The History of Lewis County, Washington, Pt 10 of 10: PAGES 357 - 394 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 10 of 10: PAGES 357 - 394 BARBARA J. TAYLOR FAMILY Barbara Jane Taylor was less than five feet tall and spoke no English, but she carved a homestead from a timbered hillside just north of Forest and raised a family of eight by herself. (photo): L to R: Anna's daughter, Emma and Emma's daughter, Anna Taylor Hoke, Barbara J. Barbara and her husband, John, were immigrants from Bohemia. They first settled in Stillvine, Iowa where they operated a mercantile store. During this period they anglicized their name and John served as a Union soldier in the Civil War. In the early 1880's John decided to move the family to the Washington Territory, but first made a trip there by himself to find a business he could buy. He stayed with Bohemian friends at Napavine. Then, not having found a suitable business, he headed back toward his family wearing a money belt that contained $10,000. He was never seen again. Barbara and the children came west to search for him. They, too, stayed with Bohemian friends in Napavine and were able to trace John as far as Portland, Oregon, a seaport with an ugly history of shanghaiing and murder. Finally, nearly penniless, and convinced that further searching was futile, Barbara Taylor took out a homestead claim on a hillside above the Newaukum river about a mile north of Forest. With the help of friends and the older boys, she managed to build a house and outbuildings and to clear some land. The boys killed game for meat and those who (photo): Jobn Taylor, Louis Taylor, Antoine Taylor, Bat Duffany, Jobn Young, c. 1905. were old enough worked out for room and board. Whatever small amounts of monies earned went into the family fund. While most of the meager living came from the land, some things still had to be bought and Barbara, who weighed 90 pounds, would walk to Napavine and carry home a sack of flour or sugar on her back. In later years the financial burden was somewhat eased by a Civil War widow's pension. Although she received her citizenship papers, Barbara never spoke English and Bohemian was always used in the home. The eight Taylor children and the dates of their births were: Joseph W., October 27, 1864; Anna (Hoke), March 9,1867; John, October 11, 1869; Louis G., January 11, 1871; Antoine, May 10,1874; Regina (Phillips), September 7,1876; Wentzel, June 22, 1879; Charlie, February 5, 1882. The girls married and Anna Taylor Hoke lived most of her life in Seattle, while Regina Phillips was only 30 when she died in 1906 leaving a young family. Of the boys, only the eldest, Joe, went very far from home. He spent his life in Portland, Oregon. In 1900 Louis married Dorothy Jane (Dora) .Roney who had been born and raised in the Newaukum valley. They lived in Napavine for several years, but moved back to the Taylor homestead when Barbara decided to divide the land among her five sons living with or near her. To Louis and Dora she gave the original house and 80 acres. . . with the stipulation that she, John and Charlie live with them for life. To Antoine and his wife, Annie, she gave the back 80 acres, and Wentzel lived with them. John and Wentzel never married but lived with their brothers' families until they died. Barbara continued to live with Lou and Dora until she passed away at the age of 94. Charlie, a logger, remained a bachelor (also living with Lou's family) until he was 40 when he married Agnes Stueber. They had two children: Florence and Charlotte. Antoine sold his property in the 1940's and moved to a location on Logan Hill road. In the 1960's they moved to Centralia and were there until they died. Both were in their 90's. Lou continued to operate his farm until his death in 1951 at the age of 80. Dora then sold the farm and moved into Centralia where she resided until her death in 1961. Antoine and Annie were childless but Lou and Dora had three children: John Orval born February 1906; Floyd A. April 3, 1912 and Geneva, January 5,1914. Orval died a bachelor in 1964. Floyd married Donna Tisdale Forsberg in 1951. Their children were Michaelle and Thomas E. Floyd passed away in 1981. Geneva married Elmore Sargent in 1930. They had four children: Roger, Donna, Dianne and Janette. The Sargents moved to California in the 1930's and now reside in Sacramento. The house that now stands on the old Taylor farm was Barbara's second home. It was built around the turn of the century and cost almost $500. The original house was destroyed by fire. Now her descendants are widely scattered but for almost 70 years the homestead that the tiny Bohemian woman wrested from a wooded wilderness was heart and home for three generations of Taylors. By Donna Taylor ONE TAYLOR, NATIVE OF LEWIS COUNTY Travis Lloyd Buchanan Taylor, born April 13, 1982, Morton General Hospital, Lewis County, Washington. Residence, Cinebar, Washington. (photo): Amanda, 7/3/79, Travis, 4/13/82 You are the only member of your family to have been born in Lewis County. Your families, however, have lived in and around the county for 357 many years. Your maternal great-grandfather, Frank Leroy Bretthauer, owned and operated a jewelry store, across from what is now the old Safeway store, North Tower Avenue, Centralia, Washington. From this store, your grandfather, Lloyd Arnol Bretthauer, for whom you were named, sold one-inch square art gum erasers to secure the needed ten cents to go to the show. The depression of the nineteen thirties sent your great-grandfather elsewhere and Lloyd grew up in Thurston County, Washington from where he entered the United States Air Force in 1941 and served in the European Theatre during World War II. Returning to Thurston County, he married your grandmother, Sedate Evey Bretthauer, whose family in Thurston County, dated back to 1895. They lived south of Tumwater where your Uncle Bret, Aunt Llois, your Mother, Loraine, and Aunt Meri were born. As retirement neared, your grandfather purchased the farm in Cinebar, Washington where your mother Loraine married your father Donald Ray Taylor. They set up housekeeping in Thurston County where your sister Amanda Rae Taylor was born and then moved to Cinebar, where you were born, the only member of your family to have been born in Lewis County, Washington. Travis, wherever you go, whatever fame you acquire, you will always list your place of birth, Lewis County, Washington. Go for it. ANDREW TAUSCHER FAMILY In 1884 Leo Taucsher Sr. and his wife, Mary, left Munich, Germany. Traveling with them were forty members of their family. They stopped over in Bucavina, Austria where Mary gave birth to her first child, Lucy. They remained in Austria for about a year. The family arrived in New York in 1886 where some members of the family settled. Others went into Canada and south to Argentina. The remaining families started west. On arriving in Missouri, Mary gave birth to her first son, Leo, Jr. Some members stayed in Kansas and the rest continued west to Chehalis, which was then in Washington Territory. They arrived in Chehalis in 1887. Part of the family settled in Chehalis and others took up homesteads in the surrounding area. Leo Sr. and Mary settled on Logan Hill, about one-half mile from what is now the Logan Hill Grange. While their 8 children were growing up, the grange was the Logan Hill School. Leo Tauscher Sr. and family were members of Sacred Heart Catholic church, which was on St. Helens Avenue, and charter members of St. Joseph's church, which was renamed when it moved to 6th street in Chehalis, where it is still located. Many members of the family has attended St. Joseph's School, including many of Leo Sr.'s grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Leo Sr.'s sons, Leo Jr. and Andrew, took over the homestead of their uncle Steve Tauscher, when he died in 1909 on the North Fork of the Newaukum River. During World War I, Andrew was drafted and served at Camp Lewis and later Forks, Wa., in the Spruce Division, where they were logging spruce for the U.S. Army Air Force. In 1921, Andrew met and married Josie Stevens, who had just arrived from Rawlins, Wyo. to live with her sister and brother-in-law Myrtle and Ben Snyder, who lived 3 miles up the valley. Their farm was located a mile above the Agate School which was where the CentraliaAlpha Road crosses the North Fork Road. In 1922, Andrew and Josie built a new home on the north side of the North Fork which is still occupied by their daughter, Barbara and her husband Noel Cole. Andrew and Josie had three daughters; Helen Tauscher Emerson, who married John Emerson of the Logan Hill area and now live in Morton, and have four children, Michael, of Morton, who married Patricia Sparkman of Morton, and have 2 children, Amy and Angela; Patrick, of Morton who married Donna Walker of Morton, and has 2 children, Kraig and Erin; Teresa Knodel, who has two boys, John and Ryan and Kimberly Lipe, who married David Lipe of Seattle, and have two children, Nichole and Meredith; and Barbara Tauscher Cole, who married Noel Cole of St. Louis, Mo. and has four children, Steven, of Olympia; Gregory who married Mary Haver of Chehalis and has two children, Damon, 10 and Marrissa, 6, of Eugene, .Ore.; and Jeffrey of Suquamish, Wa., and Michele Mitchell who has one daughter, Samantha, and lives in Centralia; and Kathleen Hogan, who married Chet Hogan, and had children Judith Carroll, who married Jim Carroll of Hammond, Ind., and has 2 children, Jim, Jr. and Amanda and live in Green Bay, Wis., and Jim Martin who married Angel Waldrop of Chehalis, and has two children, Jennifer and Joseph, and now live in Auburn, Wa., and Carol Martin, deceased, and Daniel Martin, who married Sandra Bernard of Winlock and live in Chehalis. By Barbara Tauscher Cole LEON (LEO) TAUSCHER SR. FAMILY Leo Tauscher Sr. was discharged from the German Army in 1884 and arrived in Chehalis, Washington Territory in 1887. With Leo Sr. and his wife, Mary Brandel Tauscher, came their two children, Lucy born in Bucavina, Austria, and Leo Jr., born en route from Munich, Germany in Missouri. Several other members including halfsisters of Leo Sr., Grace Tauscher Bartel, and Mrs. Len Kuchner, and half-brothers Christ Tauscher and Ed Tauscher (formerly of Coal Creek area), also James Tauscher and many others were in their party. Several of the family had been in furniture building in Germany and Austria, and they soon went to work for the Doernbecker Furniture Co., which was located in the vicinity of the courthouse in Chehalis. After a few years the company moved to Oregon City, Oregon and that branch of the family resettled there. Leo Tauscher Sr. and his wife, Mary, had eight children - all raised on Logan Hill. They were: Lucy, who never married and worked for many years for the John Coffman family on Pennsylvania Avenue in Chehalis; Leo Jr., who married Louise Muller of the Forest area and had two daughters, Dorothy Tauscher Elmgren of Eureka, California, and Vera Tauscher Ciranny of Anaheim, California; Mary, who married Geroge Waring of Centralia and had three children, Donald Waring, deceased, Sybil Baxter of Chehalis and Robert Waring, deceased, formerly of Tacoma; Edward, who married late in life; Andrew, who married Josie Stevens of Rawlins, Wyoming and had three daughters, Helen Emerson of Morton, Barbara Cole of Chehalis, and Kathleen Hogan of Chehalis; Ann, who married Walter Laurence of the Agate area and had three children, Gerald of Olympia, Marjory Stevens of Port Orchard and lone of Palm Springs, California; Frances who married Joseph Kostick of the Coal Creek area and had four children, Pauline Boroughs, deceased, John Kostick, who married Mary Ann Stedham of Chehalis, and Joe Jr. of Coal Creek; and Rudolph, the youngest, who worked at the Chehalis Post Office for many years and had three daughters by wife Rhoda, Beatrice Adams in Oregon, Mary in Portland, and Marlene of Scott Lake. In the later years Leo Sr. sold the farm on Logan Hill and resettled on the North Fork near the Agate School. Upon his death, Edward Tauscher owned the farm and it is now owned by his nephew John Kostick and his wife, Mary Ann Stedham Kostick. Barbara Tauscher Cole RUTH TAYLOR Ruth Fletcher was born 1899 in Tualatin, Oregon, in a log cabin. She remembers coming by boat from Portland to Catlin, on to Centralia by train to her grandmother Rhuhamma Smith. She went to the Edison and Lincoln and high school at Rochester. Never getting through high school till age seventy-five. She then took college classes. She married Adam Taylor in 1916 and they were together fifty-six years. Adam was born in West Virginia, coming to Doty in 1907. He was a pole loader, a carpenter and jack-of-alltrades. (photo): Leon Tauscher Sr. Family 358 (photo): Adam and Ruth Taylor, 50 wedding anniversary (photo): Peggy Lee Hartwell, Gwendolyn Largen, Jack Taylor, Arlene Lopez. They built their home on Waunch Prairie in 1924, having the first basement and workable bathroom, a gas engine pumping the water into a thirty foot high tank, and the usual "party line" telephone. They first tried chicken ranching. Ruth raised 2,000 chicks per year, raised dalhias and gladioli and took 385 ribbons. She was president of Oakview PTA, leader of 4-H Chatter Box Club and took the 1946 agriculture census of USA. Before there was a welfare, Ruth met with Chas. Sticklin, Tina Bowers and others and was appointed as used clothes chairman about 1937, held over Centralia Police Station. Ruth worked at the USO for the service men, in the Masonic building, was treasurer of the Centralia Civic Club, and president of its Garden Club in 1931. At George Walker's home she made the motion that started Lewis County Garden Clubs. First elected president was N .B. Coffman, and Ruth Taylor was vice president. Division of the civic garden club, into North and South, occurred and Oakview Club was started. Ruth was medical chairman for the county, during the war; charter member of DO-SI-DO Dance Club; a 59 year member of Oakview grange, and a seven degree member of National. Starting its auxiliary in 1927, she served as first president; has been secretary and lecturer, and filled every office but master. With many hobbies; over 600 dolls and a thousand vases; Ruth loves traveling from the Arctic Circle to Mexico, Europe to Orient. As a florist for 35 years at "Exotic Gardens," she raised orchids, ferns, etc. In her later years, she has oil painted, having ten hung, and has sold some. She belongs to the Lewis County Art League. They had four children, Gwendolyn and Jack born at Doty, Arlene and Peggy Lee in Centralia. Peggy Lee went through the Centralia Schools, College on to Ellensburg. Has taught art for twenty-five years in California. Married Wayne Hartwell of Palo Verdes. Arlene married Tom Lopez, has four children: Jenera, clerk at Boeings; Tom and Ted (twins), steam fitters, commercial plumbers, carpenters; Richard, carpenter and jack-of-alltrades. Jack married Billie Milton. Their children are Jack Jr., business manager of SW Oregon for Weyco; Jennie is unemployment insurance coordinator for the state of Washington; Jimmie, administrator for WIDCO. Jack Sr., retired from U.S. Army as Sergeant Major and from Weyco as business manager. Gwendolyn married William Largen, raising ten children. (Her story will appear.) Her eldest son, William, is the grandfather of Chelsy Mendoza, Ruth's great-great-granddaughter, "five generations. " GWENDOLYN TAYLOR Born Oct. 5, 1918, Doty Washington, when 3 years old, my folks moved to Centralia. I went to Oakview grade school and Centralia High, and belonged to 4- H club and Oakview grange. After graduating in 1936, I worked at Woolworths. I married William Harrison Largen, born Dec. 2, 1917 in Halleyville, Oklahoma. He attended Centralia and Tenino schools, and was a lifeguard at Deep Lake at an early age, where he was called "Swift Water Bill." He worked at the Mutual Mill in Bucoda, in the woods and coal mines around Centralia. Bill has worked for my father in Centralia and for other Pole Yards, and cut