History of early homesteader continues

In recent issues of The Record we have shared the involved paperwork that early homesteaders had to complete and how they even had to involve their neighbors in the successful completion of the “patent” granting them the homestead. In the last issue the witness for John Unbewust was William Tinsley. The other witness was John Alexander, age 70, who lived a mile from John Unbewust and who cited as his neighbors John J. Curl and John Clark. Alexander had lived there six years prior to filling out the form.These documents give evidence about men who may have failed to file on their own homesteads but nevertheless left a good accounting of themselves if the names of the homesteader whom they signed for were known.

Last summer Gordon Herron tackled a major repair and painting project on the 45-foot tall tank house. The eight-sided base measures 24 feet across. The width at the mid-section is 12 feet. The tank is in the top section and is a 1,200-gallon tank. This tank house sits directly over the well, and the water is then gravity fed to the out-buildings. The walls were insulated with cardboard and burlap. Water did not freeze in the tank as water was always moving through it.

This tank house has been maintained well through the years; it was never allowed to fall into disrepair. The windows were replaced about 10 years ago because the original design allowed rain to pool against the frames and decay more rapidly than the present design, now built to cause the rain to run off. The windmill was removed and stored, and Herron would like to see it mounted atop the tank house again in spite of its extreme weight. The well now has a submersible electric pump which was put in during the 1960s. Prior to this, it had a piston pump.

John Unbewust was born January 1, 1858 in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, the son of Valentine and Catherine E. Unbewust, both German born. John was one of nine children, and until age 15 he worked like a man in the coal mines. At 15 he was running an engine in a factory where he worked as a wheelwright, and then learned the trade of blacksmith which remained with him a lifetime. In 1877 he went to Yolo County, Calif., where he tried numerous occupations before returning to Pennsylvania in 1883, where he was married on May 6 to Miss Catherine Elizabeth Smith. In June, they both went to Yolo County, and he worked in the harvest season.

In September of 1883, they arrived in Sprague, Wash. He immediately was employed as a blacksmith, and by November 2, 1883, he made an application for his homestead. His initial home was a rather small, crude cabin for his bride and himself, as half was their living quarters and the other half was the shop for his blacksmith trade, so he could earn money from his neighbors when possible.

His tenacity was shown by the great lengths he went to in order to ensure success as a homesteader. He worked in Sprague infrequently as a blacksmith and also worked in harvest fields in the Walla Walla district to earn money to continue making improvements on his homestead. He cleared his land, turned the virgin soil and managed to produce a first crop. Each year he struggled to increase his acreage.

As a father, he was a provider and caregiver, nurturing them as they grew. As was quite common in pioneer days, the Unbewusts lost their first-born child, Catherine, age 5, in about 1892:

“Sickness of all kinds was practically unknown in this neighborhood, but somehow that dread disease, diphtheria made its appearance. Several cases had been fatal and in one family two were taken. When the little Unbewust girls were stricken, of course everyone was afraid to go near. My mother was not afraid and each day found her in the sick room doing what she could. The younger child soon rallied, but each day Katie grew worse. Mother held her in her arms while the little life went out. My brother helped Mr. Unbewust prepare for the funeral. A long trip must be made to Sprague for the casket and a minister. Mother and I hurriedly fashioned a little white robe, and then all was ready. The sun was going down when slowly toward the little cemetery there moved the strangest funeral I had yet attended. There were nine persons in all, four of whom were on horseback. We came finally to the spot where perhaps half a dozen mounds lay on the lonely prairie. The dusk grew deeper. Lighted lanterns cast a dim and eerie light. We stood far back as the minister offered a prayer and another mound was made.” –Lincoln County Museum article attributed to a relative of the Kloster family.

The years of their greatest struggles occurred from the date of this death through the tribulations of farming until the relief of the crop of 1897, by which time they had four children, Martha A., Christine, Lizzie and George A. Receiving a high price for his good crop in 1897 he nearly found himself debt-free. In 1898, he rented extra acreage and continued to prosper. In 1900, he was cultivating two entire sections of land. In 1901, he had enrolled four children in Liberty School District #61, and his daughter Mary E. was born. Then two years later, he was director of the district. In 1903, he had his beautiful house built. In 1905, he was clerk of the district and in 1907 he signed the census as clerk and director. In 1909, Christine Unbewust was graduating from Harrington High School with classmate Oscar H. Billings. In 1911, George Unbewust was one of three graduates. John Unbewust was more than a family man, farmer, rancher, orchardist and blacksmith, he was also a Lutheran, a Republican, and a member in good standing of the Knights of Pythias.

In 1906, John Unbewust was spared while the driver of his wagon and team, William Garber, was not as fortunate. The two men were coming from the east across the only crossing in Harrington, where the visibility is nil with the many warehouses lining the tracks. Unbewust was able to jump out and clear from the wreckage when the freight train bumped into them. Garber was thrown out, and in some manner his leg was crushed. The Great Northern surgeon, Dr. Gunning, thought in all probability that Garber would lose his leg, and he was sent on to Spokane. The horses managed to escape free of harm and free of their harness while the wagon was “ground into kindling wood and beneath the railway car.” Even in those years, blame was sent out that “the train was going too fast and the crew were careless in giving signals.” Similarly, the Unbewust children rode in a rig with a team to and from school in town in the winter, and their team became frightened and ran away tearing up the rig and harness, but the children escaped uninjured.

John Unbewust was one of nine children, some of whom were out in the Big Bend Country. George Unbewust was born in Pennsylvania in about 1857 and lived in the Sprague vicinity in 1885 and 1887. He died January 1, 1889 at San Diego. His probate papers, which were filed in Lincoln County Superior Court stipulated that he had two living brothers, John, and Adam of Yolo Co., and a sister, Martha Herwig in Penn. In 1892, Adam was married and had four children on the Lincoln County Census.

“Pioneer Drops Dead. Adam Unbewust, a retired farmer of Bluestem and owner of the Grand Hotel building, in Edwall, died suddenly Monday morning from hemorrhage of the lungs. Mr. Unbewust was a Pioneer of Lincoln County and a brother of John Unbewust of Harrington.” (Citizen: 5-08-1908).

John continued on his farm in the Liberty district, four miles south of Harrington until 1915 when he and Catherine moved to Spokane to be near their daughters. John died in 1936 and Catherine the following year. Dr. George A. Unbewust took over the farm and began his veterinarian practice in 1917, following his graduation from Washington State College.