Salem Pioneer Cemetery ~ Helen A. Dearborn ~ part of the Marion County Pioneer Cemeteries of Oregon
Helen A. Dearborn
LAST NAME: Dearborn FIRST NAME: Helen MIDDLE NAME: A. NICKNAME: 
MAIDEN NAME: Flint AKA 1:  AKA 2:  AKA 3: 
TITLE:  GENDER: F MILITARY: 
BORN: 30 Sep 1842 DIED: 29 Nov 1919 BURIED: 2 Dec 1919
ETHNICITY:   OCCUPATION:  
BIRTH PLACE:  Reading, Massachusetts
DEATH PLACE: Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon
NOTES: 
Sunday, July 27 -- Mr. A. R. Flint and Mrs. R. H. Dearborn returned Friday evening from their recent visit East. 
Weekly Oregon Statesman Aug 1, 1884 1:8. 

BIOGRAPHICAL:
The offical records of the U.S. Postal service don't recognize the facts, but Salem at one time had a femal postmaster (or postmistress) and her name was Helen Dearborn.
She was the widow of Richard H. Dearborn, who had been appointed by President Grover Cleveland just four days before Benjamin Harrison, a Republican, became president.  Dearborn had been a Democrat.
Dearborn died at the age of 57 on August 29, 1889, after a long affliction of "dropsical nature," (fluids in the pleural regions).  He had come to Oregon from Indiana in 1853 and married Helen A. Funt [Flint] in 1859 in Roseburg.  When he moved to Salem, he became involved in many community and state activities.  The newspaper said Dearborn was "true hearted, faithful, manly, honest without an enemy."
The widow, mother of five, was appointed postmaster by seven "Bondsmen" who happened to be Republicans.  It was "a graceful act, to which there is not a doubt the people will say, 'well done,'" the newspaper wrote.
It was not until December 20, 1889, that President Harrison appointed Andrew N. Gilbert as Salem's postmaster. That meant that Helen A. Dearborn hled the position for 113 days.
But her picture is not among those on display now will all postmansters at the main office on 25th Street SE.
Source - Marion County History, Vol. XV, pg 60
OBITUARY: 
SERVICES HELD YESTERDAY for MRS. HELEN DEARBORN
Services for the late Mrs. Helen Dearborn were held yesterday afternoon at the grave in Odd Fellows cemetery immediately after the arrival from Portland of the body on the 1 o'clock Oregon Electric train. 
Mrs. Dearborn who is a well known pioneer resident of Salem, died in Portland Friday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Scott Bozorth at the age of 77 years. 
Rev. R. N. Avison assisted by Rev. G. L. Spaulding conducted a short service at the grave. The pallbearers were R. J. Hendricks, Frank Hughes, R. P. Boise, Joseph H. Albert, Hal Patton and A. A. Lee. 
Oregon Statesman (Tues) 2 Dec 1919.
INSCRIPTION: 
SOURCES: 
OSBH DC (Portland 1919) #3094 
WOS 1 Aug 1884 1:8
OS 2 Dec 1919
CONTACTS: 
LOT: 011 SPACE: 2 SW LONGITUDE:  LATITUDE: