The History of Lewis County, Washington, Pt 8 of 10: PAGES 284 - 316 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 8 of 10: PAGES 284 - 316 ORA C. OSBORN I was born on my father's homestead in Lewis County October 24, 1909, one of the fourteen children in the Osborn family. Dad homesteaded 160 acres at the foot of Osborn Mt. in November, 1888. His name was J.W. Osborn. My mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Bentley, daughter of J.A. and Isabell Bentley who settled in the Glenoma area. Osborn Mt. was named after my father. Our homestead went up on it a little way. Our mailing address was Ashford in Pierce Co. near the Rainier National Park line. From Ashford you proceeded east 3 1/2 miles, then turned right on what was known as the Lewis Co. Road, later the Kerroahan Road, and now known as the Suecotash Road. The Nisqually River, that we crossed right after we turned off the highway, was the dividing line between Lewis and Pierce Co. Our neighbors to the east were Herman Otto, Lafe Hietihens, and John Smith, who married my oldest sister Clella. To the west were the Williams, John Hershey, and the Ritchie family, Mrs. John Hershey was our school teacher for several years in a little school next to our ranch, I am now nearly 76 years old and enjoying good health, also being the oldest of the Osborn children, this was mailed to me by my youngest brother, Tommie, who now lives close to our old homestead. There were three other homesteads in this area. There was the Katt homestead south of the Richie place on Katt Creek, hence the name, Also east of us was the Jim McCoulogh place on the big creek. The Otto Haynes place was north of the John Smith place on Haynes Creek on the Nisqually River. My grandfather, J.H. Bentley, ran a general store and was postmaster between Morton and the Pacific Highway. The name of the little settlement was Alpha. It was on the Bear Canyon near the Pidgeon Point Springs. By Ora C. Osborn JUDITH SCHERER OUTLAND I was born August 14, 1941, in Centralia and my parents are Virginia and George Scherer. We lived on South Pearl, and my brother Dick, as I called him, and I had some great times together. We moved upon Hill Kress when I was a year old and we used to play in the field where the outdoor swimming pool is now. I went to Edison grade school and enjoyed those years and the friends I made. Baton twirling was started as an extra activity and we girls really enjoyed that, as well as being on the yell staff. I always enjoyed going to the ocean but because of the war and gas rationing those trips were a special treat. The outdoor swimming pool was built, and living as close as I did, I really enjoyed that and spent as much time there as possible. I joined the Order of Rainbow for Girls and spent many happy years in their activities all over the state and was elected to the second highest office in the state. I attended Centralia High and after four enjoyable years I graduated in 1959. I worked for the National Canning Company in the summer and in the fall of 1959 I entered Washington State University. After one year and one more summer at the cannery I went to work in Seattle for Associated Grocers. I was married in September 61 to Robert E. Hutchinson and continued working while he finished his last year at the University of Washing 284 ton. After graduation he went to work for Boeing. We had a baby girl, Marcy, and I quit working. We moved to New Orleans area when Bob was transferred by Boeing and our son Kevin was born while we lived there. We really enjoyed the southern people and their hospitality and seeing that part of the country but after two and a half years we were happy to move to Southern California and live in the San Diego area. The children started school and we were kept busy with their activities. We were transferred to Placentia (in the L.A. area) and lived there until 1976 when Bob and I were divorced and I moved back to Centralia. I went to work and Marcy entered Centralia High as a freshman and Kevin as a 6th grader at Edison. I married Derrill Outland and we have a son Mark who is a first grader at Fords Prairie School. Marcy graduated from Centralia and went to college where she graduated from California, State University of Fullerton. -She is working in Fullerton and plans to be married in February, 1986. Kevin graduated from Centralia High and is living in Brea, California and working full time in a health club called Racket World, He had gone to Centralia College two full quarters before moving down there and plans to continue his college education in the near future. I am working for Chehalis Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine and my husband, Derrill, works at Pacific Power and Light. We are active in our church and Centralia Lit tle League and Derrill is on a P.P. & L. bowling team, Judith Scherer Outland PADHAM/ERICKSON/LUNZER/SCHWARZ A.H. (Harry) Padham was well known in the Centralia and outlying area for his custom threshing, sawmill and farm up Lincoln Creek. He was born in 1884 in Wisconsin, one of 4 children, Harry, Bella (Valentine, Sargent), Wilson, and Alice (Hilpert), to parents William and Mary (Saunders) Padham. They moved to the North Fork of the Newaukum River about 1891, starting a farm and cutting shake bolts. Around the turn of the century, they moved up Lincoln Creek and bought the Lumon Farm. While still single, he bought a steam tractor and threshing machine and did custom threshing up the Skookumchuck, Centralia and Chehalis Rivers. IHe met Nettie'Mae Marvin, his future spouse, while threshing for her parents, John and Florence (Keagle) Marvin, when she was a young girl. (photo): A.H. Padbam, on left Nettie was born in 1896 at her parents' home in Centralia where the United Methodist Church now stands. She was one of six children, Raymond, Myrtle (Foster), Nettie, Hazel (Duckwitz), Blanch (Bowen), and Norman. Her family moved to the Lepisto Farm at the North Fork of Lincoln Creek in 1914, Harry and Nettie were married in 1918 and had three daughters, Marie (Fagerness), Jean (Bishop), and Shirley (Erickson). The government would not allow Harry to serve in the military during World War I because of his threshing and farming. A few years later he also bought a sawmill and did custom cutting, employing several local men. Not only was Nettie responsible for the household chores (carrying water from the spring, milking, etc.) and taking care of 3 small children, she was responsible for the care of 3 boarders who worked at the mill. When Harry was away threshing, Nettie was then responsible for all work done on the farm. Often Harry was away for weeks at a time. The family always knew when he was returning home because they could hear the steam tractor's big iron wheels rumbling in the valley at least a mile away. All buildings on the farm were replaced by new buildings for which Harry sawed all the lumber and constructed. He used a team of horses to haul the logs to the mill. They were charter members of Darigold (shipping #61) and active members of Lincoln Creek Grange. Harry served on the Pleasant Grove (Lewis County District #15) school board as clerk for many years and was the moving force in getting the Centralia district buses to come up Lincoln Creek. They moved to Fords Prairie in 1945. While living on Fords Prairie, Harry died in 1955. Nettie later moved to Centralia. She is a member of the Sunshine Garden Club, the Primrose Society, the Grand Mound Sunshine Club and the Lincoln Creek Friendly Neighbors Club. The youngest daughter, Shirley Ann, was born at home in 1926. She married Carl Melvin Erickson in 1943 in Portland, Oregon. He was the son of William G. and Anna Alena (Carlson) Erickson, born in 1922 at the family farm near Rochester, one of six children. Shortly after they were married, Mel left for three years to serve in the South Pacific Theater, with the Army Air Force during WWII. During this period Shirley worked as a riveter at the Boeing wing assembly plant in Chehalis, where the present P.U.D. building now stands. After his return he worked at Bergquist Mill Works in Olympia, Washington. He and his father-in-law Harry were avid fishermen and hunters. They moved onto Cooks Hill, Centralia in 1953 into a home they built. Mel worked at Keen and Howards for several years and then started his own business, building cabinets and custom homes. He is well known in the area for his craftsmanship. Shirley is a homemaker, keeping busy not only raising her children, but being an avid gardener and quilter. She also is a member of the Lincoln Creek Friendly Neighbors Club, keeping her ties with Lincoln Creek. Their oldest son Rodney Lee was born in Olympia in 1946. After graduating from Centralia schools, he served in active duty in Vietnam in the Air Force. In 1971 he married Wendy Adair of Winlock, daughter of Ellory and Dorothy Adair. They have three sons, Douglas, born 1973, Craig, born in 1976, and Ian, born in 1979. Rod is a fireman for the Chehalis Fire Department and they live near Adna. Their second son, Carl Steven, was born in Olympia in 1948. After graduating from Centralia schools, he served three years in the Army. In 1972 he married Rhennell Kainz of Tenino, daughter of Neil and Alice Kainz. They are both employed at Intercheck, Inc., Centralia, where Steve is an operations manager. They now reside in Centralia. Mel and Shirley's third child, Beverly Ann, was born in 1949, in Olympia, Washington. She attended school in Centralia and graduated from Centralia High School and Centralia Community College. She then graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1971 where she met her husband Donald A. Lunzer of Spokane, Washington, son of Joseph and Dorothy (Aldritt) Lunzer. He was born in 1949 in Aberdeen, South Dakota. They were married at St. Mary's Church, Centralia in 1971. He is employed as the parts manager at Coachman Mazda in Olympia. They have two sons, Eric Alan, born 1974, and Scott Erin, born 1976. Don is a volunteer for Fords Prairie Fire District #12 and active with Centralia Little League. Beverly is a homemaker and an active volunteer in the public schools. They now live on Summers Road off Lincoln Creek. Mel and Shirley's youngest daughter Carol Melanie was born in 1952 in Olympia, Washington. She attended Centralia schools and graduated from Centralia High School and Centralia Community College. Shortly after her graduation from Eastern Washington University in 1978, she married Lawrence (Larry) H. Schwarz, son of Ludwig and Margaret (Root) Schwarz of Centralia, at St. Mary's Church in Centralia. He is employed as a truck driver at Washington Irrigation and Development Company, Centralia. Larry and Carol have fraternal twins, Lindsay Ann and Aaron Michael, born 1981. Larry collects and restores antique John Deere tractors and gas engines. They are both members of the Early Days Gas Engine and Tractor Association, Branch #20. Carol is a homemaker and enjoys sewing and restoring antiques. They now live in Centralia. PAKKALA FAMILY About 1902 Arvid Pakkala came to Winlock when he was twenty years old. A native of Finland, he worked in mining and fishing after coming to America and before coming to Winlock. His wife, Louise Niemela Pakkala, preceded him to Winlock from Astoria, Oregon. She also migrated from Finland. They resided on a ranch in the Veness area south of Win lock until their demise. Together with Frank Ness and John Hancock Sr., Arvid spearheaded Isaac Walton Park, south of Winlock, which was used by the Winlock area residents for many years. In 1910 the Pakkalas gave land to the school district upon which Veness School was built. Their "Ram Pump," a completely water powered operation, sent fresh spring water up the hill for use at the school. Arvid was a school director until 1930 and he also acted as interpreter and lawyer for Finnish people in the Lewis County area. He was one of the first mail carriers in the area. During World War I, Arvid fashioned "ship knees" with an ax out of huge tree roots for use in American ships. In 1927 the Winlock Standard Hatchery became operational as the Pakkalas, together with three other families, pooled resources and talents for its beginning. Arvid and Louise had seven children: George, Isaac, Carl, Martha, Clyde (Oliver), Leo and Hugo. Most were members of the Finnish choir and Finnish gymnasts. The family had its own orchestra and some family members played in the Finnish brass band. Carl tried out for major league baseball but he became ill and had to return home. As of 1985, Oliver retired in 1973 and living near Winlock with his wife, Marian Smith Pakkala, is the only surviving member of the family. In the Winlock Baptist Parsonage, August 2, 1935, Marian Georgia Smith, daughter of Levi J. Smith and Grace Bishop Smith, became the 285 bride of Clyde (Oliver) Pakkala, son of Arvid Pakkala and Louise Niemela Pakkala. For several years the couple lived in the Arvid Pakkala home in the Veness District south of Winlock. Although the old ranch house is still occupied, it was sold to others years ago when Marian and Oliver moved into town. Oliver was on the Winlock School Board for twelve years and both he and Marian were active in Boy Scout leadership. As the years passed, they became deeply involved in church activities, among people of all ages, from babies to residents of nursing homes. Oliver taught Sunday School, was on the church board, acted as counselor, and helped build both the stone Baptist church and the present Assembly of God Church in Winlock. Marian was leader of children's church, missionary circle, children's clubs and preparing Christmas and Easter programs. She also acted as church organist. As a result of her ladies' missionary work, many tons of canned food, clothing and household goods have reached the needy in various places around the world. There are four Pakkala children: Leo, James, Evangeline and Dawn. Leo is in management with Alaska Distributors in the Seattle area. The family home is in Kirkland. He and his wife, Sharon Poage Pakkala, have four children: Lauri, Michelle, Brian and Brent. . James, a printer, married to Ruth Ann Taylor, resides in Roseville, California. They also have four children: Todd, Robyn, Kimmie and Amber. Evangeline lives on a Lynden dairy ranch with her husband, Thomas Crabtree, and their two sons, Aaron and Brandon. She operates a retail outlet specializing in kitchen items called The Kitchen Konnection. Dawn is employed by Meier and Frank in Portland, Oregon. Oliver and Marian have retired to their hilltop home near Winlock, where they have a good view of Mt. St. Helens' volcano activity. Years ago, while living in town, they donated the land known as the Pakkala Addition, to the Winlock Cemetery. Oliver worked as salesman for the Centennial Feed Company until he began traveling as salesman for Standard Hatchery, of which he was part owner. Both he and Marian worked at the hatchery until they sold their interest in the company and retired. By Leo Pakkala CECIL E. AND ELSIE G. PALMER Lewis Palmer was born in 1870 in Wisconsin. He came to Washington in 1906. He was a carpenter and mill worker. He had a chicken ranch in Winlock, WA. for several years. He passed away in 1948 at 78 years of age. Rosa Crouch was born in 1876 in Wisconsin. She married Lewis Palmer in 1893. She came to Washington in 1906. She was a housewife and dressmaker. She passed away in 1964 at 88 years of age. Oliver Osborn was born in 1876 in Indiana. He came to Oregon by wagon train when a child. He came to Washington in 1906. He was a mill worker. He passed away in 1961 at 85 years of age. Angie Quirn was born in Canada in 1885. She came to Wash. in 1906 when she married Oliver Osborn. She was a housewife. She is living in Yakima with her youngest son. She celebrated her 100th birthday in February, 1985. Cecil E. Palmer was born on May 26, 1907 in Centralia, WA. at a place called Eagle Creek, a few miles west of Galvin, Washington. Elsie G. Osborn was born on April 7, 1910 in Kopiah, W A. Cecil E. Palmer and Elsie G. Osborn were married Jan. 21, 1928 in Centralia, W A. She was the daughter of Oliver and Angie Osborn. He was the son of Lewis and Rosa Palmer. They had three children; Kenneth, born Aug. 23, 1933, Faye, born Jan. 28,1935 and Glenn, born Feb. 22, 1936. Cecil was a mill worker and logger. He felled timber for Schaeffer Bros. and Simpson Timber Company for 27 years. He retired in 1970. Elsie was Postmaster of Galvin, W A from 1941 to 1970 when she retired. Kenneth married Alene Wright in 1957. They have four children and three grandchildren. They live in Anchorage, Ak. Faye married Earl Spencer in 1960. They have two daughters. They live in Rochester, WA. Glenn married Delphine Hoffman in 1957. They have one son and one granddaughter. They live in Centralia, WA. EPHRAIN ROSS PALMER FAMILY The wind had blown most of the top soil away, covered fences, rearranged the land in the area of Redfield, South Dakota. Grasshoppers clouded the sun and the fields did not produce enough for man nor beast. So the Palmer family sold cattle and machinery ($1,000.00 worth), stored their possessions, hooked a trailer to a Model A., tucked in two kids, a cat and dog and headed to the west coast, Bellingham or Salem. This was in October of 1936. After one way mountain roads they arrived at Portland - which way to go north or south? A flipped coin said north. At Chehalis local people convinced them this was the place. They bought from the owner of Harper's Hardware, 60 acres near Adna, formerly owned by Adna Booth, then McCords. The house had been a cookhouse at one time. It is still there. (photo): Ephrain and Sarah Palmer Eph was born at Fort Scott, Kansas in a family of fourteen and Sarah Eidsness was born in Canton, South Dakota and had a brother and sister. They were married in South Dakota after World War I. That first year in Washington was hard. Eph did find work at Palmer Lumber and worked there until his death. (no relative, shucks!) Sarah worked at the cannery that next summer. Marlin (Sam) had Mrs. Walters for a teacher and Marguerite was in high school. Both graduated from Adna High School. As they established themselves in to the community, Sarah became a home economics club president. Membership grew and they wanted meetings more often. She reached out to the move-ins and those in need. Eph and Sarah were active in Crego Grange. Meetings were held in homes so a hall was needed. Ashwood, Bill Siegel and Eph Palmer donated much time erecting that building. Marguerite married Ed Fischer, a neighbor boy. Marlin, after graduation and Navy service, married Julliette Attaway of Chehalis. Marguerite had a classmate, Margaret Palmer she would like to contact. Eph managed the Crego baseball team one summer. Every member wanting to play had their turn every game. All games were lost, but a memorable and humorous story was written in the Tacoma News Tribune about this manager and his team who displayed such great sportsmanship and had so much fun. In 1946 Eph and Sarah bought the old Bailey Grocery Store and the house at the corner of State and Prindle in Chehalis. The house was remodeled and the store became the first self-service laundromat in Chehalis. The equipment included three wringer Maytag washers, two automatic washers, a big dryer, and extractor, Often Sarah worked until two in the morning drying clothes, ironing shirts, or mangling sheets. Eph enjoyed his neighbors, was part of V.F.W, and liked deer and bear hunting. In the spring of 1951 he told friends he would not make hay that summer and passed away in May. Sarah worked her laundromat until she retired, just before the coin operated machines arrived in town. She still lives at the same address. You will recognize it by the nice yard. After closing shop, Sarah took up that which she lived, flowers and working with people, the V.F.W., garden club, and Rebeccas. At one time she held responsible positions in five organizations, and under her guidance they flourished, I believe it was so because she made it a priority to give each an opportunity to develop his talents and then give him honor for his ideas, thus they all grew. Ephrain Ross Palmer was in World War I and served in the infantry. He was wounded in battle, shot through above the heart. This was in the Battle of the Argonne. He led nine other injured men through enemy lines to a U.S. hospital. After his death the family learned he had earned the purple heart, plus some special rewards. Ephrain and Sarah Palmer are the salt of the earth kind of people and I am glad they are my parents. By Marguerite Elnora Palmer Fischer LANCE EUGENE AND JUDITH ANN (GEIST) PALMER Lance and Judy were married in Lewis County on May 18, 1984, and currently live in a rented cottage on Nick Road in Centralia. Judy was born at Centralia General Hospital on August 13, 1958, and has lived in Lewis County all of her life. Her parents, Vernon William and Barbara Edith (Webster) Geist, live on Fords Prairie. Her grandparents are Russell Grant and Edith Georgia (Mauermann) Webster, who reside in the Lincoln Creek area, and Henry Joseph and Elma Geraldine (Widell) Geist, both deceased. She also has two younger brothers, John Russell (who first introduced her to Lance), Centralia, and James Vernon, Yelm, who are both married. James and his wife have a son. A 1976 graduate of Centralia High School, Judy has been employed at Browning's Office Supply in Centralia for over ten years-working her way up from part-time printing staffer to 286 assistant bookkeeper to purchaser. A one-time student at Centralia College, she plans to resume undergraduate studies at that institution in the near future. In her spare time, Judy has been an active participant in the local Girl Scouts organization, the Evergreen Playhouse, and Friends In Need, the downtown Centralia swimming pool support group. Lance was born at Morton General Hospital on December 30, 1960, and has lived in Lewis County most of his life. His parents, Douglas Eugene and Lillie Evelyn (Harris) Palmer, own a home in Centralia's Edison district. His grandparents are Robert Earl and Carrie Lee (Olden) Harris, Glenoma, and William Fred (deceased) and Mary Elsie (Abernathy) Palmer, Rock Hill, South Carolina. He has two older paternal half brothers, William Clyde, who lives with his wife and daughter in San Diego, California, and Douglas Eugene, Jr., Imperial, California. A younger sister, Toni Lee (Palmer) Lytle, lives in Centralia with her husband and three children. A 1979 graduate of Centralia High School, Lance attended The Evergreen State College, Olympia, and holds degrees from Centralia College (an A.A. in social science) and the University of Puget Sound, Tacoma (a B.A. in politics and government). He is currently a first-year student at the University of Puget Sound School of Law. While pursuing his education, Lance has held down a number of part-time and full-time jobs: musician, newspaper distributor, retail salesman, truck driver, and public relations writer, among others. When they finish their schooling, Lance and Judy hope to live, work, and raise a family of their own in Lewis County. By Judy and Lance Palmer LAWRENCE AND BETTY PANCO FAMILY The Lawrence (Bud) and Betty Panco family have many interests - Fire Department, Search and Rescue, Boy and Girl Scouts; hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, backpacking, music, photography, astronomy, amateur radio, skiing, reading, gardening and traveling. (photo): Lawrence and Betty Panco family They have three children, Brian Ralph (21) who is with the 187th Army Airborne in Panama; Elizabeth Laurie (18) who will graduate from high school this spring; and Barbara Ann (15) who is a freshman in high school. In 1927 George and Elizabeth Wandel with their daughters, Martha and Margaret, and Martha's husband Lawrence Levi Lacoursier moved to Washington. It took 30 days to come from Hermansville, Michigan to Grand Mound. Living in tents that summer they moved to Sumner, to Electron, to Kapowsin. Lawrence E. Lacoursier (Panco) was born January 14, 1929 in Eatonville. In 1932 along with Margaret's husband Hiram Matchett, they moved to the Mann Cabins east of Packwood where the men worked for the CCC and on the crew building the White Pass Highway. Lawrence went back to Michigan and Martha married John Henry Panco. They spent the winter of 1936 near the Cortright Bridge taking care of the equipment and buildings belonging to the construction company. Bud started school in the old white building and then the new brick building in Packwood. The family moved to Ohio when Bud was in the sixth grade and then returned to Packwood. Bud attended high school in Randle graduating with the last class to graduate from the old building in 1949. In 1951 he was drafted into the Army and spent most of his time in Germany. Returning in 1953, he has worked mainly at Packwood Lumber. He was married briefly to Phyllis Abel; they had one son Robert Ray Panco. In 1959 at a Halloween party he met Betty Taylor. Betty (Taylor) Panco was born November 27, 1933 on a farm near Dickens, Iowa. Her parents were Ralph and Elizabeth (Hargrave) Taylor. Her paternal grandparents were Lucy (White) Taylor and George Taylor who had emigrated from Scotland. Her maternal grandparents were Elizabeth (Henderson) Hargrave and George Thomas Hargrave. Elizabeth Henderson's parents had come from Norway and Ireland. George Hargrave's parents had come from England and Nova Scotia. Betty began school in Dickens in a small school with 3 teachers and 8 grades. When she was in the 5th grade the family moved and she attended a one-room school with 17 students. Before she began the 8th grade the schools were consolidated and everyone went into Ruthven, even though the school had burned down. For a year and a half the 8th grade and high school held classes in the Methodist Church, moving mid-year into the new building. She graduated in 1951 and worked two years before attending Iowa State Teachers College. A third generation teacher, she began teaching in Titonka, Iowa. Several summers were spent attending Colorado State Teachers College. In 1959, Betty headed west to teach in Randle and later in Packwood. Shortly after her arrival, she met Bud Panco and they were married July 4, 1960. CURTIS PATCH FAMILY Curtis and Olivia Patch and their three children, Marshall, Amantia and Jason, reside in Tolland, Connecticut. Curt is an Air Pollution Engineer for the State of Connecticut, and Olivia teaches fifth grade in Hebron. (photo): John Patch, b. April 1, 1848, Ohio and wife, Louisa Cordelia Latimer, b. 1854, Grinnell, Iowa. Curtis, born 22 July 1940, son of John David Patch, born 10 November 1912, and Freda Jean O'Neal, born 7 October 1923, grew up in Arlington, Washington on a farm on the Arnot Road, close by to his maternal and paternal grandparents, aunts and uncles. He learned fishing, hunting and a love of nature from grandfathers John David Patch, Sr., Charles Wesley O'Neal, and Andrew Swanston. Curt attended Roosevelt Elementary School and graduated from Arlington High, and attending Everett Junior College before entering the Air Force. While in the service in Saratoga Springs, New York, he met and married Olivia Carolyn Gothberg (born 25 April 1939, Hartford, Conn., daughter of Oliver Stanley Gothberg, born 6 June 1906, Manchester, Conn. and Estelle Loretta Ramisk, born 21 January 1914, Bloomfield, Conn.) June 28, 1964. Olivia had been teaching second grade in Schuylerville near by. Olivia, a native of Manchester, attended Hollister Street School, Manchester High, and graduated from the University of New Mexico with a B.A. in Anthropology, History and Education. The couple moved to Arlington, Washington after their marriage for two years, where Olivia taught and Curt continued his education. Two years later, they moved to Laramie, Wyoming, where Curt attended the University and where son Marshall Oliver was born 9 February 1968. That same year, the Patches moved to Manchester, Connecticut where Curt was employed by Pratt & Whitney Aircraft and Olivia continued to teach in Hebron. Following soon after, Curt graduated from the University of Hartford with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, and daughter Amanda Jean was born 13 September 1974, and Jason Zachary, born 27 June 1978. Curt enjoys hunting, fishing and arm-chair wrestling. He is the family cook and excels in teaching math and helping with homework. Olivia enjoys genealogy, history, archaeology and membership at Emmanual Lutheran Church in Manchester. As a family, they enjoy walks, museum trips, vacationing with relatives and Sundays at the beach. Curt's roots go back to Lewis County. His great-grandfather, John Patch, born 1 April 1848, Ohio, and great-grandmother Louisa Cordelia Latimer, born 1854 Grinnell, Iowa, came to Toledo from Sterling, Nebraska in 1882. A series of advertisements in their local newspaper extolling the excellence of Washington Territory was probably an incentive to migrate. John's mother Eliza Churchill Patch Edwards Shannon and third husband George Shannon had sold out their homestead in Sterling and had been living in Castle Rock by June of 1882. John and Cordelia left Sterling by wagon team to Omaha, and went by train to San Francisco. There, they boarded a boat to Astoria on the Columbia River. Then they purchased passage on a paddled steam stern wheeler which took them up the Cowlitz River to Grandma Eliza's where they made their home until John could obtain homestead land. John and Cordelia Patch, and Freeman Hathaway and Cordelia's sister Mary Matilda Latimer, decided to homestead together. They put in a claim for land side by side. Following a trail to Toledo, they built a log cabin on the Cowlitz and Lewis County line with a partition in between. John's family lived in Lewis County and Freeman's in Cowlitz County. Descendants of John and Cordelia have been numerous. Some still reside in Lewis and Cowlitz Counties and throughout Washington, Oregon, California and Arizona. There's even Curtis and 287 (photo): Patch Family. Back Row: Olivia, Marsball, Amanda, Curtis. Front Row: Jason, Zachariaz. Olivia Patch, way out on the east coast in Tolland, Connecticut. By Olivia Patch PATTON FAMILY Our family arrived in Lewis County in June of 1963. My dad had gotten a job working on a rig for Taylor Drilling, who at that time was drilling natural gas storage wells on the Zandecki Road. We first lived in Cabin 3 of the Mary's Corner Motel, later moved to a house on Larman Road where we lived for seven years, then in late 1972 we moved to our present home on Avery Road East. (photo): Helen, Robert O. "Tub," and Linda Patton My dad, Robert Orlando "Tub" Patton, was born 9 Dec. 1921 in Jennings, Pawnee County, Oklahoma, to Robert Lee and Minnie Lenora Barnes Patton. The family later moved to Oilton, Creek County, Oklahoma where he