Thank you for your patience in our ability to get our square site linked to this page and the membership page. We’re all learners in this vast world of technology! Hold on to your hats! Technology isn’t bound to slow down. Thanks to our C0-Treasurer, Jack McGrath, for using what we jokingly call the calculus method so your donations and memberships are not taxed.

The first thing you will do is add to the cart.
Click on the cart at the upper right side of the page.
Once you click on the cart, you will be directed to payment, etc.

https://whitman-county-genealogical-society.square.site

September Monthly Meeting

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Membership brochure 2026

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Membership brochure 2026

To pay for your membership online, use the link below to our Square site.

https://whitman-county-genealogical-society.square.site/

We are currently reducing our library holdings.  We hope to post a new listing when this is completed.  In the meantime, please forgive us if we no longer have what you request.

Roots Tech will be March 3 – 5th, 2022.  It is again free and online!  If you would like to sign up, click this link or visit rootstech.org.

https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/next/

DOROTHY SEVIER MATSON
Dorothy was a lifetime resident of Pullman, being born 27 January 1920 to Henry Sevier and
Almira Lakin Sevier, the youngest of 6 siblings and 4 half-siblings. She graduated from Pullman
High School and attended beautician school in Spokane. She then returned to Pullman to work until
she joined the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). While in the Navy,
she was stationed in Washington, DC during World War II where she worked with decoding.
Following the war, she returned to Pullman and worked at Washington State College (now
University) in the mailing department until she retired. She married George Matson 7 January 1955
and he passed away 23 February 1982.
Dorothy had a thirst for knowledge about the past and the people of this area, particularly
things relating to Whitman County genealogy and history, with an emphasis on Pullman. She was
a cornerstone member of Whitman County Genealogical Society, a lifetime member, and the
researcher, who for years single-handedly responded to all of the people who wrote to WCGS asking
for help in finding out more information about their Whitman County families. She collected
information on people of the area and clipped thousands of newspaper articles, mostly obituaries,
but also anniversary celebrations, marriages, reunions and more. She pasted these articles on index
cards and several members of WCGS entered every name from these cards into a computer database.
WCGS then published three volumes of indexes to these cards entitled “Whitman County
Washington Families, An Every Name Index to the Newspaper and Resource Collections of Dorothy
Sevier Matson, Vols. I, II and III.” These three indexes (volumes) total over 650 pages of just
names! The original cards are stored at the WCGS library and are regularly used by WCGS
researchers and others visiting the library. In 2000, Dorothy donated her entire library and all of her
research files to WCGS.
Prior to her death on 18 August 2002, Dorothy made a substantial gift to Whitman County
Genealogical Society in memory of her brother, Dale Sevier. Dorothy’s dream had always been to
write a history of Pullman. Although she was not able to realize that dream in her lifetime, she knew
that Whitman County Genealogical Society would carry on her legacy of helping others who were
researching their Whitman County roots. She also knew that WCGS would help keep alive the
history and records of the Palouse and share it with others, through publications, research, etc.
WCGS felt the best way to remember Dorothy was to create an endowed fund to honor her.
WCGS selected Inland Northwest Community Foundation (INWCF), now Innovia Foundation, to
handle this fund. The fund was established in September 2009. The WCGS Endowment Fund and
Dorothy were featured in the 2010 INWCF Calendar and Annual Report on the month of July.
With the annual distributable income from the endowment fund, WCGS created a scholarship
in memory of Dorothy. The Dorothy Sevier Matson Scholarship was awarded for the first time in
June 2010.
WCGS is very pleased to be able to honor Dorothy in this way and feels this scholarship is
a perfect tribute to her love of the region’s history and genealogy and her support of education. One
of Dorothy’s favorite phrases was: “…for my own amazement.” We think Dorothy would be very
amazed, pleased and humbled to have this wonderful tribute to her.

Dorothy Sevier Matson during World War II

Good News!!

There will be an online talk to focus on life of Sacajawea’s son, this Saturday, February 13th at 1 p.m.
Jean Baptiste Charbonneau traveled more of the West as a baby than most people have in their lifetime. Charbonneau, also known as “Pomp,” was the son of Sacajawea, who traveled with William Clark and Meriwether Lewis and the Corps of Discovery. His story will be shared in “The Life and Times of Pomp: Jean Baptiste Charbonneau” at 1 p.m. Saturday during an online discussion by historians Garry Bush, of Lewiston, and Steven Lee, of Clarkston. After traveling through Idaho to the Pacific as an infant, Pomp grew up to be a fur trader, helped chart the Sante Fe Trail and was one of the first gold miners in California. He died along the Owyhee River in southwest-ern Idaho in 1866. Registration for the event can be done through this shortened link: bit.ly/3tvfwH6.  The event is presented by the Nez Perce County Historical Society and the Lewis and Clark Heritage Foundation Idaho Chapter. !

