to Peoria Co, Illinois. They made this move some time after Charlotte was born in 1837 in New York and when George was born in June of 1838.

Her father James W. died in the township of Jubilee, Peoria Co., Illinois on 15 April 1848.

Mary Caroline married Willard F. Clark on 20 December 1857. (I have a question mark as to where it was in 1857.)

Their first child was Walter Eugene born 14 September 1858 in Peoria Co., Illinois. Their second child was: James Lucius Edwin born on 6 January, 1860. These were their only two children.

(This is where I do some speculation. When Mary Caroline married Willard he naturally had the two little girls, Flora and Alice. What about the little boy that I keep seeing listed as William, a son of Willard and Sarah's? Here we find Mary Caroline left with these 4 little children. We know that in that time a woman had no way of supporting herself, much less children. From the copies of 4 letters that I have that she wrote Lucius a number of years later, when she was dying of breast cancer, I get a picture of a very loving and caring person. Like I say, this is purely speculation on my part, but Alice and Flora would have bonded to her as their mother by that time. So she finds herself with these two little girls and you might say 2 babies. What to do . . . she has no way of supporting all of them. Decisions had to be made quickly. I would think decision between her, the Clark family and possibly the Hockenberry family. Looking at it from a realistic stand point when it came to bottom line Alice and Flora did not belong to her. Therefore I assume that she would not have the say, but Clark's and Hockenberry should have had that responsibility. I am in no way saying that she possibly didn't want the girls, but she knew that she could not provide for them. I guess we will never know, but I now wonder why these two little girls were taken from each other. We know now how traumatic that had to be for them. I wonder why Alice was placed with the Boucher's instead of with say another of the Clark uncles or the Hockenbery family. It is beyond me why this was all done. I think it would have been very hard for Mary Caroline to let them go and they would have thought of her as their mother, and to have to leave their two little brothers. What a tragedy for all concerned.

Way back in the cob webs of my mind . . . I wonder since there is no evidence that I know of that Willard was ever found could thee have been a very remote possibility that for some reason he deserted them and just took off. I would certainly hope not. But in all honesty we do not know what type of a person he was. I would hope that he was a wonderful loving man like my Grandpa Clark was. I have wondered when I think about nothing much ever being said that there might be this remote chance.

In my personal opinion I hope that he was not like his brother Daniel, who as you will eventually see, does not paint a pretty picture to me.

That is why I wish someone could produce some evidence that Willard actually drown. Was his body found, if he drown while crossing a river on the horse, what became of the horse. If he were way off somewhere, why was he there. Sometimes I think I think too much.

In the end Mary Caroline with little Walter and Lucius were living with her mother, Sarah Berrian and her unmarried (at that time) 21 year old brother George Washington Berrian and the domestic Anna M. Holland. This throws another twist as this is from the 1860 Peoria County, Illinois census of Jubilee Township. P.O. Box Robin's Nest . . . read 30 June 1860 . . . I don't have records right here, but I thought I saw a date of August 1860 when Willard disappeared (I choose that word since I have no proof of what actually happened to him. Something just does not add up to me.

If he didn't disappear before August why are Mary Caroline and her children at home with her mother. Another theory . . . could there have been some sort of split up in the marriage. He had sent Flora to Uncle Daniel's and let Alice for adoption and took off. That is hard for me to believe. He you would have thought sent Alice to someone in the family. Could this be the reason Grandpa Clark didn't talk about his father.

I don't know . . . but whatever did happen wasn't Flora, Alice, Walter or Grandpa Clark's fault. They thus remained brothers and sisters.

In order to continue the story I have to bring in the Mack family. Though no relation to Willard Clark, all of it interconnects and winds around as you see as we proceed.

Willard is gone and Mary Caroline, with Lucius and Walter is back living with her mother and brother George in 1860. In 1861 her mother dies. There is a period here that I don't know exactly what happened. George would be of the marrying age. Mary Caroline is widowed with these two little boys. At some point in time George Berrian goes to Morris County, Kansas. (George Berrian will play a role later on)

On 15 January 1863 Mary Caroline Clark married George Enos Mack. He was younger than she was, as she was born in 1833 and Enos as he was known was born 24 November, 1837 in Ithica, New York. He was the son of Pierson Coleman Mack.

5 children were born to them: Albert Edwary "Ed" born 15 May 1864 in Elmwood, Peoria County, Illinois. William Coleman "Willy" born 22 January 1866. Fred LeRoy born 6 December 1868 in Brimfield, Peoria County, Illinois, Sara Jane "Sadie" born 6 or 7 October 1871 in Brimfield, Peoria County, Illinois and Charles born 7 March 1873 Peoria County, Illinois.

There is a big blank spot here until 1878 . . . when the letters pick up the story.

So that you can follow the next portion this is [where] have to bring in Mary Caroline's Berrian brother James Augustus Berrian.

During the gold rush in California he had headed out like so many to make his fortune, which definitely did not happen. He returned to Illinois and married. His wife died leaving him with two small daughters.( very parallel to Willard Clark.)Eventually he had ended up in Chicago, working as a conductor on a horse drawn street car. Sometime during this period he met Imilda Leona Wendell. They married and started making their westward journey, living in Wisconsin, Minnesota and finally take the big plunge and headed west by train to San Fransisco, then north by boat until they were in Portland, Oregon. Somehow I am not certain how, but he heard about this wonderful area in Washington Territory called Goldendale. So up the Columbia River they came.

When James and Imilda came west they had 4 children: Emma, his daughter by his 1st marriage. The other daughter Francis of his first marriage had decided to stay with her mother's sister) They had 3 of their own children: Ada Louise (remember this one), James Wendell and Arleigh. Little Arleigh had been born the prior May in 1873 in Cliterall, Otter Tail, Minnesota where they had resided. While on the train he got whooping cough and died in 20 February 1874. So their journey west no doubt was in January or February of 1874.

They had a place near Goldendale, Washington. James Berrian having had experience in the gold fields of California in 1849 must have still sort of had the gold fever. Goldendale, Washington is located at the foot of the Simcoe Mountains. There had been gold found in some of the streams feeding off Mt. Adams. Mt. Adams is a snow capped peak all year around. The water off that mountain is ice cold. Him along with another man, for how long I don't know would go off to look for gold in the Simcoe. I would assume where he was a farmer he would have gone during the off season of farming. If he did this more thanone year I don't know, but I think he must have.

His partial paralysis was no doubt due to what we call hypothermia. Anyway, it was figured that the nerve damage to his legs were done by standing in that icy water. At what point in time Imilda took him to the doctors in Portland I don't know. But it was determined that he could no long do heavy farming. This had to occur around 1875 or so.

They sold their property and moved down along the Columbia River to a town then called Columbus.. If you look on your Washington state map it is now known as Maryhill.

This little bench along the shores of the Columbia is a wonderful location to grown peaches, apricots and truck farm good. Now it is all apricots. How many acres they had I am not certain . . .

Meanwhile back in Illinois, life goes on. Walter and Lucius Clark are growing up along with their Mack brothers and sister. I do not know whether Enos owned any land or not, but we find his family showing up in the 1870 census of Jubilee township, Peoria Co., Illinois census taken on 7 September 1870 with wife Mary C., Walter Clark age 12, Lucius Clark age 10, Edwin Mack age 7, William age 4 and Freddie age 3. From what I can surmise they were a pretty poor family.

Nothing much is known until we get to March 11, 1878. Lucius has gone to Kansas to his uncle George Berrian's in Morris County. Evidently he had left home the latter part of January or very early in February.

Though in her letters Mary Caroline does not use the word cancer, she is in fact dying of breast cancer. In her letter of March 11 to Lucius she tells him about her pain, how much she misses him, that the boys have gone fishing, to give her love to he brother George and his wife Lucindy, etc.

She writes him another letter on April 30, 1878. She again tells him about her health which is quickly deteriorating. She says that she has lost about 40 pounds since he left. His half brother Willie has come back from the doctor with a broken collar bone and it will take $5 to get him well. Willy is no doubt working as she is concerned about him being layed up and not earning any money or being able to plant corn. Willy is only 12 years old at this time. Evidently there had been a fist fight as Willy said he made a lump on Henry Blacks eye as big as a hen egg. Willie said that he whipped him. Walter at this time is no doubt living with Enos and Mary Caroline as she says that he is working for a man for his board and is plowing for this man.

That probably was the last letter that Mary Caroline wrote to Grandpa Clark {Lucius]as she died 24 May, 1878. and was buried in Bramble Cemetery, Jubilee township, Peoria Co., Illinois.

She knew that she was dying as she made arrangements for her children. Here again I can only speculate. Probably we get into the same situation, especially where little Sara "Sadie" is concerned. A little girl without a mother.

