Albert G. Waggoner tells of early days in the Luther White community and Diamond Hill (132): “I was born August 17, 1863, in what is known as the Luther White community. My father, Bird Waggoner, born in Kentucky June 5, 1810, came to Oregon in 1852 and settled there, about eight or nine miles south of Brownsville. At that time there was not much Brownsville, the mere important settlement being Union Point, where there was a church, store, wagon and blacksmith shop, gun shop and an Academy. My father died in 1892. 

“My mother, Nancy E. Gray, daughter of James Gray, one of the Gray family which also arrived in 1852 and took land near here, was born in Indiana September 3, 1839, and died in Oregon March 20, 1885. She was married to my father in 1857 or 1858, and there were eight children. My father was married before coming west and had three children who all came with him; his wife died of cholera on the trip. Of the Davis family there were three brothers, James, David and John. James’ land claim is what at present is known as the Toedtemeyer place; David’s is known as the Hedley Stubbs farm. On the Hedley Stubbs farm is an old cemetery, almost forgotten, where David and other pioneers lie buried. Wilson Blain of Union Point also rests here. In the Davis emigrant train were the Henderson family which settled at Union Point; the Paxton family of the same region also arrived at the same time. My father and mother both lie buried at what is known as the Kirk or Union Point cemetery, about three miles southwest of Brownsville, on what is known as the "Pat"  (Thomas Patterson) Dinwiddie claim. 

The Waggoner’s claim was about one mile due southeast of the present Diamond Hill schoolhouse.  Luther White was an early settler in that neighborhood, probably coming in 1847; William Hawk came at the same time. There were also the Taylor’s, Wilsons and Dinwiddies. The country was open and people raised stock. The increase, plus hunting, made up their living for years. Father (Bird Waggoner) also made rails and shakes and shingles. Miles of fence in the country were made with my father’s maul and wedges. Rail fences were the only ones known in those days and were everywhere. 

“When I was three or four years old. Rev. H. H. Spalding come to the Diamond Hill schoolhouse and lectured about his mission experiences and the Indian troubles. Later I heard him preach a number of times. We did most of our trading at Harrisburg. The road there was better than the rough Gap Road to Brownsville. Before the railroad, supplies came by boat up the Willamette, and when water was low, by wagon train. When things could not be had at Harrisburg when we made the trip there, they might be “up on the next boat”. Eugene City could be reached by crossing the McKenzie near Coburg on Captain Spores Ferry.

“When the country was all settled and fenced wheat raising took the place of stock raising.  At first the land was too wet for wheat. Later, when it had been drained, wheat became all important. The stream along Spoon River did not even exist when I was a boy. It was just a low place stretching across the country — a series of unconnected sloughs and “winter  lakes”. I and one of the Kizer boys named Spoon River. Indian Head Butte, just south of here, got its name from its shape. The creek passing the Wigle farm was named Tub Run by “Little Jake” Wigle, who used to correspond  for the local papers and dated his items from “Tub Run”.  Peoria was a big wheat shipping point; so was Harrisburg. Most business in the early days was done by credit or barter. Debts wore paid when wheat was sold or cattle driven to market. Most of the settlers were honest and few debts went unpaid. “‘Whiskey Jim” Keeney once gave a note to Hugh Fields, who accepted it without looking at it, to find later that it was dated “One day after death I promise to pay, etc".

“In the early days mail and express stages followed the old Territorial Road along the eastern foothills. The route was from Eugene to Spores Ferry, then to Luther White’s place where there was a post office (Diamond Hill) kept by Tommy Wilson, the hill was named after John Diamond, an Irishman who settled there. From this point stages went north through the Big Gap” between Indian Road and other buttes. At Union Point there was another settlement and post office. From Brownsville stages took the “Hill Road” past the Cochran ranch and Washburn Butte, sometimes called Cochran Butte, then went along the foothills to Lebanon and northward.

“The last grizzly bears were killed in the Diamond Hill region about 1855 or 56. Rattlesnakes were abundant. There was a hill known as the “Snakes’ Den”. One spring, just as snakes were coming out or hibernating, neighbors rounded up and killed 3,000 of them. A week later some of us went up there again end killed 700. It seems impossible now, but I am not at all exaggerating. We still find rattlesnakes here. They come out into the lowlands during the summer and return to their dens in autumn. Early stock raisers ran their cattle on the open range, after ear-marking or branding them, but there were no general roundups as on the ranges of the interior.

*****

Additional information about Diamond Hill from Lewis A. Mcarthur's  "Oregon Geographic Names"  

 "Diamond Hill is on the east edge of the Willamette Valley about six miles north of the south line of Linn County, and about ten miles north of Coburg, Lane County. The compiler is of the opinion that Diamond Hill was named for John Diamond, prominent Lane County pioneer, whose home was near Coburg. Diamond Peak and Diamond Lake in the Cascade Range were named for the same man. John Diamond was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1815, and emigrated to New York in 1833. He lived at times in the states of New York, Michigan, Illinois, and emigrated to Oregon in 1847. He took up a claim where the town of Coburg now stands. He sold the property in 1858, and after three years of traveling, settled just east of Coburg. For additional information, see Walling's History of Lane County, p. 488. Along with other pioneers, he made explorations into the Cascade Range, which accounts for the application of his name to geographical features in that area. The compiler does not know the circumstances of the naming of Diamond Hill. It seems certain that Diamond did not live in the locality, which was about ten miles north of his homestead. He may have had some business interests there, or possibly pastured stock there. John Diamond was a sturdy citizen and neighbors may have complimented him on that account. Diamond Hill post office was established on the Linn County list on Sept. 16, 1858, with James H. Pierce first postmaster. This office was closed Sept. 28, 1869. An office with the name Diamond was in service from Apr. 23, 1887, to Oct 4, 1887, with David H. Pierce postmaster. It was doubtless in the same community." (G3)

Diamond Hill Quick Facts

Location:  Twp 15S, Rge 3W, Sect 12 approx

Name Origin:  Possibly John Diamond, early settler of Lane County.

Other Names:  Diamond

Post Office Established:  16 Sept 1858

First Postmaster:  James H. Pierce

Discontinued:  28 Sept 1869