An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 56

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 56
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 56
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 56
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 56

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JOHN T. SPRINGSTON. The valuable estate and pleasant home of our subject lies three and one- half miles southeast from Lenore. The land, one hundred and sixty acres, was acquired by homestead right in 1896, and since that time Mr. Springston has devoted his wisdom and labors to the improvement of it, and also to handling a threshing outfit, of which latter industry he is a skilled master, having operated in it for twenty-five successive years.

John T. Springston was born in Warren county, Illinois, on May 3, 1857, being the son of Samuel A. and Rebecca ( Haynes) Springston, natives of Virginia and both born in 1834. The mother died in 1866, but the father still lives in Kansas, a veteran of the Civil war. John T. remained at home until nineteen, gaining in that time his education and good skill in labors on the farm. Then he married and settled down to farming for himself, which continued in that coun- try until 1884. Then he came to the vicinity of Pa- louse, bought land and rented more and devoted him-

self to the agricultural art, in which he has been suc- cessful. He also gave attention to logging, and in 1893, when the Palouse Milling Company went to the wall, he was so incumbered by their failure that he lost alinost everything also. In 1896 he saved enough out of the wreck to make his way to the reservation with a small saw mill, and since that time Mr. Spring- ston has been closely identified with the substantial progress and development of this section. well earning the place of prestige and prominence that he enjoys.

While in Kansas, in 1876. Mr. Springston married Miss Rosa, daughter of George and Lillie (Smith) Duston. The father was a sea captain and a native of England, and is now deceased. The mother was a native of Ireland and is now living with our subject. Mrs. Springston was born in 1858, at Burlington, Iowa, and has one brother and two sisters,-Joseph, in Elgin, Oregon ; Lillie, in Garnett, Kansas: Emma, in Omaha, Nebraska. Mr. Springston has two brothers and one sister .- Andrew, in Kansas; Frank, in Ore- gon ; Lucinda, in Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Spring- ston there have been born the following children : Grace Henderson, Harry, Maggie Henderson, Etta Tumalson and Cora Lota Allen, Horona, Howard, Kittie, Floyd and Loren. Mr. Springston is a Popu- list and active in the conventions, and he has devoted inuch time and energy to the labors on the school board for the betterment of the school facilities and is decidedly a man of progress and improvement.

CALEB W. RICHARDSON. It gives us pleas- ure to recount the career of the industrious and sub- stantial gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph, since he is a patriotic citizen, a good business man and an upright and reliable man in all his walk.

Caleb W. Richardson was born in Howard county, Indiana, on May 26, 1848, being the son of Caleb and Celia (Humphries ) Richardson. The father was born in Virginia in 1799 and died in 1870. He was one of the earliest pioneers in Howard and Tipton counties, in Indiana, and served in the Blackhawk war. Farming was his occupation. The mother was born in South Carolina in 1802 and died in 1892. She made two trips across the plains after she was eighty-five. Caleb W. remained at home until he was twenty-three assisting his father, and during the winters attending school. Then he started for himself. Farming and sawmilling in his native place occupied him for some time, and in 1871 he went to Kansas. Two years there, and then a brief visit to Indiana, and our sub- ject was then ready for the Pacific coast country. He settled in Linn county, Oregon, and farmed until 1876. when the inviting resources of Whitman county, Washington, attracted him, and in 1877 he took land, and tilling that, with buying and shipping grain, occu- pied him until 1896, but the hard times caused a finan- cial loss to him, as well as to thousands of others, and in 1896. after coming to the reservation and purchas- ing the relinquishment of the man who held the land where Mr. Richardson now lives, adjoining Melrose

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on the west, he summed up his assets and found that he had twenty dollars in cash, and a year's provisions. Right faithfully Mr. Richardson went to work with his hands, and the result is that he is one of the well- to-do farmers of this section.

On December 24, 1868, Mr. Richardson married Miss Ruth, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Light) Dick, natives of Virginia and Ohio, respectively, but now deceased. Mrs. Richardson was born in Ohio, in 1848, and has three brothers and two sisters,-Mor- gan, Mahlon, J. Alonzo, Mary Dutton and Rebecca Barrett. Mr. Richardson has ten brothers and five sisters, and six of the brothers were soldiers in the Civil war. Our subject also served as a minute man to repel Morgan. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Richardson : Maude Maynard, in Melrose; L. Byron, at Colton, Washington ; Pearl Standley, at Mohler ; Winona Litch, in Colton, Wash- ington; Georgia Denny, in Melrose; May, Dick and Zoe L., at home. Mr. Richardson is past grand in the I. O. O. F., and past chancellor in the K. of P. Mrs. Richardson and her daughters are members of the Methodist church. Mr. Richardson is one of the most active men and labors for the betterment of edu- cational facilities, and when the Melrose school house was built he donated lumber and thirty-five days' work. He is also an active Republican, and in 1900 he ran for the state legislature and was only beaten by sixty-two votes. He is a popular and highly respected man, and is a genial and good neighbor.

