F. A. Chenoweth

CHENOWETH

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 6/7/2008 at 09:14:54

Western Democrat
September 3, 1851

Singular and Mysterious. – We find the following singular item in the Galena Jeffersonian of the 26th ult,

Oregon. – F.A. Chenoweth is constructing a rail road around the Cascades on the Willamette river.

Reader perhaps you don’t perceive any thing singular in this item. We’ll enlighten you.

We are absolutely certain there can be but one F. A. Chenoweth in the universe, so feel sure of our character. – Here’s his history.

Four years ago he was a one-horse lawyer in this county, and for want of poorer material, was made prosecuting atty, - when the California fever broke out, it took him and family (and if we are rightly informed he had an amiable wife and interesting children, - such miscreants instead of marrying some six-foot Amazon, strong enough to whip the rascality out of them, usually find a delicate gentle hearted woman, with a spirit too meek to buffet adversity even when supported by the warm and tender love of man’s stronger nature, and blight their existence by an alliance in which there nothing to satisfy the wants of her clinging love.) They took the overland route – at Fort Laramie the wife and mother died, - one of the children was given by the inhumane father to a family of strangers, and the other to the Indians! – he was compelled to reclaim the last, by the Commandant of the fort. From the Fort, the next season he went to Oregon – married a woman worth some $40,000 – was reported dead, - but now comes up making railroads.

Truly human life and fortune is a checkered thing.