Whitman County WA

Lee, Maxine Campbell – Obituary

The funeral service for Maxine C. Lee, Colfax resident, will be Friday, Aug. 6, at 4 p.m. in the Chapel of the Bruning Funeral Home with the Reverends James E. Doak and Charles Lyman officiating. Burial will follow at the Colfax Cemetery. Mrs. Lee died Aug. 2, 1993 at the Whitman Convalescent Center. She was 72. Born May 9, 1921 at Troy, Ida. to Harry and Fern Campbell, she graduated from Troy High School in 1939 and attended the University of Idaho. She married Robert (Bob) Lee at Moscow Jan. 25, 1942, and they lived in Colfax most of their … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Baker

THOMAS BAKER. – Mr. Baker was born in Bullitt county, Kentucky, in 1832, being the son of George C. and Elizabeth Miller Baker. When he was eighteen months old his parents moved to Hancock county, Illinois. He remained in that country until the spring of 1852, being employed on his father’s farm. In the spring of this year, he started with his older brother across the plains to California, and arrived in the Golden State in August, 1852. For ten years he was actively engaged in mining, and was among the number who made the stampede to the Florence mines … Read more

Biographical Sketch of E. M. Kinnear

E.M. KINNEAR. – The mercantile house of Mr. Kinnear is one of the largest and most patronized in this part of the territory. Its owner and founder is a native of Ohio, where he was born in 1856. He came to Washington Territory in 1871 and located on the Touchet, engaging in merchandising. From 1878 to 1880 he was in business at Colfax, but removed in the latter year to Sprague for his permanent home. There he has bought quite a property, conducts a large business and is one of its most prominent citizens. He has served as city councilman … Read more

Schuldt, Ollie Marie Lee – Obituary

The funeral for Mrs. Elmer (Ollie Marie) Schuldt, 86 long-time resident of Colfax, was held at the L. L. Bruning Chapel Monday afternoon with the Rev. Rollin Stierwalt officiating. Burial followed in the Colfax Cemetery. Born Jan. 17, 1888, at Thera, to William and Tressa Lee, pioneers of this area, she spent her entire lifetime in the Colfax area except for a few years at The Dalles, Ore. She and her husband operated a variety store in Colfax for several years. Mrs. Schuldt was a member of the Methodist Church, Aloha Club, and Grandmothers club. She died Oct. 17 at … 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

Lee, Bertha Pearl Armfield – Obituary

Mrs. Bertha Pearl Lee, 58, wife of Harvey Lee, for more than 50 years a resident of the Diamond and Colfax communities, died at 12:45 a.m. Thursday [October 26, 1939] at her home, N210 Mill Street, following an illness of 19 months. Funeral services will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Baptist Church here, the Rev. Mrs. E. M. Leisher and the Rev. E. C. Newham officiating. Members of the Pythias Sisters Lodge will attend in a body. Burial will be in Colfax Cemetery. Mrs. Lee was born to Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Armfield at Winston, N.C., … Read more

Lee, Harvey – Obituary

Funeral services for Harvey Lee, 75, who died Aug. 30 [1954] at the E. W. Johnson farm home, were held Wednesday at 3:30 p.,. in the Bruning Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in the Colfax Cemetery. Mr. Lee had lived in the Colfax-Diamond vicinity all his life, and served on the police force and as court bailiff. He was a retired farmer. Surviving are his widow, Gertrude, at Colfax; a son, Burton Lee, Colfax; two daughters, Mrs. Ralph Rose, Pullman and Mrs. Dillard Anderson, San Bernardino, Calif.; a brother, Louis Lee, Colfax.; a brother, Louis Lee, Colfax; and two sisters, … Read more

Pointer, William Mack – Obituary

William M. Pointer, 68, of 3552 SE 65th Avenue, died at his home Thursday following a lengthy illness. Funeral services will be held Friday at 8 PM in the Bruning & Lundberg Chapel, 1521 SW Salmon Street. The body will be forwarded to Colfax, Wash., where the Elks Lodge will conduct burial services Sunday. Mr. Pointer was born in Walla Walla, Wash. He came to Oregon from Colfax in 1914 and worked for sometime as a highway engineer, having been associated with the construction of Columbia River Highway. Surviving relatives include his widow, Calanthe; a son, Robert W. Pointer, 7707 … Read more

Biography of Daniel G. McKenzie

DANIEL G. McKENZIE. – This is also a pioneer who found all the lands surrounding Pullman, Washington Territory, a sea of bunch-grass. He was born in Illinois in 1842. His father, Henry McKenzie was one of the early settlers of that state, and served in the Black Hawk war, and he came afterwards a pioneer of Iowa, building the town of Winterset. As county commissioner he conceived the idea of building a county-seat, and with the two other commissioners bought one hundred and sixty-acres of land near the center of the county, sold enough lots off from it to pay … Read more

Fine, John Walter – Obituary

Death Clams County Stockman John Walter Fine, a resident of Wallowa county since 1906 and known as one of Wallowa county’s most prominent ranchers and stockmen, passed away early Friday morning, January 11, 1952 at the Wallowa Memorial hospital after an illness of three weeks. Son of Henry and olive Fine, he was born in Genesee, Idaho June 27, 1880. In 1882 his family moved to Whitman County, Washington, where they lived until 1894. From 1894 to 1906 he made Prescott, Washington his home, coming to Wallowa county in 1906. On December 27, 1910 he was married to Enterprise to … Read more

