EWGS Presidents: Donna Ruth Potter-Phillips

This is the forty third in the series on the Presidents of EWGS leading up to the 75th anniversary in 2010. See the previous posts on Samuel Pool Weaver, Leora Cookingham Thiel, Susan Marie West Jack, Ruth Churchill Austin, Alfred Denman, Florence Ballou Brown, Harriet Jefferson Pinkham, Mary Elizabeth Dow Maltbie, Achsah Maltbie Rawlings, Lee DeGolyer Patchen, Susie Elliott Faubion, Edith Webb Nelson, Carrie Teats Lartigue, Guy Alfred Clumpner, Grace Ellis Woodward, Mabel Rue Frederick, Nell Hartman Peel, Edwin Allan Poole, Mabel Enid Rice Conrad, Helen Elizabeth Osborne Rowe, Dr. Herbert Hoover Osborne, Jane Merritt Logie Webster, Beatrice Cutler Mitcham, Marie E. Stone Larson, Lorena May Saylor Wildman, Raymond J. Fisher, Grace E. Kelso Garner , Catherine P. Cornehl Hyslop, Barbara J. Wirt Clarkson, Ruby L. Simonson McNeill, Jeanne J. Jones Holder , Jeanne M. Polumsky Coe , Maxine E. LeGrant Pence, Mary Kay McGlothlin Gant, Elizabeth Dale Hastin Smith, Bette Butcher Topp, Gordon Dean Clay, John R. Zeimantz, Shirley E. Penna-Oakes, Marvelene E. Roach Carney, Susan Beamer, and C. William (Bill) Hire.

Donna Ruth Potter-Phillips was EWGS President in 1991 and 1992 and is now in 2010 EWGS President again. Donna was born in Vicksburg, Michigan to Francis Harold Potter and June Magdalen Gurney and on September 21, 1961 Donna married John Charles Phillips in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

What can I say about Donna? She first appears in the EWGS member list in 1976; she is one of the original incorporaters of EWGS. Since she came along at that time she authored several surname booklets, including Gilbert Gallery, Potter Profiles, Oswald Outline, and Texas Queries. Donna has taught beginners' classes, and has probably gotten more people to join EWGS than anyone else. Donna has been program chairman and presenter at many seminars. It was her idea to run the multiple presentations at the same time for EWGS seminars like the national seminars. Donna wrote the Heritage Hunting column in the Spokane Daily Chronicle for years (Note: the Spokane Chronicle is online in Google News Archive so you can read her columns online).

Donna also wrote many articles for the Bulletin, as well as wrote the News Hotline column in that publication for years. I think Donna has also written articles for nearly every genealogical magazine published in the last thirty years. If you read the old Bulletin, you will see Donna donated many books and microfilms to EWGS and the library. She is listed as a co-author of one book in the Spokane Public Library, and has volunteered for nearly every call for volunteers including being a gene helper at the library. Donna has indexed records for the Washington State Digital Archives, and has been the FGS delegate for as long as I can remember. Donna is also the "mother hen" for the Annual Christmas Tour at Salt Lake City with Leland Meitzler. (If you ever get a chance to do the Christmas Tour, it is a wonderful way to visit the Family History Library).

For the Spring 1992 seminar EWGS hosted Dr. Brian Trainor from Ireland at Cavanaughs River Inn March 21, 1992, which cost $15.00. The October workshop was October 3, 1992 at Spokane Falls Community College, which cost $18.00.

The top picture is the one in the scrapbook of pictures of EWGS Presidents, the bottom one is Donna and Jeanne Holder, another EWGS President.

In the fall of 1990 my sister Jacque Lane and I took the beginning genealogy class offered by the Spokane Community College and the class was at Pines Junior High School. Donna was the teacher, and she told us about EWGS and said we should join, so we joined in 1991 (thanks for the advice to join, Donna!) EWGS has had wonderful group of people to befriend and so many very knowledgeable genealogists willing to share with newbies.

EWGS Presidents C. William (Bill) Hire

This is the forty second in the series on the Presidents of EWGS leading up to the 75th anniversary in 2010. See the previous posts on Samuel Pool Weaver, Leora Cookingham Thiel, Susan Marie West Jack, Ruth Churchill Austin, Alfred Denman, Florence Ballou Brown, Harriet Jefferson Pinkham, Mary Elizabeth Dow Maltbie, Achsah Maltbie Rawlings, Lee DeGolyer Patchen, Susie Elliott Faubion, Edith Webb Nelson, Carrie Teats Lartigue, Guy Alfred Clumpner, Grace Ellis Woodward, Mabel Rue Frederick, Nell Hartman Peel, Edwin Allan Poole, Mabel Enid Rice Conrad, Helen Elizabeth Osborne Rowe, Dr. Herbert Hoover Osborne, Jane Merritt Logie Webster, Beatrice Cutler Mitcham, Marie E. Stone Larson, Lorena May Saylor Wildman, Raymond J. Fisher, Grace E. Kelso Garner , Catherine P. Cornehl Hyslop, Barbara J. Wirt Clarkson, Ruby L. Simonson McNeill, Jeanne J. Jones Holder , Jeanne M. Polumsky Coe , Maxine E. LeGrant Pence, Mary Kay McGlothlin Gant, Elizabeth Dale Hastin Smith, Bette Butcher Topp, Gordon Dean Clay, John R. Zeimantz, Shirley E. Penna-Oakes, Marvelene E. Roach Carney, and Susan Beamer



