Helen Marie EIDAL

Notes:

Of Kittitas County when she married E. Eugene Barnhart.

Helen Barnhart passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on March 12, 2024, at the age of 97. Per Helen's wishes, there will be no formal service. Helen was born on January 20, 1927, to Otto C. & Edith M. Eidel in Enumclaw, WA. She started school in Black Diamond, WA, eventually graduating from Ellensburg High School in 1945, where she met the love of her life, Gene Barnhart. They married on February 8th, 1947, having 60 wonderful years together. By 1966, they had four children.

After graduation, Helen went to work at the county courthouse in the Auditor's Office and worked a few other places to finally settle at what is now Old Mill Country Store, where she worked for many years. Helen was very active in the 4-H community as an assistant leader for many years. She was also Mother Advisor of Rainbow Girls and a member of Grace Chapter OES, serving as matron in 1973.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents, husband (Gene), and her sister Dorothy Massey. She is survived by her children Karen (Dennis) Nemeth, Kathie Gardner, Kenneth (Susan) Barnhart, Kevin (Elaine) Barnhart, as well as 11 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and her niece Barbara Bolm and nephew Gary Massey.

The family would like to thank her caregiver, Kari, and the hospice team.

Helen married E Eugene BARNHART on 8 Feb 1947 in Kittitas County, Washington. E was born on 7 Sep 1926 in Kittitas County, Washington; died on 10 Dec 2006 in Washington. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

He registered for the draft on June 5, 1917, in North Kittitas, Washington. He gave his permanent address as R. R. #4, Ellensburg, although his occupation was a teacher, employed by the state, in Port Blakely. He was single and was described as being of medium height with stout build and with blue eyes and light hair.

Later he was school superintendent.

In the 1928 Seattle, Washington, city directory, he was principal of Foster Grade School. His address was RD9.

In the 1930 census (indexed as Erdal), he and his family lived in Black Diamond Precinct #2, King County, Washington. He was a public school teacher. He was a veteran of the World War.

In the 1940 census, he and his wife and daughters lived in Langley in Island County, Washington, the same place but not the same house as 1935. He was superintendent of public schools.

Otto also registered for the World War II draft. At that time, he and Edith lived in Langley in Island County, Washington. His employer was the State of Washington, “Dept. of P. T. & D. operations.”

May have lived and/or died in Island County, Washington.

Find A Grave calls him Otto Charles Eidal.

Otto married Edith M MIDDENDORF on 1 Jan 1921 in Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington. Edith was born on 16 Nov 1901 in Illinois; died on 26 Nov 1992 in Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington; was buried in IOOF Cemetery, Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Washington Death Certificate: 031266

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer, Road Superintendent
• Washington Death Certificate: 6408

Notes:

Alison says: According to voter registration, was 52 when he registered to vote on August 19th, 1916. At that point in time, he had resided in Ellensburg for 28 years.

In the 1900 census, he and his family live in North Kittitas Precinct, Kittitas County, Washington, not far from the Wolds. The household consists of Christian O, 36, Sadie M, 26, Elmer O, 6, Otto Clarence, 5, Elna M, 3, and Edna, 4 months. Those are the only four children that Sadie has had. Sadie and Christian had been married for 6 years. Christian had come to the U.S. in 1886, Sadie in 1892.

In the 1910 census, he and his family were living on a farm that they owned in Ellensburg, North Kittitas Precinct, Kittitas County, Washington. The family consisted of Chris, 46, Sadie, 36, Elmer, 16, Otto C., 14, Edna or Elna, 13, Sarah, 10, a daughter Marrs (?), 6, and Roy, 4. Chris and Sadie have been married 17 years and it was the first marriage for both. All the children were born in Washington. The parents were born in Norway. Sadie has had 6 children, all still living. Also living with the family was Sadie’s sister Anna Digen, 24 and single. Sadie is shown as having come to this country in 1892, Chris in 1887, and Anna Digen in 1905.

In the 1920 census, they were in the same location, cited as being on Day Creek Road. ”Criss O. Gidal” is 55, came to this country in 1888 and was naturalized as a citizen in 1909. Sadie is 45, came to this country in 1892, and was naturalized as a citizen in 1909. Living with them were Mamie, 15, and Leroy, 14, both shown as students.

In the 1930 census (April 12), the family was living on what was referred to as State Highway Road, Route 4, in North Kittitas Precinct, Kittitas County. The family consisted of Olsen C. Eidal, 67, his wife Sigrid M., 56, her sister Sarah M., 65, a widow, and a lodger named Charles Peterson, 46, a single man. Sarah was first married at the age of 22, Sigrid at the age of 20, and Olsen at the age of 29. Olsen was born in Siddal, Norway. Sigrid and Sarah were born in Hadlin, Norway, and Charles in Tromso, Norway. The household was owned by Olsen and had a radio. Olsen came to this country in 1888, Sigrid in 1892, Sarah in 1881, and Charles in 1885. The Eidal family lived next door to David J. and Anna Marie Johnson.

Washington State death certificate #6408 (as Christe O.).

Naturalized as Christen Olson Eidal in Kittitas County.

From the Seattle Daily Times, April 15, 1949:

Christen O Eidal, Kittitas Valley pioneer and retired highway engineer, died yesterday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Frank T. Maxson, 5537 Penrith Road, after a long illness. He was 85 years old.

