An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 53

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 53
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 53
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 53
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 53

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).

HENRY T. SUMMERS. A good, substantial man, a wise and industrious farmer, whose labors have brought abundant success to him, a patriotic citizen and a true and loyal friend, it is fitting that we should grant representation to Mr. Summers in the history of his county.

Henry T. Summers was born in Vernon county,

Missouri, on February 1, 1847, being the son of Allen and Elizabeth ( Wright) Summers, natives of Ken- tucky, dying in 1849 and 1859, respectively. The father was one of the first to settle in Vernon county and his son, Hardin, was the first white child born there. As the parents died when Henry was young, he was raised by his eldest brother, where he remained until twenty. His first labor for himself was to herd and drive cattle and feed them in the winter, and for five years he continued with one man, and then he bought a farm and settled to tilling it. In 1887 he came to Latah county, purchased land near Vollmer and there and in Whitman county he farmed until the opening of the reservation, when he was the second man to file in township thirty-five. His farm is two miles due south of Melrose, is fertile land and im- proved with a skillful and thrifty hand. Mr. Sum- mers has a good house, barn and orchard and other im- provements in proportion. He threshed thirty-five hundred bushels of grain from his ranch this year, in addition to the hay put up for all his stock. Mr. Sum- mers also operates a threshing outfit and is a business man in every respect.

In Missouri, in 1868. Mr. Summers married Miss Phoebe C., daughter of Delilah Reed, and to them four children have been born, Delilah, wife of John W. Seet, in Whitman county ; Lee, in this county ; Flor- ence Hill, in Kendrick ; Charles, in Nez Perces county. Mrs. Summers was born in Indiana, on September 20, 1845, and has one sister, Manilla Arnold, in St. Lonis : also she has two half sisters and five half brothers. Mr. Summers has the following named brothers and sisters: Moses, John, Julia Daniels ; he has also six brothers and one sister dead. Mr. Sum- mers is a Democrat and always takes the part of the intelligent citizen. He has been trustee of the school and is an advocate of the best of schools and is will- ing to pay the price of the same. He is an elder in the Christian church at Melrose and an active worker in the support of the faith, and he is respected and es- teemed by all who know him.

CHARLES M. FRYE. It is with pleasure that we are privileged to recount the career of the intelli- gent and industrious young farmer and agriculturist named above. He was born in Illinois, on November 30, 1875, being the son of Abraham A. and Ruth (Brooks) Frye. The father was born in Pennsylvania and died in Nez Perces county in January, 1895. The mother was born in Kentucky and still lives in this county. Our subject came to Moscow with his parents in 1878 and there received his educational training. His father bought eighty acres on the present site of Mos- cow and started a livery and feed stable. He built the Star stable and also operated a hotel. He bought land around Moscow and in 1894 sold to Latah county the farm now used as the poor farm. Then he removed to the place where our subject now lives, four miles north- east from Lewiston, and that has been the family home since that time. After the father's death Charles took

207

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

charge of the farm and now, in connection with his brother, he is farming the land and raising stock. They do a genaral farming business, raise all crops that do well in this section, handle cattle, hogs, sheep and horses, and are prosperous and well-to-do citizens of the county.

On December 21, 1898, Mr. Frye married Miss Nettie, daughter of John and Ida (Strong) Miller. The father, who was born in Pennsylvania, is a miller by trade and is now operating a mill at Dublin, Idaho. The mother was born in Illinois. Mrs. Frye was born in Lewiston, in 1879, and has two brothers and two sisters, Iva. Veva. Earl, Frank. Mr. Frye has the following named brothers and sisters: Thomas, Will- iam, Abram A., Walter, Bertha Bell and Pearl Gard- ner. To Mr. and Mrs. Frye two children have been born, Irene and Marion. Mr. Frye is an active and in- fluential Republican and is ever on the side of progress, both in schools and government. He had one uncle, Mr. Brooks, in the Civil war.