attended school, and members of the family still live. On 15 Aug. 1942 he entered the Army, serving in the 93rd Signal Battalion, 12th Corp., (Patton's) 3rd Army. He was discharged 5 Dec. 1945. After returning home he went to work in the oil fields and continued in that until our move here in 1963. After working for Taylor Drilling he went to work at the Jackson Prairie Gas Storage Project on Zandecki Road, where he still works. My mom, Helen Mavis McDowell Patton was born the 4th of March at Supply, Randolph County, Arkansas. Her parents were William Joseph Lewis McDowell and Uhl Ulnora Allen McDowell. The family lived at different times on farms in Randolph County, Arkansas, and in the town of Doniphan, Ripley County, Missouri. She attended schools in Grandin, Missouri, and the Oakland School in Supply, Arkansas. After leaving home she worked at various jobs in St. Louis, Missouri, finally becoming a telephone operator. She later was transferred to Oakland, California, and in 1948 she returned to St. Louis. Tub and Helen were married the 29th of April 1950 in Pocahontas, Randolph County, Arkansas. I, Linda Sue (Susie) Patton, their only child, was born the 7th of April 1953 in Garden City, Finney County, Kansas. For most of the first 10 years of my life we lived in Oilton, Oklahoma, where I attended school through 4th grade. After we moved here I attended the Jackson Prairie School from the fall of 1963 until its consolidation with Napavine in the spring of 1964, except for the month of December which was spent in Forks, Washington. I graduated from Napavine High School in May of 1971. At the present time I work part time at Loggers World Publications, and help out during busy times at the Hicks Rock Shop. My main hobby for the last 10 years has been genealogy, tracing our ancestors back as far as possible, with much work yet to be done. All of our ancestors arrived before 1800, one family came from England in 1683 with William Penn, other branches are Native American. Our roots are very deep in the country, and we are very proud of our heritage. By Linda Patton PAYZANT FAMILY Charles Young Payzant was born in Fayette, Lewis County in 1884. His parents were Harry Hector and Isabella Payzant who had property south of Bunker on what is now known as the Ceres Hill Road. His first school was at the rural school at Fayette, then going to Adna. When World War I started he was attending Oregon State College at Corvallis, but rather than waiting to be drafted, he enlisted in the U.S. Engineers and spent 18 months overseas with Forestry division. At the close of the war, he worked for the U.S. Forestry Service in eastern Washington and Idaho. While in that area he attended business college in Spokane. In 1933 he returned to the coast working in the plywood industry in Everett, Washington. He also owned and operated a shingle mill east of Everett. In 1942, his father, Harry Hector, died and he then made a home for his mother with him. She died in 1948. Fire had destroyed the old home on the home place. He later in the year married Alice Grace, daughter of Charles and Lillie Grace. In 1950, the Everett Plywood went co-operative and Charles could invest in shares there or return to his old home place, now in a deterioration with no electricity or running water except in a spring. In 1951 he finally made the decision to go to Lewis County. He first raised strawberries, then raspberries, and cut Christmas trees, but with his knowledge of the woods he decided to thin the forest that had grown after his father logged in 1910 to 1914. He acquired a name of confidence in delivering top-grade poles and piling. In 1960, he designed and built a home on the property to the west of the road. He died in 1968 after an illness of close to four years. His widow Alice remains on the place and is active in the Adna Grange and the Adna Evangelical Church to which she transferred from her Everett E.U.V. when they moved to the area. Charles' father, Harry Hector Payzant, came west from Nova Scotia, Canada, around 1875 attracted by the wonderful timber. He remained in this area and owned and sold several pieces of land. In 1883, he sold property in the area where Bunker Road now joins the Ceres Hill Road. Then he bought land to the south in heavy timber and set out getting a road into it and clearing a place for a home and orchard. He sent to Start Bros. Nursery for a variety of apple trees. His brother back home had married and he kept writing Harry of his sister-in-law and, when he finally saw things on his new land getting into good order, he went back to Nova Scotia for a visit. While there he courted Isabelle Aiken, a vivacious little person. In 1889 they were married and came west to their home on the Chehalis river meadow. Old Mount Rainier stood guard, but it was not visible for the tall timber blocking the view. Here they built a home and were blessed with five children, four girls and a son. They are: Bertha, now Mrs. Paul Fake; Charles Young; Dora, now Mrs. Fred Gamelien; Caroline, now Mrs. Wallace E. Gallup; and Ruth, now Mrs. Alfred E. Palmer. They were married 53 years when he died in 1942. MAXINE AND WILLARD (BILL PEDERSEN Maxine Evelyn Orloske was born August 11, 1944, the fourth daughter of Max and Dora Orloske. She graduated from Adna High School and went to Seattle and completed a course at a Beauty School. She married Herbert Sayler and in September 2, 1963 a son, Timothy, was born. This marriage was dissolved. In 1968 she married Nels Willard (Bill Pedersen, who was born at Doty. His parents were Clifford and Elva Pedersen. He attended school at Pe Ell and joined the Marines. He has worked for Weyerhaeuser for the past twenty years. 288 (photo): Tim Sayler (back), Wendy, Cindy, and Derek Pedersen On December 27, 1970 son, Derek, was born and September 10, 1972 twin daughters, Wendy and Cindy, joined the family. In 1971 a new home was built at 164 Brockway, west of Chehalis. Maxine operated a beauty shop from this house. At the present time she is co-owner with Gloria Raab of the beauty salon known as "Scissors Etc." located in Chehalis. Tim graduated from Chehalis High School and attended the Centralia College for one year then joined his dad, Herbert Sayler, in Denver, Colorado to complete his four years of college. The other three children attend the Chehalis Schools and are active in the sports and musical activities of the school. WILLIS (WILL) PEHL FAMILY If there is anything unique or unusual about the Pehl family, it is the size and possibly the origin. I, Will Pehl, was born in Arena, North Dakota on April 23, 1925 near the area in which my father had homesteaded in 1903. My father, George Pehl, an only child, had immigrated to the United States with his wife and 2-year old son and built a sod home on the prairies as so many others had done in search of freedom and economic opportunity that only America offered. Although my father was an only child, he had no hang-ups about large families as he raised 21 children, including 5 stepchildren. He had the love and respect of all 21. In 1937 my parents moved from North Dakota to the State of Washington settling in the Willapa Harbor Area where I completed grades 6 through 12 in the Willapa Valley School System. My mother, Katherine Lippert Pehl, died in 1941 and my father then moved to Chehalis and resided on 9th Street until his death in 1959. After graduation from high school in 1943, went into the Marine Corps and saw combat action on Iwo Jimo. Upon discharge from the Corps in 1945, I lived with my father in Chehalis and enrolled at Washington State University in 1946, graduating with a B.A. degree major in Business in 1950. Immediately upon graduation, I was employed by Perma Products Company (later known as Shakertown Corporation) Winlock, WA. I had only planned to work long enough to pay for a car purchased while in college; but my roots began to take hold as I found myself growing with the company. In 1955 I married Nadene Louise Nichols from Camas, WA. Nadene was one of 5 children born to Mike and Mabel Nichols, whose family origins were in Nebraska and Colorado. The Nichols family lived in Colorado, moving to Washington in 1948. After graduation from high school, Nadene attended Business School and worked as an executive secretary in Portland until our marriage. Our first home was on old 99, 5 miles south of Chehalis where we lived for 6 years before building the home we are still living in and love on Newaukum Hill. Our 3 children - Lynne, born in December, 1956 - Cheryl, born in March, 1960 - Robert born in March, 1962, all attended Chehalis schools from K through 12 and then went on to receive a college education. Our two daughters are married to W.S.U. graduates and a special family outing is a visit to the W.S.U. campus on a football weekend. Our first two grandchildren arrived in December, 1984 and January, 1985, and Nadene and I are beginning the retirement phase of our lives. Life has been good to us, and we look forward to the joys of grandparenting. By Will Pehl JEAN PEMERL Hearing the drone of planes and seeing jet streams in the sky reminds me of the 1920s when it was so thrilling to spot a plane overhead. Our family members were called outside to witness this wonder. I am Jean, daughter of Mary and Jerry Kieszling. My siblings are Roselyn, Jerrold and Dorothy. We girls helped with the housework. During the summer there was lots of cooking, sewing and canning to be done. Lawn and firewood chores kept my brother busy. When the work was finished it was playtime. Our yard was large and full of neighborhood kids. Home was on 11th Street in Chehalis. Annie-over, tag, redrover, croquet and baseball were games I remember. We skated for hours on the sidewalks. Ice delivery trucks were welcomed. We scrambled aboard to get the ice that was shaved off so the blocks fit the ice box. Utopia on a hot day! Girl Scouts and 4-H kept me busy, too. Dad and my uncle, Fred Schuster, owned the Twin City Sheet Metal Company which was located on Main Street. Close relatives made our family complete. Mother was the daughter of Frank and Bertha Schuster who lived on 3rd Street. Her family included Charles, Laura, LouIse, Fred, Rudolph (Dude), Frank, Agnes and Gilbert. Grandpa and uncle Chuck worked at the railroad depot which now houses the museum. Many fun-filled Christmas dinners were held with all the Schusters in attendance. After being called to school by the Cascade School bell which pealed twice before school started each day, I graduated from Chehalis High. My parents moved to Bremerton where Dad worked in the shipyards, and I left for college in Ellensburg. After graduation, teaching and marriage, our first home was in Seattle. Edward Pemerl was my new husband. During the war he worked at Boeings. After eighteen months we returned to Chehalis which has since been our home. Ed purchased a shoe repair shop, a trade he learned from his father who owned the Surprise Shoe Shop. We enjoyed many happy days with Ed's family on Newaukum Hill. All but sister Anne lived close by. On Sundays we all gathered there for food and fun. Fred, Louie, Katie, their spouses and children made the rafters ring. By the time Grandma and Grandpa moved to town we had three children. No more fun on the farm! Our three children attended St. Joseph's School and graduated from W.F. West. All are married and live nearby. Dan is in law enforcement, and with his wife Karen, formerly Karen Ellingson, and daughters, Jana and Amy, lives in Olympia. Neil, an engineer with P.U.D. and his wife, Betty, live near Adna at Sleepy Hollow. Mary Kay and her husband, Glen Nelson, and daughters, Annalee and Julie, also live in Sleepy Hollow. Glen is manager of Loggers' Wear, Inc. Lewis County has been a good home for our family for six generations. LOUIS PEMERL, SR. An Immigrant's Story Louis Pemerl Sr. was born in a small town in the Bavarian Alps in Southern Germany in 1882. He met and married Katherina Nachtmann and became the parents of two children, Louis Jr. and Katherine. He worked in the coal mines and in the evening learned the shoe repair trade. The couple had always wanted to come to America; and, being unhappy with the rule of the Kaiser, finally decided to make the great change. Louis left Germany in the spring of 1912 and came thru Ellis Island in New York to Wisconsin. In the fall of the same year he was joined by his wife and two children. After a very short stay in Wisconsin the family moved to northern Alberta in Canada where they purchased a homestead for $10.00. That period in their lives was an extremely hard one as they could not eek out a living on the homestead. The father sought work in the coal mines. Two more children were added to the family, Anne and Fred. Since there was no school in the tiny burg where the family lived, another move was made, this time to the little town of Three Hills in central Alberta. Again Louis worked in the coal mines. Disaster struck. Louis was severely injured in a coal mine accident and was hospitalized in Calgary for quite some time. After leaving the hospital he opened a shoe repair shop in Three Hills. Another son, Edward, joined the family. Incidentally he was named for the Prince of Wales who was visiting Canada at that time. The Prince of Wales later became King Edward of England who eventually abdicated. In 1924 at the urging of a distant relative in rural Chehalis the family moved down to Washington. They lived in Chehalis for two years and in 1924 bought a 40-acre farm on Newaukum Hill. Louis worked in sawmills and on county roads and eventually purchased a shoe repair shop in Chehalis. The boys graduated from Chehalis High School and the girls from Napavine High School. Louis Jr. started as a bell hop at the St. Helens Hotel and when he retired he was the owner. Katie went to business college in Seattle and worked in lumber offices in Lewis County. Anne graduated from the College of Puget Sound and became a teacher. She retired as a language instructor from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Fred served in the Army in World War II and later owned gasoline service stations. He retired as local distributor for Phillips Petroleum. Edward worked at Boeings in Seattle during the war and returned to Chehalis to eventually own and operate a shoe repair business. Louis Sr. passed away in 1963 at the age of 81. His wife lived to the age of 97, passing away in 1984. Many times they said the best thing they ever did in their lives was to come to America, the 289 land they truly loved. By Katherine Pemerl Henricksen . PERIGO-FRAWLEY This history is dedicated to our mother, Margaret Leona Perigo, Adams, Knittle, by her children George Adams Perigo, Alfred Knittle, Dorothy Knittle Grose, Irene Knittle Dean and Melvin Knittle. Some of the facts and stories were related to us by our mom, and recorded in a journal she had started, but didn't get to finish. My granddad, Mike Frawley, was born in County Cork, Township Kerry, Ireland in 1845, and came by ship to America with his mother, Mary, and two brothers to join their father. En route to America his mother died and was buried at sea. They settled in Richland County, Wisconsin, where their father, Pat, was killed by a falling tree while clearing land. My granddad, Mike Frawley, fought in the Civil War. He married my grandmother, Margaret Huston, on February 21, 1870, in Muscoda, Wise. My mother, Annie Frawley, was born June 27, 1883, in Adan, Wise, one of eleven children. Grandma Margaret Huston was born in New York City on Nov. 14, 1849. Her father, John, helped put the first sewers in New York City at wages of 8 cents per day. Her mother, Jane, received 10 cents per day washing and ironing all day long. The Huston family then headed west and homesteaded in the town of Eagle, Richland County, Wisc. It is interesting to note that when the sons were married they were given 80 acres of land, two cows, 50 bushels of wheat and assisted in building their homes. When the girls married each was given $300.00, a cow, and 50 bushels of wheat. Annie Frawley married my dad, Peter Solomon Perigo, on September 30, 1903. My granddad, Hiarm Perigo was born in Illinois in 1825, and moved to Wise. when he was 6 years old. He lived there all of his life except for 5 years in Colorado. While in Colorado my granddad Perigo discovered a gold and silver mine in 1859. The mine was located 3 miles S.W. of Rollingsville (up Travis Gulch) in Gilpin County, Colorado. This is near Central City, Colorado, the county seat. It was called the Perigo Mine, and a town grew up around this mine called Perigo, Colorado. In 1867 granddad Perigo returned to Wisc. for a visit. While he was gone his partner lost the mine for them in a faro game. This later turned out to be one of the richest silver mines in the United States. In 1882. the Perigo mine produced $87,000 worth of ore according to government reports. My granddad, Hiarm Perigo, married my grandmother, Harriet Helen Murphy on March 25,1868. My dad, Peter, was born February 11, 1877, at Boaz, Wise., one of eleven children. Grandma Harriet Helen Murphy was born at Elyria, Loraine Co., Ohio on Aug. 29, 1848, to Barney Murphy and Mary Marie Andrus. Her father, Barney, was born at Newry, County of Armah, Ireland on Aug. 13, 1800. In the year 1819 Barney left Ireland on a sailing vessel for America. At that time passengers were required to furnish themselves with provisions sufficient for a trip of three months, as ships were frequently becalmed at sea for a number of days or even weeks. It took Barney about six weeks to make the trip. The ship landed in Quebec, Canada, where he remained for two or three years, then moved to Utica, New York; where he met and married my great-grandmother Mary Marie Andrus on Jan. 25, 1837. It is believed the Andrus family were Quakers, coming to the state of New York from Rhode Island. (photo): George Perigo, Annie Perigo, Loren Perigo, Margaret Knittle, Peter Perigo, Hiriam Perigo After their marriage my Mom and Dad homesteaded in Williston, N.D. They had a farm with a team, machinery and typical homestead shack of the era. I was born seven years after their marriage on July 12, 1910, and named Margaret Leona. Mom was 27 years old and Dad was 33. In 1910 Dad took up a homestead in East Gap Section of Saskatchewan, Canada. He built a "Soddee" house, which was made out of sod, and Mom and I joined him before winter set in. Mom and Dad both being from large families probably figured they would also have a large family, but there were only two more children born of this marriage. My brother Hiarm, born August 26, 1916 and Peter Loren, born March 28,1919. Both were born in Canada, and have passed away and are buried in the cemetery in Morton, Wash. I can remember Mom baking bread and how she always wrapped the granite bread pan in quilts and Dad's buffalo robe to keep it warm overnight. I have heard her tell many times about one batch of bread that had chilled and how she tried everything to get it to raise. Finally she gave up and threw it down a gopher hole. The sun came out real hot and the dough raised right out of the hole. To preserve food we would string green beans to dry, fry down pork and cover with lard in a crock, beef was kept in a box in the snow bank and Dad would bring in a piece of frozen meat when needed. In 1920 we left East Gap District and moved to Smiley, Canada where Dad traveled for the Rawleigh Company for three years. In 1923 Mom and Dad moved to Morton, Wash., and we lived in a log house across from the Knittle homestead (just east of Morton). This house burned in 1932 or 1933. Dad worked in the mills, driving a tie truck and was a fireman and watchman in later years. He retired in 1949. Dad took over the homestead lease from his brother, Bill Perigo, on 38 acres of property just east of Morton. The original house was where a chicken house was in later years. Uncle Bill Perigo (a bachelor), his sister Aunt Lizzie Ritchie (a widow) and her four children lived in this house. This house burned down and they built the kitchen of the present house. Mom and Dad tore down an old sawmill by the first creek on their property and built onto the kitchen and built a barn out of the lumber and timbers. They stored the extra lumber in the top of the barn. The kitchen was not sealed and had a wood board floor. Mom had scrubbed the boards until they were smooth and white. The front room had a good board floor but the ceiling was open (not sealed). Later they used the lumber stored in the barn to seal the ceilings of the kitchen and front room. Mom sold three cows for $150.00. They used this money to buy boards for the kitchen floor and cupboards and linoleum for the front room. Mom and Dad put electricity in the house in 1937 from the Morton dam just west of Morton. There was a storm that year and they were out of electricity for three months. Didn't bother them too much as they were used to being without electricity. A creek that starts on the Perigo homestead was dammed by the town of Morton. It was three feet deep and fed by gravity to a wooden tower and supplied water to the town of Morton. The present tower is located approximately at the same location. Dad passed away in Morton, Wa. on August 27, 1952 and Mom passed away in Morton on February 19, 1965. They are buried in Morton Cemetery. I (Margaret Perigo) married Fred Adams in 1926 and had one son, George Adams, born July 10, 1927 in Mineral. I divorced Fred in 1928. George was later legally adopted by my parents. George married Doris Mae Denend on February 23, 1947. Doris had one son by a previous marriage, Terry David Wagoner born November 14, 1942. George and Doris have one daughter, Jennie Lee, born September 9, 1948. They divorced in 1958. George married Mary Lou Romaine in 1959. They had two sons, George, Jr. born July 15, 1961 and Donald Peter, born January 26, 1963. George and Mary Lou divorced in 1968, and George re-married Doris on December 23,1968. Jennie married Kenneth Don Richardson in 1965 and had two children, Ken Jr. on August 2, 1966 and Tamara Marie on September 10, 1968. They were divorced in January, 1980. Jennie married Donald LeBlanc in November, 1983. I (Margaret Adams) married Otis Knittle on December 30, 1930 in Morton, WA. Otis was born on January 17, 1906 in Morton on the Knittle Homestead. My first born of this union was Alfred Lewis on December 3, 1931. He served in the U.S. Army and was in the Korean conflict. He passed away on September 23, 1967, and is buried in the Morton Cemetery. We had a daughter, Dorothy Amelia, on November 23, 1933. Dorothy married Cyril Obed Grose on June 28, 1952. They have four children: Janet Elaine born July 20,1953; Danny Arnold April 9, 1962; Derald Lin on November 18, 1963; and Dale Cyril on January 31, 1966. Janet married Ernest Richard Dresher on April 28, 1973. They have two daughters. Jessica Marie was born on March 10, 1980 and Stephanie Lynn on June 17, 1983. Danny married Loriann Irene Norris on June 26, 1982. Derald married Rhonda Lynn Lane on June 14,1985. We had another daughter, Irene Alice, born on November 15, 1938. Irene married James Thomas Dean on June 3, 1955. They have three children. Jimmy Wayne born on July 30,1963, 290 Richard Otis on March 24, 1965 and Sonja Marlea on March 18, 1970. We had another son Melvin Lorne born on October 30, 1941. Melvin married Diana McMurray on October 10, 1959. They had three children. Christopher Wayne was born on May 11,1960, Cara Lee on November 18, 1961 and Steven Scott on February 5, 1967. Melvin and Diana divorced in 1972. Cara married Brian Barkis on June 26, 1982. They have one son, Brian Ellery born on June 10, 1983. Melvin married Sharon Lee Brower (King, Kegg). Sharon had two children by previous marriages. Scott Allen King born July 18, 1971 and Marie Roget Kegg born October 2,1973. Margaret Knittle passed away July 22, 1981 after over fifty years of marriage to Otis Knittle who passed away on May 6, 1984. They are buried beside each other in the Morton Cemetery. Hiarm Perigo married Birdie Ulsh on December 23, 1937. They had two sons, Michael Bordon born on August 30, 1938 and Donald Eugene born on January 8, 1942. Hiarm passed away in 1969. Loren Perigo married but never had any children. He passed away on November 8,1982. C.B. PERKINS FAMILY Cary B. Perkins came to Swofford Valley in 1912 to teach school at the Riffe Grammar School His wife, Ida Michael Perkins, followed him a few months later, traveling by train from Pikeville, Kentucky, with their three children, Lenore, Cad, and Hill. Later, Bernice, Ralph, Dorothy (stillborn), and Bruce, were born. Cary's brother, Ayres, followed shortly thereafter and lived with the family until he married Tempie Kiser in 1914. Ida's father, Martin Michael, also came to live with them for a while. He later moved to Dairy, Oregon, where he died. (photo): Ida and Carr Perkins Cary taught school a few years, then went to work for the Chehalis Creamery as manager and accountant. Ida felt that she and the children would be better off on their small truck and chicken farm, which they successfully maintained for several years. She also was a teacher and an accomplished seamstress. Incidentally, the "Perkins Place" was one of the showplaces of Swofford Valley. Many of the neighbor children came there to play in their leisure time. In the meantime, Cary moved on to better jobs in Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon - still in the creamery business - and still commuting home for the 'weekends. Shortly before The Great Depression in 1929, he came back to look for work closer to home. The family operated a farm in Randle in 1929-1930. Cary was Sunday School Superintendent there in the Methodist Church. He was a community minded citizen and served on the local school board, among other philanthropic endeavors, for the remainder of his active life. In 1936 he ran for U.S. Congress on the Republican ticket. Unfortunately for him, that was the year of the Democratic landslide and his opponent won! Ida died of a kidney ailment at the age of 49, in 1939. Later, Cary married Grace Allen. There were three children born from this marriage: Patricia Ann, Malcolm, and Marjorie. They moved to Virginia around 1950 and later to Independence, Missouri. Cary Perkins died in Centralia, Washington, in 1964, at the age of 82. At this writing, of the remaining children, Bernice and her husband, Jim Reddick, live in San Marcos, California; Ralph and his wife, Marie, live in Rainier, Oregon; Patricia and her husband, Jess McCoy, live in Barstow, California; Malcolm and his wife, Darlene, live in Independence, Missouri; and Marjorie Arnold resides in Lake Tahoe, California. By Ralph H. Perkins FRANK AND ANN PERKINS Back in the days of the tramp logger, Frank Perkins of Morton remembers the sound of hogs beneath his bunkhouse and the smell of a barn. "Another Schafer Brothers camp," he says nonchalantly. (photo): Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Perkins The beds were stacked three high in a converted railroad car with the wheels run out, jacked up on cribbing and boxed all around. And beneath the sleeping whistle punks, head loaders and fallers alike, the camp operators ran their pigs. "You had to be a strange breed of cat to like it, I guess," says Perk good-naturedly. "Those old flea traps! Stinkin' so bad you could hardly stand it for the smell." Perk never stayed long in those camps, but he stayed in many in his time, and has a pyramid load of stories about the glory days when men went back to the woods like squirrels, climbed 'em, rigged 'em, and logged 'em 'till they were blue in the face. Perkins, who retired from St. Regis in 1972 and loaded the last logs out of Mineral Lake in 1966, was a "camp inspector" as they were then called from his freshman year at Tenino High SchooL He figures he's worked at 30 different logging camps. Whether splitting fir for the steam donkey's fireman, dodging sparks in the crummy ride to camp or loading logs in the giant Weyerhaeuser camp at Vail, Perkins recalls the days of camp logging with an interest as sharp as a two-edged axe. He summered with old Cliff Turvey's camps between years at high school, and got his diploma in June, 1927, because the 300 pound operator gave kids the boot come fall. "When school started," he'd say, "You can't work here no more." >From the time he married the former Ann Ochoski, July 2, 1931, in Aberdeen until 1941 during the boom years of the Morton reloads, Perkins parked his car at the end of the road Sunday evening and rode the crew trains home Friday afternoon. "My kids hardly knew me," Perk said, "but I kept going back in. It has a strange fascination, logging." He logged for Schafer Brothers, Bordeaux Brothers, St. Paul, the Mutual, mostly in Washington: but when the truckers started rolling in the late 40's, he pulled stake and worked in California and southern Oregon for a time. Perkins contracted with a partner later on and ran up to 46 million board feet in a good year on reloads out of Morton, then went to work for St. Regis and birled the logs for the last four years they were floated in Mineral Lake. He still lives with Ann in Morton. They marked 50 years last summer. "Perk" retired from St. Regis in 1972. His wife retired as assistant city clerk for Morton in 1973. The couple have a son, Lawrence J. Perkins, Snohomish, and a daughter, Mrs. Robert Linnell (Maureen) of Selah. They have six grandchildren. JOHN AND MARGARET PERONA While my father, John Perona, was stationed at Fort Vancouver, Washington, with the Army in 1925 and on a 30-day leave, he and his youngest brother, Joe, were in Centralia looking for a job. On a Sunday afternoon they were looking at photographs in the window of the Dressler Photo Studio and noticed a picture of a confirmation class. At that time my mother, Margaret, and uncle Max Orloske were walking home from church and passed the studio. Uncle Joe told my dad it was the same couple in the picture. A couple days later dad saw the girl again, and that was the beginning of a courtship which ended with marriage three weeks later in Chehalis. Dad was the oldest of three boys born to Angelo and Dominica Perona who both immigrated from Northern Italy. Dad was born in Indiana in 1901. His mother passed away when he was 14 years old, and his father began moving from state to state with his sons, eventually moving to California. Dad had several jobs and finally, while in Washington, joined the Army. He was transferred to the Philippine Islands for two years and has two photo albums of his army days which we still enjoy. Mother was the oldest of nine children born to John and Alice Orloske in Minnesota in 1908. Later, they moved to North Dakota and in 1923 moved to Centralia where two years later our family history begins. After Dad's discharge from the army, they moved to Naches and worked in the fruit orchards