Adams County, Ritzvile, 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 Ritzville Journal-Times Thursday, July 5, 1928 Robinson Was Lantz Pioneer John Otis Robinson, 71, pioneer stockman and wheat rancher of Adams county, died last Thursday, the 28th at the E. L. Allen home in Ritzville, his death being caused by heart failure. His death was comparatively sudden and unexpected, as he was in good health, attending to his duties about the ranch at Lantz until about a week before his death, when he was brought to Ritzville. The funeral was held from the Methodist church Monday, Rev. W. G. R. Dann officiating. Interment was in the Ritzville cemetery. Mr. Robinson was born May 8, 1857, at Morgantown, West Virginia. He was married to Rebecca Jane Coleman of New Geneva, Pa., on Octobeer 6, 1882, and they made their home there until March of 1888, when they, with a brother of Mr. Robinson, moved to Colfax, Wash. In the summer of the same year Mr. Robinson took up a homestead at Lantz in this county, where he built a home and had lived there continuously up to the time of his death. Mrs. Robinson died in August, 1909. A son, Cleon, died in 1914, and another son, Clyde, in 1920. His survivors are one son, H. L. Robinson, of Spokane, and five daughters, as follows: Mrs. Alice Calloway and Mrs. Maude Calloway of Burford, Alberta; Mrs. Alma McGrew and Mrs. Florence Fox of Post, Ore.; Mrs. Bessie Grant of Okanogan, Wash. He also leaves three brothers, E. L. of Scottdale, Pa.; W. R. of Morgantown, West Virginia; U. G. of Spokane; two nieces, Mrs. Rossie Leigh of Astoria and Mrs. Ella Kleba of Freewater, as well as 17 grandchildren. With the passing of Mr. Robinson, Adams county loses another pioneer who was instrumental in building up the country from a frontier to a rich grain district. Soon after his arrival in 1888, he established the Lantz postoffice, which served the neighborhood for miles around, and he continued as postmaster until his death. During the World war he was active in Liberty loan campaigns and served on the Y. M. C. A. committee of Adams county as chairman in 1917. During elections Mr. Robinson for years acted as clerk of his precinct and as a member of the county election board. He was a familiar figure to everyone in this part of the country and held the esteem of hundreds of people. Mr. Robinson always made it a point to visit the Ritzville commercial club luncheons if he happened to be in town on that date, and he greatly enjoyed meeting with his fellowmen. He was one of those jovial whole-souled pioneers, with a sunny disposition and had the happy faculty of looking on the brighter side of life. Although his primary interests were in the raising of cattle, he also developed wheat farming in his community. The Ritzville Journal-Times Thursday, July 19, 1928 issue Former Ritzville Attorney Passes Away In Seattle John M. Cannon, well known in the Inland Empire and formerly an attorney of Ritzville, died in Seattle Sunday morning. The Seattle attorney had been in poor health for several years. Recently he underwent an operation it is said, and failed to rally after the ordeal. He was a teacher at Gonzaga law school in Spokane. The deceased is survived by his widow, Carrie; two sons, Joseph and John, and two daughters, Angelo and Marie, all of Seattle. Nephew of Former Ritzville Woman Drowns Near Yakima Marshall Childs, 17, of Donald, who was drowned in the Yakima river Sunday, was a nephew of Mrs. E. D. Childs, formerly of Ritzville, but now living in Spokane. Mrs. Dan Krehbiel Of Lind Dies Suddenly In Spokane According to word received in Ritzville, Mrs. Dan Krehbiel, wife of Dan Krehbiel, pioneer real estate man and grain dealer of Lind, died suddenly in Spokane this morning. Mrs. Krehbiel had been ill for some time, and was under the care of physicians at the time of her death. Fall From Headerbox Ends Fatally For Ritzville Farmer John George Wagner, 47, who suffered a fractured vertebrae and injured spinal cord when thrown from a headerbox on the H. W. Thiel farm ten miles northwest of Ritzville July 3, died Tuesday, July 17, at 2:00 p.m. at the Sacred Heart hospital in Spokane. Although entirely paralyzed and in an extremely critical condition, Mr. Wagner survived the trip to Spokane for treatment and lived for 14 days. The deceased was born March 1, 1881, in Walter, Russia. In 1900 he was united in marriage to Anna Marie Miller, who survives him. Nine children were born of whom one, a girl, died in infancy. The surviving children include four sons, George, Victor, Emil and Solomon, all of Ritzville, and four daughters, Lydia of Walla Walla, Marie, Hilda and Esther of Ritzville. The body was brought to Ritzville Wednesday morning and arrangments have been made to hold the funeral at the Zion Congregational church at 2:00 p.m. today, Rev. Julius Houn officiating. Mr. Wagner was an industrious, honorable man, who held the esteem of the entire community and his untimely death will be regretted by his many friends. The Ritzville Journal-Times Thursday, July 26, 1928 issue Funeral Of Mrs. Daniel Krehbiel Held Sunday Mrs. Mary Schragg Krehbiel, 48, wife of Dan Krehbiel, Lind's pioneer realtor and grain dealer, died suddenly of cancer in Spokane June 18. While she had been in ill health for some time, her condition was not thought serious, and her death came as an unexpected shock to her many friends and relatives. The deceased was born in South Dakota, October 12, 1880, and in 1903 moved to Lind with her husband, where she has lived since. Eight children survive: Three sons, Walter, Dan, and Ulrich, five daughters, Katherine, Ruth, Gertrude, Della and Marie, all of Lind. Funeral services were held at the Mennonite church near Schrag at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 23, the Rev. Galle and Rev. Aeschleman officiating. Interment was made in the cemetery at Menno. The Ritzville Journal-Times Thursday, August 2, 1928 issue Death Ends Lingering Illness of Local Matron Mrs. N. Van Vleet, 53, wife of Ritzville's pioneer liveryman, died Tuesday, July 31, at 2:15 a.m. at her home in Ritzville, after two years of suffering from cancer. Floy N. Morris Van Vleet was born December 31, (no year given) in Minnesota. On January 15, 1907, she was united in