PIONEER PORTRAITS

Ten Years Ago

September 23, 2014

There were miles of smiles last week during the Commercial Club Salmon Barbecue, which saw an increase of attendance over the previous year. According to Co-chairman Ivan Keve, 709 paid to enjoy the famous plate of salmon, up 26 from 2003. Total ticket sales amounted to $10,630, Keve said.

Thankfully the weather forecasts were inaccurate and the predicted chance of showers yielded to blue skies and puffy white clouds for the 31st annual Pioneer Fall Festival. Pioneers of the Year Ivan and B.A. Keve recounted a brief history of both sides of his family, former residents of Jasper Mountain.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

September 21, 1989

Rev. Steve Knox, suitably dressed in a '90s preachin' and exhortin' outfit, gave the sermon at the Pioneer Fall Festival last week. The Knox family is moving to the Christian Church in Milton Freewater at the end of this month.

Judge Votendahl attended the Waitsburg Salmon Barbecue last week, and got his pix in the paper. If you see him in court, please don't ask him how he liked the feed . . . he just might say, fine.

There was a hole line-up of wise guys and their friends outside the Community Building last Thursday night, waiting patiently (and some not so patiently) to get their plates of salmon. The line, at one time, extended way back to the Lions Cookshack. Ivan Keve said the club served over 900 guests.

Fifty Years Ago

September 18, 1964

The Waitsburg FFA went to the Columbia County Fair at Dayton, September 12, 1964, for the annual judging contest. Waitsburg team consisted of Jerry Wood, Norman Hansen and Jim Bloor. Waitsburg placed 2nd out of seven teams and Jerry Wood was high individual with a score of 297 out of a possible 300. Alternates that participated were Steve Witt, Larry Conover, Carl Peck and John Towers.

Seventy-Five Years ago

Sept. 22, 1939

Class presidents elected in the high school for the coming year are Andrew Weir, freshmen; Velma Miller, sophomores; Norman Stanley, juniors and Denney Neace, seniors.

Edwin Lawrence, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Neace, returned to Palo Alto,Califl, this week to resume his studies.

Misses Patricia Hirsch and Mabel Spear gave a surprise party Friday evening honoring the birthday anniversaries of the Misses Gloria Jean Ray and Alice Leid.

Mrs. Miles Brunton, Mrs. Ralph Shuford and Mrs. Kenneth Hohlman gave a dessert luncheon Wednesday at the home of the former complimenting Mrs. R. R. Veatch and Mrs. Harold Pfannekuchen.

One Hundred Years Ago

Sept. 18, 1914

S. A. Nelson, who is farming near Prescott, spent Sunday in this city. He was accompanied by Mr. Frank Crenshaw, an uncle who is from Stronghurst, Ill., and is making his first trip this part of the West. Mr. Crenshaw is also a cousin of W. J. Duncan of this place.

The Preston Shaffer Milling Co. Tuesday shipped another 20 sacks of their justly famous Pure White flour by parcel post into the interior of Oregon. Each sack bore stamps to the amount of 54 cents. Born in this city, Sunday morning, Sept. 13, to Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Stimmel, a son.

D. C. Eaton and wife were in Pullman several days this week locating their girls for the school year. Miss Mae Eaton will keep house for the other three girls - Marcia, Gladys and Ruth.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

Sept. 20, 1889

There was considerable rowdyism on our streets on Saturday night, and a number of pistols were discharged. Yet there were no arrests. Verily there is room for improvement in our police force, and we trust the matter will receive the attention it demands from the city council at their regular meeting on Wednesday night.

Whitman College has 110 students. Waitsburg Academy will have that many before the year ends.

Moses Wright was in the city from Ilia yesterday. He says meetings are being held throughout Garfield Co. and speeches are being made against the constitution.

R. H. Ormsbee and Dr. J. H. Hudgin declare that Frank Nalder's cows give the best milk they ever drank.

Two weeks ago Wm. Shaffer, head miller at Washington Mills, this city, started on a pleasure trip to Portland to see an old friend. Having performed that pleasant duty without notifying his friends at this end of the line he quietly proceeded to Los Angeles, Cal. to visit another old friend. He returned to Waitsburg on the 12:30 train today and as he passed up the street, we inquired of a friend who that tall young lady was with Shaffer and were told it was his wife, formerly a Miss Russel who at one time lived in Waitsburg. Well, all we had to say was good for Billy but some of his most intimate friends were completely flabbergasted.