Ben/Nancy WEST-THARP, KY-OH-IL-OR.
BENJAMIN Tharp m.WEST, NANCY EFULTON, IL 4/11/1850
WPA Historical Records
Benton Co., Oregon
Mark Phinney
Interview -- Mrs. Carrie THARP STARR
Mrs. STARR lives alone just north of the village of Bellfountain, on Route 1, from Monroe. Born in 1859, her memory is still good. She said:
My father, Benjamin THARP, was born in Ohio and my mother, Nancy WEST was born in Kentucky. My parents lived in Illinois but I was born in Kansas where my parents had gone to look for land. This was in 1849. They found Kansas not to their liking and returned to Illinois. They crossed the plains to Oregon in 1854. Father's brother, Nelson THARP, with his family, and Mother's brother, Joe WEST, came at the same time. They reached The Dalles in September and came to Portland by rail. They just drove the wagons on to open cars without disturbing the loads. I remember this particularly because I had a small black-and-white dog that we had brought all the way across the plains. This dog jumped off the moving train and of course we could not stop for him. I had a terrible time and father had to be very stern with me to keep me from a spell of hysteria.
The stock was driven down the river by Uncle Joe WEST. There was a road part way and only a trail the rest of the way. The folks stopped at French Prairie the first winter and then lived near Philomath for about a year. Then father took a homestead in what is now Lincoln County. Chitwood was afterward located on our farm. Elk City was our trading point. The country there was rather wild and backwoodsy. There was no school where I could attend and after some years father got a place near Lewisville in the northern part of Benton County, and spent the rest of his life in that section. My Uncle Nelson had a farm near by.
What little schooling I had was in a district school near Lewisville. In 1878 I was married to Asbury Pearne STARR and moved to the Bellfountain neighborhood where I have lived every since. There was no Bellfountain then except a new schoolhouse. This schoolhouse is still standing. It was moved to make room for a later building and was owned by the I.O.O.F. Lodge. It is still used for social occasions such as quilting parties.
At first we had to go to Monroe for mail and supplies. Some years later--I do not remember the date--a post office was established and the postmaster carried a small stock of groceries. The post office was called Dusty at first, but the people made so much objection the name was changed to Bellfountain. The mail was carried by horse conveyance from Corvallis.
We had church at Simpson's Chapel. The first chapel was built on the hill about midway between Bellfountain and Alpine. (The site is pointed out on the east side of the present highway at the highest point between the two villages) The hill was steep and the ox teams had a hard time in making the grade through the winter mud. The country was without established roads and the first settlers had nothing to guide them in choosing locations for public buildings that would be convenient in later years. When the Chapel was built in 1904 my husband and others though it should be on the site of the first building. We had worked so hard to support the work there and had enjoyed it so much it seemed like holy ground. But the Chapel was located at a more convenient place at Alpine.
I was married in the old Chapel. It was a double wedding. My brother Allen married my husband's sister, Emmeline. It was common in those days for young people to be married in church. We were married at the close of the morning service. My husband was a son of John Wesley STARR. There was a big colony of the STARRS, BELKNAPS and HAWLEYS, who were all more or less related by marriage. My husband's brother, Silas STARR is still living in Corvallis and can tell you more than I can. My husband and I had but two children who lived: Joy STARR HAWORTH and Philip Ray STARR.
My father's children were Sarah, Abbie, Eva, Allen, myself, Jennie, George, Philip, Charles, Frank, and Emma.
More Replies:
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Re: Ben/Nancy WEST-THARP, KY-OH-IL-OR.
bernice roman 11/26/05
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Re: Ben/Nancy WEST-THARP, KY-OH-IL-OR.
Janet Foster 11/27/05
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Re: Ben/Nancy WEST-THARP, KY-OH-IL-OR.
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Nelson Tharp
Becky Griswold 7/12/02
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Re: Nelson Tharp
Janet Foster 7/14/02
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Nelson Tharp m. Catherine Couch
Becky Griswold 7/14/02
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Re: Nelson Tharp m. Catherine Couch
Janet Foster 7/14/02
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Re: Nelson Tharp m. Catherine Couch
Becky Griswold 7/16/02
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Re: Nelson Tharp m. Catherine Couch
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Re: Nelson Tharp m. Catherine Couch
JACQUELINE RICHEY 7/14/02
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Re: Nelson Tharp m. Catherine Couch
JACQUELINE RICHEY 7/15/02
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Re: Nelson Tharp m. Catherine Couch
JACQUELINE RICHEY 8/13/12
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Re: Nelson Tharp m. Catherine Couch
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Nelson Tharp m. Catherine Couch
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Re: Nelson Tharp
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Re: Ben/Nancy WEST-THARP, KY-OH-IL-OR.
JACQUELINE RICHEY 6/06/02
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Re: Ben/Nancy WEST-THARP, KY-OH-IL-OR.
Janet Foster 6/09/02
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Re: Ben/Nancy WEST-THARP, KY-OH-IL-OR.
JACQUELINE RICHEY 6/09/02
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Re: Ben/Nancy WEST-THARP, KY-OH-IL-OR.
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Re: Ben/Nancy WEST-THARP, KY-OH-IL-OR.