SOUTH CENTRAL ALASKA
MARRIAGE, BIRTH, DEATH,
MURDER, SUICIDE, RESCUE, COURT CASES
Misc. 1886 - 1972
Email me: [email protected]
The article says that the native woman reported that she had been originally attacked by Mr. Wickersham on July 4th. She told him at that time she would not allow him to beat her again. On August 16, Mr. Wickersham, who was drunk, started to attack the native woman with a sheaf knife. After being cut on her hands, she shot her husband with a .32 Savage automatic three times. One shot grazed the left side of his head, the second shot entered the neck and lodged in his spine and the third shot entered his hip. Lee Harrison contacted the Deputy Marshal Frank Hoffman and told him of the shooting.
A coroners jury produced a verdict saying that Jess Wickersham had been killed by gunshot wounds at the hands of his common-law wife. The body was taken to Chickaloon and placed on the railroad speeder car and sent to Anchorage. The Marshall found a still at the cabin, that was not in use, as well as four gallons of moonshine, both were destroyed immediately.
The newspaper article gives a brief description of Jess Wickersham. He was reportedly well known in Anchorage and the surrounding territory and was about 48 years old. He was a veteran of the Spanish American war. The newspaper reported that he had wealthy relatives in Arkansas. Mr. Wickersham was survived by his native wife and their three children, the oldest one being 2 and the youngest being 6 months.
The native woman was arrested and brought to Anchorage and lodged in the federal jail, along with her youngest child. She was to face a grand jury for the shooting.
Jesse C. Wickersham was buried at the Anchorage Cemetery.
NOTE: The article does not say who
the native woman is. I feel fairly certain that the
woman was Anne (Nicolai) Wickersham (who later married
Lee Harrison). I searched the Anchorage criminal files
for 1924 and found no mention of a trial, so I'm assuming that
she was not charged with anything.
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MURDER
5/1/1925 FRANK FLECKENSTEIN
beaten to death by a Dillingham Native man (in Dillingham)
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MURDER
Mysterious Attack
Follows Departure of Victim from Party Anchorage Times
6/12/1925
Deputy U.S. Marshal
Hurlburt and Commissioner Ralph V. Anderson of Seldovia
arrived in Kenai to investigate the death of Mrs. Sergy Pete,
an Indian woman, 50 years of age, who was killed last Saturday
night during a party which was located between Kenai and
the McNeil & Libby cannery. Two daughters and a son of the
victim were present and their testimony indicated that the woman
left the tent and was attacked. The woman was strangled
and severely cut on the back of her neck with a knife.
The daughters of the murdered woman told authorities they knew
who committed the murder. The husband of the woman is
Sergy Pete, who was in Anchorage (in jail for fishing violations)
at the time.
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DEATH Pittsburgh Post Gazette 11/25/1927
Alaskan airplane brought body of John Phillip Frisby, mining man
found dead in his cabin near Susitna Station to Anchorage.
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DEATH Alaska Weekly 1/25/1929
John Loken, pioneer rancher of the Matanuska
Valley, killed when fast moving belt attached to a wood saw
caught his clothes and hurled him violently to the ground. Mr.
Loken had been operating the saw while his wife (Eliza Jane "Jenny"
Morrell-Eaton-Loken) removed the wood as it was sawed. The engine
was not working properly and Mr. Loken stepped around to the side
to make an adjustment. The next thing Mrs. Loken knew, her husband
was being whirled around; apparently having been caught by the belt,
and he had made two revolutions before the tearing of his clothing
released him. Neighbors were summoned, but there seemed to be little that
could be done but await the return of the train from the coal mines. The
injured man was carried to Palmer Station on an improvised stretcher and
the journey to town was made in the caboose attached to the train. Owing
to the swollen condition of his jaws, Mr. Loken could not talk and during
most of the journey to Anchorage, he appeared to be in a semi-conscious
condition. Mr. Loken was one of the most widely known farmers of Matanuska
Valley and his farm is one of the best in the North, being situated just
east of Palmer Station, between the branch line and Matanuska River. The
homestead was take up in 1914. In recent years, the oldtimer has had
the assistance of a very helpful wife, able and willing to work with
him in the field as well as in their fine two-story home.
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DEATH Herning Diaries 8/23/1930
John Smith, owner of Gold Cord Mine committed suicide in Los Angeles
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DEATH Daily News Miner 11/8/1930
(extracted by Sandra Davis)
Autopsy Held Sunday Fails to Reveal Crime
Anchorage Times 2/9/1931
An autopsy was held
yesterday afternoon in Anchorage to determine the
cause of the death of Alfred Danieloff and Billie Stephan
who were burned in a cabin in Kenai on 12/23/1931 which will
result in clearing Steve Ephim of charges of manslaughter.
At the time of the finding of the bodies in the ruins of the
cabin, the evidence showed that the door had been locked from
the outside before the fire. Steve Ephim, the owner of
the cabin, told different stories upon being taken into custody
and questioned. X -ray pictures of the supposed wounds failed
to show any depth to the holes. There was no evidence of
the passage of a bullet through the body and the heart and lungs
were normal and intact. A woman also died in the fire, but
she hasn't been identified yet. Ephim, now held in Kenai on
charges of manslaughter will soon be released.
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DEATH Death Summons
Valley Farmer
Anchorage Times 4/6/1931
Matanuska Valley lost
one of it's pioneer farmers last night in the passing
of W. J. (Jesse) Bogard who died at his farm a few miles
from Matanuska. His illness assumed a serious aspect
yesterday and a call was sent to Anchorage for a speeder to take
him to the hospital. He died before the speeder arrived.
