James Logie

1814 – 1854

 

James Logie was an employee of the Hudson Bay Company. There are several conflicting stories about how he came to Sauvie Island and when.

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One story claims he was born in the Orkney Islands. This is believable because Hudson Bay got many of their employees from the Orkneys.

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The story says he was working at the dairy on Sauvie Island but was very lonely for Isabella Miller, a lady in Scotland. He asked permission to go and bring her back. In his absence Laurent Sauvie would take care of the dairy on the island. Something happened and James wasn’t able to return when he expected.

 

One story says that they missed the annual boat. He married Isabella and went to work as a policeman. In time they were able to go back and returned to work at the dairy. It doesn’t say what Laurent Sauvie did after their return but I would imagine he went back to work for the Hudson Bay Company.

 

The Donation Land Claim was enacted and the Logie’s put in a claim for the land they were working on. He died in 1854 and the claim was finalized by Isabella. Signing for her were Alexander McQuinn and Jacob Cline.

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Another story says that James came to Sauvie Island after Laurent Sauvie retired. He and Isabella worked the dairy from 1844 to 1846. This same story claims that James was from Ireland.

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1840 Marriage of Settler

James Logie married Isabella Miller on July 26 on Wistry Island, England.

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1842 Arrival in Oregon

James arrived in Oregon on April 20. He was an employee of the Hudson Bay Company. This was probably the second time he went back to the British Isles and returned.

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James was a Mason. He was a member of the Willamette Lodge, the second oldest lodge in Oregon.

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Fort William and the dairy were on the site of a large Indian village called Cath-la-nal-quia. The Oregon Archeological Society has done several digs on the site and there is interesting information in their publication called “Screenings.”

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1845 Settled Claim

The Donation Land Claim says they settled their claim on May 15, 1845. This was the same land where they ran the dairy farm for Hudson Bay.

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The Donation Land Claim number was #1918. The legal description is Township 2 North, Range 1 West, Sections 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 640 acres.

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1850 Washington County, Oregon census, #203

Logie, James 30 Scotland

Isabella 27 Scotland

Taylor, James 37 Red River

Spence, Amelia 14 Red River

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James Taylor was another employee of Hudson Bay who stayed on the island and raised a large family.

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1851 Naturalization

James Logie became a citizen of the United States on October 22nd at the Washington County District Court in Washington County, OT.

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1854 Death of Settler

James passed away on March 24th. Local stories say that Jonathan Moar was there when James became ill. He rowed across the river trying to get help but it was too late.

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