Willamina Maley were married, probably in Polk County. They settled on the land on which the town of Amity was built. They were much respected citizens of Amity and are buried at the old churchyard at that place. Willamina post office was established May 29, 1855, with James Brown first postmaster. The office was on the Brown claim about a mile east of the present town of Willamina. On January 1, 1863, Jeremiah Lamson became postmaster and the office was moved to his claim nearly two miles west of the Brown place. Brown had the office again on March 24, 1865. On April 4, 1866, the office was moved to and the name was changed to Sheridan, with Thomas N. Faulconer postmaster and there it has been ever since. This shift left Willamina Creek without a post office, and on August 29, 1878, a new office was established with the name Willamina and with Jackson Monroe postmaster. From December, 1880, to March, 1891, Willamina post office was operated just over the line in Polk County.
WILLARD, Marion County. The Willard area is about four miles east-southeast of Pratum and was named for Abner S. Willard, a pioneer of 1847. Willard was born in Ohio in 1827, and after reaching the Willamette Valley, settled near the middle of township 7 south, range 1 west. He died there in 1851. The Willard school district was organized as early as 1855 and in 1893 the Willard church was established. Willard post office was established in April, 1889, with Mary H. Starmer first postmaster. This office was finally closed in April, 1904. WillBRIDGE, Multnomah County. This station is the junction of the Astoria branch and the main line of the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway. It is southwest of the bridge over the Willamette River, and it has a composite name on that account.
WILLIAMS, Josephine County. Williams is one of three post offices in southern Oregon named because of the proximity of Williams Creek. See under WILLIAMSBURG and WILLIAMS CREEK in this series of notes. In 1948 Williams post office was situated six miles southwest up Williams Creek from Provolt. Williams post office was established October 11, 1881, with David John first of a long string of postmasters. The office is still in service as this note is being written. It is about two miles west of the Jackson-Josephine county line.
WILLIAMS CREEK, Jackson County. Williams Creek post office was established March 14, 1876. It was out of service for a time and the compiler does not know the dates of its later history. The first postmaster was John A. Lewman. This post office was very close to the center of the northwest quarter of section 7, township 38 south, range 4 west and was therefore about a quarter of a mile east of the present Jackson-Josephine county line. It was also about the same distance southeast of the present Provolt post office. See also under WillIAMS and WILLIAMSBURG, The Williams Creek post office was not exactly on Williams Creek but not far from it.
WILLIAMS CREEK, Josephine County. This stream flows into Applegate River. Walling, in History of Southern Oregon, page 458, says that it was named for Captain Robert Williams, an Indian fighter of local fame, who skirmished with the natives on the creek in 1853. Williams post office took its name from the stream.
WILLIAMSBURG, Josephine County. Williamsburg was a pioneer post office on Williams Creek, named in compliment to Captain Robert Wil
