An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 128

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 128
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 128
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 128
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 128

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horse was exhausted. She brought back twelve armed men and they went to building fortifications at once. They arrived at break of day on June 14th. That morning they buried the unfortunate victims and re- mained forted up until the war was ended. They were visited by one hundred and twenty-five Indians after the victory at Whitebird, who wanted to be allowed to pass. The whites refused and then later granted them the privilege of crossing the Salmon unmolested. Mox- Mox told Mr. Fockler at this time that Chief Joseph killed Mrs. Manuel with a knife, and that Joseph had been drinking. Mr. Fockler and his partner gave out about two thousand dollars' worth of goods at this time and they were about ruined at the close of the war, but went to business again and remained with good success until 1902. Then Mr. Fockler sold out and is now engaged in raising stock at Slate Creek, where he owns a half section of land and handles con- siderable stock. Mr. Fockler has one sister, Mrs. Rosanna Peck, and two half-brothers, Morton and Delvino, and four half-sisters. Mr. Fockler is an active and influential Democrat and has been assessor and county commissioner.

GEORGE SHEER, who is now in the stock busi- ness with Mr. J. S. Fockler, is one of the early pio- neers of the country and is a man of energy, having wrought well in opening the country and building it tip. He was born in Germany in 1827 and came to the United States with his parents, Michael and Kate Sheer, in 1835. They stopped in New York and in 1836 came to Ohio. In 1849 Mr. Sheer went to Kan- sas City and there fitted out with horse teams and came to Hangtown, California, where he mined for a time. Later he went to the Salmon country in the north part of the state and later packed from Trinidad. In 1863 he came to The Dalles and packed thence to the points in Idaho, Oregon and some in Montana. He wintered at Walla Walla for some years and then chose Slate creek as his winter point. In the spring of 1877 he went thence to Lewiston and was going after a load for the mines when the Indians broke out and he gave his train to serve the government and fol- iowed General Howard. He was at the battle of the Clearwater, his train being the one the Indians tried to capture, of which Howard speaks in his report. Three horses and their loads were taken and two of his assistants were killed before the Indians were re- pulsed. Mr. Sheer received the horses and contin- ucd with the army until they reached Judah Basin in Montana and there commenced his journey back to Lewiston. He continued his packing business the next spring and has followed it since. In 1903 he went into the stock business with Mr. Fockler and gives most of his attention to that. He still owns the train and does some packing.

Mr. Sheer believes that General Howard did as well as any one could under the circumstances and he is of the opinion that the whole matter was handled well. He is a Democrat in politics and is a man of

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sound judgment. He has done a worthy part in the work of the county and has endured much hardship and danger in his travels and packing.

GEORGE M. WOLFE is one of the industrious and thrifty stockmen and farmers of the vicinity of Cottonwood, having a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres three miles east from that thriving town. He also owns considerable stock, having from two hundred head of hogs to twice and three times that many each year, also handling some thoroughbred horses. He now owns two excellent stallions and pays considerable attention to buying and selling stock.

George M. Wolfe was born in Pennsylvania, on May 2, 1837, the son of William P. and Catherine (Mobley) Wolfe, natives of Pennsylvania ; the father was born in 1804. The mother died in Missouri in 1845. The father, a miner and farmer, went to west- ern Missouri in 1845. Three years later he went to California, landing in Hangtown in 1850. He pros- pected and mined for eight years, then went to Men- docino county. where he took land and farmed. In 1882 he removed to Camas prairie, landing here Jan- uary 20th and on July 5th the same year he went to his final rest. He was a veteran of the Mexican war. Our subject was raised in the various places where the father lived and received his education from the schools of these places. His lot was cast with his father and he engaged in the same lines of operation until 1878, when he came to Camas prairie and took his present place as government land. He at once took up general farming and the handling of stock, sheep, cattle, horses and hogs, and since that time Mr. Wolfe has continued steadily in these lines with the success deserved by the thrifty and industrious. Mr. Wolfe is a Democrat and a member of the I. O. O. F.