for a few months and then traveled to California and eventually settled in Eureka where I and my two sisters, Eva and Mildred, were born. During a vacation to Washington in 1936, my uncle told the folks of a farm available. They sold their home in California and moved to Crego Hill where we lived for a year and then moved to my grandparents' home in Centralia. Grandfather Orloske worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad as a watchman in Centralia and Aberdeen. In 1940 he was transferred to Yakima and that was the reason we moved to Centralia where Dad got a job at Agnew's Western Mill. 291 (photo): Standing: Stella. Eva. Mildred. Seated: Peggy, Margaret, John and Barbara Perona. During World War II, Dad worked in coal mines in the Centralia area. In 1945 and 1947, two more sisters were born, Barbara and Peggy. Deciding he didn't want to work underground any longer, Dad got a job with Centralia City Light. In 1954 he transferred to their Yelm Diversion Dam. We all have lasting memories of those days he worked in that area. In 1964 Dad retired and they moved once again to the Adna area where they bought a small farm. Mother and Dad both worked for the Adna School District as cook and grade school custodian. Dad again retired in 1967 but worked part time at various jobs and devoted more time to his passion of vegetable and flower gardens. In 1978 they sold the farm and moved to Chehalis where Dad still lives today. Mother passed away in 1982 after a marriage which had lasted for 58 years. By Stella (Perona) Jensen LYMAN AND MARGUERITE PERRY FAMILY Lyman David Perry was born 19 December 1905 in Magrath, Alberta, Canada. He was the youngest of thirteen children, having four brothers and eight sisters. (photo): Lyman and Marguerite Perry He met and married Marguerite Helen Wright, 18 July 1927, in Vancouver, Washington. She was born 12 June 1909 in Fall City, Oregon. Marguerite's mother died of diptheria when she was only seven. She helped her father in raising her four brothers and sisters. Lyman and Marguerite made their first home in St. Helen's, Oregon, where their first daughter, Jean Lois, was born, 5 July 1928. Their second daughter, Velma Marie, was born, 6 May 1930 in Portland, Oregon. Joyce Marlene, 26 January 1934 and Hilda Lorraine, 11 December 1938, were born in Camas, Washington. Marguerite worked in the Camas Paper Mill before moving to Toledo, in 1942. They bought a house and several acres near the Cowlitz River on the Mandy Road. After moving to Toledo, Lyman worked at Reynolds Aluminum unloading ore cars. Then he went to work for Burlington Northern doing track maintenance. He planted trees before going to work for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources as a fire warden, where he retired. Since retiring he has stayed busy doing yard work for several businesses and people. Lyman and Marguerite are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Lone Yew Grange. Lyman was a deacon in the church. Marguerite was a member of the Relief Society and Genealogy Society. Marguerite passed away 30 April 1981 and is buried in the Sunset Memorial Gardens in Chehalis. Jean married Reino Mannikko and lives in Winlock. (See William Manniko Family) Velma married Ronald Olson and lives in Toledo. They have four children: Susan, Vickie, Karen and Michael. They owned B&R Logging. Joyce married Gene Flatt and lives in Mesa, Arizona. They havefive children: Gene, Jr., died at birth, Gordon, Christine, Katherine, and Delora. Gene works for General Motors. Lorraine married Leo Wamsley and had two children, Carol and Shirley. Later she married Robert Forgie and had two children, Marion and Mary. Bob is a contract carpenter and Lorraine works for the post office. Lyman married his second wife, Ruth Ballard Stevens, on 7 October 1981. They still reside in their same home in Toledo. By John and Sandra Davidson SUSAN C. PERTZBORN FAMILY: THREE CHILDREN, A MOM AND A CAT I'm Susan C. Pertzborn the daughter of Richard Fay Ponder and Carol Rae (Matteson) Ponder. I was born and raised in Centralia and attended public schools through two years at Centralia College. I have worked seven years as a data entry operator and computer operator in Portland, Oregon. Other members of my family are my daughters Amy Susan, 8 yrs. old; Megan Nicole, 7 yrs. old; and Jennifer May, 4 1/2 yrs. old. Amy told me not to forget to mention Moses, our cat. Well, Moses, you're part of the family too, so now you're in the book also. We rent a house in Centralia where we are close to my parents and my Grandmother, Eleanor Jones. The girls and I enjoy living near our family. Another Grandmother, Frances Matteson, lives in Centralia, and she, like our other relatives, helps me very much by babysitting. I have been enrolled since Sept. '83 at The Evergreen State College in Olympia where I'm in the Teacher Certification sponsored through the University of Puget Sound. My major is in Elementary Education and I will graduate in June, 1985. I have received financial aid from the Federal Government as well as from the Centralia Chapter of P.E.O. Also I am the recipient of a scholarship from Daughters of Pioneers of Washington. Without the funding from these sources I never would have made it thru college. I'm very thankful for their support. As a family we regularly attend the First United Methodist Church in Centralia where I teach a Sunday School Class. I have received both emotional and spiritual help from God and my church family. All of my daughters and I are also members of the Daughters of Pioneers of Wash. Some activities I enjoy are tennis and counted cross stitch. As a family we enjoy going to Ocean Shores camping, riding bikes, roller skating and swimming. I'm proud of my daughters and I love activities where we are busy and happy together. Right now I'm working nearly full-time as an office clerk and attending college classes part-time. Also, I'm anxiously waiting for graduation and then to finding a teaching job. I'm willing to relocate and ready to face any adjustments that moving from Centralia may bring. Some parts of the last 5 years been quite a struggle, but today I feel positive and loved. Besides that I know that I'm coming out on top! Susan C. Pertzborn THOMPSON MARTIN AND SARAH SWORD PETERS Sarah Sword Peters was born in Coal Run, Kentucky, May 18, 1835. She was married June 23, 1858 to Thompson Martin Peters, who was born in Scott County, Virginia, February, 1835. They lived in eastern Kentucky in the Pikeville area. Their children all came to Washington with them, except the two who died very young. Their names are: Wilbur Francis the eldest, Mary Elisabeth, married to George Henry.Stevens. James Monroe who married Belle A. Christy. He died at age 36. The widow later married his younger brother, John Wesley. Robert Keith came to Washington before marriage to Susan Jane Landis of Mossyrock. Minnie, whose name was Brown after marriage. John Wesley, the youngest son. The Peters family boarded the steamboat on the Big Sandy River in Pike County, Kentucky. 292 (photo): Bell and John Peters, 1928 Belongings and furnishings were taken with them. As the youngest son John checked his things; he found one missing. He anxiously asked his father where his dulcimer was. They found that it was left out in the haste of packing. His father tried to ease his loss by telling him the new country would have many dulcimers, not knowing the great distance from any place for supplies. (photo): Kenova and Hazel Peters and Baby Jim, 1934. The May 2, 1890, Chehalis Bee gave front page news of parties arriving to become early settlers of Lewis County. Among a large group from Eastern Kentucky are listed: T.M. Peters and family, W.F. Peters, W.S. Brown and family, Mr. G.H. Stevens and family. The homestead marked out for Thompson and Sarah Peters was located midway on the west side of the Peters Flat Road, West of Randle. This road was built in the late 1920s. (photo): Standing, L to R: Minnie Peters, Mary Elisabeth Peters, James Monroe Peters, Robert Keith Peters. Seated, L to R: Thompson Martin Peters, Sarah Sword Peters, John Wesley Peters. The primitive road to Sarah's first home in the valley was thru the adjoining homestead to the east. Their house was built on some of the higher ground with a barn nearby. Much of the northern part was wet low land, the drainage of Peters Creek. There were groves of maple trees. Cedar and fir trees standing large and tall. Many being ten feet or more across where the roots joined the fertile soil. Orchards were planted which supplied fruit and continue bearing today. Hunting, farming and producing their supplies were essential. The Indians were friendly and helpful with advice as to the nature of the river. But it was only after experiencing the treacherous floods themselves that they began to build up above the flood plain. After Thompson's death in 1907, Sarah lived with the families of her children. She died during the flu epidemic of 1919. Some of the original homestead is in the Peters family now. Belonging to my parents, Lawrence M. and Lorraine E. (Lester) Peters. He is the son of John Wesley and Belle A. (Christy) Peters. John is the youngest son of Thompson and Sarah Peters. With the kind help of friends and kin I have assembled this brief page of early Big Bottom Valley Peters family history. By Alice Lorraine Peters WILMA PETERS/GRAUMAN/ JERRELS / CORP I was born at Claquato, Washington, in 1909 to Jerry and Gertrude Peters. My mother was the daughter of Teddy and Edith Smith. My father, the son of Kittie and Benjamin Peters. My greatgrandparents were Morgan and Corgan and General Gates. (photo): Back row: Violet, Harvey, Chester, Wilma, Dick. Front row: Bonnie, Beulah, Glenna, Rosie. All through life I was taught to work. At seven I was smart and tried to milk a cow. Then I continued throughout the years. At fifteen I picked hops at Klaber, Ceres, and Riverside. I picked strawberries, raspberries, and elderberries for the Chehalis Cannery. I also gathered fir cones. My father had shingle mills and I learned to pack shingles, too. My father had a field of peas. My brother and sister and I all were left in the field alone to pick; we never needed any boss to look after us; we knew if we didn't work we wouldn't have any school clothes. In blackberry season, we all went to the fields to get enough berries to can - over one hundred quarts for the winter. We always had a big garden and canned all of our own vegetables. We picked apples for the cellar and dug a large amount of potatoes, too. We canned a lot of fruit and also made our own bread and butter. Our daily bath was the old wash tub; one would jump in one then the other. We had an outdoor back house, kerosene lights, and a well for water. We had to wash clothes on an old washboard. In the winter, we had taffy pulls and popped pop corn. In the summer there were weiner roasts and picnics to go to. Also, house parties and square dancing when we all got older. We all got a new pair of shoes twice a year. My mother made all our clothes from a lot of dyed flower sacks. My father sold Watkins products and would take us kids on his trips to the country at an early age. We all walked a lot going to school and church on Sunday. I started at the old Cascade School in Chehalis, the Brier Hill School, Claquato and Adna. All were one to two miles in distance. When I was nineteen, I married. Through the years I had eight children. I had three husbands, all deceased now. My children are: Chester Grauman, Bonnie Castle, Glenna Newkerk, Richard Grauman, Beulah Randall, Violet Vollmer, Harvey Jerrels, and Rosie Young. I never realized how many grandchildren that would make. I now have an even number of 36 greats and 36 grandchildren. I have always lived in the country and think there is no other place to raise a family. I have the children and grandchildren dropping in all the time, so I never get lonely. HELEN THOMPSON PETERSON Helen Thompson Peterson is a first generation American, born and raised in the Chehalis area. Her father, Alfred N. Thompson, came from Sweden before the turn of the century. After crossing the United States, he spent his youth in Kalama, Washington. As a young man he traveled to Alaska. In 1899, he packed over the Chilcoot Pass into the Klondike to mine for gold. Then he went down the Yukon by sternwheeler to the Tanana and on to Fairbanks. He worked a gold mine on Wolf Creek some miles from Fairbanks. Her mother, Johanne Lund Thompson, came from Denmark as a young girl. She spoke no English when she arrived but managed to obtain work on a farm in Aurora, Illinois. While "learning and earning" she saved enough to come west to Seattle where she worked as a waitress and cook. She later went to Alaska - travelling by steamer to Nome, up the Yukon to the Tanana and finally to Fairbanks. She established a laundry at Fox, outside Fairbanks. Alfred and Johanne met in Alaska, married in Seattle, and eventually settled in Lewis County 293 about 1915. They had a farm on the Twin Oakes Road, moved to the Dillenbough Farm on the Coon Canyon Road, and in 1922 moved to Chehalis. Alfred established the Thompson Fuel Company and had his fuel shed on Pacific Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets in Chehalis. He sold wood he got from the Carlisle Mill in Onalaska and and mills in Bucoda and Littell. He sold coal from Tono and the Black Prince Mine. In 1945, he sold the fuel company and retired. From 1927 to 1930, Thompsons ran the Chehalis Apartments located on the southeast corner of Main Street and Chehalis Avenue. It was a three story building with sleeping rooms and apartments. The main floor contained a large lobby on one side and a small grocery store on the other. After Alfred died in August 1950, Johanne continued with various business ventures, mainly building houses, including one duplex. She died in November 1969. Helen, their only child, attended Westside, Cascade, R.E. Bennett schools, graduating from Chehalis High School. She went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from Washington State College in Pullman. Helen started her pharmacy career at Doane's Drug Store in Chehalis. From 1944 to 1950 she worked in Fairbanks, Alaska, at the CO-OP and Fenton's Drug Stores. When she returned to Chehalis she began a twenty year career with Garrison Rexall Drugs. She currently "subs" at several local pharmacies. In 1970, Helen married Thor J. Peterson, a Centralia High School teacher. She has two stepchildren, Thorlea Peterson Kirtz of Centralia and Norman Peterson of Hoquium. Helen is a 33 year member of the Altrusa Club of Centralia-Chehalis, a 34 year member of the Creative Reading Group of Chehalis, a Board Member of the Community Concert Association, a Board Member of the Lewis County Historical Society, and a member of the Lewis County Pharmacy Association. Thor died in 1975. Helen lives in their home in Centralia, is mostly retired and spends her time with people, gardening, and travels. NEILS AND BODIL PETERSEN FAMILY On a January day in 1910 a family of five detrained at Chehalis. They were looking forward with hope and excitement to a new life in Lewis County, undismayed by the terrific downpour around them. (photo): Threshing Oats, the Niels Petersen farm. The previous October Niels Petersen had bought a farm south of Claquato and now his wife Bodil, two girls, Eleanor and Alice, and baby Kristian were joining him. They left the rich Eel River district of northwestern California attracted by cheaper land in Washington. Both were Danish-born. The farm was already old; transactions as early as 1859 are listed in the abstract, which also contains names as Urquhart, Stearns and more. These were businessmen who were mortgage holders, insurers, county officers, etc. Bodil hoped to name the farm, but did not. She felt that people come and go, but the land remains and a permanent name carries on. There were 252 acres in an L shape between the Military Road and Stearns Creek. Useful woods lay on the hill. The fertile fields in the valley flooded, so eventually most were put into canary grass for pasture and hay. The house, which would shelter three generations of Petersens for almost 59 years, faced west to beautiful hills and valley. It was built in the 1880's by an Englishman named Croft. A romantic story: he had married beneath his rank and emigrated. The house was a typical cube with a central chimney. The high ceilings and walls were of wood, the windows almost to the floor. The rooms had space for friendly gatherings. Bodil was a marvelous hostess; she had been companion to a countess in Denmark and was accustomed to entertaining. The house was replaced around 1970 after nearly a century's service. Niels was an experienced dairyman and developed a large herd of Holsteins, all handmilked. The cans of whole milk were hauled by team and wagon to the Carnation plant in Chehalis. Later he became a supporter of the Darigold cooperative. The first decade brought significant progress in adjustment to the new surroundings and climate, and improvements to building and land. But it was still "Horse and Buggy Days." Membership in Westminster Presbyterian Church was very supportive. Following years brought dramatic changes: Mechanization, Depression, World War II. In 1926 a granddaughter was born. In the 30's Christian married Haven Riesenweber of Olympia, also was started a successful career as coin collector. Their five children were reared on the farm. The quarter-mile lane between house and road was improved and named "Peterson Road" (misspelled!). The children walked here to meet the Chehalis school bus; they followed where children of years past had taken their way to old Claquato School. Niels Petersen was an ardent and active member of the Masonic order until his death in 1944. Bodil outlived him till 1957; Alice had passed away in 1926. They lie at Claquato, a few miles from the old home. Their descendents are scattered, with none in Lewis County. By Eleanor M. Petersen LARRY G. AND SANDRA L. PETERSEN Larry Gene Petersen was born 9/22/41 in his parents', Walter and Norma (Foster) Petersen's, farm home at the end of the Little Hanaford Valley. He attended Centralia schools, graduating in 1959. After a tour of duty in the U.S. Navy, he returned to this area in 1962. A son, Dale Gene, was born 8/18/64 in Chehalis. Larry married Sandra Lucille Pitts on 2/14/73 in Seattle, WA. Sandra was born 11/6/48 in Centralia General Hospital to Gerald Edwin and Rose Marie (Schmidt) Pitts. After living in many states, she returned to this area in 1966 and graduated in 1968 from our high school. They have two daughters, Nicole Michelle and Veronica Rae. 'Niki' was born 10/4/70 in Albuquerque, New Mexico during a prior mar (photo): Larry and Sandra Petersen, Dale, Niki and Roni riage and was adopted by Larry in 9/77. 'Roni' was born 6/26/74 in Centralia. Larry's occupations include: mechanic, truck driver, logger, cat skinner, crane operator, welder and numerous others. He is currently employed by Crowley Maritime, Inc., as a supervisor in the handling of cargo bound for Alaska's Radar Dew Line. Sandra has been a homemaker, and is currently a student at Centralia Community College. After attaining an Associate Degree, she will be a law office secretary/manager. Dale resides in Michigan with his wife, Cathy, and a daughter, Kelly Rae, born 5/19/84 in Detroit, Michigan. 'Niki' and 'Roni' are students in Centralia schools. They are also accomplished gymnasts competing, with the team from Twin Cities Gymanstics Center, against other gymnasts in our state. They won 3rd and 10th place, respectively, in their class divisions for the 1984-85 state-wide competition. They hope to acquire academic and athletic scholarships to the U. of W. Larry's paternal grandparents, Paul Herman Petersen and Freida Rose Suesmuth, settled in Salzar Valley in 1921, where Freida still resides. His maternal grandparents, Walton Elmer Foster and Margaret Rebecca Towner, were residents of S.W. WA since about 1890. Sandy's paternal grandparents, Leonard Brooks Pitts and Jessie Lucille Lowery, were residents of Illinois and South Dakota. Her maternal grandparents, Chris Schmidt, Sr., and Elizabeth Edinger, settled here about 1934, where he still resides. HELEN A. (POZEMISKY) PETROPOULOS On July 25, 1918, a young immigrant man drove a horse and buggy into town to bring Dr. Sargent up Seminary Hill to a small farmhouse. Shortly after the doctor arrived, my mother gave birth to Helen Annie Pozemisky - now Mrs. Ted Petropoulos. My parents had emigrated from Lithuania in the early 1900s, met in Tacoma and were married on November 27,1915. They moved to Centralia three years later, after a real estate agent helped my father find 39 acres and a threebedroom house for $500. 294 (photo): Pozemisky home on Seminary Hill, 1920. My father worked as a coal miner and my folks did a little farming. My brother, sister and I attended eight years of school in a one-room schoolhouse adjacent to our farm. After the school was closed, the land and building were returned to the original property owned by my parents. . I graduated from Centralia High School in 1936 and got a job with the Washington Department of Licensing in Olympia. In 1942, a girl from my office married a soldier stationed at Ft. Lewis. It was at her wedding rehearsal that I met Ted Petropoulos, a friend of the groom. We were married in April, 1943, and two weeks later Ted was ordered to the Alaska Highway for a one-year tour of duty as adjutant to the Northwest Service Command. Next, he was sent to Baltimore, Maryland, and I was able to go with him. After just three months, he was promoted to captain and we went to Ft. Bliss, EI Paso, Texas. About eight months later there were rumors that Ted's company would be sent to Europe. Because I was expecting a baby, we decided I should go back and live with my parents in Centralia until the child was born. The next six months were lonely with Ted in Europe. We wrote to each other daily and I kept him informed of the baby's progress. Shirley was born on June 19, 1945, at Centralia General Hospital, and I took her home to the same house where I grew up. I was so happy when the war ended, because we could finally establish a real home. Of course, that turned out to be easier said than done. After searching for a house in Centralia, without success, we finally took my mother's suggestion that we move into the old schoolhouse. Ted took a saw, hammer and bag of nails and, without any knowledge of carpentry, he tackled the job of dividing the building into rooms. When the remodeling was done, Ted heard that Ned Moran was looking for a young accountant to share office space with him. Ted had worked as an accountant in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, before he enlisted in the Army, so it was a good opportunity for him to begin a business. As Ted's accounting practice grew and he spent many late nights at the office, we decided to move closer to town. We found some building lots east of town and built a house on Pleasant Avenue. By then, Barbara Jean had come to our family, so it was nice to have the extra space. We really enjoyed the home on Pleasant, until one rainy night we were hit by a train while attempting to cross the tracks at East Maple Street. Luckily, we were not seriously hurt, but we decided it was time to move again. We found a house on J Street and renovated it to suit us. After Shirley graduated from high school in 1963, we moved to a house on Puget Sound just outside Olympia. Ted maintained his office in Centralia and commuted every day. Barb finished school at Olympia High School. We loved the place at Boston Harbor. I built a split-rail fence along the property, put in a garden and spent many happy hours watching the birds, seals and boats passing through the channel in front of the house. I also enjoyed my work as a PBX operator at St. Martin's College. Then, in 1972, after both girls were married and settled in their own homes, I suffered a severe stroke. After I completed physical therapy, we moved back to Centralia to be closer to Ted's work. I keep busy with my three cats, one dog and lots of indoor and outdoor gardening. After all these years, I guess I'm still a country girl at heart. My brother passed away some years ago, but my older sister and I keep in close contact. We are the only ones left of that family that began on a $500 farm on Seminary Hill. Centralia has changed in many ways during my lifetime, but even though the little town I knew as a child has become a modern city, I'm still proud to call it my hometown. PFIRTER In 1881 our ancestors immigrated from Basil, Switzerland to United States, with four brothers, Jacob, 1848-1913; Miklaus, 1851; John, and Edward Pfirter. Fourteen years after landing on the east coast, they arrived in Lewis County, Washington, Jacob having married Charlette Hildewein (1856-1940) in Iowa, year 1881. Nicholas homesteaded in Forest in 1895, selling the farm a few years later to Jacob and his family of five children: John, 1883-1947; Edward, 1884-1958; Louise, 1886-1960 (m. Pratt, Godfry); Fred, 1888-1961 (m. Dexter); Anna, 1889-1960 (m. Hatfield). As young men John and Edward worked in the North Fork Valley for the Senn Brothers, then purchased 80 acres on Lucas Creek. Edward married Elsie McIntire (18 -1961) in 1908. They raised four children: Romayne, 1910-1966 (m. Doyle); Hazel, 1912 (m. Arrington); Vernon, 1914-1957 (m. E. Wooton) and Virgil, 1918. Edward and Elsie retired from the dairy in 1956 and moved into Chehalis. Vernon Pfirter graduated from Chehalis High School in 1933 and served with the U.S. Army Ordinance in Europe 1941-1945. Virgil Pfirter graduated in 1936 and stayed on the farm until 1941 when he married Dorothy Fields (1917-1984) and moved into Chehalis. Dorothy was the daughter of Amos and Effie Fields, long time residents, Amos working in the Darigold cheese factory. Dorothy had one sister, Florence Huber, and one brother, Harry Fields, still residing locally. In 1942 Virgil entered the U.S. Air Force as an aircraft mechanic, serving in the Pacific. After being discharged in 1946, he was employed with Western Tractor as a heavy equipment mechanic. When the company changed to Murphy Cornel, they moved the family to Greys Harbor, in 1954. Another Caterpiller switch to Northern Commercial Company transferred the Pfirters to Sitka, Alaska in 1960. Again in 1961 to Juneau for a promotion to N.C.'s service manager. In 1968 Virgil and Dorothy went into business for themselves, V &E Equipment Rental, Inc. Virgil retired in 1978 and presently lives in Juneau, Alaska. Virgil and Dorothy have two children, Joyce Mynn, 1946, and Edward Arne, 1960. Joyce (m. Wolfe), after graduating from Juneau High School in 1965, married and has three sons, Virgil Buzby, 1966; Kelly Buzby, 1967; and Dennis Ward, 1972. She spent three years in Fairbanks, Alaska, then back to Juneau, and finally in 1979, moving back to what was always thought of as home, Chehalis. She now resides on the middle fork of the Newaulkum River. Her two oldest boys graduated from Onalaska High School. Ed Pfirter graduated from Juneau High in 1969, shortly after which he entered the U.S. Army. After being discharged, he returned home and entered the family business. Ed married Gloria Tonsgard in 1975; they have two children, Loren, 1975, and Edward, 1977. Ed Left Alaska in 1979. SIDNEY JADIAH PIER FAMILY Sidney Jadiah Pier was born in Crawford County, Penn. on February 14, 1848. He enlisted in the United States Army as a volunteer in 1861, at the age of 16, at Harrisburg, P A. In 1863, he reenlisted in Company K, 16 regiment of Pennsylvania Cavalry volunteers and saw active service before Richmond. While out on a foraging expedition after the Battle of the Wilderness, he was shot by a bushwhacker. He had a sack of corn before him and one behind. The bullet that struck him was a 45 caliber and struck him in the right breast, passing through the right lung, and tearing the point of the right shoulder blade. He fell back on the sack of corn and the horse ran two miles before he was taken off. His injuries were enough to "render him thereby unfit to perform (photo): Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Pfirter and Family 295 to a great extent manual labor" and he was honorably discharged and given a pension of $14.00 per month. Sidney was married to Emma F. Pier, a distant relative, at Emlington, PA on Sept. 6,1865. They moved to Illinois where they lived in Harding, Lasalle County. She died, apparently as a result of childbirth on November 18, 1874. On March 21, 1875, he married Dortha C. Buchholz in Dakota City, Iowa. The family moved to Minnesota and in 1887, they moved to Lewis County, where Mr. Pier worked as a farmer and laborer. He was called "a hardworking, industrious man." Sidney J. Pier died on April 6, 1906 at Curtis, and was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery at Claquato. His children with his wife, Emma, included Seldon L. Pier, who was born on February 24, 1'869, probably in Minnesota. He was eight years old when the family moved to Lewis County. Seldon L. Pier married Ethel B. Cook at Chehalis on December 10, 1899. They had two boys, Edgar W., born on October 17, 1900 and Lester E., born January 23, 1903. The family moved often, living in Mossyrock, Bellingham and Chehalis before they bought a small farm at Klaber. Seldon worked as a foreman on large farms and ranches, and farmed for himself at times. They were active Grange members and members of the Christian Church. Seldon died on September 14, 1934 at Klaber, and is buried in the Boistfort Cemetery. Edgar W. Pier was my father. He grew up in Chehalis, attending the West Side Grade School. He married Ada H. Meyn on October 8, 1926 at East Mill Plain, Clark County, WA. They lived in western Lewis County all of their married life, where Edgar logged, first for others and later for himself. He was injured several times in logging accidents. He enjoyed hunting and fishing. Edgar and Ada had two daughters. Gladys was born July 30, 1935, and Caroline was born on June 11, 1938, both in Chehalis. After Edgar was no longer able to work in the woods, they moved from Boistfort to Centralia in October 1964. Edgar was killed in an accident while going back to Boistfort for some bricks on December 5, 1964. He is buried at Mt. View Cemetery in Centralia. My Mother, Ada, lives in Vancouver (see Family of John Meyn.) I attended school at Boistfort and Centralia College. On June 12, 1954, I married Paul Sturdevant in Centralia. We lived in Centralia for about ten years, then moved to Battle Ground and in 1965 to Vancouver. We have four children, Kathi, who married Robert Beckham, William (Bill), Ralph who married Bobbi Steele, and Roger. I have been active in numerous church offices at Evangelical Church, worked in the