.
.
ALASKA
A collection of
miscellaneous articles extracted from early editions
newspapers... Alaska
State Recorders archivesand historical diaries.
Extracted
by: Coleen Mielke
Everything on this
web page and the attached web pages, has been copied exactly as I found
them, Some records have obvious errors, some have politically incorrect
words. Please know that these are not MY words. For the sake of accurate
historical information, I am publishing them here, just as I found them.
These
pages represent (literally) hundreds of hours of extraction.
If you decide to use
anything on these pages,
I would appreciate
your attaching my name to it.
The article says that the native woman reported that she had been originally attacked by Mr. Wickersham on July 4th. She told him at that time she would not allow him to beat her again. On August 16, Mr. Wickersham, who was drunk, started to attack the native woman with a sheaf knife. After being cut on her hands, she shot her husband with a .32 Savage automatic three times. One shot grazed the left side of his head, the second shot entered the neck and lodged in his spine and the third shot entered his hip. Lee Harrison contacted the Deputy Marshal Frank Hoffman and told him of the shooting.
A coroners jury produced a verdict saying that Jess Wickersham had been killed by gunshot wounds at the hands of his common-law wife. The body was taken to Chickaloon and placed on the railroad speeder car and sent to Anchorage. The Marshall found a still at the cabin, that was not in use, as well as four gallons of moonshine, both were destroyed immediately.
The newspaper article gives a brief description of Jess Wickersham. He was reportedly well known in Anchorage and the surrounding territory and was about 48 years old. He was a veteran of the Spanish American war. The newspaper reported that he had wealthy relatives in Arkansas. Mr. Wickersham was survived by his native wife and their three children, the oldest one being 2 and the youngest being 6 months.
The native woman
was arrested and brought to Anchorage and lodged in the federal jail, along
with her youngest child.
She was to face
a grand jury for the shooting.
Jesse C. Wickersham was buried at the Anchorage Cemetery.
NOTE: The
article does not say who the native woman is. I feel fairly certain that
the woman was Anne (Nicolai) Wickersham (who later married Lee Harrison).
I searched the Anchorage criminal files for 1924 and found no mention of
a trial, so I'm assuming that she was not charged with anything.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MURDER
5/1/1925 FRANK
FLECKENSTEIN beaten to death by a Dillingham Native man (in Dillingham)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MURDER
Mysterious Attack
Follows Departure of Victim from Party Anchorage Times 6/12/1925
Deputy U.S. Marshal
Hurlburt and Commissioner Ralph V. Anderson of Seldovia arrived in Kenai
to investigate the death of Mrs. Sergy Pete, an Indian woman, 50 years
of age, who was killed last Saturday night during a party which was located
between Kenai and the McNeil & Libby cannery. Two daughters and a son
of the victim were present and their testimony indicated that the woman
left the tent and was attacked. The woman was strangled and
severely cut on the back of her neck with a knife. The daughters
of the murdered woman told authorities they knew who committed the murder.
The husband of the woman is Sergy Pete, who was in Anchorage (in jail for
fishing violations) at the time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MURDER
Autopsy Held
Sunday Fails to Reveal Crime Anchorage Times 2/9/1931
An autopsy was
held yesterday afternoon in Anchorage to determine the cause of the death
of Alfred Danieloff and Billie Stephan who were burned in a cabin in Kenai
on 12/23/1931 which will result in clearing Steve Ephim of charges of manslaughter.
