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Skagit River Journal

of History & Folklore
Free Home Page Stories & Photos
The most in-depth, comprehensive site about the Skagit
Covers from British Columbia to Puget Sound. Counties covered: Skagit, Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Snohomish & BC. An evolving history dedicated to committing random acts of historical kindness
Noel V. Bourasaw, editor (bullet) 810 Central Ave., Sedro-Woolley, Washington, 98284
Home of the Tarheel Stomp (bullet) Mortimer Cook slept here & named the town Bug
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Biographies and obituaries of Skagit county
Pioneers and their descendants: I-K

Continually updated, last time: Jan. 4, 2010
      You will find the type of story in brackets [ ] behind the file link. [Bio] indicates a Journal story link. [Obit] leads to an obituary on this page. Meanwhile, just click on the link and it will take you to the obit for each person, along with our notes, if we have more information, or a link to another page that will tell you more about him or her. Please note that if a woman was the descendant of a pioneer family, her link will sometimes be listed under the first letter of both her maiden name and her married name at the time of her death. And please email us if you have family memories or copies of documents or photos you would like us to include. We never ask for your originals.
Elizabeth Isaacson, Clear Lake
Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, Jan. 26, 1939
      Funeral services for Mrs. Elizabeth Isaacson, 71, pioneer resident of Clear Lake, who died on January 24, were held in the Lemley chapel on January 21 with the Rev. A.J. Ruedger in charge and burial was in the Union cemetery.
      In tribute to her and her husband, a friend has sent in the following sketch: "Truly a pioneer mother, no woman could have been more beloved by all who knew her. Since the building of their home just before the turn of the 19th century, it has been an open house to all. Mrs. Isaacson was for years an active member of the Rebekah lodge and had other high affiliations. Mr. Isaacson, before his death some years ago, was known throughout the county as an ardent lover of nature. Some of the notable achievements of his culture were a walnut grove, one of the best orchards in the state, a number of unusual shrubs, a fine apiary of bees as well as many beautiful flowers. Time has had its way and many mourn the passing of these well loved pioneers.
James Isaacson, Clear Lake
Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, Oct. 10, 1940
      Funeral services for James Isaacson, aged 52, of Clear Lake, were held here Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Lemley mortuary, with Rev. Ruedger of the Bethel Tabernacle of Sedro-Woolley officiating. Interment was in the Clear Lake cemetery.
      Mr. Isaacson was born in Clear Lake and had lived there practically all his life. He was a member of the board of directors of the Bethel Tabernacle and was active in all affairs of the church. He was preceded in death by his wife, who died in 1935.
      Survivors are one daughter, Virginia; six brothers, John, Erwin, Robert, Lewis, Raymond and Forest; three sisters, Mrs. Joe Hasson, Mrs. Dan Green and Mrs. Walter Windish.
      Journal Ed. note: According to the Skagit County burial book, James was born in Washington. His wife was Mae Elmore Isaacson.
Andrew Jackson Jackman, Van Horn-Jackman creek
      See Issue 27 of the separate Subscribers Edition for the story of Andrew Jackson Jackman, the pioneer who homesteaded at the creek named for him, two decades before the town of Van Horn was born. And his wife, Mary Ann (Harry) Jackman, whose extended Upper Skagit Indian family includes many more pioneers, including the Bacons, Leggetts and Napoleons, among others. and the birth of the Log Cabin Inn in Marblemount. Issue 27
Wilma Rose (Olsen) Jenkins, Rockport and Whatcom County
      The Upper Skagit lost a true native daughter when Wilma Rose Jenkins passed on Feb. 16, 2007. Homesteader, gardener, mule-packer, musician, and legendary cook, Wilma's love of life and joyful laughter endeared her to all who knew her.
      Wilma was born to Marion Edwards George and Ernest Olsen, although she was raised by her grandparents Emma Tom and Leo Edwards. Enrolled in the Samish tribe but later enrolled at the Lummi Nation, Wilma married Chuck Jenkins on Oct. 14, 1956. They spent the next 40 years on the trails near Glacier, Marblemount, and Darrington, where they worked for the U.S. Forest Service. Besides a love of her mules and the backcountry in which they traveled, Wilma also learned to hunt with her hounds. Her prize cougar (at over 8 feet long!) still graces the family sofa. Before taking to the trails with Chuck, Wilma earned a certificate in cosmetology and enjoyed helping others feel and look their best. But she left that career to support Chuck's work as Cook, Wrangler, and all around Muleskinner for many years. Wilma's talents also included playing music, old-timey and bluegrass especially, and her guitar strumming complimented Chuck's banjo pickin' at many a campfire. In more recent years, Wilma enjoyed sharing recipes and her secret home canning tips with friends, as she was famous for her pickles, sauerkraut, and pies, just to name a few.
