Matilda, wife of Towner Savage, died at Salem, Oregon, on June 1, 1881. Matilda's maiden name was Purdy. Soon after her marriage, they moved to Ohio and later on to Michigan. A family of eleven children had come to bless their home in the intervening years. About this time news of the generous offer the government was making to all those who would immigrate to the Oregon country, in the way of land grants, helped Mr. Savage to make up his mind to try his luck in the far west. Farms upon which his several sons could settle, formed quite an inducement for making the journey.
April of 1846 finds this family on their way westward, in their covered wagons, with ox teams as motive power. Of this intrepid company were the Edgars, Pollards, Walkers, Fred Geer and others to the number of sixty-five wagons. This party was captained by Oscar Williams and had very little trouble with the Indians. More serious trouble came from this source in the years to follow.
This party, of which Towner Savage was a member, were prepared to trade with the redskins and some tribes followed their train for several days at a time, camping with them at night. The only trouble they had with them was their proclivity for stealing everything in sight or could get their hands on. A close watch had to be kept over all the goods of the train as well as the little children and stock. However, at this time the Indians were comparatively friendly. At one time some tobacco was stolen from Mr. Savage's wagon. He complained to the chief about this and asked that he make the guilty party give it up. After a time the chief brought a young Indian to Captain Williams and said the captain would have to make the culprit go and get it. When the fellow was obdurate and Williams thought he would fail in this regard, he pulled out an old-fashioned pepper box pistol and pointed it at the Indian's face. He only laughed at the captain. This was too much, so Williams, knowing better than to shoot the Indian, reached in his wagon for a stout ramrod and catching the savage by the arm, he gave the fellow an awful "lickin," as they called it then, while the rest of the tribe stood about and danced with fiendish glee to see their own man get a beating. After this the thief went outside of the camp and dug up the treasure he had buried and gave it back to Mr. Savage.
The Savage family finally arrived at Salem, Oregon, coming down the Columbia river on rafts, as so many others of the early pioneers had done. For ten days this family camped on North Mill creek, at about the location of Winter street, after their arrival on September 11, 1846, and then moved to another camp, at the Rev. J. L. Parrish place, on what is now North Capital street, and stayed here until November 7. At this time Mr. Savage and Rev. Parrish bought a house that was located on the site afterward chosen for the old woolen mill. This house they cut in two and Mr. Savage moved his half to the donation land claim he had already taken up, on the Silverton road, about four miles out from Salem. In moving this building he had to pass by the venerable oak tree that gave to the race track at the state fairgrounds the name Lone Oak Track. As soon as he made the necessary repairs he moved his family there for the winter and this became his permanent home.
As to politics Mr. Savage was a republican. Part of his family were members of the Methodist Church. Mr. Savage always followed farming. To the union of Towner Savage and his wife Matilda Purdy were born the following children: Lydia, who died as a child. Hannah, who married Samuel Holderness. John, who married Rhoda Pressley, and after her death he married Eleanor Tarrant. Lewis, who married Minerva Connelley. Alfred, who married Lucretia Connelley. Lyman, who married, first, Matilda Stewart; second, Theresa Keene. Surepta, who married, first, Thomas DeHaven; second, Samuel Edwards. Oren G., who married, first, Martha Walk; second, Loretta Johnson. Elizabeth, who married John Crawford. Mortimer R., who married Sarah Murphy."
From: Steeves, Sarah Hunt, BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE OF MARION COUNTY, OREGON, PIONEERS 1840 - 1860, Portland, Oregon, The Berncliff Press, 1927, (Source: G. O. Savage, Salem, Oregon, 1926), pp 65-67
SOURCES:
IOOF Register of Burials
1880 OR CENSUS (Marion Co., E. Salem Pct. FA #147)
DAR pg 25
Steeves, BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE, pp 65-67
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