It may be the holiday season, but we’ve still got history on the mind. As always, The Quest Continues! It’s your host and fellow Pionerd, Mariah Rocker, with an end-of-year update about Black History Quest. Read on for a recap of our last episode, updates on earlier investigations, and a preview of what’s to come!
Black History Quest: Were the Hanleys of Southern Oregon Enslavers?
In this episode, Anna Sloan, curator of collections at Southern Oregon Historical Society (SOHS), explored a darker and often overlooked aspect of Oregon history.
Members of the Hanley family (the founders of SOHS) left references suggesting some members of their pioneering Southern Oregon family were enslavers, but that the information had not been thoroughly explored. Anna recognized that this history investigation could be an opportunity to address and change that.
Anna’s research confirmed what her predecessors had hinted at: at least one member of the Hanley family was an enslaver. Martha Burnett and her parents and grandfather were enslavers, and enslaved people were likely with the family when they came to Oregon: a young woman, Lyle, and a young girl, Lilly. When Martha married into the Hanley family, it seems that she still enslaved Lyle, as the family lore had suggested.
There is very little recorded about Lyle and Lilly’s time here in Oregon, but Lilly was listed in the 1860 census for Douglas County. Hanley family recollections state that Lyle and Lilly eventually moved to San Francisco, though Anna was unable to confirm that detail or find more information about these two individuals.
Anna shared what she would research if she had more time:
- What were the experiences of the people enslaved by these families?
- Who were Lyle and Lilly? Can we trace them deeper into the record? Where did their lives take them?
- At what point did Lyle and Lilly become free? Did they arrive in Oregon as enslaved people or free laborers?
- Can we track down that photograph of Lyle’s children?
Anna plans to include this aspect of the story in future interpretation at the Hanley Farm.
Digging Deeper
If you’ve been following along for the last few seasons, you likely recognize John A. Brown, the Mathews Family, or Martha Anderson from previous investigations. Want to learn more about how these figures and families are connected to homesteading here in Oregon? Check out our newest online exhibit, Staking Their Claim, to learn more about their experiences and those of other Black homesteaders across the state.
Continued Efforts
We love to see the stories shared in Black History Quest introduced to new audiences! A frequent partner of ours, Portland State University, recently hosted a presentation based on research from our program. BHQ History Investigator Carmen Thompson presented Portland’s Black Community & the Anti-Apartheid Movement: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally in person at the Portland State University Library on December 3, 2025, as part of The Black Bag Speaker Series.
Up Next
For our first episode of Black History Quest: Season Four, in January, we’re partnering with public historian Val C. Ballestrem, to take a look at a little-known turn-of-the-century real estate development company and the Black Portlanders who made it possible.
Stream Val’s episode live on Wednesday, January 28th at 7:00 PM on Facebook or YouTube to learn more!
Join us!
Have you come across any references to Lilly or Lyle? Can you help us find the photograph of Lyle’s children? If you have any insights to share about the stories featured on BHQ, we would love to hear from you! Please don’t hesitate to reach out and become part of the process.
Want to be a future history investigator? Send an email to hello@oregonblackpioneers.org!
Want to take a crack at this research and sign on as a future history investigator? Send an email to hello@oregonblackpioneers.org!
Can’t get enough? Check out our previous episodes of Black History Quest on YouTube.
Signing off,