      Wilma is survived by her husband of 50 years, Chuck Jenkins, her beloved hound dog Maggie, and a whole pack of friends and neighbors lucky enough to have known her. A funeral service was held at Lummi, in the Wexliem ("Frog House") Community Building, on Feb. 21, 2007, followed by burial at the Lummi Cemetary.
      However, because Wilma was a big part of the greater Rockport community for many years, there will be a gathering to honor her memory at the Howard Miller Steelhead Park clubhouse on Sunday, March 25, from noon to 4 pm: potluck lunch, stories, pictures, and of course, music! Journal Ed. note: Chuck Jenkins is the son of Will D. "Bob" Jenkins, who wrote one of the finest books ever about Skagit County History, Last Frontier in the North Cascades. We hope that he will be attending our History Show at the Concrete Seniors Center on Feb. 16, 2008.

Niles Chapman "Sonny" Jordan, Sedro-Woolley and Lyman
Skagit Valley Herald, March 17, 2008
(Sonny Jordan)
      Niles C. "Sonny" Jordan, 82, a longtime Sedro-Woolley resident, passed away on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at the Life Care Center of Skagit Valley in Sedro-Woolley. Sonny was born on December 10, 1925 in Lyman, Washington, the son of Cecil Francis and Alice Mary (Niles) Jordan.
      Sonny, as he was known to anyone that ever met him, was raised and attended grade school in Lyman and graduated from Sedro-Woolley High School with the class of 1943. During his high school years he excelled as a student, and as an athlete in a number of sports, especially baseball. After high school Sonny enlisted in the U.S. Navy during WW II, serving his country from 1943 until the end of the war. He saw combat while serving on the USS Bennett in Guadal Canal, Iwo Jima and Okinawa in the Pacific Theater.
      After his return from the war he continued his education at Mount Vernon Junior College (Skagit Valley College), where he played football and baseball. During this time Sonny played baseball for the Sedro-Woolley Baseball Team in a local city league and while playing for that team he was picked up by a pro scout. In 1948 Sonny was united in marriage to Esther Ione Wardell. They had met during Sonny's senior year of high school and her freshman year.
      Sonny played professional baseball in the National League with the Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals. "Glorious and awestruck" is how he described his time in the show. Among his best memories were the games he pitched with Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts. He said "pitching with him was mind-boggling". When he retired his cleats in 1958 he returned to Sedro-Woolley and worked briefly at Skagit Steel and then started a long career in the shake/lumber mill industry with Willis Rogers and Pearson, retiring in 1990.
      Sonny had a generous spirit and was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. He was an avid golfer and a prior member of the Skagit Golf and Country Club and loved gardening, and always handed out his harvest to friends and family. He was especially known for his mastery of growing tomatoes.
      Sonny is survived by his wife of 60 years, Esther, at the family home in Sedro-Woolley. 2 daughters, Shauna Jordan and her husband Jeff Oiness of Sedro-Woolley and Heidi Manion and her husband, Tim of Burlington. 6 grandchildren, Elizabeth & Joseph Oiness and Steven, Troy, Levi and Annie Manion. 3 sisters-in-law and their husbands, Edythe (Wardell) & Basil Taylor, Elayne (Wardell) Ricks and Ethel (Wardell) & James Hill. 1 brother-in-law, Norbert Sparrs and numerous nieces and nephews.
      He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Heatha Jordan and 2 sisters, Marge Sparrs and Patsy Jordan. The family would like to extend their warmest thanks to Dr. Jay Cocheba and his staff at the Wound Care Center at Skagit Valley Hospital for all of the loving care they gave to him during his illness. Thank you to Life Care Center of Sedro-Woolley, also to the wonderful people at Joy's Sedro-Woolley Bakery for all their camaraderie and treats proved him and to his friends at Valley Hardware in Sedro-Woolley.
