An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 211

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 211
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 211
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 211
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 211

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GEORGE W. HOWELL is one of the sturdy and enterprising agriculturists and timber men who are doing so much for the development of Kootenai coun- ty and the upbuilding of her interests. His family residence is five and one-half miles west from Rath- drum, and there he owns a quarter section, which he is now improving with a good house and barn, and other substantial necessaries, has planted an orchard and is preparing ties and timber for the market in addition to doing a general farming business.

George W. was born in Fayette county, Illinois, on February 29, 1867, being the son of Henry and Nancy (Smith) Howell, also natives of Illinois. The mother died in Illinois and the father came west in 1887, locating in Kootenai county, where he is still farming. Our subject was educated in the public schools and at the age of twenty started in life for himself. He bought a farm of forty acres and one year later sold and came west. He took a homestead in this county, improved, gained title, then sold and later bought the estate where he now lives. In addition to the other property mentioned, Mr. Howell owns a bunch of stock and pays considerable attention to raising stock.

In 1886 Mr. Howell and Miss Margaret E., daugh- ter of William Linton, a native of Illinois, were mar- ried in that state, and to them have been born eight children : William H., John A., Gilford A., Icen C., Lillie E., Freddie H., Ruth, and Clarence D. Mrs. Linton is dead, but Mr. Linton is still living in Illi- nois. In political matters Mr. Howell is associated with the Democratic party and is active in local poli- tics. He is a member of the M. W. A., Rathdrum Camp No. 6843. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church, being devoted supporters of the faith.

ALBERT E. TRAVIS. Six miles west from Rathdrum, one may see the well kept estate of our sub- ject, which is the family home. He is a competent man in business lines, being looked up to by his fellows. and is one of the substantial men of the section, being also a man of sound principles and worth and is de- serving of representation in Kootenai county history. Mr. Travis was born in Lacrosse, Wisconsin, on April 12, 1858, being the son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Lower) Travis. The father was a native of New York, and the mother of Germany, and came to the United States when young, with her parents. She

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died in Lacrosse, in 1858 and the father died in Augusta, Wisconsin, in May, 1902. Our subject was taken to Fairchild, Wisconsin, when a child and re- ceived a common school education and at the age of fourteen years commenced to work in the saw mill. At first he received twenty dollars per month and then three dollars per day day. He labored thus for about twelve years, then came west to Reardan, Wash- ington. He worked by the month for a couple of years and then rented a half section of school land and tilled it successfully for three years, then sold out and came to Kootenai county. He secured a homestead where he now lives and at once commenced to improve. He has it well improved and about thirty acres cleared. This was taken in 1893 and he had worked in the timber four years previous to taking the place. Mr. Travis has an orchard of four hundred and fifty trees, a good house, barn and outbuildings, and is one of the well-to-do men of his section. He handles some stock.

In 1881 occurred the marriage of Mr. Travis and Miss Theresa, daughter of John and Margaret (Belin- ger) Laundrash, natives of Canada, but immigrants to this country in an early day. Four children have been born to this worthy couple: Grace, wife of George Reaves, living in Reardan, Washington ; Adelia R .. Joseph E., and Ruby F. Mr. Travis is a free silver Republican. He is fraternally allied with the M. W. A., Rathdrum Camp No. 6843 ; with the I. O. O. F., Rathdrum Lodge No. 73 ; while Mrs. Travis is a mem- ber of the R. N. of A., Evergreen Camp. Mrs. Laundrash died in March, 1862, and is buried in Mankato, Minnesota, while Mr. Laundrash still lives, working at his trade of wagon maker. Mr. Travis is one of the men who have taken hold with a will to develop the country and its resources and is doing well, and holds an enviable prestige among his fellows.

WILLIAM H. ANDRUS. Although Mr. Andrus has spent considerable time in Kootenai county, being really one of the old-timers of this section, he is still a young man and has manifested real energy and enter- prise in the labors which he has performed for the building of a home and the development of the coun- try. He is a man of integrity and honor and is re- spected by all who know him, standing well among his fellows, and is deserving of representation in the his- tory of his county.