George S. Moshier, who owns the homestead next to Bogard
and Gerrit Snider of Wasilla were in charge of the body on
it's way to Anchorage. Bogard had a sister in Boise, Idaho.
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NOTE: The next three newspaper articles just
baffled me. The unfairness of it all!!
MURDER OF CHIEF GOODLATAW
Anchorage Times 1932
After being missing
for five days, the bullet riddled body of CHIEF GOODLATAW,
a native and resident of nearby Chitina, was found Saturday,
buried in the turnip patch of R.L. Reed, about two miles
from Chitina. Reed has been taken into custody and is
being questioned by the authorities. It is known that
Reed has had trouble lately with the natives and it is thought
that there may be some connection. Reed is reported to
have had several encounters with the law in the past due to liquor
violations and only recently it is stated that his home was
the scene of a drunken brawl in which Reed was severely beaten
by some of the other natives.
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MURDER OF CHIEF GOODLATAW CONTINUED
Chitna Paper Tells
of Native's Murder: Clue Found in Ashes
Anchorage Times 6/6/1932
Details of the finding
of the body of Joe Goodlataw, widely known native
of the Chitina District, are related in the 5/29/1932 issue
of the Chitina Herald as follows: Joe Goodlataw
who is the son of the late Chief of the native tribe, went
out on Monday at 11:00 at Eight Mile. He told his wife
he would be back soon. He took no gun with him so it is certain
he did not go hunting. Captain Goodlataw, as he is known,
has been missing for the last six days. Natives hunted
all over for him but couldn't find a trace. Some people thought
he was at Mr. Reed's, where he frequently goes, so they got a search
warrant and some of the officials went out and made a careful inspection
of the place. While hunting they found the ashes of a recent
fire and in the ashes found some shoe eyelets, buttons and buckles
from Goodlataw's clothing. While they were hunting, Frank Billum
found a pair of stockings and a belt behind some moss and under a
stump. So they sent into town and got 15 shovels and set 15 men
to work digging for his body in a turnip patch which is about 1/4 acre
in size. When they were about half done with it they found Goodlataw's
body about 1 ½ feet in the ground on solid frost, so it was in
good condition except for a bullet hole in the neck and the back.
They brought him into town and packed his body in ice so it would keep
until a doctor could come to town to perform an autopsy. They are trying
to get an attorney from Anchorage. Mr. Reed has been charged with
murder and is in the custody of the Marshal at present.
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SHOCKING CONCLUSION OF MURDER OF CHIEF GOODLATAW
Evidence Lacking
in Slaying Trial
Anchorage Times 12/20/1932
Inability of the government
sufficiently to connect the defendant R.L. Reed
with the death of Captain Goodlataw, native of Chitina, resulted
in a verdict of not guilty. The jury deliberated for 7
hours. The murder trial was held in Valdez court and took 4
days. The jury consisted of: Mrs. A. S. Day, E. C. Edgerton, Mrs.
M. Gravelle, Mrs. Ted Johnson, Owen E. Meals, W.
H. Palmer, Isabelle Streeter, Todd Winter of Valdez;
W. W. Jones, Robert Manthey, Roy Neville and Mrs. Hilma Urie of
Seward. According to testimony, Captain Goodlataw left
his home in Chitina on 5/23/32 to visit relatives residing 8 miles
out of Chitina on the Richardson Highway. He left his home
about 11:00 in the morning, promising to return about 9:00 in the
evening the same day. So far as known he was not seen on the
road to 8 Mile that day nor did he return home that night nor the
following day. A messenger sent to 8 Mile reported that he
had not arrived at that place. A search instituted by the Natives
between Chitina and 4 Mile revealed no trace of the missing man.
A later search by the Natives between 8 Mile and 4 Mile did not
yield any results. It was alleged that there was a deep enmity
between Reed and Goodlataw and actions of the former during the
search by the Natives excited their suspicion that he might have
had a part in the mysterious disappearance of Goodlataw.
On 5/29/32, armed with a search warrant, Deputy Marshal Nels Sobby
and U. S. Commissioner Q.A. Nelson visited the Reed homestead to search
the place for intoxicating liquor. They searched the property
with the aid of several Natives from Chitina and found several kegs
of moonshine. In the ashes of a fire (near the turnip patch)
the also found some buttons, shoe nails and other articles and under
a stump they found a belt and a pair of heavy German socks that belonged
to Goodlataw. Commissioner Nelson gave the natives permission
to dig in the turnip patch and after three or four hours of work the
body of Goodlataw was found buried in the patch, minus shoes socks and
trousers. An examination of the body revealed three bullets had entered
the body from behind, any one of which would have been fatal according
to Dr. W.H. Chase of Cordova.A loaded .30 government rifle, an auto loading
shotgun, loaded and a revolver, also loaded were found in the cabin of
Reed. At the conclusion of the government's case, Attorney's Donohoe
and Taylor, for the defense, made a motion for a directed verdict of
not guilty on the grounds of insufficient evidence to connect the defendant
with the commission of the crime charged. The defendant did not
take the stand or speak on his own behalf. Argument to the jury was
opened by Attorney Taylor for the defense. He was followed by Assistant
U.S. Attorney J. L. Reed, and he in turn was followed by Attorney Donohoe.
Closing argument was made by U.S. Attorney W. N. Cuddy.
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DEATH Anchoage
Daily Times 9/27/1932
Frank Dougherty, a resident
of Matanuska Valley for 15 years and a pioneer of
the northland, died at his cabin near Wasilla Sunday night.
