Wilbur Golden Jubilee
June 22, 1939
Submitted by Marge Womach
(The
Golden Jubilee Edition contains more than the biographical items selected
herein.)
Page
T through Z
Thomas: “Soon after
Dr Yount located at Wilbur, Dr Charles Thomas, whose father, a
veterinarian, homesteaded south of Wilbur, came here directly after graduation
from an eastern medical school. Dr Thomas was perhaps the only Wilburite to
become internationally known, having been so successful in his profession that
his articles were published in therapeutic magazines in several languages. He
left his practice here, which was in partnership with Dr Tamasie, to continue
his profession in Spokane for many years before going to California where he
gained real fame. He is now deceased. His partner, Dr Tamasie, went to Oregon
where he received some notoriety as an advocate of mercy killing.”
Thompson:
“In 1893-94 there were
two brothers, Clark and William Thompson, who taught the Wilbur school
and they were the first to organize the classes into grades. There were not at
that time state examinations for the eighth grade graduates so those men coached
their pupils in the theory and practice of teaching, in psychology and in state
law, and took them in a body to Sprague for teachers examinations. Wilbur had
the youngest applicant in the group of 57, but she came home triumphantly with a
third grade certificate just like the rest, except written across the face of it
were the words, ‘Too young to teach’. E
M Bogart followed the Thompson Brothers and it was he who gave two years of High
school work for a class of one pupil—the holder of the above.”
Thompson:
“Henry M Thompson,
a leader among leaders in the early history of Wilbur, came to Washington
Territory in 1889. He settled three miles west of town on the farm now owned by
Ben Harris. He sold out in 1902 and built a large home in Almira. He entered
into partnership with Sam Garber, father of Phil Garber, in the Almira Brick and
Building Co. He was also interested
in the Almira bank. Mr Thompson and
his family were devoted to the work of the South Methodist church in Wilbur and
his financial backing pulled that organization thru a serious crisis. His widow,
who survives, is now Mrs Dan Miller.” (Edit:
Henry M Thompson died Feb 9, 1911 at the age of 49; his burial was in the Almira
Cemetery. He was survived by his widow and seven children.)
Thompson:
“Mr and Mrs H C
Thompson and their son Godfrey came to Wilbur at the close of the last
century when Godfrey entered the M R and E T Hay store as a bookkeeper. Mr and
Mrs Thompson had been prominent pioneers at Spokane before coming to Wilbur.
They are both dead. Godfrey married Miss Bessie Matzger, a daughter of
Wilbur’s first dentist. Mr Thompson has been an officer in the State Bank of
Wilbur for many years and both he and Mrs Thompson are prominent in fraternal
and social circles.” (Edit: Henry
C Thompson was born in 1843 and died in 1929; his wife Elizabeth was born in
1853 and died in 1904. Godfrey was
born in 1878 and died in 1956; his wife Bessie was born in 1883 and died in
1962. These burials occurred in the Wilbur Cemetery.)
Thompson:
“Ole and Swain
Thompson. Ole Thompson located
north of here in 1888 and his brother Swain came in a few years. The late Mrs
Lydia Kunz, widow of Frank Kunz, one-time Wilbur banker, was a daughter of Ole
Thompson.” (Edit: Lydia Kunz was
born in 1879 and died in 1936, with burial in the Wilbur Cemetery.)
Thomson:
“William and David
Thomson, though not homesteaders, had a part in the early development of
Wilbur. They arrived here in the 90’s. William was with the Wilbur State Bank
many years before he moved to Lewiston, Idaho. He married Miss Mollie Smith
whose parents homesteaded south of town about 50 years ago.
David is still with us and is still ‘news’ as a checker player. He
has had one of the neatest and most strikingly ‘citified’ dry goods stores
in the state for a period of more than three decades. He was mayor of the town
at one time, and he and his brother were factors in the Presbyterian church in
pioneer period. David has been a leader in the Community church since the
Presbyterian and Methodists united. He married Miss Emma Lyse. Their daughter,
Miss Mamie, is in the store, and her twin brother, Edward, is in California. One
daughter, Mrs Ellen Sparks, is deceased and the other daughter, Margaret, is now
Mrs Albert Leipham of Davenport.”
