An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 123

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1524

USA > Idaho > Kootenai County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 123
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 123
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 123
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 123

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FRANK D. VANSISE. This sturdy and in- trepid pioneer and Indian fighter has had much to do both in subduing the enemies of the whites in this section and also in building up the country, being now a contractor in Grangeville, where he has wrought for many years.

Frank D. Vansise was born in Huron county, Ohio, on January 28, 1850, being the son of David and Olive (Raymond) Vansise, natives of Pennsyl- vania, and born in 1815 and 1822 and died in 1857 and 1870, respectively. The father who was of Ger- man extraction was killed by the bursting of a cannon while firing a Fourth of July salute. Our subject grew to manhood and was educated in Ohio. The mother kept the family together after the father's death and when our subject was sixteen he went to sailing on the lakes .. In October, 1868, the family came, via the the Isthmus, to Portland and there they bought school land and farmed it until September, 1871. Then it was sold and Frank came to Camas prairie, where he drove cattle to Warren and did butch- ering. Later he took land in this county which he afterwards sold. He followed his trade of building in Mt. Idaho and in 1885 settled in Grangeville, where he has dwelt since.

In 1878 Mr. Vansise married Miss Ettie Fountain, whose father was born in Oregon, where his parents were pioneers. His brother, Dell Fountain, is a noted race horse man. Mrs. Vansise was born in Oregon in 1862. Mr. Vansise has one sister, Mary Bartley, in

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Mt. Idaho. Mr. Vansise is a member of the I. O. O. F., has passed all the chairs, was a delegate to the grand lodge at Pocatello last fall and is now deputy grand patriarch. Mr. Vansise is an active Democrat, always at the conventions and has held the office of constable.

In the Indian war of 1877 he was a volunteer with the Mt. Idaho local forces to protect their homes. A. I. Chapman, who raised a company of volunteers, had an Indian wife and many of them objected to his position of commander. Consequently a petition was gotten up among them and presented to General How- ard to appoint D. B. Randall, a veteran of the Civil war and lieutenant of the company, commander. George Riggins and our subject were appointed to to take this petition to Howard south of the Salmon from Mt. Idaho. They sent the petition to him from Whitebird and Randall was appointed. This was July I. 1877. The next morning seventeen volunteers start- ed across the prairie to assist Cottonwood and while on the way one hundred and forty-five Indians under chief Joseph came up from the gulches on the south and attacked the seventeen. Mr. Vansise's horse was shot from under him and H. C. Johnson took him up behind. They all then charged the Indians and made a stand on a little knoll. Captain Randall and B. F. Evans were killed outright at the start of the battle, D. H. Howser was shot through the body and died in ten days, a young boy, Leland, was shot through the leg, and a Swede, Charles Johnson, was shot in the foot. Eight horses were killed. The volunteers con- tinued to charge the Indians until they retreated. This handful were all old plainsmen and fine shots, and this with their coolness was all that saved them. There were three companies of soldiers, Captain Perry, Cap- tain Whipple and Captain Winters, from the First U. S. Cavalry at Cottonwood at the time of this battle, but in a most unbecoming and disgraceful manner re- fused to assist their fellows. After the Indians re- treated, our subject took Howser's horse, rode to Cot- tonwood and interviewed the troops and it is to be hoped that his severe reprimand at least brought to their mind the cowardly acts of the officers. Amuni- tion was secured and a man, Shearer, went back with Mr. Vansise, and was wounded in the arm by the skulk- ing Indians. Wagons took in the wounded and Colon- el McConville, in command of all the volunteers, hear- ing the shots came from across the Salmon to assist. He escorted the handful back to Mt. Idaho the next day with the wounded.

Alex Foster, a half breed Nez Perces and Charlie Blewett, who were scouting the day before this battle, were surprised by the Indians and Blewett was slain, but Foster escaped to lead back some troops who in turn were ambushed by the treacherous savages and all were killed, eleven besides Foster. They made a stubborn fight, getting into some rocks and only when their ammunition gave out did the savages come up and in a hand to hand conflict massacred them all.

Our subject was with the volunteers at the en- counter on Misery hill when the Indians stampeded the stock. The redskins encamped across the Clear-

water from General Howard, asked for a peace talk and then fired at the general and took to the Lo-Lo trail.

