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Skagit River Journal

of History & Folklore
Subscribers Edition Stories & Photos
The most in-depth, comprehensive site about the Skagit.
Covers from British Columbia to Puget sound. Counties covered: Skagit, Whatcom, Island, San Juan. An evolving history dedicated to the principle of committing random acts of historical kindness

Noel V. Bourasaw, editor

810 Central Ave., Sedro-Woolley, Washington, 98284
Home of the Tarheel Stomp

Mortimer Cook slept here & named the town Bug

Joseph DeBay's family and photos

This story accompanies the profile of Joseph DeBay and his extended family at this website. Later, you can read the Sterling story introduction, with our exclusive story of Jesse Beriah Ball, the founder of Sterling.

(DeBay family homestead 1924)

This 1924 family photo includes, back row, l to r: Josephine Nemo Jackson, Albert Nemo, Joe Nemo, Sam DeBay, Lela Dowling DeBay, Mary DeBay Nemo, George DeBay, Albert Nemo; front row, l to r: Robert DeBay, Frank DeBay, Albert DeBay, Hazel Rynard DeBay, Andrew Barbo, Rose DeBay Barbo, Alice Barbo Juckett (on Rose's lap), Simone Petticore (Bridget's father), Bridget Petticore DeBay holding Walter Barbo. All these island and family photos courtesy of Allen Lyons and his wife, Marsha DeBay Lyons.

(DeBay and Petticore families 1924)

1924 Photo of the DeBay and Petticore families

(Seventh Day Adventist school photo 1932)

This is a photo of the Sedro-Woolley Seventh Day Adventist Sunday School, taken in 1932. Joe and Bridget DeBay were charter members.

(DeBay family 1937)

This DeBay family photo was taken on DeBay island in 1937.

Also see these features about Sterling and its settlers. Some are from our old website and the links will not work. Please return here for links. These stories that started on our old website in 2001 are being updated with new information from our research and from readers and will be completely updated, starting in May 2004, with your help.

Our updated, exclusive story of the town of Sterling and founder Jesse Beriah Ball, an example of our in-depth research, which was originally shared in our Subscribers Edition. Map from 1897 shows the original double horseshoe bend of the Skagit in 1897.
Read about Jesse Ball's early logging in Washington territory in the 1870s.
Early days of Sterling, the village at the river. We need your help. Can you add to our introductory list of families who settled at Sterling by the river or DeBay Island before 1929? This part is far from complete. We will add to this chapter as readers provide us more information.
Chapter 3: Joseph DeBay, the Italian immigrant who grew vegetables for the valley and then saw his farm turn into DeBay Island. We hope that readers will send us their own family memories and photos scans for stories of more early Sterling families.
Joseph DeBay, a photo page of the family of the Italian immigrant who grew vegetables for the valley and then saw his farm turn into DeBay Island. We hope that readers will send us their own family memories and photos scans for stories of more early Sterling families.
Chapter 5: Schools at Sterling from 1883-1940, with new information supplied by Jeanie Bond, a descendant of the Dreyer family of Sterling.
We have been researching Sterling, the earliest upriver town, for 12 years now, and we plan several more chapters about it. We hope that those of you who are descendants of Sterling families or who are researchers will share your family memories and discoveries with us. Copies of documents and scans of photos are fine. We do not need or ask for your originals, which should be kept as either family keepsakes or donated to museums or libraries that will both preserve them and make them available to researchers. Thanks for your help.

Story posted on July 12, 2001, last updated May 18, 2003
Please report any broken links or files that do not open and we will send you the correct link. Thank you.

You can read about our prime sponsors:
Read the history websites of our sponsors and supporters, who help fund research of local history:
Heirloom Gardens Natural Foods at 805B Metcalf street, the original home of Oliver Hammer.
Oliver Hammer Clothes Shop at 817 Metcalf street in downtown Sedro-Woolley, 82 years.
Bus Jungquist Furniture at 829 Metcalf street in downtown Sedro-Woolley, 36 years.
Schooner Tavern/Cocktails at 621 Metcalf street in downtown Sedro-Woolley, across from Hammer Square.
Peace and quiet at the Alpine RV Park, just north of Marblemount on Hwy 20
Park your RV or pitch a tent by the Skagit river, just a short driver from Winthrop or Sedro-Woolley.
DelNagro Masonry Brick, block, stone — See our work at the new Hammer Heritage Square
See our website www.4bricklayers.com.

Would you like to buy a country church, pews, belfry, bell, pastor's quarters and all? Email us for details.

Did you find what you were looking for? If not, please email us and tell us what you seek and we will put it on our list to research. The more details, the better.

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Remember, we welcome correction and criticism. Please click on the email slot at the right to report any problems with these pages or to suggest ideas for future stories. This is a completely free site. We fund it by providing an online magazine for paid subscribers. If you are not already a subscriber and you would like to help support our considerable research costs, you can subscribe for just $20.00 per year. As a paid subscriber, you will receive eight yearly issues plus many rare treats between times, including scans of photos and documents that illustrate local history, before they are shared with anyone else. You can go here for Subscription details and you can read the preview edition to see examples of our in-depth research. You may also order gift subscriptions for friends, family or clients who are interested in local history or students or military people who are away from home. Or you can email us for more details. Do you have scanned photos to share? Or you can mail us copies. See addresses to right.

Email us at: journal@stumpranchonline.com

Mail copies/documents to street address: Skagit River Journal, 810 Central Ave., Sedro-Woolley, WA, 98284.