Tompers:
“W B Tompers
came to Lincoln County in 1888 and set up a saw mill north of Creston and within
a few months put in a lumber yard and established a planning mill in Wilbur. In
this mill he lost his arm when he caught it in a planer.
He was engineer at the Columbia River Milling Co for several years,
starting in 1891. In 1897 he bought farm land, and nothing is now known of the
whereabouts of his family.”
Tufts:
“James P Tufts,
who died a few years ago, homesteaded near Sherman in 1885. He married Mrs
Artie Penix, widow of another pioneer, in 1892. This popular couple was
affectionately known as Uncle Jim and Aunt Artie. Mrs Tufts, who survives, lives
with her sons, T J and Wright Tufts.”
Van Buren:
“Fred Van Buren
began wheat growing here a few miles north of town in 1892 and added to his
original farm gradually until within a few years he was one of our largest
operators. He retired from his original farm to live at the edge of town some
years ago. He owns considerable town property and is interested in the Grain
Growers Warehouse company. Mr Van Buren is a good example of what industry and
good business sense can accomplish for he started with less than $65.
He married Mrs Mary McDaniels, nee Mary Whitesides, daughter of Mike
Whiteside, a prosperous pioneer. They have two daughters—Mrs James Tallent and
Mrs Leta Fisher of Spokane. A son,
Dewey McDaniels, has a high office in the United States Army.”
(Edit: Fred Van Buren was born in 1865 and died in 1944. Mary E Van Buren
was born in 1877 and died in 1960. Christina Van Buren died in 1905 at the age
of 59 years, per tombstone data in the Wilbur Cemetery.
Michael H Whiteside and wife Ida are also buried in the Wilbur Cemetery.)
Von Behren:
“August von Behren,
deceased, located here in 1892 and at once became one of our most successful
wheat farmers. He retired many years ago and bought town property. He married
Mrs Annetta Shamblin, widow of Henderson Shamblin, a Tipso homesteader, who,
with Gus Irvin, another Tipso pioneer, had a hotel in Wilbur several years.
Mr and Mrs von Behren have one son, Henry, a prominent Wilbur business
man, and their daughter is now Mrs J Waldo Roberts of Centralia. Mrs von
Behrens’s daughter by her first marriage is Mrs Luther Tilson of Valley. Her
parents, Mr and Mrs T N Johnson, settled two miles from the John Campbell
homestead in 1887.” (Edit:
August Von Behren was born in 1857 and died in 1936; Annetta G was born
in 1876 and died in 1951. Henry was
born in 1907 and died in 1991. Louis Shamblin, ‘beloved husband of Annetta
G’ was born April 20, 1862 and died March 17, 1899. Each of these were buried
in the Wilbur Cemetery. Annetta Shamblin was shown to continue ownership of
Tipso property on the 1911 Atlas of Lincoln County.)
Wagner:
“Damian Wagner,
father of George, Lenhard, Miss Lou and Frank Wagner, farmers of this vicinity,
located on the place now operated by George Wagner in 1883.
Mr Wagner was one of the first farmers to introduce blooded stock. He
came to Wilbur to operate a hotel in October of 1891 and within a week his
building and several adjacent business houses were in ashes as the result of an
explosion of a kerosene lamp. This
was Wilbur’s most fatal fire, as it claimed the lives of Mrs Wagner and three
of their children. Until the time of his death several years ago, Mr Wagner was
one of our most progressive farmers. In addition to the above mentioned
children, there are two daughters in Seattle—Mrs Katherine O’Brian and Mrs
Caroline Drumheller.” (Edit:
Damian Wagner was born in 1845. He was a Civil War veteran. He died Oct
15, 1920, with burial in the Wilbur Cemetery. His wife, Anna Christina Bech, was
39 yrs 1 mo and 5 days of age when she died in the fire on Oct 5, 1891. The
children in the fire were Anna Elizabeth, age 10 yrs 6 mos 29 days; Charles
Jacob, age 4 yrs 6 mos 10 days; and Robert Cosmos, age 5 yrs and 5 days.
