Heppner gazette-times., June 25, 1997, Page FOUR, Image 4

FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Tim es, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 2 5 ,1 9 9 7
Eskelsons plan family reunion
Friends arc invited to join the
descendants of Joe and Mary
Eskelson for the Eskelson family
reunion planned in Heppner July
4-6.
The reunion will be hosted by
Charles and Tressle Wilcox and
families and Dorris Graves and
families.
Betty Carlson, a descendent of
the Eskelsons, says that around
120 people are expected for the
reunion on Friday, with more
coming the following day.
The families plan a host of
activities during the three-day
weekend. On Friday, activities
will get underway at 9 a.m. at the
Morrow County Fairgrounds,
with a tour of the Morrow
County Museum to begin at 10
a.m. At 1 p.m. a bus tour is
planned
of the Eskelson
homestead on Social Ridge, west
of Lexington. Friday evening's
events will end up at Hardman
for a walking tour of the
Hardman community and a prime
rib dinner prepared by the
Hardman Community Center.
On Saturday, activities at the
Morrow County Fairgrounds,
also beginning at 9 a.m., will
include branding of Eskelson and
other family brands on old
boards
taken
from
Ethel
Eskelson's bam in Hermiston.
At noon those attending will
enjoy a catered ribs and chicken
dinner and birthday cake in
honor of the 90th birthday of Eva
Wilcox Brosten, the oldest living
Eskelson descendent. The day
will also include much visiting
and activities, including setting
W.C.C.C. G o ir
Ladies' Play, June 17
Low gross of the field: Susan
Atkins
Flight A: low gross Pat
Edmundson; low net Barbara
Gilbert; least putts Jan Paustian.
Flight B: low gross Bernice
Lott; low net Luvilla Sonstegard;
least putts Betty Christman.
Flight C: low gross Lorrene
Montgomery; low net Jackie
Allstott; least putts Sandi Hanna.
Long putt: Barbara Gilbert
#16, Joyce Dinkins #12.
Kemp wins
national
FFA award
The National FFA Organization*
awarded a $ 1 000 scholarship to
Toni Kemp of the Heppner High
School FFA Chapter.
The scholarship is sponsored by
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., as a
special project of the National
FFA Foundation, Inc.
Kemp plans to use the funds to
pursue a degree in agricultural
business at University o f Idaho.
She is the daughter of Gary and
Marcia Kemp of Lexington. Her
FFA advisor at Heppner is Glenn
Zollner.
The Wal-Mart scholarship is
one of 970 awarded through the
National F-FA Scholarship
Program this year. Over 200
corporate sponsors contribute
more than $1.2 million to support
this program. This is the 14th
year that scholarships have been
made available through the
National FFA Foundation by
business and industry sponsors to
reward and encourage excellence
and enable students to pursue
their educational goals, said an
FFA news release.
Scholarship recipients were
selected from more than 7,388
applicants from across the
country. Selections were based
on the applicant's academic
record, FFA and other school and
community activities, supervised
agricultural experience program
in agricultural education, career
plans and financial need.
FFA is a national organization
of 452,885 members preparing
for leadership and careers in the
science, business and technology
of agriculture. The organization
has 7,263 local chapters located
throughout the United States,
Puerto Rico, Guam and the
Virgin Islands. "FFA's mission
is to make a positive difference
in the lives of students by
developing their potential for
premier leadership, personal
growth and career success
through agricultural education,"
said the release. Local, state and
national activities and award
programs provide opportunities
for students to apply knowledge
and skills learned in the
classroom.
Wal-Mart
awarded
51
scholarships to one student from
each state and Puerto Rico.
off water bottle rockets. Dinner
fare will be a sirloin steak
barbecue.
Sunday morning the family
will say their goodbyes at
breakfast at the Betty and Louie
Carlson home in Heppner.
All meals will be no host.
For more information about
the activities and the no host
catered meals, contact Dorris
Graves, 676-5838 or Betty
Carlson, 676-5302. They would
appreciate a head count for the
meals.
Joseph Eskelson was bom in
Denmark in 1856. At the age of
one, he emigrated from Denmark
to Salt Lake City with his
parents, James (Jens) and
Catherine Jacobsen Eskelson,
who had converted to the
Mormon faith. They traveled by
railroad, pulled handcarts and
rode by covered wagon to Utah.
Joe left the family at the age of
13 or 14, making his own way
and eventually owning freight
wagons and teams.
He met Mary Phariss on the
trail from Salt Lake to Butte.
Montana. Mary was bom in 1859
at Petaluma, CA, to James and
M.A. Lawson Phariss.
Joe and Mary married on June
2, 1882, and then headed west
with their team and wagon to
work for Blue Mountain Railroad
which ran from Pendleton to
Walla Walla by way of Weston,
where their first child was bom.
They lived in a covered wagon
until railroad housing became
available.
In the fall of 1883, Joe applied
for 160 acres of railroad land at
Social Ridge. They established
residence on the homestead
before the birth of their second
child in September 1885.
Joe and Mary had nine children:
Nellie, 1884 in Weston, who
married Lawrence Palmer; Orvel,
1885 in Weston, who married
Agness Hammer; (all the
remaining children were bom in
Lexington) Ethel, 1887, who
married
Robert
Wilcox;
Florence "Josie", 1889, who
married Ernest Frederickson;
Earl, 1891, who married Ada
Crandle; Cleo, 1893, who
married William Van Winkle;
Margaret "Katy", 1898, who
married Andy Owens and later,
Joe Daniels; James, 1900, who
married Ethel "Mickie" Mikesell:
and Rose, 1904, who married
Percy Sproule.
