The History of Lewis County, Washington, Pt 1 of 10: PAGES 63 - 94 Submitted by: Wes , Feb. 2003 ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgenwebarchives.org *********************************************************************** Source material: Nix, Alma and John Nix, Eds. "The History of Lewis County, WA". Chehalis, Lewis County Historical Society, 1985. The genealogies and stories of pioneers found on pages 63 to 394 of the history were scanned to Word, and saved as .txt files without Photos. Photo captions with names remain. The scanned page with photos is available from Wes upon request. We thank the Lewis County Historical Museum (lchs@lewiscountymuseum.org) for generously granting permission to post this file to the Digital Archives. Page numbers are at the bottom of each page. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Pt 1 of 10: PAGES 63 - 94 CAROL ADKINS Our family history has been traced back through the colonial settlements (Jamestown, etc.) to Europe with relationships to many famous people including Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams; General Robert E. Lee; and Jean Laffite, who helped defeat the British in the War of 1812. (photo): Harold and Carol Adkins I was born Carol Dorothy Page, Jan. 16, 1914, near Sweet Grass, Montana; the third daughter of DeWitt Peters Page and Hazel Carrie Ely. Brother, DeWitt Clinton, joined the family Jan. 13, 1916. Older sisters were Iris and Ruth. We spent several years in Pennsylvania with Grandmother Ely, then moved to Page, Nebraska (founded by grandfather William Walter Page, a United States marshal and government surveyor), then on to a homestead on the Montana prairie. In 1932, Mother and I moved to Seattle, Iris went to Canada and married Ralph Stearns. Ruth married Sam Sorensen in Montana. DeWitt (nicknamed "Dick") joined the army I (later went "Career Air Force"). I married Clester Whitton of Renton, May 25, 1933. I worked at Boeing during World War II. Our son, Kenneth Edward was born Jan. 26, 1945, at Renton and Jan. 11, 1947, another son Larry Gordon, arrived in Seattle. Both boys joined the army upon high school graduation. Ken served in Germany, Larry in Viet Nam. Both now live near Seattle. Larry has two daughters, Bonnie Michelle and Jennifer Lynn. Ken is unmarried. Cles died of a heart attack March 17, 1963. Ruth A. Sorensen (now widowed) retired from postal work and started raising Nubian DairyI Goats, producing many grand champions. She moved to Lewis County in 1972. I did practical nursing, clerking and worked in Boeing's wire shop. I retired and moved here from King County in 1973. I also had Nubians, and one doe, "Misty Meadows Isobella," made National "Top Ten" in milk production (1973). Iris and Ralph taught me lapidary, and at present I am designing and hand-fabricating gold and silver jewelry, between fishing trips with brother Dick, who joined me here in 1976. He retired from the air force in 1961, and now prospects, refines and casts gold as a hobby. April 30, 1982, I married my brother's best friend, Harold Steven Adkins, and was widowed two years later. Dick was a big help during Harold's long illness. Harold was born April 13, 1921 at Riffe, a great-grandson of two of the areas early pioneers, John Hunt and Peter Thomas Schoonover. John Hunt's daughter Rachel, married Peter Schoonover's son George. Their daughter, Angie Marie married Samuel Stephen Adkins, son of Louis F. Adkins, a Baptist minister of Riffe. Harold was their eldest. They had two other children: Don Lee (died in a logging truck accident in 1946) and Helen Elizabeth Greear of Mossyrock. Harold's only two children were born to his first marriage (to Margaret Nikos, Ajlune). His son George and two granddaughters, Julie and Hillary, live in California. Daughter Beth Jorgensen lives with her three children, Christopher, and twins, Juanita and Meladi in Ohio. Harold was an avid hunter, fisherman and boatsman. He served in the Navy in World War II in the South Pacific as Carpenter's Mate aboard the U.S.S. Yancy. His ship was one of the first into Tokyo Bay with occupation troups, and they witnessed the surrender ceremony. Much of his life was spent in construction, but he was skilled at many things. In 1965 he was badly injured when he was knocked from a building in an industrial accident. He was left severely handicapped with a predicted life expectancy of eighteen months, but hard work (rehabilitation), determination, faith and prayer stretched that to almost nineteen years of active life. He died April 24, 1984 of a heart attack, and was interred in the family plot at Mossyrock Klickitat Cemetery. By Carol Adkins ADOLPHSEN FAMILY Albert Adolphsen was born December 1925 in Chehalis, Washington. His father, Anton Adolphsen was born in Germany and came to America as a young man, settled in the Chehalis area and farmed. He married Elsie Hoerling who was born in Chehalis. There were eleven children in the family, Dorothy, Julius, Louise, Margaret, Eva, Albert, Eugene, Beulah, Bobby, Lawrence, and Norman. Albert attended Chehalis schools and worked several years helping neighbors combine peas and make hay in the summer, while helping his dad milk a large herd of dairy cows at Pleasant Valley southwest of Chehalis. Albert met and married Dolores John, (myself) from the Adna area. My dad was Paul John who was born in Germany and came to America when he was nine years old with his parents, brother, and sister. He later bought the farm on Crego Hill from his parents and lived there the rest of his life. My mother, Esther Peterson John was born at Mayfield, Washington. Her parents came from Sweden. She had four brothers and sisters. My parents had a large family also: Hazel, Frances, Daniel, Arnold, Elton, Andrew, myself, and Vernon. We all grew up on Crego Hill and went to Adna schools. After Albert and I were married he worked for George and Dave Whittaker as herdsman. They had a grade A dairy and milked Jersey cows. Then, anxious to farm for ourselves we rented a farm on Lincoln Creek. We packed up the two boys and moved in. Good dairy cattle were expensive, so it was slow getting started, but in a short time we had a small herd and were looking for a place to buy. It didn't take too long and we moved farther up the creek. Grade A milk was priced higher, so we built a milking parlor. By this time we had four boys, Alan, Richard, Steven, and Jim. As the years went by they were good help to their dad and to the neighbors when needed. Then we had a baby girl, Connie May. We all enjoyed spoiling little sister. As she grew older her love for animals made her a big help for her dad. They all graduated from Centralia High School. Alan is married and has two sons, Dustin Alan and Jeffery Alan. Richard is married and has two children, Scott Anthony and Richelle Lee. Steven graduated from the University of Washington. He is married and has a son, Anton Christen, named after Great-Grandpa Adolphsen. Jim is married and has twin sons, Jeremy James and Joshua Alan. Connie is married and lives in Renton, Washington. In 1975 the dairy herd was sold and replacement heifers were raised and sold before they were due to calve. Hay and grass for green chop to feed the cattle was raised and later part of the farm leased to neighbors. Albert and I lived on Lincoln Creek twenty-nine years until his sudden death from a heart attack on June 15, 1984, two weeks before our thirty-sixth wedding anniversary. JULIUS ADOLPHSEN FAMILY Julius, the oldest son of Antone and Elsie, was born in 1917 on a farm which is now part of the Newaukum Valley Golf Course. He attended Newaukum Valley Grade School. He had several brothers and sisters, some of whom still live in the area. Grace, the oldest daughter of George and Irena Stratton, was born in 1924 on a farm next to the Pleasant Valley Grade School. She attended and graduated from Adna School. The fall following her graduation, her parents and sister, Mary, moved to Seattle, where her father worked for Boeing until his retirement. George and Irena remained in the Seattle area the rest of their lives. Mary now resides in Sacramento, California.Julius and Grace were married in 1943. They have three children, Katherine, Julia, and David. Katherine was born in 1945 and currently resides in Woodinville, Washington, with her husband, Frank Wodarz, and children, Tanya and Eugene. Julia was born in 1947 and currently resides in Farmington, New Mexico, with her husband, Steve Anderson, and daughter, Angela Payne. David was born in 1953 and currently resides on a ranch near Wells, Nevada, with his wife, Nancy, and children, Owen and Dallas. Katherine, Julia, and David all attended and graduated from Adna School.During his working lifetime, Julius was a horse logger, worked in sawmills, worked for the Grange Supply, and retired from John Deere in 1977. Grace has worked for the National Fruit Canning Company since 1958. For the past 25 years they have lived on Brown Road on Newaukum Hill. ERNEST AHRENS FAMILY Ernest Ahrens was born 17 July 1925 to Lillie (Nix) and Rudolph Ahrens at their home at Union. He went to grade school at Union School and then to Chehalis High School where he played on the football team. On 14 June, 1953, he married Patricia Lee Doyle, daughter of Ral-ph and Romayne (Pfirter) Doyle. She was born 26 August, 1932, near Chehalis. She also attended Chehalis schools and graduated in 1950. After graduation she worked at Lebo Furniture Co. and J.C. Penney Co.Ernie worked for Darigold for 32 years, first as milk truck driver and then as bulk feed truck driver, retiring in 1982. He has also been a dairy farmer all of his life, first with his father and then with his sons.Ernie and Pat have five sons. The oldest is John, born in 1954. He lives in Toldeo and is employed by M.& W. Enterprises as a mechanic. Ron was born in 1956. He lives on the Rogers Road and works with his father on the diary farm. He married Brenda Mullins and they have a son Nathaniel born in 1981. Richard and Ona (Harding) Ahrens live on the Rush Rd. They are parents to seven children. Richard, born 1957, has been attending Centralia College and plans to go into teaching. Edward was born in 1959. He and his wife Victoria (Vinson), daughter of Linda Hirsch and AI Vinson, live in Chehalis. Ed is 63 (photo): L to R: Bernie, Jr., Dick, Ernest, Edward, Pat, John, Ron Ahrens. employed by Les Schwab Tire Center in Chehalis. Ernie Jr., born 1961, is married to Shelly (Smith), daughter of Dennis and Carol Smith of Eatonville, Washington. They also live on the Rush Road near the home farm and he is now working for the National Fruit Canning Co. of Chehalis. Ahrens Dairy has a milking herd of 125 Holstein, Brown Swiss and Ayrshire cows. They raise part of the feed mostly made into silage, on their 200 acres, part of which is pasture land. They also raise their heifer calves for replacements and at the present time have 110 head. (photo): Richard (center), L to R: Ona, Matthew, Sara. Front: Troy, Tony, Michael. At right: Twins, Mark and David. Rudolph and Lillie Ahrens RICHARD ALLEN AHRENS FAMILY Richard Allen Ahrens, son of Patricia Lee Doyle Ahrens and Ernest A. Ahrens, was born July 2,1957 in Chehalis, Washington. He married Pamela Jo Burns while in the Navy in San Diego, California. A son, Anthony Ernest Ahrens was born October 11, 1980 at Bremerton, Washington. Robert Troy Ahrens was born March 19, 1982 in Centralia, Washington. They were divorced in 1983.He married Ona Michelle Harding-Ahrens November 25, 1983 in Centralia, Washington at the Central Bible Evangelical Free Church. Ona was born March 17, 1947 in Centralia, Washington. Her children are: Sara Michelle Martinez born March 5, 1974 in Portland, Oregon; Matthew Walter Martinez born July 19, 1975 at Vancouver, Washington and Michael Paul Martinez born December 5, 1978 in Centralia, Washington. Born to Ona and Dick Ahrens on July 2 1984 are twins, David Edwin Ahrens, home delivery in Centralia, Washington and Mark Allen Ahrens, Caesarian delivery in Chehalis, Washington. Ona, the daughter of Edwin S. Harding and Florence Marvin Harding of Centralia, Washington, was a graduate of Raymond High School receiving two scholarships. Between 1965 and 1984 she attended Gonzaga University, Western Washington University, San Francisco State College and finally Evergreen State College. Travel was never new to Ona, whose father began as a dairy farmer in Tenino, Wasington. When she was seven, the family moved to PeEll and Edwin Harding began a logging company. The next year they moved to Raymond. After five years of attempts at logging, Edwin began as a counselor for the Employment Security Department. The Hardings then moved to Longview, now including Ona Michelle (Mickey) Harding, Sandra Lynn born August 14, 1948, Edwin Samuel Jr. born November 30, 1948, Marvin Raymond Harding born June 9, 1954 and Liz Beth Ann Harding born July 13, 1957. They continued to reside in Longview until 1963 when Edwin was transferred back to Raymond as manager of the local Employment Security Department.Richard attended Chehalis schools and graduated from W.F. West High School. In September of 1976 he joined the U.S. Navy. He spent his Navy boot camp training in San Diego and his first assignment was Boiler Technician School at Great Lakes, Illinois. After training he reported to the U.S.S. Blue Ridge on March 18, 1977. On board this boat he was employed in three Western Pacific cruises visiting ports in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Okinawa, Phillipines and Hawaii. In January 1980 he transferred to the U.S.S. Lynde McCormick and was later stationed at Bremerton, Washington. He was discharged in 1980. Richard, like his father worked in the old Darigold Feed Store. In 1985 he graduated from Centralia College with an A.A. in Education and A.S. in Science. In September 1985 he began working as supervisor at the Napavine Christian School.The combined Harding-Ahrens family restored an 80 year old farm-house on property adjoining the original Ahrens farm. Ona Ahrens studied Nutrition and Psychology resulting in two degrees in Biochemistry and Psychology leading to a Nutritional Counseling Service which is located in a building adjacent to the farm house. By Dna Harding-Ahrens RUDOLPH AND LILLIE AHRENS Rudolph Ernest Ahrens traveled and worked throughout the states after arriving in the U.S. from Germany in 1906. He was born Nov. 26, 1887, to Rudolph Hinrich Sievert Ahrens and 64 Christine Catharina Margaretha (Gosch) Ahrens in Neumunster, Germany. While working in Puyallup and Sumner he met Lillie Nix, daughter of early Puyallup Valley settlers, Ronimous and Minna (Teitzel) Nix. She was born June 19, 1894, in Puyallup, Washington. On September 14, 1917, Lillie Nix was married to Rudolph Ahrens in the German Evangelical Church in Puyallup. In 1921, Rudy and Lillie Ahrens moved to the Chehalis area and to the same farm where she now makes her home. Caroline Katheryn Ahrens was born to them July 23, 1921. In June of 1942 in Puyallup, Washington she was married to Ralph H. Webb, who was serving in the Army at the time. After his term of service they resided in Butte, Montana, where he worked in the copper mines. In 1949, they returned to Washington State and have resided in the Longview area. A truck driver, in Longview he has just recently retired. They have three children; Ralph D., born in1944; Barbara Ann Keith, born in 1946; and LIoyd Richard, born in 1948. All live in the Longview area except Lloyd Webb and his family are residing in New York state.Rudolph Ahrens Jr. was born in 1923. He spent three years in the navy between 1942 and 1945. After returning home, he resided at different times in Kelso, Morton, Randle and now resides in Amboy, Washington.Rudy has been a log truck driver for most of his life. He is married to Eileen England and they have the following children: Fred, living in Morton, Linda (Ball) who lives in Seattle; Lynn, who is a twin to Linda, living near Napavine; Kenneth resides in Kent, Washington. Donna Hauley and Mary Ahrens both reside in Seattle. Also there is Sandra (Erwin), Judith (Frazier), Patty (Rude), Gary, Stacy (Hanson) and Jake. Ernest Ahrens was born in 1925 and has worked on the dairy farm with his father. Rudolph Ahrens was a Charter member of Lewis-Pacific Dairymen's Association when it was formed in 1921. He had cleared the land and farmed it, and also raised a dairy herd since his arrival in Lewis County. His son Ernest and grandson Ron are still on the farm and have a dairy herd of Holstein, Brown Swiss, and Ayrshire cattle.Rudolph Ahrens died September, 1975, in Olympia and is buried at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Chehalis. Lillie Ahrens is still living at her home at the age of 91 years. DEEP ROOTS OF THE URQUHART AND ALEXANDER FAMILY Seven generations of the Urquhart and Alexander family have lived in Lewis County, beginning with James Urquhart and John Alexander, both of whom came from Scotland in the early 1850s. John Alexander, a single man came via the Horn, trying his luck in the California and Frazier River gold fields. He settled west of Chehalis on the river and married Margaret Urquhart, the daughter of James and Helen Muir Urquhart who had settled their family of nine boys and two girls at Napavine. The Urquharts purchased Cutting's Homestead c1aim and squatters rights of Pinto, laying out the town of Napavine, building homes, a mercantile store and post office. Later when Chehalis began to thrive, they built the first store there. The Urquhart brothers began to take up donation land claims and were elected to various county offices. While their father James served two terms in the Territorial Legislature in Olympia during the time the University of Washington was being founded in Seattle. (photo): James T. and Drucilla Alexander John Alexander, the pioneer, was also very influential in early Lewis County and Chehalis civic affairs. He with other farmers and businessmen were instrumental in building the first bridge across the Chehalis River at Alexander Park. His neighbor, across the river was John West, known as the Father of Chehalis. In 1873, with others they built the first building in Chehalis, a warehouse near the railroad tracks and managed to have the trains stop in Chehalis rather than Newaukum as originally planned.John and Margaret Alexander had three sons James T., Andrew U. and John W., and a daughter Mary who died in childhood. James T. and John W. were farmers and businessmen taking over the Security State Bank in 1903. Their descendants still reside on the original family farm home where John, the pioneer, homesteaded in 1858. By Dixie Alexander NEAL A. AND MARJORIE ALDRICH FAMILY Neal A. Aldrich is a ninth-generation descendant of George Aldrich who came from England to Massachusetts in 1631. He was born in Mankato, MN, and came to Washington in 1913. Marjorie Aldrich's parents, Edron and Addie (photo): Neal A. and Marjorie Aldrich Huntting, were Kansas and Nebraska natives who migrated to Silver Creek, W A, in 1889, after living ten years in the San Francisco area. When Neal returned from service in the Marines during World War I, he met Marjorie and, in 1925, they married. They bought land at Silver Creek, which Neal developed into a small farm while Marjorie taught school. In 1927, their son, Allen, was born. In 1933, that farm was traded for a larger one at Mossyrock. Their farming, in those days, was done at night and on weekends with horses and walking-equipment. Neal worked at off-the-farm jobs while he developed his own farm. Marjorie continued teaching. Finally, farming required Neal's full-time. In 1936, a second son, Glenn, was born. Neal liked growing new and different things and decided to try a few blueberry plants. They did well and, in 1945, he planted one acre of them - the first blueberries in Lewis County. Also, that year, he planted five acres of filberts. Both are still bearing well in 1985. Their daughter, Venita, was born in 1945. Blueberries, being new and unusual in the county, made marketing a problem. After all, when you have 500 pounds of berries, what do you do with them? You can't use them all yourself, and the cannery wouldn't set-up for them for less than forty-tons of berries! We had to work up our own market. In this, much credit must be given to Mr. William Fuller, Sr., a Chehalis grocer, who was of great help to us. Over the years, more acreage was planted. Hand picking became inadequate and Neal purchased the first mechanical blueberry picker used in the county. Eventually, larger machines were needed. After a very busy 1962 season, Neal suffered a severe coronary occlusion. Glenn, a First Lieutenant in the Air Force, came home and took over the farm. Neal and Marjorie built across the road. Glenn continued developing the farm into "Aldrich Berry Farm and Nursery, Inc." with more blueberries, nursery stock and young evergreens for reforestation. Both Neal and Marjorie were interested in numerous community and professional organizations and activities. Allen graduated from Washington State University and passed away after one year of teaching Vocational Agriculture. A son and grandson survive him. Glenn graduated from Washington State University and taught Vocational Agriculture a few years before taking over the farm. He has two sons - Chris, a student at W.S.U; and Jason, in high school. Glenn's wife has teaching credentials. Venita is a Central Washington University graduate, is married, and is an Engineer II for the State Department of Transportation. By Marjorie Aldrich ALLEN FAMILY Mr. and Mrs. Emery Allen left Buchanan County, Virginia, in October, 1946 in pursuit of 65 a home in Washington. They traveled in a 1939 Chevrolet pickup truck, bringing nine children with them. They were on the road for eleven days crossing North America. Emery was forty-five years of age; and wife, Eula, was thirty-five when they came to Washington. Emery is the son of Riley and Angline Allen. Eula is the daughter of Mathew and Cosby Estep. The life they left behind in Buchanan County was a soon-to-be memory indeed. Emery remembers the years he spent as a coal miner, and moonshiner. Eula remembers the horseback ride she took through the hills of Kentucky in pursuit of her wedding dress, made by a relative. Both Eula and Emery have memories of their lives on the east coast, but they also have many memories of their lives in Washington. Their first home was made on Savio Hill. Life there was hard for them, with their nine children and no water. They relocated in January, 1947, to the Fred Frost homestead. Emery was soon employed by the Kosmos Timber Company, where he earned $10 a day setting chokers in Iron Creek. He worked some for Lawrence Peters, also. Eula describes the Fred Frost homestead, "One could not wade through the apples, pears, cherries. . . the orchards. The Fred Frost homestead had water." Shortly after moving on Frost Creek, Eula gave birth to her tenth child. During the eight years that Eula and Emery lived on Frost Creek, Eula gave birth to their last four children. There was only one store in Glenoma at the time. It was located just below Frost Creek and owned by Frank and Brook Christian. A postal service was made available by Margaret O'Brian in her home. Eight of the Allen children graduated from the eighth grade at Glenoma School. Heddy, the fourth Allen child, was the first to graduate. One Allen child, Russell Emery, graduated from White Pass High School. Emery and Eula participated in the building of the first church in Glenoma in 1955. The church was pastored by Howard Eaves and Lance Allen. Prior to the building of the church, services were held in the Allen home. In 1950 while living on Frost Creek, Eula and Emery suffered the death of their fifth child, Ida Jewel. Jewell was killed in a car accident at the age of fifteen. Emery and Eula have deaths of only one child and three grandchildren. Eula and Emery moved to the Bob Martin Road in the fall of 1955. After living there for thirtytwo months, they moved to the Belcher Road in the spring of 1958 and reside there today. While living on the Belcher Road, Emery began work for the Cowlitz Stud Company in 1962. He retired from the company with a good work record. Together Eula and Emery have watched their children and grandchildren grow into very progressive people. Eula still cooks A lot of company. Emery still watches to be sure that his children and grandchildren are on the right track. He gazes out the window in wait for company. When he can't see them coming he can hear them. When he feels well, he tells his stories of times gone by. No television show could be so captivating as one of grandfather's stories. His memories are his own, but shared become living history. Eula says of today's generation, "I do not see the bonding with them that the older generation holds on to. We used to help each other a lot in days gone by. Everybody pitched in when the work needed done." Emery says, "Things will never be the same. When I came here I saw a wilderness spattered with boxed-up houses, shanties they were." The glint in his eye as he says "wilderness" leaves one with the feeing that Emery Allen really loves that wilderness. Emery and Eula have thirteen children, fifty-five grandchildren, seventy-three great-grandchildren, and ten great-great-grandchildren. Seventy-two percent of these people live in, or near, Glenoma. Emery R. Allen and Eula Alice Estep were born in Ira, Virginia in 1901 and 1911, respectively. Their children born there are: Anna Mildred, Lance Hassell (Pete), Gladys Fern, Heddy Pearl, Ida Jewell, Jeneva, Janice Mae, Russell Emery and Nadine Erva. Children born in Morton, Washington are Roger Lee, Charles Edward, Eula Lorraine, and Lynn Marlene. All of the children were born between 1927 and 1955. BENNIE ALLEN AND ELSIE TAYLOR ALLEN Bennie Allen was born to Jeanette and George Allen September 11, 1913 in Chehalis, Washington. George William Allen was of Scotch (photo): Ben and Elsie Allen Irish descent, his folks migrating from Scotland to Canada, then down into Iowa where George was born in 1863. George moved to Morrison County, Minnesota and married Jeanette Baisley. They farmed and did custom threshing. Later he moved to Yakima, Washington, where they operated a mercantile store. They had four children, Celia, Walter, Edna and George, Jr. In 1913 they moved to Chehalis, Washington where their fifth child, Bennie, was born. George Allen purchased a home at 470 Pennsylvania Avenue in in 1919. He bought a sawmill in Chehalis, where Hemphill-O'Neal is today. He took a partner in the mill by the name of Brown, and, as Mr. Allen's health was failing he later sold to Mr. Brown. George Allen died May 26, 1934. Bennie Allen's mother, Jeanette Bailey Allen was born of English-Welsh parents on May 9, 1874. She had five sisters. They all lived in Lewis County at one time. Jeanette worked at St. Helens Hotel in the Pastry department and also as cook's helper. She passed away, May 23, 1940. Bennie Allen, after finishing school, went into the C. C. C. Camp and W. P. A. Later he worked at George Osborne's Mill and Builders Supply. He married Elsie Elizabeth Taylor December 23,1935. They lived at 470 Pennsylvania Avenue until it was sold in 1949. Elsie Elizabeth Taylor Allen was born to Mary and Fred Taylor, November 5, 1915. Fred and Mary Taylor had nine children, Earl, Elsie, William, Francis, Alfred, Katie, James, Betty and Lee all born in Lewis County. Earl, Bill and James moved to California. Alfred settled in Portland, Oregon, Lee in Chehalis. Francis, Katie and Betty have passed away. Elsie worked in the Cannery, at Perry Bros., Washington Co-Op. , Laundry, and Peerless Sausage Company, where she worked for ten years, retiring in 1979. She now lives at 300 So. Market Boulevard Chehalis. Bennie and Elsie Allen had one son, Bennie William Allen, named after his dad and grandfather Allen. Bennie William was born January 2, 1941 at 470 Pennsylvania Avenue, Chehalis being the first baby of the New Year. He went to school in Chehalis and later worked at Chehalis Cannery. He married Karen Foister, February 4, 1963. He worked for Centralia Hardwood for twenty years. They purchased a home at 1412 Eshom Road in Centralia. They have three children, Lee William, Janie Irene, and James Edward. Janie is married to William Sayers and they live in Centralia, Washington. Bennie Allen, Sr. passed away October 4, 1970. ROBERT ALLEN FAMILY Grandfather Robert Allen was born on a plantation in Georgia and his father