An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 47

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 47
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 47
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 47
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 47

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his brother-in-law, G. L. Briggs, whose interest he pur- chased last year. Since its start the business has been pushed with a vigor and wisdom that have brought success and Mr. McIntyre is gaining a patronage and prestige that are truly enviable. Our subject has the following brothers and sisters: John, residing in Iowa: James, a teacher and preacher ; Perry, at Lap- wai ; Robert, a railroad man, in Council Bluffs, Iowa ; Ann, wife of George W. Wasson, a farmer in Iowa; Margaret, wife of John Stahl, a farmer in Iowa; Ellen, wife of Mr. Wyman, in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

On July 21, 1880, in Greley county, Nebraska, Mr. McIntyre married Elizabeth, daughter of William and Zillah ( Swenk) Hayter. The father was a preacher in the United Brethren church and died on July 23, 1889. The mother lives in Blackfoot, Idaho. Mrs. McIntyre was born in Poweshiek county, Iowa, on March 4, 1858. She has two brothers and three sisters, John and Wallace, in Blackfoot, Idaho, farming ; Mary, wife of Perry McIntyre : Susan, wife of Alonzo Lewis, in Idaho; Viola, wife of John S. Briggs, in Oregon. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McIntyre, Thomas and Gladys. Our subject and his wife are both members of the Methodist church, South. Politically, Mr. McIntyre is a Prohibitionist and is always allied on the side of sound principles and progress in the substantial interests of the country.

ALVA BOYER. Among the industrious and well prospered farmers of the reservation country, whose labors have made this wild region to blossom as the rose, we are constrained to mention the upright, genial, and substantial gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph.

Alva Boyer was born in Oregon, on July 22, 1867, being the son of Lloyd and Sarah ( Pinkerton) Boyer, natives of Missouri, born January 15, 1840, and July 18, 1844, respectively. They were married September 27, 1860. The father crossed the plains in 1859 and died in 1870. The mother died in 1873. She had two brothers. Henry and William, large land owners near Athena, Oregon. Alva went to live with his uncle, William Pinkerton, after the death of his parents and remained in the vicinity of Athena until he was twenty-one. securing a good education from the dis- trict schools and a fine training in farming and stock raising.

He entered the employ of others until the year 1897, and then he came to the reservation and purchased the relinquishment of his present place, four miles west from Gifford. To the improvement and subjugation of this land he has devoted his time and energies since, with the gratifying result that he has a good farm which produces abundant crops of the cereals, flax and fruits and sustains considerable stock. Mr. Bover has two brothers, Henry, living on a farm near Summit, Idaho; William, in Adams, Oregon ; two sisters, Angie, wife of Eugene Richardson ; Mary, wife of James Johnson, whose brother, Burr Johnson, is a large stockman of Pendleton.

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

On June 21. 1891, Mr. Boyer married Miss Cora, daughter of Elijah V. and Sarelia ( Wheeler) Cun- ningham. natives of Missouri and Polk county, Oregon. The father crossed the plains in the 'sixties ; he and his brothers served in the Civil war. Mr. and - Mrs. Cunningham now reside in Whitman county. Mrs. Boyer was born in Independence, Oregon, on July 9, 1871, and has two brothers and three sisters, Arthur, in the Buffalo Hump country ; Macy, with his parents near Albion : Opal and Stella, single ; Bertha, wife of Bert Rice, near Albion, Washington. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Boyer, Veta and Lloyd. Mr. Boyer is a Populist in politics.

ELRA L. SPIVY. An industrious and highly respected farmer and citizen, a man of integrity and worth of character, and who has manifested it in his commendable walk among his fellows, it is with pleasure that we accord representation to the subject of this article.

Elra L .. Spivy was born in Adair county, Missouri, on March 15. 1865. Especial mention is made of his father elsewhere in this volume. When five months old, the parents crossed the plains and settled in Ore- gon, where Elra was educated and where he worked until eighteen. when he stepped forth for himself and removed to Whitman county, where he took land near Palouse and for five years devoted himself to its culture. Later he spent six years in the Big Bend raising horses and cattle, whence he came to the reser- vation when it opened. He owned then nineteen head of horses and with this capital he started in. His land is located three miles east from Myrtle and is well im- proved and he also raises some stock.

On August 7, 1900, Mr. Spivy married Miss Elsie, daughter of William V. and Mary ( Kenoyer) Mar- latt. She was born in Columbia county, Washington, on November 6, 1879, and she has the following brothers and sisters : Thomas, a stockman in Oregon ; Milton M., near Walla Walla; William, on the reser- vation : Edward D., also on the reservation; Nancy M., wife of William Catron, in the Grande Ronde, Oregon; Elia, wife of Jackson Hull, in Whitman county, Washington ; Florence, wife of Frank Brown, manager of Jumbo mine, in the Buffalo Hump country.

