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Please use the Query Form to post queries to this page. Queries must mention a connection to Cowlitz County, WA. For best results, include as much information as you can in your query - for example, approximate time periods, locations within Cowlitz County, etc. Please note that queries are not automatically posted to this page. I generally update the site on weekends, so your query will appear no later than the first weekend after I receive your query. I will notify you as soon as your query is posted.

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Brad Aumick 7 Nov 2018

Seeking information on Levi & Nancy (CARTER) FIELDS, married 4 Mar 1854 Linn Co. OR, lived in Cowlitz Co. WA from at least 1870 until about 1905. Their children:

  1. Mary Jane FIELDS, b. abt. 1855 Linn Co. OR - d. 24 Dec 1898 Kelso, Cowlitz, WA; bur. Kalama IOOF Cem;
    m. 24 Nov 1872 Kalama, Robert Frank COLE, b. 11 Aug 1840 Flowerfield, St. Joseph Co. MI - d. 2 Nov 1906 Oroville, Butte Co. CA.
  2. Christopher Columbus FIELDS, b. 4 Dec. 1856 Linn Co. OR - d. 28 June 1928 Stevenson, Skamania Co. WA; bur. IMAN Cem, Stevenson WA;
    m. Elizabeth AHLES, b. 1863 W.T. - d. 14 Jun 1937 Vancouver WA; bur. Park Hill Cem, Vancouver.
  3. John Lewis FIELDS, b. 20 Aug 1856 Cascade, W.T. - d. 26 Apr. 1925 Kalama, Cowlitz, WA; bur. Kalama IOOF Cem.
  4. Ella Nora FIELDS, b. 25 June 1860 Cascade, W.T. - d. 6 Apr. 1940 Kalama, Cowlitz, WA; bur. Kalama IOOF Cem;
    m. Lewis WICKS, b. 30 Jan 1854 VA - d. 27 Nov 1925 Kelso, Cowlitz, WA; bur. Kalama IOOF Cem.
  5. Joseph Riley FIELDS, b. abt. 1862 OR - d. 27 Feb 1901 Cape Mudge, Georgia Strait, Salish Sea, B.C., Canada; lost at sea;
    m. Lucinda HARNDEN, b. 12 Sep 1869 Ottumwa, Wapello Co. IA - d. 6 Nov 1912 Seattle, King Co. WA.
  6. Augustus FIELDS, b. abt. 1868 Cascade, W.T. - d. 2 Aug 1893 Portland, Multnomah Co. OR; bur. Lone Fir Cem, Portland.

Levi FIELDS had at least two children by 1st wife Sarah BROWN: Catherine FIELDS, b. abt. 1840 MO; m. Andrew Jackson CARSNER, and William F. FIELDS, b. abt. 1852, Linn Co. OR. There was also a Lorenzo FIELDS, b. abt. 1859, Oregon - unknown if he was a son of Levi FIELDS or George FIELDS.

Seeking information on Robert Franklin COLE, b. 11 Aug 1840 Flowerfield, St. Joseph Co. Michigan; m. 24 Nov. 1872 Kalama, W.T., Mary Jane FIELDS, b. abt. 1855 Oregon. Their children:

  1. Chester Levi COLE, b. 30 Mar 1874 W.T. - d. 26 Jun 1927 Oroville, Butte Co. CA;
    m1. Molly J. MITCHELL, b. May 1878 Portland OR - d. 20 Nov 1956 Portland OR;
    m2. Catherine Ella EVANS, b. 10 Jun 1861 Marysville, Yuba Co. CA - d. 9 Sep 1943 San Joaquin Co. CA.
  2. Theodore Augustus COLE, b. 14 Apr 1875 Alpine Co. CA - d. 5 June 1923 Portland OR; bur. Kalama IOOF Cem;
    m. Loretta Elizabeth LEHMAN, b. 28 Aug 1894 Wolf Creek, Josephine Co. OR - d. 5 Jun 1979 Crescent City, Del Norte Co. CA.
  3. Nora Ann COLE, b. 24 Feb 1879 Mono Co. CA - d. unknown (probably Portland OR);
    m.1, 25 Sep 1900 Kalama, George M. CANNON, b. 1878 Nevada - d. 15 Apr 1907 near Kelso, Cowlitz Co. WA; bur. Cowlitz View Memorial, Kelso WA;
    m.2, 2 Mar 1911 Multnomah Co. OR, John Baptiste JARVEY, b. 6 Jul 1886 Marshland, Columbia Co. OR - d. unknown (probably Portland OR).
  4. William Frank COLE, b. 8 July 1881 CA - d. 18 Sep 1932 Rainier, Columbia Co. OR.
  5. Henry Philip COLE, b. 26 Aug 1882 Kalama, Cowlitz Co. WA - d. 6 Oct 1974 Longview, Cowlitz Co. WA;
    m. 5 Oct. 1907 Kalama, Orel Gertrude STOCK, b. 11 Jan 1887 Stockport, Cowlitz Co. WA - d. 18 Apr 1960 Kelso, Cowlitz Co. WA.
  6. James Riley COLE, b. abt. 1884 Cascade Locks, Wasco Co. OR - d. 22 Aug 1953 Kelso, Cowlitz Co. WA;
    m. 8 June 1904 Clark Co. WA, Clara M. STEWART, b. 28 Sep 1879 Harrisburg, Linn Co. OR - d. 6 Dec 1932 Portland OR.
  7. Jonathan Albert COLE, b. 15 Oct 1886 Kalama, Cowlitz Co. WA - d. 17 Oct 1968 Forest Grove, Washington Co. OR;
    m. Bessie Elizabeth NORRIS, b. 18 Feb 1901 Oakland, Douglas Co. OR - d. 12 May 1991 Lebanon, Linn Co. OR
  8. Alfred Raymond COLE, b. 20 Dec 1889 Kalama, Cowlitz Co. WA - d. 5 Nov 1918 Portland OR - Mary Jane's son by Orrin LINDSEY.

