An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 127

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 127
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 127
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 127
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 127

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

gon. In that town he took up the real estate and tim- ber business and for eight years he was prospered nicely. Then came another change and he sold out, making his way to Grangeville. This was in Febru- ary, 1899, and he at once bought a corner lot on Main street and built the Wiltse house. For three years he successfuly operated this hotel, then rented it and engaged in mining and other business until Decem- ber 1, 1902, at which time Mr. Wiltse formed a part- nership with Mr. James Adams and they purchased the M. & M. cash store, which they are now operat- ing with display of the same sagacity and winning methods that have characterized the successful moves hitherto.

In 1884 Mr. Wiltse married Miss Amy Clark, who died in 1900, leaving four children, Herna, Nellie, Gladys, Harold.

In 1901 Mr. Wiltse contracted a second marri- age, L. Mae Dice, daughter of Frank and Minnie Dice, becoming his bride. The parents were natives of Michigan but are now deceased. The father was a prominent hotel man in his state. Mrs. Wiltse has two brothers, James and Almon. Mr. Wiltse has two brothers and four sisters: Ida, Bell, Eva, Blanche, George, John. Mrs. Wiltse is a member of the Pres- byterian church and Mr. Wiltse belongs to the Mas- ons, to the A. O. U. W., and to the Artisans. He is a Democrat but not partisan and is an independent thinker. In addition to his hotel, his mercantile busi- ness and other property, Mr. Wiltse is heavily inter- ested in mining and is president of a company.

FRED A. DAVIS, superintendent of the Idaho Copper Mining & Smelting Company, whose prop- erty lies four and one-half miles northwest from Whitebird, is one of the enterprising citizens of Ida- ho county and his experience in the art of mining all over the continent together with a generous fund of natural ability in this line, have made him one of the best mining men of the section. He was born in Maine, on January 3, 1873, the son of James and Ida (Tomlinson) Davis, born in Nova Scotia in 1847 and 1852, respectively. The parents were of English extraction. The family went to Nova Scotia when Fred A. was six months of age and there he received his education and when thirteen went to work in the mines and continued thus until he was twenty. Then he came to the western mines, working in the old Blue Bell, the oldest mine in British Columbia, it being dis- covered by the Hudson Bay people. Mr. Davis also wrought in Rossland. Ainsworth, Boundary regions, and in the Coeur d' Alene section, besides various places in Washington. He was foreman and also shift boss in different mines, especially the Rambler, In September, 1902, Mr. Davis came to Idalio and took the superintendency of the present property, which is being well improved and skillfully handled under his wise direction. The mines are gold and copper producers and are very promising properties.

The company are erecting large improvements in the way of compressor and smelting works.

At Colville, Washington, on September 10, 1902, Mr. Davis married Miss Marguerite, daughter of John and Harriet Acorn. The father is a sawmill man and a bridge contractor. Mrs. Davis was born in Prince Edward island and is of Scotch descent. She was well educated and spent some time in teaching. She has four brothers and two sisters. Mr. Davis has the following brothers and sisters : Blanche, William, Wesley, Joseph, Fannie, Annie, Bertha, Lewis and Maude. Mr. Davis is a member of the I. O. O. F., Mrs. Davis is an adherent of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Davis is largely interested in mining properties on the Salmon and is a leader in mining circles here. He has spent some time in the past in organizing unions. He owns one group of mining claims, known as Number One Group, situated about two miles north from the Copper Mining and Smelting Com- pany's property.

