Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/358

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ja said that in pibot table on hining camp, buning the principal load was so hi he presente do away before morn pool hellember si one of Aubu for with old name. In the fall of 1860 the house passed a bill to change the name from Napoleon to Kirbeyville, but on October 10 Holton succeeded in getting the bill referred to the senate judiciary committee, where it is still embalmed. The county commissioners used the name Napoleon for a short time, but seem to have dropped it in favor of Kerbyville about April, 1860. A list of county seats in the Oregon Statesman, Febuary 11, 1861, includes Kerbyville, and that is the name that was used for a good many years, despite the fact that the legislature declined to restore it. Later still the name was changed to Kerby in the interest of simplicity, and Kerby it now is. The name of the first post office has had a much simpler history. Kerby office was established in September, 1856, with James Kerbey postmaster. It is still operating with the original name. It is said that in the mining days one of the founders of the original town brought in a pool table on his pack train from Crescent City. The table was intended for another mining camp, but on arrival near the site of the present town of Kerby, the mule packing the principal part of the table strayed away one night, loaded, and the weight of his load was so great that he died before morning. The packer concluded that the location was as good a place for a pool hall as any, and after burying the mule, set up shop on the spot. On December 4, 1937, the Grants Pass Courier printed an interview with B. Kerbey Short of Auburn, Washington, in which Short said he was a grandson of the man for whom Kerby was named and that the family spelling was Kerbey. It seems improbable that the name of the community will be changed.

KERNAN POINT, Wallowa County. Kernan Point is in the northeast part of the county, in township 2 north, range 50 east. It was named for John Kernan, due to the circumstance that he and one Nate Tryon killed a deer nearby. He ranged sheep in the vicinity of the point. Kernan and Wilkes Jennings were drowned in Snake River on March 4, 1894, while attempting to cross in an Indian boat or canoe.

KERNVILLE, Lincoln County. In April, 1943, Miss Grace Kern of Portland wrote the compiler about the beginnings of this community. Kernville was named by the late Daniel Kern of Portland, who with his brother, John H. Kern, operated a salmon cannery on Siletz River not far from its mouth. The business was known as Kern Brothers Packing Company and was started in 1896. The locality was isolated and could be reached only by water. The cannery was sold in 1898 to Mat P. Kiernan and J. W. Cook of Portland. Later it passed to the hands of Sam Elmore of Astoria. Kernville is now on the Oregon Coast Highway, a great change from 1896. The cannery was on the north bank of Siletz River about two miles up stream from the Oregon Coast Highway bridge and the location of Kernville in 1945. The sawmill, post office and original community of Kernville were on the southwest bank about a mile up stream from the present site of Kernville. See also story by Ben Maxwell in Sunday Oregon Journal, magazine section, November 4, 1945. Kernville post office was established July 6, 1896, with John H. Kern first postmaster. Matthew P. Kiernan became postmaster August 7, 1899. The office has been out of service at times.

KERR NOTCH, Crater Lake National Park, Klamath County. This is the lowest part of the rim above Crater Lake and is about 500 feet from the surface of the water. It was named for Mark B. Kerr, USGS engineer in charge of the party that surveyed the lake in 1886. He pronounced his