By Eilene Lyon Though my great-grandmother, Clara Ransom Davis (1877-1953), passed down a lot of family history, she made a glaring omission: her own birth family. She wrote a brief story about her father, Robert Ransom, who died when she was six. But she left no tales about her mother or siblings. Everything I know... Continue Reading →
Farm Boy to Businessman
In all my years of family history blogging, I see I have somewhat neglected my maternal great-grandfather. This is the story of his life from 1867 to 1917, as told by my grandfather. By Laurence M. Smith, edited by Eilene Lyon Charles Edward Smith was my father, as well as the father of four other... Continue Reading →
Connecting with Cousins
Week 32: #52Ancestors – Reunion By Eilene Lyon Because I was an “Army brat” we rarely gathered with family over the years. We had an occasional Thanksgiving or Christmas at Grandma Halse’s place in Corvallis, which included aunts, uncles, and cousins on my dad’s side. I met more relatives on Dad’s side when Grandma celebrated... Continue Reading →
Bio Bite: Loren Oscar Smith
By Eilene Lyon Loren Oscar Smith (1911–1974) “Loren was only six when his mother died.… I was often admonished during those years that I should look after my younger brother.… I don’t think at that age I could have accepted all that responsibility. In any event Loren ended up something of a juvenile delinquent.” While... Continue Reading →
Bio Bite: Clifford Loyd Smith
By Eilene Lyon Clifford Loyd Smith (1901–1977) Clifford was born in Cunningham, Washington. He was 17 when his mother died. He probably bounced among his married siblings, not staying long enough to be enumerated in the 1920 census. He had an 8th-grade education and a career as a lineman for the phone company. In 1924,... Continue Reading →
Bio Bite: Leon Leslie Smith
By Eilene Lyon Leon Leslie “Bill” Smith (1898–1985) Leon “Bill” Smith was born in Sprague, Washington, where his maternal grandparents lived. He attended school to the 8th grade. His interests lay in hunting, fishing, and motorized vehicles. Bill drove a truck for his father’s delivery business and a gravel truck for road construction projects. Around... Continue Reading →
Bio Bite: Dora Ada Smith
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 →
Bio Bite: Harry Edward Smith
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 →
The Pioneer Association
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 →