poles for Johnny James. He worked on railroad bridges out of Chehalis. For others, he worked carpentry and fork-lifted hay. We owned a Grade A Dairy in Big Hannaford Valley. After selling, we moved to Bucoda. He worked two 8 hour shifts at Tono Coal and Hemphill O'Neil Mill, Chehalis, and at a chicken farm weekends. He worked in Alaska for Usibelli Coal, also at a gold mine near Fairbanks and in the woods near Juneau. Moving back to Centralia after getting hurt in the woods for Weyerhaueser, he worked for Centralia Parks Dept., Centralia School, Greenhill, and was maintenance supervisor at Royalcare. We lived in the Joseph Borst home for 5 years. After the Cohlmbus Day storm, he built a new garage where the old one had blown down. We built a Chalet in Rochester in 1968. Bill died in 1981. I have 10 children, 18 grandchildren and 1 great-granddaughter. William Harrison Largen, born Aug. 21, 1938, is a hunter, trapper, fisherman and a scaler for Weyerhaeuser, was married, and is divorced. He is a resident of Rainier. Grandchildren: William Harrison, 1960, Steven Michael, 1963, Kellie Lynn, 1964 married Guillermo Mendoza. They are the parents of my great-granddaughter Chelsy Tess, 1985. Robert Dell Largen, born March 10, 1940, is a carpenter for Harbor Mill Works, Cabinet Shop and Door Factory. He resides at Copalis Beach. His wife is Elaine Lucille Ferris. Grandchildren: Gloria Gale, and twins, Rodney Russell and Ronald Richard. Jacqueline Fae, born Sept. 28, 1942, is a clerk at the First Interstate Bank, Chehalis. She married Jerry Rondall Landers, born Aug. 21, 1941, who is assistant job manager of Volkswagon, and a resident of Tenino. Granddaughters: Debra Louise, 1963, and Brenda Darice, 1965. Michael Adam Largen, born Feb. 11, 1945, is a territory sales representative for N.C. Machinery. He married Jeanette Marie Hughes, born April 6, 1951. They live at Port Angeles. Grandchildren: Jason Patrick, 1969, Daniel Cory, 1971, and Tami Rene, 1973. Susan Largen, born April 17, 1946, a beautician, married Philip Martocci, Army E-8. Grandson: Marcello, 1981. Bonnie Gaye, born June 10, 1947, a beautician, married Wilbur Franklin Sheffield IV, Sr. chief in Navy. They live at Briar. Grandchildren: Karen Larissa, 1969, Wilbur Franklin, 1971, Denise Lynn, 1975 and Stephanie Pamela, 1980. Margaret Ellen, born March 30, 1950, has been a school teacher in Rochester for 12 years. She married Tim Frederick Ennes, born June 6, 1946. He owns B & R Tree Service in Olympia. Grandchildren: Molly Blair, 1981 and Aaron Tyler, 1984. Loretta Joan, born Oct. 29, 1952, has been a beautician. She is now a fiscal technician of payroll for the State Parks Dept. Married and divorced, she resides in Tumwater. Grandchild: Lisa Marie, 1975. Jeanne Marie, born May 10, 1955, lives at Rochester. She has worked for state and janitorial services. Rebecca Louise, born Jan. 6, 1959, was a state employee. She married Edward Floyd Blood, born Aug. 26,1954. He is a mechanic for Volkswagon. They reside in Olympia. Grandson: Tyson Edward, 1981, and Travis James, 1984. Besides farm work I cooked, baked, sewed, gardened, canned and filled 2 deep freezers when the children were at home. I tended grandchildren and others while mothers worked and went to school. Now I knit, crochet and do craft work. HARRY TAYLOR FAMILY Harry and Stella Taylor arrived in Vader in the spring of the year of 1913, driving out west from Oklahoma in a Saxon 6 car. One of the first things they were introduced to was smelt. Harry was directed to the Cowlitz river with orders to buy some. He thought two-bits worth would be enough and came home with a tub full! (photo): H.H. Taylor in front of his meat market, Vader, WA, 1915. Dad had a meat market in Vader, which was a thriving milltown in those days. He would ride horseback around the countryside buying beef cows, leading them back to town where they were slaughtered. I was born in Vader in 1915 joining my 3 year old sister, Geraldine. After a prolonged trip back to Oklahoma, during which time Mom went up in an airplane in 1918 on a flight over the Red 359 River, the family returned to Washington. I was 6 years old by that time so Dad decided it was time to settle down in one place. They chose Centralia. Most of my grade school years were spent at the Lincoln School- the present site of the Centralia College Theater. I attended high school in the lovely old three story brick building that was finally torn down after the earthquake in 1949. I graduated from high school in 1932 in a real "Depression Class." Times were so bad that our class didn't have class rings or pins. They were too frivolous. We had to have something useful and down to earth, so we had class sweaters. The depression continued and I went to Centralia Jr. College, which occupied the third floor of the high school building. My tuition was paid by Savings and Loan stock. One of the special things we did for entertainment on weekends was to drive to Tacoma to the Century Ballroom to watch the dancethons. During my junior college years, Centralia had a flood. The rains came with a vengeance and it rained and rained. The swollen Skookumchuck river broke over its banks and made its way down Pearl and Tower Avenue, up Main Street, and all over. I went over to a friend's house across town in a row boat, passing a flock of decoy ducks in front of Carter's Garage on the way. During this time my dad, Harry, worked as a meat cutter at several different markets and stores in Centralia. His first job was with Carstens on Tower Ave. In those early days there would be barrels of dill pickles and sauerkraut near the door to tempt the customer. I especially remember that Dad was pretty good at carving the white fat on a pig into roses and other fancy shapes. His meat cases really looked classy. He eventually tired of meat cutting, took his broker's exam and opened Pioneer Real Estate which still exists. My school years, my marriage to "Buster" Gutschow, our two children, Donald and Karen, and raising them to adulthood all took place in Centralia, a great little town in the lovely county of Lewis. By Doris Taylor Gutschow JUNIOR AND EVELYN TEETER We are both natives of Lewis County. Junior, the fourth child born to Clarence and Nettie Teeter, was born in a house on Sixth and Pearl Streets which is now part of Norquist's parking lot. His Grandma Teeter lived next door. His family moved up Little Hanaford when he was (photo): Junior and Evelyn Teeter about three and he lived his entire life on the valley, except when he was in the Army, as we bought a little farm in the same valley when we married. Junior went to school at Null's Crossing, attended Centralia High School, quitting to go to work with his dad getting out piling for the Union Pacific Railroad. They loaded the poles in the yard behind Rowland's. He was drafted in the army in 1942 and in 1944 was sent to Europe in time for "D" day. He was with the 219th Field Artillery Battalion, 35th Division and he liked reminiscing about the army and his buddies. He was in the army for 39 months and then worked with his dad again. Evelyn, the third child of Pete and Ethel Christensen, was born in PeEll when it was a booming mill town. Her family moved to Klaber when she was about 5 years old. The hop yards were really busy then, the whole family picking hops or working in the yard. They moved to Centralia in her junior year and graduated in 1941. She went to Centralia Business College and then to Seattle to find work. She joined the WAVES in May 1944 and was discharged in April 1946. Junior and Evelyn met at a Halloween Party at Oakview Grange Hall and got married in June 1947 at the same hall. They bought a little farm in Little Hanaford about three miles from where Junior was raised. Junior worked with dad for a while, with gypos, Agnew Lumber Company and then in May 1959 he went to work for Lewis County Roads where he worked for twenty-three years. He was a heavy equipment operator and the last three years was supervisor of District 1. He retired July 1982 because of illness. They have three children. Christine, who is married to Darryl Jones, has two children, Vicki and Heather; Brad, who is married to Stephanie Harwick, has two daughters, Stacie and Francie, and Keith, who is married to Sheila Johnson, and has three children, Alyson, Keith, and Jillian. FIVE TEITZEL BROTHERS Standing on the dock in the year 1888, at Hamburg, Germany two young Teitzel brothers bade their mother a tearful farewell as they embarked for America and New York Harbor and then by train to Puyallup, Washington Territory. Their brother-in-law, Ronimous Nix, well to do land owner and hop farmer, had recently married their older sister Minnie and sent them money for their passage. In all, five Teitzel brothers came to Western Washington, Louis who came with his sister Minnie in early 1880, Fred and Herman in 1888 and later Gustav, his wife Emma and three small children and last of all Karl, his wife Anna and their two children Carl and Louise. The boys' mother, Christina Sauerbier Teitzel, told them never, never would she let them go so far away except that their chances of owning property and making a success of their lives were so much better in America. Their parents, the Heinrich Teitzels, owned a grain mill but there was not land enough to go around for a large family of boys. Herman decided to settle in Puyallup but Fred hearing land was selling for $5.00 an acre in Lewis County and at least $100.00 an acre in Puyallup, decided to come to Chehalis area where he found a job on the Jud Bush hop farm just west of Chehalis. He married Birdella Annie Mundy and, having saved $1000.00, bought the Stone Mill place of 80 acres on the North Fork of the Newaukum River at Forest. Fred and his wife, Birdy, had four children Minnie, Stanley, Theodore (Ted) and Birdella. His wife died and a year or two later he married Inez Octavia Keene and with her had five children Dixie Rose, Violet Valley, Fred Henry, Keene Leo and James Lloyed. Fred Teitzel's original farm is still owned by members of his family and three of his sons Ted, Keene and Jim, as well as grandsons, still live in the Forest area. His hard work, careful planning and care can never be forgotten or appreciated enough by any of his descendants, as well as his mother's foresight in giving up her sons. Hardy, courageous, self reliant and honest men such as the five Teitzel brothers were the foundation of the North West. They settled, cleared land, farmed, raised families and helped develop this country into the greatest land in the world. How fortunate we, their many descendants, are to have had such ancestors as they were. By Fred Teitzel Family TEITZEL FAMILY There were originally five Teitzel brothers and one sister that came from Germany just before the turn of the century. They were Louis, Herman, Fred, Gustave, Karl, and their sister, Minna Mohl. Minna was the first to come to the United States. She married a prominent hop farmer names Ronomous Nix who lived in the Puyallup valley. Her brothers later followed her to this country, with four of them settling in Lewis county. Herman and his wife, Emma Shooker, stayed in the Puyallup valley. Louie Teitzel and his wife, Lena Hoerling, located in the little Hanaford valley. His children were: Lenard, Ila (Randall), Elsie (Hughes- Tingstrum) , Alma (Schuffenhauer), Clarence (Johnny), Carl Lou- (photo): The Teitzels and wives. Back row: Emma, Anna, Lena, Emma and Inez. Front row: Herman, Karl, Gustav, Fred. 360 (photo): The Teitzel Family - Louie and Lena, Herman and Emma, Anna and Karl, Emma and Gustav, Inez and Fred. is, William (Bill), Elda (Zahn), Lilly (Foster), Marie (Whitcomb), Leo, Minnie (Ritzschke). Karl Teitzel was a tailor and located in Chehalis with his wife, Anna Oppenhaupt. He later moved to PeEll and then to Port Townsend. His children were Henry, Fred, Anna (Simcoe), Louise (Staeger), Carl, Emma (Bumgarner), and William. Karl also had a trade as a glass Mower but never used this talent in this country. Fred Teitzel located in the North Fork area south of Chehalis. His children were Minnie (Hazen), Ted, Stanley, Birdella (Erickson). His first wife died and he married Inez Keene. Their children were Dixie (Alexander), Violet (Wagner), Fred, Keene, and James. Many of them still live in the local area. Gustave (who was my grandfather) was married to Emma Walkenfere; settled in the Big Hanaford Valley. He was a cobbler by trade but farmed for a living. Their children were Paul, Richard, Frieda, Herman, Lilly, Carl (my father) and Lee. Freida and Lilly both died at early ages. Herman also died in his early twenties leaving a wife, Rena, and a son, Duane. Duane is In the Squim area and runs an airplane service. From the Gus Teitzel family, Paul, the oldest, and wife, Edith Gross, had two living children; Art and wife Kathleen live in Renton, while RoseMary Anderson, the daughter, and her husband Bill live in Adna. Gus's second son, Richard, and his wife, Marie, are still both living and will be celebrating 64 years of marriage December 23,1985. They made their home in the Big Hanaford valley for more than 50 years. They had two children, Gene and Bob. Gene and second wife Jan live in California. Bob and his wife Grace reside in Tacoma. From Gene's first marriage to Kay Ross, there were six children, Dick, Ross, Robert (Ed), Mike, Kathy (Moore), and Lorna. Ed Teitzel has worked for the Centralia Police Force for many years so is often in the local news. Ross lives in Lacey but the other descendants live in the Lewis County area. Gene has four more children by the second marriage but they all reside in the California area. Bob and his wife, Grace, have three offspring; Robbin, Steve, and Teresa. Bob went from school teaching in Shelton to working for IBM Corp. in Tacoma for the last 30 years. Carl, my father, has spent all of his life in the Lewis County area, being a logger all of his life until retirement. He lived with my mother, Beulah Robertson, in Riffe for several years before the Mayfield Dam was built. We also lived in Pe Ell and the Big Hanaford valley. My sister, Lucille Clevenger, my father, and my husband and two sons all live on Logan Hill. Lucille, Kathy Moore, and myself are all employed by Interchecks Inc. Lee, the youngest of the Gus Teitzel family, moved to Reedsport, Oregon, with wife Hilda Rudolph. They and their three sons and their families still live out of state. The Teitzel family has many descendants still living in Lewis County. They have given to the community, good citizens and good friends. Our family has truly been a part of Lewis county history. By Jerry Schiminesky H.C. TEMPLE Henry Clay Temple, my grandfather, was one of the early settlers in Eastern Lewis County. A lumberman, he, with his wife, adult sons and daughters packed into the Davis Lake area in the mid 1880's. He located a homestead on the south side of David Lake where he lived until moving to Morton. He was appointed postmaster in Morton, April 23, 1906. He set aside a room in his home for the post office and he served until November 9,1908. He also suggested the name of Morton for the town. He and his son-in-law, Fredrick Broadbent, bought land and timber and started the Davis Creek Shingle Mill. The center of the town of Morton was destroyed by fire in 1924. Dr. Harry Feagles was the local doctor but he traveled for miles around doctoring the sick when they called, traveling by horse and buggy, until he replaced it with a Ford Roadster in 1924. My father, Gold Temple, was one of the sons and he married Edna Sexton on November 4, 1906, so my brother Tad, and I grew up in Morton. We attended high school there and I graduated in 1927. I drove and owned the school bus the last year of my high school. I married Violet Dunaway in 1928. We moved to Chehalis where I worked for the Palmer Lumber Company. From there we moved to Wenatchee in 1932 and I drove a gas truck until we bought and operated a service station in Chelan in 1933. In 1935 we moved to Randle where we helped my wife's parents operate their "Dunaway's Place" service station, store and cabins. In 1940 we purchased the business and ran it until we sold it in 1950. From there we moved to Chehalis where I built a home, and lived until 1958. Our next move would be to Roseburg, Oregon where I worked as a mill-wright in the U.S. Plywood until I retired in 1972. My wife, Violet, worked at Viletta's China Shop there as a gold decorator for seven years. After selling our home in Roseburg, we moved to Lake Mayfield in Mossyrock in 1973. Our three children, Lorraine, Keith and Charlotte were now grown and had married. All three attended Central Washington College of Education in Ellensburg and Lorraine and Charlotte graduated from there and became teachers. They also married teachers. Charlotte married Matthew Balint and they have three children: Suzanne, Thomas and Richard. Lorraine married Duane Abels and they have four children: Scott, Janet, Diane and Gary. Keith married Ruby Scott and they have two daughters: Sheri and Shana. Years have gone by now. The Great Depression and hobos with packs on their backs, walking streets and highways are just memories. We are now taking life easy and enjoying our children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren. We are so proud of them. BENJAMIN TERK FAMILY My father, Ben Terk, a pioneer businessman in Centralia for 40 years, was simply passing through the area when he decided this was a booming community. At the time he had an interest in a business in Portland. He was so impressed with the potential here that he proceeded to sell his share to his partner and came to Centralia in 1913 where he started a furniture store in the 500 block of Tower Avenue called, appropriately enough, Terk's Furniture. He had to borrow money to do this as his share from the Portland venture did not net him enough capital. In 1918, he met and married Zetta Liebes who was visiting relatives in town. The following year he had purchased a building at 408 N. Tower and moved the furniture store to that location. Right after moving to the new building, the store flooded and most of the new merchandise, which was still crated, sustained a lot of damage. Since the building was right next to China Creek he decided it would be wise to raise the floor so subsequently a new floor was installed about 3 feet higher than the original and this floor still exists. 