Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, Oct 7, 1948 Adams County, Ritzville, WA ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************ ==================================================================== This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Sue Gardner sueboo18@hotmail.com ==================================================================== Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, October 7, 1948 Bill Pettijohn, Oldest Resident of Ritzville, Dies After a Full Life Ritzville's oldest resident, W. T. (Bill) Pettijohn, died Friday morning. During his 97 years he had fled the Minnesota Indian uprising of 1862, rounded the Horn on a windjammer, and broke vigin soil in Kansas and Adams county. But though he lived for almost a century, his spirit never seemed to grow old. The day before he died he made two trips to the new elementary school site to see what progress had been made. Few things failed to interest him, from beginnning to end, from the breathless drama of growing up in a real and savage frontier to the victory gardens he grew during the second World War. Bill Pettijohn's long life was a full one and even as dusk overtook him he must have felt entirely satisfied. Seven of Pettijohn's eight children are living and they all were present for the funeral service here Sunday. Afterward, the body was sent to Spokane for cremation in accordance with the bearded pioneer's expressed desire. Pettijohn was born at Traversdessioux, Minn., an Indian outpost which no longer exsists, on June 3, 1852. His father was a missionary and government teacher. His boyhood was spent in a midwestern wilderness where white men were just beginning to settle. Indians Rise Up In August of 1862, when Bill was 10 years old, the Sioux Indians rose up. Their chiefs lashed them with cries that the "great white father" had failed to keep his side of the treaties which had taken their lands away. The Sioux struck first at an Indian agency 57 miles from the Pettijohn home, killing the clerk and raiding the stockrooms. Perhaps a hundred men, women and children had been massacred before the Pettijohns learned of the danger, so slowly did word filter through a frontierland. The father, Jonas Pettijohn, bundled his wife and possessions into an ox cart. The sons, Albert and Bill, drove the family's cow and calf. Soon this frightened party was swelled to 43 persons. Indians ranged on every side of them, looting and burning. Defense Weak "Our defenses," the elder Pettijohn recalled in his printed memoirs, "consisted of four guns, one was no good and the other three were single barreled Indian shotguns. But we had no bullets except for the old rifle which wouldn't shoot. It would have been difficult to hold off any Indians." The pioneers traveled night and day. They didn't dare to build fires until the third evening, when they killed a two-year-old heifer and boiled it. One day four of the young men chose a different route and struck out on their own. They walked straight into an ambush and though he never claimed to remember it, Bill Pettijohn of Ritzville heard the shots that killed them. The party reached Fort Ridgley but found the outbuildings afire and the garrison hardpressed to drive off repeated attacks. They detoured the fort and after nearly a week on the trail finally reached safety. Close To Death During the bitter Minnesota winter of 1868 both father and son nearly died of pneumonia, the elder Pettijohn records in his memoirs. Shortly afterwards the family moved to Linn county, Kansas. There Bill first tried his hands at farming alone, "or at least he did his best to," Jonas Pettijohn recorded, for Bill's first crop was almost an entire failure. The next year, though, his corn and potatoes supplied a large share of the family's larder. In 1873 Bill attained his majority and sought to fulfill his boyhood dreams of the sea. He headed overland for San Francisco and shipped on a windjammer. For five boisterous years his ships played up and down the coast, and across to Australia and the Hawaiians. Then Bill came back to Kansas to help his parents farm. He was married in 1875 to Octavia Clark. Neary 30 years later, disguisted with crop failures and hot Kansas winds, he visited the Pacific Northwest. "When I arrived in Spokane, I fell in love with the timber and the waterfalls," Bill said later. Albert, his brother, already was living in Ritzville. Bill moved to Adams county in March, 1906, and farmed near Tokio for another 15 years until 1921. After his wife died he sold out, visited his grown children in Seattle and California, and decided to retire at the home of one of his four daughters, Mrs. Henry Ahlers of Ritzville. "After coming to the Northwest," he said, "I had always felt Ritzville was my home town." He lived here during his last seven years. Bill Pettijohn was