HISTORY OF
NEWPORT AND WILLIAMS FAMILIES
Jasper Newport and wife Frances (Wilkerson) Newport with their 3 month
old daughter Mary Elizabeth (Lizzie) traveled from Iowa to Santa Rosa by wagon
train in 1865. Another daughter Emma was born in Santa Rosa, June 11, 1867.
When the railroad line was completed linking the east and west the
Jasper Newport family returned to Richland Iowa. A little girl, Jeanine, was
born in Iowa during their stay.
Jasper being very enthusiastic about the future in the west
persuaded his brother Jesse Newport, and wife Elizabeth (Husted) Newport, to
return to California with him and his family. At that time Jesse's family
consisted of wife and three small children, Eldora (Dora), age 9, Mary Elizabeth
age 3 and Ida May 11 months. The two families boarded the railroad train at
Fairfield Iowa, April 21, 1873. (This train was called a Zoola train as the
emigrant- men folk rode in a car with their stock and household goods and the
women and children rode in passenger cars. They arrived in Sacramento
California May 1, 1873, rested a week and pushed on to Kelseyville, California,
where the families stayed six months, working in the fields and harvests. Their
plans were to go further north but rumors that the Indian Wars were being
fought at the Modoc Lava Beds near Tulelake, California, held them back, as
they did not feel it safe to take their families north at this time. After the
Indian war subsided, the men folk purchased two wagons, Jesse a team of horses
and Jasper a team of mules, and started their journey North, stopping at Adin
California. Jesse and Jasper left their families there and traveled on
horseback forty two miles to what was known as Doris Bridge, which was later
named Alturas. They were still concerned about the Indian conditions. Finding
the Indians were in a congenial mood at that time, the men returned to Adin
after their families. After reaching Dorris Bridge, they proceeded on up Pit
River to what is known as "Chimney Rock", seven miles north of
Alturas, California. There they camped along lush meadows lands, November 1,
1873.
Their first contact with the settlers of the area, was Al Gagnon,
who had a homestead and a few sheep. Near by was another homesteader by the
name of William Ross Smith and Emma Denson Smith, who had settled near the rock
pinnacles in 1870. There Emma's great uncle carved the fireplace in what is
called "Chimney Rock" and built a cabin around the rock for living
quarters. As Smith was desirous of leaving the county, he relinquished his
holdings to Jasper Newport for his wagon and team of mules.
The Jesse Newport family moved away from Pit River and filed on a
homestead to the east on what was called Stony Gulch. At this time there was no
land office at Dorris Bridge so the Newport brothers went on horseback to the
County Seat of Susanville, California, a distance of over one hundred miles to
file on the homesteads, and to purchase the needed groceries they could carry
home on their horses
Up and down Pit River were hundreds of Indians, Pitts and Piutes,
The newly arrived families, especially the women folk and children were very frightened
of them when the menfolk were away. At that time there were no other families
living on Pit River from Dorris Bridge to "Chimney Rock," as Al
Gagnon had sold his sheep to Jesse Newport and moved to Dorris Bridge and
started a saddle shop and harness repairs.
The first winter was real severe with snow fall deep, and no
transportation only by snowshoes. The families had very few provisions, but
were able to kill a bear and deer, which furnished the families with meat for
food and tallow for candles. Jasper and Jesse decided to build a toboggan.
Completing it the menfolk started for Susanville, on snowshoes pulling the
toboggan, to get supplies. They left the families together and after being gone
for twenty four hours they become worried over the welfare of their families
and returned. When they arrived home they found many tracks in the snow around
the cabin where the Indians had circled the cabin many times. The women had
barricaded the windows with bedding and other articles available. They were
very frightened but unharmed. The Indians were very fond of the ladies home
made bread and begged for it often. Later supplies came into the little town of
Cedarville California, twenty five miles east of Dorris Bridge.
Jasper's wife Frances, (called Aunt Frankie) by our family was a
cripple. As a small child she fell from her horse, her foot catching in the stirrup
mangling the foot and leg so badly, the leg had to be amputated. Frankie's
father, John Wilkerson made her a peg leg which she strapped to her body, and
she learned to get around with it and a cane. The Indians were very curious of
this contraption that she walked on. My grandmother Dora Newport being the
eldest of the Jesse Newport family, would often stay with Aunt Frankie, helping
her with the housework and the younger children, as she tired easily and it was
hard for her to get around. Dora loved her Aunt Frankie and was always glad of
the opportunity to help her.
