An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 154

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 154
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 154
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 154
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 154

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Mr. Barton is a Republican in politics, having cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. He takes a great deal of pride in the fact that he was a personal friend of William Mckinley, and was the first one in Idaho to advocate his nomination at the St. Louis convention. He sought to be a delegate to that convention, but the strong sentiment in favor of free coinage of silver in the ratio of sixteen to one shut him out. He has been a member of every Republican convention since Idaho became a state.

ALBERT DYGERT. It is proper that in a list of the leading business men of Latah county the name of the subject of this sketch should appear, both be- cause of his success in the realm of mercantile life, being one of the largest farm implement dealers in the county, and also because he is one of the heaviest real estate holders and prominent agricultural men and is a man of high standing among his fellows, being possessed of good abilty, enterprise, integrity and sound principles.

Our subject was born in McHenry county, Illinois, on May 13, 1855, being the son of Abram and Phoebe ( Snooks) Dygert, natives of New York but farmers of Illinois, where the father died in 1899, on February 3. his remains resting at the Woodstock cemetery. Al- bert was well educated and then taught school at his native place for three years, and in 1877 went to Modoc county, California, engaging in the stock business for five years. In 1882 he sold out and came to Idaho, purchasing a farm six miles south from Moscow. He gave his attention strictly to general farming and stock raising and the original quarter was added to until he now has the princely estate of eight hundred acres in one body and excellently improved. Eight years were spent in this place and in 1890 he went with his family to the old home place in the east, and after visiting for a time returned to Moscow, taking up his abode in the city, where he has an elegant residence. In 1900 he opened an implement house and he does a good busi- ness, having one of the leading establishments of the city. He carries a complete assortment of all that is used in the way of farm implements, vehicles, machin- ery and so forth. Mr. Dygert has the farm, also city property that he rents, his commodious home, his

business, and much other property, thus demonstrating lis ability in the financial world.

On October 15, 1881, Mr. Dygert married Miss Flora T., daughter of Orsemus and Lucinda | Jack- son ) Beardsley. She was a native of McHenry county, Illinois, and they were schoolmates. When the time for marriage came Mr. Dygert sent for his bride, and she came to Reno, Nevada, the nearest city to his stock ranch, and there the ceremony was performed. One child, Leslie, has been born to them, his birthday being July 3, 1886, and his native place Latah county. Mr. Dygert is a member of the M. W. of A., Paradise Lodge, No. 5356. He is identified with the Republican party, and he and his wife are members of the Metho- dist church. They are prominent members of society and capable and worthy people.

GEORGE LANGDON, one of Moscow's best known and popular business men, is deserving of men- tion in the volume that has to do with the history of Latah county, since he has been intimately connected with the development and progress of it since its or- ganization and was a potent factor in the section before that event, being at the present time in the responsible position of chief of police of the city of Moscow and also conducting a real estate office.

Reverting to his personal history, we find that he was born in McLean county, Illinois, on February 15, 1856, being the son of Samuel and Martha V. ( Wilson) Langdon, natives of Ohio. His first educa- tion was obtained in his native place and later he com- pleted the normal course in the state institution, and thus fortified for the battles of life he stepped forth, taking up the work of the educator. In 1878 he came west to Moscow, his father having preceded him across the plains in 1873. He turned his attention here to logging, then taught, then worked at logging again, and later engaged in the saw mill business, and in 1884 was appointed deputy sheriff for the county, where two years were spent in the faithful discharge of the duties there devolving upon him. In 1886 he was appointed deputy sheriff, serving under Ezra Baird, and then was deputy sheriff under Sheriff S. J. Langdon. In 1888 he was elected the first sheriff of Latah county. The county was considered Republican by over one hundred majority, and our subject was a Democrat, but the man proved too much for the politics and he polled the handsome vote of four hundred majority, five hundred ahead of his ticket, being one of two elected on that ticket that year. Thus was demonstrated the popularity of Mr. Langdon. He served faithfully his time and then went into the fire insurance business for one year, and in 1892 was appointed chief of police. In 1893 he went to the World's fair and returning accepted a clerkship in the postoffice, and one and one-half years later took the deputy auditorship, where he wroked for four years, then went into the real estate business, and in 1901 was again appointed chief of police, where we find him today, quietly and efficiently

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discharging his duties. In addition to these enter- prises he is interested in stock raising.

