An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 207

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 207
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 207
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 207
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 207

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Judge Melder is a member of the Masons, Coeur d'Alene Lodge, No. 34; of the I. O. O. F., No. 36, and of the Rebekahs, No. 43, both at Bonners Ferry ; of the A. O. U. W., Spokane Lodge, No. 16, of Spo- kane, being the organizer of this lodge in 1881; of the Rathbone Sisters. Mrs. Melder is a member of the Rathbone Sisters, at Rathdrum, Idaho, and of the Rebekahs, No. 43, in Bonners Ferry. She is also a member of the Presbyterian church.

WILLIAM R. ELSASSER. One mile north from Sandpoint is the farm of our subject. He pays especial attention to fruit raising and mining, and has done commendable labor in the upbuilding and sub- stantial development of this portion of the county, being a man of deep resources and an adaptability that enables him to take advantage of the opportunities of the day.

William R. Elsasser was born in Chicago on March II, 1864, being the son of Jacob and Catherine (Trimpy) Elsasser, natives, respectively, of Germany and Switzerland. They came to this country when young and located in Chicago, operating there a cigar factory and general store. In 1884 they removed to Sanger, Texas, where they live now, retired. They were the parents of five children,-Kate, with par- ents : Anna, wife of James Perry, at Valley View, Texas: J. Fred, married and living in Sanger, Texas ; John T., married and living in Sandpoint; William R., the subject of this review. William R. was edu- cated at Three Oaks and in 1884 went with his par- ents to Texas. At eight o'clock, P. M., on August 8, 1888, Mr. Elsasser and his brother, John, started for northern Idaho for the purpose of trapping and hunting. They were led to make the trip on account of poor health. Upon landing here they found that more money was to be made in timber work and con- tracting, and therefore went at it. They made from five to eighteen dollars apiece, each day all season, and the next year they did better. They contracted telephone and telegraph poles for the Rock Mountain Bell Telephone Company. In 1890 they made a trip to British Columbia, prospecting, and were among the very first to penetrate the Kootenai lake district. In 1891 they returned to Texas and purchased four hun- dred acres of land, expecting to farm it, but on ac- count of poor health they were again forced to leave that country, and so came to the vicinity of Sandpoint. Our subject took his homestead, and to the improve-

ment of it and in general timber work and mining he has been engaged since. He has thirteen and one-half acres of orchard, it being exceptionally fine. He has fine buildings, having built three houses,-the first in 1889, the next in 1893 and his present tasty residence in 1897. Mr. Elsasser is a man of enterprise and ability and has accomplished much in the development of the country, while his geniality and warmhearted- ness have won him hosts of friends.

JONAS P. PEARSON is one of the substantial and industrious men who has wrought in Kootenai county for its material progress and development and is entitled to a place in its annals as one of the real builders of the county. He is a man of integrity and good principles, stands well among his fellows and manifests integrity and reliability in his walks.

Jonas P. Pearson was born in Bracke, Sweden, on May 28, 1862, being the son of Per and Christine Mat- son, also natives of Sweden. They were thrifty farm- ers of their section, and the mother died in 1889, but the father is still living, aged eighty-four, and is hale and hearty. They were the parents of six children, five of whom are living, as follows: M. J., living in Australia ; Ole, Leander, Stena B. and Jonas P., the immediate subject of this sketch. Jonas studied in the common schools until seventeen years and then went to work for himself. He worked for a farmer for one year and then rented his father's farm for three years, after which he went to work in a store. Three years were occupied in that employment and three more in a paper mill as foreman, when in 1891 Mr. Pearson came to America. He located first in Min- neapolis for a short time and then came to Montana and later to Spokane, where he railroaded for a time. Then he went to the woods, and lumbering and rail- roading engaged his attention until 1897, when he purchased a man's right to the land where he now lives, two and one-half miles south from Sandpoint. He has nearly one quarter section and devotes his attention to general farming and also to logging. Mr. Pearson has some fine orchards and he is steadily im- proving and clearing the land for crops. He owns his own logging outfit and does considerable of this labor for others, on contract.

Mr. Pearson is a charter member of the M. W. A., Sandpoint Camp, No. 7191. He also belongs to the Lutheran church. He is a man of good habits and wisdom and has manifested his ability to transform the resources of this section into good property.

JOHN T. ELSASSER. In the fruit and farming industries of Kootenai county the subject of this article takes a good rank. He has a fine farm about one mile north from Sandpoint, where he is handling about fourteen acres of orchard and also doing a general farming business. In addition to this, Mr. Elsasser has a fine mine about two miles from the farm, which

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

he and his brother own in partnership, while also in Buffalo Hump and Republic countries he owns min- ing interests.