Sadie was sent to live with her mother's sister, Charlotte Amelia (Berrian) Baggs and her husband William Baggs. Also Fred was sent to live with Aunt Charlott with the stipulation that he was to work for them until he was 18, at which time he was to be given a suit of clothes and a horse and buggy. (We will go into this situation at a later date.) However, this one I can't figure out, but in the 1880 census we find Fred and Sadie living with Charlotte, but we also see Walter Clark listed in this household as a servant. This one I have never been able to figure out . . . The other Mack boys evidently stayed with Enos. Charles was quite small , only 5 years old. Why he wasn't sent to Aunt Charlotte's I don't know. Maybe Enos figured he could keep care of him, where he couldn't take care of Sadie and Fred could work for Aunt Charlotte. Ed and Willy would in that day and age at 14 and 12 be considered pretty much grown men and could work like a man. But I don't know . . .

Now we know that Lucius is in Morris County, Kansas. There we pick up the story when his Uncle James Berrian in Columbus, Washington writes him [letter - March 23, 1879]. Grandpa Clark [Lucius] had written him on December 20th, 1878. I am thinking that Grandpa Clark [Lucius] took the initiative and wrote Uncle James as James said he did not know where Lucius or Mary Caroline lived. He mentions that he has lost contact with many in the family since his illness. Grandpa Clark [Lucius] has written him about possibly coming out. He tells him to go to San Francisco by train, then take the steamer to Portland, then up the river to Columbus and that he could be found one half mile north east on the Goldendale Road.

He tells Grandpa Clark [Lucius] that this is a good country and he is happy there. Also at this point in time he does not know that Mary Caroline is dead, so tell Grandpa [Lucius] to tell her he has not forgotten her and would like to hear from her.

In the same envelope he sends a short note to his brother George Berrian, where Grandpa Clark [Lucius] is at present. Evidently he had lost contact with George, but with Grandpa Clark [Lucius] telling him that he is living with George that winter that he will write him. He speaks in this letter of their parting 14 years before. He tells him he has a wife and 3 children and can work a little, etc.

March 23, 1879. Grandpa Clark [Lucius] has evidently written his Uncle James again on February 23rd. Also there must have been a letter enclosed from his brother George. He tells that he did not know that Mary Caroline was dead and goes into a religious declaration, etc. They have asked each other for photographs. He tells Grandpa Clark [Lucius] about the country, the snow about stock, etc.

Grandpa Clark [Lucius] again wrote Uncle James on April 13 and James replies on May 4, 1879. He is disappointed that Grandpa Clark [Lucius] has given up the idea of coming to Columbus that season. He is concerned that all the good homesteads will be taken up if Lucius didn't come soon. He told him how good of cattle country it was and good money to be made. Due to his age and no doubt his health he can't get into it, but suggests that if Grandpa Clark [Lucius] were to come out that they could go in together. He says that he can go to school and make his home with him and Imilda that winter and then look around and see what he wants to do. (More about the schooling later in the story.) He tells him the general to tell this one and that one hello, etc.

I have nothing until 14 September 1879, when Grandpa Clark [Lucius] replies to a post card that Uncle James has sent him to inquire about him coming out that fall. Evidently Grandpa Clark [Lucius] was raising some cattle and he had already paid for their wintering over. He thought he could make pretty good money if he waited and sole them in the fall.

This is the letter that he tells about having know such great poverty all of his life and that he hopes that life will become more prosperous and that he is willing to work hard to attain a better life, etc.

November 1879 Uncle James writes that he is again disappointed that Grandpa Clark [Lucius] was not coming that fall. James' health is evidently on the decline as he offers Grandpa Clark [Lucius] a job for wages. Then he could also claim 160 acres in a homestead and that James could take the same adjoining it and they could go into farming with the 320 acres quite extensively. He mentions that since Walter has know the same poverty that he wishes that he would come also and maybe make a better life for himself. I think at this point in time Walter had left Aunt Charlotte's and he was with Grandpa Clark [Lucius]. (More about Walter later.)

The next letter is from William Berrian in Morris County, Kansas. Grandpa Clark [Lucius] has left Kansas and gone to Washington.

I will continue for a while tonight on the Lucius Clark story . . .

Grandpa Clark left Kansas, having sold off his cattle and obtaining the money he needed to head west. This is written by his youngest daughter Florence Clark . . . "made his way through the Gulf of Mexico to near where the Panama Canal is now. He crossed the isthmus of Panama with other western bound men and took ship up to San Francisco. Then he traveled still by boat (a different one) up to the Columbia River and onto where James Berrian was living."

"An interesting incident was that when he thought of coming west, he thought he would need protection against Indians and bandits, so he procured a "Bowie knife," which he kept constantly with him all through his traveling. He brought up several Spanish or Mexican coins which he kept for many years . . . "

The interesting this is I now have his so called bowie knife. It is not as actual bowie knife, but it is a big one. Evidently, it was in the attic of his home when that house was cleaned out many years after his death. My Dad was given it and when my mother died and we were cleaning out the house, I came across it. I knew immediately what it was and was one of the things I asked for.

Grandpa [Lucius] would have taken the train from Portland up the Oregon side of the Columbia River. At what was known as Grants (this town was completely destroyed by flood in 1894) was a ferry that went across to Columbus. He took this ferry, without James and Imilda Berrian knowing of his time of arrival.

He walked up the hill to their little home. He went up onto the porch and as he knocked on the kitchen door he saw a girl of 14 years of age standing on a box washing dishes. She had long blonde curls and was wearing red and white striped stocking that showed under her dress. He knocked on the door, she jumped down off her box and he said that as she came towards the door "he thought that she was the prettiest little thing he had ever set eyes on Little then did the 20 year old James Lucius Edwin Clark, know that he had just seen his future wife, his first cousin, Ada Louise Berrian.

The Berrian house actually set on the edge of a spring. In fact the kitchen was built over the spring. They had a trap door in the floor and it was through this that they lowed buckets in which they kept their perishables, such as milk and butter.

Lucius is welcomed into Uncle James home which, small though it was housed, James, Imilda , their children Ada, James Wendell, Lulu Jennie and new born George Waller.

Grandpa Clark [Lucius] at first thought that this place must be the jumping off place of the world and could not understand why his Uncle James had ever come to Columbus. At this time the railroad was being built on the Washington side of the Columbia River. Grandpa Clark [Lucius] soon got employment on that railroad bossing a crew of men. He helped out his Uncle James where and when he could. Their dream of the 300 acre joint ranch never materialized due I think to the deterioration of James Berrian's health.

We know that Grandpa Clark [Lucius] had grown up in extreme poverty and that schooling had been at a minimum, as he had to go to work at a very early age.

His aunt, James's wife had been born into the very large Wendell family in the area around Albany, New York. She was the next to the youngest of a total of 22 children. In 1850 her mother died and her father followed when she was 14 in 1854. Her older brothers were lawyers, ministers and one a doctor, but the brother closest to her was Nelson Wendell, single, still looking, but had an education and was studying law. He was the one who more or less took his little sister Imilda under his wing, by letters, as she lived with various relative, usually her two sisters. Nelson was a young man before his time, as she was very talented in writing and he encouraged her and told her the only way that she could better herself in life was to get as much of an education as she could and become a teacher. He was her real mentor and she followed his suggestions. She was absolutely devastated when he was killed in the Civil War at Salem Church, during the Chancellorsville Campaign in Virginia.

She was an excellent teacher, so much so that when her older sister was dying she made her husband, they lived in Wisconsin, at the time promise that he would take their children to Columbus so they could be educated by Imilda.

It was in Columbus that Grandpa Clark [Lucius] got his education. I am sure there were many late nights spent pouring over the books. She rode horse 7 miles to Goldendale, Washington, where she taught school and then would ride the 7 miles back down to the rivers edge and home.

My father said that Grandpa Clark [Lucius] was so educated he could quote Shakespeare and the Bible word for word. His intelligence would show later in life. The determination that he had to succeed and give his family the advantages in life that he had never had were always there on his mind.

His thoughts were still back in Illinois and I know that he kept in touch with the Clark and Berrian families. I have a copy of a letter that his half-sister Sadie Mack wrote him when she was about 12 when she was living with her Aunt Charlotte Baggs.

Between the years 1881 and the early part of 1883 I don't know what transpired, but evidently he had fit right in with his Uncle James family. Somewhere along the way the romance must have bloomed between him and Ada. Sometime in 1882 James gave him 5 acres of his land.

The railroad job would have been completed in the area and I suspect that he spent most of his time working on James little ranch.

January 1883 finds Uncle James and Aunt Imilda the parents of a new baby boy. In May Uncle James died and is buried in the little cemetery just up the hill from the Berrian house. Here is the 23 year old Lucius the head of a household of 7 including himself. His life had been filled with all types of tragedy in his young life and now to have to deal with this.

They all had to really band together, but by then their bonds were all set. I have no way of knowing if the wedding of Grandpa Clark [Lucius] and Ada Berrian had already been set for September 6, 1883, but that is when it took place. They were married in The Dalles, Oregon at the Umatilla House, a very nice hotel for that day and age . . . Grandpa Clark [Lucius] was embarking on another adventure.