a member of the Methodist church and had belonged to the Oddfellows lodge for 60 years. He was one of the organizers of the Farmers Union elevators in Ritzvile, which later became the Ritzville Warehouse. He died Friday after a brief illness following a stroke. Funeral services in the Newman-Danekas chapel were conducted by the Rev. Clifford Knight of the Trinity Methodist church. Attending were his three sons, A. E. and Thomas Pettijohn of Lodi, Calif.; and Howard of Berkeley, Calif.; his four daughters, Mrs. Zelda Wood and Mrs. Ahlers of Ritzville and Mrs. Rutt Pettijohn and Mrs. Agnes Higginbotham of Seattle; and other friends and relatives. Perhaps of all of them, Bill Pettijohn himself minded the occasion the least. "I have always been grateful," he remarked a few years ago, "that I was privileged to live during the period I did. I have seen the greatest advancement in the history of science and man. There is little more I could have asked for." Mother of Chief of Police Dies Here Funeral services for Mrs. Antoinette Davenport, 81, who died Sunday after a lingering illness at the home of her son, Chief of Police Harry O. Davenport, were held at one o'clock in the afternoon Wednesday in the chapel of the Hazen-Jaeger Funeral home in Spokane. Burial was in Spokane. Arrangements here were in charge of the Newan-Danekas Funeral home. Her son is the only survivor. Mrs. Rudynski Rites Saturday Funeral services for Mrs. Emma Elizabeth Rudynski, 57, who died early Wednesday morning at the nursing home of Mrs. Louis Kurch after a lingering illness, are tentatively set for St. Agnes Catholic church at 9 a.m. Saturday with the Rev. Fr. C. M. Depiere officiating. Burial will be in Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Duncan-Haight Funeral home is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Rudynski was born in Chicago, Ill., June 6, 1891. She was a gold star mother of American Legion post number 50 of South Bend, Ind., member of the Women's Catholic Order of Forresters, past president of the Marine Corps League and past president of Garrison Number 291 of the army and navy union auxiliary, all of South Bend, Ind. She is survived by her husband, Peter R., at the home; one daughter, Mrs. Irene Klettke of Ritzville, one son, Peter A., of Cincinniti, Ohio, her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Rome and one brother, John Rome, both of Chicago, Ill., and two grandchildren. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, October 14, 1948 Tenneson, Lind, Attend Funeral LIND - Mr. Paul Tenneson and son, Melvin, of Pasco, drove to Portland on Sunday of last week where they attended the funeral of Mr. Tenneson's father on Tuesday morning. Mrs. Tenneson, Tennes and Alfred drove down Monday returning home Tuesday. Services for Tennes C. Tenneson, 98, a retired famrer, were held on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Columbia Mortuary. Mr. Tenneson died at his home Saturday, Oct. 2. He was born in Flekka Fjord, Norway, and had lived in Portland for 39 years. He was a member of the First Baptist church and the Pioneer Society of Oregon. He is survived by the following children: Mrs. Alice T. Hawkins, Los Angeles; Boletta A. Burleson of Los Angeles; Mrs. Mabel T. Smith of Portland; Mrs. Florence Rich of Los Angeles; Paul Tenneson of Lind; Earl V. Tenneson of San Jose; and Walter E. Tenneson of Tonasket. He is also survived by two sisters, Mrs. Alice Marie Bower, Los Angeles; and Mrs. Nellie Sherlock, Renton, Wn. Mr. Tenneson homesteaded at Cheney in 1878, selling his ranch in 1909 and left Cheney the same year. Mrs. Walman Dies In Spokane Mrs. E. L. Starring received word of the death in Spokane of Mrs. Elsie Walman, the former Elsie Starring, Monday. Mrs. Walman was a niece of the late Jim Starring and was born and raised here. Funeral services were held in Spokane Tuesday with burial there. She is survived by her husband, one daughter, Mrs. Wilma Dives, one sister, Mrs. Phil Hayes, all of Spokane. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, October 21, 1948 Funeral Is Held for Mrs. Williams Funeral services for Mrs. Hattie Francis Priestly Williams, 77, who died Oct. 6 were held at the Sand Hills Grange hall Friday of last week. Burial was in Lind. Mrs. Williams was born in Pleasanton, Kans., Feb. 5, 1871, and was married to Andrew J. Williams at Trading Post, Kans., in January 1889 She and her husband homesteaded south of Lind and she spent most of her life there moving to Spokane about four years ago. She died Oct. 6, 1948. Her husband preceded her in death more than 25 years ago. She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. L. W. Swannack of Sprague, Mrs. Percy Parkes of Hoquiam; three sons, Bryan F. at home, Norman J. and Charles R. of Lind. She is also survived by three sisters, Mrs. William Gould of Weston, Ore., Mrs. Ed Donley