HIRAM ROBBINS, deceased. This esteemed gentleman was well known in Idaho county both on ac- count of his labors in the educational work and be- cause of his energy and enterprising qualities of worth which were demonstrated in a career of usefulness and intelligent activity. He was born in Watauga county, North Carolina, on November 2, 1843, the son of Le- ander and Alvira Robbins. He was reared under the parental roof until he was fifteen and then went to do for himself and gain an education. He graduated from the high school of Boone, his native county, and at once went to teaching in his state. This was in 1872, and he continued in educational work until the time of his removal to Idaho county, on May 10, 1884. Here he took up the same line of work and was known as one of the leaders in this realm. He also secured eighty acres of land and devoted part of his attention to general farming and rasing stock. The family home is one-half mile south from Cottonwood and in addition they own property in town. On January 3, 1903, the angel of death summoned Mr. Robbins to the realities of another world and his demise was a time of general mourning, for he was beloved by his friends from every quarter. He had the following brothers and sisters: Thomas, William, James, Lar- kin, deceased, John, Mary Downs, Mira Green.

On March 28, 1875. Mr. Robbins married Miss Etta, daughter of Solomon and Polly (Elrod) Black- burn. The father, a farmer, was born in North Caro- lina in 1826, and during the war, as he sympathized with the union, was shot at his own door. The mother was born in the same state in 1824. She was a great student of the Bible, having read it through twenty- four times. After her husband's death, she removed with her children to Arkansas and when seventy-two she went all the way back in a wagon; her death oc- curred on June 11, 1899. Mrs. 'Robbins was born in Ash county, North Carolina, on May 5. 1857, and has the following brothers and sisters: William, Louisa and Emma, deceased, Calvin, Phineas, Lafayette, Cor-

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nelia Herman. Eight children are the fruit of this marriage : H. Clay, born July 15. 1877 ; Claudius C., born September 24, 1879; Flora A. Eller, born June 4, 1881 ; Blanche B. Ogan, born April 8, 1883; Wal- ter S., born April 21, 1885; Oscar W., born May 12, 1890, and died May 3, 1898: Newton I., born June 19. 1893; Ora H., born May 13, 1895. Mr. Robbins has been postmaster four years in Cottonwood, county school superintendent two years, and in 1896 was elected justice of the peace and was also notary pub- lic. He joined the Masons in 1863. Mrs. Robbins has displayed great fortitude and courage in assuming the burdens since her husband's death and is one of the highly esteemed ladies of the county.

GEORGE S. STOCKTON, M. D., whose skill and ability as a first-class physician is well estab- lished, is at this writing county physician of Idaho county and one of the leading men of the county. He was born in Brant county, Ontario, on November 8, 1864. the son of Andrew and Charlotte (Rochers) Stockton, born in New Brunswick in 1829 and Lon- don. England. respectively. The father died in Au- gust, 1898. His father came to New Brunswick at the close of the Revolutionary war and then moved to On- tario later and took land. The great-grandfather of our subject on the father's side was a subject of George III and received a grant of land in New Bruns- wick. The family held real estate in Pennsylvania, but lost all at the time of the Revolution. Our subject's mother came to the United States with her parents when quite young, being a descendant of the Tich- burns, who left a large estate in England about which there has been much litigation in late years. George S. received the beginning of his education in the ex- cellent schools of Ontario and then finished a univer- sity course in Toronto, commencing it when seventeen. Immediately succeeding that he took a medical course in the university of medicine and later a post-graduate course in one of the leading colleges of medicine in New York. Being thus well fortified for the profes- sion, Dr. Stockton settled near Marquette, Michigan, and began practice. Three years later he came west and spent some time in travel and finally settled in Seattle : after securing a good practice he was burned ont in the big fire and lost all. Next we see him in Spokane, where he did well until 1897, at which time he located in Grangeville and at once received a good patronage. He has continued steadily here since and is one of the established business men of the county and enjoys a fine practice.

In Chicago, in 1889, Dr. Stockton married Miss Rena, daughter of Henry and Alice ( Robinson) Ben- ton. The father is a wealthy railroad man, a native of New York and is descended from an old and prom- inent family. The mother of Mrs. Stockton was born in New York, as was Mrs. Stockton also. She is a niece of Mrs. Ross, from whom Ross park was named in Spokane. She has one brother and four sisters. Dr. Stockton has the following brothers and sisters,

Eva, William, Charles, Frances, Maude. Two chil- dren, Sadie and Andrew. have been born to this cou- ple. Dr. Stockton is a member of the I. O. O. F., the Artisans. the Foresters and the M. W. A. Mrs. Stockton and her daughter belong to the Episcopal church. Dr. Stockton is a Democrat and active. He has been coroner of the county and is always interested in the welfare of the county and town. He owns min- ing property in addition to his business.

