An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 278

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 278
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 278
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 278
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 278

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JOSEPH G. ECCLES. 'A competent and ener- getic man, who knows how and does the intricate work of his responsibile position in a skillful and quiet man- ner and who has gained, because of his real worth, the approbation and esteem of all, it is fitting that he be accorded space in the history of Shoshone county.

Joseph G. Eccles was born in Lancashire, England, on February 16, 1862, being the son of William and Emily (Massey) Eccles. He came to the United States in 1879, to join his father in Lawrence, Massachusetts, who had come to this country before our subject was born. Joseph was in Massachusetts for six months and then came to Chicago, and thence to Colorado, and from that time to the present he has followed min- ing. He has operated in Arizona, California, eastern Oregon and other places, and in 1894 came to the Pierce district. He soon located a quartz claim on French creek and has made a one hundred and seventy- five foot cross cut besides running one hundred feet on the ledge. In the spring of 1895 he accepted the position of foreman of the Crescent Consolidated Min- ing Company, whose property is three miles east from Pierce. They have a five stamp mill and a shaft three hundred and seventy-five feet deep besides a thousand feet of tunneling on each of two levels. Mr. Eccles was also superintendent of the Red Rover mines at

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Ravenna, California, for five years. He was foreman of the Monumental fourteen months in the Granite district near Sumpter, Oregon.

Mr. Eccles is still enjoying the quietness of the celibatarian's life. He has one brother, John, residing in England. Mr. Eccles is a member of the A. F. & A. M., in Los Angeles, California. Politically he is allied with the Republicans and is intelligent in the questions of the day.

LEROY TUCKER. In the person of the sub- ject of this article we have before us one of the stirring and capable young business men of Kingston. His achievements have manifested his ability in the busi- ness world, and his clean and upright walk, his in- tegrity and sound principles.

Leroy Tucker was born in Blair, Nebraska, on June 8, 1874, the son of Erastus F. and Susan (Denny) Tucker. The father crossed the plains to California and in 1876 went to Oregon, settling near Prairie City. The John Day Valley was the scene of young Tucker's childhood days and after the district school was com- pleted he received a good course at the University at Salem. On account of ill health, however, he was un- able to remain until graduation ; from there he came to Kingston and soon filed on a homestead two and a half miles from town, which he has improved in a wonder- ful manner ; in addition to this he is in partnership with his brother-in-law, Robert W. Hunt, and together they do a large business in handling mining timber. Mr. Tucker is a member of the M. W. A. and in political matters he reserves for his own decision all the ques- tions of the day ; consequently he is independent.

EDWARD G. STONEBREAKER is well known in Kellogg, where he is operating a cigar store and billiard hall, having recently purchased the same from Price Brothers. Mr. Stonebreaker is also one of the blacksmiths at the Bunker Hill mill at Kellogg and while his days are given to his work he spends the evenings in attending to his business, which is operated in the day by his clerk. Soon Mr. Stonebreaker in- tends to resign the industrial labor and devote his en- tire attention to his store.

Edward G. Stonebreaker was born in Iowa, on No- vember 30, 1859, the son of Sebastian and Mary J. (Snyder) Stonebreaker. The father was born in Indi- ana and died in Kansas in 1897, aged fifty-three. He was a farmer and came from German ancestry. The mother of our subject was born in Kentucky of German extraction and died in 1883, aged forty-five. Our sub- ject was raised in Kansas, educated there and there learned the blacksmith trade. When twenty he stepped forth from the paternal roof and worked in various parts of the state until 1891, when he came to Seattle and opened a general shop, which he conducted with success for three and one-half years. Then he came to Farmington. Washington, where he operated a

shop for six years. In 1900 Mr. Stonebreaker came to Kellogg and took his present position in the mill. On January 1, 1903, he purchased his cigar store and is doing a good business. Mr. Stonebreaker has two brothers and two sisters: Squire F., Elsie C., Emma Minnear, Hattie Corren.

At Washington, Kansas, Mr. Stonebreaker married Miss Artie M., daughter of Jacob and Nancy Starcher. She has two brothers and one sister: Lafayette, Jacob, Anna Grow. They have one adopted child, Oxcil Westbery, now twenty-four years old. Mr. Stone- breaker is a member of the 1. O. O. F., of the W. W. and of the Industrial Union. He is a stanch Republi- can and takes the part of the intelligent citizen in po- litical matters and is a good substantial man.

