FAMILY LINE AND HISTORY
Vera Stanislaus Whitaker
1st of 7 children of Ada Agnes Chamberlin & Edward Lawrence “Ed” Whitaker
Born: Aug 11, 1903, Baker City (Paddy Creek), Baker Co., Oregon
Died: Aug 27, 1983 (age 80), Gearhart, Clatsop Co., Oregon (was living in Seaside)
Buried: Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton, Clatsop Co., Oregon
Occupation: Fred Meyer Department Store clerk in Portland, bookkeeper for Seaside Television Service
Married (1): May 16, 1923, Harold Eaton Wright, Baker City, Baker Co., Oregon
Divorced: abt 1937, Baker City, Baker Co., Oregon
Four children: Mary Jacqueline “Jackie” Wright, Neva Marie Wright, Thomas L. “Tom” Wright, Claudette Agnes “Claudia” Wright
Married (2): May 10, 1943 (registration), Russell Lloyd Cahill, Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon
No children
Married (3): Sep 30, 1947, Herman Gene Gillett, Seaside, Clatsop Co., Oregon
No children
Harold Eaton Wright
Son of Willard Walker Wright & Nellie Cora Warren
Born: May 9, 1899, outside of Baker City, Baker Co., Oregon
Died: Feb 17, 1974 (age 74), Baker City, Baker Co., Oregon
Buried: Mount Hope Cemetery in Baker City, Baker Co., Oregon
Occupation: Publishing company foreman for the Baker Democrat-Herald
Married (1): May 16, 1923, Vera Stanislaus Whitaker, Baker City, Baker Co., Oregon
Divorced: abt 1937, Baker City, Baker Co., Oregon
Four children: Mary Jacqueline “Jackie” Wright, Neva Marie Wright, Thomas L. “Tom” Wright, Claudette Agnes “Claudia” Wright
Married (2): Jul 14, 1942, Bessie Violet Larsen, Payette Co. Idaho
Married (3): May 6, 1961, Thelma Minerva (Gibbons) Mattes, Baker City, Baker Co., Oregon
Married (2): May 10, 1943 (registration), Russell Lloyd Cahill, Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon
(RUSSELL LLOYD CAHILL:
Son of William Cahill, Sr., & Mary Jane Sherman
Born: Feb 3, 1902, Patoka, Marion Co., Illinois
Died: Jul 28, 1968 (age 66), Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon
Buried: Lincoln Memorial Park in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon)
Married (1): Sep 30, 1922, Hazel Ruth Jackson, Payette, Payette Co., Idaho
Four children: William Alvin Cahill, Norman Dwight Cahill, Richard H. Cahill (twin), Robert Darrell Cahill (twin)
Married (2): May 10, 1943 (registration), Vera Stanislaus (Whitaker) Wright, Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon
Divorced: abt 1943 (after shooting Vera in a fit of jealously), Seaside, Clatsop Co., Oregon
No children
Remarried (3): Jul 15, 1950 (app date), Ruth Hazel (Jackson) Cahill (his 1st wife), Vancouver, Clark Co., Washington)
Married (3): Sep 30, 1947, Herman Gene Gillett, Seaside, Clatsop Co., Oregon
(HERMAN GENE GILLETT:
2nd of 5 children of Claude Leslie Gillett & Thelma Jane Sullivan
Born: Mar 22, 1922, Tillamook Co., Oregon (note: Herman was 20 years Vera’s junior)
Died: Sep 20, 1998 (age 76), Longview, Cowlitz Co., Washington; in a convalescent home of cancer
Buried: Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton, Clatsop Co., Oregon
Note: Herman and Vera were married 36+ years
Occupation: Cable man for Cox Cable Television in Seaside, Clatsop Co., Oregon
Married: Sep 30, 1947, Vera Stanislaus (Whitaker) Cahill, Seaside, Clatsop Co., Oregon
No children)
**********
Timeline and Records
Seven children of Ada Agnes Chamberlin & Edward Lawrence “Ed” Whitaker:
1. Vera Stanislaus Whitaker
1903 – 1983
2. Leonard Fenley “Len” Whitaker
1905 – 1965
3. Zelda Beatrice Whitaker
1907 – 1989
4. Donald Edward Whitaker
1909 – 1995
5. Melvin Lawrence Whitaker
1911 – 1943
6. Thelma Marie Whitaker
1912 – 1996
7. Edward Joseph Whitaker
1914 – 1978
Five children of Claude Leslie Gillett & Thelma Jane Sullivan:
1. Norman Leslie Gillett
1921 – 2008
2. Herman Gene Gillett
1922 – 1998
3. Verna Lafay Gillett
1924 – 1994
4. Beverly June/Jane Gillett
1930 – 2007
5. Glen Elmer Gillett
1932 – 1996
**********
Aug 11, 1903: Birth of Vera Stanislaus Whitaker, 1st of 7 children of Edward Lawrence “Ed” Whitaker and Ada Agnes Chamberlin in Baker (Paddy Creek), Baker Co., Oregon.
1905: Ed & Ada (Chamberlin) Whitaker, Howard Chambers (in middle), baby Len and Vera; in Paddy Creek, Oregon
Circa 1907: Photo of Ada and her two sisters, Nellie and Mamie with some of their children:
Chamberlin sisters: Ada, Nellie & Mamie, w. children
Ada (Chamberlin) Whitaker, her son Howard Chambers (at her elbow, born Dec 1898, abt age 8),
Nellie (Chamberlin) Chatfield (in middle), Mamie Chamberlin (at right)
Children standing in front: Vera Whitaker (pigtails, born 1903),
Donald Whitaker? (born 1909), Zelda Whitaker? (born 1907)
Assuming picture was taken in 1907: Ada would be abt 28, Nellie abt 33, and Mamie abt 18.
Vera Whitaker (pigtails) would be abt 3 or 4 (born in 1903), Donald Whitaker age a year or so, Zelda Whitaker 2ish,
and Howard Chambers (born Dec 1898) age 9.
Picture was taken at Paddy Creek, Eagle District, Baker Co., Oregon, Oregon where Ada & Edward lived at the Paddy Creek mine.
May 2, 1910: Federal Census for East Eagle Precinct, Baker Co., Oregon:
Whitaker, Edward L.: head, age 35, married 8 years, born Kansas, father born Vermont, mother born Ohio, miner in a gold mine
Ada A.: wife, age 32, married 8 years, 5 children, 5 living, born Texas, father born Michigan, mother born Illinois
Howard J.: step-son, age 11, born Colorado, father born New York, mother born Texas
Vera S.: daughter, age 6, born Oregon, father born Kansas, mother born Texas
Leonard F.: son, age 5, born Oregon, father born Kansas, mother born Texas
Zelda B.: daughter, age 3, born Oregon, father born Kansas, mother born Texas
Donald L.: son, age 1 yr 2 mo, born Oregon, father born Kansas, mother born Texas
May 14, 1915: Letter from Ada Whitaker to her sister Mamie and Ada’s children:
Spokane, Wash.
May 14, 1915
My dear Sister & Children –
Isn’t this cold, wet weather just awful and it makes one feel so lonesome and dreary.
Your letter and the one from Howard just came and I thought we would get one from Mr. Lumsden also but did not. I had a telegram from Mr. Strayer yesterday and he said a letter would follow so will get that in a few days now. I am glad you are getting along nicely and only hope all will stay well.
The baby coughs real hard but not often and mostly at night.
It still stays cold and very windy here but the cool weather is far better for poor Ed than the warm would be. I wish I might write you something encouraging about Ed’s condition but can’t, not yet anyway. Ed seems to get a little thinner and thinner every day and a little quieter. The sight has gone from his right eye entirely and he said this morning that the left eye hurts him now and it begins to look bad. You should see what quantities of morphine he takes – 15 and 20 gr and 25 grams some times in 24 hrs.
If Howard sends any pictures you can send them to me please. Doesn’t he write a poor hand and compose a childish letter for a boy 16 yrs. old? I wonder if after Ed is gone, I’ll have any trouble getting Howard home, in case I need and want him. I don’t believe I will. Well dear, I will write every two or three days and if you find time, do the same. Do you have any trouble with Thelma and Mildred quarreling and Melvin’s stubborness?
Did I tell you that Ed wants to be taken home to be buried. If you see Mr. Strayer again, ask him what I can do about it for I can not afford it now but could pay the expenses in the future, if he thinks that the expense could be put up when necessary.
If you see and talk to him, what he has to say write on a separate paper since Ed won’t see it for he always asks for your letters.
Mamie, the hole in Ed’s face now reaches from his nose right up to under his eye and straight across to his temple, then clear down his nose and a little below, straight across his cheek it is almost in a square and yet I can’t believe he is to be taken away. You never saw such a skelaton as he is, no meat at all, simply the skin and mussel drawn over his bare bones. And now he is getting bed sores, poor boy. It is pitiful to see and watch.
