104 Appendix. 



few vainetles of plums, quinces, cherries, and flowering plants, one Isabella grape- 

 vine, one gooseberry bush, and a few currant bushes. Among the cherries was 

 one Napoleon Bigarreau. which for some reason was called the Royal Ann, and 

 the effect of the bringing of that one tree may be inferred from the fact that to 

 this day the Napoleon Bigarreau cherry is everywhere on the Pacific Coast known 

 as the Royal Ann. Most of the trees were propagated by Mr. I^uelling himself, 

 but to complete his assortment he bought a few from Avery"s nursery at Denmark, 

 Iowa. On April 17, 1847, Henderson Luelling started from Salem, Iowa, on the 

 long journey across the plains with his traveling nursery, hauled by oxen. On 

 May 17th, he crossed the Missouri River. He arrived at The Dalle.s, Oregon, in 

 November, and from that point took the water route to Milwaukie. where he 

 settled. The great amount of work and painstaking care involved in keeping 

 those trees alive and growing through that trip can hardly be imagined by one 

 who has not had experience in traveling by wagon across our arid, interior plains 

 and over rugged mountains where a trail was a substitute for a road. Many 

 of those who started with lighter leads, but handled their teams with less care 

 and judgment, were compelled to throw away a greater part of their loads. The 

 croaker wa.s in the party who frequently assured Mr. Luelling that he was under- 

 taking a task which could not be accomplished. A well-meaning minister of nar- 

 row vision urged Mr. Luelling to unload his trees and replace them with the 

 household effects of those whose teams were giving out. Fortunately for Oregon, 

 Mr. Luelling was not moved by this well-meant but shortsighted advice. 



During the long and arduous trip, Mr. Luelling was ably assisted by his son 

 Alfred, then a youth of l."». William Meek, wlio was a frequent visitor at the 

 home of Mr. Luelling in Iowa, and subsequently became bis son-in-law, followed 

 his future father-in-law's example, and also prepared a few grafted trees for the 

 trip. He started at the same time as Mr. Luelling, and brought his trees safely 

 through to Oregon. 



In the spring of 1S4S, Mr. ;Meek joined Mr. Liu^lling at Milwaukie, and they 

 entered into partnership under the firm name of Luelling & Meek, to carr.v on the 

 nursery business. The firm showed great energy and enterprise in the development 

 of the business. They were fortunate in finding some seedling trees here, and in 

 being able to buy apple and pear seed from others who had brouglit them across 

 the plains. They also used native trees as stock. In 1850 the sales of trees by 

 the firm are said to have amounted to 18,000 trees, for which prices ranged from 

 ui) cents to $3.00 per tree — .$1.00 to $1..50 being tlie most common figures. In 

 the fall of IS.'iO Seth Lewelling arrived from Indiana with a supply of apple and 

 pear seed, and soon afterward lie became a member of the firm. 



The AVestern Star, published at Milwaukie, Oregon, said in its issue of April 

 n. 1851, that lAielling & Meek's peach trees were in full bloom March 25th; that 

 the nursery then liad on hand about 10,000 trees and over 100,000 scions. 



In the winter of 1851-2. Henderson Luelling went cast by way of the Panama 

 route, and secured from leading nurseries an additional assortment cf standard 

 varieties of ti'ees. which greatly strengthened the nursery at Milwaukie. 



The business of the nursery was at that time pushed with great vigor. In 

 1.S53 the fii'm had four branch nurseries in operation in Oregon, and was doing a 

 most nourishing business in selling trees, while it had also a considerable income 

 from the sale of fruit. Mr. Henderson Luelling had, however, been sorely af- 

 flicted during his residence at Milwaukie by the death of his wife, and of his 

 daughter, 'Siva. William Meek, and b.v almost continual sicknes.s in his family. 

 His brother. .lohn. iuid settled in California, and influenced, probably, by him, 

 Henderson Luelling disposed of his interest in the Oregon nurser.v business to 

 his partners in 1854 and went to California, v,here he lived during the remainder 

 of his life. He settled in Alameda County, where his son, Alfred, joined him. 

 They engaged in the niu'sery and fruit-growing business. Mr. and Mrs. Alfred 

 Luelling applied the name Fruitvale to the beautiful locality which is now a popu- 

 lar residence suburb of the city of Oakland. Henderson Luelling was one of the 