He was found yesterday by Sam Kelly, who visited the old-timer
daily to assist him in getting in his wood and preparing his
meals. Death came quietly while the old-timer was dozing
in his chair. The cabin known as the Dougherty cabin, is about half
a mile out the Knik Road from Wasilla. The funeral was to have been
held at Wasilla this afternoon. The deceased who was 72 years old,
went to Fortymile District from Wasilla two years ago, intending to
try his hand at mining again after a residence of more than a dozen
years in the farming belt. But he returned to Wasilla last spring,
unsuccessful in his quest for paystreaks and with the years bearing
down rather heavily upon him.
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SUICIDE Seattle
Daily Times 2/3/1933 (extracted by Sandra Davis)
Samuel King, an old-time
trapper, took his life by shooting himself at Wasilla
Wednesday, coroner's deputies reported yesterday. His body
was brought here by airplane.
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DEATH Anchorage
Times 2/14/1934
A fire about 6:00 Friday
morning completely destroyed the home of Mrs. Nick
Sablatking, native, and burned to death George Nicolai and
Alexie Gregorieff, both natives according to the Valdez Miner
newspaper on January 20th. The bodies were taken to Tatitlek
on the gas launch "Pansy" for burial.
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DEATH Anchorage
Times 1/30/1935
Mrs. Barcillia Stephan
from Montana Station on the Alaska Railroad died in
an Anchorage hospital 1/30/1935
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DEATH
Chief Ezi of the
Once Powerful Eklutnas Is Given Colorful Adieu Anchorage
Times 2/24/1935
Covered in a beautiful
fringed and highly colored blanket, and with another
warm blanket beside him, and wearing a strikingly designed,
new, pair of mukluks, and attired in a new suit of clothes
and other garnishments, Chief Ezi, for many years the respected
idol of the once powerful tribe of Eklutna's, was laid to
rest in the Anchorage Cemetery. Mourned by scores of
his people who were present, and also honored by a number of white
friends, the old Chieftain was lowered into the grave
as men, women and children of his tribe chanted in Russian and as
the burial ritual was recited in Russian by Mrs. Billy Austin.
The old Chief rests beneath a “TOP” house, largest of the kind seen
in this region, made by his own sons and placed above the grave
yesterday immediately after the service and burial. The house
stands 5 feet above the grave, is 6½ feet long and 3½
feet wide. Over the house rises a large wooden cross, cut out
of a log in one solid piece. The services continued for 2 hours
and were characterized with numerous songs, chants and readings, all
in Russian, according to the ritual of the Orthodox Greek Catholic Church
in who’s faith they had been reared and trained from childhood.
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DEATH
John Goodlataw Drops
Dead While Working Jonesville Anchorage Daily
times 2/22/1935
John Goodlataw, employee
for the Alaska Railroad dropped dead while shoveling
coal at Jonesville.He is survived by a widow and little
daughters, who are at Jonesville. Before coming
here, it is believed the family lived in Cordova
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DEATH Anchorage
Times 2/20/1935
Mrs. Lugila Nickolai,
native, passed away at an Anchorage hospital after
an illness of several days. Her son Tommy Nickolai is now in
Anchorage.
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DEATH Anchorage
Times 3/28/1935
Funeral for the late
Chief Nicholai is at 3:00 tomorrow. All friends
are welcome
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DEATH Herning Diaries 5/2/1936
Anchorage Undertaker __________ Williams suicided.
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DEATH BATTLE CREEK INQUIRER 11/13/1936
Matanuska teacher Zelda King Pilkenton committed suicide 11/11/1936 in
Palmer, Alaska by shooting herself through the heart with a .22 rifle after
drinking. Zelda and her husband Alvah had been married 6 months. Further
investigation was held to determine if it was a true suicide or a murder.
It is the first violent death in the Matanuska Colony. (see next entry)
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MURDER 1/11/1937 & 1/12/1937 (Herning
Diary)
Palmer School teacher
Zelda King murdered by her former husband Alvah Pilkenton
11/11/1936. He tried to kill himself by jumping into
a river, but was rescued.
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SEARCH PARTY-DEATH ASSUMED 7/4/1937
On 7/4/1937, Shem Pete went to the U.S. Commissioner
in Talkeetna and requested a search party to find Kroto Chelatna
(that is the spelling on the actual record, but it should be
spelled Chijuk?). Shem told authorities that Chijuk had disappeared
from his home during the latter part of May, after he went on a
bear hunt and failed to return. Two men were sent to investigate and
found nothing except some spots of blood on a mattress and pillow at
Chijuk's cabin. Assumed dead.
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DEATH
The Alaska Miner Fairbanks 8/23/1938
Eklutna, a ghost town north
of Anchorage, was brought back to life by death. The Native
Village, which was abandoned 20 years ago, was the scene of activity
Sunday when the remains of Indian Jim, a former resident of Eklutna
were brought back to this place for burial
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The Alaska Miner Fairbanks 9/6/1938
The deserted Eklutna Indian
Village was alive last week as Natives from the section
held a potlatch and buried Indian Jim, old-timer of the Matanuska
Valley. Until his death, this village had been deserted by
Natives came from Knik, fish camps along Cook Inlet and other points
to conduct the funeral. Every house was filled.
