in other words
november21
2019
15
The Good Ol ’ Days
By Tobie Finzel
Memories of Vernonia, Part 2
The following is a continua-
tion of a letter from former Vernonian,
Charles Comstock, wrote in 2010 to his
friend, the late Ralph Keasey, recalling
his memories of growing up in Vernonia.
He gave the Vernonia Pioneer Museum
permission to use as desired, and there-
fore we share it with the readers of this
column.
“At one time, pre-Depression,
Keasey was quite an active railroad junc-
tion, primarily serving Eastside Log-
ging and Camp McGregor. There was
the typical ‘cookie cutter’ railroad depot
with freight storage, a waiting room for
passengers during the time of passenger
trains to Keasey, a ticket window and
telegraph service; also a turntable to re-
verse the heading of steam locomotives.
Water was plentiful, and there were
two supply towers sourced from nearby
springs. During most of our years at the
power plant, the population of Keasey
was two or three families, focused near
the Post Office at the end of the road.
“During the ten years my fam-
ily lived at the power plant beyond Ke-
asey, there were many trips along the
nine miles of that bumpy gravel road
into Vernonia, and we knew many of
our neighbors along the way. Family
names I recall are these as we drove into
town. There were others, but seventy or
so years have those memories clogged
by cobwebs. Resident Postmistress at
Keasey was Bessie Cummings and her
daughter, Betty. Later, Zelda Miller
Lamping assumed that position when
she married Milt Lamping, a worker on
the railroad section gang. Heading down
the road, there were three generations of
the White family. They were beekeepers
and produced honey.
“Just across the first bridge there
was the Devaney family. Doc Devaney
and one of their sons, Darrell, alternated
shifts operating the large speeder serv-
ing Camp MacGregor. Rather often we
would get a ride from Keasey up to the
power plant. Beyond was the Lindsay
family, and I remember the roses in
bloom along the fence and around the
entry gate. Across the road and down a
bit were the Gillams (?) and across the
next bridge on the left were John and
Ann Luther and their son Jim. Well
known and long remembered for the
pork sausage they made and sold several
times a year. John Luther fell and was
killed while working on the construction
of the bridge adjacent to their property.
“Cross the railroad track and
on the left were the Reids, large house
with a wrap-around porch on two sides.
Cross the tracks again and the third
bridge and Vic Bergerson, a bachelor as
long as I knew him, had a place that set
back on the right side of the road. For a
couple years, he teased and taunted me
that the best way to shell green peas was
to put them through the wringer on the
washing machine – and I thought he was
serious!
“Down the road and up around
the bend was the Keasey family home.
Seemed there were always about five
young folks anxious to board the school
bus every morning. My mother was
quite friendly with Hilda Keasey. Just
beyond and hidden from view on the
right was the McDonald family. He
drove the school bus that took us to
school. Their son (Jack or Pete?) was
killed in a mill accident in the late 1930s.
Daughter Ellen was working at the office
at the high school in the 1950s when I
visited Vernonia.
“Down the hill and around the
bend was the Duncan home. He operat-
ed the butcher shop in the back of King’s
Grocery for many years. Their daughter
– Elsie, I believe – was always late for
the school bus. A couple warning toots
on the horn, and she came running out.
Why would I ever remember something
like that!?! And then there were the
Bradys a bit along on the left side. For
a couple years, the front entrance and
steps were ‘under construction’ and the
kids would come running from the back
of the house down to the bus. For some
reason, the snow was not as deep in the
winter as we came into town on State
Avenue. Just a little ride along memory
lane.
“And I sorta warned you, I talk
and write too much and it’s hard to put
on the brakes. So, just maybe as a final
topic, here are a few names and memo-
ries dusted off from the cobwebs of three
score and ten years ago from my recall
of Vernonia. Reaching back is just one
of the joys of getting older.
Ben Brickle – Longtime barber in town.
The shop, now closed, still shows the
faded spot on the back wall where a
picture of Franklin Roosevelt hung for
many years and was the frequent topic
of conversation while getting a haircut
for 50 cents.
King’s Grocery – Allowed charge ac-
counts and then put a couple candy bars
in the bag when the bill was paid at
month end.
Thomas Variety Store – Always busy
in early September when kids bought
school supplies for about 50 cents.
Bergerson’s Feed Store – Kids romping
around on feed sacks and bales of grain.
Armitage Drug and Nance’s Rexall
Drugstore – At opposite ends of Bridge
Street competing.
Dr. Roland Eby and Dr. R. I. Hall – The
two doctors – very different personali-
ties – with offices next door to one an-
other and who cared for the local medi-
cal needs.