      Memorials are suggested to the Wound Care Center at Skagit Valley Hospital or a charity of your choice. Funeral Services will be held on Monday, March 24, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. at Lemley Chapel with Pastor Tim Hedberg and Stan Wing officiating. Interment with Full Military Honors will be held at the Sedro-Woolley Union Cemetery. Visitation is available at and services under the direction of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley. Share memories of Sonny and sign the online guest register at www.lemleych.
      Journal ed. note: Sonny was a dear friend and we are preparing a separate story about his baseball career and his pioneer family, including Harvey B. Niles. You can read the Journal story at this link.
Wesley Bruce "Bus" Jungquist (1918 - 2009), Sedro-Woolley
Skagit Valley Herald, April 4, 2009
(Bus Jungquist)
      Wesley Bruce "Bus" Jungquist, age 91, passed away on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at his home in Burlington, Washington. He was born March 15, 1918 at Fir Island, Washington to Arthur and Edith (Bruce) Jungquist. Bus grew up in Burlington and graduated from Burlington-Edison High School with the class of 1936. During high school, he played basketball on the varsity basketball team. After graduation, he attended Washington State University in Pullman for one year where he met his future wife, Bernice Benson. They were married on November 4, 1939 at the Presbyterian Church in Burlington and they would have celebrated 70 years together this year.
      During WWII, Bus served as a Staff Sergeant with the 765th BN in Italy from July of 1943 until his discharge in March of 1946. After returning home, he and Bernice resided at their home on Bennett Street in Sedro-Woolley while working at a food processing plant in Burlington. In 1949, he took over his father and mother-in-law's grocery store on Jameson Street and operated it as Bus's Grocery for 15 years. He then worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. for a couple of years. In 1967, he and Bernice opened Bus Jungquist Furniture on Metcalf Street in Sedro-Woolley and ran it for 40 years until his retirement in April of 2008.
      Bus was a member of the Sedro-Woolley Rotary Club for 51 years (president from 1966-1967), a member of the Skagit Golf and Country Club, Sedro-Woolley Chamber of Commerce, a 50-year member of George Baldridge Post #43 American Legion and belonged to the congregation of Trinity United Presbyterian Church. He served on the Sedro-Woolley City Council for six years and was active in the retail trade association in Sedro-Woolley for many years. His main focus in life was always trying to help people and family.
      Bus loved the water and the beach, but most of all he loved to golf, especially with his long-time friends, Dick Mulholland and Ken Carpenter. He also liked to have lunch with another long-time friend, Paul Kelley. He enjoyed doing business and staying in touch with Mel Roebuck of Lane Furniture. After his retirement, Bus looked forward to his weekly lunches at the Country Club on Wednesdays and lunch on Tuesdays with good friends. His favorite meeting place was Joy's Bakery in Sedro-Woolley. Bus loved sports and he will be remembered by his family for his dollar bets on sporting events with his children and grandchildren and card games with Bernice.
      He was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Edith Jungquist and sister, Irene Wilson. He is survived by his wife, Bernice of Burlington; his children, Christie and her husband Ian of Edinburgh, Scotland; Shauna and her husband Bruce of Bow and Craig and his wife Kathy of Sedro-Woolley; five grandchildren, Krissa and her husband Brian, Brennan, Chelsa, Bridgette and Michael; a great-grandson, Cadel; a nephew, Bruce Wilson of Seattle; and two nieces, Ann Reynolds of Edmonds and Shary DeMarcy of Mount Vernon.
      The family would like to extend a special thank you to Skagit Hospice and Visiting Angels for the care given to Bus. Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 11:00am at Lemley Chapel in Sedro-Woolley with Pastor Wendy Tingley of the Trinity United Presbyterian Church officiating. Interment with Military Honors will follow at the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in La Conner with a pot luck fellowship to follow at the Sedro-Woolley Community Center. Memorials are suggested to Skagit Hospice or Sedro-Woolley Rotary Club Scholarship Fund in Bus's memory. Share memories of Bus and sign the online guestbook at www.lemleychapel.com
      Journal Ed. note: Bus was a dear friend for many years. He was one of the longest retailers in tenure in Woolley and just a few months ago, at age 90, he added his memories and business sense to a meeting with possible downtown investors. He passed away while I was also quite ill, and his last months were tough ones, so I regret that I was not able to chat with him one more time. We did, however, interview him for a profile of his life and retail career. You can read the Journal story at this link and see photos of his earlier store. His passing at the same time of another long-time Woolley retailer holds some interesting coincidences. He and Edna Drummond were both 91, both would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary later this year and both graduated from Burlington High in the same class.
