Martha Alick was a Native American of the Yakima tribe and was born along the banks of the Columbia River, where she made her life long home in Hood River.
Martha, who was well known in the Hood River area in Oregon was a very hard worker, doing whatever she could to contribute to the welfare of her family. She did general house work, washing and ironing. She always went to the strawberry fields and when old enough, she took her three children, George, Virginia and Fred.
Her husband, Joe, also a very hard worker carried the mail in his good-sized boat from Hood River, Oregon over to the White Salmon, Washington area across the Columbia River. He was very proud of his hard work.
Martha went every fall over to White Salmon, Washington to prepare their fish for the winter, when the salmon run was on in the Columbia River. It was on one of these fall trips that great tragedy befell her. Joe had told her that after he made his mail run that he would come and get the load of fish, her and the three small ones. Martha, having a small boat of her own and very independent, decided she would bring the fish back to the Oregon side. While enroute, the sternwheeler "The Dalles" passed, creating wave action that swamped the boat. George was old enough that he was a good swimmer, but the two little ones were unable to swim. Martha tried desperately to tread water, while keeping the children's heads above water. In about fifteen minutes a boat came to her aid, but by then both Virginia and Fred were lifeless.
Sadly, Martha would loose all her children to the river, as George drown further down when he was but 28 years old.
Martha continued to work very hard and in her husband's later years of bad health, she was right there taking care of him. After his death she continued to live in her little home, where she welcomed those who came to see her, as through her hard work and caring of others she had made many life long friends.∼Native American of the Yakima tribe, daughter of a Yakima chieftain. She does appear in places with the maiden name of Yakima.
She said she was born in 1856 and was about 16 when she saw General Grant travel through Hood River to The Dalles.
Her husband was Joe Aleck another Native American from the Columbia River region.
Martha had three known childrn: George, Virginia and Fred. She was a very loving mother and when she lost all three to drowning in the Columbia River, Fred and Virginia as children and George as an adult she made certain they all have burials in this cemetery.
She was a good friend to Tswatha/Ellen Chenowith Underwood, who resided on the Washington side of the Columbia. Ellen was the daughter of Chief Chenoweth. They went back and forth across the river frequently to see each other.
Martha was a very hard working woman, doing washing and ironing for some of the white people in the Hood River area. She also was known to pick straweberries. She made lovely woven baskets which no doubt she sold some to help provide for herself and her family.
Martha, who was well known in the Hood River area in Oregon was a very hard worker, doing whatever she could to contribute to the welfare of her family. She did general house work, washing and ironing. She always went to the strawberry fields and when old enough, she took her three children, George, Virginia and Fred.
Her husband, Joe, also a very hard worker carried the mail in his good-sized boat from Hood River, Oregon over to the White Salmon, Washington area across the Columbia River. He was very proud of his hard work.
Martha went every fall over to White Salmon, Washington to prepare their fish for the winter, when the salmon run was on in the Columbia River. It was on one of these fall trips that great tragedy befell her. Joe had told her that after he made his mail run that he would come and get the load of fish, her and the three small ones. Martha, having a small boat of her own and very independent, decided she would bring the fish back to the Oregon side. While enroute, the sternwheeler "The Dalles" passed, creating wave action that swamped the boat. George was old enough that he was a good swimmer, but the two little ones were unable to swim. Martha tried desperately to tread water, while keeping the children's heads above water. In about fifteen minutes a boat came to her aid, but by then both Virginia and Fred were lifeless.
Sadly, Martha would loose all her children to the river, as George drown further down when he was but 28 years old.
Martha continued to work very hard and in her husband's later years of bad health, she was right there taking care of him. After his death she continued to live in her little home, where she welcomed those who came to see her, as through her hard work and caring of others she had made many life long friends.∼Native American of the Yakima tribe, daughter of a Yakima chieftain. She does appear in places with the maiden name of Yakima.
She said she was born in 1856 and was about 16 when she saw General Grant travel through Hood River to The Dalles.
Her husband was Joe Aleck another Native American from the Columbia River region.
Martha had three known childrn: George, Virginia and Fred. She was a very loving mother and when she lost all three to drowning in the Columbia River, Fred and Virginia as children and George as an adult she made certain they all have burials in this cemetery.
She was a good friend to Tswatha/Ellen Chenowith Underwood, who resided on the Washington side of the Columbia. Ellen was the daughter of Chief Chenoweth. They went back and forth across the river frequently to see each other.
Martha was a very hard working woman, doing washing and ironing for some of the white people in the Hood River area. She also was known to pick straweberries. She made lovely woven baskets which no doubt she sold some to help provide for herself and her family.
