USA > Idaho > Owyhee County > A historical, descriptive and commercial directory of Owyhee County, Idaho, January 1898 > Part 9
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up till the time of his death. He left a family of five children, four daughters and a son. The former are all married to wealthy and influential men and reside at Boise, as follows: Mrs. Hosea B. Eastman, Mrs. John D. Springer, Mrs. Timothy Regan, and Mrs. M. A. Regan. The son, Frank, is unmarried and resides in Silver City. Mr. Blackinger was a Mason, being in the order for over forty years prior to his death.
BRUCE, MR. ROBERT, was born in Ireland in 1842. He came to Owyhee county in 1864, and engaged in mining and subsequently stock raising, in which latter business he continued up to the time of his death. In October, 1892, he met with a fatal accident, by being thrown from his wagon while on his return from Silver City, to his ranch at Castle creek. His leg was fractured badly, and necessitated double amputation, but he sank steadily under the shock, and died at De Lamar, April 22, 1895. Was buried by the I. O. O. F. at Silver City, of which fraternity he was an honored member.
BRUNZELL, MR. FREDERICK, was born at Charlottenburg, Sweden, September 27, 1833. Left Sweden in 1855, crossing the isthmus, and arrived in California in the early part of that year. Mined in the placers near Hang- town for several years, and in 1863 followed the tide of immigration to Idaho, and opened a mercantile business at Boise basin, which he moved in the follow- ing year to Silver City. Continued in mercantile business at Silver City until 1877, when he retired, and was residing at Boise City until the opening of Guffey, when he opened business there, being a pioneer of that place and having erected the first building at that point.
Mr. Brunzell is a member of the I. O. O. F. fraternity, and held a term as county commissioner in the early history of the county.
BRUNZELL, JAN MAGNUS, SR., was born at Charlottenburg, Sweden. August 14, 1836, and is a graduate of the Warpnas agricultural college of Sweden. Subsequent to his graduation, he was a sergeant in the army of Sweden, until 1868, when he resigned and emigrated to America, coming direct to Silver City, where he was connected with his brother Fred Brunzell for a couple of years, and then purchased the hotel at Booneville, and engaged in ranching at Reynolds creek, where he subsequently opened his well-known roadside resort.
On February 17, 1896, he disposed of his Booneville property to Colonel W. H. Dewey, but still continues his business at Reynolds, where in 1884 he secured the establishment of the postoffice, and has held the postmastership since its creation. He has also held the office of county commissioner for a term of two years, having been elected in 1888, and has also held several minor offices, having been census marshal in 1890.
Mr. Brunzell is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity. and also a Knight Templar of the Boise commandery.
BRUNZELL, MR. JOHN M., JR., was born in Arveke, Sweden, Feb- ruary 25, 1840. He was educated in the schools of his native town, and at the age of twenty-one years joined the army, serving two years. Learned the
WILLIAMSON.HAFFNEN,LENVER
J. M. Brunzell, Sr.
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T. J. Butler.
John Catlow.
Peter Connors.
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flour-milling business, at which he worked about fifteen years. Came to the United States and crossed the plains with mule teams in 1865, arriving in Ruby City in August of that year. Mr. Brunzell has followed various occupa- tions during his residence here, and is counted one of the prominent and suc- cessful business men. He was married in 1889 to Mrs. Josephine M. Allen, of Silver City. Prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, and treasurer of Silver City lodge, No. 13, A. F. & A. M.
BRUNZELL, MRS. JOSEPHINE MARIE, was born at Thorndhem, Norway, on March 14, 1849. Came to the United States and to Silver City in the fall of 1872, on a visit to her married sister, Mrs. F. Brunzell. She was married in 1874 to Mr. L. M. Allen, two children being born to them, viz., Fred, in 1875, and Julia, in 1877. Mr. Allen died in 1881. In 1889 she was married to Mr. John M. Brunzell, Jr., of Silver City. Mrs. Brunzell is a past grand of the Rebekah order.
