Benton County Genealogical Society Program at Philomath Museum

Come and learn about some Benton County history.
This presentation is about Letitia Carson, one of Oregon’s first Black pioneers. Born into slavery in Kentucky, Letitia made the 2,100+ mile Oregon trail journey in 1845 with her Irish husband, David Carson, giving birth along the way. They settled in the Soap Creek Valley in spring 1846, but she was forced off the land in 1852. Letitia was a farmer, mother, midwife, entrepreneur, and likely the first Black woman in the country to receive a homestead patent under the 1862 Homestead Act. We will tell Letitia Carson’s amazing story and also share the origins, partners, and goals of the Letitia Carson Legacy Project.