|
|
|
|
|
Salem Pioneer Cemetery ~ Matilda Savage
~ part of the Marion County Pioneer Cemeteries of Oregon
Print Friendly Version |
|
Matilda Savage
|
|
| LAST NAME: Savage
|
FIRST NAME: Matilda
|
MIDDLE NAME:
|
NICKNAME:
|
|
| MAIDEN NAME: Purdy
|
AKA 1:
|
AKA 2:
|
AKA 3:
|
|
| TITLE: Mrs.
|
GENDER: F
|
MILITARY:
|
|
| BORN: 16 Jul 1808
|
DIED: 1 Jun 1881
|
BURIED: 3 Jun 1881
|
|
| ETHNICITY:
|
OCCUPATION: Housewife
|
|
| BIRTH PLACE: Pennsylvania
|
|
| DEATH PLACE: Salem, Marion Co., Oregon
|
|
NOTES:
IOOF - Mrs. Matilda Savage, age 72 y's 11 m's 12 d's, born in Pennsylvania, died in Salem of "old age"; Matilda Purdy was the wife of Towner Savage.
1880 OR CENSUS - Matilda Savage, age 71, born in Pa., is enumerated and listed as "mother" in the household of Sam'l L. Holderness and his wife, Hannah.
BIOGRAPHICAL: "Among the descendants of the Marion county pioneers, the name of Savage is legion. Several by this name were of the very early settlers in the valley of Willamette. The name of Savage dates back to the Edict of Nantes, 1685, in an unbroken line. The name of Savage also appears several times on the pages of American history as defenders of our country. The first one of this name that we have a record of is John Savage 1st, whose ancestors fled from France to Ireland at the revocation of Nantes (the Edict of Nantes, 1685). John Savage 2nd, son of John 1st, was born in Londonderry, Ireland, 1707, and died at Salem, Massachusetts, January 27, 1792. He was a sea captain for many years and then followed farming at Pelham, Massachusetts. He was captain of a company of volunteers in the French war of 1758, serving under Colonel Abercrombie and General Bradstreet in the attack upon Fort Frontenac and Ticonderoga. John Savage 2nd had a brother James who served in sea coast defences at Penobscot in 1779. James Savage was born in Ireland and died at Woolwich, Maine. John Savage 2nd married Eleanor Hamilton, daughter of Captain Arthur Hamilton of Scotland, who served under King William at the battle of Boyne, 1690 (Genealogy American History). Children of John 2nd and Eleanor Hamilton were: Edward, born December 30, 1745, who married Mary McNaughton; Daniel, born 1751, and married Mary Parish; Edward and Daniel were both born at Rutland, Massachusetts. Daniel Savage, son of John 2nd, we find mentioned in "American Ancestry" as 1st Lieutenant in Captain Timothy Heald's Company, Colonel Samuel McCob's Regiment. Entered service June 30, 1779; discharged September 25, 1779, on Penobscot expedition. Daniel Savage was born as stated above at Rutland, Massachusetts, 1757. He married Mary, daughter of Josiah Parrish. Mary was born July 7, 1759. Their children were: Lansing, born 1787; Towner, born 1788, who married Matilda Purdy; Israel, Leroy, William, Thankful. Towner Savage, second son of Daniel and Mary Parrish Savage, was born in the state of New York, on March 3, 1801, and died at Salem, Oregon, March 3, 1871.
Matilda, his wife, died at Salem, Oregon, on June 1, 1881. Matilda's maiden name was Purdy. Soon after their marriage, they moved to Ohio and later on to Michigan. A family of eleven children had come to bless their home in the intervening years. About this time news of the generous offer the government was making to all those who would immigrate to the Oregon country, in the way of land grants, helped Mr. Savage to make up his mind to try his luck in the far west. Farms upon which his several sons could settle, formed quite an inducement for making the journey.
April of 1846 finds this family on their way westward, in their covered wagons, with ox teams as motive power. Of this intrepid company were the Edgars, Pollards, Walkers, Fred Geer and others to the number of sixty-five wagons. This party was captained by Oscar Williams and had very little trouble with the Indians. More serious trouble came from this source in the years to follow. This party, of which Towner Savage was a member, were prepared to trade with the redskins and some tribes followed their train for several days at a time, camping with them at night. The only trouble they had with them was their proclivity for stealing everything in sight or could get their hands on. A close watch had to be kept over all the goods of the train as well as the little children and stock. However, at this time the Indians were comparatively friendly. At one time some tobacco was stolen from Mr. Savage's wagon. He complained to the chief about this and asked that he make the guilty party give it up. After a time the chief brought a young Indian to Captain Williams and said the captain would have to make the culprit go and get it. When the fellow was obdurate and Williams thought he would fail in this regard, he pulled out an old-fashioned pepper box pistol and pointed it at the Indian's face. He only laughed at the captain. This was too much, so Williams, knowing better than to shoot the Indian, reached in his wagon for a stout ramrod and catching the savage by the arm, he gave the fellow an awful "lickin," as they called it then, while the rest of the tribe stood about and danced with fiendish glee to see their own man get a beating. After this the thief went outside of the camp and dug up the treasure he had buried and gave it back to Mr. Savage.
The Savage family finally arrived at Salem, Oregon, coming down the Columbia river on rafts, as so many others of the early pioneers had done. For ten days this family camped on North Mill creek, at about the location of Winter street, after their arrival on September 11, 1846, and then moved to another camp, at the Rev. J. L. Parrish place, on what is now North Capital street, and stayed here until November 7. At this time Mr. Savage and Rev. Parrish bought a house that was located on the site afterward chosen for the old woolen mill. This house they cut in two and Mr. Savage moved his half to the donation land claim he had already taken up, on the Silverton road, about four miles out from Salem. In moving this building he had to pass by the venerable oak tree that gave to the race track at the state fairgrounds the name Lone Oak Track. As soon as he made the necessary repairs he moved his family there for the winter and this became his permanent home.
As to politics Mr. Savage was a republican. Part of his family were members of the Methodist Church. Mr. Savage always followed farming. To the union of Towner Savage and his wife Matilda Purdy were born the following children: Lydia, who died as a child. Hannah, who married Samuel Holderness. John, who married Rhoda Pressley, and after her death he married Eleanor Tarrant. Lewis, who married Minerva Connelley. Alfred, who married Lucretia Connelley. Lyman, who married, first, Matilda Stewart; second, Theresa Keene. Surepta, who married, first, Thomas DeHaven; second, Samuel Edwards. Oren G., who married, first, Martha Walk; second, Loretta Johnson. Elizabeth, who married John Crawford. Mortimer R., who married Sarah Murphy."
From: Steeves, Sarah Hunt, BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE OF MARION COUNTY, OREGON, PIONEERS 1840 - 1860, Portland, Oregon, The Berncliff Press, 1927, (Source: G. O. Savage, Salem, Oregon, 1926), pp 65-67
|
|
DEATH CERTIFICATE:
|
|
OBITUARY:
No obituary found
|
|
INSCRIPTION:
Mother
Matilda Savage
Died
June 1, 1881
Aged
72 years, 10 months, 16 days
|
|
SOURCES:
IOOF Register of Burials
1880 OR CENSUS (Marion Co., E. Salem Pct. FA #147)
DAR pg 25
Steeves, BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE, pp 65-67
|
|
CONTACTS:
|
|
| LOT: 075
|
SPACE: 2 NW
|
LONGITUDE:
|
LATITUDE:
|
|
|
|
|
