Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/256

244 REVEREND EZRA FISHER tions embracing a great variety of religious views. But the large land claims will soon become divided and subdivided as lands become scarce and the prices high. This valley will have its own ports and its commerce will soon become as distinct from the Willamette as Connecticut is from Massachusetts. A few miles from the mouth of the Umpqua, on the tide water, a small commercial town has sprung into existence by the name of Scottsburg, which is approached from the main valley by a pack trail. Twenty miles south of the mouth of the Umpqua is an entrance into a bay called Cowes Bay (pro- nounced Coos Bay 324 ) which extends into the interior about 30 miles. At the head of this bay a town is soon to be laid off 325 and a wagon road constructed to the southern part of the Umpqua Valley so as to intersect the road leading from the Willamette Valley to the mining district. Around the several arms of the bay it is said there is a large tract of rich, level, timbered land, sufficient to form a small county. Umpqua Valley now contains 3000 souls and' about twelve or fifteen Baptist members, mostly from Missouri and Ohio. Among this number is Elder Thomas Stevens, 326 of Welch origin, who formerly preached in or near Utica, N. Y., and, for the last fifteen years, near Sandusky City, Ohio. He says he is personally acquainted with W. R. Williams, D. D., 327 of your city. I spent two Sabbaths in the Umpqua Valley on my tour to Rogue River. On my return, I assisted Brother Stevens in constituting a small church at the mouth of Deer Creek. 328 The point is one of as much apparent importance as any in the valley and it is spoken of as the most probable place for the permanent county seat. A large flouring mill is just erected at the place and there are two small stores and a post office at the place. Br. Stevens retains many of Welch 324 The name now spelled Coos is of Indian origin, and was the name of a tribe and of the Bay. It was variously spelled Cowis, Cowes, Kowes and Coose. F. V. Holman, Hist, of the Counties of Oregon, in Ore. Hist. Soc. Quar. XI -39 325 The Coos Bay Company was formed in May, 1853, and the first settle- ment in the Coos Bay country was made that summer. The town referred to as about to be laid out was Empire City. Marshfield was laid off later. Bancroft, Hist, of Ore., 11:331, 332. 326 See note 284. 327 See note 236. 328 This was ten miles east of Roseburg. It was organized July 24, 1853, in the house of William Perry. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore., 1: 13.