My Family in the Pacific Northwest: 1921 --1930

Table of Contents
1920's Poysky Sibling's Education and Employment

Tyne Poysky
Eva Poysky
Charles Poysky
Martha Poysky
Edward Poysky
Wayne Poysky
June Poysky

1920's Family Deaths
1922 The Great Astoria Fire
1920's Beaver Drainage District, Quincy, Oregon
1926 Poysky Boarding House Reputation Spreads Beyond Astoria
1930 Two Poysky Daughters Marry
1930 US Census in Clatsop and Columbia Counties, Oregon; Cowlitz County, Washington; and San Francisco County, California
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Website Index
Search this Site and Site Map

1920's Poysky Siblings Education and Employment
Tyne Poysky
1921: Tyne Poysky graduated from the University of Washington, Seattle, WA. with a BA in History. In 1920 and 1921 she lived in Boulevard Hall.

A niece reports that Tyne contracted Tuberculosis during the spring of 1921. After her graduation, Tyne returned to Astoria to recover.

In his family memoirs, Paavo Fellman (family relative/friend) names several women who worked in the Astoria Fellman Furniture Store in the 1920's. During the early part of that decade, Tyne worked there as a billing clerk. The store owner was Paavo's father Werner Fellman.

Paavo wrote he never knew if his father liked working with women; but it seemed in those days there was always some kind of controversy going on among the store employees.

“One day Dad told her (Tyne) to go see Syn't Strange, principal of the Astoria High School.” As a school board member of some influence, Werner Fellman had arranged for Tyne to be offered a teaching position. The Astoria High School year books for 1925, 1926 and 1927 lists Tyne as the history teacher. She later accepted a position as a history teacher at the Monterey High school in Monterey CA. She taught there for the school years 1929 and 1930.

Edward Poysky
Tyne's brother Edward was one of her students while she was at Astoria High School. In 1927, Tyne was the advisor to the senior class and Edward was the class president. “A clear fire, a clear hearth and the vigor of the game” was how Edward portrayed himself in the school annual. In addition to class president, he was an officer in the honor society, played basketball, football, and ran track. His future plans were to attend Oregon Agricultural College.

Eva Poysky
1921: Eva Poysky completed her first year of college at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA. She, like her sister Tyne, lived in Boulevard Hall.

1921: September. Eva Poysky entered Oregon Agricultural College, Corvallis, OR as a sophomore, majoring in Home Economics, Professional.

July 16 - August 24, 1923: Eva Poysky earned six semester hours of college credits during the summer session at Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon. Classes were American History, Character Training and High School Methods.

1924: Oregon State Agricultural College purchased Kent House as a home management home for their senior domestic arts students.

1924: The Senior Year Curriculum for Domestic Arts majors included a course in House Management - Housewifery. Department students were required to live as a family in Kent House and perform all the duties required for home and family maintenance. They took turns planning the meals, shopping and cooking, doing the house laundry, performing some type of home improvement project, and caring for the orphan baby that was a part of their 'family'. Years later, Eva remembered that when grown, the baby boy enlisted in the Army Air Force during World War II and flew missions over Europe.

June 9, 1924: Eva Poysky graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon Agricultural College department of Home Economics. Her degree was in Domestic Arts, and she was prepared to teach high school domestic arts classes.

1924 Fall: Eva Sophie Poysky's first teaching position was at the Naselle High School, Naselle, Washington. Naselle is located on the Washington side of the Columbia River, across from Astoria, Oregon, and 12 miles north of the Columbia River. Transportation between Washington and Oregon was by boat, as no bridge crossed the Columbia so close to its mouth. Eva recounted later in life, that every week she left Naselle on Friday afternoon to spend the week-end with her family in Astoria. Compared to Astoria, Naselle was a very small rural community with many Finnish farmers. Eva probably boarded with a family close to the high school.

Eva taught domestic arts and English. She also coached the girls volley ball team. The team won both of their games; both games were against the Kanppton girls. The Naselle senior class was comprised of 11 students. There were about 50 students in the high school; the faculty was two women and one man. The School superintendent may have also taught at the high school.

July 8, 1925: Astoria Evening Budget, Astoria, Oregon New Teachers Named. Two new teachers were appointed. Eva S. Poysky of Astoria to the position in a junior high school and Lloyd E. Sowers ... as the athletic director of the high school.

1926: Eva Poysky earned eight college units at Oregon State Agricultural College, Corvallis, during the summer session.

1927: Eva Poysky earned six college education class units at the University of California, Berkeley CA, during the summer session.

1929 and 1930: Eva S. Poysky was the Domestic Arts teacher at the Astoria High School. When Eva married the summer of 1930, her teaching career was over. School boards universally did not hire married women, although no such restriction applied to men.

