Reverend Dills makes final proof on homestead

Columbia Basin history

The Grant County Historical Society has compiled several volumes of Grant County history. The books are available for purchase at the Historical Society Museum gift shop in Ephrata.

I bought the series in 2009 and secured permission to relay some of the history through this column.

Memories of Grant County, compiled from taped interviews by the Grant County Historical Society.

Today we conclude the story of the Rev. John H. Dills, given by grandson George G. Schiffsen on Nov. 11, 1975:

For 10 miles in every direction, there are only two families who own and live on their homestead land; the Mitchell heirs and the Dills. What of my pioneer preacher service? Did it pay? It was not rewarded in money. I am glad that my services were free. But my heart warms when I think of Mrs. Dills and my Sunday school work, of the- times I have tried to give comfort when the angel of death hovered, the times I rejoiced at a wedding, and best of all, when I tried with my stammering tongue to bring the Good News to my eager, homestead people. The things of the Spirit are not seen, but never-the-less are real.

Our final homestead proof was made. My four-year ministerial appointment was completed, and after much thought and debate, we decided to request a transfer to the Columbia Conference in Oregon. This was granted and I was appointed to Grants Pass, Oregon near the California line.

By this time we had accumulated some livestock, horses, cows, and some farm implements, a good barn and had fenced the homestead. A public sale was in order.

There were many sales of this sort and they were well attended. We had a good sale and got fair prices, but our debts swallowed up nearly all the value of the farmers' notes that were taken in payment. We hated to see our property dispersed.

When it came to selling the children's horses, they said "no," and their mother backed them. With many misgivings and a real henpecked feeling I agreed. I took a gloomy view of a preacher going from here to there with three horses and a young colt.

Email from Cheryl

Facts from the past gleaned from the Moses Lake Herald, Columbia Basin Herald and The Neppel Record by Cheryl (Driggs) Elkins:

From the Columbia Basin Herald on July 27, 1950:

Today we backtrack a bit and continue with the article titled, "Junction here clocks more cars than Wenatchee Bridge," where the intersection of Broadway and Alder in Moses Lake counted more traffic than the Columbia River Bridge at Wenatchee.

Only 601 of the 1,364 cars entering the intersection from Alder Street side went straight across the fill across Moses Lake toward Ephrata, Gray said, showing that well over half the total turned onto U.S. 10, which is called Broadway Avenue inside the city limits.

Automatic counters

A count made by the county of traffic crossing the Moses Lake-Ephrata fill bridge, which handles vehicles coming from the Knolls Vista area and the air base, shows an average of 5,181 cars in 24 hours, according to James H. Dodson, county engineer.

This count was made by automatic counter with a rubber cable across the road, similar to counters used in service stations. The counter was left on the south side of The Fill for eight days, form June 12 through June 20. The maximum 24-hour count was 5,306; the minimum, 4,952.

The county also checked traffic at points on the Moses Lake-Ephrata Road on either side of the air base. The automatic counters showed an average of 3,120 cars passed a point two miles south of the air base, the Moses Lake side, and 1,763 passed a point a half mile north of the base, the Ephrata side.

More about the busy intersection of Broadway and Alder streets next week.

Wilson Creek History

The Rev. David H. Crawford compiled and published a history of families in and surrounding Wilson creek titled, "Family Memories of Wilson Creek Area." The book was printed in 1978, which was the 75th anniversary of the town.

David's son, John Crawford, has given permission for those memories to be a part of this column.

Today we continue the story of Harry Henry Christian Hirschel by Howard Hirschel.

In order to make life more pleasant, Harry purchased a pressure system, that supplied water for the home. The pump was powered by a gasoline engine, that was started by hand when necessary to increase the pressure. It was also stopped at the proper time or else the large water tank would have exploded. A modern bathroom was installed.

Hot water was supplied from a hot water tank that was heated by the wood burning stove. Even though there was a lot to be desired it certainly was a great improvement over the old hand pump that had served for so many years. He also purchased a 32-volt Delco light plant.

The Delco wasn't fully automatic, so it was necessary to start the generator to recharge the batteries when the lights began to dim. Even though there was some inconvenience, there were no tears shed when the kerosene and gasoline lamps were no longer needed.

Harry was blessed with the ability to perform many of the tasks required in the operation of the ranch. He was a good blacksmith. He mastered the technique of a forged weld and it was quite often that his anvil rang as repairs were made for the ranch or a neighbor. He liked horses and it gave him pleasure to break them for riding. He never entered the arena of the cowboy, however he was a good horseman, that seldom, if ever was thrown. He frequently took on the duties of a veterinarian.

He became a good mechanic, whose duty was to repair the machinery and the motorized equipment that eventually arrived on the farm. He was a firm believer in the theory of helping one's self. His neighbors respected his judgement and called upon him to serve on the local school board and other duties, such as a director of the neighborhood telephone Company, whereby he took part in the maintenance and repair of the phones and line.

He even served in the capacity of family barber. It was not unusual for a neighbor to request that service. Whenever a neighborhood project such as a butchering bee took place, he would be found in the middle of it, usually in charge of the operation. It wasn't the most pleasant task, yet someone had to do it, so he was volunteered for the job.

Harry and Sarah were busy people. They took part in the community functions. Both of them joined the Blind Springs Grange at Hartline, because the Wilson Creek Grange had not been chartered at that time. They served in several capacities in that organization. Harry became master of the Blind Springs Grange.

Time passed by and the children left home to establish a life of their own. It was on November 3, 1942 that Harry sold the farming equipment, and rented the farm. Harry and Sarah continued to live on the farm for a few years. He did carpenter work for a while and on occasion he helped on the farm during rush seasons.

Eventually a home was pur?chased in Spokane, Wash., where they lived until they built a new home for themselves.

Harry often drove back to the old homestead north of Wilson Creek to help the renter. He would also drive to Rockford, Wash., to assist his son Howard who had purchased a ranch in that area.

In 1961 he suffered a major heart attack at that Rockford farm. He recovered, and was able to continue his life in Spokane. It was there that his wife Sarah passed away August 24, 1965.

Harry remained in that home until late in the winter of 1967. He was alone and barely able to use the telephone to call for help. It was fortunate that his son was nearby in Spokane that day. Howard along with his son Kenneth hurried to answer the call. The next morning Harry agreed to go to the Deaconess hospital. He had been paralyzed from the waist down. The doctors determined that he probably would never be able to walk again.

He was taken to the Good Samaritan Center at Fairfield, where care could be obtained for him. He has lived there ever since. He was able to be up and about in his wheel chair until the last year. He maintained the power of speech until the very few last days of his life. It had been almost 10 years that Harry had lived in the nursing home at Fairfield, except for the times when his family took him to their home or out for a short visit, or to celebrate some special occasion as his birthday or a holiday such as Christmas.

Harry's friends and relatives came to visit him often. His remote controlled color TV was probably his greatest source of entertainment. He was a sports fan and if there happened to be a baseball game on, he was almost sure to be tuned in.

He liked all sports, but like baseball best, probably because at one time there had been a local team made up of farm boys in the Timm School area. They called it the sagebrush league. Their record of games won was very small if at all, but they had fun on Sunday followed by sore muscles on Monday. He was able to keep up with the happening of the world through the news programs and was aware of what was going on.

On July 25, 1977 Harry was called away from this world to be released from his pain and trouble. Everyone that knew him well and those that were associated with him during his stay at the home have marveled at his strong constitution, which has enabled him to survive for so long.

Harry did not often always live in the Wilson Creek area, yet we can be sure that his thoughts often returned to the country that he saw change from sagebrush covered land to fields of wheat.