John T. Elsasser was born in Chicago on Novem- ber 18, 1862, being the son of Jacob F. and Catherine (Trimpy) Elsasser, natives of Germany and Switzer- land, respectively. They came to America when about fifteen and located in Chicago, it being then a very small town. The father operated a cigar factory and store and remained there until 1869, about twenty years. Then a move was made to Three Oaks, Michi- gan, and in 1884 they went to Texas, where they pur- chased a farm of two thousand, one hundred and thirty acres. They now rent this and are retired from ac- tive life. In the great Chicago fire they lost three houses and then sold their real estate. John T. was educated in Chicago and in Michigan and when eighteen quit school and devoted his whole time to laboring with his father. When twenty-six, in com- pany with his brother, William, he came to northern Idaho to trap and hunt, but finding an opening in the pole business, they went at it, and on one contract they realized eighteen hundred dollars' profit. In 1890 they went to British Columbia and prospected, being among the first ones in the Kootenai Lake dis- trict. In 1891 they returned to Texas and bought a large farm and settled down, but failing health drove them hence again, and they returned to their claims, which adjoin in the woods north from Sandpoint. The house where they had stored all their tools was burned and they rebuilt. Since that time they have given their time to mining and fruit culture.

In 1891 Mr. Elsasser married Miss Ollie Campbell, whose parents live in Texas, and to this happy union three children have been born,-May, James T. and Lora. MIr. Elsasser is a man of good principles, is a fine neighbor, a loyal friend, a true and upright man and a patriotic citizen, having gained the good will and esteem of all.

ROBERT S. BRAGAW. Few men are better known in Kootenai county than the subject of this sketch. Having come hither in its early days, he has so identified himself with its interests and development that he is rightly esteemed by all as a leading and substantial citizen.

Robert S. Bragaw was born in New London, Con- necticut, on October 1, 1851. His parents, now both deceased, were born on Long Island. Our subject was educated in the public schools of his native place and when nineteen went to New York city and ac- cepted a position in a wholesale grocery house. In the spring of 1874 he went to Colorado, and for a decade thereafter he was engaged in clerical work and mining. In the winter of 1883-4 Mr. Bragaw came with the wave to the mines in Shoshone county, near Murray. The following summer he came from that section to Rathdrum, Kootenai county. From October 16, 1884, to January 12, 1899, fourteen years and three months, Mr. Bragaw was clerk of the district

court and recorder of Kootenai county, residing dur- ing this time in Rathdrum, the county seat. This extended service to the people of Kootenai county was wrought with excellent execution and entire satisfac- tion to all. On May 26, 1899, Mr. Bragaw was ac- corded a position in the Forest Reserve force of the I'nited States, and was installed as supervisor of the Priest River Forest Reserve in Idaho and Washing- ton, in which capacity he has continued since. His office and headquarters are at the town of Priest River.

On December 31, 1885, Mr. Bragaw married Miss Clara H. Medler, whose parents reside at Bonners Ferry, her father being deputy collector of customs there. Mrs. Bragaw was born in California on April 13, 1869, and came to Kootenai county with her parents when she was eleven years of age. On May 2, 1889, Robert S. Bragaw, Jr., was born to this mar- riage. He is now in the high school in Spokane.

MARCUS D. WRIGHT is truly one of the build- ers of Kootenai county. He was a prime mover in its organization in 1881 and was its first assessor and collector. In July of the same year he assisted to plat the town site of Rathdrum, being half owner. In the same year he established a general merchandise store there and has continued it until the present, being now one of the leading merchants of the northern part of the state. He has a branch establishment in Post- falls, and did own one at Saint Maries. Last year his business in the merchandise line footed one hundred and twenty thousand. In addition to this Mr. Wright has bought and sold much land and now has ten thousand acres in Kootenai county alone. Half of this vast estate is agricultural and the balance timber land. From 1880 until the present Mr. Wright has also been doing a large business in handling ties for the Northern Pacific. During these years that com- pany has paid him over one million dollars for ties alone. At the present time Mr. Wright is handling, in addition to the mammoth enterprises mentioned, a large grading contract on the electric line from Spokane to Coeur d'Alene. These facts at once convey to the mind that the gentleman of whom, we now have the pleasure to speak, is one of the heavy operators in various leading business lines in the northwest, and the unstinted success wrought out in every department of his large enterprises is due solely to the executive force, keen discrimination and sound methods of busi- ness possessed and used by Mr. Wright.

