Samuel Greenberry Lightfoot ^{1 2 3 4 5}

  General Notes:

SAMUEL G. LIGHTFOOT

We are pleased to incorporate in these abiding chronicles of Umatilla county the epitome of the life of this worthy and energetic pioneer, in fact a pioneer of the pioneers, whose energy and wisdom have ever wrought in the front ranks for the advancement and betterment of his fellows, clearing the path for them to follow into these regions where nature has so lavishly bestowed her wealth, but to unlock which required the skill, the force, the courage and the endurance of which Mr. Lightfoot is so richly possessed.

He was born in Holmes County, Ohio, to John and Mary Lightfoot, on 22 Jul 1827, and there lived until he was fourteen years of age, when he removed with his parents to Horse Prairie, Indiana, where his two brothers, John and Eli, still live near Hebron. This prairie received its name from the fact of a man who was caught in a fierce blizzard, killing his horse, and after disemboweling him crawling into the carcass until the storm had subsided. Here our subject resided on a farm until 9 Mar 1850, when he started to the Pacific coast with ox teams from Valparaiso County, Indiana. Six months were consumed on the road, landing in Portland October 12th, the same year. Their trip was without molestation from Indians or accident, except the loss of one steer. They used three yoke of oxen to each wagon, thus giving their stock freedom from overwork. He soon left Portland for Oregon City, where he did his first work in the territory, running a wheelbarrow on a wing dam at the mouth of the Clackamas, for five dollars per day and board. Going from here to Salem, he made rails for fifteen dollars per thousand and burned charcoal, clearing up over five hundred dollars, when he went to making brick at one hundred dollars per month, continuing until harvest. During this harvest he took a contract for Cutting and threshing thirty acres of wheat for half of the crop. He and his partner cradled it and did the threshing by means of Cayuses tramping it out. His half amounted to one hundred and fifty bushels and as it was worth only fifty cents per bushel he stored it until 1853, when he sold it at four dollars per bushel. In the fall of 1851 he went to Yreka, California, and engaged in placer mining, where he remained for five months, cleaning up four dollars per day from a little rocker. Returning in the spring to Salem, he went to farming for fifty dollars per month until 1853, when he made a visit to Indiana, leaving Portland on 5 Jan 1853, and going via the Isthmus route. After one year he came to Salem over the old plain route, again making it in three months and nine days. The Sioux Indians stole their stock on the Loup river. When he landed in Oregon his first work was in the Sailor mines in Josephine, where he remained but a short time. Succeeding this he engaged in packing from Salem to Yreka mines, using five ponies. After two trips he bought half interest in a mule train and freighted until the winter of 1855, when the Rogue River Indian war broke out and he leased his train to the government at four dollars a day per head for use in the war. Returning to Salem until the next spring, he bought the other half interest in the train, which he afterward sold to the government for four hundred dollars per head, including all accoutrements, taking his pay in script which was worth fifty cents on the dollar. He now worked at draying in Salem for forty dollars per month, and in the spring of 1857 bought the stage line running from Portland to Corvallis, known as Oregon Stage Company, and operated it until 1861, during which time he was one of the drivers. Here they used the first Concord stage coach that ever made "a track in Oregon mud," quoting Mr. Lightfoot's words. It cost eleven hundred and forty dollars laid down in Portland. Later he sold to a competing line and came to The Dalles, freighting for a time and then returned to Salem, where he was engaged in farming until 1871, the date of his advent into this county. Here he took government land two miles south from Vinson, where he still lives and owns three hundred and twenty acres, which he farms to barley, raising some stock.

Mr. Lightfoot was married in Salem, on 22 Apr 1858, to Miss Maria Laura Salisbury, a native of Illinois, being born in old Fort Dearborn, where Chicago now stands. She is a grandniece to Marcus Whitman, and her mother was Eliza Bagley; her father, Stephen M. Salisbury, was lieutenant in the Black Hawk war, and held a commission from the governor of Massachusetts. To them have been born the following children: Mary L., Mrs. C. F. Goff, of Patrolia, California; Laura E., Mrs. James Nelson, of Butter Creek; Maria J., Mrs. C. O. Bowman, of Milton; Lydia E., Mrs. C. A. Frazier, of Pendleton; Virginia, Mrs. D. William Chapman, of Butter Creek; John M., at Butter Creek, married; Samuel Charles, at home with parents; Thomas S. and Joseph H., both deceased. By way of reminiscence we note that Mr. Lightfoot owns a rifle used by Mr. William Harris in the Cayuse War of 1847.

Our subject has been quite active in political matters, always laboring for the welfare of the, while he has frequently been called to fill public office, as county commissioner, justice of the peace, school clerk and director, being in service for the people almost continuously since coming to the county. He is at this golden time of his life hale and hearty and beloved by all with the rich memories of a life well spent and a merited reward at hand to enjoy.