This is where I need to stop and insert a portion of a letter that I feel was written in the summer of 1883. This second cousin of mine was doing some type of family history work when she was in college in the 1940's. By then Grandpa Clark [Lucius] had been dead many years. No doubt when Grandma Clark [Ada] brought her mother Imilda's Civil War letters down from the attic, for this cousin to type, she brought this few of Grandpa Clark's [Lucius'] . . . the ones from his mother, uncles, one from his little sister Sara and one that was only a portion of a letter. Evidently, parts of it had long ago been lost. This cousin that typed them off no doubt assumed that it was a portion of a letter that Mary Caroline Clark Mack had written to Lucius, since it was with the other letters from her. So at the top she typed that it was from Mary Mack to Lucius Clark. When I really got into the Clark family history, it just didn't make any sense at all that Mary Caroline wrote it. Finding out a few years ago that Sara Mack, the half sister had not had a life on a bed roses either decided that it was written by her, but there were some things that just didn't fit dates wise, or some names, etc. I just could not totally convince myself that Sara Mack had written it. So there it sat, but I knew that it must have been something very important to Grandpa Clark [Lucius] , as though only a portion of a letter, it was in with the letters from his mother. Now, if Grandma Clark [Ada] , knew who this letter was from she never indicated to this cousin. I have given it a lot of thought and come to the conclusion that we are dealing with the so called Victorian Era, a very different age than the much open world that we live in. There were many private things in those days between even a husband and wife.

Then when I find out there was a sister named Flora MUDGE you could have heard me all the way to California. MUDGE was the mystery name in this portion of the letter. It took me about 5 minutes to put the letter, that I had always called the SAD SAD letter into its rightful place in the history of the Clark family.

I am sending a copy of it to you. See if you agree. The uncle is Uncle Daniel Clark . . . . the ages are right for her two little children . . . . Father Mudge would be her father-in-law. The reason the soldier's home is mentioned in Dubueque, Iowa is because George Mudge was a civil war veteran and she would be eligible to go there.

Now within the past week I have another theory about this house she lived in. In the bio of Daniel B. Clark it tells of his property when he first went there having a log cabin. He lived on this property a long time raising a large family, including Flora. Chances are that he didn't raise this family in this log cabin, that eventually he would have built a suitable home on his property. But that cabin could have remained there for many years. Knowing what I know now I have a feeling things were not too great when Flora ran off and got married, probably because she was pregnant. Uncle Daniel is not pleased at all. George Mudge dies. Even before I knew that this letter was written by Flora I wondered how an uncle could put someone out of their home unless he was in control. If for some reason after George Mudge died and she didn't have anyplace to go he put her in this log cabin. Naturally she would refer to her place of residency as home not a log cabin. I had found it strange that in the first place you would have a house with no plaster on the walls. But if it were an old log cabin with chinking that wasn't in the best condition. A log cabin would not have plaster on the walls. If it were Uncle Daniel's log cabin, he would have the right to kick her out. I have thought about this letter for years about how terrible this woman was, whoever she was.

This also proves to me that there was a line of communication between Flora and Grandpa Clark [Lucius] . There would have had to have been as she felt comfortable enough to ask him for help. I can assure you, that though I don't know for certain, that if he had a dollar to his name he would have sent it to her. But . . . then in her darkest hour she is somehow saved by this Ephriam Lewis, in August of 1883. I sure would like to know how that all came about, You see what the age difference was between Flora and Lewis. Probably that age old thing of a man needing a wife, and she had no other way out. She did not want to loose her babies. Or maybe Uncle Daniel had a finger that. Personally I don't care much for Uncle Daniel . . .

Anyway here goes the SAD SAD letter . . .

". . . out by the week, what do you think of an uncle that you may say has raised me, I lived with them from the time I was 7 years old until I was past 21 my little boy thats sick is only 8 years old, just Crys and he worries about hearing what uncle said about sending them away from me and my babys not 3 yet The soldiers home is at Debuke Iowa, it looks like uncle wants to get us way out of his hearing he wants me to go 2000 miles away to Florida to father Mudges if we dont go to the soldiers Institution, you see he is thinking about us not having our house plasted and nothing to Clothes us Comfortable with for the winter, and I guess that he is afraid that he might have to help us and would allmost kill him to do that I suppose that you are not so that you could give me a little to help me to get fixed for the winter, I wash and I Iron all that I am able to help ouselves with do you still think of going out prospecting in the Spring if you do I hope that you will have good luck, and that you will find it will pay you well, does it get very Cold where you are in the winter do you have plenty of fruit there. The people that have got orchards and vineyards seems to have plenty Even our folks have plenty of apples and peaches and grapes but we dont get any of it God Stands ready to Judge . . ."

They have communicated as she asks him if he is still thinking of going out prospecting (no doubt up in the Simcoe. How sad of a life that poor Flora had to endure. It does not appear that she ever knew what real happiness was like.

Before I proceed with the Lucius Clark story, I need to back up to 1880. Yesterday I received a copy of a letter that Lucius' aunt, at the time, later to be his mother-in-law wrote in 1880. She, Imilda Leona (Wendell) Berrian wrote this to her sister, Lucina (Wendell) Hatch . By reading this letter, we can get a better idea of the life that Lucius would soon become involved in . . . .

"Columbus, W.T. Sept. 23rd 1880

Dear Sister Lucina,

I have just finished a letter to Father Hatch and I feel that I must answer your letter that you were so kind as to write in answer to my urgent request. I am thankful that I can say that I have all my children yet but the diptheris is still taking its victims. There has been another death from it since I got your letter and three cases here at Columbus that have recovered - they are having it at Goldendale but most of the cases recover. The school there has broken up. Our school commenced here and kept 4 days when it broke out in the school and there has not been any since and I don't know when it will begin again. One man is having it here at Columbus but is getting well. He had it very bad his babe one year old was buried last Sunday. There are no new cases now at Columbus and I do pray that God will stay this scourge. I had James get the medicines for that receipt you sent me the day I received the letter. I am sorry to hear you are so poorly. I wonder if it is not resulting from your catarrh. You know that affects the air passages in the heat, throat and lungs often running on in consumption. Ada has had catarrh growing upon her for 4 or 5 years and it began to make her breath smell offensive and her nose would bleed often and she would have a dull paint in her head and eyes, and when cold weather comes on she has it worse. So James brought home a little pamphlet from the Drug store one time advertising this Dr. Meyers remody and I thought we would give it a trial. He bought a package for $1.50 and she has been takint it some 3 weeks with very good results and I believe I will send you the book that comes with the medicine and you can see for yourself. Her breath does not smell bad now and she and we all can see a decided improvement. It is a snuff - or powder to be snuffled up the nose. Two kinds. I wish you would try it. I wish yo were here to eat peaches, we are havig lots of nice ones now and had 8 or 9 trees full. I am going to canning the day after tomorrow. I think I shall have as many as 75 2 qt. cans. The children are enjoying them. Today I put a quilt on the frames, so you see I have plenty to do. Since we do have lots of work and shall till winter sets in. Our tomato pickings is quit a job - the children do the most of it. Tomatoes sell well this fall. James sells a box containing about 18 lbs. for 75 cts. And every other day almost takes his wagon box full of boxes. Times are so dull he can't get all his pay in money but his doing pretty well on them this fall. I send you some seed of our nicest ones. I think they will surprise you as they are not the color of other kids but prettier and are the finest tomatoes I ever saw. We have the Trophy a splendid large kind but I think that is more common than this. I get such good letters from Louisa. It tell you she is coming out grandly on the Lords side and her health seems better than it was. She says she is getting quite fleshy. I would love so much to see her now. I think we could visit better than we ever did. And if we get able I pray to see you both someday. I would love so well to live near (NOTE: These is a writing crosswise on this and I'm now sure of what it says - looks like Waukiska) where the children would have better educational privileges than here and if this continues to be so sickly as it has been this season and last we shall certainly not make this our permanent home. Our children are dearer to us than money and I would sacrifice much to keep from losing any of Then. We are getting fixed quite comforable and could do quite well here if we could get a good sum for our improvements here we will sell. James could then get a 160 acre homestead. This only 8 buat has got enclosed with it the most a railrod 80. The steam ferry mad it's first trip yesterday. It went across the river several times. We have a splendid view of it and also the steam cars on the opposite side. They are running now and it seems quite like a train (?) to hear first train (?) boat and car whistles. I guess you will have a railroad close enough to you. Oh it is wasn't for so much sickness her how happy we should be in our little home here but we are so thankful that theLordd still spares us. Well good night my sheet is full and it is bedtime.

Your sister Leona"

(Written a cross the page) "We think Dellies your beautiful Dellie. Can't you write to Adad she is too bashful to write to you you are so much older she says."

(Written on one edge) "I wrote this several days ago. No new cases in Columbis. #diedd in one day in Goldendale. Others expected to die."

(Written across one edge) "Lucina don't fail to get this medicine for I know it wil help you. It is doing Ada so much good already. Read it well and I do believe it will take away the phlegm or mucous that you must be troubled with. Charley writes that he has the catarrh."

