The trail from Ole T. and Helena Westby to Lady Lorraine "Rainy" Nord.
Beginning just a half mile or so east of Clayton is a cluster of farms steeped in history. Memories remain fresh for those who lived through a goodly portion of those pioneer days. Eddie Olson is one. He lives on a farm that includes the original small house and out buildings. Down the road stands the barn of Herman Johnson. Author of the facinating story recorded by Wallace Parker as found in our menu to the left, "Homesteading at Clayton". (You will relive a settler's life when you read this facinating real life story.) Across the road stands a huge well maintained set of farm buildings known as the Kratzer place.
A half mile east the Zion Hill Cemetery with over 450 souls at rest. Further east a short distance across the Stevens/Spokane County Line is Spotted Road. The History of the Westby settlement is well documented on Spotted Road. Also the Tysil Lutheran Church (later know as Zion Lutheran Church when it was moved to Deer Park) built by the Norwegian Settlers just south of Mason Road.
What is less known is the Swedish-Danish homesteaders, the Johnson/ Johnsen families. Just north of the cross roads of Spotted and Mason Roads, homesteader John Johnsen's stunning log barn still stands. Across Spotted road and about 1/4 mile South stands the place Louie Johnsen homesteaded.
Following is a short synopsis Of Louie Johnsens old place as told by Lorraine Zimmerer Nord and Her Mother Violet Nolan Zimmerer.
Louie Jonhsen passed away in the late 1930s. The place was up for sale and was purchased by Elmer Zimmerer in 1938 or 39. Soon he was drafted and spent the next 4 years fighting in WW II. He returned to farming and also worked at the Deer Park Pine saw mill.
In the meantime Violet Nolan worked at the Portland, Oregon, Vanport Shipyard as a welder, building battleships during the war as a "Rosie the Riveter." Violet returned to her parent's place in Spokane having moved off the Westby homestead located a half mile south of Elmer's farm. Violet got a job at Carsteens Meat Packing where her father Cloyd Nolan was employed. Her first husband abandned her, her son Ron and daughter Lorraine and thus were divorced. She then started dating Elmer. They were Married February 22, 1947. They built a new house, a few out buildings, bought some livestock including milk cows, and cleared more timberland for hay fields. To this very day with her son Ron living just down the road and Warren and Rainy a couple 2 or 3 miles away, Violet lives in total harmony at peace with the world.
Rainy (Elmer gave her her nick name and it stuck) says, "Life was good! We were a happy family, then Elmer got sick in the fall of 1949- cancer and died November 7, 1949."
"It was hard for Mom and us kids. Then a horse came into my life. I remember coming home from school. Mom told me go look down in the barn to see what was in the haymow. There was my horse Babe, the prettiest sorrel, with blazed face, flaxen mane & tail and 3 white stockings. Boy was I ever a happy kid."
A half mile east the Zion Hill Cemetery with over 450 souls at rest. Further east a short distance across the Stevens/Spokane County Line is Spotted Road. The History of the Westby settlement is well documented on Spotted Road. Also the Tysil Lutheran Church (later know as Zion Lutheran Church when it was moved to Deer Park) built by the Norwegian Settlers just south of Mason Road.
What is less known is the Swedish-Danish homesteaders, the Johnson/ Johnsen families. Just north of the cross roads of Spotted and Mason Roads, homesteader John Johnsen's stunning log barn still stands. Across Spotted road and about 1/4 mile South stands the place Louie Johnsen homesteaded.
Following is a short synopsis Of Louie Johnsens old place as told by Lorraine Zimmerer Nord and Her Mother Violet Nolan Zimmerer.
Louie Jonhsen passed away in the late 1930s. The place was up for sale and was purchased by Elmer Zimmerer in 1938 or 39. Soon he was drafted and spent the next 4 years fighting in WW II. He returned to farming and also worked at the Deer Park Pine saw mill.