Martha Alick was a Native American of the Yakima tribe and was born along the banks of the Columbia River, where she made her life long home in Hood River.
Martha, who was well known in the Hood River area in Oregon was a very hard worker, doing whatever she could to contribute to the welfare of her family. She did general house work, washing and ironing. She always went to the strawberry fields and when old enough, she took her three children, George, Virginia and Fred.
Her husband, Joe, also a very hard worker carried the mail in his good-sized boat from Hood River, Oregon over to the White Salmon, Washington area across the Columbia River. He was very proud of his hard work.
Martha went every fall over to White Salmon, Washington to prepare their fish for the winter, when the salmon run was on in the Columbia River. It was on one of these fall trips that great tragedy befell her. Joe had told her that after he made his mail run that he would come and get the load of fish, her and the three small ones. Martha, having a small boat of her own and very independent, decided she would bring the fish back to the Oregon side. While enroute, the sternwheeler "The Dalles" passed, creating wave action that swamped the boat. George was old enough that he was a good swimmer, but the two little ones were unable to swim. Martha tried desperately to tread water, while keeping the children's heads above water. In about fifteen minutes a boat came to her aid, but by then both Virginia and Fred were lifeless.
Sadly, Martha would loose all her children to the river, as George drown further down when he was but 28 years old.
Martha continued to work very hard and in her husband's later years of bad health, she was right there taking care of him. After his death she continued to live in her little home, where she welcomed those who came to see her, as through her hard work and caring of others she had made many life long friends.∼Native American of the Yakima tribe, daughter of a Yakima chieftain. She does appear in places with the maiden name of Yakima.
She said she was born in 1856 and was about 16 when she saw General Grant travel through Hood River to The Dalles.
Her husband was Joe Aleck another Native American from the Columbia River region.
Martha had three known childrn: George, Virginia and Fred. She was a very loving mother and when she lost all three to drowning in the Columbia River, Fred and Virginia as children and George as an adult she made certain they all have burials in this cemetery.
She was a good friend to Tswatha/Ellen Chenowith Underwood, who resided on the Washington side of the Columbia. Ellen was the daughter of Chief Chenoweth. They went back and forth across the river frequently to see each other.
Martha was a very hard working woman, doing washing and ironing for some of the white people in the Hood River area. She also was known to pick straweberries. She made lovely woven baskets which no doubt she sold some to help provide for herself and her family.
Martha, who was well known in the Hood River area in Oregon was a very hard worker, doing whatever she could to contribute to the welfare of her family. She did general house work, washing and ironing. She always went to the strawberry fields and when old enough, she took her three children, George, Virginia and Fred.
Her husband, Joe, also a very hard worker carried the mail in his good-sized boat from Hood River, Oregon over to the White Salmon, Washington area across the Columbia River. He was very proud of his hard work.
Martha went every fall over to White Salmon, Washington to prepare their fish for the winter, when the salmon run was on in the Columbia River. It was on one of these fall trips that great tragedy befell her. Joe had told her that after he made his mail run that he would come and get the load of fish, her and the three small ones. Martha, having a small boat of her own and very independent, decided she would bring the fish back to the Oregon side. While enroute, the sternwheeler "The Dalles" passed, creating wave action that swamped the boat. George was old enough that he was a good swimmer, but the two little ones were unable to swim. Martha tried desperately to tread water, while keeping the children's heads above water. In about fifteen minutes a boat came to her aid, but by then both Virginia and Fred were lifeless.
Sadly, Martha would loose all her children to the river, as George drown further down when he was but 28 years old.
Martha continued to work very hard and in her husband's later years of bad health, she was right there taking care of him. After his death she continued to live in her little home, where she welcomed those who came to see her, as through her hard work and caring of others she had made many life long friends.∼Native American of the Yakima tribe, daughter of a Yakima chieftain. She does appear in places with the maiden name of Yakima.
She said she was born in 1856 and was about 16 when she saw General Grant travel through Hood River to The Dalles.
Her husband was Joe Aleck another Native American from the Columbia River region.
Martha had three known childrn: George, Virginia and Fred. She was a very loving mother and when she lost all three to drowning in the Columbia River, Fred and Virginia as children and George as an adult she made certain they all have burials in this cemetery.
She was a good friend to Tswatha/Ellen Chenowith Underwood, who resided on the Washington side of the Columbia. Ellen was the daughter of Chief Chenoweth. They went back and forth across the river frequently to see each other.
Martha was a very hard working woman, doing washing and ironing for some of the white people in the Hood River area. She also was known to pick straweberries. She made lovely woven baskets which no doubt she sold some to help provide for herself and her family.
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