owned slaves. He fought in the Civil War and was wounded but survived. Life became totally different when he returned home. The slaves had been freed, their home had been plundered, cattle and livestock had been stolen. Even the winter's supply of smoked ham and bacon had disappeared. Life never returned to a leisurely existence.When grandfather married Amanda Martin from Atlanta, his father gave him 160 acres of land, but he never became a successful farmer. He had no equipment, mules or horses and no slaves to do the work. He planted cotton, Cotton, corn, sweet potatoes, peanuts and melons. The children helped as soon as they were old enough to work.When my mother was thirteen (she was the second child) grandfather decided to move to Washington Territory. He sold his farm for $1000. Grandmother prepared baskets of food 66 for the family of seven children and they began their journey west by train. They arrived in Tacoma on February 22, 1888, and decided to continue on to Chehalis. They found a log house to live in for a short time. Then grandfather began his search for a land claim. It was a futile search, all the desirable places were already taken.Grandfather realized that he must find work to support his family. He bought a good team of horses and a new wagon and began hauling lumber and supplies from Chehalis to the various settlements.In a short time the family moved to a little settlement at the mouth of Winston Creek. A merchant, Arthur Bridges, had constructed a store building there and laid out plots of land for sale. He hired my grandfather to do the hauling from Chehalis for this project. This spot was called Ferry and a post office was established there in 1890. My grandfather hoped to become the postmaster.Harry Mayfield built a store building and hotel one half mile north of Ferry where the bridge crossed the Cowlitz River. He wanted the post office moved from Ferry to his location. After some bitter feuding and circulation of petitions, Mayfield got the appointment and the post office was moved to Mayfield in 1895. Later grandfather and Mayfield became good friends and my grandparents ran the hotel for Mayfield.My grandfather never owned a home after leaving Georgia. Their family grew up and established their homes in various parts of Washington state. Grandfather obtained work as a night watchman in a mill at Vader. Grandmother died in 1898 and she was buried in the Little Falls Cemetery. Grandfather lived with his daughters until his death in 1927. By Olive Mills ALLENDER FAMILY Elbridge and Emma Allender arrived in Lewis County about 1904 from Nebraska. Emma (Stoltenberg) was born in Germany, and Elbridge in Iowa. They were not the first Allenders in Lewis County; Elbridge's brothers, Sam and Ira, had come ahead of the couple. Elbridge and Emma settled in Chehalis, and a son, Earl William was born there in 1905. About 1906 they moved to what is now the Ryderwood area, onto a farm. In 1907 another son, Otis Raymond, was born. In 1917, a son Ralph Erwin was born. Otis was injured in a logging accident which caused his death, in 1928. Ralph married Jacqueline M. Riegger, a local Ryderwood girl, in 1941. This couple lived in Ryderwood for a short time; a son, Ralph Otis was born in Jan. 1942. Daughter Carol Ramona was born in Jan. 1943; another girl, Linda Kay in Nov. 1944. In 1945 the young Allender family moved to the old Allender farm at the end of Allender Rd. , where they lived for seven years. In Aug. of 1948, a girl, Sue Ann was born. Elbridge died in 1948, and Emma, in 1962. They are both buried at Little Falls Cemetery. Also, in 1948 their son Earl married Velma Johnson. At present time, 1985, the couple lives in Longview. In April 1952, the young Allender family moved to a small farm on the Jones Road at Winlock. In 1958, Carol married Clifford Gene Thompson of Napavine, where they now live. Their children are Rosemarie, born Dec. 1959 and Gene Ryan, born Oct. 1961. In 1962, Ryan Thompson married Nancy Mhyre of Onalaska. Their children are Rachelle Marie, born Nov. 1982, and Nicole Aylse, born June 1984. In 1985, Rosemarie Thompson married Michael Watkins of Castle Rock. In 1963, Sue married Edwrd W. Wickert of Winlock. At present (1985) Sue and Ed live in the Evaline area. Their children are Barbara Ann, born Jan. 1964, and John Edward, born Jan. 1965; died April 1966, Donald James, born Aug. 1967, Cathy Lynn, born Oct. 1969, Cindy Sue, born May 1971. Barbara and Fred Heppe have one child, Krista Rose, born July 1983. In 1963, Linda married Darrell Sexton-DeSpain, of Winlock. Their children are Jeff Noel, born Jan. 1964 and Timothy Ray, born April 1967. Linda is divorced and lives in Kelso (1985). She is a licensed Massage Therapist. Ralph Jr. has one child Ricky Dale, born Dec. 1966. In June 1985, Ralph married Diane Hill. They all reside in Lewis County. After their family was raised, "Jackie" and Ralph Sr. sold their place at Winlock and moved to the Sareault Road at Toledo, about 1972. ROBERT "BOB" ALLISON I have been a part-time resident of Lewis County since my birth in 1923, and a full-time resident between 1950 and 1985. My grandmother, Mary Jones, with her second husband, "J. B. ," and her two sons, Weaver and Charles, came to Centralia from Tennessee, in the early 1900's. The family eventually settled, on logged-off land, in the Little Hanaford Valley. My father, Weaver, put himself through high school and taught in rural school in the area, before going on to college. While at the University of Washington, he took back his own name of Allison. There, he met and married my mother, Ada Fonda. My father taught in several smaller district in Washington and then at Lincoln High, in Tacoma for thirty-five years. I was born in Camas while he was principal of the High School there. The farm was a focal point for the family in my growing-up. We spent our summers there, with my grandmother, until her death in 1937. During those years, I decided that one day I would run the farm, which, at that time, was operated by renters. After high school, in Tacoma, I worked at Boeing and then served in the Army Engineers during World War II. After the war, I went to W. S. C. and then ran the farm, as a grade "A" dairy, for seventeen years. I married Colleen Bivins in 1951. Our four children grew to adulthood without once moving from their original home in the Little Hanaford Valley. All four, Glen, Beth, Leslie and Donna, live in Washington and Oregon, but none in Lewis County. In 1966, because of a serious back problem, I sold the dairy herd and went back to college to get my teaching credentials. I taught grade school, in Centralia, until I retired in 1985. My wife, Colleen Allison, after being a farmwife and mother during the farm years, continued as a mother and school-bus driver until 1981. She died of cancer in 1983. I have been a member of the "Two Town Tuners" barbershop chorus, in Centralia and Chehalis, since it began in 1971. I have been active in the Olympia Mountaineers since 1979. I expect to live in Western Washington for the rest of my life. VERNON L. AND M. JEAN "JEANNIE" (HARRIS) ALMY FAMILY I am Marjorie Jean "Jeannie" (Harris) Almy, my paternal grandparents, Samuel Harris of Kentucky and Mahalia Mullins of West Virginia, were married on March 2,1910 in West Virginia and came to Washington on their honeymoon with Mahalia's parents and family and settled in Eastern Lewis County. They had eight children: Goldie, my father, Jesse James, born on June 24, 1912, Leona Silva, Roy C., George, Orvel, Ivan, John (who died at the age of 5 and is buried at Shoestring Valley Cemetery near his parents), and Francis. Samuel provided for his family by farming and woods work. He worked in a mill in Lebam for a short time. He had the first school bus, which consisted of a horse-drawn wagon with hot bricks to warm the children's feet in the cold winter. The bus ran from their farm above Randle to Packwood.My maternal grandparents, Ira Baker and Amanda Belle Arnold, were married in Minnesota. Ira's family was originally from Virginia. Ira and Amanda migrated and homesteaded a timber claim near Eureka, Montana where my mother, Marjorie Grace, was born on July 22, 1909 joining Herbert, Ethel, Roy, Theodore, Ira, Hazel and Leona. Later Idaho, Esther and Edith joined the family. While in Montana they made the acquaintance of Teddy Roosevelt when he hunted in the area and the second hunting season he asked my grandfather to go to Washington with him but he replied that they had enough "fools" there already! In the early 1920's they moved to eastern Lewis County settling near Ethel where grandfather Baker earned a living with the older sons by providing hand-hewn ties for the railroad and logging, all done with horses. Mother graduated from Onalaska High School in 1929 as salutatorian of her class.My father and mother were married July 2, 1931 and made their home mostly in Lewis County, living a short time in Grays Harbor County. They had three daughters, myself, born in Onalaska (Burnt Ridge actually) March 29, 1932; Hazel Lee born at Cosmopolis December 7, 1933 and shortly after Hazel's birth Dad's two younger brothers, Ivan and Francis, came to live with us due to the death of their parents. The third daughter, Shirley Ruth, was born in Chehalis on August 20, 1936. In 1938 the family moved to Newaukum Valley where the five of us attended Newaukum Valley School until it was consolidated into the Chehalis School District. In 1945 we moved to Shoestring Valley where we attended the Shoestring Valley School (another 2-room school) for one year before it was consolidated with Onalaska School District. My father farmed and logged for Howard Lumber Company near Winston Creek. Mother was a busy homemaker and farm wife, raising children, chickens, and I remember her as full of fun. During the war years our farm kitchen was often full of neighbors and friends who would drop in for haircuts. Father got quite a reputation! Saturday nights were always busy with meetings,. dances, box socials, pie socials, etc. at either Alpha Grange, Shoestring Valley Community Club or Cinebar Community Club where Dad was well known for calling the square dances. We moved to Centralia in 1946 where we three girls graduated from Centralia High School.After graduation I worked as a legal secretary and married Vernon L. Almy on June 30, 1951 in Centralia. His parents, Martin D. Almy and Edna (Bailey) Almy, migrated to Centralia from Solway, Minnesota with Edna's parents Frank and Etta (Huffman) Bailey from Minot, North 67 (photo): L to R: Amanda Belle Baker, Jesse James Harris, Marjorie Grace Harris, Jeannie Almy, Vernon Almy, Edna Almy, Martha Almy, Edna Bailey, Frank Bailey. Dakota, where they had homesteaded before retiring. Vernon was born in Columbus, Ohio on April 1, 1926 where his father earned a living as a street car conductor. After our marriage Vernon and I settled on Waunch's Prairie and he went to work for my father who was by now the cutting contractor for Howard Lumber Company. He took two years out to serve for the U.S. Army during 1954-56, spending time in California, Texas, and Niagra Falls, New York, where I worked for the U.S. Air Force in the information office. Vernon spent the balance of his military career in Thule, Greenland and I returned to Centralia.On his return from the service we settled in Chehalis where we lived until 1966. During this time our daughter, Anita Christine, was born on April 7,1960 and died on April 7, 1960 (being buried at Claquato Cemetery near both sets of grandparents). One year later on January 24, 1961, we adopted a girl, Brenda Lee and 18 months later another girl, Monica Lynn, born July 22, 1962. In 1963 Vernon took a job as a cutter for the Weyerhaeuser Company and the family moved to PeEll in 1966 to be near his work. Both girls attended PeEll schools, Brenda graduating as valedictorian in 1979, and Monica in 1980 from Adna High School where the family had moved in 1978. After graduation Brenda married John M. Reagan of Chehalis and they have two daughters, Jessica Lorina and Allison Marie. Monica entered Centralia College and studied nursing and she now works for St. Helen Hospital in Chehalis as a certified nurses aide. I took a job when the girls were both in school with Robert Lund Realtor where I am still employed and Vernon retired from Weyerhaeuser in 1981. We are active members of Chehalis Valley Baptist Church and enjoy traveling, camping and are kept most busy with our two lively and precious grandchildren. ANDERSON FAMILY Jonathan Anderson came from Oxford Mills, Ontario, Canada in the 1890's. He had two brothers, Will and Charles Palmerston. Charles in 1929-1930 became a Bishop for the Espicopalian Churches. Jonathan settled in Chehalis. There he met Annie Laurie Jones, who lived at Wildwood. Her father was postmaster there. He was shot and wounded by the escaped outlaws, Merrill and Tracy. Annie Laurie's mother crossed the plains at age thirteen in a prairie schooner from Virginia. Jonathan Sexton and Annie Laurie were married and located at Claquato. There, Jessie Howard and Harold were born. Hubert, the eldest, was born in Chehalis.Mr. Anderson was associated with Mr. Robinson of Chehalis. They contracted the clearing of the Fair Grounds. Also, cleared a stretch of right-of-way for opening up the Big Bottom Country in the eastern end of Lewis County.In 1910, Mr. Anderson purchased the old Gates and Pearson homestead at Cora in the Big Bottom Country and moved his family there. "Zack," as he was called, had the contract for operating the ferry at the Cowlitz crossing for a year.The children grew up at this location, helping develop the land. Mr. Anderson died in 1917, and Mrs. Anderson in 1934.Hubert married Alma Hampton of the pioneer Hampton family of Randle. They had four daughters. The oldest died in infancy. Rosemary, Barbara and Carrell grew up on the Anderson ranch. Hubert served in World War I and had a medal pinned on him by General Pershing for sharpshooting. He became county commissioner for ten years in Lewis County. He passed away in 1963. Alma died in 1962.Jessie Anderson taught school at Lewis. She married Sherman Combs of Lewis, and they developed and ran a museum and antique shop at Packwood. They owned and operated the Packwood Hotel. Mr. Combs was postmaster for many years. Jessie passed away in 1963.Howard Anderson operated a pack and saddle horse business in Packwood. Contracts were being let for the White Pass and he packed the engineers for the park service on a reconnaissance for the Cayuse Pass, also. In the 1950's he cleared and established the Anderson Air Field, which the state purchased later for an emergency landing field.He married Irene Larsen of Tacoma. Of this union one son was born, Jonathan Patrick, who married Peggy Scott. They had two children, Jonathan Travis and Lari Kim.Jonathan Patrick was killed in a logging accident in 1959 at the age of 25. Howard Anderson died in 1982. Harold Anderson, the youngest brother, suffered a heart condition, from which he died in 1947, at the age of 39. He served in the Thunderbolt Division in World War II. By Irene Anderson WILLIAM D. AND EMMA ANDERSON William D. and Emma Anderson bought property on the Napavine-Forest Road in January 1915. By the spring of that year, with the assistance of the eldest sons, William Henry and Wert F., a home had been completed and the family moved from Everett to take up residence. (photo): Emma and W.O. Anderson 50th ann. 1936 The two eldest daughters, Cora Killien and Nellie Churches, with homes of their own, remained in Everett. Lottie (Shaffer) a high school student, finished her term, then enrolled in Napavine the following year. Eva (Shaver) and George, and in later years, Mary Ethel (Nelson), who was a tot of two when the family came to Lewis County, attended Forest school. One son, Clyde C. had died at the age of twenty in December 1913. (photo): Left Side: Jonathan Sexton Anderson. Center: Hubert, Jessie, Howard Anderson. Right Side: Annie Laurie Anderson. 68 William David Anderson, born October 23, 1864, near Evans, Jackson County, WV, of predominately English and Irish background, worked on the Ohio riverboats prior to his April 4, 1886 marriage.In Michigan, as he and Emma began their westward trek, he worked on a railroad section crew. At Sprague, Washington and at Genesee, Idaho he worked as a teamster on harvest rigs, while Emma cooked for the crews. After moving to Everett in 1896, William was a teamster on landscaping, excavation and road building contracts.He was fifty years old when he came to Lewis County. He maintained his small farm, kept milk cows, horses, hogs, chickens and rabbits. The family cultivated large gardens, had raspberries, strawberries and an orchard.Six feet tall, of good flesh and handsome features, William was of a more placid nature than Emma. As I remember him in later years, he could rock away his troubles in his favorite oak rocker by the kitchen range, spit tobacco juice straight on into a nearby can and point to the razor strop hanging on the wall within easy reach to prevent or correct any wrong-doings on the part of any of the grandchildren.It was his stories of his childhood in the WV hills which instilled within me a keen interest in family history. He had beautiful handwriting, was an excellent speller, a good story teller, liked word games and riddles, could carry a good tune, played the Jews harp, and was a fine whittler.Emma Frances Jones, born September 25, 1868, in Greene County, PA, of German and Welsh ancestry, whose father died when she was six, learned early that her lot in life was hard work. Barely five feet tall, she possessed an indomitable sense of humor and a saltiness which remained with her to death at age 93, on October 1,1961 at Longview, Washington.The Andersons lived at Route 3, Chehalis until 1946, when because of illness, they went to the home of their daughter, Eva Shaver. While in Longview visiting their son George, William passed away on February 23, 1947. Emma remained in Longview with her daughter, Mary Ethel Nelsen. The last five years, she lived at a nursing home, after undergoing two surgeries on a fractured hip.William D. and Emma Frances Anderson were my grandparents. They did nothing great; they existed; they contributed; they loved their family and neighbors, and were loved and respected in return.A strange set of circumstances took them away from Lewis County in their old age, but they did return. They lie at rest in the Napavine Cemetery, from where one can look out over the prairie which was their home for so many years. By Margaret L. (Shaver) Shields W.C. ARRINGTON FAMILY Wilburn (Bill) Clement Arrington was born July 4, 1910 at Agate near Chehalis. He died Jan. II, 1982 in Chehalis. He was the youngest of three children of Marion Garfield Arrington (1872-1937) and Lillian Eva (Ball) Arrington (1882-1954). His brother John Kenneth (1903-1960) and his sister Merle Eva Spitzner (1901-1952) lived most of their lives in Lewis County. Bill attended school at Agate and Chehalis. He went to work in the woods in 1926. He was a donkey and a shovel operator for 48 years, retiring in 1974 after 27 years with the Weyerhauser Co. While working in the woods he continued to operate the family farm until 1961 when they moved into Chehalis. December 20, 193O, Bill married Hazel Enid Pfirter, the daughter of Edward and Elsie Pfirter. Hazel was born March 22, 1912 at the family farm on Lucas Creek. She attended school at Lucas Creek and graduated from Chehalis High School in 1929. Bill and Hazel were members of the Forest Grange and were both part of the Forest Drill Team. They were members of the Circle Eight Square Dance Club. Hazel also belonged to the Agate Orthopedic.Bill and Hazel had two daughters, Linda Jean born Sept. 25, 1939 and Sharon Lou born Sept. 21, 1943. Linda graduated from W.F. West in Chehalis in 1957. She has three children, Mark James Leard born April 1, 1960 in Centralia, Michael Ray Swett born January 6, 1965 in Centralia, and Diana Lynn Swett Macomber born Sept. 11, 1966 in Chehalis. Sharon attended school in Chehalis graduating from W.F. West in 1961. She graduated from Centralia College in 1963 and Central Washington University in 1965 with a degree in education. She taught fifth grade in Onalaska for two years. She has been teaching in the Chehalis School District since 1967. There are four great-grandchildren, Christina Ann Leard b. Feb. 20, 1978, Jennifer Lee Leard b. June. 12, 1979, Cassandra Nicole Leard b. June 1, 1985, and Andrew Stephen Macomber born November 9, 1984. R.N. ASHMORE Richard Nelson Ashmore was born in 1832 in Clark County, IL, but, later, moved to Howard, KS. Here he married Cynthia Annie Paine-Keables. (photo): Richard Nelson Ashmore He, previously, had served in the 15th United States Infantry, enlisting in 1862. He served three years in the Mississippi Campaign, later at Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge and the Atlantic Campaign. He was discharged in 1865. The Ashmores, with their three children, Nelson, Wealthy and Floyd came, by train, to Washington Territory in 1884. They settled on a homestead near Claquato. They lived in the Claquato area until 1918, when they moved to Chehalis. They took an active part in community affairs and the Methodist Church. In the 1880's, "Judge" Ashmore served as Lewis County Probate Judge. He was County Auditor in the 1890's. Mr. Ashmore died in 1931, just short of his one-hundredth birthday. Mrs. Ashmore lived to be eighty-five years of age. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ashmore are buried at Claquato. They are survived by grandchildren, great-grandchildren and their children. Still living in Lewis County are Nelson E. Fay, Eleanor C. Fay Ponder Jones and Meriel Fay Bowman. GEORGE AND FRANCES ASK George and Frances Ask moved to Napavine in 1936-1937, from Lake Stevens, Washington. They purchased their farm about one mile out of Napavine on the Old Military Road. Neighbors at the time were: Mr. and Mrs. Alex Messell, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Carlson, Mr. and Mrs. Henning Carlson, Mr. and Mrs. J. Ed Miller, and Mr. Oscar Outberg lived across the street. George worked for the Napavine Feed Company and later worked for the Darigold Milk Company in Chehalis. On July 2, 1950, their daughter Addie and John E. Hendrickson of Everett, were married at the farm. Rev. John L. Baglien officiated the afternoon affair. During 1952 the Asks sold and moved into Centralia, where they lived for two more years, before moving to Crescent City, California. George passed away in Crescent City in April 1955. Mrs. Ask moved to Everett, Washington and lived near her daughter until her death in November, 1972. By Addie Hendrickson and JoAnn Reid FRANK AUST Frank was born in Kansas in 1885 and came to PeEll as a child and settled near PeEll. The homestead was located on what is now the PeEll-McDonald Road. Frank had his name changed from Ast to Aust. (photo): Frank and Ida Aust He married Ida N. Black, daughter of Howell Abraham Black and Neomi Allender Black. They eloped and were married by P.C. Beaufort, Justice of the Peace, 15 May 1909 in Chehalis. They had five children Melvin, Ella, Warren, Frances and Lee. He worked many places, the first was at Littell as a blacksmith in a sawmill. Other places he worked were Hansen and Scott Implement Co., farm machinery, Harry B. Quick Buick Co. as a salesman, and the I.P. Callison Fern Plant. He helped fell the tree and move the stump to Chehalis. The stump is now called the McKinley stump, for President McKinley. The stump was so large that the road out of the woods had to be made wider. He built a tractor out of a Model T. Ford. This was used to grade part of the Twin Oaks Road by the Ray ton farm. One summer he bought a new Model T. Ford. When he got it home, he removed 69 the windshield, fenders, bumpers, rear seat, top and any object that might slow the car down in a race. His family wasn't too happy about this. He entered the car at the South West Washington Fair races and won. His prize was a new Model T. Ford. He brought home many ducks from the big swamps where he hunted. These were picked, cleaned and roasted. Some meat was made into pressed duck for sandwiches. The feathers were saved for pillows. He also liked to hunt deer and elk. His parents were Jake and Regin Aust. By Sadie Aust HENRY AND LINI AUST Henry Ast (later Aust) had a dream to bring his family to America. Lini (Karleena) Rose, his wife, shared that dream. Together they left Illischestie and Bukowina, Austria, and boarded a boat. As sea sickness plagued the voyagers, watching 8 children must have been difficult. Mr. and Mrs. Gross (her maiden name was Rose) came with them. Lini's father Adam Rose Sr. and her brothers Frank and Antone (father of John Rose - Father of Ernie and Louise Berg) had come round the horn on an earlier boat that docked in Texas. Adam Rose, Jr., married Louise Aust (Henry's sister) and they came on a later boat with Louise's cousin, Louise Keiper and her husband. The children's names were Ida (married Bamer- mother of Adam, Louie, Henry, Evie and Minnie (Good); Lena (married William Senn - mother of Roy, Ruby, Cassie); Mary (married Tom Long - mother of Harry); Catherine (married Frank Senn - mother of Alice (Kostick); Frank (married Kate Rose father of Emil, Perry, Alfred, Evelyn (Holt), Victor (drowned in sauerkraut barrel); Minnie (married Millard Wilson - mother of Melvin, Vera, Delores - also married George Taylor - mother of Beverly, Phyllis and Ilene); Fred (married Dorothy Riley- father of Floyd, Fred, Rosemary, Dorothy and a younger boy); Phillip (married Anna Agnes Gresckovich - father of Alice, Gilbert, Lawrence, Phillip, Ralph, Clifford); Jack (died at 2 years); and John (married Molly O'Dell - father of Johnny and Donald. Lini had enough schooling to get through the immigration paper work. While waiting in the train station to come West, Phillip somehow wandered onto the wrong train. The telegraph wired an alert, he was found and returned with the baggage. They then headed to a homestead near the west end of Lost Valley Road at Curtis, Washington. The road, they carved from wooded land, is presently named the Radmaker Road. On December 26, 1895, Grover Cleveland signed the homestead papers. The land was cleared and a cabin built by 1906. They had a good team of horses for clearing the land, but the reality of living in the woods was sometimes harsh. Their food and domestic animal supply was often marauded by wild animals, especially bear. The deer made gardening and orchard raising difficult. They used their talents and bartered with other whites and native Indians. Henry liked a farm located on the river bottom of Lost Valley. It would also be a good place for his children to get an education, as the school bordered it. When the opportunity came up for him to sell and purchase the farm, they did. It proved to be very fertile and they enjoyed having the South Fork of the Chehalis and Mill Creek on it. Having a big family, they allowed Henry to leave some younger workers home and take the older ones down to the Hop Yard to help Mr. Klaber clear the fields. LAWRENCE PHILLIP AUST Lawrence Phillip Aust met Dorothy Jeanette Reppeto at Cheese Day in Toledo. Two weeks later they re-met at Cougar Flat Grange. They were married in 1943 and lived next to the Boistfort Central School, near his parent's home for a short while. Later they bought a small home up Wildwood and still later moved into Chehalis. The earthquake, April 13, 1949, caused all the cupboards to spill their contents on the floor. Dorothy's canning and dishes were a mess of broken glass and food. In 1949 they bought 80 acres on the Wildwood Road south of Boistfort. It was one week before the blizzard hit. They had to gather wood to feed 2 woodstoves. Lawrence and his father-in-law, Paul Reppeto, took the 1937 Nash Lafayette to the Klaber Store for groceries and could not get back home due to snow. All the groceries were tied in a blanket and Lawrence carried them home from "Aunt Helen's" on his back. A neighbor, Minnie Miller, called Dorothy on the old crank phone and told her "Lawrence is coming along to feed his family." The snow was over the six-foot fence posts and tunnels had to be dug to feed the Jersey milk cow. The cow was mean as the dickens too! Lawrence bought 2 bred heifers. "Pansy" calved on Washington's Birthday, and Dorothy and the kids named the calf, "George." Lawrence drove the Darigold milk truck. When Lawrence