William H. was born in Brighton county, Minne- sota, on January 15, 1870, being the son of Ezra and Jane (Chamberland) Andrus, natives respectively of Vermont and Canada. They were married in Vermont and went to Minnesota in 1865. The father served in the Third Minnesota Infantry, in the Civil war. In 1884 he came west to Spokane and four years later settled in Kootenai county, where they died and are buried in Rathdrum cemetery. William H. was educated in the schools of the sections where he lived, and at the age of eighteen started out in life for himself. He went to the Hoodoo valley in Koot-

enai county, squatting on unsurveyed land and went to improving it. He sold this latter and moved to the vicinity of Rathdrum and purchased a quarter, partly improved. He labored there for three years and sold it, then bought a quarter of railroad land unimproved. He fitted it up as he could until he had sixty acres under the plow, then sold and bought two hundred and forty acres and later sold an eighty, which leaves him a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which is the family home now. It lies two miles west and one mile north from Rathdrum. He cuts and sells various kinds of timber supplies and is improving his place continually.

Mr. Andrus married Miss Mattie, daughter of G. W. and Eliza (Famm) Johnson, natives of Iowa, who came first to Minnesota and then, in 1890, to Spring Valley, Washington, where they reside now. To Mr. and Mrs. Andrus have been born three chil- dren: Walter H., Ethel P. and Florence A. Mr. Andrus is a member of the M. W. A., Rathdrum Camp No. 6843. His wife is a member of the R. N. of A., Evergreen Lodge.

NELS NELSON. Good strong hands directed by wisdom and practical judgment have wrought out the success that is now enjoyed by Mr. Nelson, a well known man of enterprise and integrity, who lives three and one-half miles north from Rathdrum, ou his estate of one quarter section, which he has improved in a very becoming manner. He has one of the best residences of the entire section, with fine mountain spring water piped into it, a good barn and outbuild- ings, while an air of thrift pervades the premises, which indicates the spirit and nature of the proprietor. Mr. Nelson does a general farming business, sells tim- ber products and also owns two hundred and eighty acres of grass land in Spokane county, Washington.

Speaking of the personal and domestic life of Mr. Nelson, we see that he was born in Littleful, Den- mark, on October 20. 1864, being the son of Oren and Christine (Anderson) Nelson, natives of Denmark. They came to America in 1880, settling in Bear Lake county, Idaho. The father died there in 1884, but the mother still lives there. Nels was educated in Denmark and at eleven quit school. He came with his sister, Caroline M., to America in 1879. settling in Box Elder county, Utah. One year later they re- moved to Bear Lake county, Idaho, and sent for their parents. In 1883, Mr. Nels Nelson went to British Columbia and labored for two years, then went to Spokane, and later we find him in Montana, con- tracting in ties and timber. He then went to Koot- enai county, and two years were spent in contracting in the same line. Then he married and bought a man's right to a homestead which he settled upon and made his home for ten years, after which he sold out and went to Spokane county, Washington, spending two years there. Then he came to Rathdrum and bought his present place, which has been the home of the family since that time.

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It was in 1889 that Mr. Nelson married Miss Cindrila, daughter of W. M. and Sarah Holston, natives of Virginia and Indiana, respectively, but immigrants to lowa and Missouri. The mother died in Missouri on April 12, 1898. The father lives near Neodesha, Kansas. To Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have been born four children, named as follows: Stacy, Bernard, Van E., and Joe L. Mr. Nelson is a Demo- crat in politics and is now serving on the school board and has been for three terms. He and his family are adherents of the Latter Day church. Mr. Nelson is a man who commands the respect of his fellows and stands well in the community and has manifested in- tegrity, uprightness, and a public spirit.

WILLIAM S. LANCASTER. In all those experi- ences which are part and parcel of the pioneer's life, this gentleman has had a great share, having crossed the plains five times, once with two children, one eight and the other a babe, the mother having died ; and his life is one of great activity and adventure, with all the attendant hardships and adventures, which but brought out his native endurance, courage and sagacity.

William S. was born in Liverpool, England, on July 25, 1833, being the son of John and Sarah ( Slater) Lancaster, natives of England, the father being a great land holder there and the mother's people also being freeholders. They came to America in 1847, located in Keokuk, Iowa, and the father had a large share in a company that owned fifty thousand acres of land there. He died in 1850, and the mother was killed in 1858 in a railroad wreck on the Isthmus of Panama, and also was robbed of seven thousand dollars. After her hus- band's death she had been settling his estate and had been to California, also, in the gold mines. Four chil- dren were the fruit of this worthy couple: William S., the subject of this article: Anna, wife of Joseph Lup- ton, in Iowa : Sarah E., wife of Joseph Snow, in Lake county, California; John, who died in 1861, while crossing the plains. Our subject was educated in Eng- land, gaining a good college training. He worked on the farm with the father until the latter's death, and then helped his mother manage the estate, and upon her death, he was appointed administrator until the en- tire business was settled. After the mother's death, about 1860, Mr. Lancaster went to Pikes Peak, and in 1861 started across the plains with two sisters and one brother. They bought land near Chico, California, and then went to Walla Walla, horseback. Our sub- ject bought mule teams and freighted to Boise. On one occasion, he paid a man forty cents per pound to pack sixteen thousand pounds to Blackfoot, Montana, and then he sold the tobacco as high as five and ten dollars per pound. He then made a contract with Moody of the O. R. & N. Co., to freight a steamboat machinery to lake Pend Oreille, the boiler alone weigh- ing fourteen thousand pounds. This required thirteen wagons and over one hundred mules all told. Then in 1869 he returned to Iowa, sold out and went to Mis- souri and remained until 1889. On this journey he

