Blessed are the Children

Before resuming my dialogue with Randolph’s history, I have updates on two cemetery burials discussed earlier: Mary Hutchinson and Paul Lane.

Mary L Hutchinson/McCue

When I originally wrote about Mary (Grave Stories, Part 6), I only knew that she had died in March 1869. Recently, though, thumbing through the Catholic Church Register for the Roseburg (Oregon) Mission, I found two entries that bear witness to both her life and death. She is identified by her stepfather’s surname, McCue (copied verbatim):

September 27, 1868, we the undersigned have baptized at the mouth of the Coquille, Mary Lili McCue, a daughter of James McCue and Clementine Thrush. She is 3 years of age. Godfather, Edward Fahy. Alph. Glorieux, p.m.

August 30, 1870, we the undersigned Missionary Priest have blessed the grave of Mary Lily McCue, who died on the 7th of March last [1869], a daughter of James McCue and Clementine Thrush. Witness, Ed. Fahy. A. J. Glorieux, P. M.

Paul Lane

The only individual named in Wooldridge’s cemetery survey, Paul baffled me (Grave Stories, Part 2). I tried to identify him based upon my interpretation of his death at 27 years of age in 1877, inferred from the 1978 survey:

Not having seen the headstone, the inscription surely had deteriorated since its original placement, 100 years before the survey. However, I assert that instead of 27 years of age (“y”), the original inscription indicated that Paul was 27 days old when he died. Two entries in the Roseburg Mission Register support this conclusion (copied verbatim):

June 14, 1877, we the undersigned have baptized Paul, son of Simon Lane and Katherine A. Drain, born on the 18th of May, 1877. Sponsors, Michael Kroell and Mrs. L. F. Lane. Randolph, June 14, 1877. J. Heinrich, M. P.

June 15, 1877, we the undersigned have buried Paul, son of Simon and Katherine Lane, at Randolph. J. Heinrich, M. P.

The number of days between Paul’s birth and death is 27 days. His death is also noted in the 1904 biographical record of Simon Lane: Paul is named as Simon’s child who “died in infancy.”

Although the family permanently resided in Douglas County, they came to Randolph to engage in mining. Simon R. Lane, operated the Pioneer Gold Mine (originally named the Lane Mine), located midway between Whiskey Run and the north bank of the Coquille River from 1869-1896.

Based upon the evidence above, the “Paul Lane” interred in the Randolph Cemetery is the infant son of Simon and Catherine.

Historical Note: Simon’s father was Joseph Lane, first governor of the Oregon Territory. Simon married Catherine A. Drain, daughter of Charles Drain, founder of the city of Drain, Oregon.

So, two Randolph mysteries solved! That said, more Randolph mysteries abound, awaiting investigation. If you have any further information about either of the children discussed above, please contact me or leave a comment below.

Sources Cited

Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago. Portrait and Biographical Record of Western Oregon, Containing Original Sketches of Many Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present. Chicago, Chapman publishing company, 1904, pages 598 and 603. http://archive.org/details/portraitbiographwo00inchap

Munnick, Harriet Duncan. Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest: Roseburg Register and Missions (1853-1911), Portland Register (1852-1871). 1st ed. Portland, Or.: Binford & Mort Pub., 1986. Mary McCue, pages 18 and 24; Paul Lane, pages 59 and 60.