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 5, 1934, issue Disappears In Alaska Word received here last week by Mr. and Mrs. John Kister expressed the fear that their son Fred had lost his life while running a trap line in Alaska. The boat of his partner and used by Kister was found wrecked after a heavy storm during December. The man's parents have not lost hope that he will turn up alive, and in that event it will be July before word can be sent out from the northern country. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, April 12, 1934, issue Timothy W. Wells Timothy W. Wells, 82, died April 5 at the home of his son Jack, 1-1/2 miles west of Lind. The funeral was held Sunday from the M. E. church, the Rev. Geiszler officiating. Interment was in the Lind cemetery and was in charge of Mortician Forrest Haight. The deceased was a native of Arkansas and had resided in Lind about 18 years. He leaves a son and one daughter, Mrs. Barker, also of Lind. Charles Mitchell Charles Mitchell, 79, of Warden, who had been a patient at the Ritzville hospital for several weeks, died April 6, and was buried here the same day, with Forrest Haight in charge of the funeral arrangements. A short service was held at the grave by Rev. E. A. Rein. Mr. Mitchell was born in Chicago and had lived in Warden for the past 10 or 12 years. He was a retired railroad man. Nothing was known of his relatives. Andrew T. Frazier Andrew T. Frazier, 69, owner of the Star hotel of this city, passed away April 7 after a long illness. The burial occurred the same day, Rev. Attenborough conducting the grave service, and M. F. Haight & Son had charge of the interment. Mr. Frazier was born in Virginia and had been in business here for several years. Surviving relatives consist of one brother, W. M. Frazier of Kennewick, and a nephew, who is at present operating the lodging house. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, April 19, 1934, issue Heart Attack Is Fatal To Pioneer Henry Freese, 79, a resident of this locality since 1901, passed away suddenly Saturday noon at his farm home near Paha, the body being found in the yard when Mr. Freese failed to come in for dinner. He had been doing some light chores, as was his custom, having found it difficult to give up his active life with advancing years. Death was attributed to heart failure. The funeral was held from the Zion Congregational church Tuesday afternoon, and the edifice was crowded by more than 500 friends of the family. The service was conducted by the pastor, the Rev. Morach, assisted by the Rev. Zocher of Olympia, former pastor here. The floral tributes were particularly beautiful among them being wreaths from the Commercial club and the courthouse employees. The body was taken to Spokane by Mortician M. F. Haight for interment in the Fairmount cemetery, thr cortege being given an escort by O. S. Buehler of the state highway patrol. Mr. Freese was a native of Germany, and was born at Westerkappeln on Oct. 22, 1854. He came to America in 1879 to St. Louis, Mo., moving to Tilden, Neb., in 1883. Here he was married in 1886 to Dina Redeker. They would have celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Jan. 5, 1936. Mr. Freese came to Adams county in 1901, and engaged in farming. He has always borne an excellent reputation as a citizen and a father, enjoying the esteem and friendship of the community. Surviving members of the family consist of the widow, Dina; three sons, Herman and George of Ritzville, and John of Harrington; three daughters, Ida and Helena at home and Mrs. Fred Dettman of Connell; two brothers, Fred of Oklahoma and Arnold of Colorado, and four grandchildren. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, April 26, 1934, issue John Tachsis John Tachsis, 77, passed away Monday at the John Kagele home following a week's illness. Mr. Tachsis was born in Russia and had made his home for a number of years at Ralston, moving to Ritzville about a year ago. Funeral services were held Wednesday at 2 o'clock at the Philadelphia church, the Revs. Neutzmann and Frankie having charge. The burial was in the Ritzville cemetery. Deceased leaves an aged wife who has been bedridden the past five years, and a daughter, Mrs. Julius Roloff of Ralston. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, May 3, 1934, issue John Wellsandt Passes Suddenly An audience of more than 500 that overflowed the spacious Lutheran church gathered Monday afternoon to pay their final respects to one of the community's earliest settlers, a man who for almost half a century had made this his home, had reared a large family and had quietly passed away, leaving behind kindly remembrances of a life well spent. Johann Frederick Wellsandt, 74, died suddenly at his home here Friday morning, and the funeral was held Monday, with interment in the Ritzville cemetery. The pastor, Rev. E. A. Rein, had charge of the service and in compliance with a request from their father, the sons acted as pallbearers. The profusion of flowers was a tribute to the memory of this sturdy pioneer. Mr. Wellsandt was born in Marienfeld, Germany, migrating to America when 22 years of age. For five years he resided at Crete, Nebraska, where he was married 51 years ago, his bride being Wilhelmina Koeplin. They came to Ritzville in 1886 and had resided here continuously since that time. Mr. Wellsandt, characteristic of his race, was hard-working and thrifty. In those days of a half century ago, choice virgin land could easily be secured. Mr. Wellsandt acquired 2500 acres, which he eventually turned into the production of wheat, in