Historic Hood River
Morton Ranch
12-3-2015
Notes
OK, this isn’t a great image but we don’t have many views from this vantage point. The caption indicates this is a view of the Morton Ranch and old planer (mill) viewed from the top of Ruthton Hill.
The History Museum of Hood River County
Bringing the Rich History of Hood River County to Life
Charlott
The road going down into that area is called Morton Road. Don’t know anything about Morton, but at one time Rev. William Kennedy owned that land down there, or a large portion of it and had a home. His mother was a Wells, who came across on the Oregon Trail and they settled in Bella Passi, which is now a portion of Woodburn.
Also it is right down in that area as where Chief Chenowith and his small tribe lived, at least for awhile. That area might be where his daughter Taswatha was actually born, as I have heard that….
L.E.
In all the photos we see from Ruthton Park, I don’t think I have ever seen the Little White Salmon drainage stand out so clearly.
There is a map showing Morton land at this link. You can click on the map link and enlarge it.
http://www.recreatingthehistoriccolumbiariverhighway.org/historic-columbia-river-highway/ruthton-point-to-ruthton-park/ruthton-point-to-ruthton-park
James Holloway
More recently, this property to far right is, historically, the Struck property. Or Gay property currently…., Sheldon told me that his grandfather owned this property, way back, the 20’s maybe….,raised hay on the floodplain (water covered now), so three generations of Struck’s owned that piece, and Sue and Tony are there currently…….!
Kenn
Appears to be where the Columbia School was located on the river bank but I do not see it here. Milton Galligan once showed me where he attended the one room school and possibly his son Ray Galligan can add to this.
Kenn
I may be off a bit, is this picture east or west of Ruthton Point. If west my previous post stands.
L.E.
Arthur….can you put a Ruthton tag on photo #393?
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=393
This photo must be west of where Grandpa Hinrichs is sitting?
Jeffrey Bryant
An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company, Spokane, WA. 1905, pages 353-354
HON. JOSEPH W. MORTON is a prominent and wealthy citizen of Wasco county, living three miles out from Hood River on the State road. He owns the Riverside farm which lies south of the Columbia and consists of four hundred acres. Three acres are planted to strawberries and the balance of the land produces other fruit and general crops. The place is valuable and one of the best in this part of the county. Mr. Morton has it well improved and manages the estate with a display of wisdom and thrift.
Joseph W. Morton was born in Henry county, Iowa, the son of Charles R. and Caroline (Wallace) Morton, natives of Ohio. The mother’s family is allied with the old Scotch Wallace family, well known in Scottish history. The father came from the Morton family which has been identified with America long before there was a United States. They came on the good ship, Ann, soon after the Mayflower landed, and are well known in various portions of this country. Levi P. Morton, at one time vice president, was a member of the family. The father died at Salem, in 1894. He crossed the plains in 1852 and returned east and came west again in 1875. Our subject was raised principally in Oregon. The family came here when he was ten years of age. After completing his studies in the district school, he graduated from the business college in Portland then remained with his father on the farm until he came to this place in 1889.
On February 14, 1886, at Hood River, Mr. Morton married Miss Annie M. Haynes, a native of Portland and the daughter of Charles H. and Elizabeth J. (Quick) Haynes. She died in June, 1889, at Portland. On May 1, 1902, at Hood River, Mr. Morton married Miss Pearl Groshong, a native of Kansas and the daughter of Peter and Malinda (Miller) Groshong, natives of Ohio. Mr. Morton has one brother, Elijah, and two sisters, Mrs. Carrie E. Haynes and Nellie G. Mrs. Morton has four brothers, Frank, Abraham B., Hood, and Joseph P., and four sisters, Mrs. Clara E. Jones, Mrs. Grace Elliott, Mrs. Jennie Hixon, and Mrs. Mary Gordon.
Politically, Mr. Morton is a very active Re-publican. He has been a delegate to many of the conventions and in 1898, was elected to represent this district in the state legislature. He was active and influential in that capacity and endorsed the bill, which afterward became a law, that provides for the especial care of trees and shrubbery in the state, and has done a great deal in keeping the state clean from various pests which are detrimental to horticultural interests. Mr. Morton is a member of the I.O.O.F., and a popular and influential man.
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History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon. Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon
JOSPEPH W. MORTON 1883
J.W. Morton
The subject of this sketch was born in Henry County, Iowa, January 23, 1865. He came with his parents, Charles and Carolyn Reed Morton, arriving in Oregon May 1st, 1875. Resided in Washington County three years and in Yamhill County three years, moving to Hood River in June, the 16th, 1883.
Was elected, as a Republican, and served in the lower House of the Oregon Legislature, session of 1899, from Wasco and Sherman Counties. He has spent most of his life on the farm.
He was a resident of Tillamook County for about five years and was a member of the State Convention from that county in 1894.
He was admitted to the bar in 1907 and practiced law in Hood River one year. He was a candidate for nomination for U.S. Senator in 1912.
He has six children living: Charles Bruce, Ruth, Della, Frank Leslie, Gladys, and Avis Morton all of Hood River.