JERRY WEBBER comes from a strong and prominent family and his record compares favorably with that of his worthy ancestors and will make very interesting additions to the volume of the county history.

Jerry Webber was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on August 2, 1858, being the son of Jeremiah and Anna J. (Arbuckle) Webber. The father was born in Pitts- burg, Pennsylvania, and has been a steamboat captain on the Mississippi all his life and still continues to run the river. The mother was born in East Liverpool, Ohio, in 1830, of Welsh ancestry and her father is

aged ninety-eight and her mother ninety-seven. Our subject departed from the parental roof when he was ten years old and found employment as clerk in a grocery store. A year or so later, he went as pilot on the Wisconsin river, being also watchman. Then he went with the Hudson Bay Company as pilot on the Saskatchewan river for eight years. Then came the Reil Rebellion for services in which he owns a medal from the Canadian government. After this he went to the Nile for the English government to the relief of General Gordon under Woolesley. For his excellent service in this expedition, Mr. Webber bears a silver medal and a bronze cross from the Khedive of Egypt. These trophies of merit and excellent ser- vice should cause a pardonable pride and they speak great things of Mr. Webber's faithfulness, his ability, and his conrage, having been given from governments in widely different sections. He served on a steamer for a time and then returned to St. Paul, where he took the position of mail carrier, about eight years, after which he builded bridges, then came to Buffalo Hump and mined. In 1898. Mr. Webber entered the Spanish war and soon rose from private to regimental quartermaster, serving in that capacity for nine months. 1899, he came to Idaho and took a claim on the Salmon river six miles south from Morrow. Mr. Webber has five sisters, Phoebe Henderson, Sarah Hines, Lavina Cassity, Deborah Ella, Ida May Upham. Mr. Webber is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the Knights of Malta. Politically he is a Republican and takes up the campaigns with a zest. His paternal grandfather was in the war of 1812 and also the Mexican war and lived to be one hundred and one years old. He built the arsenal at Allegheny, Penn- sylvania, in the 'forties. Mr. Webber had five uncles in the Civil war and three of them gave their lives for their country.

MASON MORRIS. This enterprising and pro- gressive agriculturist and leading citizen of the vicinity of Summit, is a man of strong character, well re- spected by his neighbors, a keen business man, a pro- moter of good schools and a patriotic man, public spirited and intelligent.

Mason Morris was born in Daviess county, Missouri, on September 5. 1847. being the son of John and Edith (Johnson) Morris, natives of Ken- tucky, and born June 17, 1809 and 1811, respectively. The mother died in 1867 and the father died in April 1887. He was a prominent farmer and pioneer of Iowa and Ohio. Mason was taken to Texas when one old and there remained until nineteen. In 1867, he came with his sister's family to the vicinity of Waits- burg, Washington and then he worked at teaming and farming for a time and sold his railroad land and went to Dayton. There he operated a milk wagon for a time, then bought a farm and he sold and bought several times until 1884. when he removed to the vicinity of Kendrick and bought land. Here he re- sided until 1894. when he removed to the reservation

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

and rented land. When it opened, he took his pres- ent place, three miles northwest from Summit. He had little capital but has done exceedingly well since then. He produced as high as twenty-seven bushels of flax to the acre this year. Mr. Morris had one brother, Robinson, deceased. He has four sisters dead and one, Mary E., wife of Washington B. Smith, living in Washington.

On December 14. 1871, Mr. Morris married Miss Elizabeth M., daughter of Sanford and Margaret M. ( Buchanan) Bramlett. The wedding occurred at Mr. Bramlett's home. To this marriage there have been born the following children: Charles E., a merchant at Myrtle : Earnest F., Elmer F., Clarence N., John S., Robert M., Dora F., all at home; Ida C., wife of Noalı Bechtel. near Summit. Mrs. Morris was born in Ohion county, Tennessee, on December 21, 1848. Her father lives three miles northwest from Summit and is raising stock. Her mother died January 4, 1900. She has the following brothers and sisters : Thomas .N., Vandelia, Louise J., Samuel, Laura L., John S., Martha F., Dora A. and Charles A. Mr. Morris is a man of progressive ideas and has put in- to execution good energy and wisdom in the care of his business enterprises.

