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Mt. Hope Pioneer Cemetery ~ Trenton R. Hibbard
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Hibbard, Trenton R.
LAST: Hibbard FIRST: Trenton MID: R.
GENDER: M MAIDEN NAME:  TITLE: 
BORN: 2 Apr 1836 DIED: 18 Oct 1910 BURIED: 20 Oct 1910
OCCUPATION:  Merchant; Postmaster; Mayor
BIRTH PLACE:  Pekin, Tazewell County, Illinois
DEATH PLACE: Silverton, Marion Co., Oregon
NOTES: 
OSBH DC (Marion County 1910) #3269 - Trenton R. Hibbard, male, single, b. 2 Apr 1836 in Illinois, d. 18 Oct 1910 in Silverton, Oregon at the age of 74 y's 6 m's 16 d's, name of father King Hibbard (b. Illinois), maiden name of mother Nancy Brisbin (b. Pennsylvania), interment 20 Oct in Warren [Mt. Hope] Cemetery, undertaker W. S. Jack, informant Geo. D. Hibbard of Silverton;
BIOGRAPHICAL:
“One Of The First – Nearly Three Score Years Ago T. R. Hibbard Drove Oxen Across the Plains – T. R. Hibbard, while not the oldest citizen in Silverton, is one of the very early settlers of this section, and few people had learned of the excellent possibilities of Oregon when he settled here.
April 7, 1847, more than 58 years ago, he left his native home with his parents en route to the Pacific coast and the circumstances connected with that eventful trip over the tall hills and sandy plains are as fresh on his memory today as if it were but yesterday.
Mr. Hibbard was born in Tazewell County, Illinois, April 2, 1836, and here he resided until the age of eleven. He was always strong and when a mere boy his physical powers made him appear manly. At the age of eleven, as stated previously, he left his native home and drove a yoke of oxen through the country to this town and the circumstances as related by the subject of our sketch, were certainly very discouraging to a boy, at least, but the party pursued their course and reached Silverton – or the locality where Silverton is now located – in the fall of the same year. The train which carried the family across the country consisted of twenty-two wagons, five yoke of oxen, and two yoke of cows, and the family consisted of King Hibbard and wife and seven children. Each had a duty to perform and each performed that duty.
Mr. Hibbard enjoys relating the circumstances connected with the trip, and being possessed with a remarkably good memory, will refer to incidents which might have been forgotten by the average man of his age. On the third day of May the party crossed the Missouri River at St. Joe. On the Fourth of July they crossed the Green River in Colorado, by ferry, and this was the last ferry or bridge on the route between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Coast. People regard it as quite an effort to cross the continent even with the excellent transportation facilities at the present time, but to make a journey of this kind with no direct roads and no bridges upon which to cross the rivers, is certainly a discouraging proposition and requires that stick-toitiveness characteristic of the early settler of Oregon.
Before crossing the Snake River they were obliged to camp some time while making log rafts upon which to ferry across the stream. The Shute River was crossed in canoes propelled by the Indians. The oxen were forced to swim the rapid stream and the wagons were ferried over upon four canoes. They crossed the Cascade range at what is now called Foster. The party headed for Oregon City after reaching the west side of the mountains, and camped on the Clackamas River. This point was reached in the early part of September, and they remained in this vicinity several weeks.
Undeveloped opportunities were in evidence in every hand in the Willamette Valley, but few people were here to proceed in the development of this rich country. Oregon City was the only recognized town in the state when our subject landed in Oregon. Where the great city of Portland is now located there was a cooper shop and a shipping port, where salmon was packed and shipped, and nothing but woods on either side of the river covered the territory, where now is situated one of the richest and best cities of the Northwest.
King Hibbard had a brother in this country who resided near Oregon City and worked in the cooper shop above mentioned.
Mr. Hibbard and family left Oregon City and settled on the Waldo Hills on the 25th day of September, 1847, and this concluded the long and tedious journey. That winter they remained on what is known as the Anderson place, and during that period King Hibbard took a donation land claim. Mr. Hibbard is in possession of the certificate which was issued on this land, and it being No. 1 is supposed to have been the first patent ever issued on land in Oregon. There had been other claims taken prior to this, but no patents were issued until after the one issued to King Hibbard, father of T. R. Hibbard. Mr. Hibbard still owns a portion of the original donation land claim, and also owns considerable property in this city. He took advantage of the early opportunities in life and by hard work and energy, accumulated considerable wealth, enough at least to keep him comfortable the rest of his earthly career.
King Hibbard died in 1860 and his wife died in 1864. T. R. Hibbard, the oldest of the children, remained at home and conducted the farm and supported the family until 1874, when a part of the homestead was sold. He then removed to Silverton, where he has since resided. He was postmaster under republican administration for two terms, was elected mayor of the city of Silverton three times and has served on the council several years. He is now a member of the council and we hope to see him restored at the next election. He was for some time engaged in the grocery business and his business relations with the people of Silverton have been ever pleasant.
When the subject of our sketch first came to Silverton, the only house here was that of James Brown, father of J. M. and Alonzo. There were no roads or bridges in this vicinity at that time and on their way to the Waldo Hills they forded Silver Creek back of the Buff home.
Mr. Hibbard is six feet and five inches tall and weighs 200 pounds. He has never been sick except an attack of pneumonia about five years ago, and being a strong and powerful man took an active part in the development of this section of Oregon.
Mr. Hibbard has twice returned to his native home, but under far different circumstances than the first time he crossed the plains.
Mr. Hibbard has apparently never had a desire to become a Benedict and has always remained single. He enjoys nature’s beauty most of all and much of his time is spent during the summer in the mountains and at the coast. He is well known all over Oregon, and probably most of our readers are more familiar with the subject than we, but we doubt if there is one in his large circle of acquaintances who will not agree that he is a man of high honor and a citizen whose merits are above the average.
Silverton Appeal 21 Apr 1905 1:1,2,3.
OBITUARY: 
Another Pioneer Goes Over.
Trenton R. Hibbard, a Pioneer of 1847, Passes Away at His Home in Silverton – Body Will Rest in Waldo Hills
Trenton R. Hibbard, son of the late King Hibbard, who crossed the plains by ox team from Illinois in 1847, passed away at his home in Silverton yesterday afternoon after a long illness, aged 74. The funeral services will be held at the family home at 1 o’clock tomorrow, Thursday, afternoon under the auspices of the Odd Fellows lodge, of which fraternity he has been an active member for many years, and interment will be had in Warren Cemetery in the Waldo Hills, Rev. P.S. Knight conducting the services.
Mr. Hibbard was born in Tazewell County, Illinois, on April 2, 1836, and as a boy drove one of the ox teams with which the Hibbard family and others crossed the plains in 1847. During his boyhood days he was a pupil under the late Judge Orange Jacobs, who was the first territorial congressional delegate from Washington and among his associates were Hon. T. W. Davenport, Ben Davenport, W. R. Dunbar, and the late John B. Waldo. Although raised upon the farm, he left the home ranch in the Waldo Hills about 1875 and started in business for himself in Silverton in partnership with T. W. Riches, in which they were successful and as a result of which Mr. Hibbard builded up a comfortable fortune.
Deceased was not only a pioneer citizen of Oregon, but he was one of the first members of the Odd Fellows Lodge in this state, having been a charter member of the lodge in Silverton and he has been an active member of the order ever since. He was a brother of the late K. L. Hibbard and of George D. Hibbard, who now resides in Silverton. A sister, Mrs. E. J. Knowles, also resides in Silverton, and another brother, Charles, lives in Los Angeles.
Capital Journal 19 Oct 1910 4:1.

