Pioneer of 1853

SIMON MORGAN REEDER

1825 - 1902

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Simon Morgan Reeder was bom on December 25, 1825 in Davies County, Indiana to Jacob and Elizabeth Bean Reeder.

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On December 30, 1847 he married Catharine Abel, daughter of Brigadier General John Abel and his wife, Elizabeth (Schick) Abel. She was born on May 11, 1830 in Kilgore, Carroll County, Ohio.

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The Reeder family has been covered extensively by the Columbia County Historical Society in their quarterlies and by family members.

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1848  Birth of First Son

George Washington was born to Simon and Catherine on November 28.

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1850   Birth of Second Son

Oliver Perry was born on March 17. He died before they left Indiana

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1850  Death of First Son

George Washington passed away on August 30.

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1850 

Death of Second Son

Oliver Perry died a month after his older brother on September 24.

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1851      Birth of Third Son

James Lawrence was bom on August 31. James was the first in his family to be a riverboat man. He started with the Shaver Transportation Company where he advanced from deck hand to Captain. His sons followed in his footsteps. Captain Tom Reeder was a well known river pilot serving 50 years on the river.

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1853 Wagons West!

The Reeders left their home in Ohio on March 27. Joseph Lane had told Catherine’s father how wonderful Oregon was. Her father felt he was too old to start over, but he encouraged Simon and Catherine to go.

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1853 Arrival in Oregon

They arrived on Sauvie Island on September 17.

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1853 Settled on Sauvie Island

When the family first settled on Sauvie Island it was covered with the bodies of dead Indians. So many members of the families died that there was no one left to bury them. The usual custom had been to bury them with their possessions in their canoes. The canoes were then placed high up in the ash trees where eventually the leaves and branches grew around them.

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1853 Squatters Rights

Simon bought the Donation Land Claim of N. D. Miller. He purchased what were called “Squatters Rights .’’This land was the site of what was considered the largest Indian village on the island. It was called “Multnomah” and was the site of the story The Bridge of the Gods by Frederick Balch.

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1855       Birth of Fourth Son

Flemin Blough was bom on August 31. He passed away on April 19, 1930 at the age of 74.

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1859       Birth of First Daughter

Evaline Mortimem was bom on July 20. She married Lewis Bonser, from another early island family. She passed away on July 6,1927 and is buried next to her husband in Bayview Cemetery in Warren Oregon.

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1860       Census, Multnomah County, OR, #686

Reeder, S. M. age 33 Farmer

Catherine         age 30  Wife

Lawrence         age 09    Son

Clement           age 04    Son

John                 ageol      Son

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1861       Birth of Second Daughter

Josephine Louise was bom on April 22.

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1863      Birth of Fifth Son

Paul Sposito was bom on June 30. He passed away on March 18, 1932

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1865 Birth of Third Daughter

Dollie Elizabeth was bom on April 23.

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1867 Birth of Sixth Son

Daniel Simon was bom on July 10.

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1870 Birth of Fourth Daughter

Mary Catherine was bom on June 8.

 

1880 Census, Columbia, Mult Co, OR, NAF T9-1082, page 199A

Reeder, Simon   age 54 Farmer

Polly age 54 Wife

L. J. age 28 Son  Fishing

Fleming age 23 Son Fishing

Eveline age 21 Dau

Joseph S.age 19 Son 

Thomas age 17 Son

Dolly  age 15 Dau

Eliza age 11 Dau

John  age 09 Son

Mary (Peck) age 23 Wife

James  age 08 Son

Mary age 01 Dau

 

 

1902 Death of Settler

Simon Morgan Reeder passed away on June 18. He is buried in the Riverview Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.

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1905 Death of Settler’s Widow

Catherine Abel Reeder passed away on November 22. She is buried next to her husband at the Riverview Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.