Sam Barlow
Encyclopedia
Samuel Kimbrough Barlow (December 7, 1795 – July 14, 1867) was a pioneer in the area that became the U.S. state of Oregon
, and was key in establishing the Barlow Road
, the most widely chosen final segment to the Oregon Trail
.
.He trained as a tailor, and in 1818 moved to Bloomington
, Indiana
, where he married and started a family, perhaps in 1822. He and his wife, Susannah Lee, had at least four children: Jane Ellen, James, John, and William.
Barlow was convicted of manslaughter in August 1827, for killing George Matlock with an ax on October 16, 1826. He was sentenced to one year of hard labor. Scores of people, including the victim's brother, pleaded for Barlow's pardon and quashing of his sentence since he did it to prevent harm to his wife and children. Indiana Governor James B. Ray
pardoned him on December 6, 1827.
In 1845, when he was 53, Barlow's family arrived in Oregon. His party of seven wagons joined Joel Palmer
's group of 23 wagons and explored and, after considerable difficulty, blazed a wagon trail over the Cascade Range
, which became the Barlow Road in 1846. They arrived in Oregon City, Oregon
on Christmas
night.
Along the way Barlow made an early ascent of Mount Hood
, though he did not reach the summit; he and Palmer were scouting a way for their wagon train to cross what is now Barlow Pass
. On October 7, 1845, to see over trees and get a westward view to find a way off the mountain, they climbed to the 9,000 foot level of the mountain.
In the summer of 1850, Barlow was appointed Justice of the Peace
for Clackamas County
(which was much larger then) by acting Governor Kintzing Prichette
.
On September 17, 1850, Barlow purchased the donation land claim
of Thomas McKay, which he later sold to his son William. The land eventually became the town of Barlow, Oregon
, named for William, not Samuel.
In 1854 Barlow, along with Cyrus Olney
, Granville O. Haller, Thomas J. Dryer
, Wells Lake, and T.O. Travailliot were reported as making the first ascent of Mount Hood, though the report has been disputed.
Barlow is buried beside Susannah Lee Barlow at Barlow.
There is also a high school, Sam Barlow High School
, named after him.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, and was key in establishing the Barlow Road
Barlow Road
The Barlow Road is a historic road in what is now the U.S. state of Oregon. It was built in 1846 by Sam Barlow and Philip Foster, with authorization of the Provisional Legislature of Oregon, and served as the last overland segment of the Oregon Trail...
, the most widely chosen final segment to the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
.
Biography
Barlow was the son of William Henry Harrison Barlow and Sarah Kimbrough, born in Nicholas County, KentuckyNicholas County, Kentucky
Nicholas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 6,813. Its county seat is Carlisle. The county is named for George Nicholas, the "Father of the Kentucky Constitution".- Geography :...
.He trained as a tailor, and in 1818 moved to Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, where he married and started a family, perhaps in 1822. He and his wife, Susannah Lee, had at least four children: Jane Ellen, James, John, and William.
Barlow was convicted of manslaughter in August 1827, for killing George Matlock with an ax on October 16, 1826. He was sentenced to one year of hard labor. Scores of people, including the victim's brother, pleaded for Barlow's pardon and quashing of his sentence since he did it to prevent harm to his wife and children. Indiana Governor James B. Ray
James B. Ray
James Brown Ray was an Indiana politician and the only Senate President-Pro-Tempore to succeed to become Governor of the State of Indiana. He served during the period when the state transitioned from personal politics to political parties, but never joined a party himself. Elevated at age 31, he...
pardoned him on December 6, 1827.
In 1845, when he was 53, Barlow's family arrived in Oregon. His party of seven wagons joined Joel Palmer
Joel Palmer
General Joel Palmer was an American pioneer of the Oregon Territory in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. He was born in Canada, and spent his early years in New York and Pennsylvania before serving as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives.Palmer traveled to the Oregon...
's group of 23 wagons and explored and, after considerable difficulty, blazed a wagon trail over the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
, which became the Barlow Road in 1846. They arrived in Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
on Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
night.
Along the way Barlow made an early ascent of Mount Hood
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. It was formed by a subduction zone and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States...
, though he did not reach the summit; he and Palmer were scouting a way for their wagon train to cross what is now Barlow Pass
Barlow Pass (Oregon)
Barlow Pass is a mountain pass in the Cascades in Oregon, on the Oregon Trail, and a major milestone of the Barlow Road. It is the crest of the Cascade Mountains: the dividing line between watersheds of the Deschutes River and those that flow into the Sandy River.It is located on the southern...
. On October 7, 1845, to see over trees and get a westward view to find a way off the mountain, they climbed to the 9,000 foot level of the mountain.
In the summer of 1850, Barlow was appointed Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Clackamas County
Clackamas County, Oregon
Clackamas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county was named after the Native Americans living in the area, the Clackamas Indians, who were part of the Chinookan people. As of 2010, the population was 375,992...
(which was much larger then) by acting Governor Kintzing Prichette
Kintzing Prichette
Kintzing Prichette was an American political figure. He was primarily a political appointee within the federal government's various departments, which at the time included U.S. Territories...
.
On September 17, 1850, Barlow purchased the donation land claim
Donation Land Claim Act
The Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 was a statute enacted by the United States Congress intended to promote homestead settlement in the Oregon Territory in the Pacific Northwest...
of Thomas McKay, which he later sold to his son William. The land eventually became the town of Barlow, Oregon
Barlow, Oregon
Barlow is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 135 at the 2010 census.-History:Barlow is named for William Barlow, the son of Samuel K. Barlow . Samuel bought the donation land claim in which Barlow is located from Thomas McKay on September 17, 1850...
, named for William, not Samuel.
In 1854 Barlow, along with Cyrus Olney
Cyrus Olney
Cyrus Olney was an American politician and lawyer in what would become the state of Oregon. He was the 6th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court serving while the region was still the Oregon Territory...
, Granville O. Haller, Thomas J. Dryer
Thomas J. Dryer
Thomas Jefferson Dryer was a newspaper publisher, Freemason, mountain climber, and politician in the Western United States.He was born on January 10, 1808, in Ulster County, New York. Dryer founded the Weekly Oregonian, which has survived as the daily Oregonian, and served as its publisher...
, Wells Lake, and T.O. Travailliot were reported as making the first ascent of Mount Hood, though the report has been disputed.
Barlow is buried beside Susannah Lee Barlow at Barlow.
There is also a high school, Sam Barlow High School
Sam Barlow High School
Sam Barlow High School is a public high school near Gresham, Oregon, United States in the Gresham-Barlow School District. It was named for the Oregon pioneer Sam Barlow...
, named after him.