Reverting to the personal matter of his career we note that Marcus D. Wright was born in Kentucky on April 16, 1851, and is the son of John W. and Mary (Gipson) Wright, also natives of Kentucky. They were the parents of seven children, and six of them are still living. The father died in Illinois, aged sixty- four, but the mother is still living in Germantown, Kentucky. The first seventeen years of life were spent by our subject in his native state, and the edu- cational training so useful in life was there obtained from the public schools. Then came a journey to

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

St. Joseph, Missouri, where he made his home until his majority. In 1871 he went to Montana, and six years later went thence to Spokane, Washington. In 188I he was found in what is now Kootenai county, and his career here has been one of leader all the time, wherein he has ever manifested both sterling worth and integrity, ever allying himself with those measures and movements which are for improvement.

In 1881 Mr. Wright married Miss Bertie Piper, a native of California, and to them were born eight chil- dren,-Florence A., wife of M. F. Darling, of Dayton, Washington ; May W., Elida R., Zella Z., John J., Bertie D., Stella H. and M. Gordon. On February 9. 1900, Mr. Wright was called to mourn the death of his faithful wife, and her remains rest in Pine Grove cemetery at Rathdrum, Idaho.

On September 20, 1902, Mr. Wright married Mrs. Marie W. Bennett, stepdaughter of the late A. M. Cannon, of Spokane.

Politically Mr. Wright is allied with the Demo- cratic party, and, while ever active in bringing good men to the front and in forwarding those measures which are for the general welfare, he has never ac- cepted office since the county got- well under way.

JOHN S. WOOLERY. This enterprising busi- ness man is one of the potent factors in the political life and development of Kootenai county, being at the present time managing a first-class livery and feed business in Rathdrum, while also he is devoting con- siderable attention to buying and selling horses. He was born in Matilda, Ontario, on June 3, 1856, being the son of J. M. and Margaret ( Coons) Woolery, na- tives of Canada, where the mother died in 1862, being buried in the Matilda cemetery. The father brought his family to Faribault county, Minnesota, in 1864, and there he died in August, 1901. Our subject re- ceived his education from the common school in that county and at sixteen devoted his whole attention to assisting his father on the farm until his majority, when he went to the Red River valley and took a pre- emption, tilling the same until 1880. Then he took a timber claim, and three years later his health failed and he sold and removed to Rice county, Minnesota. Later he went to contracting on the Great Northern and did well for three years. He then gave his atten- tion to buying and selling horses until 1892, when he came to Rathdrum and opened his present livery busi- ness. Mr. Woolery has always been successful in all of his business ventures, because of his energy and sa- gacity. In political matters he has ever been active and his first ballot was cast for R. B. Hayes.

On November 29, 1881, Mr. Woolery married Miss Katherine, daughter of John and Julie ( Bowen) Cleland, natives of Canada, and to them have been born three children, Edna E., deceased : Alton L., going to school; and Faetta. Mr. Woolery has four brothers and two sisters, C. H., farming in Marshall county, Minnesota ; Alpha, engaged in flour milling in Rice county, Minnesota ; Gardner, farming in Fair-

bault, Minnesota; Harris, there also; Mary, wife of John Palon, living in Dundas, Rice county, Minnesota ; Mr. Woolery is a member of the K. of P., Panhandle Lodge, No. 13; also of the K. O. T. M. Mrs. Wool- ery is a member of the Ladies of the K. O. T. M. Mr. Woolery's father was a noted Methodist preacher, having joined that church when he was sixteen. He studied for the ministry, was ordained at the age of twenty-one, and preached continuously until his death. He was an exceptionally gifted extemporaneous speaker, never being known to read his sermons. His career was fraught with much faithful effort that resulted in accomplishment of untold good.

WARREN A. HART. This genial gentleman is proprietor of a large general merchandise establishment in Rathdrum, where he does a fine business, having by his close attention to his business and kind treatment of patrons established a fine trade from the surround- ing country, being also a man of ability and upright- ness, while he has made hosts of friends throughout the country.

