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Wallowa County Obituaries

BAKER ~ BACH ~ BALTER

     Our Thanks to all the people who have transcribed the obituaries and provided Wallowa county pages with the information. If there is no contributor at the end of the obituary, it has been transcribed by Janine M. Bork  If there is a name but no link, it is one that a person has contributed but they have no further information on that person. Please take time to give the contributor a thank-you so they know that their information is helpful to others and so they will feel like continuing to contribute. If you have any obituaries you can contribute, please drop a line to Judy Wallis White. Your information can help others.

     Word was received here this week that Neal Baker, former resident of Wallowa county has passed away at Walla Walla. Mr. Baker lived for several years on the farm now owned by Lloyd Houser between Lostine and Wallowa.
     Funeral services will be held this afternoon (Thursday) at 2 o'clock at the Christian church in Wallowa.

The small child of Mr. And Mrs. Paul Baker died suddenly Saturday morning probably of heart trouble. It was three months of age and until a few moments before its death seemed to be in good health, was buried Sunday in the Enterprise cemetery.

Mrs. Sarah Baker died at her home near Wallowa on Monday, July 29th, having just passed her 76th birthday. She was buried from the Baptist church in Enterprise on July 30th. Rev. Loree of this place had charge of the service. Mrs. Asa Hulse of this city was a granddaughter.

     Mrs. Sarah Baker, widow of James T. Baker and a Wallowa county pioneer, died early Monday morning, July 29, 1918, at the home of her son, Neal, in the middle valley. She suffered a stroke of paralysis recently, which appears to have been the real cause of death. Last week she had a fall, but this seemed to have been caused by her condition and did not contribute to the fatal termination of her illness.
     The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon at the Baptist church and burial was in the Enterprise cemetery. Rev. D. Loree conducted the service. All the children were present except two sons who are living at a distance, and many old friends attended to pay their last respects to the well known pioneer.
     Sarah Bowles was born in Kentucky July 4, 1842, and was married to Mr. Baker Nov. 21, 1862. They came west 30 years ago, coming directly to this valley and making their home at Wallowa. They moved to Union county after two years and remained there a season, then came back to Wallowa county, and had made their home since then on or near Swamp creek. For 16 years they made their home with Neal Baker. Mrs. Baker always remembered her old home in the east and had crossed the plains nine times between Oregon and Kentucky.
     In December 1916, James Baker died at his son's home. The children surviving are Mrs. Sarah Bales, Thos. Baker of Arkansas, Geo. Baker, who is working in the shipyards at Vancouver, John Baker of Oakland, and Sam, Leonard and Neal Baker of this county. Another sister, Mrs. Lucy Anderson, died 27 years ago at Wallowa.
     Mrs. Baker was blessed with a cheerful disposition and performed her part in life well, as a good wife and mother and a kind neighbor.

     We wish to express our thanks to friends and neighbors who were so kind and helpful during the last illness of our mother.

     W. B. Bach died at La Grande at 3:15 this morning. He failed to recover from a second operation for appendicitis. He went to La grande two weeks ago and submitted to an operation and it was realized at that time that he was in serious condition.
     Mr. Bach came to Enterprise from La Grande three years ago and has been the local manager for the Wilson Lumber Co.
     He leaves a wife and nine year old daughter to mourn the loss of a kind and loving husband and father.
     No funeral arrangements have been made at this time.

     Waldo B. Bach died yesterday morning, Wednesday, July 24, 1918, at the La Grande hospital where he had been a patient a little more than two weeks.
     The funeral will be held Friday afternoon at 2:30 at the Elks Temple, at La Grande.
     Two weeks ago Saturday, Mr. Bach was taken violently ill at his work with the Wilson Lumber company. He suffered intense pain until late last night when partial relief came, and on Sunday he went to La Grande, to have the care of his old physician, as he formerly lived there. An operation for appendicitis was performed, but the appendix had ruptured and peritonitis set in. For ten days the patient gained and high hopes were cherished for his recovery. Then he began to lose ground, and his condition was considered hopeless for several days before the end.
     Mr. Bach was born at Ann Arbor, Mich., and spent his boyhood in that university city. He had lived in La Grande some years before coming to Enterprise to take management of the office of the Wilson Lumber company. Mrs. Bach and their daughter, Doris, were at La Grande with him thru his last illness. The many friends of Mr. and Mrs. Bach have watched with anxiety for each report from the hospital, always hoping for good news, and feel deeply the family's sorrow.

