An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 227

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 227
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 227
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 227
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 227

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

On July 31, 1896, Mr. McDonald married Miss Cora M., daughter of James K. and Mary (Ray) Bailey, natives of Illinois. They came to Washington in 1885 and located in Elma, where awful forest fires raged since, but they escaped. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McDonald, Harry and Mary C. Politically Mr. McDonald is a Republican and is al- ways ready to bear his part in the labor of the cam- paigns. He is now clerk of the school hoard and is interested in good schools. Recently Mrs. McDonald was called away from her home and loved ones by deathı.

GEORGE W. FLEMMING is one of the leading lumber men of northern Idaho, having his outfits at Athol, where he has made a good success in the years gone by. He is an industrious worker and displays executive force and skill that have enabled him to handle other men in the business to a profit to himself.

George W. Flemming was born in Sherburne coun- ty, Minnessota, on September 10, 1862, being the son of John and Sarah J. (Christie) Flemming, natives of Maine and New Brunswick, respectively. They set- tled in Minnesota in 1856 and there they remained until the death of the father in 1877, and two years later the mother passed away also. George was edu- cated in his native place and in Wright county, the same state, whither his parents moved. When fifteen his father died and he went to do for himself. For seven years he worked in the woods and on the drive and then married Miss Mary J. Borthwick, a daughter of Alexander and Lydia (Hix) Borthwick, natives of Prince Edward Island and New York, respectively. They came to Minnesota and there remained until their death. In 1888 Mr. Flemming rented land and farmed until 1892, when he came to Rathdrum. Two years later he was called to mourn the death of his wife. Then he returned to Minnesota, spent a winter hunting in northern Idaho, spent some time in Everett, Washington, and finally came back to Rathdrum. He spent a year or so single handed in the woods and then

948

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

bought a four-horse outfit and went to logging. He has had some fine contracts, for the Rogers & Duns- more Mill Company to put in all the timber in one en- tire section, while also for the Phoenix mill of Spokane he put in seven hundred thousand feet. Prosperity has attended him and he is now located three and one- half miles southeast from Athol, where he has prop- erty.

On May 26, 1898, Mr. Flemming married Mrs. Martha Waddell, widow of George Waddell, of Rath- drum, and two children have been born to them, Mary E. and Cora D. By her former husband Mrs. Flem- ming has six children, Henry, Ida, Norah, Willie, Claudie and Zollie. All are at home with their par- ents. Mr. Flemming was formerly a Republican, but when the silver issue of Bryan came to the front he allied himself with it and holds firmly on that line since. Mr. Flemming is a man of due conservatism and wisdom, but is dominated by a progressive spirit and guided with a keen discrimination that have won for hini his present success.

JOHN W. GREAVES. Although at the present time located two miles southeast from Elmira, the sub- ject of this sketch is nevertheless a skillful and leading seaman and has descended from a family that has for three hundred years back been seafaring people and has furnished some of the best men in this line in the world. His people live on the shores of the Baltic sea and are all sailors, being captains, his maternal uncle is a teacher in navigation, while several others of the relatives are also instructors in the naval schools.

John W. Greaves was born in Rigga, Russia, on November 19, 1865, the son of Michael and Tiney (Sholts) Greaves, natives of Levonia province, in Russia. The father is now farming and fishing. The father was shipwrecked in 1871 on the coast of Norway and lost his ship but saved the crew. In 1880 he was wrecked again, this time on the coast of Den- mark, and the ship went down but the crew was saved. Then he turned his attention to farming and fishing. Our subject was educated in the schools of his native place and took a thorough course in navigation. At fifteen he went on board as cabin boy and cruised for three years. He was wrecked on January 14, 1886, while sailing on the Sir Robert McCluer ; the ship was a total loss but the crew were picked up by a French vessel four hours later. Returning to London, he went on board another ship and came to Qubec, where he farmed for about one year, then railroaded there and in Vermont. Next we see him in Boston where he shipped to Savannah, then he worked in Birmingham mills for a while, after which we see him successively in Memphis, Tennessee, Illinois, Louisanna and Utah. After this he came to Boise, Idaho, and thence to Portland in 1889. He assisted to build the Union Pacific railroad to that city, then came to Washington, and later harvested in Walla Walla. He went thence to Bonner's Ferry, then worked in British Columbia

and then returned to Peck river, Idaho, where he took a squatter's right, but finding it railroad land, he re- moved to his present place and since that time he has continued in this place. Mr. Greaves has a fine body of timber, perhaps as excellent as can be found in the county. Mr. Greaves has part of his land under cul- tivation and also raises some stock and pays consider- able attention to lumbering. He is genial and well liked and is an upright and substantial man. Mr. Greaves is a member of the Lutheran church and is a progressive and capable man.

