Originally ran in the June 24, 1971 edition of the Illinois Valley News
Late spring and early summer is just the right time for out of state visitors to see the Illinois Valley, and many of our residents are enjoying visits of their families and friends. Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Carter of Oakview, California, parents of Mrs. Herbert Higgins, Dick George Road, visited their daughter and son-in-law for ten days. They were accompanied by Mrs. Higgin’s sister, Lea Beavers, also of Oakview. About the same time neighbors of the Herbert Higgins, when they lived in Indio, California, arrived for an indefinite stay, dividing the summer with their friends here and her sister in another state. They are Mr. and Mrs. C.N. McDaniel of Indio. Mrs. Higgins said they have not done anything special, just showed her parents and friends around the Valley and one trip to Medford. They especially enjoyed the many wild iris.
The Jim Higgins, Rockydale Road, also have entertained guests recently. Mrs. Higgin’s daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Nelson and granddaughter Cheryl came up from Arcata, California for a weekend visit. Grandson and his wife Pat came from Eureka and granddaughter Dianna and he husband Curt Fuller and two great grandchildren Tammy and Paul from McKinleyville, California visited also. I asked Mrs. Higgins if it was not too tiring for her to have so much company at once, but she said that the granddaughters insisted that Grandma sit and rest while they cooked and washed dishes, so she and Jim enjoyed having their family come.
Sunday, June 20, there was a birthday celebration and family reunion at the home of Agnes Oliver in Kerby, for her father Frank Jackson, who celebrated his 95th birthday. Those present were: his son Leonard Jackson and wife Thelma and grandson Kurt Westman from Eureka; grandson Carl Jackson and wife Lucy and great grandsons Mike, Pat, and Timothy from Eureka; son Earle Jackson and wife Nita from Deer Creek; granddaughter Sharon Riley and great daughters Debbie, Susie and Deanna from Grants Pass; grandson Ron Jackson and wife Marjorie from Corvallis; granddaughter and husband Lee and Esther Blacklidge and great grandchildren Gary, Lori , Scott and Tom of Grants Pass; granddaughter and husband, Paul and Dorothy Entringer and great granddaughter Lisa of Callahan, California; nephew Warren Bolan of Callahan; Iris Johnston and Dorothy Steward of Grants Pass. There were other relatives who wanted to come, by plane, but could not because of the condition of the Medford airport.
Frank Jackson was born near Gold Beach in 1876. He was married in 1901 in Wilderville in the old parsonage which was torn down just a few years ago. He was Chief of Police in North Bend for many years, but his main interest was gold mining. Agnes Oliver said that as long as she could remember her father had a gold mine in Siskiyou County, which is still in the family. When Frank was past 80, the snow crushed his mining cabin, so he built a new one. He has made his home with his daughter Agnes for two years.