WCGS President Sue Kreikemeier with Samantha Rich and Dorothy Matson plaque

Each year Whitman County Genealogical Society presents the Dorothy Sevier Matson
scholarship to a graduating senior from Pullman. One of the requirements for this scholarship is to
write an essay detailing why family history, or history, in general, is important to the applicant. This
year a $500 scholarship was presented to Samantha Rich. Below is Samantha’s essay.

Many cultures view ancestors as guiding beings who should be remembered and honored even
after their passing. I believe this as well, especially through the power of genealogical work. Family
history provides inspiration from ancestors, allows one to become closer to those far away, and is an
act of service for other family members.

When reading the stories of those who came before one, inspiration comes very strongly. This
phenomenon occurs because one feels empathy of those they are related to and feels grateful for the
sacrifices and work that the ancestor put in for the family line to be in a better place. For example,
I felt this inspiration actively when putting together my senior project and discovered the story of my
great-grandmother who had traveled over the mountains of Peru to provide her then ten-year-old son
and 1-year-old baby a better life outside of the village that had no opportunity for them. This story
inspires me to work harder and take advantage of the opportunities given to me.

Because of my senior project, I had to work on improving my Spanish to adequately interview
my grandparents. This effort to connect is an example of how families grow closer through family
history work as they bond over stories, spend quality time remembering ancestors, and learn from
their own life stories. Doing such closes the gap that distance of time makes among family by
bridging it with the commonalities of ancestry and brings personal strength and confidence by
knowing that one has familial support.

Family history is not a simple task as it requires detail-oriented work to record the facts of
somebody’s life accurately. Therefore, by committing oneself to working on family history, one is
providing service to their community by completing such significant work. Once the genealogical
work has finished, then future generations can access the records and discover their roots just as
those who had done the work themselves.

Family history is a core principle of what I think is important for both a community and
individual identity to mature together. The power of genealogical work bonds families and helps
people discover themselves through reading the histories of their ancestors. After all, the people who
have lived before us are our blood and deserve the honor and recognition we can give them by
keeping their memory alive.

Samantha Rich, Marta Vergaray (her grandmother from Peru) and Petronila Rich (her mother)

Each year Whitman County Genealogical Society reviews Pullman High School Senior
Projects with the help of Kellie Glaze, PHS counselor, to find any projects which relate to family
history, genealogy, or history in general. If there are any such projects, WCGS then considers
awarding grant money to the senior to help with expenses associated with the project. This year
WCGS selected Evelyn Aguilar to receive $200 for her welding project. Following is Evelyn’s
description of her project along with several pictures. Congratulations, Evelyn!

MARCHING LUMBERJACKS MEMORIAL

My senior project was a welded piece as a memorial to Humboldt State University Marching
Lumberjack alumni who have passed on. The Marching Lumberjacks are the university=s marching
band and the school’s mascot is the Lumberjack. I plan to present the Memorial to the band at the
50th Reunion this November (2018).

The symbolism in my piece has special meaning throughout. The log represents the tree that
a lumberjack would cut down. The axe and hard hat placement signifies the end of the work day or
the completion of a task. The boots, along with the hardhat, are part of the uniform. The boots in my
piece are my actual boots that I have worn for all four years of metal shop, as well as in gigs with the
Marching Lumberjacks. Their placement is similar to that of the Fallen Soldier in the Armed Forces.

The last remaining item on my piece may not make any sense at first glance. Why is there a
rubber duckie? What does this have to do with a marching band or lumberjacks? The Marching
Lumberjacks end each gig by playing the song “Rubber Duckie” on their way out. This is called
ADucking Out@ by the band. By including the rubber duckie in this piece it represents those who have
ADucked Out@ and marched on to their next gig.

As I finish collecting the names of those who have passed, name plates will be added to the
front plaque area.

This piece is important to me because the Lumberjacks are my Afamily@. My parents met in
the band and I have been raised in the band. I even did my first gig at 5 days old. Once you have
become a member of the Marching Lumberjacks, even after you=ve graduated or moved on, you are
still a member. You are family. The Marching Lumberjacks have been a major influence on the
person that I have grown into today.