Claude William (Bill) Hire was EWGS President 2007-2009, the only EWGS President to serve three consecutive terms as EWGS President. Early by-laws did not allow any officer to serve more than two consecutive years as an officer, but that had been changed to four consecutive years before Bill became EWGS President. Bill also acted as treasurer after the death of Gary Taylor, so Bill was very busy until a new treasurer was found. Bill was born in Wolf Lake, Indiana to Thomas C Hire and Hermona J Magnuson. Bill grew up in Ligonier, Indiana and upon graduating from High School in 1965 he went to Indiana University and graduated in 1969 with a degree in Business Administration. Bill enlisted in the Navy in 1969 and spent his enlisted career in Hawaii working for the Commander Submarine Forces Pacific as a radioman. Bill got out of the Navy in 1973 and in 1974 applied to Navy Officer training. Bill was accepted and was commissioned an Ensign in October 1974. In December 1974 he married Marianne Iwasa whom Bill had met while stationed in Hawaii. Bill served as a Surface Warfare Officer for 17 years and retired from the Navy in 1991 as a Lieutenant Command. Bill went back to school in 1991 at the University of Idaho and graduated in 1993 with a B.S. in Cartography. He went to work for Spokane County in 1994 as a GIS Specialist doing computer mapping and analysis and retired from county employment in July 2010. We raised two children, Peter and Katharine.
Bill always had a passion for learning my family history. His genealogy researching really took off in 1985 after a couple of my aunts gave me handwritten pedigree charts for my Hire and Bender ancestors with accompanying handwritten notes with family group information for several families on one sheet. Bill needed a magnifying glass to decipher the tiny print. But that is all it took and Bill was off and running. After moving to Spokane in 1995 he joined EWGS. Bill was membership chairman for a year and in 2003 joined the EWGS board as Junior Trustee.
The Spring 2007 seminar was Halvor Moorshead on May 5, 2007 at the Spokane Public Library and it was bring your own lunch and cost $20.00. Also in May EWGS passed a motion to host the 2009 Washington State Genealogical Society Conference, and in June EWGS decided to hold the WSGS Conference at the Davenport Hotel and Bill signed the contract with the Davenport. We tentatively scheduled Halvor Moorshead and Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak for the speakers and planned on 200 people. The WSGS Board that had lost a ton on the last conference they held were all over EWGS for such an expensive venue and for two national speakers, so Halvor agreed not to come and we just had Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak for the national speaker. Still two more years to the WSGS Conference and so we planned a lot and hoped for 200 people. The October workshop was October 6, 2007 at the Southside Senior Center, cost $17.00. Next year the October workshop was October 4, 2008 at Mukogowa Fort Wright with Barbara A.H. Nuehring, cost $25.00. We liked Barbara so much that we had her back in May of 2010. The 2009 WSGS Conference was September 11-13, 2009 and Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak was great. The beginning genealogy classes were overflowing, and I think the last count was 199 people. Every one was surprised by the Davenport, and we nearly broke even after all the bills were paid. I paid $160 for the three days and had a great time.
Bill was an energetic EWGS President and always willing to help others, have a good retirement Bill.

EWGS Presidents Susan Beamer

This is the forty first in the series on the Presidents of EWGS leading up to the 75th anniversary in 2010. See the previous posts on Samuel Pool Weaver, Leora Cookingham Thiel, Susan Marie West Jack, Ruth Churchill Austin, Alfred Denman, Florence Ballou Brown, Harriet Jefferson Pinkham, Mary Elizabeth Dow Maltbie, Achsah Maltbie Rawlings, Lee DeGolyer Patchen, Susie Elliott Faubion, Edith Webb Nelson, Carrie Teats Lartigue, Guy Alfred Clumpner, Grace Ellis Woodward, Mabel Rue Frederick, Nell Hartman Peel, Edwin Allan Poole, Mabel Enid Rice Conrad, Helen Elizabeth Osborne Rowe, Dr. Herbert Hoover Osborne, Jane Merritt Logie Webster, Beatrice Cutler Mitcham, Marie E. Stone Larson, Lorena May Saylor Wildman, Raymond J. Fisher, Grace E. Kelso Garner , Catherine P. Cornehl Hyslop, Barbara J. Wirt Clarkson, Ruby L. Simonson McNeill, Jeanne J. Jones Holder , Jeanne M. Polumsky Coe , Maxine E. LeGrant Pence, Mary Kay McGlothlin Gant, Elizabeth Dale Hastin Smith, Bette Butcher Topp, Gordon Dean Clay, John R. Zeimantz, Shirley E. Penna-Oakes, and Marvelene E. Roach Carney



