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The Bergevin family, early Frenchtown settlers, September 1906. Three Bergevin brothers married the 3 LeFebvre (LaFave) sisters. LaFave was the alternate spelling for LeFebvre, and became the spelling most used.

Top row: Thomas Aloysius Bergevin, Lorena (Rena) Bergevin, daughter of Thomas, Louis Cornelius Bergevin, Caroline Delema (Carrie) LeFebvre Bergevin (wife of Louis C. Bergevin) Mary Cecelia Bergevin (daughter of Louis C. Bergevin) Joseph Agustus Bergevin.

2nd. row: Celena Gertrude Bergevin (daughter of Louis C.) Louis C. Bergevin II (son of Louis C.)

3rd. row: Mary McBean LeFebvre (Grandmother, wife of Edward LeFebvre of Montreal), Josephine Bergevin (daughter of Thomas B. and Josephine LeFebvre), Josephine LeFebvre Bergevin, with daughter Theresa Elmere on lap, Mrs. Crate (nee McBean, Great Aunt), Victor T. Bergevin (son of Thomas and Josephine), Agnes LeFebvre Bergevin (wife of Joseph, with son Alvin Anthony on lap), Elvera Elena Bergevin, daughter of Louis and Caroline), Edward LeFebvre (grandfather), Eloise Melissa Bergevin, daughter of Louis and Caroline).

Front row: Neva (daughter of Thomas & Josephine), Mannie, (Is this Thomas, son of Thomas & Josephine?), Virgie Odelia (daughter of Louis and Caroline), Lester Arthur (son of Joseph Augustus and Agnes Gertrude) Lawrence Edward (son of Joseph & Agnes), Aime Alfred (son of Louis and Caroline). Joseph and Agnes had one additional daughter, Rita Odelia, born in 1909.

Mary McBean LeFebvre and Mrs. Crate were daughters of William McBean and Jane Boucher. William was the factor of Fort WW., in 1847 when Marcus Whitman was killed. Jane was born in Washington State. Her father, Jean Baptiste “Waccan” Boucher was a Hudson’s Bay Co. employee. Boucher’s mother was a full blooded Cree. His second wife, Nancy McDougall, Jane’s mother, was 1/2 Chinook. William McBean’s mother, nee Cloutier, was half Ojibway.

There are still many Bergevins in the Walla Walla Valley. Photo and information courtesy of descendent J. Frank Bergevin Munns.



A settee converted from a baby’s bed, made in Baileysburg, just outside Dayton, WA in the late 1800’s. The Baileysburg Furniture Factory was the first furniture factory East of the Cascades, and “Baileysburg Furniture” is a recognized style from the period. This piece is at the Dayton Depot. Photograph by Hans Matschukat.

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 



Cover of “Historic Sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and Garfield Counties” by Frank T. Gilbert, published in Portland, OR, 1882. Book is in the collection of Mary Koch. Photo by Hans Matschukat.
  



Photo of a Chinese Serpent in the 4th of July Parade, downtown Walla Walla, 1912. Photo courtesy of Whitman College archives.

Below the book's title is a small forest scene showing Native Americans crossing a lake in canoes. Mountains surround the lake and on one ledge a Native American in elaborate headdress points his spear downward. This illustration is by Alfred Burr who did all the illustrations in the volume.
Victorian flourishes embellish the corners and the lettering. All of this is embossed in gold on a dark red background. This front cover by itself suggests a very special book.

The sketches of farmsteads with the names of the farmers who owned them are very important to these areas but as the author expresses it, “this book is a glimpse of the Coast from its discovery of California until Oregon ceased to be part of it; of Oregon while Washington Territory was within her boundary limits; of the latter from its creation until Walla Walla, Columbia, Whitman, and Garfield had been born into the sisterhood of counties.”

Mary Koch was fortunate to receive this book along with a large part of her library from Mary Gilliam, a cousin of Mollie Gilliam Johnson, Mary Koch's maternal grandmother.

Mary Gilliam’s father, Washington Smith Gilliam, was the son of Colonel Cornelius Gilliam, known for his role in the Indian Wars. The Colonel had an extensive library and it came to his son Washington Smith Gilliam. A large part of this accumulation came to Mary Gilliam.