In 1856 he was at Susanville, Nevada, where he built the first sawmill and also took part in the move- ment among the pioneers to quiet the Piute Indians. Although they chased the savages for some time they could not get them to stand and fight.

When a lad of twelve Mr. Wolfe engaged in min- ing in California and has panned out as high as one hundred and ninety-six in the early fifties. He was in the Gold Lake excitement; suffering all the hardships of the early settlers, having paid as high as two dollars a pound for beef and two dollars apiece for eggs. In December, 1852, Mr. Wolfe was at the Rich Bar, on Feather river, when the camp ran out of provisions. Eighty men tried to reach the outside settlements, but twenty-eight perished before getting out of the snow.

JOHN N. RICE. This esteemed gentleman and worthy pioneer of Idaho is now dwelling on Slate creek, at Freedom, and is handling stock, while he also does general farming. He was born in what is now

Washington county, Oregon, on January 16, 1845. the son of James E. and Nancy ( Bear) Rice, and was the second white male child born in Oregon. His father, who was a native of Canada, was born in 1812 and died in 1886, crossed the plains to The Dalles in 1844. He was a union man and a Republican. The mother was born in Michigan in 1817 and died September 4, 1902, being of German ancestry. Our subject grew to manhood and was educated in his native place and continued with his father on the farm until he was twenty-six. Then, in 1871, he came to Camas prairie and settled five miles north from Grangeville, where he continued farming and raising stock for fifteen years. In 1890 he moved to Grangeville and engaged in the livery business, which he sold two years later. In 1892 he sold his farm and in 1895 again bought the livery. A year after this Mr. Rice sold the livery and bought his present place near Freedom. He is paying attention to handling stock, and has his farm well im- proved.

In 1875 Mr. Rice married Miss Sarah E., daughter of James and Catherine (Crusen) Odle. Mr. Odle was one of the first to break sod on Camas prairie and was a prominent man in the county for years. Mrs. Rice was born in Douglas county, Oregon, on Febru- ary 14, 1857, and has one brother, George, and one sister, Mrs. Mary A. Baird. Mr. Rice has the follow- ing brothers and sisters : Moses H., Charles L., Russell H., James H., Frank W., Margaret K., Anna M. Harness, Eliza J. Rhone, Mary N. McGee. Two chil- dren have been born to this union, Charles A., Kath- erine. Mr. Rice is a Mason and a stanch Republican. He is active in politics and held the office of assessor from 1887 to 1890 and was once in the field for com- missioner. Mr. Rice was living on Camas prairie at the time of the Indian outbreak and was shearing sheep when Paddy White brought the news. He im- mediately left for Mt. Idaho and as he had only a shot- gun did duty as guardsman, while the men with rifles went out in the field.

SAMUEL GOLDSTONE. A successful mer- chant now in Cottonwood, a large real property holder, a man of substantial qualities and bright capabilities, one of the heaviest taxpayers of the county and the real promoter of the town of Cottonwood, such in brief is the position held today by Mr. Goldstone; he is eminently fitted to be placed among the leading and prominent men of northern Idaho and one also whose labors for upbuilding have met with brilliant suc- cess, both as to his own financial advancement and the good of the community and the county at large.

Samuel Goldstone was born in Hadley, Michigan, on January 25, 1859. being the son of Harris and Golda (Rosenberg) Goldstone, natives of Europe. The father was born about 1809 and died November 4, 1894. He was a pioneer to California in 1860, dealt heavily in real estate and was a leading mer- chant in Petaluma. The mother died October 3, 1893, aged about eighty-two. Our subject went to

SAMUEL GOLDSTONE.

