An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 42

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 42
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 42
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 42
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 42

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Charles Schwartz was born in St. Genevieve coun- tv, Missouri, on January 4, 1862, being the son of Peter and Clara (Pollitt) Schwartz, natives of Penn- sylvania and Missouri, respectively. The paternal grandfather of our subject was born in Alsace-Lor- raine and he brought his family to Missouri when Peter Schwartz was a small boy. The latter is still

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farming in Missouri. The mother of our subject was called to depart this life in August, 1874. Charles was reared in Missouri until twenty-one, gaining his edu- cation from the district schools during the winter months of his first fourteen years and then he wrought with his father until he was twenty-one. Then he spent one year in Montana, one year in Portland, and one year in the Grande Ronde valley. He then settled near Ritzville, Washington, and took a timber culture and preemption. Ten years later, in 1896, he came to the reservation and filed on his present farm of eighty acres, two miles northeast from Lenore. His brother, Anton, has a quarter section adjoining. Our subject had but little capital when he settled, the first year the cattle ate his small crop, which necessitated his working in the harvest fields to support the family. He did better the next year and he has labored on successfully until now he is one of the prosperous men of the sec- tion. This year he raised over one thousand bushels of onions, one hundred and twenty sacks of potatoes and other crops in proportion. He has good improve- ments and a fine young orchard is soon to begin bear- ing.

On October 1, 1890, Mr. Schwartz married Miss Laura, daughter of Egbert and Eliza (Cumrine) Hill, who was born in Iowa, on August 28, 1873. Her par- ents are living in Spokane retired. This wedding oc- curred in Harrington, Washington, and five children are the fruit, Charles, born February 25, 1892; Eu- gene, born September 22, 1893; Arden, born August 11, 1895: Ethel, born November 11, 1899; Mildred, born October 9, 1901. Mr. Schwartz is a stanch Democrat and an active, intelligent citizen in all mat- ters pertaining to general progress.

GEORGE W. WAYNE. In addition to operating his farm successfully, Mr. Wayne is conducting a liv- ery and feed business in Morrow, where he is doing well. He handles eighteen head of stock and has rigs in plenty while his careful treatment of customers, al- ways watching for their welfare, has given him a good trade. He is also feeding cattle and has nineteen head at present.

George W. Wayne was born in Audrain county, Missouri, on March 1, 1837, being the son of Temple and Elizabeth (Gregg) Wayne. The father was born in Virginia in 1796 and died in 1864. He was of Welsh and English extraction. Mad Anthony Wayne of Revo- lutionary fame, was a first cousin of Temple Wayne. Mr. Wayne settled in Audrain county in 1827. The mother of our subject was born in South Carolina in 1798 and died in 1865. Her mother, Jane, was born in Ireland. Our subject was educated in his native place and worked on the farm with his father until he was twenty. Then he worked on adjacent farms and in 1855 the family went to Linn county, Kansas, and our subject was there during the John Brown raid. In 1857 he returned to Missouri and continued there until 1862, when he prepared an outfit and started across the plains. At Soda springs the Indians stole

his stock and he was left with wife, one child, and only one horse. He hired cattle and came on west, but his wife died enroute. Mr. Wayne bore up bravely under these terrible afflictions and came on to Auburn, Ore- gon. His daughter grew up and married Sam Pat- terson of this county. From Auburn, Mr. Wayne went to the Grande Ronde valley and packed for eight years. Thence he went to Marion county, Oregon, and farmed for eighteen years. In 1886 he came to Latalı county, settling near Genesee, where he farmed and raised stock for seven years, then teamed for three years and in 1896 came to the reservation country. He took his present farm and since then he farmed until recently he purchased the livery, coming to town to school the children.

Mr. Wayne was married first to Martha Threlkeld, who died in 1862, leaving one child. On June 4, 1876, in Oregon, Mr. Wayne married Miss Carrie S., daugh- ter of James and Ann (Bowman) Miner, natives of Illinois. The mother is still living but the father is dead. Mrs. Wayne's maternal grandmother is still living, aged eighty-one. Mrs. Wayne was born in 1860 and has two sisters and two half brothers. Mr. Wayne has brothers and sisters as follows, Alfred, Franklin, Elizabeth, and Martha. Seven children have been born to this couple, Cordelia Hegle, James T., Will- iam W., George G., Vance Hazel, Maggie, deceased, and Birdie O. Mr. Wayne is an active Democrat. His farm is well improved and he has prospered in his labors.

