McCoy, Lillian L. “Peggy” Ray Gribble Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Lillian L. McCoy, 97, of Baker City, died Dec. 25, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her memorial service will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Lura Kidner-Miesen of the United Methodist Church will officiate. Services will conclude in the chapel. Private vault interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery. Lillian Louise “Peggy” McCoy was born Lillian L. Ray on July 5, 1904, to Ellen and Charles Ray on the Oil Comet Lease land in Bakersfield, Calif. She received a rural education. She married Austin Brooks Gribble and had one … Read more

Biography of W. A. Kidd

W. A. Kidd, an astute, energetic and successful business man, is well known in commercial circles of Washington County as head of the W. A. Kidd Lumber Company of Bartlesville and in the conduct of his interests he displays foresight, determination and marked executive ability. A native of Pennsylvania, he was born March 9, 1869, and after completing his public school course entered an academy in that state. After reaching mature years he went to Bowling Green, Ohio, and there engaged in drilling oil wells as a contractor until 1900, when he went to Bakersfield, California, where for three years … Read more

Revell, Kathleen D. – Obituary

Halfway, Oregon Kathleen D. Revell, 62, of Halfway, died March 28, 2003, at Baker City of kidney failure after a severe illness and a long battle with multiple sclerosis. Her funeral was Tuesday at St. Therese Catholic Church in Halfway. Interment was at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Kathleen was born on March 13, 1941, at Redding, Calif., the daughter of John and Catherine Revell. She grew up at Shafter, Calif. She was a 1959 graduate of Garces Memorial High School at Bakersfield, Calif., and married William Mosier that same year. They later divorced. Kathleen loved living at Halfway. She … Read more

Basman, Cyril Louis “Louie”, Jr. – Obituary

Richland, Oregon Cyril Louis “Louie” Basman Jr., 80, a longtime Richland resident, died Jan. 7, 2004, at his home. Louie’s family honored his request that there be no formal service for him. He was born on Jan. 1, 1924, at Detroit, Mich., to Cyril Louis and Joanna Thomaszowski Basman. He attended and graduated from Royal Oak High School. After graduation he went on to attend Laurence Institute of Technology. Louie served in the U.S. Navy as a pilot from 1943 to 1946. In 1944, he married June Ankrom at St. Augustine, Fla., and again at Las Vegas, Nev., (just to … Read more

Loverin, Wesley Ernest – Obituary

Hereford, Oregon Wesley Ernest Loverin, 86, of Hereford, died Oct. 31, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His graveside funeral was at 1 p.m. today at the Unity Cemetery. John Hayes and Bob Skinner officiated. Mr. Loverin was born at Visalia, Calif., on July 4, 1916, to Orlen Wesley and Maude Britten Loverin. Wes was raised at Three Rivers, Calif., where he grew up helping his father with his pack station. He worked out of the Giant Forest, guiding pack trips to the High Sierras. He later became a park ranger, district forest ranger and a supervisor for the Civilian … Read more

Biography of David O. Wilder

David O. Wilder, proprietor of the Pioneer Meat Market, the largest and best appointed market in the city of Riverside. The liberal patronage and support his enterprise receives from the community, is well merited, for he is a thorough master of his business, and prompt in meeting the demands of his customers. Mr. Wilder is one of the earlier settlers of Riverside, who came to California in 1874, and after a year spent in Bakersfield established himself in Riverside. Upon his arrival he purchased land and engaged in horticultural pursuits, and also established a bee ranch at Temescal, which he … Read more

Parker, George “Brownie” – Obituary

Pine Creek, Oregon George “Brownie Parker Sr., 83, a resident of the Pine Creek area near Halfway, died May 3, 2002, at his home. His graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. George Perry Parker was born at Marietta, Okla., on March 31, 1919, to Sally and James Parker. Their family migrated to Roswell, N.M. around 1930. “Brownie” moved to Redlands, Calif., in 1933 working as a meat cutter there until 1936. At this time, he started a career of climbing trees that spanned seven decades. He moved to Bakersfield, Calif. in … Read more

Biography of Clarence S. Crary

Mr. Clarence S. Crary is not only a banker, but has in the comparatively few years of his business career, earned the title of “Builder of Banks.” Mr. Crary is the Cashier of the Bank of Burlingame, and resides in Burlingame, where he is prominently identified with the business and social life of that city, being the Treasurer of the Burlingame Commercial Club and the Treasurer of the Merchants’ Association of San Mateo and Burlingame. He is also a member of the San Mateo lodge of Elks, and a member of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity at Stanford University, where … Read more