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California with his parents, making the trip via Panama and was educated in Petaluma. At the early age of twelve he started as errand boy for a notion house and then operated in the same capacity for a photo gallery for a time, but soon was installed with the house of Feigenbaum & Company, wholesale no- tions men. This was September 19, 1871, and for twenty years he held with that house. He entered at very small wages and when he severed his connection, he drew the highest salary that the firm had ever paid for a commercial traveler. His headquarters were in Salt Lake City, Utah.

On April 29, 1890, Mr. Goldstone maried Miss Phoebe, daughter of Abram Binnard, of the well known firm of Grostein & Binnard, pioneers of Lewiston. The nuptials were celebrated in that city. Mrs. Goldstone was born in Lewiston, on March 7, 1871, and was there educated, having taken special courses in music and fancy work at the Sisters' school. In 1892 Mr. Goldstone settled in Cottonwood, then a place of about a dozen houses, and went into business with Mr. Henry Wax, dealers in general merchandise. One year later, Mr. Goldstone went alone in business and since that time he has prospered greatly and is now one of the best known merchants of the county. He has large interests in the town site, owns a ranch of about one section adjoining town, also other land throughout the county and a great deal of other prop- erty in Lewiston, Idaho. Mr. Goldstone is operating in real estate for Mr. Proctor of San Francisco, who owns heavy interests in the townsite of Cottonwood. He has three brothers and one sister, all in San Fran- cisco, Jacob and Morris, twins, Daniel and Ella Can- tor. Three children have been born to this house- hold, Ellis and Bernice, deceased, and Abram Hirsch Goldstone, living. Mr. Goldstone is an active Re- publican and is always found in the lead for any movement that will benefit the town and the country, being progressive and public minded, and he is highly esteemed by all.

WILLIAM W. BOWMAN, a sawmill man, resid- ing at Grangeville, was born in Boone county, Indiana, on August 20, 1859, the son of George L. and Mary C. (McLean) Bowman, natives of Virginia and In- diana, respectively. The father enlisted in the Civil war, but died in 1863 before getting into service. The mother died in 1879. Our subject was educated and reared in his native place and when eighteen came with his mother and sisters to Colfax, Washington. In 1878 they crossed the big Potlatch and settled, but the Indians drove them out and in the spring of 1879 they settled in Lewiston and in the fall came to Camas prairie. Mr. Bowman farmed and bought the old water mill above Grangeville, which he operated. He sold this in 1891 and bought a steam mill, which he op- erated two years, then moved it on the Salmon, where it is still located. Mr. Bowman was in Oregon at the time of the Nez Perces war.

On January 4, 1884, he married Miss Maggie, daughter of John J. and Jennet ( Popham) Manuel.

The father was born in Virginia ; he crossed the plains and married in Warren, Idaho. He made good money in Warren and later, in 1873, sold his hotel and other property and went to Whitebird. He bought the old Chapman ranch there and took up stock raising. Suc- cess attended his efforts until the Indians broke then up. Hon. Benj. F. Morris was in partnership with Mr. Manuel. Mrs. Bowman has one sister, Julia Knox, of Grangeville. Mr. Bowman has one brother and one sister, Francis M. and Emma Crea. Five chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bowman, Julia, Emma, Frank, Minnie, George. Mr. Bowman is a member of the W. W. and in political matters he is allied with the Democrats.

Mr. Manuel and his family were the greatest suf- ferers in the awful Indian outrages and it is well in this place to give an account as Mrs. Bowman recites it now. Mrs. Bowman was born in Warren, on Sep- tember 8, 1870, was four when the family went to Whitebird and seven when the war occurred. On June 13, 1877, the Indians were encamped on the Whitebird and had been holding great talks and powwows. Mr. Manuel with his wife, his daughter, now Mrs. Bow- man, son John, and also George Popham, Mrs. Man- uel's father, was at his ranch. At that time Pat Brice and old Mr. Baker, a bachelor residing near, came rid- ing hurriedly up and exclaimed that the Indians had just shot Sam Benedict. They did not know at that time that the savages had already killed Dick Divine and Elfers, and a man nicknamed Bob Long, on that same morning and prior to the shooting of Benedict. Benedict was killed that evening while attempting to escape his murderers, having been wounded in the morning.

