His name is surely enrolled among the useful pioneers of the state, and the
honor accorded such is given to him by all who know him.

Mr. Vaughan was born in Wayne county, W. Va., August 13, 1830. Five years
after his birth his parents removed to Illinois and located near Springfield,
where they remained six months, then returning to the former state. In 1839
they moved across the river into Kentucky and remained for a period of four
months, then continuing the journey west until they located in Platte County,
Mo., from which state they emigrated toward the more remote lands. In
1845 the father was attracted toward the opportunities of Oregon, traveling by
pack animals across the plains in the party, which had an unpleasant experience
in Meek’s cut-off, and on his arrival in the state he went to work in a sawmill
in Salem, where he remained through out the winter. He returned to the
Mississippi Valley in 1846, and found that his own family did not know him,
as he had not cut his hair nor beard in the entire time. Having been a favorably
impressed with the outlook, he outfitted with oxen and three wagons and
necessary supplies, and in the spring of 1847 started again across the plains
with his wife and nine children. Just before leaving he had purchased some
cows and two hundred and fifty- eight sheep and these were the first blooded
sheep brought into the state from the east, some of which were afterwards sold
to Benjamin Fields, who purchased fifty head of the original flock, but Minto’s
history of the sheep industry of Oregon makes an error by giving Benjamin
Fields the credit of importing these same sheep. During the trip which occupied
the time from May 17 to September they lost all but one hundred sheep.

Mr.  Vaughan first located in Marion County, where the family remained for
a few months, after which the father took up a donation claim in Linn county,
consisting of six hundred and forty acres in the neighborhood of West Point.
In August, 1848, Mr. Vaughan went to California by pack animals and mined
on the American river and while there helped to hang some men at Hangtown.
He was successful in his venture and came north with $14,000 in gold. Again
in 1849 he and two sons, Alexander and Thomas, went to California and mined
on the Trinity, and were once more successful.

Returning in the fall, of the year to Oregon, he remained at home until 1851,
when he again tried his fortunes in the Golden state, in that year being one
of the first to discover the Yreka mines. He returned home and the family
continue to live in Linn county, until 1857, when they removed to Lane
County, the father purchasing three hundred and twenty- five acres near
Coburg. He continued a resident of that county until his death, which
occurred near Thurston, Novemeber 18, 1888, at the age of eighty years and
twenty-seven days. His wife died October 12, 1901, when nearly ninety-one
years old.

Thomas J. Vaughan was seventeen years old when he crossed the plains
with his parents, his duty on the trip being to drive the sheep. In 1849 he
accompanied his father to California and June 5, 1850, he was married
to Elizabeth S. Sampson, a native of Platte County, Mo., with whose sister
and brother-in-law, Luther White, he had crossed the plains in 1847. He
then moved to his father’s six hundred and forty acre donation land claim
where he lived seven years, when he came to his present location and
purchased a farm of three hundred and twenty acres, upon which he now
carries on general farming and stock-raising. Eleven children were born
to himself and wife, of whom Phoebe E. is the wife of Mr. Meyers and lives
in Washington; Benjamin F. was postmaster at Heppner, Ore. and he and
his wife were both drowned in the Heppner flood; Oren is a cattleman of
Nevada; Olive is the wife of Henry Bollin, of Lane county; Martha is the
wife of A. Simmons; Orella lives in Seattle; Mary J. is the wife of Joseph
Klien, of Healdsburg, Cal., Emma is the wife of J.W. Shumate, of
Walterville, Ore., Jeremiah is located near his father’s farm, Alta G. died
in 1888; and Lizzie is the wife of P.L. Barber, who is connected with the
interests of Mr. Vaughan.

In politics Mr. Vaughan is a Republican, and as such has represented his
party in various offices, and was a member of the state legislature in 1897
and a justice of the peace for many years. He was the first chairman of the
convention to organize the Republican party in Lane county, which was
held in 1856, and he now has the minutes of the meeting in his possession.
Out of forty men present he is one of three now living. In fraternal relations
he has been an Odd Fellow for forty-three years, and also belongs to the
Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is a member of the Christian Church.
 

Linda_Welden@Vaughan-Vaughn.org

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