Crabtree never was much of a town as far as population goes, for years its number of inhabitants being about 40 or 50, though of late the place has grown to more than 100. However, it has the distinction of age and pioneer interest. Mrs. Bertha Bowen, who lives six miles east of Lebanon on the Lacomb road (1940) writes of the Crabtree neighborhood of very early days (87):

“My mother was Martha Crabtree. She was one of the fifteen children of John Crabtree who settled on Crabtree Creek in 1845. His first cabin was torn down a number of years ago but a few of the logs were used in the erection of a fruit drier which is still standing on the old home place (1940). The cabin stood not far from the present schoolhouse on the Crabtree claim, on the road now marked ‘Hungry Hill’, just a short distance north of Crabtree Creek bridge between Lebanon and Scio The station of Crabtree was, however, not named for my grandfather but for a cousin of his, Fletcher Crabtree, who came to Oregon later.  Crabtree Creek, of course, was named for my grandfather.

"John Crabtree, after he crossed the Santiam River, commenced looking around for land in earnest. The thing required above all others was good and convenient water and plenty of timber for fuel and fencing. When grandfather came to the big spring on the hillside near here he said: ‘Here I am going to stay the rest of my life.’  He did just that.

"John Crabtree died in Linn County March 28, 1892. His wife, Malinda Yeary, was born in Virginia March 7, 1808. Of the 15 children five were born in Kentucky, five in Missouri and five in Oregon. Of those born in Oregon - Jasper and Newton, twins, saw light while on a raft floating down the Columbia River. Jasper died in 1891; Newton in 1929. My mother, youngest of the family, was born October 23, 1852; she died at Lebanon January 1, 1925. She first went to school at the old schoolhouse where the Franklin Butte cemetery is. Her first teachers were Mrs. Hamilton and Hugh McArthur. There was a store at the crossroads there, and there was established the first post office of the region. (The store was at one time operated by Franklin Rice, and thus the name was given to Franklin Butte).

“Primitive ways were the common lot of the Crabtree clan in the early days. I remember the hazel brooms my uncles used to make of green hazel. The wood was shaved down in slender ribbons left attached to the stock, then sewed in shape like any other kind of broom.”

Crabtree Quick Facts

Location:  Twp 11S, Rge 2W, Sect 2, 11

Name Origin:  Crabtree family, early settlers.

Post Office Established:  28 Feb 1887

First Postmaster:  Thomas L. Ball

Photos:

 J. Crabtree Residence

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