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Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December
15 , 1999 - THREE
Bill Lowe to celebrate 100th birthday ione Booster Club hosts basketball bonanza
The Ione Booster Club hosted
the lone Basketball Bonanza on
December 10-11.
On Friday, the Ione men
defeated Willamina, 81-72.
Mark McElligott led the
C ardinal effort with 26 points,
and 83 percent from the free
throw line. McElligott also had
three steals and pushed off 10
assists.
Brad Bumght contributed 24
points and led the Ione team
with 13 rebounds. Senior Jacob
Neiffer did an exceptional job
tor the Cardinals, shooting 100
percent from the three point
region.
The Ione men returned on
Saturday to take on Sherman
County,
losing
the
championship game, 49-55.
Mark McElligott led the Ione
team again, scoring 14 points.
McElligott brought in eight
rebounds, blocked four of
Students in Lea Calvert's class at Heppner Elementary School help Bill
Lowe celebrate his upcoming 100th birthday at Pioneer Memorial
Nursing Home Tuesday.
By Merlyn Robinson
Blowing out the candles for his 100th birthday is "a piece of cake"
for Bill Lowe, who was bom December 20, 1899. Despite his much
younger appearance, Lowe is Morrow County's sole surviving World
War I veteran. He has also survived a rugged pioneer-type lifestyle
and lived through the hardships encountered during the drought years
and the depression of the 1930s
Lowe was bom in Durham, England, where his grandparents, the
Lowes and the Hynds had prosperous, neighboring farms. The Hynd
grandparents left that comfortable lifestyle in northern England and
adventurously struck out for the new world in 1884.
At first they settled in eastern Canada. But after Lowe's uncles,
Jack and Will Hynd, visited their cousin Robert Hynd, a Scottish
businessman in Heppner, they moved their families to Morrow
County in 1886.. Like other emigrants they herded sheep for others
until they could lease and then purchased land. Eventually they
established a large sheep operation near Cecil. Today, this is the
headquarters of the Krebs Ranches operated by descendants of the
Hynd, Lowe and Krebs pioneers.
• Bill's mother, Jennie Hynd, was only 16 when she was sent back to
England to take care of two elderly, single aunts. In 1897 she married
Lowe's father, Thomas Lowe. They had six children of which four
lived long lives. Lowe’s sister, Annie Lowe Krebs (recently
deceased) also lived past her 100th birthday. Their younger sister,
Minnie Lowe, is now 96.
. Bill’s father had promised his wife that they too would emigrate to
America so she could be reunited with her family. So when Bill was
14 they sold their ranch, equipment and livestock at auction. Their
personal possessions were crated and sent by ship across the Atlantic
and around South America's Cape Horn to Portland. In those days
there was no Panama Canal. The family experienced a stormy
Atlantic crossing as seasick passengers. Due to rough seas their ship
was forced to lay over in Nova Scotia, lengthening a voyage that in
that era normally took eight days.
In New York, they boarded an emigrant train that belched coal
smoke as it slowly chugged across the United States headed for
Oregon. But sadly Jennie never got to again hug her parents as they
had both passed away before she returned to Cecil.
While his family stayed with relatives, Thomas Lowe traveled
about Oregon looking for a place to settle. He finally decided on
Cecil and purchased the store/post office building there which was
sadly in need of renovation. He envisioned a prosperous business at
the site where emigrant trains paused for a rest while following well-
worn Oregon Trail wagon ruts to the Willamette Valley. A well was
.dug and windmill and a reservoir were erected. The rear of the
building was renovated into family living quarters. Outside paint job
and the addition of a false front gave the store a "modem day" look..
• Thomas Lowe envisioned a prosperous trade from homesteaders and
3 c?<a
wayfarers before there was a road following the Columbia River. In
addition to being store keeper, postmaster and a notary public, he
operated a grain elevator, was the station agent and pumped water for
the Union Pacific Railroad steam locomotives.
Children in those days were expected to contribute to the family's
income Although there was a schoolhouse at Cecil, young men like
Bill seldom completed formal education Before he was a teenager,
Bill's introduction to a rugged Western lifestyle began by herding
sheep for his uncle, Jack Hynd, Sr. Summers were spent herding
sheep in the local mountains. And in succeeding years, they were
often trailed to mountain ranges near John Day, Baker City or the
Wallowas. As more areas became homesteaded and fenced, sheep
were taken by train to Montana for the summer in later years.
Horses and dogs became Bill's companions during those earlier days.
One of his favorite horses was Sport, who also became attached to Bill.
To acquire mounts and for lack of other entertainment, Bill and other
young men would trap wild horses that ran free in the desert area close
to home. Abundant Willow trees along the creek supplied material for
a corral in this otherwise treeless region. It was customary to ride these
broncs until they quit bucking if the rider didn’t get bucked off.
Needless to say, there were numerous human injuries. But few people
went to a doctor in those days Splints for broken bones were
homemade and flaxseed poultices, horse liniment and sheep dip, plus
castor oil were common remedies.
However Bill's western ways were interrupted when World War I
began. He was still a British subject, since he didn't receive his U.S.
citizenship until 1924. Although he was only 16, he was inducted into
the British Army and sent to Quebec, Canada. By ship he was taken to
Wales. He was trained as a cook because young men under 18 weren't
sent to the front lines. But, regardless of location all troops stationed
in France suffered deprivation with a diet of mutton and potatoes and
a shortage of coal for cooking and heating.