addition to owning several hundred acres of pasture. Seventeen years ago he and Mrs. Wellsandt retired and moved to town, turning the farms over to the sons to operate. He leaves his widow, Wilhelmina; five sons, Karl L., John A., William F., Emil A. and Henry H.; two daughters, Lena Dehnell and Minnie Gaskill; four brothers, the Rev. Karl Wellsandt, Walla Walla; and August, Gustav and Louis A., Ritzville. With the exception of Henry of Uniontown, all the children live here. Mrs. Emma Fowler Mrs. Emma Wright Fowler passed away Tuesday morning at 9 o'clock at her home at 916 E. 36th, Spokane, following a short illness. Mrs. Fowler was 78 years old and death resulted from advanced age. Her husband, A. R. Fowler, died last October. They came to Ritzville about 30 years ago and moved to Spokane 13 years ago. The funeral was held Wednesday at 2 o'clock from Haight's chapel, Rev. Attenborough conducting the services. Burial was in the Ritzville cemetery. Deceased leaves one son, Paul of Portland, Ore., and four daughters, Mrs. Erle A. Thompson, Colfax; Mrs. Clinton Bennett, Tacoma; Mrs. Floyd L. Smith, Helena,, Mont., and Mrs. Harry E. Luce, Spokane. Alton Davenny Dead Word was received here Wednesday that Alton Davenny had passed away in a Seattle hospital Tuesday night. Mr. Davenny was a former Ritzville business man, leaving here about 20 years ago and locating at Edmonds. For a number of years he had traveled for the Buster Brown Shoe Co. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, May 10, 1934, issue Mrs. Freese Dies Month After Mate Mrs. Diana Freese, (she was listed as Dina earlier) 73, widow of the late Henry Freese, died at her home near Paha Monday morning. While she had been in poor health for several days, her death was unexpected at this time and was a great shock to the family. The body was brought to the Haight mortuary in Ritzville. The funeral was conducted from the Zion church here Wednesday afternoon, the Rev. Morach having charge of the service. Interment was in Fairmount cemetery by the side of her husband, who died suddenly less than a month ago, when his body was found in the yard of the farm home. Mrs. Freese was born in Westphallen, Germany, in September 1861. She came to America in 1885 and was married at St. Louis, Mo., in 1886. Following a few years residence in Nebraska, Mr. and Mrs. Freese came to Adams county in 1901, and had resided here continuously. Surviving members of the family consist of three sons, Herman and George of Ritzville and John of Harrington; three daughters, Ida and Helena at home and Mrs. Fred Dettman of Connell, and four grandchildren. Laura A. Carter Laura A. Carter, 52, wife of M. A. Carter of this city, died at her home here Saturday. Mrs. Carter, who had been in poor health for many years, was stricken the night before and passed away the following morning. The funeral was held Monday afternoon in the chapel of Hazen & Jaeger's Spokane, the arrangements being in charge of Mortician Haight of Ritzville. The body was cremated. Mrs. Carter was born at Moscow, Idaho, Sept. 11, 1881, and was married to Mr. Carter in 1907. She was telephone operator in Ritzville 27 years ago, a position she held for a number of years. She is survived by the husband; her mother, Mrs. Mary C. Moore of Spokane; one sister, Miss May Henry of Spokane; one brother, Andrew Henry of Lewiston, Idaho, one half-brother, John Moore of Idaho, and one half-sister, Mrs. Gertrude Hibishman of Chicago. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, May 17, 1934, issue None Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, May 24, 1934, issue Mrs. Herman Dehnel An old settler was lost to Ritzville Sunday with the passing of Mrs. Herman Dehnel, who died of heart trouble at the family residence here. Marie Magdalena Dehnel was born July 22, 1863, in the city of Stateen, Marathon county, Wisconsin. She was united in marriage to Herman Dehnel in Marathon county on the 9th of December 1879. In the year 1900 the family moved to Washington, settling on a farm six miles south of Ralston, residing there until 1909, when they moved into Ritzville to make their home. Two years ago they moved to southern California. The deceased is survived by three sons and one daughter, seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and two brothers. Surviving children are Albert Dehnel, Ralston; William Dehnel, Fairfield, Idaho; Richard Dehnel, Ritzville, and Mrs. Henry Pfannekuchen, Ritzville. A brother, Fred Saager, lives at Wausau, Wisconsin, and another brother, Robert Saager, resides in Minneapolis. Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock from Emanuel Lutheran church, the Rev. E. A. Rein officiating. Burial was in the Lutheran cemetery. Herman August Zietzke Funeral services for Herman August Zietzke, 62, a resident of Adams county since 1894 were held from Emanuel Lutheran church Saturday afternoon, the Rev. E. A. Rein officiating, with interment in the Lutheran cemetery. The deceased was born May 27, 1871, in Nurenburg, Germany. He came to America at the age of 17, leaving all relatives in Germany. He arrived in the vicinity of Ritzville about 1894, and took up a homestead where he resided until the death of his wife, after which he resided with a daughter, Mrs. Laura Teske, at Portland, Ore., where he passed away May 16. On May 31, 1890, the deceased married Martha Pinnow at Chicago, Illinois. To this union were born eleven children and fifteen grandchildren. The surviving children are Mrs. Laura Teske, Mrs. Mary Brindgle, Mrs. Emma Alterfoe, all of Portland; Mrs. Martha Geschke, Ritzville; Mrs. Lillian Saager, Freewater, Ore., and Miss Minnie Zietzke, San Francisco. The sons are William Zietzke, San Francisco; Herman Zietzke, Spokane, and Ernest Zietzke, Yakima. Mrs. Frank Jones Mrs. Frank Jones, wife of a former graduate of Ritzville high school, died at the family home at Blaine this week, according to word received here by Mrs. Jones' sister, Mrs. Wade Landreth. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, May 31, 1934, issue Jurgen Danekas Jurgen Danekas, 77, one of the earliest settlers in this vicinity, coming here in 1889, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Otto Sielaff, Sunday morning. Mr. Danekas suffered a stroke 18 months ago and for the past eight months had been confined to his bed. The funeral was held from the Zion church here Tuesday afternoon, the Rev. John Morach conducting the service, which was largely attended. Interment was in the Ritzville cemetry. Mr. Danekas was a native of Germany, migrating to America in 1867 with his parents, who settled at Minonk, Ill. Mr. Danekas was married in 1882 to Margaretha Vehrs and they came west seven years later, taking up a homestead three miles west of Ritzville. They moved to town in 1906, where Mrs. Danekas passed away in 1912. Since that time Mr. Danekas had made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Otto Sielaff. He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Cristina Sielaff, and three sons, William G., Henry A., and John P., as well as two brothers, Frank of Minonk, Ill., and Henry of Aston, Ill. John August Lehman John August Lehman, 83, was born July 23, 1850, in Poland and died at his home in Ritzville Saturday. The funeral was held from the Haight chapel Monday afternoon, the Rev. John Morach officiating. Interment was in the local cemetery. Mr. Lehman came to America in 1896 and after living in Cleveland, Ohio, for a short time he moved his family to Canada where he took up a homestead. His health failing, Mr. Lehman moved back to the United States in 1899 and homesteaded near Rocklyn, Wash. He retired from farming in 1908, and after residing in Spokane moved to Ritzville where he had since made his home. Mrs. Lehman passed away in 1912. Mr. Lehman is survived by his wife, Margaret, by a second marriage; two daughters, Mrs. Carolina Bruhn of Canada, and Mrs. Lydia Kendall of Rock Island, Ill.; four sons, Julius of Ritzville, Henry of Shelton, August and Gutav of Canada, as well as two sisters in Poland, 42 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren. Pioneer Matron Passes HATTON - In the passing of Mrs. M. A. Bishop, aged 78 years, Thursday the 24th of May, another pioneer of the Hatton country has passed to her reward. With her husband, the late Samuel Bishop, they came from Tennessee and settled on the Michigan Prairie where they farmed for many years. Later they moved to Hatton. Mr. Bishop was killed in an auto accident about four years ago and the past few years she has made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Ernest Kelsey. About two weeks ago she fell, causing dry gangrene to set in, and although everything possible was done, advanced age was against her. Mrs. Bishop was the mother of 10 children, only three surviving here, Mrs. Ernest Kelsey of Michigan Prairie, and Bert and Beryl Bishop of Kennewick; 16 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren besides her children and a host of friends mourn her passing. Funeral services were held Sunday in the Hatton church conducted by the Rev. Geiszler and she was laid beside her husband in the Michigan Prairie cemetery. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, June 7, 1934, issue None Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, June 14, 1934, issue Clous Heinrich Edens Clous Heinrich Edens, 71, for 12 years a resident of Othello and former railroad employee of that place, was found dead in bed Sunday morning. Coroner Freese and Sheriff Oestreich were notified, but no inquest was held, death having resulted from natural causes. Mr. Edens had been sick for several days, and neighbors had been helping him during his illness. The body was removed to the Precht mortuary in Lind and the funeral, in charge of the Masons and Odd Fellows, was held Tuesday. Mr. Edens was also a Shriner. He had no known relatives. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, June 21, 1934, issue Spotted Fever Kills Pioneer Charles A. DeSpain, 67, brother of William F. DeSpain of Ritzville, and one of the best known and picturesque residents of the Crab creek district in the early days, died at Harrington last Thursday of spotted fever, contracted from a tick bite. The funeral was held Saturday. Mr. DeSpain came to Washington territory in 1881 from Eugene, Ore., where he was born March 22, 1867. He is survived by his widow, Nellie, at the farm, 12 miles west of Harrington; a son, Jerry, employed by Crane & Co., Spokane; a daughter, Mrs. H. P. Kramer, Bonneville, Ore.; two granddaughters, a grandson and a brother, William F. DeSpain, Ritzville. He located in the lower Crab creek region and broke horses and rode the range for Bigham and "J. S." As a buckaroo, it was said, he might have had equals, but no superiors, in those days. He served two years on the Spokane fire deparment and at Ukiah, Ore., conducted a grocery store seven years, and one at Ontario, Ore., two years. He was married to Miss Nellie Johnson, at Ritzville, Dec. 4, 1890. In 1920 he went to Casper, Wyo., and in 1926 homesteaded there. He returned to Harrington in 1932. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, June 28, 1934, issue None