of Mulhall, Okla., and Mrs. Iwan Kendall of San Fernando, Calif., and two brothers, Frank Priestly of Butler, Mo., and Will Priestly of Oklahoma, and seven grandchildren. She had been a member of the Church of Christ for 50 years and was a member of the Sand Hills Grange. Funeral Is Held for Private Sitton WASHTUCNA - Graveside services for Pvt. Quentin R. Sitton, 23, of Washtucna, who was killed in the Philippines on Jan. 24, 1945, were conducted in Riverside Park, Spokane, on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. Pvt. Sitton, who was known to everyone as "Cap" was Adams county's first war casualty. The Rev. Raymond H. Gordon officated at the burial service, with American Legion Post 72 of Cheney assisting. Pvt. Sitton was the son of Fey Sitton of Washtucna, and a brother of Eugene R. Sitton, Washtucna, and Ernest V. Sitton, Cheney. He was a member of Company M, Fourth Marine division. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, October 28, 1948 Funeral Is Held for Mrs. Norman Funeral services for Mrs. Viola Norman, 54, were held Tuesday afternoon at Trinity Methodist church with the Rev. Clifford Knight officiating and burial was in Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Mrs. Norman was found hanged in her home Saturday morning and her death was officially declared suicide by county coroner Edward G. Cross. A resident of this community for 41 years, Mrs. Norman was a member of Trinity Methodist church and Zenith Chapter 55 of the Order of Eastern Star, whose members conducted graveside services. Mrs. Norman was born in North Carolina in 1894 and was married to Charles J. Norman. Duncan-Haight Funeral home was in charge of arrangements. She is survived by two sons, Wayne R. of Pittsville, Mass., and Max of Ritzville, and two brothers, Landreth Evans of Ritzville and Robert of Los Angeles. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, November 4, 1948 None Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, November 11, 1948 Judge Beardsley Dies At Pasco The Adams-Benton-Franklin counties judicial district lost one of its two superior court judges Sunday when George O. Beardsley of Pasco, who had been ailing for some time, died at his home. Judge Beardsley was originally elected to the bench in 1946 and in the recent general election was reelected unopposed for a four-year term. Three Ritzville attorneys, W. Walters Miller, George Freese and Edward G. Cross and County Clerk Henry Meyer were in Pasco Wednesday attending Judge Beardsley's funeral. The fourth local attorney, Richard B. Ott, is still in Miami, Fla., where his wife is recovering from an illness suffered during the National American Legion convention. It is not known whether the Democratic Governor Mon C. Wallgren will fill the vacancy created by Judge Beardsley's death or leave the appointment to Republican Arthur B. Langlie, his successor. Judge B.B. Horrigan of Pasco and the other superior court judge for this district, also were reelected unopposed in the recent general. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, November 18, 1948 Dr. Johnston Funeral Set Area Stunned By Physician's Death Funeral services for Dr. Richard C. Johnson, prominent young Spokane physician whose death Monday came as a shock to the Ritzville area, will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Smith Funeral home in Spokane. Bishop Edward Cross and Archdeacon Alexander Coffin, both of the Episcopal church in Spokane, will officiate at the rites. Burial will be in the Riverside Park cemetery in Spokane. Dr. Johnston, a native of Ritzville, was 36 years old at the time of his death and according to friends here actually was only embarking on the exceptional medical career promised by his youth. He had been hospitalized in Spokane Saturday night on the order of his physician, Dr. Merritt H. Stiles, after he complained of a chest pain. He died suddenly Monday morning of a heart attack. The son of Dr. John Johnston, who practiced in Ritzville for 20 years prior to his death in 1928, Dick Johnston was graduated from Ritzville high school in 1929. He attended Whitman college and received his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania. He specialized in obstetrics. A navy veteran, Dr. Johnston was awarded the bronze star for bravery while evacuating wounded from Pelelieu island in the Pacific. He was also a veteran of the Okinawa invasion. He was a member of the Spokane chapter of the Pennsylvania alumni association, the state and county medical societies, the university club and the Spokane club. He is survived by his widow, Mary P. Johnston, and his daughter, Cicely Ann, both of Spokane; and his mother, Mrs. John Johnston of Ritzville. Funeral Rites Wednesday for Mrs. J. Stone WASHTUCNA - Funeral services for Mrs. Jeannie Stone, Washtucna resident, will be held Wednesday at the Washtucna Community church with the Rev. A. K. Walborn officiating. Burial will be in Colfax. Mrs. Stone died Saturday night in a Colfax hospital, where she had been a patient several days. Her death was unexpected although she had been in poor health for several years with a heart disorder. In addition to her widower, George Stone of the home in Washtucna, she leaves two daughters, Mrs. Harry Knox of Hay, Wn., and Mrs. E. G. Stoess of Washtucna and two grandchildren. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, November 25, 1948 Funeral Held For Mrs. Stone in Washtucna WASHTUCNA - Funeral services for Mrs. Jeanie Stone, 64, Washtucna resident, were held Wednesday at the Washtucna Community church with the Rev. A. K. Walborn officiating. Burial was in the Colfax cemetery. Bearers were Omer Fleming and Jack Shere of Lacrosse, J. H. Scott and John Wilson of Hay, and John S. Gray and John Klee of Washtucna. Mrs. Stone died Nov. 13 at the St. Ignatius hospital in Colfax. Jeanie Shearme was born Nov. 20, 1883, in Devonshire, England. She came to this country in 1911 and on Dec. 16, 1911, was married in Walla Walla to George Stone. Mr. and Mrs. Stone lived near Lacrosse and Hay communities until 1941 when they moved to a ranch near Washtucna. The last two years they lived in Washtucna. Mrs. Stone was a member of the Episcopalian church of England and was affiliated with the Washtucna Community church. Besides her widower at the home in Washtucna, she leaves two daughters, Mrs. Harry (Eileen) Knox of Hay, and Mrs. E. G. (Diana) Stoess of Washtucna, one sister, Mrs. Edgar Shipton in England; two brothers, Edward Shearme of Buffalo, N.Y., and F. B. Shearme of Langford, B. C., and two grandchildren. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, December 2, 1948 Funeral Saturday for Sherry Sanders Graveside services for Sherry Irene Sanders, little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Everett C. Sanders of Othello, were conducted by the Rev. Clifford Knight in the Ritzville Memorial cemetery at 1 p.m. Saturday. Sherry died Nov. 23 at her home. She is survived by her parents, her paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Orlie Sanders of Othello, and her maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Hoehn of Beverly. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, December 9, 1948 Mrs. Morrison Dies In Tacoma Nov. 25 LIND - Word has been received of the death of Mrs. Russell Morrison of Tacoma, who died in Tacoma Nov. 25. Mrs. Morrison is well remembered in the Lind and Ritzville areas, having lived in Lind for years where she gave piano lessons, then moving to Ritzville where she continued with this work. She was born Frances Gittens in New York City on Nov. 19, 1874. Besides her husband, she is survived by one son, Arthur Crawford of Spokane, and one sister and one brother in the east. She has lived at Tacoma for the past 18 years and about two months ago suffered a heart attack from which she recovered and then had a stroke which was the cause of her passing. Funeral Is Held for Mrs. Kissler Funeral serives for Mrs. Anna Kissler, 66, who died Friday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ted Tschritter of Ritzville, were held in the chapel of the Newman-Danekas Funeral home at one o'clock Tuesday afternoon with the Rev. P. Ruder officiating. He was assisted by the Rev. H. A. Hausauer of Odessa. Mrs. Kissler was born in Franck, Russia, and came to the United States in 1913, settling near Odessa. She is survived by six daughters, Mrs. Ted Tschritter of Ritzville, Mrs. George Iltz, Mrs. C. R. Jesha and Mrs. Lewis Pavliska, all of Odessa, Mrs. Harry Tompkins of Hatton and Mrs. Edward Reiner of Spokane; two sons, Carl and Reuben, both of Ritzville; 20 grandchildren and three great- grandchildren. Funeral Is Held For Fred Thiel Funeral services for Fred Thiel, 74, of Astoria, Ore., who died Dec. 1 were held in the Newman-Danekas Funeral home at three o'clock Saturday afternoon with the Rev. P. Ruder officiating. Burial will be in the Ritzville Memorial cemetery. He and his brother, Henry, started a drug store here more than forty years ago and after selling that business they operated a pool hall in the location of the Pastime pool hall. He went to Astoria about 30 years ago and had lived there ever since. He is survived by his wife, Katie, at the home; two brothers, Henry of Astoria and Mike of this community, and one sister, Mrs. Fred Koch of Buhl, Idaho. Funeral Is Held for Mrs. Brown, Othello OTHELLO - This community is still stunned at the apparent suicide of Mrs. Walter H. Brown, 36, who according to the county coroner killed herself with an automatic pistol on Thursday of last week. Funeral services for Mrs. Daisy Helen Brown, 36, of Othello, were held at two o'clock Tuesday afternoon with the Rev. Clifford Knight officiating. Cremation