Evan James McClure (Mondovi)

This page is part of the Reardan History 1959 booklet that was written by the Washington State History class of 1958-1959.

The women of pioneer times wore half hoop skirts and bustles at parties and dances. These events were held at the homes of the settlers. The dresses were made by the women themselves, as money was too scarce to spend on finery.

Our family became very friendly with the Indians. A great many of them were living in and around Wellpinit on the Indian reservation, a short distance north of our home across the Spokane River. I learned to talk Chinook and had considerable dealings with the Indians. One old Indian squaw worked for us every fall for twenty-seven years, always digging potatoes, until she became too old to work. The family was always invited to the Indian celebrations. We would go on horseback and carry our food on our laps. The Indians would take us across the river in dug-out canoes. My wife has a beautiful beaded buckskin dress and numerous beaded bags and strings of beads given to her by Indians in early days. Every time she would dance with an Indian, he would pay for the dance with a string of beads.

The first school in Lincoln County was held in my brother’s cabin, a short distance from my homestead. This was called district Number One and the seven scholars who attended were taught by Miss Amerilla Waterhouse. A. J. Stevens was the first county superintendent.

As the county became more settled, there were lots of social functions such as house parties and dances. The music was usually produced by two violins, an accordion and occasionally a banjo.

Rev. [George] Whitworth, a Presbyterian minister, who lived in Seattle, would make frequent trips to Spokane and would usually come out to prayer meetings in the different homes. Reverend Whitworth was a well-known pioneer and had been all over the Northwest. Whitworth College was named for him.

I recall the scarcity of money during the first few years on our homestead. For weeks we would live on potatoes and sour dough biscuits. One day a hawk chased a prairie chicken into our cabin, and we caught the chicken and cooked it. This was the first meat that we had had for many weeks. I had ordered some berry bushes from a salesman for a later delivery. When they were delivered in the spring, I didn’t have any money with which to pay for them. I told the salesman I would have to cut some fence posts and deliver them to Mondovi, which I did. I had 25¢ left over after paying for the bushes and with this money I bought a meal.