JOHN McILHARGEY. Among the industrious and intelligent men of Kootenai county, we are glad to mention the subject of this article, who is well known and esteemed by his fellows.

John McIlhargey was born in Huron county, Michi- gan, on October 30, 1859, being the son of Charles and Mary (Young) McIlhargey, natives of Canada and Ireland, respectively. The mother came to Can- ada when five years old and was married there in 1858 and they at once removed to Huron county, Michigan. In 1882 they removed thence to Duluth, Minnesota, where they still reside, the father being engaged in lumbering. John was educated in his native place and labored in the woods there until 1881, when he went to Wisconsin and did lumbering work until 1888. Next we see him in Sandpoint and there he wrought at the same work until 1898. At that date Mr. McIlhargey took his present homestead, two and one-half miles north from Elmira, and to the improvement and culti- vation of this he has devoted his energies since. He has nearly all of the. farm under cultivation, raises many vegetables for market and handles some stock. He has good buildings and the farm bears the air of thrift and painstaking care.

In November, 1886, Mr. McIlhargey married Miss Lizzie, daughter of George and Margarie (Brice) Maxwell, natives of Scotland. The mother died in her native land while the father came with his family to Wisconsin in 1884, and there died in 1896. One child has been born to our subject and his wife, Viola M. M., now attending school. Mr. McIlhargey is a Democrat and takes an active part in the affairs of the county. He has the following brothers and sisters : Martha, wife of James Lahey, in Kootenai county ; Viola M., wife of George Conners, of this county; Charles E., single, living in Duluth, Minnesota ; James T. L., living in Duluth : Egnitious, married and living in North Dakota ; William, single, and living in Duluth, Minnesota.

ROBERT MCLELLAN. Three and one-half miles west from Athol lies the fine estate of Mr. Mc- Lellan. It consists of one-half section of land, half of which was taken as a homestead. Good buildings and all necessary improvements adorn the farm and it is one of the excellent places in this section. Mr. Mc-

949

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

Lellan has shown commendable zeal as well as wis- dom and skill in making his place one of the best and among the special features are the large barn forty by forty-five and a cistern that holds two hundred barrels. He does a general farming business and also raises stock.

Robert Mclellan was born in county of Lanark, Canada, on April 3. 1839. being the son of John and Ellen (Fleming) Mclellan, natives of fScotland and immigrants to Canada in 1812. Robert received a good education and then labored on the farm with his father, clearing the land and making potash. He was skillful at that and after he had reached his majority he con- tinned at it for some three or four years. He came to the United States in 1865 and rafted in Minnesota, then turned his attention to farming for a dozen years. It was 1885 that he came to Spokane and worked at the carpenter trade, after which he did timber work for a few years and then took the homestead mentioned above. He has continued here since and is one of the leading men of the community, a man of substantial worth. His farm is largely under cultivation and an air of thrift and excellent taste pervades the entire premises.

In 1866 Mr. Mclellan married Miss Ellen, daugh- ter of Thomas and Mary ( Mathis) Ferguson, natives of Canada, where they farmed until their death, hav- ing raised a family of eight children. Three children have been born to this household, Mary A., wife of William Ferguson and living in Canada; John, with his parents : Ellen, wife of Mr. Dote, in Libby, Mon- tana. In political matters, Mr. Lellan is a liberal Democrat and always allies himself on the side of good government.

HENRY GECK. It is not frequent to have an opportunity to chronicle the career of one who has devoted so many years in the military service of his country as has the esteemed subject of this article and a more minute detail of the matter will be interesting to the readers of the history of northern Idaho.

Henry Geck was born in Baden, Germany, on May 18. 1840, the son of Charles and Lizzie ( Veidener) Geck, who remained in Baden until the time of their death. Henry was educated in the common schools of his native place and at the age of seventeen, learned the baker's trade, then went to Vienna, Austria, until he was twenty and at that time returned to his home. After this he served three years in the German army and then migrated to the United States. He landed here in 1864 and two days later was in the ranks under General Burnside in the Forty-sixth New York Infan- try and was fighting for the stars and stripes. He showed his lovalty in many hard contested fields, be- ing a participant in the battles of Nashville, Fredericks- burg. Cold Harbor, the Wilderness. Petersburg, in which last fight he was wounded three times. Two months in the hospital and he rejoined his regiment. September 26, 1865. he enlisted in the regular army and served for thirty years. He was on the ground

where the brave Custer fell, four days after the massa- cre, being under General Mckenzie. Mr. Geck has been quartered in every fort in the United States and for twenty-three years he was in the Twenty-third Cavalry. His record is exceptionally good and he has shown himself to have been a faithful and brave sol- lier, a good and upright man, and loyal and true to the noble flag of our country.

In 1890 Mr. Geck was quartered at Fort Sherman and in 1893 he was retired as a veteran on a stipend for life, of twenty-five dollars and twenty-five cents per month. Mr. Geck has a fine homestead on Fish lake and spends his time there and in Coeur d'Alene and Rathdrum. He is esteemed by all and is governed by sound principles and dominated with wisdom in all of his walk. Mr. Geck is a member of the G. A. R., Gar- field Post, at Rathdrum and is a man of excellent stand- ing and enjoys the confidence and good will of all who know him.

DUNCAN S. MCKENZIE. A pioneer in many sections of the west where he has followed the ardu- ous labor of prospecting and thus opened many sec- tions to the ingress of civilization, and now a worthy and enterprising citizen of Kootenai county. we are pleased to grant to the subject of this article a repre- sentation in the volume of his county history.

Duncan S. Mckenzie was born in Detroit, Mich- igan. on October 7, 1858, being the son of Daniel and Catherine (Stalker) Mckenzie, natives of Scotland. The parents came to America in 1852 and dwelt in Michigan for about fourteen years, then migrated to Kansas and there lived in Rice county until 1896. The father died in 1890 and the mother moved to Elmira where she now lives, having married William Scott. Our subject received his education in Detroit and at the early age of eleven he went to Texas and for ten years could have been found in the employ of John King, one of the leading cattle men of the west, where he became skillful in all departments of the cattle busi- ness. Then he went to work for McKenny and soon found that his employer was one of the noted horse thieves of the state of Texas and so his relations were forthwith severed. Thence Mr. Mckenzie went to New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, Utah and other places, prospecting, and during this time he made some good locations. In 1894 he came to Idaho and spent his time between prospecting and lumbering until 1899, when he located his present homestead, two and one half miles south from Elmira. Mr. Mckenzie has good buildings, and raises considerable hay.

In 1890, Mr. Mckenzie married Miss Elizabeth Cobb, of Pool, England, where her people remained until the time of their death. To our subject and his worthy wife there have been born three children, Cath- crine, John, and Daniel. In political matters, Mr. Mc- Kenzie is an intelligent Democrat and always takes the part of the interested citizen. He has held the office of school director and is zealous for good facilities in that line, has frequently been urged to hold other offices but always refuses. Mr. McKnezie is a member of the I.

950

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

O. O. F., North Lodge, No. 81,; and of the M. W. A ... Elmira Camp, No. 9185, while Mrs. Mckenzie is a member of the Rebekahs at Bonners Ferry. They are both members of the Presbyterian church and are up- right and well respected people.

JAMES M. STONE. In the enterprising little vil- lage of Elmira is the subject of our sketch located, hav- ing a hotel, which is handled in good shape while also he devotes some time to overseeing his ranch property which adjoins the town site. Also Mr. Stone has in- vested in other property, having good faith in the coun- try and is an enthusiastic worker in helping to build it up ; and it is just such workers that transform the wilds to rich regions.

James M. Stone was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on February 6, 1866, being the son of James and Ellen ( Sloan) Stone, natives of England and Ireland, respec- tively. They came to Canada and located in Sault Ste Marie and ten years later removed to Cleveland, where they still live, the father operating a grocery and feed store. Five children, as follows, were born to this worthy couple, Daniel, in South America; James M., our subject : Jane, married and living in Los Angeles, California : Mary, Martha, both single and living with their parents. James studied in the public schools until seventeen and then worked with his father one year more, when he went to Colorado and labored in the mines and in the lumber regions for five years. In 1887 he came to western Washington and there wrought, mostly in King county, until 1897, when he came to his present location. He purchased the relin- quishment of a settler and since that time has been an influential factor in the development of this virgin re- gion. Mr. Stone is doing well and is making his ef- forts felt in his worthy work of progress.

