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Gc 079.6 H12h 1198635
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01149 7507
John Hailey
The HISTORY of IDAHO QU QU
BY JOHN HAILEY
MCMX
PRESS OF SYMS-YORK COMPANY, Inc. BOISE, IDAHO
Copyrighted 1910 by Syms-York Company, Inc., for John Hailey
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PREFACE
What is now the State of Idaho, at one time was a part of what was called the Northwestern Territory. Before commencing to write about Idaho proper, in order that the reader might get a correct understanding of this Northwestern Territory, it was necessary to give a brief description of the discovery, exploration and settlement by Americans, settlement of title with other nations which laid claim to this territory, the first Provisional Government, Indian troubles, and the organization of Oregon and Washington Territories.
The endeavor has been to give a statement of the operations of the people since Territorial organization up to statehood in 1890, with a brief reference to some of the legislative enactments at each session, the times, where held, names of all members, financial con- dition of the Territory from time to time, with frequent accounts of the progress made by the people in the settlement of the coun- try, including the various modes of transportation, mining, farm- ing, irrigation, kind of land, area of territory by counties, stock raising, Indian wars, building of railroads, schools, churches, etc. In fact, most everything of importance connected with Territorial days has been at least touched upon. The aim has been to give a brief history of the most important events connected with the set- tlement and development of the country through Territorial days- more than twenty-seven years-and at the same time not to have the book so voluminous as to be cumbersome to either old people or children; and also to give a brief review of the progress made by the people of Idaho since statehood up to 1909, with a brief view of the outlook for the future.
Having made Idaho my home since its organization up to the present time and being familiar with the topography as well as the people of the Territory in early days, and having preserved copies of some valuable records and taken an active part in the early settlement and development of this country, I have been able. to write mostly from personal knowledge of events. I have at- tempted to give the facts as I understand them, without exagger- ation.
Writing for publication is entirely out of my line, and I cer-
tainly would not have attempted this had it not been, first, for the many misstatements published about Idaho in early days, and par- ticularly concerning the character and conduct of the good people of those days; and second, for the earnest solicitation to do so by many friends as well as by my children, and especially by my only daughter, Mrs. Leona Hailey Cartee, to whom this work is affectionately dedicated.
THE AUTHOR.
INDEX
CHAPTER PAGE.
1. Discovery and description of the Northwest Territory-Spain and Russia ceded their claims to the United States. . . 1
2. Hudson Bay Company-Organization of Provisional Govern- ment in Oregon . 11
3. Captain Wyeth, Rev. Dr. Whitman and other Missionaries- Agent White and Indians. 14
4. Settlement of boundary line between the United States and Great Britain-Cayuse War-Murder of Dr. Whitman- Meek's trip to Washington-Congress passes act organizing Oregon Territory-Joseph Lane appointed Governor-Joseph Meek appointed U. S. Marshal-Arrival at Oregon City ... 20
5. Governor Lane and Oregon-Capture of the Whitman Mur- derers-Their trial, conviction and execution. 25
6. Organization of Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming Territories
26
7. Early settlers-Indian £ treaties-Mormon settlement-Dis- covery of gold at Florence, Boise Basin and other places in Idaho 27
8. Robbery of Mr. Berry, a packer, on trail from Florence by English, Scott and Peebles, in 1862. 34
9. Story of Moses Splawn's discovery of gold mines in Boise Basin in 1862 36
10. Organization of the Territory of Idaho-Appointment of Fed- eral officers-First election of members of the legislature and delegate to Congress. 45
11. Indian troubles in Southern Idaho in 1863. 49
12. Rush to Boise Basin mines-Packing-Saddle trains-Mer- chandising, mining, etc. 61
13. Discovery of gold in Owyhee and Rocky Bar. 65
14. Murder of Lloyd Magruder and others, by Lowry, Howard and Romain-Their capture and return by Hill Beachy Their trial, conviction and execution at Lewiston. 66
15. First session of the legislature of Idaho Territory 77
16. Trouble with Indians in Owyhee County in 1864 86
17. Fort Boise, Boise City and Valley in 1863-4. 88
18. The people and their doings in the different counties in early days 91
19. Transportation and staging to Boise Basin in 1864 95
20. Second session of the Territorial legislature 100
21. 22.
Mining and mining towns in 1864. 107
Third session of the legislature of Idaho. 109
23.
