Walla Walla County WA

Biography of William C. Painter

WILLIAM C. PAINTER. – William C. Painter was born in St. Genevieve county, Missouri, April 18, 1830. His parents, Philip and Jean, lived on a farm; and the early years of William’s life were passed in that home. In 1850 his father started for Oregon with his family of wife and seven children, but died of cholera on the Little blue river. Two of his sons had been buried as they camped by that stream two days before; and only the mother, with her two daughters, Margaret A. and Sara J., and three sons, William C., Joseph C. and Robert … Read more

White, Morris – Obituary

Mr. And Mrs. E. O. Zerek returned Tuesday from Touchet , Washington, where they were called last Friday by the death of their brother-in-law, Morris White. Mr. White who retired Thursday night apparently as well as usual was found dead in bed Friday morning, no sign whatever of the slightest struggle; he always expected to pass away in this manner. Mr. White was a merchant in Union 22 years ago, a conscientious honorable Christian man. His wife was brought here from Walla Walla five years ago, and died at Hot Lake. He is survived by his son William H. and … Read more

Lee, William Max – Obituary

William M. Lee, who came to Whitman County in 1872 from Walla Walla, died at his home in this city Tuesday evening [June 16, 1925], surrounded by his wife and four surviving children. He suffered an attack of pneumonia about two weeks ago and due to his advanced age of 77 years the after effects proved fatal. Funeral services were held from the Baptist Church Thursday at 2 p.m., Rev. W. P. Osgood, a former pastor coming from Albany, Oregon, to officiate, assisted by the new pastor, Rev. J. L. Peringer. Mr. Lee was an active member of the finance … Read more

McEwen, Edward Jesse – Obituary

Ed McEwen, jockey killed in a race, former Ellensburg boy thrown by horse; was born here and parents were pioneers of the Kittitas Valley.. Walla Walla, June 5-Ed McEwen, Walla Walla, jockey for Geo. Drumheller, was killed during the annual Waitsburg racing matinee yesterday afternoon [June 4, 1920]. The fatal accident occurred during the three-eights mile handicap next to the last race, when his horse threw him from the saddle breaking his neck. Eddie McEwen, who was the son of Harvey McEwen, a well-known horseman of this valley, was a native of Ellensburg. His father and grandfather were pioneers of … Read more

MacPherson, Alice Marie Ensminger Mrs. – Obituary

Union, Oregon Alice Marie Ensminger Mac-Pherson, 82, of Union died Oct. 15, 2002, at a La Grande care facility after a brief illness. There will be a memorial service in the spring and burial will be in the Union Cemetery at Union. Arrangements are under the direction of Loveland Funeral Chapel 1508 Fourth St., La Grande. Alice was born Feb. 7, 1920, to Herschell R. and Harriett M. Ford Ensminger at Baker City. The family lived at Granite for several years before moving to Pondosa where she attended public school. She was a 1938 graduate of Union High School. In … Read more

Slater, E. E. Mrs. – Obituary

Mrs. E. E. Slater died at her home at No. 807 Penn avenue at 7 o’clock this morning. The first indications of a serious nature were noticeable yesterday evening and a weakened condition of the heart is the supposed cause of death. About a year ago Mrs. Slater sustained a severe injury in a fall, and although having measurably recovered from this trouble it is believed that the injury had some effect in shortening the period of vitality. Mrs. Edna Elizabeth Slater was among the well-known pioneer residents of the Northwest. She was born in East Tennessee October 17, 1835. … Read more

Brown, Marvin – Obituary

Marvin Brown, 52, of Baker City, died Jan. 9, 2005, at Baker City of liver cancer. At his request, there will be no service. Marvin was born on Aug. 26, 1952, at Walla Walla, Wash. He grew up in Baker City where he met Theresa Hughes. They were married on Dec. 5, 1972. Marvin worked much of his life in ranch-related jobs. He loved being outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. He was a cowboy without a ranch. Marvin enjoyed pool and shuffleboard and played on the local teams most of his adult life. There he met many people who became … Read more

Burnap, Ocie Vaun – Obituary

This was copied from page 44 of the private published book titled, “My Burnap Family” by Zola Burnap Irwin. Published in 1980. William and Mary Burnap were in both Wallowa and Union County. The family moved to Touchet in Walla Walla County in 1892. Eugene and Asel returned to Joseph in 1887. Ocie Vaun Frakes was born in Lamar, Mo., April 11, 1885 and died in Walla Walla, Wn. September 21, 1912. She was married to James H. Frakes April 26, 1904. She leaves to mourn in deepest sorrow a faithful and devoted husband, two small children, a widowed mother, … Read more

Clemens, Edward J. – Obituary

Wallowa, Wallowa County, Oregon Edward J. Clemens of Wallowa died Feb. 25, 1982, at the Veterans Administration Hospital at Walla Walla, where he had been a patient for a short time. Born in Wallowa on January 25, 1916, he was the son of James and Pearl Lee (Williams) Clemens. He was a Worls War II veteran having served in the Army. A mill worker for the U.S. Forest Service, he was also a member of the American Legion, Kruse Post #72 of Wallowa Clemens loved fishing and all sports, and as a youth had been offered two college scholarships in … Read more

Hill, Fred W. – Obituary

Fred W. Hill, 92, of Walla Walla, Wash., a former Baker County Extension agent and longtime supporter of the Pendleton Round-Up, died April 22, 2005, at St. Mary Medical Center at Walla Walla. His funeral will be May 6 at the Pendleton Episcopal Church. There will be a Celebration of Life party afterward at the Let ‘Er Buck Room on the Round-Up Grounds in Pendleton. Fred was born on Feb. 15, 1913, at Helix to James and Beulah Rankin Hill. The family moved to Pendleton when he was 5. He was a member of the 1931 Pendleton High School State … Read more

