"Oregon Pioneer Describes Visit From Halley's Comet." article in "The
Oregonian."  9 Jan 1910.  Sec. 2, p. 12.

Oregon City, Or., Jan. 8

JOSIAH HOWELL

   Josiah Howell, one of the prominent early settlers of Oregon City, who with
his wife has lived at Canemah for the past 46 years, is among the few men of
Oregon who well remembers the appearance of Halley's comet in 1835.  At that
time he was a boy of about six years in Columbus, Ohio.
   He says the comet was unusual in size and brightness, and resembled a
rainbow, but with a long tail, seemingly close to the earth.  When it was first
seen the ground was covered with snow, and the reflection from this great
heavenly body on the white mantle was marvelous to behold.  The women in the
town where Mr. Howell's parents resided thought the end of the world had come
and made ready for death.  They expected the snow to turn to oil and the tail of
the comet to reach the earth and set it afire, and were greatly wrought up.  Mr.
Howell says the comet appeared every night for a long time, and everyone looked
for it.  He also remembers the "fall of the stars," when the heavens were
illuminated by thousands of meteors, which also frightened people by the
thousand.
   Mr. Howell was born at Little Rock, Pennsylvania, January 5, 1829.  After
living at Columbus, Ohio, for a time, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Howell,
went to Cincinnati, and from there started for the West, first going to New
York, and coming by way of the Isthmus of Panama.  After reaching the Isthmus
they found they had just missed their steamer, and were compelled to remain
there for ten days, embarking then on a sailing vessel.  There were five in the
party when they left New York, but before they had reached San Francisco two had
died of the Panama fever, which was raging at that time.  Mr. Howell was ill
with the fever and his life was despaired of but his strong constitution pulled
him through.  It took them 65 days to come from New York to California, and the
food was poor and scarce.  The men paid $200 for their tickets by steamer from
New York to California, but as they missed their steamer at Panama, they sold
them for $160 more than they had paid.  All were glad again to see the land,
after their 65-day trip.  There were 125 passengers on the sailing vessel when
Mr. Howell came.
   Mr. Howell reached California in August, 1849, where he worked for a year at
his trade as shipbuilder and contractor before coming to Oregon.
   Mr. Howell erected a building for Dr. John McLoughlin, the father of Oregon,
where the Oregon City Woolen Mills now stand.  This building was used as a drug
store and was in charge of Dr. Steele.  Mr. Howell says the wages paid by Dr.
McLoughlin were $11.25 for one day's work, but provisions were high in those
days and board $12 a week.  Dr. McLoughlin was a friend to all, he says, and was
always ready to give a helping hand to the settler who had arrived with his
family, and whose scanty means had been exhausted while coming across the
plains.  His wife, although of Indian blood, was educated and refined, and
treated the women with great kindness.  She taught many of the women to make
beautiful beadwork.  Mrs. Howell, who came across the plains with her parents,
also speaks in the highest terms of Dr. McLoughlin and his wife.
   She, with her family, narrowly escaped the Whitman massacre at Whitman's
Station.  The party she accompanied was in the midst of the fight, for it did
not have enough provisions to last through to The Dalles, as Mrs. Howell's
parents had.
   Mr. Howell, who is an Indian War Veteran, was in the midst of the battle at
The Dalles, when the redskins fought steadily for four days.  He tells many
thrilling experiences of that time, among them the capture of the Indian
warrior, "P. P. Mox Mox," who was a terror to the white people.
   Mr. Howell was a member of Company I, volunteers from Benton County, and
during the battle four of his comrades were killed while standing near him.  He
himself had many hair-breadth escapes.  As his company passed through Portland
on its way to the battle, some of the good women of that city presented the
members with an American flag, which was carried throughout the fight.
   This Indian War Veteran, who will be 82 years old January 5, is still hale
and hearty, and has a remarkable memory.  His home at Canemah shows thrift and
every bit of the land is under cultivation.  Many of the finest cherries that
are marketed in this city are raised no his place.  Mr. Howell has charge of the
Canemah School building, and has performed this duty for the past three years.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in May 2011 by Diana Smith.  Submitter has
no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.