Mining in Boise Basin and other mining camps, in 1865. 116 Assessable property-Territorial revenue-Schools, etc., up to December 4, 1865 .118
24. 25. Staging, carrying U. S. mails, express and freighting, up to July, 1870 123
26. Progress made by the people in development of the country in 1865 and 1866-Conduct, etc. 127
27. The Fourth Session of the legislature of Idaho 130
CHAPTER
PAGE. 136
28. Southeastern Idaho
29. Mining in 1866 138
30. Farming, stock raising and freighting in Southern Idaho in 1866 140
31. Progress and doings of the people in Idaho in a general way from 1867 to 1870, inclusive 142
32. Fifth Session of the legislature of Idaho. 145
33. Classification of Land-Creation of Counties-General Re- view of counties and men, from 1863 to 1870 149
34. Sixth Session of the Legislature of Idaho. 160
35. Federal and Territorial officers from March 10, 1863, to Jan- uary, 1870 166
36. Mining, public buildings, mills, farming, etc., in 1869-70. 170
37. Seventh Session of the legislature of Idaho. 173
38. Agriculture, stock raising, mining, transportation, and doings of the people in a general way in 1871 and 1872. 180
39. Interesting contribution from Hon. J. S. Butler 183
40. Eighth Session of the legislature of Idaho.
41. Progress made by the people from 1873 to 1877 188
195
42. Ninth Session of the legislature of Idaho.
197
43. Indian war with Nez Perce Chief Joseph, in 1877 201
44. Indian war with the Bannock and other tribes of Indians in 1878 .223
45. Farming, mining, stock raising and transportation in 1877, 1878 .255
46. Tenth Session of the legislature of Idaho. .256
47. War with the renegade mixed Bannocks and Shoshone Indians, called "Sheep-eater" Indians, in 1879. .260
48. Transportation, farming, stock raising and mining in Idaho in 1879 and 1880 263
49. Eleventh Session of the legislature of Idaho. 264
50. The Wood River mining district in 1880 and 1881 268
51. Twelfth Session of the legislature of Idaho. 269
52. Farming, transportation, stock raising and mining, 1883-1884.271 Thirteenth Session of the legislature of Idaho. 272
53. 54. Farming, transportation, stock raising and mining, 1885-1887.275 55. Fourteenth Session of the legislature of Idaho. 276
56. Fifteenth Session of the legislature of Idaho. 279
Names of Federal and Territorial officers during Territo- rial days-March 10, 1863, to Decembr, 1890 .288
57. 58 Interesting items taken from the Boise News published at Idaho City in 1863 and 1864. .293
59. Items taken from the Tri-Weekly Statesman published in Boise in the sixties .300
60. Creation and organization of counties in Idaho-Area of land in each county, surveyed and unsurveyed-Military, Indian
and forest reservations-Area of lakes, December, 1907 .... 305
61. Early settlers in Idaho. 309
62. Historical Society of the State of Idaho. 313
63.
The status of the different tribes of Indians located in Idaho Territory at the beginning of statehood, 1890. . .315
64. Interesting history from the pen of Jud Boyakin, one of Idaho's pioneer editors. .319
65. Account of Brice's rescue of Manuel's child from Indians ... 322 66. Rev. Henry Spaulding-Established Mission at Lapwai in 1836 .326
67. Names of members of Constitutional convention and names of first State officers .332
68. A pioneer or pioneer's life .335
CHAPTER
PAGE.
69. Some of the first Americans who came to the Northwest Ter- ritory .. 338
70 The frequent changes that have been made in the names and government in what is now the State of Idaho. ....... 343
71 The progress I have seen made in the Northwest in the past fifty-six years .346
72. The massacre and suffering of the Otter party of immigrants on the Overland Road, some twenty miles below Salmon Falls on the south side of Snake River, in 1860 .352
73. The late General Lane 358
74. Time the old trapping station commonly called Old Fort Hall was located-First U. S. troops. 362
75. A brief explanation. .364
76. Government of State, Legislative, Executive, Judicial, Federal and County Officers. .365
77. State lands sold or leased-Forest reserves-Civil and criminal laws-Lawyers and doctors-Health and climate-Increase in population since statehood. ... 368
78. Stock raising, ranges, lumber industry fruit industry, sugar beets and sugar factories, dairies and creameries, foundries and machine shops, fish hatcheries, lakes and hot springs,
State public institutions, schools-Country schools ......... 370 State and private institutions, deaf, dumb and blind school, State industrial school, Children's home-finding and other private hospitals .373
79.