LEVI MAGEE is a stirring business man and ca- pable attorney at law in Grangeville, where he has been prominent in these circles as well as in educational mat- ters for twelve years. He was born in Hamilton, On- tario, on August 15, 1864, the son of John and Mary J. (Green) Magee. The father was a farmer, born in New York, came to the Willamette valley in 1868 and died there in 1894. The mother was born in Canada November, 1832, and is still living in Portland. Our subject was four years of age when the family came to Oregon and began study in the common school until 1882 then took a seven-year course in the Willamette University and in 1890 received his diploma, having taught two years prior to his graduation, and also had studied law. On August 15, 1890, immediately after graduation, he came to Grangeville and took charge of the Columbia River Conference Academy, being princi- pal. He was first to formulate a complete course and turned out the first graduates from the institution. After this he was admitted to the bar in Grangeville and commenced the practice of law, but receiving the ap- pointment to the postmastership of Grangeville, ac- cepted the same and in addition to that put in a stock of books, stationery and so forth, later adding grocer- les, then hardware and general merchandise. For four years he conducted the office with efficiency and faith- fulness and then on account of change in administra- tion resigned. He continued to operate the mercantile business until 1902, when he sold it and opened a law office in Grangeville, where we find him at the present time. Mr. Magee owns business and residence prop- erty in Grangeville and is building up a good practice. He was nominated for probate judge in 1893 and for state senator in 1902, being defeated by a small ma- jority. Mr. Magee is a strong advocate for the cause of education and he has stimulated much good action in this field. He was instrumental in securing the establishment of a station of the state free traveling li- brary and other benefits.

In 1890, while in Oregon, Mr. Magee married Miss Delia H., daughter of John and Mary J. (Connor ) Ho- bart, pioneers to Oregon across the plains. The father died in 1890 and the mother in 1902. Mrs. Magee was born in Silverton, Oregon, and there educated and later taught in Oregon and in Grangeville. She has three sisters living, Moura Vercler, LaVilla McNeal, Alberta. Mr. Magee has the following brothers and sisters : William, Joseph, Thomas, Mary E. Mann, Walter D. Mr. Magee is a member of the I. O. O. F. and is grand master of the state lodge. He also belongs to the K. P. and the W. W. Mrs. Magee is an active member of the Presbyterian church, the Ladies Literary Club, and an active worker in social circles. Mr. Magee has re- cently been elected to a membership in the world's fair fraternal building association on the suggestion of National Chairman Wilkinson.

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

EDWIN I. CHASE, who is classed rightly with the leading stockmen and agriculturists of Idaho county, dwells about eight miles northwest from Grangeville, where he has a fine estate of two hundred and forty acres which is annualy, by his thrift and industry, laid under tribute to produce abundant returns of the fruits of the field, while also he handles a hundred head of well bred cattle and as many hogs, besides other stock. He was born in the vicinity of Monticello, Illinois, on October 10, 1862, being the son of Edward and Mary (Perkins) Chase. The father was born in Maine, in 1838, removed to Illinois with his parents, where he married and remained until 1862, when he came to Douglas county, Oregon. He farmed and raised stock there until 1881 then came to Camas prairie. He was appointed postmaster at Denver, in 1897 by President Mckinley and the next year opened a general mer- chandise establishment there. In 1899 he was disabled by sickness and resigned his position as postmaster. He was justice of the peace for two years and on De- cember 17, 1902, passed to the world beyond. The mother of our subject was born in Illinois and died in Oregon. Our subject was reared and educated in the Douglas county home and remained with his father until fifteen. In 1879 he came to Camas prairie. He worked for wages until 1881, then took up a quar- ter as a pre-emption and in 1884 a homestead. Mr. Chase gave his attention to raising stock and farm- ing, in which he has made a good success. He has five brothers, Charles, Oliver, Frank, Albert, William.

On April 9, 1893, Mr. Chase married Miss Mary J., daughter of John E. and Margaret (Burgin) Briscoe. Mr. Briscoe was born in Missouri, in 1839, came to Ar- kansas when a young man and took up farming. In 1889 he came to southern Idaho and thence to Grange- ville, and since then he has farmed and mined. Mrs. Briscoe was born in North Carolina in 1837 and now lives in Grangeville. Mrs. Chase was born in Benton county. Arkansas, on December 23, 1861, and has four brothers, John, George B., James P., William. The fruit of this union is four children, Edgar S., born May 15, 1894 ; Eva, born May 23, 1896; Effie, born May 23, 1896, now deceased ; Archie, born June 1, 1898, also de- ceased. Mr. Chase is a solid Republican and his wife is a good Democrat. They are good people and of ex- cellent standing. Mr. Chase is a member of the M. W. A.

