When my brother-in-law came to see me in my fields in Indiana, he was all excited about the new Oregon Territory. He made it sound like Eden, here on earth. I listened and was convinced. Convincing my wife and family was another story, but I prevailed. We left the Midwest, early in April, and started for Independence, Missouri, in the year of 1841. It took over six months for our long and perilous journey to Oregon.
We were lucky, in some ways, that we were the early settlers in the Territory. Land was still plentiful, and rich forests and bottomland were worth the suffering and hardship of the Trail. You can see the mountains behind me, that border the Willamette Valley, and the many trails that we have forged through our land.
After a few years here, life is a little easier. My heavy vest was made by my wife, who spun the yarns from our sheep and wove the fabric. My shirt is a piece of a worn out coverlet that we brought with us. The buttons are horn slices and shells. The peddler that sold me the blue buttons swore that they were turquoise. He also claimed that the shark tooth at my throat was really ancient, but you know how traveling peddlers can stretch the truth! But we are happy here, even though we are far from the rest of our family and home.
Note from the artist: The wool vest fabric was actually spun and woven by Margaret Tyler, a well-known spinner/educator in San Diego, California. Thank you, Margaret. The shirt fabric is my replica of an overshot coverlet from New England. The warp has silk noil, ramie, linen, and cotton, with a wool weft.
36” x 36” x 2”
Costume on Canvas
Kelly James, Photographer - Salem, Oregon
Anne Abendroth - Artist
