An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 129

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 129
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 129
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 129
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 129

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In Jefferson county, Nebraska, on June 31. 1870, Mr. Bruner married Miss Jane, daughter of William and Mary E. ( Munroe) Harding. Mr. Harding was born June 30, 1828. in Kentucky, came to Iowa before

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the war and in 1861 enlisted in Company F, Eighth Iowa, fought three years and, being discharged, re- enlisted and continued in active service to the end of the war. He was in many battles, among which was that of Shiloh. After the war he lived in Keokuk un- til 1869, then went to Thayer county, Nebraska, took a homestead and at present is retired and living in Alma, Nebraska. His wife was born in Indiana and died in 1856. Mrs. Bruner was born February 7, 1853, in Washington county, lowa, and has five broth- ers and sisters, Harlan P., Elvira Campbell, Mary C., deceased, Harriet Edwards, Leonard. Seven children are the fruit of this marriage, Simon H., born July 15, 1871, and died January 10, 1874; John W., born August 30, 1873; Ralph E., born January 15, 1876; Daisy M. Mobley, born April 15, 1878; Bessie J., born October 17, 1880; Delia P., born January 4, 1884: Gracie M., born January 24, 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Bruner are Republicans. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and his wife belongs to the Rebekahs and also to the Methodist church.

CLAY McNAMEE. Among the professions there is none that has more to do with the issues of the state and thus with the interests of every class of citizens than the legal. From the earliest records we find men of the best brain and most substantial qualities in this important branch of human study and the present day is no whit behind the most brilliant of the past. As one of the leading lights of northern Idaho we mention the subject of this article and feel sure that the ex- cellent record this young man has made in at least three counties justifies the statement.

Clay McNamee was born in Ray county, Mis- souri, on June 19, 1870, the son of Henry and Jose- phine (Gilpin) McNamee, natives of West Virginia and Kentucky, respectively. The father was born in 1836, came west to Oregon in 1876 and still lives there. He was a carpenter and fought in the Confederate army, suffered capture, being taken to Texas and at Lee's surrender went to that state. The mother is aged fifty-five ; her father, William Gilpin, of Irish ex- traction, fought in the Mexican war. Our subject was with the family on its journey to the Willamette valley and there was educated, taking his degree from the Pacific University in June, 1889, having spent six years in that institution. He came to Moscow in Jan- uary, 1890, and commenced the study of law with Freund & Lowry and was admitted to the supreme court in March, 1893. He at once took up the prac- tice there and continued the same until 1898, the firm being known as Claggett, McNamee & Morgan. In 1894 Mr. McNamee was chosen district attorney for

Nez Perces, Latah and Idaho counties. At the end of a four-years' term he removed to Grangeville and opened an office, where he has been continuously since.

On May II, 1895, in Moscow, Mr. McNamee mar- ried Miss Effie A., daughter of William and Nancy (Ross) Leasure. The father is a large land owner in Moscow and is a prominent man in his county. Mrs.

McNamee was born in Oregon in 1876 and was edu- cated in the university at Moscow. She has one broth- er and one sister, Frank, Lillie. Mr. McNamee has one half-sister, Fannie Freund. One child has been born to this union, Merle. Mr. McNamee is a Demo- crat and a potent factor in the political world. His skill and ability in his profession, together with his painstaking and careful study of the deep questions of law, have given him a large clientage and he is enjoy- ing the emoluments of real industry and wisely ap- plied efforts.

EDSON G. PRICE is the owner and manager of the Boss livery in Grangeville. He is a man of genial- ity and good business qualifications and has a fine barn, well stocked with the best of rigs, excellent horses, which, with his care for the welfare of his patrons, has given him a thriving business. He was born on the Wabash river, in Indiana, on May 28, 1860, the son of William and Lusetta ( Brown) Price, natives of In- diana. The father was born in 1822, of Welsh ex- traction, and died in California in 1896, having gone thither in that year. The mother came of German extraction and died in 1885. When our subject was eleven years of age the family went to Iroquois county, Illinois, and nine years later they went to Woodland and thence to Mendocino county. Edson G. received his education from the common schools and worked with his father until 1883, when he came to Moscow. From that time until 1895 he was occupied variously in different localities, mostly in Latah and Idaho coun- ties. In 1896 he came to Idaho county permanently and took up farming and stock raising until December, 1902, when he purchased his present business and since that time has devoted himself to its operation.

