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The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., October 20, 1955, page 4

CAMAS PRAIRIE
History of the Glenwood Area
BY JOSIE TROH

GEORGE GILMER
By Edna Triplett

The following story of George Gilmer, Klickitat County Pioneer, appeared in the Sentinel several years ago. He has since passed away, at the age of 90 years.

And this is a story of George Gilmer. A very abbreviated story. I might add, for to ride a full account of his life would involve a full length book and a far better writer then I to write it.
George Gilmer, is without a doubt, the oldest living a pioneer in Klickitat County - at least from the point of continuous residence. He was born in The Dalles, Oregon, March 23, 1860 - the historic year of the first Pony Express ride from Sacramento to St. Joseph, Missouri. In 1864, he moved with his parents, to Rowland's Lake, Klickitat County in the Washington territory. Washington was not admitted as a state until 1889 - 15 years later. The Gilmer family lived at Rowland's Lake for eight years. During that time George's father, William Gilmer, became very interested in horse racing and he and another settler, Amos Underwood began taking their horses into Gilmer Valley and matching them against the Indian ponies. Mr. Gilmer became more and more attached to valley with each succeeding trip and in 1876 he severed his roots at Rowland's Lake and moved his family into Gilmer where he took up homesteading.
By this time George was old enough to aid in the settling of a growing new country. He was at once assailed with the many tasks that came with opening new land. He toiled side by side with his father in clearing land, tilling soil, sowing crops and building a home. He vividly recalls the arduous hours of work he and his father put in in aiding the passage of other settlers into the valley. William Gilmer owned two yoke of oxen which were used for the express purpose of moving new inhabitants into the country. The settlers would camp overnight at the Gilmer homestead, which was located at the foot of the summit hill. The next day George and his father would bring forth the oxen and pull their wagons to the summit and see them on their way. They helped move in the Stumps and the Chapman, two early families of homesteaders in the valley.
During George's boyhood days at Gilmer, his only playmates where Indian children so it was quite natural that he should master their language. To this day he speaks the language of the Klickitat quite fluently.
George, like his father, became an ardent lover of horses and at the age of twelve he made his appearance as a professional jockey. He became quite a familiar figure on the racetracks at The Dalles, Oregon; Salem, Oregon and Walla Walla, Washington. One of the most noted races in which he rode was at Salem, Oregon, when he spurred Billy Bigham to victory over Ryestraw in 1872. Those two horses at that time, were as famous as our Derby winners of today. After three years of following the Northwest racing circuit he was barred from professional writing because of his weight, but he continued to ride at rodeos and fairs throughout the country. He rode his last race at the age of 84. This was at the Goldendale Fair and Rodeo five years ago. He was writing Ted, the locally famous Appaloosa stallion owned by his son, Johnny Gilmer. And, of course, keeping up his old standards, he crossed the finish line at the head of the pack. Up until two years ago, George Gilmer was always seen at the head of Goldendale, White Salmon, and Glenwood rodeo parades.
The dawn of the eighties found George working on the Columbia River as a deck hand on a wheat boat. During his river-roving he witnessed the building of the railroad on the Oregon side of the river. He was aboard the Harvest Queen, piloted by a Captain Troop, when she braved the rapids of the Cascade Falls. The Harvest Queen was one of the first river boats ever to attempt to this. At this time the boats were still portaging their cargoes around the falls by means of a narrow gauge railroad. George stayed with the river for three years before returning to Gilmer.
He took up homesteading on his own upon his return to the valley. In 1889 he married Minnie Bussenshut. She had moved into the valley with her parents in 1883. Four children were born to them - John W., Margaret May, Anna Elizabeth and Pearl Georgia. George recalls a time when the children were still small, that two of them were stricken with intermittent fever. The nearest doctor was at Hood River, so George began his journey by horseback to bring the doctor back to his stricken children. He was supplied with fresh mounts by other settlers along the route until he reached the Columbia River. From there he went by row boat to Hood River where he located the doctor and they began their trip back. The settlers were expecting their return and fresh horses were ready and waiting for them at different stages of the journey. The trip took an unbelievably the short time.
George sold his homestead and Gilmer to Tune Wyers in 1912 and moved to Glenwood, where he continued to farm. His wife passed away in 1934. He stayed in Glenwood until 1938 and then moved to the home of his son, John Gilmer, in Snowden and has lived their since of that time.
Today, at 89, George Gilmer is an amazingly spry old gentleman with a booming voice and a hearty laugh. He has seen and done many things. He held the postmaster's position at Gilmer for 29 years. He served as a peace officer in Glenwood during the prohibition days. He packed the first five cook-stoves in for the settlers at Glenwood by mule. He was a continuous school board member at Glenwood, Gilmer and Snowden for over 50 years. He recalls the day that the present town-site of White Salmon was sold for a sack of potatoes and a side of bacon by a man called Cultus Charlie.
George Gilmer's vivid stories of days gone by are probably too remote for the recognition of most of us, but those whose memories roam that far back, will readily recalled his tales of early White Salmon Valley days - and he has many of them to tell.