An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 173

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 173
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 173
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 173
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 173

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SUMNER C. LAZELLE. The venerable gentle- man, capable and enterprising, whose name is at the head of this article, is one of the early pioneers of Latah county and is one of its prominent citizens at the present time. He was born in Windham county, near Dover, in Vermont, on March 6, 1819, being the son of Isaac and Lucy Lazelle, natives, respectively, of Menden and Pelham, Massachusetts, the father being of English descent and born in 1787. Our subject was reared in his native place and well educated in the public schools and the academy. He remained at home until 1840 and cast his first vote for William Henry Harrison for president of the United States. He also voted for Fremont and has always been allied with the Republican party. In 1840 he went to Weston, New York, and there taught school, being also county su- perintendent of instruction in Cold Springs, New York. He taught and gave some attention to farm- ing in the state of New York until 1873, being one of the successful educators of the state and time. In 1873 he came to Nevada, California, there taking up the lumbering business until 1877, at which time he came to the territory now embraced in Latah county, and after thorough search selected his present home- stead and settled down to its improvement and to the substantial progress of the country. In both lines he has succeeded admirably, having a fine farm and being one of the respected men of the community. Mr. La- zelle had the following brothers and sisters, but they are now all dead : Houghton, Isaac W., Harriette, Abigail and Melintha.

On May 15, 1846, occurred the marriage of Mr. Lazelle and Miss Melinda, daughter of John N. Angle, a captain in the army and a farmer in Randolph, New York, where the wedding occurred. To this happy union there have been born the following issue: Inez E., widow, living with her father; Cynthia M., wife of W. K. Eddy, near Palonse; Irene E., deceased ; Isaac W., farmer near Palouse; Charles F., married, but now a widower: Oscar W .. married and living in Okanogan county, Washington. Mrs. Lazelle's broth- ers and sisters are named as follows : Nicholas and a half-brother Oscar died in the army; Elonor, wife of Rufus Spalding; Almira, wife of A. T. Covert, but now deceased : Eliza, wife of E. Brace, living in Cold- springs, New York : Lucindia, deceased : Phoebe, de- ceased : Adella, wife of Mr. John Huff, and living in Flourfield. St. Joe county, Michigan. Mr. Lazelle is one of the pioneers of this section, the country being

all government land when he came. He has now an estate of one hundred and sixty acres, well improved and cultivated after the diversified plan, and with good buildings.

BRYANT M. RUDD. About five miles east from Palouse lies the farm of the subject of this sketch. It is one-quarter section, well improved, having elegant new house, good outbuildings and barn, with large or- chard. Mr. Rudd practices diversified farming and from the time that he settled here, 1877, until the present, he has been one of the leading men of this section, one of the prosperous farmers and one of the substantial and patriotic citizens, having continued on his place, which he secured by the right of homestead. Bryant M. was born in Hendricks county, Indiana, twenty-five miles west from Indianapolis, on Decem- ber 27, 1837, being the son of Ausbun and Elizabeth (Tisher) Rudd, natives of North Carolina. The fa- ther's father was a Spaniard and a farmer, while the mother's father was also a farmer. The brothers and sisters of Bryant M. are as folows: Sarah, Colvin, Daniel, James, Nellie, John, Louise J., Hutson, Mellis- sa, Jolin and Mary A. Our subject left home at the age of sixteen and labored in various occupations until he had reached the age of twenty-three, attending also the public schools at times. At the age of twenty-three he bought a farm at Martinsville, Morgan county, In- diana, and went to tilling the soil for himself. On July 7, 1860, he married Miss Sarah, daughter of Louis Meridith, and seventeen years later he was called upon to mourn the death of his wife. Mr. Rudd removed from Indiana to Wilson county, Kan- sas, and there bought a farm and gave his attention to raising cattle, horses and hogs until 1877, when he sold his property also and came to Latah county, as mentioned above.

