The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-02-14
Mrs. Virinda Longmire Was Last
Woman Survivor of First Party
to Cross the Naches
HAD LIVED IN STATE
NEARLY SIXTY YEARS
Was Founder Of the Largest Fam
lily in Washington or Oregon Of
the Party Settlers in This See
ton

Mrs. Virinda Longmire aged 50
years, widow of James Longmire.
died in North Yakima Monday about
o'clock p. m. at the home of her
daughter Mrs. Talatha Handle. 113
South Seventh street. Mrs. Longmire
was member of the first party of
white people who ever passed through
this valley and was probably the last
lady surviving Of that original train
In September and October of 1883
she and her husband. together with 1853
others, the wagon train consisting of
thirty-five OK wagons, passed through
this valley, up through the Wenas
and over the Naches to Longmire
Springs in Thurston county where
Mrs. Longmire and her husband
made their home. Later her son
David Longmire returned to this val
ley and made his home on the prop
erty in the Wenas where the party
had camped on its way through. He
has been residents here for forty
years and one after the other other
years and one after the other, other
Came From Indiana
Mrs. Longmire and her husband
started from Indiana and We're six
months in making the trip through
to Thurston county. They and the
others with them were the first party
to cross the range north of The Dalles,
all their predecessors having gone by
way of the Columbia river Other
members Of the party were George
H. Hinees, now secretary of the Ore
n
the Oregon Pioneers association, and
Mr. Gilstrap of Tacoma, OF ,he Wash
ington Historical society. These two
gentlemen, with George Longmire,
whom they frequently visit, couple
of years ago went over the old route
and hope some day to mark it with
monuments.
To Mr.. and Mrs. Longmire belongs
the honor of having founded III
Washington family which now num-
bers over 100 members and which Is
larger than that of any other family
of the pioneers in Washington or
Oregon with one Oregon exception.
Nine Children Survive
James Longmire, who had served
several times in the territorial legis-
lature and who had held various
county office in Thurston county. died
in August. 1897 and Mrs. Longmire,
for the past eleven months. had been
in Yakima visiting various of her
children who live here. She was in
i'll health when she came and her
death resulted from the physical
weakness due to old age. The chill
dren who survive her are Elcaine
Longmire, who lives at Longmire
Springs; David of Yakima; Mrs. Tai
atha HANDLE of this city: Mrs. Laura
Longmire of Sequim. John Longmire
and Mrs. Melissa Rice of Yelm. Rob-
ert, who Is sheriff of Pierce county
and Frank of Tacoma and George
of Yakima Two children are dead.
Mrs Longmire was O. member of the
Christian church and her body will
be buried at Yelm. alonside that of
her husband according to the rites
OF that church
The news of the death of Mrs.
Longmire will be heard with deep re-
gret by scores of acquaintances in all
parts of the country who had met her
at Longmire Springs and by hundreds
of others who. though they had never
met her, had read OF her ir the his
tories of washington in which she
figured as a pioneer.
All of Mrs Lonsmire's children
had been here to visit her during her
illness and all but Frank and Robert
of Tacoma were with her at the time
of her death.