The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., May 20, 1937, page 5

BALLOU ENLARGES ON PIONEER HISTORY; CHURCH DATA GIVEN
Catholics Said First Sect to Operate in Klickitat County; Came with Fur Traders;
Protestant Historical Records Said Left to Memory of Early Settlers
By Robert Ballou

Editor Sentinel,
Goldendale Washington,

     I am much interested in the letters about pioneer days in Klickitat county, by Mr. T.D. Adams. It is wonderful there is a pioneer who has such a keen memory. I note in his last letter Mr. Adams has jogged back to what I shall term ox-team days. I feel that some facts he has presented are not exactly correct from a historical standpoint, both on and off the records. I should like to present some "corrections," based on data that I have assembled for my book - Early Klickitat Valley Days.
     Klickitat County (spelled Clickitat) was created by Territorial legislative Act in 1859. There are official county records dating back to 1860. Newton Burgen, born in the spring of 1860, was the first male white child born in Klickitat county, so far as can be determined for any printed history that now exist. Sarah Emily Golden, daughter of John J. Golden founder of Goldendale, was the first baby girl to arrive in December 1860. She is now Mrs. W.M. Barnett, Wasco, Ore. Leon W. Curtiss, son of Alonzo H. Curtiss who headed the first group settlement at Rockland in 1858, was born March 4, 1861. Frank L. Bunnell, who now reside near Vancouver, in Clark county was born a few months later. He and Mrs. Barnett are survivors of the first quartet the stork brought to Klickitat county. Ben Allen, now working some mining claims in southern Oregon, was born where Goldendale is now located in the spring of 1862. His parents left Klickitat county soon after his birth. He has never been back since. His father's name was William Allen. Ben Allen is not certain what year his parents came in Klickitat, but thinks it was 1857 or 1858. The family moved to southern Wasco County, near Prineville. His uncle, Ben Allen became a wealthy cattleman and owned a bank at Prineville after Crook county was formed.
     I note Mr. Adams fixes location of the Amos Stark cabin, in 1859, in the Spring Creek neighborhood. Not long ago I noticed an historical item in The Sentinel which said that this cabin was located on the Little Klickitat river west of Goldendale. Mrs. L.W. Curtiss, Northdalles, has been assisting me in assembling data about pioneer history. Her advisers are that in 1858 Amos Stark built a log cabin on the Columbia river and then returned to California, to settle up some business affairs. The next year, 1859, he came back with another man, Stanton H. Jones. Both are mentioned in connection with first activity at Columbus. I am now trying to get in touch with relatives of Amos Stark, to determine the exact location of this cabin.
     As to the first religious activity in Klickitat - it was by the Catholics, who came with the fur traders. Headquarters were at The Dalles and a mission was started in the Yakima country. Several volumes, compiled from church records, have been written about this. Just when organized worship by protestants began is a matter about which there does not seem to be any record to fall back on, so it must be left to the memory of surviving pioneers.
     Mrs. W.M. Barnett says it was in the form of old fashioned camp meetings, started in the early '60s. Mrs. Mary (Burgen) Wallis, who came to the Klickitat valley in 1859 with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John S. Burgen, says that the first church she and her parents attended was at Blockhouse and the preacher's name was Jenkins. She was 15 years old at the time, which makes the year date 1865. Mrs. Wallis, 87, now resides in Portland. She is one of the very few, perhaps not more than five, survivors of the original group of settlers that came to the Klickitat valley in ox-team days.

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., July 8, 1976, page 9
Includes photograph.

