An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 134

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 134
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 134
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 134
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 134

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).

Mr. Carver said that in 1864 while he and Tom But- ler were mining on Rabbit creek a bear stole meat from their keg. They hid that and the bear came and carried off the camp kettle while it was hot. Later he came and stole the gold pan off the keg of meat in the tent. They barricaded with brush. The next time the bear came right through the brush and was making off with his booty when Butler shot him. The report of the gun awoke Mr. Carver just in time to realize that a dead bear was lying across him; he awoke and began to vell and scramble out of his trap. Butler made a noise in the brush, and Mr. Carver supposing it to be another bear, called Butler, telling him that the tent and woods were full of bears. Neither one knew the bear was dead that was in the tent, and so to make sure they carefully lighted a candle and held it inside until they could put another bullet in bruin's brain. In his anxiety to hold the light so that it would shine on the bear Mr. Carver had gotten too close to the muzzle of the gun and was severely burned. He supposed he had been shot and more yells followed. The camp finally induced him to keep quiet. As no other bears in the woods were on to the ropes like the dead one Carver and his partner were not bothered any more.

JOHN I. OVERMAN is a product of Idaho county and a son of enterprise who has done credit to his birth place and one in whom the county may take real pride. He has shown his ability and substantiality in his career thus far and is destined to come to the head of important measures and may reasonably be expected to make a name for himself in circles far in advance of clerical.

John I. Overman was born in Idaho county on May 10, 1876, the son of Cyrus and Alice M. (Wat- son ) Overman, who are mentioned elsewhere in this work. His birth occurring one year prior to the im-

portant event of the Indian outbreak, he is unable to relate any incidents from personal memory. He grew- up in the county, attended the common schools, took a course in the academy in Grangeville, then studied in the university in Moscow, and finally completed his training in the Blair Business College in Spokane. At the close of this study he went into the Fall creek mines for a year in 1899, and the following year his name appeared on the Democratic ticket for assessor of the county, and the voters of the county liberally confirmed the judgment of the convention and he served for two years with acceptability in this ca- pacity. Last fall Mr. Overman was nominated for clerk of the district court and ex officio auditor and recorder of the county ; on January 12 he assumed the responsibility of these offices, and in the efficient and faithful discharge of the duites there incumbent on him we find him at this time. He is noble grand of the I. O. O. F., and a member of the W. W. Mr. Over- man always attends the caucuses and conventions and is a potent factor in the same. He owns town property and stock and is one of the bright and substantial young men of the county who has the good will of all and richly deserves the esteem and confidence with which he is favored.

CHARLES E. HOLT. The subject of this brief review is one of the most successful business men and highly respected citizens in Idaho county. He has won his way to his present high position through sheer pluck and energy, and as a result is today a partner in the largest cattle raising firm on the Salmon river. Holt & Rhoades, and holds a place of affluence in his county. At his fine estate of three hundred and twenty acres on Race creek, half a mile west of Goff. he is building the best residence on the Salmon, and besides building up a valuable property in both real estate and stock, he is enjoying all the comforts of a pleasant, congenial home. He is a son of James and Sa- rah ( Pilkinton) Holt, natives of England ,and was born at Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1855. His father died in 1854. Charles grew to manhood in Utah and received his education in the common schools. the Deseret University and Morgan Busi- ness College. When twenty years of age he took up the struggle in the outside world, going first to Wyoming, and in 1877 to Butte, Montana. Thence he came to Idaho, to Ross Fork, where he was clerk at the Indian agency for two years. This was on the Fort Hall reservation in southern Idaho. He ther. formed a partnership with W. N. Shilling and engaged in the mercantile business at Ross Fork, where he remained three and a half years, finally selling out and coming to Cottonwood, Idaho county, in December. 1884. Here he engaged in the stock business with his brother James, who died a year later. The business was continued by Charles until 1890. when Joseph Ingram became associated with him. Mr. Holt went to Nevada, leaving Mr. Ingram in charge of the ranch at Cottonwood. This partnership was brought to a sad end in 1893 by the death of Mr.

554

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

Ingram in a train wreck, after which Mr. Holt re- turned and took up the management. In 1897 he again formed a partnership, this time with J. O. Rhoades. They bought their present property on the Salmon, where they have since operated. They own eight hun- dred head of cattle, and last season fed two hundred and fifty tons of alfalfa, a new departure in this region, where free range has always been so plentiful.

