Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....(Wilson) Burt, Mrs. Ella  
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Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com January 23, 2011, 3:42 pm

Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 759 - 760
Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     MRS. ELLA (WILSON) BURT is one of the worthy pioneer women of Portland, a 
representative of one of the old and honored families that was established in 
this section of the state when Oregon was largely a wild and undeveloped 
region, the seeds of civilization having scarcely been planted in the 
northwest. Her father, W. H. Wilson, was born in Missouri, December 28, 1822, 
and made the long and arduous journey across the plains and over the mountain 
passes to Oregon in the year 1843, traveling with the Applegate party and 
driving a team for Jesse Applegate. The latter made the trip with what was 
called the "cow column" and took up his abode in the fall of 1844 on Salt 
creek, in Polk county, Mr. Wilson becoming a member of his household and 
aiding him in the development of farm property there.

     In October, 1849, Mr. Wilson was united in marriage with Mrs. Hannah 
Dickinson Gilliam, who two years previously had journeyed westward and became 
a pioneer settler of Oregon. She was only fourteen years of age at the time of 
her first marriage and her child of that marriage was but six months old at 
its death. Mrs. Gilliam was a young widow of but sixteen years at the time she 
became the bride of W. H. Wilson, with whom she lived most happily for over a 
half century, their golden wedding being celebrated by their children and many 
friends.

     Those were hazardous days in which the Wilsons met the conditions of 
pioneer life and attempted to establish a home on the frontier. There was not 
only a great amount of labor involved in clearing the land and developing 
crops, but ofttimes the people were in danger on account of the hostility of 
the Indians. On one occasion after Mr. Wilson settled in the Willamette valley 
he had a very narrow escape. A Wasco Indian of the name of Cockstock was hired 
by a negro, Winslow Anderson, to work on his land claim near Oregon City, for 
which he was to receive a horse in payment, but Anderson sold the horse and 
his claim to J. D. Saules, also of the African race. When Cockstock finished 
his contract he went to Anderson to get the horse, but the latter told him it 
and the claim had been sold. Cockstock then attempted to secure the horse from 
Saules, who refused to give it up, saying he knew nothing of the previous 
arrangement. The Indian, however, took the horse, whereupon both negro men 
appealed to Dr. White, who compelled Cockstock to give the animal back. 
Muttered threats of vengeance on the part of the Indian caused Dr. White to 
offer one hundred dollars reward for his arrest, as he felt that bodily harm 
would come to the negroes. On the 4th of March, 1844, Cockstock with four 
Molalla Indians rode into Oregon City, whereupon several white men, desiring 
to obtain the reward, attempted his arrest and in the trouble which ensued Mr. 
Wilson was wounded and George W. LeBreton, clerk and recorder of the 
provisional government, was killed. This resulted in the organization of the 
Oregon Rangers, the first military force officially formed in the Oregon 
country. Mr. Wilson served in the Cayuse war when the soldiers went to the 
Walla Walla country to capture the murderers of Dr. Whitman and he was 
otherwise connected with events which featured in the early history of the 
northwest. Following his marriage to Mrs. Gilliam in 1849 they removed to 
Yoncalla, where Jesse Applegate had secured a claim, and there Mr. Wilson also 
obtained a donation land claim upon which he and his wife made their home 
until after the birth of all of their ten children, of whom the following are 
yet living: Mrs. S. J. Cowan, of Drain; Mrs. H. L. Cook, of Yoncalla; Mrs. 
Mary Brown, living at La Grande; Minnie Wilson, of Drain; Mrs. Ella (Wilson) 
Burt, of Portland; and Will and Joe Wilson, who reside at Yoncalla. John D. 
Wilson, the eldest brother of Mrs. Burt, was born in 1850 and responded to 
President Lincoln's last call for troops to defend the Union in the Civil war, 
being at the time but fifteen years of age. He was made a member of Company K 
of the Oregon Volunteers and was on duty for fifteen months, largely as an 
Indian fighter in Idaho and Montana.

     Like her brothers and sisters, Ella Wilson was born on the old homestead 
farm near Yoncalla and became familiar with every phase of farm life in the 
midst of a frontier region. She knew the pleasures that come with life in the 
open as well as the duties and responsibilities of caring for the home. On the 
7th of April, 1878, she gave her hand in marriage to John Burt, a nephew of 
Jesse Applegate. Mr. Burt was born March 7, 1856, a son of George A. Burt, a 
pioneer settler who traveled across the country by team in 1850 and took up a 
donation land claim in Douglas county, Oregon, near what is now the town of 
Yoncalla. He gave forty acres of his land to assist in the work of 
establishing Yoncalla township. He was a merchant and warehouse man, giving 
his attention more largely to commercial pursuits than to farming. At the time 
of his death he was serving as mayor of Yoncalla, a position which he had 
occupied for many years. His wife bore the maiden name of Ellen Applegate and 
was a daughter of Charles Applegate, a brother of Jesse Applegate.

     John Burt, son of George A. Burt, was educated in the schools of Douglas 
county, early became familiar with the occupation of farming and continued to 
devote his attention to agricultural pursuits until his demise, which occurred 
in 1888. John and Ella (Wilson) Burt became the parents of four children, of 
whom the eldest died at birth, while Ronald C., who had been with the Crystal 
Ice & Storage Company of Portland at intervals for many years, passed away in 
December, 1923. Pearl became the wife of Robert Harvey, and they have three 
children: Ethea Fontelle and Isabelle. George W. is now vice president of the 
Western Dairy Products Company of Portland.

    The death of John Burt occurred four decades ago, but Mrs. Burt is still 
living, making her home in Portland, where all who know her treasure her 
friendship, entertaining for her the kindliest regard because of the many 
sterling traits of character which she has always displayed.

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