BUTLER, MR. T. J., was born at Bedford, Ind., February 5, 1826, of Virginia and Kentucky parentage, Educated in the subscription and public schools of that early time in the Hoosier state, supplemented by one year's tuition at Woodward's academy, at Springvilte;
Began life as a clerk in a general, merchandise store in Bedford, at about the age of eighteen years, varied 'by a trip each season to New Orleans on a flatboat, for the proprietor of; the store, until the year 1849, when, at the age of twenty-three, he crossed the plains to: California with an ox team, leaving Bed- ford on the first day of March, and reaching the Sacramento river at what is now Vina, in Tehama county, September 21, of that year; being between six and seven months on the way. Engaged in placer mining for about three years, or until the fall of 1852, when he began merchandising in the Bald hills, in Shasta county, in company with A. H. Webb. In 1854 the firm removed to Red Bluff, where after several years they dissolved partnership, and Butler became a salesman in the employ of Bull, Baker & Co., for a time, and afterwards did business on his own account until 1856, when, upon the organization of Tehama county, he was appointed the first county clerk of that county, to which position he was elected for a full term in 1857.
In 1862 he was elected to the legislature from Colusa and Tehama counties jointly, taking his seat in that body January 1, 1863, having, in the meantime, been appointed brigadier general of the Fifth brigade of the California militia by Governor Stanford. This was the longest term of the legislature ever held in California, being full five months. He participated in a session of the "school for the soldier," held at the encinal in Alameda county, in June. 1863, and at its close resigned his commisssion as brigadier general, and on the third of July of that year left Red Bluff for Idaho.
At Walla Walla he met his brother, John S. Butler, who had preceded him to that country, by way of John Day's river, in Oregon, the year before, and had been to Boise basin, and returned that far to meet his family. who also came at the same time from Red Bluff. Here they entered into partner- ship, purchased a printing press, type, etc., from Reese Bros., and proceeded
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on to what was then Bannock City, where for nearly two years they published the Boise News, since known as the Idaho World.
In 1865 he took a pack train from Umatilla to Deer Lodge, in Montana, and during the winter of 1865-6 edited a paper at Helena, called the Radiator, for Jeff Favorite.
He returned to Idaho in the spring of 1866, and, in co-partnership with Job F. Dye and J. S. Butler, built a granite building on Washington street, Silver City, filled it with general merchandise, and kept store two or three years, until after the failure of several mining and milling companies with whom they did business, which compelled them to close the store and cease business, though they payed up every dollar they owed, either in Idaho or else- where. He was a member of the board of supervisors that contracted for building the first courthouse at Silver City. In 1868 he was the nominee of the republican party for delegate to congress, and was defeated by J. K. Shafer. In 1870 he was again nominated for congress by his party, but made no canvass, the republicans being hopelessly in the minority, and the nomination being regarded simply as complimentary. Sam Merritt was the successful candidate. During a trip from California to Owyhee county, in 1865, he, withi quite a company of others, including Tom Ewing, was attacked by Indians at Jackson creek, near where Fort McDermit was afterwards established. The fight that ensued became quite noted at the time, and the prominent part that he took in it attracted considerable attention.
In 1870, even before the election in which he was the nominee of his party for congress, he left the territory and went to Elko, Nev., and took charge, as editor, of a campaign paper in the interest of Tritle for governor and Fitch for congress. The campaign being over, he returned in the fall to his old haunts in California, and started a forwarding house at Redding, in which he and his partner forwarded all the supplies to the troops engaged in the Modoc war, in 1873. At the close of the war he went to Oakland, California, for a time, and in December, 1874, went to Prescott, Arizona, where he still resides.
In the spring of 1875 he purchased the Arizona Miner, which he edited and published for about two years, when he sold it and became territorial treasurer by appointment of Governor Hoyt. At the close of the two years of this appointment, General Fremont, then governor of Arizona, renewed the appoint- ment, and repeated it a second time, which carried it to the end of the governor's term, after which Governor Tritle appointed him to the same position twice, making, in all, five appointments of two years each, or ten years in all, fron 1876 to 1886. In 1881 he married Miss Caroline E. Blake. In 1889 President Harrison appointed him receiver of public moneys for the northern district of Arizona, which position he held nearly five years.
During the past three years he has not been in business, but has traveled quite extensively in the United States. He is a member of the bar of the district court in Arizona, but has never engaged in practice; is past seventy one years old, and is taking the world easy.
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CATLOW, MR. JOHN, was born in Yorkshire, England, December 4, 1830. He came to the United States at the age of seventeen, landing at Boston,
John H. Crocheron.
Jacob Dellenbach.
William W. Dryden.
Mrs. William H. Dryden.
