* George Durgan was born in 1871 in Clark County Washington. He died on
14 Oct 1942 in Clackamas, Oregon. George Durgan is the great-grandson of
Christiana Pendergass and the Prendergasts of Ireland. and a direct descendent
of Strongbow the invader..
GEORGE DURGAN : Oregon Death Index, 1903-70
Name: Durgan ,
George: County: Clackamas Death Date: Oct.14, 1942 George
Durgan-: Born In the sticks of Clark County Washington. Raised in the sticks,
Lived in the sticks,, Always made Do with what he Had.. Never had electricity
Until he was 60 years Old.. Was a horse farmer raised horses.
"Cape Horn Washington around the turn of the Century" George Durgan
loads a wagon with every thing he owns and heads for an Island in the Columbia
River ( Reed Island) .
Here he has a big cedar raft anchored ,he goes
aboard the raft with his wife and child young George Jr. and casts off into the
river . They ride the current down the river just like his father did many years
earlier. They land on another Island that at one time was owned by his
Uncle.(Gov. Island), Here the raft is left to the elements of the weather and
river..
He crosses a trail that comes from latourell falls heads west
down this trail,comes to another trail that heads south to Oregon City (82 Ave)
he heads south about 10 miles comes to a trail that skirts the south side of Mt.
Scott (Sunnyside) heads east about 2 miles comes to a watering hole in a creek
(MT Scott Creek) He rests and waters the Horses, He fords the creek turns right
on another trail and heads south comes to another creek (Talbert Creek)
Here he stops and will spend the rest of his life at the foot of Talbert
Mountain and the family will live there for the next 7 generations..
My
brother inlaws sister live there yet today The Old Pine tree planted in 1910 is
a land mark there. behind the shopping center
He hired out to the county with horses ( 8 horse team) to pull road grader on county roads,, graded just about every road in Clackamas County when they were dirt ..
He worked on a threshing crew with my father 1920s-30s ,they were bundle pitchers and they were good at it two of the best , one on each side of the header..they had a rhythm that could not be matched by anyone ,all day long,, bundles head first end to end no space.. if you got a bundle backwards the old
Rumly would Bark and almost throw the belt ..I tried it. way to much work for me ! -If you worked with my father you would sweat like crazy and it didnt bother him a bit.. it would make him laugh at you and call you one of them city dudes that dont know nothing.. they new more than about thrashing machines than anybody I ever knew.. . dont know how they did so many years..He was married to Grandmother Maggie Collins
in 1898 in Washougal, Washington.
Children were:
George Harvey Durgan
Theodore-{dad}-Ernest Durgan
Fayette Durgan
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