Jacob Grim - Family Stories

What do we know about Jacob Grim / Grimm?

I thought I'd begin by presenting two "Life Stories", the first by one of Jacob's grandchildren, the second by one of his great-grandchildren.

Unfortunately, I do not have any notes that indicate which of the Grim grandchildren wrote this narrative.

Jacob Grim's life as narrated by a Grim Grandchild

"My grandfather Jacob Grimm was born in Berlin, Germany in 1808.  His wife (my grandmother), was born in Pen[n]sylvania in 1810.  Her name was Jane Plants Bindley.

They were married in Ohio, in about 1830.  Their first child Daniel was born, May 5, 1832.  They afterward moved to Iowa where they lived until 1852, then in April of 1852 they began the long trip to Oregon with their family of nine children ranging in age from my Uncle Dan who was 20 down to Uncle John a mere baby in his mother's arms, three yoke of oxen and one Jackass.  A tenth child Saphrana (sic) was born at their new home on the banks of the Clackamas river in Clackamas Co. in Oregon.

Grandmother died on the 29 of July in 1877 and Grandfather, two weeks later on Aug. 13, 1877." 

      

Jacob Grim's life as narrated by Ellen Upton Hall

Westward Ho!

"Historians have payed homage to the pioneers of the west.  All of us know the leaders of this western movement.

This evening I would like to introduce you to one of the unknown pioneers.  His name, Jacob Grimm.  Jacob, a German immigrant, was the local storekeeper in a small town in central Iowa.  He was married to the former Jane Binley, and they had eight children.

It was early in the year 1852, Jacob and a neighbor made plans for their pilgrimage.  In March of the same year, having obtained and stored in their wagons enough provisions, the two men with their families began this adventure.  Adventure, yes it was that to most of them.  Yet their ultimate goal was security for their families.

Contrary to common belief, these lone wagons, not part of a wagon train, went their way unmolested by Indians of ruffians.  The Indians were neither bothersome or friendly.

Jacob made as few stops as possible, stopping only at night and periodically for the purpose of washing, cooking, baking bread, etc.  In crossing streams, they used their specially constructed hickory wagon beds to float their possessions across.  The only real misfortune to befall them was the loss of most of their livestock through accidents and illness.

Before reaching their ultimate goal in the far west, Jacob and his neighbor bade farewell, the neighbors making their way California and Jacob to Oregon.

In October, 1852, Jacob arrived at what was to be his home. Clackamas County, Oregon.  Here in Damascus, approximately 8 miles north of Oregon City, Jacob took up a homestead.  Their son, Daniel, also took up a homestead adjacent to his parents.

How did the pioneers provide for their families while they converted their homesteads into valuable farmland?  It was a job that took Jacob 14 years, during which time he had a constant fire burning brush, slashing, etc.  Jacob and Jane in the meantime operated a grist mill.  Jim, another son, started a cabinet shop where he made furniture for their home and that of the neighboring settlers.  Jane and the older girls did knitting which they sold to Mei[e]r's store in Portland, now know as Mei[e]r & Frank.

When the Grimms first moved {to} Damascus, there was no school or church.  The children had 5 miles to walk to school.  During their lifetime, however, they saw the building of both a school and church in their small community.  Instead of their wooded homestead, there was rich, fertile soil.  Even today, not far from their original home live the descendants of these pioneers.

The Grimms, along with many other settlers of their time, were extremely important to the development of Oregon.  To me, Jacob and Jane were especially important as they were my great grandparents.

by Ellen Catherine Hall"    

And finally, something that I typed up back in the day.

"The Grimms

Daniel Grimm was born in Germany where he met and married his wife, Margaret.  Their only known child, Jacob, was born in Berlin.  The family house, according to Jacob's son, Daniel, was situated on the land that was afterwards used as the site for the courthouse in the city of Berlin.  It is not known when the family immigrated.  Jacob immigrated sometime before 1833 and the birth of his oldest know child, Daniel.  Jacob's parents Daniel and Margaret may have immigrated and brought other children.

Jacob married Jane Plants Bindley in Ohio.  He operated a tread-mill for carding wool.  They afterwards moved to Iowa and that is where their daughter Jerushia was born.  They then crossed the plains to Oregon in 1852.  Jerushia was six years old.  She rode on an ox to the Missouri River where the ox drown.  Jerushia walked the rest of the way to Damascus, Oregon where the family settled.  Her grave and the grave of her husband can be seen in the Damascus Pioneer Cemetery."