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The Klickitat County Agriculturist, Goldendale, WA., March 11, 1932, page 4

FREDERIC BALCH, KLICKITAT PIONEER OF LYLE: A STUDY OF HIS LIFE
By Hattie Gunn Tebbs, of Goldendale

At the January meeting of the Klickitat Valley Pioneers Association held at the Grange Hall in Goldendale, Mrs. Hattie Tebbs, a pioneer resident, read an interesting historical sketch of Frederic Balch, who for many years lived at Lyle. There he wrote a rough draft of "The Bridge of the Gods," according to the late N.B. Brooks of Goldendale, who was a personal friend of Balch, Mr. Brooks being a school teacher in that section at that time. Some years later Balch revised the manuscript and had the book published.
Mrs. Tebbs' story of Balch was listened to with close attention by the large audience present. This pioneer author and minister, she said was born at Lebanon, Linn County, Oregon, on December 14, 1861. His parents were both pioneers of the Northwest, his father arriving on this coast in 1851 from Indiana, served in the frontier service from 1864 to 1866 as a Lieutenant in Company F., Eighteenth Regiment of the Oregon Volunteer Infantry, later teaching school at various places including Olympia and Tumwater, and still later served for a time as County Judge of Klickitat County.
When Frederic was about 10 years of age the family moved west of the Cascades to the Klickitat Valley, near Goldendale, where they resided for four years, only to remove to Mount Tabor, Oregon. After a short time stay at Mount Tabor the family again moved to Klickitat, this time settling at Lyle.
While still young his father encouraged Frederic in his literary efforts and ambitions, and it was no great wonder that his later works should win him renown. It was while employed as a laborer for the O.R. & N. Co., that young Balch gathered and compiled the manuscript for "Wallulah," an Indian tale. The name was used for the heroine of the "The Bridge of the Gods." The manuscript was not accepted, however, and later was destroyed due to a strain of infidelity that ran through with it, which was at variance with his later convictions.
For six years Balch was rent and torn by a battle between his avowed fidelity and a secret self-questioning as to the truth of Christianity. Then came the final struggle that involves the lives of so many young men; religion vs. non-religion, but being convinced of the falsity of his infidel beliefs, truth was vindicated and Christianity was accepted He soon became convinced that he must give up his cherished ambition to become an author and enter the ministry. The struggle was great, for as he then felt, he was giving up the one great ambition of his life, and when a decision was made to enter upon the ministry he decided to destroy the manuscript of "Wallulah" lest it lure him again into forbidden paths of his literary ambitions. Eight years of effort were consigned to the flames at this time, much to the deep disappointment of members of his family.
In 1885 Mr. Balch entered upon his pastorate as a home missionary of the First Congregational Church in Hood River Valley. The first two years of his chosen work paid him one dollar. His duties were arduous and various. He rode all over the valley to minister to his flock and also served as pastor of a Congregational Church at White Salmon. There, close attention to his pastoral duties, the long rides, over-exposure, all tended to so undermine his health that he soon was obliged to give up many of his most arduous tasks. This gave him leisure time to divide between his church duties and his cherished literary ambitions.
In resuming his work in the paths of literature he did so with a two-fold motive; hoping not only to assist in the uplift of mankind with pure and lofty thoughts, but also to preserve for future generations the sometimes beautiful and sometimes strange traditions of Indian Oregon, which he was so well prepared to portray. At different periods throughout his life he had given a great deal of study to the Indians, their customs, habits, language and legends. This had been an absorbing study from his boyhood. Often he had gone many miles to talk with some old Indian, both in Oregon and in adjoining states. About this time he went to British Columbia on a vacation and there completed "The Bridge of the Gods," this Indian legend having appealed to his imagination for years. Finding that he needed the advantage of a theological course he entered the Pacific Theological Seminary in Oakland, California in 1889. While in Oakland he revised the manuscript of "The Bridge of the Gods" and placed it in the hands of his publishers. He remained at the seminary for two years.
His health completely broke down from a severe attack of la grippe, he returned to the Hood River Valley in March of 1891 and upon the advice of his physicians entered the Good Samaritan Hospital. On June 3rd, just two weeks after entering the hospital, he peacefully passed away. His remains were taken to his old home at Lyle, where he was laid to rest.
Frederic Balch left a large accumulation of notes and outlines for future work. A novel, "Kenasket," had been commenced and the opening chapters completed. There were also the titles chosen, and outlines drawn for at least six historical romances related to Indian Oregon. There was also a completed novel in the manuscript called "Genevieve," the plot being laid out near Washougal, Washington.
Oregon and Washington sustained an irreparable loss in the early death of Balch. His fondness for Oregon was a strong passion; her scenery, mountains, legends, all called to his romantic fancy; the spirit of the Indian breathed through him. He had resolved to become Oregon's Walter Scott by portraying her beauties as Scott did the Highlands of his native heath.