CHARLES C. NEWHARD. Since Mr. New- hard is one of the sturdy men who assisted to open the reservation country, has labored, since settlement here, with wisdom and enterprise, it is fitting to grant a re- view of his career in this volume. The ranch home of the family is one mile west from Fletcher, but Mr. Newhard devotes considerable energy to railroading and is in Genesee much of the time.

On April 15, 1873. Mr. Newhard married Miss Jennie R., daughter of Hon. Joseph L. and Virginia Meek. He lived in Puyallup, Washington, for a num- ber of years, then moved to Vancouver, then to Spen- ce's Bridge, thence to Ashcroft, and later to the Okano- gan country. In July, 1896, Mr. Newhard came to his present abode and has done general farming and stock raising since. Five children have been born to this union, Courtney W., born November 1, 1877, in Puy- allup : Charles C., mentioned elsewhere in this volume ; Tennie O., born July 3, 1881, in Tacoma ; Francis V., born December 8. 1883, in Puyallup ; William H., born September 14, 1886, at Spence's Bridge, British Col- unibia.

CHRIS MATHISON. From the land whence came the discoverers of the New World hails the sub- ject of this article and June 1, 1864, was the date he was born. His parents, Mathis Hanson and Henricka Christopherson, were both natives of Norway also and the father followed railroad contracting. The mother

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died in 1895. Our subject grew to manhood, was educated and worked on the railroad in his native land. When twenty he decided to come to the United States and settled in Olmstead county, Minnesota. Four years were spent there and in that time his brother John had come from Norway and they de- cided to see the west and accordingly made their way to Seattle, Washington. Thence t they traveled to Walla Walla and worked on the Palouse branch of the Northern Pacific. He came to Nez Perces county in 1888, and settled on his present place, about three miles southwest from Morrow. Here he has remained since, except he has spent considerable time in mining in the Elk country and other camps. In 1900 Mr. Mathison went to the Klondike region and six months later returned to his home. He and his brother have also spent considerable time in steamboating on the Snake and are well experienced in the various callings of the industrial world. They now own one quarter section, having sold one recently, and they devote this to general crops and raising stock. Mr. Mathison was raised a Lutheran and in politics is a Democrat.

JOSEPH L. CRAIG. The venerable and highly esteemed gentleman of whom we now speak was a farmer and stockraiser living one half mile south from Morrow, where he had a fine estate, well supplied with buildings and all necessary improvements and in ad- dition to general farming he raised fine Shorthorn cattle and was a prosperous and leading citizen.

Joseph L. Craig was born in Virginia, on July 26, 1832, being the son of George and Mary D. (Mc- Mullin) Craig. The father was born in Virginia in 1795 and died in 1845. George Craig, grandfather of our subject, was also born in Virginia and married Kittie Kimberly. His father, the Rev. John Craig, was born in Donagan, county of Antrim, north Ire- land, and was descended from Scotch ancestry. He was a graduate of the Edinburg University and came to the United States in 1734, settling in Delaware. He was sent to Ft. Stanton, Augusta county, Virginia, by the Presbytery of Delaware and there he ministered to his flock for twenty-five years. This was the first Presbyterian church of the Virginia settlement. He was a minister of note in his day and died in 1774. The mother of our subject was born in Virginia, in April, 1803, and died in 1836. Her father was of Scotch-Irish descent. Her mother, Jane Madison, was the daughter of William and Catherine Arbuckle and was a niece of Bishop John Madison, of Vir- ginia, and of Governor George Madison, of Kentucky, and was a cousin of President Madison. William Ar- buckle was born of Scotch parents in Virginia in 1752 and was a volunteer under General Lewis, founder of Lewisburg, Virginia, in his expedition against the Ohio Indians in 1774, participating in the battle of Point Pleasant at the mouth of the Great Kanawha river. Our subject went with his parents to Callaway county, Missouri, where he grew to man- hood and was educated. When eighteen, in 1850, he

went to California and gained a thousand dollars in the gold fields in one year. Returning home, he farmed and raised stock there until 1888, when he came west and settled on his present place on July 14, 1888. He continued here until his death, displaying thrift, industry and sagacity.

