Well

The Well. By Larry Lass

For the first 125 years Cordelia did not have a source of drinking water. The creek flowing on the north and east border was used to water horses and jugs of drinking water were brought when services and other gatherings were held. Mrs. Beverly Walker Innocenti provided funds to drill a well in 1993. A 254 foot well was drilled in 1995 by Phil Olsen (Troy Idaho). It produced 5 gallons per minute. The production was not sufficient for development plans of Mrs. Innocenti and was covered with a blue barrel. Most visitors saw the barrel but were clueless as to what was under it.

Well Drilling Rig at Cordelia

In 2008 Friends of Cordelia started the process of installing a Baker Monitor hand pump so there would be drinking water at Cordelia. The well casing pipe was 8 inches and the hand pump was designed to be used on a 6 inch well casing. A reducing flange was designed by Larry Lass. Dave Mundy of Mundy's Machine and Welding made and welded it to the well head. Thank you to Dave Mundy for donating time and materials for the flange.

Well head with 8 inch cap on it.

Well head with reducer flange welded to it.

The drain pipe for the well pad was installed and forms set for concrete on Saturday, May 17.

Dave Abbott and his little backhoe

Trench dug for drain pipe.

Final trench before pipe and back fill.

Neil Martin checking the forms and back filling with gravel.

A concrete pad was poured around the well head. Thank you to Jerry Swenson, Neil Martin, Doug Pals and Larry Lass for help pouring the concrete.

Concrete coming down the chute.

Screeding the concrete.

Neil Martin applying the final finishing float.

Finished pad with brass plaque in place.

Setting the Hand Pump.

The pump mechanism was located in the water at the end of 66 foot of pipe. A 7/16 inch connecting rod inside the pipe allowed the transfer of the handle motion to the pump mechanism. The pipe and pump mechanism weighed 200 lbs. Thank you to Neil Martin, Michael Riley, Jack Kelley, Doug Pals, Tom Stroschein, and Larry Lass for helping.

The water was tested for drinking and passed. Feel free to water plants around the church or take some home for drinking. A plant watering bucket is inside the church behind the door.

Homesteader derrick made from 30 ft extension ladder.

Crew setting the second pipe.

Neil Martin bolting pump base to well head.

Final assembly of pump.

The pump and well dedicated to Beverly Walker Innocenti.

Beverly Jean Carlson Walker Innocenti was born Dec. 28, 1925, at Pierre, South Dakota, to Carl and Tillie Carlson. She passed away Tuesday, April 8, 2008 (age 82) at her Moscow home from Alzheimer's disease complications.

Beverly spent her childhood in Mobridge, South Dakota, and moved in 1938 to the Troy area with her mother and siblings, where her mother and Ole Johnson, Sr. were married. The family lived on Little Bear Ridge. She married Elton Walker in 1942, and after the war they settled in Sherman, Texas, where twin sons Joe and John were born in 1948. In 1949, they moved to Moscow. Following her divorce, she moved to Portland, Oregon, where she married Richard Innocenti. Their son, David, was born in 1963. Richard passed away in 1987. Beverly retired in 1996 and returned to Moscow.

Beverly Innocenti (1992)

Beverly was a lifelong student and loved to travel. Her faith sustained her in dealing with life's disappointments and setbacks. She overcame two cancer episodes and surgeries. Throughout her life, she maintained a strong faith, a solid work ethic and enthusiasm for living. Beverly was tremendously generous and compassionate. Her kind spirit and goodness will be a lasting legacy to all who knew and loved her.

She was inspired to restore and acquire additional land for Cordelia Lutheran Church, located in the Lenville area. In 1993, Beverly provided a gift to Emmanuel Lutheran Church for the purchase of 35 acres south and west of Cordelia. The property was purchased in 1993. In 1994, she provided Friends of Cordelia seed funds for her vision of the property, which involved support for the historic building and adult education and recreation facilities. Her support allowed Friends of Cordelia to drill the well in 1996 and install the hand pump in 2008. The well is 254 feet deep and pumps 5 gallons per minute.

Friends of Cordelia thank Beverly Walker Innocenti for her foresight and funding. The pump and well were blessed and dedicated in her memory on August 24, 2008. Pastor Dean Stewart read John 4:7-14 to begin his blessing of the well.

Pastor Dean Stewart blessing the well.


Carol and Joe Walker and John Walker