took his children, as mentioned above, and on the way he had great hardship, as they were short of provisions, and were obliged to live on wild berries. The late Judge Clagget was one of this party. He also crossed the plains with that gentleman in 1861. In 1889 he crossed the plains to Walla Walla and thence to Couer d'Alene, Idaho. In the spring of 1890, he went back to the Black Hills, Dakota, and brought out his family. He purchased a half section where he now lives about two miles southeast from Rathdrum. He has the es- tate well cultivated, and improved with good residence, barn, and other buildings, and is one of the prosperous men of this section.

In 1858 Mr. Lancaster married Miss Athaliah Mc- Cleary and three children were born to them: Wiliam H., married and living in Bellefourche, South Dakota, is a native of Iowa; John E., born in Walla Walla, now married and living in Curlew, Washington; the father packed this boy in a box on a horse from Walla Walla to Helena, Montana, in ten days; Athaliah, born in Walla Walla, married to Alex McDonald and living there now. Mrs. Lancaster died in 1867, and soon after that Mr. Lancaster took the trip across the plains with his children.

In 1869, Mr. Lancaster married Miss Mary Mc- Kee, a native of Sharon, Pennsylvania, and seven chil- dren have been born to them: Prince, born in Iowa; Josephine, also born in lowa; Henry, born in Mis- souri, is now a graduate of the state university and deputy mineral surveyor in the employ of the United States government, and in school he was signally hon- ored by the citizens of Moscow and his class mates by the receipt of a fine gold watch ; Nellie, born in Mis- souri, now in Camp Mckinney ; Lenna, born in Mis- souri. now at Camp Mckinney ; Arthur G., at home ; Grace, deceased.

BENJAMIN F. STOCKWELL. Four miles east from Rathdrum one will find the fine farm of Mr. Stockwell, which consists of one quarter section, and also one hundred and twenty acres of land that is rented. The place has not long been under cultivation, but the owner has made a good showing and has one of the fine producing farms in this section at the present time. He is a man of stirring spirit, handles his business with ability and execution, and is well thought of by his neighbors and by all who knew him.

Benjamin F. was born in Livingston county, Mis- souri, on April 19, 1858, his parents being James and Elizabeth (Gillispie) Stockwell. They came to Mis- souri in 1842. The father was a carpenter and died in Harrison county and is buried in Dale cemetery, near Bethany. This son received his first schooling in the village of his native county and completed the same in Harrison county. At sixteen years of age, he quit school and went to work, assisting his father on the farm until twenty, then he bought forty acres for himself and farmed three years. He sold and worked with his father until 1889, when he came to Rathdrum after tilling the land three years. Next we see him in Postfalls working in the saw mill and

WILLIAM S. LANCASTER.

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there and in Whitman county he continued for about ten years. His next move was to rent a farm, after which, in July, 1900, he bought his present farm. He has the place well under cultivation and will soon have it given entirely to the production of the fruits of the field. He bought eighty acres and in addition to his own land he rents one hundred and twenty acres of good grain land. He has a nice young orchard and some cattle and horses and plenty of machinery to handle his land successfully. Mr. Stockwell has pro- duced some of the best crops on Rathdrum prairie and is a prosperous man.

On March 18, 1886, Mr. Stockwell married Miss Susan S., daughter of B. M. and Sarah A. (Terhune) Ross, and to them have been born three children : Roy O., born February 24, 1887; Montie F., born February 15, 1896; and Ernest W., born January 17, 1903. Mr. Stockwell is a Republican and takes interest in local politics. In 1899 he was elected justice of the peace but refused to qualify. He is a member of the school board. Mr. Stockwell is a member of the K. of P., Post Falls, No. 1.4. His wife is a member of the Methodist church; he is highly esteemed by all and looked up to as a leading member of the community.