Charles Poysky
1920: Charles Primus Poysky graduated from Astoria High school, and began his college career at Oregon State Agricultural College.

Martha Poysky
1924: Martha Poysky graduated from Astoria High School. Commercial courses were her major interest. She planned to attend Oregon Agricultural College as a Home Economics major. After one year at OAC, Martha returned to Astoria to work as a typist in a bank. She lived at home with her parents. She was an office worker her entire professional career; much preferring that to a career in home economics.

Edward Poysky
1927: Edward Poysky graduated from Astoria High School, and in the fall entered Oregon State Agricultural College as a business major. College tuition had been raised to $12.00 per term.

Wayne Poysky
1929: Wayne Poysky graduated from Astoria High School, Astoria, OR.

June Poysky
1929: June Poysky finished her freshman year at Astoria High School. During the 1920's the Matti Arvid and Sophia Anna Panttaja family spent long stretches of time in Astoria, and would visit with their close friends, the John Poysky's. June's future husband, Lauri Panttaja, was born in Astoria while the Matti Panttaja family was in residence. The Panttaja's also owned a fruit ranch in Reedley, CA, but Sophia Panttaja 'hated the farm' and much preferred Astoria living. The large contingent of Finnish farming families in Reedley did not compare to city life. When the depression struck, the Matti Panttaja's chose to move permanently to Reedley to survive the financially desperate times

Family Deaths in the 1920's
May 17, 1922: Matti Poysky, brother of John Poysky, age 49 years 9 months, 1 day, died. He was a laborer. His wife was Hannah Poysky, his Mother was Katie (Kerti) Poysky, and he had been born in Finland August 17, 1872. His father's name was not on his death certificate. Matti was buried in the River View Cemetery. Cause of death was myosortitis arteriosclerosis. Matti had lived at 2513 Birch, Astoria, OR.

July 29, 1922: St. Mary's Hospital, Astoria, OR. Charles Primus Poysky, eldest son of John and Sophie Poysky died. He was born in 1903. Cause of death was the infection of a frontal sinus. Charles was single, an Oregon State Agricultural College student who had finished his freshman year and returned to his home for the summer. It was customary for young men to work during the vacation to help pay their college expenses. Commercial fishing on the Columbia River was a natural occupation for these Astoria young men. While fishing, a hook has lodged in his frontal sinus, resulting in an incurable infection. This accident occurred prior to the discovery of penicillin. Charles was buried in the Poysky family plot in Greenwood Cemetery.

Jan 1, 1928: Hannah Katherine Poysky, born Sept 15, 1875, Uleaborg (Swedish name, Oulu in Finnish) Finland died. She was the widow of Matti Poysky. Her father was Oijala…and her mother Nivicard of Finland. She was buried Jan 13, 1928, at River View Cemetery, with her husband. She was 52 years of age and had lived at 325 8th St. Astoria. Death caused by Tuberculosis of the lungs. Death certificate information was given by her daughter Mrs. Culbert Thornberry (Saimi Mirjam Poysky Thornberry).

The Great Astoria Fire of 1922
Fire broke out in the Astoria down town district at 2:15 A.M. on December 8, 1922. Eleven hours later 220 businesses and homes were demolished. Thirty-two city blocks were destroyed.

Astoria buildings were wood, the least expensive and most available building material around. Since level ground was at a premium along the banks of the Columbia, buildings were on wood pilings above the high water line. Wood viaducts connected the streets to the buildings. One observer likened the viaducts to 'hollow and windy tunnels' that allowed the fire to spread into the town proper. Creosote was applied to the pilings as a preservative. But it burned vigorously and was not a fire retardant.

Three deaths occurred. One man suffered a heart attack trying to save an automobile, a fisherman drowned trying to step off his boat onto the dock too filled with smoke to properly judge the distance of the step, and a suicide by hanging was discovered. It was believed the suicide had nothing to do with the file. Cause of the fire was never fully established.

The water hydrants ran dry before they could stop the flames. The government dredge Clatsop was pressed into action to pump river water onto the conflagration. And loggers, used to working with dynamite, blasted a fire break that halted the fire's spread. Portland firemen arrived by train eight hours after the fire began, bringing both equipment and fresh fire fighters to help. Three thousand of their 5,000 feet of hose melted on the hot streets.

The city was rebuilt as soon as possible. Greater care was taken not to repeat the mistakes that allowed the Great Fire to burn so thoroughly. But some buildings remain on pilings over the Columbia. And a tunnel runs under the streets allowing easy access to electrical wiring, plumbing and gas connections. It could become a conduit for spreading another fire.

The Poysky Boarding House, in Upper Town, was about 20 blocks from the East end of the fire. The inhabitants of the house would certainly have seen the fire, smoke and probably had ashes fall on them. But the house was not in danger of burning. Abstracted from the Clatsop County Historical Society Quarterly, Fall 2002.