Mr. Hart was born in Onondaga county, New York, on October 19, 1842, being the son of Orren and Clarissa (Cornwell) Hart, natives, respectively, of New York and Connecticut, the mother being de- scended from the Pilgrims of the Mayflower. They were married in New York, and in 1856 moved to Sauk county, Wisconsin, and farmed there for ten years, then came to Olmstead county, Minnesota, and tilled the soil there for twenty-four years. The father died in the winter of 1891, at Pleasant Valley, Minne- sota, and was buried by the Masonic fraternity, hav- ing been a popular member of that order. The mother is still living, aged eighty-two, at Alden, Minnesota. Our subject was with the parents in these various moves and he gained his schooling in Wayne county, New York, and also in Wisconsin, and at the age of eighteen years he was stirred by the patriotism of his loyal spirit to enlist in the Eleventh Wisconsin under C. L. Harris, where he served his term of three years. Then, being honorably discharged, he imme- diately re-enlisted in the Ninth U. S. Veterans, First Army Corps, Company C, under General Hancock, where he served for one year, being discharged as sergeant, and having entered as private. He served in the siege of Vicksburg, fought at Sabine cross roads. was in many skirmishes, and assisted to build the Red river dam under General Banks. At Sabina cross roads the fight was severe. Out of twenty-four pieces of artillery they lost twenty-two, and from six thousand men four thousand were captured. His entire service was four years and six months, and he saved seven hundred dollars. Following the war, Mr. Hart went to work as a hod carrier for a year in Minnesota, then took a homestead in Freeborn county, that state, and farmed for ten years, then rented thc land and came to Kootenai county in 1883. He wrought as a carpenter for a year, putting up his present fine store building. He went into mercantile

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

pursuits and now his sagacity and industry have ac- cumulated a fine fortune of many thousand dollars. In addition to the store, which is a large and well stocked one, Mr. Hart has a fine real estate holding of seven farms, and he has also started a bank, which his excellent business ability and financiering amply fit him to operate in a successful manner. He has recently builded a stone business block adjoing his store, with sixty foot frontage, and this is rented. In 1890 Mr. Hart lost two thousand dollars in a fire. He is now one of the leading men of the county and has well earned the place by display of sterling worth.

The marriage of Mr. Hart and Miss Arlitta M. Cross was solenmized in 1878, and they have two children, Helen A. and Clarissa, both married. Mrs. Hart is a native of New York; her father died when she was young and her mother in 1888. Mr. Hart is a member of the I. O. O. F., Lodge No. 73, in Rathdrum, and is noble grand at the present time. He also affiliates with the Masonic fraternity. In political matters Mlr. Hart is a stanch Republican, and has been a delegate to three state conventions, as well as serving in the county conventions. His daugh- ter Helen was delegate to state convention in 1900. In addition to all of his arduous and manifold duties of business and the responsibility of managing his large concerns, Mr. Hart is also a man of aesthetic taste and finds time to enjoy a fine gasoline launch that he owns on Fish Lake. This is utilized for ex- cursions, and he is a gracious and popular host. The boat is a beauty and gives great pleasure to him and his family.

SAMUEL VESSER. The excellent county of Kootenai contains many men of true qualities of worth who have labored here to make this a place of beauty and wealth, and a capable one among them is the sub- ject of this article, who lives about seven and one-half miles northwest from Coeur d'Alene, where he has a fine farm of two hunderd and forty acres, which he operates together with eighty acres of rented land. He was born in Bath county, Kentucky, on February 18, 1862, being the son of John and Ann ( Wilcox) Vesser, natives of Kentucky. They came to Missouri in 1880, where they now live farming. Samuel was educated in Clark county, Kentucky, whither his parents had gone after his birth, receiving most of the training at the hands of his parents, at home. At the age of twenty-five, he married and started to do for himself. He rented a farm in Saline county, Missouri, and then came west and located in Kootenai county. He worked for wages for eight months and then went to Whitman county, where he bought a quarter section of railroad land. Six months later he sold it and returned to Kootenai county, working again for the same man he did before. One year later, he rented two hundred and fifty acres of land, tilling it for three years. Then he took up his present place, or eighty acres of it, as a homestead and bought a quarter, which gives him the fine estate mentioned above. It requires twelve horses

to handle his land and he lays it under tribute to pro- duce annually bountiful crops.

In 1887 Mr. Vesser married Miss Marion B., daughter of Edwin and Jessie (Reid) Crockett, natives respectively of Maine and Scotland. They came west to Missouri in 1881, and in 1891 they came to Koote- nai county where they are now farming. To Mr. and Mrs. Vesser have been born six children, named as follows : Edwin, Jessie, Mary, Samuel, Jean and John, all at home with the parents. In political affairs, Mr. Vesser is allied with the Republicans and does good work in the campaigns. He has given of his wisdom and time to the school work on the board for six years. Mr. Vesser is a thorough convert to the excellencies of the county of Kootenai, believing it to be one of the finest climates in the United States, and he intends to make this his home for the balance of his days.

