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

Baker County


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