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, January 4, 1934, issue A. B. Pettijohn Is Dead Word was received here the past week of the death of Albert B. Pettijohn at the home of his son, H. W. Pettijohn, in Seattle on December 21. Mr. Pettijohn will be remembered by many pioneers, as he came here about 1898 and engaged in contracting and building. His wife died here a number of years ago. Mr. Pettijohn was born in Minnesota where his parents worked as missionaries among the Indians. Had he lived until Dec. 30, Mr. Pettijohn would have been 84 years of age. He leaves four sons, H. W. and D. W. of Seattle, Everett of Alaska, and Cecil of San Francisco, and one daughter, Mrs. Claude Barker of Tonasket, Wash. During his long residence here, Mr. Pettijohn was highly respected as a citizen. One of his sons, Dave, was publisher of the Ritzville newspaper. Mrs. Elizabeth Friedrich The funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth Friedrich, 69, who died on Wednesday of last week, was held from the Zion Congregational church Friday afternoon, the pastor Rev. J. Morach officiating. Interment was in the Ritzville cemetery. Mrs. Friedrich, nee Neuschwander, was born May 1, 1864, at Botenheim, Wuertemberg, Germany. She was married in 1881 to John Friedrich and they made their home in Swift county, Minn., after coming to America. They moved to Mansfield in this state about 30 years ago, later making their home here with their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Quast. Mr. Friedrich died in 1916. Mrs. Friedrich is survived by six children: They are Alfred, Hartline, Wash.; Mrs. Selma Leander, Spokane; Mrs. Luther Long, Helena, Mont.; Mrs. Frank Phillips, Walla Walla; Mrs. Eric Nasburg, Spokane; and Mrs. Fred Quast, Ritzville. She also leaves 17 grandchldren and four great-grandchildren. Mrs. J. s. Potter LIND - Word has been received here of the death of Mrs. J. S. Potter at Wilder, Idaho. Burial was made at Colville. Mrs. Potter is well remembered here, being the former Miss Frances Bradford, living with her parents about 13 miles southeast of town. Her high school education was received in Lind. She is survived by her husband, two sons and one daughter, and her aged mother, Mrs. Bradford. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, January 11, 1934, issue Arlts Lose Little Son The funeral of Raymond Lloyd Arlt, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert H. Arlt, was held from the Haight chapel Wednesday afternoon, the Rev. E. A. Rein, conducting the service. Interment was in the Ritzville cemetery. The little fellow, who was born Sept. 22, 1931, had been sick for many months, starting from an infection in the bone of one of his legs. His parents vainly tried everything possible to save the child's life and he was under treatment in Spokane for a long time. Mrs. Holcomb Dies On Coast Mrs. O. R. Holcomb, wife of Supreme Court Justice Holcomb, a former attorney in this city, died at an Olympia hospital on Wednesday afternoon. When residents of Ritzville, Justice Holcomb and his late wife were actively identified with St. Mark's Episcopal church. A son, S. R. Holcomb, is chief house clerk in the present special session of the legislature. Billington Dies Suddenly Funeral services for Glenn H. Billington were held on Tuesday afternoon at the M. E. church, conducted by the Rev. H. Attenborough. The deceased was born at Goldendale, Wash., Sept. 16, 1890, and had resided with the family for a number of years on a farm near Lind. He died suddenly last Saturday while engaged in work with the forestry service up the Entiat river. To mourn his death are two brothers, W. G. Billington of Wenatchee and A. E. Billington of Hatton, and three sisters, Mrs. R. W. DeVore, Lind; Mrs. C. P. Blankenship, Washtucna, and Mrs. M. A. Mills, Wenatchee. The Knights of Pythias lodge of Lind, of which deceased was a member, conducted the rites at the cemetery. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, January 18, 1934, issue Former Local Woman Dies Elizabeth Kanzler, 52, died last Thursday at Walla Walla and the funeral was held Saturday. Interment was at Colfax. The family, well known in Adams county, left here about three years ago to make their home in Walla Walla. Kathryn Margarete Ils Kathryn Margarete Ils was born Feb. 19, 1879, at Walter, Russia. She was married to Jacob Ils in 1898. They came to America in 1912 and have resided west of Ritzville since that time. Mrs. Ils had been ill since last June and passed away Saturday. The funeral was held from the Philadelphia Congregational church in this city Tuesday, the Rev. Neutzmann conducting the service. Interment, in charge of Mortician M. F. Haight, was in the local cemetery. Deceased is survived by her husband, mother, three sons, four daughters, seven brothers, two sisters and six grandchildren. The children are Jacob, George, and Adam Ils, Mrs. Joel German, Mary, Lydia and Alma Ils. Paul Skinner Stewart Skinner, mechanic at the Ott & Zander garage, received a message Tuesday evening from Rathdrum telling of the drowning of his brother, Paul Skinner, 30, at Upper Twin lakes late Monday afternoon. Skinner, with lifelong friend, Ed Roth, 32, lost their lives while crossing the lake after dark and the bodies were not recovered until the next morning. The men had been at the home of Skinner's parents, and, Roth, accompanied by Skinner, was on his way across the lake to a ranch job. In the dark they went through a thin place in the ice. Roth's dry coast was found on the ice, and led searchers to believe he lost his life in an attempt to save his friend. Both the men had grown up together at Rathdrum. Skinner leaves a wife and two children. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, January 25, 1934, issue Mrs. Lasswell Loses Mother Mrs. Marion Barringer, 68, mother of Mrs. Cleve Lasswell, died Friday at a Spokane hospital, following a lingering illness. Death was caused by cancer of the stomach. The funeral was held Saturday. Mrs. Barringer had many friends in Ritzville, making her home here with her son-in-law and daughter before they moved to Spokane. Menno Pioneer Is Dead Peter Gering was born in Russia March 13, 1856. He came overland in 1900 from Oregon with a number of friends and settled in the Menno district. Mr. Gering passed away suddenly on Monday at the age of 77 years, 10 months and nine days. He was at the home of a son, A. P. Gering. He is survived by three daughters and seven sons. Funeral services were held this afternoon (Thursday) from the Menno Mennonite church and the burial was in charge of M. F. Haight of Ritzville. (note: larger obit in Feb. 1 issue.) Lose Little Son Leland, 10 months old son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Ils, passed away suddenly at the home of his parents Tuesday afternoon on internal hemorhage. Services were held from the home Thursday and burial was in the Ritzville cemetery. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, February 1, 1934, issue One of Earliest Settlers Passes Mrs. Almarie Spanjer, 84, for almost fifty years a resident of this community, passed away Monday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Henry Rosenoff, Sr., following a long illness. The funeral was held this afternoon (Thursday) from the Zion Congregational church, the Rev. Morach officiating. Interment was in the Ritzville cemetery. Almaire Gerdes was born Nov. 6, 1849, in Ostfreatsland, Germany. She migrated to America in 1867, her first home being at Minonk, Illinois. The following year she was married to William J. Spanjer, and they resided in Illinois for 18 years, when they started overland with Adams county as their destination. Mr. Spanjer homesteaded three miles west of Ritzville, the place now being owned by a son-in-law, Henry Rosenoff, Sr., who farmed the land after Mr. Spanjer retired and moved to town. He built what is now the J. I. Farrier residence on College Hill, at that time one of the most pretentious homes in the community. For several years Mr. and Mrs. Spanjer lived at Quincy, and since his death in 1912, Mrs. Spanjer made her home with Mr. and Mrs. Rosenoff. Deceased is survived by five daughters and four sons. They are Mrs. Henry Rosenoff, Sr., Ritzville; Mrs. Hans Thompson, Wilson Creek; Mrs. Sidney Smythe, Berwyn, Ill.; Mrs. Henry Hagalganz, Portland, Ore.; Mrs. Hannah Weiand, Martinez, Cal.; George, Cashmere; Will, Peshastin; Ed and John, Ephrata. In addition she leaves 30 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Aged Father Day Imus Dies The Journal-Times has received word from Day Imus, now of Spokane, that his father, L. O. Imus, had passed away at his home near Mt. Ayr, Iowa. Mr. Imus states that his father was 86 years old, the same age as Day's mother. They would have celebrated the 62nd anniversary of their marriage on April 2, and all their married life has been spent on the same farm. Wm. Miller Loses Sister Wm. Miller received a message Sunday evening telling of the death of his sister, Miss Beverly Miller, who passed away a short time before at a sanitarium in Yakima, where she had been a patient for 2-1/2 years. She had previously spent a year in Arizona. Miss Miller was born in Odessa 27 years ago and moved to Wapato with her father when 12 years of age. She leaves three brothers and four sisters. They are: William, Ritzville; Ben, Orville, Cal.; Dan, Seattle; Mrs. James Reed, Portland; Mrs. Wm. Lind, Yakima; Mrs. Jesse Johns, Wapato, and Mrs. Edw. Geissler, Odessa. Funeral services were held at Yakima Wednesday. Peter Gering LIND - Peter Gering, an old pioneer in the Menno country died suddenly Monday morning of last week at the home of his son, Adolph. Mr. Gering was born in Wholynein, Poland, March 18, 1856. While a very young man he came to America, settling in South Dakota near Freeman. In 1878, his marriage to Miss Anna Waltner occurred. Ten years later Mr. and Mrs. Gering, with a group of neighbors left the Dakotas to make their home in Eugene, Ore. This same group of people came to Washington in 1900, founding the Menno community. He is survived by three daughters: Mrs. Ed Schrag, Mrs. J. M. Schrag and Mrs. J. Graber of Freeman, S.D., and seven sons, Adolph, Jacob, Joseph, Walter, Frank and Leon, who reside near here. Clarence, the seventh son, is in a law office in Freeman, S.D. Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Menno Mennonite church, Rev. M. J. Galle of Odessa, officiating. Interment was made in the Menno cemetery. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, February 8, 1934, issue None Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, February 15, 1934, issue Killed Under Tractor Marco Poli, 39, a native of Italy, was fatally hurt while working on his farm near Neppel Saturday morning, when he was crushed under a small tractor, which turned over backward and caught the operator. Poli died while being brought to the hospital in Ritzville, and the body was taken to the Haight Mortuary. The funeral was held Monday afternoon at Neppel, where the deceased had resided for 24 years. He leaves a widow, three daughters and one son. Well Known Salesman Dies Word was received here Monday evening from Spokane that Fred H. Forkey had passed away suddenly at his home that morning from a heart attack. He was well known here by local business men, having made this territory for a number of years as salesman for the Adams Leather Co. He had 25 years of continuous service with the company and made his last trip here about two weeks ago. His wife was a girlhood friend of Mrs. Harry Dence. The funeral was held in Spokane from the Aloysius church Wednesday morning. Mrs. Finley Urquhart LIND - With but little warning, death claimed Mrs. Finley Urquhart at noon last Friday, bringing to a quiet close the life of a woman who had seen much of the early west and of Lind in particular. As Sarah Elliott, she was born in Terre Haute, Ind., the daughter of James and Jane Elliott, former residents of Yorkshire county, England. Later the Elliott family moved to Newton county, Missouri, and in Pierce City, Mo., on April 10, 1881, Sarah Elliott was married to James F. Alburty. To them were born seven children. Leaving home, relatives and friends, Sarah Alburty first saw the new west in 1890, when she came out to the Oregon country with her husband and two small chldren. They also lived for a time in Camas, Wash., before returning to Missouri to spend the summer of 1893. That fall they came again to Washington, making their home at Skamokawa on the Columbia river until 1895, when they moved to Oklahoma and later to Missouri. There their fifth child was born, and in the spring of 1900 the family returned to Washington and took up their permanent residence on a farm near Lind. Mr. Alburty was a school teacher and took an active part in the teachers' institutes at Ritzville during the next two or three years. He had just opened the fall term of his school in Kahlotus when he became ill with appendicitis and died after an operation on Sept. 24, 1903. There followed for Mrs. Alburty several years of rearing a family of six children alone, then she was married to Finley Urquhart on Sept. 20, 1911. He was a well-known farmer of the Schrag country, he and Mrs. Urquhart dividing their home between the ranch and the home in Lind until his death on May 24, 1931. Although Mrs. Urquhart's health had not been as good as usual during the past few months, her condition was not considered serious until Thursday evening of last week, when she became very ill. She passed away at noon the following day, Feb. 9. Unknown to her, she was preceded in death a week to the day by her oldest sister, Mrs. Mary Jane Douthitt, whom she had visited on a trip to Missouria during the past summer. Mrs. Urquhart is survived by four daughters and two sons, Irma Snead, Ruby Ashley, Opal Barnes, Juanita Anderson, Everett and Stanley Alburty; eleven grandchildren, one step-son, Allan J. Urquhart; one sister, Miss Alice Elliott, near Richey, Mo., and one brother, Grant Elliott of Neosho, Mo. Funeral services were held at two o'clock Sunday afternoon at the Methodist church under the direction of Haight Mortuary of Ritzville, with the Rev. Ralph Wetherell officiating. Burial was made in the Lind cemetery beside the body of Mr. Alburty. Mrs. Urquhart was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, the Royal Neighbors, United Artisans and Pythian Sisters. Ortho Dorman Ortho Dorman, 67, brother of Mrs. V. A. Chargois of this city, and who homesteaded near Ritzville in 1888, died Saturday in Spokane after a long illness. The funeral was held Monday afternoon with the interment in the family plot in the Greenwood cemetery. Mr. Dorman was a native of Iowa and came west to Adams county to take up a homestead, later engaging in the mercantile business in this city for eight years. He moved to Spokane in 1904, engaging in a realty business with his brother, Orris. For a number of years