In 1898 Mr. Holt was united in marriage with Rosa A., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Belknap, whose father was a Methodist minister in California. Mrs. Holt was born in Oregon in 1862, was educated at Los Angeles, California, and was a school and music teacher for many years. To this union have been born two children, Cora and James F., the former of whom will be sent to school at Salt Lake City. Mr. Holt has six brothers and sisters, William, John Cook, a half-brother, Wadington, Eliza Wade, Eveline Pratt and Clara Perks. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. and of the W. of W. In politics he has always been very active and very potent, identifying himself with the Republican party. In 1896 he was elected to the legislature on the Silver-Republican ticket, and last year was a candidate for commissioner, a position he missed by the narrow margin of forty votes. Mr. Holt is justly entitled to representation in this com- pilation, as few have been more active and successful in this life than he.

RICHARD L. IRWIN, of the firm of Irwin & Pipes, sawmill men on Race creek, is an enterprising and successful business man who, in addition to his sawmilling, does general farming and stock-raising. He was born in Nebraska on August 1, 1866, his parents being Isaac and Mary (Riggles) Irwin. The father was a sawmill man, born in Kentucky in 1829. He was a pioneer in Nebraska, Kansas and Montana. Later he came to Idaho and represented Washington county in the first state legislature. He filled the office of sheriff in Kansas and held many other responsible positions. He is a strong Democrat. The mother was born in Indiana in 1839 and is still livng in Jackson county, Oregon. They removed to the Pacific coast, and from San Francisco to Walla Walla when our subject was five years old, thence to southern Oregon, later to Boise and finally to Washington county. Rich- ard L. was educated in these various places but when he arrived at man's estate he went into the mines on Wood river. Next he sought treasure in the Warren camp, and should have the credit of locating the first claim on Rapid river. Later he mined on the Salmon and after a visit to Oregon took up his present place. He has a quarter section of land and the firm owns a mill that cuts eight thousand feet a day.

On February 22, 1897, Mr. Irwin married Miss Leona, daughter of Jesse and Juha (Triplett) Pipes, natives of North Carolina. Mr. Pipes was drafted into the Confederate army contrary to his desire, but soon succeeded in getting into the ranks where he could fight for the Stars and Stripes. Mrs. Irwin was born

in North Carolina, October 1, 1877. She has one brother. Ollie, and one sister, Martha Hawkins. Mr. Irwin has the following brothers and sisters : Rebecca Clay, Etta Phillips, John, William, David T., Byron, Emma Wisdom, George, Noah, Isaac. Mr. and Mrs. Irwin are members of the Baptist church. He has been justice of the peace several times and is so dom- inated by sound principles and uprightness that he has the respect and confidence of all.

HARRY D. POYNEER was born in Marshall county, Iowa, on December 23, 1867, the son of David H. and Margaret (Rice) Poyneer. The father is a physician, living in Pomeroy, Washington. The mother was born in 1842 and is still living. Our subject was reared and educated in Indiana, whither the family removed when he was three years of age. He re- mained under the parental roof until nineteen. then stepped forth to do for himself in the battle of life. In 1886 he came to Pierce and Elk City and prospected, where it was his good fortune to discover the Badger group and also other good properties. He prospected for some time, and in 1899 bought out the Elk Club from Jake Anderson. To the operating of this estab- lishment, since that time, Mr. Poyneer has devoted his energies. He has one sister, Myrtle, in Pomeroy, Washington.

On July 15, 1899, Mr. Poyneer was united in the holy bands of matrimony with Bertha Stolsz, a native of Kansas. Mr. Poyneer is a member of the K. P., Garfield Lodge, No. 25, in Pomeroy. He is an active Democrat and always manifests a keen interest in the campaigns.

HERSHEL H. CLAY, who lives three miles up the north fork of Race creek from Goff, does general farming, raises stock and freights. He is a good sub- stantial citizen and has the respect of all his fellows. He was born in Washington county, Ohio, on October 8, 1853, the son of Nicholas and Lydia ( Richards) Clay, natives of Ohio, and born January 1, 1825, and 1828, respectively. The mother died in 1872 and the father in 1900. The father was a soldier in the Civil war, enlisting April 1, 1861, in the Thirty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served three years. He fought under General Grant at Vicksburg and on many other hotly contested occasions. The paternal grandfather of our subject was in the Revolution. Our subject was educated and grew to manhood in Montgomery county, Kansas. At the age of ninetcen he commenced life for himself, but remained in Kansas until 1873 and then removed to Fremont county, Iowa. The next year finds him in Walla Walla freighting and in 1876 he went to Rogue River valley, Oregon, and did placer mining. In 1881 he was back in Walla Walla. and in 1882 he was in the Wood river excitement. Four years later he settled on the Salmon meadows in Wash- ington county, Idaho, where he raised stock and did dairying. A quadrennium sufficed for that business

555

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

and we next find him digging gold on Short's bar on the Salmon. In 1900 he bought his present place of John Knox and has devoted himself as stated above.

On November 14, 1872, in Kansas, Mr. Clay mar- ried Miss Rebecca, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Rig- gles) Irwin, who are mentioned in another portion of this work. Mrs. Clay was born at Greencastle, In- diana, on March 8, 1853 : her brothers and sisters are mentioned in another portion of this book. Mr. Clay has one sister and three brothers: Frances Veters, Ezra, John, Daniel. Five children have been born to bless this household : Maggie Rhoades, Harry, Carrie B., Emma, Loren. The first lives at Pollock, Idaho, and the others are at home. Mrs. Clay is a devout member of the Baptist church. Mr. Clay is a strong Republican and takes an active interest in the affairs of the county. He has his farm well improved, and last year from ten acres of land he raised sixty tons of alfalfa, which he sold at ten dollars per ton.

MARCUS E. GAGE is a very prosperous and successful sheep raiser living two miles west of Rig- gins, where he owns a quarter section of fine land but controls many more acres. He has some of the finest alfalfa fields in the country, as well as excellent or- chards, and is situated in one of the best sheep coun- tries in the northwest.

Marcus E. Gage was born in Polk county, Oregon, on February 23, 1856, the son of William and Louise (Gilliam) Gage, born in Missouri in 1826 and 1828, and died in 1891 and 1875, respectively. They came to Oregon in 1844 with old Colonel Gillian, after whom Gilliam county is named. Colonel Gilliam was killed at the time of the Whitman massacre by the accidental discharge of a firearm. Our subject was educated in the common schools of Polk county, Oregon, and assisted his father until twenty years of age, learning thoroughly the stock business. Then he went to do for himself in Douglas county, later removed to Pendle- ton, and in 1878 went to Walla Walla, whence he journeyed to the Palouse country and took land. Three years later he was in Crook county, Oregon, then in Grant county for six years in the sheep business. After this he raised cattle in Long valley, Idaho, but met with reverses, losing heavily in the cold winters. He removed to Indian valley, and two years later came to Idaho county, settling on Squaw creek, near the mouth of the Little Salmon. He took up cattle raising again but sold that stock and went to raising sheep, in which industry he has continued since.

In Grant county, in the year 1883, Mr. Gage mar- ried Mrs. Josephine Reeves, the daughter of Ellery A. and Cynthia (Sweet) Aldrich. Mrs. Gage was born near Oregon City in 1855. One child, Pearl E., is the fruit of this marriage. Mrs. Gage also has children by her first husband. Mr. Gage is a strong Republican of protective tariff policy. In reference to the section where Mr. Gage lives he remarks that the country is especially adapted for sheep, raises the best of alfalfa and produces fruit finely.

ALEXANDER A. WEBER. This leading archi- tect and builder of Idaho county is a man of skill and a thorough master of his business, as the following outline of his life will show. He was born in Switzer- land in 1868, the son of Rudolf and Anna (Probst) Weber, born in Switzerland in 1817 and 1847, re- spectively. The father died in 1891 but the mother is still living in Bern, Switzerland. The father was a civil engineer and took an active part in the Revolution and was exiled in 1847 but was allowed to come back in 1857. Our subject grew to manhood in his native land and was well educated in the schools of the place. He received a technical education in architecture in Germany and became master of the science. In 1890 he was led by the great opportunities and advantages in this land for an energetic man to come to the United States, and he at once associated himself with such leading architects as Hons Haimer and H. H. Schickil, the former being the man who constructed the capitol at Madison. In 1891 Mr. Weber came to Portland and for seven years that city was his headquarters. He was in the construction department of the O. R. & N. railroad and put up some of the steel bridges on their lines in Washington. In 1898 he went to Spokane and took a position with the N. P. It was 1900 when he came to Grangeville and opened a shop, and since that time has been identified with the town and its interest, making himself a first class citzen and a pro- moter of the welfare of the country. He has devoted himself to general contracting and building with archi- tectural work and has done well. Mr. Weber handled the court house, making all the plans and supervising the work. In church relations our subject is affiliated with the Catholics, and in political alliances he is a Republican.

CAPT. JOHN D. WOODEN is one of the most enterprising mine operators in Idaho county. His home at the present time is at 817 Fifth avenue. Spokane, Washington, but his interests in mines are largely in this county. He was born in Owen county, Indiana, on March 4, 1842, the son of James and Susan ( Shive- ly) Wooden. The father was born in Booneville, Ken- tucky, in 1793. His father fought the Indians with Daniel Boone. James, the father of our subject, took part in the war of 1812. Following that war he en- gaged as pilot on the Mississippi until 1830. In 1831 he took land in Owen county and in 1848 crossed the plains to Oregon, and died in Polk county on March 14, 1872. The mother of our subject was born in 1803 in Cincinnati, and died in Indiana on May 6, 1844. Our subject was reared and educated in Oregon, and when fourteen he went to mining. He learned the carpenter trade about this time, and in 1858 and '59 fought the Piutes under Capt. W. W. Kellogg and Kit Carson. In 1861 he was one of a party to explore northeastern Nevada and Idaho, and in 1863 started east to enlist for his country, but instead joined the Second Regiment of Cavalry in California to repel the Apaches, Snakes and Piutes, serving until 1865. Then he went to the Boise basin, returned to Polk county,

556

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

Oregon, and in 1872 came to the Salmon. He worked in all the prominent camps here and in December, 1876, hearing a rumor of an Indian outbreak in the Black Hills, South Dakota, he joined a company of volunteers in the hills. After this he was employed by Frazier & Chalmers to superintend the construction and afterward to run the Boyle forty-stamp mill. He con- tinued in the quartz mill business in the Black Hills for eighteen months. Then he went to the New York market and sold mines. In 1880 he came to the North- west and operated in various sections of the United States and British Columbia. In 1883 he went into the Coeur d'Alene country, later took land in the Cali- spell valley and in 1901 removed to his present resi- dence in Spokane. He had in the meantime taken great interest in the mines in Idaho county, and has extensive interests in various sections. Mr. Wooden has the following brothers and sisters :. Henry S., Isa- bella Lawson, deceased, Mary Stedwell, deceased, Rob- ert MI., Anna Woolf, deceased.

On January 23, 1881, Mr. Wooden married Miss Addie, daughter of Cornelius and Emma (La Tourette) Bergen, the wedding occurring in Rathdrum. Mrs. Wooden was born July 30, 1844, in New York. Her father was born in New York in 1831, a descendant of the early Dutch settlers of Jersey City. He was an in- ventor and mechanic. In 1881 he went to Oregon City. The mother was born in New York on February 6, 1819. Mrs. Wooden was highly educated in Elmira and Cortland Academy, at Homer, New York, and is a lady of excellent literary attainments, her pro- ductions finding their way into the leading journals of the northwest. She is of Holland Dutch and French Huguenot descent.

THOMAS H. CAROTHERS. Four miles up the Little Salmon from Goff is the home place of the subject of this sketch, who devotes his energies to raising sheep. He was born in Shelby county, Mis- souri, in 1849. His parents, Armstrong and Eliza- beth H. (Christian) Carothers, were natives of Penn- sylvania and Kentucky, respectively. The father was born in 1815 and died in 1860; the mother was born in 1838 and died in 1891. Thomas H. was brought up and educated in his native place. He was still young when his father died and the responsibilities of life thus came early upon his shoulders. He continued to assist in supporting the family until twenty years of age and then went to do for himself. His attention was turned to farming. after which he settled in Shel- bina, Missouri, of which he was marshal for nine years. In 1891 he came to Idaho, making his way to the Seven Devils for the purpose of locating mines. Being deterred from this purpose, he went to Garden Valley and operated a threshing outfit. Sometime was spent at Boise ; then he came to the meadow, after which he took land on the Little Salmon above Goff, sold it and took a ranch on Race creek. This in turn was sold and then he bought his present farm and engaged in wool growing. The year 1896 marks the

date of this venture and since then he has continued successfully at the same business. He owns one hundred and sixty acres but controls much more. Mr. Carothers has done some fine improving since coming here, among which may be mentioned a bridge across the Little Salmon which was built and owned by him.