At Moscow, in April, 1885, Mr. Price married Miss Anna, daughters of John and Elvira (Howard) Dan- ly, natives of New York and still living there. Mrs. Price was born in Illinois in 1860 and has one brother and two sisters, Philo, Ella Lyons, Carrie Vanslyke. Mr. Price has the following named brothers and sis- ters : Wesley, Ella, Mary, Frances M., Jennie, Sumner, Vinton. Four children have been born to them, Clyde, Dirl, Forest, Mabel. Mr. Price is a Repub- lican, but not partisan and is a man of independent thought.

WILLIAM H. HARRIS is one of the real and sturdy pioneers of the Pacific coast and various sec- tions of that country have seen his labors for many years, while for the last eight years he has resided on John Day creek, near Freedom. He was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on April 8, 1844, the son of Phiney and Jane (Smith) Harris. The father was a cooper and a school teacher, born in Vermont in 1812 and died in 1867. His father, Noah Harris, was a patriot of the war of 1812, came of English stock, his ances- tors being among the earliest colonists of this coun- try. The mother was born in Rochester, New York, in 1826. She comes of Scotch-Irish stock and still

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lives in Dakota. Our subject grew to the age of twenty in Michigan, where he was well educated. Then he went to California, by the Isthmus, and mined in the Salmon river country for thirty years. He made several large fortunes and lost as many. He was at the head of some of the largest quartz and hydraulic properties in that section. In 1893 he came to Stevens county, where he operated a mining property for four years. Then he came to his present location. In ad- dition to his farm he has some fine placer property and is doing hydraulic mining at the present time. He is interested in the John Day Mining Company and in other properties.

In 1873 Mr. Harris married Genevieve, daughter of William and Lucinda ( Murphy ) Hughes, pioneers in Illinois. They settled in that prairie country when Mr. Hughes had the privilege of taking all the land he could plow around between Joliet and Chicago. Mrs. Harris was born in Illinois in 1849 and came to California in 1871. They have five children, Florence, Ada M. Larribee, William G. Arthur, Esther J. Grover C. Mr. Harris has one brother, George W., who has been sheriff in Hughes county, Dakota, for many years. Our subject is a full-fledged Democrat and is ever active at the time of the campaign and ready to give a reason for his position. He has acted as undersheriff at several different times.

RILEY RICE is the owner of half a section of Camas prairie fertile land about four miles northeast from Cottonwood, where he dwells now and pays at- tention to general farming and stock raising. He has his place well improved, sells about sixty head of cattle and a hundred hogs each year and is prospered in his endeavors.

Riley Rice was born in Putnam county, Missouri, on November 8, 1858, the son of Erastus and Amanda S. Rice. The father was born on June 24, 1818, in Pennsylvania, left home when young and for many years followed steamboating on the Mississippi ; he fought in the Mexican war, married in 1838 and fol- lowed farming and milling until his death, April 22, 1887. The mother was born in Osage county, Mis- souri, in 1824. Her father was a planter and died January 17, 1872. Our subject was reared in his na- tive place, gained a good education and remained with his parents until 1875. Then came a journey to Ne- braska and Wyoming, where he rode the range until 1883. In that year he came to Camas prairie, took land, worked for J. L. Eckert, later sold his pre-emption and bought his present place. Mr. Rice has some fine blooded stock, among which is a Shorthorn bull of exceptional value. He has the following brothers and sisters: William J., Lonise McGee, John W .. James A., Mildred M. Way, deceased, Melissa J. Per- kins and Charlotta R. Carr.

On January 1. 1891, Mr. Rice married Miss Katie. danghter of Joseph P. and Elizabeth (Randall) Code. Mr. Code was born in Ireland, on March 17, 1843, came when a child with his parents to the United States,

went to California in 1860 and in 1884 settled in the Palouse country. Three years later he came to Camas prairie and took land north from Denver. In 1898 he opened a hotel in Denver and now resides there. His wife was born December 13. 1845. in Pennsylvania, and now lives in Denver. Mrs. Rice was born March 27, 1869, in San Joaquin county, California, and has four sisters and one brother,-Mary C. Davis, Cora Hinkle, Leona Brown, Ruby and Euclid. Four children have come to bless the home of this worthy citizen,-Arthur L., born November 25, 1892 : Lester F., born Novem- ber 29, 1894; George D., born January 17, 1897 ; Eu- clid, born July 2, 1899. Mr. and Mrs. Rice are Demo- crats and active in the realm of politics. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., of the Maccabees, of the M. W. A., and he and his wife belong to the Rebakahs. He is grand herald of the grand lodge of Idaho. Mr. Rice is chairman of the school board.

