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History of Brownsville, Oregon by Violet Kendig, 1915 Since Violet Kendig Piper wrote her senior thesis in 1915, later research by the late Leslie L. Haskins, Everett Earle Stanard, John K. Standish and others has enriched our historical knowledge of Brownsville. The first pioneers who settled in Brownsville were Alex Kirk, Hugh L. Brown and James Blakely. These men arrived at Brownsville in 1846, after having been on their way across the plains for six months. A donation land claim of six hundred and forty acres was taken by each, in and about the present site of Brownsville. The cattle belonging to these men grazed on the prairies about Brownsville and the grass was so high that if the cattle would lie down they could not be seen. In their season, wild strawberries of an immense size could be gathered from these prairies. Oregon City was the nearest trading post to Brownsville. The pioneers would start out across the prairies for Oregon City to get flour and other necessities ... since there was no road. Sometimes they would encounter marshes, which made their progress difficult. About ten days were required to go and come from this trading post. The town of Brownsville was started when a store building was erected by Hugh L. Brown and James Blakely in 1850. The first post office was in this store. South Brownsville was the only Brownsville at this time and was named in honor of Hugh L. Brown. The first marriage record in Linn County was that of W.N. Griffith and Nancy Shaw, who were married in Brownsville July 1, 1850, by Hugh L. Brown, Justice of the Peace. The first building in North Brownsville was a grist mill erected by Billy McHargue in 1853 or ’54. A few dwelling houses were soon afterwards built, and later the building of the Brownsville Woolen Mills, which was owned by a company of Brownsville people. In 1865 these mills were burned, but soon rebuilt. The woolen mills have belonged to several different companies and their blankets and cloth are well known for the superior quality. The first school in Brownsville was on the south side of the river. J.M. Moyer operated a planing mill very successfully for many years on the north side of the river. George Kendig built a saw mill back of where the planing mill now stands, in about 1878. Some years later this was moved to the Upper Calapooia. North Brownsville was incorporated in 1876. There was to be a president of the council, city recorder, marshal and city treasurer. Each was to hold office for one year. The people in and about Brownsville worked hard to get a railroad, the farmers giving wheat and money. As a result, a narrow gauge railroad was completed in 1881. The incorporations of North Brownsville and South Brownsville were repealed in 1895. At this time, J.P. Cooley was mayor of North Brownsville and W.P. Elmore of South Brownsville. The people voted for consolidation of the towns. There was just one opposing vote, so the towns were united on February 12, 1895. W.P. Elmore was the first mayor of the consolidated town. O.P. Coshow was the city recorder; F.M. Powell, marshal; and C.E. Stanard, treasurer. Amor A. Tussing, W.P. Elmore and J.P. Cooley prepared the charter for Brownsville. Beginning in 1892 Mr.Eley P. Roby served two terms as the President of the City Council, and one term as Mayor of Brownsville. with O.P. Coshow, Recorder. Other city officials are C.E. Stanard, Treasurer; John Senger, Marshal; I.D. Boyer, Jos White, C.H. Elswick and J.M. Howe, Councilmen. Council Meetings are held the first Thursday night of the month. In 1907 the Brownsville Canning and Preserving Company was founded by Ed. Holloway, Oren Stratton and H.A. Lewis. Thirty-three years ago, December 21, the first newspaper was published in Brownsville. It was known as "The Brownsville Banner" ... published by Geo. C. Blakely ... J.B. Horner was editor. The motto of this paper was "Brownsville First, Brownsville Last, Brownsville Forever." On the front page of the first issue was published an article entitled "Oregon-The Eden of the Universe-A Home for the Homeless-Wealth for the Needy." In the fertile Willamette Valley situated on the banks of the clear Calapooia, Brownsville has become the home of a quiet, peace-loving and hospitable people, who take much pride in their historic town with its hallowed memories, its churches and Schools, and cherish the hope of a glorious future.