In the meantime Violet Nolan worked at the Portland, Oregon, Vanport Shipyard as a welder, building battleships during the war as a "Rosie the Riveter." Violet returned to her parent's place in Spokane having moved off the Westby homestead located a half mile south of Elmer's farm. Violet got a job at Carsteens Meat Packing where her father Cloyd Nolan was employed. Her first husband abandned her, her son Ron and daughter Lorraine and thus were divorced. She then started dating Elmer. They were Married February 22, 1947. They built a new house, a few out buildings, bought some livestock including milk cows, and cleared more timberland for hay fields. To this very day with her son Ron living just down the road and Warren and Rainy a couple 2 or 3 miles away, Violet lives in total harmony at peace with the world.
Rainy (Elmer gave her her nick name and it stuck) says, "Life was good! We were a happy family, then Elmer got sick in the fall of 1949- cancer and died November 7, 1949."
"It was hard for Mom and us kids. Then a horse came into my life. I remember coming home from school. Mom told me go look down in the barn to see what was in the haymow. There was my horse Babe, the prettiest sorrel, with blazed face, flaxen mane & tail and 3 white stockings. Boy was I ever a happy kid."
This photo, circa summer 1901, of Helena with Ole T. Westby, Great Grand Parents of Rainy Zimmerer Nord. Ida is the mother of Violet Zimmerer, Grandmother of Lorraine RAINY Nord.
One of many Forreston Westby students, Ida. Little Ida got her entire education at this one room school. She was married to Cloyd G. Nolan in 1915. The birth of Harris followed the next year. He was followed by Clarice, Floyd, and last but not least, Violet.
No one, to our knowledge, has been able to positively identify these two men. However, Ken Westby states that his Grandfather, Ole T. Westby was a blacksmith in Clayton around the turn of the century. Please let us know if you are able to identify either of these men. Mission accomplished. Violet Zimmerer states, This is definitely Ole T. Westby.
Violet (Nolan) Zimmerer, Lilly (Nolan) LaRoche, Ida (Westby) Nolan, Dorothy (Nolan) Lindh.
WARREN AND LORRAINE (ZIMMERER) NORD
Near Eddie Olson's present home stands this old farm house.
Where the Herman Johnson tale unwinds.
The Kratzer spread
The very peaceful Trysil Zion Cemetery
The log barn built by John Johnsen, still standing straight and strong.
The original house of Louie, then Violet and Elmer's.
The ground level haymow where Rainy got her first glimpse of BABE.
Louie Johnsen's barn he built at the turn of the 19th century and now sweet Violets.
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The first Forreston School, and one of the early students was little Ida Westby
Lorraine Marie Zimmerer, "Rainy" Class of 1960, from the 1960 DPHS Antler.
Lorraine Nord as of 08-08-08.
Here is Warren celebrating his 80th birthday with one of his and Rainy's Grand daughters.
THE NORDS. Left front. Alexander Hoffman, Lorraine (Zimmerer) Nord, Catherine Hoffman, Warren Nord, Violet (Nolan) Zimmerer, Maygen Nord, Colesen Nord. Left back. Russell Hoffman, Tracy (Nord) Hoffman, Jason Hoffman, Cory Nord, Ammy (Davis) Nord.
Left front. Jason Hoffman, Catherine Hoffman, Russell Hoffman, Alexander Hoffman, Colesen Nord, Maygen Nord. Left back. Tracy (Nord) Hoffman, Cory Nord, Ammy (Davis) Nord.
The Zimmerer family photo. Front row L-R. Claudia Cundy, Clara Zimmerer, Lorraine (Rainy) Zimmerer, Ronald Zimmerer, Taurence Edward Zimmerer. Hazel Zimmerer, Roxie Zimmerer, Julia Zimmerer. Back row L-R. Elmer and Violet Zimmerer, Mary (holding Daughter Linda) and Lawrence Zimmerer, Harry Zimmerer, Pearl and John Zimmerer.
This 4th Generation shows Ida Westby Nolan, Mother to Violet besider her, Grandmother to Lorraine Zimmerer Nord directly in front of the two Great Grandmother to Rainy Nord's Daughter Tracy.
So Rainy and Babe grew up and grew close. Over the 23 years Babe foaled 6 colts and she was half the team that gave Rainy the love of Horses she will take with her the rest of her life. The other half of the team is pictured below.
This black blaze faced gelding that Rainy's family kind of adopted is John Green. He was Leno's pride, and was purchased with Carl Lindh from the LeBretes in Wellpinit. He was somewhat cantankerous but always a sight to behold..
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