Miscellaneous newspaper articles about Grays Harbor County

March 2, 1882
Reno Evening Gazette, Reno Nevada

Last June a man named Nethery, living on the Satsop, in Chehalis county, W.T., was severely injured by the falling of a tree, and his neighbors furnished his large and destitute family with provisions, labor and money. Of the latter was $100 to pay for his land which belonged to the Northern Pacific. On receiving the payment and learning the circumstances, the Company returned one half of the sum.

March 12, 1884
Reno Evening Gazette, Reno Nevada

Charles Gibson fell from a pile driver at Montesano, Chehalis county, W.T., the other day, a broke his neck.

August 5, 1888
Morning Oregonian, Portland Oregon

Miss Hattie Menzies and Miss Nina French, both graduates from Olympia Collegiate Institute, have already obtained positions, the former in one of the Portland schools and the latter in Montesano, Chehalis county.

November 14, 1894
Newark Daily Advocate, Newark Ohio

AN UNCANNY PHOTOGRAPH
A Newly Wedded Couple's Picture Marred by a Ghostly Intruder.
    The people of Elma, a bustling, lively town in the upper part of Chehalis county, are mystified over a photograph. Last Tuesday afternoon Major Rogers and wife entered the gallery of  H.B. Merriweather of that city and had their pictures taken. On removing the plate the artist noticed that the picture was not perfect, and throwing the plate into the bath took another, which was a very good likeness of the old major and his bride. They have been married less than three months and are each on the shady side of 50.
    Mrs. Rogers called Wednesday for a proof and expressed a desire to see the first plate. On holding the plate up to the light the photographer saw three figures, one a man appearing between the major and Mrs. Rogers.
    Handing it to the lady, she glanced at it and went into hysterics, exclaiming, "It is -----" (her first husband). She begged the artist to say nothing about it, as it would scare the major to death, but in some way the matter became known and soon spread over the town, nearly every one calling at the office to see the negative. Mr. Meriwether claims the plate was taken from a new box and had not been exposed.
    Mrs. Rogers, it is said, is a medium of note. She is from the east and has lived in Elma about two months. The figure is distinct, both in form and feature, and stands out apparently ahead of the major and Mrs. Rogers. --Aberdeen Wash Cor. Portland Oregonian.

February 7, 1896
The Evening News, Lincoln Nebraska

THE COLLETT BOY'S ADVENTURE
    Going to school in the far northwest is attended sometimes with the possibility of rare adventures. In the valley of the North river, in Chehalis county, Wash., not only bears, but cougars, are very common. A newspaper of that section relates that the little son of Presley Collett, 7 years old, who lives about a mile from the village of Artic, went to the postoffice on his way home from school.
    This was a fortunate proceeding for the little Collett boy, for at the postoffice Roden Wade's dog came up to him. The dog knew him, and the little Collett boy patted him on the head, and the result was that the dog followed the boy on his way home.
    As the little fellow was trudging along the lonely road, with the dog a trifle in advance, he felt something snatching and nibbling at his trousers. He looked around and saw a great, savage animal following and crouching behind him.
    It was a cougar and a very large one at that. The child uttered a fearful shriek, jumped ahead, as if he had been shot, and ran down the road as fast as his small legs could carry him.
    Meantime the dog came back and attacked the cougar ferociously. He was a small dog and not for a moment a match for the cougar, and spite of a noble struggle was quickly torn to pieces. But his attack detained the cougar long enough to enable the flying boy to get a considerable distance down the road.
    Here he came across William Valentine, 17 years old. William ran into his house and got a gun and came back after the cougar. Any Chehalis county boy of 17 is a good shot, and Valentine, as soon as he caught sight of the cougar tearing and eating the dog, aimed a shot at the animal, which ended its life.
    The cougar measured a little over 6 feet from tip to tip. He would undoubtedly have made a meal of the Collett boy if the dog had not offered himself for that purpose.-Youth's Companion.

August 16, 1908
Morning Oregonian, Portland Oregon

Mr. and Mrs. H.D. Taylor, of Elma, Wash., on August 10 celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Harrison D. Taylor was born in the Ohio County, Kentucky, June 22, 1829. He was married to Serena E. Whitlock August 10, 1848. They crossed the plains, with their two children, 1852, leaving Jacksonville, Ill., April 9, and after a trip of hardship and peril landed in Portland October 19.
  From there they moved to Oregon City, remaining near there until 1860, when they removed to Chehalis County, Washington, living on a farm near the town of Elma, which Mr. Taylor afterward named. He was the first Mayor of Elma, and served the county as Probate Judge for eight consecutive years. Mrs. Taylor taught the first school in the district, having about 20 pupils.
  They have two sons and three daughters living-H.R. Taylor, of Elma, Wash.; W.B. Taylor, of Doty, Wash.; Mrs. C.A. Forbes, of Kamiichee(?) Wash.; Mrs. M. Fredson, of Shelton, Wash., and Mrs. J.W. Bunn, of Portland, Or. They have 11 grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.  

June 20, 1909
The Sunday Oregonian, Portland Oregon

"Blockhouse" Smith A Visitor-One of the best known characters of Chehalis County, Washington, "Blockhouse" Smith, of Montesano, a pioneer of 1854, attended the pioneer reunion last week in this city, and remained a few days later. Mr. Smith came to Washington territory from Massachusetts. In the Fall of 1855, at the opening of the Yakima Indian War, he built a large blockhouse, and invited his neighbors to occupy it as a place of refuge, without cost to them. This generous and neighborly act gave rise to the term "Blockhouse," as his given name, by which he is much better known than by his true given name which is James. In the early days of Chehalis County there were three Smiths, James being the given name of each.  In order to distinguish one from the other nicknames were applied. One has been alluded to already. The other two were "Lying" Smith and "Gassy" Smith, and as might be expected, they died long ago; but "Blockhouse" Smith is still a sturdy man notwithstanding that he is now entering his 87th year, and is good for a dozen years yet.

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