Early Oregon Cousins - Amanda (Bond) Harlow

Amanda was my 1st cousin 3 times removed. She was the daughter of one of my favorite "Uncles," George Bond and his wife, Elizabeth (Stillwell) Bond, who was George's 1st cousin as her mother was a Bond.

Amanda was born 22 Aug 1847 in Iowa. She would have celebrated her sixth birthday while the family was traveling the Oregon Trail. Because her father kept a journal on the trip we can know that on 22 Aug 1853 the family "traveled across Grand Round valy over the mountains camped on a branch to the left of the Road." In another month they would be in the Willamette Valley. I can wonder how this trip would seem to a 5 1/2 year old girl. Then her Aunt Hannah had a baby just a few days after Amanda's birthday and then while crossing the mountains her Aunt Hannah died.

Her father settled his claim quickly, less than a month after arriving in the Willamette Valley. They lived near the Willamette River across from Skinner's Butte in Eugene City, Lane County Oregon.

Amanda was a PK--preacher's kid. Her father had been a Baptist minister while they lived in Iowa and he continued preaching after they arrived in Oregon. He was chosen as the minister for the Baptist church in Eugene in 1858 and served there for almost 10 years. The Harlow family were active in the Baptist church and it was 14 Dec 1873 when Amanda Bond and Anderson Harlow were married. A local history relates that Anderson built a lovely home for her in 1874 and the house was still standing a few miles north of Eugene over a hundred years later.

By the 1880 census, Amanda and Anderson had 3 children in their household: Minnie age 5, Frank age 3 and 12 year old Emma Stillwell, listed as adopted. I could not find an official record of an adoption, but did discover that Emma was Amanda's 1st cousin, the daughter of Stephen Stillwell, the brother of Amanda's mother. Emma's parents had both died so was living with her cousin. Emma was married to Isaac Holman in 1891 at Amanda and Anderson's home. When Amanda's mother died in 1895 after a stroke, it was reported that she died at the home of her son-in-law Anderson Harlow, which of course meant it was Amanda's home also.

When the 1900 census was taken, Amanda, Anderson and their daughter Minnie were in the household next to Frank and his wife. In 1902, when Amanda's younger brother Joseph died of cancer, the obituary states that he died at the home of his brother-in-law, Anderson Harlow. Then in 1910 the Harlow household consisted of Anderson, Amanda, their unmarried daughter Minnie, Anderson's widowed 94 year old mother and a 22 year old farm laborer, George Young, who was born in New Zealand. Amanda died at the family home 10 Feb 1914 and was buried at the Gillespie Cemetery.

It appears to me that Amanda showed the virtue of hospitality, sharing her home with others. Her orphaned 1st cousin was living with them in 1880 and was probably there until her marriage in 1891. Her mother died at her home. Her brother who had cancer died at their home and by 1910 her aged mother-in-law was living with them.