FRED ROOS, JR., is a westener by birth as well as in his sterling pioneer qualities. He was born in Latah county, near Palouse, on February 4. 1876. be- ing the son of Ferdinand and Katherine ( Young) Roos, natives of Germany and now residing in Lewis- ton. The father resided in England for many years and then came to the United States when fifteen, and was alone on the trip. He was in California in early days and in Idaho as early as 1870. He is a noted violinist and has a first-class reputation as a musician. Our subject was raised on a farm near Palouse and later went to Lewiston, the family moving there. He labored with his father for years, studied in the graded school at Lewiston and in Vashon college and in April. 1901, he came to Pierce. He soon bought an interest with Mr. Gisel and they now do a saloon business under the name of Gisel & Roos. Mr. Roos is a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F., the Rebekahs, and Maccabees.

Mr. Roos married Miss Martha E., daughter of Christopher and Nora Held, and a native of Clinton, Iowa, on April 10, 1901.

ROBERT W. HUNT is one of the leading young men of Kingston : his property holdings indicate a wisdom, thrift and enterprise that have always charac- terized him and which have brought their sure and gratifying results. He was born in Colfax county. Nebraska. on February 6, 1880, the son of Themas W. and Jeanete B. ( Buchanan) Hunt, mentioned in this volume elsewhere. Robert W. was educated in his native place and in Hyde county, South Dakota ; he came to Kingston with the balance of the family and in due time began operations for himself, his first venture was to lease a quarter section from John Whitehead, which land he is still cultivating and in- tends soon to purchase. He has reaped good returns for his labor on this land and in addition to handling that, he has taken a quarter section of government land near by, which he is improving. Mr. Hunt is also contracting mining timber and does a large busi- ness in this line.

On August 4. 1901, at his father's home in kings-

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ton, Robert W. Hunt married Miss Mary E., daughter of Erastus F. and Susan (Denny) Tucker, natives of Indiana, and now residing in Salem. Mrs. Hunt was born in eastern Oregon on January 27, 1883; her parents had come to Prairie City across the plains in early days and she spent her childhood days at her native place and at Salem, Oregon, where she received a fine education. She has four brothers and three sis- · ters : Leroy, Frederick, Edwin, Harry, Rodence Law- rence, Hetty, Annie Perry, who died in 1894, aged twenty-two. Mr. Hunt is a member of the M. W. A. He and his wife are popular members of society and of excellent standing in the community.

FRANK S. SMITH, who has a comfortable and cosy home on the Main street of Kingston, is one of the bright and energetic young men who have wrought well since coming to this country ; he gives his. atten- tion entirely to river work, doing both hoating and driving logs. Frank S. Smith was born in Sheboygan, Michigan, on July 20, 1876, the son of Frank and Elizabeth (Page) Smith, mentioned elsewhere in this volume; he came to Kingston with the balance of the family in 1885, and has since remained here.

On September 28, 1809, at Kingston, Mr. Smith married Miss Nora M., daughter of Thomas and Jeanette B. (Buchanan) Hunt, also mentioned in this work. Mrs. Smith was born in Nebraska on January 28, 1879; two children have been born to this union, Lester E., aged three, Lloyd Clinton, born May 16, 1903. Mr. Smith is a member of the M. W. A. and is one of the popular young men of this section ; he has manifested industry and close attention to business, which have given him the esteem of the community and a goodly holding of property.

JOHN M. ELLIOTT. This genial and affable gentleman, who is now deputy sheriff of the Wardner district, has for a long time been in business in Ward- ner and is one of the prominent and substantial men. there, while in political matters, although he has never sought preferment, still he has been placed in various offices of responsibility by the call of the people, always running ahead of his ticket.

John M. Elliott was born in Franklin county, Illi- mois, on April 24, 1870, the son of John and Matilda E. (Baldwin) Elliott, natives respectively of Gibson county and Vincennes, Indiana. The father died in 1881, aged fifty-four and the mother passed away in 1899, both at Dayton, Washington. Mr. Elliott served four years, five months and ten days in Company E, Twenty-fourth Indiana Infantry. He was wounded twice in the battle of Shiloh and languished seven weeks in the hospital. Later he suffered the horrors of death in Libby prison for four months and only his exchange saved his life. He was in the battle of Gettysburg as also in many other prominent engage- ments, in fact he was in active service all the time of

