Front matter

CHARLES & NORMAN HINDES

Family History and Story of the Soap Creek Sawmilling and Logging Camp Benton County, Oregon: 1928-1931

1993 Oral History Interview by Bob Zybach

Soap Creek Valley History Project OSU Research Forests Monograph # 14 1996

CHARLES & NORMAN HINDES

Family History and Story of the Soap Creek Sawmilling and Logging Camp Benton County, Oregon: 1928-1931

1993 Oral History Interview by Bob Zybach

Soap Creek Valley History Project OSU Research Forests Monograph # 14 1996

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Soap Creek Valley History Project was initially authorized in 1989 by Dr. William Atkinson, former Director of the OSU Research Forests. The oral history portion of this project remained under Dr. Atkinson's direction until January 1994, when it was assigned to Jeffrey Garver, OSU Research Forests Manager. In December of that year responsibility for the oral histories was given to Ann Rogers, Cultural Resources Manager for OSU Research Forests. Funding for the Soap Creek Valley History Project is provided by the OSU College of Forestry.

Lisa Buschman, former OSU Research Forests secretary, initially transcribed most of the recorded interviews to computer files and assisted with draft editing, formatting, and indexing. Holly Behm Losli, Tami Torres and Md. Shahidul Islam, OSU Research Forests text editors, completed final formatting and indexing under the direction of Pam Beebee, OSU Research Forests Office Manager. This project could not have been completed without the help of these people.

Cover Photo: The cover photo is of the Moore Family farm in the Soap Creek Valley, probably taken by Samuel H. Moore around 1899 or 1900. Provided by the courtesy of Myra Moore Davidson and the Soap Creek Schoolhouse Foundation.

Title Page Photo: Soap Creek Logging and Sawmilling Camp. This mill began operations in 1928 in the present vicinity of the Soap Creek Schoolhouse. Logging and milling operations provided employment for Soap Creek residents before World War II, but the work was irregular and the pay was scanty (Ref: Zybach, Bob. Historic Soap Creek Valley Auto Tour, College of Forestry, Oregon State University, 1989, p:26.).

THE SOAP CREEK VALLEY HISTORY PROJECT

The Soap Creek Valley History Project was undertaken by the Oregon State University's Research Forests in 1989 for the purpose of better understanding the history, ecology, and culture of an area that has been impacted by OSU land management practices for nearly seventy years. An important part of the project has been the location and publications of existing recorded oral history interviews with individuals who have had an influence upon the valley's history. New recordings have also been made with significant individuals who have not been previously consulted, as well as "follow-up" interviews with a few people who have continued to contribute to our understanding of the Soap Creek area.

The publication of these interviews as a series of cross-referenced and indexed monographs has been undertaken in an effort to make them available to resource managers, researchers and educators. An additional use is accurate and accessible references for a planned written history of the area.

One of the primary accomplishments of the Soap Creek Valley History Project has been the creation of a computerized concordance file, currently in IBM Word Perfect 5.1. This was made possible through the assistance and expertise of Bonnie Humphrey, of the former Horner Museum staff, Lisa Buschman, former secretary for the OSU Research Forests, and Holly Behm Losli and Tami Torres, text editor for OSU Research Forests. In 1994, the concordance file was thoroughly tested and redesigned under the direction of Md. Shahidul Islam, currently the publications editor of this project. His refinement of the concordance file now allows for a more efficient and systematic indexing of the monographs in this series. In addition, the system will now be much easier for students, staff and others to use, and will provide a better method for cross-referencing other research materials being used in the construction of a scholarly history of this project

The Soap Creek Valley history is being assembled from the written and spoken words of the people who made it and lived it. The use of the concordance file allows information from the journal entries of botanist David Douglas, the transcribed words of Kalapuyan William Hartless, the spoken memories of pioneer "Grandma" Carter, and the recordings of Charles and Norman Hindes to be systematically searched and organized. The index to this monograph is an example of the applied use of the file.

Citations should mention both the OSU Research Forests and the College of Forestry.

SOAP CREEK VALLEY MAP

Map labels, read from the plate: COLUMBIA RIVER; PACIFIC OCEAN; SNAKE RIVER; Portland; Salem; Corvallis; Eugene; STATE OF OREGON; POLK COUNTY; Dallas; WILLAMETTE RIVER; SOAP CREEK VALLEY; Corvallis; SOAP CREEK LOGGING AND SAWMILLING CAMP, 1928-1931; BENTON COUNTY; N; NOT TO SCALE.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION vii

