Brief History of Glencullen

A Short Sketch by ANNABELLE CULLEN

On February 22, 1943, the Liberty Vessel was christened the Captain John W. Cullen, for one of Oregon’s earliest pioneers, Civil and Indian War Veterans. A man who figured strongly in the making of the State’s early days. The vessel was the only one named for an Indian War fighter in the Northwest.

Present on this memorable occasion to view with pride yet with a sense of sadness in their hearts, the naming of this seaworthy craft for their late beloved father were two of his eleven children, Mrs. Ethel Johnson, of Lyle, Washington and Ed Cullen of Portland. With them were Mrs. Ed Cullen and their son and daughter in law, Mr. and Mrs. Clair Cullen, the former a grandson of the late Mr. Cullen.

The pleasant, peaceful, restful, quiet, unobtrusive community of Glencullen nestled among the heights surrounding and on either side of the Bertha-Beaverton Highway is situated 6 miles Southwest of Portland, and half-way between the towns of Hillsdale and Beaverton, and about two miles from Multnomah. It originally consisted of 40 acres of high and low land covered with green firs, dogwood and cedars, with a rippling stream singing through the acreage of the north side of the highway.

In the year 1906 Mr. Cullen, who possessed the gift of foresight, with his beautiful wife, Anna Elizabeth Hembree Cullen, visioned this land a lovely, liveable residential section of modern homes, cozy and away from the turmoil of the city. They erected a home for themselves at what is now 4391 Cullen Avenue, where they lived for 25 years. Mrs. Cullen, a pioneer in her own right, came to Portland when a child of three years, with her parents and brothers and sisters in the famous Applegate train, from Dadeville, Mo., in the year of 1843, preceding Mr. Cullen who was just nine years old when his family arrived in 1847 also by wagon journey over hazardous route from La Porte, Indiana. His father died of pneumonia while en route and young John was forced to become the little man of his family, keeping an eye on his widowed mother and two small sisters younger than he.

Mrs. Cullen’s father Captain Absalom Hembree while on a scouting trip at the outbreak of the with the Indians, was captured and scalped by one of them.

It is reported that he shot two of his assailants after he had been mortally wounded, (Dr. Wm. Kinney, an eminent physician of the early times, who passed away in Portland last year at the age of nearly a century, remembered his mother sewing on the piece of the dead Captain’s scalp as the cortege passed through their town and near his home.)

Mr. Cullen about the year 1907 was able to interest his son Charles and son in law, Rev. S. E. Crowe, and J. T. Colvin, in the property, and they invested with him in the purchase of it. It was surveyed, divided into lots and appraised. A corporation was formed known as Glencullen Realty Co., with Mr. Cullen as its president. A Bull Run water system and gas, electric and telephone services were not long in their installation. A passable road and street systems were opened up following clearing and tree hewing. Inducements were made by the company in which people became interested and enchanted with the quiet beauty of the place, many beautiful homes were soon erected.

Transportation at first by spring wagon only, it was necessary for residents to climb the famous Council Crest to take the street car trolley into town. A steam train was the first means of transportation. About the year 1919 the railroad bought a right of way from Mr. Cullen and tracks were built running through his property and past his home. Known as the Fourth Street Railway it made several trips daily through Glencullen into town and past the County Court House.

To be Continued Next Week