In February, 1881, Mr. Langdon married Miss Fannie, daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Shuck) Haines, of Dundee, Oregon, and to this union there have been born the following children: Willis, Mattie, Elma, Gracie and Frances, all going to school. Mrs. Lang- don's parents came to Oregon across the plains in 1856, being among the earliest settlers of Oregon. Our sub- ject is one of the substantial and capable men of the county and is secure in the esteem and confidence of all.

LANDON C. IRVINE. On February 6, 1842, in Amherst county, Virginia, to John R. and Lucy (Hobsons) Irvine, was born the gentleman whose name appears above. The father was a merchant and farmer, born in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1799, and the grandfather of our subject, Samuel Irvine, was born in Dublin, Ireland, and one of the early pioneers of Lynchburg, advising Billy Lynch to start the first store, which, failing to do, Samuel Irvine did himself. At the time of the conflict of 1812 he advised his son, John R., to be ready to enlist, which advice was obeyed, al- though the lad was but thirteen years of age. Luckily the call did not come. The wife of Samuel Irvine was Mary Rose, born in Amherst county, Virginia, of Scot- tish descent. The mother of our subject was Lucy Hobsons, born in Bedford county, Virginia, in 1804, and her father was Benjamin Hobsons, who married Miss Moore, both natives of Virginia. Our subject remained at home until nineteen and then joined the Confederate forces and fought under the noted Stone- wall Jackson and R. E. Lee. He was in most of the heavy battles, being an artilleryman. At the close of the war he returned to the home place and desolation was spread around. The mother died in 1861 and the father died in 1867. He and his brother and brother- in-law commenced at the bottom again. He soon came to Missouri, landing there in 1867. He settled in Pike county and remained until September 26, 1869. when le came to California, being in and around San Fran- cisco until 1872, when a trip was made to Puget Sound. Not liking the country he started to return but swerved from his course to Latalı county and in Latah county he has been since. Mr. Irvine settled on Silver creek on April 1, and in 1876 he bought his present place, two miles northeast from Farmington, which consists of two hundred acres of good land and is one of the best of the county. He has fine improvements, two story house, commodious fruit house, milk cellars and houses, and fine barns. His house and fruit storage building are both supplied, as also the milk house, with fine water piped from a never failing spring, and his prem- ises are up to date in every particular. Mr. Irvine has forty acres of timothy and will seed more. He has fifty acres of orchard, one of the largest in the county, and it is a fine dividend payer. Mr. Irvine assisted to build the stockade at Farmington at the time of the Indian

trouble and one of his neighbors was killed by the savages.

The marriage of Mr. Irvine and Miss Adelia, daughter of James F. and Sydnah (Leuty) Ladd, was solemnized on October 26, 1878, in Walla Walla, and they have five children : Fred, Lucy R., Sydnah G., at- tending normal school at Lewiston ; Landonia, attending school; Frances C. The first two and the last are cieceased. Mr. Ladd was born in Louisville, Ken- tucky, on February 19, 1815, and his father was Thomas Ladd. The mother of Mrs. Irvine was born in Ray county, Tennessee, in 1825, and her mother's name was Mary Roddy. Mrs. Irvine was born in Ray county, Tennessee, in April 12, 1858, whence she came to Walla Walla and then to Latah county on June 20, 1875. She has sad recollections of the Civil war as well as her husband. Her brothers and sisters are: Thomas F., in Walla Walla; Mary E., wife of Elliott Perkins, in Spokane: Hannah E., wife of Joel Mc- Pherson, in Tennessee ; Lida, wife of M. N. Johnson, Charleston, Washington. M1. Irvine has the following named brothers and sisters: Samuel, in Missouri ; Elizabeth M., deceased : Frances, deceased, was the wife of John Pleasants, in Amherst county, Virginia ; John Hf., in Washington ; Robert, in Montana. Mr. Irvine is a Mason, and in 1900 he was nominated without his asking for county commissioner, and was promptly clected by an appreciative public. When he asked the Fusionist convention why he was nominated they re- plied because he was the right kind of a man and could be elected, which was proved at the polls. Previously the county warrants were never at par but he has been enabled with his colleagues to bring up the credit of the county and has served the public well.

