Los Angeles California

Biography of Fenton M. Slaughter

Fenton M. Slaughter is one of the well-known and prominent men of San Bernardino County. A brief review of his life is one of interest in the annals of Southern California. Mr. Slaughter was born January 10, 1826, a descendant from an old colonial family of Virginia, who emigrated from England in 1616. His father, Robin Lewis Slaughter, was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, April 25, 1779, the son of Robin and Ann Slaughter. October 25, 1803, he married Miss Elizabeth Gillem, a native of Rockbridge County, Virginia. He died in 1834, leaving a family of eleven children for his … Read more

Biography of William McIlroy

WILLIAM McILROY. – The active and capable gentleman whose name appears above, is one of Union county’s progressive and enterprising stockmen and agriculturists, having wrought here as well as elsewhere with display of ability and sagacity that commend him to all lovers of thrift and industry and which have resulted in the accumulation of a goodly portion of property and the placing of our subject among the most prominent and influential men of this section, while his integrity and uprightness are commensurate with his other characteristics. Iowa City, Iowa, is the birth place of our subject, and July 27, 1861, … Read more

Biography of Charles F. Hamilton

Charles F. Hamilton. The business life of Champaign owes much to the enterprise and energy of Charles F. Hamilton. He first became identified with the city in the lumber trade, and while he has numerous interests elsewhere he has always remained loyal to this city and it is not only to him a home but a place where his many well considered investments have contributed much to local improvement and benefit. Mr. Hamilton is a native of Macoupin County, Illinois, where he was born November 26, 1864, a son of Julius and Virginia L. (VanDeventer) Hamilton. His parents were both … Read more

Bennett, Laurajo Roberts Mrs. – Obituary

Laurajo Bennett, 74, of El Monte, Calif., died Aug. 28, 2002 at her home. Her funeral service was held in Halfway on Saturday, Aug. 31. Interment was at Pine Haven Cemetery. Laurajo was born in Phoenix, Ariz., on Nov. 23, 1927, to Kenneth and Edith Roberts. She was raised and educated in Los Angeles. In 1947 she married William Bennett, and on Aug. 10 of this year they celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. Bill and Laurajo made their first home in Texas. It was there in Texas where their daughter Karen was born. Not long after, they left Texas for … Read more

Burcham, Ruth – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Ruth G. Evans Burcham, formerly of Enterprise, died in Arlington, Wash. on March 28, 2006. She was 91. Mrs. Burcham was born in Duncan, Ariz., on Feb. 27, 1915 to John Evans and Minnie Lloyd. She was raised in Duncan, and attended high school there. She became a nurse’s aide in a Catholic geriatrics hospital. On November 14, 1931, Ruth married Orville Jay Burcham in Riverside, Calif. They had two children. After living in Enterprise and Pomona, Calif., the couple moved to Pendleton in 1961, where they resided for 35 years. Mrs. Burcham was a member of the … Read more

Childers, Olive – Obituary

La Grande, Union County, Oregon Daughter Of Pioneers Dies A high Salvation Army official and daughter of a pioneer Summerville family, Olive Childers, died Saturday at a local hospital after an extended illness. Funeral services will take place at the Dempsey Funeral Chapel Wednesday at 2 p.m. with Col. John Erickson officiating. Burial will follow at Grandview Cemetery. Born Nov. 3, 1880, Miss Childers was the daughter of Frank and Mary Childers. Childers was one-time sheriff of Union County. Miss Childers had served as a Salvation Army officer since 1898 and worked in the La Grande area from 1915 until … Read more

Walton, Dorothy Louise – Obituary

Dorothy Louise Walton, 87, of Island City, died March 21. A graveside service will begin at 2 p.m. Monday at the Island City Cemetery. Loveland Funeral Chapel and Crematory is in charge of arrangements. Dorothy was born Feb. 21, 1921, to Byron Howard and Vashti Ester (Piersol) Haynes in Sterling, Colo. She grew up in Colorado, and through various circumstances went to live in Arkansas for a time, which is where she met and married her husband, Ray Walton. The couple married in 1939 and had their first son, Lee, in 1940. In 1942, they moved to California and settled … Read more

Biography of Fred C. Smythe

Fred C. Smythe the first Assessor of Orange County, was born in the city of Los Angeles, near the old Pico Hotel, in 1857. His father, John Smythe, was a native of the State of New York, and of Irish ancestry, while his mother, whose maiden name was Josephine Yorba, is a native of California and of Spanish descent. The subject of this sketch, the eldest of his parent’s nine children, left home to take care of himself at the age of eleven years, taking as his first task that of waiting on the table at Los Angeles. Afterward he … Read more

Baxter, Phaedra Dune – Obituary

Phaedra Dune Baxter, 62, of La Grande died on Oct. 26. A celebration of Phaedra’s life is planned and the details will be announced later by Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation and Life Celebration Center. She was born Pamela Bernice Bishop on Oct. 13, 1945, to Edward Fletcher Bishop and Bernice May Bedford in Vancouver, British Columbia. She was raised in Sumas, Wash., then moved to Wenatchee, Wash., where she attended grade school. The family moved to Los Angeles where she graduated from Lynwood High School in 1963. There, Phaedra became active in school and community theatre, nurturing a lifelong love of … Read more

Koenig, Julia Martha Mueller – Obituary

Cove, Oregon Julia Martha Mueller Koenig, 96, of Cove died Nov. 11 at a care home in Cove. A celebration of life service will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at Faith Lutheran Church with Pastor Wiseman officiating. A graveside service at the Cove Cemetery will follow the church service. Mrs. Koenig was born Oct. 13, 1910, in Reedley, Calif., to Gottlob and Anna Strohmaier Mueller. She was a member of the First Mennonite Church. She was educated in Reedley and attended secretarial training school in Los Angeles. In 1934 she accepted a secretarial and bookkeeping position at the Ascot Avenue … Read more

Welch, William – Obituary

William Welch, Body Rests Home City Lot The funeral services at the Baptist church Tuesday afternoon for the late William Welch, whose death was reported in this newpaper last week, were well attended. Rev. A.L. Wilson, local pastor, had charge of the services at the church while the Odd Fellows, of which order Mr. Welch was a member, conducted the services at the Haines cemetery, where the body was laid to rest. Special music by a choir and a solo by Fred Spence were rendered during the services. William Welch died last week Wednesday afternoon at his home in Los … Read more