OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PUBLIC AUDITOR! U v
PORTLAND. O:- 1
Volume 56, Number 33
Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, October 26, 1939
Subscription $2.00 a Year
Fete Pioneers
At Big Reunion
Dinner at Lexington
More Attend After
noon Program; Old
est Residents Cited
Lexington was host to more than
600 people last Saturday on the oc
casion of the annual pioneers re
union. The community dinner which
was served at 12:30 o'clock attracted
at least 600 hungry souls and dur
ing the afternoon the total was
swelled bv the arrival of others
who did not participate in the din
ner. Heading the list of early pioneers,
as well as being the oldest persons
in attendance, were William Thom
as of lone and Mrs. Sarah Booher,
both of whom are past 93 years of
age and still getting around on their
own power. Mr. Thomas came to
lower Willow creek, then a part of
Umatilla county, in 1881. He home
steaded at Cecil and lived contin
uously on the place until about 10
years ago when he gave it up and
moved to lone.
While the ranks of the original
pioneers have been nearly depleted,
theer were present Saturday several
who have resided in the county in
excess of 50 years. One of this num
ber, C. W. Valentine, stated that he
homesteaded his present homesite
in Sourdough canyon in 1883. Ralph
Benge settled the same year on the
land which until recently was his
home on Social ridge. Valentine also
stated that to his knowledge there
are but two original homesteaders
now living on Willow creek who
were here when he came. One of
these, A. L. Florence, still lives on
his original place above Heppner,
The other settler is Dan Summers
of Lexington. Numerous other "old
timers" were present who remem
bered the days when cattle men of
this district ranged their stock on
the unfenced prairies and hills from
the Blue mountains in Morrow
county as far north and west as
Ellensburg, Wash.
Following the dinner there was a
period of visiting until about 3 p. m.
when George Peck, acting as master
of ceremonies, called the group to
gether for the following program:
Community singing, "Long, Long
Trail," "Love's Old Sweet Song"
and "America;" prayer, Rev. Cecil
Warner, Hermiston; oboe solo, Peggy
Tamblyn, Heppner; tap dancing,
Yvonne Bleakman and Teddy Fer
guson, Heppner; baritone horn solo,
Hugh Crawford, Heppner; girls sex
tettet of Lexington school under di
rection of Mrs. Juanita Carmichael
one-minute silence honoring de
parted pioneers; vocal numbers by
Russell McNeill, accompanied by
Mrs. McNeill; History of Lexington-
read by Darlene Biddle, Lexington
address, Rev. R. C. Young, Heppner,
and violin numbers by Maurice
Johnson, accompanied by Marjorie
Parker, Heppner.
Old time dancing was enjoyed
from 6 until 9 p. m., following which
the hall was turned over to the
younger generation for popular
dancing.
Among pioneers attending who
had reached the three-quarter cen
tury mark were Laura Scott 75, T.
W. Cutsforth 80, W. F. Barnett 81, R.
W. Turner 78, Nettie Davis 78 (mo
ther of the first white child born in
Lexington), Mrs. E. Sanderson 81,
Mrs. W. R. Munkers 81, J. Piper 85;
C. W. Valentine 77, French Bur
roughs 82, Cora Burroughs 75, T,
Barnett 78 (mayor of Lexington)
Olive Swaggart 80, Ben Buschke 75,
E. K. Campbell 82, J. L. Yeager 84,
M. R. Morgan 81, W. T. Craig 77, W,
J. Blake 75, R. L. Benge 75, Al Flor
ence 81, Marion Evans 84, Leon W,
Briggs 80, Mrs. Martha Wright 75
and Mrs. May Turner 75. Pioneers
registered who are fifty years or
older numbered 170.
Deer Season Closes;
Birds Out as Elk Enter
Last big "putsch" of local gun
toters was made into the realm of
the famous muletails the first of the
week to take advantage of last days'
hunting before the season's close
yesterday. A slight snowfall in
the timber the last two days aided
hunters who added to the large
number of kills made earlier in the
season.