On April 9, 1856, in Callaway county, Missouri, Mr. Craig married Miss Mary E., daughter of Thomas G. and Rebecca B. (Snedicor) Jones. Mr. Jones was a farmer and merchant, born in Madison county, Ken- tucky, in 1795 and died in 1846, being of English and Welsh extraction. Mrs. Jones was born in Virginia in 1799 and died in 1835, being of Scotch-Irish ex- traction. Mrs. Craig was born in Callaway county, Missouri, on August 15, 1831, was liberally educated and taught for five years. She has eight brothers and sisters, but George W. Jones, of San Francisco, is the only one living. Mr. Craig has three brothers and sisters, all deceased. The following named chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Craig: Charles Henry, a physician in Webb City, Missouri ; Jeffer- son E., deceased : Emma Julia MacKay, in Jefferson City, Missouri : Jennie Allen Miles, deceased ; Stone- wall Jackson, Idaho county; Mary Katherine Buck- ner, Jefferson City, Missouri ; Albert B., a physician in Philadelphia ; George E., principal of the public schools in Oakesdale, Washington ; Annahalana R. Davis, of Nezperce: Joseph Franklin, principal of the public schools in Burlington, Washington. W. S. Davis, the husband of Mrs. A. Davis, died in the Philippine Islands recently. He was professor of English in an educational institution in the town of Moncada. Since his decease Mrs. Davis has returned to America. Mr. Craig joined the Masonic lodge in 1856. Mrs. Craig is a member of the Christian church and her husband is a member of the Methodist church, South. Mr. Craig had been a justice of the peace for three terms and was eminently satisfactory to his constituents. He was a stanch Democrat and had been committeeman for ten years. He died at his home March 27, 1903, and his remains were laid to rest in the I. O. O. F. ceme- tery, Morrow, Idaho.

JOHN W. BILLUPS. On November 22, 1895, John W. Billups filed on his present homestead and at once went to work. He possessed a four horse team and wagon, this being the sum of his earthly wealth. The second year he marketed nine hundred bushels of wheat as seed for his neighbors. The next year he marketed two thousand bushels of wheat and five hundred of flax at Spalding, He now has his homestead supplied with a beautiful residence, large and handsome barn, plenty of out buildings, a good holding of stock and handles two or three headers and steam thresher, besides having another quarter of land adjoining. In addition to this, Mr. Billups has rented Indian land and this year, he marketed twelve thousand bushels of flax. Such a record reads like a dream, it is so wonderfully successful, but when we see the man that has executed it, the keen and pene-

JOHN W. BILLUPS.

MRS. JOHN W. BILLUPS.

WILLIAM F. JOHNSON.

MRS. WILLIAM F. JOHNSON.

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trating wisdom, the executive force, the tireless energy, it is all explained. Mr. Billups stands at the head in farming on the reservation and doubtless there is not another record to match this one in the county.

John W. Billups was born in Cabell county, West Virginia, on May 20, 1859, being the son of Richard A. and Hulda ( Moore) Billups, natives of Virginia. The family was one of the earliest pioneers of Virginia and are an honorable and strong family. The grand- father of our subject was a soldier in the Revolution. The father of John W. is a minister in the Missionary Baptist church and is still preaching in Virginia, aged seventy-six.

On March 24, 1881, Mr. Billups married Miss Rhoda C., daughter of Alanson and Charlotte (Gra- ham) Farmer, natives of Virginia. Mr. Billups' grand- father Graham fought in the war of 1812. In March, 1882, Mr. Billups went to Hancock county, Indiana, then to Hamilton county and in 1886 they went to Sumner county, Kansas, and there railroaded until 1889. Then he came to Moscow and later purchased a small farm there but in the panic he lost everything. When he heard of the reservation being opened, he came and selected his claim and the result is in evi- dence.

Mr. Billups is a member of the M. W. A. and the Yeomen, both at Nezperce. He and his wife are de- vout members of the Methodist church and are hearty supporters of the faith. Eight children have been born to this worthy couple, Mamie, wife of C. C. Mizer near Nezperce; Minnie D., born in Hamilton county, Indiana ; Lulu E. born in Sumner county, Kansas; Hulda, Clea C., Letha Murle, all born in Latah county : James O. and Jesse Carl, born at the home place. Mr. Billups has always striven for sub- stantial improvements, and is a warm supporter of progress and especially first class educational facil- ities.

On March 2, 1903, Mr. Billups sold at auction sale, implements and stock amounting to seven thou- sand dollars, rented his farm and is now enjoying the pleasures of a retired life.