Susan Beamer was EWGS President in 2006. Susan was born and raised in Omak, Washington a third generation Washingtonian. She is researching Beamers from Virginia to Washington, Bell from North Carolina to Iowa to Oregon and Washington, other surnames are Stull, Eightme, Millard and Franz or Frans. Susan has a BA and MA degrees in history and works as the Records Manager and archivist for Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc in Pullman, Washington. They make equipment and provide services for the electric power industry.
EWGS only had one seminar in 2006 the October workshop was October 7, 2006 at the Spokane Library, with Michael John Neill, cost $20.00 plus $5.00 for asandwich lunch or bring your own sandwich.
Susan is probably the EWGS President with the highest energy of any I have known, and she shares my interest in odd records that may have our ancestors history hidden away somewhere. Getting her picture for the records took a lot of running to catch her. :)

EWGS Presidents Marvelene E. Roach Carney

This is the fortieth in the series on the Presidents of EWGS leading up to the 75th anniversary in 2010. See the previous posts on Samuel Pool Weaver, Leora Cookingham Thiel, Susan Marie West Jack, Ruth Churchill Austin, Alfred Denman, Florence Ballou Brown, Harriet Jefferson Pinkham, Mary Elizabeth Dow Maltbie, Achsah Maltbie Rawlings, Lee DeGolyer Patchen, Susie Elliott Faubion, Edith Webb Nelson, Carrie Teats Lartigue, Guy Alfred Clumpner, Grace Ellis Woodward, Mabel Rue Frederick, Nell Hartman Peel, Edwin Allan Poole, Mabel Enid Rice Conrad, Helen Elizabeth Osborne Rowe, Dr. Herbert Hoover Osborne, Jane Merritt Logie Webster, Beatrice Cutler Mitcham, Marie E. Stone Larson, Lorena May Saylor Wildman, Raymond J. Fisher, Grace E. Kelso Garner , Catherine P. Cornehl Hyslop, Barbara J. Wirt Clarkson, Ruby L. Simonson McNeill, Jeanne J. Jones Holder , Jeanne M. Polumsky Coe , Maxine E. LeGrant Pence, Mary Kay McGlothlin Gant, Elizabeth Dale Hastin Smith, Bette Butcher Topp, Gordon Dean Clay, John R. Zeimantz, and Shirley E. Penna-Oakes


Marvelene E. Roach Carney was EWGS President in 2002 and 2003. On March 1, 1952 Marvelene married Frank James Carney a staff sergeant in the US Air Force stationed at Fairchild, AFB. Frank was from Chicago, Illinois and when he left the air force he worked as a sales man at several auto and recreational vehicle dealerships. They had three children, two daughters Denise and Judith and one son Thomas. Frank died May 6, 1998 in San Bernardino, California while on vacation. Marvelene was a nurse and there is a nice article in the Spokane Chronicle September 7, 1968 "49 New Nurses Enter Deaconess School of Nursing" and Marvelene is one of those listed. Marvelene was an author of a surname booklet by Carney Notepad Publishing called Roach Discovery. Marvelene also collected and indexed the 1991 obits for the 1991 Patchin Book. In 2000 Marvelene became an EWGS Distinguished Service Member for all her work as Vice-President, a library helper, chairing many seminars and workshops, and educational classes.
The 2002 spring seminar was Richard L. Hooverson at thje West Coast River Inn (Now Red Lion River Inn) April 20, 2002, cost $30.00. June 1, 2002 at the Davenport Hotel EWGS celebrated the reopening of the Davenport with Tony and Suzanne Bamonte, cost $25.00. The October workshop was Craig Scott on Military History at the Days Inn October 5, 2002, cost $30.00. Since EWGS had such poor turn outs for the 2002 seminars the December 2002 issue had a survey on how attendance at seminars was dependent on the cost of the seminar. Turned out many said the cost of the seminars was getting too expensive, so due to poor attendance at the 2002 seminars the spring seminar was canceled. March 31, 2003 the City of Spokane Valley was incorporated and that would be a big boost for EWGS, but I did not know that till later in the year. At the May 2003 general meeting dues were raised to $25.00 a year or $375.00 for lifetime starting with the January 1, 2004 dues. In early July I received a note in my mail box at the library from the Spokane County Auditor was looking for a genealogist to help with genealogical queries that the auditor received because of the new city of Spokane Valley being incorporated, which cut the county income by nearly a third so every department was asked to find ways to save money. The next Monday I was reporting for jury duty at the courthouse, so before I became a juror again, I stopped at the auditors office and volunteered. I handled all the requests and all the money I collected after copy costs went to EWGS. Turned out to be a big boost for the EWGS book fund. The October workshop was at Spokane Falls Community College October 4, 2003 and it cost $35.00.
The next EWGS President was Bette Butcher Topp in 2004 and 2005, and I already wrote about Bette so check out her blog post. In 2004 two new EWGS Distinguished Service Members were announced, I was one and the other was Dorothy Braithwait, I think we were both nominated by Bette and Marvelene. Thanks Bette and Marvelene. Both of these EWGS Presidents are hard workers, very excellent genealogists, and great supporters of EWGS.

