Whole page on Woodley Island. 6 photos. Gunnar Johnson 63 yrs old lived in a 3 room houseboat - is the watchman for Clay Island, Inc. , owner of the Island. He's been there 3 years. Frank Johnson, 74, and his dog Bobby, claims to have lived there for 30 years. There's a small hunting shack owned by 4 Eureka businessman at the north end of the island. The duck pond is behind the shack. Of the 63 acres, Clay Isl. Inc. owns 47&3/4 acres. Clay Island Inc. filed incorp. papers in 1950, listing Portland, Oregan, as its principal place of business. Bob Matthews Jr., moved a 2 room house to the island & has built the duck pond. The pond will be filled for the first time this coming season. The remaining 15 acres on the north end are owned jointly by Harvey Harper, Frank Ray, W.A. Robinson and Frank Turner. They put up a hunting shack some years ago. They also have a duck pond and a boat house. Tom Cotter said the island is covered with low grass and "Telegraph Hill" clover. The clover was in the ballast that ships loaded when sailing up to Humboldt Bay. The ballast was discharged on Woodley Island. Mr. Cotter was the former mill superintendent for Mckay Lumbier Company which owned the 47 acres now owned by Clay Island Inc., Clay Brown, former owner of the Portland Beavers & one of the original stockholder - is where the name Clay Island originated. Robinson believes the 15 acre piece was homesteaded by William Elsmore. Elsmore hunting club was torn down & some of the wood was used to build the current boathouse. The island takes its name from Capt. William J. Woodley, an 1850's mariner. Cottler recalled one of the Woodley's had a cabin on the island. A UC publication indicated there was an arch site on the island. Frank Johnson lives in a one room cabin on the east shore. He came to Eureka in 1910. Gunnar & Frank are not related. Gunnar noted the remains of Ditty's Ways, a historical landmark on the island were torn down. The third man that lives on the island is Ernest (Big Earnie) Treiman, a 68 yr old Latvian fisherman. He came to Humboldt in 1922 & has lived on the island 7 - 8 years.