Now I can tell you a little more about the letter. The Father Hatch she refers to would be her sister Lucina's father-in-law. There were periods of time that she had lived between 1854 until the time of her marriage with Lucina and her husband, Earlman Hatch, so she would know his father well.

If I looked in my records I could soon tell a person who that babe was that died.Louisa would be their sister Sally Louisa Marcellus. Louisa had three children. All died, so naturally she had been grieving. Imilda had lived off and on with Louisa also.

This letter gave me some important information. Now I know that James and Imilda Berrian had 80 acres, and it ran clear down the hill to where the railroad is. I never thought it would be that large of an acreage. Most of that would not be farmable. So I think that they may have had some stock on it.

This is important as now we know and I will pass it on to the historians who are working on the history of Columbus that the first steam ferry made it's maiden voyage on that date.

So you see we can tell kind of what Lucius moved into when he arrived.

Now we have Lucius as basically the head of the family, including his mother-in-law, her smaller children and Ada, his new wife.

Grandpa Clark [Lucius] was doing his studying of books, but seeing across the river something that might work to better his life and that of his family.

From An Oregon Boyhood, written by Bliss Lucius Clark . . . Lucius's eldest son."Papa saw opportunities in the new railroad siding place at Biggs in 1882 after the railroad came through, for now instead of hauling wool or grain clear to the Dalles, or to the river boat landing at Grand, the upland growers could come a short haul, about 10 miles down Spanish Hollow and be right at the now O.R. & N. railroad cars." Grandpa Clark [Lucius] had built his small home close to that of Imilda Leona Berrian on the acreage that James Berrian had given him. He moved his new wife Ada there, which gave more room in the home of Imida Leona for her and her children.

He is working both in Columbus, helping his family and starting also to work across the river.

It was on March that the next sadness hit the small family on the side hill of Columbus. On April 11, 1884 little Edwin Augustus or Leona Louise Clark was born premature and lived briefly and was laid to rest beside Grandfather Berrian and little Uncle Arleight on the windswept hill above their home in Columbus.

Grandpa Clark now busied himself in earnest across the river at Biggs. Again from Bliss Clark. "After the spring watered garden and orchard and green poplars of the Columbus place, this was what was at Biggs: nothing but a siding and not where the Biggs of today is located, but a mile east where the little rill out of Spanish Hollow find the Columbia. It was just sand and sagebrush and rocks, and an Indian trail near the fluffs, east and west, and a dusty road tying the siding and loading platform and the upland to that new 1882 railroad. No trees at all at first and then only beyond the sane; the always blowing sand . . . Papa build a house on the rocks. The Indian trail through our back yard is now part of the Columbia River Highway."

Eventually a few things other than Grandpa Clark's business came to Biggs. Grandpa Clark [Lucius] was putting his life into fine order and quite quickly....Bliss again . . . "Papa got a sail-ferry to pull scows and owned a small skiff that took passengers, teams, wagons, anything at all, across the Columbia between Biggs and Columbus. He had the necessary captain"s licenses for operating a ferry on the Columbia."

(Note: that captain's license is now in the possession of his grand daughter, Dorothy Mathison.) Back to Bliss . . . "He build a barn and had two teams of his own in it, and stabled teams for Dalles visitor who usually were upland farmers driving down to the railroad; or in some bad weather or severe sand storms, some wheat teamsters put their horses inside. He dug a good well there beside the barn, which was so close to the creek that a cloudburst in April 1983 filled the well and washed the pump and big trough away before Papa could get a rope to it. Teamsters used the well whether they stabled their horses or not and that was all right to do, too. He sold wood, posts, lumber, shingles, lath and coat, and could bring over Columbus or Klickitat Valley hay if anyone wanted it. Then in 1886, he was the first Biggs postmaster and we grew up with the post office cabinet in our front room."

The U.S. Postal Service didn't issue him a cancelling stamp so he made is own. What ever became of that no one ever knew. However, Forrest Wells, great grandson now owns Grandpa Clark's [Lucius] postal scales.

It was interesting how the mail was delivered to Postmaster Clark [Lucius] was accomplished. In coming mail for the area was thrown off the train as it went by. Mail from the area to go onto the train was hung in a bag on a pole and snagged by one of the employees on the train. In the event it was missed, it would be attempted to be retrieved when the next train went through.

Things moved nicely on both sides of the Columbia River. Grandpa Clark [Lucius] did not have to spend much time in Columbus as his mother-in-law now had her son James Wendell Berrian to help her as he had been born in 1871 which would have made him a teenager by this time. I am sure that Grandpa Clark [Lucius] kept close tabs on things over there.

Imilda was busy with her orchard and gardens. She sent a lot of her peaches, apricots and other things over into Idaho where there were miners.

Meanwhile Grandpa Clark [Lucius] was busy on his side of the river with all of his endeavors.

He soon received some help from brother Fred Mack. When their mother died Fred was sent to live and work for her sister Charlotte (Berrian) Baggs and her husband William. At 18 he was to get a new suit and a horse and buggy. That never happened . . . There is a possibility that he didn't want that. There had been communication between Grandpa Clark [Lucius] and his younger brother Fred. Also, by this time the oldest half brother of Grandpa Clark [Lucius] was already out here. There had no doubt been communication there as Albert Edward Mack known as Ed had come west and brought the youngest Mack brother Charles with him.

Ed went up into Sherman County near the town of Moro and took out a homestead. I am not certain, but think that the young Charles probably stayed with Grandpa Clark [Lucius], while Ed built his house and then young Charles went to up to live with him.

On his 20th birthday in December 1888 Fred Leroy Mack arrived at Grandpa Clark's [Lucius] home in Biggs. Uncle Fred, as I knew him as and will in the future refer to his as, became a valuable asset to Grandpa Clark [Lucius] at Biggs. Grandpa Clark [Lucius] had so many irons in the fire that he soon trained Uncle Fred to run the ferry.

How long Uncle Fred worked on the ferry I have no idea, but it abruptly came to an end one day and he would never work on that ferry again. There was a team and wagon on the ferry. Something spooked the team and they jumped over the side of the ferry. I have no idea whether they took the wagon with them, but probably they did. The men on the ferry could not get them cut from their harnesses and they both drown. That did it for Uncle Fred and he refused to work on the ferry ever again.

On March 30, 1889 Bliss Wendell Lucius Clark joined the family at Biggs, Oregon. If Grandma [Ada] and Grandpa Clark [Lucius] had decided on the name Wendell Lucius as a name for the new babe. It did stick, but as a first name when out the window. When the new little baby was placed in Grandma Clark's [Ada] arms for the first time . . . her remark was something to the effect . . . what a wonderful armful of bliss . . . So Bliss he became, though later in life he was know as B.L.

Grandpa Clark [Lucius] was doing quite well with his ferry. I have one of the ledger books that he kept in regards to the ferry. He was a very good record keeper, every thing accounted for whether it was debit or credit.

The Clark's and the Berrian's would have gone back and forth across the Columbia River. Without any dams, the width of the river would not be like it is today. The Clark family would have gone over every Sunday for church services. Columbus was quite a little town in that era. The church that they attended there was the Methodist Church. In 1884 another small church was built. I would not be surprised but what after the church service of which Imilda Leona or Ada were the organist, that they all gathered as a family up in the Berrian house for Sunday dinner and family time.

From what I can understand, which makes a lot more sense to me now, Lucius had cattle and naturally a milk cow or two. I have always heard that he would put cattle on the ferry and take them across to graze at Columbus. Knowing now that the Berrians had the 80 acres that makes a lot more sense to me.

I remember a story that my Grandmother told me and I have heard it from other family members. When you were in Biggs, you could look across the Columbia and see exactly where the Berrian house was in the poplar trees in what was called Sand Canyon. My grandmother Nellie, said that one time when she had Bliss out, when he was about 4 he decided to go visit Grandma Berrian, as he could see her house across the water. He was in the water, when Nellie went racing to tell her parents that Bliss was headed for Grandma's house across the river. Fortunately action was swift and he was retrieved at the waters edge.

I think at this time I should relate Grandpa Clark's [Lucius] relationship to the Indians in the area. Down river from Biggs about 7 miles was the great falls of the Columbia called Ceililo Falls. Lewis and Clark wrote of it in their trip to the Pacific Ocean. Various tribes from all over came to fish there when the salmon made their run up the river to spawn.

The first time I ever heard of anything about Grandpa Clark [Lucius] and the Indians, was while he still lived at Columbus. I would guess this would have been about that 1883 period when he was building his house next to James Berrians. He built into the side of the hill behind the house this good sized cellar. In fact the rocks are still there, just where they finally tumbled in. He was in the process of building this cellar from the rock that he had probably collected in the fields around there. He had found this great big arch type rock that he apparently wanted to put up there, but being he was the only many was trying to figure out how to accomplish it. An Indian arrived wanting food, as a lot of them did in that time. Grandpa [Lucius] put his brain to work and told the Indian that if he would help him put that rock up there he would feed him. Both missions accomplished the Indian headed on up the river on his pony.