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FOUR MURDERS Department
of Natural Resources Recorders Office Archives 9/13/1939
While investigating
the murder (shot in the head) of Richard A. Francis
in the Willow and Ruby Creek area (45 miles from Talkeetna),
it was discovered that the cabin of Frank W. and Helena
Z. Jenkins (who also had a cabin in that vicinity) was locked
and no one was home. Knowing that the Jenkins were supposed
to be at their cabin, and knowing that there were ill feelings
between the Jenkins and the dead man, an investigation began.
A search party was authorized to find Mr. & Mrs. Jenkins
and Joy Brittell who was working for the Jenkins. The search
party found Mr. & Mrs. Jenkins murdered on the trail, covered
with weeds, grass and snow, with only one boot visible. There was
no sign of Joy Brittell. Several days later, Frank Lee, a
ferry boat operator at Talkeetna, found the body of Joy Brittell
which was about 20' off the trail and 150 yards from the Jenkins cabin.
All bodies were taken to Talkeetna and then Anchorage for autopsies.
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DEATH Fairbanks
Daily News Miner 5/31/1940
DEATH Anchorage Times 12/22/1942 Page 1
A report reaching Anchorage
today reveals the death of Capt. "Slivers" McNeil,
a native who lived in the Wasilla district for many years.
"Slivers", as he was known to all who knew him, is said
to have frozen to death last Friday night on the trail between
Wasilla and the point where he had killed a moose. He
had been in to Wasilla after downing the animal and it was on his
return trip that he died. He was about 40 years old.
It is reported here, that he was buried by his native friends in
their own burial ground.
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DEATH Herning Diaries
2/9/1943
George Grennan, age
84 died in the Palmer Hospital, he had been a Matanuska
Valley farmer for 28 years
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DEATH Herning
Diaries 6/7/1943
Major Kermit Roosevelt,
son of Theodore Roosevelt, committed suicide 6/4/1943
and was buried in the Fort Richardson cemetery.
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DEATH Herning
Diaries 8/5/1943
Gus Geller died.
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DEATH Herning
Diaries 1/3/1944
Jacob Metz, old time
rancher, died today at Palmer Hospital.
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DEATH Herning
Diaries 6/21/1944
Adam Werner, old time
rancher, died today at Palmer
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SUICIDE Anchorage
Times 2/7/1944 Page 1
Thomas McNeil, 37, died
of a self inflicted gunshot wound last Friday near
Palmer. According to evidence brought before a coroner's
jury, the man shot himself with a 30.30 hunting rifle.
McNeil, a trapper, is survived by a sister, Myrtle, a brother
Victor and his father, Malcolm McNeil. Haines funeral
Parlors have the body in charge.
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DEATH Milwaukee Journal 10/8/1945
Carol Lucille Stephan, age 5, died after a short
illness at the Matanuska Valley Hospital. She leaves behind her
parents, Harold and Carol Stephan of Moose Creek Road and 4 sisters.
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DEATH Herning Diaries 1/23/1945
George Nylen died in
the Sitka Pioneer Home
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DEATH Herning
Diaries 2/19/1945
E. B. "Buck" Sparling,
old time prospector, died at Willow Creek
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DEATH Herning
Diaries 3/13/1945
Mrs. Pearl Horning died
at Seattle, she worked for years at quartz mining
in the Willow Creek District.
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DEATH Herning
Diaries 3/13/1945
Old Chris Gustafson
of Nelchuk Mine died in Anchorage.
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DEATH Herning
Diaries 3/23/1945
Reported that M. J.
McNeil, ex-squawman from Sunny Knik died with a stroke
in Fairview farming District.
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DEATH Herning
Diaries 3/24/1945
A. J. Swanson, old time
stock man, died at Palmer after 30 years of ranching
and horse raising at Matanuska.
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DEATH Anchorage
Times 3/28/1945
The lives of four women
and two sailors were claimed by the icy waters of
Kupreanoff Straits on Sunday night when their boat capsized
in rough waters on their way home from a movie.
The party of six was returning home to Afognak, north of Kodiak.
On their return trip the motor of the small boat failed and
the two sailors left in a small dory to return to Latnik to
get help. While they were gone, the craft capsized in rough water.
The women were Mrs. Sophie Nelson, mother of 5 and her
sister-in-law Jessie Nelson, mother of 2, Jean Mitchell, mother
of 1 and her cousin, Augusta Gregorieff all of Afognak. The
names of the Navy serviceman were being withheld. The only body
recovered as of press time was Jessie Nelson.
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DEATH Anchorage
Times 4/28/1945
Margaret Longcarp,
17, student at Eklutna school, died 4/27/1945 in
a Palmer hospital. She had been sick for a long time with
Hodgkins disease.
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DEATH Herning Diaries 6/22/1945
Palmer woman suicided in Matanuska River near Sutton
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DEATH Herning Diaries 10/19/1946
Mrs. J. B. Fleckenstein
died.
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DEATH Herning
Diaries 1/4/1947
Mrs. Neil Browne Sr.
died.
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DEATH
Orville George Herning
died 4/18/1947 - Came to Alaska in 1898, had a general
store at Knik from 1906-1917 and a general store at Wasilla
from 1917-1947. Charter member of the Willow Creek Mining
District. Buried in Anchorage with wife and youngest son.
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DEATH 9/25/1947 (information
found in the Talkeetna Recorders records)
John Cuculich found dead 9/25/1947, 400' from his cabin, close
to Clear Creek. Body had fallen forward and still had his
hat on and was holding his gun; apparent heart attack; no other
injuries. Body found by Reino Koivu, a friend; buried by Reino
Koivu, Harold B. Coleman and John Zulich.
