Adams County, Ritzville, WA ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Sue Gardner sueboo18@hotmail.com ==================================================================== The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, July 1, 1915, issue John D. Walton Dies John D. Walton died at his home in this city Sunday, June 27, at the ripe age of 76 years. He was a native of Pennsylvania, having been born in the town of Columbus, in that state, November 30, 1838. He was united in marriage to Miss Lora Day of Columbus, January 1, 1862. There were four children born to them, three of which survive him: Lauren Walton of Fairfield, Idaho; Fred Walton of Hartford, Washington; and Mrs. Bessie Curtis of Columbus, Pennsylvania. Funeral services were held at the Haight undertaking parlors at 10 o'clock a.m. Tuesday, conducted by Rev. O. B. Whitmore of the Congregational church. The body was shipped back to the old home at Columbus, Pa., for interment. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, July 8, 1915, issue W. P. Christy Is Drowned One evening last week an article appeared in the Chronicle announcing the death by accidental drowning of W. P. Christy, instructor in music at the Lewis and Clark high school in Spokane. We were very much shocked to learn of the accident, as we were fairly well acquainted with Prof. Christy, he have had charge of the Adams County Teachers' Institute in Ritzville for the past two or three years. The entire teaching staff of this county will be grieved to learn of his death, as he was universally liked by all who attended the institutes and attended the music department. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, July 22, 1915, issue Pioneer Ritzville Woman Is Dead Mrs. Jacob Thiel, Sr., died at her home Monday. She is the wife of Jacob Thiel, a pioneer retired farmer, and belonged to one of the best known families of the community. With her husband she came to the county in 1883, settled on a homestead near Ritzville, and accumulated large property holdings. She is survived by her husband, Jacob Thiel, four sons - Fred Thiel, former mayor and owner of the Thiel Cigar Store; Henry Thiel, who is associated with him; Professor Jacob Thiel, a teacher in the Salt Lake City (Utah) schools; Mike Thiel, a farmer, west of town; and a daughter, Mrs. Fred Koch, of Twin Falls, Idaho - all of whom are here. The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock, at the Philadelphia German Congregational church, Rev. Morach, officiating, the service being attended by a large concourse of friends and neighbors who had gathered to pay respect to their departed friend. Interment was made in the Ritzville cemetery. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, August 26, 1915, issue Dyke Van Buren Is Dead Dyke Van Buren, who was operated on at the local hospital last week, died on Friday and was buried from the Haight undertaking chapel Sunday afternoon, the funeral sermon being preached by Rev. Williams of the Methodist church. Dyke Van Buren was a member of the student body of the high school, was an excellent young man, and universally liked by all. He will be greatly missed in school circles this year, and the students showed the esteem in which he was held by the many beautiful floral tributes which adorned his casket. His parents reside in Keystone, and are well known and highly respected in the community. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, September 9, 1915, issue Timothy Deal Had Head Blown Off Timothy Deal, aged 21, son of T. N. Deal, living two miles north of here, had his head blown off Wednesday night when he lighted a match near the rear end of a distillate tank to see if the tank was leaking. The end of the tank, after killing the young man, crashed through two fences and a gate. A neighbor named Johnson, standing nearby was blown 14 feet by the explosion but was not injured. No inquest was held. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, September 23, 1915, issue Drowns At Fishtrap Rudolph Cohlman, a prominent Harrington farmer, was drowned in Fishtrap Lake on Sept. 8. He, in company of S. P. Swenson and Adam Zobler, went fishing for bass after dark and not being able to see that their boat was taking water were swamped about 75 feet from shore in 35 feet of water. Zobler and Swenson managed to reach shore but Cohlman was unable to swim that far and went down to his death. A party from Harrington went over the following day and secured the body bringing it home where the funeral was held on Friday at two o'clock p.m. The Washington State Journal and Ritzville Times, Thursday, September 30, 1915, issue Two Killed On N. P. Crossing On last Sunday morning the news was spread broadcast that Thomas J. Woodard and George Reeder had been killed on a railroad crossing at Lind. It is said that the men were starting on a hunting trip, and as they were about to drive their car across the track, were struck by train No. 2, and were injured in such a manner that death was almost instantaneous. Mr. Woodard was a veteran of the Spanish American War. The funeral of Mr. Reeder was held Monday, and that of Mr. Woodard on Tuesday, Joseph W. Barnett Is Dead Joseph W. Barnett, age 36, a salesman in the employ of Holt Manufacturing company, died at his home in Spokane last Thursday night after an illness of six weeks. He had been a resident several years and is survived by a widow and two children. Services were held in the Turbull chapel Saturday afternoon, the Rev. C. L. McClausland officiating. Interment was at Greenwood. Mr. Barnett was well known in this vicinity, having been in the employ of the Holt Manufacturing company, and working on this territory. He was a quiet, unassuming gentleman and had a host of friends in Ritzville who will be pained to learn of his untimely death, and who will offer sympathy to his bereaved family in their affliction.