W.C. Cooley, known as “Curran” Cooley, tells about the Brownsville store on September 5, 1938 (51):

“I was born at Brownsville in 1859. My parents were Mr. and Mrs. George C. Cooley. My father came to Oregon about 1852, or perhaps a little before. He first came to Lane County, and, about 1854, to Brownsville. The first positive date is March 3, 1854. He came to work for Brown and Blakely in their store, which was one of the first south of Oregon City. …. Blakely was my grandfather, for after working in the store for a few years my father married Blakely’s daughter, Harriet. I am of the third generation of my family who have run this store. If Hugh L. Brown is counted, I am of the fourth generation, and my grandson, William (Billy) Dedman, who sometimes helps, is of the sixth generation to work in this store.

“The Browns and Blakely’s reached the ford on the upper Calapooia made camp... rode out ... and went up the valley six or eight miles .,. discovered the waterfalls on the Calapooia where Richard C. Finley later built his mill. This mill is still in operation  erected some time in the early ‘‘50’s. The first building put up by Finley about 1848 was washed away in the floods of 1861—62.

“Concerning the Spalding family. Eliza Spalding who married Andrew J. Warren, was Spalding’s oldest daughter, the first female white child to be born west of the Rocky Mountains. Her sister, Martha, married William (Bill) Wigle. The youngest, Amelia (Hilly) married John Brown, oldest son of Hugh Brown.

“Incidentally, there was an Indian burial ground on the Spalding claim  about a mile or so east of Brownsville, in a little prairie north of the Spalding cabin. The Indians placed gifts of dishes, guns, utensils, and beads on the ground over the graves.

“The old Brown store of which I am senior partner was founded about 1851.  Brown and Blakely were at first sole owners but took in other  partners, among them Jonathan Kenney and Hugh Fields. Some time before 1863 my father formed a partnership with W. L. Linville and bought the store. Linnville was the older man and had almost a three-fourths interest.

“In 1868 Linville’s interest was bought by J. H. Washburn, who retired in 1889, when my father took over the entire business which became known as G. C. Cooley & Company.

“In July, 1885, my father broke his hip and I was requested to help out in the store for a few days. Now 53 years have passed and I am still working here. Father recovered, but was never able to do heavy work. He died in 1908, and I took over control. I was sole owner for a year, then sold an interest in the business to George Hume, my present partner. I am now 79 years old.

Brownsville Quick Facts

Location:  Twp 13S, Rge 2W, Sect 31, also 14S, R2W, Sec 6 

Name Origin:  Hugh Brown, early settler. 

Other Names:  Kirk's Ferry, Calapooya 

Post Office Established:  18 May 1859 

First Postmaster:  James W. Meach 

Incorporation Date:  1876 

Population 1999:  1495 

Sketches & Photos:  J M Moyer, M.A.E. Swank, Brownsville Woolen Mills, Wagon Bridge

More Links:

Richard Chism Finley

Hugh Leeper Brown

Brownsville History

Brownsville Woolen Mill - Fire

Further Reading:

"Brownsville" by Margaret Standish Carey & Patricia Hoy Hainline