An unforgettable figure in the history of Sandy Oregon
A logger, moonshiner, midwife, and a mountain force—Nettie Connett lived by her own rules
In the timbered hills near Sandy, Oregon, few names live on like Nettie Connett. Born March 5, 1880, in Independence, Oregon, Nettie Loraine Connett would grow into one of the most unforgettable figures in Clackamas County history. From restaurant operator to logger, from convicted moonshiner to community benefactor, her life defied expectations at every turn.
By the age of 18, she had already left a failed marriage behind and moved to Portland with her newborn child and eighty dollars in her purse. She worked her way up from dairymaid to waitress, eventually running several restaurants and a hotel. But in 1910, she left the city behind for good.
Nettie Connett could handle an axe, a crosscut saw, or a team of logging horses as well as any man. Timber workers respected her strength, her business sense, and her refusal to be underestimated.
That year, she sold her hotel and moved to the Aims district near Bull Run. Nettie homesteaded 80 acres of timberland and threw herself into the work. Over the next forty years, she raised cattle, cut fence posts and telephone poles, sold timber, and logged saw logs for the mills. At one point, she held title to over 1,000 acres of land. Known for wearing men’s clothing—jeans, boots, a wool shirt, and a red hunting hat—she was rarely mistaken for anyone else.
Moonshine and a Federal Conviction
During the early 1920s, Prohibition-era agents raided her Bull Run property and uncovered one of the most elaborate illegal stills in Oregon. Hidden in a hand-dug cave, the setup included a piped-in water source concealed inside hollow logs. Nettie denied involvement, claiming the still had been built without her knowledge.
Even so, her hogs had been seen staggering around after eating the mash. A hired hand testified about the operation in detail, and Nettie became the first woman in Oregon convicted of moonshining. She was fined $500 and sentenced to six months in jail. Later, she faced a second indictment, but returned to her land unfazed. As she put it, “I worked, you know. I always worked.”
Bear Skins and Barstools
Despite—or maybe because of—her reputation, Nettie became a well-known figure in Sandy. She drove her green Studebaker pickup into town often, sometimes with a fresh kill in the back. Bears, bobcats, coyotes, and deer were regular prizes. Locals say she was often the first to return with a buck on opening day of hunting season.
Irene’s Tavern in Sandy served as her unofficial office. Most mornings, she would stop in for a beer or a 7-Up, joke with the loggers, and sometimes stand on her head on a barstool for a laugh. Nettie cursed like a logger and carried herself with absolute confidence. However, underneath that tough exterior, she cared deeply for others.
She loaned money to friends without asking for repayment. In mountain cabins, she delivered babies as a midwife. She even co-founded the Nettie Connett Medical Care Foundation with Dr. Walter Noehren to support health care for the elderly. Nettie donated $500 of her own money to help start the fund.
A Mountain Life, Remembered
Even into her eighties, Nettie insisted on driving herself. But in 1964, she pulled out onto Proctor Boulevard and collided with a logging truck. After five months in a Portland nursing home, she passed away on October 19, 1964, at the age of 84.
Nettie was buried at Cliffside Cemetery in Sandy. She was survived by her son W.R. Dempsey, one grandchild, two great-grandchildren, and a sister. By the time of her death, her name had already become local legend.
Today, Sandy honors her with Nettie Connett Drive. It’s a fitting tribute for a woman who lived boldly and left her mark. As one local said, “When the Lord made her, he just threw away the mold.”
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