ture on Father Wilbur's land claim upon which he settled September 8, 1853. For short history of Father Wilbur and Umpqua Academy, see
OHQ, volume XIX, page 1. A pioneer post office with the name Laurel was established near the present site of Wilbur on October 14, 1854, with Willis Jenkins postmaster. It was discontinued in November, 1855. Wilbur MOUNTAIN, Umatilla County. Wilbur Mountain is a prominent feature in the Blue Mountains about ten miles east of Meacham. It is almost on the southwest corner of section 6, township 1 south, range 37 east. It was named for Erastus J. Wilbur, who, as a member of the firm of Wilbur and Son, cut and milled a great deal of railroad timber from the vicinity of Wilbur Mountain.
WILDERVILLE, Josephine County. Wilderville was named for Joseph L. Wilder, a local resident. Postal authorities inform the compiler that the first post office established at this place was called Slate Creek. It was established on September 30, 1858, with Oliver J. Evans first postmaster, The name of the office was changed to Wilderville on August 12, 1878. Joseph L. Wilder was then postmaster. WildHORSE CREEK, Umatilla County. This name is an old one. It occurs as Marron's Fork in Brouillet's Account of the Murder of Dr. Whitman, New York, 1853, page 55. Marron is a French word, meaning, among other things, a domesticated animal gone wild. Brouillet uses the name as of 1847. Kip, in Army Life on the Pacific, 1859, page 25, uses the form Wild Horse Creek. The origin of the name obviously had some connection with an early day experience with stock, probably by fur traders. Government map makers use the form Wildhorse. WildWOOD, Lane County. For a good many years Wildwood, with its descriptive rustic name, was an important locality in the Row River area. Wildwood post office was established January 6, 1888, with Sarah E. Kerr first of a long series of postmasters. The office was closed December 31, 1914, with papers to Disston. The office was a mile or so southeast of what was later Culp Creek post office.
WILEY CREEK, Linn County. This stream flows into South Santiam River near Foster. It bears the name of Andrew Wiley, a pioneer settler. It is also known as Rock Creek, but there are already too many creeks of that name in the state. C. H. Stewart of Albany wrote the compiler in 1927, as follows: "Andrew Wiley was a great hunter and was the pioneer explorer of the old Indian trail up the South Santiam River. Each year on his hunting expeditions he would penetrate farther into the recesses of the mountains, and in the year 1859, accompanied by two others, he made his way entirely across the Cascade Range and arrived in the locality of the present town of Sisters. He was thus the first man to discover the famous Hogg Pass. He was the chief pilot of the locators of the Willamette Valley and Cascade Moutain road project in 1866 and 1867, and the road followed the route of his memorable trip of 1859. Some surveyor has tried to change the name of Wiley Creek to Rock Creek, but the people of the vicinity still cling to the old name, and you never hear the other mentioned anywhere in this county." John Minto, in OHQ, volume IV, page 241, mentions this pioneer trail, but misspells it Wyley. County records substantiate the spelling Wiley. Wilhoir, Clackamas County. John Wilhoit took up a land claim at the present location of Wilhoit post office about 1866. There were at
