An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 220

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 220
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 220
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 220
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 220

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NORMAN MCKINNON. The years in which Mr. McKinnon has been domiciled in Kootenai county have been years of industry and energetic labor for the improvement of his fine place, which is located about three miles southwest from Athol. He has shown him- self in his career a true pioneer and is a public minded and loval citizen.

Norman Mckinnon was born in Park Hill, Canada, on January 22, 1859, being the son of Donald and Elizabeth (McLeod) Mckinnon, natives respectively of Canada and Scotland. The mother came to Canada when seven years of age and they both came to the United States in 1872, locating in southern Michigan. Later they returned to Canada, and finally in that country the father died, but the mother is still living in Detroit, Michigan. Our subject was educated in the common schools and at the age of seventeen started in to work for himself. He took up bridge work and for fifteen years followed it in various parts of the country. In 1886 we find him in California at Madi- son and Santa Barbara, where he remained a time and in 1888 he came to Kootenai county. He cut ties for the Northern Pacific, then went to the Coeur d'Alene mines and took a contract of getting out mining tim- bers. In 1889 we find him on the Sound and in 1800 he went to Minnesota and operated a hotel. It was 1897 that Mr. Mckinnon came to his present place and took a homestead, putting up buildings and taking up

the commendable work of improvement. He has suc- ceeded well, has forty acres under cultivation, consid- erable saw timber, a band of stock and various improve- ments that make the place attractive and valuable.

Norman Mckinnon is one of ten children, five boys and five girls, named as follows : Mary A., in Detroit, Michigan; Sarah, also in Detroit; Mamy, deceased ; Maggie, in Detroit; Malcolm, married and living in Toledo, Ohio; Norman, the subject of this article; Charles, married and living in Seattle ; John, in De- troit, Michigan ; Michael James, deceased. In politi- cal matters, Mr. Mckinnon is allied with the Republi- can party, and always manifests an active interest in these affairs, being influential in his section. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., Pine Lodge No. 75, of Athol. He is also a member of the Catholic church.

HIREM YATES. The excellent financiering that this gentleman has accomplished in his career stamps him as possessed of a high grade of ability in this line and he is surely one of the substantial men of the coun- ty of Kootenai. He owns a farm of one quarter sec- tion at Ramsey, and in addition to doing general farming, he raises stock and is also greatly interested in mining, having some very promising properties of his own.

Hirem Yates was born in Tioga, IlInois, on April 22, 1862, being the son of Henry and Saralı (Coon) Yates, natives of North Carolina and Germany, respec- tively. The mother came to America in 1850, and she was married in Indiana. They located in Lima, Illi- nois, and farmed for twenty-five years and then re- moved to Kansas. There the father died in 1901 and the mother died in 1892. They were the parents of the following children: Edwin, living in Illinois; Thomas, living in Kansas: Margaret. wife of James Ware, in this county ; Hirem, the subject of the article : Lucy, wife of George McColough, in Kansas : Rachel, wife of Henry Reed, in Kansas; Spencer, in Illinois; Mattie, single and living in Illinois; Mary, wife of James McCoulough, in Kansas ; James, deceased ; Rob- ert, in Kansas. Hirem received a common schooling and then began at the early age of ten to do for him- self, being permitted in this course by his father. He rented a farm and from one-fourth of the crop he made three hundred dollars the first two years. Then he bought ten acres of land. He sold that and went to Missouri and bought forty acres of land. He farmed it one year and then sold for one thousand dollars. Then he went to Kansas and bought eighty acres which he sold after two years of farming and realized seventeen hundred dollars for this. Then he used this money to buy cattle in Missouri and shipped them to Butte, Montana, and sold, clearing fifteen hundred dollars by the transaction. Succeeding this for seven years he devoted himself to mining with the gratify- ing result that he cleared up twenty thousand dollars. He came to Washington and bought a half section of land for fifteen hundred dollars which he sold seven years later for five thousand dollars. Then he came

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to Kootenai county and bought a half section where he now lives. He sold half of this for an advance of two hundred dollars and has refused two thousand dollars for the other quarter.

In 1899 Mr. Yates married Dora Ayers, daughter of Isaac and Meranda Shipe, and widow of John Ayers. Mr. Shipe is a native of Pennsylvania and his wife of Illinois. Mrs. Yates has one child by her former husband, Nina C., living at home. Mr. Yates is a member of the M. W. A. at Rathdrum, and his wife is a member of the R. N. A., Evergreen Camp, No. 2317.