LOUIS HADFORD is a fine example of those who came to this new and untried country with meager means and have by thrift, industry and wisdom in the bestowment of their labors come to be the prosperous farmers and stockmen now dwelling in the reservation country. He was without means when he settled on his present place, two and one-half miles southeast from Lookout, and now he owns two hundred and forty acres of fertile land, well improved, raises the cereals and flax, handles many head of cattle, horses, and sheep and is a well-to-do, substantial citizen.

Louis Hadford was born in Sweden, on February 20, 1865, being the son of Hedfors and Karin (Ves- terlund) Hadford, natives of Sweden. The father was born in 1832 and still lives in Sweden. The mother was born in 1839 and died in 1885. Louis grew up in his native place and was trained in the common schools. As soon as he was able he went to work in the trying labor of loading ships in the harbor of Harnes. While following this ardnous calling he conceived the idea of coming to America and securing a home for himself. Accordingly, in 1889, he made the trip across the water and land to Spokane, Washington, where his brothers, Gust, John and Peter, were located. He paid attention to farming for two or three years. buying land. But at the time of the panic, he aban- doned his land and went to railroading. In the spring of 1896 he, with his brothers, John and Gust, came to the reservation and they all secured good claims.

His is one of the excellent farms and is handled with becoming skill and thrift. He has operated a threshing machine in addition to his other labors, being a skilled hand in this capacity.

Mr. Hadford has three brothers and two sisters, Peter, in Washington, John and Gust, in this county : Christine and Caroline, in Sweden. Mr. Hadford is a Repubican and takes an interest in good govern- ment, especially so in schools and the general improve- ment and development in this section. Mr. Hadford is still the possessor of the quiet joys of the celebatarian and is content in his seclusion.

ALVA T. McCARTY. This gentleman is to be numbered with the heavy real estate owners of the county and is considered one of the substantial and capable business men. He handles his affairs with be- coming wisdom, is a man of stability and integrity and respected by all .

Alva T. McCarty was born in Wayne county, Iowa, on August 5, 1870, being the son of Isaac and Re- becca ( Jordan) McCarty. The father was born in Wayne county, Iowa, in 1845, and served three years and more in the Civil war. His father, Dr. McCarty, was a pioneer to Wayne county and the first sheriff of the county. The mother of our subject was born in Indiana, in 1847, and died in 1878. Alva remained with his father until twelve and then started for the west to seek his fortune. He went to work in Whit- man county and soon after went to riding the range, also engaged in the horse raising industry for himself. He continued thus until 1892, and then he farmed, but owing to the excessive rain of that year, well re- membered all over, he lost his crops. From this ven- ture he went to raising stock and in 1895 he came to the reservation and took his present farm, one mile east from Melrose. He gave much labor to opening the land and also to raising stock. In June, 1902, he sold his stock and devoted himself to farming more extensively. Mr. McCarty now owns nearly one sec- tion of land in different parts and is also the possessor of other property. All his farms bear the marks of thrift and industry, and he is prospered because of his skill.

On December 21. 1893, at Moscow, Idaho, Mr. McCarty married Louise, daughter of James and Mary (Flower) Nifong, natives of Illinois and born in 1832 and 1833, respectively, and now living in Whitman county. Mrs. McCarty was born in California, in 1873, and was there educated in the Uniontown University. She has the following brothers and sisters: Mary E., Octova, Lizzie A., Josephine, Henry, Albert, Edward, George and Milton. Mr. McCarty has two brothers and two sisters, George, deceased ; Dora, Miles, Ina. The children born to our subject and his faithful wife are Ina J., deceased : Walter T., Harry L., and Blanche L., the last three at home. Mr. McCarty is a member of the W. W., and in the political arena is a Repub- can and a familiar and influential figure at the conven- tions. Mr. McCarty gives time and energy to the ad-

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vocacy of good schools. We wish also to mention that his farm. with the home place, is beautified with a fine eight-room structure of modern design, and also has a commodious barn and outbuildings to match.