WILLIAM F. JOHNSON, a man of excellent standing in the community and possessed of keen dis- crimination and business ability with integrity and honor of high degree, is the owner of one of the most valuable estates in Nez Perces county and which is handled with all the skill and energy to make it a first class twentieth century farm. This valuable estate consists of three hundred and twenty acres in section seventeen and four hundred and eighty acres in section sixteen, township thirty-three and range two, east, it being a little over one mile south of Nezperce. Mr. Johnson has a large band of hogs, plenty of other stock for the farm and is raising the cereals and other crops adapted to the climate. He has over twelve hundred fruit trees, all kinds of shrubbery and other useful plants and his farm is

provided with an elegant nine-room house, a com- modious barn and other improvements necessary.

William F. Johnson was born in Benton county, Iowa, on September 30, 1872, being the son of Stephen and Elizabeth (Hardinger ) Johnson. He grew up on a farm, received a good education from the common schools and on December 25, 1895, in his native place, Mr. Johnson married Miss Hattie, daughter of Samuel and Mary ( Tanner) Long, na- tives respectively of Pennsylvania and Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Long were married in Ohio and came to Benton county, where Mrs. Johnson was born on July 8, 1871. Her parents both died in Iowa. Mr. Johnson received from his father a team and one thousand dollars when he became of age. He at once wisely invested his money in land and farmed there until the year 1900. In that spring he came to the reservation and searched out a place which he purchased and then sold his Iowa place for thirteen thousand dollars. In the fall of 1900. the entire family came out and here Mr. Johnson has resided since. He added the other four hundred and eighty acres by purchase later. The entire farm is under cultivation. Mrs. Johnson is a member of the German Baptist church and is devout in her adher- ence to the principles and the support of this organi- zation. Three children, Galen L., Leland M., and Dwight E., have been born to bless this happy mar- riage and all of them are at home. Mr. Johnson is of exceptionally good standing in the community, is a man of intelligence and intrinsic worth and our county is to be congratulated that he came from the east and settled in our borders.

WILLIAM J. MERVYN. To accord to the leading and substantial citizens of Nez Perces county a representation in this volume of its history must necessarily include an epitome of the gentleman whose name heads this paragraph, since he is one of the leading stockmen and agriculturists of his vicinity, his farm being situated one and one-half miles south- west from Genesee, Idaho. William J. was born in county Cavan, north Ireland, on December 27, 1847, being the son of John J. and Anne (Griffith) Mervyn, natives of Ireland. The father was a merchant in the home county, and the parents remained there until their death, the mother pasing away in 1873. and the father going in 1880, their remains being buried in their native place. At eighteen years of age our subject retired from the schools and bade farewell to home and native land and sailed for Melbourne, Australia, reaching there in 1866, and for nine months engaged there in mining. After this he went to New Zealand and mined in the placer diggings for seven years, then in 1873 came to California, where he continued the same search in Plumas county for one year, then farmed in Humboldt for four years and in 1879 came to Idaho. He sought out a location and settled on a pre-emption where he now resides. He gave his at-

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tention to farming and stock raising and has been attended with abundant success, having now four hun- dred and thirty acres of excellent farm land. His place is well improved and handled with skill and thrift and the result is that large crops reward his industry.

The marriage of Mr. Mervyn and Miss Cora E. Lees, a native of Ohio, and daughter of Simeon E. and Anne Lees, was solemnized on April 26, 1884, and three children have come to gladden the home, Edith C., Elizabeth, and William. Mrs. Mervyn's father was a native of Virginia and the mother of Maryland, but they were farmers in Ohio and re- mained in that state until the time of their death, the father passing away in 1898, and the mother in 1887, both being buried in Holland, Ohio. Mr. Mervyn is a member of the Masons and of the K. of P. He affiliates with the Democratic party and takes the active interest demanded of every true citizen in the realm of politics and the affairs of the county and state, although he always declines personal prefer- ment in the way of public office. He is a man of fine ability, faithful and upright in his walk, careful and sagacious in his business matters, and a patriotic and broad minded citizen.

JACOB BLUME. Mr. Blume is one of the leading men of Nez Perces county, being one of the heavy land owners and prominent farmers, having nearly one thousand acres of land where he lives, four miles southwest from Genesee, which is fitted up into one of the finest rural homes in the county, being em- bellished with an elegant residence, good barns and orchards and all improvements that add comfort and value to an estate. He markets annually about ten thousand bushels of grain and produces much stock and fruit. Mr. Blume was born in Hanover, Ger- many, on September 25, 1831, being the son of John F. W. and Mary (Platt) Blume, natives also of Ger- many, where they remained until the time of their death:, being buried in the Kuhstedt cemetery, in Han- over province. Our subject was educated in the col- lege of his native place and at the age of fourteen years he quit school and went to work for the farm- ers : eleven years he persevered in this arduous under- taking and then bought a piece of land for himself, which he tilled until 1882, when he sold all and came to America, locating first in Logan county, Illinois. He rented a farm there for six years and then de- termined to try the west and accordingly he came to Nez Perces county, Idaho, buying a farm one mile from Genesee, which, however, he sold about two years later. Then he bought three hundred and ten acres of land where he now lives, which was partly improved, and has also added land until his is a mammoth estate of nearly one thousand acres. In addition to the general farming and fruit raising he handles a great many horses and is one of the leading stockmen as well as farmers of the county.