361 (photo): Ben and Zetta Terk Dad was short in stature being about 5 feet tall but he used to "wrestle" the furniture around with ease and of course, used a dolly for the appliances. During the depression years there were many beggars and dad said "he would never refuse a hungry man a meal" but he also did not want to give money to "winos." His solution was to send them across the street where some Bassetts had a restaurant and have them serve a meal and charge it to Dad. Dad remained in the furniture business on Tower Avenue until his death in 1953 at 70 years of age. Mother had died in 1945. Members of the family carried on the business until 1960. My folks built a home at 413 W. Center in 1924 where they reared their family. I had a sister Anne and a brother, Irving Cecil. All three of us went through Edison Grade School and graduated from Centralia High. We then all went on to University of Washington. Edison School had an orchestra in the early 1930's and Anne and I both played the violin in it. While I was in high school we had no cafeteria and most everyone walked home for lunch every day regardless of the weather. Thus, our family ate lunch together every day. Dad was a prolific reader and enjoyed mostly non-fiction and historical novels. I have a few of his books but most were lost. He deserves the credit for our turning out to be big readers. My parents have six grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren, all residing in western Washington. I was very active in high school in clubs and in sports and played on the tennis team all four years. We played various towns in the league. I also played basketball and field hockey but this was intramural. Girls played basketball with 3 zones. My senior year (1938) we were allowed to play 2 zones. It was considered too strenous to allow girls to run the full court! This, in spite of the fact that we played field hockey and ran up and down the entire playing field. We also had many proms and tolos and in helping to decorate for these dances I must have made tons of crepe paper flowers. Most of these dances were held in the old gym in the school and were very crowded. After leaving and going up to U.W. I did not return to Centralia to live for 15 years. When dad died in 1953, we, that is my husband Harold Dowd and small son Barton and I, returned and operated the store for several years. In 1958, another son, John Kelly, was born. After getting out of the business and a divorce, I returned to the teaching field as the District Elementary Librarian for the Centralia Schools. This job I held until retiring in 1981. In the meantime, I picked up a Master's Degree from UPS in 1965. Both of my boys attended Edison too and graduated from Centralia High and Western Washington University. Both were avid skiers and we spent many winter weekends on the ski slopes of White Pass. They were also active in DeMolay work both with the local chapter and at the district and state level. Today, Barton lives in Tacoma and Kelly in Bellingham. I have recently built a home on Seminary Hill in the area where we used to hike as children. I enjoy gardening, reading, golf, oil painting, and hand crafts. My sister Anne died in 1968 and Irv lives in Yakima where he teaches Accounting at Yakima Valley College. By Alice Terk Dowd JACK THOMPSON THE YOUNG MAIL CARRIER I was born in Caldwell County, Missouri, February 19, 1895. I lived most of my 14 years in Oklahoma on a farm. Our main sport was riding horses and roping calves. When we were through with our farm work our friends came over to join us. We had many Indian friends, and would have a small rodeo whenever we got together. I learned how to handle horses at a very young age. I worked for the Wright Brothers - a big farm at one time. I had a pony that was very well trained to rope calves, and of course, I was very fond of her. But I was talked into selling my prize horse and coming West to the State of Washington - by brother Charlie, who was four years older than 1. He wanted me to come out here because our brother George was living here and kept asking Charlie to come out. He didn't want to come alone, and he really worked on me to have me come with him. So in June, after I was 14, I sold my pony for money to come West. It was quite an experience for two young kids to leave home and travel to a state so far away and so completely different from the open prairies we were used to. I remember always looking up the big trees for a bear! (photo): Jack Thompson, 1938 We arrived in Tacoma tired and weary, and I thought if I had the fare back to the farm I surely would have gone home. We boarded the train that took us to Morton. Or I should say almost into Morton - at that time the train went as far as Glenavon, and we walked on into Morton. We were lucky we had arrived that day! There was a picnic in Morton, and our cousin Ed Casto and his family were there to meet us. We went home with them to Bremer - and a nicer home no one could have had! I stayed with them until I was 18 when I went to Morton to drive team for a tie mill. I started to school in Bremer in September after arriving in June. I helped my cousin Ed on the farm and worked at odd jobs in the community for spending money. One day Ed was in Mar. ton and the Postmaster asked him about me. He had heard I was good with horses and could ride and care for them. There was an opening for a mail carrier from Morton to Alpha. Ed came home and told me about the job. School was almost out for that year so I went up to talk to Mr. Tower, the postmaster. Things sounded good until he asked my age and I said I was 15! "Oh!" he said and looked at me with a big grin. He said, "You should be 16 - Boy, take off your shoe." Which I did. He marked 16 on a piece of paper and handed it to me. "Put this in your shoe and if anyone asks you your age, tell them you are over 16!" So I did as he had told me, and I guess I was lucky as no one ever asked me my age while I carried the mail. The road at that time went past the Bergen place, and we forded the river near the John Little home and travelled around the Bald Mountain - more of a trail than a road at that time. There was a post office at Bremer. I stopped at that office and then went on to Alpha. I remember well one evening, as I was near the river, my horse seemed to get scared and started to run. We got to the river and across in time to escape the big cougar that was following us! We made a fast trip into Morton! The horses I used belonged to a Mr. Ulch up in Glenoma way. One night a stallion was put into the same barn where I put the horse I used, and some time in the night the stallion got loose and injured several of the horses - the one I was using was one of them. I seemed to be blamed for this, and I quit the job. I think had I been older I would have felt different and perhaps would have continued on with the mail job. It was quite a change from the wide open spaces to the mountains and huge trees, but I adjusted to the West and never went back to Oklahoma! ROBERT B. THOMPSON FAMILY Byrd H. Thompson came to Centralia from Michigan in 1905. In 1907 he and his father, William H. Thompson, purchased Lincoln Creek Lumber Co., a sawmill at Galvin. Byrd and his wife, Jessie, brought three sons with them from Michigan; Hale, Gordon and Robert. All three attended the University of Washington and participated on various U of W athletic teams. In 1925, Robert played in the Rose Bowl on the Husky football team, which lost to Alabama, 20-19. Hale went to Pennsylvania, where he became a lumber broker; Gordon to Japan as a banker for Natural City Bank of New York. He later worked as finance manager for Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in Atlanta, Ga. Robert returned to Centralia in 1926 to help his father, who was suffering from ill health, to operate the sawmill. In the early 30's, with the timber in the Lincoln Creek Valley gone, Lincoln Creek Lumber Co. became a retail yard at Galvin. In 1939, Robert Thompson purchased Palmer Lumber Co. in Chehalis. During World War II he started Far 362 west Homes in Chehalis and in 1945 moved Lincoln Creek Lumber Co. to its present location on Harrison Ave. In 1929 he married a school teacher, Frances Knight. They had two children, Susan and Robert B. Susan attended Stevens College in Columbia, Missouri. She married Richard Boren in 1956 and then had three children; Susan, Robin and David. She died in 1980 in Vancouver, Washington. Robert B. attended the University of Washington, where he was on the swimming team for 4 years. In 1960 he married Centralia native and fellow University of Washington graduate, Vondean Stafford. They lived for the first three years of their marriage in Guatanamo Bay, Cuba, where Robert B. was Disbursing Officer for the U.S. Naval Station. The following two years were spent in Palo Alto, Calif., where Robert B. attended the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. In 1965, they returned to Centralia with two children, Elizabeth and Robert, Jr. A third child, Mary was born in 1969. Currently Elizabeth has graduated from the University of Washington and is studying in Sweden; Robert, Jr. is a junior at the University of Washington and Mary is attending Centralia High School. The three children have achieved modest fame for their performance on the Pe Ell Ski team. TIDLER I was born in the old log house on my grandfather Blankenship's farm at Riffe, Washington, on May 18, 1912. We lived in Morton, Washington at that time. (photo): Helen TidIer Soon, we moved to take care of grandfather's store. Coffee, the horse, came in one day and looked over the hat department. All were glad the floor didn't break through. My parents were Harmon Justice, son of W.J. Justice, and Rebecca Blankenship Justice, daughter of Thomas Blankenship, all of Riffe, Washington. Father came to Lewis County in 1903; Mother in 1893. We moved to Onalaska the fall of 1916. It was a tent town. My sister was six months old. We lived in a tent before houses were built. There was snow on the ground. We got water at the community well. I had two pets at Riffe. Big boys killed my guinea pigs, and someone walked off with my pet banty. We moved back to the hills across the river from Riffe; came out to civilization twice a year. I started to school at Lone Trail. The forest was our playground. We carried water from a creek about one-quarter mile to use. We walked one mile to school. The teacher boarded with us and taught me to read before I started to school. Mother took over from there. It opened a whole new world for me. We'd have heavy fog and Mother wouldn't let us out to play - afraid the horses would run over us. Those days I'd dream I was the only person in the whole world. I loved the isolation. On the farm I had a high swing and a teeter-totter of a sapling between two logs. We'd get it going and see how far we could jump. I had two cousins and a sister to play with by then. On the farm we had animal pets. All had names. I had a calf to pull my wagon. It ran away, jumped three ditches; that was the end of my wagon. We climbed on the barn sheds; played skin the cat on the ladder. My sister peeked through a crack in the chicken coop; a chicken pecked her in the eye. We dammed the creek, floated a board on it, and rode the board. The things a kid can't think to do! I helped carry water from the spring on wash days; watched the little ones if Mom was in the field; picked berried every fall for school clothes. I also picked fern and gathered moss. Mother and I worked all one day picking up potatoes for one sack of potatoes during the depression. We didn't go hungry. We grew and preserved most of our food. We had milk and butter. We had one sheet per bed. Washed, dried, then reused it. No automatic washer or drier. Scrub board! We washed and rewashed a burlap sack until soft and used it for a towel. Print flour-sack dresses and white sack undies were the style of the 1930's. By Helen TidIer GEORGIA DETERING TOPORKE Wildwood, Lewis County, Washington was my birthplace. My parents, Herman C. and Nellie (Rayton) Detering and sister Edna welcomed me into their midst in 1902. Dad was getting out shingle bolts to pay for the place; Mother cooked for the hired men. On my second birthday brother Fred arrived. As we grew up, it was great fun having birthdays on the same day. We still enjoy celebrating together. My early schooling was in three-month sessions at the Wildwood School which was quite near our house. There were few pupils. I liked my teachers and wanted to become a teacher. School terms were gradually extended until, when in the eighth grade, they were of eightmonth duration. Passing eighth grade State Examinations was required for high school entry. Although we usually went home for lunch, we did it hurriedly. Once, two of us went fishing in Cedar Creek. I'm sorry to say we couldn't hear Teacher's hand bell and were late getting to school. There was a pond in the corner of the schoolyard with a split-log raft. We used it like (photo): Martin and Georgia Toporke, 1958 standard playground equipment. Oh yes! Sometimes someone fell overboard. Boistfort High School was eight miles from home - no school buses then. There was a ninepassenger jitney for Curtis students so I stayed with the Henry S. Deterings during the week and went home on weekends. In season, I worked in the family garden, picked wild blackberries, and made clothes for the family. While I was attending school, Alice, the tenth Detering child was born. Then there were: Edna, Georgia, Fred, Ralph, Ruby, Howard, Hazel, Elma, Charles, and Alice - brothers and sisters of whom to be proud. Out of a Wilderness by Priscilla Tiller tells of Wildwood history before 1930 from the Detering viewpoint. Washington State Normal School at Ellensburg was chosen as the place to get my teacher's degree. All my teaching was in one-room schools. First, three years were spent near Ostrander, Washington; one year was at Caldwell, Montana with 26 pupils; and three years were at Ceres Hill near Chehalis. I earned a life certificate. In 1936 Martin Toporke and I were married. He was a meat cutter. We lived in Tacoma for five years. Our daughters, Lois and Ellen, were born in 1937 and 1939. We then moved to Lewis County. Our first home here was on Beaver Creek near Curtis; the second was on Curtis Hill Road in the Adna School District; and lastly, in 1945 we lived on State Highway 6 by the Bunker Road District garages. 