80. Land, farming and irrigation since statehood. .374
81. Indians in Idaho in 1907. .377
82. Banks, National and State-Newspapers, periodicals, towns, hotels, restaurants, store houses and merchandise, residence buildings, churches, ministers and Sunday schools, new towns and improvements of old ones, railroads, telegraph and telephone, wagon roads, stages and transportation by wagons and pack animals, mining for gold, silver, lead, etc., falls on Snake River, electric power plants. . 380
83.
Idaho State Fair, 1909
383
84. Violation of criminal law-causes of-Some proposed preven- tatives 385
85. Altitudes of county seats in Idaho. 389
86. About myself 390
87. Idaho's future 392
88. Suggestions about the future-Importations and home produc- tions-More home manufacturers-More farmers and fewer traders and idlers 393
SONGS.
From Idaho's Mother, Oregon. 396
A Pioneer Song .397
Idaho Song-by H. C. Thompson 398
Idaho, O, Idaho-by Ernest O. Mills. 399
My Country
400
THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
CHAPTER I.
DISCOVERY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY- SPAIN AND RUSSIA CEDED THEIR CLAIMS TO
THE UNITED STATES.
Before entering upon a description of the early settlement of Idaho, we think it due to those who may read this that we should at least give a brief sketch of the discovery of this Northwestern part of the United States, including the settlement of title to all of the land west of the summit of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, and as far south from the 49th parallel to the 42nd parallel, to the northern boundary of California. It will be remembered that the territory included in the above description was all called, first, the Northwestern, and later, Oregon Terri- tory, and was all included in the Organic Act of Congress creating and organizing a territorial government called Oregon. It must also be borne in mind that the Territory of Oregon, as first organ- ized, included at that time all of what is now the States of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and a considerable portion of what are now the States of Montana and Wyoming.
DISCOVERY.
As early as 1789, we find Captains Robert Gray and John Ken- dricks, commanders of American sailing vessels, were sailing along the coast of the Puget Sound country, (the coast of what is now a part of Washington State) and trading some with the Indians for furs of wild animals. In 1792 Captain Robert Gray discov- ered the mouth of the Columbia River, and sailed several miles up the river in his ship "Columbia."
We take the following from an article published in the Idaho World at Idaho City, Idaho, June 30th, 1866, which seems to have been taken from some correspondent of a paper in Oregon called The Bulletin. This article seems to give some additional facts in reference to the discovery of land and the great Columbia River, which we think are substantially correct. The article is as fol- lows:
"The other day in rummaging over the archives of the State, I found a silver medal of the size and appearance of a Mexican dollar, struck and bearing the date of 1792, in the town of Boston in the Province of Massachusetts. I can only describe it as it ap- pears to the unlearned eye. On one side is the inscription, 'Colum-
His-1
2
THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
bia and Washington commanded by J. Kendrick,' and inside the circle made by the legend, are, 'Vessels under sail in Blivo.' On the obverse side are the words: 'Fitted at Boston, North America, for the Pacific Ocean by J. Burrel, S. Brown, C. Bullfish, J. Darby, C. Hatch, J. M. Pentard, 1787.' This medal was presented to the State of Oregon in 1860 by J. Quin Thornton, and I condense its story from his memorial accompanying it. In the year 1787, a company of merchants of Boston, consisting of the persons named on the obverse side of the medal, fitted out the ships Columbia and Washington for trade and exploration on the northwest coast of North America. The first named vessel was under command of Captain Kendrick, and the latter, under command of Captain Gray. On the 30th day of November of the same year, both vessels sailed from Boston with letters from the Confederate government of the thirteen United Colonies and passports from that of the Bay State. Both vessels arrived at Nootka Sound in September, 1788, and spent the Winter in trading with the natives for furs. In the Spring of 1789, Captain Gray sailed for Canton and thence to Boston, where he arrived in the Autumn of 1790. In the Spring of 1792, Captain Gray returned to the northwest coast in the Co- lumbia, accompanied by the brig Hope, Captain Joseph Ingraham. While sailing southward, Captain Gray discovered an opening in latitude 46° 16' and from which a current flowed with sufficient force to prevent him from entering, although he spent nine days in at- tempting to do so. In April, 1792, Captain Gray hailed the Brit- ish ship Discovery and informed her commander, Captain Van- Couver, of his discovery of the mouth of a river which he was unable to enter. On the 