HARRY WILLIAMS. Many noble and true citi- zens of this country, who are noted for their thrift and industry, have come from England and among this worthy number we mention the gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph, to whom we are pleased to grant consideration in this volume of Kootenai county's history.

Harry Williams was born in Manchester, England, on April 6, 1868, being the son of William T. and Martha (Anderson) Williams, natives of England, also. They came to America in 1872, locating at Og- den, Utah, where the father opened a tailor shop. Four years later he removed to Dilon, Montana, and there wrought at his trade for seven years. Then he sold out and repaired to Ellensburg. Washington, where he wrought at the same occupation until 1898, and then a move was made to Spokane, and at 208 S. How- ard street Mr. Williams conducts a first-class shop at the present time. He was born in 1838, and his wife in 1843. Harry was educated in the schools of the various places where the parents lived until he was of sufficient age to take up shop work and then he learned the trade of his father. He labored steadily with him until 1892, then formed partnership with his father in the business, which continued until 1901, when he bought a half section of land where he now lives, one mile north from Ramsey. He still owns an interest in the tailoring business with his father in Spokane. Mr. Williams also owns ten acres in Rexburg, Idaho, with two residences which give him a monthly income of fifty dollars.

In 1891 Mr. Williams married Miss Olive, daugh- ter of Edwin W. and Sarah Craig, natives of Kansas. The father removed his family to Ellensburg, Wash- ington, in 1887, and there followed building and con- tracting. To Mr. and Mrs. Williams, two children have been born, Coral M., and Deral H. Mr. Will- iams is a member of the W. of W. and of the Red Men. He and his wife are members of the Christian Science church.

JAMES L. WARE. About one mile north of Ramsey is located the homestead of Mr. Ware, which he took from the government in July, 1899. He has since that time done much by way of improvement, and now has thirty acres from which he rasies many potatoes, finding them a profitable crop. He also has

some stock. Mr. Ware has a large family of children and is one of the substantial men who are making the county an improved and valuable portion of the state.

Reverting to the personal history of our subject, we note that he was born in Clermont county Ohio, on March 27, 1851, being the son of James and Harriet (Gilven) Ware, natives respectively of Kentucky and Ohio. The father's father died when his son was young and the boy was bound out to David Hedelsten until twenty-one but at the age of fourteen he ran away from this place and labored for himself. He died December, 1901, aged ninety, and his wife died in 1858. Our subject was educated in the primitive schools of his day, they being maintained by subscription, each scholar paying a fee of one dollar and twenty-five cents each month. He remained with his father until twenty-two and then married and went to farming for himself. Three years were spent at that and his wife died and he sold out and worked for wages in Illinois, and the year following was married again. Then he rented a farm for eight years, after which he removed to Kansas and worked in the town for one year. Then he returned to Illinois and bought a forty and farmed it until January, 1898, when he sold and came to Lin- coln county. Shortly after he came to Kootenai county and took the homestead above referred to. He is doing a good work in opening up the place and also in ad- vancing the cause of education, having been on the board for two successive terms since coming here.

Mr. Ware married Mary A. Carr in 1073 and she died in 1876. In 1877 he married Miss Margret, daughter of Henry and Nancy (Coon) Yates, natives of Indiana, and to this union the following children have been born: Alfred N., Noah, deceased, Richard H., deceased, James P., deceased, Mary C., John W., Sanford, Ida B., Bertie, Elsie May. All are at home with their parents. Mr. Ware is allied with the Demo- crat party and is active in this realm and labors in an intelligent and vigorous manner for the principles he belives to be right. He was elected road supervisor in 1901 and again the following year. His son Rich- ard is a member of the M. W. A., and Mrs. Ware is a member of the Christian church.

ROBERT WILSON. While the subject of this article has not labored so long in Kootenai county as some, still he has displayed such commendable zeal and skill in his labors and is withal a man of integrity and uprightness, so that he deserves mention in the volume that chronicles the history of this section.

