Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 15, 1976)
Page 4, THE GAZETTE-TIMES, Heppner, OR, Thursday, April 15, 1976 ttafcsnfcl Fcmn By Justine Wealherford The audience who attended the Historical Swap night at the Heppner Elementary School Tuesday were able to re-live Morrow Counties history as the six guest panelists told of their early days in the county. The panelists, Delia McCurdy, Frances Mitchell, Martha Van Schoiack, Rachel Harnett, Harold Becket and Ebb Hughes were introduced by Ines Erwin, who served as moderator. Delia Davidson McCurdy told of her husband Harlan's family. Some of them homesteaded where Mayville is today, long before Condon was thought of, and whose predecessor were Boones, children of the brother of the famous Daniel Boone. Delia presented interesting facts about her own families, the Lovgrens and the Davidsons of near Hale Ridee in the S.W. county. Her parents were married at Eight Mile Center in 1894 and operated several sheep and wheat ranches. She related her early childhood experiences telling of the Democrat Gulch School and other neighboring schools. She recounted sheep camp experiences and told of her days of service in the cookhouse. During her childhood, visiting Indians fascinated her. In 1903 the family moved to lone so the girls could attend school and they had just settled there when the flood hit Heppner. Martha Campball Van Schoiack remarked, "Delia has already told it all." Then she recalled her arrival in Heppner as a new bride in 1916. She and her husband entered into a partnership with Art Minor and later had a ranch of their own in the vicinity of where their son Bob and his family now F Martha told of cooking for large groups of men at their ranch and at the Glavey Ranch during sheep shearing and harvest time. In those days meat was kept fresh on the ground under the cookhouse where the breezes cooled it. Frances Parker Mitchell told of her family coming to the area in 1913 so she could attend school . Her description of the school on the hill and the high winds were amusing in retrospect. In her first grade there were five children named Frances, three were boys, she also reminicsed about early classmates and teachers. She recalled some of the youngsters using their wagons for books when the school moved to the new building below the hill (the present Junior High). The hill top school was destroyed in 1928. She RUMMAGE SALE f X X X X X X X X X X ' X X X X X xxxx::s x X Friday & Saturday April 23-24 Gilliam & Bisbee Building Sponsored by Heppner Swim Team Association X X x X This Community Sen ice Message Sponsored By x x I p) Morrow County pi Ll Grain Growers L u i 1 LEXINGTON aSXKKKXXXXXXXXXXXKXKKXXXKXSXSKSXXXXXXX:- remembered the janitor and his family living in the basement of the new school, which many folks considered too large for the town and claimed would never be filled. Rachel Scherainger Harnett told of her grandfather, Heppner's pioneer physician, Dr. Lewis Shipley, who rode hundreds of miles on horseback tending to the needs of the families in the area. Her father, Henry Scherxinger and her mother Charlotte Shipley were married in 1905 and lived many years on their Spring Hollow Ranch. Rachel recalled the mule drawn freight wagons coming to stop at their place on the way from Monument to Heppner. As the horses and mules were watered and pastured for the night, her mother would cook for the men and after a night's rest they would continue to Heppner. Harold Becket's grandparents farmed at Eight Mile in 1886. His parents were married in 1906. He recalled many economic ups and downs and the changing scene from no money to better times. When he attended Liberty School there were many children in the area and Harold named all the neighbors. He described early family-type transportation on muddy and dusty roads. He related the time the buggy turned over as they were returning from town and how his father was the only person who thought it was funny. He also talked about early river travel, having spent some years along the Columbia River across from Cascade Locks. Ebb Hughes told of early turkey and hog drives from Monument over Sunflower Flat to Heppner. He spoke of a world champion bull that drowned when he tipped off a ferry into the