Just as soon as possible Mr. Manuel gathered his family and started to Mr. Baker's stone cellar, as a place of protection. Pat Brice and old Mr. Popham stayed at Mr. Manuel's place and hid themselves. Mr. Manuel had gone but a little distance with his family when, upon looking back, Mrs. Bowman exclaimed, "Oh, father, the Indians are coming." Just then an arrow struck her in the arm and another in the head, which latter one glanced and entered her father's neck. Then the Indians shot her father through the hips with a ride and he fell from his horse, dragging Mrs. Bowman with him as she was sitting behind and cling- ing to him. The horses stampeded and Mrs. Manuel, who held the baby, was carried in a different direction from the others and was soon thrown off. Her knee cap was broken and the baby was injured. At the beginning of the attack the Indians surrounded Mr. Baker. One of their number thrust an arrow in his face and he wrenched it from the savage's hand. Upon this they filled him with arrows, even shooting them at him long after he was dead. When he saw his case was hopeless he called out to Mr. Manuel, "Good bye, Jack, they've got me," and then died. Mr. Manuel and his little daughter rolled down hill when they fell from the horse which had run away. Thus they got some distance from the Indians and crawled into the brush and hid. The Indians continued to shoot at them and one bullet grazed Mr. Manuel's face. The band

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captured Mrs. Manuel and fork her and the infant back to the house to compel her to give up the ammunition. They placed her on the horse to take her back as she was unable to walk. Soon they left. Although dili- gent search was made for Mr. Manuel by his perse- cutors, he succeeded in escaping them and the redskins moved on. The grandfather found them that night and brought the mother to them. It seemed best to leave him there and so they brought bedding, and Mrs. Manuel went to the house with her infant and daugh- ter. Mox-Mox came along then and told Mr. Popham and Mr. Brice to take to the bush or they would still be killed. He also said that Mrs. Brice would not be injured in the house. Mrs. Bowman had come to the house with her mother and that night Joseph came with his band. Mrs. Manuel was sitting up in bed caring for her infant and the little daughter was in another couch, suffering from two wounds in the head, one in her shoulder and an arm broken. Chief Joseph came into the room and this child saw him deliberately stab her mother in the heart. The Indians then dragged the body on to the floor and killed the infant, with its mother. The little daughter was taken to another room and then the Indians left and she went to sleep. When she woke it was dark and she returned where her mother had been and lighted a match which re- vealed her and the infant clasped in death's chilly grasp. She ran from the house and found Pat Brice in the bush below the barn ; her broken arm was dangling by her side as she ran. They remained secreted that night and in the morning the Indians returned. Climb- ing on to the barn the savages descried them in their hiding place and began shooting at them. Mr. Brice went straight up to them and showed them the cross on his breast and requested Chief Whitebird to allow him to take the little child to Mt. Idaho, promising then to return if they demanded it. Being allowed, he made preparations and started, but not until he had gone into the house and saw the gruesome sight of the moth- er and child dead. Part of the time Mrs. Bowman walked and part of the time he carried her. They stayed all night at the Harris place, no one being at home. Here he fixed the chair spoken of frequently and they started on their weary journey. From the thirteenth to the sixteenth they were without food, but finally they reached Mt. Idaho and Mrs. John Swartz cared for the suffering child and Dr. Morris, of Lewiston, dressed her wounds and set the arm.

Mr. Manuel laid out for many days and subsisted on berries, dragging himself about and dressing his wounds with cold water. He used his pocket knife to cut the arrow out of the back of his neck. He lived twelve years after that, but never recovered fully from the wound in his hips. Such, reader, are some of the hardships of pioneer life.

