Charles Calvert LAST NAME: Calvert FIRST NAME: Charles MIDDLE NAME:  NICKNAME:  MAIDEN NAME:  AKA 1:  AKA 2:  AKA 3:  TITLE: Mr. GENDER: M MILITARY: Indian War BORN: abt 1835 DIED: 4 Sep 1911 BURIED: 6 Sep 1911 ETHNICITY:   OCCUPATION:  Miner, teamster, merchant, census enumerator BIRTH PLACE:  England DEATH PLACE: Salem, Marion Co., Oregon NOTES:  OSBH DC (Marion County 1911) #2751- Charles Calvert, male, merchant, married, b. Illinois, d. Sept. 4, 1911 in Salem, Oregon (280 High St.) at the age of age 72 years, interment 6 Sep, undertaker Rigdon, informant: M. S. Skiff; Rigdon - Charles Calvert, d. Sept. 4, 1911, age 72, at 280 N. High St., Salem, Oregon, merchant, Baptist, funeral ordered by estate, Mark Skiff signed, burial to be in IOOF cemetery. 1895 CENSUS, Vol. 1, pg. 90: C. Calvert, b. England, 5' 8" tall, 130 lbs, light complexion, Protestant, male, voter, age 60. BIOGRAPHICAL: OLD TIME INDIAN WAR VETERAN TELLS OF SALEM PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. --  One of the survivors of the Oregon Indian Wars and an old-time Salemite believes that this city is going to be one of the large cities of the country. Charles Calvert, of 1563 Asylum avenue, when interviewed by a representative of the Statesman, gave an interesting account of the early times in Western Oregon and of his settling in Salem. "When a lad," said Mr. Calvert, "I left my home in Illinois and started westward on the back of a pony. I was with the John W. Bell party, who were going into the then far west in search of a new home. On the 21st of March, 1851, we crossed the Missouri river and struck out into the unknown beyond. To tell of that long trip with all of its hardships would take volumes and then again it was just as many another party had experienced and of which has often been written. It took us six months before we reached the state [Territory] of Oregon, and in October of 1851, we landed in Oregon City. During the winter of '52. I left Oregon City for Jacksonville and it was on this trip that the big snow of Western Oregon happened. It would seem strange to the people of Salem who are used to the mild winter weather to have been in the Willamette valley that year. The travel was intense and snow had fallen to the depth of two feet. On the trip to Jacksonville my brother, who was with me, and myself had many brushes with the Indians and only escaped because we had the better horses. After a hard time at the mines, which we had located at Jacksonville, we started back towards Oregon City and safely landed there in 1855. In the fall of 1855 I hired out to Col. Ruckle to drive the government supply team up to the Cascades. Altogether three months was occupied in making this trip and it was at this time that the Indian massacre of 1855 took place. We made our way back toward Portland as best we could. A boat had been sent out from Portland to meet us as the news of the raid had reached the authorities at that place and we were conveyed by steamer into the city. From Portland we went on to Oregon City where a call was made for volunteers. I enlisted and was assigned to company E, second battalion Oregon Volunteers under Captain Carson and went back to Portland to be mustered into service. We started out from Portland under command of General Woods and went up the river to The Dalles. From there we took the trail after the Indians. It was in this campaign of 100 days that Captain Bennett was killed at Tuecha in the spring of 1856. Never will I forget the four days' fight we had with the red skins over the barren hills near the Cascades. At the expiration of our 100 days' service myself and four other men joined the government pay train that was about to make the trip to Walla Walla. Several Nez Perce Indians who were friendly to the government accompanied the train on its journey. The long weary drive was beset with dangers as we had to be ever on the alert as the country was infested with many bands of hostile tribes and we had several running fights with the red devils who were bent on stampeeding our teams and robbing the wagons. We reached the government station safely however, and stayed there about a week before returning. One of the greatest sights I ever saw was while near Walla Walla. A band of 400 Nes Perce braves in all the splendor of their bright-hued blankets and headgear came past our camp in a file six abreast and on reaching a point directly opposite us divided ranks and spread out in an immense circle and went through curious and fantastical maneuvers for our entertainment. The Nez Perce Indians were the finest body of men I have ever seen, tall and of exceedingly well proportioned bodies. The Nez Perce tribe are the brightest and readily acquired the ways and costumes of the Americans. One morning while some of us boys were singing out of an old hymn book I felt a pair of big brown arms go around my neck and a rich voice join in with the song. On looking around I beheld one of the braves and asked where he had learned to sing and he replied that he had been taught to speak English in Washington, D.C. After my return from Walla Walla to Portland I went to Oregon City where I stayed until the year of 1863 during which year I came to Salem to live. When I first came to Salem there was not much here to speak of except the hunting was the best I ever had. Why, down where the depot now stands you could point your gun in any direction and blaze away and always bag a duck, and if you wanted a deer all you had to do was to go a few steps beyond where the Asylum now stands and you would find plenty. The growth of the city was very slow at first. One would hardly notice any advancement in population or enterprise of any kind, but in later years Salem took a start and has been forging ahead with rapid strides ever since. Where the fine and substantial store buildings and modern dwellings now stand were thickly covered with trees and our well paved streets were nothing but dusty and winding lanes. Seven yeas ago I was one of the enumerators of the city and that time the census showed a total of 14,400 people. At that time