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MURDER
Blind Man Steps Off
Road To Miss Death Anchorage Times
5/4/1950
Two law enforcement
agencies are carrying on a joint search today for
a hit-and-run driver who fatally injured Annie Stephan,
64 year old native woman, early Wednesday on the Willow
Creek road near Wasilla. Mrs. Stephan, member of a
large and widely known clan, was killed when a speeding vehicle
bore down on her blind companion, Nick McNeil. Mrs. Stephan's
neck was broken by the impact. Her skull was fractured
and she was badly cut. McNeil, known in the area as "Blind
Nick" heard the car or truck approaching and stepped off the
road. However, he was injured when Mrs. Stephan's body
was hurled across the road with such force as to knock him down.
McNeil's shouts for help aroused the dead woman's children who
were asleep in the Stephan cabin about 100 yards away. The
driver of the death vehicle, meanwhile left the scene. McNeil
was unable to tell whether the vehicle was a car or truck but told investigators
that it was running without a muffler. On that slender clue,
Deputy Marshal Bill Bouwens of Palmer and Patrolman Stanley Laird
of the Highway patrol have been trying to find the driver. The spot
where the accident happened is about a mile north of Wasilla on
a road known both as Willow Creek Road and as Fishhook Road. Funeral
services were held for Mrs. Stephan at Knik.
NOTE: This
tragedy took place at mile 1 on Wasilla Fishhook Road which is where
Blind Nick's cabin was. Also at mile one was the Stephan cabin (Rufe
and Annie Stephan and children Irene, Doris and James). This information
was found in a personal notebook of Thomas "Pat" Carter of Wasilla (mid-to
late 1940's). Is Rufe Stephan's wife Annie the same Annie that
was killed in 1950? Additional side note from Mr. Carter's notebook said
that Victor McNeil owned the land that Blind Nick's cabin
sat on.
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DEATH 4/19/1951 Ellenburg (Washington) Daily Record
The Alaska Native Services Hospital reported the death, yesterday,
of Aunt Sally Fox, an Indian said to have been 115 years old.
She had been hospitalized for a year.
DEATH Eugene Register-Guard 2/18/1954 (extracted
by Sandra Davis)
Trapped by a fire which
blocked exits, a 26-year-old mother of three boys
died with two of them in a cabin blaze at Knik, 30 miles southwest
of here early Wednesday.The woman was Mrs. Clyde Hornell.
The boys who perished with her were Tommy DePriest,
7, and his 11-month-old brother, Danny. Both were sons
by a previous marriage. The third son, Robert DePriest, 3,
received serious burns.Mrs. Hornell's
husband of less than a week escaped through the flames
with Richard Barnes, 18, who was staying with the couple.
Hornell carried little Robert to safety with him but was
unable to return. Barnes also required hospitalization for burns.
MURDER
7 Year old Murdered, Dillingham Man Held
Anchorage Times 8/18/1956
A Dillingham cannery
worker is in Federal Jail here charged with the murder
of a 7 year old boy. He is Robert Henry, 40, of Momokutuk,
Chief Deputy U. S. Marshal, James Chenoweth said Henry
is charged with second degree murder in the fatal shooting of
young Billy Nikiti, May 10th. The child's body was reported
to have been buried shortly after he was shot in the back of the
head with a .22 caliber rifle. Details of the shooting are
not known. Henry is a native of Togiak, also near Dillingham.
He was arrested August 11th.
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DEATH Family
of Five Found Dead Near Iliamna
Anchorage Times 1/6/1956
The frozen bodies of
a Newhalen family of five were found buried in drifting
snow 14 miles north of Igiugig near Lake Iliamna. Forty
year old Simeon Wassela and his wife Catherine, 35, a daughter,
Xanie 17, a 7 year old son and an infant were found frozen
to death. Lt. Dick Jensen and scanner, Murphy Nickolai
said the family apparently died of exposure as their dog
team was nearing it's destination in the 50 mile trip from
Newhalen to Iguigig. Only 2 of the 9 dogs the family took on the
trip were found alive. Wassela left with three
other families on the journey December 27th, but lagged behind
soon after their departure. Nothing was thought of their
absence at first because it was thought they were taking a different
trail. However, when they didn't arrive in Igiugig,
several days later, Wassela's brother, Ira, reported them missing
to CAA.
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MURDER
Copper Center Man
Is Slain; Suspect Held
Anchorage Times 4/4/1956 page 1
A Copper Center man
was found shot to death in the yard in front of his
cabin last night, Territorial Police said here today.
The police said five bullet wounds were found in the body of
JOHNNY JOE, about 30. They said the owner of the cabin,
identified as Austin P. Davis 30, has been taken into custody.
Joe's body was discovered about 8:00. the cabin is
located on the Richardson Highway near the Klutina River bridge.
Preliminary investigation indicates Joe was shot to death in
the Davis cabin. As Joe lay on the floor, four more bullets
were pumped into his body. Austin P. Davis has been arraigned
on a manslaughter charge and his bail set at $1000 at Copper Center.