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where he found employment and remained two years. Then farmed in Illinois for about three years, and in 1852 crossed the plains for California, where he located in Honey Lake; engaged in mining there until the spring of 1864, when he left for Silver City. At Silver City he was engaged in butchering. mining, stable-keeping and woodhauling, until 1879. In 1875 and 1876 he and Colonel W. H. Dewey opened up the Black Jack mine, the output of which was considerable, but was expended in improvements. About that time he was of the wholesale butchering firm of Smith, Mann & Catlow, San Francisco. and also owned large cattle ranges in the Stein mountain country, and still has large holdings in that locality, where he now resides. He was interested with James G. Fair at the Flint district, and on one occasion saved the life of Fair by intervening between him and an infuriated blacksmith.
CLEGG, MR. PHILIP, was born on the Isle of Man, April 25, 1851. Came to Painesville, Ohio, in 1868, and to California in 1870. Followed ranch- ing in California, and came to Silver City, Idaho, July 4, 1871. Engaged in mining, and worked in the Empire, Mahogany, Potosi, Black Jack and other well-known mines. Mr. Clegg has a ranch of some 360 acres in Pleasant valley, which he took up in 1872, and-is_engaged in the stock business. With the exception of a six months' visit to his old home at the Isle of Man, in 1882. Mr. Clegg has resided here continuously: "He is a member of the I. O. O. F. fraternity.
CONNORS, MR. PETER, was born in Ireland, in July, 1822. Came to the United States in June, 1846, locating first in the state of Vermont. He was married on April 10, 1849, at New Orleans, La., and in September, 1852. arrived in California. Came to Silver City in July, 1866, but in the following September went to Virginia City, Nev., returning in March, 1868, to Silver City, where he has resided permanently since. Prior to 1875 he followed mining and milling, but that year he established a dairy at South Mountain. His wife died February 1, 1880. In 1882 he located a ranch on Trout creek. where he has since resided up till the past year, when he came to Silver City, and is now making his home with his son, John C. Connors. Mr. Connors bears the weight of his seventy-five years of useful life very easily, and is hale and hearty.
COOPER, MR. PRESLEY SAWYER, was born in Howard county, Missouri, Nevember 27, 1842. At the breaking out of the rebellion, he entered the service of the Confederate army, enlisting in the Ninth Missouri cavalry of General Jo Shelby's corps, and participated in all of the engagements of that corps up to Little Rock, Arkansas, when he was taken prisoner, and kept in durance vile until the close of the war.
In 1871 he came West, and farmed in Baker county, Oregon, until the spring of 1874, when he located at Castle creek, where he has since perma- nently resided, engaged in ranching and stock raising.
Participated in the Indian fight at South mountain in June, 1878, being a member of Captain Harper's company, which was organized at Silver City.
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CROCHERON. MR .. JOHN HOLMES, was born in New York city, April 9, 1828. Received his schooling in Massachusetts, and clerked in New York until 1849, when he left for California in a sailing vessel, via Cape Horn. arriving at San Francisco June 27, 1849, thereby constituting himself a pioneer of California.
He has mined in all the prominent mining districts in California and Oregon, as well as one season in Cariboo. In 1863 he was mining in the Blue mountains, John Day country, and from there followed the crowd to Idaho City. He arrived at Silver City in the fall of 1867, worked in the New York mill for about eighteen months, when he purchased his ranch on Sinker creek, where he has since permanently resided.
Mr. Crocheron was married in 1859 to Miss M. J. Crow, of Longtom, Oregon, and their oldest son is Mr. A. B. Crocheron, the present genial sheriff of this county.
The Crocheron ranch is largely improved and well watered, and is one of the prettiest on Sinker creek, and the hospitalities of the same proverbial with those who have the good fortune to pass that way.
DELLENBACH, MR. JACOB, was born in 1841, in Lower Alsace, in a village about four miles from the city of Weisenburg. He emigrated to the United States in 1856, and worked on a farm in Illinois until the spring of 1859, when he made the acquaintance of Chris Studer, and, at the breaking out of the Pike's Peak excitement, they struck out for that place, crossing the plains with an ox team. Meeting with disappointment at Pike's Peak, they continued on to California, and located at Weaverville, where they engaged in placer mining. In 1865 together they came to Silver City, and took up a wood ranch until the summer of 1868, when, in partnership with Joseph C. Gross and Frank Schuster, they became the owners of the Blue Gulch gravel claim on Florida mountain. On June 10, 1877, he was caved on by a mass of gravel, weighing about a ton, falling about thirty feet. On being extricated it was found that his leg was broken below the knee, and that he had also received internal injuries which resulted in his demise the following Tuesday. He was buried June 14, 1877, at Silver City, under the auspices of the I. O. O. F., of which he was an honored member. Mr. Dellenbach was an upright and honorable man, highly respected in the community, and left a host of friends to mourn his sad taking off.
