Henderson Luelling facts for kids
Henderson William Luelling (born April 23, 1809 – died December 28, 1878) was an American expert in growing plants, especially fruits. He was a Quaker and believed in ending slavery (an abolitionist). He was also an early settler in Oakland, California.
Henderson Luelling brought many different kinds of fruit trees to the Pacific coast. He first brought them to Oregon and then to California. He even gave the Fruitvale area in Oakland its name. Later in his life, he tried to start a perfect community in Honduras, but it did not work out. He then returned to California.
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Early Life and His Beliefs
Henderson Luelling was born on April 23, 1809, in Randolph County, North Carolina. He lived there until at least 1822.
In 1835, Henderson and his brother John started a plant nursery business in Henry County, Indiana. Henderson became very interested in Oregon after reading about the travels of Lewis and Clark.
He moved to Salem, Iowa in 1837 and bought land for a nursery with John. John joined him in 1841. They also opened a store that sold everyday goods.
In the early 1840s, Henderson and his wife, Jane Elizabeth Presnall Luelling, built a house. It had secret places to hide formerly enslaved people who were escaping to freedom. This secret network was known as the Underground Railroad. Because of their strong actions against slavery, they were no longer part of their local Quaker group.
Bringing Fruit Trees to the West Coast
In 1847, Luelling and his family, including eight children, set off for Oregon. They brought a wagon filled with 700 young fruit trees! About half of these trees survived the long journey.
He worked with William Meek, another nursery owner from Iowa. They chose many types of fruits that would ripen at different times, from summer to winter. Meek also brought trees to Oregon.
The two men met up again and started a nursery where the town of Milwaukie would soon be built. Henderson's brother Seth joined them the next year. Seth also started his own fruit tree business, but he did not partner with them. Seth likely bought the nursery around 1859.
Luelling sold his young trees for about $1 to $1.50 each. Over time, his nursery provided fruit trees for many settlers who came to Oregon. This happened after a law called the Donation Land Claim Act was passed in 1850, which gave land to settlers.
The work of the Luelling brothers in growing fruit trees made Milwaukie famous early on. Today, the spot where their first nursery was located in Milwaukie is now the Waverley Country Club.
In 1854, Henderson moved to the San Francisco Bay Area with his son Alfred and his son-in-law William Meek. Seth, and later Alfred, continued to run the Milwaukie nursery for many years. This nursery later became an important place for political groups that supported ordinary people.
Henderson bought 50 acres of land in the southern part of Alameda County. After a disagreement over who owned the land, he bought 400 acres near Sausal Creek in what is now Oakland. The fruit orchard he started there was called Fruit Vale. This is how the neighborhood of Fruitvale got its name.
The important contributions of Luelling and Meek were recognized in a book called History of Oregon, written by Frances Fuller Victor.
A Dream of a Perfect Community
Henderson Luelling lived longer than his first three wives. He left his fourth wife in California when he sold his orchard and business. In 1858, he went to Honduras. He hoped to start a perfect community there called the Harmonial Brotherhood.
However, this plan did not work out, and it was a failure. He returned to California two years later. Henderson Luelling passed away in 1878 and was buried in Mountain View Cemetery.
Television Story
The actor Royal Dano played Henderson Luelling in a 1965 TV episode called "The Traveling Trees." This episode was part of the show Death Valley Days, hosted by Ronald Reagan. In the story, Luelling decides to take a difficult shortcut to Oregon, even though his wagon master advises against it. He wants to plant an apple orchard there.
See also
- Henderson Lewelling House
- Joseph Hamilton Lambert