In 1854, in Germany, occurred the marriage of

Mr. Blume and Miss Anna, daughter of Henry and Mary (Meyer) Burfeind, natives also of Germany, where they remained until the day of their death, being buried in the cemetery at Hohenmoor. To Mr. and Mrs. Blume there have been born the following children : Henry. single, living in Jersey City, New Jersey; Mary, wife of Herman Moresheck and resid- ing in this county ; Frederick, married to Lizzie Ober- feild, and living in Jersey City, New Jersey; Mar- garet, wife of Claus Michiles and living in Logan county, Illinois : George, single and with parents. Our subject and his wife are members of the German Lu- theran church and now as the golden years of his well spent life draw on apace, Mr. Blume is enjoying the fruits of his honest and arduous toil wherein he has also manifested great wisdom and has earned the rest and competence that are his to indulge.

CHARLES C. NEWHARD, JR., is one of the younger men of stirring energy and push who are making the reservation country one of the best sec- tions in the northwest. He was born in Puyallup, Washington, on November 24, 1879, being the son of Charles C. and Jennie (Meek) Newhard, who are mentioned in this work. He is a grandson of the noted Hon. J. L. Meek. Our subject was reared in the various places of the northwest where the family re- sided and gained a good education from the common schools. He studied longer in Genesee than in any other one place. He remained with his parents in their travels and labors until May, 1901, when he came to his allotment, which is eighty acres of choice land, about one mile west from Fletcher. Here he is devoting his labor and skill to tilling the soil, raising stock and making a comfortable home for his family. Mr. Newhard is a young man of promise and stands well among the people of the community and is doing good work in building up the county.

On November 14, 1901, Mr. Newhard married Miss Alice M., daughter of John and Lucy ( McNa- mara) Howard. Mr. Howard was born in Iowa, in 1854, went to Nebraska where he followed the black- smith trade and in 1899 came to Idaho and is still engaged at his trade. His wife was born in Illinois, in 1858, and her parents, Thomas and Catherine Mc- Namara, were pioneers in that state. Mr. and Mrs. Newhard have one child, Kenneth Charles, born Octo- ber 17, 1902. Mrs. Newhard has the following named brothers and sisters: May D. Charlotte, Frank, Frederic, Earl. Clara.

JAMES F. WILLOWS. One of our capable and enterprising farmers is named at the head of this ar- ticle, and he is also one of the substantial and patri- otic citizens of Nez Perces county, being a man of marked uprightness and unswerving integrity and strength of character. James F. was born in Canada, on March 24, 1868, being the son of Thomas and

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Ellen (Farris) Willows, natives respectively of Eng- land and Canada, and now residing in Alberta, where they devote themselves to farming and stock raising. When our subject was four years of age his parents removed to Saunders county, Nebraska, where he was educated, finishing his school days at the age of sev- enteen. In 1889 he came west to Gray's harbor, Washington, and two years were spent in that sec- tion, when he came to Nez Perces county, renting six hundred acres of land on the reservation. He also bought a quarter section three miles south from Gen- esee, but he made his home on the reservation where his large farm was until the time of his marriage, which occurred on November 29, 1899, when Maud Ingle became his bride. Her parents, William A. and Malinda (Voding) Ingle, came west in 1885 and now live in this county. To our subject and his es- timable wife there has been born one child, Thomas WV. Mr. Willows has two brothers, Harvey D., mar- ried to Annie Haley, living in Northwest Territory, and John R., married to Amy Yeoman and living in Alberta, and he also has one sister, Jennett M., mar- ried to C. M. Dodson and living in Alberta, North- west Territory. In political matters, Mr. Willows al- lies himself with the Democratic party and always takes an active interest in the local matters. He is also a member of the K. of P. Lodge, No. 5, of Gen- esee, and of the I. O. O. F. Lodge No. 36, of the same town. His wife is an adherent of the Methodist church and they are among the leaders in the society of their community, being capable, and good people.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 42

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