John Stanbro

A Story about John Stanbro as related by Polly Bainbridge (Miller) his maternal Granddaughter.

In 1883 The Stanbro family headed toward Oregon on the Oregon trail in a wagon train. As they were traveling along they noticed a small band of Native Americans following them, they followed the train for several days. For obvious reasons it made the people in the wagon train very nervous. Finally the Natives approached the wagon train and offered to buy five year old John. They offered different things to pay for him, even horses. John had brilliant blonde hair and they thought that was amazing and valuable. The wagon train did not know how the Natives would react, but they firmly said no and would not deal. Eventually the Native Americans rode away with no more incident.

We still have quite a few toe headed babies in the family! They usually darken up but when they are little it is white white blonde. Some of them were Patty Lou Miller, Tyler Cottrell, Kelsey Slone and Myrtle Miller.

John Stanbro Was also a very successful farmer. So successful people all around would wait and watch to see what John Stanbro was going to plant this year.

1-3-2010 Karina Dale Cottrell