Davis and Joe were reported to be unemployed. Joe lived with
his father near the Tazlina River. Davis, formerly lived
in Homer and California. Copper Center is about 200 miles northwest
of Anchorage and is the site of an Indian village.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Sophie
R. Joe, 23, Dies Here
Anchorage Times 5/27/1958 page 13
Sophie r. Joe, 23, of
Scammon Bay, died at the Alaska Native Hospital after
a five month confinement. She was born at Scammon Bay 8/6/1934
and is survived by her husband, Mike Joe, and a brother,
Ralph Johnson of Anchorage. Funeral services will be tomorrow
at 10 a.m. at the Evergreen Memorial Chapel. Eric Tetpon,
assistant pastor to Rev. Job Kokochuruk of the Evangelical Covenant
Mission of Anchorage will officiate. Interment will be at Evergreen
Memorial Park.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Knik Arm Courier
10/7/1959
Sophia Prokopioff age 38, was killed in car accident
at mile 33 Glenn Hiway. Husband Steve Prokopioff suffered broken foot
in accident. Simon Chilligan and five other family memberswere also
in the car. Max Yakasoff was driving the car too fast and could not
negotiate the turn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Knik Arm Courier 11/25/1959
Dick Evans age 47 was found frozen to death near his
home on 1 1/ 20/1959, no foul play suspected. Evans, born at Knik,
lived at Eklutna for a number of years and was the postmaster there
and taught at the vocational school at Eklutna at one time. Only one
living relative, Ruth Ezi, of Eklutna, a 3rd cousin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Anchorage Times
8/31/1962
Ponto Eugene Goozmer,
age 10 months, of Tyonek died at A.N.S. Born
10/6/1961 at Tyonek, he leaves his mother Barbara Goozmer and
grandfather, Pedro Goozmer both of Tyonek.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Knik Arm Courier 3/20/1963
Nick Theodore of Eklutna died early Monday morning,
apparently from a broken neck sustained from a fall from an upper
bunk bed. Theodore was born 10/15/1907 in Knik. He is survived by
2 brothers, Mike and Bailey and 2 nephews, Bailey Jr. and Everett.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Knik
Arm Courier 5/8/1963
Marvin Bernard Nicoli, age
30, from Glenallen, was found dead on the banks of Eklutna Creek, by Walter
Morris of Peters Creek. Nicoli was last seen in November of 1962, when he
visited his brother Nick Nicoli in Anchorage.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Knik Arm Courier 3/15/1965
Funeral for Olga Ondola who died last week at Birchwood.
She was born at Eklutna in 1912. Survived by 4 sons: Geoerge, Carl,
Roy and Jerry; 4 daughters Mrs. Gilbert Rosenberg, Mrs. Frank Wirth,
Dorothy Cook and Georgiana Ondola. Also survived by sister Gronia Baird
and 2 brothers, Mike and Roy Alex of Eklutna.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Knik Arm Courier 8/31/1965
Everett Theodore age 25 of Knik drowned 8/30/1965.
Oscar Munson of Birchwood, told police that Theodore had taken a
14' dory, equipped with an outboard motor, across the Arm to Knik where
he picked up his father, Bailey Theodore Sr. Then they began a return
trip to Birchwood to pick up Munson and the three men were going to go
to Fire Island to fish. According to Theodore Sr., the boat was about
300' from Birchwood shore when his son stood up and fell overboard. The
father piloted the dory back and forth over the area, trying to find his
son, but couldn't.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Knik Arm Courier 6/15/1966
Harry W. Theodore and Bailey Theodore killed in car
accident at mile 24 Old Glenn Highway. Harry's wife Helen was taken
to ANS and later died. Accident happend when mail truck driven by
Gerald Roy Allen of Palmer collided with the Bailey's.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Knik Arm Courier 12/14/1966
Joseph G. Chilligan of Eklutna, probable victim
of a heart attack, found by Mike Alex, frozen in the back yard of
Carl E. Nelson. Survived by wife Pauline and five children: David, Irene,
Lora, Norman and Herman of Eklutna and son George and daughter Mrs. Doris
Collins of Ft. Graham, Alaska and a sister Anne Toughluck of Talkeetna.
Burial will be at Eklutna.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Knik Arm Courier 1/18/1967
and 1/25/1967
Ruth (Stephan) Ezi, age 59, thought to be victim of
a fire which destroyed a frame cabin at Eklutna. According to Mike
Alex, Chief of the Eklutna's, Mrs. Ezi, to whom the cabin belonged,
had been seen shortly before the fire by two men who had cut wood
for her. She had been staying with Mr. and Mrs. George Allen, but had
returned to the village and had been seen in the cabin earlier that
morning. Alex said he discovered the fire and called State Police. The
Chugiak Fire Company responded with an ambulance because their truck was
out of commission. The cabin was completely involved. Alex said human remains
were throught to be found.
Funeral services for Ruth (Stephan) Ezi,
age 59, were held at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox church at Eklutna;
servies were held by Father Oskolkoff. Her remains were found in the
ashes of her burned cabin. Mrs. Ezi was born 6/ 10/1908 at Knik. She
is survived by her estranged husband Peter Ezi Sr. of Eklutna and
her son, Peter Ezi Jr. of Anchorage, and a daughter Alberta Stephan of
Eklutna.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Knik Arm Courier 10/23/1968
Peter Ezi Sr. died in a cabin (built in 1923)
fire at Eklutna. He was born 12/18/1903 at Knik. Worked for
the railroad and commercial fishing. Husband of Ruth Ezi who
also died in a cabin fire a year earlier. Children: Peter
Ezi Jr. and Alberta Stephan. Also survived by a brother Bill Ezi.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Knik Arm Courier 6/19/1968
Rupert D. Baird of Eklutna died 6/15/1968 and is buried
at Eklutna. He was born in Bloomfield, Iowa 2/12/1899 and came to
the Matanuska Valley in 1928. Survived by wife Gronia (Alex) Baird,
2 daughters: Mrs. John Fullenwider and Mrs. Gaylord Stevens, and one
son Robert Baird.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Knik Arm Courier 8/9/1972
Bill Ezi, a member of the Eklutna Indians but spent most
of his recent years at his home up the Knik River. He died 8/5/1972
in Anchorage. He is survived by 4 sons: William Jr., James, Benjamin
and Samual, and one daughter Elizabeth Mills of Anchorage.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARIES OF O.G.