got home from the milk truck run he had to rename the calf "Martha." Everyone laughed! Soon, they were milking 18 cows with Surge buckets in the long barn. Lawrence and Dorothy ran the dairy. They had 5 daughters as helpers. Ina Jeanette (married William Greear), mother of Michael, Michelle, Mark, Mary Anna. Mary Ann (married John Mallonee), mother of Maynard, Jodi, Diana; Christine Kay (mother of Marisa); Laurel Sue (mother of Rebecca); and Donna Marie (married Michael Gress), mother of Corinne and Sarah. Farm living was filled with chores, but there were many fun times and never any boredom. An A-frame was set up across the river to log timber to help purchase the first new tractor in 1952. Lawrence and his father-in-law, Paul, worked well together. They took the tractor to the Claquato Cemetery and pruned and fell trees free of charge. No tombstone was touched. The trees were taken to a mill and cut into lumber. This lumber was used in 1958 when Lawrence built an elevated parlor that milked 4 cows at a time! In 1970, he bought the 160 acres adjoining Kee property. Lawrence and Dorothy always farmed "organically." Their goal was to put back into the farm as much as possible and to obtain the finest quality products. This was reflected in Dorothy's cooking and canning and in their garden and land techniques. The dairy often was awarded top quality by the milk company. In 1983 Lawrence leased the farm to his daughter, Mary, and son-in-law, John Mallonee. It is good a new generation will enjoy the farm. We are fortunate in that there is much love in our family. By lna J. Greear PHILLIP (AST) AUST While at the hop yard, Phillip met a Tacoma girl, Anna Agnes Gresckovich. She came via 4horse stagecoach to pick hops. The mail and passengers were brought weekly by Mr. Harris' Coach Line. Anna's mother, Mary Hazen (Hazer in Slavic), and her son, Jack Hazen, had immigrated to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Anna was born January 2, 1895. Her father, Frank Gresckovich, died as a result of a train accident just before she was born. Mary then married Joe Ryberger and came to Tacoma. They had a daughter, Marie, (married - Andy Hazen) mother of Andrew, Arthur, Joseph, James, Michael, Marie and Rose. Anna, Jack, and Marie came to the Hop Yard to pick hops for Mr. John Edward Klaber. They lived in small tenant shacks. Each had a stove and beds. Mr. Klaber had firewood delivered to each shack. The days were long. The pay was $1.00 a box of hops, 50 cents in cash and 50 cents to used at the company store. Phillip tried for 2 years to persuade Anna to marry him. She was too young, but her mother finally said, "yes," when she was 18. Phil Aust is listed in the 1907 Polk Lewis County Directory as a logger in PeEll. He also hook-tended in Wahlville, and McCormick. Phillip took his bride to live with his folks on the farm. He was leasing it from his father when the tractor turned (photo): Lawrence Aust Family - Ina, Mary, Dorothy, Christine, Laurel and Donna in front 70 Phillip and Anna Aust over on Henry. He suffered for a year and then died at the age of 62 years, 11 months and 9 days on February 11, 1912. The next year Lini was killed in a horse and buggy accident up Hubbard Road. She was 58 years, 5 months and the date was June 22, 1913. A few years later, the house Iburnt. Phillip bought a pre-cut house for $4,000.00 and had it assembled on the property. Their children went to school and church at Boistfort. The following briefly describes them. Alice kept good care of her brothers and was a good homemaker. She played the piano and also went to beauty school. She married Ed Rea and later Jack Jasper. Gilbert farmed in Boistfort for a while and then bettered himself, as his grandfather before him had, by buying a dairy in Ajlune. He married Lola Woods. Their children are Annabelle, Greg, Jenine, Vaughan, Gayland, Curt, Melanie and Lisa. Lawrence logged before buying a dairy on the Wildwood Road. He also drove the milk truck route to Chehalis for the Boistfort-Adna area. He married Dorothy Jeanette Reppeto. They parented Ina, Mary, Christine, Laurel and Donna. Phillip, Jr., has farmed the "home" place in Boistfort. He married Mary Ann Orr. Their children are Michael, Louise, Cindy and Carol. Ralph left college to serve in the Navy during World War II. After his return he married Dorothy Lee Montgomery. They bought a place in Chehalis and he went into construction work. Their children are Ronald, Pamela and Cheryl. Clifford died at 4 months when the entire family had the flu. At that time Lawrence also had the flu and asked for his little red coat, as he wanted to go with the angels. Anna refused to give him the coat or to lose another child. Anna and Phillip lived good long lives. By lna Greear JAMES BACKMAN FAMILY James O. (Jim) Backman, was born on July 19, 1910 to Oscar and Clara Jensen Backman of Winlock. He was the oldest child of their second family, followed by Willis, Earl and Burton. The first family of three children, Carl 5, Cedric 3 and Victoria age 1 were lost in a tragic fire in January of 1910. The family originated in Russia and Sweden with the grandparents, August and Maria Backman who came to the United States in 1880, landing in Boston, Massachusetts. They brought their three children, Warner, Hilma and Oscar. Oscar was three years old at the time. In 1884 the family came west by train to Portland and in 1886 they arrived in Winlock with a donation land claim. The entire family spent the rest of their lives in the Winlock area. (photo): Jim and Jessie Backman 1950 Clara Jensen was the oldest daughter of Hans and Petra Jensen, born in Black Hawk, Colorado, of Danish extraction. The family moved to the Winlock area in 1900 and they spent the rest of their lives there. (photo): Jim and Jessie Backman Jim graduated from Winlock High School in 1929, and went to work for Western Farmers Association in May of that year. To further his education he attended Centralia Business College night classes for two years. In 1933 he married Jessie England, daughter of J .H. and Lizzie England, of Winlock, a 1931 High School graduate. In 1934 they were transferred to Woodland where they lived for sixteen years. Woodland was important in their lives because it was where their children were born, they joined the Presbyterian Church, Masons and Eastern Star, and served the community in many ways. Jim was promoted to a Branch Manager in 1942, in Woodland and served in that capacity at Centralia, 1950 to 1960, at Mount Vernon, 1960 to 1967 and at Sequim 1967 to 1969. While in Woodland Jim served fourteen years on the Volunteer Fire Department, four of those years as Fire Chief. Six years on the School Board and ten years on the Boy Scout Committee. He was elected an Elder of the church in every town they lived. In 1950 the Backmans were transferred to Centralia, where they spent ten years. Jim joined the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce, serving as Chamber president. In Mount Vernon he served both organizations as President. Jessie did a lot of volunteer work, taught Sunday School, and was active in women's work in the church. While in Woodland she did this type of work, and spent several weeks with the Red Cross during the 1948 Flood of the Columbia River, both in the food canteen and in cleaning up the homes that had been flooded. LeRoy was born in 1936 and Richard was born in 1941 in Woodland. Both boys graduated from Centralia High School and Centralia Community College, and both later graduated from the University of Washington. Both boys married Centralia girls. LeRoy married Louise Genge, daughter of Harold and Esther Genge. They have three children, Julie, James and Jeffrey. They also have three grandchildren. All of this family now live in the Tacoma area. They own the Biagio store in the Tacoma Mall. Richard married Carolyn Harris, daughter of Robert and Elaine Harris. They have three children, Loraine, Michael and Brian. Richard and Carolyn were divorced, and he is now married to Krista Kunz, daughter of Gordon and Edna Kunz of Wilbur, Washington. They live in Bellevue. Richard and Krista have the Biagio stores in Rainier Square, Bellevue Square and South Center. Jim left W.F.A. in Sequim and returned to Centralia in 1970 where they owned the Monaghan Apartments, where they have lived ever since. Jim worked in Real Estate until he retired in 1975. He joined the Lewis County Historical Society in 1972, and has worked for it until 1985. In retirement the Backmans have kept active and have had a lot of fun. They have continued the recreation of Square Dancing that they started in 1950. They spent the first two winters of retirement in Southern California and Arizona, three weeks in Washington D.C. in 1982, and in two other years they took Camper trips that took them to every State in the continental U.S. They also enjoy membership in a Trailer Club. And have visited most of Western Canada. It's a big wonderful world out there. Perhaps the high-light of Jim's Church affiliation was to have been elected to the National Meeting in 1972. He has served in many District offices of the Church, including Moderater of Columbia River Presbytery. The high-light of Jim and Jessie's life was their Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration. Their sons and families planned everything, including a Church service to repeat their wedding vows in front of a church full of friends from every place they had lived. It was beautiful and thrilling. The wedding party included the same seven people that were part of the original wedding party, 50 years before. By Jessie and Jim Backman 71 BADGER FAMILY Esbon and Lizzie Badger came to Toledo from Iowa about 1885-90. There were four children: John, Alvie, Clarence, and Minnie. Esbon put up a flour mill which ran for many years. Later this was expanded to house the St. Helens Incubator Factory and Boat Works. The mill, I am told, was principally electrically powered from their own steam generator and that some houses or businesses were supplied power at least part of the time. I assume wood was the fuel used for steam. The Toledo operation was terminated in the mid 20's and the incubator and boat works moved to Fords Prairie (Centralia) where the operation continued for many years. The flour mill operation was resumed by the Davenports at or shortly after Badgers left Toledo and continued for some years. John Badger was the boat man and built some pretty fancy units, including racing boats, prior to WWI. His retirement years were on Puget Sound. Alvie was principally involved with the incubator operation. He married Agnes Bennet. They had two children, Capt. Harold Badger, U.S.N. Air Force, Ret., and Donna. Clarence married Sarah Rogers (see Rogers family). Clarence spent most of his working years with the boat operation. They had one child, Leah Badger, who married Ed Delaney. Leah and Ed have two children, Larry and Norma. Ed and son, Larry, have passed on. Norma has two children, Ronnie and Linda Hanson. All the descendents of Clarence are blood descendants of George Henry Rogers on their maternal side. (see Rogers family) Clarence was 6 years old at arrival in Toledo. Minnie Badger married a Dr. Olive. There were no children. They spent their retirement years in the Centralia area. Time has not allowed full research. Some items are scant or missing, but in general, the history is correct. By Earnest Harold Rogers EDNA JUSTICE BAIN I was born in Onalaska, Washington, to Florence and Colbert Justice. I joined Carl, Dorothy, and Harold, then later there were Doris and Mildred, a nice family with 6 children. My grandparents, James Madison and Martha Coleman lived in Glenoma, raising 7 children. Harper and Victoria Justice lived in Riffe, raising 8 children. They came as early settlers from Pike County, Kentucky, in the early 1900's when my folks were very young. My father worked at the mill until he decided to become a fern picker so at an early age we moved to Riffe to live until we grew up. The property was bordered on one side by a patch of timber, and on the right by a lake. In back the Cowlitz River ran as far as the eye could see. In front was a piece of ground with a small white school building known as "Baugh." It was here I attended school the first 5 years, sneaking back to play on the grounds after hours. Summers were busy times working, gardening, church, picnicking, and playing in the woods and creeks. In my sixth year I caught the school bus daily to and from Mossyrock, rain or shine. Then we lost our father and my mother was left to finish raising us. Carl married Dorothy Miller, Dorothy married Lawrence Dunn, Harold married Peggy Hughes, and next it was my turn. It was war time and I lived in San Francisco for 2 years, working for Linde Air Products Co. (photo): Edna Justice Bain When I was expecting my first child, Don Warren West I wanted to be close to my family, so I came home. My husband was overseas. I felt happiness and joy coming home to Lewis County as I missed the green trees, hills, and old friends. When my first child, Don Warren, was born, I lived with my sister and brother for a time, later moving to Glenoma, and finally the war was over and his dad returned. Shirley Ann West and Gary Robert West were born. Life seemed great for me until my oldest son was killed in an automobile accident but we had our granddaughter Chrisie. Times were unhappy, and I moved to Centralia with my two children, attending night school and enrolling at Centralia College for a full year. Then I was divorced. Life was busy for me being a homemaker and working full time for the Daily Chronicle. It was during this time I met and married John A. Bain from Chehalis and we moved to our new home where we live at present. Shirley graduated from Beauty School, married Danny O'Neil and is now raising 3 children, Jennifer, Ryan, and Lisa. Gary at last grown and working at Widco, married Melody Morris from Chehalis. Life in Lewis County has a special meaning to me, home, children, old friends, and running into old classmates from time to time. JOHN A. BAIN I was born about a mile up the Mock Chehalis River from Malone, Washington. (photo): Mr. and Mrs. John A. Bain Both my parents were born in Washington state. My mother in Dryand, and my dad in Fern Hill (now part of Tacoma). During my early years we lived in Elma, Copalis, and Brady, before settling in Rochester in 1937. I attended the Rochester schools and Centralia Business College. I became a bookkeeper. My first job was for Lewis Materials Company. Next I worked for Arden Farms in Centralia 1 year, leaving to join the Army. I spent the next three years in the Army. After basic training and some other schooling I arrived in Seoul, Korea, about 6 weeks before the Korean Armistice. I spent 15 months there with the 50lst Comm. Recon. Group. After my Army service, I worked three years for the National Bank of Commerce in Centralia and Olympia, 8 years for Chehalis Packing Co., 5 years for Ervings Hatcheries in Winlock, and since 1971 for Henderson Trailer Sales which is now Henderson RV and Home Center. In 1961 I bought a house in Chehalis where lived until I married Edna Justice West in 1971, and we purchased our current home in Centralia. I was a lot luckier than most starting out, upon marrying Edna I become "instant" husband, father, and grandfather. My children, Shirley and Gary, are now married. Shirley and husband and 3 children reside in Redmond. Gary lives in Centralia and is employed by Widco. We also have a granddaughter who is married and lives in Yakima. I have one brother, Gary, living in Port Orchard, 2 sisters, Clarice, living in Rochester and Evann, living in California. My mother grew up and went to school in Dryad. She played on a state champion girls basketball team. My dad served in the army during World War I. His unit was ready to ship out for Europe when the Armistice was signed. When he returned home he worked as a logger, a truck driver for a creamery in Oakville, and in a store in Tacoma. My grandfather worked for the railroad as a foreman, was 72 a carpenter, and assisted with the construction of the first hotel to serve the Yellowstone Park area. My present job, an enjoyable one, takes up most of my time but in between times I find time for my hobbies which are gardening and stamp collecting. BALDWIN FAMILY Our family history, on my father's side, is very interesting. How accurate our dates are, I don't know. My main source of information comes from my uncle Rant Mulles who is 88 years old. His memory is good, but names and dates are a problem for him and his eye sight is not good. Grace Ross, Lida Kathern Baldwin, Wes Baldwin, Lillian (Libby) (Baldwin) Ross, George Ross. My great-great-grandparents on my father's side came to Lewis County by wagon train in the year 1864. The family included Weson Baldwin, his wife, and eight of their children. My uncle thinks they had 12 children altogether. They (photo): Great-Great-Grandmother Baldwin may have homesteaded some land of their own, but they lived on a homestead started by Weson's brother William (Bill) Baldwin on Cedar Creek near Toledo. Bill Baldwin was not married. Uncle Rant cannot remember my great-great-grandpa ever working but he was a small, wiry man who could do hand springs and stands till he died. As the story goes, he was a trapeze artist or tight wire walker as a young man. Great-Great-Grandma ran off and married him, and her family disowned her. Great-Great-Grandpa died when my uncle was about 5 years old, probably about 1902, and was buried at Layton Prairie. Great-Great-Grandma then went to Kelso to live with a daughter. She died two or three years later and was buried at Kelso. In 1879 my great-grandparents, Ranson and Lillian (Libby) Baldwin and their 11-year-old daughter, Lida Kathern, came west. They came from Marshalltown, Iowa, where my grandmother Lida was born May 8,1868. Ransom was the oldest son of Weson Baldwin. They came by train to San Francisco, then by boat to Portland. They stayed in Battleground where their son, Wes, was born in 1880. They then went on to Cedar Creek where they homesteaded. Another child was born to them there but only lived a short time. My great-grandpa was a blacksmith and also liked to prospect for gold. He always thought he would strike it rich. Shortly after their third child's death, my great-grandma left with her two children and went to Tacoma. She started a boarding house and divorced my great-grandpa. Later she married a sailor or a sea captain named George Ross. Two children, Grace and George, were born to them. For some reason, she sold her boarding house in Tacoma and took her three children, Wes, Grace, and young George, back to Salmon Creek to live. There she had a boarding house for the miners and tourists to Mt. St. Helens. She died in 1907 and is buried at Layton Prairie. Great-Grandpa Ransom Baldwin lived on his homestead until the house burned. He then went to the old soldiers home near Roseburg, Oregon. He died, and was buried there. I wish I had known my great-grandpa, but I did get to know his brother, Uncle Wright. He was a small, spry man who never walked but ran everywhere. When he came to stay once a year, even the Lone Ranger was turned off, and he told us many stories, which, now I know, were probably true stories, of his life. He told stories about coming over on the wagon train; about leaving the family butcher knife and having to walk back to get it; how when he was down and out and needed some money he played his violin and put his hat down. He always got some money. He told about a man who's leg got crushed and it needed to come off. No one wanted to do it, so Uncle Wright did it to save the man's life. They then nicknamed him Doc. Baldwin. When he was in his late 40's he married a widow named Blanche. He called himself the old tumblebug. At age 92 he made me a clothespin box, that I still use, and a little table that I use as a night stand. I will always have fond memories of him. He died in about 1944 when I was in the 4th grade. HERBERT AND LAVONNE BARR FAMILY Herbert Dale Barr, son of William Kenneth and Ruby Detering Barr was born on March 21, 1932, at his grandmother's (Nellie Detering) home at Bunker Creek. The family home was at Wildwood where he spent his growing up years with two sisters and four brothers. He attended school at Boistfort for 12 years. After graduation, he worked in the woods until he joined the Air Force in January 1952. He made the Air Force a career and spent 20 years and 6 months in the service, operating generators and aircraft heaters. Herbert took his basic training at Lackland A.F.B. in Texas and was stationed at bases in Tripoli, Africa, Korea, South Dakota, Wyoming, California and Washington. The last nine years of service was at Vandenberg A.F.B., California, in the Missile Field. On July 17, 1954, Herbert and LaVonne Verda Gates, daughter of Charles Leonard and Grace Green Gates, were married at the Dryad Community Church in Dryad. La Vonne was born at Akron, Colorado on May 10, 1934 at her Aunt Hazel Schmidt's home. She has grown up by the nickname of Bonnie, because one little cousin couldn't say LaVonne. At the age of five, her parents moved to Dryad, Washington, where she attended school for four years. At that time the Dryad School was consolidated to PeEll and she attended there through high school. After graduation, she worked at the Seattle Woolen Co. in Tacoma, as a billing clerk until her marriage. In 1972 Herbert retired from the Air Force, Rank of TSgt., and moved his family to Napavine. He purchased Pape's Service Station and operated it for six years. After selling the station he does mechanical work at home and drives bus for the Napavine School District. He is also a volunteer fireman. Herbert and LaVonne have four children. Dennis Eugene was born June 15, 1955, at Ellsworth A.F.B., South Dakota. He married Susan Theresa Thompson, daughter of Wilbur and Virginia Thompson of Napavine. They have a son, Jared Andrew. Robert Dale was born July 22, 1956, at McChord A.F.B., Washington. He married Deborah Ann Howard, daughter of Marion and Mildred Howard of Napavine. They have three children, Adam Charles, Stacee Earlene, and Sean Dale. Duane Leslie was born on November 9, 1957, at Tacoma General Hospital, Tacoma, Washington. Duane married Debra Gayle Eiswald, daughter of Ted and Joanne Eiswald of Chehalis. They have a son, Ryan Jason and a daughter Wendy Kirsten. Lyndal Marie was born on July 15, 1959 at Madigan Army Hospital, Tacoma, Washington. She is married to Gary Virgil Hannum, son of Bill and Patricia Hannum of Napavine. They have 3 girls, Heather Marie, Aubree Lynn, and Shawn a Renae. By LaVonne Barr BARRS OF DOWNTOWN CURTIS! January 1, 1955, James David Barr, son of William Kenneth Barr and Ruby Detering Barr and grandson of Herman and Nellie Detering, all of Klaber, married Gwendolyn Ann Fiedler. She is the daughter of the late Herb Fiedler, Salem Oregon, and Ann Ghere Beaber of Curtis. St. John's Lutheran Church was the site of the wedding. James served with the 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina where Gwen joined him. Their first child, James David Barr Jr., was born September 24, 1955 at Ft. Bragg. In November 1956 they returned to the Curtis area. September 28, 1958, son Michael Allen was born. In 1962 the Barrs purchased the Albert Rayton farm on the South 73 (photo): Bottom Row: Bonnie, Herb, Lyndal. Top Row: Bob, Dennis, Duane. (photo): Bottom row: Bonnie, Herb, Lyndal. T Michael, Macbelle, Jim Jr., Nov. 1964 Fork of the Chehalis river. The following year, July 18, 1963, daughter Machele Mae was born. When Jim Jr. and Michael graduated from Boistfort High School they became the third generation of Barrs, beginning with their grandmother Ruby, to attend that institution. Because the high school at Boistfort closed in 1977, daughter Machele attended W.F. West High School in Chehalis. At the present time Jim and Gwen are still living on the family farm and have recently restored the farmhouse following an extensive fire on November 1, 1984. Jim Sr. and Mike are licensed building contractors, having established the partnership, Barr and Barr Construction in 1980. Prior to that Mike served with the Army Airborne in Germany and Italy. Jim Jr. worked in heavy construction at the #3 Nuclear plant at Satsop, Washington. Since its closure he has helped build the Black Hills Community Hospital in Thurston County and continues to do heavy construction. He was married to Vicki Bragg Harris April 18, 1980. They and their four children; Cheri Lynn Harris, Lisa Marie Harris, Justin David Barr and Tiffany Ann Barr live at Oakville Washington. After graduating from W.F. West High School in 1981 Machele went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Western Washington University in Bellingham. Gwen has worked for the Chehalis School District, Special Services Division, for fifteen years. She was with the Lewis County Learning Center and Logan School before transferring to the W.F. West resource classrooms where she currently works. Gwen and Jim have enjoyed their association with the Boistfort Lions Club and the traveling they have done as a result. Jim joined the club in 1967. He served as Zone Chairman in 1982-83 and is currently serving his second term as president of the Boistfort Club. The Barr family are members of the Boistfort Community Church where Gwen was Financial Secretary for thirteen years. RUBY DETERING BARR My parents Herman Detering and Nellie May Rayton were married May 5, 1897. My father was born in Council Bluffs Iowa, and came to the Seattle area as a young man to make his fortune in the west. My mother was born on Cowlitz Prairie. She attended the Catholic School there before moving to the Claquato area with her family. After getting married my parents lived in rented houses around the Curtis area before moving to Wildwood where they had purchased a farm in February 1899. There they raised their family of ten children. I was the fifth child with two sisters and two brothers older, and three sisters and two brothers younger. Having one brother just older and another just younger it's no wonder I grew up a tom-boy. At that time pants were definitely not worn by girls, but to drive the horses to the hay fork, haul slab wood from the mill to the woodshed and pick black-berries, I was allowed to wear my brothers old bib overalls. In my grade school days, I went to a one-room schoolhouse a short distance from our house. When I was ready for high school I went on the old type school buses, a seat down each side of the bus and one down the middle. Open except for the windshield in front in cold and stormy weather, there were curtains with a few isinglass windows snapped onto the frame. The Boistfort High school was approximately eight miles to the North. After High School I went one year to Washington State College, Pullman. Then did house work in Chehalis until I was married in 1928. I married Kenneth Barr who was born in Pennsylvania and lived there until his mother died when he was thirteen. Then he came to the Skookumchuck area to live with his uncle. In 1925 he came to the Boistfort Valley to work on a farm. We lived in The Dalles, Oregon for three years where our two oldest children were born - Lois Mae and Gerald Thomas (Jerry) - after the 1928 depression we moved back to Wildwood – our other children were born in Lewis County, Herbert Dale, Glen William, James David, Vern Herman and Toni Louise. All grew up in this area and attended the Boistfort Schools. All the boys spent time in some branch of the service, Herb the only one that made it a twenty-year career. All married and established homes of their own, Lois married Ken Robinette; Jerry married Billie Merrill; Herb, Bonnie Gates; Glen, Pauline Ratke; Jim, Gwen Fiedler; Vern, Mary Winston; and Toni, Bob Carroll. Life hasn't always been easy. I have lost three grandchildren in traffic accidents. Lois died in childbirth along with her baby son. Kenneth died in 1980, and Mary a daughter-in-law in 1985. Several years after Lois' death, Ken married Doris Jacoby a widow with three children. All of them are still a real part of the family. My children and their spouses and my twenty-two grandchildren all have a very special place in my life. By Ruth Detering Barr BARTON FAMILY The Barton family came to Lewis County, in 1925, from Longview, where the father was working in earthmoving, with horses. They settled at the upper end of Salzer Valley, where father built county