Vancouver School District as an Instructional Aid and am now employed with the Federal Government. By Gladys Pier Sturdevant PLANT FAMILY Salem Plant, Sr. (1828-1925) and his wife, Ceana (1852-1916) came to Salkum, Washington, in the 1870's. To this union came seven children: Frank (1876-1971), Charles (1878-1950), Salem, Jr. (1880-1960), Clark (1881-1961), Melvin (1883-1950), George (1887-1890), and Molly (1890-1974). They were all born in the Plant home which was located across the road from the present Salkum Church, and most all of them are laid to rest in the Salkum Cemetery, part of their home farm. They attended both Salkum and Siver Creek schools for three months each per year. Salem Plant, Sr. came from France, met his wife in New York and stayed there a few years to earn enough money for his journey west. They sailed in an old sailing vessel around the Cape of South America and arrived months later, landing in the area of Portland, Oregon. From there they walked to Salkum where they met the Hammill and the Mitchell families. Interesting stories were told of the sharks which followed the sailing schooner, of death on the seas, storms, illness, and general despair aboard ship. They walked from their landing spot on the Columbia River north; this trip was not without incident. Stories of the cold weather, walking through swamps, makeshift shelters, and wild animals were passed on to their seven children. After arrival in Salkum, over a period of time, Salem Plant, Sr. filed for a homestead, a timber claim, and a pre-emption, all of 160 acres each. This 420-acre farm extended along or near our present Highway U.S. 12 from Fuller Road east for 1 1/2 miles to a point beyond Mill Creek and to the south for 1/2 mile which included much of the present town of Salkum and the present cemetery. Stories of turkey and hog drives passing their farm from eastern Lewis County on their way to the Chehalis market were told to me by my father, Salem Plant, Jr. Before the Hammill mill was in operation, grandfather (Salem Plant, Sr.) journeyed to Tumwater to the mill there to secure flour for him and his family. This journey took the greater part of a week as he walked carrying the flour on his back on a homemade packboard made of animal skin, rawhide and red cedar framing. My father, Salem Plant, Jr., told me jokingly that grandfather used most of the flour for biscuits during his travel from Tumwater. All but 15 acres of the farm at Salkum was eventually lost to a Chehalis bank for nonpayment of a $1,000 note in 1888 during that depression, when there was no demand for their hop crop and no money for additional financing. Salem Plant, Jr. married Hattie Godfrey (1898-1963) in 1914. She had migrated west with her family from. West Virginia in the very early 1900's. She was the daughter of Armor Godfrey (1850-1940) and his wife Louisa (18531937). They were the original settlers on the Godfrey Road in Mossyrock. Hattie was also one of seven children and attended school in the Swofford area. The other Godfrey children were Margaret, Ella, Joe, Mel, Doc, and Virgie. The Godfrey family migrated west by train. They traveled from the railway depot in Chehalis by horses and wagon, camping their first night in Washington at Blue Creek near Ethel. The roads were extremely muddy with deep ruts, where the puncheon was broken or had not yet been laid, making progress very slow. At the end of the second day, the trip ended with the Godfrey family arriving at Mossyrock in the late evening. Stories were told of the cold schoolhouses, mischievous little boys who would play under the schoolhouse during recess and refuse to come out when class resumed, of riding horses to and from school, and lunch hour recreation which included horse racing and race walks into the dense timber. Tom Plant, an only child, was born to Hattie and Salem Plant, Jr. in 1929, attended school at Mossyrock where he graduated in 1949. He graduated from Centralia College in 1951 and Eastern Washington State College at Cheney in 1953. He served two years in the Army, mostly as an instructor of basic Army administration. He was discharged in 1956. He taught Industrial Arts at Colfax High School from 1956-57 and married Joanne Weyen in 1957, whom he had met at college. He did graduate work at Eastern Washington State College in 1957-58 and taught in the Spokane Public Schools from 1958 - 1965. During that time, his father passed away in November, 1960, and his mother in January, 1963. While in Spokane, he did additional graduate work in school administration plus two years of electronics in night school. In 1965 Torn and Joanne moved back to the family farm which Salem and Hattie Plant had purchased in 1926 after leaving their original 15 acre Salkum farm which was part of the original homestead of Salem Plant, Sr. Tom served as Onalaska High School principal from 1965-68 and with his wife, Joanne, began the construction of their campground in 1965 on the family farm. Tom served as Mossyrock Elementary principal 1968-71 where he served under his former high school coach who was then school superintendent. Torn and Joanne did a large expansion of their campground in 1971 and 1972. Tom served as Mossyrock High School principal from 1972-75 and is presently fulltime campground owner and operator. The Plant's campground is in its 20th year of operation in 1985 and has received national honors for development and management programs while with the KOA system. They left the KOA Kampground chain in 1981 and have received high ratings from the major campground directory evaluation teams. Building a campground on the family farm was a life-long dream for Tom which eventually came true. The campground was developed in the center 60 acres of the farm. In the course of development, Tom and Joanne have created two lakes (3 and 10 acres), a main lodge building housing a gift and grocery store, laundry and T.V. lounge, rest rooms and showers, and an apartment. There is also a maintenance building, motel unit, personal office, recreation room, large covered patio, solar heated swimming pool, 150 sites for recreational vehicles and tents, and acres of beautifully groomed lawns, shrubs and flowers. The campground has been a very rewarding and pleasant experience. Tom and Joanne have had guests from all over the world enjoy the facilities they have developed for them. CAROL MATTESON PONDER My grandmother Amanda Matteson wrote of the hardships while traveling from Missouri to Idaho by wagon; "In 1899, on the 12th of August we left Missouri and traveled to Valley Center, Kansas where we wintered, then resumed our journey west the following spring. (The trip was delayed a couple of weeks while everyone recuperated from the effects of scarlet fever.) A terrible windstorm came up about the time we reached the Colorado line so we drove our team and wagon alongside a big schoolhouse for protection but the wind blew harder and harder and the rains came down by the bucketsful. We thought for sure that we were goners. Our wagon was blown halfway around the schoolhouse and most of the windows were blown out of the building. We spent the following day trying to get our clothes and bedding dried out. It was a nice sunny day and we spread our things out on bushes and fences to dry. The wagon bed was full of water and the whole prairie looked like a lake. Our cooking vessels, dishpans and tea kettle were just floating around, some way out where the wind had blown them." Grandma also wrote that there were eight in their wagon until they reached Laramie City, Wyoming, and there, just 30 miles out they "overtook" Carrie. Then there were nine. (Carrie was the 5th of 11 children born to John and Amanda and she will be celebrating her 85th birthday this year.) John and Amanda Matteson came to Centralia in 1928. My mother Frances Fowler arrived with her mother and brothers about the 296 same time, coming from Texas. Here my mother and father met and married in 1932. I was born in my grandma Gertie Fowler Wolters house on North Buckner, the oldest of four. My folks were living above the First St. Grocery when my sister Myrna was born and later Larry and Evelyn arrived on the scene when we moved to our home up Salzer Valley. My fondest memories of growing up on a small farm in Salzer Valley were of the warm lazy days of summer when we enjoyed running barefoot and swinging in the swing that my dad had made in the cherry tree and coming haying time we liked to ride atop the horse drawn wagon load of hay being taken from the fields to the barn. We also spent many hours roaming the hill beside our house, picking wild strawberries and huckleberries. Later in the fall we would pick hazelnuts if we could get to them before the blue jays and chipmunks. My husband Dick and I enjoyed traveling and tent camping with our four children as they were growing up. We have camped from Canada to Disneyland and from Yellowstone to the Olympics but mostly we pitched our tent right here in our own beautiful western Washington. Our children are grown and married now and we are enjoying our 6 grandchildren: Amy, Megan and Jenny Pertzborn; Julie and Jonathan Young; and Jackie Ponder. All live nearby. RICHARD F. PONDER My great-grandparents, Amos Franklin Ponder and Sarah Russell Ponder along with their four grown sons, came to Lewis County in 1889. They came from Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, although they had lived mostly in Missouri. Their oldest son Abram (Russell) went directly back to Arkansas and eventually to San Antonio, Texas, where that family branch now lives. The other three sons lived and died in this area. Robert died at the age of 22, having never married. Amos Frank Jr. married and raised his family in a small community south of Tacoma where he had a country store. This place is now called Ponder's Corner. My grandfather John married Eva Reynolds of Napavine and they had one son, Russell. John and Russell were prominent attorneys and practiced law together in Chehalis for many years. Russell was Prosecuting Attorney at the time of his death in 1941 as the result of a fatal automobile accident. My father married Eleanor Fay of the pioneer Fay family of Adna, in 1925. They had four children; Helen Jean (Holderman), Thomas L., Richard Fay and Eleanor Jo (Brubaker). I married Carol Matteson of Centralia in 1951 and we have lived here ever since, living in the same house for 33 years and raising our family of four: Susan (Pertzborn), Marilyn (Young), Andrew John, and Richard B. who all live in the area with families of their own. World War II was a big influence in a young boy's life and I recall the scrap drives, air raid drills, blackout curtains and sand buckets in the house to extinguish fires in case the enemy ever attacked. People kept little flags in their windows to denote family members who were in the service. Patriotism ran high in those days. I have developed a love for Lewis County and mow the area and many of the people rather well. I have hunted, fished and camped in much of the area in my 54 years. The stands of old growth timber that I had hunted through years ago are gone now and have nearly re-grown to cutting stage already. Many of the old old homesteads, roads and mill sites have disappeared in this short time and now there are new homes and paved streets in many places that I once hunted as a boy. The eruption of Mt. St. Helens was an event that focused the world's attention on our area and is something that I will always remember. Very few people have been so close to and involved in such a disaster. Even though it ruined a lot of beautiful forests, lakes and riverbanks and took many lives I consider myself lucky to have experienced the awesome power and destruction of the blast and witnessed the ash clouds towering into the sky from it and the succeeding eruptions throughout the summer of 1980. Many of these could be seen from our home in Centralia. PORTER My grandfather, Sedate W. Porter, was born February 12, 1867 at Proctor, Pennsylvania. At the age of 19 years he headed West via California and Seattle, ending up near Winlock. He took up a homestead located three miles north of Winlock. Often he would be seen driving to Winlock for supplies, with a single horse ahead of a pair of oxen, pulling a crude sled over the muddy roads. (photo): Mabel Cox Porter Sedate Porter married Evaline A. Pope on May 3, 1894, and it was for her that he named the Post Office. Grandpa built a sawmill in the 1890's which was capable of cutting large dimension timbers. On his business letterhead he offered for sale 30x30 inch square timbers in lengths to l20 feet, and timbers surfaced on all four sides in dimensions up to 24x24 inches, 110 feet in length. These timbers were mainly used for spars and masts in the building of clipper ships. Most of the time Evaline ran the Post Office and the train depot that Grandpa had built with lumber from his mill. The railroad was a single line then, and built by Chinese labor. There were many trains, even in those days, and many little stations up and down the track. Traveling by road to Winlock or Chehalis would take nearly all day, the roads were so muddy, so most every (photo): Willis Porter one went by train. Evaline would flag down the train with a lighted newspaper for passengers or freights. Sedate and Evaline had four children, Gertrude A., born April 9, 1895, Henry Sedate, born June 9,1901, my father, Willis Wadsworth, born April 26, 1906 and Lewis Winton, born April 13, 1911. When I was a young child, my father would often show us kids where he was born. It was near a beautiful waterfall on Olequa Creek, a place my brothers, sisters and I enjoyed while we were growing up. It was our special place in the sun. My father, Willis, and mother, Mabel Cox, were married Friday, May the 13th, 1932. Mom and Dad were to raise six children; the first, Willis James was born October 6, 1933 in the same house that Dad grew up in at Evaline; Sherman Wadsworth, born March 14, 193?, at Toledo; Gertrude Nina Mabel, born April 15, 1938, at Toledo, Minnie Lou, born May 17,1939, at Toledo, Michael Sedate, born July 8, 1942, at Toledo, and Stephen George, born September 29, 1943 at Chehalis. In the early 40's our father was the caretaker of the Southwest Washington Fair Grounds. We all lived in the same house that stands today on the fairgrounds. Mom and dad bought 20 acres of land on Hawkins Road at Evaline and built a house there. We dug an eighty-foot well for our water, by hand. It was there that we all got our good start in life, and each of us graduated from the little Evaline School. Jim now lives in Hawaii, Sherman and Mike in the Longview area, Gertrude at Battleground, Minnie at Springfield, Oregon, and Steve at Portsmouth, Virginia. Sherman has a son, Sherman Jr., living in Chehalis, and Mike has a daughter Jane, living in Centralia. The rest of the offspring are living outside of Lewis County. By Michael Sedate Porter ERNEST PRINCE FAMILY My parents Ernest and Amanda Layton Prince were pioneers of Washington Territory which included Lewis and Thurston Counties. They were married in 1913 and lived twenty-four years up the Skookumchuck Valley, on a dairy farm. They had three children: Ernest Jr. (Bud or Buddy to all who knew and loved him), myself (Clara) and Marjorie. Bud and I graduated from Tenino High School and Marjorie graduated from Centralia High. 297 (photo): Ernest and Amanda Prince Wedding Picture, 1913 Ernest's father, Jonathon Prince, gave him a thousand dollars toward purchase of a farm of 225 acres, with a large house, barn and outbuildings. This farm bordered the home place where Ernest was born. Jonathon gave his three oldest daughters (when they married) the equivalent amount in land and homes, nearby. The remainder of his family were taken care of in his will dated January 1906. He died two months later. Amanda was born on Layton Prairie to Henry and Amanda (McDonald) Layton in 1882. She had a brother Roy and a sister Clara Hovies. She lived the early years of her life on Layton Prairie, having moved away a few years when she was married to George Lamphere. They had two children: Gerald and Goldie Drake. She was the granddaughter of Sirrilda Layton, who came across the plains by wagon train with her mother Rebecca Prince, and brothers Levi, Jonathon and William, and sisters Jane Prince Hunter and Mary Prince Chapman. Father owned a threshing machine and went from farm to farm threshing grain. His first machine was stoked with coal and then he had one operated by a McCormick Deering tractor. He carried on the threshing occupation that his uncle Levi started up the Skookumchuck Valley in the late eighteen hundreds. Levi's machine was powered by horses walking a treadmill. My brother Bud died suddenly in 1937. The folks left the farm in 1937 and moved to Fords Prairie. Father died there in 1957 and mother left there about a year later. She lived most of her life in Lewis County and died in a local nursing home at age of ninety-one. Marjorie married a local man, George Rogers, and they moved to Oregon. They raised three children: Louise, Lynn and Lorraine. I worked for a while, after we moved to Centralia, in a local restaurant. I met and married Charles McDougal in February 1940 and we moved to his farm between Rochester and Oakville, where we still live. Our three children are married and have families of their own. Their names are Charles (Buddy), Sharon Miller, and Gwenn Hayes. My paternal grandmother Rebecca Anna and her sister Angeline (Matilda) were born in Illinois, to Samuel and Matilda Mann Strimple. They were married in 1852. A twin to Angeline and a brother named Francis died. Samuel Strimple died in 1860. She then married George Miller and they had 2 children, one of whom died. In the early 1870's Angeline came to Washington, where she met and married William Prince at Cedarville. In 1875, Rebecca her mother and half brother Curtis Miller came by ship from Illinois, around Cape Horn to Washington Territory. Her mother died soon after her arrival. In February 1876, Jonathon Prince and Rebecca Strimple were married. They had eleven children of whom my father was the oldest son. By Clara Prince McDougal PROBST/MILLER/CASE Dominick Probst - 1860-1920; Austia (Carter) Probst - 1863-1916. Homesteaded on one section of land, 324 acres, and one section of 162 acres, in Big Hanaford Valley in 1899. Their children were Mae - 1884; Meldia - 1887; Eva (Probst) Foote 1889; Grace (Probst) Paukner - 1892; Dominick; Charlie; Myrtle (Probst) Miller - 1896; Margaret (Probst) Benz - 1900; and Levi. Myrtle married Roscoe Miller (b. 1887) on March 11, 1915. They had eight children and lived in the Big Hanaford Valley, where the steam electric generating plant now stands. The children are: Mae Case, Aurabell Wirkkala, who died in 1940, Byron Miller, Aleta Mattson, Shirley Bavaro, Joyce Skinner, Bernard Miller, Vaunda Olmstead. Mae (Miller) married Ralph Case June 9, 1934. They have three children: Kyle - 1935, who married Lucille Wolf in 1959. They have two daughters, Sylvia Wheeler, whose husband is Jeff, and they have one child, Kyle Alan. Sara is married to David Mabee. Judith Ann Case - 1940, is married to Carl D. Hurn (m. 1960), and they have two children. Deanna Eileen, married to Scott Dolman. They have two children, Amber Eileen and Tyler Scott Collin Hurn is not married. Joan (Case) Zard - 1944, married Darrell Zard in 1968 and they have one daughter, Casey Angela. PUMPHREYS OF LEWIS COUNTY William Pumphrey came West by wagon train, leaving his home in Weston, Lewis County, Virginia (now West Virginia). In 1851 he settled where the Olequa Creek enters the Cowlitz River. He was the first white settler in Olequa, and established an inn and tavern at "Pumphrey's Landing." (photo): Joseph E. "Pine" and Mary (Christensen) Pumphrey In 1852 when Washington became a separate territory, Olequa and Cowlitz County were part of Lewis County. Cowlitz became a separate county in 1854, with its boundary a few miles north of Olequa. Pumphrey continued to be an influential and dominant citizen of this area, but that is now a part of Cowlitz County history. A son of William and Lizzie Foul Pumphrey spent many years in Lewis County. Joseph E. "Pine" Pumphrey, a veteran of World War I, married Mary Christensen of Win lock, daughter of Theodore and Laura Christensen. Their first home was at Olequa, but shortly after the birth of their son, Theodore "Ted," in 1925 they moved to Chehalis, where Pine worked for Darigold, selling and repairing farm machinery. Although Pine often earned as little as $54.00 a month, Mary managed to keep an attractive home and prepare delicious and nutritious meals for her family, friends, and "drop-ins." One late night during the Depression, Pine brought home a young father, mother, and little girl who had been hitchhiking to California. Mary welcomed them, fixed them dinner, let them stay in the guest room, and after breakfast she packed them a large lunch when they left. In 1939 the Pumphreys moved to Winlock, where they bought a home and invited Mary's sister Helene Christensen to live with them. Pine again turned to farming and logging. Traveling in several counties, Pine and his baling crew put up hay for farmers. He was successful in logging, and the J.E. Pumphrey (later "and Son") Logging Company became a very prosperous outfit. Before her marriage Mary had been an operator for the Winlock Telephone Company, and when she returned to Winlock, she became an operator again. Mary and Pine were involved in many community projects. The whole family helped with fixing up the Isaac Walton Swimming Hole and the Winlock Cemetery. Pine served on the City Council and was a Special Deputy Sheriff. They were both active in Eastern Star. After Pine's death in 1957, Mary and Helene lived on in Winlock until 1970 when they moved to Castle Rock. Mary died in 1977. Helene still lives in Castle Rock, near her nephew Ted Pumphrey. In 1943 Ted Pumphrey graduated from Winlock High School and continued to work at farming and logging, until he went into the Army in 1949. He attended Washington State University, Centralia College, and Western Washington University, graduating in 1960 with a degree in Education. Ted married June Downey, a teacher at Winlock High School, on June 13, 1959. June is a graduate of Wahkiakum High School and Washington State University, and has taught for seven years. They made their home on Cowlitz Prairie until 1966, when they moved to Castle Rock, where Ted has been teaching since 1960. Ted and June have plans to return to Lewis County when he retires. They have three grown children: Mary, Jim, and Laurie. Laurie is now Mrs. Efrain Sanchez, and they have a son, Joel, born February 3, 1985 - the fifth generation. Submitted by June Pumphrey FREDRICK RAASCH My name is Eva Swindall Bray. My grandparents Fredrick and Minourva Raasch came to Bucoda and Chehalis-Centralia area from Cobelentz, Germany by boat. They lived at Bucoda, Lincoln Creek, Galvin and Centralia. My grandfather worked in the lumber mills. Most said my grandmother was the best cook, baker and seamstress in Lewis County. She made flags for the old German Leiderkrantz Hall in Chehalis and many other beautiful things. They had three daughters, Amanda, who married Egbert Swindall from Osburns Gap, Virgin 298 (photo): Fredrick Fritz Raasch ia, Martha, who married George Brotherton, from Centralia, and Anna, who married George Crocker from Winlock. AUGUST RAJALA FAMILY Three generations of the Rajala family have lived in Lewis County. Like so many others, the first generation was immigrants. August Rajala (1871-1937) came to the United States via Canada from Finland about the turn of the century. He left Finland to avoid conscription in Csar Nicholas II of Russia's army. He spent some years without permanent residence, first joining the gold rush in Alaska and then as a sailor in the Merchant Marine. August met his wife Matilda Vainionpaa : (1879-1953) in Seattle. Although they came (photo): Aerial View of City of Toledo from the same region of Finland, they did not know each other previously. The reason she immigrated to the United States via New York City and then to Seattle is not clear. They were married in Seattle in 1904 shortly after August became a U.S. citizen. They made their home in Seattle until 1915 where all three of their children were born: Selma Rajala Shepardson (19061984), John (1910-1944) and Daniel (1912- ). The family moved to Toledo in 1915, the first Finnish family to settle east of the Cowlitz River. August paid $3000 cash for the Moe farm three miles south of Toledo. This nest egg came from the time August spent in the Alaska gold rush. In the 1920's, August left the family behind in Toledo for some time to be a blasting foreman in the construction of the Great Northern Railway through the Cascade Mountains. After August's (photo): August Rajala Family (photo): Sons of Daniel Rajala death, the youngest son, Daniel, took over the farm and kept it until 1955. Matilda moved from the farm to Chehalis in the late 1940's where she lived until her death. All three of August and Matilda's children graduated from Toledo High School. Selma went on to get her teacher's certificate from Ellensburg Normal School. She taught at the Wayside School east of Toledo and at the Coles Valley School in Umpqua, Oregon. She married Harlan Shepardson of Toledo in 1927. (See Shepardson history). . John also went into the teaching profession after graduating from Bellingham Normal School. He taught at Alpha School near Onalaska, and in Aberdeen. He met Cleo Decker of Kelso while teaching in that area. They were married in Kelso in 1936. They had two children: Joan Rajala Kung (1938- ) and Orlin (1941- ). John died an untimely death. While 299 attending the 1944 Elks Convention in Chicago as an Exhaulted Ruler, he contacted acute polio and died there. Daniel started in the O.K. School south of Toledo circa 1918. The family began using English as their primary language at this time, although Daniel learned to read and write Finnish. After Daniel's graduation from Toledo High School in 1929, he worked for several years as a logger for the Ostrander Railway and Lumber Company. From 1936-1945 he worked for the Long Bell Lumber Company in Ryderwood as a hook tender on a skidder. Daniel married Thelma Nelson also of Toledo in 1945. (For premarriage history see Nelson family.) Thelma was teaching school in Longview until the time of the marriage. They had two children: Thomas (1946- ) and David (1949- ). >From 1945-1950, Daniel worked as a mechanic for Bill White near Toledo. He worked at Darigold in Chehalis from 1950 until his retirement in 1974. He worked there as a farm machinery and diesel equipment mechanic. He spent most of this time making "house calls," repairing equipment throughout Lewis, Thurston, and Pacific counties. The family sold the Toledo farm in 1955 and bought a small farm in the Galvin area, near Centralia, to minimize Daniel's commute to Darigold. The family sold the farm to Bud Peterson and moved into Centralia in 1963. Thelma resumed teaching in Centralia in 1969 and continued until retirement in 1975. Thelma was active in Eastern Star. Star. Daniel continues his long participation in several Masonic organizations. Both of Daniel and Thelma's children, Thomas and David, were Eagle Scouts and graduated in the top ten of their classes at Centralia High School. Thomas graduated from Stanford University in 1968. He served as an officer in the U.S. Navy from 1968-1971, including a tour in Vietnam. He returned to Stanford University for a Master's degree in Business Administration. He married Patricia Peasley of Long Island, N.Y. in 1974. They have two children, Katherine and Christine. They reside in the New York City area. David graduated from Washington State University in 1972. He served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force from 1972-1976. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1977 with a Master's degree in Engineering. He married Cynthia Main of Jackson, MI in 1977. By David Rajala STEPHEN RAKOZ FAMILY Stephen Rakoz, born September 6, 1877, in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Anna Catherine Chromey, born August 23, 1878, at St. Paul, were married September 6,1898, in St. Anthony Parish, Sterns County, Minn. (photo): L. to R.: Matthew, Mother (Anna), Alois, Paul, Ben, Fritz, Ray, Father (Stephen) and John. (photo): Mathew Rakoz Family, 1967, Kenneth, Lavonne, Nadyne, Regina, Florence and Mathew Two sons were born. Andrew lived only two years - he died when he choked on a nut. Jacob lived for ten months, dying of a fever. Both were buried at St. Anthony Parish in Sterns County. In 1902 Stephen and Anna moved with three of Stephen's brothers, Mike, Peter and Antone, to Daysland, Alberta, Canada, where they homesteaded. There the following sons were born: John, May 27, 1903; Fritz, August 20, 1906; Ray, March 18, 1908; Alois M., March 24, 1910. In 1912 the family moved to Montana, where Paul was born on November 21,1912. That same year the family moved again to Chewelah, Washington, where Benjamin was born March 16, 1915, and Matthew J. was born March 8, 1917. This brought the family count to 7 sons. On December 21, 1917 Stephen moved his family to Cowlitz Prairie, where they purchased the Picheal property that is situated at the end of what is now known as the Rakoz Road on the banks of the Cowlitz River. All 7 brothers attended St. Marys Academy (St. Francis Mission). In 1931, Alois who was a logger and truck driver married Flora Lampitt. They had two daughters, Jeanette and Margaret. In 1931 Ray, who was a truck driver and horse enthusiast, married lone Rupert. They had two sons, Jim and Bob. In 1934 Fritz, a logger and farmer, married Adora Nash. They had 7 children: Cecilia, Barbara, Larry, Virginia, Henry, Rosalie, and Rita. In 1934 Paul, a mill worker and truck driver, married Edna Lampitt (a sister to his brother's wife). They had four children: Marie, Leo, Daniel and Marlene. In 1936 John, who had a wood business and drove truck, married Lucille Holts. They had two children, Edward and Jack. In 1941 Matthew, a mill worker and dairyman, married Florence Brausen. They had 4 children: Regina, Nadyne, Kenneth, and LaVonne. In 1941 Ben joined the Navy and fought in the war aboard the Lexington. He married Dorothy Erickson in 1947. They had no children together but raised Dorothy's son Jerry and daughter Karen. There are many grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Washington. WILLIAM EDWARD RANDALL, SR. FAMILY William (Bill) Randall and Beulah M. Grauman were married December 13, 1955 in Chehalis, Washington. William E., the son of Lewis (Snooks) Randall and Ruby R. Hurley, was born March 7,1935 in Holly, Colorado. He moved to Randle, Washington at the age of one. He attended various schools in Lewis County and entered the U.S. Marine Corps at age 17, serving 13 months in combat in Korea. He was honorably discharged March 6,1955. Beulah M. Grauman, the daughter of Earl F. Grauman and Wilma L Peters, was born March 25, 1938 at Adna, Washington. She attended school at Adna and Napavine. After their marriage Bill became a log truck driver, eventually owning and operating his own truck. Bill and Beulah had 7 children, William E. Jr., Jerry D., Darlene L, Tom A., Gary L, Naomi L, and Julie M. Bill and Beulah owned their own home in Onalaska, where they lived for 25 years, until Bill's death May 31,1983. Bill Jr. born December 29, 1956, married Patty Reinke June 12,1976. They have 2 daughters, Elizabeth, 3, and Michelle, 1. Their home is in Chehalis, where Bill owns and operates his own logging truck. Patty is a seamstress in their home. Jerry Dean, born August 10, 1958, is single. He is a mechanic for the Lewis County Car Pool. He has a mechanic shop in Onalaska at the old family home where he lives with his brother Gary. Darlene Laraine, born July 19, 1959, married Fred Hoven August 3, 1979. They have two daughters, Jennifer, 4, and Lisa, 3. Darlene is a nurse and Fred is a logger. . Tom Alvin, born October 31,1960, is a meat cutter in Bakersfield, California. He has one son, Tom Jr., 4 years old. Gary Lee, born February 22, 1962, is an instructor for the handicapped in Chehalis. He is single and lives with his brother Jerry in the old family home. The first five children all graduated from Onalaska High School. Naomi Lynn, born June 22, 1970, is a freshman at Onalaska and lives with her mother in a house Beulah bought after Bill passed away. Julie Marie, born February 25, 1977, is a second grader at Onalaska Grade School and lives at home with her mother. Bill and Beulah had a very happy life together, traveling a lot with their children. They were very proud of their children and always did things together as a family. Beulah has taken up a lot of activities since Bill's death. She sings in the choir at the Onalaska Presbyterian Church, where she is also a deacon. She is secretary of Alpha Grange and an officer of the Pomona Grange, and an officer of the Pine Burr Rebecca Lodge. She takes aerobic exercises three times a week and also raises a big garden. CHARLES AUGUSTUS RANDT Charles Randt was the youngest of a large German family who had emigrated from Prussia to Battle Creek, Michigan in the 1860's. (Charles was born in Michigan.) As a young adult, he and two brothers went to California where they worked on the streetcar line on the docks longshoring. In 1898 he joined the Klondike gold rush, crossing the Chilkoot Pass on foot, then down the Yukon by boat, and by dog (photo): Charles and Tenna (Smith) Randt 300 team to Nome and points north. He discovered a vein of tin, not gold, and realizing its potential value, filed a claim north of Nome, on Lost River for the Lost River Tin Mine. He and his bride, Tenna Smith, established a home in Nome, Alaska as a base from which he could work his mine. Their daughter, Margaret was born there in 1906. However, the mine proved too inaccessible for its yield to be marketable and Tenna and Charles returned to Lewis County and resided in the original Smith ranch, returning only once to Lost River in another effort to work the mine. Lost River in 1911 was described as "treeless, uninhabited tundra." There were no other families. The water supply was melted snow kept in a barrel behind the cabin. Firewood was driftwood from the Bering Sea. Margaret recalls the Christmas tree her parents made from a driftwood pole with branches bored into it at intervals and all wrapped in fringed green burlap. When Charles's partner, Bill O'Brien was away, Tenna helped set the dynamite charges in the mine. After O'Brien lost an eye in a premature dynamite explosion and all funds advanced on potential sales were depleted, the Lost River Tin Mine was closed and the Randts and O'Brien returned to Washington to await a better time. The mine did not prove marketable until World War II, and Charles, who died in 1943, never realized any of its profits. By Charles H. Randt D.C. RATHBUN FAMILY Georgia Thacker was born in Olympia March 12,1901 and grew up in Olympia with five sisters and brothers, Nora, Margie, Henry, Allen, and Stanley. She went to schools near Olympia and at Yelm through the eleventh grade. She quit school to cook for 18 men in the cookhouse her parents owned because her mother had pneumonia. She married Daniel Clinton Rathbun April 9, 1922, in Olympia. Their first home was at Yelm. Clinton was born August 3, 1903, in Sedan, Kansas and moved to Yelm as a small boy. His father, Alvin Rathbun, was born in Kansas in 1866 and died in 1939. His mother, Orlena Henderson, was born August 14,1869 in Missouri and died in 1933. Georgia's father, Charles Scott Thacker, was born March 11, 1875 in Illinois and came to Olympia on the train as a teenager. He cooked in restaurants and farmed. Her mother, Frances Manier, was born September 29, 1873 in Missouri and came by train and boat to Olympia. Charles and Frances were married in 1898 in Olympia. She died in 1941 and he in 1959. Clinton and Georgia Rathbun had six children. Gayle, born September 18, 1923, lives on a farm at Redmond, Oregon with husband Duaine Birkhofer. They have three children, Jack, Keith, and Launi. Joyce, born November 24, 1924, married Don Davis and lives in Centralia. They commercial fish and have four children, Lynda, David, Clark, and Bradley. Frankie, born March 16, 1926, has a daughter Carolyn and adopted sons Mike and Don. She lives with husband Jim Sutton by Winlock. Alton, born June 12, 1928, lives in Clarkston, Washington with wife Sally. They have six adopted children, Dianne, Debbie, Rusty, Robert,Scott, and Nicholas. They helped raise many foster children. Neil, born March 31, 1934, has three children, Kathy, Becky, and Dan. He lives in Chiloquin, Oregon with wife Lea. Otis, born May 19, 1943, lives in King Salmon, Alaska with wife Dorothy. They have four children, Brenda, Cynthia, Wesley, and Allen. He is a pipe fitter. The Rathbuns were in the logging and tie mill business in the Hood Canal area and also Rainier, Boistfort, Randle, Mossyrock, and Castle Rock - wherever timber was available. Times were hard, and they didn't have much but were happy. In 1945 they bought a commercial trolling boat and went fishing in Southeastern Alaska. They went back to logging in 1950 until Clinton developed a heart problem and couldn't do hard work any more. They went back to fishing again and moved to Ketchikan, Alaska in 1957. Clinton died in 1960 so Georgia took over as captain on the boat for two seasons and teenage son Otis did the fishing part. She sold the boat after Otis graduated from high school and moved back home to Castle Rock and sold Stanley Home Products for several year. She belongs to the Royal Neighbors and Rebekah Lodges and to the Grange. In 1980 after Mount St. Helens erupted, she sold her home and moved into a mobile home near Winlock where she lives now. RAUPP FAMILY William George Raupp's parents were Anna Marie Kohlgraf and George Raupp, who were born in Germany. They met in the Toledo area and married in the Cowlitz River bottom near Toledo. On Dec. 25, 1898, the river was rising and the boat had to move closer to the house every hour. It was also the day Bill was born. After that experience they moved to Cowlitz Prairie on the Mission Road, now called the Spencer Road. They lived on the corner and it was referred to as Raupp's Corner. The house had a tower that gave it a distinctive look. They raised chickens, grain, hay and sold cream. Anna loved flowers and gave many to decorate the church altar. They had five children: Bill, Joe, Lora Krause, Marie LeStrange and Trudy (Gertrude) Bailey. Anna died, 1942 and George, 1943. Joe took over the farm. He died in 1956 and the property was sold to St. Mary's Academy. The buildings were torn down and another landmark was gone. Bill was a charter member of Cowlitz Prairie Grange and lived to be a Gold Sheaf member. Mary Byrnes was a one-room school teacher at the Upper Cowlitz School. She joined the Grange and it wasn't long before Bill was dating her. They were married June 6, 1933 and celebrated 47 years together. Bill built a lovely, large home on acreage he owned. Then he started farming, buying more acreage across the road. He raised grain, hay, chickens and registered Holsteins. Bill and his brother Joe did custom baling. One big job the Raupp brothers were hired to bale was on the farms on the present site of Longview. Later, the automatic baler changed custom baling. He also bought a used threshing machine, which was made obsolete by the combine, but for over twenty years the old threshing machine has been on the job at the Cowlitz Prairie Grange Threshing Bee. Bill was a Toledo Fire Commissioner, board member of Lewis County Historical Society, Southwest Washington Fair member, 50-year member of the Knights of Columbus and Cowlitz Prairie Grange, and belonged to St. Francis Mission Catholic Church. He passed away Dec. 13, 1980. They had five children. Margaret was an extension agent in Pacific County when she married David Habersetzer, a dairyman. Their children are: Diane, Mark, Pam, Tammy, Daryl, Dean and Wendy. John married Kay Cochran. They are teachers. Their children are: Anna, Brian and Dan. Betty married Leo Gauvin. Their children are: Janet, Jeff and Jennifer. Jim graduated from Washington State University and married Paula Yantis, a member of the pioneer Yantis family. They live on the (photo): Bill, Mary and Ken Raupp 301 Raupp family farm. Their children are: Paula Linn, Rochelle and Jamie. Ken married Jean Claycamp. Their son is Scott. Ken works for the State in Olympia. By Mary Byrnes Raupp ARTHUR AND BERTHA RAY FAMILY Arthur Ray's (1890-1966) death was the result of injuries received from a game warden. (photo): Arthur Ray and Bertha Belcher Ray c. 1952 In 1913 he married Bertha Almire Belcher (1894-1976) born in Millpoint, WV. Came West in 1897, daughter of Mary Burks and John C. Belcher. Mary Jane Belcher was the first person buried in the Riffe Cemetery. They had four children: Albert 1917, John Elmer 1921-1922 (died of telescope of the bowels), Norma 1929, and Charles 1935. Albert married Mary Kelly; two children, Margaret Paul. Norma married Earl Boren; two children, Ann and Janice. Charles married Jeannette McCarty Sakol; one son Arthur "Buck." Dad homesteaded at John Day, OR, a short time. He awoke one morning in July to find ice frozen in the washbasin. He saddled his horse and rode away. He worked on the cedar bolt drives down the Cowlitz River. The drive started at Packwood in flood stage. They lived for a short time at Toledo then moved to Packwood to homestead in 1915 on what is now the Cannon Road, crossing the Cowlitz River in a basket when the river was high or the bridge was out. Taking three days by horse and buggy to go to Chehalis. The trail to Jim Yake's house went through the homestead. Jim stopped many times to visit. It was during the Second World War, in the early 1940's, Jim Yake made his last visit to the Ray's. He wanted mother to make him a white buckskin suit to be buried in. She agreed but never had the pleasure to do so, as Jim passed away before returning with the white buckskin. In 1921 they bought a place from Cumly Hampton and moved to Randle, clearing sixty acres. The first barn burned. John Kehoe gave my folks a ton of hay as a "neighborly act," which was greatly appreciated. Another barn was built and still stands at the junction of Peters Road and Highway 12. Lawrence Peters owns the property today. They planted a large orchard which, to this day, bears excellent fruit. Dad worked with a team or horses on the road to Ohanapecosh and helped build the well where people climbed down on the ladder to take a Hot Springs bath. Mother did beautiful crochet and tatting work. She was an excellent cook and her smoked salmon was out of this world. Mary Kiona and her family often times stopped to visit and eat dinner, tanning many deer hides for the folks. She would take the cowhides at butchering time to tan. For a few years, dad had the school bus run to the Cline Road and Falls Road. Albert drove the bus on the Falls Road. Some of the close neighbors were Charlie Gardner, Sam Gardner, Ben and Ballard Meade, Bob and John Peters and Jim Steele. By Norma J. Boren WILLIAM ROBERT RAY FAMILY My grandparents, W.R. and Almeda (Martin) Ray came to Toledo from Missouri in 1886. They joined her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. George Martin. They homesteaded on Salmon Creek Hill south of Toledo, living in a log house and carrying water from the creek. Grandpa farmed, logged (with a team of horses), ran a sawmill and did carpenter work. (photo): Almeda Ray, Florence Ray Martin, Kathleen Martin Ramsaur. Front: Nancy Lee Ramsaur, Lenora Rae Ramsaur. In 1888 they moved to Toledo where grandpa had built them a new home. It stands today as an uncared-for relic. They had three chidlren, Ira, Florence and John. Ira married Grace Sparks and moved to Centralia. He worked in the Oliver-Rickert Hardware Store. Later he and George Ingraham opened the Standard Hardware Store, operating it many years. John married Ruby Jepson. He worked for Alva Badger building incubators. When the Factory was moved to Centralia, John came with it as foreman. Florence was my mother. She and Fred Monroe Martin were married in 1901. He had also come from Missouri to join an uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Monroe Martin. My parents were both school teachers, teaching in Lewis and Thurston Counties. Dad was the first teacher in Lewis County to institute a hot lunch program. Food was donated by the parents of the pupils. He cooked on the top of the potbellied stove used for heating the building. They also published a newspaper in Vader. Mother handset type. She could read almost as well backward as forward. In 1918 we moved from Riffe to Centralia. Dad continued teaching in outlying districts. A year later grandpa and grandma moved to Centralia. Grandpa worked at the Incubator Factory. I remember him coming home one day and saying to Grandma, "Meda, there's no use going to work any more. The shift has been cut to eight hours." I had three cousins: Ira's children, Neva (married Merwyn Fulton) and William, John's daughter Janette (married Larry Brill). Neva had one child, Grayce; William, two, Lance and Dianne; and Janette two, Janis and John. Neva and Janette are deceased. William, a retired dentist, lives in Sun City, Arizona. Fred Alexander Ramsaur and I were married in 1932. Centralia has always been our home. We were both active in the Christian Church. He was Sunday School Superintendent. He was Noble Grand of IOOF N. 67 and a Masonic and Elk member. I was Noble Grand of Ivy Rebekah Lodge and Oracle of Collins Camp, R.N.A. We operated Ramsaur Corner Grocery for twenty-one years. He also worked as a heavy duty construction operator. We have two children, Nancy Osier and Lenora (Carl) Foster, eight grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. We may have a Central School Attendance Record. Fred and his parents (Alfred and Veva (Seed) Ramsaur attended Centralia ,Schools. Both daughters and I were graduated from C.H.S. All eight grandchildren attended Centralia schools. Four of the five great-grandchildren of school age have been or are in Centralia schools. Alta, and Michael Casey are in Centralia schools, Damion and Renee Wilcox Morgan are now in Chehalis schools. By Kathleen Martin Ramsaur RAYBUCK FAMILY Andrew Raybuck and Catharine Burkett were married in a small community east of Punxsutawney, Pa. in 1904. They were both descendents of sturdy "Pennsylvania Dutch" stock who were known to be thrifty and ambitious farmers. They had two boys, Nealson, born in 1905 and Blaine, born in 1907. They first came west in 1910. After a brief time in the Lewis County area they returned to Pennsylvania, but only stayed a couple years before returning to Walville, where Andrew worked in a sawmill and Catharine took in boarders. One of the boarders was a Dr. Craven, an early doctor in the Walville-PeEll area. Walville straddled the county line between Lewis and Pacific Counties. Because of this division, there were two schools, one in each county. The boys attended the Lewis County School because they lived on that side of the line. About 1917 they moved to Littell and bought a small farm on the Chilvers Road. Andrew worked as a millwright jn the sawmill and raised dahlias commercially. He always loved flowers but particularly liked dahlias and enjoyed discovering new kinds. In 1919 Nealson was drowned while swimming in the Chehalis River near Littell. About 1930, Andrew began working as a gardener at the Claquato Cemetery and later moved onto the grounds and became caretaker. He became ill in 1935, so they sold their farm 302 (photo): Raybuck Family with Boarders and moved to Winlock where they continued to make their home until their death, Andrew in 1957 and Katharine in 1972. While in Winlock, Katharine was employed as a cook in the Winlock School District. Blaine had tried his hand at being a logger, but in 1930 moved to Winlock to work for the power company. In 1933 he was married to Margaret Morgan, a Winlock native. They had 5 children, one of whom died at birth. Remaining were Ronald, who lives in Issaquah and works for Puget Power in Bellevue. He married Maxine Oldfield of Olympia , who is a geriatric nurse practioner in the King County area. They have 4 children: Jeff, Katy, Mitch and Kristi. Anne is a nurse and married to G .R. Haleh and lives in Dallas, Texas. They have a daughter, Heidi. Gail is married to R.R. Desaulnier and lives in the Netherlands. Mary married E.L Casper, and lives in Renton. They have two boys, Andrew and Benjamin. In 1945, Elaine decided to branch out on his own and became a self-employed plumber-electrician. He continued in this occupation until retirement, passing away in 1985. His widow continues to live in Winlock. By Donald Raybuck LEONARD AND ANNA (BLACK) RAYTON My parents, Leonard (1882) and Anna Black Ray ton (1880) were married in 1904 at the Boistfort parsonage by Preacher Harris who performed most of the marriages in that area. Leonard was the fourth of eleven born to John and Angeline Smith Rayton. Anna was the fourth of eleven born to Abe and Neomi Allender Black. Leonard was born at Claqua to and Anna at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. My father quit school at 16 to help his divorced mother manage 333 acres in the Boistfort area. Previously the family lived at Claquato and Cowlitz Prairie. He agreed to stay with his mother until the age of 21 and was to receive a 40 acre (photo): Leonard Franklin Ray ton, Anna Black Ray ton, Wedding piece of land for this. There was an old house and hop yard on this place. He was unaware of the mortgage that was on this farm. My mother attended school until the sixth grade but was needed at home to assist with the large family and work with the hops. During the winter she worked for Uncle Ben Allender who owned the Iowa Restaurant and Rooming House in Chehalis. She returned home each spring to assist with the family hop yard chores. Their first year of marriage was spent at Boistfort. They moved to the family farm at Claquato and purchased the 128 acres from my grandfather John Ray ton who lived with them for three years. My father had been born on this place. Four children were born: Norman (1906), Dora (Orloske) (1907), Eva (Stafford) (1911), Lowell (1916). A new house was built in 1914, and two years later a new barn, both which are standing. The Schwarz Brothers, Raymond and Ludwig were the carpenters. They also built the Twin Oaks School. My father was a good farmer, rotating crops and milking a large herd of cows by hand for several years. He farmed with horses, binder, then combine and tractor. He was a patient man. During haying season we children and several neighbor kids would ride on top of the loose hay and have sleds tied on the back of the wagon. I well remember the 5 acres of field corn planted for silage, which had to be hoed twice during the season. This field then was planted the next season to seed grain and we had to keep the wild mustard and radish pulled. Later registered Holstein cows were raised and some shown at the local fair. We attended the one room Twin Oaks School where eight grades were taught. Dora and Eva graduated from Adna. Dora attended business college one year and then worked at the Darigold office. Eva received a teacher's degree and taught at Newaukum Hill and Adna. Norman and Lowell went one year to high school but were interested in partnership farming with their dad. More acreage was purchased and cleared. Mother raised a big garden and chickens. Most groceries purchased were in exchange for eggs taken to the John West Grocery. Mother taught Sunday School class for 30 years at Adna Church. I remember the 1919 Ford we purchased. We then were able to attend Adna Church and Sunday School, which I still do. My father was a charter member and director of the Darigold Farms. He spent many years on the Twin Oaks and Adna School Board. With the cooperation of sons Norman and Lowell, peas were raised for the local cannery and Grade A milk was shipped to Darigold. Mother passed away in 1960 at age 80. Dad passed away in 1969 at age 86. Both are buried at Claquato. By Dora Orloske JOHN REAGAN FAMILY The John M. Reagan family began on August 18, 1979, when John M. Reagan of Chehalis married Brenda L Almy also of Chehalis. The wedding took place at Faith Community Church on Newaukum Hill and was presided over by the Rev. David Crook. (photo): John Reagan holding Allison Brenda holding Jessica John who was born in Seattle on Feb. 15, 1961 moved to Lewis County from Zenith, WA (near Des Moines) with his mother Carol L, his father M. "John" and his younger sister, Jill. He attended Adna schools and graduated in 1979. Brenda was born in Centralia General Hospital on Jan. 24, 1961 and adopted by Vernon L and M. Jean "Jeanne" (Harris) Almy. One year later another girl, Monica L, was adopted and joined the family at home in Chehalis. When Brenda was 5 years old the family moved to Pe Ell where the girls attended school. Memories of Pe Ell include "Eddie's" a small store and barber shop in town owned by Eddie Milanowski. Ice cream cones at Eddie's cost a dime a scoop and 303 Eddie would always say with a twinkle in his eye that he was adding a "little extra" to the top of every cone. The Almy's moved from Pe Ell in 1978 to the Adna area. Brenda continued school in Pe Ell, however, and graduated in 1979. After their marriage John and Brenda lived in Centralia, then bought a house in Chehalis where they presently live. John is a member of Carpenter's Local 2127 in Centralia and recently worked on the construction of the Lewis County Jail. Brenda is employed by the Lewis County Historical Museum. They have two children: Jessica L., born Nov. 23, 1981 and Allison M., born June 15, 1984. The family belongs to Community Covenant Church in Chehalis and enjoys camping, biking and other family oriented activities. By Brenda L. Reagan RECTOR The Rector name originated in England and is intertwined in hereldry and history as the crossed silver swords of St. Andrew on red shield. This Blazon is documented in "Rietstap Armorial General" or coats of arms registry dating back to the crusades of the 12th century. Leaving England and arriving in Virginia Colony was one George Rector. In the upper Hannaford valley was a Jirst settler named Theophilus Green Hannaford in 1867. The original land patent was hand signed by then president U.S. Grant. About 1883 Theophilus; (Thof.) as he was called, daughter Emma, her husband Christopher Columbus Thompson and their seven children moved from Grand Mound Prairie. Among the Thompson children was Minnie (Mrs. Frank Rector) see "Centralia - The First Fifty Years 1845-1906". Mrs. Frank Rector had six boys all born on the original Hannaford homestead, Fred, Frank, Earl, Walter, James and Barney. Walter and Ruby C. McDougal were married Sept. 29, 1924 in Centralia and resided on Logan Hill. Their son Charles was born in 1935. The family moved in 1940 to Forks and operated a bakery. A boom town on the edge of an unguarded coastline with threats of landings along the miles of desolate beaches can prove an experience. As a small boy of 6, the sight of a small two-man submarine washed up on the beach near LaPush further heightened excitement in the town. Machine gun nests with check points along the highways to Beaver and Sapho on the road to Port Angeles punctuated each day's bakery route. Owning and operating the Lacey Lake Road Market in Olympia and returning to Centralia in 1968, Walter, now 82, and Ruby now 80, celebrated their 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries respectively. They still devote time to packaging and assisting in our plastic instrument manufacturing business with which they have been working since 1961. Graduating from Olympia High School, I worked part-time, while attending St Martin's College, in a synthetic rubber compounding and early '50s emerging plastics company. Majoring in chemistry and pre-veterinary medicine, I was made further aware by the company president, who was former head of R. & D. for Dayton Rubber Company, of the future ahead in plastics. On to U.S.C. and chemical engineering with entry into the Society of Plastics Engineers. Not completely satisfied with engineering, I applied and was accepted to the College of Veterinary Medicine at W.S.U. and along the way became aware of the array of instrumentation and the application of plastics to it. Next, find a field not already saturated by big companies, and enter it. Settling on Mortuary Science and graduating from San Francisco College, after finishing 6 days of State and National Boards, the U.S. Army was waiting with a draft notice. The Air Force at Hamilton A.F.B. offered its longest electronics school with 5 more to follow. I became NCOIC of a unit which went to become Pacific Coast champions in the SAC playoffs. Six more months were added to cover the Cuban Missile Crisis. Plastic engineering, Mortuary science, and electronics combine with 16 or more patents and trademarks for a family business, Amra Instruments. Jeanne (Nelson) my wife, daughter Kimberly A., and twin sons John W. and James W. all attend Centralia College and work part-time with "Grandma" and "Grandpa". Charles W. Rector . REICHARDT (FULTON - STEVENS) William Joseph Fulton was born in Ireland and immigrated to the U.S. from Canada. His wife Mary Elizabeth (Davis) Fulton was born in Ontario, Canada, where they were also married. Three children were born to them while still in Canada, Emma who died, John, and Pearl. The family migrated to Bismark, N. Dakota, and then to Centralia and the parents became citizens of the U.S.A. (photo): Cecil L. (Stevens) Reichardt and George Arthur Reichardt John Fulton was proprietor of Pioneer Feed and Seed Co., Centralia. He married Janet Nelson and they had seven children, Marvel Robinson, Harry, twins, Gorden and Garnet Bohanan, Rex, Fred, and John. Pearl Fulton married William Stevens, a Canadian. One child, Cecil L. Stevens was born to them in a log house on Seminary Hill in 1895. When Cecil was 10 yrs. old her father took out his citizenship papers. His wife had died a year before. With her mother gone at the age of 9, Cecil was to spend many years in 23 different homes and schools as her father was a logger and had to be away from home. He built skid roads out of poles and made steam donkey sleds. She remembers her father as a big man. He traded his house in Centralia (used as an apartment) for a 40 acre farm on Mattson Rd. off Lincoln Creek Rd. George Arthur Reichardt was born in 1892 and reared in Brooklyn, N.Y. He attended N.Y. State Ranger School affiliated with Syracuse Univ. School of Forestry graduating in 1915. He worked in the California redwoods, Oregon big timber and then moved to Independence, Wash. in 1917. He met Cecil Stevens in October 1918 in a logging camp where she was assistant bookkeeper. He was a timekeeper and surveyor. They were married in Chehalis, Dec. 23, 1918, and have had 67 years together since. The honeymoon was spent with G. Arthur in the hospital in Aberdeen as it was the time of the flu epidemic and he had become very ill. After his recovery they came to the Centralia Hotel and stayed in the tower for 2 weeks. Soon after Cecil lost her job and G. Arthur worked only halftime, as WWI was over and the camp shut down. So they moved to Tacoma where he did landscape gardening and a home was bought. One child, a son, Robert William, was born while there in 1920. Next they moved to Buckley to work in a logging camp where Cecil took care of her young baby in a tent. They spent the winter there and it was the healthiest winter they ever had. The mice were so tame they warmed their feet by the fire, A vivid memory was of their quick departure due to a forest fire. G. Arthur brought the women folk out by speeder. The sparks from the fire burned Cecil's hat. Wet towels covered their faces but little Bob still got a charge of smoke. On the way out they stopped at a trestle with a train behind them. G. Arthur continued across even though the trestle was burning. The train would not cross and the men had to stay and finish fighting the fire. In 1932 they moved back to Centralia to take care of Cecil's dad till he died at age 64. They have been on the same farm the rest of the years except for 3 years in Tacoma during WWII where father and son worked in the ship yards, These years in Centralia G. Arthur worked for many families of the area as a landscaper and was Superintendent of Parks for the city of Centralia 8 yrs. until he retired in 1963. They still reside on the family farm with their son Robert W. and his wife Lucille Marie (Schulz) Reichardt next door. They in turn raised three children: Robert James, Anita Lou. ise Williams, and William Joseph. HELEN RAYTON - REPPETO My dad, Andrew Otis Ray ton was born Oct 1, 1885 at Cowlitz Prairie, the sixth of the eleven children of John and Angeline Smith Rayton. He and Elisabeth Detering, who was born and raised in Freelandville, Indiana, were married in 1901 in Chehalis. I was born Sept. 26, 1909 in Chehalis, the first of three daughters. My folks moved quite often the first few years of their marriage, but finally bought a small place at Ceres, WA. My dad milked a few cows and had pigs and chickens and worked doing road work for the county. When I was 4 years old they bought 120 acres in Wildwood, WA. This is where I grew up. There were a few acres of cleared land, so we spent many years clearing land. I started my first year of school at Deep