Exploring the Past to Improve the Future
By Eilene Lyon Dora Ada Smith Trout (1894–1978) After the Smith family moved to Cunningham, Washington, in 1898, they struggled to survive. “The years the family spent on the farm … left many emotional scars as far as Ada was concerned. She never tired of telling about how poor the family was on that farm.”... Continue Reading →
By Eilene Lyon Harry Edward Smith (1892–1976) Born in Missouri, Harry traveled with the family to a hardscrabble farm in Cunningham, Washington, then to Meyers Falls near Colville, and finally, Moscow, Idaho. There he married Callie L. Trout in 1917. Harry and Callie had two sons, Don and Wes. Though both boys married, neither had... Continue Reading →
By Eilene Lyon Clara Bell Smith Blaylock (1890–1954) Clara Bell was born in Lafayette County, Missouri. She married Floyd N. Blaylock, a farmer, in Colville, Washington, when she was just 17. Clara Bell and Floyd had only one child, Ruby. Sadly, Ruby had a heart defect and died before her 18th birthday. Her death nearly... Continue Reading →
Week 3: #52Ancestors – Out of Place By Eilene Lyon My grandfather, Laurence M. Smith aka Smitty, was the only one in his family to attend college. He earned his degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Idaho in 1931, which eventually led to a very successful career with the Army Corps of Engineers.... Continue Reading →
Week 2: #52Ancestors - Favorite Photo By Eilene Lyon Before I began researching my family, I knew nothing about my great-grandmother, Clara P. (Ransom) Davis. She died in 1953, well before I came along. I had never been to Moscow, Idaho, prior to 2013, even though three generations of my ancestors are buried there and... Continue Reading →
Week 40: #52 Ancestors – Preservation By Eilene Lyon Back in the early 20th century, my great-grandparents, Clara Pearl (Ransom) and Sterling Price Davis, pooled their resources and bought a farm near Moscow, Idaho. I’ve written about this beautiful property several times before. The current owner, Kathy, who bought the property from Clara and Sterling’s... Continue Reading →
Week 44: #52 Ancestors – Shadows By Eilene Lyon My current WIP is a book about Colorado pioneers, told in light of the cemeteries they are buried in. One I visited on our way back from Denver is called Cleora Cemetery, near Salida in Chaffee County. It is considered a “boot hill” cemetery. People buried... Continue Reading →
Week 41: #52 Ancestors – Passed Down By Eilene Lyon There’s no question that my favorite family to write about is the Ransom family. What a great name! The Ransoms loved to stand out: ambitious, adventurous, tragic, a bit crazy at times. Never dull. This is probably one of the more sedate stories, but a... Continue Reading →
Week 35: #52 Ancestors – Free Space By Eilene Lyon Lately I’ve been reading Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in 1851, her tale of slavery helped pave the road to the Civil War. A cousin on my family tree didn’t have quite the elevated reputation of Mrs. Stowe, but nonetheless made a... Continue Reading →
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