At the time of the finding of the bodies in the ruins of the cabin, the
evidence showed that the door had been locked from the outside before the
fire. Steve Ephim, the owner of the cabin, told different stories
upon being taken into custody and questioned. X -ray pictures of
the supposed wounds failed to show any depth to the holes. There
was no evidence of the passage of a bullet through the body and the heart
and lungs were normal and intact. A woman also died in the fire,
but she hasn't been identified yet. Ephim, now held in Kenai on charges
of manslaughter will soon be released.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH
Death Summons Valley Farmer
Anchorage Times 4/6/1931
Matanuska Valley
lost one of it's pioneer farmers last night in the passing of W. J. (Jesse)
Bogard who died at his farm a few miles from Matanuska. His illness
assumed a serious aspect yesterday and a call was sent to Anchorage for
a speeder to
take him to the
hospital. He died before the speeder arrived. George S. Moshier,
who owns the homestead next to Bogard and Gerrit Snider of Wasilla were
in charge of the body on it's way to Anchorage. Bogard had a sister
in Boise, Idaho.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: The next
three newspaper articles just baffled me. The unfairness of it all!!
MURDER OF CHIEF
GOODLATAW
Native Slain;
White Jailed Anchorage Times
After being missing
for five days, the bullet riddled body of CHIEF GOODLATAW, a native and
resident of nearby Chitina, was found Saturday, buried in the turnip patch
of R.L. Reed, about two miles from Chitina. Reed has been taken into
custody and is being questioned by the authorities. It is known that
Reed has had trouble lately with the natives and it is thought that there
may be some connection. Reed is reported to have had several encounters
with the law in the past due to liquor violations and only recently it
is stated that his home was the scene of a drunken brawl in which Reed
was severely beaten by some of the other natives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MURDER OF CHIEF
GOODLATAW CONTINUED
Chitna Paper
Tells of Native's Murder: Clue Found in Ashes Anchorage Times
6/6/1932
Details of the
finding of the body of Joe Goodlataw, widely known native of the Chitina
District, are related in the 5/29/1932 issue of the Chitina Herald as follows:
Joe Goodlataw who is the son of the late Chief of the native tribe, went
out on Monday at 11:00 at Eight Mile. He told his wife he would be
back soon. He took no gun with him so it is certain he did not go hunting.
Captain Goodlataw, as he is known, has been missing for the last six days.
Natives hunted all over for him but couldn't find a trace. Some people
thought he was at Mr. Reed's, where he frequently goes, so they got a search
warrant and some of the officials went out and made a careful inspection
of the place. While hunting they found the ashes of a recent fire
and in the ashes found some shoe eyelets, buttons and buckles from Goodlataw's
clothing. While they were hunting, Frank Billum found a pair of stockings
and a belt behind some moss and under a stump. So they sent into
town and got 15 shovels and set 15 men to work digging for his body in
a turnip patch which is about 1/4 acre in size. When they were about
half done with it they found Goodlataw's body about 1 ½ feet in
the ground on solid frost, so it was in good condition except for a bullet
hole in the neck and the back. They brought him into town and packed
his body in ice so it would keep until a doctor could come to town to perform
an autopsy. They are trying to get an attorney from Anchorage. Mr.
Reed has been charged with murder and is in the custody of the Marshal
at present.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SHOCKING CONCLUSION
OF MURDER OF CHIEF GOODLATAW
Evidence Lacking
in Slaying Trial Anchorage Times 12/20/1932
Inability of the
government sufficiently to connect the defendant R.L. Reed with the death
of Captain Goodlataw, native of Chitina, resulted in a verdict of not guilty.
The jury deliberated for 7 hours. The murder trial was held in Valdez court
and took 4 days. The jury consisted of: Mrs. A. S. Day, E. C. Edgerton,
Mrs. M. Gravelle, Mrs. Ted Johnson, Owen E. Meals, W. H. Palmer,
Isabelle Streeter, Todd Winter of Valdez; W. W. Jones, Robert Manthey,
Roy Neville and Mrs. Hilma Urie of Seward. According to testimony,
Captain Goodlataw left his home in Chitina on 5/23/32 to visit relatives
residing 8 miles out of Chitina on the Richardson Highway. He left
his home about 11:00 in the morning, promising to return about 9:00 in
the evening the same day. So far as known he was not seen on the
road to 8 Mile that day nor did he return home that night nor the following
day. A messenger sent to 8 Mile reported that he had not arrived
at that place. A search instituted by the Natives between Chitina
and 4 Mile revealed no trace of the missing man. A later search by
the Natives between 8 Mile and 4 Mile did not yield any results.
