office was established as a result of mining activity in the Balm Creek area. It was in service from February 25, 1929, to June 30, 1930, when it was closed to Keating. The writer does not know the activities of the mining industry mentioned. The name Arthur was derived from W. J. Arthur, more generally known as Johnny Arthur.
ARTHUR, Multnomah County. In earlier days a well-known Multnomah County post office was Arthur on the west shore of Sauvie Island a little north of Holbrook. This office was established July 26, 1880, with Mary Taylor postmaster. The office was closed November 30, 1904, apparently as the result of the extension of rural free delivery. Mary Taylor was the only postmaster the place ever had. A good deal of effort has been made trying to learn the origin of this name, but with no result. The place was not named for President Chester A. Arthur because he was not president when the office was established, in fact he had not even been elected vice-president. The office was established about the time the Republicans nominated the Garfield-Arthur ticket in Chicago in the summer of 1880, and it may have been named because Arthur's name was in the news, but this is just a guess.
ASBESTOS, Jackson County. Asbestos locality and post office were named for the fireproofing material, deposits of which are to be found in the north part of Jackson County. The post office was established Aug. ust 15, 1893, with May Sackett first postmaster. It was closed August 31, 1913, with papers to Beagle. It was situated in the south part of township 33 south, range 2 west, near Evans Creek. F. W. Libbey of the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries calls the attention of the compiler to the fact that the word asbestos is a commercial term rather than a definite mineral name. There are a number of minerals which are called asbestos, the most important of which is chrysotile, a fibrous variety of serpentine. Fibrous tremolite, another type of asbestos is known to occur in Jackson County.
ASCHOFF BUTTES, Clackamas County. These buttes lie about five miles east of Marmot and are north of Little Sandy River. They were named for Adolf Aschoff, who was born in Germany May 21, 1849, emigrated to the United States in 1869 and came to Oregon in 1882. He settled at what is now Marmot on March 16, 1883 and was for many years a prominent guide and forester in that part of the state. He was an enthusiastic advocate of all things tending to preserve and popularize the scenic features of Oregon. He died in Portland on May 16, 1930. For obituary, see Oregon Journal, May 17, 1930. See also under Marmor. Ash, Douglas County. This post office was established July 24, 1894, and the first postmaster was Charles L. Parker. The postoffice department asked for a short name and he suggested Ash as there were many of those trees in the vicinity.
ASHLAND, Jackson County. Ashland was named by Abel D. Hellman, whose birthplace was Ashland County, Ohio. Matthew P. Deady is authority for the statement that the town was named in honor of Henry Clay's birthplace, which was near Ashland, Virginia (Deady letter in the Oregonian, May 13, 1884). Both explanations are possibly correct. Hellman was born in 1824. The town in Oregon was named in 1852 (Walling's History of Southern Oregon). The flour mill was built by Abel D. Hellman, John Hellman, Eber Emery, Jacob Emery and James Cardwell. Ashland Mills in 1855 is described by T. J. Dryer, Oregonian,