Columbia. Ebb said "This country has produced some of the world's finest cattle and the world's fastest horses." He showed a scrapbook, given to him by the Hynd Family, that has many articles about W.O. Minor's Mountain Valley Farm and the tremendous international champion cattle produced there. He told of an early lumber mill on Johnson Creek that ran its vertical saw with a raw hide belt and a rope belt, one of which would always tighten when the other got slack. He stated that for some time Echo was the largest cattle shipping center in the state. He was asked about early rodeos, and said many communities kept their own rodeo stock, but bucking horses were trailed from rodeo to rodeo. The last clipping pasted in the old scrapbook that Ebb passed around dealt with 1911s new transportation problem. "The automobile is a fine thing for those who can afford It, but there are a lot of people buying them who haven't the price and will pay dear for the whistle. An investigation disclosed that in Portland 700 of the last 1000 automobiles sold were bought by mortgaging the purchasers' homes. This mean a lot of people will be afoot and homeless in a few months and somebody who has the cash and wants to buy a home will take advantage of the situation. The good old horse is not fast but is safer and cheaper and lasts a lot longer. Better stay with him till you have the price at least." Ruby Shear, who completed her master thesis on Heppner history at Eastern Oregon State College in 1975 brought many interesting pictures and charts to the meeting. Justine Weatherford. as a National Library Week feature arranged a display of Morrow County and Eastern Oregon Books from the Heppner Library. 7JEW 12 wide from $6,495 14 wide from $6,995 SPECIAL $13,950 24 wide. 3 bdr. 2 bath, all electric, fully carpeted, loaded w ith extras. REP05 8 X 35 1Z 10 wide $2.99a 12 wide -Make Offer- Pickup 3 back payments and take over contract Knepp Mobil Homes Mobile Hermiston-McNary Hiway 567-3305 Here's why (he rear-bagging Grasmmsler is (he finest mower Toro ever engineered Innovative Toro engineering gives you the convenience of bagging your clippings plus the maneuverability to handle tight turns, irregular borders, narrow spaces. And the Grastmaster con verts easily to a mulching mow iwful ngh Torn'" er w,jc, deposits nitrogen-rich Enfin. ATuroruluuvt ,. . , , . . cuppings tor a iicaiuiicr uwh. Visit us today and see the CraMm&scr the finest Toro' rotary mower ever made. Ton $339.ss V, -Af Start Rrinfoirvd Rr BJ ( rurtH( aluminum THE CRASSMASTF.R MOWER Modrl 20073 - 7:j SPRAY NEWS Mary VVIIIIsnis X X X X X ' 0 T "Heading for JBeecfier's" ' lone Oregon I ftt LIVE MUSIC j: ; Y 7 Friday and Saturday ' J Allen Frank 11 and the. ; ;! Jp TOMAZONES ;! i 9-2 a.m. ;! EASTER SPECIAL Baked Ham Dinner $3.25 -EasaKasanBnan wuvvvVVVVVVVVVV More than 200 people at tended Spray's annual grange auction and dinner Sunday, April 4, sunny skies holding throughout. Several groups came from Portland, Madras and other Oregon points, adding to the local turnout. It was a good day, good food, good friends. A fun day, people going home laden with treasures that may give pause for thought tomorrow. For Instance, my good friend and neighbor's grab-bag pur chase putting forth, much to that gentleman's chargrin, two corsets, complete with back lacings. But, in these days of changing personali ties, how could one go wrong with a wasp waist and an hour glass figure? Bargain day indeed! Seriou Jy the sale was a real success with much valuable and useful merchandise going over the block and the village anticipates a bigger and better sale and the return of all these good folk April 1977. Guests at the Don Griffiths through the week included Mr. and Mrs. Gary Hunt and family, Newport, WA and John and Wilda Rottray, Con don. On the weekend Brian and Donita Adams came from Prineville and enjoyed a dinner prepared by Donita 's mother in observance of her 19th birthday anniversary. Other guests joining them for the dinner included Toni and Tammy Toll. Heppner and Donita's grandparents, Merna and Billy Richards, Spray and Eva Griffith, Heppner. Thirty-eight senior citizens attended the weekly dinner and bingo party at the Grange Hall Thursday.' Preparing the dinner were Lou Cress, Alice