roads in that area. The last horse-dirt-moving contract was for the basement of the Bucoda School. In 1926, the family moved to Lincoln Creek, on Lincoln Farm, owned by Herman Young. Seven of the children attended Greenwood and Galvin Elementary schools and Centralia High School. During the depression, the family survived on a stump ranch, on a hill near Galvin. In 1939, they moved to the head of Lincoln Creek, where two of the sons, Wesley and Francis, farmed and worked as loggers. Both Wesley and Francis served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Wesley also served during the Korean conflict. The girls - Velma, Vivian, Dorothy, Ruth, Lois and Margie - all married and settled in Washington. Chester, the older son, lived in Olympia and owned a steel 74 building construction company. Byrd, next to the oldest son, graduated from WSU and taught agriculture for years. He is now retired and he lives on his farm in Grangeville, ID. There are two sons and four daughters, presently surviving, out of the family of ten children. JOHN BATTISTI FAMILY John Battisti was born in Tyrol Austria in 1857. Times were very hard there so he came to this country to make a new life for himself. He got a job selling land for The Northern Pacific Railroad. (photo): John and Maria Anna Schwarz Battisti He met and married Maria Anna Schwarz in 1890. She was the daughter of John and Magdelina Schwartz. The first year of marriage for John and Maria was spent in Tacoma, Wa. John was still in real estate. Maria longed for home and country life. They returned to Lewis County and bought 80 acres on Crego Hill near Maria's family. They cleared ground and built a house with the help of Maria's many brothers. In 1896 a daughter was born. She was named after her grandmother, Mary Magdelina. In 1900 a son John L. was born. The Battistis sold 40 of their acres. It was hilly and covered with trees. Wooded acres were not valued by most farmers in those days. Living was meager with few of the comforts of today. Fields were worked with horses and gardens worked with a hoe. Raising chickens, pigs, cows and horses was their means of making a living and providing food for their family. Trees from the woods provided heat for their home. Bedtime came early with coal oil lamps to light the house. An old wagon road gave them access to the farm. As the years passed the Battistis acquired many more acres. They found they were land poor, as the depression became worse. Taxes had to be paid. The extra land they purchased was sold and they were back to their original 40 acres. Many improvements came to the farm. A good county road replaced the wagon trail. A party line telephone was installed. This gave many hours of pleasure during the long winter months. Everyone knew what was going on and who needed help. Electricity and a car made their appearance. Life was hard for John and Maria. John's health was poor. Maria found herself doing a man's work most of the time. John was bedridden for two years and Maria took care of him at home. He passed away at the age of 88. Maria lived on the farm for several years by herself, and eventually went to live with her daughter in Chehalis. She died at the age of 84. Daughter Mary married John Esler in 1913. They had three children, Lucile, Luella and John Loren. The son John never married. He worked in the woods. Later he bought and sold timber land, doing well. In later years he traveled extensively. He died at age 75. The Battisti farm is still in the family. A granddaughter and her husband, Luella and Roy Metzenberg live there now. John and Maria would be happy to know the farm is still in the family. CURTIS BAXTER FAMILY I, Curtis James Baxter, was born in a log cabin, on the bank of Salmon Creek, south of Toledo Washington. I was the third child born to my parents Grace and Frank Baxter. My sister Reba Baxter Rinehart, of Lacey Washington, is the oldest, then my brother Mancil, now deceased, and my younger brother Orval, who lives in Paso Robles, California. My father had four children by a previous marriage, they were twins Lyle and Earl, Carl and Dean, all deceased. I was named for my grandfather, who served his turn in the Civil War, then volunteered for his brother, who had a family. Grandmother Baxter gave me his medal of 13 Stars and Stripes, which I cherish. Mrs. Hereford acted as mid wife, when I was born, she was also my first grade teacher. I went to school from the first through seventh grades in Toledo. When I was in the sixth or seventh grade, Sylvia Berlin Haapala and I were chosen to represent Toledo in the County Spelling Bee. The word I misspelled was hearse. I hadn't heard that word before, no one ever died in Toledo, to my knowledge. Sylvia saved the day, and won the contest! When I was in the eighth grade my family moved to Atascadero California, where I graduated from Grammar and High School, continuing on to California Polytechnic College in San Luis Obispo, California. January 1, 1938, I married Dorothy Slate of Paso Robles, Ca. At that time I moved to Paso Robles, where we have made our home. I worked at Camp Roberts, during the war years, as a deputy sheriff and a sheet metal worker. I was in charge of the Italian Ordinance, and later the German prisoners of war. This was on the east side of the Salinas River, or east garrison of Camp Roberts. In my school years, I was a Boy Scout and a Future Farmer of America. Many years later, a Scout Master for Troop 63 sponsored by our local Rotary Club. In October of 1947, my wife and I started an office supply and business machine store in Paso Robles, known as the Paso Robles Office Supply. We were in business for 28 years in the same building. We retired in July 1975. One of our hobbies was collecting Antique writing instruments among which was once Helen Keller's Braille Writer. We were amazed at the writing instruments brought in to us by our patrons, from the quill pen forward. This display may be seen when you visit Our Paso Robles Museum, along with the Model 'T". We are Members of Atascadero and Paso Robles Historical Society. By Curtis Baxter BAXTER Orange Ray Baxter, known as Ray, was born May 19, 1877, in Ionia, Kansas. he married Elsie May Shurts on November 22, 1907, in Cold Water, Kansas. Their first home was a one-room stone house located at Lookout, Oklahoma, where they homesteaded 160 acres. They lived there about eighteen months and then moved to Woodward, Oklahoma, where they farmed raising cattle, chickens, garden produce, and corn. Their only transportation was by horse and buggy; they used a wagon to carry produce to market. Life wasn't easy for them as they had no indoor plumbing and had to haul water from a spring and heat water on a wood stove for house hold use. There were many severe thunder and lightning storms besides tornados. One time they lost seven head of cattle by one lightning bolt. Four children were born here: Ray, Bernice (McCall), Paul and Ruth (Clemons, Roberts). Life was mostly hard work, trying to make a living, however, some leisure time was spent attending box socials, literary sessions, visiting friends, as well as Sunday School and church. (photo): Orange Ray Baxter Family After hearing good reports about Washington state from a cousin who lived at Addy, in eastern Washington, the Baxter family decided to head west. They sold all their belongings and left by train for Spokane, where they lived for four months. Moving to Colville, they purchased an 75 eighty acre farm, but found they had some of the same problems as before. Water had to be hauled and farming was not very lucrative. The family again increased by two - Effie (Bishop), and Bruce were born. Times were hard, with the beginning of the great Depression. Soon they had to sell and take a big loss. On August 13, 1924, the family arrived in Chehalis and purchased a home and acreage on Kennicott Road. Work was scarce, and it wasn't until the following spring that father obtained a job at the State Training School for Boys (now Green Hill) in Chehalis, where he was employed fifteen years, boarding there during the week and coming home on the weekends. Mother worked at a tailor shop in Chehalis for a while, picked strawberries, and did miscellaneous jobs to help support the family. Once again our number increased, adding three more: Dean, June (Layton), and James, making a total of nine - all born at home with the assistance of mid-wives. In 1934 the home on Kennicott Road burned down. For a short time the family lived with the oldest daughter, Bernice and husband until a home was purchased on the Bishop Road. These were Depression days, and I remember well how my mother fed many destitute who passed our way. There was "an X" mark on a telephone pole in front of our place that was a sign to others that this home was a good place for a free meal. My parents were honest, hard-working and generous people. . Orange Ray Baxter died November 16, 1946. Elsie Shurts Baxter died January 31, 1980. Dean died September 12, 1967. Ray died November 13, 1968. Paul died January 21, 1983. By June Baxter Layton RUTH BAXTER These are some of the memories of Ruth E. Baxter's life in Lewis County from 1924 to 1942. O. Ray Baxter, born May 19, 1877 in Ionia, Kansas, and his wife Elsie M. (Shurts), born Oct. 4, 1889 in Kerwin, Kansas, moved their family of four to Bossburg, Wa. about 1918. The family at that time being Ray, Bernice, Paul and myself. We were all born at Woodward, Oklahoma. Bruce and Effie were born at Bossburg. We lived at Bossburg about six years before the move to Chehalis where our home was on what is now known as the Kennicott Road. Dean, June and James were born at home there. There was no electricity there at that time and no indoor plumbing. The only running water we had was when we "ran out to the well to get it". We cooked and heated the house with wood stoves. All laundry was done on the washboard and dried on the clothesline. Our mother baked bread about every day and it was a great snack when we got home from school. She also had a large garden, canned a lot and stored what she could for winter. Potatoes were a large part of our diet and I think I peeled tons of them. We discovered the little wild blackberry our first summer at Chehalis. We picked lots of them for eating, canning and some to sell. I think we got a dollar a gallon for them. The money was used for school clothes. We sometimes picked raspberries to help get our clothes. Dad worked at the boys training school. It is now known as Green Hill. We planted a part of the garden space into Marshall strawberries to help with the cash income, but times were so bad we didn't do too well. We ate lots of them and so did our dog "Spot". He broke out with hives and looked funny with his hair standing up all over his back. I was in the third grade when we started attending Dillenbaugh School. It was a two room school with four grades in each room and one teacher for each room. Bernice and I did janitor work for awhile. We worked after school and were paid a little each month. It was the teacher's responsibility to keep the classroom clean. I graduated from Chehalis High in 1935. That was the year the house burned. Our next home was on the Bishop Road close to the Union School. The first summer there we picked strawberries on Logan Hill. I met Clifford Clemons there and we were married in 1939 at Kelso, Wa. We soon moved north and spent most of the time at our home in Everett, Wa. He died in 1971 at Everett General Hospital. I married Larry E. Roberts the next year and he died in 1978. My daughter Gail E. Tucker from my first marriage and born at St. Helen Hospital is now living in Tucson, Arizona. My youngest granddaughter lives with her. My two other grandchildren live in Kelso where I now make my home. Ruth E. Roberts (Baxter) W.N. BEAL AND ETHEL M. SMITH BEAL W.N. (Norman) Beal was born in Abbott Village, Maine, December 11, 1883, the son of Wi1lis Melvin Beal and Abbie Weymouth. Soon after his birth he was taken to their new home in Guilford, Maine. His grandparents were early settlers in Maine. Three of his ancestors were in the Revolutionary War. Norman attended the University of Minnesota where he received his degree in law in the spring of 1906. After graduation, he took a job as a surveyor with a railroad and worked his way to Fall City, Washington. He stayed with an aunt and uncle, the Frank Bennetts, early settlers there. >From there he toured around Washington, looking for a good location to settle. He found Centralia with so much logging, milling and farming just right. He then opened his law office in 1908. He married Ethel M. Smith November 1, 1911. She was the daughter of Charles and Annie Smith. Her father was the son of James (Blockhouse) Smith and Mary Eastman Smith, who settled in Cedarville, Washington in 1854. The family home was on the Chehalis River and served as a halfway house for travelers to and from Grays Harbor. Mr. Smith was Postmaster at Cedarville, many years. Ethel's mother was the daughter of Daniel and Rachel Lewis who settled in Russellville, Oregon (which is close to Portland) in 1872. Ethel was born in Russellville May 10, 1885 and was brought to Centralia while an infant. She then lived in Centralia until her death in 1981. W.N. Beal practiced law in Centralia from 1908 to the time of his death April 1, 1976. He was Centralia City Attorney from 1914 to 1916 and was Centralia Police Judge from 1939 to 1946. They had one child, Alta Marie, now Mrs. Rudolph Tarrach, still living in Centralia. Rudolph Tarrach came to Centralia at the age of 3. He was a logger and also worked for Graystone Company for many years. He died in 1985. Rudolph and Alta had a daughter, Nancy, who married Richard Shaffer from Centralia. They now live in Herndon, Virginia. They have two sons, John and Daniel. The Beals were both interested in outdoor activities, hiking, camping, fishing and boating and they built a fishing shack on Puget Sound. He climbed Mt. Rainier in 1915. The Beals' one big adventure was a leisurely sightseeing trip, driving to Guilford, Maine and back in a Model T Ford in 1920. It took them a month to go and a month to return. There were few campgrounds so they used school grounds, wayside woods and farmers' fields to camp, and otherwise stayed in hotels. The roads, many of them, were in terrible condition. They took their daughter, Alta Marie, then aged 7, with them. Norman was a member of the Centralia Rotary Club from 1924 to the time of his death. By Ethel Beal JULIA (FLEMING) BELDEN I graduated from Mossyrock High School and that fall I began working at the Security State Bank in Chehalis as a bookkeeper. (photo): Julia Fleming Belden In August of 1962 I quit my job at the bank and moved to Tacoma, Washington, all because I happened to see a dark haired, handsome young man by the name of Jim Belden. I began working in the office of a toy wholesale house, but quit just before Jim and I got married on November 30,1963. I'm happy to say we're still married and 1 still happy. On October 5, 1964 our first child was born, Chrystal Joye, and 10 1/2 months later, on August 28, 1965, our second child, Richard Albert (Rick), was born. In January of 1969 we moved to Portland, Oregon, and in March of 1970 I was rushed to the I hospital in convulsions, all because of high blood pressure. I was carrying our third child, but the convulsions killed the little boy. I was in a coma for 11 days, and during that time my husband held on, although the doctors told him three I times that I wouldn't live through the night. But, because of the love and faith of my husband, and I the prayers of family and friends, I'm alive and I well today - a living witness of the power of prayer. My right arm is still partially paralyzed because of this, but I still am very active, and can type faster than a lot of people by simply using one finger. I'm proud to say that my disability has given me fresh opportunities. I'm so thankful to be alive, and to be able to do what I love best . . . be a wife, a mother, (a grandmother) and to 1 write. 76 In December of 1973 we moved back to Silver Creek, Washington, and enrolled our two children in Mossyrock Grade School. In September of 1975 we moved to the Roseburg, Oregon area, and in March of 1976 we bought 26.6 acres west of Sutherlin, Oregon in the Oakland school district. We still live at that place and love the quietness of it. I'm a freelance writer now and have sold several articles to magazines, but am looking for that big score when I can sell some novels. Our son, Rick, who is now 19, is transferring from Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon to Arizona State, where he'll continue his education in the field of architecture. Our daughter, Chrystal, who is now 20, is married to a young minister, Kent Moody, and they are living in San Antonio Texas. At this time I'm eagerly awaiting the news that I'm a grandmother. What a thrill that's going to be, and a new experience in my life. By Julia Belden BELLAND FAMILY In the year 1920, Nels and Mathilda Belland, and their infant daughters Nina and Alphild and Mathilda's mother Anna Twedt moved to Shoe string Valley from Tacoma, Wash. They had purchased the Fink homestead at the north end of the Johnson Rd. This farm of 160 acres was located with several homesteads nearby. Some of them were the Munson, the Hadaller, the Sam Rich and the Woodruff homesteads. There was a fenced grave for many years in the back yard of the Woodruff homestead of a youngster who had died. Upon arriving in Chehalis the Bellands purchased a wagon and a team of horses to transport their household goods the twenty-four miles to the Fink place. They had bought the place without seeing it. The August Johnson family had also settled on the Johnson Road, and the Belland family stayed with them for three weeks while Nels got the house ready they were to live in. The Johnson Rd. in later years was named The August road as there were three Johnson roads within a mile area. Evidently there were many Johnsons coming to the area, as Charley Johnson also lived on the road. Charley Johnson was a bachelor and raised Victor Smith from Black Diamond, who was an orphan. Victor was a very good musician. After my folks lived on the Fink place for a year, their homestead burned to the ground and they purchased the 40 acres at the end of the VanHoesen Rd. from Ragnild Johnson. I, Gerda was born here in 1922, and grew up there attending the Shoestring Grade School and graduating from the Onalaska High School in 1941. My father, mother and grandmother were all from Norway. They and my sister Nina are all deceased. My sister Alphild lives in Selleck, Wash. She has three sons and ten grandchildren. I live back on the home place, moved back here seventeen years ago. I have a son and daughter and three grandchildren. My son Earl and family live across the field from me on the old Carl Frase place. My son is a logger and his wife Vicki is a baker at the Onalaska school. Their children are Linda, Broderick and Ernest Brad. My daughter Elaine works for the State in Olympia. She is Assistant Administrator in Driver Control. When my father had been in America for a year or so he worked on a fishing boat to Alaska and at a cannery in Ketchikan, Alaska. Then he took a trip back to Norway. He was the oldest of twelve children. On the return trip to America he met my mother who was on her way to Minnesota to stay with her aunt and uncle. They courted by mail and were later married in Tacoma, Wash. My dad's brother Lars returned from Norway with him to America. He enlisted in the Coast Guard and was active in that until his retirement. Seventeen years ago my husband Ernest Hagseth and I moved back to the home place here where I was born in 1922 and grew up. My husband and son Earl were a partnership in logging and we also had 150 acres in Christmas trees. My husband Ernest passed away in 1977 and my sister lost her husband Chester Frazier two and a half years later. By Gerda Belland Hagseth JAMES AND FLORENCE BECKWITH FAMILY James Earl Beckwith with his wife Florence, daughters Florence, Myrtle and son, Elmer, moved to the Kosmos area from Tacoma, Wa. in the fall of 1938. (photo): Beckwith Service Station, Kosmos, 1941 Earl's cousin, Rex Strong, who's wife was the postmistress at Ajlune, told him about an empty Associated gas station at Kosmos Corner which Earl rented. Unable to find a home for his family, he was forced to rent a store front house between Nesika and Riffe on the old highway to Chehalis that is now under water because of the Mossyrock Dam. The children went to Mossyrock School for one year and remember studying by kerosene lamps because of no electricity. The back of the house was on stilts and another vivid memory is of the two Florences meeting at the only door at midnight when the earthquake struck. Earl was already outside attempting to fix the lights on a car for two schoolteachers who were trying to return to Chehalis. Myrtle and Elmer slept through it all. When a house became empty in Kosmos, Earl purchased it for his family. It had no siding, only tar paper, and Earl added two bedrooms and a porch. The children transferred to Glenoma Grade School from which they graduated at the end of 8th grade and went on to Morton High School. Because Earl was a very good mechanic, the owners of the station built a garage for repair work. The gas trade was interspersed with logging trucks and school buses which took 30 to 40 gallons of gas at a time. The gas pumps had to be hand pumped after every ten gallons. The eldest daughter, Florence, well remembers her days of gas pumping at the station. It was a great place for children to grow up and you knew people for miles around. There was a swimming hole at Nesika seven miles away and there would be big bonfires and wiener roasts. One day Jack Southerland from Kosmos Timber Co. sent a bulldozer down to dig a swimming hole in Rainey Creek at Kosmos. That was greatly appreciated by all the kids and the parents who were uneasy about them going so far from home to swim. The girls were in much demand for baby sitting and families actually took turns going out on weekends to be able to get them to baby sit. Elmer loved to fish and hunt which his father didn't do, but there was always somebody to help you learn. Earl was offered a job by the Kosmos Timber Co. as head mechanic in 1943. Since work and the gas trade had dwindled because of the war, he decided to take the job and close the station. His wife was his assistant. She had taken her training, helping at the station. In 1945 when the oldest daughter graduated from high school, the family moved back to Tacoma where Earl bought a service station in Parkland which he operated with his wife until his death in August of 1953. JOHN COLUMBUS BELCHER John Belcher (born 2-1-1856, died 3-30-1925 at ElkHorn Creek, McDowell County, Virginia) and his wife Mary Jane Burks (4-14-1858 to 9-19-1897) came west in 1896 from Mill Point, West Virginia. They had eight children; James Boyd (10-31-1879 - 4-1944) married Graphia Newsted; Sarah (1881-1940) married Everett Stinson; Evelyn (3-14-1883 - 1-28-1968) married George Candler; Laura (7-9-1887 - 11-8-1961) married Mont Phillips (5-27-1873 -1-81961) John (11-10-1889 -1921) married Lola Chrisman; Howard (3-19-1892 - 2-24-1966) married Pearl Ward; Bertha (12-5-1894 - 4-5-1976) married Arthur Ray; all born in West Virginia and Anna (1897-1946) born in Riffe, married Elmer Erickson. (photo): Jobn C. and Louisa LeCroy Belcher They arrived in Chehalis on April 14, 1896. John finished teaching a school term for a teacher who became ill. They then moved to a place just east of Riffe, which is under water now. >From there to Yakima where he worked for a Mr. Gillmore. They then moved back to Nesika to help work in a sawmill. Finally to Ajlune to build a large house to raise his family in. The house still stands. On August 28, 1901 he married Louisa Jane LaCroy (2-2-1876) - 11-21-1940) from Portland, Oregon. They had six children; Maude 6-15-1902 - 3-10-1949) married Bill Graham; Bennie(11-17-1903-1-15-1967) married Violet Adams; Pearl (7-9-1905 - 7-3-1974) married Joe Lutch; Harry (5-3-1907) married Helen Stidham; Melissa (1-17-1909) married Fred Jernigan; Ernest (12-19-1910- 2-1-1973) married Dorthy Coleman. 77 Grandpa Belcher was an advisor in the Baptist Church. He helped organize the Darigold Association and, for some time, was on the board of directors. He also had a freight line from Chehalis to Mossyrock. The story is told of driving a herd of pigs to Morton through Riffe and across the Cowlitz River on the ferry. Grandpa brought up the rear with a horse and buggy. It was difficult to get all the pigs on the ferry, but it was accomplished. On landing on the other side, all the pigs jumped in the river and swam back across. They rounded them up again and onto the ferry. The second time, finishing the trip to Morton. One pig was all that was lost. It was summertime and the businesses had their doors standing open. Pigs went everywhere, into the bank, under the buildings, running every which way. With much effort they were finally delivered to a Mr. Tower, who loaded them onto a train and shipped them to Tacoma. Several weeks passed by, and, to their surprise, the pig that was lost found her way back home to Ajlune. Grandma spun wool to make yarn; knitted sweaters for the family. In 1929 she married John W. Coleman. They lived on the home place until her death from cancer in 1940. By Norma Boren BERG FAMILY WILLIAM T. AND DANIEL P. Two Hessian soldiers, Jacob Hieny and Jacob Berg, were among those captured by Washington's army at Trenton, Christmas 1776. They fought for Washington in his army after capture and then stayed in the U.S. in Pennsylvania. Their descendants, who became known as Pennsylvania Dutch, intermarried off and on during their 200 years since. This Berg family was a very inventive line of their descendants, including Orville and Wilbur Wright of airplane fame. (photo): Mr. and Mrs. Will Berg A group of Bergs and Hienys left their homes in Pennsylvania and migrated to Ohio and Indiana. The family began to spread out from there. One Berg family moved to Seattle before 1900 and many of his offspring are still there. Daniel Berg moved his family of nine children to Idaho, then to LaGrande, Oregon, and finally to Onalaska, Washington. All are gone now except a son, Joe, and grandson, Elmer Rachau, of Onalaska, and sister, May, and son, Walt of South Bend. Will Berg, a twenty-year teacher in Indiana, a brother of Daniel, moved his family to South Dakota where he taught and farmed for awhile on the Pine Ridge Reservation among the Indians in the Bad Lands. Daniel continuously begged Will to join him at Onalaska. In 1924, Will and son Roger came to Onalaska. Here he worked for the Carlyle Lumber Co., and finally acquired sixty-five acres of land on the present Berg Road. Now he began to build. With little money, he felled trees, hand split boards from cedar logs, built a house, barn, shop and other buildings. He made all his tools with the aid of his forge made from an old cream separator. With a home now, the family, who had gone back to Indiana, joined Will on the homestead. Times were hard. Food had to come from the land. They hand cleared for gardening first, then chopped clearings for pasture. Will was a gardener and botanist who loved and planted many fruit trees. So the family had fruits and vegetables, plus meat from hunting and fishing from the Neuwakum River along which they lived. Will's son, Myron, lives at Ryderwood; Roger, an old Onalaska football player, lives on the Berg Road; and Malcom (Bud) lives near Chehalis. His youngest girl, Harriett, lives in Portland. Daughter, Autumn, once a star Onalaska basketball player, has passed away. Alberta, an Onalaska teacher for many years, lives at Mossyrock. Her son Anthony (Tony) Thomsen, cited by the Air Force for inventing several items to mend airplanes, now owns and lives on the Berg homestead. He is co-owner of Chehalis B & T Industrial with his sister Edith's husband, Bill Wiley. Her girl, Rita, lives at Spanaway. Will and Edith Berg each lived to the age of ninety, and are buried in Fernhill Cemetery at Chehalis. JOHN AND LIISA BERLIN TOLEDO FAMILY John Berlin was born in Harma, Finland, on October 2,1873. He was the second child of three boys and two girls who grew to adulthood. His mother, Selma Nukkala Berlin, died when he was thirteen years old. After a few years his father remarried. John was a "talonpoika," son of land owner, but with a stepmother, he left home to work for others. In doing this, he met a teenage girl, Liisa Wuorenmaa of Lapua, Fin (photo): Sylvia Berlin College graduation photo land, born November 17, 1871, who had come a long distance to work for her aunt on the farm. Liisa's father had been killed by a horse when she was only five years old and she worked for others, from age nine on. Liisa knitted socks for John and he repaired her shoes for her on this farm where both worked, as he had been an apprentice cobbler for three years. At age nineteen John Berlin came to America, in 1893, to his oldest brother, Nick, at Ironwood, Michigan. These were the hard times of President Grover Cleveland and he could not get work. Later he worked in mines twelve hours a day for $1.00 a day pay. Many years he worked in various mines in Michigan, Montana, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado. Out of his meager wages he managed to send money to his father in Finland. John Berlin was a miner who did not drink or smoke. He could walk by a saloon with money in his pocket and not go in. In mining communities, he played his accordion and his harmonica for others to dance. Finally, his Finland sweetheart was able to come to America. Liisa Wuorenmaa worked in a furniture factory wrapping chairs for shipment. On April 13, 1901, John and Liisa were married at Superior, Wisconsin, by a Lutheran minister Rev. H. Sarvela. The couple made their home at Telluride, Colorado, for the next fifteen years, where John Ber (photo): Berlin Family Toledo 1926, Bill, Arthur, Eddie, Father, Mother, Inga and Sylvia. 