100 years ago

March 20, 1921

A vivid portrayal of the coming of missionaries to the Oregon country, bringing the gospel to the Indians, was given last night in the pageant, “Seeking the White Man’s Book of Heaven,” presented by Tutuilla Indians and local people at the Presbyterian church for the benefit of the Christian Endeavors Societies at Tutuilla and Pendleton. The pageant, which was well presented, was greeted by a large audience. An interesting feature of the pageant was the Flathead Indian’s speech delivered at St. Louis in 1832, which was repeated by Parson Motanic, prominent Umatilla Indian. The speech was read years ago before the Presbytery when an appeal was made for the sending of a missionary to the Umatilla Indians. The interpretation of the famous speech began: “I come to you over the trail of many moons, from the setting sun. … My people sent me to get the ‘White Man’s Book of Heaven.’ You made my feet heavy with gifts and my moccasins will grow old carrying them, yet the book is not among them.” Rev. J. M. Cornelison answered this appeal and his work among the Indians has been notable.

50 Years Ago

March 20, 1971

In the business directory it may be listed as Campbell’s Chevron Station, but in the Helix area it’s known as “Campbell’s Corner.” It was about 40 years ago that Henry Campbell entered business on the corner with a service station and a garage. The small facility is now loaded to the hilt with all types of merchandise, and two 70-year-old enameled spittoons sit at each end of the eight chairs lined up against the wall for those who might elsewhere be termed as loafers. They are not loafers at Campbell’s Corner. The chairs are occupied by the town’s citizenry and ranchers who come to town to find out what’s going on, or are waiting for the wife and kids who may be attending some kind of church or school activity. It’s farming time out on the ranch, and any glamor about being a cowboy on a western ranch is rubbing off fast and the conversation and warmth of Campbell’s Corner looks mighty good to the guy wearing lots of clothes and heavy boots.

25 Years Ago

March 20, 1996

As a general rule, you can’t get a 7-year-old to sit still for a moment. Brandon Caswell is no exception. A first-grader at Sherwood Heights school, Brandon is always on the go. School, swimming, whiffle-ball, horsing around with his brothers — and, now, wrestling. What makes Brandon different from his peers is that he was born without legs below the knees. His parents say that doesn’t slow him down a bit. With the help of prosthetic legs, he plays football, baseball and enjoys roller skating and recently began skiing. “He has no fear,” his mother, Joy Caswell, says. After Pendleton High School wrestling coach Dale Freeman saw Brandon swimming at the Round-Up Athletic Club, he gave his parents a videotape to watch of a wrestler with the same condition who finished second at state, and Brandon has been wrestling ever since in the Pendleton Wrestling Club. He placed fourth in his first meet, second in the next meet and first in the third meet. The next weekend he won all three matches for first place.