West Virginia

Walls, Mary Susan (Susie) Clemens Mrs. – Obituary

Mary Susan (Susie) Walls, died at the age of 89, January 3, 1981, at the Woodland Convalescent Center in Woodland, Washington. Born in Bolt, West Virginia, October 22, 1891, she was the daughter of William Thomas and Mary Frances (Cook) Clemens. She came to Wallowa County from West Virginia in 1907 and in 1914 married Russell E. Walls in Wallowa. He died in 1970. Mrs. Walls was a member of the Methodist Church and a house wife who was known for her baking. Graveside services were at 2 p.m. Tuesday, January 6, in the Wallowa Cemetery with the Rev. Don … Read more

Hawley, Benjamin P. – Obituary

Wallowa, Wallowa County, Oregon B. P. Hawley Passes Benjamin P. Hawley passed away at Wallowa Monday, January 3, 1927, just 57 days after the death of his wife. They celebrated their 57th anniversary of their wedding last October. Funeral services were held at the Wallowa Christian Church yesterday and burial was in the Wallowa cemetery. Services were conducted by Rev. R.N. Olson. Mr. Hawley was born in 1843 in Virginia and served four years in the Confederate army under Gen. R.E. Lee. After the war he moved to West Virginia where he was married to Abagail Miller in 1869. They … Read more

Tanzey, Walter J. – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Walter J. Tanzey died Tuesday morning at the Wallowa County Nursing Home in Enterprise. He was 74. A celebration of life service will begin at 11 a.m. Friday in the Bollman Funeral Home chapel in Enterprise, with the Rev. Jerry Raedeke officiating. He was born July 5, 1924, in Petroleum, W. VA., the youngest of the eight children of William and Alma Putnan Tanzey. He attended high school for two years in Cairo, W. Va., and worked as a riveter in an airplane factory in Baltimore. He joined the Army Air Corps on March 29, 1943, at Fort … Read more

Osborne, Eliza – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Mrs. Laco D. Osborne, former resident of this county, died Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1937, at Seneca, in the forest belt some distance west of Baker. Funeral services were held at the Booth chapel Sunday and burial was in the Enterprise cemetery, with Rev. Lloyd W. Halverson of the Presbyterian church officiating. Auntie Eliza Sturm was born in Meadowville, West Virginia, Oct. 31, 1882, and was married to Laco D. Osborn at Elkins, West Virginia, July 5, 1898. After coming to Oregon they lived in Enterprise several years when Mr. Osborne was logging for the East Oregon … Read more

Biography of Fred N. Adam

Fred N. Adam. The popular and energetic postmaster of Longton, Kansas, Fred N. Adam, who was appointed to this office in April, 1916, had been a resident of Longton since 1911, and had been well known in mercantile circles as one of the proprietors of the establishment conducted under the style of Adam Brothers. Almost immediately upon his arrival here he became known as a live and energetic citizen, capable of handling official duties, and his appointment as postmaster was preceded by several terms of good work as a member of the local council. Mr. Adam is a native son … Read more

Biography of Joseph W. Laybourn

Joseph W. Laybourn. It is doubtful if any one now living knows the ups and downs and vicissitudes of Kansas life during the past half a century better than Joseph W. Laybourn, president of the Citizens State Bank of Osage City. Mr. Laybourn is an honored veteran of the Union army, and came to Kansas soon after the war. He had been a farmer, coal miner, banker, land owner and in every relationship, whether a poor man or high in the scale of prosperity, had been public spirited and a willing worker for the community benefit. Mr. Laybourn was born … Read more

Sturm, Henry D. – Obituary

Paradise, Oregon Henry Davis Sturm died at his home in Paradise, Saturday, May 9, 1931 at the age of 66 years, 6 months and 10 days. Funeral services were held Monday and were conducted by Rev. Hall K. Wallis of the Methodist church, Enterprise. Burial was in the Paradise cemetery. Mr. Sturm was born at Meadowdale, West Virginia, October 24, 1865. He was one of a family of 15 children of whom only five are living. When a young man he came west and lived for a time near Moscow, Idaho, later drifting to the north end of Wallowa county, … Read more

