There's a Rainy trail a winding

Beginning just a half mile or so east of Clayton is a cluster of farms steeped in history. Memories remain fresh for those who lived through a goodly portion of those pioneer days. Eddie Olson is one. He lives on a farm that includes the original small house and out buildings. Down the road stands the barn of Herman Johnson. Author of the facinating story recorded by Wallace Parker as found in our menu to the left, "Homesteading at Clayton". (You will relive a settlers life if you'll read this facinating real life story) Across the road stands a huge well maintained set of farm buildings known as the Kratzer place.

A half mile east the Zion Cemetery with over 450 souls at rest.  Further east a short distance across the Stevens/Spokane County Line is Spotted Road. The History of the Westby settlement is well documented on Spotted Road. Also the Zion Luthern Church built by the Norwegian Settlers.

What is less known is the Swedish-Danish homesteaders, the Johnson/ Johnsen families. Just north of the cross roads of Spotted and Mason Roads, homesteader John Johnsen's stunning log barn still stands. Across Spotted road and about 1/4 mile South stands the place Louie Johnsen homesteaded. 

Following is a short synopsis Of Louie Johnsens old place as told by Lorraine Zimmerer Nord and Her Mother Violet Nolan Zimmerer.

Louie Jonhsen passed away in the late 1930s. The place was up for sale and was purchased by Elmer Zimmerer in 1938 or 39. Soon he was drafted and spent the next 4 years fighting in WW II. He returned to farming and at the also worked at the Deer Park Pine Saw mill.

In the meantime Violet Nolan worked in the Portland, Oregon, Vanport Shipyard as a welder, building battleships during the war as a Rosie the Riveter. Violet returned to her parents place in Spokane having moved off the Westby homestead located a half mile south of Elmer's farm. Violet got a job at Carsteens Meat packing where her Father Cloyd Nolan was employed. Her first husband abandned her , her son Ron and daughter Lorraine and thus were divorced. She then started dating Elmer  and were Married February 22, 1947. They built a new house, a few out buildings, bought some livestock including milk cows, and cleared more timberland for hay fields. To this very day with her son Ron living just down the road and Warren and Rainy a couple 2 or 3 miles away, Violet lives in total harmony at peace with the world

Rainy (Elmer gave her her nick name and it stuck) says "Life was good! We were a happy family- then Elmer got sick in the fall of 1949- cancer and died November 7, 1949."

"It was hard for Mom and us kids. Then a horse came into my life. I remember coming home from school.  Mom told me go look down in the Barn to see what was in the haymow. There was my horse Babe, the prettiest sorrel, with blazed face, flaxen mane & tail and 3 white stockings. Boy was I ever a happy kid."