Come Sunday, bird seekers will
be through for the season. They
enjoyed an extra 15 days of hunt
ing through attorney's overruling
eligibility of the previously set sea
son, but hunting in the last period
has not proved nearly so lucrative
as that in the first period. As the
bird season goes out, however, the
elk season enters and what with op
portunity also now afforded for bag
ging ducks, nimrods still have a lot
of sport ahead of them. Reports in
dicate elk plentiful in open territory
in this county.
Sale at Doherty
Ranch Draws Crowd
All districts of Morrow county and
sections of Umatilla and Grant
counties - were represented at the
sale held at the Dan Doherty place
11 miles northeast of Lexington,
Wednesday. Even the state of Wash
ington was represented by H. S,
Shattuck and sons of Bickleton who
were interested in the livestock of
ferings.
All articles and livestock offered
were auctioned off at satisfactory
prices. Horses, mules, cattle, sheep,
haying machinery, wagons, an auto
truck, harness, saddle, packing
equipment, and even sheep pen pan
els and watering troughs were in
eluded in the ranch equipment com
prising the estate of the late Dan C,
Doherty.
V. R. Runnion was the auctioneer
and E. Harvey Miller acted as clerk,
Free lunch was served at noon.
City Refunding Bonds
Sell at Low Interest
City dads report a favorable mar
ket existing for the sale of $5000 re
funding bonds that were put on the
block last Saturday evening. Tripp
& McClearey, Portland brokers, took
the issue as low bidders. Interest of
3-4 percent was asked on two
$1000s, expiring one each in 1944
and 1945, and 3 percent on three
$1000s, expiring one each in 1946,
1947 and 1948.
Several bids were received, all of
which were in close proximity. Some
offered a bonus but asked 2Vi per
cent interest straight through.
ATTEND REUNION
Among out-of-town people at
tending the pioneers reunion at Lex
ington last Saturday were Glen
Davis and family of Bend, Ruth
Barnett and Mr. and Mrs.. Clyde
Wells of Pendleton, Mr. and Mrs.
Guy Shaw and sons of Hermiston,
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Barnhouse and
daughter of Antone, Mr. and Mrs.
Wm. Campbell and daughters of
Wallowa, Mrs. Wilcox and Mrs.
Allstott of Hermiston, George Payne
of Athena, Harvey Booher and fam
ily of Condon, Mr. and Mrs. Law
rence Slocum and family of Hepp
ner, Mr. and Mrs. Warren Green
and daughter of Sunnyside, and Mr.
Green's mother of Camas, Wash.
GAME HEAD COMING
Frank Wire, supervisor of state
game commission, will again favor
Morrow county hunting grounds
when he takes his annual elk hunt.
He and party were granted use of
Tupper ranger station for their camp
by F. F. Wehmeyer, local ranger,
Mr. Wire and party chose Heppner
as their base of operations for op
ening of the bird season recently. .
Mr. Wire will be accompanied by
Charles Leach, state game commis
sioner, and they will be the guests
of J. Logie Richardson, president
Morrow County Hunters and Ang
lers club.
Interest Rate on
Wheat Loans Cut
From 4 to 3 Percent
434,244 Bushels
Pledged in County;
Insurance Popular
Interest rates on government
wheat loans to farmers will be re
duced from four percent to three
percent, effective November 1, ac
cording to word received by E. H.
Miller, chairman of the Morrow
County Agricultural Conservation
committee.
Farmers who have taken out loans
prior to November 1 will pay the
four percent rate until that date,
and three percent thereafter until
maturity or liquidation of the" loan.
Loans have been made on 433,244
bushels of wheat in Morrow county
this year, Miller said, amounting to
$281,421.48.
Any farmer taking part in the
1939 AAA program may take out a
federal loan on his wheat at any
time prior to December 31. The
loans will run to April 30, 1940, al
though the farmer has the privilege
of withdrawing his wheat from loan
before that date.
Considerable impetus has been
given the crop insurance program
this year also, Miller said. Appli
cations now in for next year's crop
protection number 231, covering 50,
000 acres. Thirty-six applications
had been received by the same date
last year, and a total of 14,000 acres
was insured for the entire last crop
year.
