150 years in Oregon Territory
150 years in Oregon Territory
1854
The year of Rev. Joe Durgan Sr.
Rev. Joseph E. C. Durgan,,
born N. H. 1789 and wife Nancy Rowland,,,, married 1821 . She was born 1798 New York,, died Fort Vancouver ,Washington. Joe Died 1866, Buried Old City Cemetery.. He Had a former wife Martha M Porter who died in 1820 { NOTE most of the Rowland family were here very early and worked for the Hudson bay Company.Joe was kind of a rebel and did not see things the same as his father did so he managed to get himself kicked out and bannished from the Great Durgin family, As far as his father was concerned he was dead. He changed his name from Durgin to Durgan and left, never to return to the East Coast. He ended up in Fort Vancouver Washington in 1854. His father was Zebulon Durgin Esquire his mother Lettice Stillson.
One of the five sons of J.E.C. Durgan Sr.
In 1854 walked across the plains with nothing but a switch in hand leading a team of oxen and the Durgan wagon train , he was married Katherine Boardwell in what is now Camas Washington, the original owner of Prune Hill..
moved to Cape Horn , and Washougal also lived in Portland for a while,, " moved around a lot of different places"...
Katherine.. born 1848.. on the Tualatin Plains .Washington County Oregon Territory . married LaFayette Durgan.. They had 11 children that lived.. They are in Washougal Cemetery. Great grandfather of Ted L Durgan.He raised 19 children, 11 of his own , and some grand children, and some were nieces and nephews. At one time they all lived in the same house at Cape Horn Washington..
Katherine descends fron Nest Verch Rhys
Princess Nesta was a very remarkable woman. She is sometimes referred to as the "mother of the Irish invasion" since her sons, by various fathers, and her grandsons were the leaders of the invasion. She had, in the course of her eventful life, Had many lovers, two husbands, and many sons and daughters.
Her father is quoted as saying that she had 10 children as a result of her matrimonial escapades, eight sons and two daughters, among them William FitzGerald de Windsor and the Fitzgeralds, The Garretts and the Prendergast's of America.. among others..
Her beauty continued to excite wonder and desire throughout Wales.
In 1849 A Mr. Sherwood was in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and he fell in with a movement being made in the southern part of the State to organize a party for the purpose of going to California (among whom was a gentleman named Durgan), and our subject fitted out an ox team for that purpose. Spring opened up late and Mr. Sherwood was to join the party in three or four weeks.
In the meantime, however, he received a letter from Mr. Durgan saying he was the only one who had not backed out, and for Mr. Sherwood to join him at New York, and they would go via Panama.
Simeon D Durgan,,
Born 1850 .Son of Joe Jr, Crossed the Oregon Trail At age 4: was raised At Fort Vancouver Washington, married Georgianne (Annie) Nye.Lived on the Switzler land claim Portland that his wife inherated then removed to Vancouver Washington ,,. Owned Dairy farm and a pear & Prune Orchard Fort Vancouver Washington,, The Nye family owned most of the water front property along the Columbia River which Annie inherited. Became The Vancouver Ship Yard World War II.. Well known entrepreneur of Clark County Washington where he lived for many years.