THOMAS C. MOXLEY, who is now one of the leading men of Nez Perces county, has had a very act- ive and stirring career, and he is deserving of a place in the history of his county. He was born in Wheelers- burg, Scioto county, Ohio, on December 10, 1840, be- ing the son of Thomas S. and Susanna ( McConnell) Moxlev. The father was a physician, born in Orange county, Vermont, in 1808, and died in November, 1880. He was a graduate of Woodstock Medical Col- lege, in Vermont, and his father was also a physician. The mother of our subject was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1810, and died in 1889. Her father, John Mc- Connell, settled in Portsmouth in 1802, being one of the pioneers of that country. Thomas C. worked at home and.attended the schools of his town until fifteen and then managed a farm that his parents purchased. On April 6, 1861, he left home and came, via Panama, to California, landing in San Francisco on May 5, 1861, and there learned of the outbreak of hostilities. He had seven dollars and fifty cents and at once went to work for Mr. Coffin, a prominent man in Oregon, whence our subject went. He was employed in taking supplies to the soldiers who were guarding the immigrants from the Indians. He assisted to build a wagon road from U'matilla county to the Grande Ronde valley, then went to Portland and was appointed assistant farmer at the Lapwai agency, under Agent Charles Hutchins, in 1862. He was retained until 1863, then went to Walla Walla to file on the townsite of Boise, but was a little too late. He then went to Lapwai and thence to the Flat Head agency as farmer for Mr. Hutchins, remain- ing until 1866. He then visited Helena and Fort Ben- ton, embarking there for Ohio. Next we see him in Illinois, where he bought a farm near Xenia, and on March 1, 1867, he married Miss Mary Goult. To them were born three children, King, deceased, Myrtle (now Mrs. F. S. Curtiss) and Charles, married, Sep- tember 10, 1902, to Miss Sadie Cochrane, of Liv- ingston, Montana. He sold his farm and came to

the Flat Head agency and acted as a farmer for McCormick. His wife became dissatisfied with this and they came with ox teams to Omaha, where he bought a farm. In 1872 he and his brother John came to Sidney, Cheyenne, Ogden, Helena, and thence across the mountains afoot to Lewiston. They arrived in July, 1873, and at once went to work with the corps of surveyors who were running the boundary line between Idaho and Washington. Later he worked as carpenter and cook for the Catholic mission, for Captain Williams. Here he learned of the death of his wife in Ohio, and returning to that country, he settled his affairs and on April 7, 1875, married Miss Mary C., daughter of Hiram and Zerilda (Thomas) Wilson, natives of New Jersey and Kentucky. The father was born in 1817 and died in 1899. Mrs. Moxley was born in Scioto county, Ohio, in 1849, and has the following brothers and sisters : Katherine Long, Angeline West, deceased, Martha West, John, Virginia, Charles, M. D., Sarah Dewey. Thornton, Sele, Elizabeth, Florence Rapp, deceased, and George. Mr. Moxley has the fol- lowing named brothers and sisters: Marcellus K., a surgeon through the entire war, now deceased ; Frances M., John Q., Jr., M. D. ; Anna, deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Moxley there have been born eight children, Thomas, deceased, Virginia, at home, Robert, deceased, John Q., Florence, Jessie, Minnie, Thornton. After his second marriage Mr. Moxley came to Utah, bringing his wife, aged parents, two sisters and two children. Then he came to Lewiston and for two years wrought in the mines and came out, to use his trite expression, "busted." In 1877 he sold his possessions and went to market gardening, in which he did well. He bought a small tract of land, later he took a pre-emption, which he sold, and then he took up the homestead and tree culture claim where he now lives, three miles northeast from Lewiston, having a fine farm of one- half section. He raises much fruit and also handles stock. Mr. Moxley also owns town property in Lewis- ton. He is an active Republican. Mr. Moxley always strives for good government and schools and is a de- votee of progress. He is a member of the Pioneer As- sociation.

JAMES M. CHASTEEN. In a number of dis- tinct lines of labor, the gentleman whose name initi- ates this paragraph has won both success and distinc- tion. In addition to handling a fine farm about three miles southeast from Russell, Mr. Chasteen operates a good threshing outfit, and then regularly on each Sunday he preaches, being a devout member of the Christian church.

James M. Chasteen was born in Bossier parish, Louisiana, on October 16, 1865. being the son of Thomas and Martha (McCulland) Chasteen. The father was a millwright, born in Knox county, Ten- nessee, in 1816, and died November 5. 1901. Our sub- ject's grandfather, Raney Chasteen, was one of the very first settlers in Knox county. The mother of our subject was born in South Carolina in 1839 and died

208

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

on February 19, 1882. Her parents were born in Scotland and came to this county in their youth. Our subject was educated in the common schools and in the university at Fayetteville, Arkansas, in Washington county, in which state his parents had settled when he was fourteen. When twenty-one our subject en- gaged as engineer on the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad, having learned the art of driving an engine in his father's saw-mill. Four years later Mr. Chas- teen came to Whitman county, Washington, settling near Garfield and following engineering until 1899, when he came to his present place. He purchased the home farm, which is a good estate, and to the cultiva- tion and improvement of which Mr. Chasteen has de- voted energy and skill.

