An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 206

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 206
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 206
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 206
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 206

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Mr. Doust is a Republican and was appointed dep- uty sheriff of Kootenai county in 1891, under W. J. MeClure. Demoerat, and two years later he was reap- pointed by John J. Costelo, Democrat, serving two years each time. At the end of this service he was appointed by W. Ryan, Republican, and served two years. He then bought his present place, a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. This was raw land when he took it and he has built a fine house and other buildings and improved it so it is one of the handsomest plaees in this seetion. In 1900 Mr. Doust was nominated for sheriff of the county against Charles Dyer, Democrat and Fusionists, and he was defeated, and sinee that time he has given strict attention to his business. In September, 1901, he went to Oregon and built a twen- ty-five stamp mill, returning in February, 1902.

In 1871 Mr. Doust married Mrs. Martha Oger, widow of James Oger and daughter of Hezekiah and Mary McConnell, natives of Ireland. Mrs. Doust had two children by her former husband, James D. and D. W.

Mr. Doust had the distinction of boarding the Kearsarge three days before she sunk the Alabama. He was shipwrecked in 1868 in the German ocean and

DAVID K. SMITH.

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

the same year he assisted to save the crew of a German ship which had foundered at sea and for this brave act he carries a silver medal presented by the German government.

RASMOS CHRISTENSEN. Among the pro- gressive and industrious agriculturists of Kootenai county is to be mentioned the gentleman whose name appears above and who has wrought for a number of years in this good calling with a gratifying success. His estate of one quarter section lies four miles west from Bonners Ferry.

Rasmos was born in Denmark, on March 12, 1845, being the son of Christ Hansen and Sophia Rasmossen, natives of Denmark, where they remained until the time of their death. Our subject received a common school education and at the age of fourteen went to work for himself. He wrought on the farm for wages until he was twenty-six and then came to America in 1871. He located in Moline, Illinois, for one year and then went thence to Wisconsin, where he worked in the woods and at sawmilling for two and one-half years. He was in Minnesota a short time after this and then went to Nebraska, where he remained three years. In 1879 we see him in Salt Lake City, where he wrought in the smelter for five years. Another move was made, this time to San Francisco, where he remained one year and then came to Seattle. For five years he was occupied in the woods and sawmills adjacent to that place and then he went to Helena and Butte, where he labored in the mines for five years or so. It was in 1892 that he came to his present place, taking his land as a homestead. Mr. Christensen has remained here since that time and has devoted his efforts to improv- ing his place and raising stock. He has gained a good success and has well earned the competence that he enjoys. In 1892 he had the distinction of riding on the first train from Bonners Ferry to Sandpoint, taking seven hours to make the trip. Mr. Christensen is act- ive in political matters and especially so in the local affairs, being a Republican. He has six brothers and four sisters. He is a member of the Danish Lutheran church and is highly respected by all, being upright and possessed of integrity and sound principles.

THOMAS J. JONES. A representative business man of Bonners Ferry, a good and respected citizen, patriotic and public minded, a pioneer of this portion of Kootenai county, the subject of this article is em- inently deserving of a representation in this volume, both because of the points mentioned and also because of his own intrinsic worth as a man. He is in charge of a good drug business, which he owns and wherein he has achieved a good success.

Thomas J. Jones was born in Marion county, Iowa, on November 22. 1864, being the son of A. J. and Mary E. (Starbuck) Jones, natives of Indiana, and who are mentioned elsewhere in this volume. Thomas

j. was educated in the high school at Riverton, Fre- mont county. Iowa, and he remained with his father until eighteen years of age. Then he started the bat- tle of life for himself and taught school for two years in the country and then one year in the graded schools at Riverton. Then he went to Kansas, acted as sales- man and taught school and was bookkeeper in a lumber office. Later he was bookkeeper in the Alton City Bank and in 1888 he came with his people to Kootenai county. He was bookkeeper and manager for William Eaton for five years and then entered the employ of the Bonners Ferry Mercantile Company, where he did excellent service for six years. It was in 1899 that Mr. Jones opened a drug store in Bonners Ferry and since that time he steadily prosecuted this business with a gratifying success. He has, by his geniality, uniform treatment of customers and skill in his busi- ness gained a lucrative trade and he is one of the sub- stantial business men of the town today. Mr. Jones also has eighty acres adjoining town, which is planted to different varieties of fruit and also he owns consid- erable town property.