78 Tulluride, Colorado, Arthur, Mother, Bill, Father and Inga Berlin. lin had employment in the silver and gold mines of Smuggler, Tomboy, and Liberty Bell. They I lived up near the mines at first and then later bought a house in the city of TelIuride. Here all six of their children were born. Arthur John on March 19, 1903, and Inga Elizabeth on May 24, 1904. Then a daughter, Mildred, was born in 1905 and she died of pneumonia at the age of eighteen months. Her loss is still felt. Wilho Jack, or Bill, was born August 31, 1908, and Eddie Gusta, February 9, 1910. A daughter was wanted because of the loss of Mildred, and Sylvia Marie was born December 26, 1912. The three older children attended kindergarten and grade school in Telluride. John Berlin came to Western Washington to look for a farm and on June 5, 1916, he bought 80 acres of fertile, bottom land by the Cowlitz River above Toledo (ColIins Road) from R.A. Burss and his wife Jennie A. Daniel Jacoby and family were neighbors. On June 16, 1916, Mrs. Berlin arrived by train in Winlock with all the five children. This date has been observed in the family ever since. In 1931, Berlins bought the adjoining forty-acre, Tom Nelson farm from Mrs. Deane after renting it many years from her. John Berlin operated a dairy farm, separating the milk and hauling the cream to Toledo himself. Calves were raised on the skim milk and the veal shipped to Tacoma. They raised potatoes, and people came from all over to get the Netted Gem seed potatoes from him. Six acres of kale and rutabagas were raised for feed for the dairy cows. BilI Raupp of Cowlitz Prairie and then later Elmer Boone would do the baling and the threshing for the Berlins and other neighbors. The five Berlin children walked the three miles to school, from 1916 when they started at Toledo until 1930 when the youngest graduated from high school. There was no wagon or bus or vehicle of any kind for a school bus like there was on the other roads. Arthur, the oldest, graduated from Toledo Grade School in 1918 and stayed at home to help his father with the farm work. The four younger children graduated from Toledo High School and three of the four were valedictorians of their classes. Inga completed high school in three years and was valedictorian of the class of 1925. BilI graduated in 1926. Eddie was valedictorian of his class of 1928. Sylvia, the youngest, kept up the family tradition and was valedictorian of the class of 1930 with thirty-four members in her class. Children of the Finnish immigrants were appreciative of the opportunity to attend school and were interested and serious about their school work. After high school, Inga was married in 1926 to Frank Knab and they lived in California. They had four children, Dwight, Homer, Arnold, and Mildred. Inga passed away in 1956 at the age of fifty-two. After high school, in 1930, Sylvia stayed home for three years to take care of her mother who had asthma and heart trouble. Mrs. Berlin passed away on May 16, 1933, at the age of sixty-one. During these three years, Sylvia was in Mrs. Myrtle Ferrier's 4-H Clubs, which inspired her to go to college. She attended Washington State College from 1933- I 938 graduating with both a B.A. degree in Home Economics and a Bachelor of Education degree. At that time, one had to have five complete years of colIege before you could teach a day in high school. (photo): Bill Berlin four years in World War II John Berlin died of cancer December 28, 1942, at the age of sixty-nine. The youngest son, Eddie, and his wife, Eva, bought the home farm and lived there with their three children, Nancy Jo, Faye Lynn; and John, until Eddie's death on August 22, 1979, at the age of sixty-nine. His widow sold the land to a neighbor, Adams. Several years after his father's death, Arthur made his home with his youngest sister and husband, Sylvia and Onni Haapala at Winlock, for twenty-two years. Arthur passed away November 3, 1976, following surgery, at the age of seventy-three. After college, in 1938, Sylvia taught at Toledo High School for two years, was married in 1940 to Onni Haapala of Winlock, taught at Toledo three more years, and at Winlock High School for twenty-five years from 1950-75. Her husband passed away May 13,1984, and Sylvia continues to reside at their farm house at Winlock. . Pearl Harbor on December 7,1941, affected nearly everyone's life. Bill Berlin was soon in the army, first in California, then Camp Hood, Texas, then England, Belgium, France, Germany and Czechoslovakia. After four years of World War Two, he returned home and he and his wife Helen bought the Pete Keldsen farm on the Winlock- Toledo Highway and farmed there thirty-five years. A son, Walter Eugene, was born to them, who died in infancy. Helen passed away in a nursing home in 1983. Bill Berlin resides now at the Forest Manor Retirement Home south of Chehalis on the old 99 highway. Of the five Berlin children who arrived at Toledo, Washington on June 16, 1916, there are only two left now. (1985) Bill and Sylvia. By Sylvia Haapala BETTS FAMILY Delmar Betts was born in 1910 in Rochester, WA, third in a family of six, to Eugene and Hattie Kreger Betts. (photo) Grandma Hattie, Grandpa Eugene, Golden Wedding 1957, Bernice, Cliff, Delmar, Earl, Vern Betts. His only sister, Bernice Benedict, the oldest, now lives in Escondido, CA. She has one son, William Kinnick, of Spokane. Clifford Betts, the second oldest, lives in Chehalis with his wife Georgia. Earl, the fourth child, lives in Kelso with his wife Evelyn Galusha. He is retired from the Greyhound Company. They have a son, Jerry, of Kelso and a daughter, Penny, of Seattle. Vern Betts, the fifth one, and his wife, Mickey Gustin, live in Chehalis where he managed a service station until retirement. They have a son, Steve, who lives in Renton with his wife Judy and their three daughters. Daughter, Pamela, lives in Anchorage, AK, with her husband, Larry Stein. She is a nurse and he is in the building trade. She has two sons. 79 The youngest daughter, Debby, lives in Chehalis with her husband, Steve Gunsolly, and their son, Jeff, and a daughter. Kenneth, the youngest son, died in 1946, during the war. He left a daughter, Linda, who lives in Chehalis with her husband, Jon Cusic, and their two daughters, Jonny and Jill. Delmar grew up in Chehalis, moving to Aberdeen in 1926. There, he was a supervisor at the Harbor Plywood Co. for thirty years. He married Alice Greer in 1934. She was a native of Aberdeen and, also, a descendent of Washington pioneers. They moved to Chehalis in 1959, buying a share in the Centralia Plywood. When it went bankrupt, he worked for the Chehalis School District until retirement. Their two sons are Michael, a C.P.A. in Tacoma, with a daughter, Tracy, and a son, Michael; and Robert, an attorney in Seattle, who lives in Redmond with his wife, Carol, and two sons, Scott and Cameron. Eugene Betts, Delmar's father, moved to Chehalis from Rochester in 1913 to work for the Carnation Milk Co., continued with Borden's, then Darigold, until he retired in 1957. He was well known throughout Lewis County in his job as Field Agent, inspecting dairy farms. He was the youngest of four sons of Daniel and Julia Marion Betts. They were married in McComb County, MI, in 1870. They, then, journeyed to Kansas, the mecca, in those days, for pioneers. Their four sons were born there Hiram, Arthur, Robert and Eugene. In 1887, they started west in a covered wagon, ending up in Michigan Hill, Rochester. It was said, "there were so many people there from Michigan, they named the hill so they would feel they were home." Their sons married and started their families there. . Hiram later moved to California with his wife and two daughters. Robert moved to Oregon with his wife, son and daughter. Arthur married Maycie VanDyke and had a family of nine. He died in 1920, leaving Maycie to finish raising them. Many of them are still in Thurston and Lewis Counties with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We have a family reunion every year with 100 to 150 attending. BIEKER Doris Marie (Kabel) Bieker, was the first daughter of Hans Ludwig Kabel, who was born in Neumunster, Germany, and Clara Marie (Lieske) Kabel, who was born in Santa Barbara, California, of German parents. My father and mother lived in Chehalis, Washington, from 1930 until 1934. My sister, Barbara Jean, was born in 1932. My father was employed by the Borden Company as a machinist foreman. We were transferred to Modesto, California. We lived in Modesto until my father was transferred back to Chehalis, in 1942. The Borden Company closed their doors in 1945. The Callison Evergreen plant is in the building now. My father is now 86 years old and living in Auburn, Washington. My mother passed away in November of 1984, at the age of 82. I went to school in Chehalis from 1942 to 1945. I graduated from high school in Auburn, Washington, in 1946. I married Richard Edward Bieker or, February 8, 1946, in Auburn. Our first child, Renee Christine (Bieker) Brewer, was born on October 3, 1948, in Auburn. Renee has a daughter, Dannie Christine, 12 years old. They are living in Chehalis, Washington. Renee is employed as a hairdresser. Our second child, Richard Anthony Bieker, was born on October 8, 1949, in Auburn. Richard has 4 children, Anthony Eugene, age 17, Tor Micheal, age 12, Samuel Edward, age 10, and Elizabeth Ann, age 9. Richard is presently attending the University of Washington. Our third child, Ronald Edward Bieker, was born in Tacoma, Washington, on September 3, 1951. Ronald has one son, Japith Lee, age 8. Ronald and his wife, Mary Jo, live in Everett, Washington. Ronald is employed as a merchandise manager. In 1952, Richard and I returned to Chehalis, Washington. On April the 11th, 1953, our fourth child, Resa Ann (Bieker) Knapp, was born. Resa and her husband Carl, live in Centralia, Washington. Resa has two sons, Kyle Richard, age 8, and Kevin David, age 5. I became single in 1978. I have been employed at Yard Birds Shopping Center since 1954. I am a buyer for several departments and through my job, I have had the pleasure of traveling many major cities of the U.S. and several foreign countries. I now live on a piece of property located on the Tauscher Road in Chehalis, Washington. The original property, where I live now, belonged to Andrew Tauscher. By Doris M. Bieker BINGAMAN - CRUMB MORRIS Our story begins when Ephram Martin Bingaman and his wife Sarah Elizabeth (Eddy), and William Thomas Crumb and his wife Marie Ann (Rockwood) homesteaded in Lewis County. The Bingamans and Crumbs had large families, and the hero of our story, Frank Bingaman, and heroine, Frances Crumb fell in love and were wed in 1913. Frank, a master craftsman, built his own home at 321 Division, Morton, where he and Frances raised their four children. They were both civic minded, and contributed many hours to making Morton a better community. Frank and his father operated saw mills, and later he and son Eugene operated the mills. Frank was one of the signing members that made Morton a Chartered City. Eugene Bingaman resides in Morton with his wife Vivian (Clevenger), and their daughter Marie (Mrs. Don Copeland) who teaches at Morton High School. Phillip Bingaman migrated to California where he married Barbara (Nyberg). They have two children: James, married with two daughters who live in Missouri; Susan, (Mrs. Dennis Parsons) lives in California. Marguerite Bingaman married Roger Russell, and lived in Appleton Wisconsin until her death in 1965. They had four boys, Kenelm, Douglas, Brian, and Charles. Kenelm Russell married Sharlyn (Miller), and they live in Olympia. Ken being Washington State's Forestry Pathologist contributes greatly to the forest industry. Sharlyn teaches English at University of Puget Sound. They have four children, David, single, owns Rushwind Sails, Hoodriver Oregon. Karen Russell, single, is a college student. Dana, single, attends Whitman College. Leslie, married to Shawn Peterson teaches sailing. Douglas, and Brian Russell, and families live in Wisconsin. Charles Russell, married to Mary Jane "Meltz," lives in Morton and works as a logger. Chugging into Morton on a Milwaukee log train, brakeman Don E. Morris fell in love with Barbara "Joan" Bingaman, and they were married in February 1950. Don and Joan lived in Midland, and Puyallup for 26 years. They have five children. Gene, married to Coralen (Wagner) works for Nalleys, and they have a son Nathan. Joan Hagedorn, divorced, and her three sons David, Brian, and Steven live in Moscow, Idaho. Ronald Morris, Captain in U.S. Airforce, and Family Physician is doing duty at McChord Air Force Base, and works in Morton Hospital emergency room one weekend each month. Frank Morris married Joan Zetterberg, and Joan teaches school while Frank is self employed. Dona Mae Morris married George Andrew Loflin Jr., and they live in Wichita, Kansas, with their daughter Amy Mae and son Christopher James. Don and Joan Morris moved to Morton in 1976, and have their retirement home on five acres of Joan's Grandfather Crumb's original homestead. The following poem expresses the true love Don and Joan have for Lewis County. GOD'S GIFT In Eastern Lewis County the trees grow mighty tall. Bright green leaves in the Spring red and gold in the Fall. Where the air is sweet and clean pure and unpolluted. Where you can take a breath of air, and the oxygen is not diluted. Where the sun shines with all its might. No smog to filter through, and dampen out the light. Where people are_really friendly in an easy sort of way. Where time goes by pleasantly each and every day. If you like the mountains trees, rocks, streams, and lakes. There is no better place on earth to put out your homestead stakes. Don E. Morris EUGENE AND VIVIAN BINGAMAN "Bing," as he is called by his friends, is a grandson of an 1860 homesteader, a true native. son of Morton. He was born in Morton in 1915, the first son of Frank and Francis (Crumb) Bingaman. As he grew up, he loved the hills, mountains and the out-of-doors. Fishing and hunting were favorite pastimes for young "Bing." He and (photo): Eugene and Vivian Bingaman 80 his friend, Mike Winsberg, would leave for a week at a time, with only their fishing poles, a salt shaker and a pound of bacon. Their families would not worry, for they knew that they were at home in the woods. "Bing" was quick to join the first Boy Scout Troop in Morton in 1929, a Charter Member of that organization. During the Rooster Rock forest fire, in the Cispus Country, he hired on as dishwasher, his first job, at age 14. He washed dishes, using two large, tin tubs, one to wash in and the other to rinse in, for a fire fighting crew. As a teenager, during the Depression of the 1930's, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), at age 17. He loved the work projects, making trails, putting up telephone lines I and constructing campgrounds. "Bing" went on to become a timber faller. During World War II, he and his father, Frank Bingaman, worked their tie mill. Morton became the "tie" capital of the world. He later became a "gypo" contractor and hooker for St. Regis. He was a good example of your typical hardworking logger. All through those years, from childhood, he continued to love the woods, for pleasure and for making a living. In Morton's Loggers' Jubilee, "Bing" has taken an active part as a competitor in the handbucking contest, using the old "misery whip" long before the power saw was invented. He was arena manager for several years, preparing the grounds for the show. He still helps out, setting up the arena and placing the tall, climbing trees. In 1937, he took his childhood sweetheart, Vivian Marie (Clevinger), as his bride. Their first date was a hike through the woods to Cutler's Rock, a special place to share with his girl. Vivian is also a native of Morton and a daughter of one of the first settlers, W.K. and Priscella Clevinger. She spent many years working in the Morton Medical Center as a receptionist. They have a daughter, V. Marie Copeland, who teaches school at Morton High School. Her husband, Don Copeland, served in Vietnam, with the United States Army Special Forces, and is now employed as an environmental, computer specialist with Honeywell, Inc. As President of the Lewis County Historical Society, "Bing" is involved in preserving the history of the County and is very knowledgeable in this area. He is currently Worshipful Master of the Morton Masonic Lodge and a member of the Afifi Lodge in Tacoma. He is also a Charter Member of the Morton Moose Lodge and a member of the Old Settlers' Morton Museum. The Bingamans, now retired, live on their farm outside Morton. By Vivian Bingaman BLACK FAMILY Walter Nixon and Cora Lucinda (Anderson) Black moved from near the banks of the Mississippi River in Alexandria, Clark Co. Missouri to Centralia, Lewis Co., Washington with their family in 1903. They came at the behest of his mother Sarah Jane (Layport) Black Long and step-father Albert Andrew Long, who had already moved west with Sarah Jane's children William Everett and Hester Ellen Black. Walter had followed in the footsteps of his father James T. and his grandfather Hamilton M. Black by being a farmer in the rich fertile land lying adjacent to the Mississippi and Des Moines Rivers. After being flooded out over a number of years when the rivers overran their banks, Walter and Cora Black decided to leave for Washington State. Walter, Cora, and their four children Ethel, Russell, Gladys and Ora embarked upon a 6-7 (photo): Black Family day train trip west. Their meals consisted of sandwiches and fried chicken which Cora had prepared and carried in a large wicker basket. It is incredible to think that they made the trip with no food poisoning since there was no refrigeration. The little family arrived low on funds and with no place to live and no employment, but were greeted with open arms by Al and Sarah Black Long and her children. Shortly thereafter Walter found work at the Salzer Valley Mill. In no time they found a house of their own. Howard Elliott the fifth child was born the next year, 7-26-1904. Walter who was 6 ft. tall and red haired appeared robust and managed to walk the 3 miles to and from the mill each day after a hard days work. Soon his health failed and he died of a heart condition called chronic endocarditis in 1909. Cora held her little family together with help from her friends and two eldest children, Ethel and Russell. Ethel worked part-time in a bakery and Russell part-time at Stahl's drugstore. Even the little children, Gladys, Ora and sometimes Howard journeyed to Ford's Prairie to pick and carry fruits and vegetables home for Cora to can for the winter. November 1916 Cora L. Black ran for Lewis Co. Clerk, she won and took oath of office Jan. 8, 1917. She was eminently successful and ran a second time in 1918, taking office Jan. 1919. Although she carried the Centralia vote, she didn't carry the Chehalis vote, but did manage to best her opponent Mrs. Sarah B. Stewart. She was the first woman Democrat to be elected to public office in the county and became the most successful woman in local politics. Lewis Co. also had the most efficient County Clerk's office in Washington State. Many articles appeared in local newspapers, especially, "The Centralia Daily Chronicle," attesting to this fact. She was in office through 1921 at which time she retired. Her children were mostly grown by now and she could relax and enjoy life at her home at 701 West Main Street. Cora died of pneumonia, May 1,1933, at Seattle, Washington. Walter Nixon and Cora Lucinda (Anderson) Black had issue: 1. Ethel Amber -_ born, 6-15-1892, Alexandria, Missouri, married Charles Marion Hastings, 617-1919, Centralia, Washington, died, 3-5-1976 at Seattle, Washington. Charles Marion Hastings died Vancouver, Washington, 3-17-1941. Ethel Amber and Charles Marion Hastings had issue: Marcile Louise - born, 4-8-1922, Centralia, Washington, married first Daniel L. Bridgeman, 826-1944, Seattle, Washington, married second Claude Worral, 3-23-1985, Tacoma, Washington. No issue by either husband. Daniel L. Bridgeman died 2-4-1978, Seattle, WA. Martha Ellen - born 12-20-1928, Centra1ia, Washington, married Edward DeHart 10-20-1950, Centralia, Washington. Issue: Richard Allan, Patricia Lorraine, and Donald Wayne. 2. Russell Orville - born, 1-4-1895, Alexandria, Missouri, married Jessie Louise Rich, 9-181915, Vancouver, Washington, died 10-18-1941, Seattle, Washington. Jessie Louise Black died 7-12-1943 at Seattle, Washington. Russell Orville and Jessie Louise (Rich) Black had issue: Patricia Dolores - born, 10- 2-1919, Centralia, Washington, married Lewis Davenport Norman II, 4-5-1941, Seattle, Washington. Issue: Diane Patricia, Dolores Jeanne, and Russell Lewis. 3. Gladys Ellen - born, 8-24-1897, Alexandria, Missouri, married first Edward Francis LaSpronce, 9-27-1926, Centralia, Washington, married second Frank N. Hoard, 9-15-1962, Seattle, Washington. Edward LaSpronce died, April 1956, Frank Hoard died, 11-11-1980. Gladys still living in 1985. Gladys Ellen (Black) and Edward LaSpronce had issue: Betty Jo - born, 9-11-1931, Seattle, Washington, married Melvin A. McEntire, 8-8-1953, Seattle, Washington. Issue: Michael Edward, Patricia Kathleen. 4. Ora Gertrude- born, 11-]5-1899, Alexandria, Missouri, married first George Dearborn Rowe, 5-5-1926, Centralia, Washington, married second Archibald B. Kennedy, 2-23-1980, Seattle, Washington. George Dearborn Rowe died 3-30-1969, Seattle, Washington. Archibald B. Kennedy died 1-19-1982, Sarato- 81 ga, California. Ora Gertrude (Black) and George Dearborn Rowe had issue: George Harrison - born, 1-10-1928, Centralia, Washington, married Beverly M. Snow 6-171949, Seattle, Washington. Issue: David Dean and Marianne Louise. 5. Howard Elliott - born, 7-26-1904, Centralia, Washington married first Thelma Mae Patton, 5-12-1926, Centralia, Washington, married second Dorothy (Strange) Grady, 6-21-1958, Buden Washington. Howard died 11-13-1976, Seattle, Washington. Thelma Mae Black died 7-251965, Seattle, Washington. Howard Elliott and Thelma Mae (Patton) Black had issue: Walter Raymond - born, 7-13-1931, Centralia, Washington, married Peggy Thometz, 2-141958, place unknown. Issue: Margaret Lynn, and Charles William. Dianne Joan - born, 2-6-1936, Centralia, Washington, married Ivan M. Johnson, 3-29-1962, Seattle, Washington. No issue. By Patricia Black Norman BLASER FAMILY Leopold Blaser was born in Lauerz, Switzerland, October 15, 1886. Elisabeth Marchy in Steinerberg, Switzerland, December 23, 1894. Elisabeth's aunt was Leopold's stepmother and when she heard that Leopold had returned to his homeland after four years in America, she decided to visit her aunt. This was in September 1913. They were married February 23, 1914. sailed for America on their honeymoon, and never returned to their homeland until they retired forty three years later. Their destination was Tillamook, Oregon, to join Leopold's brothers. Leopold and Elisabeth rented a small farm and began their family. Frances, January 31, 1915, died shortly after birth. Leo, January 19, 1916, and Charles, December 4, 1917. (photo): Blaser Family - Charlie, Werner, Fritz, Seated: Marianne, Elsie. In December of 1919 (and I understand it was one of the coldest weeks on record) they moved to Chehalis. They rented the Lafe Lawrence place which is across the road from the airport, and the second farm from the golf course. They resided there until their deaths, Leopold on March 11, 1959 and Elisabeth, January 8, 1965. Five children were born in Lewis County: Elsie, April 17, 1920; Fritz, April 14, 1922; Werner, May 24, 1926; Margaret, September 17, 1933; and Marianne, September 26, 1940. Through the years letters came from Switzerland edged in black as Mom and Pop lost fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers in their homeland. We always knew the folks would be sad whenever one arrived. January 19, 1941 we had our own tragedy. Leo was killed in a motocycle accident in California and on October 6, 1943 we lost Margaret. She was badly injured in a car-horse accident, gangrene set in and four days later she was gone. Penicillin could have saved her, but in those days it was only available in New York and very expensive. The folks purchased the Lawrence place in 1943, which they operated until 1957, when they sold it to Charlie, Fritz and Werner who are still in the dairy business and farming at this time. Mom and Pop were noted for their hospitality. During the depression years there never was much money, but always a full table from mom's garden, chickens and eggs, and of course plenty of meat from the livestock which included cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. Our home was a stopping place for their Swiss friends who traveled up and down the coast. They were well known for their good food and music. Pop played his small accordian for many house parties and barn dances, and the traditional music of his homeland is still played by his sons and grandsons. Of the fifty- four direct descendants, forty- two are still in the twin city area. The twenty-one grandchildren are all good citizens and an asset to our community. Grandpa and Grandma Blaser would be proud. Charlie married Becky Blazer. They have three daughters, Nancy, Kathy and Pattie. Elsie married Emil Spahr. They have five sons, John, Robert, James, Thomas and Timothy. Werner married Bette Jo Guenther. They have four children, Douglas, Joseph, Donald and Julie. Fritz married Edith Scott. They have five children, Janet, Joyce, Albert, Gerald and Judy. Marianne married Otto Portmann. They reside in Puyallup, Washington and have four, children, Theresa, Clemenz, Christian and Anthony. By Elsie Blaser Spahr DAVE BLANKENSHIP FAMILY Our family in Lewis County goes back to the late 1800's, to my great-grandfather who was T. I. Blankenship, a blacksmith in the town of Riffe. My grandfather was William Noah Blankenship who was a farmer and logger at Ajlune. My father William Arnold Blankenship was born at Ethel and has lived all his life in Lewis County except the time he spent in the Marine Corps during World War II and Korea. He is a log truck driver and farmer. He married my mother, Leora Fleming, who was from Van Nuys, California in 1949. I have a half-brother, Ricky Reed, in the Marine Corps. He lives with his wife Carol and four children, Dinean, Ernie, Troy and Mindy in Yuma, Arizona. My sister, Barbara Blankenship Trejo, works at the Chehalis Fire Dept. She has two children, Marco and Rebecca. I have lived in Mossyrock all my life except for 2 years I spent in Tacoma going to Bates Vocational school. I married a young lady from Randle, Laura Waddington. Laura was going to college in Ellensburg when we married. She has now finished and is just starting her teaching career. We have two children, Amanda Kathryn and Megan Nicole. My father and I operate the farm my grandfather owned. We have beef cattle and horses. I chose as my profession diesel mechanics and welding. I am now working as transportation supervisor for the Mossyrock School District. I still play baseball and my wife and I are active in the local Van Club. By Dave Blankenship SCHRODA BLAKLEY My name is Mrs. Schroda Faye Robertson Blakley. I was born in Wayne County, WV. My parents, Grace Steele Robertson and Charles Robertson, moved to the Lewis County area in 1938, when I was four years old. I attended the Mossyrock High School through the tenth grade, after which I married Robert J. Blakley, son of Reverend Robert Blakley, of Mossyrock, WA. We lived in Lewis County for approximately four years and had three children, two sons and one daughter. We were then forced to move because of progress and the Riffe Dam. We moved to Pacific County and lived there for twenty years and raised our children. Our oldest son, James Warren Blakley, graduated from Willapa Valley High School in 1910 and, shortly after, joined the U.S. Navy. He is currently a Senior Chief and is married to Joyce E. Miller Blakley, daughter of Dr. R.R. Miller of South Bend, WA. Our daughter, Emily Janette Blakley Laird, was born at home at Mayfield in 1954. She is now married to Gary L. Laird, of Raymond, and has three beautiful daughters, Desaray, age seven: Lisa, age five; Lelia, age one; and one on the way that should be here in August. Robert J. Blakley II was born in 1958 and graduated from Willapa Valley High School in 1972. He is married to Laura Helm Blakley and has two small children, Bobbi Jo age four and Randle James age three months. By Schroda Faye Robertson Blakley BERNICE SWEANY ROUNDTREE DAWLEY BLINKS Bernice Sweany was born March 31, 1901, Port Orchard, WA. Papa said girls didn't need middle names because they get married. Personally I accumulated three more names when I married: Standing: Elenor, Verno Seated: Bernice, Orville Roundtree. Orville Wilson Roundtree in 1925; 4- H Leader and Darigold Inspector. Virgil Homer Dawley in 1975; teacher, administrator Lewis County Welfare Department. Albion Abraham Blinks in 1982; landscape-architect. All three were well-known by St. Helen Hospital Sisters. One said to me, "You marry the nicest men." I agree. My parents were Eliza J. Harris 1873-1961 born in Boistfort and Charles H. Sweany 1872 - 1939 born in Kansas. 