11th of May, 1792, Captain Gray, feeling con- fident that the current came from the mouth of a river, renewed his efforts to enter into this river and with some difficulty succeeded. He sailed up the river to a place now called Tongue Point, where he cast anchor and remained until the 20th of the month, trading with the natives. Upon leaving the river, Captain Gray exercised the prerogative of a discoverer and named the river after the first keel that ever rested upon its waters, the good ship "Columbia." The land on the north side of the entrance, like a true Bostonian, he called 'Cape Hancock,' and that on the south, 'Point Adams.' The name of the river and the south land we still retain, but the north land has the unpleasant appellation of Cape Disappointment, given it by Mears in 1788. Mears concluded that no river flowed into what he thought to be only a bay, and named the opening De- ception Bay, and the head land, Cape Disappointment. Upon the final return of the expedition to Boston, a few silver medals were
3
DISCOVERY AND DESCRIPTION
struck to commemorate the discovery of the mouth of the Columbia River. One of these medals was deposited in the State Depart- ment at Washington and is now in the Congressional Library. One was retained by Captain Gray. It is believed that these two are the only ones that are now in existence. Captain Gray having ended his voyage and passed away, his widow became the possessor of his medal. After keeping it for several years, she gave it to Hall J. Kelly in trust, that he would make some appropriate use of it. In 1848 Mr. Thornton, being in Washington, D. C., as a sort of envoy from the Governor of the provisional government of Oregon, received this medal from Mr. Kelly with a like injunction. Mr. Thornton brought it to Oregon and retained it in his possession until 1860, when he presented it to the State of Oregon.
"So, after three-quarters of a century, Captain Gray's medal has found an appropriate resting place among the archives of a State near the banks of the river named Columbia by Captain Gray, the first white man that discovered this great river."
In the year 1803, Thomas Jefferson, then President of the United States, had learned something of the supposed value of this great Northwestern country. Believing it would be a most valuable acquisition to the United States, he conceived the idea of sending an exploring expedition up the Missouri River and across the moun- tains to the Pacific coast. In order to do this, it was necessary for him to call on Congress for a small appropriation in order to equip his men, who were mostly soldiers taken from the United States army. Owing to some unavoidable delay, the exploring party, consisting of Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark with about thirty-three men, did not start from St. Louis up the Missouri River until May, 1804. The following letter from Presi- dent Jefferson it seems well to place in this history as showing the wonderful forethought of Jefferson:
"To Meriwether Lewis, Captain of the First Regiment of Infantry of the United States of America :
"Your situation as secretary of the President of the United States has made you acquainted with the objects of my confidential mes- sage of January 18, 1803, to the legislature; you have seen the act they passed, which, though expressed in general terms, was meant to sanction those objects, and you are appointed to carry them into execution.
"Instruments for ascertaining, by celestial observations, the ge- ography of the country through which you will pass, have been already provided. Light articles for barter and presents among the Indians, arms for your attendants, say for from ten to twelve men,
4
THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
boats, tents, and other traveling apparatus, with ammunition, med- icine, surgical instruments, and provisions, you will have prepared, with such aids as the Secretary of War can yield in his department; and from him also you will receive authority to engage among our troops, by voluntary agreement, the number of attendants above mentioned ; over whom you, as their commanding officer, are invested with all the powers the laws give in such a case.
"As your movements, while within the limits of the United States, will be better directed by occasional communications, adapted to circumstances as they arise, they will not be noticed here. What follows is with respect to your proceedings after your departure from the United States.
"Your mission has been communicated to the ministers here from France, Spain, and Great Britain, and through them to their governments ; and such assurances given them, as to its objects, as we trust will satisfy them. The country of Louisiana having been ceded by Spain to France, the passport you have from the Minister of France, the representative of the present sovereign of the coun- try, will be a protection with all its subjects; and that from the Minister of England will entitle you to the friendly aid of any traders of that allegiance with whom you may happen to meet.
