Amanuensis Monday: Murrays in the "Pullman Herald"

[Since part of my mission in taking my family history project public is to transcribe and share family documents, I have decided to participate in the weekly blog theme "Amanuensis Monday," started a while back by John Newmark of Transylvanian Dutch. As he explains, an amanuensis is "A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another." A weekly transcription project sounds like a great idea to me!]

Local newspapers can be a gold mine for the family history enthusiast. I feel lucky in that one newspaper containing many items about members of my family--the weekly Pullman Herald--has been digitized and made freely available to the public via the Library of Congress's Chronicling America project. The digital holdings run from November 1888 to December 1922. A few months ago, I made an effort to transcribe at least some of the news items about my relatives. Unfortunately, I decided to experiment by recording my findings in Google Docs. I won't go into the experience here, but suffice to say, my venture into cloud computing left me all wet. Now I am left with a very long Google Docs file that needs to be converted to something else. What a distasteful chore golden opportunity to post some of the highlights!

During this period of Murray Mania, I have thus far been focusing on my great-grandfather Frank Murray's journey to the area around Pullman, Washington, where he met his wife, Jennie Ryan, and where they raised their family. The posts in the series so far are

1. "Frank Murray pt 1: From Rocking Babies to Herding Cattle" (and its update), which took Frank from the family farm in Nebraska to the Pullman area, where he met up with his Kincaid relations and caught his first glimpse of Jennie Ryan
2. "Frank Murray pt 2: His Wild Irish Rose," about Jennie, her courtship with Frank, and her father's opposition to their marriage
3. "Frank and Jennie: Anatomy of a Marriage Record," showing how at least some aspects of the family stories are confirmed by online records

Today I'll post Pullman Herald extracts--mostly one- or two-sentence "local news" items--that continue Frank and Jennie's story from their marriage on September 25, 1913, until August 1922 (the Library of Congress's digital holdings stop in December of that year).

As I explained in detail in "Frank Murray pt. 2: His Wild Irish Rose," Jennie's father, Patrick Ryan, did not approve of Frank Murray as a potential son-in-law, and the couple married without his blessing. I carefully examined every page of the Pullman Herald from mid-September through mid-October 1913, and I didn't find any announcement of the marriage. (It was a short, weekly paper, so this isn't as big a task as it sounds.)

Before Frank and Jennie married, Frank lived with and worked for his cousin Charles H. "Charlie" Kincaid. Since Frank didn't have his own place to take his new bride home to, family stories have long held that the Klemgard family let the newlyweds live on (and farm) Klemgard land for a couple of years. The Klemgards were a prominent family closely connected to the Kincaids: Charlie Kincaid's mother was born Christina Klemgard, and the land in question would have been owned by one of her two brothers, James Solomon Klemgard or John Morris Klemgard. The Pullman Herald confirms the story and sheds some light on the arrangement:

Date	Text	Pub. Info
3 Oct 1913	C. H. Kincaid has moved to his farm at Granite. ... Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray will occupy the J. S. Klemgard farm, recently vacated by C. H. Kincaid, Mr. Murray and Mr. Kincaid having a joint lease upon that farm.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.

It appears that the land that Charlie Kincaid and Frank Murray had been working together actually belonged to Charlie's uncle James Solomon Klemgard. I don't know how long Frank's name had been on the lease, but when Frank and Jennie married, Charlie (who owned other land) vacated the Klemgard farm in his cousin's favor. Pullman Herald items over the next two years show that Frank and Jennie shared strong farming and social bonds with the Kincaids. At the same time, Jennie remained close to her Ryan kin, while Frank worked to build ties with his new in-laws. Key Ryan relatives were Jennie's father, Patrick, and her brothers, Thomas William "Will," George Edward "Ed," and Paul. (Note: the following items are a representative selection of Murray appearances in the Pullman Herald. There are too many to post at once--even if I'd transcribed them all.)