In October, 1896, Mr. Jones married Miss Am- brosia, daughter of William and Amelia (Cox) Eaton, an account of whose lives appears elsewhere in this volume. To this happy marriage there have been born two children, Vera and Hazel. In political affairs Mr. Jones is a stanch Republican and is always active in local matters, as well as in state and national politics. He was elected clerk of the town board in 1892 and served until 1895, and again in 1896 he was chosen to the same position and served until 1898.

ANDREW J. JONES. This gentleman is one of the pioneers of the fertile region adjacent to Bonners Ferry ; in 1889 he had a hotel there, which was built of logs and was about the first in that section. He has been identified with the progression and advancement of the county since his advent and is a highly respected citizen who has gained a becoming success in his la- bors.

Andrew J. Jones was born in Vigo county, Indi- ana, on October 27, 1830, being the son of Horatia and Rachel ( Rust) Jones, natives of Indiana and Pennsyl- vania, respectively. The father died in Indiana in 1830. The mother died in Iowa. Our subject's pa- ternal grandfather was employed in the Revolutionary service as a gunsmith. Andrew J. received the educa- tion to be had from the training given in the primitive school of his time and gave himself to assist his mother in the support of the family. They had re- moved to Fountain county, Indiana, and there he re- mained until twenty-four. Then he bought one hun- dred and forty acres of land, which he brought to a good state of cultivation and then sold. He purchased another piece in the same county and sold it in 1865. Then he came to Missouri and three years later went thence to Fremont county, Iowa. He freighted for two years, worked a farm one year and then went to Riverton and worked in a lumber yard for six years.

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

Next we see him in Kansas and for two and one-half years he worked for one man there in a lumber yard. It was thence that he came to Kootenai county and erected the hotel that we have mentioned above. He operated it for two and one-half years and then moved one-half mile out and took a homestead of forty-nine acres, which he has planted to fruit and vegetables.

In 1852 Mr. Jones married Miss Maryetta, daugh- ter of Shubel and Mary (Yates) Starbuck, natives of Indiana. The mother died when Mrs. Jones was young and the father some time later. To our worthy sub- ject and his estimable wife there have been born four children : Constante, married and living in Fremont county, Iowa; Volentis, married and living in Ne- braska ; Thomas, married to Ambrosia Eaton, living in Bonners Ferry; Annabell, wife of Dr. T. A. Bish- op. Mr. Jones is a member of the A. F. & A. M.

ISAIAH CAUSTON. This respected citizen and well-to-do agriculturist of the vicinity of Bonners Fer- ry has had an interesting career and as he is one of the substantial and capable men of this section he is en- titled to representation in his county history, inasmuch also as he has done much toward the development of the resources of the county and its material progress.

Isaiah Causton was born in England, at Fobham, near the Thames, on May 8, 1851, being the son of Isaiah and Louisa (Moore) Causton, natives also of that land. The father was a sworn officer in a large corporation, whose duties were to see that both the public and the corporation were properly dealt with. He died in 1892. The mother came to America in the following year, locating at Philadelphia, where she died in 1902. Our subject was educated in the com- mon schools at his native place and at the early age of seven, he being the oldest of thirteen children, he went to peddling herrings to the soldiers in the bar- racks. He bought ten pence's worth of herrings and sold them so as to realize seven pence profit. This much he gained each day. This work continued unin- terruptedly for five years and he had saved a goodly amount and he enlarged his business and the last year he did business there he cleared one thousand dollars. In 1890 he came to Canada, rented a farm and also did stone mason work. It was in 1894 that he came to Bonners Ferry and took a homestead, four miles out. He has done well in his labors and in 1901 he com- menced the dairy business, in which he has also had a good success, owing to his care and skill in the prose- cution of the business. In addition to his farm, his dairy and other property he has eighteen town lots.

September 1. 1873, Mr. Causton married Miss Elizabeth Brentnall, whose parents were natives of London, England. To this happy marriage there have been born ten children, seven of whom are living and named as follows: Elizabeth, wife of Louis Amerman, living in Bonners Ferry : Ada, wife of Louis Johnson, living at Bothwell, near Seattle; Mr. Johnson had the distinction of driving the outlaw, Harry Tracey, to the house of Mrs. Van Horne, in Woodland park ;

George, single, and a member of the K. O. T. M .; Harriett, Emma, Albert and Fred. Mr. Causton takes an active part in political matters and manifests intelli- gence and zeal in support of the government. He is a member of the K. O. T. M., in Bonners Ferry, and his wife is affiliated with the L. O. T. M. of the same place.