EWGS Presidents Shirley E. Penna-Oakes

This is the thirty ninth in the series on the Presidents of EWGS leading up to the 75th anniversary in 2010. See the previous posts on Samuel Pool Weaver, Leora Cookingham Thiel, Susan Marie West Jack, Ruth Churchill Austin, Alfred Denman, Florence Ballou Brown, Harriet Jefferson Pinkham, Mary Elizabeth Dow Maltbie, Achsah Maltbie Rawlings, Lee DeGolyer Patchen, Susie Elliott Faubion, Edith Webb Nelson, Carrie Teats Lartigue, Guy Alfred Clumpner, Grace Ellis Woodward, Mabel Rue Frederick, Nell Hartman Peel, Edwin Allan Poole, Mabel Enid Rice Conrad, Helen Elizabeth Osborne Rowe, Dr. Herbert Hoover Osborne, Jane Merritt Logie Webster, Beatrice Cutler Mitcham, Marie E. Stone Larson, Lorena May Saylor Wildman, Raymond J. Fisher, Grace E. Kelso Garner , Catherine P. Cornehl Hyslop, Barbara J. Wirt Clarkson, Ruby L. Simonson McNeill, Jeanne J. Jones Holder , Jeanne M. Polumsky Coe , Maxine E. LeGrant Pence, Mary Kay McGlothlin Gant, Elizabeth Dale Hastin Smith, Bette Butcher Topp, Gordon Dean Clay, and John R. Zeimantz


Shirley Penna-Oakes was EWGS President 2000 and 2001 and due to passage of Initiative 695 the city of Spokane lost a big chunk of funding mainly for the police, and since this would have really devastated the police department the city council divided up the loss so all the departments that were funded by the general fund were cut an equal amount. The library which never received any money from the Excise tax that was eliminated by I-695 ended up cutting hours at the downtown library. I will quote from the Spokesman Review article on the cuts "Due to cuts the Spokane Public Library downtown will change its hours effective December 27, 1999 to: Mondays and Tuesdays noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesdays through Fridays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. closed Saturdays and Sundays. The availability of the downtown library's meeting rooms will be curtailed in accordance with the new hours." So the library where EWGS had been meeting the first Saturday of each month since the 1930s was closed Saturdays due to budget cuts from I-695 and the library did not receive any of the money that was cut by I-695 before the passage of I-695. So EWGS met for the two years Shirley was EWGS President at the Salvation Army building at 222 E. Indiana. EWGS was also having a feud with the library over the genealogy collection and volunteers in the library. Twenty two months of negotiations and an agreement was reached. Notice the library hours on Thursday was cut to 6 p.m., I had volunteered as a gene helper from 6 to 9 p.m. the second Thursday, and now the library was closed. After the agreement EWGS volunteers were now in the library Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The first picture is the official EWGS Presidential picture, but this one is from the Bulletin. Shirley was born to Raffeal Penna and Eleanor Bricker in Hillyard. Raffeal was the third child of Antonio and Virginia (Domico) Penna both from Italy and married in Spokane in 1907. Shirley lived most of her childhood in Spokane and moved to Springfield, Oregon in 1962, to live with her dad. Shirley met and married Richard (Dick) Oakes in 1970. They have two daughters, six grandchildren and one great grandson. Dick and Shirley were fireman/paramedics and there is a nice article on the Bulletin about their work in fighting a fire at Tum Tum July 4, 2001.
Shirley came along during the time when surname booklets were popular and Shirley published many including; Tucker Times, Bricker Branches, Lewis Unlimited, Oakes Acorns, Gates Gazette, Indiana Queries, Pennsylvania Queries, New England Queries & Reviews and Mid Atlantic Queries and Reviews.
The April seminar was Dr. John Phillip Colletta April 15, 2000 at Days Inn 4212 West Sunset Blvd., cost $35.00. I missed this seminar as I was pretty busy April 15th. In the Fall the NGS held a regional seminar in Spokane October 14, 2000 and the two speakers were Curt Witcher from the Allen County Library (home of PERSI) and John Vincent Wylie, at the Double Tree Hotel in the valley (Now Mirabeau Park Hotel), cost $40.00 for NGS members.

The spring seminar was canceled due to the NGS conference at Portland, Oregon May 16-19, 2001. This picture is the convention center at Portland where the conference was held, and we stayed across the street at the Best Western Hotel. I wrote an article on this conference for the Bulletin and used this same picture. The October workshop was October 6, 2001 at Spokane Falls Community College, cost $35.00.
This brings about a lot of memories, I was still doing research for EWGS, and I really liked being there Mondays, but now the library closed an hour earlier, and I still was not very fast in doing the research so that loss of an hour really changed my research hours. I also usually rode the bus to the library as the bus stopped right in front of my house until I-695 passed and then STA which did receive funds from the Excise Tax that I-695 canceled, cut many routes and now I had to walk a block to catch the same bus. Shirley and Dick are always excellent volunteers. Shirley has taught many classes, and was chairman to many conferences. Hard to believe she had time for all the surname booklets.

