Published as it appeared on Aug. 20, 1926, in the Corvallis Gazette-Times, Page 1, Column 4.
FALL FROM BRIDGE
FATAL TO MEMBER
OF BENTON FAMILY
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George Bethers Was Formerly Superintendent of Lincoln Schools
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The remains of the late George Bethers will arrive in Corvallis from Portland on the 2:10 Oregon Electric train tomorrow afternoon and will be taken directly to Newton cemetery, a brief funeral service to be held at the graveside.
George Bethers, 63, died at St. Vincent hospital yesterday of injuries received early yesterday morning when he fell from the bridge at East Thirty-eighth and Holgate streets while working on the structure. Mr. Bethers had been employed by the city to clean the bridge.
Mr. Bethers was a former resident of Benton county, his parents being Mr. and Mrs. George W. Bethers, early pioneers whose donation land claim was the present orchard tract three miles west of Corvallis. He grew to manhood there and attended and graduated from Philomath college. For several years he was superintendent of schools in Lincoln county, but in recent years had held teaching positions near Portland. He was a member of the Hillsboro teaching staff and had contracted to return there next month.
Mrs. Bethers, the widow, is a sister of Doke Gray of Corvallis and connected with another pioneer family. A daughter and son are Mrs. Eudelle Norgaard and George Eldon Bethers of Portland. Elmer Bethers of Corvallis is a brother, as is Elsworth B. Bethers of Portland. There is one sister, Mrs. E. Dixon.
Published as it appeared on Aug. 21, 1926, in the Corvallis Gazette-Times, Page 3, Columns 4-5.
BRING BODY HERE
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Remains of Late George Bethers
Is Laid in the Family Plot Near Corvallis
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The body of the late George Bethers, assistant principal of the Hillsboro high school who died Thursday in Portland following a fall from a bridge, was laid to rest this afternoon in Newton cemetery near this city. The remains were brought from Portland this afternoon, accompanied by members of the family and friends.
For 30 years Mr. Bethers had been a teacher in Oregon schools. He was county superintendent of schools for Lincoln county over 12 years, and six years principal of the city schools at Toledo. He held a similar position three years at Canyonville. He had charge of mathematics and was assistant principal at Hillsboro last year and expected to return there from Portland in a few weeks.
Mr. Bethers was born in Benton county in 1861 and received his early education at Philomath college. He married Miss Mabel Gray, daughter of a pioneer family of the county. The father, George W. Bethers, was prominent in Oregon early history. It was he who wrote to the Religious Telescope, published at Dayton, Ohio, in 1849, requesting missionaries in Oregon. The answer came in 1853 when the United Brethren missionary train of 96 people arrived at the Bethers arm adjoining the Corvallis Golf links. In the company were Rev. T.J. Connor, founder of Philomath college; Hon. James Edwards, for many years Benton county commissioner, and Rev. Milton Wright, who established Sublimity Institute and was later editor of the Religious Telescope and finally became famous because of his two sons, the aeronauts — Orville and Wilbur Wright.
His industrious nature caused Mr. Bethers to seek employment during the summer vacation period and for the last six years he had been employed by the city of Portland painting bridges. It was while he was at work Thursday that the accident causing his death occurred.