MINOR SPIVY is one of the esteemed pioneers of the northwest, having assisted to open up a number of different sections since his first advent to the coast country in 1865. He was born in Giles county, Ten- nessee. on August 26. 1836, being the son of Will- iam and Lucy Spivy. The father was a native of Tennessee and died aged thirty-eight. His father was born in Ireland and his mother in Germany. The mother of our subject was born in Tennessee and her parents were natives of North Carolina. She died six days after her husband's death. Both deaths resulted from exposure while traveling to Missouri. Our sub- ject was raised by his uncle, John Wilks, in Randolph county, Missouri. and his education was gained from the district schools. At the age of fifteen he worked out and when twenty-eight he, with his wife and child, crossed the plains with ox teams. He settled in Lane county, later removing to Douglas county, where he did well raising hogs. In 1879, he settled near Palouse, on lieu land and there farmed until Novem- ber, 1897, the month of his arrival and also the time of his departure. He filed on his present place, just southeast from Myrtle, and since that time has devoted himself to its cultivation and improvement. Mr. Spivy has one brother. William, residing in Fresno, California, who owned land in the city limits which he sold at two hundred and fifty dollars per acre and thus became wealthy. Mr. Spivy has one sister, Lucy, widow of Milton Bozarth.

On February 22, 1864, Mr. Spivy married Miss Ellen, daughter of Washington and Mary {Jones) Parker, natives of Missouri, but pioneers to Lane county, Oregon. Mrs. Spivy died, aged twenty, when they were crossing the plains and were twelve miles

out from Boise. On October 24, 1865, Mr. Spivy married Miss Jemima McDonald, at Garfield, Wash- ington. She was born in Kentucky in 1856, her parents being natives of Germany. By the first wife, one child was born, Elra, mention of whom is made in this work. The fruit of the second marriage is one son, William A., a specially bright and promising youth. Mr. Spivy served in the Confederate army under Price, participating in the battles of Lexington, Pea Ridge and others. He was finally discharged for the purpose of taking care of a very sick brother. Mr. Spivy is a Democrat and a highly respected citizen.

NOBLE HENRY. Daniel Boone has a counter- part in the subject of this article. A noted trapper, a skillful hunter, a doughty pioneer, a veritable leader of frontiersmen, it is eminently fitting to grant space in the history of Nez Perces county to Noble Henry. He was born in Indiana, on October 8, 1838, the son oi Joseph and Ellen ( Fisher) Henry. The father died on December 15. 1892, aged seventy-eight. He built the first house in the Grande Ronde valley, in 1860, and was a pioneer in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Mon- tana, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. He was a native of Ohio and died on the reservation. The mother of our subject was also a native of Ohio and her parents were Pennsylvania Dutch. Noble acquired little schooling in Michigan, but has spent much time in careful research since, and is a well informed man. When nine, he settled with his father in Iowa, seventy- five miles from neighbors. Later they went to the various states mentioned above and in 1860, came to Grande Ronde valley and both took claims. Our sub- ject held the land where Union now stands and sold his relinquishment for seventy dollars. In 1861, he commenced packing and in this line he was exception- ally skillful. He packed out of Lewiston for eighteen years, having a train of nearly one hundred animals, handling nineteen thousand pounds. Lewiston was a great shipping point in those days and Mr. Henry was one of the best known transporters of freight in the entire country. In the 'seventies he settled in Asotin county, Washington, and commenced to raise stock. There he remained until 1899, when he came to the reservation and settled on his allotment, the entire acreage of his family being nearly one thousand. Mr. Henry has the following brothers and sisters: Frank, in the Okanogan country. Washington: Joseph, in Stockton. California : Lorenzo, residing near Lapwai; Lorin G .. in U'mitilla county, Oregon ; Marinda, wife of James Allen, on the John Day; Eliza, wife of Mr. Brintner, at Mason City, Iowa; Mary, wife of Mr. Black, in Iowa: Sarah, wife of Robert Sutton, in Okanogan county, Washington.

In 1868, Mr. Henry married Tanacama, a Nez Perces Indian woman. Her parents died when she was very young and she was raised by a sister. She is a sister of old chief Jonah, now living on the reser- vation, aged seventy-five. Mrs. Henry has one sister, Mealets, wife of J. Maxwell, who deserted her recently.

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

To Mr. and Mrs. Henry there have been born nine children : Mary A., wife of Frank Broncho; Louisa, wife of Edwin Broncho; Jane, wife of William Smith, all living on their allotments in the reservation ; Joseph, aged twenty-two, who is master of the carpen- ter, shoemaker and baker trades; John, aged twenty, a blacksmith and engineer; Benjamin, aged seventeen, a shoemaker; Frank, aged fourteen, and Lorin aged nine, both attending the Indian school. The sons of Mr. Henry are all notable musicians and are members of the band. In fact, they have displayed great skill and talent in this line and it is to be hoped that they may seek training further to develope the latent ability.