Thompson, Perry H. – Obituary

Last Thursday morning Perry H. Thompson, one of the old pioneers of Wallowa county, passed away at his home at his farm 4-1/2 miles north of Wallowa, after an illness of a few weeks from stomach trouble. He was a man of sterling qualities and will be missed in the community. Funeral services were held in the Methodist church Friday and interment was in the Lower Valley Cemetery. Perry H. Thompson was born in Greenbrier, West Virginia, Feb. 8, 1849 and died August 17, 1915, aged 66 years, six months and nine days. He was the son of John and … Read more

Hawley, Benjamin P. Mrs. – Obituary

Mrs. B.P. Hawley Passes Suddenly Mrs. Benjamin P. Hawley, for 28 years a resident of Wallowa county, and who, with Mr. Hawley, last Oct. 19 celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary, died suddenly at their home at the east edge of town Saturday afternoon about 3 o’clock. Funeral services were held at the Christian church, of which denomination Mrs. Hawley had been a member for 58 years, Tuesday afternoon with Rev. R.N. Olson, pastor, officiating, assisted by Rev. Lester Jones of Enterprise. Rev. Olson brought a sympathetic and comforting message on the text found in Psalms 116:15 “Precious in the sight … Read more

Carper, Joseph K. – Obituary

Services Held For Joe Carper Funeral Services were held at Centralia, Washington, Saturday, March 13, for Joseph K. Carper, former resident of Promise for many years. Mr. Carper passed away at the Swedish hospital in Seattle March 10, where he had been confined for a month. Mr. Carper was born in Raleigh County, West Virginia, on September 21, 1865, the son of George Washington and Delilah Carper. His father was a minister and came west in the 90’s moving into the La Grande and John Day country. Joe Carper was married when he was 17 years old and came west … Read more

Biography of Hon. William M. Duffy

Hon. William M. Duffy, attorney at law in Checotah and now serving his first term as justice of the peace, was born in Callaway County, Missouri, on the 21st of August, 1866, a son of Mathew and Caroline (Ellis) Duffy. The father was born in Ireland and came to America when a young man, locating in Missouri, where he engaged in farming. He followed agricultural pursuits the remainder of his life and died in 1874, one of the prominent and representative citizens of the community in which he resided. Mrs. Duffy was born in Missouri and her death occurred in … Read more

Biography of O. S. Somerville, M. D.

Dr. O. S. Somerville, who has been actively engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery at Bartlesville during the past sixteen years, is also a prominent factor in financial circles as Vice President of the Bartlesville State Bank. His birth occurred in Parkersburg, West Virginia, on the 11th of February, 1871, his parents being Andrew and Margaret (Slaven) Somerville, the latter also a native of West Virginia. Andrew Somerville, who followed general agricultural pursuits in that state throughout his active business career, passed away in 1899, while his wife was called to her final rest in 1913. In the … Read more

Biography of Charles W. Holder

Charles W. Holder, a well known and successful automobile dealer of Coweta, has the local agency for the Ford cars and tractors, in which connection he has built up a gratifying business. His birth occurred in Parkersburg, West Virginia, on the 24th of November, 1892, his parents being Walter W. and Virginia F. Holder, the former a native of Indiana, while the latter was born in West Virginia. Walter W. Holder came to the Indian Territory in 1888 and secured land three and a half miles from Stroud, where he devoted his attention to farming until 1899. In that year … Read more