Washington Smith Gilliam came west via wagon train in 1852 to the Oregon Country, at the same time as William Gilliam, Washington’s cousin, and Mary Koch's great grandfather. Washington Smith spent two years as Sheriff of Polk County, Oregon, then moved to WW in 1859. He became an orchardist and a very active citizen of WW. He served in the Territorial Legislature, and was one of three endorsers of Dr. Lyman’s 1901 publication, "History of Walla Walla, Washington."

Washington Smith Gilliam insisted that his daughter, Mary Gilliam, have a college education (rare at the time). She was one of five in Whitman College’s second graduating class of 1887. During her college years, she played the organ for chapel (then compulsory). In 1890, she received a second degree from Whitman College. She taught in many of the rural one-room schoolhouses, then in city schools, eventually becoming Superintendent of WW Public Schools.

Mary Narcissa Johnson Koch was born in Seattle in 1917; her family moved to WW in 1919. Descended from the pioneer Gilliam family which came west from Raleigh, North Carolina via wagon train in 1852 to the Oregon Country, her great grandfather was a mounted Oregon Volunteer in the Indian Wars of 1855-1856.

She attended the “old” Baker Elementary School and graduated from WW H.S. in 1935. She entered Whitman College, graduating with a major in Greek and Latin languages & literature. Another year's study, taking more French classes from the revered Mlle Paule Ravasse, resulted in a teaching certificate.

She was hired in Ritzville, WA to teach Latin, English & Science at the high school, and she also put on the school play.
After teaching two years, she married Gonzaga U. graduate Floyd Koch, a wheat farmer who also raised cattle and kept saddle horses. Mary was a Girl Scout leader and read to children at the public library.
Mary and Floyd had four children: Cecily Wright, Gretchen de Grasse, Keith Koch and Mary Campbell. The family belonged to a riding club and were active in 4 H projects. They belonged to the Episcopal Church where Mary played an antique pump organ for services.

When they moved to WW, Mary taught Latin, French, and Principles of Language at Pioneer Jr. H.S. for two years. She then taught Latin, French and Humanities at WW H.S. In 1967 she received both a WA State Teachers grant to study in England, and a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the American Academy in Rome. She chose the latter.

Mary wrote for Whitman's "Fifty Plus" publication and conducted architectural tours of WW for alumni.

In 1978 she joined the Kirkman House Board of Directors and was chairman for two years. She also served on the Board of the WA Trust for Historic Preservation. An ardent preservationist, she worked to save the historic Green Park School building and for the preservation and renovation of the Whitman College Conservatory of Music, which now houses the Kimball Theater & classrooms.
In 2001, Mary received the Sally Rodgers Lifelong Achievement Award given by the Whitman College Alumni Association.
Mary holds long time memberships in the WW Symphony, Walla Walla Chapter of the American Institute of Archaeology, Whitman Alumni Association, Walla Walla Art Club, and Chapter A.D. P.E.O.

 
     
Berg Ice Cream Wagons. John and Jennie Berg established the Berg’s Ice Cream Parlor in 1878 on the corner of N. 4th ave. and W. Cherry St.. The building still remains the family home. Some equipment still remains today.

As the years went on, son Charles “Charlie” utilizing 13 horse-drawn buggies went throughout the city and countryside. The route went to Milton-Freewater and Touchet and to Dayton. For a nickel – 2 scoops! One could buy a 2-sided cone or bring your own dish. On the buggy at the driver’s knees were two – five gallon freezers full of ice purchased each day from Tausick and Kaufman 2’ x 2’ chunks or 100lb blocks and brought back to the creamery to be chopped up for the freezers. Charlie and his wife Catherine (Rizzuti) operated the business until World War II. Materials & supplies needed became scarce or were rationed. They managed to hang on with the help of managers, neighbors and friends into the late 1950's.




   Collage of items from the original Walla Walla Creamery, which became Shady Lawn Creamery. Picured is Ward Emigh, the founder in 1898, standing by the sign announcing the prizes won by his cheeses at the Washington State Fair. Also shown is the prize letter won by WW Creamery at the Walla Walla Valley Fruit Fair in 1898. Today the original Shady Lawn Creamery buildings house Shady Lawn Antiques, owned and operated by Ward’s great grandson, Dave Emigh and his wife Jill, who provided the photos.

The Shady Lawn Creamery buildings are the oldest wood-frame commercial buildings in continuous use in WW. A portion of the building was built in the 1870s. Painted with historically accurate colors, the building houses historic dairy equipment and other items as part of the decoration.

   
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