On March 5, 1879, in Morgan county, Indiana, Mr. Rudd contracted a second marriage, Mrs. Sarah ¡ Dilley) Howell becoming his wife then. She is the daughter of Arthur M. and Elizabeth E. (McInturf) Dilley, natives, respectively, of Ohio and Tennessee. The father was active in the realm of politics, labored 'at tlie carpenter's trade, was a member of the Meth- odist church and a leading citizen of his community. To this marriage there have been born the following named children : Charlie, died on November 5, 1879 ; Letha J., wife of Birt Crooks, living one and one-half miles east from Palouse, and the mother of two boys, Orville and Floyd. By her former marriage Mrs. Rudd had the following named children: Albert, Ed- win and Franklin. Mr. Rudd's children by his first wife are named as follows: Tyrannas, deceased ; James H., married and living near Fredonia, Kansas ; Tamsy, also married and living in the same place : Alexander S., married and living at Portland, Ore- gon. In the time of the civil strife Mr. Rudd enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Forty-eighth In- diana Infantry, and did faithful service until the time of his honorable discharge. Mr. Rudd is a member of the G. A. R. and in political matters he is always active,

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being allied with the Republican party. He and his wife are devout members of the Methodist church in Palouse and he is one of the highly respected men of his community.

JOSEPH DAVIDSON. Since the days of 1879 Mr. Davidson has labored and toiled in this section of the country, having done commendable service as a citizen and tiller of the soil. His estate of one-quar- ter section lies three miles west from Kendrick. He homesteaded the land in 1879 and it has been the fam- ily home since that year. Mr. Davidson was born in Colechester county, Nova Scotia, on June 20, 1848, being the son of Thomas and Sarah ( Fulton) David- son. His mother died when he was ten years of age. Three years subsequent to that sad event the father re- moved with his family to Marin county, California, settling near Petaluma. Our subject was educated in his native place and in California he assisted his father in the business of dairying, which the elder Davidson had taken up, remaining with him until he had reached his twenty-second year, when he started in business for himself, taking up the dairying busi- ness on an adjoining ranch and following it for eight vears. During this time he took a trip to Nova Scotia and in 1879 he came to Latah county territory and took as a homestead the land where he dwells today. This lies three miles west from Kendrick and is well improved, having comfortable buildings and an or- chard of twelve acres which is devoted mostly to prunes.

The marriage of Mr. Davidson and Miss Margaret E., daughter of George and Margaret ( Howard) Rutherford, was solemnized on June 6, 1879, in Cole- chester county, Nova Scotia, she being a native of that county and where her parents are farmers. To Mr. and Mrs. Davidson there have been born the fol- lowing children, George T., Rilla M., Fred F., Bertha M., Byard and Clifford. Mr. Davidson and his wife are members of the Methodist church on American ridge and they are good citizens and have the con- fidence and regards of all who know them, being affa- ble and genial neighbors, upright in their walk and capable and enterprising in all their business relations.

JAMES M. EMERSON, deceased. The good men who assisted to build Latah county are passing away and notable among that number is the subject of this memoir. He was a noble and good man, al- ways allied on the side of progression and right, and being one of the brave defenders of the flag at a time when treason would have sullied its fair folds. James M. Emerson was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, on May 2, 1839, a son of Brown and Lucinda Emerson. He was educated there and part of his time was spent in clerking in a grocery store and part on the farm with his father. When the civil strife lowered, and the call came for men, brave and true, to stand for the honor of the country and the defense of our homes,

young Emerson was quick to respond and enlisted in Company I, Fifty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry and for three years he served faithfully, being in Sherman's army. He was captured in the battle of Stone River, but was soon exchanged and continued in the service until 1864. Then he returned to Keene, Ohio, and there entered the mercantile business which occupied his attention until 1870, the date when he migrated to Elk county, Kansas. In that state he farmed until 1882 and then sold his possessions and came hence to Latah county. He homesteaded the land where the old home place is and there bestowed his labors and skill until the time when the summons came for him to pass within the veil that divides this world from that which is to come. He died as he had lived, a Chris- tian and devout man. He was a faithful member of the Methodist church and his life was an example to all. The sad day of his departure was March 11, 1890.

Mr. Emerson left a wife and four children to mourn his demise. His marriage was celebrated on September 5. 1865, Miss Martha Brilhart becoming his wife at that time. Her parents, John and Jane ( Hall) Brilhart came to Coshocton county, Ohio, from Penn- sylvania, her native state, when she was a baby. The children mentioned are Eugene, born June 22, 1866, at Spring Mountain, Ohio, married Miss India Bogue, a native of Canada, and he makes his home with his mother still; Arsella, Carrie and Edgar. They are all at home and the aggregate real estate holdings of the family amounts to ten hundred and forty acres of fine land.