The Beaver Drainage District, Quincy, OR Continues Development in 1923
February 21, 1923: E.S. and Mary L. Collins deeded to G. J. Poysky a total of 896 acres of the Beaver Drainage District land. The selling price was $10.00 plus assumption of the remaining unpaid balance for the construction of the District dikes and pumping system. The bonded lien was $34.53 per acre. George Poysky and family moved to Quincy, OR after the purchase of this land. He became the director of the Beaver District, the engineer for the adjacent Marshland district as well as began developing his dairy farm. George was hired by E.S. Collins to survey roads so the Beaver District could be further developed.

The George Poysky's moved into the home on their property. Prior to the formation of the Beaver Drainage District, there had been a fish cannery, and home for the cannery owner, along the Beaver District stretch of the Columbia River. The home and cannery were built close to the salmon seining grounds.

February 28, 1924: G (George) J and E (Eva) F Poysky sold to Orrin Keatley, a married man, and Robert Keatley, a single man, 128.2 acres of land in the Beaver Drainage District for $10.00 and other considerations. The deed included responsibility for payment of the lien of $34.53 per acre. The lien being the remainder unpaid lien for the cost of construction of the Beaver Drainage District. Robert and Orrin Keatley were brothers of Eva Keatley Poysky.

The Poysky Boarding House Reputation Spreads Beyond Astoria in 1926
Ole and Lovise Johnson were born in the 1890's in Norway and married there in 1916. Each had a Finnish mother and Norwegian father, thus each spoke both languages. This ability served them very well when they came to America.

By 1923 the Johnson's were farming an eighty acre homestead in Rainier, Oregon. This was the same year that Longview, Washington, was founded by R. A. Long. When the time came for the fifth Johnson child to arrive, Lovise took up residence at the Poysky Boarding House. Esther Johnson was born at the Boarding House in 1926. In total, the Johnson's had twelve children, six girls and six boys. Esther was the only Johnson birth recorded at the Poysky's.

In the 1930's, the Johnson's, like most families, had to be masters of many trades to earn a living. Salvaging a sunken gillnet boat and rehabilitating it was a possible money maker. Ole located such a boat, moved it home, and then traveled to Astoria for repair parts. For these trips Ole would stay at the Union Fisherman's Co-Op bunk house or at Kella's. He could not afford the Poysky Boarding House rates. These memories were recorded by Mary Johnson Holmgran for the Clatsop County Historical Society, winter 2007.

Two Poysky Daugters Marry in 1930
No date: (Prior to July, 1930): Engagement Announced 'Of interest to many Astoria friends is the announcement of the engagement of Miss Eva Poysky, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Poysky, to Robert Leland Keatley of Castle Rock Wash. News of the engagement was made known at a dinner party last night for a few intimate friends and relatives. Miss Poysky is a teacher in the Astoria High school and both she and Mr. Keatley are graduates of Oregon State College”

July 19, 1930: Tyne Christine Poysky, of Monterey, CA and Jack Harris, of San Francisco, CA. were married by the minister of the Finnish Lutheran Church in Berkeley, CA. The marriage was witnessed by William Murphy, friend of Jack Harris, and Martha Poysky, sister of Tyne Poysky. After the wedding Martha returned to Astoria, OR to witness the marriage of her sister Eva Poysky to Robert Keatley on July 27th, 1930

Tyne and Jack moved to a home on Caselli Street, San Francisco, and took responsibility for the care of Jack's grandmother, the widow of a civil war veteran. They lived near Jack's sister Beryl Harris Trimble.

July 27, 1930: Eva Sophie Poysky married Robert Leland Keatley at her family home, Astoria, OR. Attending the wedding were Eva's parents John and Sophie Poysky, Robert's parents Robert and Luella Keatley, the bride's siblings Martha Poysky, maid of honor, and Edward Poysky. The groom's siblings Virginia Keatley Rowe, Eva Keatley Poysky and her husband George Poysky, (half brother of bride), and Dorothy Keatley Rock also attended.

The couple honeymooned at Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast. While there, Robert enjoyed fishing in the surf; he was an avid fisherman all his life. A nephew reported that the couple borrowed the Rowe family Buick for the trip. The Rowe children stood by the road side near their home in Brighton, OR, watching and waiting to shower the couple with rice as they passed through town.

The first home for the Keatley's was the farm in Beaver District, Quincy, OR. Robert had been building a house and a barn on this property in preparation of developing a dairy farm. A wedding present from the groom's family were some cows from the Sr. Keatley herd. While working on his property, Robert had boarded with his sister and brother in law, George and Eva Keatley Poysky.