DEWEY, COLONEL W. H., was born in New York state in 1822, and came to Owyhee in the fall of 1863, to the then town of Ruby City; but owing to a "hog-em" real estate crowd in that town, he, in company with others, located a rival town-Silver City-the following spring, and eventually Ruby City moved up to the new location, bag and baggage. In April, 1864, Mr. Dewey built the first wagon road to Ruby and Silver, and in May of the same year started work on the Reynolds creek road. At the time of the South Moun- tain activity, from 1871 to 1875, he owned nearly one-half of that prosperous camp. For over twenty years past Mr. Dewey has been engaged in mine operating and promoting. He sold the Black Jack group to a Pittsburg company
Colonel W. H. Dewey.
William B. Ellison.
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Francis E. Ensign.
Daniel Feour.
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in 1889, and in 1892 disposed of the Trade Dollar group to another Pittsburg company. Both of these properties have proven fabulously rich, and are large and constant dividend payers. In 1895 he organized a company upon the Boonville group of mines, on Florida mountain, and in 1896 extensive improve- ments were made upon the property; but, with the exception of a short run to test the mill machinery, the property has been closed, with the exception of > prospecting force. Considerable valuable ground has been blocked out in the mine, and orders to resume work on a large scale are expected at any time. In 1896 Mr. Dewey incorporated the Boise, Nampa & Owyhee railroad, and started work on the same. It connects with the Oregon Short Line and Idaho Central railways at Nampa; at present has its terminus at Guffey, in Owyhee county. The present season will see it well up into the Owyhee mountains. The bridge across Snake river (illustrated in this book) is one of the finest steel structures in the West. Mr. Dewey has other large mining and property interests in this county, and notwithstanding his advanced age, seventy-five years past, is recognized as one of the leading spirits in public in- provement and development. Much of the prosperity of Owyhee is due to his untiring energy and labor in this section's behalf.
DONNELLY, MR. PETER, was born in the County Longford, Ireland, October 31, 1833. He left Ireland in 1840, with his parents, who settled in Rhode Island. In 1852 he struck out for California, and was for several years engaged in mining at all of the prominent diggings. In February, 1863, he arrived at Idaho City, and in June, 1863, came with the second party to Owyhee county, camping on "Hog's Back," situated on Jordan creek, near what is now known as De Lamar, and since that date has been mining, pros- pecting and saloon keeping, with varied success, having in the 'zos large holdings at South mountain. In 1865, under charter from the legislature, he owned and built the road from Silver City to Jordan valley, Oregon.
DRYDEN, MR. WILLIAM WALLACE, was born in Whitney county, Kentucky, March 28, 1818, and moved to Linn county, Missouri, in 1832, and in 1850 was married to Miss Martha Ellen Reynolds. In 1864, accompanied bv his family. he came to Idaho. and settled at first at Middleton, and from there moved to Reynolds creek in 1869, being one of four of the earliest settlers in that locality. He engaged in ranching, in which he continued up to about ten years ago, when he retired from active life and took up his residence at Caldwell. He departed this life at Nampa, April 21, 1897, and' was buried beside his wife at Reynolds cemetery. Mr. Dryden was the father of twelve children, seven of whom are living, one of whom being Mrs. C. E. Share, of Reynolds. He was a kindhearted, cheerful gentleman, and will long be remembered in this county by his sobriquet of "Father Dryden."
DRYDEN, MRS. MARTHA ELLEN, nee Reynolds, was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, January 1, 1830. " At an early age her parents removed to Linn county, Missouri, where in 1850 she was united by marriage to William Wallace Dryden, and in 1864 accompanied her husband to Idaho, where they settled at first at Middleton, and moved from there to Reynolds creek in 1869,
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where she resided up to the time of her death, which occurred January 20, 1884, and her remains were interred in Reynolds cemetery.
Mrs. Dryden was an estimable lady, loved and respected by all who knew her, and her loss was mourned by a large number of relatives and a wide circle of acquaintances.
She was the mother of Mrs. Charles E. Share, the genial hostess of the Share's stage house. at Reynolds.