Norman R. Kelley, Sedro and Seattle
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Feb. 12, 1894
One of the founders of Sedro suddenly passes away
      Information was received from Sedro yesterday of the sudden death of Norman R. Kelley, one of the founders of the town, of heart failure, aged about 33 [blurred on microfilm] years.
      Mr. Kelley returned to Sedro from New York about Christmas. Only two days before his death he received a telegram from New York announcing the death of his mother, and then began drinking heavily.
      Mr. Kelley was the son of Albert Kelley, a wealthy banker on Wall street, New York, and was educated as a mechanical engineer. He first came to the Sound in 1886 and was right-of-way agent on the second forty miles of the Seattle Lake Shore & Eastern railroad. He afterwards engaged in the real estate business and joined with several friends in founding the town of Sedro, where he still owned considerable property.
      He also engaged in prospecting and in the spring of 1890 made a trip into the Olympic mountains, being one of the first to penetrate that then unknown region. About two years ago he went to New York and remained there until his arrival on the Sound about Christmas [1893]. He was a young man of many fine qualities, and made many friends during his residence in this city [Seattle], where he made his headquarters.
      At the request of Mr. Kelley's father, J.R. McDonald goes to Sedro today to take charge of the remains. He will bring them to this city, have them embalmed by Bonney & Stewart and send them to New York for interment.
      Journal Ed. note: Kelley formed the Sedro Land and Improvement Company sometime in the 1888-89 period and was joined by Junius B. Alexander, a graduate of Harvard whose father was also a Wall Street financier. The Seattle City Directory of 1889-90 includes this listing: Norman R Kelley S & Eastern Con Co. draughtsman, residence Rainier Club Seattle. We know from HistoryLink.org that J.R. McDonald was the president of SLS&E in 1888 and that he was also one of the organizers of the Rainier Club that year; Kelley also attended the first meeting of the men's club. He was already flying high at that meeting with the cream of the crop of the Seattle establishment: John Leary, a prominent real estate developer and former Seattle mayor; R. C. Washburn, editor of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer; Bailey Gatzert, proprietor of Schwabacher's Hardware and former mayor; James McNaught, whose 4th Avenue mansion became the first clubhouse; lawyer Eugene Carr; and Thomas Burke, a judge and founding partner of SLS&E, among others. McNaught and his brothers would also be key figures in the riotous booming of Anacortes in 1890.
      In 1888, McDonald and the SLS&E partners also formed the Seattle & Eastern Construction Company, which subcontracted with the Earle Co. to build the West Coast branch of SLS&E north to Sumas. The line soon became starved for cash, so Kelley may have leveraged his father's capital to help finance the push north and to develop new Sedro. June Burn, who was one of the first modern writers to chronicle Skagit valley pioneers, wrote in her Puget Soundings column in the Bellingham Herald in December 1930 this revealing line: "There was young [Kelley], who drank so many bottles of champagne every morning before breakfast."
      We hope that a reader who has more information about the Kelley and Alexander families will someday read this story and help us fill in the gaps of these two pioneers who were responsible, along with Mortimer Cook, for literally putting Sedro on the map.
Alphonse W. Kemmerich, Birdsview and Oregon.
Unknown newspaper, October 1996
      Alphonse W. Kemmerich, 92, of Keizer, Oregon, died Oct. 4, 1996, in Keizer. He was born in Birdsview, Washington, Aug. 11, 1903, to August and Barbara Kemmerich. His family was one of the earliest pioneer families in the Skagit valley. He entered into federal service is what is now the U.S. Park and Wildlife Service, at the age of 16. His career spanned 41 years. He served in the Federal salmon fish hatcheries in Alaska, the Puget sound area and in the Columbia river gorge.
