Caleb Brooks

The Dalles daily chronicle. (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, October 07, 1899, Image 4 Image and text provided by University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn85042448/1899-10-07/ed-1/seq-4/

IN MEMORY OF CALEB BROOKS

Incidents of His Life Contributed by a Friend.

Caleb Brooks, who died at his home on Three-Mile creek Sept. 22nd, was born in Ohio Sept. 20, 1824, afterwards moving to Iowa. From there at the age of 24, in company with his father and a number of his neighboring families, he started across the plains in the year 1849. After journeying as far as the Platt river, his father was taken down with the cholera and died. Laying him to rest on the banks of the Platt and turning away from the sad scene, they journeyed on to Oregon, passing through The Dalles when it was only a small supply station for Eastern Oregon. Afterwards settling in Linn county, Oregon, they look a homestead twelve miles from Albany; but moved from there to Eastern Oregon for his wife's health in the year 1864, settling near The Dalles, from which place he passed from earth to his home on the other shore.

In early life Mr. Brooks was given power to become one of the "sons of God," and it was his earnest endeavor to know and to do the will of his Heavenly Father. A he was diligent in business, so was he fervent in spirit. He was a devout student of the bible and his life was an illustration of its precepts. Because of his gifts as an expositor of scripture his friends often urged him to enter the ministry, but his underestimate of his ability and his great reverence for the office of a minister of Jesus the Christ caused him to refuse their suggestions. He did, however, accept the opportunities at the prayer and covenant meetings to tell of the love of God as manifested in Christ, and to offer effectual prayers for tho Holy Spirit's blessing. In the neighborhood Sunday school services he was very much interested, and for many seasons was the superintendent of the school.

Mr. Brooks was a charter member of the First Baptist church of this city and a faithful and efficient deacon thereof to the day of his triumphant death.

His long illness gave opportunity to the remaining sous, Sylvester R. and Roland G. Brooks, and their families to show their filial love by their tender care; and the neighbors were not lacking in their friendly services.

By his own arrangement, the funeral service was held in the meeting house of the First Baptist church on Sunday, Sept. 24th, at 2 o'clock. The pastor, Rev. O. D. Taylor, whom he had loved so well for eighteen years, preached the sermon from First John, iii:2. Pastor Clifton of the Calvary church assisted at the services in'the church.

The large concourse of pioneer neighbors and friends that attended his funeral betokened tho influence of his life, and gave strong emphasis to the saying, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord."

A Friend.

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http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~westklic/howcoc7a.htm The CHENOWITH DISTRICT Early Settlers:

Caleb Brooks

    Caleb Brooks came to Albany, Oregon in the emigration of 1848 where he took a Donation Land Claim and lived until 1870 when he moved to The Dalles, after visiting and looking around here in 1884. His first place consisted of 150 acres in the southeast portion of The Dalles from G to Lewis on 12th and south to the Rev. E.P. Roberts home on the east side of Dry Hollow road and to the Robert Cooper place on the west side of the Dry Hollow road. The Caleb Brooks home was at 1422 East 15 street, according to H.E. Deardorff who has lived in that part of town 30 years. The Caleb Brooks spring at 1422 provided the house and stock with water. Later this same place was used by R.H. Weber for a nursery location. The directory of 1898 says, "Richard Weber, proprietor of The Dalles Nurseries ½ miles east of the Fair Grounds, residence the same.” Caleb Brooks died in 1899 at age 75.

    Caleb Brooks married Saral L. Helm and their children were Roland, Sylvester, Sylvani, Lydia (Mrs. John Surface) all of The Dalles and Mary (Mrs. Rolando Parrish) of the Willamette Valley.

    The children of Roland Brooks who married Florence Cleft were: Truman of The Dalles who furnished this biography; Amy (Mrs. A.W. Wasson); Maude (Mrs. A.W. Wasson); Justin and Thelma all of The Dalles. Caleb Brooks moved to his upper 3 Mile place about 1880 where he farmed. He also acquired Brooks Meadows, following the death of David Newell at the Robert Cooper home in 1875, built an improved road into the Meadows and operated a dairy there in good weather, cut hay at the Meadows. He hauled lumber from the Crandall mill down the McIntosh Grads into Dry Hollow and The Dalles.

