Mrs. Margaret V. Hall, a lifelong resident of the valley and daughter of pioneer family John G. Olding, passed away on December 19, 1932. Born on August 16, 1882, she was the wife of A. M. Hall and is survived by five sisters. Her parents settled in the area in 1871, arriving by ox team. Funeral services are scheduled for 1:30 PM Wednesday at the Honeycutt Chapel, followed by interment at Odd Fellows Cemetery.
James Harvey Ferguson, 93, a member of a pioneering Kittitas Valley family, passed away on October 18, 1969. Born on August 9, 1876, on a homestead near Naneum Creek, he was the son of James and Elizabeth McEwen Ferguson. He married Susan Carver in 1899 and had three children. The couple lived in various locations, including Kent, before Mrs. Ferguson’s death in 1967. He is survived by two sons, a daughter, two brothers, a sister, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held on October 25.
Martha Belle Evans, 81, a Toppenish resident since 1905, passed away on May 22, 1966. Born on March 29, 1885, in Ellensburg to pioneer parents, she married Lou Evans in 1904, who predeceased her in 1949. A member of the Christian Congregational Church, she is survived by three brothers and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services are pending.
Philip Henry Schnebly, a prominent pioneer of Kittitas Valley, passed away on October 17, 1926, after a prolonged illness. Born on October 8, 1852, in Oregon, he became a leading beef cattle grower in Washington after moving to Ellensburg in 1872. He retired in 1909, leaving the business to his six sons. His funeral will take place at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, with services led by Rev. E. Leslie Rolls. He is survived by his wife, Eliza, six sons, four daughters, and 19 grandchildren.
William Hayes, aged 71, passed away on May 30, 1942, after residing in Kittitas Valley for 60 years since 1882. He lived with his niece, Mrs. Dora Willis, in his final years. Hayes is survived by his brother Samuel T. Hayes of Yakima, sister Mrs. W. T. Sheldon of Twin Falls, Idaho, and several nieces and nephews. He was the son of Sanford Hayes and Rebecca Fry and is interred at IOOF Cemetery.
Hilda G. Rader, a former resident of Ellensburg, passed away at 90 in Modesto, California, after a brief illness. Born on January 3, 1894, in Freeport, Illinois, she was the daughter of Swedish and German immigrants. Hilda graduated from Ellensburg Normal School and taught in Washington public schools. Married to Ben F. Rader in 1915, they operated a dairy farm until his death in 1963. She was active in her church, Grange, and Gallina Club. She is survived by her son, grandchildren, and one brother.
Mrs. Marguerite A. Schnebly, an 80-year-old pioneer of Kittitas Valley, passed away on February 25, 1966, at Bernaths Nursing Home. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, she immigrated to the United States with her family and settled in Fairview before moving to Ellensburg in 1934. A devoted community member, she was involved with the Presbyterian Church and Kittitas County Historical Society. She is survived by a son, two daughters, a brother, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at Evansons Chapel on February 27, 1966.
Rawlin Madison (Roll) Kinkade, an 86-year-old resident of Kittitas Valley and the last surviving son of a pioneer family, passed away on February 16, 1955. Born in Denver, Illinois, in 1868, he moved to the valley with his parents in 1882. Kinkade farmed in the region for over fifty years before retiring in 1940. He is survived by his wife, Mattie, two sons, three daughters, and numerous grandchildren. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday at Evenson Chapel.
George William Dewees, a notable resident of Ellensburg for 56 years, passed away at the age of 78 following a stroke. Born on April 14, 1867, in Kentucky, he moved west as a child and became integral to the local community, operating the Ellensburg Feed Mills and serving on the City Council. Married in 1894, he was predeceased by his wife, Almira, in 1940. He is survived by four daughters, five grandchildren, and several siblings. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Maria Davis, a prominent pioneer of Washington, died at 77 after a brief illness. She crossed the plains on horseback from Missouri in 1849 and settled in Yamhill County, Oregon, before moving to Lake Washington in 1869, becoming one of the first settlers of the Squak District. Known for her resilience, she faced early hardships with her husband, John Davis, who was active in local governance. After living in Mabton with her son since 1918, she passed away on November 11, 1919, leaving behind a legacy of pioneering spirit.