Robert Wilson was born in Dutchess county, New York, on June 20, 1851, being the son of Robert and Mary (Dobie) Wilson, natives of Scotland, but immi- grants to the United States in 1840. They located in New York where they gardened for eight years and then came to Chickasaw county, Iowa, where the father now lives, aged ninety, but the mother died in 1888. Robert received his education in Iowa and at the age of nineteen started in life for himself. He repaired to Little Falls, Minnesota, where he labored

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

in the woods and in saw mills for three years. Return- ing to Iowa he purchased a farm in Franklin county and tilled it for four years. Then he went to Chicka- saw, remaining four years. The next move was back to Minnesota and in 1887 we find him in Almira, Washington. He farmed there until 1898, when he came to Kootenai county, purchased an improved farm, one mile northwest from Ramsey, to which he added a quarter section of railroad land in 1900. In 1902 he purchased eighty acres more, making him the fine es- tate of four hundred acres of fertile land. This he has improved in a good manner, and is steadily going on with continued work in this line. He has seventy acres under the plow and good buildings. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Wilson raises some horses. In his father's family, there were six children, three boys and three girls: James, living in Dakota, being married ; Mary, wife of A. P. White, in Iowa ; J. B., inarried and living in Franklin county, Iowa ; Annie, wife of Robert Black, living in Black Hawk county, lowa. There is also one more and then the subject of this article. Mr. Wilson is of good standing in his section and is a good, substantial citizen of the country.

THOMAS H. SCOTT. The far away state of Maine is the native place of our subject and his father was Moses Scott, who died there in 1862. The mother died when Thomas H. was five years of age. He was bound out to Alexander Read to remain until twenty- one, but at the age of sixteen, he ran away and went to Granman Island, on the Atlantic coast. He engaged with a fishing schooner for one year and the next year he operated the boat on shares. Then he returned to the lumber woods of Maine and there and in other occupations he remained until 1895 when he came to St. Paul, Minnesota. He worked in the woods and on the drive for six years and then took contracts for three years. Then by the Southern Pacific, he came to San Francisco, and in 1875 we see him in Rathdrum. He contracted with Dodge Brothers to furnish them one million feet of logs annually for three years, which he successfully completed. Then he worked in the Wardner mines for two seasons, then did some log- ging and in 1884 he took up a homestead, nine miles from Rathdrum on Fish lake. After improving and proving up, he went to Wardner and labored in the mines, then went to Montana and was taken sick and languished in the sisters hospital for seven months, at Deer Lodge, Montana. We next see him in Asotin, Washington, then in Oregon for a couple of years, and then he came back to his present location on Fish lake.

In 1859 Mr. Scott married Miss Emma E., daugh- ter of A. L. and Lizzie (Lane) Bradbury, natives of Maine. They came west in 1885, locating in Spo- kane county, Washington. To Mr. and Mrs. Scott there have been born two children, Ansel L., married to Jessie Tobey, and living in Spokane : Maud, wife of Paul Voeth, living in Spokane. Mr. Scott has always manifested an intelligent interest in political matters

and in Maine he cast his first ballot, it being for A. Lincoln, in 1860. He is now one of the venerable and respected men of this section, being a real pioneer and builder of Kootenai county, where he has conducted himself so that he has won the esteem and respect of all who may know him.

ANSEL L. SCOTT. This enterprising young gentleman is one of the property owners of Kootenai county, having a fine ranch on Fish or Twin lake, where his father resides at the present time. It is a fine property and also Mr. Scott has a good residence and other property in Spokane. He has mastered the machinist's trade and later in life he learned the art of cooking, which he follows considerably in Spo- kane.

We will mention an outline of his career and we first note that he was born in Minneapolis, Minnesta, on August 12, 1877, being the son of Thomas and Em- ma E. (Bradberg) Scott, natives of Minnesota. The father and his family now live in Kootenai county. Ansel L. received his education from the common schools and at the age of nineteen was a master me- chanic. Then, as we have mentioned above, the art of cooking allured from his first occupation and so skillful has he become in this line that he is sought after by some of the leading hosts of this section, being now in the employ of a large house in Spokane. Mr. Scott has placed improvements from time to time on his land which he bought from the railroad in 1897, and is making it a comfortable and attractive home for his riper years.

In 1900 Mr. Scott married Miss Jessie O. Tobey. He is a member of the F. O. A., Court Royal, No. 19. Also he is a member of the Cooks' and Waiters' Union. Mr. Scott is possessed of ambition and spirit and is making a creditable showing in his labors.