CATHOLIC HERITAGE DEEP IN COUNTY, CITY HISTORY

     The Holy Trinity Catholic Church is one of the oldest religious organizations in Klickitat County.
     Catholic worship, in fact, was well established in the Klickitat Valley when Goldendale was begun by John Golden in 1872.
     The first missionaries who reached Klickitat County from the north were the "Oblates." They came from Ahtanum (Yakima County) and they remained until 1855, the year of a great Indian war.
     Among the first missionaries was Catholic priest named Rev. Pandosi from Marseilles, France who worked long and hard among the Yakima Indians.
     With this priest and other early efforts, the Catholic worship had its beginnings in Klickitat County.
     The Rev. O. Laure, S.J. attended the religious wants of the Catholics in Klickitat County between 1872 to November of 1891. Services were held in the house of M.J. Kinney, on Klickitat Creek, five miles north of Centerville, where there was room for a priest and a chapel.
     After 1880, the Rev. A. Nronsgust visited the area to serve it from The Dalles, Ore.
     Mass was said in Centerville for the first time Feb. 17, 1884 by the Rev. Caruana in the Church of the Holy Family. Through the assistance of M.J. Tobin, a church was built at Centerville. The priest stationed there traveled a great deal of the time to remote parts of Klickitat County to do his work.
     In the fall of 1887, the Rev. P. Cuniffe, born in Ireland, was appointed Catholic priest for the area. He remained until Christmas of 1888. Couniffe instituted the real beginnings for the Holy Trinity parish in Goldendale when he improved the church organization and bought four acres of land in the city.
     In 1905, the Reverend V.C. Couvrette was appointed pastor in Goldendale. The present Holy Trinity Catholic Church was built in Goldendale about 1907. The church and parsonage were built by Thomas J. Twohig, contractor.
     In 1923, the Rev. Thomas A. Edwards became parish priest in Goldendale. His first move was to tear down the old church at Centerville and build a parish hall in Goldendale with the lumber. The original parish hall, even before this, though, served as the church for a short time.
     Much has been done since these early efforts to establish and solidify the work of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the years which followed.
     Klickitat River is the boundary between Goldendale and White Salmon parishes, with the exception of the town of Klickitat (and residential surrounding area) which remains in Holy Trinity, Goldendale. Lyle is attached to St. Joseph's Parish in White Salmon.
     Rev. John Marasciulo, who now serves Holy Trinity, was transferred in September of 1972 from St. Aloysius Church Toppenish to be pastor in Goldendale. During his pastorship Father John has reinstituted the annual St. Patrick's Day Dinner )traditionally held in Holy Trinity in its earlier history), and instituted an annual Mexican Fiesta celebrated the Sunday before or after the Feast of St. John the Baptist on June 24. There is also a christmas program with a family potluck held annually as well as an easter egg hunt each year.
     The most important program is the religious education instruction for all grade and high school children as well as bible classes for adults. All these are held weekly throughout the months from September through May.
     Father John has also a program for visiting the sick throughout homes, the hospital and nursing home. Volley Trinity Parish has a population of 478 parishoners. Rummage sales are held by-annually put on by the Holy Trinity Altar Society, as well as bake sales.
     The Holy Trinity Catholic Church, however, through the years, continues both to grow and to serve.

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., March 22, 1984, apge 3

CATHOLICS SEE CENTURY NEAR

     The Holy Trinity Catholic Church will observe its centennial in June 1984, when present and former members of the parish will join with visiting clergy and guests to celebrate 100 years in Goldendale.
     A parish spokesman said merchants in the community have been asked to cooperate in promoting the 1884-era theme of the celebration. "We would like to see the whole community participating and enjoying this event," said the spokesman, "by dressing and featuring that period of history.
     "Clubs and service groups can add to the festivities as well as build their attractiveness and increase their business," the spokesman pointed out.
     Some preliminary suggestions made in planning the centennial observance have included sidewalk sales and booths; quilts sales and demonstrations; pie social and watermellon feeds; old-fashioned contests like horseshoe throwing and beard growing; and displaying artifacts of earlier years in store windows or in conjunction with other activities in the school building.
     Further announcements are expected as plans for the parish festivities are made more firm.