Balter Obituaries

     Julius A. Balter was suddenly stricken by heart disease while cranking his car at a point about one half mile this side of Elgin on Sunday, September 12th. Mr. Balter was alone and was on his way from the Yakima valley to Joseph. He was found shortly after attack and taken to Elgin and given medical attention but lived only about forty minutes. The funeral services were held at the Prairie Creek cemetery on Tuesday, by Rev. Akers of Enterprise.
     The deceased was born in Prumburg, Germany, Nov. 21, 1850, came to America in 1863. His mother died when he was 13 years of age and he made his own living working in the summer time and going to school in winter. He obtained a common school education. After coming to America he lived in the east until 1875 when he went to Kansas. There he was united in marriage to Alice Beith on May 16th, 1878. They came to Oregon in 1883. To this union there were born four children, two have already passed away. He leaves to mourn his death an aged wife and two daughters, Mrs. Guy Mitchell of Joseph and Mrs. J.E. Lay of Enterprise and six grandchildren and a host of friends.

     Mrs. Alice Balter, aged pioneer of Wallowa county, passed quietly away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Guy Mitchell, just before midnight, Tuesday September 6,1932.
     Mrs. Balter had been in poor health for some time and following an illness of flu in Montana last winter has been much worse. August 29 she was stricken with paralysis and never recovered complete consciousness before the end.
    Alice Beith was born Sept. 7,1856 in Batavia, Illinois and died Sept 6, 1932 at the age of 76 years.
     When she was a small child, the Beith family moved to Waseca, Minn., and at the age of 16 she again moved, this time to El Dorado, Kansas. She was married in El Dorado, Kansas, to Julius Balter May 16,1877 and in 1883 with two small children Mr. and Mrs. Balter came to Wallowa county.
     There they made a home on Prairie Creek and lived mostly in or near Joseph until death came.
       Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Balter: Mrs. J.E. Lay of Bozeman, Montana: Mrs. Guy Mitchell of Joseph William who died in 1904, at the age of 25, and Birdine, who died when a small child.
      Mrs. Balter was a devoted wife and mother, a good neighbor and friend. She endured the hardships of a pioneer life with courage and fortitude. She united with the Methodist church in Joseph many years ago and to the time of her death was a faithful Christian.
     She leaves to mourn her loss her two daughters, three sisters Mrs. Jessie Shievely of Stillwater, Oklahoma : Mrs. Murat Blevans, Mrs. J.A. Blevans and one brother, W.G. Beith all of Joseph. There were six grandchildren and six great grandchildren, and some other relatives living in the East, and many friends.
     Funeral services were conducted at the M.E. church in Joseph at 2:30 o'clock Thursday afternoon and interment in Prairie Creek cemetery beside her husband and children and her mother. There were many lovely flowers, a testimony of affection and respect.

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Alice Viola Beith Balter

      Mrs. Alice Balter, a resident of this section for almost 50 years, died Tuesday just before midnight at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Guy Mitchell. Mrs. Balter had been in failing health for some time, but about two weeks ago became suddenly worse and her condition declined steadily until the time of her death. Funeral services are being held this afternoon at 2:30 at the Methodist Episcopal church with the Rev. S. E. Smutz in charge. Interment will be in Prairie creek cemetery.
     Alice Viola Beith was born September 7,1856, in Batavia, Illinois and died in Joseph, Oregon September 6,1932 at the age of 76 years.
     Her parents , Robert and Emma Beith, moved while Alice was a small child to Minnesota, and remained there until she was 16 years old, when they went to Towanda, Kansas. She was married in 1876  to Julius Balter at El Dorado, Kansas and lived in that city about ten years with her husband.
     In March 1883, Mr and Mrs Balter and two small children moved to Wallowa County, Oregon locating on Prairie Creek on the farm now operated by Norman McClain. They lived on this farm and in various other places in the county, including about five years on the Imnaha at the Park, during the ensuing years. They also lived for a short time  at  Hood River and Grandview, Washington.
    Mr Balter died September 12,1920 , and since that time Mrs Balter had spent most of her time with her two daughters.
    Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Balter, two of whom survive, Mrs. Guy Mitchell of Joseph, Oregon and Mrs. Nellie Lay of Bozeman, Montana. A daughter, Birdine died when about  2 1/2 years old, and William Lawrence was killed at the age of 25  when a horse fell on him while the family was living on the Imnaha.
    Other survivors are six Grand Children and six Great Grand Children, one brother and three sisters as follows: W.G. Beith, Mrs. J. A. Blevans, and Mrs. Murat Blevans all of Joseph, Oregon and Mrs. Al Shively of Stillwater, Oklahoma.
     Mrs Balter had been a follower of the Christian religion since a young girl . Her passing takes another from the thinning ranks of those who pioneered in the settlement of the Wallowa country.

 Contributed by Harold Balter
Copyright 2000

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