Creek School, at the foot of King Hill. My Aunt Helen Detering was the teacher and lived with another of my aunts in the old O'Connell house near the school. The next seven grades I attended the one room school at Wildwood. When I was about 9 years old, my dad was injured when his team ran away as he was getting a load of straw. He ended up with a broken leg, leaving my mother and me to do the chores. That fall when the apples were ripe, we discovered our dog had chased a cub bear up a tree about 1/4 mile from the house. Dad told mom to get the gun, a big 44-40 rifle, and see if she could shoot the little beast. Of course, I had to go along. We got to the tree, she took aim and fired, and believe it or not, she shot him dead. He hit the ground with a thud, 304 (photo): Dick and Helen Reppeto's First Home at Wildwood. (House was built in 1883) I can't remember too well what happened next, but I assume we hitched the team to the sled to get the bear home. Mom was the talk of the community for days. When I was 14 my dad had the job of getting piling for the bridge across the Chehalis River for the county. I helped him fall the cedar trees for this and drove the team to drag them to the bridge site. I loved horses and was in seventh heaven doing this dirty, dusty job. When I was 17 or 18, I started working in Chehalis doing housework. In 1933 I was married to Alex Walter of Walla Walla. We lived in Wildwood and he worked in the woods. We had two daughters, Betty was born Oct. 30, 1934 and later married Dick Duncan. Shirley was born July 27, 1936 and married Frank Javorsky. In 1941 we bought the Frank Witchey farm down the valley from where we were living. We milked 8 or 9 cows and Alex worked away from home part of the time to help pay for our new home. All went well until July 28,1949 my husband was killed in a logging accident, leaving me with two teenage girls. In 1951 I married Frederick (Dick) Reppeto and lived on my place for about 29 years, he was a timber faller. He passed away December 1980 and I'm still living at the same place. In the fall of 1984, while visiting my daughter in Oregon, my home was broken into and what articles that were not stolen were damaged by the fire that was set to conceal the evidence. The house was redone but many things cannot be replaced. PAUL J. REPPETO Augustus Oliver Reppeteaux was from a French Huguenot family who came to America to escape religious persecution. The family settled in Virginia. He met Catherine Teresa Cowhig in Richmond, Indiana. They were married on November 8, 1886. Cate was of Irish descent. Her ancestors included a famous Irish runner who met and married Katie Dugan of Donegal (he had met her when she presented the prize at a race in Dublin). The Irish clan had come to America to escape the potato famine. A son, William, was born before coming to Port Townsend, Washington in 1889. Their other children were Paul (married Mary Emma Barnes), John, James, Edward, Fredrick and Ellen Marie. Augustus doctored at Port Townsend. Paul was born there. He was an adventurous child and loved to go to the docks. The rigging of the sailing ships and the beauty of them in full sail no doubt inspired him. Paul was also the official school drummer. He drummed for fire drills, etc. At an early age he enjoyed a variety of people. He talked with the Army personnel at Fort Warden, the Indians in their dugout canoes, and even had the Eisenbeis Hotel personnel convinced to let him tinker with the elevator cables. Augustus moved his family to Portland and then to Monteville, Oregon. "Gus" sold Adkins saws and spent much time on the road. A homestead in Blachly, Oregon was purchased and Paul felt at home on Triangle Lake. Catherine and the boys worked hard running the homestead. The family moved to a hillside west. of Banks, Oregon. Garden and cow kept Catherine busy and the boys cut the trees to sell. They became good loggers. Jack was a sawfiler, F.N. (Dick) was a busheler, and Ted and Paul were high climbers. They worked for various logging outfits in both Oregon and Washington. Paul rigged the first high lead tree in Oregon. Paul Joseph Reppeto met Mary Emma Barnes at Crawfordsville, Oregon. Her parents were Thomas and Mary (Mullinger) Barnes of a Manchester, England farming family. Mary's brother died in a logging accident and is buried at Canby, Oregon. Her grandfather was Henry Stanley who searched for Dr. Livingston in Africa. She milked cows and helped till the soil on their farm at Mills City near Molalla, Oregon. Mary and Paul married and she was happy to travel the logger's life. Four children were born: Thomas, Mary, Lela, and Dorothy. They lived in Toledo and Chehalis before moving to Ryderwood in the late 1920's with the timber industry. Paul remained in Ryderwood until Dorothy was grown. He then settled in Chehalis where he did odd jobs for people. He donated care for the Claquato Cemetery trees. He restrung the broken cable at Mayfield Dam. He wrote regularly for "Loggers World" and his works were published in a book "The Way of the Logger." He was well known in the area for his literary efforts, as well as his kindness to those in need. By Ina J. Greear MYRNA JACOX REYNOLDS I am Myrna Jacox Reynolds, born in Toledo, Washington, January 22,1942. I am married to Edward J. Reynolds who was born and raised in Seattle. (photo): Myrna Jacox, Marilyn Jacox, Linda Jacox I have two sisters who were born in Chehalis. They are Linda Day and Marilyn Clark. Linda is married to James R. Day. They have two children; Randy - 20 years old, and Brenda – 18 years. They live on the Romerman Road near Napavine. Randy and Brenda both graduated from Napavine High School. Marilyn is married to Jerry Clark. They also have two children, Debbie who is 21, and Brian who is 18. They live on Blomberg St. in Thurston County. My father, Ivan Jacox, was born in Nebraska and came to Lewis County at the age of three. His sister Avis was also born there. His other two brothers, Floyd and Irving, were born in Lewis County. My grandparents on my father's side were Mr. and Mrs. Orville Jacox who resided on the North (photo): Mary, Paul, Dorothy and Lela Reppeto 305 Fork. My great-grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Bahr who lived on Logan HilI. Their property is still owned by their grandson, Ed Bahr, and granddaughter, Catherine Samuelson. My mother was Florence McKee Jacox who was born in Napavine. Her parents came here from West Virginia and resided in Napavine the rest of lives. She had two sisters, Gladys Hardy and Dorothy Mercer, and two brothers, Ralph and Fay McKee. My parents lived their entire married life on the North Fork, so that is where I have spent my life and my sisters spent the first 18 years of theirs. We attended the first two years of school at the Forest School and the rest of the years through high school in the Chehalis schools. I graduated from high school in Chehalis, Washington. My sisters both married and moved away but I stayed to help my folks on the farm. Since I had grown up on the farm I knew what the work was like and what was expected of me. I did every kind of work, from running a tractor and making hay to taking care of the livestock. Those were only a few of the things I had to do since my father worked as a logger most of the time and also worked at Carlisle MiII in Onalaska when it was running. My husband Ed was raised in Seattle. He gave four years to the U.S. Navy in World War II. He worked in television repair for Packard Bell, which is now Teledyne, for some 27 years. Some twenty years ago he started looking for a farm to buy in Lewis County. He purchased 56 acres near the head of the North Fork where we now live. In 1983 we built a new house there. We have 12 head of livestock. We raised chickens and turkeys and also a large vegetable garden. Having been raised about a hundred feet from the banks of the North Fork of the Newaukum River, I learned to fish at a very early age and I stilI enjoy it very much. I also love to go deer hunting which I have done a lot of with my uncle and aunt, Otto and Gladys Hardy. My mother passed away in 1981 at age 66. My father passed away July 14, 1982 at age 74. CHESTER VERNE RHODES I married Henrietta Dingley on June 14, 1934 in the North Broadway Methodist Church, Seattle. We have two sons, both graduates of W.F. (photo): Chester Verne Rhodes West High School in Chehalis and the University of Washington. Donald Verne has a master's degree in banking, his profession. He married Linda Deaton of Redlands, California, John Alan has a master's degree in communicatons and is a city editor of a daily newspaper in St. Paul, Minnesota. His wife, Caroline PhilIips, was raised in Washington, D.c. We have five grandchildren. My wife was born in Brooklyn, New York on December 18, 1907, a daughter of Harvey and Margaret MacPhail Dingley. Her family moved to Seattle when she was three years old, returning for a time after her father's death. She completed her early schooling in Seattle and is a graduate of the University of Washington. Before our marriage, she taught for four years in CoupevilIe High School, Whidbey Island. Walla Walla, Washington was my birthplace - the date, December 29, 1904. As a child, I lived in various towns in Idaho, Sweet, Lewiston, and Nampa. I attended elementary school in all three of those towns and graduated from high school in Hermiston, Oregon. My dear mother died during my sophomore year there, one week after my seventeenth birthday. While in high school, I received valuable guidance and encouragement from my mathematics teacher, Miss Jessie Brierley, and from my athletic coach and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Gralopp. A couple for whom I worked during many summers, Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Mann, also had a constructive influence during my early years. Always a sports enthusiast, in high school I played football, basketball, and was a sprinter on the track team. At the College of Puget Sound, now University of Puget Sound, football was my competitive sport. I enrolled there in the fall of 1927 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1931, with a major in business administration and minors in economics and education. It is satisfying to me to reflect that, after my mother's death, I was able to earn every cent of my way through high school and college. Professionally, I worked in public education for thirty-nine years - six and a half of these teaching and coaching athletics (1931-1937) in Oak Harbor and Anacortes and thirty-two and a half (1938-1970) as superintendent of schools in LaConner, Concrete, MarysvilIe, and my final twenty-one working years being in Chehalis. During the Chehalis years, Mr. WilIiam F. West was a valued friend and generous school supporter. The high school here bears his name. My local memberships include the United Methodist Church, Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce and, in other areas, the Masonic Lodge and Phi Delta Kappa educational honorary. I have served on the Tumwater Area Council, Boy Scouts of America. Having found a happy home in Chehalis, my wife and I agreed to make this our residence during the retirement years, which we now enjoy. LEANDER AND ROXY RHODES Leander Rhodes, my maternal grandfather, was born in Albany, Oregon Territory, December 13, 1849, of Crogan and Nancy Pyborn Rhodes. At age 22, he married Roxy McCumber, aged 18. She had come west as an infant from Chicago. Three children were born to them in Oregon Territory: Ora, Alice and Adelaide. In the 1870's the family moved to Lewis County, settling in the Boistfort Valley in 1874 where they lived for the remainder of their lives. Here, four more children, Avery, Annie, Edward, Mary Etta and a daughter, who died at birth, were born. Grandpa farmed at the foot of BawFaw Peak and served as a Road Supervisor for a time. Grandma was called upon many times to help deliver babies and care for the sick. They bought one of the first "Model T" cars in the valley, but grandson, Earl Gallow, whom they had raised, usually drove it. A trip in it to Offut Lake was a major event in my childhood. Grandma told fascinating tales of her youth in the wilderness of Oregon such as hearing the screams of cougars and her brother being trailed by one. Without much schooling, both grandparents had an interest in reading the newspapers and encouraged their children to do so too. Eighth grade was all that was available then. In the valley the nearest high school was at Winlock but to go there was not feasible for them. Grandpa died at age 73, in 1933 and grandma in 1933 at the age of 81. Both are buried in the Boistfort Cemetery. By Irma Whiteman McNair DR. WAYLAND R. RICE FAMILY The family arrived from Amrour, South Dakota September 25,1940 and Dr. Rice practiced medicine in Centralia until his retirement in 1977. Dr. Rice was born in Rangoon, Burma to Dr. and Mrs. Ambrose C. Rice, who were teachers in Rangoon Baptist College, and came to the United States in 1910. (photo): Back, L. to R.: Wayland, R., Maude E., Nancy C. Front: Phyllis E., Frances M., 1953. He received his education in schools in Iowa, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Nebraska, as his father taught college chemistry during those years. He graduated from Grand Island College, Neb. in 1926, taught school at Rosedale (Hall Co.), Nebraska and was granted a scholarship to attend Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pa. After his graduation in 1929 he was called to become a doctor while on the staff at Worcester State Hospital in Mass. He graduated from Boston University School of Medicine in the class of 1934 and took an internship at St. Francis Hospital, Grand Island, Neb. He practiced five years in Wessington and Armour, South Dakota before coming to Centralia to practice in the Nugent Clinic. After 18 months he entered solo practice and except for a few years in the Army, practiced in Centralia until retirement. He was an Army surgeon and general practitioner, having delivered over 1,600 babies and ended his career in Geriatrics. Dr. Rice also served 21 years in the House of Delegates of Wash. Med. Assn. representing the Lewis County Medical Society. Maude (Leech) Rice was born in Syracuse, Nebraska and grew up on a farm. She attended a Baptist college at Grand Island, Nebraska, and 306 graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. She was a music teacher in Grand Island when Wayland Rice came back to intern at the St. Francis Hospital. The two had sung in the Grand Island College quartet together 10 years before they met again and were married January 1, 1936. They had three daughters, Nancy Filion, Webster, N.Y.; Phyllis Reichardt, Centralia, Wash.; and Frances Tanaka, Centralia, Wash. Maude Rice was very active with Senior Citizen Groups. She helped with transportation and entertainment for the Senior Citizen's Fellowship at the First Baptist Church in Centralia, Wash. for 25 years. That led to the Southwest Washington Chairmanship for the Governor's Council on Aging. She was also active in the American Red Cross activities for 17 years. She was chapter chairman and organized the Gray Ladies, volunteers in nursing homes in 1960. The three daughters graduated from Linfield College, McMinnville, Ore. and Mrs. Rice was on the board of trustees of Linfield for 12 years. During retirement both have written extensively, family histories, the war years as gleaned from letters written then and anecdotes pertaining to a doctor's life and a doctor's wife for the edification of their grandchildren. RIEDL FAMILY I believe John Riedl Sr. and his wife Francesca Erl Riedl came from Germany in the mid 1800s. I think he lived first in Medford, Wisconsin, then Toledo, Washington and then to a farm on Drews Prairie. He was a carpenter and brick layer and helped build the first high school in Toledo. His and Francesca's children were John, Henry, Annie and Frank Xavier. His second wife Adelade gave him Maximillian, Wenzel, Alma, and Clara. John married Etta and they had Lorene and Ethel. Henry married Jennis and they had Wyman. Frank and I, Rachel Gleason, were married on June 12,1917. We honeymooned in Portland, then went to Silver Lake, Cowlitz County, Washington, to live in a cabin Frank had built. It was a logging camp on the Southeast side of the lake. We crossed in a row boat. He was drafted in World War I and he reported to Kalama, Washington, in Cowlitz County, and was inducted into the Army at Fort Lewis on November 3, 1917. My sister Grace Hill and I took him to Toledo, then to Winlock in a taxi where he boarded the train for Fort Lewis. That was the last I saw of him until May 19, 1919. Our little girl, Frances Victorene, was born April 30, 1918 while he was away and was one year old when he first saw her. It was a sad anxious time but my baby was a blessing to me. I stayed with my parents Mr. and Mrs. B.P. Gleason, 10 miles up the Cowlitz River from Toledo. When Frank came home in June 1919, we moved back to Silver Lake. He got his old job back as hook tender on the rigging used with steam donkeys. On February 1, 1921, we moved to our farm. On July 22, 1922, our son Harland Hugh was born. We built our new house in 1952 and our children went through school at Boistfort #234 in Boistfort Valley. Our daughter married Wayne Richardson November 5, 1938 and they had three children. Ronald Wayne, born November 26, 1939, Patricia Ann, born April 15, 1943, and Lawrence Dean, born March 7,1950. Harland married Irene Ray ton in 1940 and they had two children. Richard Harland, born in 1940 and Charlotte Marie, born in 1947. Harland and his second wife, Irene Shermer, had four children. Linda Lea, born February 12, 1949, Lonnie Leo, born January 28, 1951, Lloyd LeRoy, born July 10, 1952, and Loren Lynn, born January 23,1959. Harland's third wife was Deana Jean, fourth, Viola Kennedy, and fifth, Patricia. My husband was born December 10, 1888 and passed away August 6,1966 at age 77. We had the farm sold already to Nybergs from the Hoods Canal area. We had a mobile home picked out and it was moved in by the Curtis Store in Boistfort Valley where I still live at age 86. I have had nine grandchildren, one is gone, (Loren Lynn) and I have 18 greatgrandchildren. By Rachel A. Riedl RIGG FAMILY OF DRYAD AND CENTRALIA James H., Rose, with children Lois and Luther Rigg, migrated in November 1900 from Mt. Carmel, Wabash County, Illinois, to Centralia, Washington. Jim Rigg soon found employment with the Northern Pacific Railroad and was established by 1902 as Section Foreman at Dryad. Two more children .were born to Rose and Jim in the commodious Section House there - Etta in 1904; John in 1907. This was our home for more than a decade, before the family moved to Centralia. Dryad in 1902 was a boom town. The railroad was the life-line to numerous lumber-mill towns between the Chehalis Valley and Willapa Harbour. Those mills were cutting virgin timber out of the hills of the Coastal Range. Lois Rigg (1890-1967) completed eighth grade at Dryad School. In 1910 she married Chester Staeger (1889-1969), one of seven brothers of that pioneer family. They lived at Dryad the rest of their lives, on property near the old bridge across the Chehalis River. There was a son, Donald (1911-1914). All rest in the beautiful Dryad Cemetery. Luther Rigg graduated from Centralia High School, Class of 1914, entered as Sophomore from Dryad H.S. He was a genius at math and mechanics; excellent grades in all other studies; popular in sports; Class President one year, Staff of Annual as a Senior. In his lifetime, Luther knew and grew up with the eras of steam power, electricity, auto-mechanics, radio, and television. He worked in all these fields, from operating steam boilers at mills to auto-mechanics inventions; he drove trucks for the ship-yard at Portland during WWI, from businessman in Centralia, to teaching at Centralia Community College. From Morse code, to radio, to television, to Sound Truck, he built his own equipment in whatever field in any decade of his life. In 1923 Luther married Catharine Robertson, a school teacher. Their two children are Dorothy, wife of Gene Collias, U. of W. Prof. of Oceanography, retired, Seattle; Clinton A. Rigg, minister of Northwest Christian Church, Seattle. There are four grandchildren. Luther died in 1970. Catharine resides at the family home on G Street, Centralia. John Rigg, not far behind his mother as a genius mind, now lives in Marysville, W A. His wife, Dorothy, died in 1975. During WWII John served with the Civil Air Patrol. John was for years in business in Everett and still well known in that area. He holds a Life Card with the Musicians' Union, having played with several dance bands over many years; a self-taught musician. In the Centralia-Chehalis area, John was one of the "Buccaneers" group. He has a daughter, Sharon Brill, and family of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Etta Rigg attended Centralia schools graduating with High School Class of 1923. The family home was at 1212 Old Chehalis Road. The year 1924 found some of the family again in Illinois, there to care for and maintain the home of Rose's father through his latter years. Etta married Adam Smith in 1929 at Mt. Carmel, and settled there. In the fall of 1930, Jim, Rose, John and his bride, motored from Illinois to Centralia to permanently reside once more in Lewis County. Etta Rigg Smith, though a native "mossback" and raised "in God's country," has lived more of her life in Illinois; since 1973 at Urbana, near son Robert and family. Adam died in 1977. Etta, in 1985, finds strong interests in Genealogy and History while continuing active in church and community. The Golden Wedding Anniversary of James and Rose Rigg was celebrated on November 26, 1939 with all the family present at the home, 1212 Old Chehalis Road, Centralia. There was the 55th in 1944 and nearly two more years together. James Harlan Rigg (1864-1949) and Rose Beauchamp Rigg (1870-1946) rest in the pioneer section of Claquato Cemetery, Lewis County. This Rigg family has connections with Shearer, Parmenter, Collias, Staeger, H.P. Ruth, and other Rigg families of the Lewis County area. JOHN A. RIGG John A. Rigg was born June 22, 1907, in Dryad, Lewis County, Washington. He was the son of James Harlan and Rosetta Beauchamp Rigg and brother of Luther Rigg, Lois Staeger and Etta Smith. At twelve years old, and let out of school for the parade, Joe Drew and I were standing in front of the Wobbly Hall when they started shooting on November 11, 1919. Real stupid, but we didn't know anything about them. Maybe we saved some lives by being in the way. The state took Joe Drew, George Watson and me to the trial as witnesses and paid us the magnificent sum of twelve dollars for four days. It is an experience I'll never forget. In 1930, I married Dorothea Simpson. Our daughter Sharon married Bill Brill and I now have two great-grandsons. In the thirties I worked daytimes in my brother's garage, the "Motor Specialty Company," and played saxophone in dance bands at night, mostly with Russell Ranthum's Buccaneers. We played at all the ballrooms and pavilions, even a Governor's Inaugural Ball. Sunday afternoons we often put on a thirty minute stage show between double feature at the movies. Nice! to see our name on the marquee. Christmas Eve 1933, we played at the State Reform School for Delinquent Girls at Grand Mound. It was completely off limits for men, but the girls had asked for us and the Superintendent, Helen Shanks, had promised them she would do anything in her power at Christmas if they just wouldn't give her too bad a time. It was kind of the start of the honor system for penal institutions, for which she got credit. There have been two articles in Readers Digest about her. Most of "her girls" as she called them, grew up to be real fine people. As long as she lived, they met once a year in Seattle to honor her for her inspiration. That night completely changed my ideas of people who are locked up. Everyone I met was a nice clean girl. Like Helen Shanks said, life hadn't been too good for them and the only happiness they could remember was when they put 307 on the war paint, went to a dance where we played, and met the boys. Woods superintendent Al Troxel, who had logged mahogany in the Philippines with Bill Boeing, gave me a start with the Eastern Railway and Lumber Company. He could see the end of steam and wanted a young mechanic to become a logger and change them over to gas and diesel. I worked under Chris Aust, the master mechanic, until I learned the difference between a high lead and a skyline and finally built the first gasoline powered loader. I worked in the woods as a cat skinner, loading engineer and mechanic. As head mechanic, responsible for keeping the machinery running, I purchased lots of parts, engines, etc. and didn't have to go to the office for a requisition. I was one of three in the whole outfit who could buy on my signature alone. Once I went to Portland with Sam Agnew to buy steel cable. Sam really scared me, telling me to sign the invoice that was over $30,000.00. On the way home he explained that if he, as owner, signed, the tax boys would really look it over, but they would pass right over my signature. When the Eastern Mill burned, I went to Everett as a motor machinist. A year later, when they started again, Jack Sherwood came to Everett and said Harry would come back if I would. Harry Keller as hook tender, and I as cat skinner, were the best team around. After three months, the union struck, so back to Everett. I spent the next twenty years managing a machine shop for Piston Service. REBA BAXTER (LEGHORN) RINEHART Reba Baxter came into this world on July 22, 1903 in a home located near the old hop yard upstream from the old Cowlitz River Bridge in Toledo. Shortly thereafter her dad, Frank Baxter, and her mother, Grace Goodwin Baxter, moved her and her two older twin half-brothers, Earl and Lyle Baxter, into a new home down on Salmon Creek where the old Pacific Highway crosses. In 1922 Reba became enamored with a young highway engineer, James Malcolm Leghorn, who was on the survey crew for the "new" Pacific Highway, and married him on October 4, 1922. On October 21,1923, they were presented with a son, James Frederick Leghorn. The family left Lewis County in 1925 to follow the seasonal engineering work. Then on November 3, 1927 they were presented with another boy, Robert Baxter Leghorn. Patricia Grace (Leghorn) Lamborn surprised them on August 18,1929. Reba lost Malcolm in April, 1932 from a heart attack. After living in Atascadero, California for three years, she moved with her three children back to Centralia. Shortly after returning she met an old friend who was on Malcolm's survey crew back in 1925, and on November 9, 1935 Reba and Val G. Rinehart were married. The family lived in Chehalis for three years, moving to Vancouver, Yakima and finally in 1947 settling in Olympia, Val having been employed continuously by the Washington State Highway Department. During those years Reba carried on extensive practical nursing in Yakima and Olympia. In 1970 Val retired and he and Reba moved to Panorama City in Lacey, a retirement village, where they still reside. Meanwhile the three children have been married, each of the boys having two children, and Patricia having one boy and two girls. At this time there are seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, with one more on the way. All the three children live in the Seattle area, and all doing well. Reba's dad, Frank Baxter, had lived in Nebraska where he was married and had four boys. After losing his wife and two of the boys, he and his twin sons, Earl and Lyle, moved about the turn of the century to Lewis County. Later he married Grace Goodwin, whose family lived in the Toledo-Centralia area. Besides Reba, they raised three boys: Mancil, Curtis and Orval. Out of the entire family of Frank Baxter, there are just three remaining: Reba, Curtis and Orval. Frank Baxter was a dairy farmer, supplying the Toledo area with milk. He had the respect of all who knew him. He loved people and enjoyed visiting whoever passed by, whether it was a hobo, an Indian, of whom there where quite a few in the area, or Ezra Meeker, who passed through occasionally. Also Frank was an avid musician. Besides instructing all his children in some type of musical instrument, he led the Toledo Town Band for many years. RINNIE-DICKINSON FAMILY In 1905, at the age of eighteen, my father, John Rinnie, left his native Finland to join other members of his family in America. He spent some time in New York City and in Minnesota, before coming to Winlock to visit his sister, Anna Rosten (Mrs. Frank). He returned to Chisholm, Minnesota where he and my mother, Mary, were married in 1912. I, Terttu, their only child was born in 1913, in Chisholm. At the age of nine months, my mother and I went to Winlock to join my father who had already returned to Winlock. We later spent two years in Vader, before buying a home on Cemetery Hill, just east of Winlock. (photo): Mr. and Mrs. Robyn Dickinson Dad worked at many jobs during his lifetime. He was a photographer, and had his own shop in Winlock for a while. He worked for the Farmer's Mercantile, and the N.P. Railroad. He worked for some hatcheries in the area, and raised chickens on his little farm and sold eggs. My folks celebrated their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary shortly before John died in 1977. Mary passed away in 1979. All of my schooling was in Winlock, beginning in the Creamery School in 1919, with Mrs. Wiltse for my first grade teacher. During our second grade we were moved to the new school (Andrew Johnson School) in Winlock. This building had the eight grades on the lower floor and the high school on the second floor. I graduated in the class of 1931. Perhaps the real tragedy of my life, was when our house burned soon after graduation, and everything was lost. In 1934, Robyn (Bob) Dickinson and I were married and spent our first eight years in Winlock. Mary Bea was born here. We moved to Montesano in 1942, and have resided there ever since. Bob worked for an oil company and for the City of Montesano and was a twenty-six year member of the Volunteer Fire Department when he retired in 1975. Our children call Montesano home, Mary Bea lives here and is the mother of three daughters, Robin, Theresa and Cathy Jo, and has one grandson, Sean. Nearly ten years later, our second daughter, Ann Robin was born. She has two children, Heather and Jeremy. They live in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Trips to visit them have given us a wonderful chance to visit the New England states, as well as to visit the sights between here and there. Our son John was born in Montesano. He is a rural mail carrier, out of Montesano. He and his wife Patty have two daughters, Kyla and Kyndal and a son, Tighe. The special things I would like to mention are how great it is to live so close to family and loved ones. To have had reasonably good health to enjoy ten years of retirement, and more. And then celebrating our Fiftieth Anniversary was very special. Our fun things are fishing, trailering, clamming, and traveling. Life has been very good to us. By Terttu Rinne Dickinson CAROLINE (GREUNER) ROAKE August 30, 1888 Caroline Greuner was born in Alameda, California. I came with my parents to Napavine, Washington at the age of one. My first years of school were at Alpha, Washington where I would walk a mile to school every day. For a short time I attended school at Forest, Wash. Later on I went to Holy Rosary Academy in Chehalis where I graduated from the eighth grade. In high school, I went to St. Dominic Academy in Everett and then to the North Pacific College of Pharmacy in Portland. After graduation I accepted a position with Stahl Drug Company in Centralia, Wash. Later on I worked for Garrison's Drug in Centralia, Chehalis Pharmacy and Marrs Drug in Chehalis, and Goodfellow Drug in Castle Rock, Washington. I have been an active member of St. Joseph Church, St. Agnes Circle, and the Soroptimist International. (photo): Mrs. Caroline Greuner, son Joseph Greuner, Jr., daughter Caroline Greuner Roake. 