Surviving that disaster were George {1877-1955}, Lenhard {1883 -1979} and Frank
{1890-1954} who were, in turn, buried in the Wilbur Cemetery.)
Wainright:
“William Wainright
brought his wife and two daughters to Wilbur in the latter 90’s and
established a boarding house for the railroad men. His brother, Charles, came at
the same time and followed carpentry and later established a pool hall. He
remained a bachelor. William’s daughter Lily became Mrs Geo Peffley, and spent
her last days at Wenatchee. The other daughter, Bertha, married J H Friedlander
and after his death she married Walter Leonard. Both William and Charles went to
the Walla Walla region many years ago and both are now dead.”
(Edit: The only known Wainright grave in the Wilbur Cemetery is that of
Mary E Wainright, ‘beloved wife of William’, born Dec 3, 1852 and died Apr
6, 1900. Data pertaining to Mary E Wainright is registered in Lincoln
County Auditor’s Misc. Journal Vol. D, page 105, further documenting the
above. Sarah Anne Wainright was born July 16, 1821 and died Dec 10, 1888, wife
of William. Her grave is marked in the Wheatridge Cemetery, formerly called the
Fairview Cemetery. The conditions in the cemetery and lack of burial records
make it possible that other Wainright graves could be in the cemetery.)
Walker:
“Nathan Walker
settled in the Sherman community in 1885 and was one of the first to build a
nice residence on his claim. He retired later to live in Tacoma where he
died.” (Edit: Nathan Ellis Walker’s tombstone appears in the Sherman
Cemetery, born 1857 and died 1937; his wife, Florence May {1870-1961}; and two
other Walker graves, Horace E and Ellis Glen.)
Walters:
“Speaking of real
pioneers, the headliner along with Wild Goose Bill was Tom Walters,
who came across the plains in 1859 to Walla Walla and engaged in freighting to
mines until 1865 when he sold his outfit for $40,000 and returned to Walla Walla
to buy a farm. It was in 1874 that he located on his homestead 11 miles south of
here. His nearest trading post was then 120 miles distant. He was never married.
Among his neighbors were the John Nicholason’s who homesteaded in 1882.
Then, Charles Gerlach came in 1883. Even before that there was the
pioneer personality known as Portugee Joe. The Harvey family was also
among Tom Walter’s early neighbors. That homestead is now operated by August
Bauer. Others who eventually came were the Peffleys, Wainrights, Kennedys and
Stubblefields. The Wm Wachter, Sr, family located in that vicinity in
1890. Two of the Wachter children—Ham and W H—now live in Wilbur.”
(Edit: Wm H Wachter was born
in 1885 and died in 1954 and Hamme W Wachter was born in 1886 and died in 1966.
Both were buried in the Wilbur Cemetery.)
Warehime:
“Frank Warehime,
without cash, carried his roll of blankets from Walla Walla to Wilbur in 1885
and homesteaded northwest of town. To get funds to improve his land he worked as
a carpenter on the construction of the state ‘asylum’ at Medical Lake. There
were eight children in his family. His
brother, John, came in 1889. He homesteaded and invested in livestock, but later
moved to Montana. Of his family of eight, one daughter, Annabelle, deceased, was
the wife of Fred Jones, Wilbur mortician.”
