PIONEER PORTRAITS

Fifteen Years Ago

July 28, 2011

For T.J. Hersey, running her father's grocery store in Dayton is a way for him to live on. Hersey is now a third-generation grocer in the town. Her grandfather, H.W. Stephenson, came to Dayton in 1938 from Portland, Ore., and he opened up a grocery in 1944. Hersey's father, Gail Bennett, took over in 1961 and ran the neighborhood grocery on Fourth Street until he passed away last year. "He was a grocery man all his life in Dayton," Hersey said of her father. "(Keeping the store) is what we needed to do. If we shut down, it would all be over. We have to keep it running." Steve's Grocery is a sweet, white store with a bulky old produce refrigerator and a display of photos of friends and family. Boxes of candy brighten the shelves. Knickknacks line the windowsill and make it feel very personal.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

July 26, 2001

Work is progressing on the Waitsburg High School Renovation Project but the big question – Will it be ready for the first day of school? – has district officials "crossing their fingers." "There's still a lot of work to do," said Superintendent Robbie Johnson. "There are a lot of people working on the job. To me it's still coming amazingly quickly. We've just got to cross our fingers and hope we can get in." Johnson said contingency plans are in place to start school in the temporary church classrooms then move into the renovated building when it's ready. Meanwhile, the district is still pushing to be into the main building by the first day of school.

Fifty Years Ago

July 22, 1976

[Photo Caption] Mr. and Mrs. F. W. "Pat" Miller were honored Monday night at a dinner at the Waitsburg Restaurant in observance of their thirtieth wedding anniversary. The affair was hosted by their children.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

July 27, 1951

A blaze started Wednesday about 11 a.m. at the railroad right-of-way near the B.O. Porter and spread to the henhouse on the Porter farm. The rural fire truck answered the alarm.

Mrs. Lois Fry was married Thursday morning to Joe Elsie of Milton, Ore. They went to Wallowa Lake for a weekend honeymoon.

Miss Nadine Callahan became the bride of Norman Scoggin of Dayton Thursday evening.

John R. Cummins of Touchet has been appointed sheriff by the commissioners following the death of Archie Shick.

One Hundred Years Ago

July 30, 1926

Hon. Silas H. Cutting, prominent attorney of this city, died Saturday morning at St. Mary's Hospital in Walla Walla following a stroke of apoplexy.

Twenty five head of work horses were either burned to death or so badly burned that they had to be shot shortly after noon Sunday on the John Hawks ranch several miles northeast of this city, when hay in the feed rack was ignited from an undetermined origin.

Henry Conover and family had quite an outing last Sunday, driving up thru the mountains beyond Godman Springs to the C. A. Hales cabin.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

August 2, 1901

Summer underwear 50c per suit; men's bib overalls 35c; men's work shoes $1.00 per pair, are a few of our specials this week, J. H. Morrow & Son.

D. G. Ingraham who is a veteran of the Civil War, last week received a pension from the government of $6.00 per month, dating from last December. We congratulate Mr. Ingraham on his good fortune.