CHARLES DOWD. This enterprising young gentleman is a native of the occident, being born in Pierce City, on June 7, 1870. He is now one of the most substantial farmers and stockmen of Nez Perces county and resides on his fine estate of five hundred and sixty acres. which he owns in partnership with his brother Matthew. This land is located about eight miles southeast from Lewiston and is favored in that five artesian wells flow constantly there, making it very valuable. He raises large crops of wheat, barley and alfalfa. Mr. Dowd pays considerable attention to raising stock, cattle, horses and hogs. He has a large band of the equines and also some exceptionally fine hogs. The family home is a comfortable and tasty dwelling of generous proportions and the farm has plenty of outbuildings and barns and so forth. We note that the parents of our subject, Michael and Eliza- beth Dowd, were natives of Ireland and their career is epitomized elsewhere in this volume. They came from Pierce City to their present home place in 1870, the father buying seven hundred and forty acres there. He died in 1873 and the mother carried things along until her demise, in 1898, and before her death she di- vided the property, which also included some town property, among the children. Charles was educated in the district schools, in the schools in Lewiston, in the college at Fort Colville and also in the college at Spo- kane, from which last institution he graduated in 1889. Then he returned to the farm and since that time he has given his time to farming and raising stock as men- tioned above.

On September 20, 1899, in Nez Perces county, Mr. Dowd marricd Miss Beatrice M., daughter of Fred- erick E. and Minnie ( Raul) Kling, natives of Germany and Mobile, Alabama, respectively. Mrs. Dowd has three brothers, Frederick, William and Roy, who is a half-brother. Mrs. Dowd was born in Lewiston, on July 20, 1880. Mr. Dowd has the following named brothers and sisters, Harry, Mary E. Erb, both in Lew- iston, and Matthew, on the farm. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dowd, Aileen Marie. These worthy people are members of the Catholic church. Mr. Dowd is a strong advocate of good schools and al- ways labors hard for their betterment. He is a Den- ocrat in political matters and takes an active part.

MATTHEW DOWD. It is pleasant to content- plate that in these western sections where the pioneers labored so hard to gain a foothold that now there is rising up a worthy class who are pushing their achieve- ments in such a manner that they are a crown to the foundations laid by their sturdy ancestors. Notable among this number of young men is the subject of this

sketch who was born on the place where he now lives, on March 22, 1872, being the son of Michael and Elizabeth Dowd. The father was a native of Ireland, being born in 1824. He was a pioneer of Cali- fornia, where he wrought at his trade, that of ma- chinist and blacksmith. The mother was also born in Ireland in 1840, and died in 1898. These worthy peo- ple came to California in 1860 and the father wrought at the forge, in the mines and in San Francisco for four years and then determined to try Idaho. He went into the Pierce City mines and there operated some mines that he gained title to and also labored at his trade, doing well in both lines. Five years of this labor and then he came to Nez Perces county and bought the land where our subject now lives, seven miles southeast from Lewiston. This was in 1870, and in 1873 he was called away by death. The mother was left with four small children and nobly did she take up the burdens, hiring help and overseeing the farm. Our subject received his education in Spokane and at Fort Colville, being well trained. At the age of nineteen he quit school, went into the stock business and farming with his brother Charles, and they have had good success in these lines. being men of care and industry, always dominated with wisdom.

On November 4, 1897, Mr. Dowd married Miss Mary, daughter of Patrick and Bridget Gaffney, natives of Ireland. The father was a mining man, born in 1837 and died in 1895. The mother still lives in Pierce City. Mrs. Dowd has four brothers, Frank, John, William and Robert. all in Pierce City. Mrs. Dowd was born in Pierce City on July 29, 1874. Mr. Dowd has the following brothers and sisters: Harry, Mary Erb, and Charles. Mr. Dowd is a member of the Catholic church, as also is his wife and they are devout supporters of their faith. He is a stanch Democrat and is always attending to political matters in their season. Mr. Dowd owns, with his brother Charles, five hundred and sixty acres of fine land and there are five artesian wells on the place. He raises cattle and horses and has large bands of them. The farm produces wheat, barley and alfalfa. He has a fine home and the estate is improved in a becoming manner. Mr. Dowd is an advocate of good schools and is a member of the Pioneers' Association.

E. CLAY CHAPMAN. The prosperous farmers and stockmen of the reservation country surely in- clude the subject of this article. His estate lies just east from Melrose and is in fee, Indian land. but is operated by Mr. Chapman, who is making a good divi- dend producer from the property.