marriage to Mr. Van Vleet at Golden City, Missouri, and immediately afterward came to Ritzville with her husband, where she has resided ever since. Four children survive: three sons, Guy, Clyde and Lester, and a daughter, Rosaline, all of whom are living at home. Funeral services were held from the First Methodist church of Ritzville at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 1, the Rev. W. G. R. Dann officiating. Interment was made in the Ritzville cemetery. Lost Infant Son Lester Stevens, the 10-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Gofroth, died Saturday of cholera infantum and was buried the following day. The parents have lived here but a short time, Mr. Gofroth being a painter for the Potlatch Lumber Co. Former Resident Passes The friends of Mrs. Martha Spears, who formerly lived in Washtucna, will be grieved to learn of her death July 21 at the home of her son Elmer near Avon, Idaho. She was 88 years 7 months and 22 days of age at the time of her passing. She was laid to rest at Moscow, Idaho, beside the grave of her husband. She leaves to mourn her loss three sons and three daughters and a host of friends. The Ritzville Journal-Times Thursday, August 30, 1928 issue Lose Infant Son Wilbert Lee Schlatter, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Uriah Schlatter of Mesa, died suddenly of summer complaint Monday, August 27. The child's death came as a sudden and unexpected shock to the family, as he was sick only a few days. The funeral was held form the Lutheran church in Ritzville Wednesday, August 29, the Rev. H. G. Meske of Lind officiating. Interment was made in the Ritzville cemetery. The deceased is survived in the immediate family by his father and mother, two brothers and three sisters, being the youngest of six children. He was a grandson of P. J. Kalkwarf of Ritzville. The Ritzville Journal-Times Thursday, September 6, 1928 issue Recluse Dies At Lind Oscar Huber, 78, laborer, who has resided at Lind for some time, died Tuesday evening at his home. Burial will be made at Lind at 2:00 p.m. Friday. Little is known of the history of Huber, as he is reported to have been a recluse, living with a son, whose information concerning his father is limited. The Ritzville Journal-Times Thursday, September 13, 1928 issue Boy Dies of Pneumonia After Short Illness Edward Henry Arlt, 17-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Arlt of Weber, died Sunday, September 9, of pneumonia at the home of his parents. His demise comes as a sudden and unexpected shock to his parents, relatives and friends, as he had been ill but a few days. Up to the time of his death, Edward had lived on the ranch with his parents, assisting his father in the latter's farm operations. The funeral was held Wednesday from the Brockman church south of Odessa, the Rev. Henry Brockman officiating. Interment was made in the cemtery adjoining the churchyard. Death Claims Dr. J. Johnston Dr. John Johnston, for 26 years a highly respected and successful physician of Ritzville, died early Wednesday morning at the Sacred Heart hospital in Spokane, following two operations a few days before. The doctor had been in poor health for several months, but had continued to take care of his practice, and finally submitted, as a last resort, to what he realized would be a critical operation. The odds were greatly against the doctor's surviving the operation, and while his many friends as well as his immediate family hoped for the best, the malignant malady had taken its toll and one of Ritzville's most beloved citizens closed his eyes in eternal rest, thus bringing to an end a career filled with good deeds, wholesome thoughts and an unselfish desire to be of assistance to his fellowman. Funeral services will be held Friday, September 14, at 2:00 p.m. from the Smith and Company parlors in Spokane. The service will be private, attended only by the close friends and relatives of the doctor, and will be conducted in the Episcopal faith by Archdeacon Coffin of Spokane. Interment will be made in the Riverside park cemetery in Spokane. Dr. John Johnston was born in Arlington Queen's county, Ireland, October 25, 1867. His early education was received in private schools and colleges in Ireland, where he first secured a glimpose of the medical profession, which he was to make his life's chosen work. In 1889, at the age of 22, Dr. Johnston came to America, where he continued his schooling, studying medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, from which institution he graduated with the M.D. degree in 1898. His interne work was received in the Philadelphia hospital, where he was stationed for fifteen months. In 1900, the doctor was united in marriage to Anna J. Baldwin in Philadelphia. In 1902, Dr. and Mrs. Johnston came to Ritzville, where he has practiced without interruption up to a few days previous to his death. During the long residence in Ritzville, the professional attitude of Dr. Johnston was one of efficiency and unstinting personal sacrifice for the good of the public. Among the offices held by the doctor were the following: Public health officer for the city of Ritzville, county health officer, head of the Adams county game commission, and president of the Ritzville Rod and Gun club. Fraternally, Dr. Johnston was a member of the Masonic order, as well as the Elks. He was a member of the Episcopal church, or Church of Ireland, from his early youth. Surviving members of the doctor's family include his widow, Mrs. Anna Johnston, and two sons, Alfred and Richard; Mrs. William Young, a sister residing in New Zealand, and another married sister residing in the place of his nativity, Port Arlington, Ireland. Dr. Johnston was an outdoors man, as much as his practice would permit, in the sense that typifies love of the things that go to make the world cleaner and better. He was a lover of dogs and one of his last acts was to enter two of his pets in the bench show at the Spokane fair. The doctor, realizing that on the shoulders of a few men must rest the task of conserving and building up our game resources, and with his usual enthusiasm along this line, he had for many years been looked upon as a leader, serving as chairman of the county game commission over a long period.