Neelys and the Trimbles The Neelys and the Trimbles were early pioneer families to northern Josephine County, Oregon.

1870 ". . . and in 1870 [The Trimbles] came to Josephine County. Two months after their arrival Mr. Trimble died, leaving a wife and 12 children, one boy being adopted."¹ Robert probably died on the family’s Turner-Benson Military Warrant. Clementina’s son-in-law, Garrett Crockett, represented her in dealing with the estate of her husband starting April 30, 1870.

1870 James Neely married Mrs. Elizabeth F. Gibson July 23, 1870. Her maiden name was Vannoy and until his death she had been married to William A. Gibson. James was a 43 year old farmer living in the Jump Off Joe Precinct in 1880. Members of his household were 35 year old wife Elizabeth F., 6 year old Florence, 4 year old Everet, 3 year old Edward and 12 year old Elmer Gibson.

1896 O & C Railroad Patent For a variety of reasons the final patents to the railroad for railroad construction were issued much later than the work was completed. On March 17, 1896 the O & C Railroad Company was issued a railroad grant Patent No. 38 for 109,827.83 acres. ^{3 -4} It would sell/grant to the PVC Association (PVCA) 40 acres of that patent three years later.

Hypothesis Research underway is testing the hypothesis that the O&C Railroad was using the 40 acres as a cemetery for the period railroad construction was stalled in northern Josephine County from 1872 - 1883. ^{3 - 4}

Neely Family W^M W. & E. J. Neely lost four of their children from 1877 - 1882.

2-year old Lela J. Neely 1877

5-year old Alice Neely 1882

4-year old Franklin Neely 1882

9-month old Mattie R. Neely 1882

Trimble Family Two members of the Trimble family died between 1870 and 1882.

Robert Trimble 1870

Henry Trimble 1881

Elmer Trimble 1884

Medissia [Trimble] Rowe 1887

Clementina Trimble 1903

Private Platted Family Grave Sites Why are the two ca., 1870s - 1880s platted cemeteries for the Neelys and Trimbles adjacent to the PVC before it became an official cemetery with deeded railroad land in 1899?^5-6 The W^M W. & E. J. Neely family is related to the James Neely family, but the Trimbles were living on the Turner-Benson Military Warrant lands 1 to 2 miles to the north of their platted cemetery.¹ A further question is the significance of two early PVC tombstones (i.e., W. A. Gibson’s tombstone dated July 23, 1869 and the Jacob Miller tombstone dated February 27, 1878), and many other tombstones with 1880s and 1890s dates before the PVCA gained ownership in 1899.

Summary The ground today’s PVC is located had a history as a cemetery ca., 1870s - 1898 prior to the PVCA having the official status of land ownership.