his enlistment, except the time of hospital and prison incarceration. His company, E, was the first one of Indiana to respond to the call at the commencement of the war. He finally died from disability received in the war. Our subject was reared in Dayton, whither his parents had come when he was nine. He graduated from the high school there when twenty and went to Seattle and engaged in the restaurant business. Two years later he was following the same in Yakima and in 1894 he sold and went to Lewiston. Later we see him in Pullman in charge of the Union hotel and on September 12, 1895, Mr. Elliott came to Wardner and for eleven months he was steward of Page's hotel. Then Mr. Elliott opened a restaurant and lodging house and for years this was one of the popular places of Wardner, under his charge. In May, 1901, he sold this business to his wife's sister, retaining ownership of the building and the same is conducted with a good patronage today. In 1901, Mr. Elliott was nominated on the Democratic ticket for county commissioner without the asking and he ran far ahead of his ticket, and served his time as chairman of the board. At the last election he did not allow his name to be presented but was appointed deputy sheriff for this district. He is a popular and efficient officer and has the confidence of the people. Mr. Elliott has three brothers : Perry O., Arthur and Luther S.

On February 8, 1893, Mr. Elliott married Miss Julia E. Anson at Moscow. She is a native of Norway and she has one sister, Mrs. Martha Johnson. Two children have been born to this union : Mildred and John M., Jr. Mr. Elliott is a member of the K. of P., being past C. C. and delegate to the grand lodge last year. He is also a member of the A. O. U. W. and was delegate to the last grand lodge; of the W. W., of the Red Men, of the Eagles, of the United Moderns and is grand organizer for this jurisdiction. Mr. Elliott is also an active member of the volunteer fire department. Mrs. Elliott is a member of the United Moderns, of the Daughters of Pocahontas, of the auxiliary of the Maccabees, and of the auxiliary of the A. O. U. W.

JACOB GISEL was born on September 29, 1862, in Schafhausen, Switzerland, being the son of Jacob and Elizabeth ( Myer) Gisel, natives of Switzerland. The father lives in the old home place, aged seventy- three. He has always been a farmer and is a prominent man. The mother died when our subject was three years old. Jacob remained at home and grew up on a farm, gaining his education from the common schools, and in 1883 he made his way to the United States. He lived in Iowa for four years, engaged in farm work. Then came a trip to California and he continued in farm work there until 1893, when he journeyed on to Portland and spent fourteen months there in saloon work. It was in 1894 that he found his way to Pierce and at once delved into prospecting. This continued for some time and then Mr. Gisel started a saloon in partnership with Sam Bloyer, an old time prospector of this section. Soon Mr. Gisel bought out his partner

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and continued his business alone. Recently Mr. Gisel sold half interest in the business to Fred Roos, Jr., mention of whom is made in another portion of this work. Mr. Gisel has had some interest in mining, but of late he has devoted himself entirely to his business. He has four step-brothers in Switzerland and one sis- ter, Louise, in North Dakota. Mr. Gisel has never left the joys of bachelordom for the uncertain seas of matri- mony. He is a strong Republican.

FRANK SMITH is one of the capable and suc- cessful men of Kingston. He has one of the best residences there and in addition to doing general farm- ing he handles a great many timbers and does contract- ing. Frank Smith was born February 5. 1851, in Maine, the son of David and Margerite (Littlefield) Smith, natives of Maine and now living at Kingston. Frank spent the first fifteen years of his life in Maine, then went to Michigan, where he remained until 1894. That was the year of his advent to this country. His family had all preceded him, but when he arrived he found them all busy freighting by boat on the Coeur d' Alene river. They received as high as fifteen cents per pound for transporting freight on that river. Many of their boats were large and propelled by poling. In 1887 Mr. Smith filed on one hundred and sixty acres adjoining the townsite, and he now has seventy acres of rich bottom land under cultivation.

On November 30, 1873, occurred the marriage of Mr. Frank Smith and Miss Elizabeth, a native of Kingsville, Ontario, and a daughter of Charles and Margeret (Smith) Page, natives of Canada, now living in Cheboygan, Michigan, where this wedding occurred. Ten children have been born of this marriage: Ivory L., lumberman at Springfield, Oregon; Frank S., lumberman; T. Kingston; Roy A., miner in Alaska ; David M., Charles L., Sidney, Calvin, Chester, at home: Ina P., wife of A. McGillivray, a farmer of Kingston. Mr. Smith is a Republican ; he has four brothers : Edwin, Walter A., Abraham L., Charles, and six sisters : Laurana Holland, Lewella Overton, Phebe Sharp, Laura Gaffney, Nellie Stean, Grace Wiley. Mrs. Smith has three brothers: Walter Gray, Elanen- der, Alva R., and three sisters : Mary Littlefield. Mag- gie DeFraine, and Martha Godfrey.

CHARLES H. WENTZ. one of the prominent business men of Wardner, being at present assistant cashier of the Weber bank, is a potent factor not only in the business world, but also in the political arena, has won signal victories and his standing in the social realm is of the very best. Mr. Wentz is a man of marked capabilities, has always manifested sterling worth and integrity and is well fitted to hold the promi- nent place which he occupies at this time.