Darr, Nora – Obituary

Elgin, Union County, Oregon Nora Darr, age 83, of 16901 S. E. Division, Portland, a former resident of Elgin, died last Thursday in Portland. Mrs. Darr was born on November 18, 1895 at Bald Knob, West Virginia, the daughter of William and Ida (Perry) Brooks. She moved to Elgin in 1946 and to Portland two years ago. Her husband, George Darr, preceded her in death on March 16, 1965. Mrs. Darr was a member of the First Christian Church of Elgin; Elgin Rebecca Lodge and Elgin Pythian sisters. Survivors include her daughter, Jacque Zenger, Portland; granddaughters, Marlene Rahn, Kelso, Wash.; … Read more

Biography of A. R. Burton

A notably successful career is that of A. R. Burton, who is the owner of a valuable farm in the Sand Creek district, near Bartlesville, which in all of its equipment is thoroughly modern, while the methods employed in the cultivation and development of the place are the expression of the latest scientific research along agricultural lines. He also receives a good income from oil wells upon his property and is a most astute and enterprising business man, carrying forward to a successful issue whatever he undertakes. A. R. Burton is a native of West Virginia. He was born in … Read more

Workman, Sarah Helen – Obituary

Stroke is Fatal to Mrs. Workman; Burial Thursday Mrs. Sarah Helen Workman, a resident of La Grande the last 328 years, died at the Grande Ronde hospital at an early hour this morning following a stroke. Funeral services will be held at the Snodgrass and Zimmerman mortuary, with Rev. M. H. Greenlee, of the Fir Street Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will take place in the family plot at Elgin. A native of Logan county, West Virginia, Mrs. Workman was 67 years, seven months and 113 days of age. She was born April 18, 1869. Survivors include her widowed husband, Edwin, … Read more

Carpenter, Samantha L. Kuperus – Obituary

Samantha L. Kuperus Carpenter, 37, formerly of Union County, died Oct. 28 in Fairmont, W.Va. There will be a 3 p.m. memorial service Monday at the Union County Senior Center. Everyone is requested to bring a rose. Ms. Carpenter, who preferred to be called Sammy, was born Dec. 2, 1968, in Auburn, Calif., and spent her childhood in several towns in Union County. She had a way of cheering up people. She always encouraged people around her to make sound choices, and many were touched by her spirit. Survivors include her father, Sam Kuperus; stepmother, Delilah Bishop; sons, Anthony and … Read more

Taylor, John – Obituary

Passing of John Taylor With the burial of John Taylor upon the old home ranch at Bristol last Saturday afternoon, there passed over the Great Divide another Kittitas county’s honored pioneers. He was born in Wise county, West Va., in 1851 and died at his home at Bristol station December 12, 1917, of cancer. When but a small boy he removed with his parents to Dassel, Minn., and in 1868 was married to Elizabeth Hutchins who still survives him. To this union were born nine children, seven of whom are now living; L.W. Taylor of Cle Elum, Elmer Taylor of … Read more

Smathers, Willie Smith – Obituary

Mrs. Willie F. [Smith] Collins Smathers, 31, died Thursday [January 3, 1952] in Seattle at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Charles L. Miles. She had been ill a short while and went to Seattle three weeks ago. She came to the state of Washington from West Virginia in 1902 with a previous husband and two children. They settled in the Kittitas valley, and she had since made her home here. She became the wife of John E. Smathers of Ellensburg who survives her. Mrs. Smathers is also survived by a son, Frank Collins of Seattle, and five daughters, Mrs. … Read more

Hewitt, Elizabeth Davis – Obituary

Elizabeth Hewitt died at the residence at Foster Tuesday, March 1 [1932]. Mrs. Hewitt was born in West Virginia, April 5, 1839 and died at the age of 92 years. She came to Washington 29 years ago. And for the last 25 years has resided in Foster. She was a member of the John Miller Post, Ladies of the G. A. R. She is survived by five daughters, Mrs. George Storey of Seattle, Mrs. Thomas Mayer of Tacoma, Mrs. Ole Boers of South Dakota, Mrs. Leslie Street of South Dakota and Mrs. C. B. Yeast of Foster; three sons, John … Read more