82 When living at the Curtis Store starting in 1909, "going to Grandpa's" was enjoyable. Most often it was to Grandpa Harris' at Boistfort. Less often it was over King Road to Sweanys in Winlock by horses and wagon, and after 1911 by car. At Boistfort great-grandmother Margaret Sparks, 1820-1913, was with her daughter, our Grandma Mary Harris, 1848-1923, and as at Sweany's, there were lots of uncles, aunts and cousins. Sweanys celebrated their golden wedding in 1917, and the Harrises in 1922 with the Sweanys present. My brothers and sisters, all six of us, are still living, 1985. In 1900, Fay Harris Sweany, electrical engineer, married Frances Bishop. Their children were Martha, Thomas Michael, Charles. In 1901 Bernice Sweany, teacher, homemaker, married Orville W. Roundtree. Their children were Elenor, Verno In 1904 Veva Sweany, teacher, married Harold Palm. Daughter, Dlorah. Later married James Carpenter. In 1907 Loren Edward Sweany, mechanic, welder, millwright, married Thelma Vails, a son Edward. In 1907 Loris Eva Sweany, teacher, married Joseph Dionne. Their children were Gordon, Charles, Rosalie, Doris, Maxine, Roy, Alice, later married Frank Croff. 1913 Gordon Hamilton Sweany, lawyer, president and chairman of board of Safeco, married Alta Showalter. Son Garrett. Alice A. Miller 1878-1936 and Glen O. Roundtree 1872-1953, Boistfort, married and lived on a hilltop near Adna, were parents of my husband Orville Wilson Roundtree 1896-1972. Orville was a crusader. He was active in Grange in 1912, and always in Sunday School. He was first graduate at Boistfort High School in 1916. He served in WW I training recruits at Ft. Stevens, Oregon. 1919-1921 he was a 4-H leader in Lewis County and Grays Harbor County, winning national honors. Orville and brother Oliver were timber "fallers" for Long Bell's, Ryderwood, first spar tree. Orville was heard all over town when calling down a tree. An 8 foot limb from a snag broke seven bones which caused him lifelong problems. 1925 Orville and Bernice married. Their children were Elenor, 1927, and Vern, 1929. They moved to the nearest farm and delivered bottled milk to Ryderwood until the 1932 depression! Woods were closed. No work, no pay. Cows had to be milked. Dump milk in river? We delivered as usual. Some paid, others never. Two hundred dollar cows sold for hamburger for five dollars. Oliver, Fay and 5 children could make it alone. Orville moved his family to Chehalis, sold insurance, and lived frugally. He was very active in the Methodist Church. Orville campaigned for Congress but quit - refusing money from special interests. He supported the Townsand Plan until it was subverted. In 1936 William D. Pelley came. We learned the evils of communism why, how, and danger for U.S.A. Orville lectured for years on that, including Federal Reserve, national debt (unnecessary), and foreseeing today's problems. He studied Swedish massage. In 1941 he aided WW II efforts by getting out plywood. His old hip injury hindered him. Roundtree Health Center opened in 1950 in Chehalis; it was the first health food store between Tacoma and Vancouver. We delivered to country homes each month. "Farmers feed animals proper rations, why not humans?" 1953 we began studying concept therapy, a philosophy of life. We made many study trips east by car, train, and air, enlivened by Orville's hearty laughs, jokes, acceptable stories, believable palm reading, including strangers. We taught alone or assisted in 30 to 40 local 3-day classes. We boosted the local Beam Club for years. 1962-1964 we operated second store in Aberdeen. It was closed when Orville collapsed. Bernice kept the Chehalis store going and prospering. A mining venture in Nevada was a burden he did not want. About 1967 my brother, Loren, was alone, not well, came to help us. He could keep store while I took Orville wherever he wanted to go for his poor condition. He was in and out of Veteran's Hospital, Vancouver, WA, chiropractic in Denver, Portland, local healers, l0-day trip to Philliphines Spiritual Healers, University Hospital Seattle 1971 where hip replacement was not advised. 1970 we built blue home 846 S.E. Adams. 1972 Orville died Veteran'sd Hospital, Vancouver, November 13. 1975 Bernice married Virgil, sold store, and enjoyed traveling. Four and one-half years later Virgil died of a heart attack suddenly on October 17,1979. 1980 Loren helped build present home 661 S.E. Adams. 1982 'Bernice married Albion. We had two especially happy years before his final stroke, hospitalization, and death on February 11, 1984. Friends and family are close. My two children and 8 grandchildren and spouses are wonderful. Eight dear little great-grandchildren are precious. I belong to several groups, including Daughers of Pioneers of Washington, Order of Eastern Star, United Methodist Church. I also enjoy gardening. My days are too full to be lonely. JOHN A. BLANKENSHIP FAMILY John Aderson Blankenship was born December 11, 1881, in Boggs, West Virginia. Around 1901 he came with his father, mother and 9 brothers and sisters to Lewis County, Washington. (photo): John and Helen Blankenship In 1907 John returned to West Virginia and married a young school teacher by the name of Helen L. Wilson. They returned to Lewis county, which he referred to as "The Garden Spot of the World." They homesteaded for a few years in the Nesika area and then moved to Salkum, then Cinebar and finally to Centralia. His six children were: Alden H. Blankenship who became Superintendent of Schools in Tacoma, in Springfield, Mass., Oakridge, Tenn., Gary Indiana and finally Cleveland, Ohio; Alfred A. Blankenship who became a minister in the First Church of God; Dee Blankenship Miller, a secretary and a real estate salesperson, and Opal Blankenship Conner, who was also a secretary and a real estate salesperson; Allen N. Blankenship, an electrical engineer in Seattle; and Albert S. Blankenship who was a Weyerhaueser employee for 30 years. John A. and Helen Blankship continued the remainder of their lives in Centralia, where he was Lewis County Sheriff for 20 years. Helen involved herself in raising the family and being active in the community and church affairs. She passed away in 1969 after they had celebrated 63 years of married life, and he followed her death in 1973. They are buried in the Claquato Cemetery near Chehalis, Washington. By Opal Conner T.I. BLANKENSHIP FAMILY While in the Army, during the War between the States, Elexious Coleman met a man by the name of Stump. They got to be friends and buddies. After the War, Elexious Coleman went back to West Virginia and Mr. Stump moved to Western Washington, settling in Lewis County, Washington. He wrote letters to his friends about what a wonderful country Western Washington was. The rivers and creeks full of all kinds of fish, the elk, deer, bear and all kinds of game birds and the big trees. So Mr. Coleman and related families got the "Pioneering Fever" and, in the summer of 1893, they chartered a train coming west to Washington. Sixty people boarded the train at Hawk's Nest, West Virginia. The names of some of the families were the Elexious Coleman family; their sons-in law, Thomas Blankenship and family and the Floyd Riffe family; the Osborne family; and other families. They arrived at Chehalis and Centralia, Washington, in September, 1893. They chartered a hotel in Centralia for a few days until they could get places to live. T.I. Blankenship, his wife, Mary P. and four children - William Noah, Loucinda, Jonah W. and Rebecca lived at Centralia that fall and winter. Twin boys were born that winter and died at birth. In the spring of 1894, they moved to a place on the Cowlitz River, seven miles east of Mossyrock, later named Riffe, Washington, in honor of Floyd Riffe, the first postmaster and owner ofthe first general store. The post office was in the store. Floyd Riffe was a brother-in-law to T.I. Blankenship, having married Armeda Blankenship, a sister to T.I.Blankenship. The Osborne family settled about three miles west of Riffe at Ajlune, which was about halfway between Riffe and Mossyrock. Mr. Osborne was a school teacher and taught the one-room school between Riffe and Swofford Valley. For many years the Coleman family settled at Nesika, four miles east of Riffe. T.I. Blankenship was the first blacksmith in Eastern Lewis County. He built a log house for his family at Riffe. Also a blacksmith shop, a large barn, a store and other buildings. He also built a ferryboat. It was the only way to cross the river to Morton, except by footbridge and canoe. The Indians would ferry the settlers across the 83 river, at a place east of Nesika, where the Cowlitz River was not so deep and swift. They would take two canoes and tie them together, take the wheels off the wagon, tie the wagon bed on top of the two canoes, put the wheels and tongue of the wagon in canoes, and take them all across the river. They swam the horses and cattle across. That is the way the settlers got to the Big Bottom Country and Packwood. After T.I. Blankenship had lived at Riffe for a few years, he got homesick for West Virginia. He wrote a letter to his father, who lived in West Virginia, and told him he would like to move back to West Virginia, if his father would give him a certain piece of land for a home place. He was so sure that his father would want him to move back that he was making plans to sell his place at Riffe. When he received a letter from his father, he wrote, "Thomas, you went a long ways to see the country and make a new home for yourself and family, you haven't been there long enough to know if you like it. Stay a while longer, then, if you still want to move back, I will give the piece of land you want. If you stay in Washington, I may join you in a few years.", which he did. This letter made T.I. so angry he said he would not go back for a good many years and then just for a visit. Since T.I. Blankenship was the only blacksmith in Eastern Lewis County and his shop, at his home place, was on the main route to Randle and Packwood, many people stopped there. Also, people came from many miles around to get work done on their wagons and buggies and to get their horses shod. Most of them came on one day, stayed all night and left for their homes the next day. Some had to stay longer, but nobody was ever turned away. If there was not room for them to sleep in the house, there was hay and quilts and blankets so they could sleep in the barn. The Blankenships had company most of the time. As the years went by, four more children were born in the log house at Riffe to Thomas I. and Mary P. Blankenship. They were Conley Blankenship in 1896 (he was named for his grandfather); Ezra Osborne Blankenship in 1898; Arthur Lee Blankenship in 1901; and Vivian Blankenship in 1904. The Blankenship kids all loved honey. They ate it like the kids today eat candy. When William Noah was in his late teens, he and his friend, D.C. Rakes, who stayed at Noah's father's most of the time, went visiting to Nesika. It was a dark, raining night as they returned home. A cougar suddenly screamed up on the mountain to the south of them. Without thinking, Noah answered. The cougar screamed again, and they knew that they would have to run for home, as the cougar would soon be there. It took at least three days to make a round trip to Chehalis with a wagon and team of horses. One cold day, TJ. Blankenship and his son, Noah, were in Chehalis for a load of supplies. As they came out of the harness shop, they saw a man in a black, fur coat walking toward them. As they passed, they looked at each other, then turned, and looked at each other again. T.I. said to Noah, "I have seen that man someplace before." The man went into the harness shop and asked where he could find T.I. It turned out to be Nickodemus Blankenship, T.I.'s younger brother from West Virginia. He had arrived that morning on the train. They hadn't seen each other for a long time. Uncle Nick, as he was called here, was known as N.S. Blankenship, a railroad telegrapher. In later years in West Virginia, he and his wife, the former Jane Hatfield, made a number of trips west to Lewis County to visit his brother T.I. Blankenship and his family, his sister, Mrs. Armeda Riffe and her family, and other relatives and friends. Uncle Nick and Aunt Jane didn't have any children of their own so adopted a little boy. His name was Dexter Blankenship. He and his wife and one son still live at Matewan, West Virginia. N.S. Blankenship died in 1952 at Matewan, West Virginia, and his wife, Jane Hatfield Blankenship, died several years later at Matewan, West Virginia. Uncle Nick and Aunt Jane were highly respected in West Virginia and were also very well to do. Aunt Jane's family was related to the fighting Hatfields, who had a feud with the McCoy family. Her family didn't take part in the fighting except, sometime, they were made to hide some of the fighting Hatfields in their barn for a few days. The Blankenship family is supposed to be distantly related to the McCoy family. The Blankenships are supposed to have some Indian blood. Just how much and where it comes from, I don't know. Noah always said it comes from the McCoy family. The Blankenships are English and Irish. The first families coming to this country were from England and Ireland. Now some more about T.I. Blankenship and his father Conley. Both of them were good, untaught veterinaries. T.I. Blankenship would ride horseback many miles to help his neighbor's animals. He was also an untaught dentist. Anybody that had a toothache and didn't want to go to Chehalis, which took about 3 or 4 days to make a round trip, had T.I. pull it if they could stand to have a tooth pulled without anything to stop the pain. His father, Conley, who was an old Baptist preacher, was sometimes called a witch doctor by some people and was, also, a good untaught doctor for animals and people. He used herbs and lots of faith. Here is a story that Noah used to tell about his grandfather and his father, T.I. They went to the barn one morning to feed the cows and horses. He came back to the house and told his mother that one of the cows was sick and that he thought she was bewitched. That another witch doctor, over in Swofford Valley, had doctored on a cow at the same hour and for the same thing, and that the witch woman who had bewitched the cows would never see another well day. There was a woman who lived near Riffe that they called a witch. Well, this woman did take sick and she never did see another well day. She died several months later and the cows got well- this is what I call lots of faith. Noah Blankenship did a lot of freighting with a team and wagon, hauling supplies for the store. Also, they did some hauling for some stores at Mossyrock and Ajlune. There was one store, at Ajlune, at the time. Most of the time, some of his younger brothers went with him. At that time, boats of all kinds came up the Cowlitz River as far as Toledo, bringing both freight and passengers. Several years later, after cars and trucks were invented, Noah bought a HRL truck, which he used for freighting in place of the team and wagon. The Blankenship brothers loved to hunt for elk, deer and bear. Two or three, most always, went together. They would go way back in the mountains and camp for a few days. They always brought back some kind of meat. One time, Noah saw a bear on a big old log, laying on the ground, and he shot at it. The bear fell off the log, on the far side, and he thought he had killed or wounded it. He started for the log and saw a bear standing on it, so he shot at the bear again, and it fell off the log. Again, he started for the log and, again, he saw a bear standing on it. He thought, "that bear sure is hard to kill," so he shot at the bear, again. After that, no more bears came up on the log, so he went over to the log and there lay three dead bears, an old mother bear and her two halfgrown cubs. There was a bushy tree standing beside the log and the bears had climbed out of it onto the log. He thought he had been shooting at one bear all the time. Noah was a very good marksman with a rifle and very seldom missed anything he was shooting at. One day, we went over on the back side of the ranch to see about the cattle and Noah took his rifle with him. We saw a China pheasant sitting on a limb in the very top of a tall fir tree. I said, "I wish we had that bird for supper tonite. Noah shot and when the bird fell to the ground its head had been shot off. It looked like it had been cut off with a very sharp knife. His brother, Ezra, was the best shot in the family. He would shoot from the hip, without aiming at what he was shooting, and very seldom missed the target. All the brothers were very good hunters. This is a story told back in West Virginia about the way Devil Nance got his nickname of Devil Nance. One day he was hidden out in the brush, close to one of the McCoy's homes, waiting to get a shot at the first McCoy man that came out. A woman came out to draw a bucket of water from the well, and he shot and killed her. Everybody said he was a real Devil to kill a woman, so after that, he was called Devil Nance Hatfield. By Lena Blankenship WILLIAM NOAH BLANKENSHIP FAMILY Father -Thomas I. Blankenship, Born 1863 McDowell Co., West Va., died 1939 at Riffe, Wash. Mother - Mary P. Coleman Blankenship - born in Buckancana Co., Va. March 10, 1863, died April 8, 1915 at Riffe, Wash. Grand. fathers - Conley Blankenship - born Jan. 1, 1828, died Nov. 3, 1911 at Riffe, Wash.; Electous Coleman - born in Va. 1840, died 1912 at Riffe, Wash. Grandmothers - Mrs. Conley Blankenship - First name unknown was killed in a train accident in West Va. date unknown; Elizabeth Coleman - born in Va. 1844, died at Riffe, Wash. 1912 Wives of William Noah Blankenship - Victoria Workman Blankenship born Feb. 15,1889, died Jan. 1919, Married Sept. 21, 1907; Children: Inez G. Blankenship, Enos B. Blankenship, Mildred G. Blankenship, Oscar Blankenship also known as Oscar Workman. Lydia Blankenship Stanley Blankenship born March 6, 1888, died Mar. 25, 1923, Married Feb. 14, 1919; Children: Gabe Stanley, Kelly Stanley, Lillie Stanley, Louella Stanley, Jack L. Blankenship, Harry Neuhman Blankenship. Gretta Workman Blankenship born Feb. 1901 died April 29, 1944, Married Sept. 14, 1923; Children:_Donald M. Workman, William Arnold Blankenship, Lee Hartley Blankenship, Harry Loren Blankenship, Freeman Fieldon Blankenship, Delmon Ernest Blankenship. Eve Lena Gregory Blankenship born Sept. 2, 1900, Married June 13, 1945; Noah and Lena were married in Lena's home town, Bentonville, Ark. Their honeymoon trip was to Ajlune, Wash. the home of her husband. No children were born to this marriage, which lasted 27 years and ended with the death of William Noah Blankenship May 19, 1972. By Arnold Blankenship EVAN BLANKINSHIP Barney Blankinship and wife, Berklow, homesteaded in the Randle area on the north side of the Cowlitz river. Previously they lived in Illinois, Missouri, where their son, William A., was born, Texas, Centralia, and on to Randle. William A. Blankinship homesteaded in 1887 on the Cline Road on the south side of the Cowlitz. He and Ada Proffitt married in 1892. Ada's father, Henderson, and wife, Mary Profitt, 84 (photo): William Blankenship Family (photo): Eyan Blankinship homesteaded on the Cline Road. Mary Proffitt wrote songs and sang. Evan Blankinship was born in Randle in 1895 to William and Ada. In 1902, they moved to Morton, W A. There, Evan walked a log across the Tilton river to school. His father, William, built and managed a store. He hauled supplies from Centralia by way of Bear Canyon. William discovered the Cinnabar Mine near Morton. They moved to Centralia and then to Randle to operate a store with Evan's uncle, Joe McAllister. William Blankinship hauled cascara bark for people in the Centralia area and brought back supplies for the store. It took a week or longer. Evan, around sixteen years old, climbed Whale Head Ridge. He volunteered for the army in World War I. After returning home, he bought the Joerk homestead, later adding adjoining acreage. He developed a fine herd of commercial and registered Hereford cattle, topping the market several times with baby beef at the Portland Stockyards. Evan leased and developed land in the Tatoosh range, taking cattle in for 42 years. His hobby was playing guitar, singing and participating in local bands. He was the father of four daughters: Ilene Melton, whose hobby is sailing. Her two daughters, Tarri and Dee Dee, live in Fremont and Vallejo,CA. Roberta Johnson, Newport, WA, with her husband, plays guitar in a local band and has three daughters, Wanda, Sharon and TarrL Jenna Lee Cain, Tualatin, OR, pianist and singer, has four sons, Keith, Mark, Brian, Kyle, and two daughters, Rae Lee and Laura. Jouieann Fugate, Randle, WA, whose hobbies are horses and jeeping, has two children, a son, Cecil and a daughter, Cynthia. Hugh C. and Louie Ruth Myers, Tioga, ND, moved to Doty, WA. Their daughter, Mildred, started school in 1921. She graduated from Dryad in 1933. She married Evan Blankinship in 1937 and helped him on the cattle ranch for twenty-eight years. Earnest, son of William and Ada Blankinship, volunteered for the U.S. Navy in World War I. After returning home, he married Lillian Vaughn. They had two sons. Miles, a World War II navy volunteer, musician in the Navy Band and, after returning home from the service, had a band of his own. Their second son Roger is a minister and singer in LaPlata, MO. He and his wife, Phyllis have a boy and a girl. Miles and his wife, Shirley have two children and live in Washington, Dc. Earnest constructed lovely churches and many lovely homes. Lillian designed some of the homes. He was an aviator and musician, and established a Christian school, Manatha, in Meridian, 10. BLINKS The Blinks family began its journey to Washington State and Chehalis in 1951, when Stanley Edward graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in forestry. (photo): Scott, Ann, Stan, Diann Blinks He went to work for Weyerhaeuser in Longview. Six years later he was transferred to the Skykomish Tree Farm at Monroe and in 1963 was transferred to the Vail-McDonald Operation with headquarters in Chehalis. (photo): Albion and Ruetta Blinks April 18, 1959, Stan was married to Ann Trout in a formal wedding at the Methodist Church in Stillwater, Okla. Their first child, a daughter, Diann Eddy, was born in Everett, Wash., July 27,1961, and their second child, a son, Scott Edward, was born Aug. 18, 1964, in Chehalis. Diann graduated from the University of Washington in December 1983, with a degree in communications and in June 1984, received her elementary education credentials. Both Diann and Scott are graduates of W.F. West High School, Chehalis, and received W.F. West scholarships. Scott graduates from the Univ. of Washington in 1986, studying business administration/accounting. He is a member of Sigma Nu fraternity and Beta Alpha Psi business honorary. Diann joined Alpha Gamma Delta sorority at the U. W. She is also a member of Mortar Board and Women in Communication, Inc. Scott and Diann both spent a quarter in England studying at the University of London as part of the American Heritage Study Program. Stan is the son of Ruetta Day and Albion A. Blinks, who moved to Chehalis in May 1968, after Al's retirement from Civil Service work in New York. Ruetta was born Christmas day, Dec. 25, 1890, near Brighton, Iowa. She earned bachelors and master's degrees in home economics (marketing and foods and nutrition). She taught home economics at Iowa State University prior to her marriage in Boston on New Years Eve (1925) to Albion Blinks. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at a reception, hosted by their son and his family in 1975, at the United Methodist Church in Chehalis where the family are members. During World War II, Albion Blinks served with the Sea bees in the South Pacific. He began his 20-year Civil Service career with the Corps of Engineers in Omaha, Neb., and retired in the spring of 1968 as chief landscape architect with FHA - New England area. Their son, Stanley, was born Dec. 15, 1927, in New York City (Manhattan) where the family was living and working. Since his retirement from the Weyerhaeuser Company Dec. 31, 1982, he is a member of the national membership committee of the Society of American Foresters (SAF). He has be«n active in SAF on a local, regional and national level. He served as a national councilman for Alaska, Northern Idaho, and Washington. He 85 and his father are past presidents of the Chehalis Lions Club and both were members of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity at Iowa State University. Al graduated from ISU and Harvard University with degrees in landscape architecture. Ann Blinks was born Aug. 30, 1928, in Stillwater, Okla., the daughter of Ruth Brown and Clement E. Trout. She graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in general social science and a certificate in journalism. Prior to her marriage, Ann worked on newspapers in the state of Oklahoma and as editorial assistant for the Methodist Publishing House in Chicago, Ill., and New York City. After coming to Washington, she worked for the Monroe Monitor and since 1968 has been employed by The Daily Chronicle, most recently as living news editor including food and church pages. For some 20 years Ann served as a district officer for United Methodist Women and for the Vancouver District of the United Church. She was Vancouver District UMW president 1972-76 and for eight years was lay woman delegate to the Pacific Northwest Conference Council on Ministries of the UMC. Ann is a past president of the Lewis County Branch of the American Association of University Women, a member of the Washington Press Association and has won awards for her work. She is a member of Women in Communications, Inc., St. Helens Federated Women's Club and Olympia area Kappa Delta Alumni Association. For a time prior to her death in August 1980, Ruetta, Ann and Diann were all three members of Chapter AV, P.E.O. Albion was married to Bernice Sweany Roundtree Dawley in a double wedding ceremony with her granddaughter, Laura Burke, and Carl Hagen, at the Ocosta Grange Hall March 27,1982. Albion died Feb. 10, 1984. By request both Albion and Ruetta had their ashes scattered on Baw Faw Peak near Chehalis. JOHN BLOOMSTROM Arriving in the United States from Sweden, John, Sr. and Anna Bloomstrom settled in Plum City, WI. They operated a general store. They moved west and lived at Glenoma. John Bloomstrom, Jr., born April 3, 1870, married Della Pearl Hunt, (born 1899), the daughter of John and Nancy (Coleman) Hunt from Riffe. After marriage they moved to farm on the Uden Road in Glenoma. Della died October 27,1958. They had four girls: Daisy, Mary, Enigh and lola, and two boys: Alvin and Raymond, who served in the second World War. He died at twenty-six from carbon monoxide poisoning. John and Della had an interesting life. After working in the woods all summer to get a stake, he would head south to prospect for gold in Arizona and California. It is told, he did strike it rich in California but his partner made a mistake and put in too large a charge of dynamite, and blew it all away, losing the vein. At one time, he had sixty-five acres of land leased on Johnson Mt. for prospecting. He was unable to find any good minerals, so let the lease lapse. The "call-of-the-wild" didn't elude him. He headed north to trap and, no doubt, prospect in Alaska for a short time. Being civic minded, he served on the school board for many years, was a precinct committeeman and would return the election ballots to Chehalis after an election. He also worked for the Washington State Highway Department on the roads. Many neighbors brought their blacksmith work for John to do. He also repaired clocks and watches, and did survey work. You could say he was a jack-of-all-trades. His brother, Gus Bloomstrom, was a surveyor for the City of Seattle. Della was the farmer in the family. While John was off trying to strike it rich, she and the children ran the farm, milking cows and selling the milk or cream, which was hauled to Chehalis. For her own interest, she was a sales lady for Lee Mfg. Co., selling dishes and clothes, doing very well. Milk separators were also in demand and she sold them to the farmers. Bad luck struck and their home burned down. Many of John's musical instruments burned banjo, mandolin, organ and violin. Nels Anderson, from Meade Hill on Anderson Road, helped build the new home for them. Some of the material came from the old school house that was used before the 1932 school burned. This home still stands and Gerald Clevenger lives in it, on the Uden Road. Tillie Temple, of Morton, was John's sister. Two daughters, Enigh Addington and Mary Ford, still live in Glenoma. By Mary Ford MELVIN BLUHM FAMILY Lillian Neitzel, daughter of Herman Neitzel and Ida Lenz married Ervin Bluhm and came to Napavine with 4 boys and 1 girl from NE in 1937. Melvin Richard Bluhm, the third child was born in Seward, NE, Nov. 23, 1932. Jean Hilts was born in Valley City, ND, July 26, 1934 and moved with her parents, Mack Hilts and Alice Gray Hilts to Napavine, WA in 1945 where Alice was a teacher until she retired. Mack worked in the woods and for the school system until his death in 1954. Melvin and Jean were married in 1953 while Mel was in the Army. Mel worked at Shakertown for 15 years, and has been a carpenter ever since, building his present home. He also fishes on his boat the "Sea Melody" out of Ilwaco summers. Jean received her MA from WWU and taught 10 years in Chehalis and 20 years in Centralia. She has been active in the teaching profession, president of both organizations, taught Bible classes in the Presbyterian Church and is currently Drama Director and teacher of English at Centralia High School. Their first child, Sheri Marie Bluhm, now Mrs. Clark Davis a chiropractor in Ketchikan, AK, was born in Chehalis Mar. 29,1955. She has 2 boys, Keith Daniel Davis and Tyler Don Davis. She has a teaching degree from WWU and taught in Mossyrock, WA before moving to AK. Their second daughter, Debra Lynn Bluhm, now Mrs, Bill Rogerson has 3 children: John Mikal Rogerson, Scott David Rogerson and Tana Marie Rogerson. She received her degree and fifth year from CWU and currently is teaching at Washington School in Centralia. Their third child is Gerald Edward Bluhm who is attending WWU majoring in Education. All 3 children graduated from Chehalis High School. Lewis County provided good camping, boating and fishing facilities, good schools and good atmosphere in which to raise a family. By Jean Bluhm RALPH AND MAUDE BOE I, Maude Yates Boe, would like my great. grandsons, Jason, Jeff, Ryan and Tyler to know something about the life and activities of their great-grandfather and me during the last 75 years. My parents were Charles Yates and Daisy Mauermann Yates. My father and I were born on the same place, south of Chehalis. This was a donation land grant, purchased by my grandfather, Edward Yates. My mother was born in (photo): William Bluhm Family 86 (photo): Maude and Ralph Boe Centralia, as was her mother, who was the daughter of George Waunch of Waunches Praire. I was born in 1909 and was an only child. I walked about 2 miles to attend the old one room school called Union, which is long gone. I spent 6 years in grade school then graduated from Chehalis High School in 1927. My husband, Ralph Boe, was born in 1906 in Tacoma and grew up in Sumner. Ralph's parents came from Norway. He had three brothers and two sisters. He graduated from Sumner High School and Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. While in school he enlisted in the Oregon National Guard. We met while employed at the National Fruit Canning Company. We were married in 1933 in Chehalis. Our first home was on my parent's farm. Ralph was now working for G .R. Kirk Co., where he packed evergreens and learned to cut meat for locker customers. In 1938 we adopted our daughter Carol. My father passed away in 1942 at the age of 72, still on the same farm on which he was born. My mother lived with Ralph and me for the next 30 years, passing away in 1972 at the age of 93. In 1947 we decided to go into business for ourselves. I was a licensed beautician and Ralph knew how to cut meat. We opened a small store just north of Mary's Corner, which consisted of lockers, gas, groceries and a beauty shop. After the first year the beauty shop was gradually crowded out by meat cutting and wrapping for lockers. We did all cutting and wrapping and since we had about 300 lockers we were pretty busy in fall and late spring. The last 10 years we were in the store, Ralph worked as field assessor for the county during early spring and I took care of the store. We sold the store building to Loggers World in 1968 and moved into Chehalis where Ralph worked in real estate for several years. During our stay in Chehalis our oldest granddaughter Mary came to live with us. She was 12 at the time. After my mother passed away we moved back to a little farm on North Prairie Road near Mary's Corner, where nearly all our friends live. Our daughter Carol Przybylski, lives in Kent. She has one son and two daughters. Our granddaughter Mary is married to Gary McKee and has 4 sons. We all live on this little 3 1/2 acre farm near Mary's Corner. Ralph Boe passed away on February 12, 1981 at the age of 75. By Maude Yates Boe GERALD AND MARIAN BOES Marian Eileen Brown and Gerald Lee Boes were married April 16, 1943 in Winchester, IL. They farmed in Scott and Knox County, IL, and also in Livingston County, MO. They moved to Lewis County, WA, in May, 1963. They have four children, Kelly (Mrs. Donny Kirby), Centralia; Susan (Mrs. Erik Moe), Oakville; Danny, married to Debbie Dahlstrom, Chehalis; and Jerry, married to Sherryl Jacobsen, Chehalis. They have eleven grandchildren, four stepgrandchildren, two great-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren. Eileen's career has mostly been as homemaker, except for working for the food service department of the Chehalis School District and three years working the Dietary Department at St. Helens Hospital. Gerald worked for Breen Construction, on first coming to Chehalis, then Operating Engineers and twelve years with Lewis County Public Works, retiring January 31,1985. DALLAS T. BOGAR Dallas T. Bogar was born on Upper Johns Creek, Pike County, Ky. on May 27, 1884. He came to Lewis County in July 22,1902, from Ky. He homesteaded land in North Fork and finally bought land in the Ethel-Onalaska area. It is there that he lived with his bride, Ida Keesee, until his death on Nov. 11, 1956. Dallas and Ida were married on Apr. 28, 1910 in Chehalis. Ida also came from Pike County, Ky., not far from Dallas, but they never met until they both moved to Washington. Both of their fathers, John Wickliffe Bogar and Booker T. Keesee, knew each other in Kentucky, but the country was so rough back there, they never ventured far from their home places, so the "kids" never met. Dallas and Ida had two children: John Wickliffe, born April 6, 1911 in Ethel, WA married Laura Alice Hitch on Dec. 24, 1935 in Chehalis, WA. He passed away on Oct. 6, 1984 and is buried in Alpha Cemetery, Onalaska, WA. Laura still lives on the old Bogar home place in Onalaska. Ressie was born Sept. 21, 1912 at Ethel, WA and married Hervie Runyon on Dec. 21,1932 in Chehalis, W A. Ressie died on Aug. 13,1982, and is buried in Claquato Cemetery, Chehalis, WA. Dallas worked in the woods all over western Washington, but stayed mainly in Lewis County. JOHN WICKLIFFE BOGAR (THE ELDER) John Wickliffe Bogar was born on April 13, 1860 in Pike County, Ky. He married Permelia "Emma" Lowe, born March 8, 1859 in Pike County, Ky. They were married June 6,1882 by B.A. Hatfield in Pike County, Ky. They moved to Lewis County, Washington on Mar. 21,1902. They first came to Glenoma, then settled on North Fork, on the corner where the Bogar Road still is today. They had nine children, eight living to reach adulthood: Alzie A. Born Jan. 2,1883, Pike County, Ky. Married David Curry, Oct. 8, 1906. Died Feb. 15, 1914. Buried across from the "home place" at North Fork, on the Bogar Road. Dallas T. Born May 27, 1884 Pike County, Ky. Married Ida Keesee on April 28, 1910, in Chehalis, W A. He died Nov. 11, 1956. Buried at the Claquato Cemetery, Chehalis, WA. Joseph Marion. Born March 1, 1886, Pike County, Ky. Married Mable Markland on Dec. 24, 1906. He died on March 14, 1945. He is buried in the South Bend-Raymond area. Arminda "Mindy." Born Apr. 21, 1888, Pike County, Ky. Married Joseph Salzer on Oct. 30, 1907. She died in 1971, and is buried at the Claquato Cemetery, Chehalis, WA. Thomas Eugene. Born Apr. 14, 1893, Pike County, Ky. Married Mary Mills on Aug. 25, 1900. He still resides in Enumclaw, WA. Nancy Lillian "Lilly." Born Apr. 14, 1893 in Pike County, Ky. Married George M. Literal on July 9, 1915. She died young and is buried at Claquato Cemetery, Chehalis, W A. John B. Born Aug. 29,1896 Pike County, Ky. Married Nancy Riffe on June 4, 1918, in Chehalis. He died Mar. 28, 1960 and is buried in Elma, W A. Theora E. "Orie." Born Aug. 25, 1899, Pike County, Ky. Married J. Harry Literal on Nov. 15, 1915. She died in 1970 and is buried in Claquato Cemetery, Chehalis, W A. Infant son died at birth Feb. 12, 1890 Pike County, Ky. Alzie left one living child, Carl. Dallas had two, John Wickliffe and Ressie. Joseph had one, Calvin. Arminda had nine, seven living: Sadie, Thelma, Wickliffe, Eugene, Melvin, Leonard, and Harold. Eugene had two, Glen and Dean. Nancy Lillian left one who died as an infant. John B. had five: Bernice, Norma, Dorothy, Alvin, and Violet. Theora had seven: Florence, Edith, Bill, Fay, Bob, Lillian, and Dolores. When Joseph Marion Bogar lived in Chehalis, he drove a taxi. This was during the time of the union uprisings in 1919. He was driving the night of the hanging. They hailed his taxi, held a gun to Uncle Joe's head while another tied the man to the back of his taxi, and ordered him to drive to the bridge. Uncle Joe always said the man was already dead by the time they got to the bridge and hung him. They then told Uncle Joe to disappear and to keep his mouth shut - or else. By Ethel Rutherford JOHN WICKLIFFE BOGAR (WICK) The only son of Dallas T. and Ida Keesee was born on Apr. 6, 1911. John Wickliffe married Laura Alice Hitch, daughter of Charles John Hitch and Rosa Henrietta Victoria (Brynoff) Hitch on Dec. 24, 1935. They have five children: Evelyn Jean (Mrs. Duane LaFrombois) born Oct. 11, 1936; Ella Irene (Mrs. Tony Sandoval) born July 28, 1939; Elizabeth Elaine (Betty Hitt) born Mar. 27, 1941; John Dallas (married 1. Janet Phillipi 2. Rita Hash div.) born Feb. 9, 1944; and Ethel Marie (Mrs. Len Rutherford) born July 24, 1949. John Wickliffe lived in the Onalaska-Ethel area all his life except when he stayed with his grandpa John Wickliffe Bogar on North Fork for two years. He graduated from Onalaska High School in 1928. . He started working for Bordens Milk Company driving truck until they sold out to Darigold, for whom he drove can truck, then tanker until his retirement in 1973. He had also owned his own truck that he worked hauling on the side, besides farming for many years. He served on the Onalaska School Board also for many years. He and Laura are members of the Onalaska Presbyterian Community Church. Laura has been a member of the Know Your Neighbor Club for many years. She also worked at Yard Birds for a while. They had 17 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Jean, of Kent, has four kids: Diana born 1956 (Mrs. Ron Froemke) Buckley, WA who has Crystal, Brandon and Justin; Donna B. 1958 (Donna Hunkeler) Puyallup, WA. who has 3 girls Jami, Tressa, and Melissa; Rick b. 1959 87 (photo): L. to R.: Ethel Rutherford, John D. Bogar, Betty Hitt, Irene Sandoval, Jean LaFrombois, Laura A. and John Bogar. (married Julie Devine) of BonneyLake, WA who has Jennifer and Jarrod; and Darlene (Mrs. Gene Locken) Tacoma, WA who has Joshua and Lauresa. Irene has two children: David Sandoval b. 1958 of Burien, WA and Shirley Sandoval b. 1961 of Pullman, WA. Betty has five boys. Bob Dupree b. 1959 - d. 1979; Steve Dupree b. 1961 (married Becky Hilt, div.) who has Jason of Winlock, WA; John Dupree b. 1964 - 1984; Jerry Dupree b. 1969; and Danny Hitt b. 1974. John has three children: Linda b. 1963 (Mrs. James Yearian) of Chehalis, WA who has Teresa; John Bogar, Jr. b. 1968; and Jill Bogar b. 1971. Ethel has three girls: Tammy Rutherford b. 1970; Tonya Rutherford b. 1975; and Traci b. 1979, of Burien, WA. When Wick had any spare time from the farm, you could find him either hunting or fishing. Laura spent her "spare" time working in the flowers. She has the best green thumb around. John Wickliffe Bogar passed away on Oct. 6, 1984 and is buried at the Alpha Cemetery, Onalaska, WA. Laura still lives on the old Bogar place at Onalaska. RESSIE BOGAR RUNYON The only daughter of Dallas T. Bogar and Ida (Keesee) Bogar was born on Sept. 21, 1912, in Ethel, Wa. Ressie married Hervie Runyon, of Pike County, Ky., on Dec. 21,1932. They have six children. Hervie LeRoy (married Elenore Wassmer); Ressie Mae (Mrs. Ronald Wayne Victory); Clarence Frennie (married Louise Glaze); Glen Ivan (married Sharon Manley, div); Clyde Emerson (single); Anita Jeanette (Mrs. Danny Word). LeRoy, of Rochester, has 3 kids; Luana, Joanne, and Darrel. Mae of Centralia has 3 kids; Ken, Steve, and Roxanne (Mrs. Brad Bond). Clarence of Chehalis, has 3 kids; Denise (Mrs. Jerry Cole), Rae Ann, and Jeffery. Glen of Palmer, Alaska has 1 boy, Dallas. Anita of Owensboro, Ky. has 2 kids, Jeanette and Danny. Ressie and Hervie have one great grandchild at this writing, by Denise and Jerry Cole, named Nicole. Ressie passed away on Aug. 13, 1982 and is buried in Claquato Cemetery, Chehalis, Wa. Hervie lives on the home place in Ethel, War. BOLING FAMILY In the late 1800's in the area known as Harmony, C.H. Boling, recently from the mid-west and Dore E. Core, recently from Wisconsin, were married in a triple wedding ceremony at Dora's uncle's home. In May, 1891, Freddie Lee was born. Fred lived and grew up in the Harmony-Mossyrock area. He met and married Didama P. Jerrells, who also grew up in the Harmony-Mossyrock area, where her family owned and operated a small cannery, a saw mill, and a farm. Fred and Didama lived in the Mossyrock area most of their lives. Fred served in World War I, and later was a supervisor on the WPA Road Construction, and worked as a logger. Didama retired as a cook for the Mossyrock Schools and was known and liked by the children of the area. >From this marriage two children were born, Rose and James Lee. Rose married and moved from the area. However, Jimmie, as he was known to his family and friends, married Esther A. Harper of Cinebar, and continued to live in the area until his recent death. Jimmie was an avid radio buff and enjoyed playing his guitar with family and friends. All who knew him never considered his blindness a handicap. He and Esther were the mail carrier for the Mossyrock area for 15 years, from which they retired in 1983. They have four children, Gene Lee, who lives in California. Gene was in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the Vietnam War. Reita Lane is living in Napavine. Jerry Ray is living in Salkum. And Lee James is living in Napavine. Lee was in the U.S. Army and also served in the Vietnam War. Jimmie and Esther currently have 11 grandchildren and one great-grandson. JOSEPH BOLINGER FAMILY Joseph Bolinger came to Mineral, Washington from Redfield, Kansas, and homesteaded across Mineral Creek. In 1896, he married Ella Brown. Their infant son Joseph died at birth and was buried on the homestead. They moved to Everett where Mauris was born in 1899. Two years later they returned to Mineral, living in a log house, west of town. In 1905 Mike was born and a new house was built. The family raised mostly hogs and vegetables. Ella Bolinger died in 1915. Joseph married Mary King who had a daughter Betty. Mike built a crystal radio and friends gathered to hear it. Joseph died in 1933. Betty married and had sons Lee and David Moore who were raised by her mother. Mary Bolinger died in 1963. Mauris married Bertha Keating in 1925. Eleanor was born a year later. A new house was built and Jean was born there in 1930. Mauris logged, worked for the Lewis County Road Department. and farmed. Mineral was a bustling, growing town then. Mike ventured to Bandon, Oregon, helping build the rock jetty separating a river mouth and the ocean. He married Edwinyth Peel in Myrtle Point in 1934 and saw the city of Bandon destroyed by fire in 1936. A daughter, Patricia, was born and later they returned to Mineral. Pat liked to greet Jean with "What's buzzin', Cousin. Kansas cousins came for visits. Ralph Bolinger's daughter looked around at the mountainous enclosure 'and exclaimed, "I can't see anything!" Eleanor and Jean grew up doing chores, clearing l.and and raising strawberries. Eleanor attended Mineral's ninth grade, attended church and worked on the farm. On July 6,1957, she met with violent death. Jean married Earl Shields in 1950. She was Morton School District secretary before moving to Bandon, Oregon, where Erla and Linda were born. They saw the 1955 and 1964 floods while living near Fortuna, California. Their infant son Dale Lynn died Oct. 10, 1957. Arne Lynn was born Oct. 10, 1962 and a brother John in 1964. Earl died in 1966 and Jean and children returned to Mineral. She became a Mineral news reporter for The Morton Journal. Erla graduated from Morton High twenty years after her mother did. She married Tony Coleman and had Christina and Cassandra. Linda joined the WAC's, married a soldier Frank Gardino and had Louie and Earl. Patricia Bolinger married Charles Gentry and had Patty Jo, John and Mike. Patty Jo was crowned Miss Alaska in April 1978. Edwinyth was Bethel School District executive secretary for twenty-eight years in Eugene, Oregon. Mike sold CB radios, vegetables and logging stories after retiring. Mauris sold the farm in 1962, secured a mobile home and built a shop. He made 915 decorative windmills and numerous bird feeders. He died in 1984. Bertha lived a quiet life, cooking good meals and corresponding with relatives. She died in 1985, age 86. Many businesses burned or moved and Mineral is a quiet little town now, except for the one weekend in April. At that time thousands of fish hungry people invade Mineral Lake in the scenic 88 (photo): Joseph J. Bolinger mountainous area of a former homesteader, Joseph Bolinger. By Jean Shields EARL BOREN FAMILY As a young boy Earl lived with Grandmother Florence and Uncle Louis Larson in Morton, moving to Glenoma in 1932 to live with his dad, Cap Boren. Serving six months in the CCC's he joined the army in 1939, seeing action in the African invasion, Sicily, Italy, and Burma; receiving the Silver Star from General Patton for gallantry in action at Kassarine Pass. After six years, he was discharged in June 1945. Earl and Norma Jean Ray 4-1-29, daughter of Arthur and Bertha Ray of Randle, were married 5-3-47. Two daughters were born, Ann Yvonne 2-19-48. On 10-6-73 she married Stephen Parton - they have 2 daughters, Sarah 10-13-1977, Rachel 4-8-81, live at Glenoma. Ann taught school at Maple Valley and Glenoma. On 9-11-1971 Janice married F. Lee Grose 11-8-1950. They have two sons: Jeremy 11-3-1976 and Isiah 9-12-79, live in Fairbanks, Alaska. Both Lee and Janice taught school in Glenoma and White Pass. Janice was on Burley Mt. look-out for 3 summers. Stephen attended Green River College and drives a lumber truck for Packwood Lumber Co. Earl had a logging business for 18 years. After retiring from the woods, he took the job as State Fire Warden, which he enjoys very much. Being an avid sportsman Earl tells the story of elk hunting in Ravens Roost area in 1952. Arising early one morning he crept out to peek over the rim of the canyon. The whole canyon floor was covered with elk 400 or 500 head. Needless to say, he filled his tag. We bought the Ed Edlund homestead at Glenoma in 1946 - clearing 25 acres of land, building a new barn from the Lewis Lindbergh barn of Kosmos, building a new house in 1955. We acquired our license to custom cut meat for people and built 2 miles of property line fence - these are the things we are proud to have accomplished since living here. Norma has driven a school bus since 1958 for White Pass School. She has many interesting stories to tell, some funny, some sad and some that the parents would die, if they knew their children had told them. She drove the last bus into Kosmos before it was flooded 1966. She has enjoyed a few trips to foreign countries, Korea, Finland, Germany and Russia, sponsored through the Friendship Force. Taking lessons from Hazel Pete and Joyce Eyle, she has made many nice baskets from cedar bark, pine needles and cattails. Finding many Indian artifacts we have registered them with the Smithsonian Institute - working with Rick McClure of Randle. Some of our first neighbors were Harry Martins, Earl Heinselmans, Ed Dunaways, Eliza Clevengers and Willard Morris. So we have lived an interesting and healthy life in Glenoma - with many more to come. (photo): Janice, Norma, Earl, Ann Boren. HENRY N. AND CLAUDE BOREN FAMILY (OR FAMILIES) Henry Newton, 1841-1912, and Florence Frances Boren, 1850-1929, came to Centralia in 1912 from Licking, Mo. With them came three sons, John, Eugene and Claude. Charles went to Canada where one daughter still lives. Henry was a carpenter by trade; also made violins. (photo): Claude, Edith, Earl, Ruth, Marie Boren (in hat). John had 2 or more children, Agnes McIrvin who was raised by the Hudsons of Centralia and lives in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Bill went to Alaska about 1940 and was never heard of again. Eugene went back to Missouri as he was dissatisfied with the cold wet weather. One daughter Lela lives in Licking, Mo. Claude Henry, 1885-1967, and his wife Grace Mae Revell Boren lived for a few years in Centralia where he worked for the Agnew Lumber Co. They moved to Morton, where he worked for Pankee Mill for 10 years. Eleven children were born to them - Sam 1910; Edith Woodall 1912; Ruth Martin 1914; Earl 1916; Marie White 1918; Margorey Guy 1920; James 1921 died at birth; Robert 1922; 89 (photo): Florence Frances Boren Esther 1924 died at birth; William 1926 and Frances Lyle 1928. After moving to Morton the family split up and four children were adopted and raised by very good families. Margorey by Karl Kolnie family, Seattle; Frances by the Nelson family, Bellingham; Robert and William by Howard and Alma Wiester of Skamokawa in Wahkiakum Co. They have retained their adopted names. Robert was Sheriff of Wahkiakum Co. about 1955, Deputy Sheriff in Cowlitz Co. and worked as a U.S. Custom Inspector, retiring in 1984. He lives in Joseph, Or. William "Bill" has been Sheriff of Lewis County for five terms - 20 years -longer than any Sheriff before. He lives in Chehalis. Frances joined the WAC's and served in the invasion of Africa. After being hit by shrapnel she was sent home, where it was discovered she was only 17 yrs. old, not old enough to be in service and was discharged. She is an artist and lives in California. Claude "Cap" married again 8-9-38 to Erma Bowen 1914-1980, daughter of Grover Bowen, Glenoma. They lived in the Randle, Glenoma area. He worked in the woods and picked ferns. Both are buried in the Rainey Valley Cemetery. Grace married Mark Hamrick. Four children were born - Mike, Violet, Melvin and Virginia. July 1941 a car-train accident in Napavine took the lives of Grace, Mark, Violet and Melvin. Mike was killed in a pipe line explosion in Iran about 1964. Virginia is still living and has a son Jim Netteland. BOROVEC FAMILY Joseph Borovec was born in the Bohemian region of Austria in 1846. He and Josephine were married in 1873 and immigrated to the United States shortly afterwards. On March 12, 1883, Joseph Borovec filed for citizenship in Olympia renouncing his native Austria, and the same day filed for homestead rights on 160 acres at the foot of Logan Hill. Mary McCrank's Restaurant is on part of that acreage. Four children were born to the couple: Joseph, Stella, Zane and Charles. Joseph took grain to Olympia by saddlebag to be milled but had rigged a two-wheeled cart to take a larger load. On one such journey in 1897, he had an accident and died a year later of his injuries. Grandmother Josephine Borovec was widowed with four children and later married Bart Janousek, also Bohemian. They moved to a homestead at the end of Smith Creek Road in what is known as the Brooklyn area near Raymond. At that time, Smith Creek Road was puncheon with double 3xl2 planks laid over the top on which to drive. In retirement, they moved to Doty where Bart Janousek died. His wife lived with her daughter, Zane (Mary), in Chehalis until she died in 1950 at age 95. Joseph P. was born in 1876, the oldest of the four children. In 1900 he married Nettie Elizabeth Scherer. She was born in 1882. Two children were born of that marriage. Homer in 1903 and Edwin in 1918. They took over the family homestead on Logan Hill after his father died. Joseph sold wood in Chehalis, hauling with wagon and team. He fished in Borovec Creek for the migrating salmon that still come up the stream. After retiring from the Logan Hill farm, Joseph and Nettie moved to the 13 acre property at the edge of Chehalis city limits. Son Homer and Marietta Morris were married in 1926. Three sons were born to them: Harold, Byron and Duane. Homer worked in old Brown's Mill in Chehalis as a ratchet setter and later started his own trucking concern. He semi-retired in 1970 until his death in 1978. Marietta still resides in the family home they built in 1931 on Market Street. Son Edwin served in the U.S. Coast Guard for 3 1/2 years and worked at Grand Coulee Dam as a powerhouse operator for 30 years. Three children were born of his marriage; two sons and a daughter: Ronald, Robert and Beverly. In 1977 he married Clara (Nielsen) Whittaker and they built a home on the 13 acre property on South Market. Two other grandchildren of Joseph Borovec still live in the area: Charlotte Maxton of Chehalis and Josephine (Borovec) Loomis of South Bend. By Clara Borovec JOSEPH AND JOSEPHINE (PATEK) BOROVEC FAMILY Joseph Borovec was born in 1845 in Bohemia and married Josephine Patek about 1874. Josephine was born March 19, 1855 and her parents were Joseph Patek and Katerina Vokalek. She was from the town of Wineau in Southern Bohe.mia. Joseph and Josephine immigrated to America in 1875. Joseph filed his Declaration of intent to become an American citizen on March 12, 1883 and became a citizen in 1888. On July 13, 1889 they were granted from the Vancouver Land Office their final homestead in the area of Logan Hill, east of Chehalis. Joseph had two sisters in the Chehalis area, Sebaldina (probably the twin sister of Joseph) who was married to John Sedlak and a Mrs. Dubrau. Josephine (Patek) Borovec was probably a sister of Joseph Patek (born 1862 in Bohemia) who became a citizen November 9, 1893. He married Annie Taylor April 15, 1885 and on December 28, 1894 was shot and killed by another Chehalis resident. The Borovec's had six children, all born in Chehalis area. (1) Joseph Peter was born in 1876. He married Nettie Scherer and had two sons Edwin and Homer. (2) Estella was born in 1879 and married a Mr. Turner. (3) Bozena Mary was born September 24, 1882 and married Prokop Knizek November I, 1900. They homesteaded on Deer Creek near Doty, WA. and had four children, (photo): Back row, L to R: Homer, Joseph, Charlie, Edwin. Front row, L to R: Harold, Josephine, Byron Borovec. 