FOUND IN ESTESS FAMILY TREE
S/o Joseph Smelcer and Jane H Killen
FOUND IN ESTES FAMILY TREE
This story is from an article in the Walla Walla Union Bulletin, Walla Walla
Washington, Dated Sunday, March 11, 1945
Mrs. Blachly Holds Records
Unique and rare, indeed, from an historical point of- view, are the
distinctions that Mrs. Nellie Blachly (Nellie Estes Smelcer) of Pomeroy can lay
claim to.
Being the first white child born in what is now Garfield county is but one of
them. She participated in the pioneering period when life in the section was
as primitive as it was when earlier immigrants settled in older sections, like
Walla Walla.
Parents Among First
Both of Mrs. Blachly's parents has imgrated to the "Oregon Country" by 1853.
Her father, who was Dr. Newton Estes, had crossed the plains with the "49 gold
rugh from Missouri. Later, he participated in the famous Rogue river war. In
the hunt for the chief of the enemy's forces, Dr. Estes got the chief's
peacepipe and tommyhawk.
The mother, who was Amanda Jones, crossed the plains in a covered wagon in
1852, and settled in the Willamette Valley. Dr. Estes settled on the Deadman,
a few miles from where Pomeroy later founded, in 1869. Nellie Estes was born
in May of 1872 on the home place. Consequently, she has lived in one county 73
years, which is another mark for pioneers to shoot at.
Cookstoves Came Later
During the early years of the family's existence on the Deadman, life was
primitive, conveniences were crude and inadequate. Mrs. Blachly was a
good-sized girl before she even saw a cookstove. The first home was a log
cabin, and a fireplace provided the heat. Likewise, the fireplace served as a
place to prepare the meals, in the frontier fashion.
Walla Walla Trip Hard
Mrs. Blachly relates that provisions had to be obtained in Walla Walla, and
that was a trip that required the best part of two weeks. Food was frequently
scarce, and often the principal store food items that could be obtained
consisted of tea, coffee, syrup and dark flour.
In First School
In an interview at her home on High Street in Pomeroy, she recalled that she
attended the first school ever held in Garfield county. The school house that
I refer to now stands on the yard herein Pomeroy next to the place where I
live. It has been remodelled into living quaters.
"The Methodist and Catholic churches were the first to be established in the
county, and I joined the Methodists when I was eight years old, which was 65
years ago.
"When I was five years old the Nez Perce Indians went on the warpath killing
some settlers. The women and children of this section were taken to Dayton for
greater security. We left under cover of darkness, and traveled all night and
until noon the next day. Travel was difficult, mostly over trails. The mail
stage had just come in at Dayton from Lewiston with a little girl. The Indians
were said to have cut her tongue out after killing the parents. After we
returned to Pomeroy we remained in constant fear of the Indians for some time.
Uncle Started Orchard
"My Uncle, George Miller, planted the first peach orchard in the county.
This was on Snake River bar, two miles above Central ferry bridge. His son,
Chester F. Miller, was superior judge for 16 years, and died in office. He was
a veteran of the Spanish-American war.
"I have been a smember of the Rebekah lodge 55 years."
On March 5, 1888, she was married in the old home to Charles C. Smelcer.
There too, in the home where she was born, she gave birth to her first child.
She has three children: Lemuel Smelcer, Durkee, Ore.; Clifford Smelcer, Baker,
Ore.; Mrs. Ed White, Medical Springs, ORegon.