The father of our subject, James S. Stockwell, was born in Ohio, on December 18, 1820, and came with his parents to Indiana, when a boy. He early learned carpentering and followed it all his life and was known in Missouri, whither he came, as "Uncle" James Stockwell. No man in the community was found as his enemy. He served through the war in the Thirty-third Missouri Volunteer Infantry. On Tuesday, March 11, 1890, he died in Harrison county, Missouri, of disease contracted during the war. His widow died on February 18, 1899, aged seventy-six. She was born in Indiana on October 3, 1822, and was married in 1840. She was the mother of nine children, five of whom preceded her to the grave.

LOUIS T. DITTEMORE. This gentleman is one of the old settlers of Kootenai county and has demonstrated in a number of years of faithful labor that he is a capable, upright and sagacious man.

Louis T. Dittemore was born in St. Joseph, Mis- souri, on October 29, 1848, to Theodore and Eliza- beth (Cotter) Dittemore, natives of Indiana, who crossed the plains to California in 1853 and settled in Sonoma county. In 1891 they came to Postfalls, where they now live. Louis T. was educated in Cali- fornia and at the age of nineteen quit school and went to work on his father's farm. At twenty-two he bought a sheep ranch and followed it for three years. Then he sold out and bought a small farm which he tilled until 1876, at which time he went to Washington, near Dayton, and bought one hundred and sixty acres and also took a timber claim. He and his father put up a saw mill which they operated until 1884, then he rented the farm and took charge of the warehouse of Dusenberry & Stensel, in Dayton, until 1890, when 56

he sold his farm and came to his present location, eight miles north from Coeur d'Alene, where he im- proved his farm with new house, barn, orchard and so forth, and it is a very fine place. Mr. Dittemore sold his farm this spring and has bought lots in Post- falls, where he is building a house, which will be the family home in the future.

The marriage of Mr. Dittemore and Miss Marilla Hall was solemnized in 1868 and to that union were born five children: Charles L., Hattie J., Perry L., married to Mand Morris, and living in Coeur d'Alene, Jessie E., Mary G. Mrs. Dittemore's parents were Edward and Eliza (Miller) Hall, natives of Illinois, but immigrants to California, where they died. Mrs. Dittemore died in 1887 and is buried in Coeur d'Alene cemetery.

In 1900 Mr. Dittemore married Addie Cox, daugh- tre of Robert and Luie (Lowney) Cox, natives of Illinois. They came west to Idaho in 1899, remained one year and then went to Kansas, where they now live. To this second marriage there has been born one child, Mildred B. Mr. Dittemore is a Demo- crat of the Jeffersonian type and in 1898 he was clected county commissioner against Robert Work, Republican, gaining the day by four hundred ma- jority. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. Mr. Ditte- more demonstrated in public service that he had the qualities which win and give satisfaction and he has always maintained an untarnished reputation and stands in an enviable position among the people.

JOSEPH G. BROPHY is one of the oldest pio- neers of this section and was one of the leaders in developing the region and getting the tide of immi- gration turned toward the good country adjacent to Rathdrum, which time was before there was stich a place as Rathdrum on the map. He wrought here then with good execution and has labored here ever since and he deserves a good rank with the leading pioneers of the entire county.

Joseph G. Brophy was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. on September 6, 1848, and his parents were John and Elizabeth (Purcell) Brophy, natives of Queens county, Ireland. They came to the United States in 1847, located in Kentucky, and in 1857 moved to Iowa. There they died and are buried in Lansing. Joseph received his schooling in Kentucky and Iowa and at eighteen began to devote his entire time to the as- sistance of his father. After the father's death he remained at home and labored in the support of the family until he was twenty-seven. Then he went to Texas and joined his brother and labored at getting timbers for the railroad, and two years later returned to Iowa. Thence he went to Colorado and joined his brother Tom, and assisted to construct the railroad from Canyon City to Leadville during the excitement of those times. In 1878 Mr. Brophy drove overland to Walla Walla then came to Rathdrum in 1880. He immediately went to getting out timber for the N. P., which was built the next year. He took a homestead

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

south from where Rathdrum now is, proved up on it and sold it, then bought the farm where he lives, five miles east and two miles south from Rathdrum. He immediately went to work at improving his place and building a home. He has a fine house and one of the best barns in the country, while his farm is well handled and Mr. Brophy stands a leader among the developers of the resources of the county. He has a good orchard and raises considerable stock.