363 Our girls graduated from Adna. Lois spent one year at Washington State in Pullman before marrying Eugene Cole. Their four children: Gary, Gloria, Tod, and Diane were born while he was in the Navy. Lois later worked as ward secretary in Yakima Memorial Hospital. She is now Mrs. Arthur Blagg. Ellen was a bank teller in Chehalis. She married Donald Cole. They and their two children, Cherly and Lori, live in the Tacoma area. Ellen is employed in the loan department of a bank. My husband died in 1959. I then occupied my time with live-in work for the sick and feeble; one year cooking for a small group of Centralia College boys; and for a few years, daytime baby sitting. My children, grandchildren, and one great-grandchild, Jeremy, bring me much pleasure. I am a member of the Chehalis Presbyterian Church and the Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington. I am interested in historical records. BUD AND EILEEN TOWNSEND'S FAMILY Bud (Francis Abbott Townsend) and I (Eileen Marie Hilpert) took our vows at Immanuel Lutheran church on Oct. 16, 1951 on my parents 33rd wedding anniversary. Bud was a logger and I was a teacher when the Centralia Daily Chronicle published the story about our wedding. It stated two pioneer families were united in marriage. The reason for this was that Bud's grandparents had come to Centralia in 1879 when there were only 13 houses. My grandfather had settled in the late 1850's on what is now the Lewis- Thurston County line. My father, Otto Hilpert, lived on the farm all of his life. He married Milly Dortzbach and they passed the farm on to me, their only child. (photo): Front row: Isaac and Marinda Harjo. Middle row: Bud Townsend, Eileen Townsend, Albert Townsend, Martha Harjo. Back row: Bill Townsend, John Harjo, Gary Grauman, and Betty Lou Grauman. Bud was born in Centralia. During the depression, Bud's parents (Francis Gilbert Townsend who had married Gertie Howe) decided to move on a farm in Cinebar. Bud was 7 years old and ready to start third grade at the 2-room Cinebar schoolhouse; the same year I started in the oneroom Gibson School on the Bucoda Road. Bud's mother died while he was still in high school. His father passed away before we were married, so their little 3-room house became our home for the first 4 years of our married life. Martha was born in 1953 and I stayed home from teaching. In 1954 I signed a contract to teach a private kindergarten in Centralia. All went well until April 7th, the day Bill was born - that closed kindergarten for the year! By 1955 both of my parents had passed away and Bud was raising cattle instead of logging. He moved the cattle back to Centralia the very day Albert was born. The house was larger and we also had room to take in our foster daughter, Anna Rae Wertz. That was the second year I stayed out. of teaching and the following year I signed a contract to teach for the Centralia School District again, and have ever since. In 1958 our youngest daughter, Betty Lou, was born and she married Gary Grauman on our 25th wedding anniversary. She and Gary have built a home on the Cinebar place and have a son, Craig. Martha, our oldest daughter, received her teaching degree at Bellingham where she met John Harjo. They were married later in Centralia and now have Marinda, Isaac and Alisa. They built their home on top of the hill on the back of the Centralia farm. Ann, our foster daughter, is married and has 2 children, Michael and Michele. Our two boys are still single. Bill is a mining engineer for Texas Utilities and lives in Mt. Vernon, Texas. Albert is an attorney and is employed as a Senior Contract Administrator in Lynwood, Washington. In 1982 Bud sold all of the livestock but continues to make hay and drives between the two farms. We also had a new house built - after all I had lived most of my life in the one where I was born. By Eileen Marie Hilpert Townsend TRAMM Henry W.A. Tramm was born August 23, 1857 at Hochndorf, Holstein, Germany, coming to America in July 1874 to Grand Island, Nebraska, where his parents and other members of the family settled. He came to Adna in the late 1890's. He and Bertha Wenzel were married December 16, 1899. They built their home on the Bunker Creek Road and the house is still standing. They were foster parents of Helen and Fred Wenger. In 1908, H. Leslie (Weck) was born, and 1909 Leland P. was born. Another son, Willia W. was born in 1915. Henry was a member of the Chehalis Elks, and he and Bertha were active members of the Adna Grange. He served on the Adna School Board for many years and was a charter member of the Lewis Pacific Dairymen's Ass'n. Later years he continued to farm with his sons Leslie and Leland and then moved to Chehalis. They celebrated their Golden Wedding in 1949. Henry passed away February 23,1950. Bertha was born Sept. 21,1871 and passed away November 16, 1953. H. Leslie attended and graduated from Adna in 1927. He then attended Washington State and later helped his father on the farm. Later he and brother Leland were partners on the farm. Leslie married Meta Hall in 1939 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Two daughters were born to them. Meta passed away when Elouise and Jo Ann were small. November 1, 1947 Leslie married Pansy C. Galloway at the Hoquiam Methodist Church. In 1950 a son, Gary Alan was born. The children all graduated from the Adna School. Elouise attended Centralia College one year. Jo Ann attended Ellensburg college one year and then went to Emmanuel Lutheran Hospital and completed a nursing course. She is presently at the Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle and lives in Renton. Elouise married Donald Maahs of Kelso and they have three children; Ronald, Robert, and daughter Renee. Gary married Elaine Schindler of Marysville and they have one son, Matthew Alan. Leslie lived his entire life in the home where he was born and passed away very suddenly August 13,1981. By Pansy Tramm TRODAHL MEMORIES "Forest," once marked in bold letters on Washington State maps is seldom lettered on recent charts. The white and green sign once posted by the side of the road to mark the area has been removed. The need for home sites, roads, and tillage soil has pushed down the tall green trees in each direction. A passer-by would not be aware of the Forest community, but to the Bob Trodahl family, "Forest," will always be home. Bob bought the Forest Store and adjacent residence April, 1947. He moved his wife, Kay, sons, Chris and John, into the house. The family home was now at Forest. Two sons, James and Bill and four daughters, Mary, Kattie, Anne, and Pat completed the Trodahl clan. James died in infancy and is buried at St. Francis Mission Cemetery. The sons and daughters graduated from St. Hospeph's School and W.F. West High School in Chehalis, WA. They went on to college to pursue individual careers. However, the indelible impressions of their growing up years were nurtured in the Forest community. The tall trees in the front yard of the family home still echo the tales told by Clarence Roberts concerning the early settlement of the Forest area. Mr. Roberts, as a young boy, helped plant the trees. The Forest School has long since been closed, the teacher's cottage moved, and the merrygo, round dismantled, but the memory of visits with Dorothy Fahrer while she taught at the school and the stories Miss Fahrer told makes the school come alive with restless kids in old fashioned desks or learning to subtract at the thick black chalk boards. The merry-go-round even turns. The mystic of the bolted and shuttered buildings on Caroline Gruener's acres across the road has passed but the secret path to the cherry tree behind the buildings can still be found. The birds fly above it now to feast on the red ripe cherries. The "salmon hole," a good run through the fields, still flows with the river. The rope swing, rotted and shaggy, hangs high above the water. The diving board is gone. The flow of the water has redesigned the banks but, in memory, one can still see the community youngsters on a summer night or afternoon catching eels, learning to swim, water-fighting, or even drinking a cup of warm milk if a cow came down to quench her thirst. Picking strawberries and working in the hay fields - those were the days of learning to work to sweat and to ache. You made seasonal friends and enemies. You dreamed of ways to spend your money, but they were only dreams. You knew you would save some for the Fair and use the rest for school clothes. The covered bridge down the North Fork road has been replaced by a concrete structure. Fences guard the once open acres. The hop fields remind you of an industry of the past, yet the memory of stories told by Frank and Grover Markland lets you see again the dark bridge, the cattle ranges, and the busy workers in the fields. A gold colored trophy, white, red, and blue ribbons and a Project book are reminders of the effort, fun and accomplishment of 4-H membership. The direction of leaders, Jo Vetterand, Tom Dobyns, and the encouragement of County Extension Agent Dean Johnson helped members enjoy success and accept disappointment. 364 The Forest Grange, at one time a center of fun and excitement in the community, is more quiet now but the memory of the Grange dinner, programs, dances, Christmas parties and picnics enforces a sense of belonging. The daily parade of horse, kids and dogs up and down the roads is rarely seen now. The constant din of the busy log trucks is seldom heard. Hobos no longer rap on the back door and ask for something to eat. The "long and two short" rings of the party telephone line has been replaced by one ring on a one-line electronic phone. Bob and Kay still live in the home. The sons and daughters live near and far, but Forest will always be home for the family. TROTH FAMILY Ancestors of the Troth family came from England in 1700 (William and Elizabeth Field), settling in Burlington County, New Jersey for three generations; Paul Troth (son of William); Isaac (son of Paul); William (son of Isaac), married Elizabeth Phillips, moved to Highland County, Ohio in 1807. Their son, Nathan (m. Else Mason) moved to Owen County, Indiana in 1848. William H. (eldest of 10 children (m. Jane Wiley, (parents from Ireland and Scotland) raised 13 sons on a farm in Vandalia, Indiana. One of the youngest, Grover Roy (m. Evelyne Rush) opened a jewelry store in Centralia in 1910. Uncles, Clayton (m. Sarah Criss) and Amos (bachelor) preceded them to Centralia in the late 1880's; buried in Mt. View and Pioneer Cemeteries, respectively. Harry, bachelor brother of Grover operated a confectionary store in Centralia (1920's-30's); buried in Pioneer Cemetery. Grover operated the jewelry store until 1948 when he retired; passed away in 1964. Evelyne, taught piano for many years; following Grover's death married Arthur Green of Hood River, Oregon. Grover and Evelyne buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Centralia. (photo): Grover and Evelyn (Rush) Troth - 1955. Children of Grover Troth and Evelyne Rush, Jane Louise and William Dewain, graduated from Centralia High School and Centralia Junior College. Following graduation from Central Washington State College in Ellensburg (1941), Jane taught music in Renton and Seattle schools; married W. Howard Jones (1945 to 1962), born in Salina, Kansas, raised in Centralia. Three daughters were raised in Eugene, Oregon where Howard was in insurance business and a cellist. Jane was Elementary Music Consultant covering 32 elementary schools for 13 years after which she became Professor of Music at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, teaching music in the teacher education program for 13 years, retiring in 1985. Daughter #1, Donna Louise (m. Erol Onat, 1971-1985); CWU grad, teaches music in Lake Washington School District (since 1969) and plays oboe in Seattle Philharmonic and Bellevue Symphony. Daughter #2, Evelyn Diane (m. David Paul Williams, 1970) is president of Annuities West, Inc., Seattle; he is a prominent attorney in Kirkland; they reside in Lake Forest Park. Daughter #3, Kathleen Jane is Principal Clarinetist in the Puerto Rico Symphony in San Juan and Professor of Clarinet at Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music. "Bill" Troth ("De" during his early years) flew PBY's in the Aleutians during WW II; married Faye Stiles, a teacher from Sedro Woolley (1945-1966); 4 daughters. Bill co-owned and operated Capital Wholesale Electric in Salem, Oregon, retired in 1980; second wife, Edna has 3 children by previous marriage. Bill is active in the Salem Planning Commission, Elks, Eagles, Shriners. Daughter, Avette Louise Gaiser operates Avette Designs in Salem; has one daughter, Angela Lynne; husband, John, killed in auto accident. Terry Lee (m. Nabil Selbak) was head of Counseling Center for American School in Abudhabi, United Arab Emerites; 2 sons, Nadim and Zane. Husband in electrical contracting business, Arabel, in Abudhabi. Delight Suzanne (unmarried), manager of Riverside Motel in Dallas, Oregon. Suzanne Marie (m. Anthony Schmidt), IRA specialist for Marion County School Credit Union, Salem. Tony, computer specialist for SAIF. By Jane Troth Jones TURULA In 1903, a group of Finnish people came to Winlock from Carbonado, Washington. In the group were Elias and Otelia Turula with their four children, Arvie, Edward, Hilda and Jean. The land they settled, south of town, had to be cleared of stumps to prepare for farming. Neighbors were congenial, sharing saunas, farm machinery, horses, building skills and above all, humor. They were industrious and active in the community, being members of the Finnish Church and Brotherhood Lodge. The business ventures included the Mercantile Store, Grange, Co-Op and Hatchery. The family enjoyed music. Elias, who had been a band musician, proceeded to teach band instruments to the young. With that the Veness Brass Band was formed, playing a reasonable "Stars and Stripes" for the Fourth of July parade. Four more children were born in Winlock, Sadie, Irene, Elmer and Helen. All but Arvie left Winlock for various fields of endeavor. Arvie worked in the local bank for forty-five years, while still living on the original farm. One of his sons and three grandchildren still live in Winlock. Growing up in the outdoors, playing on the Olequa River which ran through the farm, swimming in Orne's swimming hole, and baseball playing and watching were great summer pastimes. One can be happy to have lived in the Veness district in the town of Winlock. WALTER H. TWISS, SEATTLE My sister Dorothy and I were born at Kennicott's hospital in Chehalis. We spent our first few years on the family farm at Knox, one mile west of Onalaska. When I was 8, our parents moved to Claquato to live with mother's parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Hazzard. Here, we children went to the two room Claquato school across the Chehalis River. When grandfather Hazzard died in 1920, we moved into Chehalis at 6th and Market Streets. In the meantime my sister died at the age of 10 years. I went to the Cascade School and the High School and then to the Centralia Junior College, as it was then known, for two years. Then there followed more work at the University of Washington. After