Part I. September 28, 1993 Interview 1

1. Family History 1

2. From Albany to Kings Valley to Soap Creek 3

3. Lewis & Clark Exposition to Great Depression 5

4. Jack Price and Alvie Govier 7

5. Tampico School, Mrs. Montgomery and the Modrell Family 10

6. Peeling Poles and Horse Logging 13

7. The Vandersantens' Hired Hands 15

8. Albert Zundt, The Rohners, and Agnes Dobrinin 16

9. Lee Brown 18

10. The Town of Tampico 19

11. George Hindes' Farm 20

13. Mrs. Blake, Teacher Extraordinare 23

14. The Griffin Place 23

15. The Vandersanten Place 25

16. The Tillamook Migration - Life with "Julius" 27

Part II. September 28, 1993 Soap Creek Valley Tour 31

A. The Old Mill Site and Ivan Slater 31

B. The Blake Place 34

C. Return to Mill Site 36

D. The Old Sawmill Camp 38

E. The Old Mill Site 41

F. Hindes' Home Site and Local Logging History 43

G. Fishing and Trapping Stories 45

H. The Seabrook's Place 47

I. The Modrell Schoolhouse 49

Appendix A. Charles Hindes' October 11, 1993 Note 51

Appendix B. Family Photos 56

INDEX 69

INTRODUCTION

Charles Hindes: Charles and Norman Hindes.

Charles Hindes: We came to Soap Creek from the McCoy-Burtrom logging and sawmill operation in Kings Valley, Oregon in 1928, just in time to enroll in Tampico School for the 1928-29 school year. Soap Creek school was not in operation at that time. During the summer months, before the economic crash of 1929, and on Saturdays, we carried drinking water to the cutting crew and greased the crossties on the skid road for the horse loggers. With the stock market crash came an almost over night closure of all logging and milling operations. We had no income, no government assistance in any form, and all the young people with new 1928 Model A Fords purchased on credit had them repossessed. The remaining three years (1930-1932) were the most severe of the Depression Years. There are few photographs from this time because people generally couldn't afford to buy cameras or film

Charles Hindes: An accidental encounter with Bob Zybach led to the writing of this oral history. My brother Norman and I, working with Bob and his associates, have endeavored to fill in a blank in Soap Creek Valley history -- and specifically, a two-year period in Soap Creek School chronology -- that had not been previously documented.

Charles Hindes: We dedicate our efforts to as many named individuals as we can remember, and to any un-named residents residing in the McCoy/Burtrom saw mill site in the years 1928-31, and the heirs thereof. We have also mentioned some of the long time residents of the Valley with whom we had contact. When asked by Bob for photographs covering this period of time, neither Norman nor I could remember the family ever having anything by way of a box camera. And definitely after the mill closed, film and the developing thereof was a luxury we could not afford.

Charles Hindes: Although our time at mill/logging camp site was relatively short, it had a pronounced effect on we three boys. Our step-brother, Douglas Gilliam, while not included in the Soap Creek interview, was part of the family and of many of our activities during our stay in Soap Creek Valley.

Charles Hindes: Prior to the stock market crash and start of "The Depression," which culminated in the closing of the mill, we boys had profound learning experiences. When not in school we had numerous household chores, such as carrying water (1/4 mile up hill), cutting winter firewood, etc. We also had some chores related to the logging and mill operation, such as cleaning out the horse barn (six horses deposit a substantial amount of used hay). One job I remember well was carrying water to the timber cutters. As I brought the empty water sacks down to be filled I would bring a bucket of grease and place a dab of grease on every skid (approximately 8' apart) on the skid road to enable the logs to slide with less resistance for the horses. Naturally, inasmuch as I was going up and down the hill at least twice a day, anything the "cutters" needed, such as a new axe or saw, file, or wedge, was added to my uphill trek.

Charles Hindes: We three boys developed a good work ethic as well as an affinity for the logging industry. In addition, we learned many things by observing what to do and what not to do if one intended to be a long-lived logger. The seed was well planted for between the three of us we account for in excess of 75 year logging, milling and log hauling experience without major mishap.

Charles Hindes: When we first arrived in camp, Tampico was the nearest school, so for most of the first year we walked the 3.8 miles each way. After a time, Alvie Govier and his Model T truck with a wooden box built over a bare chassis were brought into serve as a school bus. It was rustic but superior to that 7.6 mile walk rain or shine.

Charles Hindes: For our last two years at the mill site a farm house was secured and Ms. Lottie Blake brought in to teach at what I am lead to believe was the second location of Soap Creek school. The house had been the Modrell home located roughly half way between the McCoy farm home and that of Elmer Govier on the west side of Soap Creek road.

Charles Hindes: When Mrs. Blake entered our lives it denoted a turning point in all our lives, and mine in particular. Her strong point was history , but high school and college education were also high on her list of things to achieve in life. I learned many things from Mrs. Blake (not taught in higher education) of what to do and what not to do for success in education.

Charles Hindes: Earlier I mentioned we dedicated our efforts in this publication to as many individuals and families as we could remember that lived in the camp between the year 1928-31. I wish to modify that statement to read any one still living, after all 1996 is many years after the fact.

Charles Hindes: Charles Hindes Dallas, Oregon March 1996