Carnahan, Keith Charles – Obituary

Keith Charles Carnahan, 75, of Lake Isabella, Calif., and a former resident of Halfway and Richland, died June 16, 2003, at his home. There will be a graveside military service in his honor honor at 10 a.m. Monday at Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. Keith was born on Nov. 1, 1927, to Ernest Michael and Neva Elizabeth Bowerman Carnahan at Carson. He was raised at Halfway until the sixth grade when the family moved over to Richland. He graduated from high school at Richland. During his life he served as a U.S. Army captain. He was a veteran of World … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Israel Beal

Israel Beal was born thirty-five miles west of Richmond, Virginia, April 10, 1849. His parents, Oliver and Elvira (Myes) Beal, were both natives of Virginia. His father died during the war, and his mother is still living, at a good old age, having reared a family of eleven children, nine of whom are still living. The subject of this sketch came to California via the Panama route in 1865, and worked for a mining company in Kern County for three years. He then went to Nevada and Arizona and mined, and then came back to California and worked for M. … Read more

Biography of Thomas L. McFarlane

Thomas L. McFarlane, one of the oldest and most expert miners on the Pacific coast, was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, in January 1840. Meeting with financial reverses by which he lost his property, Mr. McFarlane’s father moved with his family to Iowa when Thomas was four years of age. He died in that State some twelve years ago. In 1859 Mr. McFarlane drove six yoke of oxen across the plains for a company who were freighting for the United States Government from Fort Leavenworth to Salt Lake. The train was composed of thirty wagons and thirty-six men, and the … Read more

Bean, Velva Moore – Obituary

Mrs. Velva Bean, 63, died Sunday [March 9, 1975] at her home at Haner Park on the Deschutes River near Wickiup Dam. She and her husband, Louis A. Bean, who survives, moved there eight years ago from Madras. The funeral will be held tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the Madras Evergreen Chapel. Mrs. Bean was born March 2, 1912, at Bakersfield, Calif. She was a member and first president of the Mountain View Hospital Auxiliary in Madras. She and her husband were married March 8, 1946, in Reno, Nev. She is also survived by two sisters: Mrs. Thelma Graves, Madras, … Read more

Our Historic County of Kern, California

Hand Drawn map of Kern County

*Our Historic County of Kern* by Glendon J. Rodgers, published by the Kern County Historical Society in 1949, served as a guide to the landmarks and historical sites within Kern County, California. This second edition, while slightly revised from the original, continued to provide a brief but complete account of the county’s notable landmarks. The book is designed to be both informative and accessible, encouraging readers to explore and appreciate the historical landmarks of Kern County.

Kern County, California Cemetery Records

Most of these cemetery listings are complete indices at the time of transcription, however, in some cases we list the listing when it is only a partial listing. Cemeteries hosted at Kern County CAGenWeb Project Cottage Grove Cemetery Kern County Coroner’s Inquest Records – 1885-1900 Cemeteries hosted at Kern County California USGenWeb Archives Blue Mountain Cemetery Kern County Blue Mountain Cemetery, Woody, Updated Cottage Grove Cemetery, Onyx Desert Memorial Park, Ridgecrest California City Memorial Park East Kern Cemetery District Greenlawn Memorial Park Surname – A Surname -B Surname – C Surname – D Surname – E Surname – F Surname … Read more

Ketscher, Ruth Jean – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Ruth “Jean” Ketscher, 84, of Burns and formerly of Enterprise, died Monday at her home. A memorial service at St. Katherine’s Catholic Church in Enterprise begins at 10 a.m. Monday. The service will be followed by burial at the Enterprise Cemetery and a celebration of life in the church hall. Arrangements are under the direction of Bollman Funeral Home. Mrs. Ketscher was born Oct. 9, 1922, in Detroit, Mich., to Catherine Gelineau and Ross Wadsworth Waffle, the second of sixth children. She graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in home economics and history, then became a … Read more

Morgan, Martha – Obituary

Union, Union County, Oregon Martha Ann Morgan of 873 S. College in Union died Friday, Aug. 25 at the local hospital at the age of 51. Mrs. Morgan was born on Dec. 11, 1920 at Bakersfield, Calif., the daughter of Thomas and Bessie Davis She was a graduate of Woodbury Art College in Los Angeles, Calif. On March 2, 1946, she was married to Jefferson Lee Morgan at Las Vegas, Nev. They lived in Bakersfield, Calif. until September of 1968 when they moved to Union. She was a member of the Union Rebekah Lodge and President of the Union Home … Read more