It was alleged that there was a deep enmity between Reed and Goodlataw
and actions of the former during the search by the Natives excited their
suspicion that he might have had a part in the mysterious disappearance
of Goodlataw. On 5/29/32, armed with a search warrant, Deputy Marshal
Nels Sobby and U. S. Commissioner Q.A. Nelson visited the Reed homestead
to search the place for intoxicating liquor. They searched the property
with the aid of several Natives from Chitina and found several kegs of
moonshine. In the ashes of a fire (near the turnip patch) the also
found some buttons, shoe nails and other articles and under a stump they
found a belt and a pair of heavy German socks that belonged to Goodlataw.
Commissioner Nelson gave the natives permission to dig in the turnip patch
and after three or four hours of work the body of Goodlataw was found buried
in the patch, minus shoes socks and trousers. An examination of the body
revealed three bullets had entered the body from behind, any one of which
would have been fatal according to Dr. W.H. Chase of Cordova.A loaded .30
government rifle, an auto loading shotgun, loaded and a revolver, also
loaded were found in the cabin of Reed. At the conclusion of the
government's case, Attorney's Donohoe and Taylor, for the defense, made
a motion for a directed verdict of not guilty on the grounds of insufficient
evidence to connect the defendant with the commission of the crime charged.
The defendant did not take the stand or speak on his own behalf. Argument
to the jury was opened by Attorney Taylor for the defense. He was followed
by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. L. Reed, and he in turn was followed by Attorney
Donohoe. Closing argument was made by U.S. Attorney W. N. Cuddy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Anchoage
Daily Times 9/27/1932
Frank Dougherty,
a resident of Matanuska Valley for 15 years and a pioneer of the northland,
died at his cabin near Wasilla Sunday night. He was found yesterday
by Sam Kelly, who visited the old-timer daily to assist him in getting
in his wood and preparing his meals. Death came quietly while the
old-timer was dozing in his chair. The cabin known as the Dougherty cabin,
is about half a mile out the Knik Road from Wasilla. The funeral was to
have been held at Wasilla this afternoon. The deceased who was 72 years
old, went to Fortymile District from Wasilla two years ago, intending to
try his hand at mining again after a residence of more than a dozen years
in the farming belt. But he returned to Wasilla last spring, unsuccessful
in his quest for paystreaks and with the years bearing down rather heavily
upon him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Anchorage
Times 1/30/1935
Mrs. Barcillia
Stephan from Montana Station on the Alaska Railroad died in an Anchorage
hospital 1/30/1935
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH
Chief Ezi of
the Once Powerful Eklutnas Is Given Colorful Adieu Anchorage Times 2/24/1935
Covered in a beautiful
fringed and highly colored blanket, and with another warm blanket beside
him, and wearing a strikingly designed, new, pair of mukluks, and attired
in a new suit of clothes and other garnishments, Chief Ezi, for many years
the respected idol of the once powerful tribe of Eklutnas, was laid to
rest in the Anchorage Cemetery. Mourned by scores of his people who
were present, and also honored by a number of white friends, the old
Chieftain was lowered into the grave as men, women and children of his
tribe chanted in Russian and as the burial ritual was recited in Russian
by Mrs. Billy Austin. The old Chief rests beneath a “TOP” house,
largest of the kind seen in this region, made by his own sons and placed
above the grave yesterday immediately after the service and burial.
