Sarah Elizabeth RINEHART (Crum)

SARAH E. (Rinehart) CRUM -- Sarah was born on March the 6th, 1853 in Iowa, Mahaska county. She was the youngest of thirteen children; eight boys and five girls. She crossed the plains in 1854 with her parents and six brothers in the family. They left Iowa in April and arrived in September near Eugene, Oregon which was then a small town. They settled ten miles south of Eugene on Camas Swale. Her father raised cattle and a few sheep, some hay and a little rain, or just enough to take to the mill the family flour; sold cheese, butter, lard, eggs, bacon and other
things enough to supply the family with food and clothing. They had quite a band of cattle, some sixty milk cows at one time, lost forty
of them the hard winter of 1861-62 which was winter of the flood all over the valley.

There were no school houses near her home so what schooling her brothers got before she was old enough to go to school, was taught by
a man in an old cabin near home, and were all large boys, no girls. Later on her brothers Jim, Frank, Lew and Henr
went to college at Eugene, which was then a small town. The college was south of Eugene and burnt down the winter they were there. In
about 1859 her father moved to Eugene for winter school for the three younger boys; she attended a short time as s
was only six years old.

Her next school was on the Coast Fork near her brother George Rinehart where she stayed for three months and walked one and a half miles with Billy and Dan to school. When she was eleven and twelve years old her father moved again to Eugene for the
winter schools. Only two brothers were at home then as the older ones were off teaching school or taking care of the home place. The next
schooling she got was when she was fourteen years old and stayed again at brother George's. The next year ther was a three month school near her home in an old log cabin, taught by a girl; the next year a three month school taught by a man. The next year a new log school house was built and she attended one three month school term there. The last two school attended were in 1870 and 1871 at Summerville and LaGrange. She never had high schooling.

In the spring of 1870, her father rented the old house and moved to the Grande Ronde Valley, as the boys had gone there with cattle
several springs and were doing well. Jasper Rinehart was the only boy at home and he was anxious to go, so they boug
some more sheep. Her father and brother Lew now having 1800 head,  which they wanted driven east of the mountains. Jasper and some boys
driving the sheep and father and mother driving teams, we went the Willamette route across the mountains to
Prineville; then down the Dechutes and over the John Day River and up Rock Creek five miles above where Olex now stands to brother John
Rinehart's place (he had moved there two years before). We camped there a week or two; Jasper and Johys at one time. The Indians
agreed to let them go if they would deliver u Captain Sawyer. This they refused to do and stood their seige for 14 days. When they finally purchased off the Indians by giving them sugar and other provisions.

Mr. Crum ran the first flour mill in Montana. He also done some mining. He was there when the vigilantes first got command of the
country. The road agents had been very bad. He once ran a horse to death running from robbers as he was carrying money
from Butte to Virginia City. He came to Walla Walla about the year 1868 for over winter, then went to the mines in Idaho; then came to
Summerville in 1870 where he ran the mill for James H. Rinehart for four years. During that time we were married a had one child 'Carrie Ann' who was born on January 12, 1873.

In 1874 we moved to the Willamette Valley, crossing the mountains with team; coming over the Blue Mountains on the Summerville road,
traveling over the bunch grass land, over Willow Creek, Eight mile to Rock Creek and down it across John Day River, over the Cascade Mountains down the McKinzy river and over to Frank Rinehart's place near Shedds, Oregon. George Lewis Crum was born 27th
September 1874 at brother Frank's where we stayed July, August and September. Jeremiah A. Crum working in hay harvest and hunting for a home somewhere in the valley as he thought he would like it better than east of the mountains. In October, went up to Springfield visiting and looking for a place. In November, went down near Aurora in Clackamas county and bought some new land partly timber and brush, with some bottom land on it. Cleared up bottom land and seeded it to hay, which was very good land. Cleared up some brush and timber land and seeded it to grain Lived in a cabin first winter. Built a hand barn next year. Planted an orchard and garden. Owned one span of good horses; bought two yoke of oxen to haul off logs that were being cut to float down the Pudding River to a saw mill near Aurora. Had two men hired for a time. Was awful hard w clearing land. Helped build a school house on our land. Carrie Ann was then past seven years old and attended one term of school there. We then rented the place and went back to live with father and mother Rinehart seven miles from Summerville on Grande Ronde River, as they were getting old and wanted us to live with them. We then had four children; the youngest two being born
while living near Aurora; Willard, 18th September 1876 and Eugene 24th September 1878.

