Large funeral state pioneer-William champ dies at Winlock and funeral held on Sunday-Baptist church would not hold nearly all the mourners-organized many Masonic lodges in the west. Sunday afternoon from the Baptist Church at Winlock were held the funeral services of William Champ of that city who died Saturday. The church would not begin to hold the people who were present to pay their respects to the memory of this old pioneer who came west and who first located in Olympia in 1860.
Born in Kentucky in 1825-he would have been 88 year old in about one month-Mr. Champ joined the Masonic Lodge in 1845, crossed the plains in 1860 and moved from Olympia to Lewis County in 1867, where he has since lived.
Mr. Champ organized the first Masonic Lodge in Mason County at Shelton in 1862. He also organized the Masonic lodges at Chehalis, Winlock, and Union City. He leaves four children, 28 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.
The funeral services were under the auspices of the Chehalis Lodge of Masons of which the deceased was charter member assisted by the Winlock, Little Falls, and Toledo lodges.
Another obit:
One of the pioneer figures in Washington’s fraternal life passed away November 2,1912 at Winlock, Lewis County, when William Champ, aged 88, succumbed to an attack of dropsy. The deceased was the oldest mason in Washington and organized the first lodges installed at Chehalis and Winlock.
He is survived by three sons and a daughter, John H., Robert A., and Willis Champ and Mrs. C. Morrow of Portland. Mr. Champ’s activities in the order of Masons dated back to 1853, when he joined Lodge No. 35 Kirkville, Iowa.
He organized the first Masonic Lodge in Martinsburg, Iowa and was master of the same until 1857. He came to Washington in 1860 and settled near Olympia. He organized the first Masonic Lodge in what was then Sawamish County since changed to Mason. He also organized a lodge at Union City, Hood’s Canal. Mr. Champ was buried by the Masonic Lodges of Chehalis and Winlock last Sunday. [It is assumed William was buried in the Winlock Cemetery with his family. There is a main Champ stone but his name isn’t on it].
Contributed by: Shelli Steedman