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The Home Page of Kenneth A. Graybeal

Updated August 4, 2009

13606 SE 3rd Place
Bellevue, WA 98005-3737
United States
graybealk@juno.com

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The names Graybeal, Graybill, Krehbiel, Greble, Crabel and other similar variations were originally Krahenbuhl. The family came from the Emmenthal valley in Switzerland (parishes of Grosshochstetten and Zaziwil about fifteen miles southeast of Bern) and had to emigrate from there in the early 1670s down the Rhine River because of religious persecution, remaining for a time in the Palatinate in Germany before coming to America. Most of their people were Anabaptists and Mennonites. They migrated to Lancaster County in Pennsylvania during the early part of the eighteenth century at the invitation of William Penn who was looking for good farmers to exploit the lands of Penn's Woods with the promise of religious freedom. In 1780, during the American War for Independence, John Graybill, Sr., migrated with his wife and children southwest up the Shenandoah valley to Botetourt County, Virginia and settled against the western slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In 1834 two of their grandchildren, first cousins Andrew and Mary Graybill (their fathers were brothers), my great-grandparents, migrated as newlyweds to Huntsville in Logan County, Ohio. In the early 1850s they changed the spelling of their surname to Graybeal, reason unknown. Soon after returning home from serving in the Civil War their second son, John M Graybeal, my grandfather, married a Huntsville neighbor, Isabella Collins. After three of their children were born they migrated to Christian County, Illinois, where two more children were born, and then they made their final move to Raymore in Cass County, Missouri, where the rest of their children were born and raised. At the start of the 20th century their second son, John B Graybeal, my father, migrated to the Pacific Northwest and was soon followed by his younger brother and sister, Curtis and Lola. John B and Lola were railroad station agents/telegraphers.

The Edgberts trace back to Lewis County in upper New York state in the late-18th century. Frank W Edgbert, my maternal great-grandfather, migrated with his parents to Grundy County, Illinois in the mid-19th century. After serving in the Civil War he married Delia Sharp in 1875. They moved to Pulaski County in Indiana where most of their children were born, and then moved to Arcadia in Mason County in Washington Territory with his family and mother, Almira, on an immigrant train from Chicago in 1889, just before Washington became a state. In the midwest Frank was a farmer, but out west he initially traded with the Indians, operated a general store, served as postmaster and also became involved in the fishing and lumber industries.

Ulrick and Rachel Julson immigrated from Norway in 1848 as newlyweds. In Norway their names were Ulrick Juelson Hoverud and Ragnild Seversdatter Boe. They settled in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin until 1864 when they moved to Greene County, Wisconsin where they lived until 1873. After a three-year stint in Postville, Iowa, they moved to Grand Meadow in Mower County, Minnesota. A son, Sever Julson, my maternal grandfather, migrated to the state of Washington in the early 1890's, became involved in the lumber industry with Frank Edgbert, and married his oldest daughter, Olive. My father married Sever and Olive's oldest daughter, Doretta, who was an elementary school teacher.

Until late in the nineteenth century all of my ancestors were farmers with an occasional minister. My family lines include: Graybeal, Graybill, Grebil, Krehbiel, Krahenbuhl, Julson, Juelson, Hoverud, Edgbert, Collins, Mahan, Klein, Cline, Sharp and Watson.