JOHN OHOGGE is one of the vigorous and stir- ring business men of Bonners Ferry who has made a brilliant success in his endeavors. He is proprietor of a first-class butcher shop in Bonners Ferry and one in Sandpoint. He also has a fine farm of about two hun- dred acres near Bonners Ferry, one hundred and sixty acres of which are producing hay. It is one of the best farms in the valley. Mr. Ohogge has also a cou- ple of business buildings in Bonners Ferry, two stories high, besides his shop, residence and a dozen good lots. Mr. Ohogge is also the possessor of some fine mines, among which may be mentioned four claims on Round prairie. These have a ledge seventy-five feet wide and assays show gold to the value of over nine dollars per ton. He also has two claims in the Buck- horn district which show a valuation of thirty-eight dollars in gold.

Reverting to the initial history of our subject, we note that he was born in Scotland, on June 11, 1854, being the son of W. W. and Anna (Patterson) Ohogge, also natives of Scotland. They removed to Canada and in 1868 came to the United States, locat- ing in Buffalo, New York. The father was one of the largest contractors of his time and among the many excellent works that he executed we note the follow- ing : He built the fortifications for the Canadian gov- ernment at Point Libbie, and the Grand Trunk bridge across the Thames, Canada ; then he built mason work for nine miles on the Intercolonial Railroad ; the next was a large stone church in Guelph, Ontario; then he built the foundation for the Clark hotel in Chicago; and at Paisley, Ontario; he erected several large buildings, and in 1898 he died. John was edu- cated in Scotland, but had very meagre opportunity for educational training, being obliged to gain most that he acquired by careful personal research. At the tender age of seven he went to sea with his brother and sailed with him for five years. Then he shipped on another vessel until he was twenty. He had been quartermaster for five years and for three years he was mate. At the time of his leaving the sea at twenty, he had first-class mate's papers. In 1875 he went to. Manitoba and shipped cattle and horses to that coun- try from Montana and spent fourteen years in this business. Then he came to Spokane and at Crossport furnished the Great Northern with meat for the period of their construction. It was in 1891 that he estab- lished a butcher shop in Bonners Ferry and since that date he has steadily devoted himself to this business, with the other interests mentioned above, and he is one of the respected and successful business men of the town. He has eighty head of cattle and a good many horses in addition to the other property mentioned.

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In 1886 Mr. Ohogge married Miss Eva, daughter of Thomas and Rosetta (Janes) Ammermon, natives, respectively, of England and Canada. They came to the United States when young, locating in Bay City, Michigan, where the mother died and the father came west in 1801. Politically Mr. Ohogge is always act- ive and is allied with the Democrats. He is a member of the K. of P. at Bonners Ferry and of the B. P. O. E. in Spokane. His wife is a member of the Presby- terian church.

JANET R. SINCLAIR. This well known and estimable lady lives three and one-half miles west from Bonners Ferry, where she has a fine stock farm and also handles a general farming business. She is a native of Nova Scotia and came to Washington in 18So, with her husband, Daniel G. Sinclair. They located in North Yakima and in 1888 came to their present location in Kootenai county. In 1893 Mr. Sinclair died and left the wife and three sons. Mrs. Sinclair has done nobly in managing affairs, and is very successful in her labors. When they first came they bought a quarter section, well improved, and to this she has added at different times until she now has six hundred and eighty acres of land. She has about fifty head of cattle and six horses. In 1901 she took a homestead adjoining her home place. Con- siderable of her land is good for hay and she has abundant crops of this. In the panic of 1893-4 she lost heavily, having on hand considerable land which she was purchasing from the railroad. After those grievous years, which cast a gloom over the entire land, our subject has done better. She is well re- spected in the community and beloved, while her prem- ises manifest thrift and industry.

JAMES E. DOLAN is at the present time in- spector of customs at Bonners Ferry, and is one of the substantial and leading citizens of Kootenai coun- ty, having been influential and prominent in all the years in which he has been in the county. He was a delegate to the first county convention that nominated a straight Republican ticket and he assisted in organiz- 'ing the Republican party in the county. He has al- ways taken a prominent place in active work in poli- tics until of late : and now the duties of his office being quite absorbing, he has given himself to them.

