In the back the old family diary: "James Pike son of William & Lydia Pike was born on the 25th day of December 1822." We have learned that James Pike was born in Adair Co., Kentucky and raised in Hancock Co., Illinois. He married Mary Troxell 11 Jun 1845 at Rock Creek, Keokuk Co., Iowa. In the spring of 1852 they set out for Texas to join his cousin, Joe Hardin, near Dallas. For some reason they decided to move again in 1854 and headed west to California; removing to Douglas Co., Oregon the next year where James took up an Oregon Donation Land Claim. Even with that, they didn't stay put but moved down to the Columbia River area in eastern Oregon, and eventually back over to western Oregon. My Aunt Wilma (Savage) Maxwell once told me that her grandmother told her "We was like a band of Gypsies."
1895 Nov 26: DAILY EUGENE GUARD, p 1, col 3: DIED - At his home near Isabel, Oregon, November 25, 1895, James Pike, aged 73 years. Deceased was born in Hancock County, Illinois, and removed to California in 1852, coming to Oregon the next year, where he has since resided. He leaves three married daughters. The funeral will be held tomorrow, November 27, at 11 a.m., and remains interred in the Baxter cemetery.
Note: The town of Isabel, Oregon, is now called Marcola. Baxter Cemetery is now Mohawk Cemetery also called the Marcola Cemetery.
