The Life of William Richard Callaway
William Richard Callaway, the fourth of 11 children born to William and Leah Ann Ralph Callaway, was born on Dec. 3, 1826 in Sussex Co., Delaware, later moving to Illinois and Missouri. On April 23, 1847, in Memphis, Scotland Co., Missouri he was married to Abigail Jane Cecil, a descendant of Lord Cecil of England. Abigail Jane Cecil Callaway was born December 5, 1832 in Jentres, Tentran Co., Tennessee, the daughter of Samuel Stewart Cecil and his wife, Lily Bowen Richardson. When he was 21, his father gave him a farm in Scotland Co., Missouri.
It is stated in the Portrait and Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley, Oregon that in either 1849 or 1850 he crossed the plains to California with ox-teams, taking six months to make the journey. After spending six months in the Sacramento Valley he returned across the plains to Missouri not overmuch pleased with the prospects which he had found in the west. By 1858 William Richard and his family had moved to Fillmore, Andrew Co., Missouri, engaging for some time in a mercantile business, later, however returning to the old farm in Scotland County. In 1864 he decided to make a change of home, not from necessity, but from the desire to give his strength and energy to the upbuilding of the commonwealth beyond the Rockies.
The trip was made across the plains in company with a large party all well armed and well equipped, the wagons drawn by horses. William Richard had four wagons, two teams allowed for each, besides quite a number of loose horses. After a six-month trip the party arrived in Oregon, locating on a farm near Albany, Linn County. At this time William Richard moved to Benton County, Oregon, outside of Corvallis. Two years later he purchased a farm of 640 acres, which was advantageously located on Soap Creek, where he built a house and engaged extensively in general farming.
Adding to his property from time to time, he finally owned over 1,000 acres, the Callaway Station, on the Southern Pacific Railroad, being upon this land as well as Callaway Creek. He was engaged in general farming and stock-raising and was successful in his operations. His granddaughter, Bea, said you could see Callaway Station from the front porch of the home, which made William Richard very proud. William Richard had always been a very prominent man in his area through the influence of the many good qualities which distinguished him, and as the choice of the people he was an able representative in the State Legislature for one term in 1877. William Richard died on January 5, 1897 at the age of 70, his wife dying July 25, 1885 at the age of 52.
The acreage of William Richard and his family was purchased by the U.S. Government for Camp Adair, which was activated in August of 1942 as a training site for Triangular Divisions from the Ninth Army Corps - 30,000 to 33,000 men each consisting of infantry, artillery and engineering units with the necessary support personnel. It appears German and Italian POWs were at Camp Adair from August 1944 through April 1946. It was used as an Air Force Station in the late 1950s to the late 1960s. It is now Adair Village. In order to construct this cantonment, families were uprooted, cemeteries relocated, railroad tracks rerouted and the small community of Wells was erased.
The above article was written by Nancy Schlabes Douglas, of Davis, California. It was submitted to CFA and originally published in the 1989 CFA Journal.
This family line of descent is as follows:
Peter Callaway
John Callaway
Ebenezer Callaway
William Callaway
William Callaway, Jr.
William Richard Callaway
It is stated in the Portrait and Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley, Oregon that in either 1849 or 1850 he crossed the plains to California with ox-teams, taking six months to make the journey. After spending six months in the Sacramento Valley he returned across the plains to Missouri not overmuch pleased with the prospects which he had found in the west. By 1858 William Richard and his family had moved to Fillmore, Andrew Co., Missouri, engaging for some time in a mercantile business, later, however returning to the old farm in Scotland County. In 1864 he decided to make a change of home, not from necessity, but from the desire to give his strength and energy to the upbuilding of the commonwealth beyond the Rockies.
The trip was made across the plains in company with a large party all well armed and well equipped, the wagons drawn by horses. William Richard had four wagons, two teams allowed for each, besides quite a number of loose horses. After a six-month trip the party arrived in Oregon, locating on a farm near Albany, Linn County. At this time William Richard moved to Benton County, Oregon, outside of Corvallis. Two years later he purchased a farm of 640 acres, which was advantageously located on Soap Creek, where he built a house and engaged extensively in general farming.
Adding to his property from time to time, he finally owned over 1,000 acres, the Callaway Station, on the Southern Pacific Railroad, being upon this land as well as Callaway Creek. He was engaged in general farming and stock-raising and was successful in his operations. His granddaughter, Bea, said you could see Callaway Station from the front porch of the home, which made William Richard very proud. William Richard had always been a very prominent man in his area through the influence of the many good qualities which distinguished him, and as the choice of the people he was an able representative in the State Legislature for one term in 1877. William Richard died on January 5, 1897 at the age of 70, his wife dying July 25, 1885 at the age of 52.
The acreage of William Richard and his family was purchased by the U.S. Government for Camp Adair, which was activated in August of 1942 as a training site for Triangular Divisions from the Ninth Army Corps - 30,000 to 33,000 men each consisting of infantry, artillery and engineering units with the necessary support personnel. It appears German and Italian POWs were at Camp Adair from August 1944 through April 1946. It was used as an Air Force Station in the late 1950s to the late 1960s. It is now Adair Village. In order to construct this cantonment, families were uprooted, cemeteries relocated, railroad tracks rerouted and the small community of Wells was erased.
The above article was written by Nancy Schlabes Douglas, of Davis, California. It was submitted to CFA and originally published in the 1989 CFA Journal.
This family line of descent is as follows:
Peter Callaway
John Callaway
Ebenezer Callaway
William Callaway
William Callaway, Jr.
William Richard Callaway
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - Copyright © 2004 Callaway Family Association
posted by DFM | 12/30/2004
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