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Joseph W. Morton was born in Henry county, Iowa, in 1870 in came to Hood River with his father in 1875. He was elected to the legislature in 1898 from Wasco county and served one term. While serving in the lower house at Salem he was admitted to practice by the supreme court.
Joe, as he was called by his many friends, was of a jolly, roving disposition and never settled down to the practice of law for any length of time in any one place. He had a flare for politics and was frequently a candidate for nomination for important offices, ranging from district attorney to U.S. Senator. While campaigning he loved to wear a top hat and Prince Albert coat. Although he failed of nomination, he had a lot of fun trying.
He was a good citizen, reared a fine family of one son and four daughters and died in Hood River September 29, 1939.
Jeffrey Bryant
History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon. Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon
MR. AND MRS. CHAS. R. MORTON 1883
J.W. Morton
Charles R. Morton was born in Ohio, January 5, 1820. He moved with his parents to Fulton Co., Illinois, remaining there until he was of age. He after-wards took up a homestead in Henry County, Iowa and lived there sixteen years. In 1860 he was married to Miss Caroline Reed of that state. She was born in Ohio in 1837. They moved to Oregon in May 1875, and spent several years in the Willamette Valley, coming to Hood River in 1883, when they purchased the home place of Hon. E.L. Smith. A few years later they moved to Tillamook and from there to Salem, Oregon where he died in November 1894. Mrs. Morton is living in Salem and will be seventy nine years of age in June 1916.
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December 29, 1894. C.. R. MORTON a, former resident of Hood River died at Salem, Oregon November 1, 1894. Charles Reed MORTON was born January 5, 1820 in Ohio, moved first to Illinois and then to Oregon in 1852, then back to Iowa in 1854 where he married Caroline WALLACE in 1859. Remained in Iowa until 1875 when he moved back to Oregon. He is survived by his wife and four children. (Obituary was written by Jas. W. Morton, Salem, Oregon,)
Steve r
I can spy a pretty new cut in the hillside on the WA shoreline in the right side of the picture- but it sure fades out as it nears the area of the "Tunnels" to the left of the picture- look at the long slopes of rocks – which angle up- it seems we see them present day with cuts within them for portions of the present day Highway 14 and railroad tracks. Anyone else agree or disagree ?
Kenn
Good find, Steve, I would guess it to be the RR that was completed in 1908 if this fits the date of the picture.
Sharron Lovell McCain
I was born in 1943 and grew up the first 14 years of my life living .Ruthton Point My grandfather, James A. Lovell, migrated from NW Arkansas in the very early 1900s and worked at the planer mill that can be seen in this photo. Nearly all of the structures that show in this photo burned, including the mill. My father built us a house next to his parents when he returned from WWII. The two houses sat at the bottom of the steep dirt road that ran down from US 30. My brother was born wen I was 5, and with no close neighbors we lived a rather isolated life throughout my childhood. Every trail, gully, hillside, and strip of river bank was my tomboy play ground. The "Morton Place", as we knew it was nearly always vacant during those years. It was rented temporarily a couple of times, but never anything permanent. My father and grandparents were good friends with Avis and I grew up feeling as if I had known all of them. My father was born in his parents house in 1918 he and my grandparents knew the Morton/Struck family well. I appreciate this photo. It shows the Point as it was my time. I only knew this from the foundation remains of the mill, the photos I am in possession of with the mill, the train from Hood River loading planed lumber and the men, including my grandfather and an uncle among the mill workers. On a hill behind the house my father built, my brother and I used to dig through the thick vegetation roots and find broken china, sometimes even a piece of silverware, nails, bolts etc…debris left from the fire that destroyed the boarding house that sat there the housed many of the mill workers. The river was my friend, the river banks my playground and the fir trees, ferns, rocks and ridges my backyard. Thank you for the photo.
Jeffrey Bryant
My Great Uncle Mid Vaughan was married to Peggy Lovell, Sharron’s aunt. They lived on Ruthton Point after he retired until his death in 1981.
Terry J. Covington
I’m one of the great-grandchildren of Joseph W. Morton, and one of the cousins of Sheldon Struck. “Nellie” Morton, one of J.W.’s sisters, was actually “Nettie.” She died in Salem, Oregon. It was actually Sheldon’s great-grandfather, J.W. Morton, who once owned Riverside, not his grandfather. His (and my) maternal great-grandmother, Pearl Morton, owned it after J.W. There have been 7 Morton and Struck generations on the farm up to the present day. George Struck, Sheldon’s and my grandfather, never owned Riverside – but he did work on it during the Great Depression to try to help save it. As someone noted above, much of the original land (and yes, the Chenoweth tribe lived there, and Chief Chenoweth’s daughter was born there) is now under the Columbia River. During the Depression years, and perhaps previous to that, some Japanese farmers leased part of the land that is now underwater, and had a truck farm. Tomatoes and asparagus were two of the crops grown there then. My tremendous thanks to Jeffrey Elmer in particular, who has preserved so much of the history of White Salmon, Lyle, Hood River, and more.