Our Family's Journey Through Time
Notes:
Corvallis (/k??r'v?l?s/ kor-VAL-iss) is a city and the county seat of Benton County in central western Oregon, United States.[6] It is the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 59,922.[7] Corvallis is the location of Oregon State University and Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. Corvallis is the westernmost city in the contiguous 48 states with a population larger than 50,000.
History
Downtown circa 1920
Establishment
In October 1845, Joseph C. Avery arrived in Oregon from the east.[8] Avery took out a land claim at the mouth of Marys River, where it flows into the Willamette River, and in June 1846 took up residence there in a log cabin hastily constructed to hold what seemed a potentially lucrative claim.[8] Avery's primitive 1846 dwelling was the first home within the boundaries of today's Corvallis and his land claim included the southern section of the contemporary city.[9]
Avery was quickly joined by other settlers along the banks of the Willamette River, including a 640-acre (260 ha) claim directly to his north taken in September 1846 by William F. Dixon.[9] The discovery of gold in California in 1848 temporarily stalled development of a township, with Avery leaving his Oregon claim to try his hand at mining in the fall of that year.[9] His stay proved to be brief, and in January 1849, Avery returned to Oregon with a small stock of provisions with a view to opening a store.[9]
During 1849, Avery opened his store at the site, platted the land, and surveyed a town site on his land claim, naming the community Marysville.[10] The city was possibly named after early settler Mary Lloyd, but now the name is thought to be derived from French fur trappers' naming of Marys Peak after the Virgin Mary.[11]
In the summer of 1851, Joseph Avery and William Dixon each granted back-to-back 40-acre (16 ha) land parcels from their land holdings for the establishment of a county seat.[12] Avery's holding lay to the south and Dixon's to the north, with the Benton County Courthouse marking the approximate line of demarcation between these two land parcels.
Matches 1 to 1 of 1
Last Name, Given Name(s) | Birth | Person ID | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Brannan, Judson Palmer "Judd" | 4 Mar 1873 | Corvallis, Benton County, Oregon, United States | I40990 |
Matches 1 to 3 of 3
Last Name, Given Name(s) | Death | Person ID | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Carroll, Rose Ann | Sep 1973 | Corvallis, Benton County, Oregon, United States | I15949 |
2 | Gibson, Margaret E. | 2013 | Corvallis, Benton County, Oregon, United States | I15954 |
3 | Gibson, William Beattie | 15 Jan 1946 | Corvallis, Benton County, Oregon, United States | I3938 |
Matches 1 to 1 of 1
Last Name, Given Name(s) | Burial | Person ID | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gibson, Robert William "Bob" | Corvallis, Benton County, Oregon, United States | I15951 |
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