The next day a posse of sorts arrived from Fort Vancouver and inquired as to if he had seen an Indian traveling alone. He told them that he had and that the Indian had done some work for him in exchange for food. He was informed that this Indian had supposedly murdered someone in the Fort Vancouver area. Grandpa [Lucius] never found out whether the posse caught their man or not.

After he moved across the river to Biggs he had interaction with the Indians, because he has them listed in his ledger book of their crossing back and forth on his ferry. There is very little doubt in my mind but what he would have traded back and forth with them. They would have brought him salmon to trade for things that they needed that he would have there at Biggs. I do not know this for certain and I do intend to check it out, but supposedly he had a number of things which he had traded with the Indians, such as beaded gloves, that his son Bliss had and eventually donated them to the museum at Oregon State University in Corvallis.

My Grandmother told me about her arrow head expeditions up Spanish Hollow. It was called that because some cattle brought up from California had got loose and were up in that area. These cattle were so wild that even the Indians had not been able to get close to them and beings their origins were from the herd that some Spaniards had brought up from California, thus the name Spanish Hollow.

My grandmother told me of the Indian arrow heads absolutely thick along the banks of the little creek that came down Spanish Hollow. She would take a lard bucket with her and go pick them up. Eventually, and I never knew how it all came about, but there was a time that he paid her to pick up arrow heads as he had found a market for them in the east. I don't know whether someone came along and saw them and some sort of a business deal was struck or just what. But I do know that he paid her to pick up arrow heads as the Indians had used the creek to camp on for years. In fact there was an Indian trail that ran through their back yard.

There is a very good chance that Indians in the area would bring papers that they might have written in English for him to translate to them, as remember he was fluent in the Chinook jargon.

I only wish someone had had the foresight to have talked to him extensive about his relationship with the Indians of the area. I am certain there were lots of stories that are lost, just like the mighty Celilo Falls.

Another son joined the growing Lucius Clark family. William Berrian Clark was born on April 10, 1891 in Biggs, Wasco County, Oregon.

Grandpa Clark [Lucius] kept busy with his family and his business enterprises there at Biggs.

The Columbia River was hit with a big flood in 1894 . . . I will send what Bliss had to say as he was there and witnessed first hand all of Grandpa Clark's [Lucius] busy time during the flood . . .

"The Great Flood of 1894 . . . In the spring of 1894, the snow in the Snake River region and in the upper Columbia districk melted at the same time. The Columbia had the biggest flood recorded since the white men came, although the Indians say that there was at least one other flood that reached higher. I was just past five. The flood was in June and I had become five in March. That watery scene made a bit impression on me. The water rose rapidly until it was level with the floor of our front porch. It rose to the haymow in the barn. It covered the railroad tracks and no trains ran. Papa tied his ferry (scow) to the front porch and when the flood started to recede he had to use men with levers to get his scow back over the rails. As the big drop came at night, it litterally caught him napping. My Uncle Howard Berrian (Mama"s younger brother) made a paddle and using the horses' water trough as a boat, paddled around in the water behind the railroad bank. He paddled out to the barn roof to get a hen that had evidently been trapped in the mow. She had other ideas, though, and when he reached for her she spread her wings and flew across the flood to where I was standing on the shore near the house. She nearly frightened me to death, for she came straight toward me on her quest for solid ground. I thought she was after me. There is another memory of chickens connected with this flood. Papa was shaving when someone ran into the house and said that a lot of chickens were floating past on a shed roof. Papa, ran, one side of his face all later, to his boat. When he returned there was no lather, just one side stubble and one side smooth. I suppose a dash of river water cleaned it off. The chickens? He got them all, except one that flew into the flood. He said they were so frightened they let him reach out and pick them up. The river was cutting one edge of its channel right through the little settlement of Grant a few miles above us, so other buildings began to go past our house. Papa and Dixon McDonald, the village storekeeper, took ropes to tie to a big distillery building. They edged it to shore about a mile below their homes, where they tied it until the flood went down. Then they shared the lumber from the huge building. Part of Pap's share was used to build additons to our house. Two men crossed the railroad bridge which bobbed up and down as they walked. It was floating, held in place only by the rails. One time about a quarter of a mile of railraod track floated by, supprted by its ties. It sank below Biggs. Somewhere in the timber country far above Biggs, a boom of logs broke. Papa and Mr. McDonald brought in several hundred of them, using their skiffs to tow the logs in behind the railroad embankement. After the flood went down, our barnyard was covered with logs. A train of flat cars stopped by our barnyard and a cable pulled the logs to the cars. I do not know who bought them. The water in the Columbia River rose so high it leveled over Celilo Falls. A big stern-wheel driven ship stopped in the river near our house and Papa, rowing out to it in his rowboat, received the mail for Biggs and the back country towns, Waso, Moro.etc." Grandpa Clark [Lucius] had all of these things going for him at the little settlement of Biggs. However, progress would get in his way.

In 1897 a new railroad was built. It was the Columbia Southern. Of course the farmers were anxious for this railroad to be completed and some of them even donated some of their helpers and teams to he move the project along.

With this new spur line of railroad going up into Sherman county to serve the farmers, they had no more use for the Clark enterprises at Biggs. They could load their grains right onto the trains, thus no more loads of wheat would come down Spanish Hollow by wagon teams.

Grandpa Clark [Lucius] had to always be one jump ahead of the rest of the world.

Up Spanish Hollow about 8 miles was the little community of Wasco, so named for the country that it resided it. Up Spanish Hollow he went and purchased land on the edge of Wasco. He set himself busy to building up his latest venture. He still had his holdings at Biggs to liquidate, the ferry, lumber, coal, wood, etc. Howard Berrian, his youngest brother-in-law from across the Columbia had worked for him for quite some time. He was the bookkeeper, ran the ferry when he needed him and just helped out in general.

Grandpa Clark [Lucius] hauled all of the things that he would need up to Wasco. He utilized the new rail road to get there, moving everything in a couple of freight cars. He left the young Howard in Biggs, where he boarded at the hotel to sell of as much of the lumber, coal, wood etc. What remained was later sent up to Wasco.

He no doubt ran back and forth up and down Spanish Hollow between Biggs and Wasco, getting business things settled and the family all moved.

In Wasco, he went to work establishing The Union Lumber Company. This business would deal in lumber, wood and all types of farm machinery available to farmers of the area.

He had other partners in the lumber company which was incorporated on September 6, 1897, with Grandpa as the manager.

Again Bliss Clark . . . "He placed a small sign on the wall of the office that I read over and over and always thought how smart he was to think of it, for I thought that father had coined the expression. I never asked so he never knew that I thought him the author of 'In God We Trust, All Others Cash.'"

Ranchers were never really able to pay for the materials that they needed until after their harvest. Grandpa [Lucius] kept with the help of Howard Berrian excellent ledgers. After harvest , if ranchers didn't get to Wasco to settle their account he would take his buggy and could be found on the country roads calling on his customers to get their accounts settled up with him. Naturally, there were those accounts that were never paid for and those are still marked in his ledger books of which my family have.

In 1900 he finally sold the house down on the river at Biggs. That house had really made the rounds. He figured he had better sell it for what he could get out of it, instead of it falling down. The lumber that had floated down the river from Grant in the form of the distillery had ended up as part of the Clark house. He sold it to a wheat rancher, who took it apart, took it out west of Wasco, put it all back together for his ranch home. The purchase price was $100.

The Clark family became very involved in the farm community of Wasco. In the beginning they rented a home near the school house, so the children had a short distance to go each day. They became very involved in the church there, and the ladies became part of the social scene.

Grandpa [Lucius] was very busy at his new business. He built a large A frame shed to store all the wonderful new farm machinery that was coming into the world of the wheat ranchers of the area, such as disc plows, threshers, combines. He also sold windmills.

When I say the "ladies" of the Clark family that would now include another daughter, Gladys Mary Sylvia who had been born in Biggs, on February 27, 1896. After arriving in Wasco, little Florence Lillian arrived on June 10, 900. My father would refer to these two as the "Golden Girls."

Once the lumber company was well under way Grandpa Clark [Lucius] went to work building a beautiful home, for that time, on the edge of Wasco. A two story home with a cupola on the rear. The main floor included the living room dining room, kitchen and master bedroom and bathroom. Upstairs was three bedrooms with a huge attic. A very modern (for it's time) home, with beautiful wainscotting, bay windows, etc. But then he owned a lumber yard and could get pretty much whatever he wanted in building materials.

He built the house on the west side of the road so that the dust wouldn't bother them when vehicles went by. He busied himself drilling a deep well, put up his big windmill. Landscaping was done which consisted of beautiful flowers and trees.

Alfalfa was a new hay in those days. The rest of the acreage he planted to the new alfalfa. it was quite a novelty with people stopped in inquire and look at this new cow and horse feed. With the new hay Old Lily came to live with the Clark family of Clark Street, Wasco, Oregon.

It seemed that wherever the Lucius Clark family the rest of the family tended to be, whether it was to live, at least for awhile or visit, sometimes for months on end. Howard Berrian got the loose ends tied up at Biggs, so he came to Wasco, to take over the bookkeeping department of Union Lumber. Fred Mack, the young half brother was with the family, at least part of the time. He was the original Old Lily milker.