The house stands 5 feet above the grave, is 6½ feet long and 3½
feet wide. Over the house rises a large wooden cross, cut out of
a log in one solid piece. The services continued for 2 hours and
were characterized with numerous songs, chants and readings, all in Russian,
according to the ritual of the Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in who’s
faith they had been reared and trained from childhood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH
John Goodlataw
Drops Dead While Working Jonesville Anchorage Daily times 2/22/1935
John Goodlataw,
employee for the Alaska Railroad dropped dead while shoveling coal at Jonesville.He
is survived by a widow and little daughters, who are at Jonesville.
Before coming here, it is believed the family lived in Cordova
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Anchorage
Times 2/20/1935
Mrs. Lugila Nickolai,
native, passed away at an Anchorage hospital after an illness of several
days. Her son Tommy Nickolai is now in Anchorage.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Anchorage
Times 3/28/1935
Funeral for the
late Chief Nicholai is at 3:00 tomorrow. All friends are welcome
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Anchorage
Times 2/14/1934
A fire about 6:00
Friday morning completely destroyed the home of Mrs. Nick Sablatking, native,
and burned to death George Nicolai and Alexie Gregorieff, both natives
according to the Valdez Miner newspaper on January 20th. The bodies were
taken to Tatitlek on the gas launch "Pansy" for burial.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH
Anchorage Times 12/22/1942 Page 1
A report reaching
Anchorage today reveals the death of Capt. "Slivers" McNeil, a native who
lived in the Wasilla district for many years. "Slivers", as he was
known to all who knew him, is said to have frozen to death last Friday
night on the trail between Wasilla and the point where he had killed a
moose. He had been in to Wasilla after downing the animal and it
was on his return trip that he died. He was about 40 years old.
It is reported here, that he was buried by his native friends in their
own burial ground.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SUICIDE Anchorage
Times 2/7/1944 Page 1
Thomas McNeil,
37, died of a self inflicted gunshot wound last Friday near Palmer. According
to evidence brought before a coroner's jury, the man shot himself with
a 30.30 hunting rifle. McNeil, a trapper, is survived by a sister,
Myrtle, a brother Victor and his father, Malcolm McNeil. Haines funeral
Parlors have the body in charge.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH
Anchorage Times 3/28/1945
The lives of four
women and two sailors were claimed by the icy waters of Kupreanoff Straits
on Sunday night when their boat capsized in rough waters on their way home
from a movie. The party of six was returning home to Afognak, north
of Kodiak. On their return trip the motor of the small boat failed and
the two sailors left in a small dory to return to Latnik to get help. While
they were gone, the craft capsized in rough water. The women were Mrs.
Sophie Nelson, mother of 5 and her sister-in-law Jessie Nelson, mother
of 2, Jean Mitchell, mother of 1 and her cousin, Augusta Gregorieff all
of Afognak. The names of the Navy serviceman were being withheld. The only
body recovered as of press time was Jessie Nelson.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Anchorage
Times 4/28/1945
Margaret
Longcarp, 17, student at Eklutna school, died 4/27/1945 in a Palmer hospital.
She had been sick for a long time with Hodgkins disease.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MURDER
Blind Man Steps
Off Road To Miss Death Anchorage Times 5/4/1950
Two law enforcement
agencies are carrying on a joint search today for a hit-and-run driver
who fatally injured Annie Stephan, 64 year old native woman, early Wednesday
on the Willow Creek road near Wasilla. Mrs. Stephan, member of a
large and widely known clan, was killed when a speeding vehicle bore down
on her blind companion, Nick McNeil. Mrs. Stephan's neck was broken
by the impact. Her skull was fractured and she was badly cut.
McNeil, known in the area as "Blind Nick" heard the car or truck approaching
and stepped off the road. However, he was injured when Mrs. Stephan's
body was hurled across the road with such force as to knock him down.