“T. R. Hibbard is Called Home – Death Claims One of Silverton’s Oldest Citizens. Was First Mayor of the City.
Trenton R. Hibbard, one of the earliest Oregon Pioneers, as well as one of the oldest settlers in Silverton, died at his home in this city Tuesday afternoon after a lingering illness of several months’ duration.
Mr. Hibbard was born near Pekin, Ill., April 2, 1836, and was at the time of his death 74 years, 6 months, and 16 days old. On April 7, 1847, he started in company with his parents to cross the plains to Oregon, being a lad of but eleven years of age. The journey was filled with hardships incident to such trips in early times. They landed in the Waldo Hills late in September of the same year and started to build a home in what was then a very sparsely settled country. Here Mr. Hibbard, Sr., continued to develop his farm and rear his family until his death, which occurred in the summer of 1860. Trenton was the oldest child and the cares of the family quite naturally fell upon his shoulders. His mother died in 1864.
Mr. Hibbard succeeded in keeping the family, which consisted of four sons and four daughters, together, until they had reached maturity.
In March 1874, he sold the farm, divided the proceeds among the heirs, and moved to this city, where he engaged in the merchandise business. He followed this vocation with a marked degree of success until 1892, when he retired and since that time has not been actively engaged in life’s struggles for an existence. He retained a portion of the original Hibbard donation land claim and has since added several acres to it. The rentals from this and other holdings which he possessed gave him a substantial income.
In 1878 Mr. Hibbard was appointed postmaster in this city, which office he filled for six years. He has the distinction of having been Silverton’s first mayor and has held that position several times in recent years. He was an honest, upright citizen, always acting in accordance with his convictions. No man can say aught against the character of Trenton Hibbard.
Mr. Hibbard was a veteran member of the Odd Fellows Lodge of this place, having joined about six months after the lodge was instituted. He dearly loved the order and took great pride in attending its meetings. He was highly respected by all who knew him and was considered a wise and safe counselor by his most intimate friends. He was also a member of the Masonic lodge of many years standing.
He is survived by two brothers, Charles of Los Angeles, Calif., and George of this place, and one sister, Mrs. J. Knowles of Silverton, besides several nieces and nephews. He was never married.
The funeral was held Thursday, Oct. 20, at 1:00 p.m. at the Warren Cemetery in Waldo Hills, conducted by Silver Lodge No. 21, I.O.O.F. of this city, and interment was made in the cemetery at that place.
Silverton Appeal 21 Oct 1910 1:1-2
INSCRIPTION: 
Trenton R.
Hibbard
Apr. 2, 1836
Oct. 18, 1910
[east face of monument]
SOURCES: 
Hellie, Mader & Rickey
Saucy
OSBH DC (Marion County 1910) #3269
SA 21 Apr 1905 1:1,2,3
CJ 19 Oct 1910 4:1
SA 21 Oct 1910 1:1-2
SECTION: A LOT:   
IMAGES:
           
 
 

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