General Notes

~~~~~~~~~ from Rommie Walker's history on www.collver.org  ~~~~

John A. Harry, age 27, born 1824, Indiana, arrived Oregon Oct. 15, 1851 about the same time as Horace Rice and Absalom Bolton. He filed claim # 300 in Coos Co. He settled on his claim Apr 4, 1855. John A. Harry was probably not married when he crossed the plains. He married Chloe Cook, dau. of Seley M. Cook, in Lane Co. in 1857. Children born after arriving in Oregon were:
1. Even Neva Harry b. aft. 1858. Md. Pheba Turner, probably Coos County.
2. Eva Harry, after 1858. . Md. Thomas O. Krewson, 1899, in Coos County
3. Grant W. Harry, b. 1864. Md. Hannah Krewson.
4. Oscar Colfax Harry, 1869. Md. Nellie Norton in 1902, Coos County.
5. Nancy Belle Harry b. 1865. Md. James D. Laird in 1881, Coos County.

John Harry is believed to have been on this journey through association with other families before and after arriving in Oregon. In Cedar County, Iowa, 1850 census, he was listed immediately before Alfred Collver. In Oregon, a diary entry states: "Oct. 4, 1854 - This morning Alfred Culver, Liness Bushnell and myself started to the Coquille river to look for land claims. Stopped over night at Mr. Day's in Camas Valley. The weather toward noon was cloudy in southwest. At sundown commenced raining gently.

John A. Harry made his land claim, #300, Coos Co. OR. He arrived in Oregon 15 Oct 1851; Settled Claim 4 April 1855 on the Coquille River, at Kitchen Prairie, up the river from the present Myrtle Point. John A. Harry became the first assessor of Coos County, when the courthouse was located at Empire. He led the party that discovered Brewster Valley. The family settled at what became known as the Half Way House, on the Coos Bay Wagon Road. John A. Harry died in June 1874. Chloe Cook Harry then Md. James Laird of Coos Co. in 1875 and they had four sons; Walter M. Laird, Joseph L. Laird, John. H. Laird and Carl E. Laird.

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