Raymond, Ida Lee – Obituary

Mrs. Ida Raymond aged 49 of Kalotus who died in Colfax, Friday September 14 [1923], was buried Saturday afternoon at Colfax. Services were held at the Baptist Church at 2:30. Rev. W. P. Osgoo officiating. Mrs. Raymond was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. Lee, Colfax pioneers. She is survived by her husband, Ernest Raymond, her parents, three children, two brothers, and sisters, Mrs. Katie Palmer, Walla Walla, Mrs. Ollie Schuldt, The Dalles Ore., and Harvey and Louis Lee, Diamond. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Baum, Eva Mae Scott Mrs. – Obituary

Eva Mae Baum, 96, of Tacoma, Wash., a former longtime Baker City resident, died March 21, 2006, at her home in Tacoma. Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Eva Mae Baum was born on July 29, 1909, near Pullman, Wash., to Charles and Edna Scott. She was one of three children. She lived most of her childhood at Spokane, Wash. In 1926, she moved with her mother to La Grande. It was there that she married Jack Stewart in … Read more

Biography of William Fine

WILLIAM FINE. – Any compilation that purports to chronicle the careers of the leading men of Union and Wallowa counties would be open to great criticism, were there failure to incorporate therein an epitome of the gentleman, whose name initiates this paragraph, since he is one of the most influential and prominent men of this entire section, being well known over the two counties and as highly esteemed as he is widely known: and since he has achieved a good success here in various enterprises, thus demonstrating his ability to handle the affairs of the business world in a winning … Read more

Hart, Charles Henry – Obituary

Charles H. Hart, 76, veteran Spokane apartment house owner, died at a hospital here [August 24, 1950] yesterday. He was a farmer in the Thornton area at the turn of the century. He later moved to Colfax for a short time and came to Spokane in 1925. He lived in the Hart Apartments, W1621 Sixth. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Colfax. Mr. Hart is survived by his wife, Ada, at the home; four sons, Ralph, Thornton; Ray, Gig Harbor; Roy, Tacoma, and Ira Hart, Atlanta, Ga., and a brother, Oce Pointer, Spokane. The body is at … Read more

Lee, Nancy Ann Pointer – Obituary

Lee–In Stockton, September 7, 1932, Mrs. Nancy Ann Lee, widow of the late Jay Right Lee, mother of Sarah Anna Thomas of Walla Walla, Wash., Rosalie Shinkosky of Stockton, Ethel Delano of Hooper, Wash., Addie Thomas of Bremerton, Wash., Goldie Nickerson of Stockton, Jessie Day of Sacramento, Manuel Lee of Colfax, Wash., Clarence Lee of Fairfield, Wash., Jay Right Lee, Stockton; sister of William Pointer of Los Angeles, Sarah James of Dayton, Wash., Ossie Pointer of Spokane, Wash.; a native of Walla Walla, Wash., aged 65 years, 8 months, and 29 days. Friends are invited to attend the funeral services … Read more

Pointer, John William – Obituary

John W. Pointer, aged 79 years and 21 days, died at St. Ignatius Hospital Wednesday morning [June 12, 1912] after several weeks’ illness. Funeral services were held at the Baptist Church, Thursday at 2:30 p.m., Rev., J. H. Bainton preaching the sermon. Burial was in the Colfax Cemetery. For 27 years, Mr. Pointer had been a resident of Whitman County. He was born in Missouri and first located near Winona when he came to this county in 1885. In his long residence in the county he has become well known and leaves many friends. The surviving children are William Pointer … Read more

Conquest of the Coeur d’Alene, Spokane and Palouse

Chief Seltice

The expeditions of Colonels Steptoe and Wright into the country of the Coeur d’Alenes, Spokanes and Palouses were made without the blare of notoriety; they were not heralded by the press in startling headlines; nor were the minutiae of accompanying details flashed momentarily over convenient wires to an expectant nation. In obedience to orders laboriously conveyed to them, the commanders of these expeditions went forward to their duty.

Biography of Hon. J. A. Perkins

HON. J.A. PERKINS. – It is a pleasure to see that this widely known and universally respected citizen of Colfax, Washington, the father of the place, is an Oregon man, having crossed the plains to his Western home in Benton county when but eleven years of age. He thus received his education and the impetus of his life on this coast, although he was born in Illinois. In 1861 he came to Walla Walla county, and in 1870 to the Palouse, taking up a claim upon unsurveyed land at the site of Colfax; for the whole region was yet a … Read more

Biography of W. H. Mastin

W.H. MASTIN. – As a lien upon the gratitude of his fellow-men, one writes a book, another opens a mine, a third builds a house. Each one may do the work for himself, but nevertheless, in recognition of the wants and needs of others, suiting his operations to their tastes and necessities, and finding his chief satisfaction, not so much in the profit that he reaps from his industry, as from the position which he fills in the world of business and society, making himself, his skill and his work, a necessary part of the great whole. It is in … Read more

Biography of Sidney S. Benton

SIDNEY S. BENTON. – This pioneer of Illinois, California and Washington is one of those facile, multiplex characters that give to our Western life its buoyancy. He was born in the first-named State in 1838, while Chicago was yet in her swamps, and his father was at that city in 1831, when it was a mere Indian trading post, and also at Galena, the home of the Grants, in 1832. His father came out to California with ox-teams amid Indians, and over the usual sage-brush plains, and the iron-stone rocks in 1849. He mined on Feather river in Yuba county, … Read more