EWGS Presidents: John R. Zeimantz

This is the thirty eighth in the series on the Presidents of EWGS leading up to the 75th anniversary in 2010. See the previous posts on Samuel Pool Weaver, Leora Cookingham Thiel, Susan Marie West Jack, Ruth Churchill Austin, Alfred Denman, Florence Ballou Brown, Harriet Jefferson Pinkham, Mary Elizabeth Dow Maltbie, Achsah Maltbie Rawlings, Lee DeGolyer Patchen, Susie Elliott Faubion, Edith Webb Nelson, Carrie Teats Lartigue, Guy Alfred Clumpner, Grace Ellis Woodward, Mabel Rue Frederick, Nell Hartman Peel, Edwin Allan Poole, Mabel Enid Rice Conrad, Helen Elizabeth Osborne Rowe, Dr. Herbert Hoover Osborne, Jane Merritt Logie Webster, Beatrice Cutler Mitcham, Marie E. Stone Larson, Lorena May Saylor Wildman, Raymond J. Fisher, Grace E. Kelso Garner , Catherine P. Cornehl Hyslop, Barbara J. Wirt Clarkson, Ruby L. Simonson McNeill, Jeanne J. Jones Holder , Jeanne M. Polumsky Coe , Maxine E. LeGrant Pence, Mary Kay McGlothlin Gant, Elizabeth Dale Hastin Smith, Bette Butcher Topp, and Gordon Dean Clay.

John R. Zeimantz was EWGS President in 1998 and 1999. His Zeimantz family were settlers in Lincoln County in the Mondovi area, and John is probably the person most expert on Lincoln County research. He was even President of the Lincoln County Historical Society. John graduated from Washington State University in 1973 and the University of Puget Sound (JD cum laude) in 1979 and became a lawyer in 1979.

John wrote the article on the history of EWGS from 1955 to 1964 for the 50th anniversary issue of The Bulletin, which helped me in these posts on EWGS presidents (thanks, John!) Since John is an attorney, he has given many talks on courthouse research, held many offices for EWGS, and was chairman of a couple of seminars that EWGS held.


The spring seminar for 1998 was held April 16 - 18; the topic was The State Fair with James and Paula (Stuart) Warren at the Double Tree Hotel in the valley (Mirabeau Park Hotel now); the cost was $100.00. The October Workshop's theme was Back to School, held October 3, 1998 at Ferris High School; the cost was $20.00.

Nineteen ninety-nine was a busy year, as the spring seminar was presented by John Kitzmiller on April 10, 1999 with the topic, Your WISE Emigrants (Welsh, Irish, Scottish and English). It was at Spokane Falls Community College and the cost was $25.00.

In September, EWGS was again at the Sprague Rest Stop for a fund raiser, but this time we were inside as DOT had built a room for the volunteers to put their supplies. It it had a sink and even heat for the cold mornings, much better that being outside like the last rest stop we did two years before. EWGS cleared $1100.00 at the rest stop for the book fund.

The October 2, 1999 workshop's presenter was Merrill Mosher and he spoke at Spokane Falls Community College; the cost was $20.00. A couple of weeks later Arlene Eakle was in Spokane on October 16, 1999 at the Driscoll Baptist Church; cost for that seminar was $20.00.

If you read the newspapers, magazines and even The Bulletin, this was the end of the 1900s and everyone was worried about Y2K and whether that would be the end of the world, or would it just mess up computers everywhere. It turned out to be a non-event as programmers got enough advance notice to fix nearly everything.

Before John even became EWGS President, the longtime researcher for EWGS had resigned. Ray Fisher was having health problems and needed to slow down. I had been doing some lookups online, so I asked John if I could replace Ray as the new EWGS Researcher. John told me no one could ever replace Ray, but I could try the research job for a year on probation. Guess I passed the probation as I still hold that job. Thanks John, for your confidence in me!

EWGS Presidents Gordon Dean Clay

This is the thirty seventh in the series on the Presidents of EWGS leading up to the 75th anniversary in 2010. See the previous posts on Samuel Pool Weaver, Leora Cookingham Thiel, Susan Marie West Jack, Ruth Churchill Austin, Alfred Denman, Florence Ballou Brown, Harriet Jefferson Pinkham, Mary Elizabeth Dow Maltbie, Achsah Maltbie Rawlings, Lee DeGolyer Patchen, Susie Elliott Faubion, Edith Webb Nelson, Carrie Teats Lartigue, Guy Alfred Clumpner, Grace Ellis Woodward, Mabel Rue Frederick, Nell Hartman Peel, Edwin Allan Poole, Mabel Enid Rice Conrad, Helen Elizabeth Osborne Rowe, Dr. Herbert Hoover Osborne, Jane Merritt Logie Webster, Beatrice Cutler Mitcham, Marie E. Stone Larson, Lorena May Saylor Wildman, Raymond J. Fisher, Grace E. Kelso Garner , Catherine P. Cornehl Hyslop, Barbara J. Wirt Clarkson, Ruby L. Simonson McNeill, Jeanne J. Jones Holder , Jeanne M. Polumsky Coe , Maxine E. LeGrant Pence, Mary Kay McGlothlin Gant, Elizabeth Dale Hastin Smith, and Bette Butcher Topp