James E. Dolan was born in Brooklyn, New York, on August 1, 1860, being the son of James and Bedelia (Clancy) Dolan, natives of Ireland. They came to America in 1855 and ten years later removed from New York. via Panama, to Oregon City, where they remained the balance of their lives. The father died in 1889 and ten years later the mother passed the dark river, They were the parents of eight children. Our subject was educated in Oregon City, Portland, and completed this important branch of his life's prep- aration in taking a college course at Vancouver. In 188t he read law one year with E. L. Esthan, in Ore-

gon City, and then entered commercial life for Jacob Brothers, owners of the Oregon woolen mills in Port- land. Five years he remained there and then came to Idaho in the employ of the Kootenai Mining and Smelting Company, of New Haven, Connecticut, with whom he remained for five years. In 1890 he was appointed special inspector of customs for the United States for one year. In 1892 he was ordered to Bon- ners Ferry as deputy United States collector of cus- toms, being the first custom official in Idaho. In 1893 he resigned this position and the following year he was appointed to his present position.

In 1891 Mr. Dolan married Miss Mary, daughter of Henry and Augusta Schirmir, natives of Germany. The father was a sea captain from Hamburg to Liver- pool, and died in Hamburg in 1879, and the mother is still living in America. To Mr. and Mrs. Dolan the following children have been born : Harrison James, Ella Rose, Willis, deceased, Fred T. Debois. Mr. Dolan is a member of the I. O. O. F., Utopia Lodge No. 36, of Bonners Ferry : of the K. of P., Acme Lodge No. 15; of the M. W. A., both of the last also in Bonners Ferry. He and his wife are also members of the Rebekahs. They are highly re- spected people and are esteemed by all, being valued members of society.

LOUIS E. BOYKER. This gentleman is a typi- cal frontiersman and has been a pioneer in various sections all of his life. At the present time he is handling a nursery, three miles west from Bonners Ferry, where he has a choice stock of all varieties of fruit trees, ornamental trees, shrubs and plants for sale. He is a thorough nurseryman and already is doing a good business, having been engaged in this place but a short time.

Louis E. Boyker was born in Maine on June 3, 1849, being the son of William R. and Elizabeth (Anderson) Boyker, natives of England and Scot- land, respectively. They came to this country when young, locating in Maine, where the mother died. The father died in Kent, Washington, May 26, 1903, aged eighty-four. Our subject was educated in the com- mon schools in Maine, and started for himself when fifteen years of age. He went to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and labored in a tin shop until 1869, then went to where Denver now stands. He mined on the Platte river in Colorado for one year and then went to the Black Hills, South Dakota, in 1875. He located claims that made good mines, and in 1878 came to Montana and mined in that state for ten years. It was 1892 that he came to Bonners Ferry, where he has followed mining mostly since. In 1902 he pur- chased the nursery mentioned above, and where he now lives.

In 1900 Mr. Boyker married Miss Julia E., daugh- ter of Richard and Jestina Fry. In political matters Mr. Boyker is always active, both in the local affairs and in state politics as well. In 1898 he was elected constable for two years, and was also marshal of Bon-

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ners Ferry for two years. He has always given sat- isfaction in his public services, being faithful and efficient. Mr. Boyker is a member of the K. of P., Acme Lodge. No. 15, of Bonners Ferry.

RICHARD A. FRY, deceased. No compilation that has to do with the history of Kootenai county would be complete without an account of the worthy gentleman and renowned pioneer whose name is at the head of this memoir. No man was better known in all this northwest country than Richard A. Fry. He was a pioneer and frontiersman in the true sense of the word and was a fearless champion of the cause of right and an untiring friend to those in distress. We therefore append a brief recital of the salient points in his career.

Richard A. Fry was born in Knox county, Illinois, in March, 1838, and in 1849 he came with his par- ents to Linn county, Oregon, they having made the trip across the plains with wagons. He participated in the Cayuse Indian war of 1855-6 and assisted to capture the old Indian warrior, Pu-pu-mox-mox. He was in Company H, Oregon Volunteers, then, and the young- est member of the company. After the war spoken of he returned to his home in Oregon and soon left for the Colville country where he engaged in trapping and mining. With his brother, he engaged in the merchan- dising business at the mouth of the Pend Oreille river and in his absence the Indians killed his brother and ransacked the store, taking what they pleased. The British gave him a commission, aided by George Mont- eur, to order the Indians to desist. He and his compan- ion were captured and while the savages quarreled as to their execution, they escaped and returned to Col- ville.