Thor Gronbeck – An affable Danish
man who operated the ‘stage’ for two
roundtrips every day to Portland and
back to Vernonia.
Mr. L. H. Dewey – Best known for Dew-
ey Pool, but he was the manager of Mill-
er Mercantile dating back to the time of
J.C. Penney’s – that name is still in the
threshold at the entrance.
Treharne’s Gas Station and Garage – On
the corner of Bridge St. and State Ave.
Pumped gasoline for 11 cents a gallon in
the mid-1930s.
The Vernonia Eagle – The local news-
paper published on Fridays with all the
local news.
Rev. Livingston and Rev. Sharman –
Longtime ministers of the Christian
Church on North Street and the Evan-
gelical Church on State Avenue. The
competition was brisk for participation.
Wooden stairs to OA Hill – From the
base near the end of North or A Street,
well-constructed stairs were a popular
route up the west side of OA Hill, ending
near the water tower. Popular with the
kids visiting playmates in one location
or the other.
The Joy Theater – And who doesn’t
have special memories of this landmark
in our town? I remember sitting in the
front row to see Snow White and the
Seven Dwarfs in 1936 and, a year or so
later, the musical Alexander’s Ragtime
Band with Don Ameche and Alice Faye.
“The trail of memories is end-
less!’’
From Virgil Powell’s Diary
Virgil Powell (1887-1963) was
a long-time resident whose family had
a farm in the Upper Nehalem Valley
between Natal and Pittsburg. Each
year from 1906 until 1955, he kept a
regular diary of his activities. Among
his other entries for November 1909, he
documents the formation of a telephone
company for the Natal area.
Saturday, Nov. 6, 1909:
Worked fixing up some little
things in the morning. Was
also after a deer that the
dogs ran through the pasture.
Started down to the telephone
meeting at the Natal Grange
Hall at 12. A telephone
company was organized. Each
member paid in $20. Pretty
good day. Got home after dark
6.30.
Tuesday, Nov. 9: Butchered
hogs all day. Duggins came
down and helped me. We
killed 6 and got through at 3
P.M. Rained terrible hard all
morning but pretty good in the
afternoon.
Wednesday, Nov. 10: Loaded
the hogs on for Keasey to take
out. U.S. Mellinger came down
and got 960 pounds of oats.
Was working around the house
most all day. Pretty fair day.
Friday, Nov. 12: Mr. Gerber
and I went over and cruised
on Sec. 14 and 10. Finished
and got home at 3 P.M. Rained
pretty hard and I was good
and wet when I got home.
Willie Pringle and Mart came
up and stayed overnight.
Saturday, Nov. 13: Mr. Gerber
went back to Portland. Went
up to Vernonia about 9.30
with Mart. We fooled around
up there for a while. Got back
home at 3.15, done up the
chores and then went on down
and stayed overnight with
Mart. Awful cold all day.
Sunday, Nov. 14: Got home
from Rays at 10.30 A.M.
Hitched up the team about 1
and went over to Elliotts and
got 10 sacks of potatoes. Sold
my goats to him. Frozen pretty
hard in the morning, but very
fine all day.
Monday, Nov. 15: Frozen up
pretty hard in the morning.
Went out and cut 7 telephone
poles. Done my washing in the
afternoon. Very fine day.
The Vernonia Pioneer Museum is
located at 511 E. Bridge Street and is
open from 1 - 4 pm on Saturdays and
Sundays (excluding holidays) all year.
From June through mid-September, the
museum is also open on Fridays from 1 -
4 pm. There is no charge for admission
but donations are always welcome.
Become a member of the museum for
an annual $5 fee to receive the periodic
newsletter, and if you are a Facebook
user, check out the Vernonia Pioneer
Museum page created by Bill Langmaid.
The museum volunteers are always
pleased to enlist additional volunteers to
help hold the museum open and assist in
other ways. Please stop by and let one
of the volunteers know of your interest in
helping out.
Need more room?
See us for the lowest prices GUARANTEED!
Debit/Credit now accepted
5x10 $39
Vernonia’s Voice is
published twice each
month on the 1 st and
3 rd Thursday. Look
for our next issue on
December 5.
Thursday, Nov. 11: Went to
work getting out telephone
poles. Got out 12 by 3.30. Mr.
Gerber came at 3.30 so did not
do anything the balance of the
day. Heard from the hogs, they
brought 354.80. Very good day.
10x10 $69
10x20 $99
RV Storage $149
Outside storage available
Totally fenced and gated
Padlocks available
58605 Nehalem Hwy South • P.O. Box 292
Vernonia, Oregon 97064
(503) 429-7867
10-5 Tue-Sat
12-4 Sun