Gordon Dean Clay was EWGS President 1996 and 1997. I don't ever think Dean used his first name so I won't either. Dean was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa to Roy Stanley and Agnes (Hart) Clay. He went to school in Council Bluffs and Creighton University. In his senior year of college he joined the United States Air Force as a second Lieutenant. He flew in both Korea and Vietnam. On July 10, 1954 Dean married Constance Marvel Eyerman. Connie was born in Long Beach, California to Fred and Inez Eyerman. They had a son Paul and two daughters, Rebecca and Constance (Stacy) Clay. In 1957 Dean flew the very first B-52 to Fairchild Air Force Base and was an instructor there until he was transferred to Torrejon, AFB in Madrid Spain. In 1968 and 1969 he flew in Vietnam, and retired from the Air Force in 1970 as a Lt. Colonel. Dean completed his undergraduate work at Eastern Washington University and then went to law school at Gonzaga School of Law, graduating in 1974. Dean was President of the Inland Empire Kennel club (they raised Cocker Spaniels), chaired the Christian Businessman's Association, and he was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Dadealions, The El Katif Shrine, Council Bluffs Masonic Lodge and the Elks Lodge of Council Bluffs.
I don't know if it was Dean or Connie that rescued the work of the American Legion, but the American Legion had been collecting information on all the veterans buried in Spokane County. They started in the 1930s and kept collecting till about 1954, the Legion made a 3x5 card for each veteran, located the burial plot, sometimes looked up an obit for the veteran and listed the war the veteran had served in. The American Legion was going to throw out all this work because it was just taking up space and had not been updated since the 1950's. Connie was the extraction chairman of EWGS and as such she had the cards filmed and indexed the work done by the Legion. Thanks Connie.
The 1996 Spring seminar for EWGS was Patricia Law Hatcher at the Crescent Court April 20, 1996, cost $22.00. In June Dean hosted the first EWGS Retreat, they talked on increasing members for EWGS and updated the bylaws for EWGS. The October workshop was October 5, 1996 at Spokane Falls Community College, cost $22.00.
The 1997 Spring seminar was James L. Hansen (No relation) at the Inn at the Park, cost $30.00.
June 21 and 22, 1997 was my first rest stop. I wrote an article for the September 1997 Bulletin on my experiences there. EWGS cleared about $1500.00 for the book fund. Dean and Connie were there and here is their picture at the rest stop that I posted a while back.
Dean held another Retreat and they had a good meeting but were rather short of participants. The October workshop at Spokane Falls Community College was Kathleen W. Hinckley on October 4, 1997, cost $25.00.
Both Dean and Connie have passed away, Connie died August 7, 1999 and Dean on June 27, 2003. Both will be missed. Besides volunteering at the rest stop Dean appointed me to my first EWGS committee, the Distinguished Service Members committee, to pick an EWGS member to be a Distinguished Service Member. Turned out we did not recommend anyone. Thanks for having faith in me Dean.

EWGS Presidents Bette Butcher Topp

This is the thirty sixth in the series on the Presidents of EWGS leading up to the 75th anniversary in 2010. See the previous posts on Samuel Pool Weaver, Leora Cookingham Thiel, Susan Marie West Jack, Ruth Churchill Austin, Alfred Denman, Florence Ballou Brown, Harriet Jefferson Pinkham, Mary Elizabeth Dow Maltbie, Achsah Maltbie Rawlings, Lee DeGolyer Patchen, Susie Elliott Faubion, Edith Webb Nelson, Carrie Teats Lartigue, Guy Alfred Clumpner, Grace Ellis Woodward, Mabel Rue Frederick, Nell Hartman Peel, Edwin Allan Poole, Mabel Enid Rice Conrad, Helen Elizabeth Osborne Rowe, Dr. Herbert Hoover Osborne, Jane Merritt Logie Webster, Beatrice Cutler Mitcham, Marie E. Stone Larson, Lorena May Saylor Wildman, Raymond J. Fisher, Grace E. Kelso Garner , Catherine P. Cornehl Hyslop, Barbara J. Wirt Clarkson, Ruby L. Simonson McNeill, Jeanne J. Jones Holder , Jeanne M. Polumsky Coe , Maxine E. LeGrant Pence, Mary Kay McGlothlin Gant and Elizabeth Dale Hastin Smith



