The Eby School
The Eby School Project was created from the love and passion of Margaret Branson (Anderson) of the beloved single room school. Here, you find photos and names from the classes that attended from 1913 to when it closed in 1962.
We a still trying to find photos of all the class years and of the students who attended. Most, if not all of these photos can only be found in the hands of the people and their families who attended. If you have photos and historical notes to share, it would be greatly appreciated. Please contact MAHS and let us know!
John Eby II
He was a railroad Inspector who moved to Oregon In 1910, bought a 40-acre stock ranch near his father and became a farmer and politician. In 1938 he purchased a hardware store In Molalla and became a businessman.
His son, Clyde Eby, was my husband's father. Clyde grew up on the family farm and attended the Eby school. He graduated from Molalla Union High School in the days when the school provided horse stalls for Its student riders.
He was always Interested In mechanics and machinery. He was a businessman, having owned a lumber mm In his early days and In 19,0 opened his own welding and machine shop In Molalla.
In reading the family history I see the men were all businessmen, and many of them were mechanical engineers and Inventors. My own husband holds a patent for a solar heat collector.
Many were Interested In politics and held local elective offices. They all worked for the betterment of their community. John Ill supplied food from his farm to many hungry families during the Depression.
The Ebys enjoyed their friends and family and were hospitable neighbors.
I know- I live with an Eby who has never met a stranger!
Eby History
Canby Herald, newspaper column, Kae's Komer by Roma Kae Eby
Most people who have lived in this area for any length of time have heard of or passed through the Eby district south of Macksburg. All that exist today to mark the rural farming area Is the one-room Eby schoolhouse on the corner of Eby and Cramer roads, standing on land donated by John Wesley Eby II.
His home, on Cramer Road, still ls being used as a residence and the schoolhouse and home are now designated historical landmarks. How that district came to be and the history of the Eby family has taken up my interest this week. I asked John W. Eby IV and Arden L. Eby Sr to tell me the story of the Ebys
Ezra E. Eby, the author of the book, "History of the Eby Family," written In 1889, states "many of the early Ebys became adherents of the Vaudois (Waldenses) faith and because of religious persecution moved from Italy to Switzerland and later to Germany.
"In the year 1683, one Jacob Eby was ordained a bishop of the Mennonite church In Zurich. It is thought probable that Theodorus Eby, the first of the family to emigrate to America, was a son of Jacob.
"Theodorus was born in Zurich, Switzerland in 1663, moved to Germany about 1704, and in 1715 came to Philadelphia, Pa."
The Eby we begin with here is John Wesley I, my husband's great-great-great grandfather. He was the father of 17 children between two marriages.
His descendant, Michael, was the father of John Wesley II, my husband's great-grandfather. He grew up in Liberty Mills, Ind., where at the age of 16 he enlisted in the Union Army serving with the Indiana Battery Light Artillery. He drove the lead horse on a cannon.
He moved to Nebraska In 1875, and became a successful farmer and was active In politics in Furas County, Neb.
About 1908, he came to Oregon where he purchased 120 acres of farmland from an old settler.
John II was a promoter of education and donated the land and lumber to build the Eby School. He was also an outgoing businessman and again became active In Oregon politics.
He was remembered for his love of dress suits and fine horse-drawn carriages. He passed on a love of people to his offspring.
The Eby descendants believe Mennonite worshipers first gathered in the woods on the Eby property (as evidenced by logs arranged into seating near the school site), and in private homes before they began meeting in the Eby schoolhouse.
The first church was called Bethel Mennonite. It later became Hopewell Mennonite, which stands today on Whiskey Hill Road near Hubbard.
One of John's five sons was John Wesley Eby III, my husband's grandfather. He was born in 1883, In Hendley, Neb. He was a good athlete In his youth and purportedly boxed at local exhibitions. He was also a hose cart racer for the Grand Island fire team.
Eby School Teachers
Eby School District #118
The land was donated by J.W. and Almira Eby on Feb. 19, 1909. It was to revert to granters If not used for school purposes. School started Oct. 4, 1909 and Viola Gribble was the first teacher. It started with 21 boys and 18 girls, a total of 39 In attendance. There were 21 legal voters In the district. School teachers were hired for three months In the early years of the school. Teachers who taught there as follows: