This photo is the definition of "Fun Friday" at HHR, and it also introduces another wonderful collection we have at the museum. Harry DeWitt owned DeWitt Motors at the corner of 3rd and Cascade. We've seen him in some other images, but here he is with "Marguerite" in front of his garage.
You can see the 1905 Davidson building across the street. The sign in the window advertises it as the offices of the Hood River News.
Category: [Downtown Hood River]
Yum......Little Marguerite was named for her aunt. sister of her mother Georgianna (Baker) DeWitt. Must have been an ice cream shop fairly close by.
Charlott on 20th January 2012 @ 7:23am
The 1910 Hood River Census shows he lived at 912 State Street. I lived in that house for several years in the 1960's with my mother and step-father, Al Remlinger.
Jeffrey Bryant on 20th January 2012 @ 5:53pm
Oh! I love it Arthur. Brings tears to my eyes. I will have to look them up. I wonder if by chance they are Dutch or Belgian.
At a time of this winter storm, this is a brings a smile.
l.e. on 21st January 2012 @ 5:12pm
DeWitt would be a Dutch name as I have many Dutch names in my family starting with the De...
Charlott on 23rd January 2012 @ 7:10am
You are probably right Charlott, but I have Belgian names in my family that start with the De and that is why I was wondering.
l.e. on 23rd January 2012 @ 8:13am
Could be, as when the religious problems started in Europe a lot of people went up through Belgium, going into Holland and other areas before coming to America. One of my family names actually started in France, but by the time they moved for two or three generations to Holland, it was known as a Dutch name.
Charlott on 23rd January 2012 @ 9:06am
I have a question.
I checked Harry T DeWitt in the 1900, 1910 and 1930 census.
He is married to Georgiana F., but, there is never a child listed.
In the rootsweb ancestry Harry Talmadge De Witt and Georgiana F. Baker are listed but no children.
Do you know for sure I they had a child?
An obituary would help.
l.e. on 25th January 2012 @ 1:56pm
l.e., hopefully someone can jump in to clarify the Dewitt family tree. The photos show primarily Harry, "Pansy", "Willy", and Marguerite.
Arthur on 25th January 2012 @ 4:32pm
I thought I found a reference to Marguarite, but can't put my finger on it right now. Georgiana DeWitt was the daughter of William John and Florence H. (Alford) Baker.
Charlott on 26th January 2012 @ 5:02am
By the time I am done with with this, I won't be sure the gentleman is even Harry Talmadge DeWitt.
Harry (born 1880) married Georgiana Florence Baker (born 1885) on Sept 24, 1905.
Georgiana's nickname was Pansy. She had a sister Marjorie or Margarite (born 1887). A brother, William John (born 1889) and a little sister Katherine born 1900. I suspect the little girl is Katherine, but no way to prove it.
I have contacted someone who has done some family research and hopefully we will hear from them.
They indicate that the DeWitt's had no children.
As a side note: Katherine married Allyn Button. They were the parents of Dr. Alan DeWitt Button of Fresno. He passed away Oct. of 2010 and his obituary can be found online.
l.e. on 1st February 2012 @ 12:05am
Pansy DeWitt was the sister of WJA "Bill" Baker who married (2nd) my grandmother Martha "Bobby" McMullen Nickelsen Baker. I remember Pansy and Harry lived at the west end of Sherman and Rand Rd. On the South Side. My father may know ... Bob Nickelsen. Harry and Pansy DeWitt would be his step aunt and uncle.
Randy Nickelsen Clark on 1st February 2012 @ 12:15am
We have many more Dewitt photos with different groupings of family and friends which will hopefully clear this up a little. You'll meet one of their friends this Friday.
This picture has a contemporaneous note of "1918" and "Harry and Marguerite" on the back. I jumped to the conclusion that Marguerite was Harry's daughter. We'll figure this out soon.
Arthur on 1st February 2012 @ 12:27am
I just re-read your Note Arthur about the 1905 Davidson building. The little girl doesn't appear to be any older than 5 years, so maybe it isn't Katherine, who would be five in 1905.
l.e. on 1st February 2012 @ 12:34am
Pansy and Harry DeWitt had no children. Perhaps the children in the picture are Marguerite (b 1917) and William H. Baker (b 1920), who were the children of my step-grandfather Bill (WJA) Baker, Pansy DeWitt's brother. Bill Baker married my grandmother, Martha Lucille "Bobby" McMullen Nickelsen Baker in 1950.
Randy Nickelsen Clark on 1st February 2012 @ 11:33am
Thank you for contributing Randy.
I didn't realize both you and Arthur had commented when I made my last post early this morning.
I am now going to back out of solving this puzzle.
I think between you and Arthur, it is close to being solved.
l.e. on 1st February 2012 @ 1:11pm
Yes, there is another picture of this girl with an infant-- labelled Marguerite and Billy-- the ages look just right for Randy's ID. There is also a picture of "Bill and Billy" playing golf in the 1940's (Billy in a military uniform).
Arthur on 1st February 2012 @ 1:32pm
Yes, Billy Baker was a career military man.
Randy Nickelsen Clark on 1st February 2012 @ 2:43pm
No children in the DeWitt family might help explain why such a prominent couple have no headstones in Idlewilde Cemetery.
Jeffrey Bryant on 19th August 2013 @ 4:05am
From the Oregon News Jan. 10, 1918
VOL. XXIX
HOOD JUVER, OREGON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1918
OLD HOUSES
TORN DOWN
CREWS MAKE READY FOR GARAGE
I'nsightly Shacks to Be Replaced by Fire
proof Structure to Be Occupied
By H. T. DeWitt
Crews of men Friday began razing
five pioneer frame structures at the
corner of Third street and Cascade
avenue preparatory to the construction
of a fireproof garage for E. B. Clark,
of Portland. The oldest of the pioneer
buildings was erected in 1881 by John
Reynolds. Thirty years ago, Mr. and
Mrs. John Gerdes, following their wed
ding, moved to the structure. Five
years later Mr. Gerdes constructed a
store building adjoining his home.
Another of the old buildings now being
torn down by wrecking crews was for
merly Hood River's first livery stable,
occupied by E. S. Oilnger.
The new garage, to be of concrete
and tile construction, will be 100 feet
square and one story in height. It
will be occupied by Harry DeWitt,
who has taken the exclusive agency
for the Ford.
Tourtellotte & Hummel, of Portland,
are architects for the new structure.
H. Cramer, of this city, has the con
tract for erecting the new building.
The new garage, home of Hood
River Fords, will be one of the finest
structures of its kind in the state.
News of the improvement is being re
ceived with 'gratification by all local
men and women who take a pride in
the city.
When the wrecking crews razea the
old red shack at the corner of Third
and Cascade Tuesday afternoon, Hood
River lost all claim to a haunted house.
The top story of this little building, it
is stated, has been sealed for the last
15 years, and it was expected that
workmen might find relics of old-time
days. Nothing, however, was found
except huge rat nests and gigantic spi
der webs.
The improvement has brought con
sternation to about three dozen cats
that have made their home in the old
abandoned house. But joy reigns
among Hotel Oregon guests who have
occupied back rooms and whose sleep
many, many times has been broken in
to by midnight serenades of feline im
pressarioB and prima donnas.
l.e. on 4th February 2015 @ 8:21am