PHILIP R. KIRBY. It is with especial pleasure that we are enabled to review the career of Mr. Kirby, both because he has done commendable work in de- veloping the reservation country and also because he is one of the pioneers of the northwest and comes from one of the pioneer families.

Philip R. Kirby was born in Brown county, Min- nesota, on September 8, 1866, being the son of Philip and Sarah M. ( Back) Kirby. The father was born in Ohio on February II, 1830, and his parents were born in Middletown, Connecticut, and for six or more generations back, the Kirbys were a stanch and promi- nent family there, having taken part in the arduous labors of opening the land for the early colonies. They also furnished many brave soldiers for the wars of the Revolution and of 1812, while also many noted officers came from this family in these and the Indian wars. The father of our subject came to Michigan when a small boy, and he has been on the frontier all his life. He now lives in Vineland, near Lewiston. The mother of our subject was born in Vermont and died on January 13, 1896, aged fifty-nine. Her de- mise occurred near Wilbur, Washington. She came from an old and prominent New England family. In 1872, our subject came with his father to the land where Spokane now stands. The father built the third log cabin on the site of that now flourishing city and was identified with the opening of the country and in building it up. He was well known about Spokane and his labors did very much to assist in starting the thriving city that is now the pride of the northwest. He took land on what is known as Moran prairie, hauled the first fruit trees from Colfax and planted the first orchard in the whole section, thus benefitting in an untold manner the whole country by introducing fruit growing. Philip R. drove the second milk wagon that ever started in Spokane, and he attended the first school taught in the village. Mr. Havermale, a well known Methodist preacher now living in Spokane, taught the school. Thus has Mr. Kirby and his father been connected with the inception of civiliza- tion's salutary institutions in the most notable sections of the northwest and he is today still in the chariot of progress and his labors in the reservation portion of Nez Perces county are worthy and skillful. When 'he was twentw-two, he went into partnership with his

father and brother and they embarked in the stock business in what is known as the Big Bend country. There, also. they did much to open up the country. Twice, on account of hard winters, they were swept clean of all stock, but they stuck to the enterprise and finally made a success of it. In 1898, our subject re- moved to the reservation and bought a relinquishment, which he sold later and made a tour of northwestern Canada in quest of land, but finding nothing suitable, he returned to the reservation country and bought his present place, one and one-half miles northwest from Dublin. He has a good ranch and raises oats and timothy principally. Mr. Kirby has one brother, Eugene, a farmer near Ilo. He has five sisters, Isabel, wife of Thomas Newlan, a fruit raiser, five miles southeast from Spokane; Blanch, wife of William Hilby, a farmer eight miles southeast from Spokane; Sarah, wife of P. T. Lewis, a farmer at Ferdinand, Idaho county; Mary, wife of George Capps, a farmer near Reardan, Washington ; Abigil, single and living near Spokane. Mr. Kirby has never seen fit to re- linquish the pleasant retreat and quiet joys of the bachelor for the seas of matrimony.

By way of reminiscence we remark that his father was in the Civil war, serving in the eleventh Minnesota Volunteers, and also fought in the bloody Sioux Indian war.

JOHN THAIN. A prosperous farmer, an up- right man, a loyal citizen and a good friend and neigh- bor, such is the subject of this article, who has done a goodly share in the development work on the reser- vation and is a man of sound principles and wisdom.

John Thain was born in Scotland, on November 16, 1865, being the son of James and Mary ( Forbes) Thain, natives of Scotland. The father was a boat builder and died in 1869. The mother was born in 1828, and still lives in North Dakota. John grew up in his native land and there acquired his education. In 1882, he came to the United States and thence he went to Canada, Ontario, where he settled to farming for a time. Next we see him in Dickey county, North Dakota, where he took a timber culture and for six years he farmed. Then a sale was made of this prop- erty and he came to the Hoodoo mining section in Latah county, where he mined and also on the Clear- water, for four years, doing well in both places. In 1896, Mr. Thain came to the reservation, taking his place, immediately adjoining Melrose on the northeast, where he has bestowed his labors since.

