John David Chitwood, 89, of Damascus, for whom funeral services were held last week at the Mount Scott funeral home, was an
Oregon pioneer of 1853 and well known for his work with the grange for nearly 60 years. Graveside services were conducted by
Damascus grange No. 260 at the Damascus cemetery where Mrs. Chitwood was buried in 1934.

Mr. Chitwood was born August 23, 1853, near Burnt river, as his parents were crossing the plains by wagon train from Iowa.
His grandfather, the late captain Chitwood, was in charge of the train of more than 300 persons.

His father, James Thompson Chitwood, took up a claim at Damascus in 1855, where John Chitwood resided until his marriage to
Emma Viola Deardorff, also of a pioneer family, on August 23, 1876. They farmed at Oak Dale near Dallas until 1890, when they
took up a homestead near Neskowin.

While there Mr. Chitwood helped establish a school district and a postoffice. He served both as school clerk and director as
well as postmaster until 1900 when he moved back to Damascus.

Active in Damascus community affairs, he was director of the Damascus school board five years and served 30 years on the
election board, retiring from the latter at the age of 87.

Active in organizing granges throughout the state, he was also active in the Oregon Pioneer association, of which he was a
past president. He was crowned king of the Sandy pioneers at the group's 1942 meeting.

He first joined Dallas grange No. 61 in 1884, and was one of the organizers of Salt Creek No. 197, Oak Grove No. 198 and
Pleasant Valley No. 201, being master of the latter four years. In 1889 he was elected steward of the state grange, an office
held for four years. He was chaplain for ten years. He held many offices in the local granges.

He died at the home of his son, John S., at Damascus March 21 after a short illness. Funeral services were last Wednesday.

Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Hazel Bliss, Pleasant Valley, Or.; Mrs. Emma Rodlun, Forest Grove; Mrs. Dollie Greenwell,
Portland, and Mrs. Mary Eckert, Portland; three sons, Harry M., Koskia, Idaho; John S., Damascus, and David L., Montesano, Wash.;
13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.