Wednesday March 21,1979
Page 4 — Vernonia Freedom
Notes on Folks
Clyde Johnson is in Forest Grove
Hospital after several falls recently. He is
im p rovin g all the time and would enjoy
visits.
Obituary
1sable M. Underwood Bond
Isable Bond died Friday, March 16
after several months in the hospital in St.
Helens, Or. She was 73 years-old and bom
in Underwood, W A , March 14,1905.
She is survived by husband Joe of
Timber Rt. and several nieces living in
Oak Grove, OR.
She was buried at Underwood, WA. last
Monday, March 19.
New folks
Inez Smith Powell
Nohsloin ViHcy People those who were here
Inez Smith Powell
by Jendle Wiggins
Inez was one of eight children bom
to John and Johannah Smith, a
pioneer family that homesteaded this
valley in 1889. Both parents were of
Scandanavian descent, John Smith
was born in 1851 a t Boetberg,
Sweden and Johannah Helquist was
born in 1863 a t Sogndal, Sogn,
Norway. But it wasn’t until they were
both living in Chicago that they met
and were married in 1882.
The foHewing year the Smiths
migrated west to Portland and 6
years later left their comfortable
home there to homestead in the
Upper Nehalem Valley.
Inez recalls her mother telling
about how she hated to leave her cozy
home in Portland to come to a
wilderness. Their homestead, 5 miles
up the river between the Kist and
Pleasant Hill area, was surrounded
by dense old growth timber and
Johannah would sit at night rocking
Garfield, the baby, and listen to the
coyotes howl.
Like all pioneer families the Smiths
made do with what was at hand. They
¡cleared a patch of forest in order to
plant an orchard and garden, and
utilized all clear g ra in ' cedar for
boards and shakes to build their
home, bam and out sheds.
Inez remembers how her mother
and others living near-by kept their
milk, cream, butter and meat from
spoiling by putting it in the well.
Wells were dug, lined on the inside
with boards and covered with a lid.
Because the water was always cool,
the well was an ideal substitute for a
refrigerator. Perishables were placed
in a bucket and lowered down to the
water level. According to Inez, once
some city relatives had visited, and
on their return to Portland they told
everyone that people here got their
milk from a well. They didn’t know it
was first taken from a cow! !*
Inez is the last member of her
pioneer family still living here. “I ’ve
had two brothers who fought in
World War I and two sons who
fought in World War II so you know
I ’ve been around a few years.’’
When I asked Inez how old she was
she hedged. “Do I have to tell you
that?’’ she kidded. “Well at my age I
guess it shouldn’t matter. I ’m 84. I
was bom February 8,1895.’’
“Back in those early days we had to
do the best we could. My mother was
Excerpts from Nehalem Valley Bi-
Centennial H ighlights by Lesta
Gamer
a very creative, industrious person.
She made all of our clothing, knitted
our socks and our sweaters. I can’t
remember ever seeing her sitting idle.
There were four or five bedrooms
upstairs and the floor of each room
was covered with a homemade carpet
woven from remnants of our old worn
clothing.”
At sixteen I went to work at the
Mist Store for Johnnie Libel. Thé
money went towards shoes and school
supplies. Those days it was up to the
kids to help out with expenses.”
“I married Virgil Powell, also a
pioneer who lived 5 miles down the
river. Virgil and I owned the very
first car in Vernonia. In 1915 we
became the proud owners of a Model
T Ford, the kind you had to get out in
front and crank to start. I was husky
in those days, and it was so much fun
taking people for rides. ”
In 1918 my husband went into
partnership with Shady Lane and
bought the General Mercantile Store
on the comer where the Treasures and
Trash is now. We sold everything
from fresh produce to clothing. The
war was going then and most items
were rationed. I recall my friends
Bertha Malmsten and Eva West
stopped there. Often times they had
to buy substitute flour instead of the
real thing, but whenever they baked
they would always bring me a nibble
down at the store.”
Inez worked on the Vernonia
election board for many years. “ In
the early days everyone voted at the
cookhouse down in Colored town. I
made a big pot of stew and put just
about everything in it but my socks.
We’d simmer that stew on the old pot
belly stove while we worked. We
counted votes by hand and
sometimes it took all night to add the
results.”