out in this neighborhood there were only one or two houses besides my own north of the creek; now look at the hundreds of homes that have been erected out here in the last few years. They talk about Salem's population is between 20,000 and 23,000 that I would be willing to wager all I possess on that statement." Mr. Calvert says that back of his place is where the first compass was planted in Oregon. It is between the Parish and Waller plots and right beside the big oak tree at the corner of Hendrick's Addition. Mr. Calvert is a very interesting talker and is well posted on the past and present of Western Oregon's development and political life. Mr. Calvert was married to Miss Martha A. Smith of Lake Labish, daughter of J. J. Smith. Five daughters are the result of this union all of whom are now living in Salem. The Calvert home is one of the many beautiful spots of the city, being a large house surrounded by a fine lawn and many shade and fruit trees where Mr. and Mrs. Calvert can sit back and take the balance of life easy, listening in the merry talk and laughter of their children and grandchildren.  Daily Oregon Statesman, June 27, 1909, 1:1-2.  PHOTOGRAPH NOTES - The original of the photograph of Charles Calvert is held by the 1st Baptist Church, Salem, and is shown here with their permission. OBITUARY:  END COMES TO AN HONORED PIONEER -- Charles Calvert Came to Oregon in 1851 --  Was County Treasurer Here.  At 5:15 p.m. yesterday Charles Calvert passed from this life, aged 72 years, thus causing another blank on the roll of honored pioneer citizens of Salem and Marion county. Deceased came to Oregon in 1851, arriving at Oregon City, where he remained until the following spring, when he went to the southern part of the state and engaged in mining until trouble with the Indians. Shortly after this trouble was quieted he returned to the Willamette valley and winter at Oregon City. The desire to engage in the hunt for gold still retained a hold on him and he went back to mining in the spring of 1853, where he stayed for over a year. Later he came back to Oregon City, and in the fall of 1855, when the Indian war broke out in eastern Oregon, he accepted the position of driving a government team to the Cascades, hauling provisions and ammunition for the soldiers.  Enlists as Soldier.  Returning to Oregon City in 1856 he enlisted in Company B., Second Battalion of Oregon Volunteers, and was one to help protect the country from the attacks of the Indians. Receiving an honorable discharge he again worked as a teamster for the government, taking supplies from The Dalles to the Nez Perce country. Later he returned to Oregon City and went to work for Charman & Wrne, merchants. In 1863 he moved to Marion county and engaged in the mercantile business at Waconda, near what is now the town of Gervais. On March 17, 1864, he and Martha A. Smith were united in marriage. They came to Salem in 1868, where they have since resided. For four years in the early '70s he served as county treasurer of Marion county, after which he engaged in the millinery business, conducting it for some time.  Those He Leaves.  He is survived by his wife and five children, the latter being Mrs. F. S. Craig, Mrs. M. S. Skiff, Mrs. Etta Kneeves, Miss Jennie Calvert and Mrs. Lowell Tweedale. During the past two years Mr. Calvert was a resident of Nye Creek, as suburb of Newport, going there on account of climate being more beneficial to his health, which had been considerably impaired for some time. About three months ago his physical condition began to fail owing to a server attack of la grippe and for the past three weeks his suffering was intense. Last Tuesday he was brought to Salem for treatment. He was a charter member of Protection Lodge, A. O. U. W., and also a member of the First Baptist church of this city. The funeral will be conducted at the Baptist church on Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock.  Oregon Statesman, Sept. 5, 1911, 7:5. FUNERAL SERVICES HELD --  Funeral services over the remains [missing line of type] of the Indian wars, were held yesterday at the First Baptist church at 3 p.m. Members of the local camp of Indian war veterans were present to do last honors to their departed comrade. The casket was open and the remains were on view at the Dr. M. S. Skiff residence up to two o'clock. The casket was taken to the church where the funeral services were conducted. Many flowers were in evidence. The service was attended by a large number of relatives and friends. Interment was made in the I.O.O.F cemetery. Rev. Tapscott conducted the services.  Oregon Statesman, Sept. 7, 1911, 5:3 LARGE GATHERING PAYS TRIBUTE TO MEMORY --  Funeral of Late Charles Calvert Attended by Many --  Impressive Service.  A large gathering of people paid their last respects to the memory of the late Charles Calvert on Wednesday afternoon. The funeral service was conducted by Rev. W. T. Tapscott and was held in the Baptist church, which had been beautifully decorated for the occasion. The floral offerings were many and artistic in design. The quartet, under the leadership of Miss Magers, sang as anthems "Nearer My God to Thee" and "He Shall Give His Angels Charge," also two hymns, "Shall We Gather" and "Asleep in Jesus." The singing was rendered with peculiar power and impressiveness. Deceased had been for over fifty years a resident of Oregon. For thirty-five years he had been a consistent member of the Baptist church, and for the greater part of that time an honored deacon. He served his country in military service during the Indian wars; he served also as treasurer of Marion county, and in each capacity as well as in his own mercantile business, he served with faithfulness and efficiency.  Oregon Statesman, Sept. 8, 1911, 3:1. INSCRIPTION:  Charles Calvert  1839 - 1911  Father SOURCES:  LD  IOOF Register of Burials  OSBH DC (Marion County 1911) #2751  1895 Census, pg 90  Rigdon records, Vol. ?, #512  S&H pg 15  OS 27 Jun 1909 1:1-2  OS 5 Sep 1911 7:5  OS 7 Sep 1911 5:3  OS 8 Sep 1911 3:1 CONTACTS:  LOT: 166 SPACE: 1 SW S½ LONGITUDE:  LATITUDE:  IMAGES: