| DLC Number; County of Oregon; (Claim Location) | Family Data | *Witnesses |
|---|---|---|
| DLC#69; Washington Co., Ore.; (T1N secs 33, 34 48.92a) | STARK, Benjamin Aaron, born 26 June 1820, New Orleans, LA, died 10 Oct. 1898, New London, Conn.; settled claim 1 Sept. 1849. Conflicting boundary with Daniel H. Lownsdale; married 21 March 1854 Elizabeth Molthrop, dau. of Capt. Wm. E. Molthrop of Wapato, near Portland, Ore. Elizabeth died 1881, New London, Conn. | Affidavit: John H. Couch, Wm. H. Bennett. |
| Rejected Oregon Donation Land Claim Application Filed in Oregon City Land Office DLC#273; Washington Co., Ore.; | THOMPSON, Robert, born 1809, IRELAND; settled claim 1 April 1850 "except a temporary absence of 3 months in 1850". Naturalized citizen of U.S. refers to Certificate from Wm. H. Bradly, Clerk. Jo Daviess Circuit Court, Ill., dated 15 March 1851. 21 April 1852 settled claim. | Affidavit: Wm. L. Higgins, Ami P. Dennison. 20 Feb. 1854, Portland, Ore. Terr., Robert Thompson relinquished land which had been claimed by John H. Couch in his Notice#323 (Oregon City 3879). Couch was oldest resident. Relinquishment signed before Anthony L. David, J.P. |
| DLC#297; Clackamas Co., Ore.; (T4S R1E secs 6,7,18 & T4S R1W secs 1,12,13 631.37a) | IRVIN (IRVING), George, born abt. 1817, Jefferson Co., OH; married Mary Ann Couch 22 Dec. 1842, Linn or Sullivan Co., MO-DESCENDANTS OF OREGON PIONEERS, 1965 yearbook, p33, gives Mary Kellet Couch; settled claim 1 Oct. 1850. | Affidavit: James Barlow, Samuel K. Barlow, William Barlow. |
| DLC#980; Yamhill Co., Ore.; (T5S R3W secs 29,30,31,32 319.94a) | KIRKWOOD, John, born 1830/31, Middlesex Co., Mass.; married Charlotta 26 Dec 1852, Yamhill Co., Ore. Terr., dau. of Daniel Matheny & Mary Cooper Metheny; arrived Oregon 15 Sept. 1849; Settled Claim 15 Jan. 1853. | Affidavit: Jason Peters, Daniel Metheny, Rueben H. Couch, Wm. C. Hamilton. |
| DLC#1935; Polk Co., Ore.; (T6S R4W secs 13,24 308.41a) | EARNEST, William B., born 1813, Simpson Co., KY,; married Mary Morris 7 Jan. 1841, Simpson Co., KY; arrived Oregon 28 Oct. 1852; setttled claim 17 Feb. 1853. | Affidavit: Giles Daugherty, Samuel King, Andrew J. Doak, Rueben H. Couch. |
| DLC#2263; Yamhill Co., Ore.; (T5S R4W secs 25,26 & T5S R3W secs 30,31 640.39a | KIRKWOOD, Joseph (James), born abt. 1821/22, Dunbarton, SCOTLAND; arrived Oregon Sept. 1846; married Louisiana C. Matheny, 15 April 1847, Yamhill Co., Ore. Terr., Louisiana was born 8 March 1829 in Ind., died 6 Jan. 1908, Yamhill Co., Ore.; naturalized citizen 27 June 1851; settled claim 21 July 1851. | Affidavit: David I. Townsend, Rueben H. Couch, Wm. S. Cooper. |
| DLC#2407; Yamhill Co., Ore.; (T5S R4W secs 25,26,35,36 640.88a) | TOWNSEND, David J., born 1820, Cass Co., GA or Anderson District, SC.; married Judy Ann "Julia" Robinson (Robeson), Oct 1844 Cass Co., GA; arrived Oregon Dec. 1846; settled claim 1 June 1851. | Affidavit: Joseph Kirkwood, Rueben H. Couch, Jacob Cooper, Isaiah C. Metheny. |
| DLC#2496; Polk Co., Ore.; (T6S R3W sec 7 149.08a) | CROSIAR, William, born 1828, Jefferson Co., Ind.; arrived Ore. 14 Oct. 1851 ; settled claim 4 April 1852. He volunteered in answer to governors call to suppress the Indians in Norther Ore. Returned to claim 14 May 1856; married Terrissa McKinley, Yamhill Co., Ore. Terr., 20 Aug. 1857 | Affidavit: Rueben H. Couch, Wm. S. Cooper. |
| DLC#2546; Polk Co., Ore. | COUCH, Rueben H., born 1830, GA; arrived Ore. Sept. 1848; settled claim 20 April 1852; married Sophia F. 21 Feb. 1854, Polk Co., Ore. Terr. | Affidavit: Wm. Miller, John N. Swift, Wm. Crosier, Wm. S. Cooper. |
| DLC#2725; Yamhill Co., Ore. | McKINLEY, Alexander, born 1804, Jefferson Co., KY; married Martha 18 Dec. 1823, Bartholomew Co., Ind.; arrived Ore. 11 Sept. 1852; settled claim 1-12 Oct. 1852. | Affidavit: Wm. S. Cooper *(MA), Thomas McKinley, Elisha McKinley Rueben H. Couch, Wm. S. Cooper. |
| DLC#3499; Yamhill Co., Ore. | McKINLEY, James, born 1827, Clark Co., Ind.; married Charlotte E., 3 Feb. 1849; arrived Oregon 8 Sept. 1852 (?); settled claim 23 Feb. 1853; 29 Dec. 1863 signed Oath of Allegiance. | Affidavit: Thomas McKinley, Rueben H. Couch, Wm. Crosian, John McKinley, Geo. Gay. |
| DLC#3669; Washington/Multnomah Cos., Ore. | KING, Amos N., born 1822, Madison Co., Ohio.; arrived Ore. Nov. 1845 ; married Malinda 8 March 1846, Washington Co., Ore. Terr.; settled claim 15 May 1849. Boundary Conflict with John H. Couch. D.P. Thompson, Dept. U.S. Surveyor, surveyed land. | Affidavit: Daniel H. Lownsdale, Wm. W. Chapman, R. Wilcox, Geo. H. Durham, Lansing Stout. |
Rejected Oregon Donation Land Claim Application Filed in Oregon City Land Office DLC#3818; Washington Co., Ore.; | DENNISON, Ami P., born 1823/25, Cumberland Co., Maine; arrived Ore. 16 June 1851; settled claim 23 Jan. 1854. Located on west bank of Willamette River adjacent John H. Couch & D.H. Lownsdale. | Affidavit: Geo. L. Story, Wm. S. Ladd. Dennison gave affidavit that the day of settlement ground was frozen so solidly as to prevent deponent from cultivating same. 8 Feb. 1856, Portland, he signed Settlers Oath before Cyrus Olney, Assoiciate Justice of Ore. Covered by Donation Claim of Benj. Stark, Notification#328 (Oregon City 69). |
| DLC#3879; Washington/Multnomah Cos., Ore. | COUCH, John H., born 1811, Essex Co., Mass; married Caroline 9 Dec. 1831, Newburyport, Essex Co., Mass.; arrived Ore. 12 June 1840; settled claim 20 Aug.l 1849. Boundary adjustment with Danford Balch & Wm. A. Molthrop, 1858 Wm. Irving states he has resided on & cultivated that part of land, which is not now included in the town site of the city of Portland from 1 May 1854 to 23 Jan. 1858. 27 Jan. 1865 there was a boundary conflict with Amos N. King. 12 April 1867 James Guthrie, Jr., Attorney for Couch asks for papent on various purchases - states Couch now has deeded property worth nearly 3/4 of a million dollars. 12 July 1871 certificate was issued to Widow & heirs. | Affidavit: W.W. Bucks, Geo. H. Flanders *(MA), F.C. Norton, Richard Hoyt, Benjamin Stark, Wm. H. Bennett. |
| DLC#3881; Washington/Multnomah Cos., Ore. | BALCH, Danford, born 1811, Mass.; settled claim 1 Oct. 1850; married Mary Jane 12 June 1842, Augusta, Des Moines Co., IA. Mary Jane states she arrived in Ore 4 Sept. 1847 & was born 1818, Adams Co., Ohio. She married 2nd John A Confer 8 Dec. 1862, Multonmah Co., Ore. Boundary Conflict with John Couch, Amos N. King & Peter Guild. 1860 Wm. Cornell was guardian for widow & heirs. 1865 Lansing Stout was Attorney for Heirs. 1872 Alexander P. Ankeny & Wm. S. Caldwell gave affidavit that Balch died 1859. | Affidavit: Geo. Kittredge, Wm. Blackiston, Peter Guild. |
| DLC#4542; Yamhill Co., Ore. | COOPER, William S., born 1813, Clark Co., Ind.; married May Ann June 1840, Pike Co., Ill.; settled claim 16 Sept. 1850. James McKinley gave affidavit 17 April 1869 that May Ann Cooper died 13 years ago. | Affidavit: Rueben H. Couch, Reuben Case, Wm. Crozier. |
| DLC#4901; Polk Co., Ore. | COOPER, Jacob *(X), born 1823/24, Ohio; arrived Ore. Dec 1847; settled claim 15 Nov. 1852. | Affidavit: Rueben H. Couch, Joseph Kirkwood, Wm. C. Hamilton, Wm. R. McCarty. |
| DLC#4912; Polk Co., Ore. | SWIFT, John N., born 1829, Pike Co., MO; arrived Ore. 28 June 1851; married Elizabeth 4 Dec. 1851, Polk Co., Ore. Terr.; settled claim 15 Feb. 1852 | Affidavit: David McDonald *(MA), Rueben H. Couch, Pascal E. Smith, John Phillips. |
*Oregon Donation of Land Claims: In 1850, Congress passed the Donation Land Law, which granted land to certain white or Indians of mixed blood, provided they were citizens of the United States or would become citizens within a year, and provided they agreed to stay on the land for four years. They could receive 320 acres each (if single and would marry one year after arrival), 160 acres if single and over 21, and an additional 320 acres in the name of their wife, if married. The settlers needed to emigrate to Oregon between December 1850 and December 1853 in order to qualify. Originally designed to expire in December of 1853, the law was extended until December of 1855, and it enabled settlers to purchase their claim for $1.25 per acre after two years of successive residence on the land.
*Witnesses, here will be found names of friends and family members.
*(MA), this following a person's name shows this person gave affidavit that he had known them as husband and wife since day of marriage.
*(X), a person's mark; signature.
© 1996 by Bill Couch; All Rights Reserved. This information may be used by direct descendants, libraries, and genealogical societies, however, commercial use of this information is strictly prohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright notice must appear with the information.
Return to the Couch Research Page