(Source: Parsons, Col. William and Shiach, W. S. An Illustrated History of Umatilla County and of Morrow County. Spokane, WA: W. H. Lever, 1902. p. 393-395)

Text file at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~jtenlen/ORBios/sglightfoot.txt
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During the Bannock war, John Whitman Salisbury (brother to Laura Maria Salisbury), and his brother, Harold, joined John Sperry's company of Oregon Mounted Volunteer Infantry and took part in the battle of Willow Springs, which lasted from one o'clock in the afternoon of July 6 to daylight on the morning of 7 Jul 1878. Forty-six men in this company were pitted against eight hundred Indians, and after this long struggle were compelled to retreat, carrying their wounded in a wagon. Only twenty-two were left to cover the retreat. At daybreak the little band of brave men were met by Major Throckmorton's body of regulars, who precipitated a hasty retreat among the red skins. During the battle the brother Harold was shot through the right thigh and also wounded in his left foot, but still managed to escape the savages. His horse was shot from under him at the beginning of the fight. Our subject went through the whole struggle without a scratch, excepting one nail bruised with a bullet; he also received three bullet holes in his clothing. He still owns the guns used by him and his brother. During the next winter he was elected captain of Company E, Second Regiment of the Third Brigade of the state militia, a company formed from the settlers on Butter creek for protection from the Indians. Mr. S. G. Lightfoot was first lieutenant, Harvey Elliott second. The company ceased to exist because of failure to meet for drill.
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Dec 2010 Email Inquiry to Kathy Doherty regarding the "Lightfoot Place" at Vinson:

Nancy Doherty Oppenheimer:
I doubt if the Vinson flood went up to the Lightfoot place...because that wall of water came around the bend in the road by the barn, crashed through the wood/coal hole alongside the Vinson garage, went through the first basement under the garage and into the basement under the house, tossed a cast iron stove into the middle of the floor, flung a cabinet full of the summer's canning of peaches, pears, applesauce and cherries, broke the glass jars and crashed it all into the middle of the room. Meanwhile, or during, I should say, the water kept rising up the basement stairs. The stairs came straight up, turned and on up into the main floor of the house. When the water got up around the turn and on the last step before coming into the house, I got the 3 boys and we went up to the top step with a loaf of bread (Wonder bread, I can remember the red dotted package) and said Hail Marys. I will get my memory in gear and write up the Vinson flood and send it to you, but don't hold your breath til I get it done.

Nancy talked to her brother Pat and came up with "So, you can tell Brian Lightfoot the real story that happened in 1912."

Pat Doherty:
Now for Pat's remembering:The Lightfoots' home was up the canyon a little ways, canyon called Rancheree; there was no water up there, they had to pack water up for washing, drinking, etc... so after a while, the wife convinced them to move down to the field; they hitched up some horses and drug the house down to the field. in 1912, Frank Chapman realized a flood was coming, so he jumped on his horse and rode down to the Nelson place to warn them. Jimmy Nelson ran over to his barn and the only horse he had was a stallion, so he grabbed some reins and jumped onto the horse bareback and rode down to warn the Lightfoots. In later years when he was recounting the incident, he said he"rode the stud to beat the flood." He shouted at the Lightfoots to "get out, get away from here, there's a flood coming!" Sure enough, the flood washed the house away. After that, Grandfather bought that land. Pat said that "old man Nelson" was married to a Lightfoot, so the people who lived at the Lightfoot place were his mother and father-in-law. I don't know if "old man Nelson" refers to Jimmy Nelson or another Nelson.

Some time ago, someone asked Pat something about the Lightfoots and he referred them to Marie Kopp who knew the "rest of the story."

Brian --- Marie Kopp is still alive. If you are interested in contacting her, I'll help get her contact information for you.

Kathy
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  Noted events in his life were:

• He has alternate birth date of 1826 and a birth location of Ohio.

This birth year was referenced by his age of 84 on the 1910 US Census.
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• He appeared on the 1850 US Census in , Marion County, Oregon Territory on 28 January 1850. ⁶

1850 US Census
Page 96, Family 337, Roll 742
Marion County, Oregon Territory
Samuel Lightfoot..24..MI
(Living as a boarder in the Savage family house.)

NOTE - I am not positive if this is the correct person or not but I believe that it probably correctly shows Samuel as he traveled from Indiana towards Portland, Oregon. This census record is somewhat difficult to read. Samuel is staying with John Savage, age 26, Rhoda Savage, age 19, and George Savage, age 21. Also staying in the same dwelling were Henry Richard (or Bichers ?), age 33, a carpenter from Virginia. There are a pair of quotation marks for his birth location which would indicate the same state as the previous line in which "Mich" was entered but this should have been Ohio instead of Michigan. If his birth date was 22 Jul 1827, then his age should have been 22 instead of 24. (Brian L. Lightfoot)
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• He appeared on the 1860 US Census in South Salem, OR on 31 July 1860. ⁴

1860 US Census
Page 438B, Roll 1056, Dwelling 3718, Family 3167
South Salem, Marion County, Oregon
S. J. Lightfoot..32..OH
(Living with wife and 1 daughter.)
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• He appeared on the 1870 US Census in North Salem Precinct, Marion County, OR on 24 June 1870. ⁵

