Washington County Its Towns, Resources, Etc.

Washington County lies on the western border of the state of Idaho, and about five hundred miles from the Pacific coast. It contains a large area of land suited to various purposes. It has a population of over five thousand people. Its inhabitants are, generally speaking, enterprising and thrifty people, many of them having settled here in the early 6o”s and have remained ever since. The early settler devoted himself to stock-raising and placer-mining, and he thought that was all the county was fit for. But as the county began settling up it was soon found that anything which grew … Read more

Mayberry, W. S. – Obituary

Word has been received of the death of W. S. Mayberry at his home in Weiser, Idaho. Mr. Mayberry was employed as principal of the Wolf Creek school, but resigned before the holidays on account of ill heath. He had been a sufferer from rheumatism for some time. Mr. Mayberry is survived by several grown children. North Powder News Saturday, January 22, 1921

Averett, Tom Joseph – Obituary

Tom Joseph Averett, 72, of Austin, a former Baker City resident, died Dec. 13, 2002, at his home. His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd., in John Day. The Rev. Darryl Johnson will officiate. Mr. Averett was born on Jan. 13, 1930, at Weiser, Idaho, to Ray Henry and Oma White Averett. He lived at Weiser and New Meadows, Idaho, before moving by train to Bates at the age of 6. He lived at Camp Creek near Galena with his family. They lived in a tent in Peter O’Rorke’s … 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

Reece, William J. – Obituary

William J. Reece died Tuesday evening, Feb. 11, 1936, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. E.H. Bonner, at Weiser, Idaho. He had been there only a few days, as his son, Floyd, had taken him there last week from Yakima, Wash., where he had been for some time with another daughter, Mrs. Willard Phillips. Funeral services will be held at the Christian church, Enterprise, tomorrow, Friday, at 2 p.m. and burial will be in the Enterprise cemetery. C.L. Booth has driven to Weiser for the body accompanied by Emerson and Floyd Reece. Mr. Reece was born in Logan county, … Read more

Colson, Naomi June Crisp Mrs.

Keating, Baker County, Oregon Naomi June Crisp Colson, 78, of Weiser, Idaho, a former Baker County resident, died June 15, 2005. Her memorial service will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Payette, Idaho, S. Ninth and Third avenues. Pastor Skip Johnson will officiate. Inurnment will be later at Hillcrest Cemetery in Weiser. June was born on Feb. 4, 1927, at Parma, Idaho, to Sidney and Alice Snyder Crisp. She attended Keating School and Gem State Adventist Academy at Caldwell, Idaho. She was married to Benjamin E. Colson at Baker City on March 30, 1947. She … 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

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

Biography of Columbus M. Hixon

Many articles have appeared in the press of our land on the “corruption in politics.” but, while this may be found to some extent in the largest cities, the majority of our American citizens are too practical and public-spirited to wish to entrust their affairs in unscrupulous hands, and especially in the selection of one to manage the financial interests do they show great discrimination in choosing a man of known integrity and unimpeachable honor. It was these qualities which secured to Mr. Hixon election to the responsible position of county treasurer of Washington County. His record in the walks … Read more

Culley, Catherine E. Starr Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Catherine E. Culley, 81, a longtime Baker City resident and former Sumpter resident, died July 6, 2002, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. Her funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Ed Niswender of Calvary Baptist Church will officiate. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a reception afterward at Calvary Baptist Church, 2107 Third St. Visitations will be until 8 o’clock tonight at Gray’s West & Co. Catherine was born on July 7, 1920, at Astoria to Clarence E. and Lucille Lockwood … Read more

Shephard, La Neva E. Scott Mrs. – Obituary

La Neva E. (Scott) Shephard, 89, of Ontario, died May 7, 2005 in an Ontario assisted-living facility. Funeral services will be Friday at 11 a.m. (MDT) at the First United Methodist Church in Ontario. The Rev. Linda Tucker will officiate. A graveside service will follow at 1 p.m. (PDT) at Mount Hope Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Lienkaemper Funeral Chapel in Ontario. La Neva was born July 10, 1915 to Herbert H. and Myrtle F. (Powell) Scott in Oroville, Wash. As a small child she moved and eventually settled with her family in Baker City, where she … Read more

