PIONEER PORTRAITS

Ten Years Ago

August 14, 2014

Jack McCaw let "The Times" know of a rather rare event last week – there are currently four generations of McCaws working in the harvest.Jack said he's worked his way down to low man on the totem pole and spends his days running parts for the seven combines and associated vehicles in this year's operation. When "The Times" spoke to Jack around noon on Aug. 6, he said he's been home all morning but that he had put 120 miles on his truck the day before. Son Guy, grandsons Jesse and John and great grandson Caden round out the other three McCaw generations. Jack said 13 year old Caden is driving combine for the first time this year and doing a great job. "You know how they use all their fingers, toes, thumbs and everything to do that computer stuff – they get pretty good at it. And there's a lot of computer stuff on these new combines," he said. As for Jack, he's happy to run parts and "doesn't give a nickel" for the newfangled computer technology.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

August 5, 1999

Blue Mountain Area Foundation has announced the award of $45,108 in scholarship grants to 52 college undergraduates from high schools in Walla Walla County. From Waitsburg High School: Elizabeth Abbey, Jamie Leid, Kelly Thomas, Erica Lambert, Kelly McCaw, Sarah Monfort; and Justin Gagnon, home schooled. From Touchet High School: Justin Richards. From Prescott High School: Timothy Counts and Linda Kromm. Justin Gagnon also received the general scholarship from the Dayl and Doris Graves Fund.

Fifty Years Ago

August 15, 1974

[Photo Caption] Waitsburg was the site of the Bridwell family reunion last week, and the group lined up for this picture taken by Patty McKinney. Front row: Sandy and Mike Kelly; second row; Margaret (Bridwell) Kelly, Mrs. Oren (Iris) Bridwell and Oren Bridwell, Anita (Bridwell) Baker; third row: Mike Kelly, Cassie Kelly, Loyal Baker, Peggy Baker; back row: Charles and Tom Baker. The Kellys reside in Cheyenne, Wyoming while the Bridwells now live in Gypsum, Colorado.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

July 29, 1949

Miss Marilyn Otterson, bride-elect of Shannon Hiatt of Okanagon was guest of honor at luncheon Saturday at the Walla Walla home of Jack Cockburn with Miss Muriel Roberts and Miss Barbara Cockburn as hostesses.

Rodney Dilts and Dick Brunton returned home Thursday from a 10-day vacation at the Boy Scout Camp in the Wallawa mountains. They enjoyed a day's horseback excursion to Lake Aneroid and a 3-day hiking expedition to Ice Lake.

Lyons Ferry is now in operation after being tied up since last winter.

One Hundred Years Ago

August 1, 1924

Mayor and Mrs. C. E. Shaffer who have been spending several days in camp on Eckler Mountain southeast of Dayton returned home Wednesday.

Smith Philips has won a place on the all-college honor roll of the State College of Washington for the second semester of the college year. Young Philips is majoring in pre-medicine.

Fires on the farms of Homer Price, Albert Hollowell, S. S. Russell and Walter Taylor, all located in the Whiskey Creek district about 6 miles from this city did several thousand dollars damage Saturday afternoon. The fire was caused by a smut explosion on the Price place.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

July 24, 1899

John Lane moved his family into Waitsburg (from Spring Valley) this week where they will remain until Johnny comes home when harvest is passed.

Misses Inez and Myrtle Bateman and Belle Roberts and Messrs Howard Amon, Arthur Dixon and Richard Roberts spent Sunday in the mountains at Thayer's Mill.

Miss Emma McKinney who has made her home with her brother Frank, at Olympia, for some time returned to her home in this city last Friday to remain.