Defending the Braves

SPANAWAY, WA — Sunday October 6 at 1 p.m., the descendants of Fort Nisqually Employees Association (DFNEA) will hold a special meeting in the Bethel District area, The meeting will be held at Bethany Lutheran Church at 264th and the Mountain Highway.

Elizabeth's Smith's (far left) husband Henry was an early Pierce County road commissioner. Their family cemetary is now on Fort Lewis land. — Elizabeth’s Smith’s (far left) husband Henry was an early Pierce County road commissioner. Their family cemetery is now on Fort Lewis land.

At the meeting, local Hudson Bay descendants will be discussed. Along Muck Creek were a series of historic farms that became Donation Land Claims. The farmers raised cattle, sheep, pigs and horses as well as staples such as grains and potatoes that were sold through Fort Nisqually.

These employees may have been Scottish or German, but most of their wives were local Indians. Thousands of their descendants still live in the Bethel District area and are a big reason Bethel became the Braves.

Come out Sunday and learn more about this vivid and amazing local history.

Also on Sunday are the Hunger Walk and the Steilacoom Cider Squeeze. Steilacoom gets started at 10 a.m. and runs through 4 p.m.