Mrs. Miriam L. Colvin lives at Gold Beach in Curry County. When I interviewed her recently she said: "I was born on the plains while my folks were on the road to California in 1850. My father, John (sic) Dougherty, was born in Indiana. My mother's maiden name was Lydia Rickard. My folks settled at Sacremento, but Mother did not like it there; so they came to Astoria on the Emily Farnham, on which Captain William Tichenor had command."

It is interesting in this connection to note that Captain Tichenor, who was born in New Jersey on January 13, 1813, and died at San Francisco on July 28, 1887, was the founder of Port Orford. Captain Tichenor was commander of the Sea Gull, plying between San Francisco and Portland in 1850. He enlisted a company of men in June, 1851 to found Port Orford. Captain Tichenor was given his branch as Columbia bar pilot by Governor Gaines. He was among the first pilots to be appointed at the mouth of the Columbia River.

"We moved to Dougherty Slough, in Tillamook County, when I was a little tot," Said Mrs. Colvin. "My mother died when I was 7 years old. I was taken by Mr. and Mrs. John Frazier, who had a farm on Salt Creek. I lived with the Fraziers for two years. At that time Father had rented a farm from Caleb Woods, whose son, George L. Woods later became governor of Oregon. Caleb Woods crossed the plains to Oregon in 1847 and took up a donation land claim in Yamhill County. I stayed on the Woods farm from the time I was 11 till I was 13 years old, when I went to work in the home of Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Young at Lafayette. Dr. Young came with his folks across the plains in 1850. In 1862 he married Cecelia M. Spencer, daughter of the Rev. John Spencer, a Methodist minister. The Spencers came to Oregon in 1852. Dr. Young served as coroner of Yamhill County for some years.

"After working for awhile at the home of Dr. Young I got a job in East Portland. Meanwhile Father had gone east of the mountains and had bought a place on Birch Creek , about 12 miles south of Pendleton. He wanted me to come up there and keep house for him; so I went up there and kept house for Father for about a year, till he sold his place. We came down to Curry County and Father rented a place from Joe Nay on Elk Creek. Joe Nay ran a sawmill and handled Port Orford cedar. He hauled his lumber to Port Orford, where it was shipped to San Francisco.

"I was married in February, 1867, when I was 17 years old, to Henry Colvin. He was 20 years older than I. He was a gunsmith, blacksmith and carpenter. We moved to Ellensburg, Or., on what was known as Gold Beach. Ellensburg was the county seat of Curry County, and it still is, though its name was changed to Gold Beach a long time ago. There were several communities along the beach here when the beach mines were being worked. Port Orford had five or six hotels, quite a number of stores and several saloons. Then there was a camp known as Hogstown and Elizabethtown. Ellensburg was named for Ellen Tichenor, daughter of Captain William Tichenor. Among the first merchants at Ellensburg were Gus and John Upton, and Huntley & O'Brien. The goods for Ellensburg were brought here from Crescent City, Cal., on a sloop called the Rambler, which brought up goods from San Francisco. F.H. Pratt of Ellensburg ran a pack train between Crescent City and Gold Beach. The Curry County Post, which was started in Port Orford by J.H. Upton, was moved to Ellensburg in the summer of 1880. A.F. Myers started a salmon fishery at Ellensburg in 1857. R.D. Hume bought him out. The Macleay estated now owns the cannery.

"About 50 years ago we moved from Ellensburg to Hunter Creek. When I was married, 65 years ago, the trade of gunsmith was a good business, for there was a sight of elk and deer here, and you didn't have to be much of a hunter to get all the deer a body could eat.

"My son Henry lives here with me. Henry was born on May 13, 1868. My daughter Laura married Ed Dye. She is also here at Gold Beach. My son Lewis is janitor of the school at Waldport. Lydia, who married James Olson, is dead. Mary lives at Lakeview, Or. Her first husband, Fred Spangenberg, is dead. After his death, she married Ed Boyle. My next child, George, is dead. Frank lives here at Gold Beach. Ellen, now Mrs. Thomas Johnson, lives at Harbor City, Or. Clara, now Mrs. Frank Bower [Bauer], lives at Eugene. Dave lives at Sausilito, Cal. My husband died 12 years ago.

"I hear my son Henry coming in. He can tell you about the early days here, for he was born in this county nearly 64 years ago." I went into the front room, where Henry had just come in, and in answer to my questions he said:

"Yes, Mother is right. I was born about a quarter of a mile from here on what is now known as the Gibson place, on May 13, 1868. I didn't get much schooling, because in those days schools were few and far between. R.D. Hume gave me my first job. He operated the salmon cannery here. He paid 20 cents each for Chinook salmon. For awhile I worked for him by the month. He paid $40 to $45 a month, particularly when silversides were running. I have seen 2200 silversides seined in one haul. At his request he was buried at Wedderburn. The approach of the new $600,000 bridge is located where he was once buried. Mr. Hume's wife moved his body to San Francisco years ago.

"In 1883 I went to sea. I worked in the engine room on steamers running between Portland and San Francisco. While operating a gas boat, the Randolph, we were capsized on the Bandon bar. There were six of us. Three of the men aboard were drowned. Norr (Knorr), a druggist from Gold Beach, was drowned. McCormic of Bandon, one of the owners of the boat, was drowned, and Cox, also of Bandon, was drowned. Chauncey Carpenter swam ashore. Charley Anderson, the captain of the boat, and I were rescued by the life-saving crew. They chopped a hole through the hull of the boat and took us out.

"I used to hunt elk and deer and also sea otters. I have killed 10 sea otters, getting $100 to $150 for each skin."