Community AAA representatives
are meeting at the county office
today preparatory' to holding the
various community AAA elections
slated for tomorrow.
Hunter Loses Then
Finds Watch, Only
To Lose $70 Roll
Fate in variety visited one out
side hunting party in rapid suc
cession here this week.
Douglas Ober and son came to
town from their hunt Tuesday
morning only to find that the fath
er was missing his 17-jewel watch.
They returned to their camp site
and found it. Having but shortly
again arrived in town, the son
went to the car to get his father's
billfold, containing $70 in cash,
from a coat pocket. He placed it in
his rear overall pocket only to dis
cover when he went to take it out
that the bottom of the pocket was
torn, through which forgotten
rent the wallet had apparently
slipped out. Search has failed to
reveal its whereabouts since.
FIRST AAA CHECKS
ARRIVE TODAY
First checks to farmers for com
pliance under 1939 AAA program
arrived this morning, says the coun
ty office. Recipients of these checks
are being notified immediately.
AND THE RAINS CAME
Morrow county's over extended
summer period came to a close with
a bang this week. Freezing temper'
atures at Heppner the last two nights
were accompanied by advent of snow
in the higher country. Light showers
have visited most of the county the
last two days, drawing softer lines
in the stern faces of farmers whose
crops are in and who have been
fearful of disaster should the drouth
be overly prolonged.
NEW CCC BOYS ARRIVE
One hundred and ten new CCC
recruits disembarked here from
Wednesday morning's train. Thirty
five were retained at the local camp
to fill the quota for October enroll
ment period and 75 were taken on
to the camp at Monument.
Old Heads Impressed
at Rodeo Meeting
Large attendance of interested
persons at the Rodeo organization
meeting at the Elks hall Monday
evening broke down objections of
fered to further service and reelect
ed all directors from last year with
exception of E. R. Schaffer who had
previously expressed definite un
willingness to serve further. Ralph
Jackson was the new director nam
ed. Those held over are Henry Aik
en, JLen J-i. liilliam, Je iJecuner,
Harlan McCurdy, L. E. Bisbee and
Dr. R. C. Lawrence. A meeting of
directors will be held shortly to
elect officers from their number.
That danger of not having exper
ienced men to keep the organiza
tion functioning may be averted in
future years, the group moved to
amend the by-laws to provide for
staggering election of directors in
future. Under the motion two di
rectors would be elected the first
year, two the second year, and three
the third year, all to serve for three
year terms.
Austin Gentry
Was Long Resident
Austin Gentry, 70, succumbed to
a lingering illness at the hospital in
The Dalles about 9 o'clock Sunday
evening. Mr. Gentry, who had spent
most of his life in and around Hepp
ner as a member of a pioneer fam
ily, had been taken to The Dalles
several weeks before for treatment
in the course of his illness.
Funeral rites were conducted from
Phelps Funeral Home chapel be
ginning at 10:30 this morning with
Martin B. Clark, Christian minister,
officiating, with interment in Ma
sonic cemetery. Among outside rel
atives attending were a brother, El
mer Gentry, and son of Colfax, Wn.,
and sister,' Mrs: Sarah Ward of Vale.
Many frjends of the family attended
Francis Austin Gentry was born
in Madison county, Iowa, December
15, 18G8, the son of F. M. and Nancy
(Shaeffer) Gentry. He came to this
county with the family when a boy
and had resided here continuously
since, following ranching. Surviving
besides the brother and sister above
named are brothers M. T. Gentry of
this city and Loren Gentry of Al
berta, B. C, and sister, Mrs. Mary
Parcell of Spokane, Wash.
Closed Forest Areas
Open; Fire Force Cut
Notification was received from the
state office last week of the opening
of all forest areas that had been
closed to smoking or camp-fire
building.
The fire control force, maintained
throughout the fire season, has been
temporarily relieved from service
pending weather conditions, an
nounces F. F. Wehmeyer, ranger.
