page 358. When the area was remapped nearly a half century later it was found that the name Jordan Point had wandered off to a low promontory on the north side of the bay just west of the Southern Pacific Company railroad. How and when the name made this jump of two miles northwestward the writer has been unable to learn. Students of Coos Bay history have been unsuccessful in getting any facts about the matter. On the new map a place called Jordan Cove is shown just west of the new Jordan Point. The point on the east side of the bay formerly called Jordan Point is now known as Glascow Point.
JORDAN VALLEY, Linn County. Jordan Valley is just south of North Santiam River, but does not drain that stream. Jordan Creek carries the waters of the valley southward into Thomas Creek, which flows into South Santiam River west of Scio. Local tradition says that Jordan Valley was named by Linn County's famous pioneer circuit rider, Joab Powell, in compliment to the Valley of the Jordan in the Holy Land. Many years ago there was a post office called Jordan on the lower reaches of Jordan Creek. This office was established August 10, 1874, with Elias Forgey first of six postmasters. The office was closed out to Scio October 21, 1905. This was due to the extension of rural free delivery. Most maps show this office close to the mouth of Jordan Creek, but it may have wandered around a little.
JORDAN VALLEY, Malheur County. Jordan Valley is the name of a post office in Jordan Valley on the banks of Jordan Creek, which is a tributary of Owyhee River. The stream was named for Michael M. Jordan who was the leader of a party that discovered gold on its banks in May, 1863. He was killed in an Indian fight in the Owyhee country in 1864. See Bancroft's History of Washington, Idaho and Montana.
JORY HILL, Marion County. Jory Hill, with an elevation of 737 feet, is southwest of Salem. Several members of the Jory family settled in this neighborhood in pioneer days on donation land claims, and the hill was named for them.
JOSEPH, Wallowa County. Joseph is a town in the Wallowa Valley and is named for Chief Joseph, (1837-1904), who claimed the valley as his ancestral home, thus bringing on a war with the whites, which resulted in Joseph's retreat to Montana. For details of his life see under
CHIEF JOSEPH MOUNTAIN. Joseph Creek in Wallowa County also bears his name. In January, 1944, J. H. Horner of Enterprise told the compiler that the community of Joseph was first called Silver Lake and also Lake City. When the post office was established about 1880 these two names were suggested but authorities would not accept them because of duplication with other Oregon places. Matt Johnson then suggested the name Joseph, which was accepted.
JOSEPHINE COUNTY. Josephine County was created January 22, 1856, from a western part of Jackson County. It now has a land area of 1625 square miles. It was probably named for Josephine Rollins, who was the daughter of the discoverer of gold in the Josephine Creek that bears her name, according to H. H. Bancroft, (History of Oregon, volume II, pages, 415 and 713). This is confirmed by Walling, on page 447 of his History of Southern Oregon, who says that Josephine County received its name from Josephine Creek, which was named for Josephine Rollins. Further confirmation is contained in a letter from the woman herself, dated February 19, 1909, a copy of which is in possession of the Oregon Historical Society. She signs herself Virginia Josephine Rollins Ort, —