GUSTAV MILLER is one of the enterprising far- mers who live in the vicinity of Fish lake, Kootenai county. He has a farm of one hundred and forty acres which he is bringing under cultivation and he also devotes some time to raising stock. He is ener- getic, possessed of good practical judgment, dominated by keen sagacity and withal has excellent moral qual- ities.

Mr. Miller was born in Calso, Germany, on April 8, 1861, being the son of Phillip and Louise ( Mayers) Miller, natives of Germany. The father died in 1876, and the mother in 1879, both being buried in the Calso cemetery. Gustav received common schooling until fourteen years of age and then clerked for his brother- in-law until 1880. when he was called by his country into the militia. One year spent there, and he was again with his brother-in-law and in 1883 he left Ger- many, the laws requiring that he remain there, and came to America and located in New York on a farm. On August 6, 1884, he enlisted in the regular army, Sixth

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

Cavalry, served five years, re-enlisted in Fourth In- fantry, served five years again, then re-enlisted in the Eleventh Infantry. He went in as private and was dis- charged as regiment sergeant major, being too old to go farther. He acted in this official position in the Span- ish war, and participated in the Porto Rico campaign. From 1892 to 1895 he was stationed at Fort Sherman. In 1898 he was honorably discharged and immediately returned to Kootenai county. He first bought sixty acres of a resort on the lake and two years later bought his present ranch as mentioned above.

In October, 1898, Mr. Miller married Miss Jose- phine Eresch, whose parents, Joseph and Margret Eresch, were natives of Germany and came to Amer- ica in 1865. settling in Aurora, Illinois. There they lived until 1888 and came to Sprague, Washington, and in 1800, removed thence to Kootenai county. In 1897 the mother died and in 1899 the father passed away, both being buried at Rathdrum. To Mr. and Mrs. Miller there have been born two girls, Margaret and Elizabeth, twins. Mr. Miller stands well among his fellows and is respected and a substantial citizen of his county.

WILLIAM W. FERRELL. In March, 1884, a sturdy pioneer, William W. Ferrell, on the shores of Coeur d'Alene lake, near Fort Sherman, built a row boat and. in company with two others, placed it on a hand sled and made the trip from that point to the head of navigation on the Saint Joe river, pulling their boat all the way by hand on the ice and consuming twelve days in the trip. One man, Alfred Ritchie, with his hired hand, George Stewart, was then in that country and was engaged in making shingles by hand. Mr. Ferrell landed with eight dollars in his pocket, but he was full of courage, and located a squatter's right on the unsurveyed land and in the spring seeded it to timothy. He has improved and grown in his pos- sessions until at present he has fifteen hundred acres of land, a fine barn and outbuildings, and also has a commodious store and a good saw-mill. He has a fine large hotel of thirty-four rooms which is generously patronized in the summer by pleasure seekers in this beautiful country. Mr. Ferrell is a perfect represent- ation of that brave and noble class of men who pierced into the wilds of nature and opened the country for the abode of man, and his wisdom is manifest in that he has made a brilliant success, being one of the heavy property owners of Kootenai county, all of which his industry and good business ability have gained for him in this location.

William W. Ferrell was born in Fort Madison, Jowa, on November 19, 1856, being the son of Joseph A. and Jane Ferrell. He was reared in town and was educated at the public schools. He followed steam- boating, arising to the position of steward, and at the age of eighteen he was running on a boat from Chicago to Buffalo. In the fall of 1876 we went to Waco, Texas, and railroaded. The next spring he was in the thickest of the Black Hills gold excitement, and in the fall of 1877 he went to Leadville and remained until

1881, engaged in mining. Then he went to Hall coun- ty, Nebraska. and bought a farm. In June, 1883, we see him in San Francisco and soon after in Portland, Oregon. Thence he came to Spokane, Washington, and in December, 1883, he landed in Fort Sherman, now Coeur d'Alene. The next March he made the boat spoken of above. Since coming to his present place, now known as Ferrell's Landing, he supplied the post with hay for a number of years and now cuts about three hundred tons each year. Mr. Ferrell's place is finely fitted for the accommodation of summer boarders, having a spacious hall for their amusement and also boats and everything handy for comfort and enjoyment.

