John Lawerance Riley

When John was a young man his family lived in various towns in Ferry County. He served in the Army at Camp Lewis, in Tacoma, Washington. In 1922 he lived in Spokane, Washington and met and married Bertha Haidle on Sept. 30th 1927. In March of 1936 they purchased 40 acres of land on Fender Road in Colbert, Washington. It was at this time that Dad worked on a crew constructing Grand Coulee Dam, driving home each weekend in a 1927 Chevrolet truck. Nickels, dimes and pennies were saved in baking powder can and at Christmas time the money was divided three ways so Marie, Johnny and Irene could buy gifts for the relatives. John was employed at Ohio Match Co. and Bertha worked at White Pine Sash Co. The family fondly remembers times spent camping on the river at Post Falls, Idaho.