Amelia Davidson LAST NAME: Davidson FIRST NAME: Amelia MIDDLE NAME:  NICKNAME:  MAIDEN NAME: Ament AKA 1:  AKA 2:  AKA 3:  TITLE: Mrs. GENDER: F MILITARY:  BORN: 1 Apr 1799 DIED: 17 Aug 1878 BURIED: 19 Aug 1878 ETHNICITY:   OCCUPATION:  Housewife BIRTH PLACE:   DEATH PLACE: Salem, Marion Co., Oregon NOTES:  "My great grandmother's two older brothers, Albert Franklin Davidson and James Orville Davidson, left their parent's home in Burlington, Iowa in the Spring of 1845, and traveled the Oregon Trail by horseback to the Willamette Valley. They arrived there in the Autumn. That winter Albert toured the Willamette Valley and areas up in Washington State (part of the Oregon Country at that time) His brother disappeared that winter. It was believed that he was murdered as he was carrying considerable money on his person. His horse was found near the present Wheatland Ferry, but there was never any trace of him. In the Spring of 1846 Albert returned to Burlington, Iowa. That winter he gave lectures in Iowa and Illinois on the Oregon Trail and the Oregon Country. This resulted in the Iowa Emigration which came in 1847. Albert's parents, James and Mary Amelia (Ament) Davidson, along with all their children (including my great grandparents, William Swett and Aurelia Ann (Davidson) Barker departed from Burlington, Iowa for the Willamette Valley in April of 1847. They came on the Applegate trail and arrived in Salem, where they settled, on September 30, 1847. James Davidson said, "This is Paradise; I want to live and die right here." And he did. On Albert's 1846 return trip to Iowa, he drew detailed maps of the Oregon Trail in several notebooks. One of these is at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland. Another is in the Collection of Western Americana at Yale University Library." (Mrs. Frances M. Caskey, 1500 SW Spring St., Portland, OR 97201-2340) OBITUARY:  Mrs. Jas. Davidson, aged 80 years, died last evening at 8 o'clock. Funeral on Monday at 10 o'clock from the late residence, corner of Chemeketa and High. Daily Oregon Statesman 18 Aug 1878 3:5. INSCRIPTION:  Unmarked grave. SOURCES:  LR DOS 18 Aug 1878 3:5. CONTACTS:  LOT: 602 SPACE:  LONGITUDE: N 44° 55.163' LATITUDE: W 123° 02.960'