In 1897 Mr. Chasteen began preaching, his first pastorate being the Eden Valley congregation near Palouse. He has continued at this labor of spreading the gospel since that time, although he has also at- tended to business affairs. The Eden Valley congrega- tion is the first one of Disciples in the Palouse country. In connection with ministering to this congregation, he preached at Pine City and after two years of steady pastorate labor he took up the work of the evangelist. It is also very pleasant in this connection to note the self-denial and devotedness of Mrs. Chasteen, who willingly superintends the farm and the business af- fairs while her husband is called to remote sections in evangelical work.

In Washington county, Arkansas, in 1886, Mr. Chasteen married Naomi Trowbridge, who died on August 28, 1896, leaving two children, Arthur and Ray. Mr. Chasteen married a second time, the date being November 6, 1899, and the lady, Sarah, daughter of Joseph and Emily Ringo. The nuptials occurred in Whitman county, where her parents now live, they being natives of Illinois. Mrs. Chasteen was born in the Willamette valley in 1875, and has two brothers and six sisters. Mr. Chasteen has five brothers, Ed- ward, Thomas, John, Robert, Charles. To Mr. and Mrs. Chasteen there has been born one son, Roy. Mr. Chasteen was elected sheriff of Washington county, Arkansas, on the Prohibition ticket, but re- fused to qualify. He is a Prohibitionist in political matters and a zealous advocate of good schools. Mr. Chasteen is to be credited with much labor and effort put forth in this section of the country for the spir- itual welfare of the people, he having been among the very first preachers to come to the reservation country. He is an upright man, respected by his neighbors and beloved by all those who know him best, and his faith- ful life is one of the best parts of his Christian tes- timony.

RICHARD WELLS. This venerable citizen of Nez Perces county is one of the deserving pioneers of the west and at least two states have profited by his worthy labors in development in the early days on the coast, while in the eastern part of our country he also did good work in two or more states.

Richard Wells was born in Harrison county, Ohio,

on July 10, 1824, being the son of John and Nancy Wells. The father was a farmer, born in Virginia in 1810 and died in 1890. The mother was born in Ohio and died in 1847. Our subject remained at home un- til he was twenty-two and then came with his parents to Illinois. There he remained until 1864, paying at- tention to tilling the soil. Then he took teams and made the weary journey across the plains to Oregon. He bought land in Clackamas county and farmed it for five years and then he came to the vicinity of Walla Walla and there he farmed for ten years and did well. Then he decided to seek range for stock and accordingly came to Tammany Hollow and took land where he owns three hundred and sixty acres at the present time. He handles stock and has more or less since coming here and also does a general farming business, raising wheat and barley principally. His stock was horses mostly, and of late years he has re- tired more from active business to enjoy the compe- tence which his industry has provided.

On June 10, 1848, in Pike county, Illinois, Mr. Wells married Miss Sallie M., daughter of Barnett and Cornelia (Kiser) Wilsey, natives of New York. Mrs. Wells was born in New York, in 1823, October 25, and she has the following named brothers, Jahes T., in Illinois; John J., in Missouri; William, in Kansas. Mr. Wells has two brothers, Benjamin, in Illinois; Albert, at Pittsfield, Illinois, and he was a participant in the Civil war, serving throughout the entire struggle. To Mr. and Mrs. Wells there have been born five children, Louise Wishard, at Peck ; Sarah M .; Almira M .; Jane Knight. at Moscow; Butler, in Nez Perces county. Mr. and Mrs. Wells are members of the Methodist church. He is a Democrat and manifests an intelligent interest in the affairs of government. Mr. Wells has always labored for good schools and is a warm advocate of progress in all lines. He was here in the time of the Nez Perces war and remained at home on the ranch.

MILO H. ADAMS is a man of great experience in the business world and also on the frontier and is now one of the highly respected and capable farmers near Nezperce. He was born in Kempville, Canada, on March 9. 1834, being the son of James and Sarah (Barton) Adams. The grandfather of our subject was a relative of President John Adams and fought all through the Revolution, then moved to Canada, where the father of Milo was born. In 1840 our subject came with his father to Fort Madison, in Iowa, at that time a territory. Later, in 1842, they were where Des Moines now stands, it being then called Raccoon Forks. In 1854 Mr. Adams came with an ox team to Cali- fornia and mined for some time, then returned via Panama and New York. He moved to Wapello county and on September 23, 1858, Mr. Adams mar- ricd Lucy Woodruff. He then moved to Shelby county, Iowa, where he was elected treasurer on the- Republican ticket, although the county went Demo- cratic. In 1860 he took a trip with his wife across the

RICHARD WELLS.

MRS RICHARD WELLS.

