Archives West Finding Aid

Lindsay Applegate was born in 1808. He married Elizabeth Miller, whose sister Melinda was married to Lindsay's older brother Charles. In 1843 Lindsay came to Oregon with Charles and their younger brother Jesse. While journeying on the Columbia River through Washington, Lindsay's young son Warren drowned after his driftwood boat capsized. The loss led the Applegates to establish the Applegate Trail, a safer, more southerly route to Oregon. In the summer of 1846, Lindsay and Jesse led the first parties of pioneers from Idaho over the trail, which crossed northern Nevada and ran up through present-day Ashland and Roseburg.

Applegate was appointed special agent for the Lakes Indians (Modoc) in 1861. In 1865, Applegate was appointed Indian subagent, responsible for treaty negotiations and other U.S. government dealings with the Klamath Indians. A war between the Modocs and the U.S. Army broke out in November 1872, just after Applegate retired from his subagent post. In January 1873, Applegate, along with several other prominent Oregon settlers, including S.A. Clark and R.H Kincaid, proposed a peace commission to stop the war's spread.

Lindsay Applegate died in 1892. He was survived by his sons Elisha, Jesse A., Oliver, Ivan, and Lucien, and his daughters Alice and Rachel. Applegate's other children Warren (who drowned in the Columbia), Theresa, Annie, Frank and Jerome died before he passed away, as did his wife Elizabeth (1816-1882).