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 ==================================================================== Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, April 4, 1929, issue P. D. Chamberlin WASHTUCNA - Many relatives, friends and neighbors gathered at the Christian church on Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock to pay their last respects to P. D. Chamberlin, an esteemed citizen of the town for the past twenty years, during which time he was the local undertaker. He also operated a grocery store until a few years ago. He passed away at his home Thursday evening at 7 o'clock. Although he had been in poor health the past few years and in a serious condition the last few weeks, it was not thought that the end was so near. His passing was a shock to his many friends. The funeral service was preached by Rev. Campbell of U. P. church. Interment was in the Washtucna cemetery. Philip David Chamberlin was born in Air Rock, Missouri, Sept. 7, 1861, and passed away at Washtucna, Wash., on March 28, 1929, at the age of 68 years, seven months and 21 days. He was united in marriage to Martha Wicker in 1883, who survives him. To the union six children were born, all living. They are: Esther Sitton, Washtucna; Leonard, Winslow, Ariz.; Mable Heater, Spokane; Herbert, Sunnyside, Cal.; John of Tacoma and Lester of Oakland, Cal. All were able to be present except Esther and Leonard. Sixteen grandchildren also survive. August Sielaff, Sr. Another pioneer was lost to Adams county with the passing of August Sielaff, Sr., 76, Tuesday afternoon, of complications brought on by old age. August Julius William Sielaff was born May 28, 1852, at Koestlin, Germany. He was united in marriage on December 5, 1874, to Augusta Seeger. Thirteen children, eight boys and five girls were born to this union. Six of the children preceded the father in death. In 1900 Mr. Sielaff came to America with his family, settling in Ritzville, where he had since resided. In the 29 years of his residence here, Mr. Sielaff had engaged in farming and was long known as one of the upbuilders of the community. He leaves five sons, Max of Burns, Oregon; August, Otto and Bruno of Ritzville, Ernest of Zillah, Washington; two daughters, Margaret Watson of Centralia and Minnie Sielaff of Lind. Three sons and three daughters preceded him in death. Funeral services were held from the Emanuel Lutheran church, of which he was a member, the Rev. E. A. Rein officiating, at 2 p.m. today. Burial was made in the Lutheran cemetery. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, April 11, 1929, issue Arthur Carl Gust LIND - Arthur Carl Gust died at his home in Lind Saturday at the age of 17 years. Funeral services were held at the Congregational church, Rev. Franke officiating. Burial was in the Lind cemetery. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, April 18, 1929, issue Mrs. Margaret Bauer, 71, Died at Walla Walla Mrs. Margaret Bauer, 71, former citizen of Ritzville who has resided in Walla Walla for the past fourteen years, passed away at the family home in that city on Sunday, April 14, as the result of an illness of several months. The deceased was preceded in death by her husband, Henry A. Bauer, on November 19, 1928. Mr. and Mrs. Bauer were well known in Adams county, having been prominent early settlers. Mrs. Bauer was born May 23, 1857. She is survived by two daughters, Anne of Walla Walla and Lydia of Seattle, and three sons, Carl, Adolph and Sol, all of Paha. The entire family was at the bedside at the time of her death. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, from the Marshall, Hennessey and Calloway home, Walla Walla, the Rev. Wolf of Christ Lutheran church officiating. Burial was made in the Mount View cemetery, Walla Walla. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, May 2, 1929, issue Pioneer of this District passes WASHTUCNA-Another of the old pioneers of this locality answered the last call on Saturday morning when D. T. Dey passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. P. C. Peters, at Palouse Falls. He has been steadily failing for some time and during the past week was critically ill so that his death was not unexpected. Mr. Dey was of a cheerful disposition and had many friends in this locality, where he had lived for so many years. