bhfacts.html

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., May 6, 1937, page 5

PIONEER FACTS ON SPRING CREEK AREA ARE CHRONICLED
T.D. Adams, Former Resident of District, Now Residing in Newberg, Oregon,
Tells of Early Day History for Benefit of Pioneer Association of Valley

The following letter, replete with interesting pioneer facts concerning the Spring creek district, was written by T.D. Adams of Newberg, Oregon, in answer to a request by his nephew, R.E. Adams, for the Klickitat Valley Pioneer Association:

In regard to the churches of the Spring creek district: when we came in 1873, your grandfather Short and Thomas Harper (do not recall middle name) were holding regular appointments in the old Spring creek school house. They either organized a missionary Baptist church before we came or just following.
Grandfather Jacob Adams was a deacon in this church. It flourished for over five years or until after grandfather's death March 28, 1879.
Among its members were grandma, Jacob Short and wife, J.W. Jackson, Uncle Harrison Adams and wife, Uncle Ab and Aunt Ann, mother, sisters Oleva and Mary, several of the Harpers and J.A. Stout and wife.
They baptized at several points on Uncle Harrison's place (now Frank Campbell's property) at one time as many as nine, including two or three of the Stumps. J.W. Jackson and Sister Oleva were baptized just below the junction of the two creeks. Sister Mary and Mary Morris at Campbell's spring, it being slightly dammed for that purpose.
After grandpa's death, but church scattered and the organization disbanded. It contained some that were more Methodist than Baptist - some joined or worked with the M.E.'s.
Some afterwards when to the Campbellites (some of the Stumps and Bennetts, Meril Short and wife. Meril Short (Pony) wished to preach but the church never licensed him to my knowledge. However, some of the young people urged him for their amusement to preach. I have heard Brother Ed say that he knew "Pony" was called to preach for he helped call him.
However, after moving away, he continued to preach. By the way, he was one of the first settlers of Klickitat and also a Yakima Indian War veteran, the same as my father.
The anti-mission Baptists did not organize until after a grandpa's death. This was in 1879. They held one Sunday each month and Elder James Bullack was their main preacher. He was a very able and good man.
They also had regular meetings at the Number 6. Among their members were Dr. Lee, some of the Hartleys, Clymber and Flannery of Number Six, Bill and James Gilmore, Samuel Darland and wife, Chaney and wife, and Will Hess and wife. They developed Hess and Gilmore as preachers.
They must have flourished for ten or fifteen years. Hugh Calwell was preaching for the Methodists when we came. He had afterwards joined the Cumberland Presbyterians and then the Congregationalist. A warm hearted Irishman, full of fight, politics, but a very talented speaker was Calwell.
He had us live in his house west of the old Blockhouse the first winter we were there, 1873-4, before we built in the spring of 1874.
In regard to the school, I understand Mrs. J.A. Stout (first wife) taught the first school on Spring creek two years before we came in 1871. The first school district was at Rockland where the county seat was first located. The second was at Bingen, the third at Chamberlin Flat, the fourth 1¼ miles east of Goldendale, the fifth at Spring creek and the sixth at Number Six, about eight miles west of Goldendale.
It has been my pleasure to teach school at the first old schoolhouse of Number Two, Number Four and Number Five. When we came, and for some time before, meetings were held and schoolhouses.
The Goldendale district, Number Seven, had a small schoolhouse close to the northwest corner of the Trost Lumber yard above the overflow waters of the Little Klickitat. Just before below and north of this is where they used to have camp meetings and celebrations among the balm and other low trees.
Sometimes these camp meetings were attended by a large number of Yakima Indians under the influence of Father Wilber, their agent.
The first church house was built by the Methodist at Goldendale some time after we came.
I cannot tell you who is the oldest resident of Klickitat but can name several of the first settlers. I will try and write more fully later. I am enclosing my map of Spring creek in 1880.