Philomath in Benton County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
Shipley Family Homestead
Photographed by AJ Haberstroh, October 15, 2023
1. Shipley Family Homestead Marker
Mount Union Cemetery is situated on Reuben and Mary Jane Shipley, one of Oregon's earliest Black pioneer couples. Reuben was born into slavery in Kentucky and was brought to Oregon by his enslaver, Robert Shipley, in 1853. In return for driving the family wagon across the continent, Robert granted Reuben his freedom. Reuben worked for Eldridge Hartless and purchased 101 acres of Christian Bales' homestead.
Family Ties
In 1857, Reuben Shipley married sixteen-year-old Mary Jane Holmes. The couple raised six children and were active members of Plymouth, an agricultural community near present-day Philomath.
An Inclusive Resting Place
In 1861, Reuben deeded two acres to create Mount Union Cemetery with the condition that Blacks be allowed to be buried there as well as Whites. Reuben was buried there in 1872. Mary Jane lived until 1926 and is buried beside Reuben, along with four of their children. Their eldest son later installed a monument for the family in his chosen name of Ficklin.
Erected 2022 by Oregon Travel Information Council with support from Baha'i Faith, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Mount Union Cemetery Association, Oregon Black Pioneers, Oregon Community Foundation, and individual community and personal contributions.
Topics.
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Location. 44° 32.519′ N, 123° 20.52′ W. Marker is in Philomath, Oregon, in Benton County. It is on James Street 0 miles east of Newton St, on the left when traveling east. The marker is located at Newton Creek Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 James Street, Philomath OR 97370, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Oregon Wine Country and in the Willamette Valley. It is also on the American Pacific Coast, in the Pacific Northwest, and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, the Pacific Rim, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Reuben and Mary Jane Shipley (approx. half a mile away); Mt. Union Cemetery (approx. half a mile away); Historic Philomath College Building (approx. 1.4 miles away); Oak Creeks Watershed (approx. 2.7 miles away); Ecology of the Agricultural Reach (approx. 2.7 miles away); Sustainable Farm Management (approx. 2.7 miles away); Peavy Hall War Memorial (approx. 3.2 miles away); Kings Valley Millstone (approx. 3½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philomath.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This is a nearby marker about Mount Union Cemetery.
Also see . . .
1. Additional information about the life of Reuben Shipley and his family
Photographed by AJ Haberstroh, October 15, 2023
2. Shipley Family Homestead Marker
2. Video titled "The Journey: Reuben Shipleys Story. (Submitted on November 5, 2023, by AJ Haberstroh of Lacey, Washington.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 13, 2024. It was originally submitted on October 15, 2023, by AJ Haberstroh of Lacey, Washington. This page has been viewed 464 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 15, 2023, by AJ Haberstroh of Lacey, Washington. 2. submitted on November 5, 2023, by AJ Haberstroh of Lacey, Washington. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