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, May 9, 1929, issue Mary O. Campbell LIND-Mrs. Mary O. Campbell, wife of J. O. Campbell, passed away at their home in Spokane, Wednesday, May 1, at 10 o'clock, at the age of 42 years. Mrs. Campbell has not been in good health for sometime and was taken ill at their home near Lind Tuesday and was rushed to Spokane. The immediate cause of death was stomach trouble for which she underwent an operation about a year ago. Mrs. Campbell was born and raised in the Harrington country, coming to this section about 15 years ago. She is survived by four daughters, Maude, 22; Evelyn, 13; Thelma, 11 and Ethel 9; and one son, Milford, 18, besides her husband Otha, all at their home, and three sisters and two brothers. Funeral was held Friday, May 3, at 2:30 p.m. from Hazen & Jaegers' chapel. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, May 16, 1929, issue Another Pioneer Gets Final Call F.C. Sandbrink, Age 75, Dies At Home Here-Native Of Germany And Came To This Community Over 40 Years Ago Death claimed another Ritzville pioneer with the passing of Frederick C. Sandbrink, aged 75, at his home on College hill at 2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon after an illness of a little over a month. Mr. Sandbrink suffered a stroke of paralysis several weeks ago. The deceased was born in Hanover, Germany, on January 18, 1854. At an early age he was united in marriage to Margaret Bierman, and the couple came to America, settling in Nebraska, where they engaged in farming for nearly 15 years. Five children, four sons and one daughter, were born to the couple in Nebraska. Only one son, Fred C. Sandbrink Jr., survived. Forty-two years ago, in 1887, Mr. Sandbrink moved from Nebraska to Washington, settling on a homestead west of Ritzville. At that time the land of Adams county was open stock range and very little sod had been broken for wheat raising. It is due to the efforts of such pioneers as Mr. Sandbrink that the sagebrush was removed and the country made into the fertile wheat land of the present. After several years on the homestead the deceased moved to the farm lying north of town which was subsequently managed by his son. Fifteen years ago he retired from active farming, and had since lived on College hill. The deceased is survived by his widow, Margaret Bierman Sandbrink, a brother-in-law, William Bierman Sr. of Ritzville; a daugther-in-law, Mrs. Fred C. Sandbrink Jr., and five granddaughters, Alice Sandbrink of San Francisco, Gladys, Hazel and Violet Sandbrink of Ritzville and Mrs. Emil Hille of Ritzville. The son, Fred C. Sandbrink Jr., was stricken in the prime of life during the influenza epidemic of 1919. Funeral services have been arranged for Sunday, May 19, from the Emanuel Lutheran church, the Rev. E. A. Rein officiating. Interment will be made in the Lutheran cemetery, Ritzville. Philip W. Greene LIND-Philip William Greene, 46, well known in Lind, was found dead in his room in the Jefferson hotel in Spokane last week a few hours after he had retired with instructions not to be disturbed. The cause of his death is unknown. He had been in Spokane about a week and was reported to have been drinking heavily. Mr. Greene was a resident of Pasco, where he leaves a wife and family and where he represented the Hypotheekbank, Spokane, as field man. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, May 23, 1929, issue Visitor In Ritzville Dies At The Home Of His Son John A. Lightel, 81, resident of Quincy, who arrived here four weeks ago to spend the summer at the home of his son, B. P. Lightel, passed away from heart trouble at 12:05 p.m. Monday. Mr. Lightel had been suffering from the malady for several years, but his death came as a shock, as his condition had not been regarded as serious. The deceased was born in Ohio, May 7, 1851. In 1905 he came to Washington, settling on a homestead near Quincy. For several years he had been retired, the management of the farm being in the hands of his son, E. A. Lightel, with whom he made his home. It had been his custom to make a visit to Ritzville during the summer months with his son, B. P. Lightel, and it was on one of these annual visits that he was stricken. Mr. Lightel is survived by his widow, Margaret Jane Lightel of Quincy, a brother and a sister in the east, and three sons, W. O. Lightel, of Ohio, E. A. Lightel of Quincy and B. P. Lightel of Ritzville. The body was taken to the Haight mortuary parlors in Ritzville, and the funeral services were held at Quincy Wednesday at 2 p.m., interment being made there. The deceased was a member of the Masonic order. Mr. and Mrs. B. P. Lightel of Ritzville accompanied the body to Quincy Wednesday morning. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, June 6, 1929, issue Sleeping Sickness Fatal To Mrs. Geo. Oestreich After a lingering illness of two months with sleeping sickness, Mrs. George Oestreich, 30, passed away at the E. L. Allen hospital, Ritzville, Tuesday eveing at 4:30 o'clock. Jeanette Wirsch Oestreich was born in South Dakota, May 24, 1899. She had been a resident of Washington for some time before her marriage in January of this year to George Oestreich of Harrington. The deceased is survived by her husband, George Oestreich, and a daughter, Helen Wirsch. Four step-children also survive. Funeral services were held from the M. E. church, Ritzville, at 2 o'clock this afternoon, the Rev. W. G. R. Dann officiating. Interment was made in the Ritzville cemetery. Henry Alfred Phillips Henry Alfred Phillips, aged 63 years, 4 months and 7 days, passed away at his farm home near Lind Monday afternoon at 5:25 o'clock after several years illness with cancer. Mr. Phillips was born in Ohio, January 26, 1866, and was a veteran of the Cuban campaign of the Spanish-American war. He had resided in the vicinity of Lind for many years. The deceased is survived by his widow, Sarah Phillips, and by his daughter, Mrs. Peter Olson of Lind. The body was taken to the Haight mortuary parlors, Ritzville, and was returned to Lind for the funeral at the M. E. church Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock, the Rev. H. S. Randall officiating. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, June 13, 1929, issue Washtucna Man Commits Suicide Family Trouble Culminates In Wife Suing For Divorce And Has Tragic Ending-Dead Man Long In Employ Of Railroad Company Within 24 hours after having been served with divorce papers by the Adams county sheriff's office, George Olson, age 50, O.W. agent at Washtucna, shot himself through the heart with a .22 calibre rifle. The body was discovered lying on a bed at the station at Washtucna shortly before 6 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. The tragic end was the culmination of several year's dissipation on the part of Olson. He had been located at Lacrosse for ten years and was finally discharged for drinking. Afer serveral months he was reinstated and transferred to Washtucna, where the work as well as the responsibility was light. There was no indication that he had reformed, as he was lying in a drunken stupor when served with the divorce papers Monday. Sobering up, Olson telephoned to his wife, who is operating the Washtucna hotel, that he intended to kill himself and wanted her to come to the depot. This she refused to do, and later investigation proved that Olson had carried out his threat. The body was brought to the Haight parlors here and will be shipped to Newport, Washington, a former home, for burial beside one of his children. Olson is survived by his widow; a son, Walter, employed in the Security State bank at Lacrosse, and a daughter, Jeanette, student at WSC. Potter LIND-Mr. Potter died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Smith, on Woodward ranch, 12 miles south of Lind. He was an aged man and had been in poor health for some time. Mr. Potter has made his home here with the Smiths since last winter. Interment was made in the Lind cemetery Sunday. Tragic Death of Wooters Child WASHTUCNA-The friends of Fred Wooters, former resident and brother of Ray Wooters, will be sadden to learn of the tragic death of his daughter, Frances May, at Meridian, Idaho. On Monday, the child with her brother Raymond was playing with matches in the garage when her clothing caught fire. The mother, who was called to the spot by the child's screams, with the help of an Idaho Power lineman, succeeded in smothering the flames only after the little girl had been fatally burned. The local doctor rushed the child to a hospital in Boise where salt water and tannic acid baths were resorted to and with two nurses in constant attendance, but the child was beyong medical aid and passed away Thursday. Interment was made at Meridian on Sunday at 2:30 from the M. E. church where the services were held. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, June 27, 1929, issue Loses Both Uncle and Aunt Within Hour's Time Cleve Lasswell, manager of the Ritzville Flouring Mills, received word this week of the sudden death Sunday of his uncle, J. H. Lasswell, at Lewiston, and the subsequent tragic news a short time later of the death of his aunt, the wife of the senior Mr. Lasswell, who dropped dead at Seattle, upon receipt of the telegram telling of her husband's demise. J. H. Lasswell, who was 73 years of age, was retired and had made Lewiston his home for several years. Mrs. Lasswell, aged 60, had gone to Seattle a few days before to join their son, and help him pack preparatory to taking a vacation on the San Poil river, when she received the news of her husband's sudden demise. The shock brought on a heart attack and Mrs. Lasswell died within one hour after her husband's passing. Cleve Lasswell left Tuesday evening for Lewiston to attend the double funeral. Washtucna Pioneer Dead Mathew Helme, 65, for 40 years a resident of Adams county, passed away at the Sacred Heart hospital, Spokane, Tuesday. Mr. Helme is survived by his wife, Mary Helme, and by two sons, Chester B. and John P. Helme, of Washtucna. A daughter, Amy Lois Worthy, resides at Huntington Beach, California. Mr. Helme was a member of the Christian church. The Journal-Times was unable to secure a complete obituary for this issue. Ed Parker Ed Parker, 50, kitchen worker in Fred's Cafe, passed away at the E. L. Allen hospital at midnight Friday, June 21, after an illness of only a few days. Parker was taken to the hospital in a serious condition shortly before his death, and spent several hours before his demise in a state of coma. Burial was made in the county lots Monday afternoon. Nothing is known concerning his life. Mrs. Clarissa E. Staser Mrs. Clarissa E. Staser, 82, mother of Walter Stasser, and a former pioneer resident of Ritzville, passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. O. L. Hanson at Tacoma on Monday, June 24, at 1 a.m. Clarissa E. Willey was born at Delaware, Ohio, in 1847. In 1869 she was united in marriage to Clinton Staser at Evansville, Indiana. Soon after marriage the couple moved to Washington, settling at Tacoma. In 1896 they moved from that city to Ritzville, residing on the old Staser place near the Central school, which is now the J. C. Gillette home. During their residence here, Mr. and Mrs. Staser were very active in social and civic duties. In 1908 the family moved to Kennewick, where they resided until Mr. Staser's death in 1926. During her residence in Ritzville, Mrs. Staser was one of the most untiring workers in a small group who founded and built St. Mark's Episcopal church. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Staser spent most of her time visiting with her children. Funeral services were held at Tacoma, Tuesday at 2 o'clock. Burial was made in a Tacoma cemetery. The deceased is survived by seven children, three sons and four daughters. The daughters are: Mrs. O. R. Holcomb, Olympia; Mrs. O. L. Hanson, Tacoma; Mrs. W. P. Gould, Yakima, and Mrs. J. B. Schlund, Tacoma. The sons are Walter Staser of Ritzville, J. C. Staser of Rolling Bay, Washington, and J. L. Staser, Coquille, Oregon. Mrs. Temperance Morgan Mrs. Temperance Morgan, 88, mother of C. B. Morgan, cook in Fred's Cafe, Ritzville, passed away at 11:50 p.m. Friday, June 21, at the E. L. Allen hospital here after a three months' illness from cancer. Although she was known to many people in Ritzville and the surrounding territory, due to her advanced age very few of the salient facts of Mrs. Morgan's life have come to light. It is known that she was born in one of the southern states in 1841, and that upon coming to Washington with her husband J. P. Morgan, she settled at Mabton. From Mabton the family moved to Sunnyside where they resided for many years. They were also residents of Lind at one time. Three months ago Mrs. Morgan, who had made her home with her son, Charles, was taken to the Allen hospital, suffering from the malady which proved fatal. The body was taken to the Haight undertaking parlors, Ritzville, and was shipped on Monday morning to Sunnyside, where burial will be made beside the grave of her husband. Mrs. Morgan is survived by two sons, Harry of Sunnyside and Charles of Ritzville. Rev. Cramer According to word received Monday the Rev. Cramer, at one time pastor of the German Methodist church, Ritzville, and later presiding elder of this district, passed away Saturday night at Salem, Oregon. No details as to the cause of Rev. Cramer's demise have been received, but it is presumed that advanced age was the cause of death. Funeral services will be held in Salem the latter part of the week, and ministers throughout the states of Oregon and Washington will be called. The Rev. Geo. Kleinbach, Ritzville, has left to attend.