McNeil's shouts for help aroused the dead woman's children who were asleep
in the Stephan cabin about 100 yards away. The driver of the death
vehicle, meanwhile left the scene. McNeil was unable to tell whether
the vehicle was a car or truck but told investigators that it was running
without a muffler. On that slender clue, Deputy Marshal Bill Bouwens
of Palmer and Patrolman Stanley Laird of the Highway patrol have been trying
to find the driver. The spot where the accident happened is about a mile
north of Wasilla on a road known both as Willow Creek Road and as Fishhook
Road. Funeral services were held for Mrs. Stephan at Knik.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MURDER
7 Year old Murdered, Dillingham Man Held
Anchorage Times 8/18/1956
A Dillingham cannery
worker is in Federal Jail here charged with the murder of a 7 year old
boy. He is Robert Henry, 40, of Momokutuk, Chief Deputy U. S. Marshal,
James Chenoweth said Henry is charged with second degree murder in the
fatal shooting of young Billy Nikiti, May 10th. The childs body was
reported to have been buried shortly after he was shot in the back of the
head with a .22 caliber rifle. Details of the shooting are not known.
Henry is a native of Togiak, also near Dillingham. He was arrested
August 11th.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH
Family of Five Found Dead Near Iliamna
Anchorage Times 1/6/1956
The frozen bodies
of a Newhalen family of five were found buried in drifting snow 14 miles
north of Igiugig near Lake Iliamna. Forty year old Simeon Wassela
and his wife Catherine, 35, a daughter, Xanie 17, a 7 year old son and
an infant were found frozen to death. Lt. Dick Jensen and scanner,
Murphy Nickolai said the family apparently died of exposure as their
dog team was nearing it's destination in the 50 mile trip from Newhalen
to Iguigig. Only 2 of the 9 dogs the family took on the trip were found
alive. Wassela left with three other families on the journey
December 27th, but lagged behind soon after their departure. Nothing
was thought of their absence at first because it was thought they were
taking a different trail. However, when they didn't arrive in Igiugig,
several days later, Wassela's brother, Ira, reported them missing to CAA.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MURDER
Copper Center
Man Is Slain; Suspect Held Anchorage
Times 4/4/1956 page 1
A Copper Center
man was found shot to death in the yard in front of his cabin last night,
Territorial Police said here today. The police said five bullet wounds
were found in the body of JOHNNY JOE, about 30. They said the owner
of the cabin, identified as Austin P. Davis 30, has been taken into custody.
Joe's body was discovered about 8:00. the cabin is located on the
Richardson Highway near the Klutina River bridge. Preliminary investigation
indicates Joe was shot to death in the Davis cabin. As Joe lay on
the floor, four more bullets were pumped into his body. Austin P.
Davis has been arraigned on a manslaughter charge and his bail set at $1000
at Copper Center. Davis and Joe were reported to be unemployed. Joe
lived with his father near the Tazlina River. Davis, formerly lived
in Homer and California. Copper Center is about 200 miles northwest of
Anchorage and is the site of an Indian village.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH Sophie
R. Joe, 23, Dies Here Anchorage
Times 5/27/1958 page 13
Sophie r. Joe,
23, of Scammon Bay, died at the Alaska Native Hospital after a five month
confinement. She was born at Scammon Bay 8/6/1934 and is survived by her
husband, Mike Joe, and a brother, Ralph Johnson of Anchorage. Funeral
services will be tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the Evergreen Memorial Chapel.
Eric Tetpon, assistant pastor to Rev. Job Kokochuruk of the Evangelical
Covenant Mission of Anchorage will officiate. Interment will be at Evergreen
Memorial Park.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEATH
Anchorage Times 8/31/1962
Ponto Eugene Goozmer,
age 10 months, of Tyonek died at A.N.S. Born 10/6/1961 at Tyonek,
he leaves his mother Barbara Goozmer and grandfather, Pedro Goozmer both
of Tyonek.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARIES OF O.G. HERNING WHO CAME TO KNIK IN 1898.
