Saturday Spotting - Unclaimed War Dead

Published in February 1900 in the Idaho Statesman out of Bosie ID

CANNOT FORWARD BODIES

OF UNCLAIMED DEAD

Portland, Or., Feb. 3 – There is a hitch between Governor Geer and Colonel Long at San Francisco over shipment of bodies of unclaimed Oregon dead to this state for burial. Governor Geer today telegraphed Colonel Long asking him to send all bodies of Second Oregon volunteers in his charge, and unclaimed by friends, to Portland in care of General Summers. The governor assured Colonel Long that the state of Oregon would bear the expense if the government would not.

The governor received a reply from Colonel Long stating that, under his instructions, he could not comply with the request as he had been ordered to bury at the Presidio all bodies not claimed by relatives of the deceased.

The governor sent a dispatch to Secretary of War Root stating that the state of Oregon desired permission to receive and inter the bodies of Second volunteers now in San Francisco and asking Secretary Root to telegraph Colonel Long instructions accordingly.

Sunday's Cemetery - Cemetery Mistake

Published in July of 1910 by the Oregonian out of Portland, Oregon

GRAVE MYSTERY SOLVED

MISTAKE IN CEMETERY SURVEY IS HELD TO BLAME 

Byron P. Vincent Buried in Absence of Sexton – Hannah Smith Still Cannot Be Found. 

The mystery involving the disappearance of Hannah Smith, May 8, appears to be no nearer solved than nearly two months ago, when the woman with $600 she drew from the bank, dropped out of sight completely.

     The thread of belief that the mysterious grave in Baker Cemetery 14 miles east of Portland on the Base Line road, might offer a clew as to what became of Hannah Smith, was exploded yesterday by Sheriff Stevens, after a thorough investigation of the graveyard incident that set Fairview and that community agog with gossip.

     The new mound of earth was discovered by Mrs. O. H. Jenkins, of Fairview, May 29, when she went to trim and decorate the graves of her father, mother and sister. She was astonished to find a newly-made grave on her family lot. She reported the circumstance to D. W. McKay, the sexton, who lives a few hundred yards from the cemetery.

     The headboard bore the inscription: “Byron P. Vincent, died 1905.” McKay had no record of a Vincent having been buried there and the mystery deepened. A theory was advanced that the grave might contain the body of Hannah Smith.

     While Sheriff Stevens was conducting an investigation yesterday morning he learned that the grave contained the body of Byron P. Vincent, a son of Dr. A. W. Vincent, 207 West Leavitt street, St. Johns, who died five years ago. Dr. Vincent explained the circumstance. He said that when his son died he was unable to find the owner of the cemetery or the sexton at the time, so the burial took place without the sexton having a record. He said that the grave had been partially obliterated by earth from other graves being thrown upon it and when he renewed the mound for Memorial day it had all the appearances of a new grave. He also said there was a mistake in the property lines and that the grave is not in the lot of Mrs. Jenkins, as supposed. 

Kenton Ghost Hunt

I’m sure that everyone is aware of the multiple spellings of many surnames.  While researching the surname Langston I came across a gentleman named Langton, in the Oregonian newspaper out of Portland, Oregon dated Sunday, January 5, 1913. The title of the article sparked my curiosity and just to verify if this was another spelling of Langston I had to check it out.  I got excited thinking that Langton could be a ghost hunter. Turns out he saw a ghost and decided to change his direction of travel and went the other direction. It might not be the correct surname but it’s still an interesting article for this time of year. 

‘KENTON GHOST’ HUNTED

PHANTOM-LIKE VISITOR DIS-

TURBS PENINSULA.

Mysterious Creation Lurks Along

Patton Road by Night and Van-

ishes by day, Is Report. 

  The “Kenton ghost,” if there is one

in that section of the city, had better

take to the cemetery if he wants to

enjoy life, for last night W. M. Kil-

ingsworth, Percy Conger and Dalles

M. Simonsen inaugurated the first of

a series of “ghost hunts” in hopes that

they may catch it, or lay it.

  William Adams and Jack Langton,

of the Peninsula district, say they saw

a ghost, or a mysterious person.

Wednesday evening as they drove

along Patton Road near Lombard

Street. The “ghost” was seated on a

stump, and Adams, to make sure he

was there, spoke to “the ghost,”

who is a smooth personage, glided

away. Adams and Langton took the

opposite course.

  “The ghost” was seen by Thomas

O’Rourke, of Derby and Kilpatrick

streets, a week ago. Mr. O’Rourke de-

scribes it as six feet high, so thin that

his bones show through his skin, and

pale as whitewash.

  “I came along the other evening,”

said Mr. O’Rourke, “and right before

me, near a tree, was this peculiar ob-

ject. I would have spoken to it, but

didn’t care to get into an argument

so said nothing.

  “Just then he vanished. I didn’t have

a gun with me, but I spoke to Police-

man Dick Stewart, whom I met 13

blocks away, a minute later. Stewart

said that he’d get him, and hurried

off.”

  Mrs. W. A. Willis, wife of Secretary

Willis, of the Portland Cattle Loan

Company, who lives in Kenton, told

her husband that she had seen a tall,

fat man three months ago. His actions

were such that she now knows that he

was a ghost, and thinks perhaps the

Kenton ghost is the same one, starving.

  Neil O’Hare, proprietor of the Ken-

ton salon, when asked for information

said: “Divil a bit do I know about any

ghost. Men came to my place and tell

 me about things they have seen the

 night before and they are such a va-

riety of everything that seeing ghosts

is tame in comparison.”

  J. H. Nolta, a member of the Inter-

state Bridge Commission, is said to

have seen the ghost. Mr. Nolta told

a friend that he had seen a most pe-

culiar being in a shanty some time ago,

and he is not over sorry that he did

not investigate.

  People in Kenton, now keep their

doors tightly locked at night, and or-

ders are said to be issued calling for

the capture of the intruder, dead or

alive. To see a ghost is one thing,

but to capture a ghost is another; per-

haps that is why those who have seen

Kenton’s mysterious visitor have been

unable to bring about his capture.