308 (photo): Greuner Store at Forst. In buggy: Caroline Greuner Roake. On steps: Joseph and Caroline Greuner. April 29, 1967 I married Sam Roake who was from Castle Rock, Wash. and who was a florist. We were married at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Chehalis, Wash. Sam passed away in 1972. I lived at 145 S.E. 1181 Washington until I fell in the summer of 1984. Now I am at Rosary Manor, Chehalis, Washington. My parents Caroline Lisee and Joseph Greuner were married February 26, 1881 in Srbec, Bohemia, Czechoslavakia and came to the United States in 1886 and then settled in Alameda, California. In 1889 we came to Napavine and my father had business partnership known as Fusick, Greuner and Linhart, conducting a general merchandise store. A year later he moved to Alpha and he had a General Merchandise Business and, also, he was Alpha's first postmaster from 1890 to 1897. My father could not speak English while in Alpha, Wash., but he learned the language of his adopted country and became an active citizen. In 1898 my father, mother, and I moved to Forest where they built the Greuner Store, and conducted the post office until his retirement in 1929. My mother died in 1931,and my father in 1936. I also had a brother Joseph Greuner, Jr. who passed away at Alpha, Washington. Until 1935 a well established post office was maintained at Forest, 7 miles south of Chehalis on Hwy. 99, now the location of Trodahl's Grocery Store. The post office was established by W.R. Monroe and for many years of the life of that office, Joseph Greuner was the postmaster there. After Joseph Greuner had the store, it was Ed Deggeller and then Trodahl's. The patrons that live there now are served by motor routes out of Chehalis. We had plank roads all the way into town and all was woods from Newaukum River up to Forest. BURKE ROBERTS FAMILY In the year 1916 I, Burke Roberts, was born to William A. and Essie M. Roberts. I have an older sister, Esther, and a brother, Alfred. I was born at home, three miles south of Chehalis, on Newaukum Hill. I attended school the first eight years at the two room schoolhouse on Newaukum Hill, three quarters of a mile from our home. I attended high school in Chehalis. There were no bus routes to Newaukum so I usually caught a ride into town with neighbors who worked at the Bordens Milk Plant, now Callison's. My dad worked most of his life in the logging industry but also worked in the local coal mines and for Harry Mulford, in his second hand store. Our family car was a Model T Ford touring, and it served us well for twelve years. As I look back, I wonder how we ever got along without the modern conveniences of today. We carried our water from a spring at the bottom of a ravine, for use not only for the house but also for the cows and chickens. The wood range and wood heater consumed many cords of wood each year. The kerosene lamp was used for lighting in the evening and early morning. One of the things that stands out in my mind as a boy, was the task of graveling the county roads in the early 1920's. Several teams of horses, each pulling a wagon, would work many days in order to gravel a few miles of road. The bottom of the wagon box was made of 2" x 6" planks, shaped with hand grips at each end, and as the planks were turned on edge the gravel fell through and onto the road. The gravel was taken from the Newaukum River gravel bar located on the Shorey farm. The length of a wagon box was approximately ten feet so it would take about 528 wagon loads per mile. Another highlight in my early life was that we were fortunate enough to have electricity in 1928. We had just about finished building a new house and were able to have it wired for electric lights. As my schooling ended in 1934 and "the great depression" was still very much at hand. I joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and worked in the Packwood Randle area for two years. In February 1938 I joined the U.S. Navy and served aboard two aircraft carriers, the USS Saratoga and the USS Hancock until, my discharge almost eight years later. In 1945 Muriel Gilkerson and I were married, and together we raised a family of four children: Douglas, Donald and Doris (twins), and Wanda. In 1968 we adopted and raised a Korean orphan, Susan. My grandparents were Louie and Mary Roberts, and Albert and Martha Willard. Both couples were longtime residents of Lewis County. Presently my wife and I are living on the Shorey Road just below "Newaukum Heights." What a change from yesteryear. DR. EDWARD (NED) AND MARTHA (MATTIE) (GREENE) ROBERTS Edward (Ned) Roberts was born in Centralia in 1892 to Mr. and Mrs. Woodbury Roberts. The Roberts came to Centralia in the early 1890's from Maine bringing with them a son, Fred. Woodbury was an accountant and was hired to settle the books of the Salzer Valley Lumber (photo): Martha "Mattie" Green Roberts Company. Eldon Roberts was born several years after Ned. Ned graduated from Centralia High School in 1910. While attending high school, he had worked assisting Dr. Titus who had offices in the Zimmer Building. This experience motivated Ned to attend Portland Dental College. He was graduated from that school and returned to Centralia to practice dentistry in the Zimmer Building. He was then called to active duty in World War I and as a first lieutenant in the Dental Corps was stationed in Vancouver. After the war he returned to Centralia and his dental practice and ultimately moved to the Proffitt Building. He was active in the American Legion, served many years on the Library Board, Kiwanis Club and local and state dental societies. Ned died in 1957. In 1920, Dr. Ned married Martha (Mattie) Greene. Mattie was born in Agate on the North Fork of the Neuwaukum in 1894 and was one of five children of Walter C. and Mary (Walrath) Greene. Floyd was Lewis County Juvenile Officer for 35 years and died in 1983 at age 99. Elmer was graduated from the University of Washington in 1904 and taught school in Seattle. Ruby married J.D. Neville, one-time Lewis County engineer. Walter, Mattie's father, had a horse draying business in Chehalis and the family moved there in 1898. Walter also farmed what is now part of the Hamilton Farms west of Chehalis. Mattie completed Chehalis High School in 1912. After attending business college in Chehalis, she worked for Prosecuting Attorney Studebaker. Later she worked for Chehalis National Bank and was soon promoted to assistant cashier, a position not held by many women at that time. Dr. Ned and Mattie established their first home at 510 So. Silver in Centralia where Edward was born. Later they built a home at Second and J Streets where Mary was born. Mattie, at this writing in 1985, lives at that address. She is now 91 and regularly attends PEa and Democratic Party functions. She has served as precinct committeewoman, vice president of the Lewis County Democratic Party and was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in 1960 when John Kennedy was nominated. She was a Red Cross volunteer in World Wars I and II. She has been Democrat of the Year, served on the Library Board and is an ardent sports fan. 309 Eddie lives in Olympia, as do his three sons. Mary lives in San Francisco with her husband Raymond Jewell. They have one son. The Roberts and Greene families contributed much to this county. This is in special tribute to Mattie who is an inspiration to her family and friends. By Dorothy Greeley-Waldo ROBERTS-NEER In 1830, as an apprentice for the Hudson's Bay Co., my grandfather left England for North America. They sailed to the mouth of the Columbia River and up to Vancouver. At Fort Vancouver he was employed in the store and office. He also taught about fifty children in school. At the end of his apprenticeship he returned to England in 1842. While in England he married Martha Cable. In December 1843 George and Martha Roberts sailed back to Ft. Vancouver, arriving in May 1844. On August 1, 1845, my father George Roberts was born at Fort Vancouver. In 1846 the Hudson's Bay Co. sent George and his family to the Cowlitz Farms northeast of Toledo. Cowlitz Farm and Nisqually were then the only two places known in the Territory north of the Columbia. The house was always open to all travelers. In July 1850 my grandmother Martha died of typhoid or camp fever. Shortly after my grandmother died my grandfather settled near the Newaukum River. It is part of this place that was donated to my father. In 1889 my father married Mary Gray. They had four children, Clarence, Walter, Nellie and me (Anna). I was born December 13, 1895 at Forest, WA. I went to school at Forest. In the winter time we didn't go to school. When we went we walked the mile and a half. After the eighth grade I went to high school in Portland. I lived there with my Aunt Lois. I was graduated from the Washington High School. After high school I went to work at the Modern Printing Co. In July 1917, I met Ralph Neer. Ralph was born at Westport, South Dakota on January 31, 1894. He was the oldest of five children. He had two sisters and two brothers. When Ralph was still young they moved to Turner, Oregon. During World War I, he joined the army and was stationed at Fort Vancouver, WA. It was while he was at Ft. Vancouver that I met him. He took his basic training there. In December 1917, he was sent to North Carolina. In the spring of 1918 he was shipped over to France. He served there until the War was over. He returned home August 1, 1919. Ralph and I were married August 13, 1919. We lived in Oregon for a year. We then moved to Washington where we purchased 37 acres from my father. This is part of the place where I was born and raised. Ralph and I had five children, Walter, Marie, Roy R., LaNeil and Betty. They were raised on the farm where we had cows, horses and chickens. On August 13, 1969 Ralph and I celebrated our Golden Anniversary. We were active members of the Forest Grange. Ralph was a gold sheaf member. We also belonged to the V.F.W. and World War I vets. We enjoyed playing cards. Ralph was an avid fisherman. He also loved flowers, especially roses. After his death on December 27, 1976 I continued to live on the farm until 1983. In March of 1984 I sold the farm. I now live just three miles away with my daughter By Anna Roberts Neer ROBERTS FAMILY William Louie Roberts, born in Illinois, came to the Chehalis area after farming in Iowa where most of his children were raised. With his wife Mary Catherine, sons Will, Edward, Everett, Howard, and Lee, and daughter Mildred moved to the Newaukum Hill area of Lewis County in 1902. Children Edward, Lee, and Mildred all attended school at Newaukum. Will worked in the coal mine near Chehalis, for a time at Harry Mulford's second hand store, and for the railroad as a section hand. He married Essie Willard from Chehalis, built a home just east of what is now Newaukum Heights. Essie is still living on that property. They had three children, Esther, Alfred, and Donald Burke. Alfred died at the age of 21. Esther married and lives in California. Burke, after serving in the Navy during WWII, married and made his home in the Newaukum area. Edward at various times farmed, worked in the woods, filed cross cut saws, and worked in tie mills in the area. He married Mabel Wright in 1911 and had six children. Helen married Clyde McGarity and had two daughters Joanne and Barbara. Harlan graduated from W.S.U., served five years in the Army during WWII, and married Lavada Norman who had three children by a previous marriage. He worked thirty-five years as a carpenter in the Lewis County area. Delbert drove logging truck, worked in Portland shipyard during WWII, and worked as a mechanic for the Chehalis Darigold Farm Store. He married Ellen Elmore of Oakville. They adopted one child, Saundra. Walter served in the Air Force during WWII, received his bachelors degree from Western Washington College and Master's from the University of Oregon, and spent his entire teaching career at Skagit Valley College at Mt. Vernon. He married Mildred Gilkerson and had four children. Ava worked in a shipyard during WWII, came home and married a former school mate, Dale Grim, and had three boys. They are in the contract logging business. Mabel married Warren Cobb, a Centralia fireman. They raised two children, were divorced and she is now remarried to Stan Olsen, an electrician with the State Bridge Department. Everett worked in the timber most of his life. He married Carrie Ingalls and had three chidlren. Clare worked in the woods and mills for a while, several years in the feed mill at the Darigold and in later years hauled mail under contract for the U.S. Postal Service. He married Fern Anderson and had three children. Louie served in the Army during WWII, married, and operated a business of his own in the Seattle area. They had no children. Alice married John Rhienhart, a teamster who drove truck for Western Farmers out of Winlock for many years. They had two boys, Douglas and Donald. The only member of the family to serve in World War I, Howard, worked in the woods as a young man, married Grace Parrott from Boise, Idaho, and worked at Palmer Lumber company in Chehalis for several years. After that, he worked for the State Highway Department doing maintenance work. They had two children, the eldest, a boy, died at an early age. Olive married Ralph Leaf and they adopted two children. Lee also spent many years in the timber, but he also worked for Palmer Lumber Company. He and his wife Blanche had two children. Richard, their son, spent many years in the service. He served in the Marines prior to WWII, in the Navy during WWII and as an officer in the Army intelligence during the Korean conflict. He later worked for the Tacoma Police Department. Fritzi Lee married Francis Wood and raised a family. They have spent most of their lives outside of Lewis County. Mildred became a school teacher and taught in several of the one and two room schools in the area. She married Harold Stilson, a shingle weaver who later became a star route mail carrier. They had three children, Harold Jr., Rosemary, and Betty. By Harlan Roberts JAMES AND ESTHER ROESBERY Ester (Kersey) Roesbery was born on March 3, 1920 in Emmett, Idaho to Joseph and Elizabeth Kersey. She was the 4th child in a family of nine, four girls and five boys. Her father's ancestor John Kersey emigrated from the Highlands of Scotland to Penn Colony U.S.A. in 1650 at the age of 19. Most of the Kerseys were Quakers. Ester attended schools in Emmett, Idaho, and graduated from 8th grade at age 14. She then went to work to help out at home and never returned to school. On May 15, 1937 she married James Roesbery at Eugene, Oregon, where he was employed in logging. A daughter, Judith was born on November 21,1946 in Seattle, Wash. Ester's maternal grandparents came from Germany to Pennsylvania, then on to Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and Iowa and finally to Emmett, Idaho where they settled and raised a family of seven children. Her grandfather was the first veterinarian in Emmett and practiced there for many years. At the present time Ester and husband James reside on Spooner Road, west of Adna where they have lived since March of 1957. Daughter Judy lives at Snohomish, Washington and works for the Seattle Times. JAMES ROESBERY James Roesbery was born in Mariposa, CA, 1916 on a homestead ranch owned by his parents, John and Rosella Roesbery. The family later moved to Elgin, OR. Then to La Center, WA, where they had a dairy farm. From there they moved to Finley near Kennewick and later to Richfield, 10, and finally to Emmett, 10, where they raised beef cattle and milked cows. James was one of nine children and learned to work hard at an early age. His grandparents, on his father's side, migrated to America in 1859. His mother's father was born in Spain. During the years Jim worked on farms and ranches, broke horses on the farm and for others, drove truck and worked in the woods. He herded cattle for the Sulphur Creek Cattle Association. In May 1937, he married Ester Kersey and they lived and farmed at Letha, ID, near Emmett. In 1943 they moved to Seattle where Jim worked for Isaacson Ironworks doing essential war work. In 1946 their daughter, Judith, was born in Seattle's Providence Hospital. March 1950 found the Roesberys moving back to Idaho to farm again. The next three years were busy ones, but the Pacific Northwest had won their hearts and they longed to return to Washington. Jim took a job for Art Hamilton on his Aberdeen Angus ranch west of Chehalis and in March, 1953, the family moved to Chehalis. This was a wonderful experience and, for the next four years, they lived and worked on the Hamilton Ranch. Judith attended Cascade School for four years. 310 In 1957 the Roesberys moved to a small acreage near Adna on Spooner Road. Judith finished fourth grade at Adna and graduated from Adna High School in 1965. During these years, Jim raised Black Angus cattle and drove truck for Borovec Trucking and Central Reddi Mix, retiring from the latter in 1978. The Roesberys were active in 4-H and led a club for several years, Adna Green Valley 4- H Club. In retirement, they travel and keep busy being active members of Newaukum Grange. CALVIN LOYLE ROGERS My dad, Calvin Loyle Rogers, was born in 1889 in Iowa, the youngest son of Thomas C. and Zora Rogers. They came to Portland by train when he was 12 years old. Later they came to this county and tried farming along the Newaukum River. They were not farmers and soon moved to 609 M Street in Centralia. Dad attended Centralia schools and went on to the University of Washington, graduating in 1912 in pharmacy. (photo): C. Loyle Rogers, Laura E. Rogers, Florence Rogers. He met my mother, Laura Stell, working in the soda fountain in the Sumas Drug Store, where Dad was also employed. Incidentally, that was the only job she ever held. I was born in the back room of the Drug Store in LaCrosse, Washington in 1915. The side-car of Dad's motorcycle is where I rode as we moved from one small town drug store to another. My brother John was born in Centralia. Dad was working at Young's Drug Store and we lived on M Street beside my grandfather who was Centralia's mayor at the time of the I.W.W. Armistice Day affair. Dad was one of the soldiers in the parade, but details were never mentioned in front of us children. I was six years old when we came to Chehalis. Dad worked in Marr's Drug Store until the owner retired and some people thought that Dad was Mr. Marr. They were both rather short, baldheaded men. When Bob Garrison bought the store, Dad went right along with it, working until he retired at age 65. When I was young, I wanted to become a pharmacist like Dad, but he discouraged me. His hours were unlimited. He worked Sundays, evenings, and was on call for night-time prescriptions. We spent many Saturday evenings parked in front of the drug store watching people go by and listening to the Salvation Army Band playing on the corner of Boistfort and Market Streets. About five minutes before closing time, Dad would let me help drag in the magazine and picture, postcard racks that were outside and then he locked the door. We rented a house on 9th Street for a year or so, then moved to 10th Street where my grandfather, carpenter by trade, built our home. Grandfather taught carpentry in Centralia schools too. Ninth Street was paved and we roller skated down that hill, but 10th Street was graveled only to the alley by our house. The rest of the street was overgrown with wild rose bushes and briers - good places for hiding. Summer evenings we had fun playing long after dark such games as "Run, Sheep, Run" and "Washington Poke." Now I am 70 years old and remember those days more clearly than I can remember what I did last week. Aren't memories wonderful? By Florence Rogers Crumrine ROGERS FAMILY George Henry Rogers, Eleanor Brown Rogers and children came to southern Lewis County, Toledo-Cowlitz Bend area, about 1887 from Freeport, now the site of Longview, WA. I believe all the children were born at Freeport, also called Fowler's Slough. (photo): George Henry Rogers, 1912, next to front gate of Rogers' home. George was born in Portland, ME; Mrs. Rogers in Cleveland, OH. The Rogers Family had moved from Maine to Keokuck, IA, where George spent most of his growing up years. As a young man, he was in the Union Army. Later he was a wagon train master, bringing four groups of people to California. In California he became a gold miner, and then later a freighter, hauling supplies from Sonora, CA to Tonapah, NV. He married Eleanor and settled at Freeport before moving to the Toleda area. They spent their remaining life there, both passing on about 1916, and are buried in the Toledo Cemetery. There were six children: Ibe, Jane, Sarah, Mabel, William and Henry. Ibe passed on in his late twenties; Jane and Mabel never married. All have passed on and are buried in their home state. William married Mary E. Miekle of Cowlitz Bend. Their home was adjacent to the original Rogers farm. They lived their entire lives together in the home area. William was a farmer, and also worked at various jobs. He spent many years on local school boards, also as road supervisor, deputy county assessor, etc. William passed on in 1959. Mary E. spent her remaining years at Oregon City, OR. She passed on in 1973. There were two children, Ernest Harold and Mary Eleanor (Balsom). Sarah married Clarence Badger of Toledo, where they lived for some years before moving just north of Centralia. They had one child, Leah, who was born in Toledo. Henry married Alleta Webster of Vancouver, WA. He was in education, spending many years as school superintendent at Stevensen, WA. There were three children: Bob, Henry Jr. and Ann. The George Henry Rogers family carved a home out of the forest, so to speak. Besides felling, trees were bored through with an auger and burned down. The original house still stands and is about 100 years old. This house was probably pre-cut in Portland and shipped by river boat, either to Thomas Miekle dock or to Toledo, then by wagon to the site. Items of interest: George Henry brought his parents out from Iowa in their last years. Adam and Sarah were buried in Kelso in 1884. The Rogers' home and farm at Freeport is the site of Longview's Hotel Monticello. Fowler's Slough became Lake Sacajawea. The Rogers' presence in Lewis County and Washington is pretty well gone, consisting of Leah Badger Delaney and great-granddaughter, Robin Rogers, of Stevenson, WA. Also see: Meikle and Badger Families. By Ernest H. Rogers JAMES HOWARD AND DIXIE LEE ROGERSON Jim was born in Seattle, October 4, 1926 died June 3, 1984. Jim was the fourth son of Joseph and Pearl Bertha (Galster) Rogerson and the brother of Francis, Robert and Arthur. Dixie was the second daughter of Howard and Agnes Evelyn (Herriford) Thornsbury. Her mother later married Earl Dodds resulting in her maiden name, Dixie Dodds. She is the sister of Deloris Malnerich and Richard Dodds. Jim and Dixie met at Centralia High School and married October 2,1949. Jim was working on the railroad at the time and later went to work for West Coast Mills in Chehalis as a carpenter and Dixie was working for the telephone company. She also studied painting. They had four children. In 1954 they bought an undeveloped farm west of Galvin which consisted of 80 acres and out-buildings. It was purchased for $3,750 and the payments were $25.00 per month. Taxes were $35.00 per year. This was not as easy as it sounds because Jim's wage was $32.00 per week. Jim was continually working and building on the home and land. He turned the "undeveloped" into a lovely place to live and raise a family. Mrs. Rogerson still resides at the family home of 31 years, usually creating art work in the studio that her husband, Jim, built at the rear of the home. 311 Their children are: Mark Allen - Dec. 6, 1950; Timothy Dale- Feb. 20,1952; Joan LouiseAug. 5,1955 and Sandra Ellen- Nov. 7, 1956. Mark married Percy Ann Brush on March 1, 1975. They have three children: Colin Porter Jan. 16, 1978; Matthew Clemons-Jan. 9,1980 and Spencer James - Oct. 26, 1983. Mark is a timber faller and his family lives in Curtis, Washington. Tim married Sally Kay Gibson on Nov. 22, 1975. They have three children: Cory James - May 5, 1978; Christopher Lono June 24,1980 and Randi Suzanne - March 7, 1985. Tim is a timber faller; he and his family live in Chehalis. Joan works for the State of Washington and lives in Centralia sharing her life with her long-time friend, Darryl Christian, a schoolteacher. Sandra married Jerry Allen Nelson on Nov. 1980. She works for the State of Washington in Olympia and Jerry works in construction. They live in Centralia. WILLIAM A. ROOT FAMILY William A. Root came from Oxford, New York, and with his brother Fred M. Root, leased the Foster place on Claquaqua to Hill to raise milk producing holstein cattle. He also farmed the old Fred Young place across the road. My mother, Jessie Garvie, came from Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada, to Tacoma. She lived with the Reed family there while she completed her nursing training at Tacoma General Hospital on June 2, 1910. She came to Chehalis to live at the Dr. G.W. Kennicott home. She worked at the Kennicott Hospital as a registered nurse. Shortly after her arrival, my father had contracted a bad case of pneumonia and was brought, by stretcher, from the farm to the hospital where he met my mother. On September 14, 1912 they were married. I, Margaret Root, was born in March,1915. My father and Uncle Fred purchased the "Jake Williams" home on Newaukum River, continuing to raise the milk-producing cows and growing crops of grain. During World War I, my father put a lot of newly logged off acreage into a potato crop which netted well. Most of the farm was cleared by hand and a team of horses - no modern machinery. The Chehalis; Cowlitz, and Cascade Railway ran through our property. A daily load of logs came into Chehalis from the Mayfield area. My mother continued nursing, and, with Dr. Kennicott, delivered many local babies, including several to the nearby Hamilton families. Mother also raised turkeys to be sold and delivered at Thanksgiving. Later my family purchased the Ben Oechsli place, making a total farm of 180 acres. I attended the Union Grade School. My first teacher was Mrs. Scherer. I walked over a mile each day to school. I graduated in 1928 and attended the almost new R.E. Bennett School as a ninth grader. As a sophomore I went to the old Chehalis High School on the hill above Market Street. My father died when I was seven, so in 1930, after many years of hard work, my mother and Uncle Fred found it necessary to sell the farm. They purchased a small place in Centralia to raise chickens, sell eggs, and garden. Mother was still a dedicated nurse. Much against my will, I transferred to Centralia High, graduating in 1932. I attended Centralia College for two years, then went to Centralia Business College. My only employment was at Centralia City Hall in the Light and Water Department where I worked for eight years and enjoyed the job. In February 1944 I was married to Ludwig Schwartz at St. Joseph's Church in Chehalis. We had four children, Larry, Linda, Mary Lou, and Thomas. All these children attended St. Mary's School, Centralia High, and Centralia College. During the years the children were growing up I was active in 4-H, school transportation driver, Parent- Teacher group, and Girl Scouts. I have always been interested in community affairs, especially with young people. My husband, in his spare time, (he was a self employed truck driver) built our home, and we moved in November 1965. In September 1966 he died. Larry and his family now live in the house. I am active in Green Thumb Garden Club, Lewis County Garden Club. I play bridge, belong to St. Martha Circle of St. Mary's Church, and T.O.P.S. Club. I am proud to be a grandmother of four and to be a native of Lewis County. By Margaret Root Schwartz ROSAMOND ROSE Rosamond Rose was born Rosamond Weston Eddy in Santa Barbara, California in 1902. She lived there until she was in her twenties. At that time she took a job with a publishing company in San Francisco where she worked for several years. There she met and married Eugene J. Rose. (photo): Entrance to Rose Park, named for Rosamond Rose. Roses at park entrance were a gift from Thelma Jones, shown in picture. They moved to Washington and bought the farm on the Penning Road west of Adna in 1949. Gene raised chickens there and Rozzie worked as a secretary in town. She worked in advertising for KELA, then in the Darigold office. Her longest employment was with Crossarm. Eugene J. Rose died in 1961, and Rosamond returned to Santa Barbara after his death. Gene had often said how the farm would be such a lovely place for rural children to play, and had a dream of it becoming a beautiful park. Rosamond made his dream come true by giving, free and clear, this beautiful piece of property to Lewis County for what we now know as ROSE PARK! Rosamond died in December of 1983. After her death, her sister Betty Tracy of Costa Mesa, Ca. discovered a beautiful collection of poetry Rosamond had written over the years. It seems fitting to share them with the people she loved so much that she would make Lewis County this fabulous gift. One person I heard say: "She seemed to spread happiness wherever she went." And she certainly did. ROSE PARK Yesterday I spent some time In a clearing on Rose Hill. The slopes were