Family Photos

  • John B. and Doretta Graybeal (503 KB)
    My parents, John Burrell and Doretta (Julson) Graybeal, at the time of their marriage in 1921.
  • John M. & Belle Graybeal (514 KB)
    My paternal grandparents, John M. and Belle (Isabella Collins) Graybeal, in Raymore, MO, in about 1885. See their biography in 'Related Links' below.
  • Frank W. Edgbert in 1865 (89 KB)
    My maternal great-grandfather, Pvt. Frank W. Edgbert, 91st and 28th Illinois Regiments, in dress uniform at the end of the Civil War in 1865. Frank served in the Honor Guard at Abraham Lincoln's funeral in Springfield, IL. See his obituary in 'Related Links' below.
  • Ulrick and Rachel Julson (516 KB)
    Ulrick and Rachel (Boe) Julson, my maternal great-grandparents, in about 1890. Immigrants from Norway aboard the brig "Statsraad Vogt" which left Bergen on May 5, 1848 and arrived in New York City on July 3, 1848. In Norway their names were Ulrick Juelson Hoverud and Ragnild Seversdatter Boe.
  • Grandchildren in 2003 (70 KB)
    Our grandchildren in 2003. Left to right: Shannon Treat, Amanda Burns and Kaden Treat
  • Our Family in 1993 (633 KB)
    Ken and Gretchen (Utke) Graybeal with daughters Sheri and Susie in 1993 on the occasion of our 25th wedding anniversary.
  • Sever and Olive Julson (654 KB)
    Sever and Olive (Edgbert) Julson, my maternal grandparents, in December, 1898.
  • Olive Edgbert As A Teenager (24 KB)
    My maternal grandmother, Olive Edgbert, as a teenager in the early 1890's.
  • Almira Watson Edgbert (129 KB)
    Almira (or Elmira) Watson Edgbert, mother of my maternal great-grandfather, Frank W. Edgbert, in about 1885.
  • Sever and Olive Julson and Family (783 KB)
    Sever and Olive (Edgbert) Julson and family in 1917. Left to right are: Sibyl and Doretta (my mother) in back, twins Shirley and Mabel flanking their parents, Delia (who celebrated her 102nd birthday on November 10, 2003) and Samuel in front.
  • John B. Graybeal (701 KB)
    John Burrell Graybeal, my father, in about 1895.
  • Our Extended Family in 2003 (88 KB)
    Our Extended Family in 2003. Left to right: Top row, Matt Treat and Marc Burns; Third row, daughters Sheri Treat and Susie Burns; Second row, Gretchen and Ken Graybeal; Front row, grandchildren Amanda Burns, Kaden Treat and Shannon Treat.
  • Frank W. and Delia Edgbert and Family (197 KB)
    Frank W. and Delia (Sharp) Edgbert, my maternal great-grandparents, and their family in photo taken at Arcadia, WA, in early 1897, possibly on the occasion of the funeral of his mother, Almira. My grandfather, Sever Julson, is shown at left next to my grandmother, Olive Edgbert Julson, shortly before my mother, Doretta, was born.
  • Wedding Photo of Frank W. & Delia Edgbert (115 KB)
    Frank W. and Delia (Sharp) Edgbert wedding photo in September, 1875. My maternal great-grandparents.
  • Matt and Sheri Treat on Mt. Rainier (80 KB)
    In July of 2005 daughter Sheri and her husband, Matt Treat, summited Mt. Rainier, 14,411 ft. Picture taken in the crater on top of the mountain. They repeated the climb two years later in June of 2007.
  • John B. Graybeal (166 KB)
    John Burrell Graybeal, my father, in about 1900.
  • The First Julson Family Picnic (682 KB)
    The first Julson Family picnic was held in 1937 at our place in Buckley (WA) and has been held annually ever since, over 70 years and still counting. Back row (L-R):John B Graybeal, Doretta Julson Graybeal, Shirley Julson Linton, Sibyl Julson Brady, Mabel Julson Rettig, Loris Rettig, Sam Julson, Delia Julson Johnston (holding Jim). Middle row: Ken Graybeal, Donna Brady (behind Ken), Joe Rettig, Shirley Ann Linton, Shirley Johnston, Barbara Johnston, Dick Graybeal. Kneeling in front: Lloyd Brady, Bob Brady, Jack Graybeal.
  • John M. Graybeal, 45th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (240 KB)
    My grandfather, Cpl. John M. Graybeal, in Nashville, TN, at the end of the Civil War in 1865. Youngest man in his Company D. He was involved in some of the hardest campaigning in eastern Tennessee during 1862 and 1863 until captured at Philadelphia, TN. He was exchanged after six winter months in Belle Isle Prison at Richmond, VA (very nearly died there) and later served under General Sherman during the long campaign to Atlanta in 1864. His final actions were in late 1864 during the bloody battle of Franklin, TN, and the destruction of Hood's Confederate Army of Tennessee in the decisive battle of Nashville, TN. See his biography in 'Related Links' below. Also see the diary of fellow prisoner of war, Zelotes Musgrave, and letters of fellow soldier, DH Blair, in 'Related Links' below.
  • Ulrick and Rachel Julson (539 KB)
    My maternal great-grandparents, Ulrick and Rachel (Boe) Julson, in about 1870. Immigrants from Norway in 1848 as newlyweds. She is holding their Norwegian family bible. In 1974 I copied the center-leaf pages of the bible on which he had written their and their children's names and dates of birth.
  • Fletcher W. Edgbert (250 KB)
    Fletcher W. Edgbert, father of my maternal great-grandfather Frank W. Edgbert, in about 1860. Minister.
  • Wedding Photo of John M. and Isabella Graybeal (256 KB)
    Picture taken in October, 1867, with Mr. & Mrs. Woodie Owens, who witnessed their wedding, standing behind them. The men served together in the Civil War.
  • Daughter Susie's Family in 2007 (81 KB)
    Daughter Susie with her husband, Marc Burns, and their daughter, Amanda, in 2007
  • Sever Elias Julson (293 KB)
    Tintype photo of my maternal grandfather Sever Julson as teenager in about 1875-80. See his obituary in 'Related Links' below.
  • John M and Isabella (Belle) Graybeal (293 KB)
    My paternal grandparents, John M and Isabella (Belle) Graybeal in about 1905-10
  • John M. & Belle Graybeal 50th Anniversary (83 KB)
    John M. and Belle (Isabella) Graybeal, my paternal grandparents, at their 50th wedding anniversary in 1917 in Raymore (MO) with six of their children, from the left: Curtis, Mary Lucinda (Lou), Emily (Emma), Ella, Lola and Orville.
  • Our Extended Family in 2008 (170 KB)
    Adults, from left: Sheri and Matt Treat, Gretchen and Ken Graybeal, Susie and Marc Burns. Children, from left: Kaden Treat, Shannon Treat, Amanda Burns.
  • Ken and Gretchen Graybeal on Mt Rainier in 1993 (162 KB)
    In 1993 we hiked half way up Mt Rainier to Camp Muir, the climbers' high camp at 10,000 feet, to commemorate meeting each other on a climb to the summit 25 years before. Ken was the leader of that 1968 climb. The wedding was five months later. In 1994 Ken summited the mountain again for his sixth and last time; he was 63.
  • John B. Graybeal And Sons (109 KB)
    John Burrell Graybeal, center, with his four sons in 1946; from the left: Dick, Tom, Jack and Ken. The only time all five were together.
  • Rachel Julson and Her Daughters in 1902 (187 KB)
    My great grandmother, Rachel Julson, with her daughters, Esther Thompson and Anna Boe, in mourning due to the death of her husband and their father, Ulrick, in July, 1902. Rachel died three months later.
  • Daughter Sheri's Family in 2008 (38 KB)
    Daughter Sheri and her husband, Matt Treat, and their sons, Kaden and Shannon, in November, 2008, on The Mall in Washington, DC
 

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