But Bill's worst experience was when German prisoners - assigned
to help with the cooking-deliberately used mustard gaS to poiSdri fh'e.
soup consumed by British soldiers. About 45 men. in Bill's regiment
died. Bill survived, although he suffered ld$s of teeth, a stomach
abscess and facial skin damage.
Another tragedy for Bill was the loss of his intended bride, a nurse
with the British troops. She died of pneumonia after inhaling some of
that terrible mustard gas.
Bill remains a bachelor and adeptly managed his own home in
Heppner in later years. However his attentive family is a lifelong
favorite niece, Carleen West, and her husband, Jim, along with other
West family members
At the war's end. Bill and others were discharged in Wales. "We were
given a new suit of clothes, a little money and a kick in the butt," says
Bill. Once again he sailed across the Atlantic, rode a troop train to
Portland and headed for home. An experienced sheepman, he went into
business with a Scotsman, Alex Branda. For three years they had about
10,000 ewes which they wintered and lambed in Sandhollow. He also
# «ad
up through the third quarter
when Sherman County scored
11 points to lone's seven points
in the fourth quarter.
Ione returned on Saturday to
take on the Hermiston JV team.
Nikki McElligott again led the
lone team with 22 points.
McElligott also led with 14
rebounds.
Camie Bumght contributed
seven points, had four steals and
dished out four assists. The lone
ladies
were
unable
to
successfully complete several
attempts at the free throw line,
shooting only 38 percent.
Sherman County's shooting
attempts, robbed five balls and
dished up seven assists.
Cory Bennetto did another
noteworthy performance on the
boards, leading along with
McElligott in rebounds.
The Ione Varsity girls played
Sherman County on Friday,
losing to the Huskies in a tight
game, 30-34.
Senior Nikki McElligott led
the Ione ladies with 22 points,
16 rebounds and seven steals
Camie Bumght led the Lady
Cardinal team with assists,
lone stayed within two points
Lexington Baptist to present play
Lexington Baptist Church will will also be featured.
The program will conclude
present a Christmas play on
Sunday, December 19, at 11 with a Christmas message by
Pastor Glenn Anderson.
a.m.
Lexington Baptist is located
The story of Christ's birth will
be retold through narration, at 170 S "B" Street in
acting and special music. Lexington.
Everyone is invited to attend
Special instrumental music
including violins, cello and flute this special service.
herded and lambed for Jack Hynd, Sr., before the drought years and the
1930s Depression dealt a major blow to the sheep industry in Morrow
County.
Bill went to Portland where his parents then lived and became a
barber. For several years he cut hair at 50 cents per head. But he
missed the lifestyle of Eastern Oregon where he could hunt and fish
with his friends. After moving to Heppner he continued to barber. He
retired from that occupation.
When Pioneer Memorial Hospital opened in 1953, he became
actively involved with the operation. His brother, Bob Lowe, now
deceased, was overseer and maintenance person. Bill was also on hand,
doing everything from cooking to repairs and acting as ambulance
driver.
"I didn't know I'd end up here," says Bill, who now resides in the
hospital's nursing home. He says that he is well treated, but, with his
sharp mind, he undoubtedly has some optional management ideas. This
hardy centenarian once survived a ruptured appendix in an isolated
Montana sheep camp, being bitten by a rattlesnake and being mauled
by a bear, in addition to numerous horseback wrecks. As the new
millennium approaches, it’s fair to say that "they just don't make them
like that anymore."
Daniel Van Schoiack
(djerllfied rP u b lie cAeeau niant
A va ila b le f o r y e a r-e n d tax p la n n in g ,
g e n e ra l le d g e r, co m p u ter set up a n d assistance
Call
676-9971 to arrange for an appointment.
December 17th ~ Friday
GIVING TREE DINNER. Bring in a new, unwrapped
toy and receive a free spaghetti and meatball dinner
prepared by Ernie and Jeanine Dilley. Dinner starts
at 6 p.m.
December 18th ~ Saturday
TOM <SP JERRY PARTY. Will also be servin g BBQ New
York stea k s and o y ste r s for dinner, sta rtin g at
6 p.m. Music by Tim Cundell later in the evening.
B IN G O O N W ED N ESD AY S! N O W STA RTIN G AT 7 :3 0 p .m .
a d ^ d ^ o d^
HEPPNER ELKS 358
676-9181
^ o d fq d T Q d ^ id ^ id ^ ^ ia
142 North Main
"Where Friends Meet"
d ^ d^ i f
u
va
PUNCH
$1,100 in Gift Certificates
GIVEN AWAY!
© ®,
© ©
$ 5 5 0 GRAND PRIZE
P ic k u p y o u r p u n c h c a r d t o d a y
h r shafting with as
a t p a r t i c i p a t i n g b u s in e s s e s
4 - $25
Gift Certificate
Participating
Winners Each Week!
Merchants
ALL ENTRIES ELIGIBLE
FOR $550 GRAND PRIZE!
Pick up punch cards at participating merchants,
get “punched” while you shop. Deposit filled cards
at any participating store. Drawing held each Monday
for $25 gif) certificates. All cards are eligible for the
Grand Prize Drawing on Monday, Dec. 27.
GRAND PRIZE DRA WING
on DECEMBER 27th
Gardner’s Men’s Wear
Coast to Coast
Les Schwab Tires
Peterson’s Jewelers
Lott’s Electric
Shoe Box
Central Red Apple Market
Pettyjohn’s
MCGG
Court Street Market
Murray Drugs/Country Rose
*