Washington County ID

Biographical Sketch of Charles M. Jones

It is gratifying to be privileged to put in print an epitome of one of the brave men who fought, as did the subject of this sketch for the honor of the stars and stripes and the safety of our free institutions when the foul hand of treason sought to deface all and destroy the homes of freedom. In addition Mr. Jones has always shown himself in the walks of life to be upright and capable and has done a noble part in the advancement and development of the resources of the country. Speaking more particularly of his personal history, … Read more

Biography of W. B. Kurtz

It is given to few to attain prominence in politics, honor in military affairs or fame in literary life, but respect and esteem await every man who lives worthily, who performs the duties of public and private life faithfully and promptly, and in business has strict regard for commercial ethics. Such an one is W. B. Kurtz, proprietor of the Weiser flouring mill, which was built in 1890, and represents one of the leading industrial interests of the city in which it is located. Mr. Kurtz is a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, born November 1, 1846, and is of … Read more

Millhouse, Dale J. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Dale J. Millhouse, 64, a resident of Baker City, died Dec. 16, 202, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Following Dale’s wishes, disposition was by cremation at Gray’s West Pioneer Crematory. No services will be held. Dale was born Sept. 1, 1938, to Harry B. and Marie (Miles) Millhouse in Salinas, Calif. He graduated from high school in El Cahon, Calif., and in 1961 he joined the U.S. Army, where he served in Germany during the occupation of Berlin. Following his discharge from the military in 1964, he continued to reside in California for the next nine years. … Read more

Williams, Russell Davis – Obituary

Muddy Creek, Oregon Russell Davis Williams, 91, who grew up on his family’s ranch in Muddy Creek, died Dec. 13, 2004, in Sun City, Calif., of emphysema. He is a descendent of two early pioneer families of North Powder: his grandparents, Lemuel and Amanda Ellen Stewart Williams, and John Samuel and Susan Dealy Davis. Mr. Williams was born Sept. 16, 1913, at Muddy Creek to Harry Chatterton and Ida Belle Davis Williams. He was the youngest of seven children and graduated from Muddy Creek High School. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1935 and served on the USS … Read more

Higginbotham, G. C. – Obituary

Elgin, Union County, Oregon The body of George C. Higginbotham, a former resident of Elgin, was brought here today from Mann Creek, Ida. Burial took place this afternoon at Elgin, following service at the Methodist church at 2 o’clock. Snodgrass & Zimmerman were in charge. The decedent is survived by a brother, Thomas, who accompanied the body here. Elgin Recorder May 16, 1926 Contributed by: Larry Rader

Stewart, Vivian Joy Kelly Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Vivian Joy Stewart, 83, a life-long Baker City resident, died June 4, 2002, at Providence/St. Vincent Hospital in Portland. Her graveside funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday in Mount Hope Cemetery. The Rev. Robert C. Irwin of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral will officiate. Mrs. Stewart was born Nov. 17, 1918, in Baker City, a daughter of John Kelly and Mabel Grisdale Kelly. She was educated at the St. Francis Academy in Baker City. She married Robert “Bob” Stewart on March 26, 1938, at Weiser, Idaho. Mrs. Stewart lived her entire life in Baker City, except … Read more

Biography of L. A. York

The present popular editor and proprietor of the Owyhee Avalanche, at Silver City, Mr. L. A. York, is a native of Lewiston, Maine, born March 13, 1866. His parents were Jerome W. and Martha (Read) York, both natives of that city, and his father of Scotch ancestry. The first representatives of the family in America settled in Maine very early in its history. On the maternal side this ancestry is English, traceable back to Sir John Read, an English nobleman born in the year 1600. Mr. York’s father died in North Dakota, in 1894, at the age of sixty-five years; … Read more

Sirrine, Laura Mrs. – Obituary

Mrs. Laura Sirrine, wife of Theodore Sirrine, of North Union, died of heart failure at about 3 o’clock Tuesday afternoon of this week. Mrs. T. C. Sirrine passed away suddenly at the home residence in Union at 3 p. m. Tuesday last. She had been poorly for over two years. Mrs. Sirrine was Laura Holmes of Montpelier, Idaho. She was born June 15, 1852, and married T. C. Sirrine Nov. 14, 1869 at Montpelier, Idaho. In the fall of 1877 Mrs. Sirrine and her husband left Idaho and went to Salt River Valley, Arizona, by team and arrived there Jan. … Read more

Biography of Henry H. Abernathy

There are few of the representative and respected men of Idaho whose residence in the state antedates that of Mr. Abernathy, who came to the territory thirty-seven years ago and has been identified with the development of the Salubria valley since 1868. The old Indian trails, the uncultivated lands, the unopened mines and the uncut forests then to be seen, all told that the work of civilization lay in the future, and the subject of this review has been one of the advance guard that has carried forward the work of progress and improvement until Idaho is, indeed, the veritable … Read more

Houser, Melvin Earl, Sr. – Obituary

Melvin Earl Houser Sr., 74, of Nampa, Idaho, formerly of Huntington and Baker City, died July 14, 2003, at his home. His graveside service will be at 11a.m. Saturday at Mount Hope Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Zeyer Funeral Chapel, 83 N. Midland Blvd., Nampa. Melvin was the son of Wallace and Della Lane Houser. He was born on May 6, 1929, at Weiser, Idaho, and educated in Huntington. Mel joined the U.S. Navy on Sept. 12, 1950. He was honorably discharged on Aug. 26, 1952. He was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans, and a … Read more