finishing school, I taught at Shelton, worked at Boeing Plant 2 and finally worked in a title insurance company. After that I went to Denver and studied library work. Became a Science librarian in the Denver library, after three years transferred to the Seattle Public Library, main downtown branch where I worked until I retired. . Some of my happy memories are of the years spent at Claquato at my grandfather's farm where part of the cemetery now is. My sister and I went to the two room school across the Chehalis River. Each grade consisted of one row of seats. Some schoolmates were Shirley Wallace, Ernest Waller, Luella Pittman, and Bud Nacht. We kids used to stuff grasshoppers down the spout of the old pump and swing on a rope tied to the limb of a large maple tree out over the river. Another time I enjoyed was going with father up to the farm and cutting the winter's wood. We had a Vaughn drag saw, and a two-wheel cart made from buggy wheels with which to move the saw around over the uneven ground. Each day we would see the C.C. and C. railroad logging train go by with a long load of logs on their way to Chehalis. And how slowly the train crept along, the road bed being so uneven they were afraid the train might be derailed. The friendly engineer would always toot the whistle. Another interesting time was when the road to Onalaska was straightened and a new bridge built over the river just East of old 99 at Klause's Corner. My father George L. Twiss came out from Kansas in 1870 with his parents, Charles P. Twiss and Effie L. Twiss and brother Walter and sister Lizzie, later a school teacher. Father and Minnie M. Hazzard of Claquato were married in 1908 at her home. They moved to our farm on the south fork of the Newaukum. Mother's family came out from Indiana in 1882. My grandfather and grandmother Twiss came from Kansas after being on the edge of the Civil War in which grandfather took part. He was born in New Hampshire and the old ancestral home still stands in the village of Dunbarton. By Walter H. Twiss IRENE WOOSTER UNTERWEGNER I am Irene Wooster Unterwegner, born Jan. 29,1895 near St. Crois Falls, Wis. on my father's birthday. My parents, Justus Perry Wooster and Flornece Towers Wooster, farmed 40 acres. My father was born in Penn. and went to Wis. at the (photo): Irene Wooster Unterwegner, age 90 365 age of 4. My mother, born in Tower Hill, N.B. Canada, and went to Wis. at age 13, where she later met and married my father. I had two older brothers, Walter (deceased) and Allen. In Nov. of 1901 our family came to Napavine where mother's sister owned the hotel. On New Year's day of 1902 we moved to a forty-acre farm about three miles from Forest which they had bought. I attended the Knox school for about two years, then my father was seriously injured by a horse. He sold the farm and we moved to Napavine where my mother cooked at Summervilles Coop House. In 1904, we moved to Chehalis where mother and a friend had a restaurant at Market and National, where there is now a parking lot. I entered the fourth grade at the old East Side school which occupied the whole block where the Lewis Federal Savings is. The first four grades were downstairs. The high school was in the upper four rooms. From the fifth grade on I went to the West Side school, which burned down in 1909 or 1910. My father had bought six acres on what in now twentieth street, which at that time was just a country lane. About 1912 or '13, my mother and I operated a little art shop on Market Street about where Children's Apparel is. During the war years, I worked at the Carnation Milk plant. I joined the Rebecca Lodge when I was eighteen and worked my way through the offices and at age twenty-one was Noble Grand. The youngest they had ever had. I was also SecretaryTreasurer of the insurance lodge of the Brotherhoos of American Yeomen. While I was Noble Grand, we instituted a lodge at Randle. Not many cars in those days, some went on a flatbed truck with folding chairs on the back. It took from eight in the morning until nine that night to get there - after pushing the truck out of the many mud holes that we encountered. In Nov. of 1919, I married John Unterwegner and we farmed, at first twenty acres, and later increased to eighty. We raised Jersey cows, chickens and strawberries. I also raised turkeys. In 1940, we bought the place between Doty and Pe Ell. John worked in the woods and later hauled logs to the mill. In 1944 the house burned down and, as it was war years, we had a hard time getting material to rebuild. There was no electricity here at that time. I operated a small commercial greenhouse here for about twenty-three years. We were the parents of two boys and two girls. The first girl died in 1933, the second is handicapped. The boys, Ronald of Alaska and Neil of Enumclaw. John passed away in Jan. of 1964. I still live here and maintain my home and garden at the age of 90. URQUHART My father was James A. Urquhart, the son of William M. and Anna Manning Urquhart. My mother, Sara, the daughter of the Reverend David Owen and Alice Ghormley of Portland, Oregon. My Urquhart grandparents built and lived in a large house on Pennsylvania Avenue. The house was set well back from the street; no expense had been spared on its construction and it was a masterpiece of turrets, cupolas, and balconies - not to mention a basement and an attic that came into its own on Halloween! My father, after two years at the University of Washington, returned to Chehalis and began work as a clerk in the Coffman Dobson Bank. He had served his apprenticeship as an errand boy several years earlier. My mother had graduated from Whitworth College which, at that time, was located in Tacoma. After completing her work and getting a teacher's certificate, she accepted a job in Chehalis High School teaching German and Latin. In addition to being a very pretty girl, she had a lovely voice and soon was a member of the choir at the Presbyterian Church. My father (I am guessing) fell in love as soon as he saw and heard "the angel in the choir." Their marriage took place in 1909. I was born in 1910, followed by my brother, James, in 1911. Late in August of 1916, my father was killed in an automobile accident. I suspect that things began to fall apart for my grandfather at that time. He had sired five children, two daughters and three sons (one of whom died in infancy), but his favorite was my father. He had retired from his position as a vice-president of the bank some years earlier and looked forward to a comfortable life watching his son mature and prosper. Fate intended otherwise and he rapidly became an embittered and melancholy man, and that is the man that I remember. Some years later my mother married again to John Emmett Murray, a handsome young attorney, who had come west from Ohio and decided to practice law in Chehalis. The Murrays had one son, Robert, who now lives in Vancouver, Washington. I was married to Lt. Walter A. Jensen in 1935 and two years later our daughter, Sara Ann, was born. With the advent of World War II, things began to go a wry and shortly after the end of the war I was divorced. Sally and I moved to California in 1949 and I have lived here since then. For the last twenty years, I have owned a small bookstore, and Sara, after a divorce and the death of her second husband, has been working in the store as buyer and manager. By Katherine U. Jensen VANDER STOEP In September of 1950 James A. Vander Stoep and wife, Margaret Sue (Suzi Hayne) arrived in Chehalis to make their home. They were both 25 years old and Jim had just finished his three-year law school at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Suzie had taught school there while Jim attended law school. Both graduated from Washington State University in Pullman; Jim in 1947 with a B.A., interrupted with three years service in the Navy as a Lieutenant; and Suzi in 1946 with a B.A. and in 1947 with a B.Ed. Looking at small towns in the Willamette, Chehalis and Skagit River Valleys, they chose Chehalis as their home because of its schools, business activity, and its proximity to the ocean and metropolitan areas and its courthouse. Jim had passed both Oregon and Washington State bar exams and was offered a job in the office of Hull and Armstrong, a pioneer law firm. On August 4, 1951 their first daughter, Ann, was born. She is now married to Dr. Stephen Hunt and they are parents of two girls, Brook and Jane. Ann is an epidemiologist, graduating from Stanford in human biology and from the University of Oklahoma with a Masters in epidemiology. April 28, 1953 Johanna, their second daughter, was born. She graduated from Western Washington University in Bellingham with a Masters from Seattle University in school administration. She taught in Auburn before becoming a Vice Principal at the Middle School on Bainbridge Island. May 20, 1957 James Andrew Vander Stoep, Jr. was born. He graduated from Western Washington University and at 23 was elected as the 20th District State Representative. He is now serving his third term and is still the youngest member of the legislature. Jim's parents, Marian Kahl and Dick H Vander Stoep, lived in Lynden, a Dutch community, from the time Jim was four years old. Jim's father was a banker and his mother a teacher. Jim was born May 14,1925 in Inwood, Iowa. Suzi's parents lived in Seattle when she was born on April 17, 1925. Her parents, Effie McVicar and George Roy Hayne, moved to Aberdeen, when she was one and to Longview when she was 17. Her father was a grocer. In his legal profession, Jim was President of the Lewis County Bar Association, Justice of the Peace, served on the Washington State Bar Board of Governors and a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Jim's volunteer jobs included organizer of the Boys Little League Program, Rotary Club President, Elder in Westminster Presbyterian Church, Chairman of the Board of Lewis Federal Savings and Loan Association, Red Cross worker, March of Dimes Chairman, Lewis County Republican Chairman, Swim Pool Drive Chairman and the Board of Youth Orchestra. Suzi's volunteer jobs included thirty years of Girl Scout work, with twenty years as a leader; President of United Presbyterian Women, Seattle Orthopedic Guild President, AAUW, Helen Doane Gallery Board and the St. Helens Club. Vander Stoep residence is 727 SW 16th St. in Chehalis. DR. CORNELIA VAN PROOYEN In 1955 Cornelia Mary Van Prooyen became an associate doctor with the medical practice of Dr. George M. Lovelace and Dr. Paul W. Sweet in the city of Centralia, Washington. She was Lewis County's first woman doctor. She was born February 9, 1925 near Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Arie and Cornelia Van Prooyen. She has one brother, Peter, and two sisters, Adriana and Elisabeth. Her parents were immigrants from the Netherlands. In 1939 the family moved from California to Vancouver, Washington. She later chose locating in Centralia because of the nearness to her parents. Her mother and father were very knowledgeable and intelligent people, but were only educated through the sixth grade, like many others of their era. They always wanted and encouraged more for their children. Cornelia attended Washington State University 1943-1947; Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo. 1947-1951; and Minneapolis General Hospital 1951-195J internship medical residency. She graduated one of eight women in a class of 104. She served as chairperson of the Beautification Committee jointly for Centralia and Chehalis Chambers of Commerce, and was instrumental in the formation of the Lewis County Historical Society. There had been two previous unsuccessful attempts to organize and Dr. Van Prooyen acknowledges the many contributions made specifically by Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Cory to make the committee's work a reality. Today she is actively practicing her thirtieth year as a Centralia physician. VAN WOERT FAMILY Six Van Woert brothers came from Holland in the 1600's and settled in the Hudson River Valley of New York State. William VanWoert, one of the descendants, was born on June 15, 1831. He married Elnora Ferris who was born October 12,1839. On April 1, 1869, William and Elnora VanWoert set sail on the steamer, "Arizona", from 366 New York bound for San Francisco, by way of "The Horn", the southernmost tip of South America. They purchased a tract of land in Butte County, California, near the small town of Chico. Two sons were born: John Henry on April 29, 1870 and William, Jr. on April 12, 1873. In 1883, the family moved to Washington Territory and took a homestead at Silver Creek. In 1900, John Henry married Edna Herrington, daughter of Lafayette and Jane Herrington. Lafayette Herrington was born in 1841. On October 12, 1861, he enlisted in the Union Army in the 27th Regiment of the Illinois Infantry Vo1unteers. (His name was properly "Harrington", but the Army misspelled it "Herrington", so he always used that spelling.) After the war, he married a young widow, Jane Knight Farner. Jane was the youngest of the twelve children of Jacob Knight (1803-1887). She was born June 22,1846. On April 11, 1861, she married Cyrus Farner. He enlisted in the Union Army, was wounded at the Battle of Chickamauga, and died in the Andersonville Confederate prison in Georgia. They had a daughter, Caroline. Lafayette Herrington and Jane Knight Farner were married August 10, 1865. They had five children: Molly, Mark, Frank, Peter and Edna. Molly died in Illinois. In 1889, they left DeSoto, Illinois, by train and arrived in Winlock, Washington Territory, shortly before Washington was granted statehood. Their old friend from DeSoto, Tom Swofford, had already homesteaded in the Swofford Valley, and the Herringtons were joining him. The journey from Winlock to the Swofford Valley was on foot, following alongside the Cowlitz River. They waded across the Cowlitz near its confluence with the Tilton River. The winter of 1889-1890, the Herringtons stayed with another family in their one-room log cabin with dirt floor. The Indians brought them venison and fish. The next spring they settled on their homestead and Lafayette built a log cabin and began clearing land. They took to raise a three-year- old girl, Hessie Huckabee, whose mother had died and father had been murdered. She lived with them until young womanhood when she married Lafayette's nephew, Charlie Harrington who had come out from Illinois to live with them. They had two daughters, Fay and Frances. Mark Herrington died of tuberculosis while in his teens. Frank married Lydia McKay from Toronto, Canada. Peter married Lottie Smith and they had two sons: Theodore, who drowned age 2, and Robert. Edna Herrington married John Henry Van Woert in 1900. They had five children: Frances, Fay, Ted, Lillian and Almeda. VASSMER- WAGNER June 30,1915, Carl J. Vassmer married Ellen C. Callear in Yelm, Washington. He was employed by the Union Pacific Railroad and was the first operator of the signal tower at Blakeslee Junction, with 32 switch levers and handling 35 trains daily. The Vassmers returned from their honeymoon at the Worlds Fair in San Francisco to stay at the Centralia Hotel until they found a house to rent. In 1917 they bought a home on Reynolds A venue where they resided until their deaths in 1972 and 1984, respectively. They lived in Portland, Oregon for one year, in 1928- 1929, when Mr. Vassmer was "bumped" in his work. Missing Centralia, he quit the railroad, moved back to their home in Centralia, and became a successful poultryman until he retired in 1956. The Vassmers had one daughter, Bernice, who was married March 26, 1946 to Leonard C. Wagner, son of Mrs. Fannie Wagner. They have lived in Centralia, with the exception of 3 years in Olympia and 5 years in Vancouver, Washington. They returned in 1956 to build a home next door to the Vassmers. When Mr. Vassmer retired, his son-in-law continued in the broiler business, retiring in 1980. The Wagners have two daughters, Mrs. Paul (Barbara) Larson, Kelso, and