Pioneer of 1852

 Marquis  Lafayette Armstrong

1831 - 1896

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Marquis (Lafe) was born in April 21, 1831 in Morgan County, Illinois to Andrew Jackson Armstrong and Mary Ann Roberts. He came to Oregon and married Martha Jane, a daughter of John and Rebecca Bonser of Sauvie Island on February 21, (Columbia County Marriage Records, GFO.pgJ).

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    He filed for DLC #4802 on Sauvie Island. His papers say that he came to Oregon on September 6,1854. The affidavit was signed by John Dunne, George Hume (Ham), John Bonser (his father-in-law), Isaac Thomas.

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Isaac’s sister, Hannah, was married to Martha’s brother, James H. Bonser. Another sister, Mahala, was married to Martha’s brother, Stephen Bonser.

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1854 Jury Duty

    Marquis Lafayette was on the Jury list for Columbia County in October. He was listed as a resident of Scappoose.

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1855    Birth of Son.

    Andrew Wellington Armstrong was born in March on Sauvie Island. He passed away on November 11,1924 in Bend, Deschutes County, Oregon.

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1858 Birth of Daughter.

    Rosanna was born in either 1857 or 1858 . She married John Scoggins. They were the parents of one daughter, Mamie who married a Bennett (family records).In 1947 Rosanna dictated the story told by her mother, Martha Bonser Armstrong, to Mamie and Mamie transcribed and printed it for the family. It is called “Travelogue of 1847.”

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1860 Clark Countq, Washington Census.

Armstrong, M.L.    age  28

Martha J.               age  21  (dau of John Bonser)

Andrew W.              age 5

Rose Ann                 age 2

Nellie                        age 3 months

Naomi Aurillia           age 11 (sister of M.L.)

Joshua L.                  age 18   (bro of M.L.)       

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At the time of the census the family was living near where the Catholic Orphanage was in Vancouver.

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Marquis had a DLC in Clark County, Washington. It was bordered by Fourth Plain Road and NW Lakeshore Road. Fruit Valley School is listed in that area on the old maps.

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I860 Birth of Daughter.

Nellie R. was born during 1860 in Washington Territory (census and family records).

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1880 Census, Wasco County, Oregon, Kock Creek Precinct

Armstrong, M.L.  age 48

Martha Jane         age 41

Andrew                age 25

Nellie R.               age 20

Charles F.             age 08

Joshua M.              age 21

 

1896    Death of Settler.

    Marquis Lafayette Armstrong passed away on September 29 in Fossil, Oregon (Oregonian Death Index at the Central Library, Portland, Oregon).

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1916    Death 'Notice of Wife.

    Martha Jane passed away in Tumalo, Oregon. Her obituary, in the Oregonian, says that she died at the age of 80. Her father was a pioneer captain of a wagon train from the east (20 wagons). She was 9 years old at the time of the journey.

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    She was survived by three children; A. W. Armstrong of Tumalo, Oregon, Frank Armstrong of Powder River, Washington and Rosa Scoggin (Obituary found in Scrapbook at OHS).

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The Brick Yard

The Armstrongs had a brick yard on the island. The mud/dirt was the kind that made good bricks. I think it was called “Gumbo.”

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Up until a few years ago the locals could go to the old brick yard and find useable bricks. It was located on the end of the island in the area now owned by the state.

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