A.. The Mennonite Camp

January 6, 1990 Tour

A. The Mennonite Camp

Bob Zybach: Why don't we start recording now then? We're at Stop 1' on the tour and Gene can you tell me where the Mennonite Camp was located, what you were told?

Eugene Glender: Well, as far as I know it was right up this road off to the right when I ... first time I ever saw it there wasn't even no buildings left. All you could see was just indents and stuff where they were and their orchards.

Bob Zybach: Were the orchards planted by the Mennonites?

Eugene Glender: As far as I know they were.

Bob Zybach: Can you tell me about what year you saw that?

Eugene Glender: Oh, that was in '40's.

Bob Zybach: Did you ever hear any stories about the Mennonites?

Eugene Glender: No.2

Bob Zybach: How do you know Mennonites were there?

Eugene Glender: My folks told me.

Bob Zybach: Can you recall any stories or any other things about the Mennonites?

Eugene Glender: No, that's all I know is that they lived there and they couldn't ... there wasn't enough to make a living so they starved out and left.

Bob Zybach: Did your folks tell you about what year that was about?

Eugene Glender: No.

Bob Zybach: Okay, so you went there in the 1920's and looked over there at it?

Eugene Glender: No, the 1920's was when I was born. In 1923.

Bob Zybach: 1930's?

1 Zybach, Bob. 1989. Historic Soap Creek Valley Auto Tour, Oregon State University Research Forests. 3lpp.

2 In a later discussion in July 1994, Gene recalls his father telling him that the Mennonites had renamed Savage Creekname for 1846 Applegate Trail Pioneer, Morgan Savageto the "South Fork" of Berry Creek because it sounded more "civilized."

Eugene Glender: That would have been '40's.

Bob Zybach: Okay, so you were here after Camp Adair went in and came over here and checked it out?

Eugene Glender: Yeah.

Bob Zybach: Okay. Where did [John] Smith live?

Eugene Glender: Just across on the other side of Berry Creek from here on the right ... the left hand side of the road.

Bob Zybach: In that the house that's still there?

Eugene Glender: Yeah. Well, I don't know if there's a house there anymore, right there where those buildings are.

Bob Zybach: On the left there is.

Eugene Glender: Yeah, that was John Smith.

Bob Zybach: Oh, John Smith, that's the building he lived in.

Eugene Glender: Yeah.

Bob Zybach: Before that he was in the military.

Eugene Glender: Oh.

Bob Zybach: What can you remember about John Smith?

Eugene Glender: Oh, he was just one of the old timers around here.

Bob Zybach: Did he have a wfe and kids?

Eugene Glender: I don't really know. I never did know him very well, I just seen him a couple of times.

Jan Meranda: [Jan] And he was old?

Eugene Glender: Yeah.

Bob Zybach: Did he have a reputation as a historian or anything?

Eugene Glender: Well, he could have told you anything about this country if you could have talked to him.

Jan Meranda: [Jan] Do you have any idea if he was related to Green Beny [Smith]?

Eugene Glender: Oh, yeah, he was either a grandson or his

Jan Meranda: [Jan] That's what I warned to

Eugene Glender: Yeah, he was related some way. Whether he was his boy or just a relation, I don't know.