In December, 1896, Mr. Stone married Mrs. Emily Dorn, daughter of John and Emily Buchholz, who came to this country but returned to Dantzic, Germany, where they now reside, Mr. Buchholz being a mill- wright. Mrs. Stone was born in Germany. They have one child, Elizabeth. Mr. Stone is a real Jeffer- sonian Democrat and takes the part of the intelligent citizen in the questions of the day.

JOHN C. GRANT. A man of broad and varied experiences in the affairs of life, successful in busi- ness, true and loyal as a friend and public spirited and patriotic as a citizen, the gentleman whom we now con- sider, is eminently fitted for representation in the history of Kootenai county.

John C. Grant was born on Faro Island on August 5, 1842, being the son of Iver and Mary ( McGovern) Grant, natives of Scotland, which continued to be their home until 1868, when they removed to Australia. The father was a sea captain and followed a seafaring life for forty-five years. They died in Australia, hav- ing been the parents of eight children, Emma, Carrie,

Bridget, Arlo, John C., Peter C., Sarah, Valberg, all deceased except the subject of this article. When John was a small child the parents removed to Scot- land and there he was educated and when twelve went on a voyage with his father around the world. One year was occupied in this and then he sailed with his father until twenty. Then he sailed with Captain Bertrand Wallace three years, with Captain Alfred An- derson one year, with Captain Travis for one year, and with Captain Jordan a short time. Then he made a trip around the world again with his father and came back to England, whence he came to his oldest brother in Wisconsin. Our subject then, it being 1872, took up railroad contracting and for twelve years he was busy in Wisconsin and Minnesota, working on every railroad in those states up to the time he quit. The next move was to Devils lake, where Mr. Grant took a preemption and farmed for four years. Then he railroaded again, Montana being the place, after which, in 1894, he came to Hope, Idaho, thence to El- mira, where he settled on a homestead. In February, 1899, Mr. Grant was appointed postmaster, which im- portant office he still holds. He also operated as a general merchant but in 1901 Mr. Grant turned his whole attention to tilling and improving his home- stead. He has made it a fine property. Politically, Mr. Grant is an active Republican and in school mat- ters he has always been zealous, having been the mov- ing spirit to establish the first school in Elmira. At present, Mr. Grant is justice of the peace and is very efficient in this capacity. Mr. Grant is a man of in- telligence and stability and is highly respected among his fellows.

JAMES C. FERGUSON. One-half mile east from Elmira is located the home of the subject of this sketch. The estate is now one of value, but was taken from the wilds of nature as a homestead and upon it Mr. Ferguson has bestowed much labor and expense. He now has fifty acres under cultivation, is putting out a good orchard, has erected a comfortable resi- dence, good barns and ontbuildings and is mal:ing the place a desirable and profitable property.

James C. Ferguson was born in Canada, April 15, 1837, being the son of Hugh and Rose (Colgan) Fer- guson, natives of Ireland butt immigrants to Canada in 1824, where they resided for forty years. Then they removed to Brant, Bruce county and lived there fif- teen years, the father dying there in 1883, the mother liaving passed away at their first residence. James received a common school education and when nine- teen married and settled down to farming. Twenty- two years he farmed in Bruce county and then removed to Swift county, Minnesota, and tilled the soil for four years. 1882 was the date of his removal to Montana and for fifteen years Mr. Ferguson was en- gaged there in railroading. It was 1887 that he came to Sandpoint and there resided until 1899, when he came to his present place, taking it as a homestead, and purchased more land of the railroad.

