Luther Elkins (1809 - 1887)

Born 26 May 1809 in Cornville, Somerset County, Massachusetts, now Maine, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Philotheta (Williams) Elkins — married 30 Dec 1830 in Wheeling, Marshall, Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died 13 Dec 1887 at age 78 in Lebanon, Linn County, Oregon, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Dave Carlson [send private message]

Biography

Birth

Luther Elkins was born on 26 May 1809 in Cornville, Somerset, (then Massachusetts) Maine, USA to Samuel Elkins IV (1766-c. 1820) and Lydia Smith (1770-c.1819). He was orphaned by the time he was ten according to the article held by the state of Oregon. Before he was orphaned, he was moved to Indiana from Maine.

Indiana to Oregon Along the Oregon Trail

Patriarch Luther Elkins, and Oregon pioneer, moved to Virginia, Indiana, and thence to Oregon in 1852 along the Oregon Trail. His Donation Land Claim consisted of 320 acres.

Marriages and Family

Luther Elkins married twice:

1) Philotheta Williams on 30 December 1830 in Wheeling, Marshall, Virginia (now West Virginia). He was 21 and she was 24. At the time Luther was working at wagon and carriage making there. They moved to Ohio.

2) On 13 March 1882 he married Mary Ann Murray (b. 1862 in Linn, Oregon-?) in Lebanon, Linn, Oregon. He was 72.

Children of the Elkins-Williams Marriage

1. James Elkins born 11 October 1831 in Mount Pleasant, Jefferson, Ohio, USA. James married Helen Amelia Millard on 26 July 1860 in Linn County, Oregon. He died on 26 November 1920 in Ventura County, California, USA.
2. Joseph Williams Elkins born 16 March 1833 in Jacobsburg, Belmont, Ohio, USA. Joseph married Mary Isabelle Wilson (1848-1931) on 8 November 1866 at the home of her father George Wilson in Linn County, Oregon. He died on 4 January 1916 in Lebanon, Linn, Oregon, USA.
3. Louisa Elkins born 1 February 1835 in Belmont County, Ohio, USA. She died on 16 August 1892 in Prineville, Crook, Oregon, USA.
4. William Samuel Elkins born 1 May 1837 in Jacobsburg, Belmont, Ohio, USA. William married 1) Adaline Burkhart on 29 June 1865 in Linn County, Oregon. She died of complications of childbirth on 9 July 1866 and the child died soon after. 2) Margaret Jane Grant on 1 October 1868 in Linn County, Oregon. He died on 22 March 1907 in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, USA.
5. Elizabeth Elkins born 1839 Belmont Count, Ohio, USA.
6. Clarissa A. Elkins born 28 September 1841(43?) in Jacobsburg, Belmont, Ohio, USA. Clarissa married George Bingham Welch on 26 May 1861 in Marion County, Oregon. She died on 30 December 1917 in Hood River, Hood River, Oregon, USA.
7. Julia Ann Elkins born on 13 August 1844 in Centerville, Montgomery, Ohio, USA. Julia married Patrick Farrell on 12 June 1873 in Linn County, Oregon. She died on 16 June 1904 probably in Linn County, Oregon, USA.
8. Charles Worth Elkins born 3 October 1847 in Belmont County, Ohio, USA. Charles married Olive Brown before 14 June 1881 in Crook County, Oregon. He died on 26 November 1904 in Crook County, Oregon, USA.

Residences before Oregon

Luther and Philotheta moved first to Zanesville, Muskingum, Ohio and then to Mount Pleasant, Jefferson, Ohio. They then moved in 1832 to Belmont County where he was in the milling business and also dealt with the wholesale tobacco leaf industry.

Public Service

He was a promoter of the Willamette Valley and Cascade Mountains Wagon Road and helped to construct the Albany and Santiam Canal.

He served in the Territory of Oregon Legislature in 1853 and 1854 and was a delegate to the Oregon Constitutional Convention where he helped form the Oregon Constitution.

Luther was the first President of the Oregon State Senate in 1860. He served until 1861.

Occupations

He was a farmer and a public servant.

Death and Burial

He died in Lebanon, Linn, Oregon at the home of his son Joseph on 13 December 1887 aged 78.

Buried at Lebanon Pioneer Cemetery, Lebanon, Linn, Oregon.

Find A Grave Memorial # 26702233 Photo and headstone available.

Sources

• Oregon Blue Book: Senate Presidents of Oregon. Oregon Secretary of State. See at [1]
• Wikipedia Profile Find complete article here [2]
• Biographical Sketch of Luther Elkins find here [3]
• Flora, Stephanie. Emigrants to Oregon in 1852. 2009. Find at [4]
• Elkins Family History. Produced by David A. Johnson of Hillsboro, Oregon. (Note: researcher Kerr can not find this source.)

Footnotes

Acknowledgements

1. Dave Carlson created Elkins-682 on 7 July 2014.
2. Darlene Scott Kerr added bio, sources, photos on 11 and 12 July 2014 and 15 September 2016.