We lived with Father and Mother Rinehart near two years. Effie Jane Crum was born while living there on 4th March 1881 and died next fall
in November while living near James H. Rinehart mill. She had whooping cough and took cold. George was also very sick at the time. Father died that fall at brother Jasper's Mother continued to live with Jasper and their other children the rest of her days. Had an awful hard winter and deep snow the winter of 1881 and 1882.

In the spring of 1882 we went back to the Willamette Valley to try to sell our place. While traveling along Rock Creek, we found a place
that would be a good mill-site, and as my husband Jeremiah always wanted to have a mill of his own, he staked our claim on a "Premtion" and bargained for five acres on the creek where the water power was good. We camped there for one week and saw Rock Creek in one of its floods as was a heavy rain up the creek near the mountains. We went on to Willamette Valle but could not sell out there so stayed and raised a crop. Then my husband came up in spring of 1883 and built a house, came home and harvested the crop, then moved up in September having sold the place for $3000.

Frankie was born in September 10th 1882; he being just one year old when we moved, now having five children.

In September 1883 Mr. Crum and George crossed the mountains with team, while I and four children came by train. We arrived about the 10th of September. Went up the Creek for a hack load of garden truck, as the gardens were so very good that year; did not have much fruit on creek then, but I had brought some dried fruit and berries, so we fixed up for the winter. The first winter was very mild, only had one inch of snow, but lots of rain. There were scarcely any settlers except on the Creek. It been good stock country and just beginning to raise wheat. There was a very good crop on Shutler Flat that year, also at Blalock, but no farming south of Olex then. No fences between Olex and Condon. Olex was just a Post Office and the mail came from The Dalles to John Day and on up Rock Creek to Lone Rock mostly on horse back. No school house, only up the creek seven miles or down the Creek twelve miles. The first winter we had the mill-race dug from the Creek one quarter mile up along the side the hill. We found some large bones of fossil in digging and often found arrows in the sand.

Next summer we began the mill. The first story or basement was built of rock three feet thick. The rock being hauled one-half mile from
Juniper canyon. The rest of mill walls were built of concrete, sand, lime and gravel which was two and one-half through. The third story being two feet through wall. It was built one layer at a time; 12 or 14 inches high in layer all around and was left to dry one day. It being in hot summer it dried quickly. While it was drying other loads of sand and grave were being hauled and mixed ready for the next day. It took a month
for one story to be made. It was all hauled by one team, also the rock.

Next winter had a carpenter built part of the works inside and put in machinery. I think it was in the fall of 1885 that the mill began to
run. There were quite a few settlers now and they were raising wheat and bringing to the mill to have exchange for flour. They came from long distances after flour. It was the only mill in the county. They came from Long Creek, Fossel, Mayville, Condon, Long Rock, lone and Hepner districts. it was the only flour mill between Pendleton and the Dalles. Someti the mill ran day and night to supply the demand; had extra man miller then. We let a lot of people have flour that had no grain or money, some of it we never got paid for.

We now had six children old enough to go to school, so in the spring of 1886 we had a girl teach the children a few hours every day and
help me with the work as Jesse was a baby then born 24th January 1886. George had come home with Web Edwards in fall for school at Mayville; came home in January. I think the school house at Olex was built that next fall ready for school. After that we always had a three months school in fall and three months in spring or else six month winter school after t children got larger. In later years had nine months school and as many as forty-two scholars. George went to Oregon Agricultural College part of two terms. His father got sick with rheumatism and George had to come home in spring so his father could to the Wilkoit Springs for his hearth. We had taken a homestead and timber culture out about five miles south of Olex; which the three older boys helped to farm.

Willard and Eugene went to Arlington one winter 1896 for school; they batched. The fail of 1897 Willard went to college at Pullman,
Washington but took the measles in May and did not get to finish the term but came home as soon as able to travel.  That  was the last school any of them attended as they a11 took typhoid fever in August.

That sure was a hot summer and think they all worked too hard; think sometimes that one of the hired men brought the disease with him when he came to work for us, as he was the first to take it. He died before we hardly knew he was bad sick. Our family were all home for dinner the Sunday before any of them took down (this man was buried the Thursday before). Willard was the first to get sick; he and a hired boy came home from ranch not feeling well and I gave them some medicine and they went on t Arlington to a doctor. Got rooms in Hotel and went to bed. The other boy got well but Willard never left his bed. Had a good doctor and a nurse but he kept getting worse. Think him having the measles made it worse to treat him. His father went down a week and thought he was getting better, so came back home as the other three boys; George, Eugene and Frank were all abed sick and needed his help. He had a man helping me care for them that had been a nurse. The doctor came as often as he could as so much sickness then that could not come often. We done all we knew how but to no effect. They would make such quick changes; sometimes seemed feeling fine, then next thing a high fever. Finally we went to The Dalles for Doctor Logan, but when came it was too late as Frankie had died and Eugene only lived one day more.