Warren:
“Among the earliest
Sherman settlers were Francis Warren and family. One member of that
family is Mrs Spencer Jones, wife of a Wenatchee physician. The Warren’s
homesteaded in 1883. Another member of the family was the late Elmer Henry
Warren, who married Miss Doretta Verfurth, who came to the Brents vicinity with
her parents in 1886. His widow and their son Elery farm near the head of Grand
Coulee. The other son, Earl, a
member of the American Legion, with his family, lives in Wilbur. Another
daughter, Mrs Arlene Middleton, resides at Ruby, Washington. The Elmer
Warren’s farmed near Sherman from 1890 until 1897 when they took charge of the
old Pacific Hotel here and operated it until April, 1898. They built the house
now occupied by the W P Connors family and that was their home several years. Mr
Warren then took up carpentry and built the Tacoma warehouses in Wilbur,
Hartline and Govan. He passed away at Hartline in 1903. The widow and the three
small children went to the Albert Hire ranch where she was employed for a year
as housekeeper. She then moved to Wilbur to educate her children and this was
their home until 1911 when she bought the historic Geo Keister place in a canyon
north of Sherman. She lived there until 1918 when she moved to her present
location, the old Wm Jamison homestead. Mrs Warren’s sister married an early
day homesteader, school teacher and member of the Big Bend Land company, the
late William Ashley.” {Edit:
Elmer H (1865-1903) and wife Dora (1865-1955), Elera (1894-1972), Earl
(1893-1957) were a few of the Warren burials that occurred in the Wilbur
Cemetery.}
Watts:
“Just six months
before the Territory of Washington became a state, Joe Watts brought his
young wife and located in Wilbur. He took land near here and established the
first dray business in town. He developed this business until he had several
teams hauling. Mr Watts passed away a few years ago. His widow continues her
residence here and operates a rooming house at their large dwelling. Their son,
Ted, operates a pool room in
Wilbur, and their daughter is the wife of Attorney Guy Alston of Seattle, and is
herself a lawyer. There are two
grandchildren—Mrs Howard Lobley, in Alaska; and Miss Ivalee Watts, a recent
graduate from Holy Names Academy, Spokane.”
(Edit: Joseph Watts was born March 18, 1862 and died in July 1933; his
wife, Sally Ann was born in 1870 and died in 1948. There are several other Watts
burials also in Wilbur Cemetery.)
Weisman:
“In the year 1886 C K Weisman with his frail wife and three
small children located on a pre-emption near the ranch of Wild Goose Bill and
hardly one month later Mr Weisman had to bury the wife on the lonesome prairie,
and undertake the task of rearing the motherless babies without her. A few years
later he married a sister of his first wife and together they reared and
educated the family. He was used to hard work from the age of 15 years. At the
age of 19 he went into the Danish army and was made a customs officer between
his native land, Germany, and his adopted land, Denmark (adopted by the
political transfer of his home province, North Schleswig, to Denmark). He held
that position six years and then was given a position on the police force in
Copenhagen where he was employed when he suddenly was inspired in 1884 to set
sail for America. After working a
time in the coal fields of Pennsylvania he came to Washington Territory with an
empty purse. Being too poor financially to furnish the $200 necessary to prove
up on a pre-emption, he switched to his homestead rights and located nearer
Almira. He later bought the first grain drill in his area, and paid $52 for it
as compared with the approximate present price of $200 for such an implement.
With his crop receipts of 1897 he built a 30 X 60 foot barn for 16 horses
and 16 cows and also bought a half section of land for $1,400, two bobsleds and
a fur coat for himself. This was the first such garment bought by a pioneer in
this district. He acquired a total of 520 acres which he sold at $52 per acre in
1927. He then built a fine home in
Wilbur, retired from agriculture and has since been a highly esteemed Wilburite.
A few years after the death of his second wife he married the widow of a pioneer
physician, Mrs J N Star, who died a few years ago after passing her 90th
birthday.” (C K Weisman was born in 1855 and died in 1943. His 2nd
wife, Bodil Marie Weisman was born Jan 4, 1848 and died Dec 15, 1912. His 3rd
wife was Mrs Carrie Starr. These three burials occurred in the Wilbur Cemetery.)
White:
“Mr and Mrs Richard
White, both deceased, were pioneers of Wilbur and the only residents ever to
have triplet children attend this school. They are Leo White, Mrs Jack McNeil
and Mrs Sam Blair. Leo was wounded in service during the world war. Mrs Ernest
Mitchell of Creston is another daughter.” (Edit: Richard
White was born in 1852 and died in 1933; his wife, Julia was born Sept 19, 1859
and died in Dec of 1928.)
White:
“It was in 1883 that John
Hicks White brought his family and located near Brents, about 12 miles from
the present site of Wilbur. A member of that family was Thomas White.
They did not remain long, moving to Idaho in 1885 and some time later returned
to Illinois, their native state. Thomas, however, returned to Wilbur a few years
ago to make his home. He has keen recollections of many interesting episodes of
pioneer life.”