Taylor, Bob – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Bob Taylor, 73, of Baker City, died Dec. 12, 2002, at his home. At this time no services are planned. Bob was born June 16, 1929, at Walla Walla, Wash., to David Taylor and Mary Ellen Ramsey Taylor Huckins. He lived in many places as a boy. He enlisted in the Air Force when he was 17 years of age, working at the Pentagon most of his service time. After his discharge, he went to barber college, and after graduation he owned barber shops in Coos Bay, Roseburg, Union and Baker City. He also had shops in … Read more

Yost, Gladys Irene

Gladys Irene Yost Lifetime resident of Wallowa County, Gladys Irene Yost, of Enterprise, died Thursday, Sept. 14, 1987 at St. Mary’s Medical center in Walla Walla, Wash. She was 64. Gladys was born Jan. 27, 1923 at the family homestead in the Leap Area, the daughter of Louis and Hazel West Lathrop. On Aug. 25, 1942 she married rancher Paul J. Yost at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. the couple farmed and ranched in Wallowa County all their married life. Gladys was a member of the Wallowa County Cow Belles, of which she was an honorary lifetime member, an honorary member of … Read more

Lee, Jay Right – Obituary

Jay Right Lee was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa, Feb. 2, 1853, and had he lived until February 2, would have been 75 years of age. He was next to the youngest child in a family of five and the last to survive, his oldest brother, W. M. Lee who spent most of his life in this vicinity, having passed away two years ago. Jay R. Lee crossed the plains with the family in the early sixties settling in Walla Walla, where he grew to manhood. He married Nancy Ann Pointer, Sept. 19, 1880, at Dayton, Wash. To this union were … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. D. Martin

One half mile southeast from Harney is one of the finest small grain farms in the county. It consists of eighty acres of choice land and is well under cultivation. The improvements are of a quality and kind quite fitting such an estate and its owner is the subject of this article. Mr. Martin was about the first man to try raising grain in this locality and he has made a marked success in this direction. He raised in 1901 the largest crop of any one man in Harney county and he is classed as one of the leading agriculturists … Read more

Moulton, Phyllis H. Winters Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Phyllis H. Moulton, 89, of Baker City, died Sept. 10, 2004, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Elkhorn Baptist Church, 3520 Birch St. Mrs. Moulton was born on June 28, 1915, at Dallas, Ore., to Philip and Ella Hausr Winters. She was educated at Walla Walla, Wash. She worked in the family bakery until 1946. She also worked in a grocery store and for Pacific Fruit Co. in La Grande and also at May’s Music. She married Elmer Moulton on Aug. 9, 1950. Mrs. Moulton was a … Read more

Singer, Carl Henry – Obituary

Carl Henry Singer, 88, of 130 Bryant Ave., No. 22, Walla Walla, Wash., died April 4, 2006, at St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla, Wash. Funeral service was held at Groseclose Funeral home at 315 W. Alder St. at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 3, 2006. The Rev. Albert Gillin of First Presbyterian Church officiated. Burial followed in Mountain View Cemetery, 2120 S. Second Ave. Memorial contributions may be made to Walla Walla Senior Center through the funeral home. Mr. Singer was born Nov. 22, 1917, in Boise, Idaho, to Henry and Carrie Chandler Singer. He graduated from Baker, … Read more

McCully, John William – Obituary

A pioneer of ’52, John William McCully dies at the home of his daughter at Lowden, Wash. (1911-Newspaper source unknown, family scrapbook) John William Mccully born 22 Feb 1847, New London, Henry Co., IA; came to Union Co., OR, 1872, resided there and in Wallowa County ever since; he was a freighter in early life, later living on his farm at Lostine, OR. He returned to Elgin, OR, “last fall” (1910), when he was afflicted with Bright’s Disease; he rallied somewhat, but then died while on a visit to his daughter, Mrs. Hetta Compau at Lowden, WA 23 May 1911; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Louis La Brache

LOUIS LA BRACHE. – Mr. La Brache was born in Illinois in 1847. His father was at that time a partner with Stephen A. Douglas in the lumber and wood business, taking large contracts. In 1862 he became a citizen of Washington Territory, locating at Walla Walla, and engaging in freighting to the mines. Three years later he was packing from Wallula to Montana. In 1866 he accompanied his father in a tramp throughout the mining districts of Eastern Oregon, and the next year was engaged as government packer in a Nez Perce war. He also served the government in … Read more

Loney, Hazel Velma Wright – Obituary

Hazel Loney, 93, of 534 Boyer Ave. died Thursday [May 31] at the Odd Fellows Home. She had been a resident there for the past two years. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home Chapel, Milton-Freewater. Rev. Edward Morrison will officiate. Mrs. Loney was born March 17, 1891, in Umapine, Ore., to Robert and Frances Dugger Wright. She lived in Umapine for 10 years, then moved to Walla Walla and attended elementary schools here and Walla Walla High School. In 1918 she married Charles Loney in Pendleton. They farmed in Oregon, and also leased … Read more

Biography of Rev. Cushing Eels, D. D.

REV. CUSHING EELS, D.D. – Dr. Eells was born at Blandford, Massachusetts, February 16, 1810, and was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Warner) Eells. He was descended from Samuel Eells, who was a major in Cromwell’s army, and who came to America in 1661. Cushing Eells was brought up at Blandford, became a Christian when fifteen years old, prepared for college at Monson Academy, Massachusetts, entered Williams College in 1830, and graduated four years later. The distance from his home to college was forty-five miles. Twice he rode the entire distance, – when he entered and after he graduated, … Read more