Mrs. Steven (Mary Ellen) Willemsen of Lynnwood. Two grandchildren, Richard and Jennifer Larson, Kelso. By Bernice Wagner JOYCE VENEMON I, Joyce (Markstrom) Venemon, was born 20 March 1923 at Miles City, Montana, the youngest of seven children born to Blanche Callahan and J. Victor Markstrom. We arrived in Chehalis in the spring of 1924. (photo): Joyce and Robert Venemon and Family My mother, grandmother Sally Callahan, and six small children joined my uncle JO. Callahan, following the separation and divorce of our parents. Uncle "Cal" was employed as a gardener at the Boys' School (later known as Green Hill) and two years later built a home for Grandma and Mother on the corner of 11th St. and Williams Ave. Mother found employment at the St. Helen Hotel and Grandma cared for the children until her death in 1929. That year I started to school at Cascade Elementary and graduated from Chehalis High School in 1941. I held a number of jobs, notably at local theaters, Puget Power, Boeing Aircraft, Sturdy Photo, and Kraft Foods. In 1948 I met my husband to be, Robert Venemon, a placement and parole office at Green Hill. My mother was employed at Green Hill in the hospital and introduced us. We were married on 26 November, 1949 at the Chehalis Methodist Church. For the next six years our home was on the campus of the institution. Our daughter Chrisanne was born 4 July, 1951 and our son Joel on 15 August, 1953. In May of 1956 we left the school. Bob's tenure brought about many changes and successful programs which benefited the students. We stayed in Chehalis since Bob found employment and we bought our first home. Lori, our second daughter, was born Oct. 3, 1958. Our children attended Chehalis schools and went on to college. Chris teaches high school in Tacoma after eight years in Chehalis. Joel attended Evergreen State College two years and then worked locally before moving to Tacoma to accept a position with a metal firm. Lori is a nurse in Hackensack, N.J., where her husband, Jeffrey Phillips, recently graduated from dental school. In 1975 the city government changed from a commission form to that of council-city manager. With less responsibility at home, I was encouraged by my family to file for District #1 on that body. I have held that position for ten years and felt honored when the council chose me to serve as mayor in 1981. I have enjoyed serving my community and the city council is a most rewarding job. I am now serving on the Lewis County Health board, am chairman of the Twin City Transit Board, and am active in the Methodist Church, where I was a choir member for many years. My interest in history has drawn me into genealogy research, which is my most rewarding hobby. Chehalis is a wonderful town in which to raise a family. My mother thought this true and I am happy she brought her brood here long ago. I expect to spend the rest of my life here after I retire. By Joyce (Markstrom) Venemon ROBERT I. VENEMON Little did I know, as a little boy, during my yearly visits to Grandma, Mary E. Boynton, Chehalis, and Aunt Jessie (Howard) Moobery, Forest, that this would many years later be my permanent home. As a child I could not get over the size of the giant fir trees; I was accustomed to the apple orchards of Tieton (Yakima) County. I graduated from Tieton High School and spent 5 years at Linfield College, McMinnville, Oregon. I could not find employment in 1939 and decided that learning to fly, as a flying cadet in Uncle Sam's Air Corps, would be profitable. World War II caught me, and I remained in the Air Corps until 1949. The most memorable experience was the position of assistant to the air attache in Rio De Janeiro. I entered the graduate school in social work at the University of Washington in 1946, and in 1948 was tapped for the chief placement representative at the Washington State Training School, here in Chehalis. During my eight and one-half years at Green Hill School, I went through the departments, to superintendent. I feel that we made real inroads into the rehabilitation program: We changed the name of the school to Green Hill School through legislation introduced by Rep. Arthur S. Cory and Senator V.R. Lee. We revitalized the agricultural and dairy programs, making the school self supporting. Through innovative work programs, the youngsters gained valuable work experiences and a feeling of worth and accomplishment that is so important in the process of rehabilitation. We found that through the professional assistance of Washington State College and our local extension service we could be the best for little capital outlay. In 1957 I left Green Hill and went on the road "selling" for five years. To stay closer to home, I successfully ran for Lewis County auditor in 1962 and held this position for four and one-half terms. In 1980 I ran and succeeded in being elected county commissioner. I retired January 1,1985. The highlight of my life was meeting Joyce Markstrom in 1948. I couldn't miss her; she lived at the entrance to Green Hill School, and her mother, Blanche Markstrom, was a wonderful cook. Yes, we were married in 1949. We have 367 three children: Chrisanne, a teacher; Joel Robert, a buyer for a metal company; and Lori, a nurse. I belong to many civic and fraternal organizations including: the United Methodist Church, Chehalis, the American Legion, the 40-8, the Centralia-Chehalis Elks, the Masons, Shrine, Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce, the Newaukum Grange, Toastmasters, Cancer Society, Red Cross, and S.W. Washington Fair Association. My favorite avocation comes at Christmas time when I don the Santa suit. I have played this role for over 30 years - I have a beautiful suit made by the Chehalis American Legion Auxiliary. I have worked through the Chehalis Chamber of Commerce. The money raised has been used to support cancer research. In conclusion, I love this area and if I had it all to do over again, I couldn't go wrong in retracing the same path. I do hope that I have at least partly repaid this great county for the bounties it has given to me and my family. CONRAD VETTER Conrad Vetter met Josephine Guggenbickler at a Firemen's Ball in Pe Ell, WA. Not too long afterward they were married, June 28,1947, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Frances, WA. They made their first home in an apartment ($50/month) in Chehalis. Two years later they built their own house on the Middle Fork Road from lumber felled and sawed in their own sawmill. There was barely enough space to pull your car off the road, all else was brush, trees, and stumps, which they cleared off first. Stumps had to be dynamited out. Conrad worked for Willapa Lumber Mills at Raymond and later for Joe Ford Logging in Chehalis. In 1950 he went to work for the Washington State Highway Department as an engineer. He was transferred to Long Beach in 1958 and his wife and family of four moved there. The children attended school at Ilwaco. While there they did surveying and planning for the approaches to the Astoria Bridge over the Columbia River. Before the bridge was built one had to take a ferry to cross the river. Two years later he returned to the Chehalis office, where he worked on the roads being built around the new Mayfield Lake and Riffe Lake. The Mossyrock Bridge was the longest arch bridge then in the United States. Several men lost their lives during these constructions. Conrad and Josephine belonged to St. Joseph Church, Swiss Society, Grange, and he to Knights of Columbus. They had six children: Marilyn (b. 11-13-48), Jeanette (b. 8-10-50), Marjorie (b. 10-17-55), James (b. 6-10-57), baby girl stillborn, Rose Marie (b. 3-19-66), and Robert (11-29-68). All were born in Chehalis. The children enjoyed a great variety of activities, both indoor and outdoor. Conrad Vetter remembers working at Onalaska Mill during the depression. He was paid $3.40 a day (10 hours) at Carlisle Lumber Company. He helped build the tall smoke stack for the mill, which one can still see standing today. As a child, Conrad barely survived a diphtheria epidemic. Conrad remembers many stories of his grandfather Gregory Vetter. He walked long distances even to Chehalis, walked barefoot a lot, and sold fruit trees throughout the state. Old acquaintances told of men smelling something burning in the blacksmith shop. They discovered that Gregory was standing on hot coals, not realizing it, due to the toughness of his soles. Conrad's father, Frank Vetter, came to Chehalis from Frances, WA in 1924 with his family. Frank and Josephine (Kroll) Vetter had three boys: Conrad (b. 1-6-10), Edwin (b. 1-4-11), and Herbert (b. 8-10-13). Frank worked as County Road Supervisor a number of years and later as Fire Warden. He had a small farm where he raised different kinds of berries and peaches to sell at Forest, WA. Josephine came to Pe Ell from Nebraska at about age 9. By Josephine Vetter VIMONT FAMILY The Vimont family came to Chehalis in 1907 after hard times in Missouri. Charles Jefferson Vimont and his wife, Mary Ines, with five daughters and two sons were provided food and lodging by friends and the Odd Fellows Lodge until C.J. found work as a superintendent building an enlargement of National Avenue. (photo): Mayor, Louis A. Vimont Another son, Billie, was born in 1908. Mary Ines died in 1909 and Charles had to move to construct the turn-around at Seaside, Oregon. The older children eventually established homes in other towns. One son, Louis Alexander Vimont, then fourteen years old, remained as an apprentice printer with Elmer McBroom, owner of the local newspaper. Under Mr. McBroom's guidance, Louis learned much about people, business, thrift, and politics. He also loved baseball, tennis and fishing. In 1916 Louis A. married Anna Leota Yeager, daughter of Francis M. and Amelia Yeager of Centralia. In 1919 following service as a printer in the United States Navy, Louis with Leota opened Vimont Printing which prospered throughout their lifetime. Both took time to actively participate in social, fraternal, civic and church activities. Their closest friends shared biweekly outings and parties as the Just-A-Mere Club which was founded by newly wed couples of Chehalis in 1917. Louis's good judgement and integrity led to positions as vice-president of Lewis County Savings and Loan, lay leader of the Methodist Church, city councilman, mayor of Chehalis 1936-1948, president of Lewis County Republican Committee and other positions of leadership. Their only child, born in 1931, was Louis Elmer Vimont. He enjoyed scouting, tennis and music as a youth. He now sings with Centralia Methodist Church Choir and the Two Town Tuners barber shop singers. Louis E. attended Centralia College, and W.S.U. He served three years with the Army Engineers then returned to W.S.U., where he met and married Jenneth Lee Temby. In 1957 they moved to Chehalis with their first child, Louis Kevin Vimont. Louis Elmer joined his father in the print shop and expanded the stationary sales department. Louis A. and Leota enjoyed the company of their grandson, but sadly, Louis A. Vimont died in 1962 before the birth of two granddaughters, Valerie and Carin. Leota lived until 1969 and spent many happy hours with her grandchildren. Louis E. and Jenneth operated Vimont Stationery until they sold it in 1969. After a year at Eastern Washington State College, Louis became a real estate agent with several Lewis County brokers. He opened his own real estate office in Rochester. In 1978 he took a position as an auditor with the Department of Licensing, Real Estate Division. He is now senior auditor in the Olympia office. In 1973 Jenneth and Louis were divorced. She moved to Olympia to work with the state. Their children are Louis Kevin Vimont who manages a store in White Pass and Valerie who lives in Olympia. She has one daughter, Carin, a sophomore at W.S.U. and a member of Alpha Omicron Phi sorority. In 1978 Louis E. Vimont married Marian Teresa (Swalwell) McKee and moved to Lincoln Creek Valley to live with her and three of her five sons. In 1979 Marian returned to college, graduated from Centralia College with highest honors. In 1983 she graduated from the Evergreen State College with a BA in psychology, and is presently attending graduate school in Tacoma. Louis and Marian enjoy fellowship at Centralia Methodist Church. They enjoy visiting historic towns in Washington and Oregon, collecting antiques, and attending cultural events. Louis and Marian still reside at Lincoln Creek Valley and look forward to the many visits from their children and grandchildren. VOSPER FAMILY John Vosper was born at Cobourg, Ontario January 30,1856 to George Vosper (1817-1889) and Philippa George (1827-1899), natives of Cornwall, England. John was raised at Exeter, Ontario and migrated to this country in 1881 eventually settling at Pipestone, Minnesota where he met Ella "Nell" Sullivan. They were married December 1, 1885 at Flandreau, South Dakota. She was born March 1, 1862 near Shullsburg, Wisconsin to John Sullivan (18291890) who was of Irish and Swiss stock and Mary Harrington (1841-1882) whose parents came from Cork County, Ireland. He followed carpentry and operated a hotel. A son John Edward was born at Pipestone June 1, 1887. Son William George was born at Port Huron, Michigan October 26, 1888. In 1890 John Vosper went west and located at Centralia. He sent for his family and they came in the fall. Daughter Clara Irene was born at Centralia December 8, 1890. In 1891 the family moved to Oakville where the last child, Ella Minerva, was born April 2, 1893. 368 (photo): Left to Right: Clara Irene Vosper Weatherby, John Edward Vosper, Ella Sullivan Vosper, Ella Minerva Vosper, William George Vosper, John Vosper. John Vosper spent the rest of his career as a carpenter in the Oakville area and served briefly on the town council. He died at Oakville November 17,1925 and was buried in the Oakville Cemetery. "Nell" who was a seamstress, died July 19, 1942 at Oakville and was buried beside her husband. William and Ella never married. "Willie" was a carpenter and cemetery sexton, was in the army during World War I, was a good swimmer and boxer and liked children. He died August 3, 1978 at Elma. Ella was a clerk, cook, and homemaker. She had a lively personality and loved company. She died at Centralia December 30, 1981 and was buried with her brother and parents. Clara taught school most of her career, serving in several communities. She married Robert Lawrence Weatherby June 4, 1943 at Seattle. He was born in 1906 at Tacoma to Raymond Weatherby and Edith Neyhart. He worked at various occupations but most enjoyed gardening. He died June 30,1965 at Seattle. In 1985 Clara is active and living in Oakville where she enjoys gardening and music. "Johnny" Vosper married twice, first to Laura Ellen Rutledge December 24, 1912 at Littlerock. They had two children: Nellie Belle born November 23, 1914 at Centralia and Bill Edward born February 29,1916 at Chehalis. See VOSPER-CORNWELL FAMILY. Johnny and Laura divorced in 1920. He secondly married Esther Clara Ross October 29, 1946 at Kelso. Their son, James Michael, was born March 29, 1947 at Centralia. They lived near Oakville. Johnny was a carpenter, logger, and trapper and had been a good baseball player and boxer. He died February 11, 1971 at Olympia and was buried at Oakville. Esther later moved to Centralia - see ESTHER DIRK. Jim Vosper holds a Ph.D. in History of Education from the University of Nebraska. He lives in Centralia and teaches history and genealogy for Centralia College. He also works for the Weyerhaeuser Mima Nursery. He served on the Lewis County Historical Society Board of Directors 1979-1984. By Jim Vosper VOSPER-CORNWELL FAMILY Nellie Belle Vosper was born November 23, 1914 at Centralia to John Edward Vosper and Laura Ellen Rutledge. See VOSPER FAMILY for his background. Her brother Bill Edward Vosper was born February 29,1916 in Chehalis. Nellie and Bill's mother was born May 29, 1893 at Littlerock to Marion Francis Rutledge (18631894) and Emma Belle Smith Rutledge