Charles H. Wentz was born in Canal Dover, Ohio, on July 27, 1870, the son of Valentine and Elizabeth (Weber) Wentz. The father was born in Germany,

came to the United States with his parents when small, and learned the millwright trade and later embarked in the manufacture of fire brick. He is now a retired capitalist, The mother was born in Canal Dover and is still living there. Our subject went through the public schools in Canal Dover. and then graduated from the Union college at Alliance, Ohio, in 1887. Following this Mr. Wentz occupied the bookkeeper's chair for the Wible Enck Company, of Canal Dover, then held the position of assistant post- master for two years. From 1889 to 1890 he was as- sistant cashier of the First National Bank in his native town and in 1897 he came to Wardner and accepted his present position. The Weber brothers are uncles of Mr. Wentz. Since coming here Mr. Wentz has shown a marked interest in the upbuilding of the town, and has warmly supported all measures of general good. He is a man of public spirit and enterprise and to show the appreciation in which he is held, we note that when his name was mentioned for justice of the peace, three hundred and eighty-five votes out of five hundred were quickly cast for him. He has held this important office here for several terms and he is also a notary public. Mr. Wentz is a stanch Republican and his sagacity is timely in the councils of his party. Mr. Wentz is treasurer of the Kellogg Power and Water Company and owns one-third of the stock and he is also interested in several mining propositions of merit. He is a member of the German Lutheran church and still enjoys the quietude of the celibatarian and the charms of that life.

LOUIS C. ROBERTS is one of the best posted men in the mountain regions of Idaho, and is one of the best guides for these regions to be found in the central part of the state. He is a typical frontiersman, being a man of few words, reliable, keen, courageous and withal possessed of excellent practical judgment and a boundless store of information relative to these districts and the business of prospecting and guiding.

Louis C. Roberts was born in Pike county, Illinois, on November 9, 1856, being the son of Lewis and Lydia ( Doak) Roberts. The father was born in Pike coun- ty, Illinois, and was of English extraction. He died when Louis was one year old, aged thirty-six. The mother was a native of Virginia and her parents were of Irish extraction. She died in 1863. aged thirty- nine. Our subject was reared by his legal guardian and uncle, James Roberts. He received a good dis- trict schooling and at the age of seventeen began to work out. In 1877 he came to California, thence to Oregon and eighteen months later to Palouse, where he resided for thirteen years. He took a claim there and sold it later and in 1892 he came to the Pierce dis- trict, and has raised cattle and mined here since that time. He recently purchased a farm of eighty acres near Fraser, where the family reside. Mr. Roberts is at the placer property, five miles north from Pierce, which he owns with some eastern parties. They have eight hundred acres and are buying more. He also

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had a goodly interest in a property that sold for twenty thousand dollars recently. Mr. Roberts is a reliable and skilled miner of practicability and also is an ex- cellent guide in the mountains, having done much of that work.

Mr. Roberts has one brother and one sister, the former is in Garland, Oklahoma, being a cattle man and postmaster ; his sister is Mary Hamner, and her husband was probate judge in Council Grove, Kansas.

At Palouse on August 20, 1882, Mr. Roberts mar- ried Miss Fanny Anderson, whose father died when she was young and her mother married Andrew Galau, a blacksmith and cabinet maker in Palouse. Mrs. Roberts was born in Kansas in 1865, and her brothers, Alexander and John, are near Palouse. Five children have been born to this household: Laura, Louis, Lil- lan, John and Frank. Mr. Roberts is a Democrat. Mrs. Roberts was formerly a school teacher and was county superintendent of Clearwater county until it was discontinued. Mr. Roberts has done much for the advancement of this district and is a faithful and wise worker in the realms where he is operating. Mr. Roberts and a partner from Detroit, Michigan, bought the Russell Shells Falls placer and are doing develop- ment work on it.

THOMAS C. THOMAS is one of the thrifty, intelligent and progressive miners of Wardner, a man of excellent standing and influential in political circles. He was born in Wales, December 25, 1854, the son of Even and Sarah Thomas, natives of Wales. The father was killed in a mine in Wales in 1866 and the mother died in Wales in 1897, aged ninety-four. The parents came to the United States a few years before our subject was born but soon returned to their na- tive land. He was educated in a private school and also took a fine mining course and remained in Wales until 1879, having spent the last six years as foreman in the coal mines. He settled in Iowa and spent five years in the coal mines there and since that time he has continued uninterruptedly in this same capacity, having been foreman and shift boss in many mines in Iowa, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. While in Oregon, Mr. Thomas bought a farm near Oregon City, which he is now renting. He has one brother and two sisters: James, Jane Evans, Mary Perry. Mr. Thomas is now engaged in the Empire State mine.

