Grant County history

From Soap Lake Food Bank Volunteer Mona Kaiser:

The Soap Lake Food Bank will hold their Annual Membership Meeting and election of officers on January 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Soap Lake Senior Center. The Soap Lake Food Bank service area includes those in the City of Soap Lake, Lakeview, Westmont Acres, Grant Orchards and the surrounding rural area.

A member of the Soap Lake Food Bank is any person in the area defined above who contributes at least 6 hours of volunteer service or $25 by donation or foodstuff.

Those meeting the requirements are invited to attend the annual meeting. If you have other questions contact the Soap Lake Food Bank at 246-0164.

The Grant County Historical Society has compiled several volumes of Grant County history. The books are available for purchase at the Historical Society Museum gift shop in Ephrata.

These are memories of Grant County, compiled from taped interviews by the Grant County Historical Society.

Mae Higashiyama provides an interesting and unique view of Grant County history. Read on.

Today we continue the story of Mrs. Maeky (Mae) Higashiyama:

There was an incident in Woodville, California, where I was born in 1922. Dad was told by a fellow Japanese not to go into town because other minorities had been chased out of town, their houses burned, etc. But the good Lord must have been looking over them for Dad went about his business, grocery shopping, work, etc. saying “Let them get to know you.”

However, Mother purchased a corset, sewed pockets in it, kept all important papers and money in it and wore it at all times. For a couple of months they slept every night fully dressed. After the people got to know Dad he was in demand to prune their trees and grapes.

Some time before Dad passed away in 1962, my older sister Nellie and one of my younger sisters, Beti were talking with Mom and Dad. Beti asked how they answered the JP when they got married. Was the ceremony in English, how did they say “I do?”

Dad teasingly said he didn’t remember any ceremony. Mom got flustered and reminded him of this and that and the portraits and he said he didn’t remember. Nellie chuckled, and leaned over to Beti and said, “Well, then, we’re eight of the nicest you know what that I know about.” Now you know there are eight of us.

The first four, George, Nellie, Bert and I, were named by a man of German descent who worked for Dad. Frances, Rosie, Elizabeth (Beti) and Kathrine (Kathy) were named by the older four.

A sister below me had died, so I was the baby twice. Guess I was a little spoiled, always asking for this or that, but that was because I was constantly put up to it by the other three.

As a child I remember going to my first movie when I was about 5 years old, but the only thing I remember of the movie was that a building was on fire and thinking the theatre was going to burn up I got up and ran all the way home.

More from Mae Higashiyama next week.