Belgian Town, Baker City, Oregon
We were asked about a Belgian Town in Baker City and after many questions of older citizens we found nothing, so filed the email away, having done our best. Then out of the blue Dora who has contributed information to the site, asked if a friend could contribute some new information, and to my surprise, here is a list of names and a photo of Belgian Town. You will also want to read Joyce's St. Elizabeth Story!!
By Joyce Spriet Verhaeghe Phillips Bryan
At the turn of the Twentieth Century, there were many immigrants to the
United States. This list is the names of many Belgians that came to live in
a little town, called Baker City, in North Eastern Oregon. It is a beautiful
valley, surrounded by the Blue Mountains. The Wallows mountains on the east
side of the valley, to be called by the locals, the Eagle Mountains, and to
the West side of the valley, the Elkhorn's.
The local economy was farming and lumber. The immigrants from Belgium worked
in the lumber mills to save money for buying their own farms or business'.
They banded together in a small section of Baker City, for companionship
with fellow Belgian's and this section was called Belgian Town by the
locals.
Resort Street South Baker City
Van Driesche, Julius b. 1877, d. 1958 and Alida
(Sharens)
Children: Cyril
Marcel
Frank
Elsie
De Vos, Edward b. 1893, d. 1956 and Marie (Lankriet)
Children: Andre
Irene
Wallaert, Henry, b. 1885, d. 1947 and Louise
b. 1884, d. 1969
Children: Julia
Adiel
Huys, Alphons b. 1882, d. 1975 and Leontine b.
1882, d. 1955
Children: Mary
Gabriel
Palma
Elsie
Huys, Camiel and Marie
Children: Mary
Ivona
George
Albert
William
Adeline
Gerard (killed by train, b. Sept 11,1917, d. May 31,1922)
De Bell, Camiel b. 1893, d. 1958 and Germaine
b.1897, d. 1987
Children: Simone
Vanderwiele, George b. 1890, d. 1959 and
Euphrasia (Huys) b. 1889, d. 1961
Children: Ivona
Maurice
Julius
Delepierre, Alfons b. 1878, d. 1925 and Irma (Verhaeghe)
b. 1890, d. 1936
Children: Mary
Lydia
Hilda
Marcel
Jeanette
Alphonse
Verhaeghe, Charles, b. 1873, d. 1956 (never
married)
Spriet, Ivo, b. 1882, d. 1930 and Alida (Verhaeghe)
b. 1888, d. 1972
Children: Julia
Frank
Willie
Marcel
Adeal
Wainsberg, Adolf b.1862, d. 1958 and Emerance (Sharens)
b. 1865, d. 1940
Children: Clara
Joseph
De Roest, Theophil, b. 1875, d. 1938 and Irma
(Spriet) b. 1884, d. 1972
Children: Mary
Maurice
George
De Roest, Philomon b. 1880, d. 1948 and Emerence
b. 1888, d. 1967
Children: Helen
De Roest, Bruno b. 1884, d. 1957 and Sybilla (Lankriet)
b. 1893, d. 1976
Children: Palma
Germaine
Hector
Mary
Andrew
Francis
Joseph
Leon
Donald
De Roest, August and Lisa
Children: Albert
Clara
Cogghe, Felix b. 1876, d. 1958 and Elodie (Van
Oost) b. 1886, d. 1941
Children: Hector
Van Beveren, John b.1883, d. 1968 and Eliza
(Mortier) b. 1884, d. 1977
Children: Margaret
Palma
Brackevelt, Staff and Prudence
Children: none
Wallert, Earnest and Julia (Pil)
Children: Palma
Alice
Julian
Wallaert, Modest, b. 1891, d. 1977 and Emma
b. 1891, d. 1979
Children: Marietta
Achiel
Patteau, Theophil, b. 1878, d. 1948 and Marie
Children: Rene
Charles
Bertha
Earl
Virginia Street
Van Beveren, Adoph, b. 1877, d. 1958 and Elolie
b. 1889, d. 1938
Children: Mary
Stella
Germaine
Albert
Florene
De Groote, Joseph, b. 1887, d. 1968 and Irma
(Van Beveren) b. 1885, d. 1950
Children: Mary
Julia
Florene
Marcel
(note: De Groote and Van Beveren were cousins)
Other Families who came to Baker and moved away:
Theophil Brackevelt
Joe Brackevelt married Germaine Cogghe
Angeles and August De Roest
De Bates (Adriana b. 1891, d. 1926)
Usnie Pil (housekeeper for the rectory)
Pete Vanderwiele, lived in LaGrande Oregon
Mortiers, lived in LaGrande (related to Eliza Van Beveren)
Henry De Rammelaere and Marie (Verhaeghe), went back to Belgium
Van Brockes
Fred Speelbrook, lived in Union Oregon. (changed name to Pembrook)
Tavern, Salina, Jeanette
Al Busling
Laine Latrae
This picture of the Elkhorn Mountains was taken the winter of 2007 by Clara
DeRoest, from the Theophil DeRoest Farm (still in the family). The red
buildings were once the farm of Henry Wallaert. The Ivo Spriet farm is just
below the DeRoest farm and is still owned by his youngest son Deal Spriet.
Source: Jeanette Delepierre Beck and Joyce Spriet Verhaeghe Phillips Bryan