JESSE FARMER is one of those genial bachelors whose good nature and skill have made him many friends and plenty of money. He resides four miles north of Lucile on John Day creek. He was born

in Tennessee, in 1836, the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Worthington) Farmer. The father was born in Georgia in 1809 and died in 1897. The mother was born in Tennessee in 1812 and died in the seventies. Our subject came with his parents to Missouri when he was an infant and from there to Arkansas, in which place he was educated and remained until he was twen- ty-three. The year of 1859 is the one in which he crossed the plains with ox teams to California, set- tling in Tuolumne county. He mined for a couple of years and in 1863 went to Idaho, taking claims in Warren for himself. He did very well and continued for fourteen years. James Warren discovered this camp in 1862 and John Ramey was one of the active men there in early days. Leopold Huffen was one of the first merchants. In 1877 he went to Miller's camp eighteen miles this side of Warren and was there for nine years, being there when the Indians broke out. They built fortifications at Warren and had no trouble. In 1890 he came to John Day creek and took up land, since which time he has been farming and raising cat- tle. He has his place well improved and a good irri- gating ditch. Mr. Farmer has three brothers, Joseph C., Robert W. and Randolph L. Politically Mr. Farm- er is a good Democrat, being of the Jeffersonian type. He is respected by all and one of the worthy pioneers of Idaho county.

JAMES WOODWARD. A good business man, public minded and of first class standing, a patriotic citizen, who showed his zeal and bravery in military service for the Union for years and now one of the substantial and respected residents of Grangeville- such is the subject of this article of whom we are pleased to speak in the history of his county.

James Woodward was born in Erie county, New York, on December 30, 1836, the son of Levi and Hannah ( Southwick) Woodward, born in Vermont in 1788 and in New York in 1792, respectively. The father died in 1876. He was of English extraction, came to western New York in 1811 and was near Buffalo when it was burned by the English and In- cians. The mother of our subject died in 1862. She came from a family of English Quakers. Our subject was well educated in his early days and when nine- teen went to teaching in his native state, then in Illi- nois and finally settled in Lacrosse county, Wiscon- sin, and taught and read law. Upon the breaking out of the Rebellion, he enlisted as a private in Company B, Second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, under cap- tain Colwell. He was at once sent to the front and participated in the first and second battles of Bull Run,.Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and other engagements ; on August 28, 1863, he was pro- moted as first heutenant of a colored company organ- ized in Pennsylvania. At Deep Bottom, Virginia, half of his company was killed and wounded. Out of twenty-one officers, seven were killed and seven wounded. On November 23, 1864, Mr. Woodward was promoted to a captaincy and after the close of the war was sent with Sheridan to Texas to demand of the

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French the evacuation of Mexico. He remained there tintil August 10. 1867, having been in service nearly seven years.

On November 6. 1866, in Texas, Mr. Woodward married Miss Frances McBride. She was born in Freeport, Louisiana, and died in 1871, leaving one child, L. Augustus, now dwelling in Baker City, Ore- gon. In 1872 Mr. Woodward married Miss Ella Coates, whose parents were natives of Pennsylvania. Her father was a member of the famous Berdan sharp- shooters in the Civil war. Mrs. Woodward was born in Pennsylvania in 1849. To Mr. and Mrs. Wood- ward two sons have been born, Claude and Russell, both in school. In 1867 Mr. Woodward went to New York from Texas and then we find him in the lumber business in Pennsylvania, which he sold in 1884, and migrated to Idaho county, where he purchased his present farm from his brother, having added eighty acres by purchase since. He devoted himself to rais- ing cattle and farming until recently he sold most of his stock. Mr. Woodward has two sisters and one brother, Eliza Roberts, Lydia Taft, Stephen.

Mr. Woodward has been justice of the peace for ten years, being now in service. He has devoted some time to the practice of law. He is a member of the G. A. R. and is a stanch Republican. In 1898 he was the nominee of that party for state senator, but as it was a year of defeat for the party he suffered with them. He and his wife are members of the Epis- copaiian church.