HENRY TERNAN, one of the notable pioneers of this section of Idaho, has passed all the stages of the country from the days of roaming savages to its pres- ent high state of civilization and advancement. He was born in Ireland, on July 7, 1837, the son of Greg- ory and Jane ( Blakely) Ternan, also natives of Ire- land, who, with their family, came to Canada in 1849. Our subject came to Canada when twelve and there and in his native place was educated. Then he toiled with his father until the latter's death and the next year. 1868, he came to the United States. Making his way west, enroute to Elk, he passed through Butte when there was but one house there. Arriving in Elk, he worked for a company, of which his brother Will- iam was part owner, for two years. He then bought an interest and steadily kept buying out his partners until he owned the entire claims. It is known as the Ternan mine. He did well in his mining and in 1881 came to the Clearwater and took land. He added to this until he has four hundred and eighty acres of good soil. Some years subsequent to his settlement there he devoted himself to stock raising and farming. Recently he sold his stock and again devoted himself to his mining interests. He remains in the mines dur- ing the summers and is to be found at his ranch near Harpster in the winter. Mr. Ternan has some fine quartz properties, among which may be mentioned the General Grant, which he has bonded for $15.000.00.

Mr. Ternan was here during the Indian troubles and was forted up in Elk City. It was supposed that the Indians would cross on the old Nez Perce trail which goes through Elk, but General Howard's timely interference kept them from this. Mr. Ternan was in the battle of the Clearwater and was one of the party who notified Captain Jackson of General Howard's condition, upon which the captain came to the rescue. Mr. Ternan says that the Indians were strongly in- trenched in a strategic position between two gulches and had rifle pits extending in semi-circles around, making it a difficult position to approach. Finally General Howard ordered the bombarding of the In-

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dians with the field pieces and this drove them out. Twelve soldiers were killed and about twenty-six wounded. Mlr. Ternan says it is his opinion that Gen- eral Howard did the best that could have been done under the circumstances. He was drilled for a soldier in his early life and realizes the obstacles which had to be overcome. The battle lasted about two hours and was a fiercely contested struggle. That is, two hours after Jackson's command came.

Mr. Ternan has two brothers and one sister, Will- iam, Gregory, Jennie Erwin. He is a member of the Episcopal church. In early days he was postmaster of Elk and was also justice of the peace. Josephus Moore, who was killed in the Nez Perces war, was his partner, as was also John Baeur, who was county treasurer and probate judge of Idaho county. Mr. Ternan is a stanch Republican and one of the substan- tial men of the county.

MORGAN L. MARTIN certainly deserves to be ranked with the heaviest real estate owners in Idaho county and with the foremost stockmen also. He owns a section of fertile land about five miles north- east from Cottonwood, handles annually one hundred head of cattle and about two hundred head of hogs. He is a man of skill in his lines of business and his integrity and worth are no less evident.

Morgan L. Martin was born in Harrison county, Ohio, on March 9, 1848, the son of William and Sarah (Lewis) Martin. The father was born in the Shenan- doah valley in 1812, came early to Ohio, and in 1860 migrated to Cedar county, Iowa, and raised sheep. In 1866 he went to Van Buren county, Iowa, and in 1871 he went to Kansas and engaged in the cattle busi- ness. He was state representative in 1874. He died in January, 1878. The mother was born in Ohio in 1817, and died in September, 1886. Our subject was brought up and educated in Ohio and Iowa. He re- mained with his parents until August, 1868, then went to Johnson county, Kansas, for one year, was in Osage county and farmed until 1870. Returning to Iowa, he found his father had gone to Cowley county, Kan- sas, whom he followed, farming and raising stock until April, 1886. the date of his removal to Camas prairie. He bought four hundred and eighty acres, later added a quarter more and now has one of the fine farms of northern Idaho. Mr. Martin has ten brothers and sisters,-Isaac A .. Mary A. Wellmann, Sarah E. Painter, Hertzell H., deceased, Elery C., William E., deceased, Emma Hawkins, Minerva C. Garner, Alice J. Menard, Parker W.

