Benjamin Franklin Lurchin

    Frank Lurchin was born to Lemuel and Amelia Koontz Lurchin on September 13, 1867, at Clark Creek, Oregon, a tributary of Burnt River. He died May 21, 1930, at age 62, on his farm near Halfway, Oregon. Around 1890, he married Mary N. "Mollie" Eddy. They had one child, Claretta "Etta" Lurchin, born in 1891, in Long Valley, Idaho. In the late 1890's, Frank is known to have been in Sparta, Oregon. His father had a claim just south of town. Frank and his daughter are in a picture taken in front of the Sparta store in 1898. Also, Etta is shown in a Sparta school picture taken in the late 1890's. Apparently, the family had a home in or around Sparta. Frank's name appears in the Sparta store register of customers. In 1900, Frank and his family, along with his mother and father were living in Union, Oregon. In that year, his mother passed away and was buried in the Koontz private cemetery on Burnt River. Frank was a quiet, honest and hardworking man devoted to his family. His wife, Mollie, was high spirited and desired a more exciting life. Sometime, in the early 1900's, Mollie ("Dammie", as she was known to her family) and Frank were divorced. Frank was known always as, "Poppa Frank" to the family. He worked in gold mines from an early age. He worked in the placer mines in Rye Valley and Sparta, as well as the hardrock mines in Cornucopia, Bourne, and other areas. On October 21, 1917, Frank married Katherine "Kate" Koopman of Halfway, Oregon, at the Rogers Hotel in Baker, Oregon. (The Rogers Hotel was located on First Street, immediately behind the Antlers Hotel, just off Washington Street). His daughter, Etta, (now Blankenship) signed as a witness to the ceremony. Several letters written from Frank to Kate in 1917, are owned by members of the Koopman family. They are written from various mines where Frank was employed prior to their marriage. After Frank and Kate were married, Frank continued working in various mines and Kate would join him when possible, sometimes finding employment in the cookhouse or doing other domestic work while Frank worked in the mines. In 1925, they purchased 120 acres near Halfway. The property was located about 3 miles northwest of Halfway in Section 6, Township 8 South, Range 46 East. Frank performed all the work normally required of a farm owner, but he expressed a lack of interest in farming and wanted to return to working in the mines. He also suffered from what was described in those days as "catarrh" (inflammation of sinus and throat). For whatever reason, Frank decided to end his life. He went into the barn at about 2 p.m., tied a rope to a rafter and dropped about six feet. Kate found his body at about 3 p.m. He was buried in the Halfway cemetery. Kate treasured a special picture she had of Frank and, before her death many years later she asked that the picture be buried with her. When she died, she and the picture were buried next to Frank.

Not too much is known of Frank. From all comments by the family members who knew him, Frank was a very honorable and decent man. He was of average size and strongly built. His skin was very dark. He never hit the big strike and never had a great deal of money, but he was always dependable and courteous and had a little twinkle in his eye. From all accounts, he was a good man.