followed. She is survived by her husband, Walter H. of Pinole, Calif., two daughters, Mrs. Clara Marer of Pinole, Calif., and LeLani Brown of Othello; her mother Leota Burch of La Ha Habre, Calif., and her father, D. A. Birch of Pinole, Calif. She had lived in Othello for the past two years. Found Dead In Keystone Field Funeral services for Newton A. Hunsaker of Spokane were held in the chapel of the Duncan-Haight funeral home at one o'clock Sunday afternoon with the Rev. Clifford Knight officiating. Graveside services, in charge of members of the American Legion were held Monday afternoon at two o'clock in the Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Mr. Hunsaker, 57, was found dead Dec. 1 in a field near Keystone where he had been herding sheep for Mr. Fourcade of Spokane. Investigators said he died of natural causes. He was born Sept. 27, 1891, at Monument, Ore. He had seen service in the marine corps. He is survived by his widow, Mamie, at the home; two brothers, Herbert of Bremerton and Victor of Seattle; and one sisters, Hazel F. Avery of Seattle. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, December 16, 1948 Christian Giese Services Saturday Funeral services for Christian Giese, 55, of Lind, who died Wednesday morning in Ritzville General hospital, will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the Lind Grange hall, with burial in the Lind cemetery. Giese had been a resident of the Lind area for approximately 20 years. During most of that time he had been employed by the county engineer's office. He was given a leave of absence about a month ago because of sickness. The Lind man is survived by his wife, Mathilda, at the home; a daughter, Mrs. Marion Morgan of Lind; five brothers, August and Rudolph of Odessa, Johnny and Addie of Davenport; and Henry of Richmond, Calif.; and four sisters, Emma Janke of Davenport; Ida Mills of Odessa, Elsie Chess of Longview and Pauline Garrett of Blackwood, Ida. Giese was a member of the Lind Congregational church. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, December 23, 1948 Funeral Rites Held for Ollie Billings WASHTUCNA - Funeral services for Ollie Billings of Rosalia were held there Saturday afternoon. Mr. Billings, former Washtucna resident, died there Wednesday after a long illness. Washtucna relatives were unable to attend the services because of bad road conditions. Funeral Is Held For John Koch, Early Pioneer Funeral services for John F. Koch, 83, one of the longtime pioneers in the Ritzville area, were held at 2 p.m. Monday at the Lutheran church with the Rev. F. J. Ahrendt officiating. Burial was in the Lutheran cemetery. Duncan-Haight was in charge of arrangments. Mr. Koch was born in Kolb, Russia, on Nov. 23, 1865, and was married to Christine Marie Bauer in 1884. His wife preceded him in death in June, 1947. The Kochs came to Ritzville in 1892 from Russia and took up a homestead northwest of town in 1894. They moved to town in 1914. Mr. Koch had been in poor health for three years. He died Saturday at the Ritzville hospital. Survivors include four sons, Ralph and Philip of Ritzville, and Fred and Walter of Wenatchee; three daughters, Mrs. James Morton of Wenatchee, Mrs. William Doerschlay of Kirkland, and Mrs. Anna Koch at the home; 18 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Survivors also include a half-brother, Henry M. Koch of Ritzville, and a half-sister, Mrs. Henry Thorn of Portland. A fifth son, William Samuel, who was a veteran of the first world war, also preceded his father in death. Dorsey Infant Rites Conducted Tuesday Funeral services for Nadine Elsie Dorsey, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Dorsey, were conducted at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Menno Mennonite church with the Rev. W. W. Wiebe officiating. Burial was in the Mennonite cemetery. Arrangements were in charge of Duncan-Haight funeral home. The infant, who died in a Spokane hospital, was also survived by three grandparents, Mrs. Sannie Wolf of Ritzville and Mr. George Dorsey and Mrs. Lillian Wiek of Pasco. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, December 30, 1948 Funeral Rites Held for Silas Phillips, Cheney LIND - Funeral services for Silas V. Phillips of Cheney, father of County Commissioner Hugh Phillips and Eugene Phillips of Lind, were held Tuesday afternoon at the Lind Grange hall. The Rev. W. H. Ritchey officiated, assisted by the Lind Masonic lodge. Mr. Phillips was a member of both grange and lodge. Burial was in the Lind cemetery with the Jerue funeral home of Cheney in charge. Other survivors include his daughter, Mrs. Georgia Hays; two sisters, Mrs. Ethel Moore of Oak Grove, Mo., and Mrs. Betty McCown of Independence, Mo.; three brothers, John of Tonasket, and Shelby and Jorva of Pacola, Kans., 16 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.