ROBERT WATSON lives about two miles south- east from Cottonwood, where he owns a fine quarter section, which is laid under tribute by his wise labors to produce bounteous returns each year of the fruits of the field. He also devotes much attention to rais- ing stock and is one of the substantial and prosperous citizens of the county. He was born in Tyrone coun- ty, Ireland, in December, 1830, the son of James and Ann ( Fulton) Watson, also natives of the Emerald Isle. The father was a foundryman and our subject remained at home with his parents until he was twenty, gaining, in the meantime, a good education in the public schools. In 1850 he turned his face to the new world and landed at St. Louis, Missouri, where he wrought at carpentering for some time. In 1854 he went by the Nicaragua route to San Francisco. He was soon thereafter on the divide between the Yuba and American rivers and his search for the precious metal was rewarded by finding good placer grounds. He continued at the occupation of digging gold for some time and in 1864 came to the Boise basin, thence by Powder river to Lewiston, where he wintered. In the fall of 1865 he went to the Coeur d'Alene country and prospected. In 1867 he went to Elk City and con- tinued there until the fall of 1879. At the time of the Indian outbreak he came to Mt. Idaho with his part- ncr. Allen Hugel. Secing no Indians they returned to Elk, but on the way they met thirty of the redskins with their families and it was only by a skillful parley that they saved their scalps. Then they proceeded to Elk and mined until 1879, when Mr. Watson came and took his present place as a homestead. Since that time he has continued to devote his attention to farmning and raising stock, with an occasional trip to the hills. He has a score of cattle, seventy-five hogs, plenty of horses and is one of the steady and solid men of the community. Mr. Watson has two brothers and one sister, Joseph, John, Elizabeth Atwell.

On January 29, 1881, Mr. Watson married Miss Sophia Newberg, whose parents have been mentioned in another place in this work. She was born in Swe- den, in 1860. To this union one child has been born, John, born July 6, 1886. Mr. Watson is a Republican and interested in the questions of the day.

JOHN DOUMECQ is one of the oldest pioneers of the Salmon river valley and he is now living three miles southwest from Whitebird, in about the same

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vicinity that he occupied in the early sixties. when coming first to this country. He was born in France in 18.45, the son of Peter and Mary (Laffaill) Dou- mecq, natives of France also. The father was a gov- ernment contractor. He was born in 1816 and died in 1899. Our subject received his education in his native land and in 1860 came to San Francisco. He worked in the mines for some time and at the time of the Salmon river excitement he came hither. This was in1 1803, and since that time Mr. Doumecq has been one of the steady and energetic workers for the advance- ment and upbuilding of this country. In addition to mining. Mr. Doumecq has paid considerable attention to raising stock. His homestead, taken in 1880, is the old Henry Moon place, in which Mr. Moon suffered death at the time it was raided by the Indians in 1877. Mr. Doumecq used to range his stock on the plateau northwest from his place and it was thus named Dou- mecq plains. Mr. Doumecq was here at the time of the Indian outbreak, all his goods being stolen, but the savages leaving his house. His partner, August Va- con. who was nursing Benedict, a man having been wounded by the Indians, was killed, as was also his charge. Mr. Doumecq, Glatiney, Bachalerie and Christian were at the place of the ferry, but having no guns they took to their boat and escaped in the hills. Camp Howard is just across the river from Mr. Dou- mecq's place and is a pretty place.