E. Clay Chapman was born in Wabash county, Indiana, on April 22, 1851, being the son of George WV. and Catherine C. (Ritter) Chapman. The father was a cooper, born in Knox county, Ohio, in 1826. He was a pioneer in Iowa and now lives near Vollmer, Idaho. The mother of our subject was born in Penn- sylvania in 1828 and is living near Vollmer. The

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family came to Illinois, settling in Princeton, when this son was two years old. On October 30, 1861, they landed in Poweshiek county, Iowa, and there our subject grew to manhoou and secured his educational training. When twenty-one he started in life's battle for himself and farmed in Iowa until 1879. Then he went to Custer county, Nebraska, took land, farmed and raised stock until 1887. He was very success- ful in those labors and accumulated a goodly holding. He wished to see the west and so sold out, and in company with many neighbors came to Latah county, Idaho. Soon he was in Nez Perces county and took a preemption near Westlake, and went to raising stock and wheat. This property was sold in 1892 and on account of failing health of his wife, a trip was made to Alberta, Canada. This was an unfortunate venture and Mr. Chapman lost heavily. In May, 1893, he re- turned to Vollmer and gave his atteneion to farming and lumbering until 1898, when he came to his present location.

On October 11, 1872, Mr. Chapman married Miss Mary, daughter of Judge John B. and Mary C. ( Bickle) Stitt. Judge Stitt was a native of Ohio, a pioneer in Kansas and died in 1879. Mrs. Stitt was a native of Virginia and is now deceased. Mrs. Chap- man was born in Indiana, in 1852 and has four sis- ters, Hattie, Mattie, Anna, and Jennie, and one brother, Samuel, at Lamar, Missouri. Mr. Chapman has the following brothers and sisters: Thomas C., deceased : George W., deceased ; John W., Albert B., Alice S. Jones, and Clara Schultz. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Chapman, Carl E., de- ceased : Clyde D., in Culdesac ; Claude H., at home : Hattie V., wife of Richard Stinson, at Vollmer. Mrs. Chapman is a member of the Methodist church. Mr. Chapman is a Republican in politics and is always active for the betterment of the country. In his farm labors Mr. Chapman confines himself largely to pro- ducing flax and he is a successful raiser of this im- portant crop.

AARON J. RICHARDSON. The industrious mechanic, whose name initiates this pararapli, is one of the substantial laborers on the reservation who have made it one of the most thrifty spots in Idaho. He is operating a blacksmith shop in Melrose, in partnership with Mr. Coker, having taken up this in- dustry in June. 1902. In addition, Mr. Richardson has a fine farm about two miles northwest from town where he is bestowing much thought and capital. It is a good piece of land taken from the wild. and is being made one of the valuable and highly improved estates of the county. It contains a good orchard, is improved in a becoming manner, and is now handled through hired help directed by Mr. Richardson in ad- dition to his shop work.

Aaron J. Richardson was born in Benton county, Oregon, on January 28, 1864. being the son of Rich- ard C. and Sarah E. Richardson. The father was born in Missouri in 1834, is now a resident of Nez Perces county. He is a pioneer in Oregon and took his part

in the Indian wars. The mother of our subject was born in Missouri in 1840 and died in 1886. Aaron re- maiued with his parents until twenty, then came to Pullman for himself and there wrought at black- smithing, ranching, carpentering and so forth, until 1808, which was the date of his advent to the reser- vation country. He selected his present place and has taken hold with his hands and has done a commend- able work in improvement and in building up.

Mr. Richardson is a member of the M. W. A., Melrose Camp No. 6216. He is a Democrat in poli- tics but never strives for personal advancement in that realm. He has the following brothers and sis- ters : Zerilda A., at San Francisco; Thomas J., in this county ; Victoria, in Benton county, Oregon ; Sidney, in Idaho county ; Laura, in Oregon ; Tolbert, in Whit- man county : Sarah, living near Salem, Oregon, Charles, Henry, Mary, Jesse, and Emery, all in Nez Perces county.

FRANK NELSON. This well known young man has gained tor himself a good reputation on account of his uprightness and his careful walk while he has also gained a competence in worldly goods because of his thrift. industry and careful managing the resources placed in his hands in this rich country. Frank Nel- son was born in Marion county, lowa, on October 27, 1870, being the son of James R. and Mary C. ( Ruddell) Nelson. The father was born in Adams county, Illinois, on October 30, 1840, was a pioneer to Lewiston, coming here in 1862, later returning to Illi- nois for a time, and is now one of the substantial citizens of this county. The mother was born in Adams county, Illinois, in 1841 and died November 18. 1897. Our subject came with his parents to Walla Walla when he was but seven years old and there he labored on his father's farm and attended school until they removed into Nez Perces county. The father came hither for range for his stock, in which business he made a good success. When twenty-one Frank started for himself and farming was his initial work. At the opening of the Nez Perces reservation, he refused to take land on account of the exorbitant price asked by the government, it being cheaper to buy land out- right. He has continued farming and mining ever since he has been doing for himself and he has some fine properties on Snake and Clearwater, they being gold and silver bearing ledges. He also has stock on those ranges.