JOHN SULLIVAN. To this enterprising and capable gentleman whose name heads this article we are pleased to grant a representation in this volume of Latah county's history since he is one of the prominent citizens of today and has labored in the years past with assiduity and sagacity both for the prosecution of his business enterprises and the upbuilding of the county, being also a man of integrity and worth and one of the heavy property owners of the county.

Mr. Sullivan was born in county Cork, Ireland, in December. 1875, being the son of John and Mary Sul- livan, also natives of the same country, whence they came to America, settling first in Michigan, then mi- grating to California and in 1884 coming to Latalı county. Here they bought a man's right on a timber culture and filed a pre-emption, later taking a timher culture where they still live. Our subject came to America with his mother, his father having come some six years previous, and he remained with his parents until 1892. then entered partnership with his father until 1900, at which time he bought two hundred and forty acres of land, six miles west from Genesee, where he lives at the present time. His farm is well improved with buildings and so forth and is one of the finest pieces of agricultural land in the entire county, pro- ducing as high as ten thousand bushels of grain in one vear. Mr. Sullivan raises considerable stock, as cattle, hogs and horses. He is also interested much in the

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local and state politics, always manifesting the con- cern that becomes the intelligent and progressive citi- zen. Mr. Sullivan has one sister, Mary Jacobs, living with him, and two brothers, Tim Sullivan, married to Loudena Reilly and living in Nez Perces county, and Dan Sullivan, living with his father. Our subject is affiliated with the Roman Catholic church and is a faithful adherent of the faith and supporter of the same.

DAVID R. DAVIS. The subject of this article, as will be seen by the outline of his life, is a man of great enterprise and energy, being dominated by a high order of wisdom and possessed of excellent prac- tical judgment in all the business affairs that have been prosecuted by him in his eventful career, and he is now one of the leading agriculturists, stockmen, and fruit producers of Latah county, in many par- ticulars taking the lead of all others. David R. was born in Denbigh, North Wales, on March 28, 1845, being the son of John and Elizabeth (Roberts) Davis. The parents were natives of Wales, and the mother died there at the age of thirty-six and the father passed away in Corwin, Wales, being aged seventy. Our subject received a good education in the practi- cal lines and at the age of twenty-one started on a career for himself, emigrating first to America, where he followed mining for many years in various places and under various conditions. He mined coal in Vir- ginia first, then two years was spent in the same work in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, three years were spent in Akron, Ohio, and one year in the coal mines at Murphysboro, Illinois. Then he turned to the west and mined for precious metals in Central City, Colorado, one year, then a year and one-half were put in at Rock Springs, Wyoming, mining coal, then we find him in Eureka, Nevada, digging silver two years, then to Butte county, California, mining for gold one year, and finally, in 1878, he came to Genesee, Idaho. He took a homestead six miles east from Genesee, and split rails to fence it with. He broke twenty acres the first year, and added some each year until the farm was well under cultivation. It has a hog tight fence all around it, and is cross fenced in the same way. He sells annually about forty hogs, having the finest breeds; markets three thousand bushels of grain each year, and a car load of dried prunes besides much other produce and fruit. The farm is laid out with excellent wisdom, planned and improved with a skill and taste that manifests rare ability. A fine residence is first to mention, then we find commodious barns and out buildings and every- thing that is useful and that adds comfort and attrac- tiveness to a rural estate. Mr. Davis has a fruit dryer thirty-six by fifty-six with twenty foot posts, which handles a car load of dried fruit in less than a month. He has eight hundred and fifty Italian prunes, five hundred assorted peaches, cherries, pears, apples and al kinds of fruits indigineous to this latitude.

Mr. Davis is a power in politics and gives strong adherence to the tenets of the Republican party, hav-

ing done good work in its ranks. He has acted dif- ferent times as road supervisor and has done a giant's portion to assist in the development of the county. Socially Mr. Davis is affiliated with the I. O. O. F. and is highly esteemed by all.