daisy spangled green The golden daffodil Sent forth her sunny greeting. The scent of lilacs filled the air And for one mystic moment I felt your presence there. The trees that bloomed, I watched you plant. The orchard in its making Was mine all mine, your generous gift All mine for just the taking. Others soon will find their way To this lovely, peaceful place. I wish, like me, that they might see Your kind and smiling face. Thelma Evelyn Jones Written (for Rosamond Eddy Rose who gave Rose Park to Lewis County to enjoy) May 1973. JOHN PHILIP (PHIL) ROSENGREN FAMILY The history of the Rosengren family in Lewis County began in 1892 when John J. Rosengren, a recent Swedish immigrant purchased forty acres of land just east of what is now Mayfield Lake. He ran a logging operation in Lewis County, running log rafts down the Chehalis River to Hoquiam. The lure of other ventures took him away from Lewis County after a few years, and the family did not reappear as residents of the county until 1953, when his son, John Philip (Phil) Rosengren, moved to a farm on Cook's Hill, a mile from Galvin, with his wife, Florence J., his four daughters, Patricia, Joanne, Linda and Judy, and his mother, Anna Rosengren. (photo): John Philip and Florence Rosengren The farming got under way with a commercial pansy business which produced the world's largest pansy blossoms thanks to the enrichment of the pansy patch with the contents of the "gold mine" out behind the barn. Within a few years chickens and strawberries became the primary 312 (photo): L to R: Joanne (Rosengren) Sorensen, Linda (Rosengren) Ganey, Judy (Rosengren) Munster, Patricia (Rosengren) Shepardson. function of the farm, with people coming from far reaches of the area to "bucket pick" the very large and very sweet Marshall strawberries. The chickens produced the first paying jobs for the Rosengren girls; a penny for every dozen eggs cleaned, with a penny deducted for every egg broken. In addition to the work on the farm, Florence worked at the Sears store in Chehalis from 1956-1963, and Phil commuted to the Mt. Rainier Ordinance Depot near Tacoma until it was closed in 1961. After that he worked for a short time at the Centralia Post Office before moving his family to Pierce County in 1963. After retirement, Phil and Florence returned to Centralia in 1976, where Florence passed away six and one-half years later. Patricia was graduated from Centralia High School, Centralia Community College (valedictorian) and the University of Washington where she earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees. She was married to Harlan P. Shepardson of Toledo and has lived in Texas, Massachusetts, and Maine with her husband and three children, Rebecca, Nathan, and Peter. Joanne was graduated from Centralia High School (salutatorian) and attended Centralia Community College and the University of Washington where she earned her Bachelor's degree. She lives in Puyallup with her husband Dale Sorensen, a Pierce County native and University of Washington graduate. Linda and Judy moved with their parents to Pierce County and were graduated from Franklin Pierce High School. Both attended community colleges before marrying and moving to Pullman where their. husbands were graduated from Washington State University. Linda lived in Lewis County 1975-80 with her husband Russ Ganey and their three children, Kevin, Sean, and Michael. Russ practiced veterinary medicine in the areas surrounding Toledo and Chehalis, until the family moved to New York State. Judy, a resident of Portland, is a frequent visitor to Centralia with her husband, Dennis Munster, originally from Hartley, Iowa, her two daughters, Stephanie and Christina, and her son, Benjamin Rosengren Munster. By Joanne Sorensen ALBERT AND NELLIE COX ROUNDTREE Rrring, rrring, rrring, r r ring. It was before six in the morning and daylight. The big old telephone on the wall was announcing that Grandma Roundtree was up. Four long rings, - 620 was our party line number. (photo): Albert and Nellie Roundtree Mom called, "Tuffie are you awake? Muggins, go upstairs and get Tuffie up. Grandma wants you to go find Bossie. She didn't come up to the barn. Nila! Don't let Muggins get in bed with you!" It was too late. Muggins, a part fox and bull terrier was very quick so she and Nila snuggled for a minute before they had to get out and dash through the dewy grass and across the gravel bar and footbridge over the river to find Bossie and drive her up to her grandparent's barn. Nila was the third daughter of Bert and Nell Roundtree and since she wasn't the boy they had hoped for, a nickname of Tuffie and tomboy antics had to suffice. Albert (Bert) was the youngest child of Patrick and Minerva Cooper Roundtree who came to Washington and Oregon territories in 1859 and 1852. In 1869 they bought property in Boistfort area where Stillman Creek ran into the south fork of the Chehalis River. As their family grew they divided this into farms for them. So Nila grew up among aunts, uncles and lots of cousins. Her mother Nellie, born in Missouri, was the second child of Sterling and Anna Brown Cox who came to Lewis County in 1908. Sterling was a house builder and an elder in the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints. Bert and Nell were married in November 1908. They met in September when they were both working in the hop yard. Bert had been building a house on property at Half-way Creek and was really smitten with the beautiful Nellie who came from Centralia with friends to pick hops. He had a pair of matched horses and a new buggy. A girl who had always lived in town had a lot to learn about living on a farm but Nellie was determined and was soon helping with whatever needed doing. Bert's and Nell's oldest child was Thora, who married John Norman and had Nelda and Edward. She married Clifton Challender and Patrick and Fredrick (Mickey) were born. After Cliff was killed in a logging accident she married Allen Slack who had three daughters. She had always lived in Lewis County. Iola, their second child, married Erskin Allebaugh. Their two sons were Danny and Dale. They lived on a farm at Half-way Creek and in Pe Ell. Erskin died in 1973, Iola in 1980, and Dale in 1982. Nila married Paul Creech, then Vernon Carlson. Their children are Vernon Kent and Cheryl. They lived in northern Idaho, Detroit, Cleveland and Spokane before moving back to Lewis County in 1967. In 1915 Bert and Nell moved to the farm at Klaber and lived in what would become the woodshed while building the house. They did a lot of clearing but had only forty acres so it meant trying to make a living with a few cows, chickens or rabbits and mink. He worked as fire warden a few years. Bert was also raising crops and pasturing young stock on a farm at the foot of BawFaw Peak. It meant a lot of chores for the whole family. One morning when Bert was on his way to this farm he planned to go by the store first, so Nell telephoned Bessie Rhodes, who lived near the farm to see if she needed anything from the store. Bessie's husband, Ed, was away on a timber cruising job. She didn't need anything so Bert went on his way while Nell and Bessie visited. The conversation was interrupted by a scream as the first of the five Rhodes children was fatally stricken. Bert and Nell arrived at their house in time to try to save the older ones. It was Bessie's birthday and she and the children all had colds and felt miserable so she fixed each of them a "dose of epsom salts," a laxative commonly used when "feeling poorly." Strychnine was found in the salts and it was only Nell's telephone call that prevented Bessie from drinking hers. The aftermath was really dreadful for everyone. Ed and Bessie came to Bert's and Nell's house to stay and they befriended them through their ordeal. After Ed went back to work, six year old Tuffie shared her room with Bessie and tried in her way to console Bessie. It was never discovered how the strychnine got into the epsom salts. Nell was a very energetic and capable person. She was good at sewing and earned extra money during the depression years by sewing for many of the "hard to fit" ladies in Chehalis. She made all of her daughters' clothes and part of Bert's. She spent a lot of time and effort helping her neighbors and relatives in times of illness or death. When one of the larger threshing machine owners passed him up for a larger job, Bert bought a small thresher and went to the small and inconvenient locations to help the neighbors. Tuff went along to jig sacks or mow straw. She enjoyed being part of the crew, especially eating the big dinner the farmer's wife provided. Weyerhauser Company leased some of their holdings to a gypo logger who didn't pay his workers. Bert saw to it that his neighbors got their money before he would let Weyerhauser have a right-of-way through his property at the foot of Baw Faw Peak. It was Tuff who wrote the letters. Bert and Nell moved to Centralia in 1948 and lived on Harrison Avenue where Security State Bank is now located, then moved to Chehalis where Bert died in 1971 and Nell in 1978. BEN AND CATHERINE ROUNDTREE I am (Mary) Catherine Roundtree, third daughter of James and Naoma Roach. They were married 7 December 1898, Ellensburg, Washington. I was born there May, 1903. Both parents had sisters, Mary and Catherine, who were my namesakes. Loving the outdoors, I learned to milk cows and garden, and was father's "boy." The family came to Curtis, and the A.J .S. Watson farm, in 1910. The Klaber Valley hop industry was in its heyday. Later mother and I hoped to seek fortunes. She was no novice, but a spirited buggy horse did tax her skills. Once in 313 (photo): Ben and Catherine Roundtree with 1st grandchild, Patty Jean. the field, we were picking hops like berries, when a kindly yard boss explained the procedure. Starting home at day's end, dog tired, and with little money to show, we faced yet another ordeal. Looming ahead was the bane of country roadsan automobile! The fractious filly reared and plunged then finally bolted and ran, luckily headed toward home. At the time I was unaware that my future husband had long been associated with the hop business. Years earlier, at age nine, young Benny Roundtree guarded two open gates during the picking season. There was no herd law and livestock sometimes grazed along county roads. He was paid fifty cents a day to keep stray animals out of the field. Benjamin Franklin Roundtree was born on May 25,1900 at Klaber, Lewis County, Washington. His father, John Alfred, was the son of pioneers, Patrick Henry and Minerva Cooper Roundtree. John Roundtree born in 1866 in Independence, Oregon; married the fall of 1889, in Klaber Valley, to Sylvia Emma Cook. She was born in 1871 in Iowa. Ben and I met at a dance held in the old hall in Lost Valley. We were married on February 2, 1921 in Centralia. For a few months we lived at Sunnyside, Washington. Then returned to Klaber where we resided until 1953. Here we raised our two children. Robert Reed "Bob" Roundtree married Mae Duncan, daughter of Austin Duncan and Hazel Roundtree. Their children: Patty Jean Hoppe, David, Robert and Lee. "Bob" served in the Air Corps in World War II. He resides in Sacramento, Calif. (Virginia) Maxine has one daughter, Kathie Ann Marker. Maxine married Monte Richards. They live in Everett, Washington, where their daughter and family also reside. Ben was employed by the Klaber Hop Company until 1934 when he went to work for the Boistfort School System as bus driver and maintenance man. In 1944 he was field man for Kelly Farquehar Frozen Foods, and in 1953 we moved to Lynden, Washington, where he was associated with the same company. He retired in 1965. I worked in the Boistfort Store in the early forties. Later in the Boistfort School lunch program. I enjoyed helping in the little Valley Church and was active in the Baw Faw Grange. We now live in Marysville, Washington. Most years we manage to return to Boistfort for the Roundtree family reunion on Labor Day. In 1981 our children hosted a party celebrating our Golden Wedding Anniversary. This was held in our much-loved "Boistfort Valley." JOHN F. (FURG) ROUNDTREE My name is John F. (Furg) Roundtree. I was born in the Boistfort Valley, the 8th child of John A. and Emma (Cook) Roundtree, in 1907, a 5th generation direct descendant of Turner R. Roundtree, one of the original homesteaders of Boistfort Valley. I had 5 brothers: Henry, AI, Ben, Ed, Elmer (Mart) 4 sisters - Lucy McKenzie, Olive McKenzie (they married brothers), Dora Erickson, and Ethel (Conway-Tiechurst) Anderson. >From age 8 until about 20 years, I worked in the Klaber hop yard, starting as a water boy for the crew, making 50 cents a day. When I was 17, I asked my father to let me quit school to play semi-pro baseball in the timber league. He refused my request, which was good, because the team folded 2 years later. In 1927, my family and I moved to Port Angeles where I cut fire wood and pulp for groceries thru the depression. I then moved to Toledo, Oregon and worked in a barrel stave mill for a couple of years before moving back to the Boistfort Valley. I went to work for Weyerhauser as a construction surveyor, where I helped layout most of the grades for the road network around Baw Faw Peak. In 1938 I married Margaret McCord who later gave birth to my four sons - Dick, Bill, Jim and Pat. During the 1940 Baw Faw fire, I put in over 400 hours on the fire lines during the single month of July. I left Weyerhauser in 1946 and bought the Klaber Store, which I operated for a couple of years before returning to the woods as a gyppo logger. In 1952, I bought the Boistfort Store which I owned for 20 years. In the 1950s I helped establish the Little League program and remained with that organization until the mid '60s. After a series of dry years, which resulted in bad wells and a water shortage, I helped organize and plan the creation of the Boistfort Valley Water Corporation. After a four year struggle our efforts bore fruit and in 1968 we sold the first hookups. I operated this water system until 1978 and saw this Corporation expand to include, not only the Boistfort Valley, but also Curtis Hill, Adna, Littel and Claquato. Since retiring in 1978, I have been fishing the lakes and streams of the area and prospecting for gold and copper in California or picking mushrooms. During my years in the Boistfort Valley, I witnessed the consolidation of the Boistfort School system from 10 scattered one room schools into one centralized location. By the time I graduated, in 1925, the district had already had three major consolidations. Later two more consolidations took place and, from 1933, the district remained the same until the high school was closed in 1977, sending those students to Chehalis. Other consolidations were attempted with Adna and PeEll in 1957 and only with Adna in 1974. Both attempts were voted down. VERN ORVILLE AND MARY CATHERINE (KAYS) ROUNDTREE Vern Orville Roundtree is the son of Bernice Sweany and Orville Wilson Roundtree, born May 10, 1929 Centralia, Washington. As a young man, Vern was an avid hunter. fisherman and greatly enjoyed the hills and woods of Lewis County from Chehalis to Ryderwood to Centralia. He was active in Boy Scouts and all school activities. Vern graduated from Chehalis High School in 1947, attended Centralia Jr. College, University of Washington, spent four years in the U.S. Navy, and worked as Air Traffic Controller and Computer Specialist/ Analyst for the U.S. Government for 32 years. His work included positions in San Diego, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Atlantic City, Seattle, San Juan Puerto Rico, Sa 6 Jose'dos Campos Brazil, and Auburn before retirement May 1984. Immediately, he was reemployed by The Sperry Corporation in Minneapolis, Minnesota as Staff Engineer on new computer systems for air traffic control. September 6, 1953 at the Chehalis Methodist Church, he married Mary Catherine Kays, daughter of Florence Elizabeth Lock and Audie Ray Kays. Mary was born August 29, 1935 in Centralia, Oklahoma. Mary and Vern have five sons: Michael Vern, December 24, 1954 in Chehalis, W A; Ronald Orville, September 3, 1956 in Chehalis, W A; Brian Curtis, August 8, 1959 in Centralia, W A; Daniel Wilson, September 30, 1961 in Atlantic City, N.J.; GlenAlen, July 31,1963 in Centralia, WA. Vern and Mary were very active in community activities and with their sons in skiing, hang gliding, boating, swimming and many outdoor activities. All the boys participated in school football, baseball, wrestling, track, etc. Mom and/or Dad never missed an event the boys were in. Brian won Second Place in the 1975 Canadian National Hang Gliding Championships. Glen was selected to the 1980 Puerto Rican Olympic Wrestling Team. Vern was President of the United States Hang Gliding Association in 1976-1977 and was instrumental in bringing hang gliding to Dog Mountain in Eastern Lewis County. He was Captain of the 1976 United States Hang Gliding Team to the World Championship in Kosen, Austria, and his picture has been displayed in the Aviation section of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. for many years. Mary graduated from Morton High School in 1953, attended Centralia Jr. College and Green River Community College. In addition to a full house schedule, she worked occasionally as fashion model and taught modeling at Green River Community College. Mary was selected 1967 Mrs. Washington and 1968 was singer/dancer in a USO show that toured Japan and Korea for five weeks. Michael, 1978 Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineer graduate from University of Washington, flew as airline pilot for three years, now works for the F.A.A. June 26, 1976 he married Vickie Louise Smith in Kent, WA. They have son Jasen Michael born June 13,1983 and expect another child June 1985. Ronald attended Green River Community College, now is a contractor building houses and commercial buildings in the Auburn, W A area. He married Terry Jay Torgerson June 28, 1980 in Kent, W A. They have two children: Aaron Jay - December 20, 1982 and Kiley Catherine April 16, 1984. Brian attended the University of Southern California, specializing in high-tech plastics and computers. He is a consultant to the major aircraft manufacturers on aircraft plastics and CAD/CAM design. July 18, 1981 in Reno, Nevada, Brian married Laurel Elizabeth Harvey. They reside Wichita, Kansas. 314 Vem Roundtree Family Thanksgiving 1983. Dani, Brian, Glen, Vicki holding Jason, Michael. Back Row: Vern, Laurel, Mary holding Aaron, Terry, Ronald. Dan graduated from high school in Puerto Rico, then returned to the USA to work for Lear Fan in Reno building airplanes. He now lives in Auburn, WA, supervising construction of aircraft parts at the Heath Techna Company in Kent. Glen graduated from high school in Puerto Rico, attended Green River Community College, and is now studying Computer Science at the Control Data Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota. WILLIAM H. ROUNDTREE My name is William H. (Bill) Roundtree. I represent the baby boom of WWII by being born the second of John F. and Margaret M. (McCord) Roundtree in 1942. I'm a sixth generation, direct descendant of Turner R. Roundtree, one of the original homesteaders of the Boistfort Valley in 1853. I have three brothers, Richard J. (Dick), James E. (Jim) and Patrick H. (Pat.) I was born in Chehalis but spent my first 22 years living in the Boistfort Valley, where I graduated from high school and later Centralia College. After college, I joined the Army Intelligence Corps and spent the next 3 years stationed in California, Maryland, Texas, Hawaii and Vietnam. After discharge, I was recruited and went to work for the Central Intelligence Agency. Besides Washington, DC, I had foreign assignments in the Far East, Caribbean and Europe. During this time, I had the opportunity to visit more than 60 foreign countries and all the continents of the world. I resigned from the Agency in 1979 and worked a short time for my brother Jim before purchasing the Boistfort Store where I now live and work as a second generation owner. As a youth I remember living in 6 different locations in the Boistfort Valley, all of which seem to include a lot of caring, feeding and shoveling for various farm animals. I wish I had a dollar for every hay bail I bucked. In all those years around farms, I don't believe I milked more than 1 dozen cows. I could always find something else to do at milking time. I thus avoided those slaps from dirty tails or well aimed kicks endured by my dad, brothers or others. I did accumulate my share of scars that were inflicted by myself, an animal or one of my brothers. >From about age 12, until I joined the Army, I hired myself out to most of the major farms in the valley planting, harvesting, repairing, etc. Usually the hours were long and the pay was minimum. I remember picking strawberries and cucumbers one summer, just to buy my first bicycle. In the nearly 20 years I was away from the Boistfort Valley, the major differences I found upon my return were the diversified employment and transitory nature of many current residents and the increased size of the dairy farms. As I remember the late 40's, 50's and early 60's, the valley population remained rather stable and most people were working in the timber industry, farming or both. Of the 16 graduates in my class of 1960, 12 of us went all thru school together. I once stated, at a class reunion, that I found the world is a whole lot bigger than the Boistfort Valley but not necessarily better. ROWSWELL In 1872, after a long and hazardous voyage across the Atlantic ocean, Edward Rowswell arrived at Ellis Island. He and his wife, Louisa (Gummer), had brought their daughter, Edith, and son, Frank, from England. He received his (photo): Roswell Family naturalization papers (we have the original) in 1872, and they all became citizens of the United States. For a short time, Edward worked in the iron mi1ls in Chicago. The second son, Thomas Mark, was born while the family lived there with relatives. Before long, Edward invested in land near New Lenox, Illinois, and began his life-long occupation of being a farmer. The family grew to become five boys and two girls. They attended the country schools, as well as working on the farm. The tales of free land and big crops in northern Iowa tempted Edward, so in 1887 they moved again. John Burkitt, a neighbor who was also from England, and his family went with them. After two years of crop failure caused by storms and lack of rain, the families decided to move "West" again. This time it was to Washington state in 1890 where the weather was reported to be similar to that in England. The Copping and Hebert Wyllis families accompanied them. This journey is a story in itself. The women and young children came in a railroad coach car that was as basic and homelike as possible. Only members of the four families were occupants of the car. Cooking was done on a coal-burning stove. Even a religious service was held on Sunday. The men and big boys came in a box car with the farm animals and equipment. They lived as best they could. The Wyllis family went to Puyallup and opened a blacksmith shop. The Coppings stopped in Centralia and operated a creamery making butter and cheese. The Burkitts bought land on Seminary Hi1l (which is now the Elk's Golf Course) and established a small dairy and farm; John lived there until his death. The Rowswells went to Fox Island but soon returned to Centralia, staying but a short time. Because of Louisa's health, most of the family went back to Illinois. The two older boys, Frank and Tom, stayed in Centralia and were employed in the local lumber mi1ls. Arthur E. Rowswell (1875-1958) and his wife, Susan (Croushorn), returned to Centralia in 1923 and made their home at 407 South King Street. He was an auctioneer but later became a deputy sheriff of Lewis County. They had two children, George Ervin, living in Lacey and retired from the athletic dept. of North Thurston schools, and Mary Louise (Martin), living in Albuquerque, N.M. and retired from the music department of public schools. Frank Rowswell (1869-1930) and his wife, Edith (Parder), lived at 612 Center Street. He was in the Centralia Fire Department for many years. They had two daughters, Ella (Ames), deceased and Edna (Stoy), deceased. Thomas M. Rowswell (1872-1949) and his wife, Florence (Burkitt), lived their entire married life (54 years) at 412 South King Street. Tom was a partner in "Sears and Rowswell", and was active in many civic affairs. He was a member of Woodmen of the World, a B.P.O.E., as well as a trustee in the First Baptist Church. Although Tom did not live on a farm, he was a farmer at heart. At one time on the acreage he owned east of Seminary Hill, he had a large strawberry patch and a small herd of beef cattle. In his back yard he often had a cow, a horse and buggy, and chickens. His vegetable garden was weed free. There were a half-dozen fruit trees. An apple tree he planted 'over 90 years ago still lives. After his retirement, he was mayor of Centralia and president of West Coast Savings and Loan. All of the Rowswells were devoted supporters of the First Baptist Church. 315 Tom and Florence had four children: Aletta Louisa (1898-1982) (Sutherland); Ralph Edward (1900-1904); Geneva Etta (1905) (Baker) of Yuma, Arizona; and Mary Lucile (1907) (Sevanson) living at 716 West Walnut Street. She was Pioneer Citizen of the Year in 1983. There are many descendants of Edward and Louisa throughout the United States, but, since in the later generations there are many more girls than boys, not many have the surname of Rowswell. By Geneva (Rowswell) Baker ANTON RUETHER FAMILY Anton Ruether was born March II, 1867 in Hirschberg, West Falia, Germany. He came to the United States when he was a teenager. They settled in Wisconsin. He married Frances Leuthe. She was of German descent and was born in Minnesota in 1871. They were married at the Clayfield Catholic Church in 1893. They had five children; Charles was born in 1894, Bernard in 1896, Mary Josephine in 1897, and Cecilia in 1902, all born in Wisconsin. Anton played the cornet and was band master for many years. Some of his brothers played with him in the band. Josephine remembers when her dad hauled wood across the Mississippi River on the ice with his team of horses. They read an ad in a paper about wanting people to come west and live in a Catholic German settlement at St. Urban outside of Winlock. They sold a lot of their belongings and headed west on the train. When they arrived in Winlock on March 11, 1904 there was snow on the ground. They found out the man they had contacted had died. They lived for a time in an old house along Sturza Creek. Later they bought their farm from the Meier family. On December 5, 1907 their fifth and last child Agnes was born. Anton farmed and worked in the logging industry. Again he formed a band. They played for community affairs, helping to raise money to build the St. Urban grange hall. He also helped to build the Catholic Church. Anton and his brother Albert also played with the Chehalis band. He lost his sight because of an operation on his eyes. He was blind from the time he was in his sixties. Frances Ruether died in 1946. Anton continued to live alone and got along very well with the help of his family. He learned to read with the Moon Method for the blind, which was on the order of Braille. He chopped his own wood and helped his son on the farm. He loved his radio, but hated the commercials. He died in 1956 at the age of 89. Their children all married and lived in St. Urban except Cecilia who lived in Portland. Charles married Agatha Larmon. They had 2 children, Florence and Arthur. Bernard married Rose Limmer. They had 4 children, Rosetta, twins Donald and Edward (Edward died at birth) and Patricia. Josephine married Lawrence Bremgartner. They had 3 children; Lucille, Agnes and Richard. Cecilia married Neil Bowman. They had 3 children; Neil Jr., Robert and Barbara. Agnes married Joseph E. Waller. They had 2 children, Elizabeth and Robert. Agnes and Josephine are still living in St.Urban. ERIC B. SANDALL FAMILY Eric Bradford Sandall, born April 6, 1947, was Seattle born and raised. He was the second (photo): Grandpa Ruether's House, Charlie Ruether, Grandpa and Celia, Grandma and Agnes, Uncle Albert Ruether, Mom (Josephine), Aunt Lizzie Ruether, Uncle Ben Ruether (photo): Eric, Janet, Andy, Randy Sandall child born of Swedish and English parents. He attended Seattle area schools and graduated from West Seattle High in 1965. He met Janet, his wife, at the end of her senior year at Mt. Rainier High. Janet Rae Vandervelden was born August 22, 1949 in Hillsboro, Oregon, and moved with her family-to the Seattle area in the third grade. She is from a family of four children and is of Swiss and Dutch descent. They were married April 26, 1968 in Des Moines, Washington and lived in West Seattle for the next seven years. Janet worked as a secretary in various fields (real estate, insurance, boating) for the next few years and then "retired" as a homemaker. After working as a salesman for several years, Eric became self-employed by fixing and renting residential homes. While visiting Eric's sister, the couple fell in love with, and bought, a home in Chehalis. All in the same day! The couple lived in a small home in downtown Chehalis and purchased 40 acres on Newaukum Hill, planning to build soon. Their first son, Aric Andrew, "Andy" for short, was born July 15, 1975 in Olympia just three weeks after the move from Seattle. All did not proceed as planned. Within six months, they felt they had made a wrong move and went back to Seattle. There Eric continued building their rental business, and a second son, Randy Joseph, was born on July 26, 1978. The dream of living in the country was still alive, so after three years of stabilizing the rentals, they accomplished the long-awaited goal. The forty acres had been kept all these years. In the summer of 1981, Eric, leaving the family in Seattle, came to Chehalis and began the long and hard task of logging and clearing the land. The property also needed water, fencing, roads, etc. Janet and the two boys came down in the fall and the family spent three more months living in a travel trailer before moving in. The task of land-clearing, finishing a home, etc. seemed to be never-ending, but the second move to Chehalis was not regretted. Andy started first grade at Adna School in 1982 and Randy began kindergarten in 1984. Both boys are sports oriented and have participated in both Adna and Chehalis activities. They definitely enjoy being "country kids." Eric has continued improving the land, handling the Seattle rentals, and, in 1985, added five more rentals in Longview. Janet is still a homemaker and is active in volunteer work in Adna.