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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Snow could hamper Turkey Day travel ... Free Thanksgiving dinners offered for those in need ... Mt. Ashland Ski Area preps for winter season ... Snow could hamper Turkey Day travel ... Free Thanksgiving dinners offered for those in need ... Mt. Ashland Ski Area preps for winter season ... HISTORY 'Preacher Train' helped spur settlement of Talent Comment By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 23, 2015 at 5:59 PM By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 23, 2015 at 5:59 PM » Social News TALENT — An 1853 wagon train dubbed the "Preacher Train” brought five clergymen and 81 settlers to this community. A descendant of one of the wagon train members will speak about its history and impact on the area Tuesday evening. Bob Casebeer, professor emeritus from Southern Oregon University, will give his presentation at 6:30 p.m. at the Talent Historical Society Museum, 105 N. Market St. “The whole wagon train became more than causally important," he says. :I hadn’t realized it until I got involved with the historical society." Donation land claims to train members dot the Wagner Creek area, and many members were instrumental in the first churches and schools in the Rogue Valley. Influential families in the wagon train included Royal, Robison, Beeson, Taylor, Oatman, Scott, Rockfellow and Stearns. The train started from Muscatine County, Iowa. “A good many of the people who came on the Preacher Train stayed in Talent,” said historian Jan Wright, who is president of the historical society. The train took the Applegate Trail, which ran down what is now Talent Avenue. Albert and George Rockfellow, brothers of train wagonmaster William Hurst Rockfellow, had donation land claims on both sides of the trail near Rapp Road. Preachers on the train included William Royal and his sons Thomas and J.H.B, all Methodists, as was Stephen Taylor, who became the first minister in Phoenix. One Baptist, John Stearns, also made the trip at 76. When he died at 92, he was buried in what became the Stearns Cemetery on Wagner Creek. William Royal refused to travel on Sundays and the other preachers joined in that stance. According to an account from Royal’s son Osman, others were convinced they risked attack by Indians by halting for the Sabbath. Royal reported that the preachers group, with probably about half the 81 members, would usually catch up with the other teams by Tuesday. According to the account, the preacher group reached Talent on Aug 30, 1853, ahead of others in the train who straggled in over the next month. One journal lists a Sept. 28 arrival for some train members. “Date of their arrival was a little uncertain. There are conflicts about the days,” said Casebeer. “Many of the immigrants were pretty old. The reason they did that was there was a pretty bad depression at that time.” Casebeer's own great-grandfather, Martin Burt, came to Oregon on the wagon train. The family didn’t remain in the Rogue Valley, settling in Douglas County instead. Casebeer was also able to track down a 14-page account of the trip written by Alice Rockfellow while in her 90s. She was 4 years old while on the wagon train. Rockfellow’s account talks of snow and flowers rather than the politics of the train, said Casebeer. She recalled laughter when camps were set up, but being told to quiet down by guards who feared Indian attacks. “When they got to the Applegate Trail southeast of Lakeview over the Warners, it was so steep it took six yokes of oxen to drag one wagon to the top of the pass,” said Casebeer. Travelers rejoiced when they all reached the summit and found water, so they held a dance that evening. The area became known as Fandango Pass after a Spanish dance. For more information, contact the society at 541-512-8838. Casebeer’s research article can be found at www.oregonpioneers.com/ThePreacherTrain.pdf . Tony Boom is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 23, 2015 at 5:59 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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