On September 27, 1875, Mr. Thomas married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Richard and Sarah Humphreys, now living in England, where the wedding occurred. Mr. Humphreys is a preacher in the Congregational church and has occupied one pulpit for thirty-three years. Mrs. Thomas has one brother and three sis- ters: Richard, Sarah Jenkins, Mary Rees, Hannah Hughes, all in Wales. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas: Sarah, widow of George M. Freeman, with her parents; Evan R., a blacksmith in Wardner ; Thomas J., and David H., at home. Mr. Thomas is a member of the I. O. Q. F., Newcastle,

Washington, Lodge No. 8, being past noble grand; of the Encampment, being past high priest and patri- arch; of the A. O. U. W .; of the Order of Pendo; and in all these orders he has filled the various chairs. Mr. Thomas is an active Republican and has been a delegate to the conventions of the county and also the last state convention. Mr. Thomas owns the family residence and considerable other city property. Mrs. Thomas is a member of the K. O. T. M. They are highly respected people and loyal and patriotic citi- zens.

CHARLES D. HUNT was born in Washington county, Nebraska, on September 28, 1873, the son of Thomas W. and Jeanette B. (Buchanan) Hunt, is now one of the prosperous farmers of the vicinity of Kingston. His parents are mentioned in another por- tion of this work and he partook in their travels until they all landed in this section. Charles D. was edu- cated in Nebraska, Colfax county, and also in South Dakota. He was one of the ten children who came across the plains with their parents driving eleven l:ead of horses. He has continued here since and has a good body of land.

On May 24, 1896, Mr. Hunt married Miss Frances, daughter of Frank and Mona (Bedell) Martin, the wedding occurring in Kingston. Mrs. Hunt was born in Lafayette county, Oregon, on October 10, 1880. Her father was born in Pennsylvania and came to Oregon across the plains with his parents in 1858. Settlement was made in the Willamette valley and in 1881 he came to northern Idaho and also participated in the gold rush in 1883-4. The mother of Mrs. Hunt was born in Missouri and crossed the plains in an early day, coming in over the old Mullan road. She drove a four-horse team. She was married in Seattle, where her father was engaged in lumbering. Her mother died in Rathdrum on May 24, 1886. Mrs. Hunt has one sister, Leo Williamson. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, Alfonso C., Tracy C., Thomas W., Jeanette A. Mr. Hunt is a member of the M. W. A. He and his wife are among the leading young people of their section and are of excellent standing.

THOMAS W. HUNT is one of the heaviest land owners in the county of Shoshone and he is one of the men whose endeavors have been rewarded by a good success. In addition to doing farming he also handles mining timbers. He was born in Tompkins county, New York, on July 14, 1846, the son of David and Mila Ann (Robinson) Hunt, natives of New York. The father made a fortune from oil at Bradford, Pennsylvania, and then retired from active business. His father was a prominent business man of Elmira, New York, and handled the largest tannery in the section. The grandfather, being the great-grandfather of our subject, was governor of New York state. David Hunt died in 1892, aged seventy-two. The mother of Thomas died when he was one year old.

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He was raised and educated in Bradford, Pennsyl- vania, and vicinity, and in 1862 he enlisted in Com- pany D, One Hundred and Forty-ninth New York Infantry, Captain John Gaffney, and Colonel H. A. Barnum. Mr. Hunt participated in eighteen of the leading battles of the war, and his regiment went in with nine hundred and eiglity-nine and was mus- tered out with one hundred and sixty. Among his battles may be mentioned Lookout Mountain, Gettys- burg, Chancellorsville. Mr. Hunt was slightly wound- ed once. In 1866 he went to Montana and freighted and three years later went to Iowa and settled in Osage. Then came a journey to Omaha, with ox teams, the date being 1872. The next year he went to Colfax county, Nebraska, and took a homestead. In 1887 he went to Hyde county, South Dakota, and farmed unsuccessfully. In the spring of 1890, Mr. Hunt with his wife and ten children came across the country to his present location. He owns four hun- dred and seventy-two acres of good land, and has one hundred and fifty cultivated. One son has two hundred and forty adjoining, and another son has two hundred aeres. Mr. Hunt does general farming suc- cessfully, and is prospered. He has two brothers, John H., Charles H., and one sister, Emma Huff.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 278

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