On October 6, 1856, Mr. Ferguson married Miss

951

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

Ann, daughter of James and Catherine ( Delemore ) Riley, natives of Ireland. They came to Canada in about 1824. and there remained until the time of their death. Our worthy subject and his estimable wife are the parents of eleven children, named as follows : Rose, wife of Mike Hanley, living in Tacoma. Wash- ington ; Kate, married to Tom Cox, at Portland, Ore- gon ; Hugh, killed on the Northern Pacific, in Miles, Montana ; James, living at Blacktail, Idaho ; Mary, wife of William Harwood, in Mullan, Idaho: Charlotte, single and living at Lakeview, Idaho; John, single and living in Mullan, Idaho; Mike, single and living in Sandpoint : Hattie, in Portland, Oregon, with her sister ; Thomas and Edna, both deceased. Mr. Fer- guson is independent politically, and takes a zealous interest in the affairs of the county. He and his fam- ily are adherents of the Catholic church. He is a man of industry and substantiality and is of good standing among his fellows.

He bought the land now partly occupied by Sand- point, of the railroad company.

LOUIS LA VERGNE. There are no people who do more to open new countries than the miners. They have pressed into the fastnesses of the globe, have climbed its mountains, searched its river beds, bored the rock-ribbed hills and ransacked nature generally, and to them is great credit due for the energy, skill and tireless enterprise manifested in this good work which not only yields great wealth to the nation but also opens the way for many thousands of settlers who still further develop the country. One of the sturdy western lads who has displayed stanch qualities in this line of industry is mentioned at the head of this article and he is deserving of representation in the history of his countv.

Louis La Vergne was born in Ontario, Canada, on July 7, 1858, being the son of Bazil and Mary La Vergne. At the early age of fourteen he took up the exciting and invigorating life of the rafter on the Ottawa river, going five hundred miles to the interior and bringing timber to Quebec, making one trip each year. It is a life of great hardship and danger. The last year he went to the woods and worked for nine dollars per month. In 1877 Mr. La Vergne determined to seek new fields and accordingly came to Butte county, California, where he mined and remained un- til he received his citizenship papers. In 1886 while he was in California his two brothers, Oscar and Fred, came to Murray and mined and in 1888 he joined them there taking part in mining also. Our subject was prospecting at the time of the strike at Wardner. Since that time he has been active in the prospector's realm and has searched the country well adjacent to the Couer d'Alene river. He now has nine promising claims near Lane and also has an interest in the well known Hidden Treasure, which is doubtless to be one of the valuable mines of this district. Some of his claims are adjoining the Hidden Treasure and are properties which will doubtless make good payers

later. Mr. La Vergne is a man who has the esteem and confidence of his fellows, has wrought with energy and skill and manifested integrity and intrinsic worth of character. He is making his home with his brother, who has a homestead about one and one-half miles northwest from Lane.

WILLIS H. COOK is one of the men who has ably assisted to open up this country of northern Idaho and is now one of the substantial and active residents of the vicinity of Elmira, his ranch of one hundred and sixty acres being located one mile north of town.

Willis H. Cook was born on June 13, 1867, being the son of John A. and Mary E. (Morlan) Cook, na- tives respectively of Kentucky and Maryland. They came to Adair county, Missouri, and there the father clied in June, 1902, but the mother still lives on the old homestead. The father served in the Civil war. Children were born to them as follows: George W., John, Fenley, Fanny, all in Missouri; Permealy, de- ceased. Macon county was the native place of our subject and when young he went with his parents to Adair county. He obtained his education from the district schools in the winter and remained working with his father until twenty-two, excepting some time spent in working out. In 1885 he went to Colorado and spent two years on the range, then two years at home and next we see him in Spokane. He took a trip hunting and trapping up the Columbia river and in the spring of 1890, he came to Elmira. He labored in the woods in the winters and harvested in the Palouse in the summers, then took a squatter's right on unsurveyed land. This was sold in 1897 and in 1901 Mr. Cook took his present place, which he has im- proved with good buildings, orchard and so forth.

On November 7, 1899, Mr. Cook married Miss Effie, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth ( Allen) Peasley, natives of Maine. They came to Wisconsin and thence, in 1894, to Idaho, settling in Kootenai county, where the mother still lives. The father was killed in the gold excitement at Pikes Peak. One child has been born to our subject and his estimable wife, John A. Mr. Cook is a charter member of the M. W. A. at Deep Creek.

JERRY RICHMOND. In the dual occupation of overseeing his farm and handling a general merchan- dise establishment at Naples, the subject of this arti- cle is engaged at the present time, and he has the distinction of being one of the earliest pioneers of this section and his hands have done a lion's share in opening up the country for the ingress of civilization's benefits.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 227

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