Individual Details
Evan Augustus Kirkpatrick
(6 Nov 1833 - 28 Jul 1893)
Evan Augustus Kirkpatrick was born in Illinois 6 November 1833. He died 28 July 1893 in Mount Hope, Washington. On 18 April 1879 he married in Scio, Oregon, Armenta Nail, who was born 4 April 1862 in Louisiana and died 24 March 1934, Mount Hope, Washington.
Evan's early life was spent in Wisconsin and Iowa. In 1850 he and his older brother Jay decided to go to California, where their father had already gone. They built a raft and floated down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, and there took passage on the bark FANNY MAJOR for San Francisco. Dissension between the passengers and crew eventually resulted in a mutiny, in which the passengers took over the ship from the captain and sailed it themselves to California. The Kirkpatrick brothers were apparently among the leaders of the mutineers. Outside the Golden Gate, the pirates feared entering the port, and instead took the ship down the coast to a lonely stretch of shoreline somewhere south of San Francisco. There the remaining passengers and crew members went ashore in the boats. Evan Augustus and the acting captain, a doctor, remained on board long enough to pour oil down the hatch, lash the helm, trim the sails for the open sea, and set the FANNY MAJOR afire.
Once ashore, the group did not remain long together. For a short time the two Kirkpatrick's and the doctor-captain stayed together, but before long, the brothers heard about the whereabouts of their parents and parted company with the unnamed doctor. Evan and Jay found the elder Kirkpatricks not long after, and the family all moved to Coloma, where they kept a boarding house.
Evan Augustus Kirkpatrick traveled considerably about California after the family gave up the boarding house at Coloma, getting as far south as Death Valley on one occasion. At another time, probably in the 1850's he was in business with one Mconley in or near Sacramento, where they operated a store. To their business they brought mule trains of goods from Missouri. While one member of the firm tended the store, the other was in charge of the mule train. On the last such trip Kirkpatrick purchased some 200 mules in Missouri, loaded them with goods for the store, and headed overland for California. On the way the train was attacked by Indians. One man of the Kirkpatrick party was killed and some 150 mules with their packs were run off.
Kirkpatrick managed to reach California with the remnants of his train, but there he found his store empty, locked and McConley absent. Searching through the town he eventually found his partner seated at a gambling table. Kirkpatrick already bitter over the losses sustained on the overland trip was so furious at the sight of his partner gambling with the firm's money that he merely walked up to him, showed him his gun, and ordered him to be out of town in an hour. McConley left in a hurry and was never seen again by Kirkpatrick.
By now Kirkpatrick had had enough of business so he sold the store and went on up toward Healdsburg. Later he spent some time in Humboldt county, where his parents were then living. Eventually, however, he continued on north into Oregon and settled at Salem, where he became a man of some local importance. He was eventually elected to the Oregon legislature, and among his bills successfully placed on the statute books was the controverial law requiring saloons to close on Sunday.
There were seven (7) children born of the marriage.
Evan's early life was spent in Wisconsin and Iowa. In 1850 he and his older brother Jay decided to go to California, where their father had already gone. They built a raft and floated down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, and there took passage on the bark FANNY MAJOR for San Francisco. Dissension between the passengers and crew eventually resulted in a mutiny, in which the passengers took over the ship from the captain and sailed it themselves to California. The Kirkpatrick brothers were apparently among the leaders of the mutineers. Outside the Golden Gate, the pirates feared entering the port, and instead took the ship down the coast to a lonely stretch of shoreline somewhere south of San Francisco. There the remaining passengers and crew members went ashore in the boats. Evan Augustus and the acting captain, a doctor, remained on board long enough to pour oil down the hatch, lash the helm, trim the sails for the open sea, and set the FANNY MAJOR afire.
Once ashore, the group did not remain long together. For a short time the two Kirkpatrick's and the doctor-captain stayed together, but before long, the brothers heard about the whereabouts of their parents and parted company with the unnamed doctor. Evan and Jay found the elder Kirkpatricks not long after, and the family all moved to Coloma, where they kept a boarding house.
Evan Augustus Kirkpatrick traveled considerably about California after the family gave up the boarding house at Coloma, getting as far south as Death Valley on one occasion. At another time, probably in the 1850's he was in business with one Mconley in or near Sacramento, where they operated a store. To their business they brought mule trains of goods from Missouri. While one member of the firm tended the store, the other was in charge of the mule train. On the last such trip Kirkpatrick purchased some 200 mules in Missouri, loaded them with goods for the store, and headed overland for California. On the way the train was attacked by Indians. One man of the Kirkpatrick party was killed and some 150 mules with their packs were run off.
Kirkpatrick managed to reach California with the remnants of his train, but there he found his store empty, locked and McConley absent. Searching through the town he eventually found his partner seated at a gambling table. Kirkpatrick already bitter over the losses sustained on the overland trip was so furious at the sight of his partner gambling with the firm's money that he merely walked up to him, showed him his gun, and ordered him to be out of town in an hour. McConley left in a hurry and was never seen again by Kirkpatrick.
By now Kirkpatrick had had enough of business so he sold the store and went on up toward Healdsburg. Later he spent some time in Humboldt county, where his parents were then living. Eventually, however, he continued on north into Oregon and settled at Salem, where he became a man of some local importance. He was eventually elected to the Oregon legislature, and among his bills successfully placed on the statute books was the controverial law requiring saloons to close on Sunday.
There were seven (7) children born of the marriage.
Events
| Birth | 6 Nov 1833 | Illinois |  | ||
| Marriage | 18 Apr 1879 | Scio, Linn Co., Oregon - Arminta Nail | |||
| Death | 28 Jul 1893 | Mount Hope, Spokane Co., Washington | | ||
| Burial | Mount Hope Cemetery, Mount Hope, Spokane Co., Washington | | |||
| Research Notes |  |
Families
| Spouse | Arminta Nail (1862 - 1934) |
| Child | Jay Franklin Kirkpatrick (1880 - 1956) |
| Child | Lindsay Evan Kirkpatrick (1881 - 1938) |
| Child | Ira Scott Kirkpatrick (1883 - 1884) |
| Child | George Everett Kirkpatrick (1884 - 1943) |
| Child | Rosie Ellen Kirkpatrick (1887 - 1890) |
| Child | Emma Letha Kirkpatrick (1889 - 1933) |
| Child | Irvin Jean Kirkpatrick (1892 - 1968) |
| Father | Joseph Scott Kirkpatrick (1805 - 1892) |
| Mother | Rachel Roberts (1810 - 1859) |
| Sibling | Jefferson Kirkpatrick (1829 - ) |
| Sibling | Unk3 Kirkpatrick (1832 - ) |
| Sibling | Unk4 Kirkpatrick (1832 - ) |
| Sibling | Margaret A. Kirkpatrick (1836 - 1860) |
| Sibling | Eliza R. Kirkpatrick (1844 - 1868) |
| Sibling | Mary L. Kirkpatrick (1845 - ) |
| Sibling | Isaac Kirkpatrick (1848 - ) |
| Sibling | Frederick W. Kirkpatrick (1859 - ) |
Notes
Research Notes
Search using Google Newspapers on-line of Spokane Chronicle showed no editions available. Spokane Daily Chronicle showed no editions available. Spokesman-Review also had no editions available. Spokane Review search of July 21, 22, and 24 (no 23 printed); no obituary located. Search done May 4, 2016.Endnotes
1. Find A Grave.
2. Find A Grave.
3. U. S. Gen Web Site.