Additionally, according to
this tax
record from 1895, Charles owned another 80 acres.
25 of them were cultivated, the rest supported 3
cattle (probably cows) and 50 sheep and goats. The
approximate area is shaded blue above. Though
Charles owned at least these two tracts, the house where Elmer was born
was in all likelihood on the upper tract, which
bordered Butte Creek.
Three facts supporting we have the correct location:
1. Elmer
wrote on his 1942 draft card that he was born in Butte Creek, so we might
surmise it was on the farm that actually included
Butte Creek. This information would have come to him from
his father, since Elmer was only two or three years
old when the
Osterhoudt family moved.
2. Luella Dicken (formerly Luella Osterhoudt) owned a tract on the 1929 map where
Charles Osterhoudt had mortgaged a farm in 1887.
3. In the 1900 Census, the Dicken household was the
next dwelling in order of visitation after the
Charles Osterhoudt household, so
the two families lived in close proximity to each other. The Dicken
property at the time was where the small triangle
with the number
"29" is shown on the map. Somewhere in the pink shaded area on the
1937 map was the Osterhoudt farmhouse.
About 22 miles to the Southwest was the farm of
Charles' older brother, Hiram D.
Osterhoudt. Hiram died on June 8,
1900, leaving his farm to his son Edwin and two
daughters, Allie G. Farnham and Mary A. Sweet. The
estate was valued at $5000. Allie was
the only one who actually lived in Marion County,
so on October 17, 1900,
Edwin sold his share to Allie for $750.
Edwin was divorced but he must have gotten
re-married, because The Daily Journal,
July 13, 1901, and The Weekly Oregon Statesman,
January 14, 1902, report that Mary sued Edwin and
his wife, as well as Allie. Edwin had borrowed $2000
from his father in 1897, and was indebted to the
estate. Mary wanted the tract of 267 acres to be
partitioned accordingly. It was reported on January
24, 1902 that the property had been "distributed
among the rightful heirs."
On the
1929 Metsker map, Allie Farnham still owned the
farm, though the acreage seems to be reduced.
A tax assessment from 1895 shows Hiram had 267
acres of land, 100 of which were cultivated. He also
had 72 sheep and goats, 3 horses, farm implements,
$50 worth of household goods, and $300 cash.
Apparently, houses and barns weren't listed
directly, but he had $400 of "improvements" on the land.
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