MEETS KRAFT HEADS
Logie Richardson returned home
Tuesday morning from Bridal Veil
where the evening previous he was
privileged to meet Messrs. C. H. and
L. H. Kraft, head men in the Kraft
Cheese organization, who were on
tour of coast interests of the com
pany from the Chicago headquar
ters. Richardson has acted as local
agent for Bridal Veil Lumber and
Box company, subsidiary of Kraft
Cheese. Plans were discussed af
fecting future expansion of the lum
ber company's local interests, Rich
ardson said.
ARLINGTON HERE TOMORROW
Heppner"s Mustangs will play
their third Upper Columbia league
football game here tomorrow with
Arlington furnishing the opposition.
The game will start at 3 o'clock. So
far Heppner leads the league with
out a defeat, but it is expected Ar
lington will give some tough compe
tition.
MISSIONARY GROUP TO MEET
Christian Womens Missionary so
ciety will meet at 2:30 o'clock next
Wednesday afternoon at the home
of Mrs. E. R. Huston.
Lions Meet Gives
Impetus to Civic
Co-Operative Effort
Various Groups
Present Projects;
Visitors Speak
Reports of community improve
ment projects from various organiza
tions were woven into a centralized
theme for the Lions club program
at Hotel Heppner, Monday noon,
under direction of M. L. Case, pres
ident. Judge Bert Johnson brought re
port of Inland Ebpire Waterways
association work and developments
from the meeting at Walla Walla on
Wednesday last week, urging im
portance of development of river
transportation as of great Import
ance to all of Morrow county.
Their work for a milk fund for
indigent children of the first and
second grades, for a part-time nurse
for Morrow county, and for a public
park and playground was told by
Miss Rase Leibbrand as president
of Business and Professional Wo
mens club. As secretary of Heppner
Garden club, Miss Leibbrand also
told of that club's project for a park
and playground on Main street.
Mrs. Lucy E. Rodgers, county
school superintendent, urged com
munity support for school programs
in touching on National Education
week, to be celebrated November
2-11.
Miss Mary Mclntyre of Hardman
and Clayton Wright of Heppner
were introduced by B. C. Pinckney,
local branch manager, as the out
standing 4-H club boy and girl who
recently attended Pacific Interna
tional Livestock exposition as guests
of First National Bank of Portland
in recognition of their accomplish
ments. Guests present from whom re
marks were heard included C. W.
Smith, "assistant state leader of
county agents from Corvallis and
one-timle pitesident of the local
Lions; J. G. Barratt,. Charles Bar
low, George Peck and Mrs. Chris
Brown.
Tom Wells, as entertainment
chairman of the Elks, announced the
benefit dance for LaVerne Van
Marter to be held at the Elks hall,
November 4.
Grand Officer Gets
Large Greeting Here
Mrs. Dora E. Stipe, worthy grand
matron, Order of Eastern Star for
Oregon, was given a large recep
tion on her official visit to Ruth
chapter in special session here last
Thursday evening. Mrs. Stipes' home
is at Beaverton. Other grand and
past grand officers, distinguished
visitors and out of town guests were
present for the occasion.
Mrs. Fay Ferguson, worthy ma
tron of Ruth chapter, presided. An
informal hour with refreshments
followed the lodge session. Roster of
evening's visitors included:
Hazel E. Folsom, Pendleton, past
worthy grand matron; Ida Peters,
Pendleton,' grand Esther; Marelda
Stengham, Elgin, grand Martha; Hat
tie Wightman, Heppner, grand rep
resentative of Rhode Island; Jack
Folsom, Pendleton, worthy patron
Bushee chapter No. 19; Violet Lieu
allen, Pendleton, worthy matron
Bushee chapter No. 19; Lois Kent,
Rainier; Bonnie Day, Lucile Hen
riksen, Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Cowper
waite, Mabel Wilson, Niety John
son, Clementine Ingram and Vona
Breed, all of Pendleton.
Presiding over refreshments were
Gertrude Parker, Charlotte Gordon
and Ealor Huston.
Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Denny left
by car last Friday to attend the San
Francisco world fair, expecting to
journey farther south also before
returning home.