HE OPERATED A TRADING POST AT KNIK FROM 1906 UNTIL 1917 AND A GENERAL STORE
AT WASILLA FROM 1917 UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1947. THE DATES YOU SEE HERE ARE
DIARY ENTRY DATES NOT NECESSARILY EVENT DATES. MR. HERNING
WAS NOT A GOOD SPELLER, SO SOME OF THESE NAMES ARE PHONETIC SPELLINGS.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THE NAMES AND INFORMATION PERTAIN TO PEOPLE WHO LIVED/WORKED
(PRIMARILY) IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALASKA...AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, KNIK, WASILLA,
MATANUSKA JUNCTION, SUSITNA STATION, ANCHORAGE AND SEWARD.
1/29/1906 Matt Miller
body found at head of Bay buried at Seward
8/13/1906 Elmer
R. Herning age 10 buried at Knik/grave moved to Anchorage 1947
3/17/1907 John
Headburg of Knik married the Talkeetna slave woman*
*Census records show that her name was Nastasa (it also says she was
Aleut born 1886).
6/10/1908 Evan
Orloff died at Knik (assumed buried at Knik).
11/15/1908 James
String and Maud Rose Mason both of Susitna married
6/27/1911 Dr. Cowen
of Knik married
12/20/1911 Harry
St. Clair died at Glacier Creek
1/6/1912 D. C.
Wisner died at Knik buried at Knik
6/27/1912 Capt.
Ward’s baby died at the Station (probably Susitna Station?)
7/13/1912 Jack
(also called Hanson) and Inga (both Native) married at
Susitna, witnessed by Mrs. Nagley and a Native named Jacko.
4/27/1913 Larson’s
son Jacko died (assumed buried at Knik)
10/21/1913 John
Travers killed by slide at Gold Bullion Mine Willow Creek Mining District
6/25/1914 John
Young committed suicide by tying Evinrude motor around neck and jumping
into Goose Bay buried at Knik.
3/17/1914 Sherman
of Knik married Mrs. Dalton #1
5/19/1914 Old man
Hunter died lived at Old Knik
2/11/1915 Mrs.
Carrie buried at Knik
2/14/1915 R. E.
Romano funeral with Masonic honors (assumed buried at Knik)
3/20/1915 Adam
Block of Seldovia died at Sitka Pioneer Home
4/16/1915 Tom Hanmore
died at Iliamna
7/22/1915 P. J.
McDonald married Miss Longmire at Knik
10/26/1915 Una
Pettit Mansfield (underworld woman) died at Knik hospital of pneumonia
1/15/1916 Unnamed
man died-buried at Knik (cook at Cannon’s Knik Roadhouse)
2/1/1916 Mr. Styles
of Hope died in Anchorage (brother of Dr. Dugan)
1/15/1917 H. C.
Emery and Bert Steward killed in snow slide at Martins
Mine Willow Creek Mining District.
11/28/1917 Meehan
baby (1st death at Wasilla) (assumed baby buried on homestead)
3/5/1918 Agent
Jackson at Matanuska died
11/25/1918 Six
Natives died of the flu at the Station (assumed Susitna Station?)
3/27/1919 Getchell
(old-timer) married Frank Kelly Wasilla
6/10/1919 Unnamed
man died at mile 32 mining camp
4/29/1920 W. A.
Black died at mile 174 of railroad
2/4/1921 Mrs. Sparks
married soldier from Matanuska Junction named Monroe
3/28/1921 Mrs.
W. A. Black died at Anchorage
8/22/1921 Byron
Bartholf Jr. died in Willow Creek mining accident buried Anchorage
9/10/1921 Mr. Kimball,
Anchorage storekeeper, died in Anchorage.
9/13/1921 Joe Laubner
was killed in Talkeetna Mine Willow Creek Mining District
12/13/1921 George
Small got married in Anchorage
12/1/1922 Railroad
conductor Sessions died
1/16/1922 William
“Bill” Hughes of Knik died buried Anchorage
5/27/1922 Lander
and Niemann married in Anchorage
7/22/1922 Unnamed
RR man killed mile 277½ when railroad bridge collapsed killing engineer.
