Biography of Charles Hedricks

In the death of this esteemed and worthy citizen Wallowa County suffered the loss of one of her best known and most widely beloved and substantial sons and his demise was a time of general mourning to all who knew him. Mr. Hedricks was capable and enterprising, and his real worth and noble qualities were manifest to all. Charles Hedricks was born on January 28, 1828, in West Virginia, to Charles and Hannah (Collins) Hedricks. The father was a native of West Virginia and was also a skilled machinist and he wrought for some time in the large iron works … Read more

Richards, Harry Mrs. – Obituary

Alder Slope, Wallowa County, Oregon One of the most tragic happenings the community has known occurred last Friday evening when Mrs. Harry Richards passed away just one week from the death of her husband. Mrs. Richards was taken ill with influenza just a couple of days later than her husband and although she made a brave fight, the disease and grief over the husband’s death was more than this frail body could endure. Two little boys, eight and four years of age are left with only the memory of a loving father and mother and a kindly circle of relatives … Read more

Adkins, Mrs. James E. – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Mrs. James E. Adkins died at Portland March 4 and funeral services were held in that city Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Adkins lived in Enterprise several years and went from here to Portland. Mrs. Adkins was 41 years old and was survived by her husband and three children, Harold, now living at Astoria, and John and Glenn, of Portland. Enterprise Record Chieftain, November 17, 1927 Page 5 Contributed By: Sue Wells, Elgin, Union County, Oregon

McClung, N. D. – Obituary

Wallowa, Wallowa County, Oregon N.D. McClung Dies in Oregon Norris Delano McClung, 28, of Wallowa, Oregon, formerly of Fayetteville (WV) Route 2, died October 7, 1963, due to complications following emergency surgery in the Wallowa Memorial Hospital at Enterprise, Oregon. Mr. McClung was born in Davin, West Virginia, May 24, 1935. Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon, October 9 at the Methodist Church in Wallowa, Oregon with the Rev. Darwin Secord officiating. Bollman Funeral Home in charge. Remains were then sent to Fayetteville (WV) for further funeral and graveside services with Dodd-Payne Funeral Home in charge. Funeral services were held … Read more

Tierney, Francis C. – Obituary

Francis C. Tierney Enterprise, Oregon Died at his residence in this city, Thursday morning. His death came as a shock as he was in the best of health and spirits seemingly when he retired at night and in the morning was found lifeless. He was born in Canada having come to this city about three years ago from Idaho where they still have a large ranch. His death was due to chronic valvular heart disease. He was 68 years, two months and fifteen days old. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. The funeral services were … Read more

Bork, Rita Joylean Mrs. – Obituary

Rita Joylean Bork, 67, a former area resident, died April 1, 2003, at Oroville, Wash. Her memorial service will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at McEwen Bible Fellowship in Sumpter Valley. Friends and family are invited to a potluck after the service. Rita was born April 19, 1935, at Dayridge, near Flora. She married Bernard Murphy at age 17. Rita became a Christian when she married Bernie. They had five children. Rita lived at Halfway, Baker City and Sumpter before moving to Oroville, Wash., four years ago. Survivors include her children, Earl Murphy of St. Helens, Audrey Murphy Handyside of … Read more

Mahaffey, Maude Craig Mrs. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Maude Mahaffey Dies Suddenly Mrs. Maude Mahaffey, who had been ill for several months, passed away suddenly Tuesday morning, January 29, 1952 at her home in Enterprise. Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon, February 1, at 2:00 o’clock from the Community church with the Booth-Bollman Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Rev. John Munsey, pastor, will officiate. Honorary pallbearers will be John Simmons, Albert Wilson, Charles E. Crow, J.A. Eggleson, C.H. Zurcher and Alvin McFetridge, and acting as active pallbearers, will be W.S. Strickler, A.M. Pace, C.N. Miller, Elmer McFetridge, John McFetridge, and Glenn Russell, … Read more

Wright, Mary – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon The passing of one of Wallowa’s pioneers occurred Tuesday morning July 9th, when Aunt Mary Wright died at her home in Enterprise after an illness of several months. She and her husband homesteaded on Alder slope among the very first settlers in the county. Had she lived until December would have 89 years. Three sons are living in this city: George, Layfayette and Tom Wright. One son, Henry Wright lives in Portland and a daughter, Mrs. H. A. Owenby at Oregon City. The funeral is this afternoon at 2 p.m. at the Alder church, Rev. Sibley officiating. Wallowa … Read more

Williamson, Buena – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Buena Williamson Buena Jean Williamson died September 4, 2005, at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, Wash. She was 71 years old. Mrs. Williamson was born Feb. 20, 1934 in Bend, Oregon to Arthur and Grace Barton. She graduated from Joseph High School in Joseph in 1952. She married Wayne Williamson on June 21, 1952. For many years she worked as a sales clerk and later a bank teller. In the 1990’s she worked at the Wallowa County Museum, where she specialized in antique clothing. Mrs. Williamson loved spending time camping and being in the outdoors. … Read more

Hotchkiss, M.E. Mrs. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Mrs. Hotchkiss Dead Wife of Well-known Stock Buyer Answers the Last Summons Mrs. M.E. Hotchkiss died at her home in Enterprise Friday morning after an illness of over 11 weeks. The body was taken to Elgin Saturday morning and the funeral was held at Elgin Sunday afternoon under the auspices of the Rathbone Sisters’ Lodge of that city. Florence Wheeler was born in Tellico, Texas, January 9, 1870 and was at the time of her death, 31 years, 11 months and 11 days of age. In 1887 in company with her parents she came to Elgin, … Read more