JOHN B. FORSMANN has achieved a good suc- cess in at least two different lines of enterprise sinee coming to Idaho county, that of sawmilling and farm- ing and stock raising. He is now the owner of one section of good land, which he has improved in a be- coming manner and which bears the evidence of skill and sagacity in every department. Mr. Forsmann also owns considerable stock and turns off about forty head of cattle and one hundred hogs each year.

John B. Forsmann was born in Effingham county, Illinois, on April 28. 1850, the son of Herman and Gertrude ( Sietman) Forsmann. The father was born March, 1820, in Hanover, Germany, learned the ear- penter trade and came to the United States in 1844. He worked at New Orleans and finally came to Illi- nois, bought land and farmed until 1856, when he went to Stearns county, Minnesota, and farmed eight years. He returned to Illinois and in 1886 came to Camas prairie, where he died November 21, 1894. The moth- er was born in Prussia in 1828, came to Illinois with her parents, married there and now lives at Keuter- ville. Our subject was brought up and educated in Minnesota and remained with his parents until twen- ty-three. He bought land then in Illinois and farmed until 1886. when he came to Camas prairie with a saw- mill, took land and at once went into the manufacture of lumber. He continued with excellent success and later bought land for farming, where he now lives, one mile south from Cottonwood. He added more land as occasion presented and also kept on with the

lumber interests. In 1902 he Jbl the Letter and How devotes himself entirely to farming. Helms si broth- ers and sisters, Mary Probst, Catherine Riemon. Annie Uptmoor. Henry, Anton, Gertrude Leitfeldt.

On April 21, 1873. Mr. Forsmann married Miss Elizabeth Striecher. She was left an orphan at an early age. Mrs. Forsmann was born in January, 1848, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has one sister, Mary Esker. Ten children have been born to this worthy couple, Alary Hattrup, born April 21. 1874: John, born June 2, 1875 : Anna l'ling, born December 18, 1876; Jerad, born January 22, 1878, and died January 29, 1878; Catherina, born December 21, 1878; George, born Sep- tember 17, 1880; Joseph, born August 31, 1882, and died February 10, 1883: Madelena, born November 27. 1883; Frank, born August 23, 1886; Clara G., born August 13, 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Forsmann are Democrats of the Jeffersonian type and are members of the Catholic church. He was county commissioner from 1888 to 1892.

LEWIS A. BRUNER, a man of industry and in- telligence, who dwells three and one-half miles north- east from Cottonwood, has been a leading farmer and stoekman on Camas prairie for nearly twenty years. He was born in Logan county, Ohio. on September 27, 1818, the son of John L. and Hannah ( Hall) Bru- ner. The father, who was born in Wurtemberg, Ger- many, in 1806, April 28th, was a shoemaker and came to the United States in 1832. He located in Logan county, Ohio, and later tock land. In 1851 he came to Linn county, Iowa, and took three hundred and twenty acres, where he farmed until his death on No- vember 15, 1858. The mother was born in 18II, in Pickaway county, Ohio, near Lithopolis, was mar- ried in 1832 and died on June 26, 1886. Her father was a prominent business man and a farmer in Ohio. Our subject was reared with his parents until ten years of age and then went out in the world for himself. He gained a common schooling and in 1860 went to Gage county, Nebraska, where he took land and farmed until 1875, in which year he went to Chautau- qua county. Kansas, and engaged in farming until 1885. In April of this year he came on to Mos- cow, Idaho, and the June following was on Camas prairie. where he bought a timber claim. He at once settled to raising stock and general farming and has now four hundred acres of fertile land and plenty of good stock. He has fine improvements, such as a good six room house, fine barns, and other buildings. as well as orchard and so forth. Mr. Bruner also has an acre and a half in the corporate limits of Cotton- wood. He has one brother and eight sisters, Annie M. Smith, Christina, deceased. Simon P., Hannah C., deceased, Laura A., deceased. Lavina J. Campbell. Elizabeth M., deceased, Mary M. and Lydia, also de- ceased.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 128

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