Mother figure Imilda Leona Berrian had finally sold the property at Columbus, as her brood were all on their own. She spent a great deal of time with the Clark's of Wasco.

She had re-married in 1879 . . . but Grandpa Clark [Lucius] had to take care of that situation. Her new husband back then was a man by the name of Miller. I don't know that much about him, other than no doubt it was someone she knew in the Columbus- Maryhill area. All I ever knew as a younger person was that she had married and was buried under the Miller name, not Berrian. Nothing more was ever said until I uncovered the story through relatives of her sister Lucina Wendell Hatch. She married this Miller and he turned out not to be a good person. I guess he beat her, probably only once. When Lucius Clark found out about that he was johnny on the spot . . . and between him and Grandma Berrian, ran him off the property telling him never to return to Columbus. That was the last that any of them heard of Miller. I don't know whether there was ever a divorce, but she always went by the name Leona W. Berrian, but she is buried under the Miller name.

Lucius would not let anyone harm the woman who had been his teacher, his aunt and his mother as far as he was concerned.

Grandpa Clark [Lucius] loved to sing and had a wonderful bass voice. He even took singing lessons while living in Wasco. As he clopped down the road in his horse and buggy he would make up songs to go along with the sound of the hooves of his horse.

Though Grandpa Clark [Lucius] and family were quite established in Wasco, there was always great comings and goings. His half brother Ed Mack lived up the way in an area called Rutledge, not far from Grass Valley, Oregon. I am not positive, but young Charles the youngest Mack brother had been up there. He took very ill and died. Somewhere along the way from what I understand Imilda Berrian, Ada's mother had moved to Portland, but she was back and forth by rail to Wasco, as were other family members. Howard Berrian remained in Wasco, doing the books. Grandpa Clark [Lucius] made his fair share of trips to Portland, more than likely on business. Sometimes he took Gladys or some of the other children with him, probably visiting with Grandma Berrian. There were trips back across the river to Columbus. I have accounts of where they went over, probably to visit old friends and purchase fruit such as peaches and apricots, tomatoes and other things that they themselves had grown and were accustomed to from their days at Columbus and Biggs.

Grandpa Clark [Lucius] was always looking ahead and invested money in the Wasco Milling Company which was built very close to the Union Lumber Yard. This proved to be the only time in his life that he didn't make the best choice. It was a business that really didn't pan out.

He bought wood, coal and lumber from various parts of the area. He had gone back and forth through Hood River, Oregon on the train, but had never stopped there and doubt if he was even aware of the valley just south of the town. From an article by father, Harold Milton Wells wrote about his grandfather Clark [Lucius] . . . "In 1901 he decided to come to Hood River Valley as this was where he got much of his wood. On what is now known as the K.A. Hukari place, a man named Johnson then owned it and was clearing it. Johnson told my grandfather [Lucius] , 'Why don't you come down here and buy some land as this the most beautiful valley in the world.' So Lucius did. He bought some 120 acres from Levi Monroe, a bachelor for $3500."

This property was located in the area about 6 miles from Hood River on the eastern side of the valley in an area called Pine Grove. The land he purchased was partly cleared and partly in timber and scrub brush.

There was a two story house on this land, consisting of a living room dining room combination, kitchen on the back and one bedroom. Upstairs were two bedrooms. Though comfortable, this was a far cry from the house in Wasco. I have often wondered what Grandma Clarks' [Ada] views were about giving up her nice Wasco home, where she had been long enough to have her circle of friends, etc. I guess she would have had little choice in the matter.

Time to liquidate all the holding, including house and move once more. I don't know for certain, and naturally there is no one who can tell me now, but I wold venture a pretty good guess that he loaded everything into freight cars and shipped them down, just like he did when he went from Biggs to Wasco.

In 1902 the family arrived in Hood River, to basically start over. In fairness to Grandpa Clark [Lucius] , he did know something about raising fruit, which he would have learned while living in Columbus. That was basically peaches and apricots, maybe cherries. He certainly would not have know much aboutraisingg apples and pears. However, with his quest for knowledge always present I would assume that he read everything about apples and pears he could get his hands on. I feel that he would have been a person that would never hesitate to ask a question of others.

He had a very large task ahead of him, but he would have lots of helpers. He had Bliss and Bill, though still boys would do their share. His half brother Fred Mack had gone out on his own and gone down in the Willamette Valley, but soon returned. He would do his share to help Lucius. Howard Berrian had wrapped up the account books and he tagged along to Hood River.

He may very well have promised Grandma a nice new house, but that would have to wait as he had a farm to get up and running . . .

At this point I need to bring another name into this story. Perry Edward Wells, who would become my own grandfather. He was born in Carroll Co., Illinois in 1879. When he was 11 years old in 1891 he came west via train with his parents Jerome and Anna Mary Stricker Wells. They initially took up a homestead on the hills behind Pine Grove and when a farm became available Jerome bought a farm.

Written by Perry Wells . . . "From the time I was 17, I worked in Sherman County. I did my first work on a wheat ranch, for Dan Mclaughlin of Monkland, east of DeMoss Springs, Oregon. I had never been away from home to work much. I had an idea I wanted to be a workhand with the rest of the fellows going up there. I didn't know anything about the ways they treated their help.

I asked Mr. McLaughlin where I was going to sleep. He said, 'There's a whole 160 acres there you can sleep on.' We put our blankets in the barn on the straw and slept there. I worked through the harvest, heading the grain. After harvest we hauled wheat to Biggs, Oregon, down the canyon before the Columbia Southern Railroad was built.

We loaded the wheat on one day and took it down and returned the next during our stay in Biggs, we had lunch buckets which we carried on the wagon and slept in the barn belonging to L. E. [Lucius] Clark, who would later become my father-in-law. This was many years before I new the young girl who was playing in the yard would later become my wife, Nellie Viloet Clark Wells. That was about 1896 and she was 11 years old. I worked in Sherman County every year from the year I was 17 to 1905."

He worked only up in Sherman County during the wheat harvest, the rest of the time he worked on his father's farm in Hood River. In 1900 and 1901 he went to the then Oregon State Agricultural College in Corvallis, where he played football. It is now Oregon State University.

. Grandpa Clark [Lucius] is busy on his new ranch, clearing land and putting in his orchards. He would soon have one of the best farm layouts in all of Hood River County. He had about 20 different varieties of apples. There was some orchard when he moved onto the Monroe ranch and I suppose this was what supported the family while the acres and acres of new fruit trees grew to production status. There is not much doubt but what he would have had to have had money for working capital during this time.

I do not know in what order he started to build, but I would imagine that one of his first priorities would be his big barn in which to house his horses and cattle. This was a huge barn with lots of new innovations in it.

I would think that the next project would have been the "big house." The existing house was moved from where it was as he wanted the new house there. The small house was moved out behind the barn to the east. I had the blue prints for the "big house," but beings my brother Bernie is a home builder I gave them to him. The plans were drawn to Grandpa Clark's [Lucius] specifications. It had a full basement under it. There are those that say the "big house" was sort of like the Wasco house, only much larger. I see so resemblance whatsoever, other than the bay windows. The first floor consisted of a large entry room, where the stairs went up to the second floor, the living room and dining room and big kitchen. There was a large closet under the stairway and eventually that would become a downstairs , what my Aunt Florence called "the water closet." In other words a toilet was put in there. A front porch extended completely across the front of the house and the veranda wrapped around the southern side of the house. But the big feature of this house was the back porch, or sun room. It went across the entire eastern side of the house off the kitchen and dining room. Windows ran from floor to ceiling.........this was a great family area for all the generations. Above the sun room on the roof of it was the sleeping porch. It was just a railing around the top and mattresses were hauled out in the summer and kids of various generations would sleep there, crawling out a bedroom window to get there. Upstairs there were 4 bedrooms, with the master having a wonderful bay window. The narrow stairs went up to the huge attic, which would soon become filled with wonderful treasures. There was a drive through portico off the front porch.

The new house was built in about 1904 and the outbuilding started to appear.

My father, Harold Wells wrote . . . "He built a gas house which he used in the manufacture of gas for gas lights, a garage and apple house. For water supply, a cistern was built up on the side of the hill and water piped down from a spring high up on the farm. This gave pressure to three different places on the farm . . ."

Somewhere during this early time in Hood River, Perry Wells came into the picture. He known Grandpa Clark during those years when he had hauled grain down to Biggs. The ironic part of this was that when Lucius came to Hood River and bought the Monroe farm, it was located a little over 1 and 1/2 miles from the Jerome Wells farm. I would imagine that the Wells' and especially Grandpa would have welcomed the Clark family to the community. Thus the romance between Perry Wells and Nellie Clark started. My grandpa Wells was an excellent carpenter and I know that he worked on some of the buildings on the Clark ranch. Eventually a big apple house would be erected and I am pretty sure that he worked on that project. He was still going in the late summer up to work in the wheat, which he did through the 1905 harvest.

