Was liveryman at Corvallis running the Brock Stables. He was born at Helsboro, Sonoma Co.,Calif.His father, Peter Fruitt, came to California from Indiana in the gold rush. He raised fruit near Red Bluff in California and then came to Crawfordsville, Linn Co, Oregon. He raised livestock and was in the Indian Wars in southern Oregon.
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Obituary Corvallis 9 Dec 1936 Martin P. Fruitt, a resident of Corvallis for the past 36 years, died this morning at he family residence. he was 73 years of age He came to Brownsville from Santa Rosa, Ca. with his parents in 1866 he lived there till 1900, being married in 1890 to Emma Michael of that place. he is survived by his widow, four sons and a daughter. Victor Fruitt business man of Corvallis , George of Halsey Glen, Cecil and Mrs Dorothy Winters of Los Angeles.( Dorothy is a foster daughter )
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As told by George Fruitt: Martin had a few sheep and carded wool. He built a wood structure about 15 x 20 feet with tall walls and a roof to keep the sheep in at dight. The gables were left open. One day, a cougar came in, jumped up through the open end and grabbed a sheep. The dogs set up a fuss so Martha ( Nartin’s mother ) grabbed an ax and took after the cougar while the men were getting their guns. Mother caught up with the cougar and made it drop the sheep and held it off till the men arrived with their guns.
When they were living on the homestead on the lower end of the place was a swamp where camas grew. The Indans came in to gather the camas and camped there. One day the Indian women took the baby, Victor, without Emma knowing it down to their camp. they made the baby some beaded moccasins. Emma discovered the baby was missing and ran down to the camp. the Indian women thought that it was a good joke of taking the baby without the family knowing.
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From Averll Abbott’s notes- When Eli Michael and Jane Hodges came to Oregon they each staked out a land claim. Since they were not married yet and each had to live on th daughter of eir claim they built a house that straddled the line and he lived in one half and she lived in the other.
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From Averill Abbott’s notes - Her grandfatfather Georgerge Fruitt and her mother Georgene told her. Eli Michael got ill after Nancy Frazier left and Jane Hodges her took care of him and the children
Eli was going to settle near Harrisburg but seeing the Williamette River in flood and debree up in the trees decided to settle on little higher ground and took up two claims near Twin Buttes.
Eli was told that Nancy had died and he and Jane Hodges were married. Later finding that she was still alive they had to go to Portland and after some time he got a divorce from Nancy.
The Hodges family did not approve of Jane living with Eli and the later marriage
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From Georgete Fruitt Martin’s granddaughter.
Martin Fruitt
was engaged to a girl by the last name of Black from Halsey. He was cutting wood up behind the Michael homestead and Marena would take lunch up to him. Before long he broke the engagement to the Blach girl and married Marena. When the married he started farming the place which was deeply in debt and he paid off the debts but she would not let him put his name on the property. They later mover to Corvallis because she was tired of living on the farm. For awhile Martin ran the ferry across the Williamette River until a bridge was built. Later he was custodian at the old Corvallis High SchoolMartin got sick and retire the end of the 1935 school year and died a year later of Cancer
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The adopted a foster daughter named Dorothy