Wilson Creek historyThe Rev. David H. Crawford compiled and published a history of families in and surrounding Wilson Creek titled, "Family Memories of Wilson Creek Area." The book was printed in 1978, which was the 75th anniversary of the town. David's son, John Crawford, has given permission for those memories to be a part of this column.

Today we backtrack a bit and then continue the story of Adam Benjamin Hirschel, by Howard Hirschel:

Ben probably owned the first motor home in the area. It was built of plywood on a Model T Ford chassis, which was constructed at the home ranch with his brother, Harry, in charge of the project.

This unit was eventually replaced by a 1929 Buick car and a trailer. Ben was accompanied by his father, Adam, until the year 1937 when his father passed away in Lewiston, Idaho.

In 1932, Ben decided he wasn't able to continue the active part of farming and made an agreement with my father, Harry, as my guardian, whereby, I would purchase his farm equipment and assume a land purchase contract.

I will always be grateful to Uncle Ben for this action, which gave me a start in farming even though it was a depression time. He was very lenient with me. I suspect there may have been times when he had to make sacrifices and even worked in the fields in California to supplement his income if he was able.

Ben gave me my first driving lesson behind the wheel of his 1916 Model T Ford. He also purchased the first radio to be brought into the home.

He remained a bachelor; yet he was good to the youngsters around him. He was always kind and understanding.

Uncle Ben passed away April 9, 1943 at the Loma Linda Sanitarium and came home to the A. Hirschel Cemetery plot on the hill.

Today we also begin the story of the Elmer Hirschel Family by Pauline Keno:

Elmer Hirschel came to the Wilson Creek area in 1901 with his parents, Adam and Emma, plus his brothers and sisters. They settled on the farm now owned by Harry Hirschel and farmed by Jesse Knopp. Elmer claims something very few in this area can, and that is, of living on the same section of land since 1901.

On December 21, 1926 he married Florence Leibing of Teko, in Spokane. She is the daughter of Aaron and Tillie Leibing.

Mr. and Mrs. August Senske stood up with them. They purchased, moved to, and are now living on the quarter of land just south of the home of his father. It was owned by Marie Hirschel, his grandmother, who came from Minnesota with the family in 1901.

On January 16, 1930, their daughter, Paulene Mildred and first child was born. Two years later their son, Aaron Adam (Bud) was born in January 4, 1932.

In 1934 with the change of ways of farming, we saw the horses and mules go down the road in exchange for a T-20 tractor. This helped make farming easier and go much faster. There wasn't all the work of putting up hay and feeding of these animals. That's not saying the horses and mules weren't missed.

In the spring of 1938 it was decided that the little four room house was too small for the family. The old kitchen lean-to was taken off the main part of the house and moved down the hill a short distance and used for a chicken house. The roof was taken off the two main rooms and widened; this now makes up the kitchen, bath and bedroom. On the north the house was extended for the living room and another bedroom, and an upstairs was added making the house much larger.

We lived that summer in the old garage, still standing just south and west of the house. Bud and I thought this was great fun, but mother found it rather hectic trying to keep house, cook and can for us and the hired man.

Uncle Ben Hirschel, dad's brother, lived with us for several summers helping with what he was able to do. His health was very poor with a heart condition. Each winter he spent in California enjoying the warm weather there. In April 1943 he passed away in California.

Bud and I attended school in Wilson Creek all 12 years. We graduated from high school in 1948 and 1951. Pauline attended Whitworth College for three years. On July 8, 1951 she married George R. Keno of Fairfield in the Wilson Creek Presbyterian Church.

In 1953, Bud was drafted into the U.S. Army, spending two years in the service of his country. He had started farming the home place for dad before that. The two years he was in the Army his brother-in-law, George, farmed for him.

In 1959 Bud and Judith Ann Moyer were married on October 10 in the Presbyterian Church in Wilson Creek.

Bud purchased the Simons place at Stratford where he and his family now live. He rented his farm out in 1975 and went to work for John Deere Co. in Coulee City. They have six children, Dean, Charlene, Melaine, Evan, Leland and Helen.

George and Pauline purchased a farm at Fairfield where they built a new home and now live. They have four sons, David, Dale, Kevin and Timothy.