JACKSON COUNTY OREGON PIONEERS
The Ish Family of Loudoun County, VirginiaIsh Ranch, Jacksonville, Oregon
William King Ish I had a plantation in Loudoun County, Virginia. He was married to Sophenia Rust whose family owned tobacco plantations. They had four sons, Jacob, William King Ish, Matthew Rust Ish, and Richard L. Ish. They had one daughter, Martha Susan Ish. whose married name was Allnutt.
All four sons came West to escape the havoc threatened by the approaching Civil War.
JACOB ISH
Jacob Ish sold his estate in Virginia in 1860 before traveling to Oregon with his wife, Eleanor (Jones) Ish. Jacob Ish purchased land about three miles from Jacksonville and started a ranch which eventually became one of the largest in Southern Oregon. Jacob and Eleanor had their only child, Sophenia Ish, in 1864 at the ranch. The "Ish" ranch soon became known far and wide for its broad fertile acres, sturdy stock and immaculately maintained buildings. Jacob Ish found it extremely profitable to furnish supplies for government troops stationed at Fort Klamath and to the stage stations along the road from Grants Pass to San Francisco. With a background of wealth, he was able to make his fields the most productive in the Rogue River Valley. When the opportunity presented itself, he purchased additional land. Jacob also invested in mining and the purchase of swamp lands through his brother, William King Ish.
Jacob lost the love of his life, Eleanor, to cancer on July 29, 1877. The obituary in the Democratic Times of Jacksonville dated Saturday, August 3, 1877, reads as follows:
ISH
At the family residence near Jacksonville, July 29, J. Ellen, wife of Jacob Ish, a native of Virginia; aged 51 years, 9 months and 17 days. Mrs Ish was one of our oldest and most respected residents. For several months past, she suffered from a disease (cancer) from which death was inevitable, going to her fate with a Christian fortitude. She leaves a husband and daughter and a large circle of sorrowing friends to mourn her inconsolable loss. She was an honored member of the order of Patrons of Husbandry, under whose auspices her remains were deposited in their last resting place. May she rest in peace.
A funeral announcement reads as follows:
DIED.
At the family residence, near Jacksonville, on the evening of July 29, 1877, at fifteen minutes past seven o'clock,
J. Ellen Ish
Wife of Jacob Ish, a native of Virginia; aged 51 years, 9 months and 17 days.
The funeral will take place tomorrow, July 31st, leaving the family residence at 10 o’clock A. M. Services at the M. E. Church at eleven o’clock, Rev. J. R. N. Bell officiating.
Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend.
Eleanor’s sister, Sarah Elizabeth Jones from Loudoun County, Virginia, attempted to travel to Jacksonville to help take care of her sister but she did not arrive until August 14, 1877 having sailed from the East Coast and down around the Horn to the West Coast. She stayed on at the Ish Ranch to help out. Jacob Ish had been left to raise his daughter, Sophenia, and his niece, Sophenia. Jacob Ish and Sarah Jones were married on October 7, 1878.
Jacob Ish died on March 4, 1881.
The following was copied from a document on file at the Southern Oregon Historical Society:
Sent: Mar 5, 1881 Death of Jacob Ish
It is sorrowfully that we chronicle the death of Jacob Ish, one of the foremost citizens of Jackson County, which occurred yesterday about 5 a.m., from bronchitis after an illness of a little over two weeks. For the past few days Mr Ish’s case had been at least hopeful, but on Thursday morning his lungs became congested and in a few hours he was beyond all human leech-craft.
Mr Ish was born in Loudoun County, Virginia in 1823 and came to this valley in 1860, having resided here continuously ever since. Earth has had few better and kinder hearted men than he who has just left us; and the loss of one who so fully enjoyed the respect and confidence of the whole community, from knowledge of his worth and probity, is a public one. Like all, Mr Ish may have had his faults, but we never knew them, and can only remember him as a warm hearted, and staunch friend. He leaves a sorrowing wife and daughter and a number of attached brothers who will know his kindly greeting no more in this world. The whole community feels as if many others could have been better spared but it is not for man to say what is, or is not, to be, and may the memory of the good man always be green.