he was cashier of the Farmers' and Merchants' bank of Spokane, which position he held until 1920, when he moved to the Judith Basin country in Montana, and reengaged in farming and the raising of purebred livestock. His health failed there a few years ago, and he disposed of his interests and returned to Spokane. During his active years, Mr. Dorman was prominently identified with Inland Empire development. He was a member of the Spokane Masonic lodge. Surviving members of family are his wife, Alice, at the home; one daughter, Kathryn Kaul of Everett, Wash.; two brothers, Jess Dorman of Pomona, Cal., and Orris of Spokane; 3 sisters, Mrs. Alice Chargois of Ritzville, Wash.; Mrs. Lois Woehr and Miss Lou Dorman of Pomona, Cal., and his aged mother, Mrs. Martha J. Dorman of Pomona, Cal. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, February 22, 1934, issue Benge Founder Expires Frank H. Benge, 72, Colbert, Wash., died Sunday at Pendleton, Ore., where he had been several months receiving medical care. Mr. Benge crossed the plains in 1862 with his parents from Iowa and settled in the Walla Walla valley where he grew to manhood. He lived near Heppner, Ore., some years and near Dayton, Wash., for a time. From there he moved to Adams county, where he engaged in the stock business many years. Here he plotted the townsite which was named for him. In 1918 he sold his holdings and moved to Green Bluff near Colbert. Besides his widow, Catherine, he leaves two daughters, Mrs. Sadie Babcock, San Francisco, and Mrs. Verne Butler, Dayton, Wash.; a nephew, Fred Benge, Spokane; a brother, Ralph, Heppner; three sisters, Mrs. Mattie Henderson, Lewiston, Idaho; Mrs. Ruth Barnett, Pendleton, and Mrs. Rose Eskelson, Heppner; four step-daughters; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His funeral services were held at Walla Walla Wednesday afternoon, the Odd Fellows' lodge in charge. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, March 1, 1934, issue Young Girl Loses Life When Bicycle Collides With Car Eileen Yager, 13, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Yager, was fatally injured Friday evening about 8 o'clock when she collided at Second and Division, with a car driven by Fred Weise, manager of the grocery department of the Myers-Shepley store. Weise had stopped at the Bruno Sielaff service station in the same block and was turning off Division into Second when the girl, coasting on her bicycle down Division struck the car with terrific impact, receiving injuries from which she died at the hospital here less than an hour later. Her head was badly crushed and one leg was broken. The glass in the rear window of the Nash coach was completely shattered by the collision, the running board was torn loose and the bumper dented. The girl fell to the street and Weise, after slowing down, increased the speed of the car and disappeared. He returned to the scene about five minutes later and was taken into custody by Sheriff Oestreich, who had been summoned. Weise was held in jail until Saturday evening when he was released under a $200 bond, having been found guilty of gross negligence at the coroner's inquest Saturday morning and his case has been filed in the superior court. The funeral of Eileen was held from the Lutheran church Monday afternoon and was attended by more than 500, including many of the child's associates and classmates, as well as the Girl Scouts, who attended in a body. Eileen was a member of a recent confirmation class of the church and her class furnished the music. The service was in charge of her pastor, Rev. E. A. Rein, and the youthful pallbearers were Gerald Wellsandt, Robert Irwin, Fred Schwisow, Robert Rein, Walter Sielaff and Kermit Wellsandt. Interment was in the Ritzville Lutheran cemetery. Surviving members of the family include the parents and one brother, Harvey Jr. There were many out of town people at the funeral. Eileen Barbara Yager was born Oct. 15, 1920, at Connell, her parents moving to Ritzville two years ago. In addition to belonging to the Girl Scouts, Eileen also was a member of the 4-H club and at the exercises last week was awarded her achievement pin. Pioneer Teacher Passes Away In Spokane Miss Mary C. Lehan, 65, died Saturday in Spokane, where she had lived for 25 years. She was a retired school teacher, having taught in Spokane for Adams counties for 35 years. Miss Lehan had charge of the Frank West district between here and Washtucna for 10 years and had also taught in the Ralph Gillis district. She retired from active teaching two years ago. Thomas Frank Dixon Thomas Frank Dixon, 71, died Sunday evening at the home of Mrs. J. Dooley near Othello and the funeral was held from the Haight chapel here Wednesday afternoon, Rev. Attenborough officiaing. Burial was in the Ritzville cemetery. Deceased had made his home in the vicinity of Warden for 30 years. The only known surviving relative is a sister in Kansas. James Caldwell James Caldwell, 67, for many years a resident of this vicinity, died Saturday at the home of Mrs. Frost in Ritzville, the case of his demise being dropsy, form which he had suffered for several years. Funeral services were conducted from the Haight chapel Tuesday, Rev. Attenborough officiating. Interment was in the Ritzville cemetery. Mr. Caldwell was born in Missouri and little was known of his family connections. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, March 8, 1934, issue None Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, March 15, 1934, issue Death Calls Mrs. Gillespie Mrs. Rose Gillespie, 56, died at her home in Spokane the last of the week and the funeral was held Monday afternoon, with interment in Greenwood. The deceased was the wife of B.B. Gillespie and they were well known in this community, having resided here for more than 20 years, Mr. Gillespie operating a farm this side of Marengo and also what is now the Dan Scott place. Mr. and Mrs. Gillespie moved to Spokane seven years ago. Mrs. Gillespie is survived by her husband; two sons, Lawrence, in California, and Jesse, of Spokane; her mother, Mrs. E. A. Kirby, and a sister, Mrs. G. L. Vetter, both of Sunnyside, Wash. Mrs. Gillespie was a member of the North Hill Rebekah lodge and of the Woman's Club of Spokane. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, March 22, 1934, issue Borgess Dies In Oregon Ira Borgess, 51, former Ritzville man, succumbed suddenly of a heart attack at his home in Toledo, Ore., Monday night according to a wire received here by his sister, Mrs. J. I. Prewitt. She left Tuesday evening to attend the funeral. Mr. Borgess leaves his widow and two children by a former marriage. Former Sprague Girl dies Mrs. Helen Strong received word the last of the week that a niece, Mrs. Caldwell, has passed away Friday at Beaumont, Texas. Mrs. Caldwell was formerly Miss Mary Alice Hunter and made her home with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Fulquartz at Sprague until her marriage. They left Sprague four years ago to make their home in Texas where he is employed by an oil company. She was 24 years old and besides her husband, she leaves two small children. Mrs. Caldwell graduated from the Sprague high school and attended Cheney normal for a short time and was active in the Eastern Star chapter. Quinsy Kills Lind Boy Vernon Watson, 15, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Watson, died in a Spokane hospital Sunday, only a few days after he had been taken there for treatment. An attack of quinsy, complicated by an abcess, was the cause of the lad's death. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, March 29, 1934, issue Tucna Co-founder Dies At Age Of 83 WASHTUCNA - March 28 - Mrs. G. W. Bassett, affectionately known to several generations of Adams county residents as "Grandma Bassett," died at her home here on Monday morning at the age of 83. She had been rather frail but active for several years prior to a fall she suffered last summer which caused a concussion of the brain and left her in a weakened condition. For several months past she had been confined to her bed under a nurse's care. The funeral in charge of M. F. Haight of Ritzville, took place Wednesday morning at the United Presbyterian church and the interment was in the family plot at Walla Walla. The services were in charge of Rev. H. W. Gordon, with Rev. D. A. Russell of Spokane, a close friend of Mrs. Bassett's assisting. Grandma Bassett was born Alice Carrie Lancaster in Erie county, Ohio, June 28, 1850. She gave early evidence of the pioneering spirit and while teaching school at Preston, Minn., became engaged to George W. Bassett. The young school teacher traveled by wagon train in 1874 out to Virginia City, Mont., to meet Mr. Bassett and they were married there. From Montana they rode in a covered wagon to Walla Walla and in 1879 they came to this valley and decided to build their home at the site of the big spring from which Washtucna gets its name. For many years travelers found rest and food at the Bassett farm home and her stories of the adventures of those early days were a source of delight to all who knew her. Mr. and Mrs. Bassett were co-founders of the town of Washtucna. She established the first Sunday school and the first church in the community. She was a charter member of the Easter Star, a loyal and active member of the United Presbyterian church. Mrs. Bassett is survived by a brother, James Lancaster, and a sister, Mrs. Gertrude Webster, both of Los Angeles; two sons, Linn L. Bassett and Charles S. Bassett; two daughters, Mrs. William A. Pearce and Miss Georgia Bassett and 10 grandchildren. August Rutz Dies August Rutz, 35, a painter by trade and a former resident of this city, died in Spokane Tuesday. The funeral will be held from the Lutheran church in Ritzville Friday afternoon, Rev. E. A. Rein officiating. In addition to his mother, who resides here, deceased is survived by five sisters, including Mrs. John Bazille of Ritzville, and one brother.