In 1888 Mr. Doumecq married Miss Coleman and they have four children, Charlie, Willie, Ernest, Blanche. Mr. Doumecq has one son, John, by a former marriage. Mrs. Doumecq was born in Mis- souri. Mr. Doumecq owns a quarter section, has considerable stock and also mining interests in various sections. He has a good orchard, a beautiful and well favored place, so located that a grand view of distant mountains and the river canyon are to be had.

ANDREW J. CARLSON lives about five miles southeast from Cottonwood and there owns a quar- ter section of fine land, which is a good dividend payer, and in addition to handling that he pays attention to raising stock, cattle and hogs, having about one hun- dred head. Mr. Carlson is one of the builders of this section and has wrought here for twenty years. He was born in Sweden, on August 9, 1853, the son of Carl J. and Caroline ( Hed) Carlson, natives of Swe- cien, born in 1818 and 1824, respectively, and now liv- ing in Kansas. They were married in 1847 and came to the United States in 1876 and took land in McPher- son county. Kansas. Our subject was reared and edu- cated in Sweden and came with his parents to this country and remained with them in Kansas until Jan- tiary, 1881. Two years later he went to California and thence to Camas Prairie in 1883. He took his pres- ent farm as a homestead and has continued in its cultivation and improvement since that time. Mr. Carlson has six brothers and sisters, Charles O., Annie Bergren, Tilda Oak, Gustavus, Johanna, deceased. Otto.

On November 28, 1897, Mr. Carlson married Mrs. Hilda Erickson, daughter of Franz G. and Carolina ( Pearson) Carlson. The father was born in Sweden, on March 9, 1830, and lives there yet. The mother was born in Sweden, on June 29, 1845, and died on November 15, 1889. Mrs. Carlson was born in south- ern Sweden. on March II, 1869, and she has the fol- lowing named brothers and sisters, Emma Riddell, Clara Larson, Carl, Ellen Peterson, Werner, Emanuel, Jennie, Agnes, Edith. Three children were born to Mrs. Carlson by her former marriage, Hilga, born February 8, 1889; Carl, born April 23, 1891 ; Mary, born June 4. 1896. Mr. Carlson and his wife are stanch Republicans and have always shown themselves to be on the side of progress and upbuilding of the country. They belong to the Lutheran church and he is a member of the Maccabees.

ISAAC C. HATTABAUGH is the capable and efficient secretary and manager of the Grangeville Im- plement Company, limited, and in this capacity is con- ducting the company in such a manner as to win for them a thriving patronage, while he is one of the prominent business men of the county and of first class standing. He was born in Salem, Indiana, on December 24, 1851, the son of George W. and Sarah ( Boling) Hattabaugh, born in Virginia in 1822 and North Carolina in 1824, respectively. The father was a pioneer in Indiana, was of German extraction and a prominent man in his section. He died in 1898. The mother of our subject came from a prominent family that dates back to the Jamestown settlement and many of her relatives were leading personages in the various colonies where they settled; her four brothers, John, Gilbert, Randolph, and Mark. were in the Civil war. She died in 1892. Our subject grew to manhood and was educated in his native place. When twenty he began doing for himself and en- gaged in the manufacture of draining tiles, owning the plant. He built bridges also and in 1878 sold out and came west, settling in Lewiston. He took up the manufacture of sash and doors, after which he was elected twice as county auditor. He was deputy two terms, then deputy sheriff two terms and when the county was divided he went to Moscow and in Feb- ruary, 1889, he accepted the district clerkship and also opened a set of abstract books and made the transcript of the two counties. In 1892 he was elected county treasurer, while the county was a five hundred strong Republican section, and he a strong and active Democrat. Mr. Hattabaugh was president of the Commercial Bank and although it pulled through the panic years it became entangled in 1895 and went to the wall. Having all his funds in this institution he was left without means. Being appointed receiver he spent eighteen months in settling the affairs of the bank and then took up the implement business with the Elder Brothers. In 1899 Mr. Hattabaugh opened a branch house at Grangeville and is still in charge of this business. Mr. Hattabaugh was president of the

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board of regents at the time of the completion of the university buildings and was very active in assisting the enterprise to a successful completion.