Oliver, Ned – Obituary

Cove, Union County, Oregon Former Cove Resident Taken by Long Illness Word was received by Mrs. Charles Hancock of the death of Ned Oliver, Tuesday, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver were proprietors of the Cove Corner Grocery for several years, leaving here a year ago in March for a location in Halfway, Ore. Mr. Oliver had been seriously ill in a Boise hospital for some time, but recently seemed much improved and was taken home. After a short time he became worse and Mrs. Oliver and their son, Bill, started with him for Boise but he became so much worse that … Read more

Ham, Verdice Van Leuven Mrs. – Obituary

Verdice Ham, 83, of Nevada City, Calif., a former Baker City resident, died March 27, 2003, at her daughter’s home in Nevada City. Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Bishop Greg Baxter, 1st Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will conduct the service. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the funeral home. Verdice Ham was born Dec. 16, 1919, at Weiser, Idaho, to Andrew L. and Ida Jackson Van Leuven. She was the youngest … 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

Rayburn, Mary – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Mary Rayburn, 71, of Portland and formerly of La Grande, died April 5. A funeral will begin at 6 p.m. today at Adam’s Chapel in the River View Cemetery, Portland. She was born Mary Tyschenko Aug. 20, 1935, in Chernin, Ukraine. She immigrated to the United States in 1951, settling in Weiser, Idaho. In 1955 she moved to La Grande, where she married Claude Eldon Rayburn in 1956. She was nationalized in 1960 and graduated from what is now Eastern Oregon University in 1964. The Rayburns moved to Portland in 1974. Passionate about many things, Mrs. Rayburn … Read more

Abrams, Larry Lee – Obituary

Larry Lee Abrams, 52, of Spokane and a former Baker City and Huntington resident died Oct. 12, 2005, at his home. A rosary and memorial service was held Saturday, Oct. 15, at 10 am at Heritage Funeral Home. Private internment was at Mount Saint Michaels. Larry was born in Weiser, Idaho, on Jan. 27, 1953. During grade school he moved with his family to Phoenix, Ariz., where they resided for six years. They then returned to Huntington where Larry attended high school, was a big part of the winning football team, and graduated with honors in 1971. He attended Treasure … Read more

Guyer, Gail Elaine Hoopes Mrs. – Obituary

Gail Elaine Hoopes Guyer, 64, of Ontario, a former Huntington resident, died July 17, 2009. A graveside memorial honoring her life will be held at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Baker City on Saturday, July 25 at 10 a.m. Gail was born on Oct. 27, 1944, at Weiser, Idaho. She was the third child and only girl of Roland Leroy and Marie Rebecca (Paulson) Hoopes. They were known to all as Rollie and Sally. Gail’s dad called her mom Sally because he liked the name and thought it better suited her. Their first child was Alan Leroy, born in July … 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

Linscott, Clyde Wilmer – Obituary

Clyde Wilmer Linscott, 81, died Oct. 11, 2005, at his home in Baker City. His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Monte Loyd of the Harvest Church Assembly of God will officiate. Childcare will be provided from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Harvest Church, 3720 Birch St. Friends are invited to join the family after the service for a potluck reception at the Harvest Church Fellowship Hall. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery in a private family service. Visitations will be from 4 p.m. to … Read more

Knee, Eloris Ann Adams Mrs. – Obituary

Eloris Ann Knee, 71, of Nampa, Idaho, a former Baker City resident, died July 1, 2003, at her home with her husband, Clarence, and her daughter, Judy, at her side. Her memorial service will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel, 5400 Fairview Ave., in Boise. Eloris was born on March 17, 1932, at Eustis, Neb., to Tom and Inez Howell Adams. She graduated from high school at Weiser, Idaho, in 1950. She married Clarence Knee on June 8, 1950, at the Assembly of God Church in Weiser. Together they made their home at Weiser; Caldwell, Idaho; … Read more