Thomas Sommerville of Harrisburg gives some facts about early days (103): He says that he was born on the Sommerville Donation Land Claim about six miles due east of Harrisburg in 1881. His father’s name was John Sommerville, born February 26, 1841, who at the age of 12, came to Oregon in 1853 with his parents. His mother’s name was Eleanor J. Brasfield, born at Smithville, Missouri, December 12, 1844. She did not come to Oregon until 1865, by the way of San Francisco and then north to Oregon by boat. She attended school in Missouri under the guidance of Rev. Luther White who later emigrated to the Willamette Valley.

Thomas Sommerville goes on to say: "When my grandfather reached Oregon he found the land where he wished to settle pretty well taken so he bought out another settler who was about ready to prove up on his claim. The man... was sick and sold his rights for $80. Dad’s uncle Alex Sommerville also bought a claim just next south of grandfather’s place, but later sold it to the Grimes family. Early neighbors in this region were Paul Belts, Paul Clover, the Rampeys, the Wigles, the Whites, the Waggoners and others. It was in School District No. 47, known as the Sommerville district.

“Some of the early pioneer history, though interesting, might best be forgotten. For instance, ‘Pete’ Clover of the Clover clan is said to have killed a neighbor’s cow and was about to dress it for meat when he fell dead. Other stories are even worse than that and some very respectable people would be shocked if told how some of their ancestors played hob in one way and another.

 “‘When the first settlers came they took up their claims hit—and—miss. When the land was finally surveyed there were some bad jogs and crooks revealed in the joining claim lines. In the Sommerville neighborhood there was found to be one strip unclaimed which was only two rods wide and nearly two miles long. Another unclaimed bit was only a few rods wide at one end and tapered down to nothing at the other and over a mile long. The early settlers, with neighbors few and far between often resorted to various schemes to live close together. One house built in the early days stood with its four corners on four different land sections. The house was divided into four rooms and four different men lived in it, each upon his own land. Two of the men were Paul Belts and Bob Rampy.

"You have probably heard of the celebrated Methodist preacher I. D. Driver. I have heard my father and grandfather say that he was ‘A young punk of a kid’ who came out in the same train with them. Others who come at the same time wore Enoch Hoult and Russ Wyatt.

"The town of Harrisburg where we did our trading in early days was quite a steamboat centre. The McCully family who lived here were pioneers in upper—river steam boating. Harrisburg was first called ‘Crows Nest’ and later Thurston. I can remember when the steamboats were running and at times there would be three commercial boats and a government snag boat tied up here all at one time. In the early days the boats coming to this part of the river did not usually stop at Harrisburg proper but at the old town of Lancaster just across on the Lane County side.

 “Some of the boats -which used to come to the upper river were the Hogue,

 “In early days there was a flour mill on a slough near the Willamette about one and one-half miles south of Harrisburg. Jim Brasfield, Cal. Briggs and a man named Waters worked there at different times. Some of the mill stones were still on the ground until recent years. The millers kept a great many hogs to feed and the place was called ‘Hogem’. Some of the old water—wheels were moved from that old mill to McCreadie Springs. There was also another flour mill in Harrisburg.  Part of that mill still stands. It was remodeled into a dwelling house by Art Tandy. It stood north of the present schoolhouse.

 “The town of Irving formerly went under the name of ‘Yellow Dog’, and the McCreadie Springs under the name of ‘La Bische’.

 “A small place which used to be quite a center of Commerce was the town of Liverpool. It stood north of the town of Monroe in Benton County just where the road turns towards Alpine. At one time there was a grist mill at that place also. When it was dismantled a part of the mill was brought to build the mill in Harrisburg.”

Harrisburg Quick Facts

Location:  Twp 15S, Rge 4W, Sect 9 & 16

Name Origin:  Presumably Harrisburg, PA

Other Names:  Prairie Precinct, Thurston, Harrisburgh

Post Office Established:  7 Nov 1855

First Postmaster:  David McCully

Incorporation Date:  1866

Population 1999:  2715

Further Reading:  "Historic Harrisburg--A Little Town on the Willamette River" by Bess Tweedt; "Willamette Landings" by Howard McKinley Corning