209

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

plains in an ox train to Denver. Returning to Shelby county, they remained there until 1870, when he went to Pottawattamie county. There he was elected the first mayor of Avoca and served four years. In 1872 Mr. Adams went to Texas and took a large tie con- tract on the Texas Pacific. In 1880, on account of failing health, he went to Fremont county, Idaho. Re- gaining his health, he removed to the coast and bought a drove of cattle for an Avoca firm. He drove them through to Avoca and returned to Portland with twenty men, coming via San Francisco. He bought four thousand cattle and drove them all to Avoca. In 1882 Mr. Adams removed his family to southern Idaho and was the county surveyor of Fremont county, Idaho, for two years. In the fall of 1895 Mr. Adams came to the reservation and secured one hundred acres where he now lives, about two miles west from Nez- perces. He has a choice piece of land and it is well improved. Five children have been born to Mr. Adams and his worthy helpmate, Elpha, deceased ; Lenna A., wife of R. C. Halliday, of the Grand Hotel, Spokane; Florence E., wife of W. T. Johnson, a farmer in Nez Perces county ; Sarah E., deceased : Roy W., married to Grace Day, living on the reservation. Mr. Adams is a member of the A. F. & A. M. at Nez- perce. He is a spirited and public-minded citizen and is enjoying the golden years of his life in his quiet western home.

ANDREW HUBER. While the subject of this ar- ticle is now one of the substantial and prosperous farm- ers of the reservation country, living about one mile west from Nezperce, and is considered one of the most prosperous and progressive farmers of the section, still in military matters he doubtless has a record which places him clear in advance of any other portion of his life's work. Few men have the opportunity to re- count personal experiences as has Mr. Huber. He en- listed in the regular army of Germany in 1864; in 1866 the war with Prussia broke out and he partici- pated in the battles of Kissengen, Holzkirchansen and Wurzburg, besides several others and many skirmishes. When it is understood that the war continued but six months it will be seen that he was excessively active. Retiring from that. he went to work at the miller's trade, although still a soldier. In July, 1870, came the call, when the Franco-Russian war broke out. This conflict lasted one year and Mr. Huber fought in nineteen principal battles. In the battle of Weisen- burg, his company numbered two hundred and forty, and all but twenty-six were wounded or killed. He re- ceived a bayonet wound in the neck, which kept him in the hospital six days, and thus he lost the oppor- tunity of participating in one of the leading battles. Mr. Huber was under General Van Tann, one of the leading commanders of that war. Following this war. Mr. Huber again worked at his trade and in 1883 he came to the United States, shipping from Hamburg ; after landing in New York he went to Washington to associate with a friend, where he learned English. Thence he went to German City, Michigan, and was 14

married to Miss Carrie Luger, on October 5, 1884. She was born in Baden, Germany, and was left an orphan when an infant : during her youth she lived in Germany, Switzerland and France. In 1882 she came from Paris to New York city and there had the care of children for two years. In 1887 Mr. Huber came with his family to the vicinity of Moscow and followed farm- ing, in which he was not very successful. On the noted November 18, 1895. he was on the ground and secured his valuable place, which in addition to its fertility pos- sesses plenty of fine spring water. He has improved it in excellent shape and is one of the skilled tillers of the soil. He hauled his initial crops to Lewiston and the first years were hard ones. He and his wife belong to the Catholic church in Nezperce. Three children have been born to this household, Joanna, John Will- iam and Mary Magdalene. Mr. Huber was born in Bavaria, July 24, 1842, being the son of Michael and Mary Huber. He was educated in the public schools and was apprenticed to a miller when he was thirteen.

ELMER D. NICHOLS is one of the younger men of Nez Perces county, but is also one of the pioneers, having come here with his parents when he was but one year of age, thus spending his life largely within its precincts and always being one of the men whose la- bors have resulted in the upbuilding and advancement of Nez Perces county.

Elmer D. Nichols was born in Albany, Linn coun- ty, Oregon, on May 22, 1875, being the son of George and Amanda (Rosecrans) Nichols. The father was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on October 12, 1850, and died in 1887. He farmed, then taught school for ten years and then practiced medicine and farmed until the time of his death. The mother was born in Wis- consin on April 29, 1852, and now lives in Latah coun- ty. Our subject was educated in the common schools of Nez Perces county, in that portion which is now Latah county, and also spent one year in Clairmont Col- lege, in California. At his father's death, being then twelve and the oldest of the family, he took charge of the farm, located on Thorn creek, Latah county. and operated it until he was twenty-four. At that age he bought a farm on the Clearwater river, near Lewiston, on which was the Central ferry. He did a general farming business and operated the ferry until July, 1902, when he sold out and retired to Lewiston, having property in that town.