On January 17. 1876, Mr. Martin married Miss Anna, daughter of Jedediah and Maria (Corman) Olmstead. Mr. Olmstead was born in 1833, in Indi- ana, learned the tinner's trade and went to Kansas in 1850 being the pioneer tinner of that place. In 1874 he went to the southwestern portion of the state and took land, where he abides at present. The mother was born in Pennsylvania in 1838, the daughter of John C. and Margaret Corman, and came with her

parents to western Missouri in 1847. She lives in Kansas now. Mrs. Martin was born in Leavenworth county, Kansas, on July 22, 1856, and has the follow- ing brothers and sisters: Luella Walker, John C. and Benjamin F. Five children are the fruit of this mar- riage,-Elery P., born October 30, 1876; Fred L., born May 3, 1878; Archie O., born December 6, 1879; Gertrude E., born April 18, 1891 ; Carl M., born Janu- ary 19, 1899. Mr. and Mrs. Martin are Republicans and take a keen interest in the measures for the ad- vancement and progress of the country. They be- long to the Christian church.

THOMAS W. NICKEL, M. D. It is with pleas- ure that we embrace this opportunity to relate some of the salient features in the career of Dr. Nickel. He has been one of the prime movers in establishing the first church and the first school in the town of Grange- ville, as well as in other lines of endeavor for the gen- eral welfare and upbuilding.

Thomas W. Nickel was born in Lawrence county, Missouri, on November 4, 1851, the son of Thomas and Jane (Hall) Nickel, born in Pennsylvania in 1812, and died in 1896, and born in Ohio in 1819, and died in 1896, respectively. The father was a pioneer in Lawrence county in 1833. He had three brothers and two sons in the Civil war. He came of Irish ancestors, who settled early in Pennsylvania, and his father mar- ried Charlotte Diamond in Philadelphia. The mother of our subject came of Scotch and English ancestrage, her parents being Joshua and Jane Hall. Mr. Hall was a captain in the war of 1812. Our subject grew to manhood in Missouri, was well educated in the public schools and then completed an academic course. When eighteen he entered the St. Louis Medical College and took his degree in 1873. Following this he returned home and practiced medicine for ten years in Lawrence county, with the exception of one year in Linn county, Kansas. In 1884 he came west and located in Mt. Idaho and began the practice of medicine. In 1885 he came thence to Grangeville, and since that time he has been a warm and powerful advocate for the interests of this town and county. Dr. Nickel has constantly practiced since that date, is at the head of a fine patronage and is firmly established in the con- fidence and esteem of the people. In addition to his medical practice, the Doctor has given considerable attention to real estate and mining and now has a good farm and mining property. He was elected county physician in 1886 and has filled the office most of the time since, having also been coroner a large share of the time.

On July 28, 1870, in Missouri, Dr. Nickel married Miss Marcia A., daughter of M. W. and Safronia Spragins, born in Pickins county, Alabama, in 1822 and 1828, respectively. The father died in 1889 and the mother still lives in Missouri. Mrs. Nickel was born in Alabama on July 4, 1852, was well educated and spent some years in teaching. She has the follow- ing named brothers and sisters: Thomas, Robert,

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William, Juda, Jennie, Lillie and Effie. Dr. Nickel has brothers and sisters as named below: James A., deceased; John W., Robert S., Melvina, Sarah, Char- lotte, Albina and Mary. Five children have been born to this household : Rosa Bunnell, Clyde, Nona, Lulu and Elma. Dr. Nickel is a member of the I. O. O. F., and he and his wife are members of the Episcopalian church. Politically the doctor is a solid Democrat, and is an active participant in this realm. He has been state delegate several times.

JOHN DEASY is a stock raiser and rancher, liv- ing a mile and a half up John Day creek from Lucile. He is one of the substantial, enterprising and capable young men of the county and has made a good sttccess of his labors in this section. He was born at Gold Hill, Story county, Nevada, in 1871, the son of Michael and Henrietta (Cole) Deasy. The father was a miner, born in Cork. Ireland, in 1835. He died in 1880. He went to California in 1851 and his father, Patrick Deasy, went there in 1849. The mother of our sub- ject was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1844, and comes of a German family. After the death of her husband, in 1880, she married his cousin, Michael, and lived with him until his death, in 1902. Our subject remained in Nevada until eleven years old, where he received the greater part of his education, although he also attended school after coming to Idaho. He came to his present home with his mother and step-father, where he has since remained, engaged in mining and ranching. Mr. Deasy has four brothers living on adjoining ranches,-Michael, William, Harry and Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Deasy is a bachelor. Po- litically he is a Democrat, attends all caucuses, and is at present a member of the county central committee. The Catholic church claims him as one of her sons, in which faith he is an ardent believer. Michael, the older brother, was married in 1894 to Miss Nettie, a daughter of Benjamin and Agnes Delmage, to which union three children have been born and are at present living,-John, William and Jefferson. All are mem- bers of the Catholic church. Michael Deasy is the only Republican in the family. He also owns a ranch, and with his brothers is heavily interested in cattle. William, Harry, Thomas, who is a half-brother, and John are all bachelors. The old homestead is a well improved place and has an especially fine orchard, some of the trees being twenty years old and looking like forest trees. With the exception of Michael, the broth- ers all live with their mother. All are successful and prosperous in business and are held in high esteem.