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., June 14, 1984, page 1

HOLY TRINITY SET TO HOST CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

     Plans for the Holy Trinity Catholic Church centennial celebration this weekend have been finalized by its organizers.
     Melodrama, meals, dancing and an historical pageant are among the highlights of the June 15-17 festivities, pageant coordinator Vi Carter told the Sentinel.
     Events will center around the courthouse square, Carter said. Leading the Friday evening activities will be an out-door melodrama at 8 p.m. on the courthouse lawn. "Centerville Sal and the Bank Robbers," Directed by Bob Childs, the thrilling tale includes roles for Keith Silen, John Scarola, Karen Wyer, Scott Blonien and Bill Dressel.
     On Saturday, local American Field Service members will serve Foods of All Nations at the Methodist Church beginning at 11 a.m. AFS, which sponsors foreign exchange students here each year, will use proceeds from the meals to defray costs of an impending visit by a busload of foreign students to Goldendale.
     Carter said arrangements have been made with a number of Goldendale merchants to place "old-time" displays in their windows, and to hold a centennial-oriented sidewalk sale during the celebration. Circling the courthouse center of activities, noted Carter, will be booths and displays, where strolling minstrels will also entertain.
     On the courthouse lawn at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, the pageant outlining Holy Trinity's 100 years of history in Klickitat county will be presented. The pageant, a series of living scenes with chronological narration, will feature highlights of the events contributing to the area's development.
     Carter said two dancing demonstrations and a public dance are slated during the celebration. Following the Friday night melodrama, an exhibition of Indian dancing is scheduled to follow Friday night's melodrama, while the Jeans and Calico Square Dance Club will do-si-do for viewers following the pageant production Saturday.
     The Old Time Fiddlers are scheduled to provide music for a public dance beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Senior Center downtown.
     Meanwhile, Holy Trinity pastor, Fr. Seamus Kerr, said the parish has published a book outlining the history of the church's development in Klickitat County. The 80-page volume, in printing now, is described by Kerr as filled with old photographs and documents with explanatory notes of interest. It will be available, he said, for purchase during the centennial celebration.

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., June 7, 1984, page 3

JUNE 15-17 CELEBRATION
CATHOLIC CENTENNIAL COMING

     Holly Trinity Catholic Church members and friends will present the 100th anniversary of the congregation to the Goldendale community with a celebration of June 15-17.
     Plans announced this week by spokesman Vi Carter include a Friday evening melodrama on the courthouse lawn: Centerville Sal and the Bank Robbers. The Bob Childs-directed play, set to begin at 8 p.m., will feature Karen Wyers, Scott Blonien, John Scarola, Bill Dressel and Keith Silen.
     Confirmation of an exhibition of the Indian dancing to follow the play was received from Carter at press time. Further details were not available, but are expected to come later.
     The majority of centennial activities will be presented on Saturday, June 16. Included among them will be an early afternoon historical pageant of Klickitat county and the Holy Trinity history.
     Again placed on the courthouse lawn, the pageant will feature highlights of the many historical events which contributed to the development and early progress of the local area. Carter said the pageant is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m.
     Earlier, beginning at 11 a.m., the American Field Service organization in Goldendale will serve Foods of All Nations at the Methodist Church, using recipes from the group's recently published cookbook in raising funds to defray costs of providing four days' support for a busload of AFS students who will be in Goldendale at month's end.
     Carter said she has arranged with merchants in the downtown area to dress shop windows with "Old-Time" displays; she added strolling minstrels will wend their way through sidewalk booths and a lemonade stand where sales will continue throughout the day.
     Following the pageant, Carter said, arrangements have been completed to present at 3:30 p.m. demonstrations of square dancing by the local Jeans and Calico Square Dance Club.
     At 9 p.m. Saturday evening, a public dance will be held at Senior Center in downtown Goldendale, featuring music by the Old Time Fiddlers.
     Sunday's centennial schedule begins with regular Mass at Holy Trinity Catholic Church at 9 a.m.. In the afternoon, a special Centennial Mass will be celebrated at 4 p.m., to be followed by an invitation-only dinner at the parish hall.
     Father Seamus Kerr, pastor at Holy Trinity, said he expects a number of area Catholic dignitaries to attend the three-day celebration. Included among them will be former pastors here: Frs. Martin Skehan, Jim Hamilton, Paul Stecher, John Marasciulo, S.P. Duffy and Daniel Green.
     Other attendees expected include Bishop William S. Skylstad of the Yakima Diocese and Bishop Cornelius N. Power of Portland. Kerr said he anticipates confirmation of the presence of priests from as far away as Seattle, San Francisco and Ireland.
     An historical volume covering the activities of the Catholic Church in this area has been compiled. Kerr said printing is now underway, and the volume will be available for purchase by Saturday, June 16, for all those interested in a chronology of Holy Trinity, its predecessor in Centerville and ancillary activities in Wishram and the surrounding area.
     Carter, acting as coordinator for the pageant and other activities, solicits additional centennial-related events scheduling through contact with her. The public is urged to take part in the celebration of 100 years of church activity in Klickitat County, she concluded.

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