ELLISON, MR. WILLIAM B., was born in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., in 1832. Went to California in 1852, via Cape Horn, and came to Boise basin in 1865. In 1867 he arrived at Silver City, where he has since almost con- tinuously resided. Quartz milling is his profession, and he is acknowledged to have few superiors in that line.
ENSIGN, MR. FRANCIS E., was born at Painsville, Ohio, and when six years old removed with his parents to Williams county, which was at that time almost a wilderness, containing a few white settlers and many Indians. Got his elementary education in a log schoolhouse in the woods, but afterward studied at the Western Reserve collegiate institute, Austinburg, Ashtabula county, Ohio, and subsequently a year at Oberlin college. His health failing, he was con- pelled to abandon his hopes of a collegiate education, and went to sea and spent a year before the mast as a common sailor, and recovered his health. His ocean life terminated at San Francisco, February 1, 1854. Worked two months on a dairy farm, milking cows and digging ditches, then situated several miles distant from San Francisco, but which is now in the heart of the city. In the ensuing month of May went to the French gulch placer mines, in Shasta county, and then to Siskiyou county, and mined on McAdams and Indian creek, and in Scott's valley about four years. Did well the first three years, but lost all by high floods in the winter of 1857-8. In 1858 was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law at Yreka, and continued in practice there eight years. Six years of the time was district attorney of Siskiyou county. In 1866 left California and came to Idaho, and practiced his profession twelve years at Silver City, Owyhee county, In 1868 was elected a member of the territorial council of Idaho from Owyhee county, and was chairman of the judiciary committee of the council at the fifth session of the Idaho legislature. In 1872 failed by one vote of being nominated delegate to congress by the democratic territorial convention. Was elected three times district attorney of the third (southern) judicial district, including all of Southern Idaho south and east of Boise and Alturas counties, holding the office six years, from 1872 to 1878. In 1876 was married to Miss Margaret Reid, at Silver City. In 1878 moved to Boise City, and practiced law there for three years. In 1881, on account of sickness in his family, moved to Hailey, then in Alturas county, and has been engaged there ever since in the practice of his profession. In 1889-90 was chairman of the democratic territorial com- mittee. After the new constitution was adopted in 1890, was nominated by the democratic party as one of its candidates for justice of the supreme court, and received the largest vote of any of the democratic candidates for that office. In 1892 was again nominated for that office, but shared the fate of his ticket.
HSON-HAFFNER.RENVER
George D. Gardner.
George W. Gilmore.
Frederick Grete. Sr.
Mrs. Withimina Grete.
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FEOUR, MR. DANIEL, was born in Aroostook county, Maine, on June 9, 1850. Came to California via Isthmus of Panama in 1865, engaging in the mining business. Mined in California until 1869, when he went to White Pine, Nevada, and from there to the Squaw creek and Victoria excitements in Washington and British Columbia. Came to Owyhee in 1875, where he has since resided, although he has prospected in different sections of the state since that time. Mr. Feour has been a successful prospector, having sold the St. John mine in 1879 to the Henrietta company, the Colorado group of three claims in 1894 to the Trade Dollar Mining & Milling Company, and the Comstock to the Florida Mountain Company in 1895. In 1896 he negotiated the deal whereby the Humboldt group, owned by John Feour and Taylor Gearhart, was sold to the last-named company. Mr. Feour was married in 1895 to Miss Sallie Catlow, of Silver City. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. fraternity.
FOGUS, COLONEL D. H., now residing in San Francisco, who was of the firm of More & Fogus, Silver City, and is well known to all old timers, furnishes us with the following reminiscences. He says as follows: "I was one of the twenty-eight men who wintered the first winter at Oro Fino. We built the first cabins at Pierce City ..... L .grub. staked the; first man who panned out the first gold at Florence, and Falso staRed the first prospector who found gold on the Powder and Burnt fiver; districts, and followed him over the mountains in March, 1862, the crowd following me. On June 28, 1862, I panned out the first gold on Sinker creek,Owyhee county, on a litti: knoll about fifty feet below where Diamond guilehr enters into Sinker creek, and the holes I made may still be seen, and some of the men who were with me are still alive to verify what I say. I went there on the representation of a man, who said he had a nephew who had been with a party on the creek in 1847, and that they had found gold so plentiful that they pounded it out on their wagon tires to make sinkers for their fish lines, thereby giving the creek its present name. I also discovered the first gold in Boise basin on August 2, 1862, being one of the twelve, three of whom were with me at Sinker creek."
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