Hello Everybody: My name is Bud Engelhardt. My wife, Virginia, and I live in Spokane, Washington. We are the third generation of both side of our family to have been born in Washington. We will be retiring from the work force the last day of April of this year, so we have been around here for a long long time. Our interest in genealogy began about five years ago. And though we have been going by the seat of our pants all this time, we intend to really get involved after retiring. Our interest in Kittitas county is due to my Great Grandfather, Jacob DURR and my Great Grandmother, Elizabeth WITT. They came to Ellensburg from Indiana in the year of 1879. They brought with them two children, Bertha and Charles. By late1879 they had another daughter, Anna. Clara (my grandmother) was born in 1880 and Matilda was born in 1882. Jacob DURR was born in Mecklenburg, Germany about 1849.After leaving Indiana and coming to Washington in 1879 he was credited with engineering the road over the Umtanum between Yakima and Ellensburg Washington. He built and operated a toll bridge across the Yakima River near Ellensburg. He owned and operated a saloon at Robbers Roost (later known as Ellensburg). He was the original discoverer of the Friday Mine and was well known in mining circles. We know he had a brother, Pete and a sister, Mary. Elizabeth WITT was born in Germany in 1849. She and Jacob were probably married in Indiana about 1874 and she died in Feb. 1884 just 2 years after the birth of their youngest daughter. She should be buried someplace near Ellensburg, however, we have not found where yet. In September of 1896 Jacob DURR fell overboard a steamer while traveling up the Methow Rapids in the Columbia River and drowned. A month later his body was found near Rock Island. We have not found his grave either. His family was sent to an orphanage, then farmed out to families all over Kittitas County. They stayed in touch throughout their lives however. With the exception of not knowing where Jacob and Elizabeth are buried, we have a good basic knowledge of my grandmother Clara DURR's family. However her siblings and their families are a real challenge. Please feel free to email us at any time concerning anything, especially genealogy. Our address is mailto:george@arias.net