History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon. Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon

MR. AND MRS. FRANK YORK AND FAMILY         D.M.C.            1881

     Mr. and Mrs. York left Iowa in March 1881. They spent that summer in White Salmon and came to Hood River in November, settling on a homestead seven miles southwest of the station. Their family at that time consisted of five daughters and one son. Frank, the youngest son, was born at Hood River.
     The four elder children at once became pupils in the Barrett school, walking to and from school each day a distance of nearly six miles. Mr. and Mrs. York were busy and happy making improvements on their farm and fitting up their home to meet the needs of their growing family when an accident occurred which cast a permanent shadow over their household. The accident happened at the Barrett school when Rika was about nine years of age. In answer to the call of the school bell to get into the ranks, she collided with a pupil larger than herself, tripped and fell, rolling down the steps. She got up, took her place in ranks and marched in but soon after, complained of being sick and was excused from her classes.
     She remained in school until four o'clock, when she walked home with her brother and sisters. That night a fever developed and for a long time her life was despaired of, but she slowly came back to a degree of health but was a cripple. An operation gave some hope of relief and she was taken to St. Vincents Hospital in Portland where she remained for three months, then after an interval at home, she returned to the hospital, remaining there six months more. Then she came home to the anxious waiting family. It was midwinter and the snow lay deep over the valley, the roads were only partly broken but her father was there to meet the incoming train, not with a sleigh and strong horses to make the long pull, but with a little hand sled fitted with seat and back, with hot bricks for her feet and quilts to keep her warm.
     Tenderly the father wrapped the pitiful little figure up, for the long ride, then turned to take the ropes, but Joe Wilson had possession of them and said "He would play horse awhile", then while playing horse, boy fashion he ran away, leaving the father far behind.
     Mr. York was not a robust man and when he finally overtook them it was at the top of the long hill near the home. Rika told this incident to me several years later and ended her story by saying: "Mr. Wilson is a good man." Rika came from the hospital with her general health improved but with impaired hearing and able to walk only with crutches. She was a brave, cheery, sunshiny girl, thankful for every favor and determined to make every one around her happy, so in spite of her great affliction she was a comfort to the family.
     Her mind developed rapidly and she planned and thought for all and could perform almost any work in the house, and was always planning happy little surprises for others. She was a constant reader, retaining all the details of what she read her mind becoming a storehouse of knowledge. Another grief came to the family about the year 1890 when Tekla, the youngest daughter, was taken sick in the evening and died before midnight, supposed to have been poisoned by some weed which she had thoughtlessly eaten while driving home the cows.
     About the year 1893 Mr. and Mrs. York moved to Bellingham Bay. Henry York was for a time a cleric in John Cradlebaugh's drugstore. Kate married and moved away from Hood River and later died. Rosa married Will Crapper and is a resident of Hood River. Flora became Mrs. Henness of Bellingham Bay. She has twin sons.
     Rika lost both her hearing and eyesight and for several years before death was both blind and deaf, but her lovely character made her brave and patient to the last. She died at the age of twenty four years. Though full of suffering her life was beautiful.
     Mr. York died November 21, 1910. Mrs. York died at Bellingham Bay November 4, 1922 at the age of seventy three years.

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