On December 16, 1875, in Indiana, Mr. Hattabaugh married Miss Allie, daughter of Eli and Maria ( Ben- nett) Miller, natives of Indiana and Ohio, respectively. Mrs. Hattabaugh's mother was born in Indiana. Her brother was Thomas Bennett, governor of Idaho. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hattabaugh, AI. Reese, at college in Washington, D. C .; Zonoma, born in Lewiston, in 1879, and attending school in Spokane. Mr. Hattabaugh is past grand master of the Masonic order and belongs to the royal arch and the Knight templar and the shriner departments of this order. He also belongs to the I. O. O. F., the Elks, the K. P. and was district deputy of the Elks for four years. Mr. Hattabaugh is a Democrat of pronounced views and activity, and refused the nomination for state senatorship last fall.

By way of reminiscence we note that he was a member of the posse that went from Lewiston and Grangeville to take the Chinese when they murdered Frazier at Pierce. They caught the celestials but In- dians came and wrested them away and hung them forthwith.

FRANK HOGAN, who, with his brother, op- erates the Hogan Brothers' barber shop, the oldest shop in Grangeville, is a leading business man of good standing, well and favorably known and always allied on the side of advancement in the development of the town and the interests of the country. He was born in Douglas county, Oregon, on November 7, 1865, the son of John and Ellen (Carlisle) Hogan, natives of Ireland and Iowa, respectively. The father came to the United States when a boy and settled in the mid- dle states; in 1862 he crossed the plains to Douglas county, bought land and still lives there, aged sixty- two. He fought in the Civil war a while and also fought the Indians when crossing the plains. The mother of our subject is also living in the Oregon home. She had her dress torn from one shoulder by a shot from the Indians when crossing the plains. Her mother, who is still living, aged one hundred years. is of German extraction, while her father was an Englishman. Frank grew to manhood in his native place, received his education from the common schools and in 1884 came to Grangeville. He returned to Oregon the next spring and in 1892 came hither again and bought an interest with his brother in his shop. Since then he has continued here, owning a fine busi- ness and having a first class reputation.

At Grangeville, on December 26, 1897, Mr. Ho- gan married Miss Maggie, daughter of Michael Be- hean, a native of Ireland and now a policeman in Chicago. He served in the Civil war, then crossed the plains and was finally at Lapwai. Mr. Hogan has the following named brothers and sisters, Jennie, Russell, William S., America, Minnie, King O., Katherine, John H. To Mr. and Mrs. Hogan one child has been born, Roy F. Mr. Hogan was the first candidate

initiated in the Grangeville Camp of the W. W. Mrs. Hogan belongs to the Catholic church. He is a Dem- ocrat and attends the caucuses, but is not partisan and maintains the right of independent thought. In addi- tion to his business, Mr. Hogan owns a good residence in Grangeville and some cattle.

RUSSELL TRUITT, M. D. The prestige en- joyed by and the confidence reposed in Dr. Truitt is the result of real merit and manifested skill and in- tegrity, both in his life as a private citizen and as a professional man. It is quite in place that a review of his career be granted space in the history of northern Idaho. He was born in Montgomery county, Illinois, on May 2, 1852, the son of Samuel and Cynthia A. (Carr) Truitt. The father was born in Kentucky in 1820, removed after his marriage in 1836 to Illinois and in 1849 went across the plains to California. His train being surprised by the savages, he was wounded by an arrow in the hip. It was impossible to extract the stone point and the wound healed with it in. He did well in the Golden state and returned, via the isthmus, and settled in Illinois, where he farmed, be- ing prospered. In February, 1863, he went to Mem- phis to see his son, James Madison, who was languish- ing in the hospital, and there he fell sick with pleurisy and died in February, 1863. The mother of our sub- ject was born in 1818, in Indiana, was raised in Ken- tucky, and died June 19, 1894. Our subject was trained in the public schools, then for three years in Hills- boro Academy, then a year each in Mckendree and Carthage Colleges. Following this excellent educa- tional course, he taught for some time and in 1874 came to Dallas, Oregon, and taught for a year ; in 1875 returned to Illinois and commenced the study of med- icine with M. B. Michael, M. D. Later he attended lectures in Miami Medical College and finally took his degree from the Eclectic Medical College in Cincin- nati, in 1877. He practiced in Illinois, visited the Willamette valley and in 1880 removed to Walla Walla and later to eastern Oregon, where he lived until 1895 and then removed to Cottonwood, Idaho. Since that time Dr. Truitt has devoted himself to the practice here with a gratifying success and stands at the head of a fine patronage today, holding the high esteem and implicit confidence of the people, of which he is wor- thy in every respect. The Doctor owns town property and a small farm just north from town. He also has some cattie and horses. He has four brothers, Merry- field, James M .. deceased, Warren, Charles.

