I recently discovered a series of “Hidden Cemeteries of Washington County” videos on YouTube. They aren’t so much about “hidden cemeteries” but more about the hidden histories of some of the cemetery residents.
This short multi will introduce you to some of the interesting residents of Hillsboro’s Pioneer Cemetery. You can park at the posted coordinates. You'll walk about 900 feet over bumpy grass to gather the answers and get the final. If you add in the bonus waypoints, you'll walk about a third of a mile.
Note: The photos are of the waypoint itself, but to get coordinate info you’ll need to look nearby.
Also, a note to help with directions: Hwy 8/TV Hwy runs along the south edge of the cemetery.
You’ll find the final at N 45 31.ABC W 123 00.DEF. Checksum (total) of A thru F = 24
Waypoint A: Grand Army of the Republic and American Legion veterans memorials.
There is a Civil War veteran’s grave about 7-8 feet south of the back right corner of the veteran memorial paved area. If the name on the headstone is:
- CORPL. GEO. T. LEDFORD, A = 1
- CHAS. BOWEN, A = 2
- LIEUT. ALVIN M. COLLINS, A = 3
Waypoint B: Francis A. Bailey was born in Tennessee and attended medical school in St. Louis, Missouri. When the Civil War broke out, he joined the confederacy. He came to Oregon before the war’s end and taught elementary school in Scoggins Valley outside Gaston for a few years. He moved to Hillsboro, where he resumed his medical practice and served as county coroner and president of Oregon’s medical association. He was elected mayor for several terms.
Look at the closest headstone to the south. If the name on the headstone is:
- JOSEPHINE BAILEY, B = 2
- LETITIA BAILEY, B = 5
- AUGUSTUS B. BAILEY, B = 8
Waypoint C: George Cassie Alexander was chief deputy sheriff under Jesse Applegate (grandson of Jesse Applegate who established the Applegate Emigrant Trail). When Sheriff Applegate was arrested for importing illegal alcohol during prohibition, Alexander took over as sheriff. Alexander didn’t seek reelection as sheriff. He went on to serve as superintendent of Oregon State Penitentiary and, in a bit of irony, was appointed chief prohibition officer for Oregon.
Look about 6 feet west. If you see a headstone with:
- EMMA, WIFE OF THOMAS COOPER, C = 3
- WEHRUNG, C = 5
- An image of a lamb, C = 7
Waypoint D: David Hill was a figure of some prominence in the Oregon Territory. He arrived on the Tualatin Plains in October 1841 and staked a land claim on 640 acres that is, today, occupied by a large swath of downtown Hillsboro and the residential neighborhood to the south.
After settling in Oregon, Mr. Hill soon entered politics. In 1843, he became a member (and, for a time, chair) of the committee that drafted the proposal for an Oregon Country provisional government. At the Champoeg Meeting later that year, he cast one of the ‘yea’ votes that resulted in the creation of the provisional government. Initially, rather than a single governor, an executive committee of three people oversaw the government. One of those three was David Hill. He went on to serve in the provisional legislature and the territorial legislature (after Oregon became a U.S. Territory in 1848).
This cemetery is on his former land claim. He was buried here without a headstone. In 1930 schoolchildren in Washington County raised money to buy this one. Hillsboro is named in his honor.
Back up about 5 feet. There is a headstone to your immediate west. If you see:
- SCHULMERICH, D = 1
- REST IN PEACE LITTLE MOTHER, D = 2
- An image of a handshake/clasped hands, D = 3
Waypoint E: Reverend John Smith Griffin was one of the first missionaries in the area. He participated in the voting at Champoeg to create Oregon’s provisional government. At the time he arrived, there was one newspaper, in Oregon City, but he wanted a second one. He acquired a printing press previously owned by fellow missionary Marcus Whitman and published “The Oregon American and Evangelical Unionist”. Although he only published 8 editions, it played an important role in the growing area.
Look about 5 feet north. If you see a headstone with:
- KEZIA WILLIAMS, E = 2
- MARY A WEED, E = 4
- An image of a book and cross, E = 6
Waypoint F: Mary Ramsey Wood lived under the administration of every U.S. president from Washington to Taft. It is said she traveled to the Oregon Territory across the Oregon Trail at the age of 66, riding her horse Martha Washington Pioneer the entire journey. As a midwife she delivered at least one baby during the trip. When Mary Ramsey Wood was 120 years old, she was crowned “The Queen of Oregon”. She was reported to be the oldest living person in the United States when she died at age 120.
Look about 15 feet north. If you see a headstone with:
- JAS. P. MAGRUDER, F = 0
- RASMUSEN, F = 3
- An image of a bird, F = 6
You have all the info needed to find the cache, but if you’re interested, here are two bonus reference points:
Reference Point G (Bonus): John Quincy Adams. Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery contains many graves of soldiers who fought for the Union during the Civil War. Graves for Confederate veterans are rare. One such grave is that of John Quincy Adams (not the one of presidential fame). At the start of the Civil War he traveled back to Missouri to enlist, and served in the same regiment as Francis A. Bailey (Wpt B).
Reference Point H (Bonus): W. D. Bradford is another former sheriff buried here, but his is a sad story that ended in an unmarked grave. He was sheriff around 1900 and solved a sensational murder that happened south of Cornelius. The murderer was sentenced to hang and, as was the custom at the time, Bradford attended. This had such an effect on Bradford that he left office and was never the same afterwards. He was unable to work, and was sent to the county poor farm. There, he slowly went insane and ended up at the state hospital in Salem, where he died.
He now lies in the Potters Field, with other unmarked graves of people from the poor farm and state hospital who similarly died without friends or relatives.
Want to learn more about Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery history? In years past, the City of Hillsboro has presented living history at its Monumental Moments event, held in this cemetery. Actors portray local historic figures, offering glimpses of the lives they lived. For 2020, these were made available as five videos. Links to them are available here:
City of Hillsboro: Monumental Memories
If you are interested in learning more about these, and other interesting people buried in Washington County cemeteries, here are links to the “Hidden Cemeteries of Washington County” videos. There are eight videos in the series. You can also find them by searching for “Hidden Cemeteries of Washington County” on YouTube.
Hidden Cemeteries of Washington County (Old Scotch Church, Hill, and Cherry Grove cemeteries)
Hidden Cemeteries of Washington County - Confederate Soldiers (Union Point, Hillsboro Pioneer, and Forest View cemeteries)
Hidden Cemeteries of Washington County - Sheriffs (Old Scotch Church and Hillsboro Pioneer cemeteries)
Hidden Cemeteries of Washington County - Newspaper Publishers (Hillsboro Pioneer, Fir Lawn, and Forest View cemeteries)
Hidden Cemeteries of Washington County - Undertakers (Union Point, Forest View, and Mt. Olive cemeteries)
Hidden Cemeteries of Washington County - Gales Creek Mysteries (Gales Creek, Forest View, and Cornelius Methodist cemeteries)
Hidden Cemeteries of Washington County - Tigard, Scholl's Ferry and Boone's Ferry (John Tigard House, Crescent Grove, St. Anthony, and Lewis Pioneer cemeteries)
Hidden Cemeteries of Washington County - Murder or Suicide: The Mysterious Death of Elizabeth Koeber on June 1, 1932 (Fir Lawn, Hillsboro Pioneer, and Forest View cemeteries)
I hope to do more “Hidden Cemeteries of Washington County” caches. So far I have these other two:
Hidden Cemeteries of Wash. County - Hills Cemetery
Hidden Cemeteries and Ferry Tales - Scholl’s