Mr. Eidal made his home in Ellensburg from 1887 until 11 years ago when he moved to Seattle. He retired as an engineer for the State Highway Department 11 years ago. He also operated a ranch near Ellensburg. Burila will be in the Odd Fellows’ Cemetery there.

Surviving are three sons, Elmer O. Eidal of Seattle, Otto C. of Ellensburg, and Roy of Los Angeles and Albuquerque; three daughters, Mrs. Warren F. Gilmour, Ellensburg; Mrs. Haskell C. Carter, Portland, Oregon; and Mrs. Maxson, eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

From An Illustrated History of Kickitat, Yakima, and Kittitas Counties:

CHRISTEN EIDAL is well known among the farmers and stockmen of Kittitas county. He first saw the light of day in Norway, May 15, 1864. His father, Ole Olsen Eidal, a farmer and millwright, was born in 1832, in Norway. He was an active public man, enjoying the trust and esteem of his contemporary townsmen, and died in the land of his birth in 1902. Gullaig (Christensdatter) Eidal, Christen Eidal's mother, still lives in Norway at the ripe age of eighty-one. Mr. Eidal enjoyed the advantage of being educated in one of the military schools of his native land. Hearing of the opportunities America offered to energy and pluck, he came, in 1886, to Minnesota, which state he left the following year to push farther to the west, choosing Kittitas county as his location. He prospered in his work to such an extent that, in 1895, he was enabled to buy his present farm, a tract comprising about seventy acres of well irrigated land four miles northwest of Ellensburg.

On September 2, 1893, Mr. Eidal and Segried M. Digen were married in Ellensburg. Mrs. Eidal is a Norwegian whose date of birth was 1874. Her father and mother are still living in Norway; the father, Michael Digen, having been born in 1835, the mother, Marguerite (Dalen) Digen, in 1845. Mrs. Eidal has two sisters, Mrs. Sarah Wold, near Ellensburg, and Mrs. Juliette Thompson, living in Minnesota; two brothers and one sister living in Norway. Mr. Eidal has one sister, Ingeborg (Eidal), now Mrs. Ole Bjore, living in Minnesota, one brother and two sisters in the old country. To Mr. and Mrs. Eidal have been born four children: Elmer Oliver, Otto Clarence, Elna Marguerite and Sarah Elizabeth.

Mr. and Mrs. Eidal belong to the Lutheran church, and he belongs to the Ellensburg camp, Modern Woodmen of America. In politics he is independent, belonging to no party but casting his ballot for the man best fitted, in his judgment, for the office.

When Christen Eidal settled in Kittitas county, he did so almost without a dollar, but, full of hope and energy, by the dint of relentless toil and perseverance his farm is now one of the garden spots which cover the valley. His annual crops consist in the main of timothy hay; he also conducts a small dairy.

He is optimistic of the valley's future, being of the opinion that any intelligent man who is willing to work jointly with his head and hands can here live a happy and prosperous life. Mr. Eidal's own experience here seems to have exemplified the truth of these deductions.

Christen married Sigrid M (Sadie) DIGENE about 1893. Sigrid (daughter of Mikkel Gudbrandsen DIGENE and Marit Eriksdatter DAHLEN) was born on 1 Jan 1874 in Digene Gård, Hedalen Parish, Søndre Aurdal, Oppland, Norway; died on 3 Jun 1938 in Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington; was buried in IOOF Cemetery, Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She arrived in the port of New York on 1 June 1892 aboard the Teutonic as 18 year-old Sigrid M Digen, unfortunately shown on the ship’s manifest as a male.

Not listed in the index of deaths in Washington. Either did not die in Washington or else died before 1940.

In the 1910 census, she is shown as having had six children, all six still alive.

Came to this country in 1892 according to the 1920 census. Naturalized as a citizen in 1909.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 11 Oct 1835, Hedalen, Sør-Aurdal, Oppland, Norway

Notes:

Residence in 1865: Digene Gård, Hedalen Parish, Søndre Aurdal, Oppland, Norway. In that census, the household consists of Mikkel, 30, Marit, 20, Siri, 2, Gudbrand Halsstinsøn, 60, Sigrid Mikkelsdatter, 62, and Abraham Gudbransøn, 22, shoemaker. Everyone was born in Søndre Aurdals.

In the 1900 census, the family was on Dikjene farm in Søndre Aurdals. The household consisted of Mikkel Gudbrandsen, b. 1835, jordbruger, Marit Eriksdr, b. 1845, Gudbrand Mikkelsen, tømmerkjører and jordarbeider (carpenter and farm laborer), b. 1876, Erik Mikkelsen, tømmerhugger, b. 1883, Anne Maria, budeie (milkmaid), b. 1886, and Martin Johnsen, dattersøn, b. 1891.

Called Mikke Nerbye Gulbrandsen Digene in the Norway Burial Index.

Mikkel married Marit Eriksdatter DAHLEN on 24 Sep 1864 in Sør-Aurdal i Valdres, Oppland, Norway. Marit (daughter of Erik Narveson DAHLEN and Siri Arnesdatter KVÅLSHAGEN) was born on 6 Nov 1845 in Bagn, Sør-Aurdal i Valdres, Oppland, Norway; died on 3 Jan 1933 in Hedalen, Sør-Aurdal, Oppland, Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 23 Nov 1845, Bagn, Sør-Aurdal i Valdres, Oppland, Norway

Notes:

Rose said that Julia’s mother came from Bang and she was right. (Also spelled Bagn, apparently.)

Died:
Died at 5:30 AM

Notes:

Married:
ages 29 and 17 in parish record entry