Mr. Fry was familiar with every camp from Vic- toria to the Kootenai region and had prospected on nearly every tributary of the Columbia.

He came to Bonners Ferry in 1876, settled down and established a post for trading. He bought the ferry from Mr. Bonner and operated it for sixteen years. He conducted a stage line and pack train from Walla Walla to Wild Horse, a mining camp in British Columbia, and was one of the most prominent men in opening up the country. He was ever on the side of right and the Indians had implicit faith in him and in many cases his kindly assistance secured them right from persecutors.

In 1892 he retired to his ranch below Bonners Ferry and his extensive lands, all well handled, pro- claimed his skill, thrift and industry.

On December 14. 1898, while attending court busi- ness in Rathdrum, the summons came suddenly and Mr. Fry passed away. His funeral, held in Bonners Ferry, was one of the greatest concourses of people ever assembled there on a like occasion. The Indians deeply mourned when he passed away. The old pio- neers, every acquaintance, and all who knew of him joined in sincere expression of sorrow, for all knew that a good man had gone to his rest and we would see

his familiar form dispensing charitable deeds on every hand no more. He was generous to a fault and no man can say that he ever left the door of Richard Fry with- out food and the comforts of life.

Mr. Fry left a widow and eight children. George, Clarence, Frank, Mrs. Arthur E. Bunting. Mrs. I. J. Brant, Mrs. Charles Ewing, Mrs. George T. Kane, and little Annic, the youngest.

The country is indebted to Mr. Fry for the intre- pidity and courage he manifested in his career in opening the way for others to follow in the develop- ment of this country, in the worthy labors that he did for the welfare of all who lived here and in paving the way for a greater civilization.

JUDGE HENRY MELDER. This gentleman holds the position of deputy collector of customs at Bonners Ferry and is well known as a capable, thor- ough, upright business man and an honorable gentle- man. Henry Melder was born in Calmar, Sweden, on January 10. 1830. He came to America when a child, and received a high school education. At thir- teen he took a position as cabin boy on a vessel bound for a three years' cruise around the world. He spent two years in Peru and Chile and returned to New York in 1847. He next went to Vera Cruz and thence to Hamburg, Germany, taking there the examination in navigation which gave him first mate's papers. Re- turning to New Orleans, he made the leading ports of the world and later coasted out of New York. In 1850 he started, via Panama, to California, arriving in San Francisco in April, 1850. He sailed on the bay for a year, then bought a small schooner and operated it until 1854. Then, on account of sickness, he sold his property and went to Iowa. In the winter of 1854 he bought a hotel in Calmar, enlarged it, started a town site and did a big business until 1857. Then we see him in Freeborn county, Minnesota, where he bought a farm and was elected justice of the peace and tax collector. He had the first white child born in his family that was born in that county. In 1861 he was forced from that place by the Indians, and he went to Chicago and sailed on the lakes for three years. He enlisted in a company for the war, but was rejected on account of poor eyesight. In 1867 he went to Minnesota, sold his farm and the next year went to California. He was attorney and deputy county surveyor of Sonoma county for eight years, and in 1879 he came to Spokane. He practiced law there for a time, and in 1881 he came to Rathdrum and opened a law office. He practiced there with good success until 1898. when he received his present position and came to Bonners Ferry. He was the first probate judge of Kootenai county, was a member of the constitutional convention in 1889 and in 1892 he was nominated by his party, the Republican, for pro- bate judge. but at that time the party was defeated. Judge Melder has the distinction of casting his first vote for Fremont and has staid with his party since that time,

RICHARD A. FRY

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In 1856 Mr. Melder married Miss Sarah J., daugh- ter of Harris and Ledia (Lunt) Bloggett, natives, re- spectively, of Vermont and Maine. To this happy union there have been born the following children : Oscar F., married and living in this county ; Henry L., single and living in Rathdrum; Fredrick E., mar- ried and living in Spirit valley; Gustave E., single, living on Priest river ; Minnie A., wife of Ed Rose, in Spokane: Clara H., wife of Robert Bragaw, at Priest river ; Mary E., wife of A. J. Young, at Twin lake.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 206

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