"The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri River, and such principal streams of it as, by its course and communication with the waters of the Pacific Ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado, or any other river, may offer the most direct and prac- ticable water communication across the continent, for the purposes of commerce.
"Beginning at the mouth of the Missouri, you will take observa- tions of latitude and longitude, at all remarkable points on the river, and especially at the mouths of rivers, at rapids, at islands, and other places and objects distinguished by such natural marks and characters, of a durable kind, as that they may with certainty be recognized hereafter. The courses of the river between these points of observation may be supplied by the compass, the log-line, and by time, corrected by the observations themselves. The varia- tions of the needle, too, in different places, should be noticed.
"The interesting points of the portage between the heads of the Missouri, and of the waters offering the best communication with the Pacific Ocean, should also be fixed by observation; and the course of that water to the ocean, in the same manner as that of the Missouri.
"Your observations are to be taken with great pains and accu- racy; to be entered distinctly and intelligibly for others as well as yourself, to comprehend all the elements necessary, with the aid
5
DISCOVERY AND DESCRIPTION
of the usual tables, to fix the latitude and longitude of the places at which they were taken, and are to be rendered to the War Office, for the purpose of having the calculations made concurrently by proper persons within the United States. Several copies of these, as well as of your other notes, should be made at leisure times, and put into the care of the most trustworthy of your attendants to guard, by multiplying them, against the accidental losses to which they will be exposed. A further guard would be, that one of these copies be on the cuticular membranes of the paper-birch, as less liable to injury from damp than common paper.
"The commerce which may be carried on with the people inhab- iting the line you will pursue renders a knowledge of those people important. You will therefore endeavor to make yourself ac- quainted, as far as a diligent pursuit of your journey shall admit, with the names of the nations and their numbers:
"The extent and limits of their possessions ;
"Their relations with other tribes or nations;
"Their language, traditions, monuments ;
"Their ordinary occupation in agriculture, fishing, hunting, war, arts, and the implements of these;
"Their food, clothing, and domestic accommodations ;
"The diseases prevalent among them, and the remedies they use;
"Moral and physical circumstances which distinguish them from the tribes we know;
"Peculiarities in their laws, customs and dispositions ;
"The articles of commerce they may need or furnish, and to what extent.
"And, considering the interest which every nation has in ex- tending and strengthening the authority of reason and justice among the people around them, it will be useful to acquire what knowledge you can of the state of morality, religion, and informa- tion among them; as it may better enable those who may endeavor to civilize and instruct them to adapt their measures to the exist- ing notions and practices of those on whom they are to operate.
"Other objects worthy of notice will be:
"The soil and face of the country, its growth and vegetable pro- ductions, especially those not of the United States ;
"The animals of the country generally, and especially those not known in the United States;
"The remains and accounts of any which may be deemed rare or extinct;
"The mineral productions of every kind, but more particularly metals, lime-stones, pit-coal, saltpetre; salines and mineral waters,
6
THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
noting the temperature of the last, and such circumstances as may indicate their character ;
"Volcanic appearances ;
"Climate, as characterized by the thermometer, by the propor- tion of rainy, cloudy, and clear days; by lightning, hail, snow, ice; by the access and recess of frost; by the winds prevailing at dif- ferent seasons; the dates at which particular plants put forth, or lose their flower or leaf ; times of appearance of particular birds, reptiles or insects.
"Although your route will be along the channel of the Missouri, yet you will endeavor to inform yourself, by inquiry, of the char- acter and extent of the country watered by its branches, and es- pecially on its southern side. The North River, or Rio Bravo, which runs into the Gulf of Mexico, and the North River, or Rio Colorado, which runs into the Gulf of California, are understood to be the principal streams heading opposite to the waters of the Missouri, and running southwardly. Whether the dividing grounds between the Missouri and them are mountains or flat lands, what are their distance from the Missouri, the character of the interme- diate country, and the people inhabiting it, are worthy of particu- lar inquiry. The northern waters of the Missouri are less to be inquired after, because they have been ascertained to a considerable degree, and are still in a course of ascertainment by English traders and travellers; but if you can learn anything certain of the most northern sources of the Mississippi, and of its position relatively to the Lake of the Woods, it will be interesting to us. Some account, too, of the path of the Canadian traders from the Mississippi at the mouth of the Ouisconsing to where it strikes the Missouri, and of the soil and rivers in its course, is desirable.
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