25 Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org The unassuming historic town of Brownsville was the first Oregon home of a prolific surveyor who holds a special place in Oregon surveying history. Born in Granby, Massachusetts, in 1832, he and his family made their way to Oregon in 1851 aboard the steamer “Empire City.” Landing in Aspinwall, which is now Colon, Panama, they crossed the isthmus of Panama by mule, then made their way to Oregon via San Francisco, Astoria, and Portland aboard the steamers “California,” “Columbia,” and “Lot Whitcomb,” respectively. Arriving in Oregon City on April 21, 1851, he found his money was nearly gone. After performing odd jobs for nearly six What is Brownsville, Oregon’s unique tie to Oregon surveying history? Question continues Photo 1: Main Street looking north in the historic downtown of Brownsville, Oregon. weeks, he asked for a job from James E. Freeman, with whom he had traveled on the various steamers along with John Preston. His inquiry was timely and thus began his surveying career at $50 per month. Only months later, our Lost Surveyor, Zenas F. Moody, as a lineman for Freeman, participated in setting the “central point” of the Willamette Meridian (The Oregon Daily Journal) and by doing so, launched our surveying legacy in Oregon. Throughout his life he held many positions and occupations, but he always returned to his one love: surveying. Moody was known as an expert surveyor and quickly ascended to a U.S. Deputy Surveyor in Oregon. Marrying in 1853, Moody became a storekeeper and private surveyor in partnership with Origen Thomson, in Brownsville, Oregon (Olson). [Photo 1] He traveled to California in 1855 and spent six months examining surveys as an Inspector of United States Surveys in California, under an appointment by Surveyor General Hayes. He returned to Oregon briefly in 1856 and soon after he moved his family to his prior home in Illinois. He spent four years in Illinois and served as County Surveyor of Morgan County. The draw of the west was too strong to remain, and he returned his family to Oregon, settling in The Dalles. Once again, he became a store keeper while continuing his surveying career. The Lost Surveyor
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