In 1883 Mr. Brophy married Miss Violet, daughter of Jesse and Violet Mulkins, natives of Iowa. The father died in 1886 and is buried in Rathdrum, while the mother died at Pine City, Washington, in 1902, being buried there. To Mr. and Mrs. Brophy have been born four children: Elizabeth, teaching school, Thomas J., Belle, and Florence J. Mr. Brophy is a Democrat and was elected justice of the peace in 1898 and also in 1900. He takes an active part in politics and labors for good measures. He is a mem- ber of the Free Masons, Kootenai Lodge No. 24, and stands high in lodge relations. It is of note that Mr. Brophy was on the spot before any Rathdrum was there and when the question came up as to the name for the postoffice some suggested Woodville, some Westwood, some Mill Creek and finally M. M. Cow- ley said call it Rathdrum, the name of the place he came from, in Ireland, and Rathdrum was chosen.

MARY A. WRIGHT. It is out of the ordinary to find among the representatives of the people one so talented and sagacions and withal so successful, as has been and is Mary A. Wright. And especially is this precedented rarely among the ladies. Since her life is the proof, therefore, we will at once note some of the eminently successful doings of this promi- nent lady.

She was born in December, 1868, in Nodaway county, Missouri, being the daughter of Rev. J. C. and Mary ( Best) Allen, natives respectively of Indi- ana and Missouri. The mother died in 1886 but the father still lives in Madison county, Missouri. He has been prominent in the United Brethren church for years. He is also a member of the A. F. & A. M. Mary A. was educated in the public schools and in the State Normal, and at the age of seventeen mar- ried and in 1880 came west, locating in Rathdrum the following year. In 1893 she began teaching school, continuing until 1899. In 1898 she was nominated by the Populist party for the legislature and gained the day by three hundred and fifty-six majority. Her colleagues, Edwin McBee and J. C. Glah, were also elected. The Republicans that year were George Levet, O. C. Smith, and Adams. She was appointed a member of the committee on education and was chairman of the committee on engrossment and also served in various other capacities. At one time she was appointed to preside over the house. Mrs. Wright is one of the three first ladies to represent her state. From the legislature she went to teaching school. She was at one time delegate to the state convention

of her party and as there was a division in the party, two conventions were held and the matter went to the supreme court and her side was sustained. She was also a delegate to the national convention of her party at Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In January, 1901, she was chosen chief clerk in the house and served that session and it will be her duty to convene the next session of the legislature in Idaho. She was secretary of the Pan American exposition committee. Mrs. Wright acted as private secretary to Congressman Glenn in 1902, at the fifty-seventh congress.

Mrs. Wright has been the mother of three chil- dren, and one, Otis A., lives with his mother. She is a member of the Eastern Star, Queen Esther chapter No. 96. Mrs. Wright has gotten a firm hold on the hearts of her constituency and they stand by her nobly at all times. She is a woman of unusual ability and her talents are recognized by all who may have the pleasure of her acquaintance.

JAMES GLEESON. It is the lot of compara- tively few men to have the large amount of traveling experience that has fallen to the enterprising and capable gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph and to whom we accord representation in this volume with pleasure, since he has done much to assist in the development of Kootenai county, has shown a public spirit and has ever conducted himself with sagacity and display of integrity and sound principles, being a man of sterling worth of character.

James Gleeson was born in the famous little isle that has sent her sons to the front of civilization around the globe and the stanch Irish blood that has done so much for the race is in his veins. He was born on De- cember 24, 1839. in Wexford, Ireland, being the son of John and Mary ( Walsh) Gleeson, natives of Wex- ford also. The father died there in 1861 and the mother in 1874, being buried at Poulfur. They were the parents of seven children, of whom our subject is the oldest : James, John, David, Patrick, Andrew, Mary and Matthew. James received his education in the common schools and labored for his father until he was twenty-four years of age. Then he bade fare- well to the home land and sailed away to Australia, where he spent several years in different work. It was in 1867 that he landed in California and in 1869 he went to Chile and fired on an engine and later became engineer and remained there until 1874. He started back to California, but stopped in Mexico and operated an engine for a time, visited San Blas, the city of Mex- ico, Vera Cruz, and then came to New Orleans and la- ter did engineer work in Coldwater, Mississippi. Next we see him in Indiana, then in Arakansas on a planta- tion, then in Chicago firing on a steamboat. He was soon in Texas and later in Dodge City, Kansas, then he returned to Texas and went thence to Los Angeles, California. and later was in the San Joaquin valley. In December. 1880, he started thence to Kootenai county and the following year he took a homestead and improved it in good shape and sold it. Then he

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 211

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