    The abstract records show that Caleb Brooks sold to David Newell, July 1, 1872 some of his Dry Hollow holdings and that may have marked the date of the trade for the Brook's Meadows property. The Newell estate was probated Sept. 24, 1875, according to R.M. Weber, retired U.S. Army Captain of The Dalles Co. H. in World War 2.

    R.H. Weber bought his Dry Hollow ranch from Wm. Taylor in 1905. He came from Germany to the U.S. at 18. Dr. George F. Newhouse, optometrist, knew Mr. Weber in Nebraska in 1892 when he was selling trees for the Stark Nursery or Louisiana, Mo. His tree selling brought him to The Dalles the next year and he went to work for the Sam Johns Lumber Mill on Upper Mill Creek an a hunter to provide meat for the crew the first year; then he worked in the mill there and later in the planing mill here in town. By 1898 he had his own nursery where he could be at home. He had married Georgia McNeely and their children were: Captain R.M. Weber of The Dalles; Vivian Weber of Hanford, Wash.; Veda (Mrs. Harold Sexton) of The Dalles and Edna (Mrs. Jack Yoist) of Portland.

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https://books.google.com/books?id=0TBEAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA185

An Illustrated History of Central Oregon: Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler, Crook, Lake, and Klamath Counties, State of Oregon

Western Historical Publishing Company, 1905 - Crook County (Or.) - 1097 pages

It will be noticed that up to this time the orchards were planted on Creek bottoms or springy lands Elder Fisher held the belief that fruit would do as well on dry land as on moist, and planted a few trees and vines as an experiment. The most desirable creek farms had been taken. People wanted homes. Miles upon miles of rich, fertile government land lay untouched because “fruits and vegetables will not grow without water," said the old timers. In 1854 Caleb Brooks settled on dry land, one mile south of The Dalles in Dry Hollow—renamed Amberdale. He planted a few trees in the valley, thinking to protect them from the winds and cold, thus making practical what Elder Fisher had before experimented upon. As men rode over the hills for their stock they reasoned thus: The natural growth of vegetation on these hills is as luxuriant as on the creek bottoms: cold and heat are not so intense; frost is seen earlier and oftener on the creek bottoms than on these hills. Why should not cereals, vegetables and trees do as well? Especially when under cultivation. The fall of 1868 Rev. E. P. Roberts settled in Amberdale and the following year Robert Cooper came as a pioneer in the same undertaking, making homes and raising fruit on dry, uphill lands. The spring of 1872 saw the first trees planted on top of a hill by Mr. Roberts. It afterward proved the orchard most secure against frost. It bore peaches one year when the entire peach crop grown elsewhere in the region was destroyed by frost. As is the case when men try something before considered impracticable, these men were the butt of many a jest and sarcasm. H. I. VValdron. a prominent citizen of The Dalles, said: “Roberts. I will have a large bust cast of you for your grandchildren if you succeed in making a living on that dry land." Not only were trees planted on top of the hill, but corn. potatoes and watermelons, also. This was going farther than any one had dared to think, for “watermelons must be irrigated."

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Oregon tax rolls

Brooks, Caleb 1852 Tax roll Linn Provisional and Territorial 14112

Brooks, Caleb 1854 Tax roll Linn Provisional and Territorial 14113

Brooks, Caleb 1856 Tax roll Linn Provisional and Territorial 14114

Brooks, Caleb 1857 Tax roll Linn Provisional and Territorial 14121

Brooks, Caleb 1858 Tax roll Linn Provisional and Territorial 14122

Brooks, Caleb 1859 Tax roll Linn Provisional and Territorial 14131

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According to one source, Brooks Meadow - a patch of highland prairie near Mt. Hood http://wyeastblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/15/brooks-meadow-discoverin... - was named for Caleb.