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Walter J Matney was on the 1843 wagon train with the Applegates. His bros James M & Elisha A Matney were in Mexican War 1846. James bought land in Macon Co, MO 1847, then sold it 1848 & tells he went to CA & was in the Army there helping settlers. He mustered out & went to OR to see his brother. Elisha may have been with James/Jim as he told he'd crossed the plains 6 times in his biography in the History of North & West Texas, page 428. James told that he and his brother (assumed it was Walter) left Oregon with a string of pack mules for Missouri. James M, Elisha A & Carrel B were on the 1850 census in father Broadwater Matney's household in 1850 at Macon Co, MO. Their mother was Sarah "Sally" (McCully) Matney daughter of John A & Jane (Farris) McCully. Later in 1850 James M & Carrel B Matney had Donation Land Claims (DLCs) in Oregon, so went there summer/fall 1850.
Walter married his 1st wife Martha J April 1847 at Polk Co, OR & had 2 children = Sarah Jane & Carrel S Matney. Martha died June 1852. He married Julia Ann Cooper March 1853 at Polk Co, OR & they had children = Artemissa, George R, James J, Jefferson Davis, John B, Lewis A, Ida M & William Henry Matney. Walter & Julia lived at Polk Co, OR where Matney Road is located about 1 mile NW of Monmouth. By 1858 he had a tax assessment for 320 acres on the Upper Applegate near Ruch, OR in Jackson Co. He sold this land in 1863 & is next noted in Siskiyou Co, CA living in Surprise Valley. He died late 1873 at then Modoc Co, CA that was taken from a portion of Siskiyou Co. His probate papers at Modoc Co list his children. Julia married H C Rowe February 1879 at Polk Co, OR.
1844 he was a juror in Yamhill Co. He signed petitions and ran for constable. County lines changed and put his land in Polk Co. where he had many land transactions.
1858 Tax List he had 320 acres at Jackson Co. in southern OR along the Applegate River and lived by his brother Carrel B. near Ruch, OR. He and brothers had gold mining claims. 1861 he was an owner of Foot Creek Diggins and was elected President of a meeting to set mining laws.
1864 he moved to Surprise Valley in CA. 1864-66 he was on Lassen Co. Military Rolls. 1870 census they were at Lake City in then Siskiyou Co, CA. He had land records in the area with Matney ranch 50 miles SE of Susanville, CA, and land and water rights at Pine Creek. Samuel "Tuledad" Matney herded pigs for Walter on the south fork of Pit River. 1873 they went back to Polk Co., OR home during the Modoc Indian War. 1874 Modoc Co., CA was formed where they had lived
I have these documents on Walter J Matney
All mentions of Walter stop 1874
DATE Seller Buyer Book Page comments
Dec13/1858 Walter J Matney John W Burch C 23 100A 26/8/5
Apr28/1863 Walter J Matney WM Hadinson D 623 50A 8/5
Oct28/1869 Walter J Matney J R Cooper 6 220 170A cl61 8/5
Aug23/1872 Carrol S Matney Walter J Matney 7 438 c61 tp 8 rng 5
Sept4/1872 Carrol S Matney Walter J Matney 7 445 c61 tp 8 rng 5
Jan10/1872 Walter J Matney J R Cooper 7 384 tp 8 rng 5
Jan21/1873 Walter J Matney I M Johns 7 605 tp 8 rng 5
Feb21/1873 Walter J Matney James Bridwell 7 638
Sept18/1873 Walter J Matney Sarah J Oyler 8 186 113 of e2
Mar20/1874 J M Matney David M Guthrie 8 401 J L Cooper cl
Jan2/1880 J (et al)Matney David M Guthire 12 658 *notes atty
Aug8/1881 James/Mary Matney Moses Bressler 15 70 LL Cooper cl
June11/1894 Louis L Matney IndependenceCity 28 18 cant read *note
These are the Matney listings in the Polk Co,Ore DIRECT land records.
There are other familier names , many Metheny, in some cases it barely possible to tell the difference between Matheny and Matney, I did my best.
I have a copy of all the Matney listings .
I noticed Walter was still selling land on the year we suspect he died in California.