Donation Land Claim Documents

John McKay retired from service with the Hudson Bay Company as of 31 Aug 1847 and ". . . Settled in Wallamette - wages from 1st June to 31 Aug. 1847 - 3 mos. @ 36/8."

The March 1849 Census of Champoeg County (Now Marion County) Oregon lists John McKay along with his father in law (step) Joachim Hubert.

His Donation Land Claim file⁽¹⁾ shows that he and Josette settled on this claim on the 15th day of August 1849.

The property is described as being 505.29 acres. "The tract of Public Lands known and designated in the Surveys and Plat of the United States and Claim No 43 being parts of secs 19, 20, 21, 28, 29, and 30 in township 5 South Range 1 West Will[amette] Mer[idian] bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a point 406 chs[chains] North and 21.27 west of the SE corner of said Sec 19 and running thence East 120.00 Chs thence South 44.00 Chs thence West 73.20 chs thence South 1.78 chs thence N69"45W 53.32 Chs thence North 27.43 Chs to the place of beginning containing 505.29 acres."

The North half to the said John McKay and the South half to his wife the said Josette McKay.

Settlement commenced on the 15th day of Aug 1849.

The 1850 Census pg 75 Marion County, Oregon Territory. Lists John McKay's household as consisting of: John McKay age 36 born Scotland, Jane age 30 born OT, George age 18 born OT, Elizabeth age 14 born OT, William age 13 born OT, John age 11 born OT, Robert age 7 born OT, David age 5 born OT, Alexander age 2 born OT, Charles age 1 born OT. There is no indication as to which part of the county this would have been.

The 1860 Marion County Oregon Census has a very telling note on the bottom of page 404 of Labish Precinct: "Where the given name is blank it was from inability of persons from whom the information was collected to give the name in English." In other words: the Census Bureau sent a person who only understood English, into French Prairie to enumerate a French speaking populace. This particular page gives names for ten people on the forty line form.

1. The Donation Land Act called for the orderly and legal ownership of property in Oregon Territory. It voided all laws previously passed making grants of land, but was worded to take into account existing claims in the Oregon Country. It granted every white settler and "American half-breed Indian" above the age of 18 already living in Oregon a free half-section of land if single or a full section (640 acres, the same as allowed under the Organic Act) if married, with half in the wife's name. Residence and cultivation for four years was required. Settlers arriving after 1850 were granted half a section if married, or one-quarter of a section if single.

Josephte Boucher - Portrait last seen in the attic of Margie Barnes Canby Oregon Home John McKay Donation Certificate - cover Map of Claim Marriage Record Donation Certificate - 26 Dec 1877 Land Description Survey of Land Naturalized & White Adolphus Chamberlain - Resided and Cultivated Thomas Fitzgerald - Resided and Cultivated - 15 September 1852 Thomas Fitzgerald - Married to Josette McKay Bradford S Bonney - Resided and Cultivated Thomas Fitzgerald - Resided and Cultivated - 27 October 1853 S D Prsowden - 14 April 1866 - North half had been sold two or three times. Donation Certificate - 25th April 1881 1849 Census Champoeg County Declaration to become a citizen


		Donation Land Claim Information John McKay retired from service with the Hudson Bay Company as of 31 Aug 1847 and ". . . Settled in Wallamette - wages from 1st June to 31 Aug. 1847 - 3 mos. @ 36/8." The March 1849 Census of Champoeg County (Now Marion County) Oregon lists John McKay along with his father in law (step) Joachim Hubert. His Donation Land Claim file⁽¹⁾ shows that he and Josette settled on this claim on the 15th day of August 1849. The property is described as being 505.29 acres. "The tract of Public Lands known and designated in the Surveys and Plat of the United States and Claim No 43 being parts of secs 19, 20, 21, 28, 29, and 30 in township 5 South Range 1 West Will[amette] Mer[idian] bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a point 406 chs[chains] North and 21.27 west of the SE corner of said Sec 19 and running thence East 120.00 Chs thence South 44.00 Chs thence West 73.20 chs thence South 1.78 chs thence N69"45W 53.32 Chs thence North 27.43 Chs to the place of beginning containing 505.29 acres." The North half to the said John McKay and the South half to his wife the said Josette McKay. Settlement commenced on the 15th day of Aug 1849. The 1850 Census pg 75 Marion County, Oregon Territory. Lists John McKay's household as consisting of: John McKay age 36 born Scotland, Jane age 30 born OT, George age 18 born OT, Elizabeth age 14 born OT, William age 13 born OT, John age 11 born OT, Robert age 7 born OT, David age 5 born OT, Alexander age 2 born OT, Charles age 1 born OT. There is no indication as to which part of the county this would have been. The 1860 Marion County Oregon Census has a very telling note on the bottom of page 404 of Labish Precinct: "Where the given name is blank it was from inability of persons from whom the information was collected to give the name in English." In other words: the Census Bureau sent a person who only understood English, into French Prairie to enumerate a French speaking populace. This particular page gives names for ten people on the forty line form. 1. The Donation Land Act called for the orderly and legal ownership of property in Oregon Territory. It voided all laws previously passed making grants of land, but was worded to take into account existing claims in the Oregon Country. It granted every white settler and "American half-breed Indian" above the age of 18 already living in Oregon a free half-section of land if single or a full section (640 acres, the same as allowed under the Organic Act) if married, with half in the wife's name. Residence and cultivation for four years was required. Settlers arriving after 1850 were granted half a section if married, or one-quarter of a section if single.