Dodge (1868-1940). The Rutledge family were pioneers in Thurston County and among the earliest settlers of the Littlerock area. Marion's parents were Thomas E. Rutledge (1831-1909) and Louisa M. Shotwell (1839-1877). His wife was the daughter of William Smith (18361871) and Louisa M. Miles (1835-1927) who was later married to Aaron Webster, the founder of Bucoda. Marion's widow later married T. Ives Dodge, a Thurston County Commissioner. Nellie and Bill were raised in Centralia and Tumwater, but mostly Tacoma where their mother located after she and John Vosper divorced. Laura subsequently remarried but remained devoted to her own siblings and was always willing to help ailing family members. She died at Centralia April 9, 1984 at age 90 and was buried in the Rutledge lot in Olympia. On October 23,1939 Nellie married to Orlyn Sheldon "Ed" Cornwell at Lewiston, Idaho. He was born November 12, 1907 at Colville to William Johnson Cornwell (1864-1930) and Pearl Imogene Fitzsimmons (1870-1948). He owned and operated a dry cleaning business in Seattle until 1951 when the family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. A daughter, Janet Marie Cornwell, was born in Seattle July 26, 1943. She married Edward George Wagley April 29, 1967 at Las Vegas. See WAGLEY FAMILY. After moving to Nevada Ed Cornwell engaged in a beverage distributing business. Nellie, who had been a cosmetology instructor at Moler Beauty School, worked for a major beauty supply store in Las Vegas for over 25 years. In this connection she became acquainted with a number of entertainment personalities. Ed Cornwell died October 25, 1978 at Las Vegas and was buried at Logandale, Nevada. In 1981 his daughter's family moved to Oakville and then Toledo and finally settled at Chehalis in 1984. Nellie returned to the place of her birth to live in 1983. Nellie is active in volunteer work at Centralia General Hospital. Bill Vosper is an airplane mechanic and spent 31 years in the Air Force. He married Beverly Virginia Day Kneeland in December, 1938. She was born February 5, 1916 to Frank Johnston Day and Gertrude Theresa Walkling Day Kneeland. Bill and Bev have two children. A daughter, Pamela Dianne, was born July 2,1948 at Mesa, Arizona and married Charles A. Schumacher in 1976. They live in St. Louis, Missouri. A son, Bruce Edward, was born January 11, 1951 in Germany. He is stationed with the Air Force in England and he and his wife Rhea have a daughter Melanie Lorraine born February 8, 1982 in North Carolina. Bill and Bev reside at Mariposa, California. By Jim Vosper WAGLEY FAMILY Janet Marie Cornwell was born July 26, 1943 in Seattle, the only child of Orlyn Sheldon "Ed" Cornwell (1907-1978) and Nellie Belle Vosper. Her father was born at Colville and was the son of William Johnson Cornwell (1864-1930) and Pearl Imogene Fitzsimmons (18701948) who were both natives of Illinois. Janet's mother was born at Centralia in 1914 and was the daughter of John Edward Vosper (1887-1971) and Laura Ellen Rutledge (1893-1984). The Cornwells lived in Seattle where Ed owned a dry cleaning business and Nellie worked as a cosmetologist. In 1951 the family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where Janet grew to maturity. She was quite active in school functions, 369 entertainment, and was a fine swimmer. She attended Rancho High School in Las Vegas. She worked for the largest floral shop in Las Vegas and made floral arrangements for stars. She was an emcee on a television show and did commercials for two other network affiliates. She also managed a drapery workroom and worked in interior decorating. She married Edward George Wagley April 29, 1967 in Las Vegas. Ed and Janet had been high school sweethearts. He had served in the U.S. Navy and had been engaged in police work before undertaking a career in plumbing and carpentry. Ed was born November 17, 1941 at Santa Ana, California to Lillian Grace Graupensperger and Edwin Arne Wagley. In 1976 Ed and Janet moved to Logandale, Nevada where they operated a goat dairy and owned and operated a fabric shop. In 1981 they moved to Washington settling near Toledo after a brief stay in Oakville, where they lived in the home built by Janet's great-grandparents Vosper. For a time they operated the Rex Restaurant in Winlock. In 1984 they moved to Chehalis. Both are active members of the Centralia LDS stake. They have three children: Laurie Lynn born January 10, 1969; James Robert born July 25, 1970; and Edward George II born January 9, 1973. They were all born in Las Vegas. Laurie and James attend W.F. West High School while Eddy goes to Olympic Middle School. Laurie and Eddy are active in sports while James is interested in art and photography. Ed was associated with DJ's Plumbing in Chehalis until he went into business for himself. Janet has been employed at the Rose House in Centralia and is attending classes at Centralia College. By Jim Vosper WALCH FAMILY Joseph Walch was born May 7,1875 in Tyrol, Austria to Alois and Louisa Walch. He was the eldest of seven children, having two brothers and four sisters. The four girls in the family died in infancy. In 1884 at the age of nine, Joseph and his family boarded a cattle boat and sailed for America, docking at Manischee, Michigan two weeks later. The family lived there four years, then in 1888 came West to Tacoma, Washington. Joseph at the age of eleven, worked in a cigar factory. (photo): Walch Family In 1891, the family moved to Lewis County, on East Crego Road, which is now known as the Cousins Road. In October, 1892, Alois became an American citizen. The three brothers, Joseph, Albert, and Frank, worked in logging camps, earning one dollar a day. Joseph bought an 88-acre piece of land that had a one room log cabin on it, just about a half mile north of the home place. In November, 1903, Joseph and Anna Wollman were married. They had eleven children, raising eight of them. The children were: Louise, Josephine, William, Edward, Gertrude, Fredrick, George and Anna Mae. Over the years, several rooms were added to the one room cabin, and a lot of land was cleared. Anna was born in North Platte, Nebraska, also her two sisters and four brothers were born in Nebraska. Louise, Mrs. Theodore Blumstrom, the eldest, was a waitress for many years and was secretary-treasurer of Local #316 for 33 years. Josephine, Mrs. Alfred Scheuber, was a homemaker and raised a family. William and Edward raised families and held many jobs to support them. Joseph Junior served in the Army in Germany. Gertrude, Mrs. Elmer Swinth, raised a family and they all graduated from Adna High School. Fredrick was Valedictorian of his class in 1960 and Barbara of her class in 1975. Donald served in the Army in Texas and Patrick and James both served in Viet Nam. Fredrick Walch worked up to a Staff Sergeant in World War II. He was a gunner technician and won his silver wings at Harlingen Army Airfield in Texas. In 1944 he was stationed in Germany, and was on a mission, flying a Liberator bomber over Italy when he was shot down, becoming a prisoner of the Germans for 13 months. He was reported missing in action for four months before his parents knew where, and if he was still alive. At night he would raid the garbage cans for potato peelings to eat to stay alive. Fred lives in Eureka, California. George was a Marine in World War II and saw action in Saipan, Japan, and Tinian. He raised a family and lives in Olympia. Anna Mae, Mrs. Byron Brick, raised a family and worked out like the rest. Over the years Joseph was a farmer, but he also worked at the Wisconsin Lumber Company at Littell, the Browns Mill in Chehalis, and the rock crusher at Adna. LEE ELVIN WALKLING When Will Walkling contracted malaria in Louisiana (his birthplace), he, his widowed mother, Mary Southwick Walkling, brother, Henry, and cousin, Henry "Buster" Southwick, moved to Centra Ii a, Washington, about 1910. The two brothers logged in Zenkner Valley and (photo): Lee Elvin Walkling bought land there. Buster later became Chief of Police in Centralia. Will went to Oregon, working at the Edenbower Orchard, near Roseburg. There he met and married Ella Mae Connelly in 1913. They moved to Garrard Creek, Washington with Will's brother and mother. When Ella was expecting her first baby, she returned to Oregon, as life was too hard on the primitive farm. Although Will arrived in Oregon May 5, 1917, the day his premature 5 lb. son Lee Elvin was born, he soon left to run a farm and then an apple orchard and packing plant in Filer; Idaho. Ella and Lee soon followed. When the depression closed the apple plant, Will rented a boxcar and moved his family to Centralia. Will and Lee built a road, house, and barn; then started clearing a stump farm. Luckier than most, they had both a tractor and truck. For money, they raised hay (field shocked and stored loose), sold eggs, collected fern, did outside tractor work, raised sheep, picked berries and sold firewood. Because of Lee's early interest in machinery, he became a "Mr. Fix-it" while he was young. He enjoyed making crystal sets and reading late at night by kerosene lamplight. Lee went to Centralia High School and drove the school bus. He had little time for school activities because of the farm work; "buzzing" wood, plowing (he loved to drive tractor), and road building. After graduation, Lee went to a Los Angeles Aircraft School. He got a job he thoroughly enjoyed with Douglas Aircraft in El Segundo, California. In three years he advanced to assistant supervisor in charge of the graveyard shift in the sub-assembly department. Because of his work, the plant got him deferred from the draft in World War II. He won many "Suggestion" awards for inventions and shortcuts. In 1943 Lee married Marion Chisholm of Pasadena, California. From Gardena they moved to Pasadena in 1945, where Lee worked at a secret method of repairing cracked car engines. Two girls (Connie Lee and Nancy) were born before they moved to Zenkner Valley where he remodeled a cabin into a home in 1954. Lee worked for Chris Althauser at the Centralia Junk Company, owned by Goldstein and Bloch. After eight years, Lee bought the business and ran it for 22 years, changing the name to the Centralia Supply Company. The merchants around town referred customers to Lee for unusual merchandise, scarce materials, or jobs that no one else would tackle. He was skilled at welding and machining. Lee sold his business in December 1984 and retired to two acres east of Chehalis where he could play at his hobbies; gas engines, tractors, antique tools and inventing. His wife, Marion, does volunteer work at the Lewis County Historical Museum. One daughter, Connie Lee, lives.in Los Angeles; the other lives in Seattle. Lee's only sister, Evelyn Clark, lives in Centralia. WALLACE-ANDERSON John Wallace was born in 1748 in Scotland and came to America in the fifth or sixth decade of the 18th century. The early Wallaces were a prolific lot and John's descendants must now be scattered throughout the country. My father, Burton ("Bud") Wallace was born to Jim Wallace and the former Frances Henderson in 1876 in Anderson Co., Tenn. He eventually came to the Napavine area where he met my mother, Linda Anderson, and they were married when she was 17 years old. They raised three children, Frances, Ivan ("Bud"), and Burton ("Bud"). Yes, my two brothers and my father were all called "Bud." Confusing, wasn't it? Ivan married 370 Floriene Nicewonger of Napavine and they settled in Vader, WA where they raised their two girls, Patricia and Judith. Ivan died in 1978. Burton married Marie Jensen of Napavine and they lived there until their three children were grown, Le., Wayne, Kirby, and Diana. Burton died in 1982. Marie still lives in Napavine. I went to Portland in 1927 after graduating from Napavine High School and working a year in the Post Office there. I met Jim Farmer there and we have a son, Donald. We retired to a small acreage in the Vader area in 1974. My mother's mother was Hannah Rasmussen and she came from Denmark at age 16, though she knew no English. She came to this country by boat to N.Y., thence to San Francisco by train, and to Portland by boat. My mother's father, Hogan Anderson, was born in Norway in 1847 and came to America in 1869. He met my grandmother where they both were working in Portland and they were married in 1884. He bought 120 acres of land for $600 in 1883 on what is now the Harmon Rd. about two miles NW of Napavine. They built a beautiful farm there and one of its most interesting features was an underground flume of big cedar planks to carry the water from a winter stream under the hayfield. That fascinated me when I was a child. There was also a cedar gutter-like flume from the back porch to carry washwater, etc., away from the house. Believe it was about 50 ft. long. Never saw that any place else, either. I remember there was an 8-ft. cedar picket fence in front of the house and yard area, and all the hayfields were enclosed by cedar zig-zag fencing. It was from that farm that my little dog and I wandered away when I was a little over two years old (1910) and were lost in the heavy timber and brush surrounding the farm. The mills all closed and everyone available searched for me. A neighbor's boy, Harold Romerman, found me when he went to get the cows, about two miles from home. I have the old clippings from the Bee-Nugget telling about it. The Andersons raised three children there, Chester ("Andy"), Linda (my mother), and Alma. They were all eventually married and of course are now deceased. My grandfather joined the LO.O.F. Lodge in Napavine about 1889 and was still a member when he died in 1911. My grandmother moved to Portland after his death and died in 1941. Ah, for those good old carefree days! By Frances (Wallace) Farmer LLOYD WARFIELD FAMILY The Warfields arrived in Mossyrock, Washington March 1, 1947. (photo): Lloyd Warfield, 1935 Lloyd William Warfield was born September 6, 1907 in Wichita, Kansas. His parents were William Isaac Warfield, born February 18, 1876 in Indiana and Emma (Schroeder) born February 13, 1882 in Wisconsin. In 1913 the family moved to Anaheim, California. Lloyd worked in high school to pay for flying lessons. After graduating from Fullerton High School, he owned his own Waco 9 plane, and once while flying to Hood River, Oregon, he was forced to land on the present site of Bonneville Dam. Sunday afternoons Irene Stives flew with him in the open cockpit plane thinking it was exhilarating. Flying expenses and marriage responsibilities were not compatible and Lloyd, upon their marriage in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 23, 1938, sadly sold his plane. Irene was born in Oil City, Pennsylvania July 10, 1909 to James Wilmot Stives, born March 23,1884 and Edith (Beers) Stives born June 29, 1885 and moved with them to Fullerton, California February 1911. After World War II the Warfields visited Lewis County and decided it was a fine place to raise their sons, Lloyd Allan born April 3, 1939, Whittier, and Lynn Wilmot born January 8, 1942, Fullerton. C.C. Green, Lloyd's brother-in-law, and Lloyd gave a Strout realtor at Silver Creek a ten dollar deposit on a farm at Mossyrock and rushed home to convince their wives that a substantial deposit should be sent immediately. The seller wanted to back out, but the puny ten dollars secured the deal for ten days. For $12,500 the William Hoyt farm on the Young Road was purchased. When the Greens returned to California, the War fields sold 120 acres to the Rupert Nelsons and later four acres to the Cecil Birleys. The 48 acres retained by the Warfields, according to an abstract of title, was a land grant to the Indian, Kiona, which he later sold to the McMurry family for $600. Supposedly there were Indian graves on the Mossyrock hill and when a tree stump was dug, a marker was found revealing part of an epitaph. This artifact was left with the David Burtons who purchased this property in 1977. The abstract also revealed that the big spring one time furnished water to families in Mossyrock. Allan