6/15/1923 F. B.
Cannon died at Wasilla buried Anchorage (Postmaster-Commissioner of Wasilla)
7/26/1923 Mrs.
Capt. Ward died at Anchorage
9/12/1923 Mrs.
Al Davis died
1/21/1924 Dave
McGinnis killed in snow plow accident
5/17/1924 Frank
E. Young died at Anchorage
11/10/1923 August
Carlson died at Anchorage
11/21/1923 Dr.
Leopold David died US Commissioner at Knik 1910, 1st Mayor of Anchorage,
buried at Anchorage.
11/28/1923 Dan
McArdle died at Anchorage.
8/5/1924 Zink and
Springstein married at Fairbanks
3/26/1925 C. A.
Gooding died at Anchorage.
3/26/1925 Jerry
Murphy died at Anchorage.
4/20/1925 Dave
England died at Anchorage.
5/22/1925 Frank
Fleckenstein murdered in Dillingham buried in Anchorage.
2/1/1926 Dave Reedy
died on his trap line
3/14/1926 Stanley
Herning married Eva Fleckenstein in Wasilla
6/21/1926 Mrs.
W. A. Johnson died in Anchorage Susitna Roadhouse keeper
8/6/1926 George
Haslett died in Cordova
8/13/1926 J. J.
O’Brian of Knik died in Anchorage hospital
8/24/1926 Clo King
married John Chamberlin in Fairbanks
11/5/1926 Mrs.
Gust Haller died in Anchorage (skull fracture by train in Wasilla)
10/15/1927 Chief
Nakela died (assumed buried in Knik)
10/19/1927 Clarence
Marsh married at Nenana
11/9/1927 Chris
Sterns (old timer) died in Portland
12/28/1927 Mary
Vail married _____ Phelps (4th husband)
3/17/1928 James
Girdwood died in New York (Crow Creek prospector 1896)
3/1928 Mrs. W.
E. Bartholf died stateside age 74
7/27/1928 Baldwin
(railroad man) died
10/6/1928 Al Harper
died
10/6/1928 Fred
Simmons died
10/10/1928 Mrs.
Murray of Knik (moved to Palmer Station) died
11/22/1928 Tuck
(old agent) married 6’ tall Texan girl Wasilla
1/28/1929 Charles
Magaha died at Anchorage
6/10/1929 Henry
Fischer died
2/8/1929 Charles
Magaha funeral buried at Anchorage
4/11/1930 George
W. Palmer died (suicide) Kenai buried Anchorage (to Alaska 1893 merchant)
7/6/1930 Harry
Lander of Wasilla died in Michigan
11/28/1930 J. W.
Kempf died at Anchorage (old time Willow Creek prospector)
2/10/1936 Fern,
a Native girl died (not sure where, or where buried)
3/28/1936 George
Sexton died at Seward (in Alaska 38 years)
4/22/1936 Mr. Machell
died at Anchorage
7/8/1936 Mrs. Oscar
Tryck died buried at Anchorage
8/2/1936 Edward
Fries died at Palmer hospital (old time rancher) buried at Palmer
8/28/1936 Harry
Vail died age 49
12/11/1936 H. H.
Healy died at Susitna Station
12/11/1936 Leckwold
died
1/22/1927 Eckman
died at Anchorage (furniture man)
5/28/1937 Jim Murray’s
son died at Cache Creek Willow Creek Mining District
8/19/1937 Frank
Churchill died buried at Knik in McGuire Cemetery to Alaska 1898
11/28/1937 Tom
Cavanaugh died at Knik beer hall
4/17/1937 Frank
Hoffman died in Anchorage US Marshall
5/25/1937 Dorothy
Hill and Peter Nelson married
5/28/1937 Miss
Pryer Wasilla schoolmarm married
8/5/1937 Dr. Romig
married again
8/8/1937 Wanda
Soper married
9/2/1937 Pat Snider
married in Anchorage
2/1/1938 Mrs. Oscar
Bergman died in Anchorage
4/28/1938 Oscar
Bergman died in Anchorage railroad section man
9/17/1939 Sharon
Fleckenstein married Florence Strigga Edlund at Wasilla
10/8/1938 Mrs.