90 Lillian, Charlotte, Harvey and Elvy. She later married LD. Scherer and lived many years on a farm on Bishop Road in Chehalis. (4) Snauslava was born about 1878. (5) Anna Johanna was born May 15, 1885. (6) Charles George was born in 1888 and married Anne Randle and had twins Joseph and Josephine. Anna Johanna, Bozena Mary and Charles George were baptized July 20, 1891 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Chehalis. Joseph Borovec had an oil painting done of the family before his death on January 30, 1898. A year before his death, he was injured taking grain to Olympia. Josephine (Patek) Borovec later married Bartl Janousek on November 3, 1900. In 1912 they took a trip to Bohemia to visit relatives in Bartl's family home of Trzek. Czechoslovakia. They also probably visited the family home of Josephine. They lived in Doty for many years and Josephine died October 19, 1950. BOWEN FAMILY FAMILY RECORD (photo): Anthony and Laura Bowen 1875-1880. Anthony Bowen - August 10, 1848-February 13, 1894; Laura Sabina Loudermilk - March 8, 1857- 1933; Willard - March 20, 1876 - October 23,1968; Roxanna (Aunt Annie) April 28, 1878- 1957; Essie Lloid - June 22, 1881-May 7, 1964; Bertha Blanch - April 8, 1884- 1977; Alva Warren - August 4, 1887-August 4,1974; Melvina Lillian - February 13, 1893May, 1893. All members of the Bowen family are buried in the Klickitat Cemetery, Mossyrock. Anthony Bowen and Laura Sabina Loudermilk were married in Nicholas County, West Virginia, in 1875 and came to Washington with their five children in 1889. They traveled to Winlock by train and then moved to Mossyrock by horses and wagon in March, 1889. They settled on an abandoned homestead with a log cabin in which they lived until land could be cleared and a house built. First, a garden was necessary for survival and then an orchard and fields for hay. Anthony Bowen died at forty-five years of age. Willard was then eighteen years old and able to take over many of the heavy chores. Times were hard with little work to do for wages. They milked cows, sold cream and raised pigs, cattle, chickens, and turkeys. Turkeys were everywhere! Besides clearing land and raising crops, there were endless other jobs - drawing water from a well, washing on a washboard, making soap, canning, and drying fruits and vegetables. Grandma spun wool into yarn and knit socks, mittens and caps. Quilts were pieced from left-over sewing materials, and the girls grew up learning to help with these tasks. Essie was well trained to be a homemaker when she married Al Swigert. Grandma Bowen married C.T. Landes (Uncle Tom) January 13, 1895. He was a Civil War veteran and father of Harvey Landes who will be mentioned in the James Swigert history. He preceded her in death, and Grandma and Willard continued to live on the farm until he married and moved to Ajlune in 1923. Grandma lived with her daughter and son-in-law Essie and Al Swigert the last years of her life. My mother, Elma Swigert Martin, was born and raised in Mossyrock on part of the Swigert family homestead. She now lives in Tenino, Washington, where she moved after marrying my father, Fred Martin. I am the youngest of their seven children. In 1965 I married Steve Webster, who grew up on Lincoln Creek near Centralia. After going to school and living first in Corvallis, and later in Raleigh, North Carolina, we now live on Newaukum Hill near Chehalis. By Mary Martin Webster LEE AND DORIS BOWEN Our generation started out with the good things of life, like good roads, bridges across rivers, and cars to drive on them. The cars were mostly Model T's, but they got us places faster than horse and buggy. (photo): Lee and Doris Bowen. Our first memories were of the Great Depression. This did not effect us very much, because our parents raised everything we needed. Then came along the days of NRA, WPA, CCC and many other work programs that President Roosevelt used to get our country back on its feet. We also benefitted from rural electricity. On December 7,1941 our lives changed when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Our brothers and friends were drafted into the Army or joined the Navy or Marine Corps. This also was a time of dances at the Grange halls, Woody's Nook near Centralia, Blue Moon at Winlock and Playquato west of Chehalis. This was also the beginning of the "Big Band Sound." It was at one of these dances in Birley Hall at Mossyrock, that we met. Richard Lee Bowen was born in 1923 at Mossyrock. He is the fourth and last child of Alva Warren and Edna Mary (Henderson) Bowen. He was delivered by Dr. Botzer, in one of the deepest snows for some years. Doris Evangeline was born in 1925 in Chehalis, Washington. She was the fourth and last child of James Robert and Dorothea Elise (Jacobsen) Fitzhugh. She was delivered by Dr. Petit at Mrs. Loomis' Maternity Home. Doris and Lee were married in 1946 by the Reverend E.L Whisler. Their children are: Claudia Suzanne, 1948, Centralia, Washington; Kathryn Mae, 1950, Florence, Oregon; Robert Warren, 1952, Coos Bay, Oregon; Vicki Lee, 1953, Centralia, Washington; Wendy Sue, 1956, Scotia, California; Ronald Fitz-Hugh, 19581958, Fortuna, California; Kevin Leslie, 1960, Fortuna, California; and James Patrick, 1965, Eureka, California. We lived in Mossyrock, Washington, Florence, Oregon, back to Cinebar and spent twentyfive years in Northern California, where Lee worked as a sawyer. We owned a small tie mill during our stay in Northern California. Four of our children still reside there. In 1974 we moved back to Mossyrock to live. Lee has always worked in lumber mills. He has worked for Tubafor Mill, Morton, since we moved back. His hobby is his big garden each year and raising a few beef cows. Doris worked for the telephone company during World War II, in the Chehalis office. After rearing their family, she entered the work force again, working in a department store and, after moving to Mossyrock, as a bookkeeper. Now semi-retired, enjoys flower gardening and crocheting afghans for her children. She belongs to the Mossyrock Garden Club and the Grange Auxiliary and has done volunteer work for the Historical Society. Lee and Doris enjoy their big family and five grandchildren. By Doris Bowen ELDON AND ROSE BOWERS FAMILY HISTORY I arrived in Winlock from Albany, Oregon in February, 1919, to join my sister Della, brother Herschel, and mother and step-father Albert Lawrey, who had bought a stump ranch 31/2 miles west of Winlock on the Jones Road. (photo): Rose and Eldon Bowers I entered the first grade at Smith School on the Jones Road where I got my first employment - ten cents a day for starting the fire in the morning. Our nearest neighbor was Jack Neely, one of the first settlers around Winlock. Probably some people wonder how we got the name Winlock Cardinals. At that time the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team was prominent, and it was suggested we take that name and it was voted in. 91 My senior year I was honored by receiving the Otis Roundtree Inspirational Award for football. I graduated from Winlock High in 1931. In August 1938 I became reacquainted with Rose Christian, a girl I had known when she was in grade school. Her parents were from old pioneer families, the Christians and Riffes from eastern Lewis County. Riffe Lake was named after an uncle who founded the town of Riffe. We were married May 11,1935, in Winlock in the midst of the depression. I tell her I married her for her money. She had saved $40 from doing housework for $10 a month and board and room. I had $10. Work was scarce. I worked a few days at a time here and there until I got a job at Onalaska at the Carlisle Lumber Company where I worked for six years. Beginning wage was $4.40 a day for falling timber the old fashioned way before power saws. My timber falling partner, Howard Pittsley, and I entered the falling contest at the Morton Jubilee in 1940. We had the "best time" for the first day and the "best time" for the three day event. My son Don was born in 1938 while we lived at Onalaska. We bought a chicken ranch about 111/2 miles east of Winlock in 1941 and combined farming and logging during the war years. My wife, who had never lived on a farm, could write a book about her farming experiences. Betty McDonald's The Egg and I was a parallel to her life as a farmer's wife. In 1946 I went to work for the Darigold Feed Store. We bought our home in Winlock in 1951. Don graduated from Winlock High in 1956, married, and has two children, Kitti and Jess. I retired from Darigold in 1975, and we will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary on May 11,1985. BOWERS FAMILY SEVEN GENERATIONS My great grandparents, Michael Troutman Simmons and his wife, Elizabeth (Kindred) Simmons were leaders of the first party of Americans to come from Missouri across the plains in 1844. They stopped near Washougal until given permission by Dr. McLaughlin, the Factor at Fort Vancouver to go north. They did not want to go (photo): Michael Troutman Simmons. Photo courtesy of Wash State His. Soc. to Oregon because George Bush, a black man in their party, would not be allowed to settle there. "No Negro, slave or free, could lawfully remain in Oregon in 1844." Slavery had been outlawed in the Oregon Territory and the policy at that time was to keep the blacks out. In 1845, while the party was still at Washougal, Michael T. and Elizabeth's fifth son, Christopher Columbus Simmons, was born. In October, the party went by water to Cowlitz landing, then by oxen to Tumwater, a journey which took 15 days. The settlement was called Tumchuck (throbbing water falls) by the Indians but Simmons called it New Market. It was the first American settlement established north of the Columbia River and west of the Cascades. Simmons built the first grist mill and saw mill in the Puget Sound area, and served as sheriff, legislator, territorial and county commissioner, justice of the peace, and Indian agent. Elizabeth was small in stature but a typical frontier woman. She washed clothes and cooked stew in a large iron pot over the fire while caring for her eight children. Her eighth child, Douglas Woodbury Simmons, died in infancy. The names of the children were: George Wshington, David Kindred, Francis Marion, McDonald, Christopher Columbus, Benjamin Franklin, Charlotte Elizabeth, Douglas Woodbury, Mary Allen, Catherine Troutman (my grandmother), Charles M. Mason, and Michael Troutman Simmons, Jr. Catharine (Kitty) was born in 1857 at Skookum Bay and married in 1875 to James C. Cantwell, a civil-war veteran. Cantwell was born in Ireland in 1840 and came to America before 1861. About 1880, Cantwell founded the town of Little Falls where he owned and operated a store and Post Office. After his death in 1912, Kitty owned and operated the Cantwell Hotel in Vader for many years. She married John Bannon in 1914 and died in 1941 and was buried in Centralia Cementery. The children of James and Kitty Cantwell were: Maude, my mother, who taught school for 30 years in Lewis County; Mary Ellen Cantwell (b. 1878) who married John Anderson and died in 1904 in Little Falls; Tina Cantwell (b. 1880) who married R.E. Bennett, Superintendent of Chehalis Schools when he died in 1936. Tina taught school many years in Chehalisand died in 1951; Charles James Cantwell (b. 1882) who was a teacher, an architect and building foreman in Onalaska. He married Nina Hanson in 1905 and died in 1926; Jessie Cantwell (b. 1887) who married William Campbell in 1906, was divorced, and married Andy Hilburger in 1926. She was known for her dressmaking, writing, painting and fortune telling in Chehalis. Andy Hilburger died in 1956 and Jessie died in 1971. Both were buried in Lewis County. Clara Cantwell taught school in Lewis County before her marriage to W.A. Germain in 1917. She was office manager for her husband's firm in Bellingham. Both died there, Walter in 1977 and Clara in 1978. My mother, Margaret (called Maude) married Leon Hinkley whose parents were Alexander (1831-1919) and Charlotte (Hackett) Hinkley (1841-1904). My great-grandparents, Amos and Betsy S. Hackett, came to Lewis County in 1877 and spent the rest of their lives there. My grandfather, Alex, was an architect and a builder of boats, houses, and bridges. In fact, tradition has it that Alex bridged the U.S. from coast to coast when arriving in California in 1870 from Maine. In 1878, he settled on the Cowlitz River in Lewis County. My oldest sister, Leona Hinkley was born in 1904 in Little Falls. She taught school for 40 years beginning in Lewis County in 1929. She later taught in Montana, Okinawa and Tacoma before retiring in 1969. My middle sister, Muriel Hinkley, was born in 1905 and taught school two years before marrying Clarence S. Ralph in Chehalis in 1928. They have two children: Margaret and Clarence James. Margaret (Peggy) Ralph (b. 1932) is a Western Washington College graduate and a Puyallup school teacher. Peggy married John Shulene in 1953. John has a PhD. in science education and has retired from teaching and is now working for C.E. Merrill Publishing Co. They had three children. Their older son, Gregory Shulene (b. 1960) was a graduate of the University of Washington and an infantry platoon commander with the U.S. Marine Corps when he was killed in an auto accident in 1984. Their daughter, Ellen Shulene (b. 1962) married Kevin Klettke in 1985. Both are graduates of Western Washington University. Their third child, Douglas Shulene (b. 1965) is living at home in Puyallup. Clarence and Muriel's son, C. James Ralph (Jim) was born in 1933 and works as a service representative for a business machine company. While serving with the U.S. Army in Germany in 1955, he married Rosa Hain. Rosa was born in 1930 in Klein-Krotzenberg, Germany. Jim and Rosa have three children. The oldest, Michael Ralph, was born in 1957 in Tacoma and is a university graduate in engineering. He married Janet Edward in 1983 in California. Mike works as a computer programmer in Arizona. Deborah Ralph, the second child of Jim and Rosa, was born in 1959 and married Steve Loveland in 1979. Steve served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps as a military policeman and now works as a security guard for Boeing. Deborah and Steve have two children: Bryan James Loveland born in 1981 and Matthew Dale Loveland born in 1984. Jim Ralph's youngest daughter, Sandra (b. 1966) is attending Western Washington University and working part-time. My brother, Walter, was born in 1907 and died in Tacoma in 1981. I, Kathryn Joyce (Hinkley) Bowers was born in 1908 near Win lock to Leon and Margaret (Maude) Cantwell Hinkley, the youngest of their four children. In 1931 I married Willard Eugene Bowers, the oldest of five children, who was born near Winlock in 1907. He became an electrician at the age of 18 after one year's apprenticeship in Seattle and worked in South Bend, Indiana and California before returning to Lewis County. Willard died in Sumner in 1966. His brothers and sisters also raised and educated in Lewis County. His middle brother, Kenneth Bowers, was killed in a C.C.C. truck accident near Forks, Washington in 1934. His youngest brother, Gordon Bowers, graduated from Centralia Community College about 1939. All were born to William and Florence (Adams) Bowers (1879-1939). William was born in 1877 and taught school many years in Lewis County. He died there in 1962. Both were buried in Centralia Cemetery. Willard Bowers and I have two children. Willis was born in Centralia in 1933, and Joyce was born in Sumner in 1935. Willis, after graduating from high school in 1951, joined the Naval Air Force and served 31/2 years in the Korean conflict. Now an electronic engineer at Boeing, he was married in Feb. 1958 to Margaret Pierce (b. 1938). Margaret is a registered nurse and they have four children. The oldest son, Mark, was born Dec. 1958, graduated from Central Washington University and works as a software design engineer. Mark married Peggy Bingham, also a university graduate and they have a son, Stuart Michael Bowers, born in 1984. Mark and his family are living and working in Glendale, Ari- 92 zona. Willis's second son, Jeffrey Bowers, married Lori Lohman in Ellensburg in 1985 and works as a systems analyst/programmer at Central Washington University. Both are graduates of that school. Willis' daughter, Denise (b. 1962), and son, Paul (b. 1966), work and go to college part-time. Joyce F. Bowers is a University of Washington graduate and married Edwin R. Newell in 1959. He holds a MS degree from the University of Washington and both are teaching at Highline Community College. They have two sons: Scot Newell (b. 1960) who works for a car rental agency and an auto accessories warehouse; and Todd Newell (b. 1963) who is a 1985 graduate of the University of Washington in electrical engineering. By Kathryn J. Bowers WILLARD EUGENE BOWERS FAMILY Willard Eugene Bowers, the oldest of five children, was born in 1907 near Winlock to William and Florence Bowers and died in 1966. William, who taught school in Lewis County for many years, died in 1962 and Florence died in 1939. Willard became an electrician at the age of 18 after one year's apprenticeship. He was married in 1931 in Lewis County to me, Kathryn Hinkley, born in 1908 near Winlock to Leon and Maude (Cantwell) Hinkley, the youngest of their four children - sisters Leona and Muriel and a brother Walter Hinkley who died in 1981. Leon died in 1932 and Maude, who taught school in Lewis County for 30 years died in 1950. Both are buried in Lewis County. Father Hinkley's parents were Alex (1831-1919) and Charlotte (Hackett) Hinkley (1841-1904). Both died in Lewis County. Mother's father, James C. Cantwell, born in Ireland in 1840 and later a Civil War veteran, founded the town of Little Falls (Vader). He married Catharine Simmons, born 1857 at Skookum Bay, Washington. James died in 1912 and Catharine in 1941 at Vader and are buried in Lewis County. Willard Bowers and I have two children - Willis, b. 1933, and Joyce, b. 1935. Willis, after graduating from high school in 1951, joined the Naval Air Force and served for 3 1/2 years in the Korean conflict. Now an electronic engineer at Boeings, he married Margaret Pierce, a graduate nurse, in February 1958. They have four children: the oldest son, Mark, b. Dec. 1958, a university graduate who works with computer software, married Peggy Bingham, a University Graduate in 1981. They have a son, Stuart Michael Bowers, b. 1984. Mark and his family are now living and working in Glendale, Arizona. Willis' second son is Jeff Bowers, also a University Graduate, who married Lori Lohman in 1985 in Ellensburg and works as a Systems Analyst/Programmer at Central Washington University. Willis's daughter, Denise, and a son, Paul, work and go to college part-time. Joyce Bowers, a graduate of the University of Washington, married Edwin R. Newall, who has an M.S. degree from that University. Both are teaching at Community College. They have two sons, Scott Newall, b. 1960 and Todd Newall, b. 1963, and a 1985 graduate of the University of Washington. Leona Hinkley, my oldest sister, never married, but taught school for 40 years, both in Washington and in Okinawa. Muriel Hinkley, my middle sister, taught two years before marrying Clarence Ralph in 1928 in Chehalis. She has two children, Peggy Ralph, born in 1932, a graduate of Western Washington University, who married John Shulene in 1953, who has a PhD in Science Education, and C. James Ralph, b. in 1933. John Shulene has retired from teaching and is now working for C.E. Merrill, a publishing company. He and Peggy have three children. Gregory, the oldest, was born in 1960, graduated from the University of Washington, and joined the U.S. Marines. He was an infantry platoon commander when killed in an auto accident in 1984. The second child, Ellen Shulene, b. 1962, a graduate of Bellingham University, married Kevin Klettke, also a University of Bellingham graduate in 1985. Their youngest child, Douglas, born in 1965, is living at home in Puyallup. C. James Ralph works as a service man for a public machine company. While serving with the U.S. Army in Germany in 1955 he married Rose Hain, born in 1930. He has three children. The eldest, Michael Ralph, is a University graduate (1983) in engineering, who works as a programmer. He married Janet Edwards in California. She was born in 1959. Jim's daughter, Deborah, married Steve Loveland in 1979, Steve served four years in the Marines as an M.P. and is working now in 1985 as a security guard for Boeings. Deborah and Steve have two children, Bryan James, b. 1981 and Matthew, b. in 1984. C. James Ralph's youngest daughter, Sandra, born in 1966, is attending school and working part-time. My great grandparents, Michael Troutman Simmons, and his wife, Elizabeth, leaders of the first party of Americans to come from Missouri across the plains in 1844, stopped near Washougal until given permission by Dr. McLaughlin, the Factor at Fort Vancouver, to go north. They did not want to go to Oregon, as George Bush, a mulatto, was in their party, and would not have been permitted to enter Oregon. While at Washougal, their fifth son, Christopher Columbus Simmons, was born in April 1845. In October the party went by water to Cowlitz landing, then by oxen to Tumwater, a journey of 15 days. The Indians called the settlement Tumchuck, while Michael T. Simmons called it New Market. It was the first American settlement established north of the Columbia River and west of the Cascades. Michael T. Simmons built the first grist and sawmills in the Puget Sound area, and in the meantime was sheriff, legislator, territorial and county commissioner, justice of the peace, and Indian agent. Elizabeth Simmons was small in stature but a typical frontier woman. She spent her time washing clothes and cooking stew in a large iron pot over the fire, at the same time watching an active 18-month-old runaway, who had to be tied to a wagon wheel to keep him in camp. She also was kept busy in New Market by bearing five more boys and three girls, losing only one in infancy, a total of 12 children. PETER H. BOWMAN – ROSALIE B. WEBSTER BOWMAN Pete was stationed at Fort Lewis in 1968, and liking the Pacific Northwest, stayed here. He was born in Bad-Reichenhall Bavaria. His mother, Anna, was born in Austria and his father, James Bowman, was born in North Carolina. Pete traveled and lived many places because his father was career Army. I was born and raised in Lewis Co. as was my father, Otis F. Webster, and my brothers and sister, Bill, Russ, Fred, Chuck, Les, Bob and Marge. Also a sister, Hazel, that I never knew who died at 14 months of age in 1928. My mother, Bernice B. (Hodge) Webster, was born in Dexter, Minn. and came to Centralia in 1906 with her grandma, brothers and later her dad. Her mother died in 1905. My grandfather, Frank W. Webster, came to Lewis Co. in 1875. He lived on Lincoln Creek with David Ames and later married Huldah Russell, David's granddaughter. She had come to Lewis Co. in 1878. I was the youngest of the family, sometimes this was great and sometimes was not so great. I loved growing up on Lincoln Creek, it was a pleasant, secure childhood. I went to the Galvin School for the first 6 grades and everybody knew everybody. The bus ride was a big part of the school day. I have fond memories of the kids and some of the bus drivers, although there were some scary times. I remember having to get off the bus and walking about 1/4 mile where there had been a mud slide. The bus came through, very slowly, and we all got back on. I just knew we were all going to slide down the hill and be covered with mud. Another time the water over the road was so high it came up to the second step on the bus. The 1949 earthquake is still my most vivid memory! At home some sheep dip got broken and even now the smell brings instant memories of that QUAKE! Going into town to school was a challenging change for a shy kid. The seventh and eighth grade I went to the Washington school then to the old Centralia High School. Like so many did at the time, I got married soon after graduation. I married Kenneth E. Moon in 1957. We lived in a number of places around Lewis and Thurston Co. We had four lovely and lively children, Jeff, Denice, Steve and Curt. We did all the usual things that go along with raising a family, school activities, Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, swimming, camping, raising a garden, pets and a few animals. We were divorced in 1972 and I married Pete that same year. Pete and I have Anna Lee. All the children are on their own now except Anna. With the exception of Jeff, in the Navy, the children all live close by and the six grandchildren keep things active. I'm sure Lewis Co. will always be our home. By Rosalie B. Webster Bowman BOYD FAMILY (1849-1985) John A. Boyd was born in Iowa in 1849. He was orphaned as a young boy and was raised by a family who came west to California when John was a young man. . There he met and married a young widow, Betty Shrode, with three children, Tom, Rose, and Pearl Saunders. A daughter, Birdie, was born to John and Betty in 1892 at Long Beach, California. When Birdie was three years old the Boyd family came to Mossyrock in a covered Wagon. (Birdie in her lifetime traveled to Chicago on a jet plane. Covered wagon to jet plane is quite a transportation span). They settled on top of a hill at the south side of Klickitat Valley. They cleared and cut logs to build a house and outbuildings. Timber had no monetary value at that time. There was very few families in that area, and the road was muddy and deeply rutted. The children walked approximately five miles to school. Birdie was sixteen when her mother died, and she had to care for the younger children, Blaine, Oroville (Pat), and Marie. Marie was the youngest and was three years old when she was adopted by the Sticklin family of Chehalis. Blaine was a forest ranger for many years in the Randle and eastern Washington area. He wrote books and poetry. Blaine married Grace Hampton from the Randle area, and they had two children, Richard (Dick) and Bonnie Jean. Bonnie was married; she and her husband died in an automobile accident. 93 Dick married Sally Zossel, and they have one daughter, Wendy. She is unmarried. Pat married Clella Jacklyn. Pat and Clella lived in the North River area where they had a dance hall, barber shop, and small cafe. Pat and Clella played for the dances. Pat was also quite a poet and artist. They had one daughter, Betty. Betty married Benny Benlien. They had three daughters, Clella, Jacklyn, and Mary Ann. Clella (now deceased) married Ben Strain; they had no children. Jacklyn married Dale Newlun; they have one son, Jamie. Mary Ann married Jim Meyers; they have no children. Marie married Jewett Schuyler; they had twins, Jerry and Judy. Jerry married Shirley Wicks and they have two sons, Bradley and Mark. Mark married Melinda Far; they have twin girls, Megan and Mallory. Bradley married Francis Morrison; they have no children. Judy married Robert Crallee and they have two children, Trevor and Heather. Birdie lived in Chicago for a while where she trained for the Salvation Army. She personally knew William and Elizabeth Booth, founders of the Salvation Army. Birdie also wrote stories and poetry. She returned to Mossyrock where she married William Miller, and they had five children. (The children are written up in the Miller History in this book.)