<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=192888919167017&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Thursday, March 28, 2024
March 28, 2024

Linkedin Pinterest

Everybody has a story: Recalling meeting kidnapped George

By Bob Rodgers , East Old Evergreen Highway
Published: April 19, 2020, 6:03am

In May 1935, 9-year-old George Weyerhaeuser of the Weyerhaeuser dynasty was kidnapped while walking home from school in Tacoma.

I was 8 years old that spring, and living with my parents and two older brothers on the Rodgers farm just east of the intersection of 164th and East Mill Plain. A grade school and Blair’s General Store were there back then.

The radio and newspaper were filled with constant updates about George, which filled my 8-year-old mind with terror. If they could kidnap a millionaire’s son, what chance did I have?

Vehicle traffic was scarce in those days on our narrow, two-lane gravel roads between farm fences. But to thwart any attempt at kidnapping, I would hide in the fence rows when I spotted a vehicle coming.

I was successful for several weeks. Even after George’s ransom was paid and he was released, eight days after the kidnapping, I was taking no chances. Then my two older brothers ratted me out. My parents put me on the witness stand and grilled me as to my idiotic actions. When I confessed to fear of being kidnapped like George, I was provided an attitude adjustment as my dad quite loudly explained the financial differences between the Weyerhaeuser family and ours.

Fast forward 44 years. I was now the executive vice president of a West Coast pulp and paper labor union. My union was involved in a prolonged labor dispute with most of the pulp and paper companies from Alaska to Southern California. We had close to 17,000 people on strike in the years 1978 and 1979.

The length of the strike was approaching six months, with no end in sight. My union and executives from the companies met in Portland.

Weyerhaeuser paper mills were not involved, but for some reason the companies chose George Weyerhaeuser to be their spokesman. My side was quite concerned that he was chosen, as he had no reason to help get his competition back to work. We hoped he was chosen as a neutral spokesman.

George and I met for the first time in our lives. We were seated directly across from each other in the middle of the long conference table. Within short minutes it became quite clear that George was not going to agree to any overtures from my side to see if there was any common ground for settlement. He made it very clear that those on his side were comfortable with their position. With that, he closed his briefcase and rose to leave.

I was properly shocked and angered that George gave such short effort to this prolonged dispute. In my moment of anger I said to him, “I’m sorry they turned you loose.”

He hesitated long enough to stare at me for several seconds. He knew. It was a 9-year-old staring at an 8-year-old.

Then he lead his group out of the room. My side gathered around me, puzzled by my comment. I explained about George’s kidnapping of some 40 years before.

I have heard that George Weyerhaeuser is long retired and living in Palm Springs.

So, George, as one 90-something-year-old to another: I wish you well. Looking back, I’m glad they turned you loose.


Everybody Has a Story welcomes nonfiction contributions, 1,000 words maximum, and relevant photographs. Send to: neighbors@columbian.com or P.O. Box 180, Vancouver WA, 98666. Call “Everybody Has an Editor” Scott Hewitt, 360-735-4525, with questions.

Loading...