Grandpa Clark [Lucius] seemed to always have a lot of help. His half brother Fred Mack had decided to come back. He lived there and worked for Grandpa Clark [Lucius]. Howard Berrian, worked there part of the time and naturally he had the help of the boys Bliss and Bill.

Ada was enjoying her new big house and busy planting her formal rose garden. It was all platted out to perfection. On the south of the house on the other side of the rose garden was this section of fir and pine trees. The underbrush was all cleared out and this became the play ground, with swings, a picnic table and teeter totters. Many children played out in what was called "The Grove."

The Clark family was settling into their new farm life . . . Nellie was in love and the little "golden girls" were growing . . .

Grandpa Clark [Lucius] was well on the way to putting his new farm on the right track. He was busy planting his orchards, getting his farm buildings in order.

On New Years Day, January 1, 1906 Nellie Violet Clark married Perry Edward Wells in the big new Clark house. The wedding invitations were sent out and read as follows:

Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Clark request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Nellie to Perry E. Wells New Years Day , Nineteen Hundred Six, at Eleven Thirty O'clock A.M.
at their residence in Pine Grove.
At home near Pine Grove after February first.

I have a copy of the wedding invitation and two small, not great photographs of the newly weds. The decor of the wedding was of the Christmas theme as the Christmas bells were hanging from the chandeliers and greens were seen through out the pictures.

The reason the wedding was held at the unusual hour that day, was that the new Mr. and Mrs. Perry Wells had to catch the train to Portland where they honeymooned at the Lewis and Clark Exposition, which was a big event during the year of 1906. My aunt has a beautiful vase that the groom bought the new bride upon their arrival in Portland.

That wedding was the first big event to take place at Grandpa [Lucius] and Grandma [Ada] Clarks' big house. The next event that made history in the family was the arrival of Lucius and Ada Clark's first grandson, my father, Harold Milton Wells, who came into the world in the master bedroom of the big house on October 16, 1906.

For some reason or other it became the family tradition that each new grandchild be born in that house. All eleven of their grandchildren would be born there in the years to follow.

Gladys and Florence Clark, the two small daughters at the time of Harold's birth were 10 years old and 6 years old. They idolized their big sister Nellie, but when little Harold arrived, as far as they were concerned Nellie was out of the picture, as Harold became their baby. With Florence only 6 years old when my father was born, they actually grew up more as sister and brother, than aunt and nephew. They remained close all their lives.

It was about this time that Fred Mack, Lucius half brother, was sold approximately 10 acres of Lucius' farm.

Grandma Clark [Ada] was an exceptional housekeeper. Everything had to be very neat and proper. She loved lovely things and started acquiring some of the things that she had never had before. She also found that she had a talent for painting and did exceptionally beautiful things with chalk. At this time she had about 9 family members living there all the time and people floating in and out visiting. My aunt used to say that her mother would write someone to come for a visit. She never meant come for a week or two, she meant come for two or three or six months. So the house was brimming at all times with family and extra family.

She decided that maybe she needed help with all this cooking, washing and ironing and all the other things that a proper Victorian lady did. She heard about a young lady who was recently widowed, living on the other side of the valley with a little girl. This lady was in dire need of a job to support herself and little Helen. Grandma Clark [Ada] being such a compassionate person, inquired about this lady and her little girl coming to live with the Clark's as a domestic. Emma Brosi accepted the position. Grandma Clark [Ada] sent Fred Mack with the team and wagon across the valley to bring Emma and little Helen Brosi over. Little Florence Clark and Helen Brosi were the same age, and were life long companions.

We think that Uncle Fred fell in love with Emma Brosi the first time he helped the little Finnish lady and her child into the old wagon and brought them home to Pine Grove. They were truly home . . . as a year or so later Fred Mack asked Emma Brosi to marry him. Beings he asked her on April Fool's Day she thought that he was joking and it took her two years to say yes. Soon between all the male members of the family, of which some were excellent carpenters a new home was built for Uncle Fred, Aunt Emma, Helen and Frank who would be born to them later.

About this time Grandpa Clark [Lucius] sold another about 12 acres of his 160 to my grandfather, Perry Wells, who set forth building his growing family a home. This was located about a mile up the road from where Grandpa [Lucius] and Grandma [Ada] Clark lived.

A little brother arrived in June of 1908 to join the Perry and Nellie (Clark) Wells family. His name was Forrest Kenneth, always known as Ken. On August 1, 1910 the first grandaughter of Lucius and Ada Clark would be born to Perry and Nellie. Her name was Dorothy Elizabeth Wells.

Meanwhile down the road at the big Clark ;house things were happening as usual and it remained the hub of all family goings on.

The little "golden girls" were growing, now both going to the Pine Grove Grade School. Lucius and Ada were very involved in the Pine Grove Methodist Church and related social things with it. Ada was a member of the Aloha Club, which at that time was a rather elite social club in the community. The two Clark boys, Bliss and Bill were of college age.

Lucius put a high value on schooling for his children, probably due to the lack of his own formal education. Imilda Leona Wendell Berrian was still living and back and forth visiting her children here and there and spending a great deal of her time in Hood River with Lucius and Ada. With her teaching back ground I am certain the Clark children were getting the nudge about education.

Like my grandmother Nellie said she did not have the advantages that the other children did, as she was the oldest and Lucius did not have the money as he did later, especially when the "golden girls" were growing up. She had no resentment about this, as she was totally pleased with being a wife, mother and having her yards and garden. She was talented in that she also painted, but was not great on socializing outside the family circle.

So Grandpa Clark [Lucius] sent Bliss off to Oregon State and eventually Bill would follow. They were home during the busy time of the year in the orchards, when the spraying had to be done and at least in the early part of harvest. But Grandpa Clark [Lucius] always had plenty of help around to help in the orchards and in his apple house, where he sorted and prepared the fruit for their jouney, first by team and wagon to Hood River, and then either by boat or train to Portland and the markets.

My father, Harold Wells, recalled his first trip to Hood River that he was awae of when he was either 5 or 6. He got the privilege of riding with whoever took the load of peaches down to the Bailey Gatzer, which was a sternwheeler boat that he said was tied up in the cotton wood trees while being loaded with the peaches of the valley.

There was a lot of work done helping each other within the family. There was Grandpa Clark [Lucius] , Uncle Fred Mack, my grandfather Perry, part of the time Grandma [Ada] Clark's brother Howard Berrian was around. They would all work together on one piece of property as a unit and then move on to the next.

There was always the story told within our family about Uncle Fred. He did not have the drive , ambition and motivation that Grandpa Clark [Lucius] thrived on. My Dad said that they would be working along and Uncle Fred would see a cloud pass over and mention that it might be going to rain and maybe they better head in. I am not insinuating that he was a lazy man, but it just took a little nudge here and there to keep him moving. I guess this day and age we would say he was more layed back.

The family always said that Grandpa Clark [Lucius] was a many faceted person. He tended to business when business needed to be tended to. He was as straight and honest as an arrow in any of his business dealings. They said that he could be stern, especially where his boys were concerned. That he was that way because when something was to be done, he expected his wishes to be carried out to the letter.He just wanted them to have what he had been deprived of growing up and intended to show them the way to be successful, through learning good values, work ethics and getting that education.

On the other flip of the coin he was funny and loved to have fun, sometimes much to the dislike of Grandma Clark, who was the very prim and proper Victorian lady . . . She could be a little on the bossy side at times, even where he was concerned. For some reason or other she must have had a pretty good idea of what was going on on the farm. They said that at the breakfast table, which everyone had to attend, she would proceed to tell Grandpa what might need to be done on the farm that day . . . He would listen quite attentively and once the guys were on the outside of the house, they would do exactly what he wanted to be done that day.

With the three grandchildren at that time, meaning my dad and his brother Ken and sister Dorothy, the road between the two houses was busy. My Dad said he would take off to go down to his grandparents and when Lucius would see him coming, he would immediately stand on his head. This was a great delight, but Dad said he never knew who got the biggest bang out of it the kids or Grandpa Clark.

Each grandchild was presented on their birthday a silver dollar from Grandpa Clark [Lucius] . Naturally there were big birthday dinners, with cake and all the trimmings, but that was a special little thing that he did with each grand child. He always kept pennies in his pockets and when they would arrive he would give them each a couple of pennies. Later he got quite tickled when one of the little grand daughters arrived, he produced the pennies and she said that she would rather have the white ones, please. She knew that dimes were more valuable than the pennies.

Things and time marched right along for Grandpa Clark [Lucius] and his family. The orchards were becoming very productive and there was always something going on in the big house.

Grandpa Clark [Lucius] started acquiring some of the things that he had never been able to afford before for himself and his family. As he loved to sing and had a very good voice it is no surprise that he purchased a Victrola when they were invented.