THEODORE CLARK. This well known gentle- inan is one of the leading horticulturists and small fruit growers of the vicinity of Moscow, having labored here for a decade with excellent success, his home being in the southeastern portion of the city. Mr. Clark was born on July 7, 1841, in Van Wert county, Ohio, being the son of Joseph and Nancy (Ankrom) Clark, natives of Ohio. When our subject was three months of age his father died and he was left in the hands of strang- ers, being raised by them. At the early age of eight years he began to do for himself on the farm, thus learning the hardships and burdens of life while a child. He continued at various employments until April, 1861, when the call came for troops to repel the invasion of Rebellion's minions, and he promptly re- sponded to the first invitation, enlisting in Company D, Twenty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for three months, and at the expiration of that time promptly re- enlisted in the Seventy-third Ohio Infantry, Company A, for three years, being in the Army of the Potomac, He was wounded in the battle of Bull Run, and again at Gettysburg, and he was one of the noble veterans who fought with courage and intrepidity until the struggle was ended. Being mustered out in June, 1864,

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at Cincinnati, he went thence to Piatt county, Illinois. and engaged in farming there until 1873. then removed to Iroquois county, the same state, remaining there until 1882, when he again removed, this time to Republic county, Kansas. He bought a farm there and tilled it until 1891, then migrated to the west, settling in Latah county, purchasing a tract of land in the south- eastern part of the city of Moscow, where he is residing at the present time.

Mr. Clark was married in Iroquois county, Illinois, in 1874, to Surfroma Grobner, a native of Ohio, and to them were born four children: Thomas K., de- ceased ; Courter, deceased ; Grace, and Bertnell.

In March, 1884, Mr. Clark contracted a second mar - riage, the lady becoming his wife on this occasion being Jennie Maples, and the nuptials were celebrated in Car- lyle, Illinois. Mr. Clark is a prominent member of the G. A. R., Major Anderson Post, No. 5. He also affili- ates with the I. O. O. F., Lodge No. 96, in Belleville, Kansas, being a member of the Rebekah order as well.

ORTON W. BEARDSLEY. Among the pros- perous and enterprising agriculturists of Latah county, we must not fail to mention the intelligent and influen- tial gentleman whose name is at the head of this article. since he has wrought out a success here in the line which he has followed that demonstrates his ability ; and also he is one of the men who has been selected to handle the responsible affairs of the county, being thus honored by his fellows, a distinction which is in no way undeserved, and the fulfilment of the responsibilities thus incurred are discharged with an acumen, faith- fulness and dispatch that demonstrates the ability of the man and conserve the interests of the county.

Orton W. was born at Crystal Lake, McHenry county, Illinois, on July 27, 1861, being the son of Orsemus and Lucinda (Jackman) Beardsley, who are mentioned in another portion of this volume. Our subject remained with his father until twenty years had rolled by and then in 1881 he started for himself, raising stock in Modoc county, California. In the spring of 1884 he came thence to Latah county, pur- chasing a quarter section of fine land two miles north from Moscow, where he settled and devoted his ener- gies to farming and stock raising. He was rewarded with success, having now a farm of three hundred and fifty acres, well improved and producing abundant re- turns in crops and having fine buildings, which make it in every respect an up-to-date estate.

The marriage of Mr. Beardsley and Miss Phoebe, daughter of Archibald and Sarah Estes, was celebrated on June 2. 1886, in Latah county. Mrs. Beardsley is a native of Arkansas, and a detailed account of her family appears in another portion of this work. Mr. Beardsley is a member of the Masons, Paradise Lodge, No. 17, while his wife is affiliated with the Presbyterian church. He is identified with the Populist party, and has been since its formation, at the present time serving as county commissioner from his home dis-

trict. The date of his election was November, 1900. Mr. Beardsley is a man of sound principles, and is dominated by a high sense of honor, being possessed of wisdom and good practical judgment, and he is highly respected by all, being a patriotic citizen and an exemplary man.

WILLIAM CARTER. This well known repre- sentative citizen is justly entitled to space in the his- tory of Latah county, since he has labored here for many years, and also because at the time when fratricidal strife lowered over this land he gave him- self for the retrievement of the flag from insult and the defense of the beloved institutions of the Union, and fought bravely until the last gun ceased to sound out treason.