HERNING
1/29/1906 Matt Miller body found at head of Bay buried
at Seward
8/13/1906 Elmer R. Herning
age 10 buried at Knik/grave moved to Anchorage 1947
3/17/1907 John Headburg of Knik married the "Talkeetna slave
woman")
*Census records show that
her name was Nastasa)
6/10/1908 Evan
Orloff died at Knik (assumed buried at Knik).
6/27/1911 Dr. Cowen of Knik married
12/20/1911 Harry St.
Clair died at Glacier Creek
1/6/1912 D. C. Wisner
died at Knik buried at Knik
6/27/1912 Capt. Ward’s
baby died at the Station (probably Susitna
Station?)
7/13/1912 Jack (also called Hanson) and Inga (both Native)
married at
Susitna, witnessed by Mrs. Nagley and a Native
named Jacko.
4/27/1913 Larson’s son
Jacko died (assumed buried at Knik)
10/21/1913 John Travers
killed by slide at Gold Bullion Mine Willow Creek
Mining District
6/25/1914 John Young
committed suicide by tying Evinrude motor around neck
and jumping
into Goose Bay buried
at Knik.
3/17/1914 Sherman of Knik married Mrs. Dalton #1
5/19/1914 Old man Hunter
died lived at Old Knik
2/11/1915 Mrs. Carrie
buried at Knik
2/14/1915 R. E. Romano
funeral with Masonic honors (assumed buried at Knik)
3/20/1915 Adam Block
of Seldovia died at Sitka Pioneer Home
4/16/1915 Tom Hanmore
died at Iliamna
7/22/1915 P. J. McDonald married Miss Longmire at Knik
10/26/1915 Una Pettit
Mansfield (underworld woman) died at Knik hospital
of pneumonia
1/15/1916 Unnamed man
died-buried at Knik (cook at Cannon’s Knik Roadhouse)
2/1/1916 Mr. Styles
of Hope died in Anchorage (brother of Dr. Dugan)
1/15/1917 H. C. Emery
and Bert Steward killed in snow slide at Martins
Mine Willow Creek Mining District.
11/28/1917 Meehan baby
(1st death at Wasilla) (assumed baby buried on homestead)
3/5/1918 Agent Jackson
at Matanuska died
11/25/1918 Six Natives
died of the flu at the Station (assumed Susitna Station?)
3/27/1919 Getchell (old-timer) married Frank Kelly Wasilla
6/10/1919 Unnamed man
died at mile 32 mining camp
4/29/1920 W. A. Black
died at mile 174 of railroad
2/4/1921 Mrs. Sparks married soldier from Matanuska Junction
named Monroe
3/28/1921 Mrs. W. A.
Black died at Anchorage
8/22/1921 Byron Bartholf
Jr. died in Willow Creek mining accident buried Anchorage
9/10/1921 Mr. Kimball,
Anchorage storekeeper, died in Anchorage.
9/13/1921 Joe Laubner
was killed in Talkeetna Mine Willow Creek Mining
District
12/13/1921 George Small got married in Anchorage
12/1/1922 Railroad conductor
Sessions died
1/16/1922 William “Bill”
Hughes of Knik died buried Anchorage
5/27/1922 Lander and Niemann married in Anchorage
7/22/1922 Unnamed RR
man killed mile 277½ when railroad bridge collapsed
killing engineer.
6/15/1923 F. B. Cannon
died at Wasilla buried Anchorage (Postmaster-Commissioner
of Wasilla)
7/26/1923 Mrs. Capt.
Ward died at Anchorage
9/12/1923 Mrs. Al Davis
died
1/21/1924 Dave McGinnis
killed in snow plow accident
5/17/1924 Frank E. Young
died at Anchorage
11/10/1923 August Carlson
died at Anchorage
11/21/1923 Dr. Leopold
David died US Commissioner at Knik 1910, 1st Mayor
of Anchorage
11/28/1923 Dan McArdle
died at Anchorage.
8/5/1924 Zink and Springstein married at Fairbanks
3/26/1925 C. A. Gooding
died at Anchorage.
3/26/1925 Jerry Murphy
died at Anchorage.
4/20/1925 Dave England
died at Anchorage.
5/22/1925 Frank Fleckenstein
murdered in Dillingham buried in Anchorage.
2/1/1926 Dave Reedy
died on his trap line
3/14/1926 Stanley Herning married Eva Fleckenstein in Wasilla
6/21/1926 Mrs. W. A.
Johnson died in Anchorage Susitna Roadhouse keeper
8/6/1926 George Haslett
died in Cordova
8/13/1926 J. J. O’Brian
of Knik died in Anchorage hospital
8/24/1926 Clo King married John Chamberlin in Fairbanks
11/5/1926 Mrs. Gust
Haller died in Anchorage (skull fracture by train
in Wasilla)
10/15/1927 Chief Nakela
died (assumed buried in Knik)
10/19/1927 Clarence Marsh married at Nenana
11/9/1927 Chris Sterns
(old timer) died in Portland
12/28/1927 Mary Vail married _____ Phelps (4th husband)
3/17/1928 James Girdwood
died in New York (Crow Creek prospector 1896)
3/1928 Mrs. W. E. Bartholf
died stateside age 74
7/27/1928 Baldwin (railroad
man) died
10/6/1928 Al Harper
died
10/6/1928 Fred Simmons
died
10/10/1928 Mrs. Murray
of Knik (moved to Palmer Station) died
11/22/1928 Tuck (old agent) married 6’ tall Texan girl
Wasilla
1/28/1929 Charles Magaha
died at Anchorage
6/10/1929 Henry Fischer
died
2/8/1929 Charles Magaha
funeral buried at Anchorage
4/11/1930 George W.