JOHN R. ADKISON is a prominent farmer and stockman of Idaho county and was one of the early pioneers who opened the country for settlement. He was born in Fulton county, Illinois, on August 1, 1850, the son of Elijah and Mary (Eccles) Adkison, born in Indiana in 1827 and 1829 respectively. They were pioneers in Illinois, Missouri, California, Oregon and Idaho. The father died in 1888 and the mother in 1899. Her ancestors were originally from North Carolina. The family removed to Iowa when John R. was five, then went to Missouri and in 1863 went thence to Shasta county, California. Later they settled in Marion county, Oregon, and in that state and Missouri our sub-

ject was educated. He farmed in Oregon and in 1871 settled on his present place, two miles southwest from Grangeville. Since the Mr. Adkison has been one of the leading men of the county and has given attention to mining, farming, raising stock, and teaching school. He was here during the Indian war and fought as a volunteer in Company E, First Idaho Infantry under Captain McConville. He is of the opinion that General Howard was a competent officer and that the Indians were greatly underestimated as a foe. Mr. Adkison believes also that the government was largely respon- sible for the trouble on account of the breach of faith with Chief Joseph regarding his Wallowa home. Mr. Adkison was at the Clearwater fight and also went with J. M. Adkison, Charles Rice, F. A. Fenn, F. A. Door, J. Crooks, P. D. Adkison, G. Hasshagen on the morning of the fifteenth to rescue those wounded and killed on the fourteenth. He remembers the Norton and Chamberlain murder as on the night of the four- teenth.

In Douglas county, Oregon, on September 7, 1879, Mr. Adkison married Miss Hattie S. Brown, whose father, Hon. H. G. Brown, a pioneer in 1848, was prominent and wealthy man in Oregon. He repre- sented his county three times in the legislature. Mrs. Adkison has one brother, Samuel, and three sisters, Helen, Carrie, and Mattie. Mr. Adkison has the fol- lowing brothers: James, Perry, Elijah, and George. To Mr. and Mrs. Adkison have been born, Henry, in Idaho county ; Loyal, a member of the class of 1904 in the State University and a leader in oratorical lines. winning the Brook medal in 1902; Normal, at the high school in Grangeville, and Carrie, aged seven. Mr. Adkison, who is a member of the I. O. O. F., is a strong Republican. He missed the representative- ship by only three votes in 1876 in a county with three hundred Democratic majority. Mr. Adkison is an orator in the political campaigns and is well known as a fluent speaker.

DIDRIECH H. TELCHER, deceased. A biog- raphy of this pioneer and leading man of Idaho county in his day is certainly in place in the history of the county. He was born in Lubeck, Germany, on Feb- ruary 22, 1835, where he remained until twelve, when the family came to the United States and settled near Dellville, Illinois. He lived with his parents until eighteen and in 1853 went overland to Oregon, settling on a half section of donation land near Oregon City. He farmed and raised stock until 1855, when he en- listed to fight the Yakimas. He was discharged at The Dalles, from Company C, First Oregon Mounted Vol- unteers, on October 13, 1855. He returned to his farm and in 1860 came to the Salmon river mines. He mined six years in Florence and Warren and in 1866 came to Camas prairie and took land, later took a homestead. He supplied the mines with beef and vegetables and continued a lucrative business until 1877, when he re- moved his family to the stockade at Mt. Idaho and took part in defending the post, also assisting to remove General Howard to the Clearwater from Whitebird.

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After the war he devoted himself more particularly to farming and continued in abundant success in that line until his death on March 9, 1898, being mourned by all. He left an estate of one section, property in Grangeville, eighty cattle, hogs and other property. Mr. Telcher had one brother and two sisters, Charles, Eliza Weber, Eureka Rauch, deceased.

On May 17, 1870, in Clackamas county, Oregon, Mr. Telcher married Miss Margaret, daugliter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Anderson) Rauch. The father was born in Prussia on September 9, 1818 and came to the United States when he was twelve with his parents. In 1853 he came to the Willamette valley, being in the same train as Mr. Telcher. He retired from active life in 1893 and lived in Oregon City until his death, on May 30, 1902. The mother was born on October 19, 1821, at sea, while her parents were coming to the United States from England. She remained with her parents in Philadelphia until sixteen and then came to St. Louis where she married and now lives in Oregon City. Mrs. Telcher was born on July 1, 1848, in Hancock county, Illinois and has the following brothers and sis- ters : John, deceased ; Hanna, deceased ; William, Mary Maddock, George, deceased. Five children are the fruit of this union, Henry V., born April 6, 1871, now assessor of Idaho county : Charles, born February 24, 1875 and died on December 14, 1889 ; Maggie, born January 20, 1880 ; Ralph, born November 1, 1882, re- cently graduated from the high school in Grangeville ; Myrtle, born November 6, 1886; now attending the normal at Lewiston. Mr. Telcher was prominent in political matters and was a stanch Republican. He was county commissioner from 1878 to 1882. county as- sessor from 1882 to 1886. He was commissioner for the road from Grangeville to the little Salmon country, connecting the north and the south part of the state. He was a prominent man of worth and integrity.