Mr. Carter was born in Ashland county, Ohio, on July 24, 1830, being the son of John and Hannah (Figley) Carter. He was taken by his parents to Illinois when quite young, Peoria county being the place, and there he received his education in the country schools, attending them in the winter and working on the parental farm in the summers. This routine continued until he had attained his majority, when he purchased a farm for himself and gave his attention to its cultivation. Five years later he sold cut and went to Kansas and there purchased a farm and settled down until 1861, when he quickly re- sponded to the call for men, enlisting in the Sixth Battalion. Six months later he enlisted in Company B, Fifth Missouri Cavalry, serving three years and more until the regiment was mustered out, being in arduous service and participating in the battle of Lex- ington, Lone Jack, Sibley and several other engage- ments. At Sibley, the enemy's bullets tore some of the hair from his head, but further than that he was untouched by war's dangers. He was almost con- stantly in engagement from the time of enlistment until discharged, being among Missouri bushwhack- ers what time he was not in the other battles men- tioned. Soon after being mustered out, in 1865. he crossed the plains and settled in Grande Ronde val- ley. Oregon, but soon removed to Linn county, the same state. Six years later he came to Whitman county, Washington, where eight or nine years were spent, and then journeyed to Moscow, where he has resided since. For twenty years he has held the office of constable, and for three years has been city coun- cilman, being the incumbent of both offices at the present time. Mr. Carter is active in political mat- ters, being allied with the Republicans, and in 1898, was the only one of that party elected in the county, the Populists gaining the others.

In 1856 occurred the marriage of Mr. Carter and Miss Elizabeth Bruce, daughter of Robert Bruce, of Peoria, Illinois, and ten children were born to them, four of whom are living, as follows: G. W. married to Viola Thurston, living in Moscow and running 2 dray line : Ray F., single and clerking in the Moter

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Wheeler store, where he has been for five years ; Emma E., married to \. Haynes, living on a farm in Whitman county : Perry B., single, living with parents and driving delivery wagon for Wolfe & Co. Mr. Carter is a member of the Major Anderson Post of the G. A. R. in Moscow, while Mrs. Carter is a mem- ber of the W. R. C. and both belong to the Methodist Episcopal church.

Mr. Carter and William A. Ladd built the Com- mercial hotel of Moscow, then rented it and finally sold it. Since his birth, which was on the frontier, Mr. Carter has always wrought among the pioneers of the country and he has done his work faithfully and stands well in the estimation of all.

NIELS J. VISBY. Not a few noble and stanch men have come to our borders from the small sca-girt land of Denmark, and they are among the best of those who hold aloft the flag of freedom. As a capable rep- resentative of this honored class, we are constrained to mention the gentleman whose name is at the head of this article, who is numbered with Latah county's lead- ing farmers, having one of the finest farms in the county, it being located between Moscow and Genesee, and four miles north of the latter town, and being on the rural free delivery, route No. 1. The estate con- sists of two hundred acres of fertile soil, well tilled and handsomely and tasefully improved with good orchards, buildings, and so forth. This is the family home and it is indeed a scene of thrift and happiness.

Mr. Visby was born in Thisted, Denmark, on De- cember 25. 1837, being the son of Johannes Jensen and Karen Marie (Nelsen) Visby, natives also of the same country, where they spent their days, being now interred in the Thisted cemetery. Our subject received a com- mon school education, and at the early age of fifteen years started for himself. He had a decided talent for music and during the winter months taught in the sur- rounding country and thus accumulated a goodly sum. In 1860 he enlisted in the army and fought against Ger- many, serving part of the time as corporal and once being wounded in his right arm, the date being March 17, 1864 at Dopple Bank. After his time for recover- ing had been spent in the hospital, he rejoined his com- pany and fought until the close of the conflict, being then honorably discharged, the date being 1864. In 1866 he bought a farm and tilled the soil until 1872, when he came to the United States and settled in Michi- gan, working for a time in the Calumet and Hecla cop- per mines in that state, then migrated to Moody coun- ty, South Dakota, where he spent ten years in the cul- tivation of the soil and then came to Latah county. He bought a quarter section three miles north from Gene- see and sixteen years this was the family home, then he sold it and purchased his present place as described above.

In 1877 Mr. Visby married Miss Oline C., daughter of Martin and Marie Olsen, natives of Denmark. Three children were born to them, Martin B., Johannes C.,

and one deceased. In 1882, Mrs. Visby passed away and in 1884, Mr. Visby contracted a second marriage, the lady of his choice on this occasion being Olena Johnson, the daughter of John and Jansen Wold. To this happy union there have been born the following children : John O., Karen M., Boord S., Solang A., Emma C., Nellie O., Selmer O., Ludvig M., Viola V., and May A. This worthy couple are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church, and are devout sup- porters of the faith, being also highly esteemed mem- bers of society and patriotic citizens.

