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

Biography of Hon. L. M. Ringer

HON. L.M. RINGER. – There is moral earnestness about a man who is able to hold his own convictions in the face of his neighbors and friends. We find such a man in Mr. Ringer. Born June 17, 1834, in Washington County, Maryland, he moved as a child to Amherst County, Virginia, there receiving his education, but later making his home in Stoddard  County, Missouri, engaging in the mercantile business. When the war broke out in 1861, that community was strongly for secession. Mr. Ringer was obliged either to enter the rebel army or to leave. He chose the latter … Read more

Ward, Kenneth Wayne – Obituary

Ken Ward Killed in Car Wreck Enterprise, Oregon Kenneth Wayne Ward, 40, of Pullman, Washington, formerly of Enterprise, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Landy Ward of Enterprise, was killed at 1:50 pm on Saturday, Jan. 25, 1969 in a two car collision of US Highway 195 about seven miles south of Pullman. Kenneth was driving a 1967 Plymouth sedan and was south bound when his car skidded on the icy road and collided with a north bound 1963 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by John George, a professor at WSU, who was accompanied by his wife, Mary Helen. Mrs. George … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hon. Alvin T. Ferriss

HON. ALVIN T. FERRISS.- This representative citizen of Eastern Washington was born in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, in 1852, being the son of James R. and Mary Worth Ferriss. He resided at his birthplace until fifteen years old, at that date removing with his parents to Northwest Missouri. In the spring of 1872 he came west to Denver. After a short stay among the Rocky Mountains, engaged in mining and other operations, and at one time as railroad contractor on the Oregon Short Line, he crossed the continent in 1883 to Washington Territory, and, after looking over the country, selected Pullman … Read more

Johnson, Lora Jeannette – Obituary

Lora J. Johnson died on May 20, 2007, at Alpine House in Joseph. She was 90. Mrs. Johnson was born on Sept. 12, 1916, in Regina, Saskatchewan Province, Canada to Durbin Yost and Anna McKay Yost. Her parents immigrated to Pullman, Wash. where she graduated from high school and briefly attended Washington State University. She married C. Raymond Johnson in 1938 and they lived at, and operated, the family ranch on Prairie Creek, in the Wallowa Valley. She lived at the ranch for over sixty years until she moved to Alpine House several years ago. Mrs. Johnson loved life at … Read more

Biography of Anderson Cox

ANDERSON COX. – There has never lived a man in the Northwest more worthy of commemoration than that pioneer of 1845, Anderson Cox. He was born near Dayton, Ohio, in 1812, of Quaker parentage, and moved with the family to Indiana in 1830, and claimed a share in the home formed on the Wabash river at Attica. He was married in 1836 to Miss Julia Walter, and in 1840 removed to New London, Iowa. In 1845, with his wife and four children, he made the journey to Oregon, and was in the company of immigrants who endured the privations and … Read more

Johnson, Lora Jeannette – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Lora Jeannette Johnson of Enterprise May 20, 2007. She was 90. Services will be held June 2, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. at the Community Congregational Church in Enterprise. A complete obituary will run at a later date. Wallowa County Chieftain, May 24, 2007 Contributed by Dixie Ricker Second Obit. Lora J. Johnson died on May 20, 2007, at Alpine House in Joseph. She was 90. Mrs. Johnson was born on Sept. 12, 1916, in Regina, Saskatchewan Province, Canada to Durbin Yost and Anna McKay Yost. Her parents immigrated to Pullman, Wash. where she graduated from high school and … 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

Killingsworth, Dale B. – Obituary

Dale B. Killingsworth, 51, of Madras, died Jan. 5, 2005, as the result of a car accident on Highway 97. His memorial service will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, 2005, at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Madras. He was born on Dec. 31, 1953, at Colfax, Wash., to Kenneth and Margorie Beckley Killingsworth. He married his wife, Mickey, on June 26, 1976, at Halfway. Dale attended grade school at Benge, Wash. He attended junior high at Corvallis and was a graduate of Wheeler High School. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in agriculture … Read more

Cooke, Henry Daniel – Obituary

Henry Daniel Cooke, 69, descendant of two pioneer families of this area, died at his home in Fairview district at about 1 a.m. today [July 2, 1951]. He had lived in Kittitas valley most of his life and farmed at the present Cooke place in the Farview district for the past 16 years. He was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. E. [Edward] Ward Cooke. His grandparents were the pioneers, Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Cooke and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wheeler. Henry Cooke was born here December 4, 1881. In the fall of 1887, his parents built … 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 John Pattison

JOHN PATTISON. – The subject of this sketch was born in Albany, New York, in 1859, and is the son of John and Elizabeth Pattison. His father was a Union soldier during the war of the Rebellion. He lived at home until he was fourteen years old, being educated in the city public schools. In 1873 he went to Silverton, Colorado, and engaged in mining for six years with varying though reasonable success. he went from there through Arizona and New Mexico, looking for a better mining location, and spending about two years in that country, making money, but at … Read more

Treadwell, Margaret Steward Schnebly – Obituary

Margaret Schnebly Treadwell, 78, of Ellensburg, died Thursday [June 22, 1989] at Kittitas Valley Community Hospital following a brief illness. Born in Yakima on June 29, 1910, she attended Yakima schools and Washington State University, where she was a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority, Spurs, Mortar Board, Theta Sigma Phi and Phi Kappa Phi scholastic honoraries and Who’s Who in American College and Universities. Following graduation in the early 30s from WSU, she worked in Pullman before coming to Ellensburg. She was employed for many years at Central Washington University as secretary to Dr. E. E. Samuelson, Dean of … 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

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

Broyles, Virginia D. – Obituary

Formerly of La Grande 1914-2007 Virginia Dorothy Broyles, 92, of Hermiston and formerly of La Grande, died March 9 at her home. A celebration of life is planned for 11 a.m. Thursday at Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 Fourth St., La Grande. Viewing will be available from 8 to 10 a.m. prior to the service. Mrs. Broyles was born July 23, 1914, to James A. and Dorothy Ellen (Standard) Cunningham in Albion, Wash. She was raised in Albion, Hooper and Spokane, graduating in the first senior class of John Rogers High School in Hillyard in 1933. During her high school years, … Read more

Whitman County, Washington Cemetery Records

A complete listing of all available online Whitman County Washington cemeteries, with links to multiple cemetery transcriptions, gravestone photos, tombstone photos, official records, etc.

Biography of James S. Davis

JAMES S. DAVIS – Mr. Davis is one of the most interesting and progressive men of our country. The tragic events of Steptoe’s expedition in 1858 are described in the body of this work, and need no repetition here. One of the most conspicuous landmarks in the region traversed by that ill-fated troop is the spire-like pinnacle of basalt which has ever since received the name of Steptoe. It lies in the midst of one of the richest and most productive farming regions in the world, the far-famed Palouse country. Long a solitude, it has lately been occupied by a … 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

Biographical Sketch of Thomas H. Kayler

THOMAS H. KAYLER. – Mr. Kayler, a gentleman of wide reputation, was born in Lenox county, Canada, in 1856, and resided on his father’s farm sixteen years, and afterwards learned the drug business at Napanee. In the spring of 1876 he came to California, and made his first location in Sacramento, where he found employment in the drug store of Justice Gates & Co. The following year he removed to Santa Rosa, coming soon afterwards to Portland. The next summer, in company with Peter Graham, he drove with teams to the Palouse country, and located on three hundred and twenty … Read more