On October 15. 1891. in Nez Perces county, Mr. Nelson married Miss Florence, daughter of Emory and Rhoda Whitcomb. The father was a millwright, born in New Hampshire in 1821 and died in Novem- ber, 1898. The mother was born in Illinois on May 27. 1824. and died on August 27, 1889. Mrs. Nel- son was born in Adams county, Illinois, on September 18. 1867. She came to Idaho in 1887 and she has the following named brothers and sisters: Josephine Leachman, in this county: James W., also in this county : Charles E., in Lewiston. Mr. Nelson is a member of the I. (). O. F. and the K. of P. in

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Lewiston. Mrs. Nelson is a member of the Metho- dist church. In political matters Mr. Nelson is allied with the Republican party and always displays a com- mendable activity in the affairs of state. He is a warm advocate of good schools and is always in the van for their betterment. Mr. Nelson had two uncles who fought for their country in the Civil war.

GEORGE L. RICHARDSON. This successful farmer and business man lives on an estate adjoining Melrose, where he is making a comfortable and valtı- able abode. He raises cattle, hogs, horses, and does a general farming business, while he is steadily adding the improvements needed to make his farm first class in every particular. In addition to the farm enter- prise, Mr. Richardson is assistant postmaster in Mel- rose and is a salesman in the store of T. H. Thompson.

George L. Richardson was born in Benton county, Oregon, on October 15. 1868, his parents being Thomas and Nancy ( Cooper) Richardson. The father was a farmer, born in Missouri in 1834, and died in 1898. in Washington. He was a pioneer in the west, camped on the ground where Pullman, Washington, now stands, when there was not a house there. He fought in the Indian wars, before the town of Walla Walla was established. The mother of our subject was born in Missouri in 1850 and still lives in Nez Perces county. George remained at home until twenty- three, receiving his education in Whitman county, whither the family had moved. Many were the nights that they hid for fear of the Indians and they had the hardships and trials of the pioneers to endure. In 1898 Mr. Richardson came to the Nez Perces reservation and took a homestead. Later he sold this and bought his present place on account of school facilities for his children.

On March 15. 1891, Mr. Richardson married Miss Ada, daughter of Miller and Lydia (Bliou) Curl, the nuptials occurring in eastern Oregon. Mr. Curl came to Oregon in pioneer days and this daughter was born in the Willamette valley in 1874. She has the following brothers and sisters: William, Frank, Walter and Anna. Mr. Richardson has two brothers, Claude and Ernest, both in this county. To our sub- ject and his gracious wife there have been born three children, Merle, May, and Fay, aged nine, seven and five at the present writing. Mr. Richardson is a mem- Ler of the I. O. O. F. and a charter member of the M. W. A., aiding to organize the latter. Republican- ism is his belief in politics and he is a substantial and upright man, commanding the respect and winning the esteem of all who know him.

CHARLES BLIESNER. A man whose thrift and wisdom have granted the rewards due these excel- lent virtues, and who is at this time one of the sub- stantial and representative citizens of the reservation country and has assisted materially to develop this

favored region, it is becoming that he should receive especial mention in the volume that recites the history of northern Idaho.

Charles Bliesner was born in Prussia, Germany, on December 6, 1872, being the son of Christ and Rachel Bliesner, also natives of the same place. In 1882 the family came to the United States from Bremen, landing in Baltimore. Soon we see them in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where they remained until 1885, when a western journey was made which brought them to Spokane county, Washington. There the par- ents remain at this time. They have the following children : Frederick, Christ and William, in Spokane county ; August, Charles and Otto, in Nez Perces county ; Gustav, also in Spokane county. In the spring of 1896 our subject made his way to the reservation country and located on his present place, about two miles north from Nezperce. This is one of the choic- est pieces of land in this vicinity and Mr. Bliesner has improved it in a worthy manner. He came with but little finances, but now has a valuable farm, good buildings, stock, implements, and orchards, and is one of the leading farmers of this section. His house is one of five rooms, a barn eighteen by thirty and a granary sixteen by thirty-two. Mr. Bliesner had to haul his first three crops to Lewiston, Spalding and Culdesac, but notwithstanding the hardships and arduous labors to perform, he has held tenaciously to the one pursuit and success has crowned him.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 56

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