      He married Pauline Pressentin in Seattle on Dec. 26, 1928 He was in charge of all federal fishing activities in Yellowstone Park in 1926-37. After 1938 he was attached to the regional office of the Fish and Wildlife Service in Seattle, and later in Portland. He was an assistant regional director at the time of his retirement in 1960. He was appointed executive director of the Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission in 1960 and served in this position and subsequently as a consultant to the commission until 1975. In recognition of his federal service in the field of fisheries management, he was awarded the Department of Interior Distinguished Service gold medal in April 1961. He lived in Milwaukie, Oregon, for 20 years. In 1966 he moved to Woodburn, Oregon, and he recently moved on Keizer in 1992.
      He is survived by his wife, Pauline, daughter, Barbara Halliday in Oregon, one son, Noel Kemmerich of Oregon, and four grandchildren.
Seneca G. Ketchum, Sedro-Woolley
Skagit County Times (Sedro-Woolley), Aug. 27, 1903
      Seneca Garnet Ketchum, formerly editor of the Times and widely known as a printer and journalist, died at his home in he this city, of cancer of the stomach, on Thursday evening, Aug. 20, 1903, at the age of 39 years.
      Mr. Ketchum was a man of much ability and had he been true to himself might have attained some eminence in the literary world. He was his worst enemy, and his sins against himself were responsible for his early demise. Six feet of earth, however, make us all of one size. Let us forget his faults and remember only his redeeming qualities. He was born, we believe, in Dumfries county, Ontario, Canada, and commenced his journalistic career in that country at an early age. At various times during his life he was identified with some of the most prominent newspapers in Canada and on the Pacific coast.
      Under his administration the Times became one of the most popular country newspaper in western Washington. His literary productions were principally in a humorous or satirical vein, but not always. The following exquisite little poem, written while away from home last winter, is one of the best which has thus far come under the writer's observation:
Then and Now
Last year, in Decembers rain and wynd,
We walked, dear love, with hearts entwined;
Cloudless and bright as the summer skies
Were the liquid depths of your trusting eyes,
And my soul cried out in its joy complete;
"Love, I am with you, life is sweet."

But the sorrowful hours are bleak and drear
As I wander alone this fateful year;
And the clouds that shadow the somber skies
Are heavy with tears, like my own sad eyes,
And my soul cries out in its weight of woe;
"Love, I have lost you, let life go!"
He leaves a wife and one child, a son, to mourn his death.
      Journal Ed. note: Ketchum's wife was listed as both Naomi in her obituary after dying in 1951. Her burial records list her as M. Leona (Kline) Ketchum, born in 1864 in Canada. She moved to Mount Vernon in 1935. Their infant son, Seneca G. Ketchum Jr. died on Jan. 18, 1900, aged three months. A short obituary for Seneca in the Puget Sound Mail of Aug. 27, 1903, noted that he presided over the Times for two years. We have found records of him being editor there from 1899-1901 and during that time he was one of the prime agents for focusing the need for the merger of the two towns of Sedro and Woolley. That obituary noted that he relinquished the property about two years before. Our own research has established that his father was Jesse Ketchum, a brother of another Seneca G. Ketchum. That Seneca G. Ketchum was an Anglican minister whose family moved from Sprucetown, New York, to Orangeville, Ontario, Canada, and he owned a newspaper in Orangeville. Janet K. Armbrust of Mount Vernon, another Ketchum descendant, has written a book on the family — A Gathering of Ketchum Kindred, and she believes that the name Seneca derives from the family having settled in Seneca county, New York. Our Seneca G. Ketchum was apparently born in Ontario. Ketchum was one of the most fascinating newspaper editors in this region, employed in the town of Fairhaven as early as 1889, and this obituary in the Times is truly one of the strangest eulogies we have yet read. We wonder how his wife reacted to it. We continue to research his life and we have published a two-part profile. One thing we know for sure is that he was a friend and traveling companion of Darius Kinsey, who was the famous Sedro-Woolley photographer of 1897-1905 and was also one of the most straight-laced men we have studied. We hope that a reader will supply more information about the man and his family and we dearly hope someone will produce a photograph of them.
Frank Kiens, Sedro-Woolley and Seattle
Unknown Seattle newspaper, May 1944
      Frank E. Kiens, a resident of Seattle 24 years, died yesterday at the family home, 5717 First Ave. NE, of a heart attack. Mr. Kiens, born in Sedro-Woolley, was 53 years old, having spent his entire life in the Northwest. Mr. Kiens was a member of Seattle Aerie No. 1, Eagles, and Local 302, Hoisting Engineers Union.
