History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon. Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon

LABAN STILLWELL AND FAMILY                             1859
Data furnished by Wm. B. and Charles E. Stillwell. D.M.C.

     Laban Stillwell, with his wife and children, crossed the plains with an ox team in 1852. They located in Cathlamet near the Columbia river This was then in Oregon but the following year Washington territory was organized and Cathlamet was included in the new territory. Mrs. Stillwell died at her home in Cathlamet and soon after the family moved to Vancouver, Washington territory.
     They moved to Hood River in the fall of 1859. Mr. Stillwell took a claim three miles southwest of the location of the present town of Hood River, in what is now known as the Barrett district.
     He built a log cabin and lived there four years. He died in Portland in 1890, The eldest son, William B. Stillwell made his home with the Joslyn's at White Sal-mon. The Congregational Church at The Dalles was organized in September 1859 and William B. Stillwell, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Joslyn were charter members, so closely were the various settlements united in those days.
     Wm. Stillwell was postmaster in Hood River in l865, and perhaps the following year. The receipts of the office were $12 the first year, the office was located near the present boat landing, in a small building owned by Nathan Benson and the mail came only once a week.
     Mr. Stillwell was probably the second Postmaster at Hood River, Mrs. Martha Benson being the first with the office at her home.
     Mr. Stillwell taught two terms of school in the school house at the south-west corner of Mr. Jenkins place. This was about the year 1864. At one time be traveled to school on snowshoes so that the term must have extended into the winter months. There were less than a dozen families in Hood River at that time so that the attendance could not have been large. Mr. Stillwell was probably the first teacher ever employed in Hood River. Mr. Stillwell bought the "Blissett farm" on Indian Creek. This place was first known as the "Eben Ives place" who sold it to Mr. Blissett, Mr. Stillwell sold it to Mr. Horn, and he sold to Mrs. Hutton. Mr. W.B. Stillwell was married but had no children. He died in Grants Pass in l902.
     The daughter of Laban Stillwell, Julia, married a Mr. Birnie, but was a widow when the family moved to Hood River, She had one son, Richard, who was with her. For a time she worked in the home for Mrs. Coe. In the fall of 1864 she was married to Mr. A.C. Phelps and made her home on Phelps Creek. A son, George, was born at this home in 1869. George Phelps is an engineer on the O.W.R.N. railroad and lives in Portland. Mrs. Julia (Stillwell) Phelps died in The Dalles in 1906. Charles Stillwell, the youngest son, bought the S.B. Ives place at Belmont in 1864 and sold it in 1871 to Mr. John Chipman, who sold it to E.L. Smith in 1876.
     Charles Stillwell now lives at The Dalles with his family.

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