Palmer died (suicide) Kenai buried Anchorage (to
Alaska 1893 merchant)
7/6/1930 Harry Lander
of Wasilla died in Michigan
11/28/1930 J. W. Kempf
died at Anchorage (old time Willow Creek prospector)
2/10/1936 Fern, a Native
girl died (not sure where, or where buried)
3/28/1936 George Sexton
died at Seward (in Alaska 38 years)
4/22/1936 Mr. Machell
died at Anchorage
7/8/1936 Mrs. Oscar
Tryck died buried at Anchorage
8/2/1936 Edward Fries
died at Palmer hospital (old time rancher) buried
at Palmer
8/28/1936 Harry Vail
died age 49
12/11/1936 H. H. Healy
died at Susitna Station
12/11/1936 Leckwold
died
1/22/1927 Eckman died
at Anchorage (furniture man)
5/28/1937 Jim Murray’s
son died at Cache Creek Willow Creek Mining District
8/19/1937 Frank Churchill
died buried at Knik in McGuire Cemetery to Alaska
1898
11/28/1937 Tom Cavanaugh
died at Knik beer hall
4/17/1937 Frank Hoffman
died in Anchorage US Marshall
5/25/1937 Dorothy Hill and Peter Nelson married
5/28/1937 Miss Pryer
Wasilla schoolmarm married
8/5/1937 Dr. Romig married
again
8/8/1937 Wanda Soper
married
9/2/1937 Pat Snider
married in Anchorage
2/1/1938 Mrs. Oscar
Bergman died in Anchorage
4/28/1938 Oscar Bergman died in Anchorage railroad
section man
9/17/1939 Sharon Fleckenstein
married Florence Strigga Edlund at Wasilla
10/8/1938 Mrs. McNeil
of Knik died
2/24/1939 Harvey J.
Bartholf died age 70
7/27/1939 Wasilla agent Browne’s oldest daughter married
Arlo the Caterpillar man
12/2/1939 Mr. Redwood
died in Palmer hospital (old timer)
2/22/1940 Word arrived
in Wasilla that Pete Snider died on Navy boat in Honolulu
2/6/1940 George Zink
died at Portland
2/9/1940 Harry Staycer
died at his Crow Creek Mine (ex-marshal of Anchorage)
8/27/1940 John Thomas
died at Willow Station
9/3/1940 Trusty Kelly
died of pneumonia
5/11/1940 Kenneth Soper married Monte Edlunds wife
5/14/1940 Elizabeth Bergman married at Anchorage
7/4/1940 Jack Slumberger
married
4/3/1941 Mattie Vail
died in auto accident buried Palmer (came to valley
1915)
2/7/1941 Mrs. Fred Simmons
of Knik died (old timer)
2/8/1941 Mr. Wilson
of Knik died at Sitka Pioneer Home (Knik old timer)
4/11/1941 Vic Blodgett
died
7/8/1941 Mrs. Dan Donovan
died
7/9/1941 Bill Taylor
died at Sitka Pioneer Home
9/16/1941 Anna Simmons
died
6/26/1942 Hi Gill died
2/21/1942 Nels Larsen
died at Palmer hospital
6/4/1943 Major Kermit
Roosevelt died at Ft. Richardson (suicide) son of
Teddy Roosevelt
8/5/1943 Gus Geller
died
1/3/1944 Jacob Metz
died at Palmer (old time rancher)
6/21/1944 Adam Werner
died at Palmer (old time rancher)
12/2/1944 McAllen died
at Fairbanks (ex-Willow Creek Mining District supervisor)
1/23/1945 George Nylen
died at Sitka Pioneer Home (old time Matanuska farmer)
2/19/1944 E. B. Buck
Sparling died (old time Willow Creek prospector)
3/13/1944 Pearl Horning
died in Seattle (old time Willow Creek quartz miner)
3/13/1944 Chris Gustafson
of Nelchuck Mine died in Anchorage
3/23/1945 M. J. McNeil
of Fairview Farm District died (old timer)
3/24/1945 A. J. Swanson
died at Palmer (ranched in valley 30 years)
4/14/1945 Mrs. W. S.
Horning died (old time miner)
4/11/1944 A. O. Wells
died (old time miner)
6/8/1944 Mrs. Sexton
died (Colonist)
11/23/1944 Ernie Pyles
wife died age 44
6/2/1946 O. O. Krogh
died in California (old time Matanuska store keeper)
1/20/1946 L. V. Rae
died at Seward (lawyer, partner of Leopold David)
3/2/1946 Chas J. Tecklenberg
died stateside buried in Seward (old
timer)
4/6/1946 T. W. Hawkins
died age 78
5/15/1946 Red Jack Bartell
age 86 died (old Cook Inlet boat captain)
10.20/1946 Mrs. J. B.
Fleckenstein died in Anchorage
9/30/1946 Ray Morrison married Virginia Browne at Wasilla
4/18/1947 Orville G.
Herning died at Anchorage (to Alaska 1898, merchant
1906-1947)
1948 N. J. Gaikema died
buried Anchorage