Will Family

About the Will Family

Clark Moor Will did prolific research on the Aurora Colony, with a specific interest in architecture. His father, John William Will, was a member of the Aurora Colony. Clark Will worked in Salem as a printer-pressman, plumber-electrician, and, finally, maintenance-installation foreman for the Salem Water Department; yet his contributions to Aurora Colony reflect his true avocation — Aurora historian and artist. Here are some excerpts from his letters:

December 13, 1965: Clark Moor Will to Troxclair

“Our Will family was the largest name-group of the old Aurora Colony on which I have more data than any living person anywhere. We have small and larger items, photos and sketches scattered throughout our house and basement—I had over 100 items on exhibit at the Ox Barn open house last May and many more items at home that did not get there.”

August 27, 1968:  Clark Moor Will to Marjorie and Earl Bardell, Tigard

“Being born a Will is one thing but being raised by the George J. Wolfer family is another — Henrietta and Sadie are more my sisters than either Mary or Christina ever were — of course I saw Mary but once in my life and Christine probably about five times — so there you have it. The experiences of the Wolfers and the Will families during their affiliation with the Rapp-Keil colonizing movement, they were much together, should keep these families interested in each other for generations to come — yet many won’t care — it will always be so.”

“It takes much writing and typing to record the many, very many stories I heard during childhood, and the very many interesting facts that have come my way during the years.”

“Mrs. Powers urged me to make measured drawings of the spool beds, cradle, chairs, rocker, chests, benches etc which I did — valuable should it become necessary to reproduce them. The straw-wove bread dough baskets and bread dough bin — items collectors are paying money for — we have here at the house — also the thrust-back bell cornet, music and home made cornet case publicized in eastern magazines I have here in my den. I promised my girls the two spool beds and the cradle, conditionally. At present, the acorn-tip spool bed and cradle are at the ox barn. The “vase” or inverted bell spool bed turned out was turned out in the Aurora furniture shop by my own father and grandfather together during the winter of 1863-64 is at our daughter’s home in Grants Pass.”