In 1920 the Eskelson farms
were rented to Earl and James
and Mary and Joe moved to
Salem. Joe died in 1943 and
Mary in 1944.
Descendants of Joe and Mary
still living in Morrow County
include: grandchildren- Nellie's
son Elmer Palmer; Ethel's
daughter Dorris Graves; Cleo's
son
and
daughter
Jack
VanWinkle and Alma Green;
g r e a t- g ra n d ch il d re n- El m e r
Palmer's son, Roger Palmer;
Marian Palmer's son, Lee
Palmer; Alice Palmer Harrison's
son, Bob Harrison, who is
farming Nellie's farm; Dorris
Wilcox Graves' daughter, Betty
Carlson;
Alma
VanWinkle
Green's son. Cliff Green; and
Jack Van Winkle's son and
daughter, Jim VanWinkle and
Shirley George; and several
fourth and fifth generation
children.
GEODC hires executive director
Greater Eastern Oregon
Development
Corporation
(GEODC) has hired Joni Gibbens
Wood well of Pendleton as
executive director.
Announced by GEODC
President
George
Koffler,
W oodwell's
appointment
concludes an extensive search
process. Woodwell will manage
the corporation's economic
development activities, including
business start-up and expansion
loans,
infrastructure
development,
planning,
marketing and recruitment.
GEODC's primary goals are to
strengthen communities, support
business expansion and increase
economic diversification in
Gilliam,
Grant,
Morrow,
Umatilla and Wheeler counties,
said a GEODC news release
Business loan functions extend
into Baker, Union and Wallowa
counties as well.
Woodwell has provided small
business consulting services from
Pendleton for the past two years
and formerly managed the Small
Business Development Center at
Eastern Oregon State College.
"She brings extensive experience
in business development, loan
packaging and administration to
the position," said the release.
"Woodwell believes her
primary tasks are to expand
GEODC's program offerings and
to make GEODC's tools for
economic development well
known and readily accessible
throughout
the
region,"
continued the release.
Woodwell may be contacted at
276-6745.
St. Patrick's Senior Center
Bulletin Board
Eskelson children (clockwise from left) Ethel, four years old, Orvel, six, Nellie,
seven, Josie, two and (center) Earl, six months.
There were 78 present for the Senior dinner June 18 and 16 meals
were home delivered. Members of the Lutheran Church served. Iva
Booker's family honored her 98th birthday by serving a beautiful
birthday cake, and several members of the family were there tor
dinner and the party. The seniors sang happy birthday to her, and wish
her many more happy birthdays.
The menu for the Independence Day dinner July 2 will be barbecued
beef steak, tossed salad, baked potatoes, strawberry jello, french bread
an(j watermelon. Members of the lone United Church of Christ will
serve.
Hearing aid servite will be provided and blood pressures taken
before the meal. The Meal Site Committee will meet at 1 p.m. The
new committee members will assume their positions at that time.
There were 41 at the breakfast Friday, June 20. The menu for June
27 will be blueberry pancakes andeggs, fruit, hot and cold cereal,
orange juice, milk, coffee and tea. There will be no breakfast July 4.
One table of pinochle was in play Friday afternoon. Six seniors
watched the video, "Lantern Hill", Sunday evening.
The seniors were saddened by the death of Darrell Vinson. He has
been a very active member of the senior center for many years. He was
always willing to help Our deepest sympathy and prayers go out to
Sue and the family.
The next bus tnp is to the Meal Site at Milton Freewater Friday, July
11, at 9 a.m.
Other dates to remember are as follows: Tues. and Thurs., 10 a.m..
exercise; Wed., 10 a.m., hearing aid assistance, 11a.m., blood pressures
taken, 12 noon, senior meal, 1 p.m., Nutrition Site Committee; Friday,
8 to 10:30 a.m., breakfast, 2 p.m., cards; Sunday, 7 p.m., movie.
The Red Cross blood drawing will be held at the Senior Center
Thursday afternoon, June 26. Come give the gift of life.
Tickets for the afghan raffle are still available at the Senior Center
Office.
P io n eer M em orial C lin ic
w ill b e c lo se d Friday,
J u ly 4th.
Have a safe and happy
4th of July!
Joe and Mary Eskelson
Junior
Gol-F Lesson
by Pete S tra w ick
a t t h e W illo w C re e k
age e ,e tn d u p
CALL:
676-5437
Mary Eskelson
C o u n try Club
July 25 & 31, August 3 & 15
3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
$1 0 R e g is tra tio n Fee
PRIVATE LESSONS AVAILABLE
Joseph Eskelson
Bank of Eastern Oregon
announces:
The “Harvest”
Certificate of Deposit
6 . 0 %
(A P T)
$ 10,000 Minim um
This special CD has an 18 month maturity and a one-time option during the life of the
certificate which allows you to “harvest” a higher interest rate (should one be then available
on a comparable Bank of Eastern Oregon 18 month, $10,000 CD).
‘Annual Percentage Yield (APY) accurate as o f 6 /2 4 / 9 5 .
Penalty may be imposed for withdrawal before 18 months.
The “Harvest” CD is available
for purchase only during
June, July and August, 1997.
Bank of Eastern Oregon
"around the corner, not around the state”
Arlington
Condon
454-2636
384-3501
Heppner
lone
676-9125
422-7466
M « m b f FDtC
I