McNeil of Knik died
2/24/1939 Harvey
J. Bartholf died age 70
7/27/1939 Wasilla
agent Browne’s oldest daughter married Arlo the Caterpillar man
12/2/1939 Mr. Redwood
died in Palmer hospital (old timer)
2/22/1940 Word
arrived in Wasilla that Pete Snider died on Navy boat in Honolulu
2/6/1940 George
Zink died at Portland
2/9/1940 Harry
Staycer died at his Crow Creek Mine (ex-marshal of Anchorage)
8/27/1940 John
Thomas died at Willow Station
9/3/1940 Trusty
Kelly died of pneumonia
5/11/1940 Kenneth
Soper married Monte Edlunds wife
5/14/1940 Elizabeth
Bergman married at Anchorage
7/4/1940 Jack Slumberger
married
4/3/1941 Mattie
Vail died in auto accident buried Palmer (came to valley 1915)
2/7/1941 Mrs. Fred
Simmons of Knik died (old timer)
2/8/1941 Mr. Wilson
of Knik died at Sitka Pioneer Home (Knik old timer)
4/11/1941 Vic Blodgett
died
7/8/1941 Mrs. Dan
Donovan died
7/9/1941 Bill Taylor
died at Sitka Pioneer Home
9/16/1941 Anna
Simmons died
6/26/1942 Hi Gill
died
2/21/1942 Nels
Larsen died at Palmer hospital
6/4/1943 Major
Kermit Roosevelt died at Ft. Richardson (suicide) son of Teddy Roosevelt
8/5/1943 Gus Geller
died
1/3/1944 Jacob
Metz died at Palmer (old time rancher)
6/21/1944 Adam
Werner died at Palmer (old time rancher)
12/2/1944 McAllen
died at Fairbanks (ex-Willow Creek Mining District supervisor)
1/23/1945 George
Nylen died at Sitka Pioneer Home (old time Matanuska farmer)
2/19/1944 E. B.
Buck Sparling died (old time Willow Creek prospector)
3/13/1944 Pearl
Horning died in Seattle (old time Willow Creek quartz miner)
3/13/1944 Chris
Gustafson of Nelchuck Mine died in Anchorage
3/23/1945 M. J.
McNeil of Fairview Farm District died (old timer)
3/24/1945 A. J.
Swanson died at Palmer (ranched in valley 30 years)
4/14/1945 Mrs.
W. S. Horning died (old time miner)
4/11/1944 A. O.
Wells died (old time miner)
6/8/1944 Mrs. Sexton
died (Colonist)
11/23/1944 Ernie
Pyles wife died age 44
6/2/1946 O. O.
Krogh died in California (old time Matanuska store keeper)
1/20/1946 L. V.
Rae died at Seward (lawyer, partner of Leopold David)
3/2/1946 Chas J.
Tecklenberg died stateside buried in Seward (old timer)
4/6/1946 T. W.
Hawkins died age 78
5/15/1946 Red Jack
Bartell age 86 died (old Cook Inlet boat captain)
10.20/1946 Mrs.
J. B. Fleckenstein died in Anchorage
9/30/1946 Ray Morrison
married Virginia Browne at Wasilla
4/18/1947 Orville
G. Herning died at Anchorage (to Alaska 1898, merchant 1906-1947)
1948 N. J. Gaikema
died buried Anchorage
CLICK HERE TO GO BACK TO MY MAIN ALASKA PAGE
These pages represent
(literally) hundreds of hours of extraction.
If you decide to use
anything on these pages,
I would appreciate
your attaching my name to it.