CHRISTIAN SCHARNHORST. This worthy and venerable pioneer and substantial citizen of Latah county is eminently fitted, both because of his real worth as a man and because of the excellent work that he has done here for the development and upbuilding of the county, to be prominently represented in the volume that has to do with its history and we accord him space for the events of an interesting and well spent career, assured that no more worthy citizen can be portrayed in this work since his labors speak out his worth. Christian was born in Germany on Sep- tember 26, 1834, heing the son of Christian and Dor- othy (Krager ) Scharnhorst. They came to this coun- try in 1844 and settled in Keokuk county, Iowa, where they tilled the soil until the time of their death, both being buried in the Methodist cemetery in Harper, Iowa. Our subject was educated in the schools of Germany and in Iowa, and remained with his father until he had attained his twenty-third year, then rented a farm there until 1872, when he went across the plains with mule teams to Oregon, intending, how- ever, to go to California, but being turned toward the Willamette valley by favorable reports on the road. The train of sixteen wagons was five months on the road, and then he rented a farm for two years in Ore- gon, after which he came to Latah county and home- steaded and pre-empted a half section, broke it all up and then took eighty acres as a timber culture claim. He added an adjoining half section to his fine body of land by purchase then and later enough more to make seven hundred and eighty acres in all. When his boys came of age he gave them one-half section each, as stated elsewhere in this work, retaining only eighty acres for himself. which the boys farm.

In 1856 Mr. Scharnhorst married Miss Frederika, daughter of Carl and Charlotta (Krouse) Neubauer, natives of Germany, but migrating to America in 1856 and locating in Iowa where they rest at the present time in the Lutheran cemetery near Sigourney. To our worthy subject and his estimable wife there have been born the following children,-Dora F., married to Herman Nablsick and living in Genesee; Louise, married to Mathias Carbuhn, living close to Union- town. Washington: Dedrick J., married to Minnie Oldah and living in Genesee; Tenie F., married to Frank Sclator and living in Spokane county, Wash- ington : Caroline L., married to Jake Scley, living close to Uniontown, Washington : Mary D., married to Henry Herman, residing in Latah county ; Freder- ick, married to Rosa Haire, living in Latah county; Charles J., married to Mary Burchett, living in Latah county. Mr. Scharnhorst is a member of the Lutheran church as is his wife also. His brother is soon com- ing from Germany and they are representatives of a

FARM OF DAVID R. DAVIS.

DAVID R. DAVIS.

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good family that has manifested great zeal and energy in labors for the good of their fellows and in building up and progress. Mr. Scharnhorst is one of the sub- stantial men of Latah county and he is justly deserving of the honor that is due the true pioneer, the capable citizen, and the good man, and it is with pleasure that we have been enabled to give this epitome of a useful and interesting life.

VIRGIL RANDALL. It is exceedingly pleasant to be able to chronicle the points of the interesting career of the estimable and enterprising gentleman, whose name appears above, having come of a noted family and having fully sustained the reputation of his ancestors for skill and talent, both by his capable efforts in his labors and in working out the bright success that is now crowning his pathway.

Mr. Randall is one of the large farmers of Latah county, owns five hundred and forty acres five miles southeast from Palouse, upon which stands the first frame and painted building in northern Idaho. He has at present a new and commodious structure as the family home. His farm is well tilled, produces abund- ance of the grasses and cereals while also he raises considerable stock. The original quarter section of the farm was taken as a homestead by Mrs. Randall, who rode through a hostile Indian country forty miles on horseback to Lewiston to make the filing. The marriage of this worthy couple occurred on the farm adjoining the homestead, which also they now own, the date of the happy event being April 14. 1878, and to bless the union there have been born to them the following children, Dora and Cora, twins, Cora being a graduate of the Moscow high school and now at- tending the normal at Lewiston; Fannie, teaching ; Grover, at home. Turning more particularly to the early personal history of Mr. Randall, we note that he was one of a family of eight children, his brothers and sisters being, Michael A., Elizabeth, Euler, Raphael, Euclid, Mary. and Emily. Our subject was born on July 13, 1843, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, near Harrisburg, at Anchor Tavern, a noted tavern of that country and run by his father. His parents were Reuben W. and Katherine Randall. The father was a man of great erudition, but possessed of becoming modesty that always precluded ostentatious effort for personal preferment in public, although he was offered the chair of mathematics in a number of institutions of higher learning. Such men as McCreary, Belknap, Story and others of Grant's cabinet were warm per- sonal friends of Mr. Randall. Commodore Foote, a noted mathematician, frequently wrote to Mr. Randall for assistance in various problems, and the subject of this article has at the present time these letters which came to his father. Our subject came from a family of poets. His father published mathematical works and his grandfather was the author of several books of poems. Our subject came with his parents to St. Louis when three years of age and in 1847 the family went to Keokuk, Iowa. Twenty years they lived there, 46