ROBERT J. BELL One has but to observe the tidy and excellent premises of the subject of this sketch, which consist of eighty acres of fertile soil one-half mile northeast from Farmington, to realize that the owner is one of the most enterprising and thrifty farmers of the entire county of Latah. Mr. Bell believes that what is worth doing at all is worth doing well, and he practices his belief in a very ex- emplary manner. Robert J. was born in the county of Perth, Ontario, Canada, on March 17, 1861, be- ing the son of Alexander and Margaret ( Parr) Bell. The father was a farmer and merchant in Canada, born in 1833, whose father came from Scotland and mother from Ireland. The mother of our subject was born in Ontario in 1842, and her father, John Parr, was born in England, and her mother in Ireland. Our subject received his education in the excellent schools of Ontario, and at the age of sixteen years came to Manitoba and worked in the Canadian Pa- cific and one year later he took a homestead and settled to farming in Assiniboia. At the age of twenty-three years he operated a steam pump on the Great Northern, then we find him in Seattle railroad- ing and later in Spokane operating a saw mill engine near there. He went later to Sprague, Washington, and commenced to wipe in the roundnouse and was soon promoted to fireman on a switch engine and then to fireman on the road and after eight years he was running an engine on the road, and at this hie con- tinued until 1897, when he quit of his own accord and went to farming, purchasing his present place. In addition, he has a quarter section in Canada. He has fine buildings on his home place and his farm is a veritable model in every respect. Mr. Bell quit the road with a clean record and because he preferred farming.

On October 3. 1894, in Farmington, Washington, occurred the marriage of Mr. Bell and Miss Minnie J., daughter of John W. and Harriet (Parvin) Brink, and they have one child, Minnie, born July 20, 1895. Mr. Brink was born near Chicago, July 23, 1845, and his wife was born in New Jersey, May 12, 1849, and her mother, Mrs. Parvin, still lives in Hastings, Nebraska. Mrs. Bell was born in Bunker Hill, Kansas, on May 12, 1878, and she has the following brothers and sisters : Luella, wife of Charles Moulton, in Farm- ington; Sarah A., wife of I. S. Stewart, in Farming-

NIELS J. VISBY AND FAMILY.

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ton; Ora M., wife of William Gumm, in Whitman county ; Lila B., wife of Hiram Lance in Wardner, Idaho; John S., in Whitman county. Mr. Bell has the following named brothers and sisters: Eliza J., wife of Fred J. Tripp, in Spokane; Cornelius J., deceased ; David, in Wingham, Canada; Marshal J., in Canada ; Solomon, engineer on Northern Pacific, living in Spo- kane; Maggie, deceased; Hiram, deceased ; Albert, in Canada : Walter, in Canada. Mr. and Mrs. Bell are members of the Methodist church. Mrs. Bell's father served in the Civil war, enlisting for two years from Illinois. Mr. Bell has fine blooded stock, chickens, cattle, and so forth, and a choice orchard and is one of the most thrifty and up-to-date farmers.

CHARLES W. YOCKEY. The enterprising gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph is one of the leading men and agriculturists and fruit growers of the county of Latah, being a man of stanch qualities of moral worth, and happily possessed of fine business qualifications, as his possessions abundantly testify.

Mr. Yockey was born in Monroe county, Ohio, on February 7, 1853, the son of Lawrence and Sarah A. (Weaver) Yockey. The father was a native of Germany and died about eight years since, while the mother was a native of Pennsylvania and is still living in Rinard, Illinois. While our subject was a small child of three years, his parents removed to Johnson county, Iowa, and when he was twelve they removed to Wayne county, Illinois. He was educated in the various places where the family lived, and grew up on a farm. When he had reached the age of majority he began farming for himself and for five years he was numbered with the thrifty tillers of the soil in Wayne county, Illinois. It was in 1881 that he came to Latah county, and he soon homesteaded a quarter section five miles south from Troy, where the family home is at the present time. Mr. Yockey has demonstrated himself to be a capable orchardist, having thirty-five acres devoted to choice fruits and he is making a bril- liant success in this line, as also he is in all lines in which he operates. He has two acres planted to cher- ries and it is a goodly sight to see the lucious fruit in ripening. The balance of the orchard is devoted largely to winter apples. Mr. Yockey's residence is the finest in this section, and doubtless the most in- posing and beautiful and tastily arranged for both comfort and convenience with beauty, that is in the county of Latah. His whole premises manifest the thrift of the owner and his good judgment is appar- ent at every turn.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 154

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