Rebecca Ellen DeWees, aged 71, passed away at her home on February 14, 1940, after a two-week illness. Born March 17, 1858, in Havensville, Kentucky, she moved to Kittitas Valley in 1902 and had resided at her current home for 17 years. A member of the Miriam Rebekah Lodge, she is survived by five daughters and four sons. Funeral services are set for Friday at Honeycutt Chapel, with graveside services conducted by the Lodge in the IOOF Cemetery.
Almira Jane Swett DeWees, a long-time resident of Ellensburg and a native of Clackamas County, Oregon, passed away on February 7, 1940, after a prolonged illness. Born in 1885, she and her husband, George DeWees, a notable figure in local milling and community service, married in 1894. Almira is survived by her husband and their four daughters: Lillie Barnhart, Faye DeWees, Ruth Lewis, and Vera Williams. Funeral arrangements are pending family arrival.
William S. Dewees, a prominent resident of Ellensburg, passed away at the age of 77 after a six-month illness. Originally from Kentucky, he settled in the Kittitas Valley in 1902, working as a farmer before moving to the city. He is survived by his wife and ten children, including six daughters and four sons. The funeral will be held the following day, led by Rev. Mr. Sharp, with interment at the Odd Fellows Cemetery. Dewees died on February 8, 1917.
T. H. Barnhart, an 85-year-old pioneer from Tennessee, passed away on April 16, 1921, at his son S. C. Barnhart’s home. A long-time resident of the valley, he had spent the last 19 years with his son, after years in the Methow Valley. He is survived by three sons and four daughters. Funeral arrangements are pending, and his body is currently at Stelz parlors.
Mrs. A. D. Morrison, formerly Ica Ladd, passed away at her Kittitas home on June 3, 1913, after a five-month battle with tuberculosis. Originally from elsewhere, she had moved to the county three years prior and worked at Crockett Company’s store. In September, she married Mr. Morrison.
Amos W. Bailes, aged 58, passed away on May 25, 1932, after a two-week illness at his Fairview District home. His funeral service is scheduled for 1:30 PM on Sunday at Honeycutt Chapel, led by Rev. Harry Bell, with burial in IOOF Cemetery. Born on August 7, 1874, in Oregon, he is survived by his wife, Helen, six children, and siblings.
Mrs. Martha Prater, an 87-year-old valley pioneer, passed away at her daughter’s home on March 11, 1934, following a paralytic stroke. Born in Missouri in 1846, she traveled to California in 1859 and settled in Kittitas Valley in 1878. A member of the Methodist church and WCTU, she was known as “Grandma Prater” and is survived by three daughters, two sons, and numerous grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at the Methodist church, with burial in the IOOF Cemetery.
Sheriff Llewellyn Walter Evans passed away on January 4, 1949, following a heart attack. A prominent leader in Toppenish, he served as sheriff of Yakima County for several terms and was appreciated for his community contributions. Born on July 2, 1880, in Wisconsin, Evans moved west in 1918 and was involved in local governance and extensive farming. His funeral will take place at Shaw Sons Chapel, with numerous public officials serving as pallbearers. He is survived by his wife, daughter, brothers, sister, and grandchildren.
Julia Ann Harrel, age 90, passed away on June 15, 1966, at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital. Funeral services will be held at Evenson’s Funeral Chapel, led by Rev. Paul Nance, with burial at the IOOF Cemetery. A pioneer of Kittitas Valley, she was born on February 10, 1876, in Tennessee and married Edward Harrel in 1896. They moved to the area in 1902, eventually settling at the Calkins Ranch. She is survived by four sons, a daughter, 14 grandchildren, and 29 great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Sarah Yale Olmstead passed away on September 16, 1918, at her residence in Ellensburg, Washington. Born on December 25, 1841, in Saratoga Springs, New York, she relocated to Oregon in 1870 before settling in Kittitas Valley. She is survived by her son, Phil Olmstead, and two granddaughters, Berdie and Leta Smith. Funeral services are scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock, with Dr. Paul Lux officiating, followed by interment at the IOOF Cemetery.