Whiteside:
“Mike Whiteside’s
homestead in 1884 northwest of here and he died in 1902 having an estate valued
at more than $25,000. His son, Jesse, now deceased, attended this school, and
his daughter, Mrs Fred VanBuren, resides in Wilbur. His widow, now Mrs James
Austin, also lives here. The children were by a former marriage.”
(Edit: Michael H Whiteside was born in 1852 and died in 1902. His wife
Ida J was born Nov 13, 1863. The grave of Ida Austin shows no death date however
James Austin and Lola Austin are buried in the same family lot with Michael
Whiteside.)
Widby:
“John Widby was
one of the early homesteaders who eventually became a large land owner. He was
also one of the early day mail carriers, taking mail in a two wheel cart from
Wilbur to Grand Coulee post office. He married into a pioneer family, his wife
being a sister to Jesse Billingsley. Mr Widby lived in this region many decades
but in more recent years a resident of Spokane. He died a few years ago. His
widow lives in Spokane with their only child, Mrs Rolf Dwinnell.”
Wilbur:
“Of course, no special
edition of The Register would be complete without printing the picture of
‘Will Wilbur’. This old-timer has been kicked around the Register office for
many years and has made the front page oftener than any other person in the
community. His stern and forceful countenance has been substituted dozens of
times for more correct likenesses of distinguished Wilburites when pictures of
these celebrities were not available. Old Will Wilbur is typical of our pioneers
of the West. He is sound and staple. He has suffered, yet he has conquered. He
is honest and dependable—a friend, indeed. A salute to Will Wilbur—a true
son of Washington.”
Wilken:
“Mr and Mrs William
Wilken, parents of Mrs Fred Ladwig and Mrs Henry Schuster, bought land south
and west of here in 1902. Though a little too late to be in the original pioneer
class, they are deserving of mention in this edition. They reared a family of 12
children who are now scattered over the states of Washington and Oregon.”
Willford:
“William (Billy)
Willford was still a boy in his teens when he reached the Big Bend in 1880.
There was then but one white family at Broadax and a few unmarried settlers in
the vicinity, including Wild Goose Bill on Goose Creek and John Turner a few
miles to the southeast. Billy Willford and Jud Leighton established a sawmill at Hawk
Creek Falls and it was there that he took his young bride. She was Gertrude
Crosby, cousin of Crooner Bing Crosby, and the only daughter of Mr and Mrs J W
Crosby, pioneers of Spokane Falls where Mr Crosby was a pioneer building
contractor. Much of the lumber used in building Wilbur was a product of the
Willford-Leighton mill. Mr and Mrs
Willford have lived in Wilbur for 40 years, most of which time Mr Willford was
associated with the Wilbur Grocery and Hardware, which was discontinued shortly
after his retirement a few years ago. They
have four sons and two daughters—Crosby and Austin, of Keller; Edward, of
Wilbur; Jim, Mrs Stanley Densow and Mrs Vern Connors, of Spokane. Mrs Willford
is a past president of the Civic Club and was clerk of the Buttercup Circle,
Neighbors of Woodcraft, for 25 years. She ahs been a leader in Sacred Heart
church until her recent illness.” (Edit: William Willford was born in 1863 and died in 1943
with burial in Wilbur Cemetery. Gertrude was born in 1877 and died in 1939, also
in Wilbur Cemetery. Son Edward E Willford was born in 1897 and died in 1972.)
Wilson:
“David Wilson,
a native of Illinois, arrived by boat at Seattle, Washington Territory in 1882.
A few months later he crossed the Cascades to Walla Walla and in 1883 he came to
the Big Bend to file a pre-emption claim on a homestead in the Almira region and
began the task of developing bunch grass plains into wheat lands. He took up a
timber claim in 1887. Mr Wilson was
the first Douglas County rancher to buy a reaper. He took an active part in the
development of the area, being a member of the first school board in his
district. He prospered as a wheat grower and several years ago sold his farm to
engage in business in Wilbur. He bought the landmark livery stable that once
stood where the Bonnie Ray service station now stands. Mr Wilson is still a
resident of Wilbur, and one of our citizens who is a descendant of Colonial
ancestry. He is well educated and is an authority on the history of the Big
Bend.”
