American Historical Ephemera and Photography

Hazleton, Royal Harvey (1819-1887). Autograph letter signed ("R.H. Hazleton"). "Willamette Valley Oregon Territory Lane County." 15 May 1853. 3pp, approx. 7 1/2 x 9 3/4 in. (creasing at folds, very small losses on page 3 at folds).

Hazleton discusses the hardships endured by many settlers on their overland journey to Oregon, as well as hardships endured by the unexpectedly harsh winter of that year. He writes, in part: "We are in Oregon that is certain and Oregon is not Missouri Oregon is the promised land that Lanes and Thurstons and others circulars have set forth in such splendor as to cause many families to leave their happy homes and come to many of which have them to want and poverty by so doing but we have been lucky in that respect although we had a hard time crossing the plains a good deal of sickness and lost one of our children We got in with all of our stock except one we reached the Willamette Valley on the 19th day of September making five months to a day we have had the severest winter known since settled by the american people the rain commenced in October and rained hard and cold nearly every day until the middle of December when the snow commenced falling and snowed nearly every day for three weeks it averaged from one foot to two feet in this valley and south and north of us and the Puget sounds.... I suppose there were something near seen thousand head of cattle died of the dells this is the place east of the cascade mountains on the Columbia River where great many of the emigration take water down the Columbia instead of crossing the cascade mountains... The last year's emigrants have endured hardships since they've been here provisions have been very scarce and high and nothing but money or stock would command them.... The Willamette Valley is said to be the garden spot of Oregon it is a very handsome valley to look at when the waters are not up too high it is surrounded by high mountains....the whole tide of emigration have been drawn south by the attraction of gold the mines are opening very extensive....Oregon is like other countries it has its advantages and disadvantages...."

Hazleton was part of a massive westward migration via the Oregon Trail during the late 1840s-1860s. Born in Indiana, Hazleton later settled in Missouri prior to his departure for the Oregon Territory. The "Oregon, Biographical and Other Index Card File" indicates that Hazleton (erroneously spelled "Hazelton" in some records) arrived in Oregon on 19 September 1852 eventually settling in Cottage Grove, Lane County. His son, Samuel Hazleton (1847-1852) died on the banks of the Snake River while making the journey west. R.H. Hazleton remained in Oregon until his death in 1887.