Oregon Langdons

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. LINK

There’s a business named Kruse Farms that has a website, but I don’t know if they are related. LINK

Pacific Quicksilver Mine April 1898 Elkhead

Thanks to Linda Stoops for the photo!

Herbert Langdon Threshing in Cole’s Valley. It’s just northwest of Roseburg.

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. LINK 1      LINK 2

Here’s a map that shows a larger view of the area. LINK

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.

Oregon Trail Fiddle

Percy playing a fiddle. (*not the Oregon Trail fiddle). Greg Langdon tells the basic story below. Very cool!

*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

Erwin Family Sheet and Obit LINK

Erwin Langdon Obit LINK

Twins Helen, Hazel and father Erwin Langdon

• 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.” LINK

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” LINK

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. LINK

1903 Erwin arrives from South Dakota with his cousin E. J. Fritts. LINK

1952 Obit Julian Langdon. He was one of Erwin’s sons. LINK

1967 Alice Langdon Funeral Notice. Wife of Julian Langdon. LINK

Erwin Langdon Family around 1935 most likely in Chino Valley, Arizona.

Erwin Langdon Ranch at Red Hill, Oregon about 1915.

Erwin Ansel Langdon Bio

I need to add a source. I don’t know who typed this up. LINK

Assorted Articles/Docs

13 April 1903 Doctor Page is called to visit Grandma Langdon.

I think Grandma was Catherine Langdon. LINK

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 LINK

Several Langdons in the “Red Hill Items” section. Ralph and Ray are sons of Erwin. LINK

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. LINK

1904 Herbert and Anna sell their land to Erwin for $300. LINK

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

Oscar’s Place before repairs.   LINK

Family Reunion at Oscar’s Place.    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

Another slightly different version of the photo.

Minnie Langdon’s Mother 1946

Click Image for a link to image of article

Great story from the 24 Jan 1946 edition of the “Eugene Register-Guard”. Mary was born on the Oregon Trail.

“At the tender age of three her parents thought they had lost her and went back several miles in search. Being unsuccessful they returned to the wagon and renewed their search in the wagon and found her fast asleep between the wagon sheet and floor of the wagon, none the worse for her many bumps on the rocky road.”

Link to article online

Minnie’s Mother 1931

Article about her birthday.    LINK

Oscar & Minnie Langdon

Thursday Oct. 5, 2000. From the Drain, Oregon Newspaper  “Drain Enterprise”.

Oscar 1943. He got electricity.   LINK

Minnie’s Obit. Eugene Register-Guard June 18, 1953.    LINK

Assorted Newspaper Clippings

• Photo of Langdon Family Reunion in 1947

• Langdon Family Reunion in 1949 LINK

• Oscar & Minnie’s 57th Wedding Anniversary LINK

Oscar Has No Luck With Horses

Later in life he is described as loving horses.

Also, Fred Lee is delivering the mail. Oscar’s daughter Mamie was married to him.

Visit to Percy Langdon’s Farm

She has a great history written by Clinton Clifford Clark. He was the son of Roy and Essie Clark. Essie was the daughter of Mary LANGDON Clark. One of the things he mentions is:

“The last time I was to Oregon with them was the winter of 1923-24. That same winter we went on and spent the winter in Riverside, California. On that trip we stopped over at Stockton and Sacramento, California. My grandmother had an aunt living at Stockton.”

The Aunt must have been Sarah Jane LANGDON Norton. She lived in Stockton then and died there in 1928.