Page:Oregon Geographic Names, third edition.djvu/493

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vicinity in 1853. The three brothers spelled their name as indicated, but members of the present generation who have investigated the matter in England, use the form Parrett, which they say is correct.

PARRISH GAP, Marion County. This gap is in the hills about a mile northeast of Marion. It was named for E. E. Parrish on whose donation land claim the gap is situated.

PARROTT CREEK, Clackamas County. The stream flowing through New Era was named for Joseph Parrott, a pioneer of 1844. Pass CREEK, Douglas County. This creek bears a descriptive name because of the fact that it heads in a comparatively low divide between the waters flowing into Willamette River and those flowing into Umpqua River. In early days a family by the name of Ward built a corduroy road through the canyon of Pass Creek and operated a toll gate. J. J. Comstock built a sawmill on Pass Creek about the time the rail. road was built and was given the privilege of using cut timber along the right of way. He had previously been in business with Ben Holladay, and Holladay favored him on that account. The name of the creek was used for an early day post office, Pass Creek, established May 31,1867, with William A. Mulvaney first and only postmaster. The office was closed to Yoncalla on January 7, 1869. Drain post office had not yet been established. The compiler has been unable to get the location of Pass Creek post office, except that it was near the stream Pass Creek somewhere between Divide and Drain.

PATAHA CREEK, Lane County. Pataha Creek, which flows into Wildcat Creek east of Austa, is one of several features in the Oregon Coast Range that have Indian names imported from the state of Washington. The compiler does not know the reason for the application of the name Pataha to the stream in Lane County unless it was by someone who had once lived in southeastern Washington or who liked the name because he saw it on a map. Pataha is the name of a village near Pomeroy, Washington, on a creek bearing the same name. Pataha is said to be a Nez Perce word meaning brush. See Meany's Origin of Washington Geographic Names, page 208. PatawA CREEK, Umatilla County. Patawa Creek and its tributary, South Patawa Creek, rise on the west slopes of Emigrant Hill and flow northwestward to join Tutuilla Creek near Pendleton. Patawa is the name of a large and well-known Indian family of Umatilla County, members of which have lived on the banks of Patawa Creek for many years. The spelling Parawa is wrong

PATTERSONS Mills, Douglas County. Pattersons Mills were a very well-known Douglas County commercial enterprise that began operations in pioneer days. The mills were near North Umpqua River not far from the place called Glide. The post office Pattersons Mills was established in August, 1878, with William Patterson postmaster. The office was closed in June, 1886, and the business turned over to Mount Scott post office a few miles to the west.

PATTON VALLEY, Washington and Yamhill counties. Patton Valley was named for Robert Patton who owned land therein. It lies along Tualatin River from a point near Gaston westward to Cherry Grove.

PAULINA, Crook County. In the opinion of the writer there are more than enough geographic features in Oregon named for this belligerent Snake Indian. We have Paulina town, Paulina Mountains, Paulina Peak,