My family came to the Oregon Territory in the early 1840's. I knew from the beginning that I did not want to become a farmer like my father. The Columbia River called me, and I left home at age fifteen. I signed on a river barge as soon as I could. My shipmates were all young too. Maybe we were too dumb to know the dangers of the river, but to us, it was exciting and certainly beat plowing.
The River in those days was wild and untamed. It was filled with dangerous rapids and currents, and many were lost. The sandbars at Astoria alone, at the mouth of the river, were very perilous.
A lady in Vancouver made my clothes. She said that my striped shirt made me look like I was in the Royal Navy, but maybe she just wanted my business. You can see the river behind me, all treacherous with its deep currents and rocky pools.
Note from the artist: I used cotton twills for my sailor's vest and shirt. He might have actually used more wool than cotton for warmth. The fringed collar made him look more "western" and the brass buttons complete his dress. In reality, the river boatmen simply wore old clothes, as they were not overpaid for their courage.
36” x 36” x 2”
Costume on Canvas
Kelly James, Photographer - Salem, Oregon
Anne Abendroth - Artist
