This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: FOUTS Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/nZB.2ACE/333 Message Board Post: The Hood River News, Hood River, OR., March 30, 1928, page 1 PIONEER JEWELER ANSWERS LAST CALL The news that W.F. Laraway was slowly sinking on Wednesday morning prepared his many friends in the mid-Columbia district for the announcement later in the day that he had passed away. He answered the call shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday evening at the local hospital, where he had been tenderly cared for during the past several weeks. One of the early commercial orchardists of this valley who had turned the forest into orchard, Mr. Laraway had won for himself a very large circle of friends. In Masonry to, he had held nearly all the ranks with which his brother Masons could honor him, and in his business capacity as the pioneer jeweler of this district, he made many friends who will their last respects to his memory at the funeral. William Fouts Laraway was born on October 28, 1848, at Marion, Ohio, his father being a very prominent leader in that state. Some years later the family moved to Wisconsin and then to Iowa, where Mr. Laraway, at the age of 18 years, started a jewelry store. For 40 years he carried on in this business and, because he took a great pride in his work at the watchemaker’s bench, he was able to build up such a large business that he made a comfortable fortune. Even today, in the old town, the fathers and mothers of the present generation often recall the jeweler who preferred to work on the interior of a watch rather than sell over the counter. Then the news of the coming orchard boom in Hood River valley reached Iowa, and the urge to pioneer took such a strong hold on Mr. Laraway that he and his wife, whom he had married in 1869, and his family came West. Very soon after reaching Hood River, in 1904, he purchased a large tract of land on the East Side, personally took part in the clearing of the acreage and platted it out to apples. Realizing that he would have to wait for several years before the trees came into bearing, he opened a jewelry store in Hood River, and quickly established himself as the leading jeweler of the mid-Columbia. It was in this valley which he loved so well that he raised his family and one son, Percy, was for many years in charge of the orchard. For his years and until he met with an automobile accident, there were few men in Oregon who could compete with them in alertness, but after the accident, which resulted in severe physical injuries, the burden of his years began to weigh heavily upon him and failure of his eyes compelled him to abandon the technical side of his business. But the will continued to move him and for several months he spent much of his time on his orchard property, planning various improvements and new plantings. From the day when he first saw the great light of Masonry it became to him almost a religion and few Masons ever learned the many lessons as well as he. His brother Masons honored him by electing him to nearly every office within the various degrees of the order, and his Masonic title of Sir William Fouts Laraway offers striking testimony to the position he won amongst his fellow men. It is but fitting, therefore, that Masons of this section should extend to him the last rites of the great world order, and today all local Masons are to meet at Tieman hall, at 1 p.m. to prepare for the ceremony in which they will take part at the funeral, which will be held an hour later. While he has not been out of doors for several months, a host of residents will remember him for his kindly disposition, and today they will go in a body to the graveside to pay their respects to his memory. This was posted for reference only. I am not related to, nor am I researching this family. If you have additional information about the person or event listed above, please post it as reply to this message.