Langdon Desperados ••••••••••••••••••••••••
Thanks to Linda Stoops! Click image above for the full photo. Taken abt. 1900 near Elkhead, Oregon. Dickerson, Mt. in background. Location - near Herbert Langdon’s house in Shoestring Valley.
Linda writes:
It's a posed picture of the Langdon kids in Oregon. My notes on the back are as follows:
"Left to Right: Myrtle; Mr. Kruse; Belle-with the hat and knife; Mary and Blanche in the buggy; Roby Howard (a neighbor-friend of Archie's); Archie.
Mr. Kruse was an artist who stopped at their place. He did oil paintings on tree growths. The pictures were of their house in the valley and their log cabin in the mountain.
Near Elkhead, Oregon-the mountain was Dickerson, Mt. This picture was taken in Shoestring Valley-near the house."
The oil paintings mentioned would be interesting to see. Myrtle and Belle said Archie and his family had the paintings. If they still exist, it would be neat to get pictures, if you find out what became of them. Apparently, he painted right on chunks of trees.
I always think the picture of the holdup is so neat. Who knew we were all related to such desperados!
SPECULATION
The Mr. Kruse in the photo might have been George William Kruse. He lived in the area and around 1910 bought a farm on the west side of Roseburg. Here he is in Find-A-Grave.
There’s a business named Kruse Farms that has a website, but I don’t know if they are related.
NEW OCT 2013 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
SIDE NOTE:
They lived only a short ride away “by train” from Charles Ingalls when the live in South Dakota. Charles Ingalls lived next to the railroad on the first stop from Clear Lake. (maybe 40 miles) The photo above is in Oregon, but could easily be “Little House on the Prairie”
Pacific Quicksilver Mine April 1898 Elkhead
Thanks to Linda Stoops for the photo!
Here’s a photo of Herbert Langdon Threshing in Cole’s Valley.
Where is this? ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
There are maps and photos of the area at the bottom of this page. Here’s a map drawn by Roy Morris that shows where everyone lived in Elkhead.
Here’s a couple screenshots from the Bureau of Land Management’s website that show Herbert’s land.
Here’s a map that shows a larger view of the area.
Elkhead School 1914 (Above)
Delbert Langdon, Joe Critchlow, Earnest Brown, Lester Lee, Leland Langdon, Harry Lee, Altha Critchlow, Ruth Colvin, Arthur McReynolds, Gena Lee, Beulah Langdon, Covin Girl, Ruby Langdon
Oregon Trail •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Laura Ingalls described her father Charles as having a bad case of ”Wanderlust”. Gideon must have had the same affliction. He was constantly on the move. Two of his sons picked it up early. Brothers Ansel and Abram G. both traveled the Oregon Trail and arrived there in 1853. Meanwhile, Gideon’s son Rufus (Younger) put down roots in Wisconsin. After he died in 1877 most of his family traveled to the Dakota Territory and then on to Oregon. Many stayed and some moved back east to South Dakota or north to Canada.
Page is Changing ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
I’ve made pages for Abam G. and Ansel. Use the main Langdon page to find them. This page is LOOSELY changing to descendants of Gideon’s son Rufus II. Specifically Oscar and Erwin. Herbert will be on the Clear Lake, Dakota page. Rufus III and Commodore will be on Ansel’s page.
Thanks to everyone that has contacted me with additional information! I apologize for the “messy desk” info below, but at least we have it one place. This is a lot of great info and photos from several researchers in Oregon.
Oregon Trail Fiddle •••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Percy playing a fiddle. (*not the Oregon Trail fiddle). Greg Langdon tells the basic story below. Very cool!
Click Image for a larger view
*NOTE: The Stickles Cemetery reference is to the where Catherine’s parents are buried in Wisconsin. A Pollack family lived near Rufus II in Wisconsin.
“A Pollock family lived near the Stickles Cemetery. Dan has a fiddle which is known as the “Pollock Fiddle.” The story is that a Mr. Pollock was a wagon master on the Oregon Trail and crossed the country several time with the fiddle. Ansel and Abram traveled to Oregon about 1853 and settled in Kellogg about 40 miles from Percy’s home. The fiddle was handed down to Percy.”
Erwin Ansel Langdon ••••••••••••••••••••••••
No real organization, but here’s a lot of great information!
Erwin Family Sheet and Obit
Erwin Langdon Obit
• Twins Helen, Hazel and father Erwin Langdon
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• 1905 Letter from ND Clark to family in Oregon. The letter begins with a postscript dated June 10, 1905. It’s written sideways on top of the page. Catherine died 4 days later on June 14, 1905. It reads: “Mother is no better, very bad off.”
The rest of the letter starts with Catherine’s ill health and mentions that they are all eating prunes. Here’s two newspaper articles about the prunes. Erwin was growing them in Oregon and selling them in the Dakotas.
Erwin farming Prunes 1903 and 1905. The reporter must have been helping dry the prunes in 1905. He signs off as “Weary Willie”
Even more Prune news from 1906. This is an interesting article that talks about the type of Prunes he grows and that he is selling them directly to the consumer in South Dakota.
1903 Erwin arrives from South Dakota with his cousin E. J. Fritts.
1952 Obit Julian Langdon. He was one of Erwin’s sons.
1967 Alice Langdon Funeral Notice. Wife of Julian Langdon.
• Erwin Langdon Family around 1935 most likely in Chino Valley, Arizona.
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Erwin Ansel Langdon Bio •••••••••••••••••••
I need to add a source. I don’t know who typed this up.
Assorted Articles/Docs ••••••••••••••••••••••
13 April 1903 Doctor Page is called to visit Grandma Langdon.
I think Grandma was Catherine Langdon.
NOTE:
Another article shows Ray Langdon visiting his grandma. She’s not named, but the article says he was visiting her the next week. Catherine would be the only grandmother he had named Langdon.
Here’s the article 23 April 1903
Several Langdons in the “Red Hill Items” section. Ralph and Ray are sons of Erwin.
1903 Herbert Arthur Langdon and family move back to South Dakota. He moves in April to Watertown, South Dakota. A few months later, Lars O Waaler has his run-in with the railroad crew.
1904 Herbert and Anna sell their land to Erwin for $300.
Oscar Langdon’s Home ••••••••••••••••••••
Thanks to Ginger for all of the photos and Information below!
Ben Moore Mountain from Oscar’s Place. LINK
Oscar’s gate looking towards Dickerson. LINK
Oscar’s gate looking towards Shoestring Valley. LINK
Oscar’s gate looking towards Percy’s. LINK
Family Reunion at Oscar’s Place. LINK
Oscar’s Place before repairs. LINK
Oscar Langdon’s Descendants •••••••••••
Photos of Oscar’s Descendants. Multiple page PDF. LINK
Percy Langon’s story. Multiple page PDF. LINK
Delbert Langdon Memories. Multiple page PDF file. LINK
Mamie (Langdon) Lee ••••••••••••••••••••••
Daughter of Oscar. Mamie Langdon Stories and Docs. Multiple page PDF file. LINK
Photo of Mamie and husband Fred Lee
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Mamie article.
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Another version with less smiles.
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