Love to all,
Your loving sister, Ada
Note: Mr. William Henry Strayer (b. 1866) was an attorney in Baker, Oregon
May 18, 1915: Letter from Ada Whitaker (age 37) to her young children:
Spokane, Wash
May 18, 1915
My dear little Children all –
Mamma hasn’t much to write to you only to ask you to be good. I received your letters yesterday but poor papa could not read them, but I did and was glad to get them.
Now Vera you know what you ought to do and can do to help Aunt Mamie. You can wash the dishes and on Saturday and Sunday sweep the kitchen and pantry and your bed room has to be straightened up every week and Zelda must help with the dishes and wash Thelma and empty the slops and try to keep things picked up in the bedroom and help dress the little ones in the morning and Len’s business I guess he knows, to get the wood and kindling, make the fires, empty the ashes, shake the mats and make your own bed and feed and water the chickens.
And don’t any of you go to communion unless you are sure you have no sin on your souls, and every time you go to confession tell every thing you can remember both great and small and then you will make no mistake and leave nothing out, you know it would be a most terrible thing not to tell everything in confession.
And tell Donald and Melvin to try and be good for I have told Aunt Mamie to make her a good paddle and to use it on all alike when they need from Thelma up. How does she get along, does she seem to miss her mamma?
You will have to look after Melvin the most. Vera you know how stubborn he is and Aunt Mamie won’t want to exactly kill him, altho she may feel like it so you take him in hand and relieve her of some of the trouble, and do lots of little things to help her for remember she is doing what very very few would do for us and it is hard work and lots of it.
It is going to rain again and we are so tired of it and I guess you are also.
When does your school let out? There was a big fire here last night. A six story building all burned to the ground.
You wouldn’t know your poor papa now he is so very thin and I don’t know whether I can bring him back with me or not so you must all be good and pray hard that you may meet him someday in heaven, where he will look as he did a year ago and more.
And now I must close and write to Grandma Chamberlain
With love and kisses to all,
Mamma
Note: Ada’s children: Vera (age nearly 13), Leonard (10), Zelda (8), Donald (6), Melvin (4), Thelma (2yr, 6 mo)
May 24, 1915: Letter from Edward Whitaker (age 41) to his children:
To Vera, Len, Zelda, Donald, Melvin & Thelma,
Papa is going away dear little souls and before I am gone I must write a little note to you all. Be good to mama always. Papa loves you very dearly and wants you all to remember him. I hope we meet again in the after hours. Good-by to you one and all for ever.
From your passing heart-broken papa. Promise to always be true to your Christian duties.
Good-by.
Note: the six oldest Whitaker children were staying with Ada’s sister, Mamie, in Baker, Oregon
May 26, 1915: Death of Edward Lawrence “Ed” Whitaker (age 41), the father of Vera Stanislaus Whitaker, in Spokane, Spokane Co., Washington; of a cancerous mouth tumor. Ed is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Baker, Baker Co., Oregon.
May 27, 1915: Morning Democrat, Baker, Baker Co., Oregon:
DEATH CLAIMS ED WHITAKER
Baker Man Passed Away In Spokane.
Ed Whittaker of this city, whose life hung in balance for several weeks at Spokane, where he went for treatment for cancer, passed away early yesterday morning, according to advices received by friends here yesterday. The body will be shipped here for burial and will arrive at 1:40 tomorrow afternoon. The funeral will be held Friday at the St. Francis Cathedral, but the exact hour has not been set. Mrs. Whitaker, summoned to Spokane about a week ago, was at his bedside when the end came.
The deceased was well known in mining circles, at one time being manager of the Paddy Creek properties and interested in others in this section for many years past. His wife and several children survive. Mr. Whittaker was about 45 years of age.