MARK HOWE. The hotel Revere, one of the ex- cellent hostelries of the county, is operated in a suc- cessful manner in Grangeville, by the subject of this article. He is a man of good standing and has won a first-class patronage for his house and hosts of friends among the people of the county and the traveling pub- lic.

Mark Howe was born in Washington county, Maine, on February 9, 1855, being the son of Mark and Harriet (Leland) Howe, natives of Maine. The father, who came from the old Puritan stock of Mas- sachusetts and followed lumbering, died before our subject remembers. The mothier came from an old New England family and died in 1895. Our subject was educated in the common schools of Maine and followed lumbering in all the prominent camps of the state until 1881, when he came to Minnesota and there followed the same business until 1890, when he sold his interests and came to the Palouse country. He went into the mines on the head of Bear creek and the north fork of the Clearwater. He, in connection with C. T. Cross and Duke Bros., opened the mica mines

but they failed finacially, together with the Palouse National Bank. Then our subject took a ranch in the Bear Creek country and in 1896 came to Cotton- wood and bought the Cottonwood house. He did a good business there, handling in connection the Lewis- ton stage from that place. Then Mr. Howe came to Grangeville and opened the Idaho house and one year later took charge of the Revere which he has oper- ated successfully since.

On December 22, 1888, while in Minnesota, Mr. Howe married Miss Luella, daughter of William and Mary (Priestly) Johnson, natives of Maine. Mrs. Howe was born in Wisconsin and taught school for a term, being in that occupation when she met Mr. Howe. She has two brothers and two sisters. Ellen Whitford, Ida Huston, William C., George. Mr. Howe has one brother, Herbert. Two children have been born to them, Herbert, Bessie, the latter one de- ceased. Mr. Howe is a member of the I. O. O. F. and of the W. W. He is an active Democrat, is al- ways at the caususes and conventions and is at pres- ent central committeeman. In addition to his other property interests, Mr. Howe is still interested in sev- eral mining propositions.

MORTIMER S. MARTIN. The subject of this sketch is one of the industrious farmers of the county and dwells about four miles southeast from Tolo. He was born in Yates county, New York, on Febru- ary 6, 1848, the son of Joel D. and Caroline Martin, mention of whom is made in this volume. When Mor- timer was ten, the family went, via the Isthmus, to Marysville. California, in 1864 they came to San Francisco, thence by steamer, Brother Jonathan, to Portland and up the rivers to Lewiston, whence they hurried to Elk and mined. Our subject mined with his father until 1866, then went back to San Francis- co and completed his education by a course in a busi- ness college. On January 1, 1868, he came to Elk and mined a year. On May 1, 1869, he was appointed deputy assessor of Nez Perces county. In the fall he returned to the Elk mines and the following year came to Camas prairie, where he farmed and raised cattle. At the time of the Indian war he was living about a mile south from Grangeville; he took his wife and went to Mt. Idaho. Then Mr. Martin joined the vol- unteers under Captain Ad Chapman, later was under D. B. Randall and then under James Cearley. After the war, Mr. Martin went to Lewiston and remained a year, and then in 1880 located on his present place. He owns two hundred acres, thirty cattle, and other stock.

On February 9, 1877, Mr. Martin married Miss Jennie L., daughter of George Freeman. Her par- ents died when she was small, and she was adopted into the family of Seth Jones. Mrs. Martin was born in Siskiyou county, California, on January 18, 1860, and has three sisters, Annie Waters, deceased, Georg- ia Newbegin, Mary Beeson. To this marriage there have been born seven children: Herbert J., born No-

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vember 9, 1877; Lena C., born November 22, 1878; Olive J., born February 1, 1880; Mortimer S., born January 2, 1882; Elsie E., born September 24, 1884; Estelle E., born November 26, 1886; Harold W., born September 18, 1893. Mr. Martin is an active Repub- lican and was county assessor in 1894.