Date	Text	Pub. Info
24 Oct 1913	Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Kincaid spent Monday at the Frank Murray home.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.
28 Nov 1913	Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray and Miss Bessie White were guests at the Will Ryan home Thanksgiving. ... Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Kincaid and children and Mr. and Mrs. Ray Tash were guests at the Frank Murray home the last of the week.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.
5 Dec 1913	C. H. Kincaid and Frank Murray delivered in Pullman on Tuesday, 60 fat hogs.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.
26 Dec 1913	Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray, Mr. and Mrs. Will Ryan and children, and Ed Ryan spent Christmas at the Pat Ryan home in Pullman.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.
2 Jan 1914	The little Misses Helen Kincaid and Nellie Ryan spent several days this week at the Frank Murray home. ... Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray spent from Sunday until Monday at the C. H. Kincaid home near Granite.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.
16 Jan 1914	C. H. Kincaid and Frank Murray, assisted by several of their neighbors, last Monday butchered 23 hogs. ... Mrs. J. M. Klemgard, Mrs. Nat Bryant, Mrs. V. L. Higgins and Miss Belle Higgins were guests of Mrs. Frank Murray Monday. ... While rendering lard in a large kettle outside, on Tuesday afternoon, Mrs. C. H. Kincaid and R. L. Hollenbeck were severely burned about the face and hands when the lard exploded, throwing the burning grease on them. ... W. H. Kincaid of Pullman drove out to the Frank Murray home Tuesday, returning Wednesday.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.
17 Apr 1914	Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Klemgard, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray, Mr. and Mrs. C. O. Kellogg, Miss Agnes McShane, Master Joe Kincaid, and Patsy, Mildred and Hudson Klemgard were guests of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Kincaid, near Chambers, on Easter.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.
24 Apr 1914	Mr. and Mrs. Will Ryan and son, Mrs. Ed Hogan and children, Mrs. Frank Murray and Miss Agnes McShane, spent Sunday in Pullman at the Patrick Ryan home.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 3; view page.
1 May 1914	Mrs. J. M. Klemgard called on Mrs. Frank Murray Tuesday afternoon. ... Mrs. Frank Murray spent Sunday in Pullman at the home of her father, Patrick Ryan.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.
29 May 1914	Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Kincaid and son, Jack, of Chambers, Patrick Ryan, Mrs. White and daughter, Miss Bessie, of Pullman, were Sunday guests at the Frank Murray home. [The author of the Ewartsville column doesn't seem to be well enough acquainted with the Whites to know that "Mrs." Ellen White was Bessie's unmarried aunt, not her mother.]	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 5; view page.
4 Sep 1914	C. H. Kincaid and Frank Murray have purchased a vitrioling machine which treats six sicks [sic] of grain at one time. The machine is the same as the ones purchased by Sherman Brannon and Frank Wilson from E. C. Spurlock of Colfax.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.
1 Jan 1915	Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray and Mr. and Mrs. Will Ryan and children were Christmas guests at the Patrick Ryan home in Pullman.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.
23 Jul 1915	Mrs. Frank Murray and baby returned home last Thursday from the hospital where Mrs. Murray underwent an operation a short time ago.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.

The growing Murray family then moved to a piece of land that is still known as "the Back Place." Grand*a Murray told my mother that Frank and Jennie had to move due to an upcoming marriage in the Klemgard family: the farm the Murrays had been renting was earmarked for the happy couple, Flossie Klemgard and "Dutch" Slusser. This story seems to be borne out by the Pullman Herald (see the entry for 24 March 1916, below).

The Back Place adjoined Ryan land and may, in fact, have been Ryan-owned (it certainly was in later years). I can't lay hands quickly on hard ownership evidence, but family tradition says that Frank and Jennie rented the Back Place from Jennie's father, Patrick. One consequence of the move was that Frank's farming ties shifted: instead of working with his cousin Charlie Kincaid, he began working with his father- and brothers-in-law--Patrick, Will, and Ed Ryan. The Murrays did maintain social bonds with the Kincaids, but the fact that the Murrays were now Ryan neighbors meant that they now saw the Ryans much more often:

Date	Text	Pub. Info
22 Oct 1915	Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray have moved to the farm recently vacated by Grant Clark.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.
31 Dec 1915	Mr. and Mrs. Will Ryan and children, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray and baby and Ed Ryan spent Christmas in Pullman at the Patrick Ryan home.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 4; view page.
24 Mar 1916	Miss Flossie Klemgard, daughter of J. S. Klemgard, was married at Berkeley, Cal., last Sunday to Mr. Curtis Slusser. The young couple arrived in Pullman yesterday and will be at home at the J. S. Klemgard farm, 10 miles west of Pullman.	"Wedded at Berkley," sec. 1, p. 1, view page.
2 Jun 1916	Mr. Paul Ryan of Portland, Ore. is spending his vacation with his father in Pullman and his brothers, Will and Ed Ryan, and his sister, Mrs. Frank Murray, on the ranch.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 5; view page.
4-Aug-1916	Word has been received of the death of the father of Frank Murray at his home in Nebraska on Sunday morning. Frank Murray had journeyed there last week to be at the bedside of his father.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 5; view page.
18 Aug 1916	A RECORD PRICE PAID FOR BARLEY The local grain market is quiet just at present and the buyers seem reluctant to quote prices, probably on account of the threatened strike of railroad operatives. Farmers believe that prices will go higher and do not appear anxious to sell. Two large sales of barley are reported. Wilbur Henry, representing the Vollmer Clearwater company of Lewiston, Wednesday bought 4000 sacks of barley from Pat, Will and Ed Ryan and Frank Murray at $1.55 per hundredweight, the highest price yet reported. N. E. J. Gentry on Tuesday bought from C. A. Price 4000 sacks of barley at $1.50 per hundred. The only prices quoted yesterday were: Red Russian........$1.00 Club...............$1.02 Fortyfold..........$1.03 Oats...............$1.20 Barley.............$1.50	"A Record Price Paid for Barley," sec. 1, p. 4; view page.
18 Oct 1918	Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray and children spent Sunday afternoon at the Will Ryan home.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 3; view page.
3 Jan 1919	Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray and two children spent Christmas at the Pat Ryan home in Pullman.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 5; view page.
10 Jan 1919	Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray and children spent Saturday and Sunday at the Pat Ryan home in Pullman. Mr. and Mrs. C. O. Slusser and little son...and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray and children spent last Thursday at the Oscar Kincaid home.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 8; view page.

Then, in 1920, the Murrays made their final move, from the Back Place (which was remote and hard to get to) to a new, more accessible farm Frank purchased. Because Frank and Jennie got on well with Jennie's brothers Ed and Will (and their families), Frank chose a piece of land that was near to both the Ryan land and the local country school. As before, the Murrays saw the Kincaids occasionally (Grand*a Murray remembered them mainly as people *e saw on holidays) and the Ryans often.

Date	Text	Pub. Info
2 Apr 1920	EIGHT REALTY DEALS IN LAST FEW DAYS Local Firm Establishes Record for Transfer of Property--Five Farms, Three City Residences Sold A new record for real estate sales was established this week by the Hazen, Hately & McClaskey Realty company, when transfers were made for five pieces of farm property and three city residence property. The total amount of the deals was $160,350. The Robert Neely farm of 229 acres on Union flat was sold to Frank Murray. This place is well improved and a first class farm. The place was bought for a home...	"Eight Realty Deals in Last Few Days," sec. 1, p. 1; view page.
23 Apr 1920	County Records ------- April 10, 1920 Deeds Robert J. Neely to Frank Murray, sh of nwq, nh of swq 3-13-44, part lot 1 of Sec. 4, part lots 2, 3, 4, of 3-13-44, $33,000.	"County Records" column, sec. 2, p. 12; view page.
23 Apr 1920	April 14, 1920 Mortgages Frank Murray to M. G. Bjord, part lot 1, Sec. 4, part lots 2, 3, 4, of 3-13-44, $3000.	"County Records" column, sec. 2, p. 12; view page.
7 May 1920	April 30, 1920 Mortgages Frank Murray to Thomas Halpin, sh of nwq and nh of swq 3-13-44, $8000.	"County Records" column, sec. 2, p. 9; view page.
31 Dec 1920	W. H. Pritchard butchered hogs on Monday. The men who assisted were Will Ryan, Frank Murray, Ole Ousley, Tom Alsup and L. R. Rucker. Mrs. Ryan and Mrs. Rucker spent the day with Mrs. Pritchard.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 5; view page.
23 Dec 1921	Sunday a surprise birthday dinner was given in honor of Wm. Ryan and Ed Hogan at the home of the latter. Those present were Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray and family, Mr. and Mrs. Grant Clark, Wm. Hogan, Arthur Ausley and James McGreevy.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 3; view page.
3 Feb 1922	Will Ryan, Frank Murray, and W. H. Pritchard butchered 24 hogs on Monday of this week at the Ryan home.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 5; view page.
4 Aug 1922	Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murray and children of Ewartsville called at the Chas. Kincaid home Sunday.	"Ewartsville" column, sec. 1, p. 3; view page.

All issues of the Pullman Herald after December 31, 1922, will still be in copyright until at least 2018, so if I want to follow the Murrays into 1923 and beyond, I'll have to see if microfilm is available!