Jan 9, 1920: Federal Census for Baker Precinct, Baker Co., Oregon:
Whitaker, Ada A: head, rents, widow, age 42, born Texas, father born New York, mother born Pennsylvania, clerk in paper office
Vera: daughter, age 16, born Oregon, father born Kansas, mother born Texas
Leonard: son, age 14, born Oregon, father born Kansas, mother born Texas
Zelda: daughter age 12, born Oregon, father born Kansas, mother born Texas
Donald: son, age 10, born Oregon, father born Kansas, mother born Texas
Melvin: son, age 8, born Oregon, father born Kansas, mother born Texas
Thelma: daughter, age 7, born Oregon, father born Kansas, mother born Texas
Edward: son, age 5, born Oregon, father born Kansas, mother born Texas
May 16, 1923: Marriage of Vera Stanislaus Whitaker & Harold Eaton Wright, in Baker, Baker Co., Oregon
Apr 4, 1930: Federal Census for Baker City, Baker Co., Oregon:
Wright, Harold: head, rents, $25, age 30, married at age 24, born Oregon, father born United States, mother born Minnesota, clerk in paper office
Vera: wife, age 26, married at age 19, born Oregon, father born Kansas, mother born Texas
Jacqueline: daughter, age 5, born Oregon, father born Oregon, mother born Oregon (Mary)
Neva: daughter, 2 yr, 3 mo, born Oregon, father born Oregon, mother born Oregon
Harold: son, age 5 mo, born Oregon, father born Oregon, mother born Oregon (Thomas/Tom)
Whitaker, Donald: brother-in-law, age 21, single, born Oregon, father born Kansas, mother born Texas
Note: Vera is now married and her brother Donald is living with her and family
Apr 9, 1930: Federal Census for Baker City, Baker Co., Oregon:
Whittaker, A: head, age 52, widow, born Texas, father born United States, mother born England, circulation manager for newspaper
Zelda: daughter, age 22, single, born Oregon, father born Nevada, mother born Texas, bookkeeper for newspaper
Thelma: daughter, age 16, single, born Oregon, father born Nevada, mother born Texas, salesgirl in variety store
Edward: son, age 15, single, born Oregon, father born Nevada, mother born Texas, messenger boy for telegraph
Melvin: son, age 18, single, born Oregon, father born Nevada, mother born Texas, commercial salesman in hosery
Note: (Ada Agnes Whitaker, Vera’s mother) Ada’s father born in New York, mother born in Pennsylvania; children’s father born in Kansas
circa 1937: Divorce of Vera Stanislaus Whitaker & Harold Eaton Wright, in Baker, Baker Co., Oregon
1941: photo taken at Leonard & Margie Whitaker’s home in Corbett, Oregon:
Neva Wright, friend, Margie Whitaker, Russ & Vera Cahill, Jackie Wright, Zelda & Tran Alfrey
Children: Barbara Alfrey, Ardis Alfrey, Mary Alfrey, Claudette Wright
May 10, 1943: Marriage (registration) of Vera Stanislaus (Whitaker) Wright & Russell Lloyd Cahill, in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon. This is her 2nd marriage. They divorced not long after due to Russell shooting Vera in a fit of jealously, in Seaside, Clatsop Co., Oregon.
Sep 30, 1947: Marriage of Vera Stanislaus (Whitaker) Cahill & Herman Gene Gillett, in Seaside, Clatsop Co., Oregon. This is her 3rd marriage.
Jul 15, 1960: Death of Ada Agnes (Chamberlin) Whitaker (age 82), mother of Vera Stanislaus (Whitaker) Gillett, in Baker, Baker Co., Oregon; of pneumonia.
Jul 1960: Democrat Herald, Baker, Baker Co., Oregon:
— Obituaries —
ADA AGNES WHITAKER
Ada Agnes Whitaker, 82, 1710 Valley Ave., died Friday evening at St. Elizabeth Hospital.
The rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. today at West and Co. Chapel and mass will be said at 10 a.m. Tuesday, at St. Francis Cathedral. Father Charles Young will officiate and burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery.
Mrs. Whitaker, daughter of Lawrence (sic Frank) and Emily Chamberlain, was born in Ft. Worth, Tex., on Nov. 6, 1877. She married Edward L. Whitaker in Grand Junction, Colo., in 1902 and they moved to Baker County that same year. Mr. Whitaker died in 1915.
Mrs. Whitaker moved to Baker in 1917 and served as circulation manager for the Democrat Herald for 27 years. She was a member of the Catholic Church.
Survivors are three sons, Leonard of Roseburg, Ore.; Donald of Santa Paula, Calif.; and Edward of Arcadia, Calif.; three daughters, Vera Gillette of Seaside, Ore., Zelda Alfrey of Portland and Thelma Spencer of Baker; a brother Dr. W.J. Chamberlain of Corvallis; a sister, Mrs. T.H. Rosborough of Baker; 18 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.
Jul 1960: Ada Agnes (Chamberlin) Whitaker’s children at her funeral: Vera, Edward, Donald, Len, Thelma, Zelda:
Note: Two of Ada’s sons, Howard Chambers and Melvin Whitaker, are deceased
Aug 27, 1983: Death of Vera Stanislaus (Whitaker) Gillett (age 80), in Gearhart, Clatsop Co., Oregon. Vera is buried in the Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton, Clatsop Co., Oregon.
Note: The cemetery and headstone pictures are from Find A Grave and are the property of those who photographed them.
2021. Catherine (Clemens) Sevenau.