HENRY J. ELFERS, JR., is one of the leading stockmen of Idaho county. He lives near the Freedom postoffice. on John Day creek, where he owns a fine estate of four hundred and eighty acres, besides hand- ling many acres of unsurveyed land. His skill, enter- prise and integrity have amassed a good fortune for

him and given him a first class standing in the county. He was born on John Day creek, Idaho, May 1, 1874, the son of Jordan Henry and Catherine ( Beckroge) Elfers, natives of Germany. The father came to the United States in 1849, participated in the California gold excitement, came to Florenec in 1862 and settled on John Day creek in 1863. He established a way station, started a dairy of two hundred cows, operated a mercantile establishment and a large hotel. He was very successful and possessed considerable prop- erty at the time of his death. He was assassinated by three Indians on June 14, 1877, at the outbreak of the Nez Perces war. The mother of our subject was mar- ried in Germany. Mr. Elfers returning thither from the United States to claim his bride. Our subject re- ceived a good academic education at Grangeville, and has spent his life within the precincts of Idaho county. He has been at the head of a large business since he was very young, and has displayed a sagacity and ex- ecutive ability which are very commendable.

On March 8, 1898, Mr. Elfers married Miss Capi- tala Brock, daughter of Mrs. Mary Botsford, of Mos- cow. Mrs. Elfers was born in Des Moines county, Iowa, on September 16, 1872, and was engaged in edu- cational work for eight years. She has one sister and one brother,-Belle E. Hinkle and Edward Brock. Mr. Elfers is a member of the I. O. O. F., and is an active and well informed Democrat. Mrs. Elfers is a Republican. They have two children,-Rosemary, born December 19, 1899 . and Lois Catherine, born July 17, 1901, and died March 20, 1903.

JOSEPH SORROW. The subject of this article is one of the foremost mechanics of the county of Idaho, and is at present operating a shop for blacksmith and wood work in Grangeville, where he enjoys a good patronage.

Joseph Sorrow was born in the province of Quebec, Canada, on May 1, 1859, the son of Joseph and Ellen (Lorene) Sorrow, born in Canada in 1826 and 1831, respectively. The father, who was of French extrac- tion, was a blacksmith and died in 1893. The mother was also of French ancestrage, and died in 1875. Our subject was educated and learned the blacksmith trade in his native land, going into the shop when he was thirteen. When twenty he went to Muskegon, Michi- gan, and two years later was in Deer Lake, that state, working at his trade. Later we see him in Hurley, Wisconsin, then at Ashland, as foreman of the mills, where he learned the imillwright trade. In 1894 Mr. Sorrow went to North Carolina and followed that trade for years at Hub. Then we see him in the west, and his first venture was to build a dredge near Elk. Fol- lowing the successful completion of that arduous en- terprise he located in Grangeville, and barring one change of location of his shop he has steadily pursued his trade in the shop since. He is a fine workman and has the run of a large patronage, which is bringing him a good income.

In 1882, at Deer Lake, Mr. Sorrow contracted a

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marriage with Miss Sarah Alaholland, born in Ireland, but who came to this country with her parents when quite young. To this union one child was born,- Josephine. Three years after their marriage Mrs. Sorrow was called away by death.

In 1897. while in North Carolina, at Hub, Mr. Sor- row was married to Miss Cora Rodgers, whose parents, Columbus and Julia ( Marks) Rodgers, were born in North Carolina in 1841 and 1842, respectively. The father is of Irish extraction, and the mother of Ger- man and English. Mr. Rodgers was in Company D of a North Carolina regiment, and fought at Gettys- burg and other large engagements. Mrs. Sorrow was born in Chatham county, North Carolina, in 1873, and has the following brothers and sisters: Frederick W. and Mary L. Mr. Sorrow has nine brothers and sis- ters,-Edward, Charles, Anna, Virginia, Mary, John, George, Effie and William. Three children have come to gladden this home,-William, born April 13, 1899; Esther, born July 24, 1900; and Joseph, born Janu- ary 25, 1903. Mr. Sorrow is a Democrat and takes the interest of the good citizen in the affairs of state.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 129

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