married Leta Mae Osborne May 29, 1956 and Lynn married Virginia Carter June 4, 1960. Both wives were from longtime resident families. Lloyd worked as county road supervisor until his retirement. Irene was employed in the post office and by the school district as a secretary and later a teacher in fifth and eighth grades and of high school art. Activities for both included membership in the Church of the Brethren and Order of Eastern Star; for Lloyd, Robert Morris Lodge #97, and for Irene, Delta Kappa Gamma, and Daughters of the American Revolution. ALVA WARREN AND EDNA MARY BOWEN In 1890, Alva Bowen came by train to the Mossyrock area from Greenbriar, West Virginia. He was 18 months old. His father had come before his family and found an abandoned homestead and filed on it. Alva Warren was born August 4, 1887, in Nicholas County, West Virginia. He was the fifth child of Anthony and Laura (Loudermilk) Bowen. When Alva was six years old, his father died. His mother later married Thomas Landis. He was affectionately known as "Uncle Tommy" and raised Alva. There was a little man with a horse and buggy that came around selling fruit trees. Anthony must have planted nearly a hundred trees. No one seemed to know his name. Going through the Bowen family Bible, we found a letter from a Mr. E.H. Gilbert, telling when the trees would arrive. Edna Mary was born January 11, 1888, in Broken Bow, Nebraska. She was the second daughter of Charles Fremont and Martha (McGuire) Henderson. Edna's family had heard a bout the fortunes to be made in Oregon, so came by train to Scio, Oregon. They made their living peeling cascara bark. They heard that Lewis County had lots of cascara bark, so they took the train to Portland, and by boat to Toledo, then on to Mossyrock. They liked it so well, they sold their place in Oregon and settled on a place at Harmony. There wasn't any bridge across the Cowlitz River to get to Harmony. The Carsons operated the ferry and it cost a nickel to cross. Alva and Edna met when they were both in a musical for the community. They were married June 7, 1911, Chehalis, by Dr. Brown, the Methodist minister. They had four children. All born in Mossyrock, delivered by Dr. Botzer. Warren Fremont, August 29,1913. Warren was drowned in the Cowlitz River, at Nesika, when he was 19 years old. Francis Lucille, March 17, 1914, Lucille died June, 1978. Verna Thelma, July 3, 1919. Richard Lee, February 20,1923. Alva owned one of the first Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In 1913-15, he owned and operated the stage between Mossyrock and Chehalis. The fare was 20cents. He did shopping and errands for people that couldn't go to town. Alva owned and operated tie mills. He was a good mechanic and could fix anything. Alva died of cancer on his birthday, August 4, 1974. Edna was a homemaker, an avid gardener. She took the family wild blackberry picking and peeling cascara bark. She is the only living charter member of the Mossyrock Community Church. She came from a large family and they would get together at her parents at Harmony, nearly every Sunday. One of the most grizzly events of Alva and Edna's life happened when a Mr. Wolf, a homesteader on Winston Creek, was found murdered. He had been shot in the head. The men that found him, cut off his head, put it in a "gunny sack" and brought the head out and displayed it at the post office. CLAUDE WARREN FAMILY IN LEWIS COUNTY Claude Warren and Effie Pippin eloped and were married on August 17, 1910, in Seligman, Missouri. Claude was born in Benton County, Arkansas on April 12, 1889, and Effie was born there on May 29, 1890. The young couple came immediately to Western Washington to join three of Claude's brothers in the logging business in Lebam. Before leaving Lebam and coming to Centralia, their three children were born: Tracy Eugene on September 26, 1911; Juanita Pauline on February 23, 1913, and Mildred Elizabeth on March 29,1919. The family became active in the business, civic, fraternal and church life of the community. Mr. Warren and his brother Lewis operated the first service station in Lewis County and then expanded this business to Grays Harbor and a gas and oil distribution business. In 1936 they bought the Chevrolet-Cadillac agency in Centralia, and shortly afterwards acquired a Chehalis car agency. By the close of WW II, Mr. Warren's brothers had passed away and he was 371 (photo): Claude and Effie Warren, married Aug. 17, 1910 joined in his business affairs by his son, Tracy and his two sons-in-law: Gordon H. Smith, Juanita's husband, and H. Ray Williams, Mildred's husband. This group also acquired and developed the Fairway Shopping Center located between Centralia and Chehalis opposite the Fairgrounds. Claude Warren and his extended family were all well known for their church work, their participation in community affairs, fraternal organizations and educational institutions. Miss Lulu Warren, his sister, was a longtime teacher in the Centralia High School and his daughter, Juanita, was later a longtime kindergarten teacher. Mr. Warren was mayor of Centralia from 1952 to 1956 and was instrumental at that time in doubling the generation of the city's hydroelectric plant at Yelm. Claude Warren was called to his heavenly home on May 17, 1964. His life on earth ended in the place so close to his heart. It was in his special pew at the First Baptist Church in Centralia just as the pastor was pronouncing the benediction, a church he had served faithfully for nearly a half century. His widow remains in Centralia and celebrated her 95th birthday at the Centralia Convalescent Center. All three of her children were with her to help mark the day. Tracy and his wife Florence live in Cathedral City, CA, but return to visit our mother during the summer months. Mildred and Ray maintain their home in Centralia and a condominium in Seattle. Juanita, a widow, maintains a home in Issaquah and another in Cathedral City, California. By Juanita W. Smith WARREN My parents, Perry and Dolores (Pickens) West, my sister Tracy and brother Wade lived on a farm in the northwestern tip of Lewis County called the Independence Valley. We attended school in Rochester where I met and fell in love with Glenn B. Warren. Our first child arrived exactly one year after our marriage and my mother brought Gerald Glenn to my graduation ceremony in 1976. I studied to become a key punch operator at Centralia College and went to work at D.S.H.S. in Olympia while my husband earned his degree in diesel mechanics. God blessed us with our second son Gregg Garad in 1978 followed by Grant Michael in 1982 and Geoffrey Wade in 1985. We have a little farm near Grand Mound and I keep busy caring for our boys, decorating cakes, sewing, etc. while Glenn works at the Centralia Steam-Electric Plant. I became a member of The Latter Day Saints Church which my husband had been brought up in, and we are both active in our church and Little League baseball. My parents moved to Lewis County where there had been no relatives until my second cousin Ray Pickens came to visit and found his second wife Myrt. They live on Newaukum Hill. Three of his four children moved here also so we have third cousins Donna (Pickens) Butterton in Rochester, Debbie (Pickens) Lawler in Napavine and Dena (Pickens) Mauerman in Chehalis. My parents and my teen-aged brother Wade live in Chehalis and my sister Tracy (West) Nielsen lives in Centralia. When Mother graduated from Centralia College our dad and we three children gave her the loudest cheers. And when Dad developed sinus cancer we all encouraged him to keep going as much as possible. Our immediate family is very close and we have many good times together. And we often see my uncle and aunt, Bob and Rena Pickens, and their children and granddaughter in Tenino. I've inherited my parents' determination, love of family and appreciation for the great outdoors. By Gay Lynne West Warren HAROLD AND ANNA WASSON Jesse Harold Wasson was born at Ceres, Lewis County, Washington on 26 August 1899. He was the first of five children born to Henry and Mary Ann (Cooper) Wasson. As a boy he picked hops at his Uncle Bill Wasson's hop yard. In his teens he worked in the lumber mills. In September, 1918, Harold enlisted in the Army. Before he saw duty, the Armistice was signed in November. (photo): Harold and Anna Wasson, Sept. 9, 1919 On 9 September 1919, Harold and Anna Jane Roach, daughter of James and Naoma (Huss) Roach, were married at Centralia, Washington. Their first home was a part of the Kilborn homestead (next to Henry Wasson Sr.) located near the Cora Bridge, on Cline Road east of Randle. Here they raised a family of four children: Elea (photo): L. to R.: Eleanor, Vivian, Rosalie, and Raymond, 1964. nor Covey, Vivian LaFaive, Rosalie Beard and Raymond Wasson. It was a typical small farm with alfalfa fields that provided winter feed for the few cows and a team of horses. Anna raised chickens, both for the eggs (often having enough to sell) and to provide meat for the table. An orchard had apple, plum and cherry trees. Peaches for canning were purchased from trucks that came from Yakima. The milking and garden were left to Anna's care as Harold was away at camp much of the time. Harold started working for the Forest Service in 1922. He was a maintenance and construction engineer with the Randle District of Gifford Pinchot National Forest. As foreman of fire crews he was kept busy during fire season with blazes caused by careless campers and by lightning. He was among the first to fly in a small plane over one of these fires, the aerial view enabling him to place his crews in the most strategic places. When Company 2919 of the Civilian Conservation Corps was stationed at Lower Cispus in 1933, Harold was named foreman of the camp. He supervised the building of camping and picnic areas, roads, lookout stations and fire-breaks. The CCC's were terminated in 1942. Anna accepted the position of Randle Telephone operator in June, 1942. The Wassons rented the farm and moved to McKay Road, across from the Randle Methodist Church. The switchboard was located in the front room of their house. She continued as operator until direct dialing was brought to Randle about 1952. A congenial and active member of the community, Anna served on Skywatch (1952), on the Pamela Asmundson Memorial Guild and was Noble Grand of Silver Spray Rebekah Lodge in 1939. She was a member of the Rebekahs from 1934 until her death in 1964. Harold Wasson died 12 March 1962, just before his planned retirement in August. The East Canyon Bridge on the Cispus was named the "H.J. Wasson Bridge" in appreciation of his years of service, by the Forest Service. I am the daughter of Harold and Anna Wasson. In the fall of 1940 I entered Knapps Business College in Tacoma and later I worked at McChord Field. Elzure LaFaive and I were married 10 June 1947. We had met at the CCC dances on the Cispus. I am widowed and live in Portland, Oregon, as do our two daughters, Margaret and Nancy. By Vivian LaFaive HENRY AND MARY ANN WASSON My parents, Harold and Anna (Roach) Wasson settled on our farm on Cline Road (ten miles east of Randle), 11 September 1919. Here I was born July 1920. After the birth of two more daughters, Vivian and Rosalie, and a nine year 372 (photo): Henry and Mary Ann Wasson, wedding picture, Oct. 18, 1897 delay, brother Raymond was born. We all grew up on this farm and spent many happy hours with our grandparents, who lived next to us. We attended the Randle School, which subsequently burned. I graduated in the class of 1938 and from the Twin City Beauty School, Chehalis, Washington. I met Paul Covey in San Francisco, California where we were married in 1944. We have three children: Douglas, Mary Lynne Donnelly and Mark Wasson Covey. While our family was growing up, I was the Postmaster at Woodacre, California. (photo): Henry Wasson and Dillard, Butler the stallion, c. 1918 Grandfather Henry Wasson was born in Minnesota and talked about the deep snow they had in winter. He and his brothers would 'toughen up their feet' by running barefoot in the snow. At age fifteen he came West with his parents, Jesse and Martha (Galbreath) Wasson. On 18 October, 1897, Henry Wasson and Mary Ann Cooper, daughter of John and Emma (Mulkey) Cooper, were married. For twenty two years they lived at Ceres and raised five children: Harold, Vivian, Martha, Henry Jr. and Gladys. The back field of the Ceres farm was along the Chehalis River and as the river changed course, it cut away a part of the farm. On one of his buggy trips through Morton and the Big Bottom Valley, driving his horse Dillard, with the stallion, Butler, tied behind, Granddad saw the Kilborn homestead. It was for sale, and on April 8, 1919, Mary Union Kilborn, widow of Edward J., signed the Warranty Deed to Henry Wasson. The move from Ceres to Cline Road was by Dodge Touring car and a rented truck. At Riffe they found the Nesika Bridge was out, which meant they had to detour over the mountain to Morton. Then the truck, loaded to capacity, got stuck in the ditch. A kind family named Coleman asked them to stay overnight. Granddad was an extremely strong man. With hay cut and threatening rain, and no one to help, Granddad put me on the flatbed wagon to tell him where to place the next pitchfork full of hay. He loaded the wagon, and with his well trained team of horses, had the hay in the barn before the downpour. Grandma Mary Ann Wasson was born in 1877 at Monmouth, Oregon. she died in 1932, age 54. She loved working in her garden and had the proverbial "green thumb." Her front yard looked like a painting of 'An Old Fashioned Flower Garden' and the vegetable garden, with its straight rows, was impressive. She had a gardener named 'Sparky', raised Bantam chickens and turkeys, and she and Grandpa held 'Turkey Shoots' in the back field. Grandma usually whistled as she went about her daily chores. (Both Grandparents are buried at Pleasant Hill.) By Eleanor Jessie (Wasson)Covey JESSE AND MARTHA WASSON Jesse Wasson, son of Joseph and Hannah (Gray) Wasson, was born in Pulaski County, Indiana in 1838. His parents were the first white "squatters" to settle on the Tippecanoe River, near what is now Winamac. The town was named for the Miami Chief of the Algonquian Indians. His father died when Jesse was nine years old. In 1863 Jesse married Martha Jane, daughter of another pioneer family, Thomas Jefferson and Susannah (Neff) Galbreath. Accompanied by his mother, Jesse took his new bride to a farm along Sun Fish Lake, LeSueur County, Minnesota. In April, 1887 Jesse, Martha, their nine children and Hannah, boarded the Great Northern train for Washington Territory. They traveled in boxcars along with a stallion, farm animals and machinery and household possessions. After a seven day trip they arrived at Tumwater, the end of the line. It was pouring rain and continued for sixteen days. Matilda, wife of the eldest son Jacob Wasson, got a job at the boarding house and some of the family stayed there, the rest lived in tents. Hannah was now seventy-seven. The twins, youngest of the children, were four. Several relatives and neighbors accompanied the Wassons on the train including such names as Pittman, Dick, Wynn, Doyle and Gish. By August, 1887 Jesse had settled his family at Pleasant Hill west of Chehalis, his homestead papers were recorded in 1901. Hannah died in 1901, just before her ninety-first birthday. She was buried on a part of the Wasson farm set aside for a cemetery. Later it was called Pleasant Hill Cemetery for which Jesse and Martha made a Quit Claim Deed in 1906. Many Wasson descendants are buried there. Besides farming, Jesse raised prize horses and broke them to teams. They were in demand throughout the state. Seven acres of the farm were fenced off as a deer farm and Jesse sold venison to meat markets in Chehalis and Centralia. Martha loved the circus and whenever the Big Top was in Centralia she and Jesse would go. Martha was a pleasant, easy going lady who read from her Bible daily. Jesse liked to hunt bea