The women folk and the children helped with the sheep and dairy
herds, packing the butter in firkins, for the men to take to town to trade for
groceries and yardage. Spinning wheels were in each household, where Frankie
and Elizabeth with the aid of their older daughters would wash, card and spin
the wool into yarn, from which they knit garments for their families. They also
made candles from the tallow. (I have the old candle mold).
During that time there was very little chance of schooling, but
the older girls, Lizzie (Gene Dunn's great grand mother), and Eldora
(Grandmother of Virgie Meyer) attended school in a little cabin at the old Russ
Parker Place, about six miles from their home. The school house was very crude,
no floors and just rough pine hewn tables and chairs.
The Newport families were a very close knit family, especially
Jesse's daughter Eldora and Jasper's daughters Lizzie and Emma.
At the age of 16 Eldora Newport went to live in Alturas,
California where she got work with a family named Wimer who had a small
business and owned a rooming house, which was called the Stewart Hall, located
on Main Street, which was located across the street from the now Chevrolet
Garage. It was later moved to West 4th Street, where it is still standing
(1992)
In the fall of 1878 a Young man by the name of Charles Orlando
Williams arrived on horseback to visit his brother and family (the Sam Williams
Family). Charles was from Richland Iowa, where he was born August 18, 1858.
When he arrived in Alturas he worked for a time in the livery stable, owned and
operated by Henry Weigert and Henry Mann. Although Eldora Newport and Charles
O. Williams had both been born in Richfield Iowa they had never met before his
arrival in Alturas, but fate managed that as Eldora's Aunt was married to
Charles brother. They were married September 18,1882(on Eldoras 18th birthday)
at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wimer. The Williams moved to Likely, California
where he worked for Charles Williams (no relation) as a rancher. While there
his two oldest children Alice and Jesse were born. They later moved back to
Stony Gulch adjoining her father's home, where they filed on a homestead.
In 1889 the family leased the Tom Fogerty Ranch on Parker Creek,
where five more children were born and raised. Charles farmed the ranch for two
years and then leased 800 head of sheep from Mr. Fogarty. When it was time to
take the sheep to their summer range, Eldora and her oldest Jesse, age eleven
years, took the sheep to the mountains and cared for them during the summer
while Charles took care of the ranch putting up the hay and raising a large
garden which he sold in Alturas and vicinity. He also tended sheep camp. The
rest of the children helped out where needed. At that time wool sold for 10
cents a pound and a mutton for $1.75. Shearing and dipping of the sheep was a
great event which everyone looked forward to.
During this time Charles leased the Yankee Jim Place and purchased
several school sections to run his sheep on. He also purchased the Old Chase
place in the foothills above the ranch.
There was no school house nearer than seven miles to which his
children could, attend school, and the only mode of travel was a foot or on
horseback. The parents decided it was time to develop a new school district and
as there were several families they all cooperated and a school was
established, known as the Hopewell School District. C.O. Williams was one of
the first trustees.
Eldora joined the Baptist Church in 1899 and was baptised in the
waters of Parker Creek. She was instrumental in obtaining church services and
Sunday School in the Hopewell School House.
Through sickness and trouble they lost what they had and the sons
were grown, they all moved to Davis Creek, California, where they had a dairy
farm and raised cattle. They lived there several years and moved to Westwood
California to work in the mill for The Red River Lumber Company. In 1926 the
family returned to Alturas, California and purchased the Johnnie Estes place on
Modoc Street, on Pit River.
Charles 0 Williams became ill and passed away July 25 1926 in
Lakeview Oregon in the Lakeview Hospital after surgery.
The sons Charlie Jr. and Kirk started a little dairy farm, selling
milk and cream, also chickens and eggs. Eldora taking her place right along
with her sons as they had always done in the past. They worked this way for
several years until the oldest son Charles, who had not been well, took to his
bed. He passed away May 9, 1950.
Eldora lived to the age of 93. She passed away in the Modoc
Medical Center July 22,1957. Through the years they saw many changes, the mode
of travel from mere trails journeyed on horseback or on foot to paved highways with
automobiles, and jetbombers zooming through the airways, and fluorescent lamps
taking the place of the candles and small grease wick lamps. They had
experienced the sickness and death with only a few doctors who had to travel by
horse and buggy, to our present day with fully equipped hospitals staffed with
Doctors and Nurses.
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Compiled by Virgie R. Meyer (Granddaughter of Eldora (Newport.
Williams.)
Dates and places from Diary of Jesse Newport and details filled in
by Eldora Newport Williams and Florence (Williams) Rea.
Also quotes from letter from Agnes Dunn Durell (Great
Granddaughter of Jasper Newport).