Bette Butcher Topp was EWGS President for four years 1994 and 1995, and again 2004 and 2005. So far she is the only person to be EWGS President for four years. Bette was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to Hobart Sampson Butcher (9 Jul 1898-14 Apr 1989) b. Spencer, Roane County, West Virginia. He married 23 August 1931 in San Diego, California, Gladys Vernen Moree b. 10 July 1907 at Plevna, Reno County, Kansas d. 24 July 1981 in Spokane, Washington. In 1952 in Yuma, Arizona Bette married John Andrew Topp, and if you read on Bette's website you will learn that he is a descendant of John Johan Topp from Estonia.
Bette also was researching during the time of surname quarterlies, and she was the author of Butcher Block, Carpenter Chronicles, Bush Branches and VA/WVA Queries.
Bette was also EWGS President in 1994 when the new Spokane Public Library Downtown branch opened, and we were so thankful that the genealogy section was on the third floor of the new library building. During the construction the library was in the old J.C. Penny's building and the genealogy section was just inside the east door, and a lot of "homeless" people would come in and promptly go to sleep in the gene section. While the library was under construction we met at the MAC, and the first meeting of 1994 was still at the MAC.
The 1994 fall workshop was at Mukogowa Fort Wright with Marvelene Carney as chair. Spring seminar 1995 was April 22, 1995 and featured Arlene Eakle. June 3, 1995 EWGS had the 60th Anniversary celebration. September 20-23, 1995 FGS/SGS Conference at Seattle, From Sea to Shining Sea. The October workshop was October 7, 1995 and featured George Ott and Wade Hone on Military Records. It was at Mukogowa Fort Wright and cost $22.00.
In the December 1995 Bulletin was a Cousins Corner featuring the common ancestor George Schwab b.c1610 Wurttenburg, Germany. The Four Cousins were Bette Butcher Topp, Charles Michael Hansen, Linda Wilke, and Leslie Wood. Up to then I did not know I had any German ancestors and then I find I am a cousin to Bette.
Bette became EWGS President again in 2004 and June 5, 2004 EWGS hosted Sabine Schleichert on German Research. The October workshop was October 7, 2004 and we had Leslie Smith Collier at Country Homes Christian Church, cost $18.00. Everyone liked her so much EWGS had her back for the spring seminar April 23, 2005. She talked on researching in Campbell County Tennessee and I had several families there, so I was really interested in her talks. The October workshop was at the Corbin Community Center October 1, 2005 and cost $10.00 but bring your own lunch.
Bette Topp is one of the hardest working members of EWGS and really deserved her becoming a Distinguished Service Member in 1996. She has been EWGS President more than any other person, and held chairmanships for many committees, and conferences, including WSGS conferences. She was even the Bulletin Editor once, and today holds two positions Library Liaison, and EWGS Emeritus. She also chaired the 75th Anniversary Celebration for EWGS, see the story here.

EWGS Presidents Elizabeth Dale Hastin Smith

This is the thirty fifth in the series on the Presidents of EWGS leading up to the 75th anniversary in 2010. See the previous posts on Samuel Pool Weaver, Leora Cookingham Thiel, Susan Marie West Jack, Ruth Churchill Austin, Alfred Denman, Florence Ballou Brown, Harriet Jefferson Pinkham, Mary Elizabeth Dow Maltbie, Achsah Maltbie Rawlings, Lee DeGolyer Patchen, Susie Elliott Faubion, Edith Webb Nelson, Carrie Teats Lartigue, Guy Alfred Clumpner, Grace Ellis Woodward, Mabel Rue Frederick, Nell Hartman Peel, Edwin Allan Poole, Mabel Enid Rice Conrad, Helen Elizabeth Osborne Rowe, Dr. Herbert Hoover Osborne, Jane Merritt Logie Webster, Beatrice Cutler Mitcham, Marie E. Stone Larson, Lorena May Saylor Wildman, Raymond J. Fisher, Grace E. Kelso Garner , Catherine P. Cornehl Hyslop, Barbara J. Wirt Clarkson, Ruby L. Simonson McNeill, Jeanne J. Jones Holder , Jeanne M. Polumsky Coe , Maxine E. LeGrant Pence, and Mary Kay McGlothlin Gant.

The next EWGS President was actually Donna Potter Phillips in 1991 and 1992, but since Donna is out current (2010) EWGS President, I will skip her till later to be able to include more on her. In 1992 dues were $12.00 a year and $150.00 for lifetime, while in 1993 they were increased to $20.00 a year or $300.00 lifetime, glad I became a lifetime member in 1992.



E. Dale Hastin Smith was born in Denver, Colorado, daughter of James Dale Hastin a World War II P-51 pilot that was shot down over France and spent about a year as a POW, part in France and part at Buchenwald in Germany. Dale wrote a nice article on her dad in the March 1994 EWGS Bulletin.
I don't ever remember Dale using her first name Elizabeth, but she did when she married Craig Douglas Smith, November 26, 1966. Craig was born in Seattle, Washington, and both Craig and Dale are baby boomers.
The Spring EWGS seminar was Henry Jones, March 27, 1993 at Cavanaughs River Inn and the cost was $20.00. The Fall EWGS seminar was Wade Hone on Land Records, October 2, 1993, also at Cavanaughs River Inn and the cost was $20.00.
I was a member in 1993 and I remember Dale as a hard worker, but in researching the other presidents I found out Dale had held many offices in EWGS and donated numerous books to the library over the years.

