23 Photo 1: Page 2 of Survey Number 408 of the Marion County survey records depicts John Minto’s holdings as surveyed in 1875. How does a classic New Year’s Eve song relate to Oregon’s geography? Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org The Lost Surveyor Question continuesT Although the Annual PLSO Conference doesn’t fall on New Year’s Eve, the words of “Auld Lang Syne” by the National Poet of Scotland, Robert Burns, still ring true. As we remember our fallen peers each year with a moment of silence, Burns questions us: “Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?” The third verse of the song goes on, “And surely you’ll buy your pint-jug! And surely I’ll buy mine! And we’ll take a cup of kindness yet for long, long ago.” We lost some fine surveyors this past year and so I’ll buy my pint-jug and raise a glass with you in their memory. Burns captured these words and put them to music in 1788, but the lyrics date from at least 1711 or earlier. Burns published more than 700 poems and songs. He had many admirers across the pond, around the world, and right here in Oregon. He died in 1796, just three years before his now famous melody was first widely published. The January 1922 Capitol Journal of Salem newspaper notes one of the early members of the Robert Burns fan club was John Minto. Members regularly met to celebrate his poetry and no meeting was complete without a serving of haggis, whichwas a tradition for the clubmembers. Minto was himself a poet and writer, also of Scottish heritage, and owned a piece of what is now Minto-Brown Island Park which is practically across the street from the Salem Conference Center. [Photo 1] Have you ever felt Minto’s presence at the conference? You never know, he might someday join us in spirit to catch up on his continuing education! An image of an old park information sign, which by my exploration of the park no longer exists, credits John Minto as an “early pioneer, legislator, farmer, and surveyor” who purchased a
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