On January 17. 1897. Mr. Nichols married Miss Ella A., daughter of Frank and Elizabeth Cole. The wedding occurred in Nez Perces county. Mrs. Nich- ols was born in Kossuth county, Iowa, on April 2, 1879, and came with her parents to Idaho in 1885. She has the following brothers and sisters: Jennie, wife of William Bower, at Avon, Latah county ; Leonard, at Wardner. Idaho: Bertha, Matie, Roy, Edna and Lillie, all at Kendrick. Mr. Nichols has the following named brothers and sisters : Mark and Ray, in Latah county ; Eveline, in Los Angeles, California ; Warren, in Ward- ner : Leon and Milton, in Latah county. To Mr. and

210

HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

Mrs. Nichols have been born the following children : Elora, four years old; Delano, two years old. Mr. Nichols is a member of the W. of W. He is a Repub- lican and takes an active interest in the affairs of state and county. Mr. Nichols is a warm advocate of good schools and in fact is always favoring advancement and progress.

ERLAN OLSON. We are glad to add an account of the life of this substantial gentleman, since his life has been an industrious and worthy one and he is now one of the enterprising and progressive citizens of the reservation country.

Erlan Olson was born in Dalsland, Sweden, on De- cember 7, 1863, being the son of Olla and Anna Olson, also natives of the same place. Erlan was educated in his native place and in 1884 he crossed the North Sea to Hull, England, thence to Liverpool and so on to New York. Next we see him in Marquette county, Michigan, mining. Soon he went to Duluth, Minne- sota, and later to Canada, where he worked on the Canadian Pacific Railroad. He returned later to St. Paul, and then made his way to Leadville, where he worked on a tunnel of the railroad, and then railroaded in the Coeur d'Alenes. Finally he settled down to farming near Rosalia, having also taken a trip to Portland. On November 18, 1895, Mr. Olson came to the reservation country and selected his pres- ent place. It hes one mile west from Nezperce, and as he was one of the very first, he succeeded in getting a good farm. Since that time Mr. Olson has given himself to the good work of improving and making valuable the estate and he has succeeded in an admira- ble manner, having now one of the most valuable places around.

On November 1. 1899, Mr. Olson married Miss Martha Fuller, a native of Kentucky. She came west with her parents in 1888, and they now live near Nez- perce. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Olson, Wilber Erlan, born January 29, 1901. Mr. Ol- son is a member of the Maccabees, in Nezperce. He is a man of good standing and a well respected. and intelligent citizen, whose labors have been always in the line of substantial improvement and upbuilding.

JAMES A. FRITZ. This successful farmer and stock raiser is one of the men who has labored faith- fully to develop the resources of the reservation portion of Nez Perces county and has wrought wisely and well.

James A. Fritz was born in Grant county, Wiscon- sin, on July 13, 1866, being the son of Casper and Elizabeth (Breel) Fritz, natives of Germany, born in 1832 and 1834, respectively. The father was a butcher and stockman, served in the Civil war and died in 1885. The mother still lives in Wisconsin. James A. worked at home until eighteen, having gained his edu- cation from the public schools. Then he went to South Dakota and one year later returned home. When twenty he went to Minneapolis and railroaded. Soon

he was in Ponca, Nebraska, and in January, 1887, Mr. Frtitz came to Moscow, Idaho. He farmed for one year and then went to Santa Barbara, California, but returned to Moscow the next year and bought land. He tilled this until the fall of 1897, when he made his way to the reservation and located his present place, about one and one-half miles south from Melrose. He has a fine farm, raises oats, wheat and flax and has some excellent Berkshire hogs.

At Moscow, in the fall of 1891, Mr. Fritz married Miss Emma B .. daughter of Electus M. and Mary J. ( Warren) Frost, natives of Pennsylvania, the father from Rome, and the mother from Sullivan county. The father served in the Civil war and both are 110W living. Mrs. Fritz was born in Sullivan county, Penn- sylvania. in 1876, and has three brothers and two sis- ters, Frank W., John O., deceased, Fred M., Cora, Maude. Mr. Fritz has the following brothers and sisters: Henry S., Peter, Charlie, Casper, August, Mary. Lizzie and Katie. All are in Wisconsin, ex- cept Casper, who is on the reservation, and Katie, who is deceased. Two children have been born to this happy union, Marie E. and Hazel B. Mr. Fritz is a member of the W. of W., at Melrose, and his wife is a member of the Methodist church. He is an active Republican and is always in his place in the caucuses and conventions.

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 53

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