Alice Harrison submitted the following letter: "This is a typed copy of a letter received by me from my distant cousin, Corine Leininger in Winlock. I believe she said it was a written by her cousin, Zelma (Flesher), who passed away several months before. I believe it was written at the request of the many Jones and Broshears descendants who were showing up in Winlock asking for some family history. This is a very historical letter for many Winlock and Lewis County families. Champ, Corning, Layton, Flesher, Brohsears, Jones, Nealy, Wagner, Marshall, Hughes, Windall, Clark, Lucas, Cattermole, Hulse, Nixon, Hanson, Millman, Wichert, Silver, Carroll, and Sorenson families with Winlock roots can all find some family history here. Some of the info Zelma included, probably can't be found anywhere else. It was written in longhand so I typed it word for word to make reading easier."
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Andrew J. Flesher got his knee hurt by a stump puller on his farm about Sept. 1, 1891. Uncle Lucas and Henry Clark were helping him. Joe was born Sept 21, 1891, Claude Lucas and Mary Flesher were married Aug. 1894. Mary Flesher visited Uncle Perry and Aunt Rosie Wagner winter 1893 near Salem, Ore. Came home about Christmas time when snow was on the ground.
Will, Mary, and Linda Flesher went to Winlock school on the hill 2 winters 1891 and 1892. Will and Linda went to Winlock school 2 winters 1893 and 1894. Henry Clark and his mother lived on place Elmer & Rosie now live. Henry's father was killed in Calif. Near (Lodi ?)
Gabriel Jones was born in Virginia. He moved to Kentucky when a young man. Came out with Michael Simmons wagon train. Landed in Vancouver 1844. Arrived in Tumwater, Wash 1845. He married Kisiah Bishop. He was Welsh. Kisiah was tall and large. Their children Elizabeth and Maurice and maybe Lewis. Maurice never married. Joseph Smith Broshears born Jan 8, 1826 in Illinois. Came in Simmons Wagon train. Elizabeth Jones born Nov. 17, 1836 Maried Joseph Broshears about 1851. Elizabeth was 15 years old. Joseph was 23 years . Their children - William Wilson born Aug. 12, 1853 near Bush Prairie (over)
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(Joseph Broshears) Lived two years in Portland Ore. Settled on Layton Prairie in spring of 1854. Mahala Windle married Samuel Layton in Portland before she came to Layton Prairie. Their children John born May 3, 1855 died March 9, 1946 age 90 years. Mary Layton Champ born March 18, 1857, died Nov 22, 1944 age 87 years. Samuel Layton died 1882 age 85 years. Mahala Layton died May 11, 1905 age 85 years
Mahala Windle born in Paint Creek, Fayette Co. Ohio Feb 20-1820. She emigrated with her family to Missouri in 1842. They lived there ten years. Her son Andrew was born Feb 14, 1844. When he was eight years old, he and his mother, her parents, and his uncles John and Joe left April 1852 in a wagon train across the plains. After they started, two wagon trains joined them. about 1852. They came down to The Dalles Oregon. From there in boats. Landed at Portland. The trains and wagons were brought overland and mountians to Portland. They stayed there two years. Came to Layton Prairie in Spring of 1854. Up the river in boats, piloted by Indians. Layton Prairie along the Cowlitz River and about six or seven miles from Toledo.
Mahala's father and mother were buried under a large oak tree on Frank Layton's farm. Frank Layton and Samuel Layton were brothers. Samuels marrieage to Mahala was his second marriage.
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Nancy Kisiah Broshears was born May 18, 1855 near Bush Prairie a few miles from Tumwater. Then the Broshears lived on a rented farm near (can't make it out, looks like Offut) Lake. Nancy attended school near there. The family lived in Eastern Washingotn 2 years on a rented with 100 stock. Father Broshears made cheese and butter which he sold The Dalles, Ore. The family moved to rented Miller farm near old Jack Champ place on Grand Prairie 1867. Nancy Broshears went to school at Dist 4 on Drews Prairie. Mary Broshears Marshall was born on this farm Nov 15, 1873.
Andrew Jackson Flesher had a (can't make it out, looks like pumtion, could be pumkin ?) farm in Cowlitz Co. on the Cowlitz River. They lived in the farm. Their oldest son William W. was born there May15, 1872. Their oldest daughter Mary Isabelle born June 17, 1874.
In 1875, they sold the farm and moved to Barton ( Banton?) farm, North end of Cowlitz Co. A daughter Rachel born there and died at 4 mos. Nancy Flesher's grandpa Gabriel Jones house burnt on Grand Prairie, so Jones and his neighbors built a log house near there by the road. {After he left there he lived with the Broshears family.}(Words inside of brackets had a line through them) Spring of 1876 the Flesher family moved into the log house and lived there nine years. {The farm on the Cowlitz was sold} (these words crossed out.) Then they bought their farm on Grand Prairie. 1885. They built their house and and barn. Nancy's brother-in law Ludlow Merle Hughes and her father built the house. Grandpa Jones lived with the Fleshers in the log house. They moved on the farm sometime in 1885. Linda, Anna, and Elmer were born in the log house. Joe in their new home.
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Nancy Kisiah(Broshears), born May 18, 1855 Bush Pairie near Olympia. Joseph (Joshua) Lewis born May 18, 1857. Gertrude Camelia born Nov 29, 1859, Rachel Elizabeth born Jan 11, 1862. Rosetta Ida (Wagner) born March 30, 1866 Frances Josephine born March 30, 1868. Mary Alice born Nov 15, 1873. Joseph Smith born Aug. 3, 1879.
Mother Elizabeth Jones died Sept 1, 1879. At Vader.
Father Joseph Smith Brosheras died June 1905 age 77 at A.J. Flesher's home. They were both buried at bush Prairie near her mother.
Gabriel Jones wife Kisiah died on Bush Prairie
Gabriel Jones Died in his log cabin on Grand Priarie near Winlock aged 81 years and buried in Winlock Cemetary. He was blind a few years. Could have been first person buried there. Gabriel Jones was grandma Nancy Broshears Flesher's grandpa.
Andrew Jackson Flesher's grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. Joe Windle lived in Paint Creek, Fayette Co. Ohio. He and his brother Abraham were in Shoe business. They were Swiss.
Mr. And Mrs Joe Windle moved to a claim on Turnback River near Mt Vernon, Missouri in 1842. Twenty Five miles from Springfield Mo. Son Peter Windle settledat Zenia Kansas.
Son John came in Wagon train 1852 settled at St. Johns, Ore.
Son Joseph came in Wagon train 1852 came to Layton Prairie 1854.
Daughter Mrs. Hood lived close to Mt Vernon Mo
Daughter Mahala born in Fayette Co. Feb 20, 1820
Mahala's son Andrew Jackson Flesher born Feb 14, 1844
Mahala & son Andrew came out west in Wagon train with her parents and her brothers John and Joseph summer of 1852.
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