      Surviving are his widow, Jane; three sons, Edward and Jack, both of Seattle, and Frank Kiens, United State Navy; his mother, Mrs. Mary Dillon, Sedro-Woolley; four sisters, Mrs. B.H. Yett, Mrs. J.W. Parsons and Mrs. Harry N. Beam, all of Seattle, and Mrs. O.H. Strauser, Long Beach, Calif.; and two brothers, Joe C. and John W. Kiens, both of Skykomish. Funeral arrangements are being made at the Green Lake Funeral Home.
      Journal Ed. note: See the story of this amazing German immigrant family of two brothers, John and Frank Kiens, who homesteaded 320 acres north of Sedro-Woolley in the early 1880s. We will soon feature other Kiens stories from their grandson, Larry Kiens.
First Skagit settler dies; Here 75 years
Ed Kimble passes away at his home here; aged 81 years
Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, July 22, 1943
      Edward David Kimble, who had resided in Skagit county, longer than any other living person, died at the home of his son, I.A. Kimble of Sedro-Woolley, of Sedro-Woolley, on Saturday, at the age of eighty-one years. He had been a resident of Skagit county for seventy-five years. Funeral services were held at the Lemley chapel Tuesday afternoon, with Rev. W.W. Fleming officiating. Interment was in union cemetery.
      Kimble is survived by his widow, Mrs. Mary Kimble; a daughter, Mrs. Emma Akinson of Mare Island, California; and a son, Irvin A. Kimble, of Sedro-Woolley; five grandchildren and a sister, Mrs. Ida Wasson, of Everett.
      In 1942 Kimble came to Sedro-Woolley and in the issue of the Courier-Times for April 23, 1942, was given an interesting account of his life and experiences. The following is taken from the Courier-Times article of that date:
Life of Edward D. Kimble Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, April 23, 1942
      Before Mount Vernon was a city, before Skagit was a county, before Washington was a state, Edward Kimble, 321 Jamison [Jameson] avenue, came west with this parents, the David E. Kimbles of Illinois, and settled on a homestead on the Skagit river Jan. 9, 1869. Since then, for seventy-three years, he has been a resident of the county and has watched every step of its development.
      The Kimbles were the first white family to settle on the river, and Edward Kimble is believed to be the only person living who has spent seventy-three years in [what became] Skagit county. . . . [missing sentence] His grandfather, U.E. Bozarth, joined the gold rush to California in 1849, and upon his return to Illinois, induced Edward's father, David Kimble, and uncle, Jasper Gates, to bring their families to the coast.
      So, they all set out for California. From San Francisco, they [sailed] to Port Townsend, a twenty-one day cruise. From there, they went to Whidby [actually Whidbey, misspelled until the 1950s] Island, settling on Grandfather Bozarth's farm in 1867. After his death and the sale of this farm, the Kimbles and Gates homesteaded on the Skagit river in January, 1869, a mile below the present site of the City of Mount Vernon. Their nearest neighbors were three white men who live at Fir.
      To get their mail, groceries, and other supplies, they traveled by canoe to Coupeville. No school bells rang to disturb the pastoral calm of young Edward for three years. Finally, school, for a one-month term, was held in a log barn on the Kimble place, with Ida Linins [actually Lanning] as the teacher. Her father had homesteaded a place across the river. After a recess of more than a year, school was resumed for another term, this one of three months.
      In a country where logging was the chief industry, it was natural that young Edward take up lumbering as a career. This he did, and followed it throughout his life until his retirement a few years ago.
      Edward Kimble was married in 1884, to Miss Mary Martin of Ferndale, whose death occurred eleven months later. In 1893, he was married at Mount Vernon to Miss Mary Mill, on November 11. She had lately come to the United States from Germany. The couple resided in Mount Vernon, Clear Lake and various places in Skagit county, settling in Sedro-Woolley about fourteen months ago.
      They have two children, a daughter, Mrs. Emma Atkinson of mare Island, California, wife of a sergeant-major in the Marine Corps, who after 32 years of service, has reenlisted for another three years, and a son, Irwin Kimble, of this city, who is a sawyer in a shingle mill.