The 1930 US Census: Clatsop and Columbia Counties, Oregon; Cowlitz County, Washington; and San Francisco County, California
Clatsop County, Oregon. 1371 Franklin Avenue, Astoria: John Poysky household: John, Age 69, owned own home. The boarding house - home was valued at $10,000.00 Wife Sofia age 60, occupation Boarding House Manager. Both spoke English. Household members, all single, included: daughter Eva, high school teacher, age 28; daughter Martha, age 24, typist in a bank; son Edward, age 22, no occupation; son Wayne, age 19 no occupation; and daughter June, age 16, no occupation. To the question “Attended school or college any time since Sept 1, 1929” the answer was yes for Edward, Wayne and June. There was a radio in the house.

Other house hold members included the Finnish cook Tilda Sirnio, age 44, who spoke Finnish; Ellery Larson, age 19, waitress, born in WA, parents born in Finland, who spoke English; and 15 male roomers. Of the male roomers, nine spoke English and six spoke Finnish. Occupations ranged from none (two 47 year old men); five fishermen, two laborers, two cannery workers, two janitors and one railroad man. All men except one were single. The roomer's ages ranged from 33 to 74 years, the average age was 54 years.

Oak Street, Clatsop County, Astoria: Leonard Poysky was listed as head of household, single, born in Oregon of Finnish parents, age 25, occupation sailor, unemployed. Living at the same address was his brother Oney, age 23, single, occupation gillnetter for Fisheries. He was not employed. The brothers were renters, rent per month was $2.00.

Quincy Precinct, Columbia County, Oregon: On Hermo Road George Poysky was listed as head of house hold, he owned his home, owned a radio, was 45 years of age, had married at age 32. He lived on a farm, occupation was dairy farmer, and he was not a US military veteran. His first language had been Finnish. His wife, Eva F. Poysky was 37 years old, had married at 26, and had no occupation. There were children in the home. All family members spoke English.

Olequah District, Cowlitz County, Washington: Robert G. Keatley was head of house hold, owned his own farm, and had a radio in the home. He was 76 years old, had been born in Virginia as were his parents, was a general farmer and was self employed. He was not a US military veteran. His wife Ella was 63 years of age, had married at age 21, and was born in Missouri as were her parents. Three sons were living at home, Robert L., age 33, single, occupation was tester for a milk association, was not employed, was a US Veteran from the World War. John H. was 25 years of age, single, and an employed general farm laborer. Stuart was 22 years old, single, also an employed general farm laborer. Neither John nor Stuart were veterans.

Caselli Avenue, San Francisco, San Francisco County, California: Omer Trimble was head of house hold, living in a rented house paying $32.50 rent per month and had a radio. He was 35 years of age, married at age 23, and was born in Washington, parents born in Iowa. He was a Pluter (?), working for a Lighting Fixture shop. He was employed, and was not a US Military veteran.

His wife Beryl was 34, had married at age 21, and had been born in Colorado, parents born in Colorado and Iowa. She had no occupation. Also living in the home was Omer's and Beryl's son, and William Harris, father in law to Omer, age 51, widower with no occupation. Jack Harris was also a family member, brother-in-law to Omer, age 30, single, employed as a salesman for Production Products. He was not a US Military veteran. Jack related, years later, that his father, William, had been thrown from a buggy while driving in a San Francisco street, and was never the same after the accident.

This effort is an on-going project, subject to the errors and omissions of all human activities. I gladly receive inquiries, corrections, additions and comments.
Email Jane at poyskyfamily@aol.com

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My Family in the Pacific Northwest, 1911 -- 1920

My Family in the Pacific Northwest, 1931 -- 1940

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Music: Jean Sibelius' Finlandia from Sibelius: Works for a Mixed Choir a capella (BIS CD-825) with the Jubilate Choir, Astrid Riska, conductor

My Family in the Pacific Northwest: 1921 --1930

Table of Contents

1920's Poysky Sibling's Education and Employment

1920's Family Deaths

1922 The Great Astoria Fire

1920's Beaver Drainage District, Quincy, Oregon

1926 Poysky Boarding House Reputation Spreads Beyond Astoria

1930 Two Poysky Daughters Marry

1930 US Census in Clatsop and Columbia Counties, Oregon; Cowlitz County, Washington; and San Francisco County, California

Email Me

Website Index

Search this Site and Site Map

1920's Poysky Siblings Education and Employment

Family Deaths in the 1920's

The Great Astoria Fire of 1922

The Beaver Drainage District, Quincy, OR Continues Development in 1923

The Poysky Boarding House Reputation Spreads Beyond Astoria in 1926

Two Poysky Daugters Marry in 1930

The 1930 US Census: Clatsop and Columbia Counties, Oregon; Cowlitz County, Washington; and San Francisco County, California

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