Elmer Purchases Grasshopper Hill Ranch from Ed Miller for $10.00
Page 207-208, Pistol River Recollections, E.M. Sponaugle.
Ed and Susie move to Agnes.
There is some suggestion from early accounts about foul play surrounding Elmer Miller’s death.
Some random thoughts:
Will Wridge was not unfamiliar with the area since they once lived there before moving to Beaverton.
And Ed Miller did not seem to own the Oak Grove property before selling it. It too was given to Ed and Susie by William and Hannah Forgey.
Ed sold it and kept the proceeds, renting a house in Burnt Hill Creek. When that money ran out, they then came to Grasshopper Hill and again the Forgey’s gave Ed and Susie Grasshopper Hill.
This time, they would sell Grasshopper Hill to Elmer for $10 in 1903, even though the Forgey’s again gave them the ranch without apparently without money changing hands.
Were the titles transferred?
However, before Will shot Elmer, Elmer had been living on the land as owner for 25 years.