October 6, 1834: "We are near the mouth of the Multnomah." About May 1, 1835, the establishment was moved south opposite the Logie Trail, which was a route of travel into Willamette Valley. This was to be the permanent location. It was on the west side of the island, in section 7, township 2 north, range 1 west. Owing to the commercial rivalry of the Hudson's Bay Company, Wyeth was forced to abandon Fort William. Carey, in History of Oregon, page 302, says that Fort William was named for one of Wyeth's partners but does not say which one. The
USGS map of the Hillsboro quadrangle, 1943 printing, shows the location of Fort William.
FORT YAMHILL, Yamhill County. In 1855-56 Willamette Valley settlers built a blockhouse on Fort Hill, near the present community of Valley Junction, as a protection against Indians who had been moved onto the reservation. The federal government sent troops to this place and established Fort Yamhill on August 30, 1856. See
OHQ, volume XXXVI, page 59. The fort was named for the Yamhill River. For the origin of the name Yamhill, see under YamHILL
COUNTY. There is a good general account of the activities at Fort Yamhill in Glisan's Journal of Army Life. Dr. Glisan arrived at Fort Yamhill early in September, 1856, and his journal runs through February 10, 1859. It is well worth reading. The compiler does not know when Fort Yamhill was evacuated as a military establishment, but it was subsequent to June 30, 1865. Official records do not seem to warrant the use of the name Fort Sheridan for this establishment. The D. A.R. marker for Fort Yamhill is about a half a mile north of Valley Junction on the Three Rivers Highway and it says that the fort was about 300 yards east of the monument, which would place it close to Fort Hill east of Casper Creek. In a general way this agrees with Glisan's description. After the army authorities abandoned Fort Yamhill as a military post, the Fort Yamhill blockhouse was moved from the top of Fort Hill to Grand Ronde Agency and used for a jail. It stood about where the Agency Community Hall stood in 1944. Later it was moved again, this time to Dayton and set up in a public park. After the blockhouse was moved to Dayton, dedication ceremonies were held August 23, 1912, and an address was given by Judge M. C. George. It contains historical information about Fort Yamhill. See OHQ, volume XV, page 64. Foss, Tillamook County. Foss is a place on Nehalem River about four miles east of Mohler. The post office was in operation from 1928 to 1943. The office was named for Herbert Foss who had timber holdings in the locality. He was living in Mohler in 1943. FossBACK Marsh, Lane County. This is a swampy area not far from the mouth of North Fork Siuslaw River. It was named for a pioneer family of the vicinity. Fossil, Wheeler County. The compiler is informed that this post office was established February 28, 1876, at the ranch of Thomas B. Hoover, who was the first postmaster. He had discovered and was removing some fossil remains on his ranch at the time, and this suggested the name of the new office.
FOSTER, Linn County. The post office was established February 8, 1892, with Aaron H. Yost first postmaster. C. H. Stewart of Albany told the compiler in 1927 that the place was named for P. J. Foster, who operated a grist mill in the neighborhood.
