Our Family Stories

Narcissus Jones Needham Stonebraker: Obituary from the Ellensburg Daily Record, published October 18, 1978

"County's oldest resident dies"

"Narcissus Needham Stonebreaker¹, 103, believed to be the oldest resident in Kittitas County, died Tuesday at her home, 107 East 11th. No. 3.

She was born June 6, 1875 in California and came to the Kittitas Valley by covered wagon in the fall of 1877, when only six other white families were settled on the land.

Her father John Boone Jones, was a grandson² of Daniel Boone, famous early American frontiersman.

The family's first cabin was near the intersection of what is now Look and Wilson Creek Roads. A stockade was built around their land where neighbors often came for protection from Indians.

As a young woman, she spent two years in Canada before permanently moving back to Kittitas County.

She married Harry Needham in 1890 and they operated a boarding house for gold miners in Liberty. Mr. Needham died in 1947.

She married Hugh Stonebreaker¹in 1950, who preceded her in death in 1953.

She was a member of Grace Episcopal Church, Womens Welcome Club, Silver Circle, and the Rodeo City Grandmothers Club. She had been honored as grandmother of the year many times.

Survivors include one son, George Needham of Issaquah; one daughter, Mrs. Gladys McNeil of Ellensburg; six grandchildren, including Mrs. Gene (Sally) Panattoni of Ellensburg; 11 great-grandchildren, 13 great-great-grandchildren; and two great-great-great-grandchildren. A daughter, Mrs. Winifred Hollenbeck died in 1955.

Funeral services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Evenson Chapel. The Rev. Nolan Redman will officiate and vault entombment and burial will follow at the IOOF cemetery."

Corrections to erroneous information given in article:

1. Spelling for Stonebraker.
2. Oral family tradition says great-grandson

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