Wilson:
“George M Wilson,
Wilbur’s first druggist, has spent a little more than half a century in
Wilbur. He has figured in numerous activities of the town—not the least of
which was playing the drums in our first band. At the beginning of the century
his drug store was on the corner where A B Hansen’s grocery is now, but it was
in a frame building which was later destroyed by fire. In this old building was
also the first telephone office. At that time his assistant was W P Dalton who
married Bessie Robertson, daughter of Mr and Mrs J H Robertson. Mr Wilson was
always interested in purebred stock and had a large barn near the railroad
tracks, and later was away from Wilbur several years when he operated a stock
farm near Davenport. It was Mr
Wilson who inaugurated the North Big Bend Pioneers annual picnic which
eventually caused the North Big Bend Pioneer Association to be formed. He had
served the association as president often, and we are reminded that he also
served the Washington State Stock Association as president many years, and was
frequently called to judge stock at interstate and international shows. He has
had prominent parts in the work of the Grange and of the Izaak Walton League. He
has been Justice of the Peace and City Police Judge for several years.
Mrs Wilson is an active member of the Wilbur Community Building Club. She
came to Wilbur much more recently than her husband. Mr Wilson’s son, George Jr,
is dead, and his other child, Mrs Lilah Harris, is the wife of a druggist in
Portland, Oregon. Both were the children of Mr Wilson and his first wife.”
Woods: “Daniel
Woods and Miss Orinda Bankson were wed in Illinois on Dec 10, 1885, and just
three days later set forth for Washington Territory, arriving near the first of
the year 1886 in Garfield County. They
chose the Pomeroy region as their temporary stopping place. Before the close of
1886 they had located on a homestead a few miles south of Wild Goose Bill’s
ranch. Mr Woods would haul provisions from Sprague and from Spokane Falls, in
quantities that would last them several months. He would hitch his team when in Spokane Falls at the long
hitching rack provided in that day on Riverside at the present site of the Old
National Bank. This couple experienced all the frontier hardships, but having
faith in the future of the Big Bend, not only improved their homestead but also
acquired additional acreage, totaling 2,000 acres. They saw the evolution of Wild Goose Bill’s wild hay flat
and cattle grazing hills into a bustling, progressive municipality—Wilbur.
They saw the ocean of bunchgrass converted first into sod, then wheat
fields, for they lived 53 years on their Big Bend homestead. Death claimed Mr
Woods in 1938 but his widow still resides at the homestead. Several year ago Mr
Woods retired and his son, Walter, has since operated the farms. Mr and Mrs
Woods were among the active members of the once-leading church in Wilbur, the
Baptist denomination. There are four more children than the above mentioned son:
Mrs Reuben Stauffer, wife of a farmer south of here; Will Woods, Seattle;
Edward Woods, Medical Lake; and Mrs Will Hankel, in Oregon.”
Worth:
“F E Worth, a
homesteader in the latter 80’s, now lives in Spokane. He and his wife, a Miss
Harvey, were both early day teachers. He taught in the Sheffels district near
his ranch and also in the Geer school before
he took a position with the Central Washington as one of the first railway mail
clerks on the line. He held this position many years.”
Wynhoff:
“Henry Wynhoff
arrived in Washington Territory in 1888 and located on the Columbia River at
Hellgate. Later he moved to Peach Valley where he had 800 acres, diversifying
with hay, pasture, orchards and berries. There were several children in the
family, one of whom is Mrs Addie Cole, Seattle, wife of Charles Cole, former
editor of The Register and later with the Spokesman Review and the Seattle Star.
Another is Walter Wynhoff, who farms in the Swawilla basin near Keller.
Hubert Wynhoff, brother of Henry, arrived about the same time and
located near Sherman. He, too, had a large family, on e of whom, Mary, was the
first wife of E T Hay, and another, Blanche, was the first wife of Clyde
Jones.” (Edit: Henry S Wynhoff
was born in 1849 and died in 1920. His wife Mary D was born in 1851 and died in
1931. Henry G Wynhoff was born in 1869 and died in 1926. These and other family
members were buried in the Sherman Cemetery.)