Mr. Crum had not been feeling well but would not give up till Frankie   died, then he took to his bed and we moved him and George in the mill.
We had sent for a nurse by doctor. She came from Portland Hospital, had a diploma and was a good nurse. It her that saved George's life by close watch and good care. Jesse was not so bad as the others. He got up, took a backset, and was kept in bed another week or two. Mr. Crum was not very stout before taking sick and other things beside the fever made it harder to care for him. It sure was an awful time for us all and as I look back I can hardly see how I got through it all. It seems like a dream. I sure could of stood it if I had not trusted in God as he was my help and my stay in time of trouble. I would of given my life any time to save theirs. I sure was given super-human strength to do what work I did. We did not let George know that the boys died the was nearly well. He knew when his father died in the mill as he was in the same room. Mr. Crum never knew that Willard had died as he expected him to get well. He knew Frankie and Eugene died, and I think he expected all sick to die as he seemed give up all hope. Ora, McKinley and I seemed to keep well all the while.

Frankie died 13th September 1898. Eugene died 16th September 1898. Willard died 28th September 1898. Jeremiah A. Crum died 8th October
1898.

Now I was left with three little children: Jesse twelve and one-half, Ora nine and McKinley five years old. I must try to care for them so
went to work. After the estate was settled up there was not much left. e had extra good crop that year and gotten out of debt if sickness had not come. Our doctor expenses were $1800. We had a lot of land but was mortgaged. Had some stock and machinery which helped to pay expenses first few years. We raised hay and kept freight teams over night; gave meals part of time. Brother Frank Rinehart came to live with me one year in 1900. We all had very good health and Jesse was now old enough to run our little place of 125 acres. The three children attended the Olex schools, also Sunday School, as we a church built in 1895 in 01ex. Had preaching twice a month and sometimes oftener. Jesse went to Portland Business College in 1907 for a short time in winter. Then he went to keeping books and working for himself, but always helping me. Ora was mar in 1909 and lived in Clem, Oregon. McKinley went to Oregon Agricultural College in the fall of 1912-13-14, three terms, returning
Feb 1916.

I kept a boy and girl the first winter McKinley left, to help me care for the work and to be company for me. They both went to school at
Olex. The next fall I rented the place to George as I was getting too restless at home with the children all go I visited that winter with Ora and Carrie Ann. Also went up to Walla Walla to visit brother Henry for a month. In June I went to Reunion and visited in the valley, then came home and packed my things to go to Corvallis to be with McKinley till he finished school. He did not get to finish as he came back to work in
the spring of 1915. I stayed in Corvallis one more winter. Kept Ora's boy Vern to go to his first school. Came to Ora's in June for a month,
then hunted for a house in Arlington b could find none. Visited that summer; went out to Harney county to stay with Leona in October. Came back to Olex Christmas day as Leona had to go to Eugene to doctor.

Rented rooms in Arlington next September and Vern stayed with me that winter for school. Next winter he and his brother Eugene both stayed
with me. We all had the flu in the winter. Next year I was alone, but other girls had rooms in the same house April 1920 I bought a house and lot on comer of "B" Street on hill; was an old house. I fixed it up; papered, put in electric lights, pavement, water-sprinkler, sewer and toilet. Raised a little garden and flowers, which makes me a nice little home Kept two high school girls first winter. Stayed alone quite a lot after that. Went to our Reunion every year except three; 1911 at Springfield, 1913 at Vale, 1918 at Harney.

Am making a scrap-book of our Reunion clippings. I look forward to our Reunion every year and hope to never miss if my health keeps good. May God bless the clan after I have passed away.

Brother Jasper and I are the only ones that are left of the first generation. -- S. E. Crum - Age 70, March 6th 1923. -- Copied "as
is."
Died 25 July 1932, age 79

Copy as written

Spouses/Children:
Jeremiah A. CRUM
 

• Carrie Ann CRUM+
• George Lewis CRUM+
• Willard E. CRUM
• Eugene J. CRUM
• Effie Jane CRUM
• Frank H. CRUM
• Jesse W. CRUM+
• Ora CRUM+
• McKinley CRUM+