On August 1, 1878, Dr. Truitt married Miss Louisa A., daughter of John Smith, who was a pioneer in Linn county, Oregon. Mrs. Truitt was born in Linn county, Oregon, in 1854. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Truitt, Norman M., born July 20, 1879; Warren, born June 7, 1891. The Doc- tor and his wife are Republicans and take a keen inter- est in the questions of the welfare of the county and state. He is a member of the Masonic lodge and also of the M. W. A., of which latter order he is medical ex-

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aminer and also of the K. O. T. M. He has a license from the medical boards of Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

JOSHUA S. FOCKLER was born in Richland, Ohio, in 1838, the son of Wendall and Elizabeth (Fox) Fockler, natives of Pennsylvania. The father was born on February 22, 1811, and died in 1902. The mother was born in 1813 and died when our subject was young. The parents came to Wisconsin when Joshua was one year old and settled where Janesville now stands. He was educated in the Janesville Academy and in 1854 came across the plains with his uncle to Eugene, Oregon. Later he went to Corvallis and did mining in various sections with that as his headquar- ters. During the Rogue river war, on October 8, 1855. he was twenty-one miles below Jacksonville with others when the Indians attacked them and murdered twenty-one. He escaped with his party and then went to fighting the Indians. Following the war he went to California and in 1861 came to Idaho. Nine- 'een inen went up the Salmon to prospect and finding the way so rough they became discouraged and four- teen turned back to what is now Buffalo Hump; five went on and John Healey of this five panned the first pay dirt in Florence diggings, discovering the dust from the upturned roots of a tree. A rush followed, in which our subject participated and also mined there and in other sections until 1876, when he bought a store, with Charles Woods, at the mouth of Slate creek. The land there had been bought from "Capt. John," an Indian, and in 1861 a house had been erected there by Charles Silverman, and it is believed that this is the first house on the Salmon river. Mr. Fockler says he had a nice trade with the Indians and thought them a good class of their people, but they told plainly that they would fight the soldiers when an attempt was made to put them on the reservation. Bands camped there and Mr. Fockler began to feel uneasy lest an outbreak occur and the settlers suffer. About four P. M., June 12, 1877, three Indians, mounted and under twenty-one, came to buy bread and said they were going to get ready to go to the reservation. He supposes these went up to Divine's place and murdered the old man in the night and stole his gun. Then they came down John Day creek and lay in ambush and killed Henry Beckroge, and Richard Bland, as they were going to the hayfield. A little later they killed Henry Elfers, went on down the Salmon, which they crossed at a breakneck speed on the cut off, and Mr. Fockler rode to intercept them to ascertain what the trouble was. They made for a winter camp, where some sick squaws were being cared for by others. but got there and left before Mr. Fockler could catch them. The squaws told him what had occurred and he hurried back, but Mr. Charles F. Cone had reached the store before with the news. Tolo and other squaws told the tale and Mr. Fockler sent Tolo with the best horse to ride to Florence for aid. She rode with all speed and got there before dark, being obliged to walk the last of the way, as her

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 127

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