Yount:
“The first physician
and surgeon to locate in Wilbur was the late Dr B H Yount, whose widow
resides in her home here and whose son, Dr Glen M Yount, is carrying on his
father’s practice begun here so many years ago. Dr and Mrs Yount, Sr, came
from North Carolina, their first stop being at Waitsburg, Washington Territory.
Their sojourn there was of short duration and in December, 1886 they came to
Condon’s ranch, as Wilbur was then known.
The doctor was called to care for patients from a distance of twenty-five
miles or more, in winter blizzards or summer heat, to travel by horseback
through snow drifts unbelievably deep, or by horse and buggy through dust and
mud. Year after year he served
Wilbur and surrounding territory beyond Creston on the east; to Coulee City on
the west; to Wilson Creek, south and beyond Keller to the north. His success was
remarkable despite the inconveniences and handicaps encountered by this country
doctor in frontier territory. For several months after their arrival here, Mrs
Yount, her sister, Cora Douglas now Mrs William Cochran, and Mrs Dave Cole were
the only white women at the Condon ranch. Mrs Yount, recalls that her first Big
Bend home had a dirt roof and when the infrequent rains did fall, mud dripped
down into the small room. She also recalls that soon after coming here, the
tremble of an earthquake awakened them one night and that Dr Yount jokingly
tried to convince her that only a cow from Wild Goose Bill’s herd had brushed
against their frail dwelling. But the Dave Cole family verified Mrs Yount’s
story for the trembler had rattled dishes in the cupboard of the Cole’s home
which was a substantial frame structure, still standing and now occupied by Mr
and Mrs Leonard Heaphy. Dr Yount
later built a two story frame structure on Main street, renting the lower floor
to mercantile firms and having living apartments and a small hospital on the
second floor. His original home was near the present site of the Bonnie Ray
service station. Dr Young, served as official physician of the Northern Pacific
railway company in this area until the time of his death several years ago.
Despite the trials of a frontier life, Mrs Yount is one of Wilbur’s most
cheerful, alert pioneer personalities.” (Edit:
Leonard Heaphy was born Oct 29, 1872 and died Aug 4, 1961; Mae Brooks
Heaphy was born April 9, 1876 and died April 1, 1956. Dr Baldwin H Yount was born Mar 4, 1857 and died Jan 20,
1918; Mary Emma Yount was born in 1858 and died in 1945. Glen M Yount was born
in 1892 and died in 1948. These burials were in the Wilbur Cemetery.)
Worthy Mention:
Though not among the
earliest pioneers there are several persons who came in the late nineties and
should be mentioned in this issue. These characters include Judge W T Warren
and his brother, Lee; J H
Robertson, who farmed northwest of Wilbur, and whose widow, Mrs Belle
Robertson, is still a resident of Wilbur; James E McGovern, who later
became United States marshal, and now of Spokane; Houston Louderback,
who came in 1901 to work for the Columbia River Milling company for 29 years,
only to resign when an accident deprived him of his right hand.
And here are others: Mr and
Mrs J T Stonerook, who served the public so many years in their grocery
store and café; Dan Arbogast, who has been here long enough to be an
active member of the North Big Bend Pioneers association and one time a member
of the Wilbur Grocery firm; Mrs Arbogast, who has so capably given her services
to the civic welfare of the community for years and still continues to do so;
and Mrs W P Gray, a most capable teacher in the early days and active for
years in various organizations of the community. Space does not permit a
biographical sketch of all the fine pioneer personalities who have contributed
so much to the welfare of the town and community but appreciation and praises
are accorded to all the progressive, civic-minded citizens of the past and of
the present day community of Wilbur.” [Edit:
John H Robertson (Feb 13, 1849 and died Feb 2, 1919);
Hueston Louderback (1860-1947) and wife Letitia (1877-1959); John T
Stonerook (1873-1951) and his wife Katherine E (1872-1947); John Daniel Arbogast
(1883-1945) and Helen (1886-1982); William P Gray (1878-1957 and Della
(1873-1957) were all buried in the Wilbur Cemetery.]
=====================================================
Wilbur Golden Jubilee Biographies, Wilbur, Lincoln Co.,Washington,
submitted to the WAGenWeb by Marge Womach, April 21, 2008.
=====================================================
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