On May 8, 1881, he married Mattie M. DeSpain in Colorado and two children were born to them, both of whom died. In June, 1888, Mrs. Ferrell died also. On November 22, 1889, Mr. Ferrell married Miss Mary R., daughter of Oscar and Ann Canfield, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively. The father's parents came west with their five children to Walla Walla in 1847. They were in the awful Whitman massacre, the father escaping, but the mother and five children were taken prisoners and detained for thirty days. The elder Canfield was the only man that es- caped. After that experience they went to Oregon City. Mrs. Ferrell was born in California. The parents both live now in Canfield, Idaho county, this state.

ELBRIDGE W. THORP. This worthy pioneer is eminently fitted for consideration in the history of Kootenai county, since he has wrought with well be- stowed labors in this section for its development and for the progress of the county as well as following the life of the pioneer for many years in adjacent states, in all of which worthy career he has done creditably, manifesting integrity, worth and stability.

Elbridge Thorp was born in Boone county, Illi- nois, on March 27. 1844, being the son of Edward and Martha (Raymond) Thorp, natives of England, but immigrants to this country in 1830. They settled in New York, thence went to Pennsylvania, and later to Illinois, and then to Indiana and afterward to Iowa and finally to Kansas, where he died in 1868. The mother died when our subject was young. Elbridge was educated in the various places where the father lived and at the age of seventeen he enlisted to fight for his country in Company F. Ninth Iowa Volun- teer Infantry, under Captain Miller. He was honora- bly discharged in 1862, and in 1863 he enlisted for three years or until the close of the war. He served until the conflict ceased, participating in many engage- ments and skirmishes among which we may mention, Mobile and the charge of Blakely. He was discharged at Houston, Texas, and the company disbanded at Dubuque, Iowa. In the spring of 1866, he engaged as cook on an expedition under Colonel Sawyer who was doing freighting for the government. He came in this capacity to Montana, and then he prospected and in 1871 went thence to Washington, locating where

WILLIAM W. FERRELL.

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Sprague is now situated and there handled sheep for twenty-three years. Then he removed to his pres- ent place on Fish lake, where he has one hundred and twenty acres of good land, forty of which are into hay, and the balance is used for pasture. He has fifty or more cattle and is one of the prosperous men of the section.

On November 14, 1881, Mr. Thorp married Miss Emma M., daughter of David and Caroline (Vanval- kenburg) Downs, natives of New York. The father died in 1895 and the mother in 1896. Mr. Thorp is a member of the G. A. R. and he and his wife are members of the Baptist church and they stand well in the community, being excellent and upright people.

They have one adopted son, Gustavus. Since the above writing Mr. Thorp has sold his farm property and now owns residence property in Rathdrum. where he lives.

CARL BAECK. A sturdy son of the fatherland, whence come some of the best citizens that ever walked under the stars and stripes, the subject of this sketch is no whit behind in all these choice qualities which make the patriotic citizen, the typical man, the genial and affable neighbor, and the true and loyal friend. He was born in the province of Pahner, Germany, on July 5, 1860, and his parents died when he was very young and he never had the pleasure of knowing them. He was educated in his native land and at the age of fourteen years, he began to learn the brewer's trade. He followed it until 1881, then came to Amer- ica. First he located in Chicago and soon went thence to St. Paul, Minnesota, working there for T. Ham, and then he went to Fergus Falls, where he engaged in brewery work and such was his skill that he was en- trusted with the management of the entire plant in the absence of the foreman, and practically he had charge of the establishment. In 1888 he came to Spo- kane and at once engaged in the New York Brewery and here he also had charge of the entire part of the production of the choice beverages turned out by that institution. He continued there until the death of the proprietor in 1896 and then our subject and August Mauler were appointed administrators. Two years and nine months were required to settle the large and intricate estate and then our subject was tired out with city life and its ceasless activities and cares and so searched out his present place, on Fish lake, which he purchased, it being one hundred acres of the choicest location on the well known and popular place of resort. He has a gem of an estate, and with his native skill and taste, he plans to embellish and improve it so it will be all that could be desired. Mr. Baeck has a creek coursing through his land that is an ideal place for trout and those finny beauties abound in abundance. In all of his labors since 1890 Mr. Black has had a true helpmeet and an able assistant in his wife, who has brought to his help a wealth of keenness, taste, and practical judgment that have been prominent in their success, which has been bright and becoming.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 220

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