Henry P. & Orel G. (STOCK) COLE had an adopted son named Earl John COLE, b. 1910, who was a Cowlitz Co. and later PUD treasurer for many years.

Benjamin Wisniewski 11 Jul 2017
I am doing genealogical research on my family, Hartsock and Thomas. I am just interested to speak to someone with more knowledge about the history of the area. My grandparents live in the woodland area around the 1940's.

Bonnie Newman 25 Feb 2017
I am researching the time period in my father's life (@1922-1924) when he worked as a lumberjack in Washington. I believe he worked for E.S. Collins Silver Lake Railway and Lumber Company. I am trying to find more detailed information. From a 1919 obituary I know they had at least two camps. In January 1922 they were about to "reopen" one. I'm also trying to locate a map of the line's route from Castle Rock to Silver Lake. Could you suggest a resource (i.e., book/ article/author) that I could follow for a more detailed history of the company's camps and rail line? I have a photo my father took of some of his coworkers grouped around an engine. I have been unable to locate pictorial records relating specifically to the company. Would you happen to know if one exists?I am extremely grateful for any assistance you could provide.

Jerry Olson 18 Dec 2016
I am looking for descendants or relatives of Helen Laati, Woodland High School, Class of 1930. Her parents were farmers in the Little Kalama area, and they are all buried in Abel cemetery on Hwy 503. She was a family friend, died in 1959, and I just came into a box of photos and notes that I would like to share with someone that would care. Her mother died in Portland later in a nursing home. My aunt, who was the best friend of Helen, would visit her often, and is the source of these mementos. [Editor's note: Helen was the daughter of Tobias and Hilja Laati.]

Dianna 10 Aug 2016
i'm looking for information on Lizzie FULLER née HOWELL who died in Cowlitz County, 1945, and her husband, William Edward FULLER 1872-1929. Both buried in IOOF Cemetery Cowlitz county, WA. This couple had at least 7 children. William is the son of Sherwell Nelson FULLER, b 1848 in Armstrong County PA.

Editor's Note: within a week, I received three separate queires (that could be connected) about the Cowliz County Farm & Hospital in Lexington. These queries are grouped below. If you have additional information, please let me know, too. UPDATE: Patricia Stepp wrote, "The county poor farm and hospital were on what is now Beulah Dr. in Longview. I don't have the exact address, but I understand both the original house and the hospital next door are still standing though both have been remodeled."

Ruth (Ashford) Ballentine 24 Jun 2016
I am looking for the street address for the Cowlitz County Farm and hospital or maybe it will be referred to as Poor Farm. My half brothers were there in the early 40's 1941 until they died. Their names are Wallace R. Jr. and Grant Ashford. Their parents are Wallace (Wally) and Jennie (Hango) Ashford. The only written information I have found online proving the it existed is from the 1940 censes (Lexington Election Pct 9, Lexington, Institution(s): Cowlitz County Farm and Hospital). By the entries in Wallace's journal I believe it to have been on or near the West Side Highway - near enough to see the military vehicles drive by, close enough to the Cowlitz river to watch it rise high enough to worry about it cresting and close to the train tracks to watch the trains go by. Thank you.

Brenda Ashford 24 Jun 2016
My husband had two cousins who were born with genetic anomalies that made them unable to care for themselves as they grew up. It was a muscular disabiity, not a mental disability. In 1941 they were both young men in their late teens or early twenties. They were confined at the Cowlitz County Farm & Hospital. I have located that institution in the 1940 census with an address on West Side Parkway, Lexington, WA. It had a staff and about 25 inmates In the 1930 census it was listed as the Cowlitz County Farm on Lexington Road. There was a head, some lodgers, and about 25 inmates. Does anyone know anything about this institution?

Jacque Madison 9 Jun 2016
I am looking for information re: Charles Henry Windnagle and wife Bessie Shaw who lived in Kalama, WA from about 1918 until their deaths in 1966 and 1971 respectively. They are buried in the IOOF Cemetery. Charles was an assistant bank clerk and rose to Manager of National Bank (per 1940 census). They had 3 children: Dorothy b: 1915 in Portland, OR; Maxwell Robert b: 1916 also Portland, OR; Lois Marian b: 1926 in Kalama, WA. Very interesting tidbit that I'd like to learn more about: I found a marriage record for Dorothy married to Kenneth Seller or Sellers "at the Bride's house Kalama, WA" on 6 May 1939. Lois Marian, little sister to Dorothy died that same day. If anyone knows what happened on 6 May 1939 or any other information about the Charles and Bessie Windnagle family, please contact me. Thanks!

Ralph Clark 9 Jun 2016
Looking for a death notice or obit for Maxine L. Hoepfer who died approx 1982-1984.

Thomas 4 Mar 2016
I have been able to trace my great-grandfather to the Kelso area around 1915. I believe he worked for the McLane Lumber and Shingle mill. If you could give me any info on the mill that would be wonderful.