WPA Interviews

Callaway, Ada (Hunter)

2 April 1940

INTERVIEW - Ada Hunter Callaway

Interview with Ada Hunter Callaway, wife of Burl Callaway of Brownsville, Oregon. Hunter family history.

My name is Ada Callaway. My maiden name was Hunter. My grandfather was Ira Hunter and he was born in Jonesboro, Washington County, East Tennessee, on July 9, 1809. He moved to Missouri in 1832, moved back to Tennessee in 1844 and again returned to Kansas City the same year. He crossed the plains to California in the great gold rush of 1849 but returned to Missouri again in 1852. Then he again crossed the continent, starting in 1852 and reached the Willamette Valley on 20 Oct 1852.

On the way to Oregon the train was much afflicted with Cholera all across the plains. Grandfather had the cholera but recovered. Grandfather was the Captain of that train. He was a member of the Baptist Church for 32 Years and of the Masonic Lodge for the same length of time. He died in 22 Nov 1890, at the age of over 81 years.

Grandfather first took up a claim in Benton County, near what is now Granger Station but in 1871 he sold out and bought a place six miles north east of Corvallis, in what is known as the "Soap Creek" neighborhood.

My grandmother was Miss Martha A. Bowers. She was born in Carter County, Tennessee, 30 July 1814. When nine years of age she removed with her parents to Johnson County, Missouri and lived there until 1832. They then moved to the site of present Kansas City, Missouri which was then merely an American Fur Company Warehouse store and post office. My grandfather was then employed in the warehouse. Three years after that, or 1835, grandfather and grandmother were married. As already stated, they came to Oregon together in 1852.

My grandfather and grandmother had seven children born to them but only one, my father, Joseph Hunter, survived to maturity.

Before coming to Oregon grandfather took up a claim in Missouri. It was an 80-acre tract and is now a part of Kansas City.

When grandfather went to California in 1849 he was a member of what was known as the Wyandotte Company. There were about 30 men in the company and my grand father besides being Hunter by name was also hunter by trade for the party. Buffalo and antelope were plentiful so that they did not ever lack for meat. When he came back to Missouri in 1852 it was by way of the Isthmus of Panama. His ticket on that trip cost him $500. He sailed from San Francisco to Panama, then crossed the Isthmus and again took a boat to New Orleans. From New Orleans he took a Mississippi boat and ascended to Kansas City. While in California he mined on the Feather River and was quite successful, taking out $10,000 in a very short time.

My father's full name was Joseph Clymer Hunter. He was born on the site of Kansas City on 10 Jan 1840. Thus he was 12 years old when he started with his father's party for Oregon yet he did almost a man's work, driving one of the teams for at least half of the time. The way to Oregon was made exciting by a number of adventures, among them the stampeding of the work cattle. The first stampede took place near Fort Laramie. It was caused by a sage hen flying up under the nose of one of the loose cows. She began to bawl and the noise was taken up by the oxen. They all ran away and there was great confusion. In that stampede a woman named Elgin was thrown from a wagon and suffered a broken arm. Grandfather set the bone and it apparently knit perfectly. A second stampede occurred when a dog which accompanied the party thrust his nose in a hot pool at Boiling Springs. The scalded dog set up such a howl that the cattle again ran away. The dog was named "Watch". He was so badly burned that grandfather wished to kill him but father prevented and let the dog ride in a wagon for a time. Later they made buckskin shoes to protect his burned and tender feet. He came clear on to Oregon and lived for a number of years after.

My grandfather was the first to become sick with the cholera. At the time he was leading the train while father was driving some loose cattle. Father saw the lead team draw off to one side and stop. He went forward to investigate and found grandfather very sick with cramps. However, by night he was better and recovered satisfactory. Many of the people of the train had the cholera after that but none in the train died. Others were not so fortunate for in one place they counted almost a dozen-made graves.

Grandfather had two wagons in the train. The driving was done by grandfather, father, and two hired men. Each one took his turn throughout the day. Grandfather had invested a good deal of his money in cattle to take to Oregon. On the way out he lost much of it. Near the base of Mt. Hood they were caught in a snowstorm and lost about 40 heard of loose stock besides one ox and some horses. That snowstorm near Mt. Hood came near being a tragedy because the party was almost out of food. Grandmother had saved some sacks of bacon rinds from the pork used on the trip and that was their principal food. She shared it with others and thus they were saved from real suffering. They were trapped by the snow for about 11 days.

When my people arrived in Oregon they went first to the home of Thomas Bowers, grandmother's brother, who had a claim in Benton County three miles from Albany. Later my grandfather took up a claim near Granger Station. At a still later date the family moved to Soap Creek. (1871) There grandfather ran a store at the old town of Tampico with W. J. Crouch as a partner. Later he opened a store at Kings Valley and my father managed it. That was near old Fort Hoskins. Rowland Chanbers was the first postmaster in Kings Valley and father the second one. The whole valley there was named after an early pioneer, Nahum King, who came about 1845.

Fort Hoskins, in King's Valley was established by Capt. Auger in 1846. Later General Grant and Grant's brother-in-law named Dent were stationed there. Still later, but before the Civil War Phil Sheridan was in command at that post.

When father reached Oregon he was 12 years old. He went to school at what was known as the "Drum" schoolhouse. He walked 3 miles to school from the old place near Granger Station. About 1871 we sold that place and moved to Soap Creek in Benton County. That was near to the old town of Tampico which is now all gone.

Tampico consisted of a Post Office, a store run by grandfather and W. J. Crouch, a blacksmith shop, a saloon, a hotel, a newspaper, and a number of residences. There was also a school there and that was where I went to school as did my husband.