On January 10, 1894, in Latah county, Mr. Thain married Miss Elsie, daughter of John and Belle (Tay- lor) Lorimer, natives of Scotland. The father was a veterinary surgeon. Mrs. Thain was born in Scot- land and came to the United States in 1888. She has the following brothers and sisters: Charles, David, James, Isabella, Anna and Ellen. Mr. Thain has the following named brothers and sisters: Ana, Jane, James, William and Henry. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Thain, Alice. Douglas, Mary and Raymond. Mr. Thain is a member of the M. W.

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A., at Melrose. He has served considerably on the school board and is a strong advocate of good schools. He is a stanch Republican and active in the caucuses.

JOHN W. WHITE. Although in 1902, the sub- ject of this article came to Gifford, still he has been almost all his life in the various portions of the west, adjacent to Nez Perces county, and his integrity, his energy, his patriotism and progressive spirit entitle him to be numbered with the leading citizens of Gif- ford. At the present time, Mr. White is engaged in handling a stock of papers and paints, occupying a por- tion of Clayton's hardware store. He is a practical house decorator and a man of excellent tastes and so leads in this line of enterprise.

John W. White was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa, on February 13, 1859, being the son of Alva and Re- becca (Burton) White. The father died when John was two years of age. The mother was a native of Kentucky and died in Yolo county, California, in 1887, aged sixty-five. Our subject was reared in Iowa until eighteen and then went to Sacramento county, California, whither the rest of the family had preceded him. He was two years in school and on the farm, then went to Tulare county, but returned to Sacramento. All told, he lived in California nineteen years. During this time, he learned the carpenter's trade. Then a move was made to Sprague, Washing- ton, and two years were spent in laboring as a carpen- ter. Following this, Mr. White removed to Kendrick and there resided for twelve years and then came the settlement in Gifford, as stated above. Mr. White has some fine residence property in Gifford. He has one residence on the hill, where he has bought two acres of land, which is one of the most tasty and hand- somely arranged and decorated of any residence in the town.

Mr. White has the following brothers and sisters, George W .; William L .; Byron B .; Annie C. Elesy ; Mary J. Allard ; Ida : Clement. Mr. White has never seen fit to leave the contentment and quiet pleasure of his bachelor life for a venture on the stage of connubi- ality. He is a man of sound principles, governed by discretion and wisdom and is entitled to and receives the confidence of all who know him.

E N Keeney to Imy follow.

ELIJAH N. KEENEY is one of the principal owners of the town site of Eugene, which postoffice is known as Gifford. He has always been public spirited and generous for the upbuilding of the town and surrounding country. He has donated lots to sev- eral worthy purposes and is always on the progressive side of things.

Elijahı N. Keeney was born in Eugene, Oregon, on November 12, 1866, being the son of Jonathan and Margaret S. (Mitchell) Keeney. When our subject was ten, the father went to Colfax, Washington, and

his sons joined him three years later. The mother died April 14, 1899. Elijah worked in the planing mill business in Colfax for eight years and il1 1892, went to Valejo, California, where he labored for three years as an undertaker for Henry Connolly. In August, 1895, he returned to Colfax, and later came to the reservation, securing the claim where he now lives. He built a primitive log cabin and for a long time it was used for the meeting place of the settlers. He has improved his place in excellent shape and raises the cereals, handles stock and has some registered specimens. A portion of his land has been used for the town site of Eugene and many have pur- chased lots from him. Mr. Keeney has three brothers, Oliver M., George F., and John J., the last two living in the vicinity of Rosedale, Washington, and the for- mer in Whitman county. He has one sister, Martha J., wife of Joseph Cherry of Rosedale, Washington.

On May 23, 1900, Mr. Keeney married Miss Eu- genia, daughter of Jolin and Catherine M. (Thiele) Allen, natives respectively of Arkansas and Missouri. They reside near Drain, Oregon, having crossed the plains in 1852. Mrs. Keeney's ancestors on her mothi- er's side came from Germany and her paternal an- cestors from Tennessee. She has four brothers and one sister, Robert L., Frederick A., Murry M., Creed H., all in Oregon. The sister, Mrs. Susie E. Hanson, lives near our subject. Mr. Keeney has a member- ship in the M. W. A., Melrose camp, 6216. He was clerk of Beeman Camp, M. W. A., 6885, at Eugene un- til it disbanded. In politics he is independent. To Mr. and Mrs. Keeney there has been born one child, Hester W. Mr. Keeney's grandparents crossed the plains with ox carts in 1852, the maternal grand- father being from Maine and the maternal grand- mother from Connecticut. Mr. Keeney has served as school director and has always labored for the ad- vancement of the cause of education as well as for the general progress and he has universally shown himself a man of mature judgment and keen wisdom, while his integrity and intrinsic worth is never ques- tioned.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 47

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