Biography of Frank Harris

Hon. Frank Harris, the leading lawyer of the bar of Weiser, and a member of the state senate of Idaho, is a native of California, his birth having occurred at Placerville, on the 20th of June. 1854. He is the second in order of birth in a family of seven children, whose parents were William and T. E. (Saltzman) Harris. The Harris family is of English descent and was founded in Virginia in colonial days. William Harris, the grandfather of our subject, was born in the Old Dominion, and when the Revolutionary war was inaugurated aided in the struggle for … 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

Biography of William F. Sommercamp

William F. Sommercamp, the leading merchant of Weiser, Idaho, is a native son of the golden west. He was born in California, February 16, 1860, and comes of German ancestry. His father, William F. Sommercamp, was born in Germany and when a young man emigrated to America, landing at New Orleans, where for a time he followed his trade, that of confectioner. Subsequently he married Miss Mary Slack, of Zanesville, Ohio, and shortly after their marriage they removed to California, where he engaged in mining. In 1864 he came over into Idaho and became one of the prominent miners and … Read more

Biography of John Graham

JOHN GRAHAM. – The well known gentleman, whose name initiates this paragraph is both a reprsentative business man and farmer of Union county, his estate being four and one-half miles east from Elgin, where he has made a comfortable showing, while also he has dealt in real estate in this section and others, manifesting a keen judgment and practical ability that have won success. On May 24, 1853, John Graham was born in Davis county, Iowa, being the son of Jackson and Martha Graham, who were among the brave and devoted band of pioneers that crossed the dreary plains and … Read more

Biography of Solomon M. Jeffreys

In the front rank of the columns which have advanced the civilization of the northwest, Solomon M. Jeffreys has led the way to the substantial development, progress and up building of Idaho, being particularly active in the growth of Weiser, where he still makes his home. He is numbered among the pioneers of Idaho, California and Oregon, his memory going back to the time when the entire Pacific coast was but very sparsely settled, when the Indians were more numerous than the white men, and the land had not been reclaimed for purposes of cultivation, but remained in the primitive … Read more

Biography of Isaac R. Smith

Isaac Roston Smith, the managing partner of the firm of Smith Brothers, prominent merchants and millers of Salubria, and president of the Washington County Fair Association, was born in Morrow County, Ohio. March 11, 1859, his ancestors, who were English, having been early settlers in Berks County, Pennsylvania. His grandfather, William Smith, was born in Berks County and married Miss Elizabeth Speck. They settled in Guernsey County and in 1842 removed to Morrow County, Ohio, where he remained until his death, in 1883, at the age of seventy-four years. His wife passed away in 1898, aged eighty-five years. Twelve children … Read more

Hill, Maggie E. Marx Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Maggie E. Hill, 82, a longtime Baker City resident, died Nov. 10, 2001, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her graveside funeral was at 1 p.m. today at the Rosedale Memorial Park Cemetery at Payette, Idaho. Bishop Dick Hindman of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officiated. Mrs. Hill was born on Sept. 17, 1919, at Moroni, Utah, to James R. and Mary E. Daniels Marx. She married Chester W. Hill at Weiser, Idaho, on Dec. 3, 1938. They lived at Weiser where she was a homemaker until moving to Baker City in the late 1960s. … Read more

Maxwell, Robert Wesley – Obituary

Robert Wesley Maxwell, 85, of Weiser, Idaho, a former Baker City resident, died at his home March 18, 2002. His funeral was at 2 p.m. March 21 at Thomason Funeral Chapel in Weiser. Inurnment was at Hillcrest Cemetery at Weiser. He was born to Robert John and Marguerite Pringle Maxwell on Jan. 15, 1917, at Weiser. He attended Hale School and was a 1935 graduate of Weiser High School. He was a member of the Horse Cavalry for two years. After high school, he attended the Intermountain Institute, Lewiston Normal School and the University of Idaho at Moscow. He married … Read more

Biography of James B. Coakley

Among the enterprises of Weiser which are alike creditable to the city and to their proprietors is the Vendome Hotel, which was built by its present owners and managers, Messrs. McGregor and Coakley, and by them opened for business in February, 1891. Since that time the hotel has gained a very favorable reputation with the traveling public and enjoys a large patronage. It is a brick structure, two stories high, and contains twenty-eight rooms, well finished, well furnished, well ventilated and nicely kept. Great care is given to the perfection of all arrangements which will contribute to the comfort of … Read more

Biography of Edward E. Lorton

Edward Ewell Lorton, the proprietor of The City Drug Store, at Salubria, is a native of Missouri, his birth having occurred in Montgomery County, that state, on the 29th of May 1866. The family of which he is a representative is of English origin, and the ancestry can be traced back to John S. Lorton, the great-grandfather of our subject, who took up his abode in Baltimore, Maryland, at one time owning the town location, whence he afterward removed to Norfolk, North Carolina, in 1801, and there his son, John J., the grandfather of our subject, was born, March 20, … Read more