EWGS Presidents Mary Kay McGlothlin Gant

This is the thirty fourth in the series on the Presidents of EWGS leading up to the 75th anniversary in 2010. See the previous posts on Samuel Pool Weaver, Leora Cookingham Thiel, Susan Marie West Jack, Ruth Churchill Austin, Alfred Denman, Florence Ballou Brown, Harriet Jefferson Pinkham, Mary Elizabeth Dow Maltbie, Achsah Maltbie Rawlings, Lee DeGolyer Patchen, Susie Elliott Faubion, Edith Webb Nelson, Carrie Teats Lartigue, Guy Alfred Clumpner, Grace Ellis Woodward, Mabel Rue Frederick, Nell Hartman Peel, Edwin Allan Poole, Mabel Enid Rice Conrad, Helen Elizabeth Osborne Rowe, Dr. Herbert Hoover Osborne, Jane Merritt Logie Webster, Beatrice Cutler Mitcham, Marie E. Stone Larson, Lorena May Saylor Wildman, Raymond J. Fisher, Grace E. Kelso Garner , Catherine P. Cornehl Hyslop, Barbara J. Wirt Clarkson, Ruby L. Simonson McNeill, Jeanne J. Jones Holder , Jeanne M. Polumsky Coe , and Maxine E. LeGrant Pence



Mary Kay McGlothlin Gant was EWGS President 1989 and 1990, she was the daughter of Leonard Dale and Gladys Ione (Peebles) McGlothlin. Mary was born in Camas, Washington. August 18, 1956 in St. Thomas Church Mary married John Maxwell Gant Jr. John was the son of John Maxwell and Teresa K. (Schlintz) Gant. John and Mary had three children all born in Seattle, Washington; Susan Melinda Gant, John Stephen Gant and Elizabeth Jane Gant.
The Peebles family was from New York and came to Clark County, Washington in 1881.
April 22, 1989 Dr. George K. Schweitzer talked on the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and other wars, major genealogical indexes, and obscure genealogical sources. It was held at Casey's Restaurant and cost was $16.00 The Fall workshop was October 7, 1989 at Spokane Falls Community College.
November 11, 1989 the Quilt was won by Leslie Yach of Spokane and EWGS made over $1450.00 on the project started by EWGS President Jeanne Holder. See the article I wrote on the quilt here.
March 24, 1990, Dr. Arlene H. Eakle was the speaker at Spokane Falls Community College. In May EWGS was the host for the Washington State Genealogical Society Conference with Bette Topp chairman.
I first attended an EWGS meeting when Mary Gant was EWGS President, don't remember if it was one or two meetings before the end of her two years, I did join the next year. I was on an auditing committee with Mary and she was a stickler for accuracy.

EWGS Presidents Maxine E. LeGrant Pence

This is the thirty third in the series on the Presidents of EWGS leading up to the 75th anniversary in 2010. See the previous posts on Samuel Pool Weaver, Leora Cookingham Thiel, Susan Marie West Jack, Ruth Churchill Austin, Alfred Denman, Florence Ballou Brown, Harriet Jefferson Pinkham, Mary Elizabeth Dow Maltbie, Achsah Maltbie Rawlings, Lee DeGolyer Patchen, Susie Elliott Faubion, Edith Webb Nelson, Carrie Teats Lartigue, Guy Alfred Clumpner, Grace Ellis Woodward, Mabel Rue Frederick, Nell Hartman Peel, Edwin Allan Poole, Mabel Enid Rice Conrad, Helen Elizabeth Osborne Rowe, Dr. Herbert Hoover Osborne, Jane Merritt Logie Webster, Beatrice Cutler Mitcham, Marie E. Stone Larson, Lorena May Saylor Wildman, Raymond J. Fisher, Grace E. Kelso Garner , Catherine P. Cornehl Hyslop, Barbara J. Wirt Clarkson, Ruby L. Simonson McNeill, Jeanne J. Jones Holder , and Jeanne M. Polumsky Coe

Maxine LeGrant Pence was EWGS President in 1987 and 1988. Maxine was the daughter of Harrison O. and Evelyn (Bulis) LeGrant. Harrison was born in Palmeroy, Iowa and Evelyn was born in Medford, Oregon, but her family homesteaded in Plummer, Idaho and later moved to Spokane where Evelyn went to Lewis and Clark High School. At a party she met Harrison and his brother Eugene and a few months later Evelyn married Harrison and her sister married Eugene. Harrison was a builder and installed floor coverings. Maxine married Eugene Allen May 2, 1949 at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and they had two sons Jim and Jon Allen. April 21, 1967 in Whitman County Maxine married William B. "Bill" Pence, and he was the fire chief at Pullman, Washington till he retired in 1975 and then moved to Cheney in 1977.

Maxine came along during the time of surname periodicals, and she was the author of the Barnes Bulletin and Walker Footprints. She was also the person behind Pence Publications and she has three books in the Spokane Library; Pence Research Data 1988, Scottish Queries 1987, and Pence Family of Georgia, North and South Carolina.
In 1987 she invited all the member of EWGS to attend an EWGS Board meeting as they are open to all EWGS members. She was hoping people would learn more about the workings of EWGS. They also updated the EWGS bylaws. Washington's First 100 Marriages book was finally published. If you check the list of books donated to the library Maxine was listed in almost every list of book donors.