JOHN LARSON, the popular and efficient post- master at Hope, is a man of sterling worth and integ- rity and has demonstrated himself a man of good busi- ness ability, while in his social life he is genial, popular and possessed of hosts of warm friends. He was born in southern Sweden, on February 25, 1858, the son of Lars M. and Mary (Peterson) Johnson, natives of Sweden, where the father now lives. The mother died in 1872. Mr. Larson has one brother, Lars P., in Swe- den. Our subject was well educated in his native land. After passing the public schools, he attended a nor- mal and in 1882 came to America, landing in Minne- sota, where he at once went to railroading. He fol- lowed this in various places and in all lines of it from the construction up, being in Minnesota, Canada, Wis- consin, Montana and other places for many years. 1887 marks the date of his entering Montana and there he was in charge of the boarding car for special gangs on the Northern Pacific and in 1892 he came to Hope. Here Mr. Larson gave his attention to railroad- ing and also mining and prospecting and is one of the well known men who have been crowned with success in his efforts. On October 17, 1900, Mr. Larson re- ceived the appointment of postmaster at Hope, which demonstrates his popularity among the citizens. Since that time he has given his attention to the proper ful- filment of the duties devolving upon him in this incum- bency and the result has been and is the general satis- faction of all the patrons of the office.

In 1892 Mr. Larson married Miss Matilda Ander- burg, a native of Sweden and to them one child has been born, Ethel M .. a bright girl. Mr. Larson is a member of the A. O. U. W., the I. O. O. F., the De- gree of Honor and is a popular man in these relations. He is a Republican and his wife is an ardent supporter of that party. Mr. Larson was brought up in the Lutheran faith but is now an adherent of the Congre- gational church. Mr. Larson and his estimable wife are leading members of society and are well posted in the questions of the day and manifest an intelligent in- terest in the welfare and progress of the county and state.

SAMUEL VESSER.

JOHN LARSON.

MRS. JOHN LARSON.

BRANSON M. ROSS.

MRS. BRANSON M. ROSS.

MRS. PERCY J. BENNETT.

PERCY J. BENNETT.

JOHN FERNAN.

865

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

BRANSON M. ROSS. To such men as Branson Ross, Kootenai county owes its present good develop- ment. He has done a great amomit toward placing the county in a progressive and prosperous state. Not only does his fine large farm show his industry and wisdom, but the example that he has placed before his fellows has stimulated them to extra effort and an un- told amount of good has been the result. He does a general farming business, and doubtless has the finest orchard in the county today. He has been exception- ally successful in this line because of the care and wise effort bestowed.

Reverting more to the details of his life, we note that Mr. Ross was born in Mercer county, Ohio, on April 10, 1834, being the son of James and Elizabeth (Parrott) Ross, natives respectively of Tennessee and Ohio. The parents removed to Van Buren county, lowa, in a very early day, and thence to Mahaska county, lowa, where the father died in 1843, being aged fifty-five. He was operating a flour and saw mill and a large farm of several hundred acres at the time of liis death. The mother conducted the business until the time of her death in 1853. Our subject and two sisters survived. Branson M. had received his educa- tion in the various places where they had lived and at the age of fourteen years, he started for himself. He worked for his board and attended school and also worked out for wages. At the age of twenty-two, he farmed for himself and when twenty-six he went to Colorado and worked in the mines two years. At the time of the Civil war, Mr. Ross attempted to enlist, but as his health was poor, he was rejected. After the trip to Colorado, he returned to Iowa, married and set- tled down to farming until 1864. Then he removed to Harrison county, Missouri, and followed farming there until 1887, at which time he came to Kootenai county, Idaho. He took a homestead, where he now resides, two and one-half miles east from Postfalls, and to use his own words, "I built a shack and tried to make a living, but the soil was too dry and I had to work out." He finally got some of the land into culti- vation and began to raise vegetables and then turned his attention to raising fruit. He has eight hundred peach trees, one hundred prune and plum trees, some nectarines, some apricots, and enough apples to make a total of thirty-six hundred trees ali told. His orchard is a model in every respect and Mr. Ross is to be great- ly commended in working out the fruit problem and demonstrating for the benefit of others the advisability of prosecuting this great industry. His place is known as Peach Hill, and is a model farm. He has increased the acreage to nearly five hundred and has a fine modern residence, good barns, all out buildings and fences and other accoutrements needed on a first class farm and fruit ranch. Mr. Ross has two hundred acres especially adapted to the culture of fruit. He has also considerable town property in Postfalls, and it is very pleasant to note the transformation of the wild home- stead with the little shack to the model farm, em- 55

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 207

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