In 1868 occurred the marriage of Thomas H. Carothers and Amanda J., daughter of William and Avarilla Gear. The father is a merchant, farmer and stockman. Mrs. Carothers was born in Grundy county, Missouri, 1851. She has three brothers, Rich- ard H., Benjamin and Milton. Mr. Carothers has the following brothers and sisters: William, Margaret, Susan and Sarah. Seven children have been born to our subject and his esteemed wife: Nora, deceased ; Ollie Irwin, at Clarkston, Washington; Willie and Nellie, deceased, Charles and Ernest in Idaho county ; and Frank, at home. Mr. Carothers is a good Demo- crat and active. In addition to his landed property he has seven thousand, three hundred sheep and in the seven years in which he has handled sheep here has fed them but ten days.

GEORGE F. WASSEM. Many of our most sub- stantial and capable citizens come to us from the land of Germany. Among that worthy number we are con- strained to mention the subject of this article, whose labors and integrity have demonstrated him one of the leading men of his section. Mr. Wassem dwells three miles northwest from Denver, where he owns a mam- moth estate of four hundred and eighty acres, which his skill, industry and untiring care have made one of the fine farms of the state. He handles about one hundred head of cattle, raises annually as many hogs and does a general farming business, wherein pros- perity has been constantly attendant upon him.

George F. Wassem was born in Hessen, Darm- stadt, Germany, on December 1, 1836, the son of Lud- wig and Elizabeth (Kulp) Wassem. The father was born in 1800 and remained in Germany until his death on December 25, 1854. The mother was born in 1797, married in 1830 and died in February, 1879. Our subject was reared in his native place and re- ceived his educational training there. He remained with his parents after school days until July, 1864, when he came to the United States. Six months were spent in Illinois, then he went to Wright county, Iowa, where he bought a hundred ac- ies of land for eight hundred and fifty dol- lars. Twenty-five years were spent there and in the winter of 1889 he sold out, came to Uniontown, Washington, whence he went to his present place, which he secured by purchase. Since that time, Mr. Wassem has continued steadily in the pursuit of farm- ing and raising stock. He has one brother and one sister, Elizabeth Nichte, deceased, John E., deceased.

On November 4, 1870, Mr. Wassem married Miss Sophie, daughter of Zad and Sophie (Nicholaus) Ricklefs. The father was born April 10, 1812, and

THOMAS H. CAROTHERS.

MRS. GEORGE F. WASSEM.

GEORGE. F. WASSEM.

JOHN J. PULSE.

557

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

died on April 8, 1877. His native place was Olden- berg, where he was a merchant. The mother was born in Oldenberg, on March 24, 1818, and died in the spring of 1879. Mrs. Wassem was born in Olden- berg on July 6, 1845, and has two brothers and one sister, Herman, Theodore, Hermina. The following children have come to bless this household: Mary Thiessen, born December 24, 1872; George F., born May II, 1873: Herman, born September 20, 1874; Elizabeth Thiessen, born April 3, 1876; Franz, born January 1, 1878; John, born March 12, 1881; Kate, born December 30, 1883; Theodore, born December 4. 1886. Mr. Wassem and his wife are active and solid Republicans and also belong to the Evangelical church.

JOHN J. PULSE, the well known druggist in Denver, is one of the enterprising men of Idaho county and has done a large amount toward the upbuilding of the town and county. He is a man of fine capa- bilities and public spirit and has been a moving spirit in the good work of gaining first-class educatonal fa- cilities as well as for general progress. He was born on May 8. 1862, in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Will- iam H. and Maria A. (Bader) Pulse. The father was born in August, 1833, in Mecklenburg, Germany. He came with his parents to Cleveland, Ohio, and has been for thirty years at the head of a large wholesale millinery store in that place. The mother was born in Brooklyn, Ohio, in 1833 and died on May 8, 1862. Our sub- ject was raised in his native place and after finishing his public school course, he entered the Cleveland school of pharmacy, from which he graduated in 1884. He also studied medicine under Dr. Powell for three years and took lectures in the medical college. In 1885, after an extensive trip through Arizona, New Mexico, California and Alaska as far as Juneau, hav- ing intended to go to Circle City, he retraced his steps to Portland and clerked in a drug store in Oregon City and in Portland. Later he was in Colfax, Wash- ington, and in 1888 he operated a drug store in Ward- ner, Wallace, and Burke, taking considerable interest in mining properties. In 1891 Mr. Pulse removed with his family to Denver and opened a drug store where he has continued since. He has a thriving pat- ronage, a good business building besides residence and other property in the town and also some valuable mining interests in the Coeur d'Alene country.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 134

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