1870 US Census
Page 75, Dwelling 641, Family 589
North Salem Precinct, Marion County, Oregon
S. G. Lightfoot..42..OH..Teamster
(Living with wife and 6 children.)
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• He appeared on the 1880 US Census in Upper Butter Creek Township, Umatilla County, OR on 8 June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 88C, District 114, Family 61, Roll 1084
Upper Butter Creek Township, Umatilla County, Oregon
Samuel G. Lightfoot..Head..53..OR..Farmer
(Living with wife and 6 children.)
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• He appeared on the 1910 US Census in Vinson, OR on 7 May 1910. ²

1910 US Census
Sheet 10A, District 260, Family173, Roll 1289
Vinson, Umatilla County, Oregon
married 52 years
Samuel G. Lightfoot..Head..84..OH..Farmer, General Farm
(Living with wife at their home along with their married son, Samuel, and his family.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 22 Jul 1827, then his age should have been 82 instead of 84.
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• He was buried after 1 November 1912 in the Pioneer Park Cemetery in Pendleton, OR.

I talked with the Olney cemetery again (re: where Samuel and Laura might be buried) and he said that the only other cemetery that might have them would be Pioneer Park. The story is that in the 1950's the graves connected to family were relocated to Olney except a few who did not have family to claim them. These graves drove the lawn mower guy crazy enough that he actually just moved the stones. When it was discovered he couldn't remember where he had taken them from. So a lot of sites were lost. He said that even today whenever they dig in that park they uncover grave stones under the turf.
(Source: Martha Konicek)
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July 2009. I visited Pioneer Park Cemetery and was just flabbergasted at what the city of Pendleton did to this once historic cemetery: they have turned it into a public park and children's playground with gravestones sticking up out of the ground just feet away from picnic tables and children's play equipment. The vast majority remains grass with about 3 or 4 gravestones randomly appearing at locations throughout the park. At one corner of the cemetery, a wooden playground structure was built complete with a wooden fence around the area. There is a paved footpath that runs along the perimeter of the play area. There is one large gravestone still standing less than 10 feet away from the playground. (Brian Lightfoot)
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Samuel married Laura Maria Salisbury, daughter of Captain Stephen Milburn Salisbury and Eliza Bagley, on 22 April 1858 in Salem, OR.^{1 2} (Laura Maria Salisbury was born on 1 March 1834 in Fort Dearborn, IL ^{1 2 4} and died on 3 August 1914 in Pendleton, OR.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1860 US Census in South Salem, OR on 31 July 1860. ⁴

1860 US Census
Page 438B, Roll 1056, Family 3167
South Salem, Marion County, Oregon
S. J. Lightfoot..32..OH
M. Lightfoot..26..IL
M. L. Lightfoot..1..OR
M. H. Salsbury..16..IL

NOTE - M. H. Salisbury might have been a younger sister to Laura Maria Salisbury.
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• They appeared on the 1870 US Census in North Salem Precinct, Marion County, OR on 24 June 1870. ⁵

1870 US Census
Page 75, Dwelling 641, Family 589
North Salem Precinct, Marion County, Oregon
S. G. Lightfoot..42..OH..Teamster
Maria Lightfoot..37..IL..Keeps House
Mary D. Lightfoot..11..OR
Laura Lightfoot..9..OR
Maria Lightfoot..7..OR
John M. Lightfoot..5..OR
Lydia E. Lightfoot..3..OR
Joseph Lightfoot..4m..OR..Born in Feb

NOTE - Samuel and his family were living with J. D. Cartwright and family who was the US District Attorney.
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• They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Upper Butter Creek Township, Umatilla County, OR on 8 June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 88C, District 114, Family 61, Roll 1084
Upper Butter Creek Township, Umatilla County, Oregon
Samuel G. Lightfoot..Head..53..OR..Farmer
Laura M. Lightfoot..Wife..46..IL..Keeping House
Laura E. Lightfoot..Dau..19..OR..Housekeeper
John M. Lightfoot..Son..15..OR..Farm Laborer
Lydia E. Lightfoot..Dau..12..OR..At Home
Virginia Lightfoot..Dau..7..OR
Thomas S. Lightfoot..Son..4..OR
Samuel C. Lightfoot..Son..2..OR
Elijah Campbell..Other..47..IL
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• They appeared on the 1910 US Census in Vinson, OR on 7 May 1910. ²

1910 US Census
Sheet 10A, District 260, Family173, Roll 1289
Vinson, Umatilla County, Oregon
married 52 years
Samuel G. Lightfoot..Head..84..OH..Farmer, General Farm
Maria L. Lightfoot..Wife..76..IL..9/7
Samuel C. Lightfoot..Son..32..OR..married 3 years..Farm Laborer, General Farm
Bertha V. Lightfoot..Daughter-in-law..32..SWITZ..2/2
Lena I. Lightfoot..Granddaughter..1..OR
Fay A. Lightfoot..Granddaughter..1m..OR
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