Praying for Oregon Counties: Josephine
But first…
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| Rogue River Oregon |
from our house in Molalla due to the Beachie Creek and Riverside fires. Although our house survived there was damage to our family timberland which was in the path of the Beachie Creek fire, and in a domino effect, my daughter and
I then relocated to Oregon City.
While I know of writers – journalists, novelists, war correspondents – who write in the midst of chaos, bombs, forest fires etc., I don’t seem to have inherited that ability. But as we get settled, I am once again taking pen in hand.
Getting back to Oregon’s counties….
The choice of counties we explore might seem pretty random – not east to west nor in alphabetical order. We began closest to (my) home, then criss-crossed the state to include all four corners and touch all four borders. Then we looked at population centers. Now we are looking at Josephine County, (for no other reason than that I like the name), on the southern border of Oregon, just to the east of Curry County. It was named after a woman – Josephine Rollins – daughter of one of the first prospectors to come to this area of Oregon in 1851. And like so many places settled in the early days, it began with gold…
How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. Proverbs 16:16
In 1850 Josephine was in her late teens when she traveled with her father, Loyd (or Floyd?) Rollins, and a group of friends and neighbors from their home in Missouri headed for California where gold had been discovered in 1848. Problems with their team led them to spend the winter near Oregon City, then in the spring started south again toward California. However, upon reaching the Rogue River area, local Native Americans told them of and led them to gold deposits. At that point their relationship with the local Natives was good, but before the summer was over broken promises elsewhere led to an uprising. A friendly Native American boy tipped them off about a plan to capture them, so they were prepared and were able to fend off the attack. At that point the cavalry arrived (volunteer soldiers from northern California) in response to rumors of the uprising, and the little group of miners left with the soldiers. Josephine traveled on to California where she married and had four children. She was, it is believed, the first white woman in southern Oregon.
In 1852 a rich gold deposit was discovered at Sailor Diggins, later renamed Waldo. When Josephine County was made a county in 1856, separating it from Jackson County, Sailor Diggins became the county seat. In 1885 the county lines were redrawn and the city of Grants Pass became part of the county and was elected the county seat.
Nearly half the population of the county lives in Grants Pass which was incorporated in 1887. The town of around 38,000 sits northwest of Medford along I-5 and the Rogue River. There are 8 city council members and a mayor.
The results of the 2020 election are still unofficial, but we do know Josephine County voted for Cliff Benz to replace the retiring Greg Walden for U.S. Representative district 2. Also, Sara Bristol appears to have been elected the mayor of Grants Pass.
Oregon Caves
Josephine County is also home to the town of Cave Junction, the gateway to the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, a 4500 acre area of hiking trails and the limestone caves discovered in 1874 that became a well-established tourist destination with a rustic chalet built in the 1930’s.
How do we pray for Josephine County?
Keep the newly elected officials in prayer.
We continue to repent for the sins of our fathers, to bring restoration and healing to our state. In Josephine County, and most of southern Oregon, this could include injustices to the Native Americans, especially during the Rogue River Indian War of 1855-56.
Pray for the good seeds planted by early missionaries as well. In 1857 the archbishop based in Oregon City, Archbishop Francis N. Blanchet, traveled through the area, visiting the Native Americans and holding services for them. Later, St. Anne Catholic Church was established. The Methodists established a congregation in 1857 and, as did other church groups, at first met in homes. Around 1890 they built the first church building in Grants Pass, now the Newman United Methodist Church. One man and one woman (For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20) met in Grants Pass in 1865 and established the first Church of Christ.
Pray for those affected by the wildfires that started September 8 in Josephine County. The Slater and Devil Fires burned over 157,000 acres in southern Oregon and northern California.
Margaret
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