Sent: Apr 2, 1881
Dick Ish started for Harney Valley last Thursday to look after a large band of horses belonging to the estate of Jacob Ish, deceased.
Sent: Apr 30, 1881
Horace Ish, of Warner Valley, was in town several days this week. Dick Ish had charge of the band of horses belonging to the estate of Jacob Ish, deceased, during his absence.
A funeral announcement reads as follows:
DIED.
At the family residence, near Jacksonville, on Friday, March 4th, 1881, at half-past 5 o’clock A. M., Jacob Ish
A native of Loudoun county, Virginia; aged 57 years, 8 months and 29 days.
The funeral will take place from the family residence on Sunday, March 6th, at 11 o clock A. M. under the auspices of the Imp’d O. R. M. and I. O. O. F. Services at the M. E. Church in Jacksonville, Rev. M. A. Williams officiating.
Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend.
When Jacob passed away in 1881, his second wife, Sarah Elizabeth (Jones) Ish, continued to purchase more land until the ranch grew to more than 5,000 acres. "Sally" was a shrewd business woman for the times and contributed to the success of the ranch by making solid decisions.
Aunt Sally’s brother, Robert Francis Jones, was a Confederate soldier during the Civil War. During a battle, a horse stepped on him and the injury left him paralyzed. Sally devoted herself to caring for him until his death in 1877. His death left Sarah Elizabeth Jones free to come to Jacksonville in an attempt to help care for her sister, Jane Eleanor (Jones) Ish.
WILLIAM KING ISH
William King Ish II was already living in Portland, Oregon in 1860 as shown by the 1860 census. William was married to Ann King September 21, 1859 at Scott Valley in Siskiyou County, California. William King Ish and his wife, Ann (King) Ish ( King was Ann’s maiden name but King was coincidently William’s middle name ) had two children, William King Ish III, and Sophenia Ish. In 1870, William and Ann Ish deeded over to Jacob Ish a portion of land which was part of the Ish Ranch. William K. Ish III was born at the Ish ranch in 1861 and Sophenia Ish was born near Umatilla, Oregon in 1864. William King Ish II was part owner of the Ish and Hailey Stage Coach lines during the 1860’s. In the 1870’s, he owned mining claims in Alaska and made a fortune which he invested in purchasing swamp lands in Oregon. Ann (King) Ish taught piano lessons and her piano and a canterbury belonging to her have been passed down in the family. Ann became ill and died of cancer in 1872. She was rooming with her children at San Jose when she passed away. Her mother, Martha (Townsend) King was there to help take care of her when she died. (Ann King was a direct descendent of Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower through her father, Nathaniel King.) After Ann’s death, William took his daughter, Sophenia, to live at the Ish ranch with her cousin, Sophenia. It was decided that Jacob and Ellen’s daughter would be called Sophie and William and Ann’s daughter would be called Phenie to avoid confusion. When Ann died, William King Ish II purchased a lovely Prussian bowl and gave it to his daughter. This bowl has been passed along from generation to generation.
William King Ish II "Willie" was left with other family members. He spent some time with his grandparents, Martha (Townsend) King and Nathaniel King and there are letters still in existence written by him and some written to him.
Sophenia Ish, daughter of William K. Ish and Ann King was married to Henry Edward Baker at the Ish Ranch at Jacksonville, Oregon in 1888.
They had four sons:
Henry Ish Baker "Harry"; Born September 3, 1890 at Medford, Oregon; Served in World War I; Died in 1961 of complications from diabetes
George William Baker Born November 28, 1892; Married to Eula Bower on June 6, 1920; Died from Tuberculosis January 9, 1938 in Tacoma, Washington and is buried at the Jacksonville Cemetery at Jacksonville, Oregon
Robert Chester Baker "Chet"; Born March 11, 1896 in Medford, Oregon; Served in World War I; Married to Gertrude Trautfeather on May 27, 1930 in Medford, Oregon Deceased; Buried at the Jacksonville Cemetery at Jacksonville, OR
Matthew Norman Baker; Born September 10, 1899 at 902 W. McAndrews Rd in Medford, Oregon where he lived his entire life; Died from heart failure at the age of 94 in Medford, Oregon; Buried at the Jacksonville Cemetery at Jacksonville, Oregon