An interesting feature of Inez’s
home is the red brick hearth, made
from the same bricks used in the
burner of the Oregon American Mill.
The way she tells it, her husband was
foreman of the night watchmen at the
mill and when it got time to reline the
burner he brought the old bricks
home and built the lovely fireplace for
Inez.
“I guess I take after my mother,”
Inez reflects. “I ’m not an idler.” You
can say that again. The unusual braid
rugs that cover her floor hâve been
made from scraps of her sons
clothing, and are considered priceless
to Inez. Not your usual braid rug, she
Corry James Yokley was bom Feb. 17,
to Gayle and Cliff Yokley of Vernonia. He
weighed 8 lbs. 2V& oz., and was 21 inches
long. Grandparents are Mrs. Zelma
Barker in Chowcilla CA. and Mr. and Mrs.
Wayne Welch of Vernonia.
Great-grandparents Mr. and Mrs.
; Archie Hogan of Mist and Grand-parents
Mr. and Mrs. David Crawford Sr. and Mr.
and Mrs. Richard S. Hunteman, are proud
to announce the birth of Donald Richard
Crawford who arrived on St. Patricks day
and weighed 7 lbs. 1 oz., 20 inches long.
The proud parents are Mr. and Mrs.
Charles F. Crawford of Clearfield Utah.
Mr. Crawford is in the Airforce. This is
their first child.
has incorporated four and five strand
braids to give the rugs a woven
appearance. They have to be the
prettiest braid rugs I have ever laid
eyes on. Inez also quilts and knits.
She has made afghans for each of her
children, grandchildren and great
grandchildren. “When I got snowed
in this winter, I knitted at lot,” she
laughs.
Inez is looking forward to summer
days when she can sit on her lush
patio, surrounded by the sweet smell
and color of her geraniums, fuschias
and begonias. “So many of my friends
and relatives want me to move to
Portland but I just laugh and tell
them that my roots are so deep here I
can’t pull them out.”
Square dance in Banks
There will be an old fashioned country
dance and potluck at Banks Sunset Hall
March 31. The potluck begins at 6 p.m.
and the dance will start at 8 p.m.
The dance is being sponsored by
Nehalem Valley Community Services, a
non-profit organization. All ages are
welcome.
Old fashioned dancing will include
squares, contra’s, waltzes, polka’s and
schottisches. All dances are explained and
walked through and no previous
experience is necessary. The band will be
the Backwoods Backsteppers, whose
members come from Vernonia and North
Plains.
As an added attraction, the band will
play in concert during potluck dinner. The
concert will consist of traditional dancé
m usic of the E nglish Isles, and
Appalachia, in addition to. original tunes
inspired by life in the Northwest Oregon
woods. The Backwoods Backsteppers
feature two hammer dulcimer players, a
guitar, fiddle, mandolin, concertina,
banjo, string bass and piano. Don’t miss
the fan!!
Spring Dance at CSAC
There will be a dance to top off Spring
Vacation at the Community Activity
Center on Saturday, March 24 from 8 p.m.
until 11 p.m.
M usic w ill be records and tapes
furnished by Sunny & Jo. If anyone
wishes to bring their own favorite record
or tape to the dance, they may do so.
However, they should make sure then-
name is on the record or tape so it can be
returned to them.
There will be mood lighting. The Snack
Bar will be open for nibbling pleasure. The
cost is 75 cents stag and $1.25 drag.
If anyone wishes to take an active part
in preparing for this dance, they can come
in and help, more hands are always
welcome, as are ideas and suggestions.
JOY THEATER
PRUNING SHEARS
Compact-sue pruner features one-piece steel blade
and handles. N on-stick Tetlon-S®coating helps
reduce sap build-up and prevent ru st Sturdy coil
spring and soft vinyl grips for easier more comfort-^
able cutting. Handy lock.
68
all wood burning
STOVES
in stock:
20% OFF!!!
Suggested Retail Price
LO O K FOR OUR
CLOSE-OUT TABLE!!
BRUNSMAN
Fri. & S a t, March 23 & 24
Show S tarts 7:30, O ut 11:0»
^ X ^ H A R D W A R E STORE