A Tragic Childhood near Ashwood, Oregon
By Steve Lent, Crook County Historian
Anna Melinda Brown was born on January 22, 1880. Her parents were Ryle and Henrietta Crook Brown. Her grandparents Aaron and Anna Crooks came to settle in Central Oregon near Grizzly MountainIn 1877. Ryle Brown deserted Henrietta and she and her young daughter Anna moved to live with her parents on their Grizzly homestead. Aaron Crooks and his son-in-law Stephen Jory were killed by a neighbor in a property dispute in 1882. This further disrupted the family.
Henrietta later married Daniel Hale in 1888. Anna grew up near Ashwood, Oregon. Henrietta and Daniel had two sons that were half siblings to Anna. Anna attended school near Ashwood. Daniel Hale passed away and Henrietta later married Columbus Friend, a sheep rancher near Ashwood.
Anna met Charles Swanson who had come to the area to work at the Oregon King Mine. He was born in Sweden on March 6, 1873. He immigrated to the United States and worked his way west to Oregon. They were married in 1902. After their marriage they homesteaded near Pony Butte. They had three children. Their children attended the Pony Butte school near their homestead.
Anna managed the homestead domestic chores and Charles supplemented their income by working at local mines and did some prospecting. Charles later discovered quicksilver deposits and established the Axehandle Mine near Ashwood.
Anna became ill and passed away on January 20, 1928 at the young age of 48. Charles continued to operate the Axehandle Mine and he passed away on June 17, 1941. Both Anna and Charles are buried in the Maupin Cemetery near Ashwood.