There was one famous story about my father, Harold Wells, concerning Grandpa's [Lucius] Victrola. In that time the Pine Grove Methodist Church, which for many, many years would be the hub of all social activity in the Pine Grove area was served by a circuit rider. When the circuit rider made his rounds and came to Hood River, he much of the time stayed with Grandpa [Lucius] and Grandma [Ada] Clark. Grandma Ada would be in a tither as everything had to be absolutely spotless and under control. This particular time the circuit rider was not expected until in the afternoon. Maybe had a real good horse as he arrived in the morning. It just so happened that little Harold was down visiting with his Grandma and would no doubt be sent home prior to the arrival of the preacher.

It was little Harold who answered the knock at the front door as Grandma [Ada] was in the kitchen. No doubt the minister told him who he was, so leaving the man standing at the front door he skittered to the back of the house to deliver the message to Grandma [Ada]. Completely caught off guard, there was no way she could greet a distinguished gentleman, probably with flour on her apron and her hair messed up. She gave instructions to little Harold to ask the man into the parlor and for him to please entertain him until she could get there. Maybe he knew how to operate the Victrola or just saw a golden opportunity and took it. I really don't know Grandma's [Ada] reaction a few minutes later when I am certain she walked into the parlor all prim and proper to the song entitled "The Preacher and the Bear." I have always wanted to locate the words as all I really know is it is something about a bear treeing a preacher. I do not think that little Harold was such the angel she thought, as she no doubt sent him hurriedly on his way up the hill to his mother. Never did know the reaction of the minister or what she told him in an attempt to soothe over a very embarrassing moment, at least for her. My father always got a great chuckle out of that incident.

Automobiles started making their appearances on the scene and Grandpa Clark [Lucius] had to have one. I have no idea what year he purchased his new Allis Chalmers touring car. From the pictures I have seen of him at the wheel, it is very evident that this automobile was his pride and joy. He even decorated it on the 4th of July, with flags and bunting and off he would go. When he started going to California to winter, this car would be taken to Portland when they went and put on the steam ship for Long Beach. That way they had their transportation while there, as they liked to take sight seeing trips, and naturally they drove to where they worked.

Bliss, the oldest son graduated from Oregon State, but Bill after two years decided that college just wasn't for him, so he dropped out. Both young Clark boys ended up back on the farm.

Bliss was in the military on the east coast during World War 1 and from what I understand was just being ready to be shipped out when the Germans surrenders.

I do not know in what year that Grandpa Clark [Lucius] gave each of his sons, Bliss and Will, their portion of the original 160 acres. But this he did and his family would fairly well stay intact.

William Berrian Clark would marry Arabella Mary Alice Marr on 24 November 1914 and they would build their home on the creek just across the road and north of the big house of Grandpa Clark's [Lucius].

Bliss Wendell Lucius Clark would take as his bride Florence Ethlyn Brown on 18 February 1916. His home would be built on the same side of the road as his brothers, but to the south of the big house.

Over the period of the next few years 7 little girls would be running back and forth between Grandpa [Lucius] and Grandma [Ada] Clark's. Bliss would have Florence Marguerite, Barbara Jean, and Ruth Naomi. Bill would have Rosemary Lucille, Norma Belle, Catherine Loraine and Patricia Dora Alice. The two young Clark girls, Gladys and Florence were almost grown up and it was time to consider their higher education. They had both gone to high school in Hood River. Gladys part of the time riding her horse Ginger to town and back every day.

I have been told that Grandpa Clark [Lucius], who was high on education, and quality education wanted the best schooling for his "golden girls" . It was decided that the University of California at Berkeley had the best courses of their interests. So off they went to California. They did not reside in a dorm. Grandpa Clark [Lucius] rented them a suite of room in one of the nice hotels located close to the campus. My father, related that on one of their trips to California for the winter, they visited the girls at their suite.

Gladys decided that college was not her thing, as she quit after two years, but Florence graduated with a degree in music before she came home to live in Hood River.

Grandpa Clark [Lucius] on his property had a large hill, not suitable for farming. It was full of rocks. Hood River County was building more and more roads and needing gravel. Some sort of a deal was struck with the county and a rock crusher was put on that hill. They had some sort of tram or small railroad up the hill. (I have never seen pictures of it anywhere so don't fully understand how it operated.) The rock was crushed and then brought down the hill. It was during this time that a young man by the name of Ralph Dennison came to work there and the young Gladys Clark would marry him. I do not know how many years they were married, but they eventually divorced.

I do not know exactly when the Clark's started leaving when fruit harvest was over and going to southern California for the winter. The Long Beach area was growing quite rapidly and wells were coming into play. I have no idea how Grandpa Clark [Lucius] got the idea to go down there and maybe invest in real estate and build some homes. That was his original plan, but it never materialized and I do not know why. Exactly how many years they went to California I do not know, but after harvest they would leave, leaving the care of what needed to be done during the winter to sons Bill and Bliss. Then there was also my Grandfather Wells, whom I am certain would help them out if need be. Someone would definitely have to be in charge of pruning the fruit trees as that work would be started after the Christmas holidays. They would head back home in the early spring, before the main work of the year began.

The old Allis Charlmer's car would also go to California. Normally they would take a steamer from Portland to California and the old car would be loaded into the hold of the ship and go right along like a part of the family. There were many Sunday's that everyone would pile into the car for a trip to the desert for a picnic or on a sight seeing excursion.

While in the Long Beach area Grandpa Clark [Lucius] worked for Shell Oil in the town of Wilmington. What he did there during those winter months I do not know. There were at least a couple of years that my grandparents and their children went down there for the winter and my grandpa also worked for Shell Oil. It was during at least one of those later trips that my father and uncle went to Long Beach High School and my dad set pins at a bowling alley on the Long Beach Pier for his spending money. They hated the city life and were so miserable that they were finally allowed to return to Portland by tramp steamer, which my Dad said was a wonderful experience.

Now that I know that Grandpa Clark [Lucius] had a half sister Alice Hand, I wonder if while he was making the various winter trips to California if he made contact with her. There is that chance that he didn't know what had become of her, especially since she was adopted out to the Boucher's. We know that he did know and keep in touch with the other sister, Flora Mudge. If Flora had any idea as to where Alice was I would imagine that Grandpa Clark [Lucius] knew where she was. This I guess we will never know for sure, unless some sort of a piece of evidence surfaces.

I think that Grandpa Clark [Lucius] was a very contented man by this time in his life he was prosperous, had a family that he could be proud of. He seemed to have more time to do  some of the things that he liked to do, such as write poety and the column that he wrote weekly in the Hood River Glacier newspaper, which he called....Mika Tillicum, which is Chinook meant my friend. He could write very seriously and then turn around and write something full of humor.  He loved to write little ditties, which my father inherited the ability to do also.

The "golden girls" were all grown up now.  Even little Florence married on January 23, 1926. She married the boy next door, Marcus Cecil Thrane. She would have one son, named Marcus Clark Thrane who was born 28 May, 1934. Lucius would have another grandson, but he would never have one to continue his line of the Clark family.

Life seemed almost perfect for Grandpa Clark [Lucius], probably a better life than he could have possibly dreamed about when he was young and going through all the trials and tragedies that he had known. But he would face one more tragedy, that would start his own decline.

Back in the early 1900's Grandpa Clark's [Lucius] brother-in-law Howard Berrian had become involved with the Christian Scientists. His mother, Imilda Leona Wendell, became very interested, then his sister Ada, and finally Florence and Gladys. Grandpa Clark [Lucius] to the best of my knowledge did not follow them. I think it was live and let live type of thing.

Somewhere along the line Gladys met and married a man by the name of Diemer. He was from the east coast. They married in June 1928. He took her back to New York City to live. This was awfully hard for both Grandma [Ada] and Grandpa Clark [Lucius] to handle. The thought of Gladys on the other end of the continent.

In February 1929 Grandpa Clark [Lucius] received a phone call from a lady in New York City, stating that she was Gladys landlord and that Mrs. Diemer was very ill. When the truth of the matter came out many years later, it turned out that Mr. Diemer, was not the man that he had led the Clark family to believe. He had more or less abandoned her, with very little of anything. Immediately Grandpa Clark [Lucius] sent Grandma Clark [Ada] and Florence off on the train to get her well and bring her home. It was while they were enroute, or at least this is what I have been told by family members, that he received the call that Gladys was dead. Her body was brought home and buried at Idlewilde Cemetery in Hood River, Oregon.

I can venture a guess that this tragedy brought back to his mind the letter that he had received many years prior from his sister, Flora Mudge, telling him how destitute she was, with no clothing to clothe her children for winte r, with no plaster on her walls.

I do not know a lot of what went on from the time Gladys died until Grandpa Clark [Lucius] himself passed away at the age of 71 on January 15, 1931. His death certificate states that he died of a bad heart. I think, personally, part of it was from a broken heart.  He was buried by Gladys and Ada Clark would join them in February 1944.

He had attained the goals that he had set for himself, to rise above the poverty of his childhood and to see that those he loved were well provided for. I feel that I almost know him, as the family has to this day kept his memory alive and I am proud that he  he has left us all this wonderful picture of a man who set his sights on what he wanted to attain and held steadfast to his ideas and ideals.

END OF DOCUMENT

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