Tampico was a wild town in the early days. The soldiers from Fort Hoskins came there to drink and fight and run horses. Sundays, especially, were busy, noisy days. Dances were held there frequently. I have an old poem which was written about the town in early days. The author was a school teacher named Frank McDonald and he taught there and wrote this poem in 1859."

"TAMPICO"

"Oregon is a pleasant place
For dancing, fun and foli-o
But you may search it ore and ore,
You'll find no place like Tampico.

Chorus.

'Hurrah, Hurrah, for Tampico.
Three cheers for our town Tampico.
Corvallis never can take the shine
To it we never will resign.

"You will wonder where it took its name It happened about two years ago,
A rambling scamp from Arkansas
For mischief called it Tampico.

"And now the name still sticks to the place, Perhaps it will long continue so,
Perchance some degenerate race
Will drop the name of Tampico.

"Our town is not extensive now,
Being but two houses in a row
And opposite on the other street,
Is the City-dell of Tampico.

"And lots of goods are there for sale,
Silks, pantaloons, and calico,
And then just twice a week the mail
Deposit freight at Tampico.

"Sat. night the boys all meet
And all the bands are sure to go,
To make amendments for the week
With a social spree at Tampico.

"Egg-nog first circulates around,
Then comes the fiddle and the bow
Off goes the coats to the merry sounds, And hoedown starts in Tampico.

"Now they shake the heel and toe,
And nimbly they go two and fro,
All care's resting until the morn
And Shout Hurrah for Tampico.

"They care not for priest, pope, or king But wish them in the realms below,
They part resolving to meet again
Nest. Sat. night in Tampico.

"But singing school is now the rage,
There all the boys are sure to go,
From north to south and all around
The neighborhood to Tampico.

"To school each Sat. night they go,
And sweetly they sing Sol-me-do,
The natives they are astonished soon
With harmony in Tampico.

"But the time I do remember well,
It happened just before last winter's snow, There was scarce a day but you'd hear tell Of
a fuss or fight in Tampico.

"And one man swore he was a whale
And all believed it to be so,
Then all the small craft took in sail
And scampered on to Tampico.

"About that time there was to be,
In our neighborhood and down below,
A many a dance and social time
Around our dear old Tampico.

"But now alas each dreary night
With heavy grief treads to and fro
Still waiting till the sign is right
For another dance in Tampico.

"The time is not far distant now,
When every lad and lass have a show,
And we'll kick up a devil of a row
Or have a spree in Tampico.

"And now I'll bid you all good night,
I'm tired and to bed I'll go,
It's happiness more than tongue can tell I pledge to and dear old Tampico.
Composed by Frank McDonald, 1858

My grandfather, besides his many other activities, was a blacksmith at Tampico. My son, Ned Callaway, still has his old anvil. On the way to Oregon grandfather was also the company doctor though only what you might call a "quack". He treated the people of the train for cholera and also set broken bones.

My mother's name was Irene Fredrick. She was the daughter of James Fredrick who came to Oregon in 1847. Father and mother were married on 12 April 1859. At that time father was 19 years old and mother was only 14.

The had 7 children as follows:

Ira M. Hunter, born in Benton County. Died at Corvallis. He was County Clerk of Benton County for 8 years.

Beauregard Hunter, Died.

Ida M. Hunter, died at age 14 years, 1879.

John Hunter, was city marshall at Brownsville in 1928. While on a hunting trip he was accidentally shot near Grants Pass, Ore. Died 11 Sept 1928.

Lynn Hunter, born in Benton County, 18 Oct 1877, Died at Los Angeles, 1900.

Fred Hunter, (Joseph Fredrick), Born 1876-Died 16 Jan 1924.

Ada Hunter, Informant. Born in Benton County, 3 Sept 1866. Married A.B. Callaway, at Albany on 30 May 1889. Raised and went to school near the old town of Tampico, Benton County. Now lives at Brownsville, Oregon. We have only three children; Ned Callaway, Lives on our farm 2 miles north of Brownsville. Bea Callaway. Married Wm. K. Johnson who died 1927. Bea now lives with us at our home in Brownsville. Ione Callaway, a teacher in eastern Oregon.

My grandfather died 22 Nov 1890, at Corvallis in 1895. He was 81 years of age. Grandmother died at Corvallis in 1895. My father, Joseph Hunter died here in Brownsville in 1912 at the age of almost 93 years. Mother died at Corvallis, 4 March 1891. She was born in Oskaloosa County, Iowa, 12 April 1845. Aged 45 years.

I have spoken of my grandmother's brother, Thomas Bowers, with whom they stayed for a short time when they first arrived in Oregon. When he was 18 years of age he was threatened with tuberculosis and in an attempted cure he left the east and started for the mountain country of the west. In 1845 he began to work for Jim Bridger, the mountain man. His work was trapping and his food was exclusively fresh meat. When he began his outdoor labor he weighed only 115 pounds but at the end of 3 years he weighed 175 pounds and was strong in every way. He then returned to the East and the next year again started with a party for the Pacific Coast. They mined in California and were quite successful.

In 1850 Thomas Bowers settled permanently in Benton County, not far from Albany. He was married there to Jane Vanderpool "During Uncle Thomas Bower's period of work for Bridger he was one night sitting with a friend at a campfire when suddenly the other man fell forward, shot through and through by an Indian arrow.

Copyright © 2000 Patricia Dunn. All rights reserved. This transcription may not be reproduced in any media without the express written permission by the author. Permission has been given by the Transcriber to publish on the LGS web site.