      Mr. Kimble had planted a victory garden which occupied a good share of his spare time, and for relaxation, he and Mrs. Kimble enjoyed radio programs and an occasional movie.
      Memories of pioneer days were fresh in Mr. Kimble's mind, particularly the excitement over the establishment of Skagit as a county apart from Whatcom [Nov. 29, 1883], Washington's admission as a state, and the battle over the removal of the county seat from LaConner to Mount Vernon.
      Journal Ed. note: Edward D. Kimble was the second child of David E. Kimble and his third wife, Minerva Bozarth, and was born on March 18, 1862, in Springfield, Missouri. You can read the complete story of this amazing Kimble family in our separate Subscribers-Paid online magazine, Issue 23.
(Otto Klement)
Otto Klement
Otto Klement, Lyman and Mount Vernon
Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times, Dec. 31, 1942
      Funeral services for Otto Klement, 90, pioneer resident of this area, who died in Portland on Christmas Eve, were held Dec. 30 in Lyman Methodist church. Burial took place in the family plot in Lyman cemetery, under the direction of the Lemley mortuary. Mr. Klement had been ill about two months. For the past few years he has made his home with his daughter, Mrs. W.E. Hamilton, at Lake Oswego, Oregon.
Unknown, undated newspaper, maybe Skagit Valley Herald
      Otto Klement, 90, pioneer resident of Skagit county, passed away at the Good Samaritan hospital in Portland on Christmas even, following a two-month illness. Mr. Klement was associated with the late E.D. Davis in the hardware business in [Mount Vernon] from 1888 until about 1895. Following the dissolving of their partnership, they subdivided and sold lots near where the ball park is located now [Sherman Anderson field in Mount Vernon]. For the past few years he has made his home with his daughter, Mrs. W.E. Hamilton, at Lake Oswego, Oregon. Funeral services will be held from the Lyman Methodist church on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. and burial will be in the family plot in Lyman, under the direction of the Lemley mortuary.
      Journal Ed. note: Klement was indeed a pioneer resident and one of the most important. After arriving in the Northwest in 1873 at age 21, he paddled across the Puget sound and explored up the Skagit river. He settled at LaConner and Mount Vernon first and when the latter city was settled in 1877, he joined in various business relationships with founders Harrison Clothier and Ed English, future timber magnate. He then became the key figure in the little village of Lyman, starting in 1881, after its namesake, Dr. Lorenzo Lyman left. We have recorded both his biography and some of the stories that he shared in the 1920s and '30s with neighbor Ethel Van Fleet Harris. See that collection, including the hilarious story of the good ole boys and the pig, at this website. We hope that a family member will send us a copy or a scan of more photos of Otto Klement and his stores in Skagit county.
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You can click the donation button to contribute to the rising costs of this site. You can also subscribe to our optional Subscribers-Paid Journal magazine online, which enters its tenth year with exclusive stories, in-depth research and photos that are shared with our subscribers first. You can go here to read the preview edition to see examples of our in-depth research or read how and why to subscribe.
You can read the history websites about our prime sponsors
Would you like information about how to join them in advertising?
(bullet) Our newest sponsor: Cygnus Gallery, 109 Commercial St., half-block uphill from Main Street, LaConner. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 5 p.m., featuring new monthly shows with many artists, many local. Across the street from Maple Hall, 1886 Bank Building and Marcus Anderson's 1969 historic cabin. Their website will be up in early 2010.
(bullet) Oliver-Hammer Clothes Shop at 817 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley, 88 years.
(bullet) Oliver-Hammer Clothes Shop at 817 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley, 88 years.
(bullet) Peace and quiet at the Alpine RV Park, just north of Marblemount on Hwy 20, day, week or month, perfect for hunting or fishing
Park your RV or pitch a tent by the Skagit River, just a short drive from Winthrop or Sedro-Woolley
(bullet) Joy's Sedro-Woolley Bakery-Cafe at 823 Metcalf Street in downtown Sedro-Woolley.
(bullet) Check out Sedro-Woolley First section for links to all stories and reasons to shop here first
or make this your destination on your visit or vacation.
(bullet) Are you looking to buy or sell a historic property, business or residence?
We may be able to assist. Email us for details.
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