AMELIA KOONTZ

Amelia Koontz was the second child born to Benjamin Franklin and Elizabeth Jane (Walling) Koontz. She was born in Indiana about January 15, 1852, and died (probably at Homestead, Oregon) August 28, 1900. She is buried in the family cemetery near the site of her family home on Burnt River. The family spent about 11 years in the El Dorado County, California area, where her father engaged in mercantile and mining businesses. In about 1863, when Amelia was about 11, the family came to Clarksville, Oregon near the Burnt River. Her father intended to do prospecting in the newly discovered gold fields of that area. Upon arriving there, it was obvious that other opportunities existed which could make the family a good living. Her father, Frank, opened a store and, at a site just above Clarksville - called Log Town- he set up a hand-operated lumber operation (called "whip sawing"). The demand for lumber was so great that Frank bought a water-powered sawmill from San Francisco, which he set up on a sizeable piece of ground he had acquired a few miles up Burnt River from Clarksville. He built a home above the mill and connected the two buildings with an underground tunnel, which could be used in the event of Indian trouble.

In about 1866, when Amelia was 14, she drew the attention of 24-year old Lemuel Lurchin, who had come to the area from Maine a short time earlier. Lemuel requested permission from Amelia's father to wed his daughter and received a very clear negative response. Lemuel and Amelia bided their time, waiting for an opportunity to elope. One day, when Frank Koontz was away from the area, Lemuel hovered near the house with two saddle horses. He and Amelia headed for Idaho, where her father's permission to marry was not required. Their destination was Weiser, a small settlement just across the Snake River and about a two-day ride from her home on Burnt River. The trip was not without some real dangers, as the region had had some brutal massacres by Indians and there were dangerous renegade whites operating there. Lemuel and Amelia, aware that her father could be in pursuit, skirted above the tiny town of Malheur City and, as darkness grew near, they came upon a cabin occupied by several miners. They explained the situation to the miners, who agreed that Amelia should stay in the cabin while all the men stood guard outside. The night passed without any sign Frank Koontz and the couple continued their journey at first light. They more than likely pressed on across the sagebrush-covered hills toward what is the present-day town of Huntington. Then, crossing the formidable Snake River on the Olds Ferry, they pressed on along the Oregon Trail on the Idaho side on up to Weiser. (A little later, the miners who had assisted the couple, hit gold and, as miners and businesses flocked to the site, they decided to call their new town Amelia City. It flourished for a time and then, as the gold ran out, the town died away. Amelia City was shown on maps for many decades until the site simply faded away).

Apparently, Frank Koontz forgave his daughter and her new husband, as they returned to Burnt River and lived there for a number of years. Frank was to live long enough to see Amelia's first child, a son, born and who was named after him. Amelia's first child, Benjamin Franklin Lurchin, was born September 13, 1867, at either Clarksville (most likely) or at the Koontz home near the mill on Burnt River. (Lemuel and Amelia were to have two more children, both girls and both of whom were destined to have very short lives. Ida Jane was born about July 19, 1872 and died at age 5 1/2 on Jan 21, 1878. Minnie Alice was born about December 18, 1886 and died April 11, 1889 at age 2. Through many decades following the deaths of these two little girls, children in the family were cautioned about eating too much candy. Apparently, both girls had eaten candy before they died. It is possible that they had some condition such as diabetes which contributed to their demise.)

In the winter of 1868, Amelia's father died from exposure when he was caught in a terrible blizzard while snowshoeing from Auburn to his home on Burnt River. The family buried him on the little hill just above their home on Burnt River. It is not known whether his wife Jane sold the mill or continued to run it. Apparently she moved back to Clarksville -possibly running the store and living in the original family quarters, either upstairs or adjacent to the store. The 1870 census shows Jane living at Clarksville along with six children, which ranged in age from 4 to 16. It is interesting to note that Jane was very well off financially. Most citizens shown in the area in the 1870 census had assets valued in the range of $50-$100. Jane's assets are shown as $10,000 personal and $3,000 real estate.

On April 20, 1874, probably at Clarksville, Amelia's mother, Jane, passed away at age 40, and was buried next to her husband in the little family cemetery next to the mill and family home on Burnt River. At the time Jane died, Amelia was about 22, Lemuel was about 32, their son Frank was about 6 and little Ida Jane was about 2. (The Lurchin family had been either living with Jane or were living next door, as the 1870 census shows them together. Lemuel was listed in the census as a sawmill laborer with assets valued at $100.) It is possible that Lemuel and Amelia cared for some of Jane's younger children after Jane died. It is difficult to tell where Lemuel and Amelia lived from 1874 until the mid 1890's. (The 1890 U.S. Census records were all but decimated in a warehouse fire in Washington, D.C.). Little Ida Jane died in 1878 and Minnie Alice, born in 1886, died in 1889. Amelia's son, Frank Lurchin, married Mary Noel "Mollie" Eddy in about 1890. Mollie was a sister of Milt Eddy, an early-day Burnt River rancher. Frank and Lemuel started doing prospecting in the Sparta area in the 1890's, The 1900 census shows Lemuel and Amelia, along with Frank and Mollie and their daughter, Etta, (age 9) living in Union. It is thought that Amelia, Mollie and Etta stayed in Union while Lemuel and Frank lived in a cabin or tent in or near Sparta while they did prospecting. They did move to Sparta during the 1890's, where Etta is shown in a school photo in 1898.They filed a number of claims on mines near Sparta during this period. (Some of the mining claims filed: July 31, 1897, "Ground Hog", located by B.F. Lurchin; July 31. 1897, "Woodchuck", located by L.A. Lurchin; August 4, 1897, "Humming Bird", located by L.A. Lurchin; April 28, 1897, "Mary Etta", located by B.F. Lurchin. Note: this is an interesting name-Includes his wife's name -Mary- and his daughter's name -Etta-). A little later in 1900, all the family, except Lemuel, moved to Homestead, where they are shown on the census as running a boarding house. It is thought that Amelia was seriously ill that summer in Homestead. There are two servant girls living with them and Frank apparently remained at home. Amelia passed away August 28, 1900, at age 48. A funeral was held in Baker at the present-day site of Gray's West Pioneer Funeral Home. Her body was transported by carriage over Dooley Mountain.. Her burial took place at the family cemetery on Burnt River. It is worth noting that Lemuel was away by himself at Sparta during Amelia's last days, and that he and his son, Frank, never again filed claims together after Amelia's death.

It can only be guessed at, but it seems that Amelia probably did not achieve the level of happiness in her adult life she had hoped for. Her father was a successful business man, highly respected by all, including the wealthiest and most influential persons in the area. Amelia experienced that as a child. Lemuel never achieved financial success. Nor, it seems, did he command the respect and trust of others. From what little is known about him, his character seems to have been questionable. The tragic death of her father at age 42, her mother's death at age 40, the loss of her two daughters - one at age 2 and one at age 5 - along with the inadequacy of Lemuel as a provider must have taken a toll on Amelia's health and probably contributed to her own early death.

While there are numerous descendents of Amelia, the only ones living in Baker County as of 2006 are: David S. Davis, Dru Simonski-Davis, Evan Simonski-Davis and Ron Blankinship.