Deitz and Laver'e Peck. Penny Jo, daughter of the Billy Chapmans has been va cationing at the ranch home of her parents recently. Penny is employed at Portland's Wash ington Square as a security dispatcher, is now in uniform and will be on the floor soon, she states, as a security offi cer. Other guests at the Chap man home last week were Joyce Smith. Salem and Jerry teach, Pendleton. The Rick Shaffers, Fossill, weekended at the DeWayne Simmons Alder Creek Ranch and assisted with branding and dehorning. Joining Cora Burnside at her home Sunday for her 88th birthday were seven of her children and included Vir ginia, who baked and decorat ed the cake, with her husband Jack Sitton. Kinzua. Willie Steagall, Lebanon, Wilbur and Marie Steagall, Lexington. Lola Belle Breeding. Irrigon and George Steagall. Hepp ner. Others present were Cora's grandson and family the David Sittons and Whit ney, Fossil and a sister, Veenie Anderson, Brookings. Another son, David, contacted his mother by telephone from Portland. ' Mr. and Mrs. Glen Peck have returned from a weekend in Sweet Home where they visited members of their family. An extensive remodeling operation is rapidly nearing completion at Spray's Legion Hall. Twenty-five Legion and Auxiliary members enjoyed a potluck dinner there Sunday after a morning's work at the hall. Due to weather conditions, Everett and Josephine Howell cancelled plans for a Nevada vacation last week and spent the time with relatives of both in Portland and Newberg. News was received Wed nesday of the death of Roy Snable, Seaside. Roy who spent his childhood here is a brother of Effie Stirewalt and Ellen Nash of Spray. Another former Spray resi dent, David Kilgore was re portedly killed in a car acci dent out of Klamath Falls Friday evening. David is the son of Mrs. John Samatore. Klamath Falls. Willard Wilhelm was the victim of a fatal car accident early in the week near Fossil where funeral services were held. He is a nephew of Mrs. Bill Howell, Spray. Bud Nash's step-father pas sed away recently in Idaho. The sympathy of this com munity is extended to these families. Effie Stirewalt, a recent Portland visitors, reports her sister, Velma Maley recu perating satisfactorily follow ing recent surgery at Hermis ton's Good Shephard Hospital. Lynn Skold. Grand Forks. B.C. a 4 H exchange student, has enjoved the hospitality of the Bob Waiden ranch home through the weekend. Lynn and Yvonne Walden exchanged many interesting points of view concerning the common interest, feeding and raising cattle. Also school and community activities in B.C. and Oregon and generally enjoyed one another through the weekend. Clara Jenkins and Amine Nichols report a most enjoy able and informative home extension tour when they joined 57 other people from Wheeler and Gilliam counties foradayatPortland'l Pittock Mansion and Jantzen Woolen Mills, March 30. The Assembly Church an nounces the expected arrival of Rev. Duane Stewart, a mis sionary recently , turned from an African field, for the Easter Services, April 18. A film, "A Time To Run" will be shown at the Assembly Church Sunday evening, April 11. A film of interest and Im portance to all. states Rev. Allen Gordanicr, local pastor Mrs. Art Stephens has re turned to The Dalles for a checkup following her recent lengthy illness and treatment for a burn sustained when she fell against the range at her home. Mike Adams has returned from Echo where he was a student rider at Sid Britt'i bare back school through the weekend. See you in 7 days-mean-while, call a friend who Is alone, take time to listen to a small child and become sur prisingly more knowledge able. Have a good week. Montana: $8.70 You can call Billings, Great Falls, Cutbank, Havre, or anywhere in Montana, and talk for a full 60 min utes for only $8.70, plus tax. That'B if you call before 8 a.m. or after 1 1 p.m. and dial direct without operator assistance. Go ahead. Try it sometime. Pacific Northwest Bell You our .Ha Ml. I 1 K I . - It' i 4 PSH RAND """" if ...s ' '...".ill J Customer 1 r S Fnint Whl I lawn t )iu done without a Tun long enough? PETTYJOHN'S FARM AND BUILDERS SUPPLY iliffii) -t .v;ntgt pis- jjW (You'll like our Brand I r- a nANK OF Of Banking at OZoatem Oregon KIMIM. rUtUL DlfOtlT WIvaAKCS COMCMTIOB jj