the father being engaged in mercantile pursuits. Vir- gil was educated in the common schools and in 1864 made a trip to Virginia City, Montana. He drove four yokes of oxen and from the train one or two men were killed by the Indians. Later he returned to Iowa and ran on a steamer from Keokuk to St. Louis and in 1867 went to New York and took steamer via Pana- ma to California. From San Francisco, he went to San Joaquin and six years later went to Butte county, being engaged in farming in both places. After that he came to the territory now embraced in Latah coun- ty, stopping first with a brother whose farm adjoins that of our subject, then later taking the farm as above mentioned.

Mrs. Randall was formerly Miss Dora F. Walker, being the daughter of Harvey S. and Lavisa ( Morse) Walker, the mother being a distant relative of the great electrician Morse. The father and mother were natives of New York, and came from their farm in that state to California in an early day. Mrs. Randall was born in Dodge county, Wisconsin, and went with her parents to California. She has one sister, Susan, who is now deceased. Mr. Randall is a member of the A. O. U. W., joining in 1892. His wife is a member of the Christian church. He ran for the office of county commissioner and by only seventeen votes did his opponent win the day. His farm is one of the best and finest in the county, has fine buildings, twenty acres of orchard, forty of meadow, and produces abundant returns.

CHARLES H. ODERLIN. In every particular the fine premises of Mr. Oderlin manifest the proprie- tor of the estate a man of thrift, enterprise, and in- dustry, while his capabilities and uprightness are no less manifest among his fellows, being a man of un- tarnished reputation and one of the substantial and leading citizens of the entire county. Charles H. was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on August 28, 1849, being the son of Nicholas and Katherine Oderlin. The father was a stone mason and a native of the old country and the mother also was born in Switzerland. At the age of five years, Charles was brought by his parents to Plainfield, Illinois, where the mother died in 1857. The father worked there at his trade until 1865, the son meanwhile attending school, and then a move was made to Woodson county, Kansas. The fa- ther bought a quarter section and went to farming. Our subject remained there until 1869, then farmed for himself until 1872, in which year occurred the happy event of his life, namely his marriage with Miss Malissa Dee, daughter of Jeremiah and Louise Dee, natives respectively of Ohio and Scott county, Illinois. Mrs. Oderlin was born in Hancock county, Illinois. Subsequent to his marriage, Mr. Oderlin rented his father's place and farmed it for two years, then raised stock and farmed until 1877, in which year he sold out and started on July 6, for Idaho, arriving here four months later. After due exploration and investigation, he selected his present place, five miles east from Pa-

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louse. He pre-empted and then homesteaded and for twenty-five years he has been laboring for the improve- ment of his estate. for the advancement of the county, and the upbuilding of all its interests. He owns two hundred and forty acres of land, has an elegant resi- dence, fine barns and the entire estate is tasty, attrac- tive and valuable.

The following children have been born to our worthy subject and his estimable wife, Bert C., edu- cated in the public schools and the university at Mos- cow ; Katie, died in 1878; Iva, died in 1882; Ethel C., who will graduate from the university at Moscow in 1903. Mr. Oderlin always takes a great interest in politics, having been central committeeman for five years, and always laboring for good men in office, but ever refusing the offers for political preferment for himself. He has been urged to run for county com- missioner but steadily refuses. In educational mat- ters, Mr. Oderlin has always been zealous and active, believing in good schools and willing to pay the taxes to secure them. He is highly esteemed by all and a worthy citizen.

JOSEPH L. MCCLELLAN. This capable and cuterprising farmer, whose life has been filled with worthy labors for the upbuilding and advancement of the sections where his lot has been cast, was one, too, who quickly responded to the call of patriotism and gave his services faithfully for the defense of the country, in a time when fratricidal strife was rending the fair republic in twain.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 173

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