McClellen, George B. Cook – Obituary

“Mack” Cook Answers Call George B. McClellen Cook passed away at the Enterprise hospital Feb. 1 after a short illness. “Mack” Cook was born Feb. 27, 1862, near Dallas, Polk County, Oregon to Thomas l. and Harriet Cook who crossed the plains by ox team in 1854. He was one of ten children born to this union. The family resided in Polk County until 1878 when the father and his sons, Jerile, William, Tom (Dick) and N.J. came to Wallowa County and all located homesteads on the South fork of the Wallowa River except N.J. who was too young. He … Read more

Lost Prairie Cemetery, Wallowa County, Oregon

Inscriptions taken from the Lost Prairie Cemetery, Wallowa County, Oregon. ALLEN, Clara J. 29 Nov 1905 20 mar 1906 Daughter of C.J. & H.J. Allen AUTHIER, Tanya Marie 4 Jun 1954 16 Aug 1954 BACON, Hattie Belle 3 Sep 1877 20 Apr 1957 Wife of Lorenzo Bacon BACON, Lorenzo 1858 29 May 1943 BACON, Rion H. 1822 1906 CANNON, Almira 15 Jan 1870 22 Dec 1934 CANNON, Edith F. 18 May 1892 11 Jun 1950 CANNON, George M. 3 Sep 1868 25 Jan 1952 COLE, Jack 16 Jan 1875 22 Mar 1961 COLE, James 1871 1936 COLE, Jessie May 27 … Read more

Wortman, Kathryn Dufur Mrs. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Mrs. J. W. Wortman Dies Very Suddenly Mrs. John Wortman passed away yesterday afternoon, Wednesday January 5, 1927, at the La Grande hospital where she had been taken for an operation for appendicitis. She never rallied from the operation. Kathryn Dufur was born in Waupaca, Wisconsin, April 8, 1884, and came west with her father and the family in 1901, going first to Bellingham, Washington. Afterward they made their home at Kalama, Washington. She was a highly educated and cultured woman and engaged in teaching after she had finished her training. While she was teaching at … Read more

Meek, Hiram W. Mrs. – Obituary

Leap, Wallowa County, Oregon Mrs. Hiram W. Meek passed away at the family in Leap last Thursday, March 13, 1930. Death was caused by cancer from which she had suffered for a year. She had been a resident of the county since 1884, living most of the time in Leap. Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at the Methodist church in Wallowa, conducted by the pastor, Rev. C.E. Calome, and burial was in the Wallowa cemetery. She was born in Union County July 29, 1868 and came to Wallowa county when 16 years old. She was married to Hiram W. … Read more

Biography of George M. Cannon

Any work which purports to give in review the leading points in the career of the prominent citizens of Wallowa County would be open to serious criticism were there failure to incorporate within it an epitome of the life of the esteemed gentlemen whose name heads this article, and who has labored here constantly from the time of the early settlement of the north part of Wallowa County until the present, manifesting, meanwhile, commendable intelligence, activity and energy, together with uprightness and sound principles, which have commended him to the esteem and confidence of his fellows in every respect, and … Read more

Cerato, Mildred Elva – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Mildred Elva Cerato, 88, of College Place, Wash., died Dec. 11, 2003, on her birthday at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Walla Walla, Wash. She was born on Dec. 11, 1915 in Santa Ana, Calif. to George W. and Mary Ella (Pearce) Todd. In 1937, she married John A. Cerato and the couple lived and raised a family in California. After her husband died, Mrs. Cerato moved to Joseph in 1992 to be near her daughter. She was an active member of the Joseph Baptist Church, doing mission work, serving for a time as president of the women’s … Read more

Biography of William Kernan

While many brave men and noble women form the ranks of the worthy pioneers who fitted this country for the settlement of their fellows and have made the county of Wallowa what it is today, there is none that surpasses the venerable and upright gentleman and loyal and patriotic citizen whose name initiates this paragraph and who has wrought with intelligence and enterprise in this county for many years, and who was one of the valorous army of brave and devoted men that left home and loved ones to press on to the front and take up the weapons of … Read more

Ingram,Chester – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Chet Ingram Killed Under Wheels of Logging Truck Marr Flat Mishap Fatal to Logger Chester Ingram, 36, of Joseph was instantly killed about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday morning when a logging trailer ran over him during logging operations on Marr Flat. The truck which struck Ingram was driven by Wilbur Curry of Joseph. Curry reported that his truck had just been loaded at the jammer and Ingram was assisting him in tightening the chains and checking the load. While Curry was partly under the truck and Ingram was stepping behind the load, the truck started rolling slowly … Read more

Gustafson, Stella – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Flora native, Stella 9evans) Gustafson, 82, of Electric City, Wash., died Aug. 9, 1996, in Spokane, Wash. She was born at Flora and attended High School in Enterprise. Mrs. Gustafson was a 26 year resident of Electric City. She was a member of the United Methodist Church. Prior to residing in Electric city, Stella and her husband, John followed construction work for several years. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, John Gustafson, at the home; son, Arnold Gustafson, Spokane; daughter, Garnet Gustafson, Tulsa, OK; granddaughter, Amy Phillips and three great-grandchildren; brother, Arley Evans, … Read more

Cole, Marvin – Obituary

Mrs. Earl Allen received word Tuesday that her brother Marvin Cole, had been killed while braking on a freight train at Dunsmuir, California. Mrs. Allen left that night for La Grande where she took the train for California. Wallowa County Reporter Thursday November 7, 1918