Bio: Bailey, Althea V. (Visits Greenwood – June 1939)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Bailey, Van Evera, Behrens, Hinker, McCormick, Andrews, Bishop

----Source: Greenwood Gleaner (Greenwood, Clark Co., Wis.) 22 Jun 1939

Althea V. Bailey, widow of a pioneer, Burton Lawrence Bailey, who in turn was the son of a pioneer of 1873, Abner W. Bailey, spent a few hours in Greenwood (Clark Co., Wis.) on Tuesday, June 20, 1939. Althea Van Evera Bailey, came to Greenwood in 1896, taught the 5th and 6th grades one year, married a town boy and settled here for a few years.

In 1902 the Bailey family sold their home on Main Street, now occupied by Mrs. O.C. Behrens and the Ed Hinker family, moved to Portland, Oregon, where Bert Bailey, as he was known here, died in 1918. His remains were sent to Greenwood for interment in the family plot, where all the older members of the family are buried.

The Old Bailey residence, built in the early 70's by Abner Bailey, who also sawed lumber, is now owned by the McCormick's and for the most part remains the same, but gone is Abner Bailey, who passed away in 1900, and Grandma Bailey who died in 1924; gone also is the picket fence in front of the old home and the tall poplar tree in front of the north wing, planted when a whip, by Dorey Bailey, who was killed by Lightning in 1891, in the carpenter shop on the corner (now Berg's photo shop). Grandma Bailey was town hostess for many years.

The family name and Greenwood tradition goes on through two of Bert Bailey's sons, Lawrence D. Bailey, born in Greenwood, and now U.S. Forest Ranger in Oregon, and Van Evera Bailey, architect, born and living in Oregon.

When in Greenwood, Mrs. Bailey called at the Gleaner Office and at the Library. In visiting with Mrs. Andrews, she recalled many interesting historical events of this city, known to her through family tradition. Recently, Mrs. Bailey has taken a four eyar extension course at the University of Oregon, and is now writing a story of western U.S. Forests, the hero "Ranger Bob" is her son, L.D. Bailey, and if and when it is published, she has promised to send a copy to Mrs. Andrews.

Mrs. Bailey is now returning to her home in Portland, after an extended visit in New York State and at the Fair, which she said was super colossal. On er westward trek she will visit in Los Angeles and attend the fair in San Francisco. She also visited Mabel Bishop on Monday and Tuesday.