Mr. Martin was with the twenty-five volunteers who went to Clear creek to attack thirty Indians. Be- fore they were ready to make the attack a company of. regulars came under Colonel Whipple and took the lead. However, as they were slow, the volunteers were sent ahead and Chief Lookingglass came for a parley and agreed to surrender. As this was in prog- ress, the surrendering to take place in the middle of the creek, the Indians scattered to the brush and the fighting began. Three savages were killed and some wounded but none of the whites were injured.

EVERETT GEE, the well known proprietor of the news and book store in Grangeville, was born in Dayton, Nevada, on January 10, 1865, the son of Will- iam and Celia (Waterman) Gee. The father was born in Ashtabula, Ohio, in 1826, came to California in 1849, via the Horn, and mined and operated a pack train. Later he operated in the stock business on a large scale with headquarters at Sacramento. He was in the Piute and Digger Indian wars and was known as a brave and fearless man in danger and a skillful Indian fighter. In 1883 he came to Walla Walla and later went to Ashland, Oregon, where he died on Au- gust 2, 1898. The paternal grandfather of our sub- ject was noted pilot, captain and Methodist minister in Ohio. The mother of Everett Gee was born in Iowa in 1840, crossed the plains with her parents to California in 1850, met her future husband in Visalia, and died in 1879. Our subject was six when his father moved to Sacramento from Nevada, having sold large possessions there to Adolph Sutro, famous for the tun- nel and being mayor of San Francisco. Everett was educated in Sacramento and went to do for himself at the age of sixteen. In 1883 he came to Walla Walla and in 1886 he went to Spokane and there operated an express line. Later we see him in Grangeville freighting and in 1898 his wife died and he went to the coast and thence to Nome. Returning from Nome after one summer, he came to Grangeville in Octo- ber, 1900, and in May, 1902, he purchased his pres- ent business and has operated it successfully since. He is also interested with his brothers in the Grange- ville dairy.

On February 20, 1900, Mr. Gee married Mrs. Carrie, widow of Tom Aram and daughter of Joseph Moore, mention of whose brave deeds will be made in another portion of this work. He was killed by the Indians during the war and his widow died in 1890. Mrs. Gee was born in Oregon in 1865 and came to Idaho when nine months old. She has five brothers : Homer, Harry, Hugh, Cyrus, Merrill, and one half sister, Belle McPherson, who is living with her. Mr. Gee has two children by his former marriage, Celia

and Ethel, at home. Mrs. Gee has two children by her former marriage, Vivian and Chester Aram. Mr. Gee is a member of the W. O. W. and the Circle. He is constable and in politics is a Republican, active and influential.

Mrs. Gee's father was born in New Jersey in Ap- ril, 1831, the son of Jacob and Phoebe ( Brands) Moore, of Scotch and English extraction. He crossed the plains in 1860, settled in Oregon, married in 1863 and came to the Idaho mines at Newsome. In 1875 he came to Camas prairie took a ranch and also op- erated the Cottonwood house. The account of his tragic death more properly comes in the historical portion of the work.

HON. T. W. GIRTON is surely one of the earli- est pioneers of the western coast and a glance at his career is convincing proof that he was one of the en- terprising and active men of the time, which he has continued to be since. He was born in West Vir- ginia, in 1832, the son of Dickison and Carrie (Green) Girton, natives of Virginia, as also were their forefathers. The father was a pioneer and operated a carding machine in Laharpe, Illinois. The mother's ancestors fought for the American cause in the days of the Revolution and were true Americans. Our sub- ject grew to manhood and was educated in Illinois. In 1852 he crossed the plains with oxen to Portland and in 1854 was mining in California. In 1857 he came to The Dalles and at the time of the Fraser ex- citement in 1860 went thither and wrought for the government. In 1861 Mr. Girton was in Oro Fino, the diggings having been discovered the year before by Pierce, J. Bull, Marion, Moore and Rhodes. In 1862 we see Mr. Girton in Florence and in the fall came to Camas prairie and worked for Crooks & Shumway, butchers and stockmen. In June, 1863, he went to East Bannack, Montana, and discovered good diggings. He came from Lemhi twelve hun- dred miles, via Walla Walla, to Florence to record a ditch on very valuable property. In 1868 Mr. Girton came to Camas prairie and the next year we find him taking his present place, three miles southwest from Grangeville. Since then he has raised stock and farmed, making himself one of the prominent men of the county. He was guard in the Indian war and remembers the outbreak on June 13.

In 1868 Mr. Girton married Elizabeth Shipton, of Corvallis, Oregon, who died in 1872. He has one son, as the fruit of this union, James, in Washington.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 123

Author: Publication date: 1903 Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1524

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1524