An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 67

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 67
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 67
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 67
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 67

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MILES S. JOHNSON is one of the leading men in Nez Perces county, being at the present time county attorney and one of the most prominent practitioners of the country, a keen student of human nature, thor- oughly posted in the lore of the law, and a pronounced success on the public rostrum.

Mr. Johnson was born in Portland, Oregon, on July 2, 1871, being the son of Jasper W. and Mary E. (Post) Johnson. The father is a lawyer, born in In- diana in 1836 and still practicing in Denver, Colorado. He was brigadier general of the Pacific troops at Olympia during the war and was first county judge of Umatilla county, Oregon. The mother was born in New York in 1843, came to Oregon City in 1853, via Panama ; her father, John D. Post, was a graduate of Yale College, coming to the coast in the same year that his daughter did, and acted as president of the first college on the coast, it being located at Oregon City. Later he returned to New York and was con- nected with various institutions of learning. His mother came of the Pierpont stock that founded Yale.

Our subject was reared and educated in Portland, where he remained until the early part of 1892. At that time he went to Aspen, Colorado, being admitted to the bar there, having completed the course of read- ing that was begun in Portland. He practiced in Colo- rado and Utah until 1897, having access to all the courts. Then returned to Portland and engaged in the political campaign of 1898, stumping the state for the Republican party. In July, 1898, lie came to Lewis- ton, and opened an office. In 1900 he was nominated for county attorney and after a stubborn fight was elected with three others of his ticket.

On June 5, 1901, Mr. Jolinson married Miss Sarah G. Sweet, niece of Edward A. Temple, president of the Bankers' Life Association of Des Moines, Iowa, who raised this lady. The wedding occurred at Chariton, Iowa. Mrs. Johnson, who was born in that town on September 24, 1876, has two sisters, Harriett Sweet, and Mrs. Kate Rose. Mr. Johnson has the following

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brothers and sisters, Clara W. Knight, Thurston L., Harry B. He is a member of the K. of P. and the Artisans. Mrs. Johnson is a member of the Episcopal- ian church. Mr. Johnson is strictly a westerner in every true sense of the word, and has a good prac- tice in Lewiston and adjacent country. His grand- father William was with Whitman in the early days, and his aunt, Mrs. Mary Clymer, was with Spalding at the time of the massacre, and narrowly escaped. Hezekiah Johnson, his great uncle, was the first Bap- tist missionary on the Pacific coast. His uncle, John A. Post, was postmaster for years at Boise, Idaho. Mr. Johnson has a fine home in Lewiston, where his esti- mable wife presides with gracious dignity, making it a centre of refined hospitality. He has a fine prac- tice and stands high among his confreres as also with the people, being a man of sound principles and with a noble sense of honor and justice.

WILLIAM E. TIMBERLAKE was born in St. Charles county, Missouri, on June 26, 1838, the son of Benjamin E. and Eliza M. (Overstreet) Timber- lake. The father was a contractor, born in Madison county, Kentucky, in 1808, and his mother, formerly Mrs. Ball, was also a. Kentuckian. The mother of our subject was born in Albermarle county, Virginia, in 1817 and her parents were Virginians. Our subject lived with his parents until he was eighteen years of age, then went to work for himself in the community until twenty-nine years old; he then decided to come west and in 1867 we find him in Walla Walla. In his boyhood days, he had gained his education from a sub- scription school, walking many miles and then paying for the privilege of learning. This arduous way had hardened him into the traces of life, he was filled with vigor and ready for the occasions presented in the west. He clerked for a time, then went to Lewiston and was soon in the mining town of Warren, where he spent four years clerking, from 1868 to 1872. Then he went to Walla Walla and on May I, started for Texas, where he bought a herd of cattle, then left there June 20, landing in southern Colorado, October 1, 1872. Wintering there, the next spring found him on the drive again, and on November 13, 1873, he turned his stock on the range in Routt county, Colorado. He handled them there until June 25, 1880, then sold out and came to Lewis- ton, landing there on July 25. He had been very successful in the cattle business, but in 1879, at the breaking out of the Utes, he lost heavily, and now has a claim of twenty thousand dollars against the government, which is being litigated. Arriving in Lewiston, he purchased the Raymond house, on July 30, 1880, and from that date until March 4, 1901, he was installed as manager of that popular house, and continued as such until March, 1901, when he leased the hotel. Mr. Timberlake has real estate interests in the country and property in Lewiston. At one time he was interested in the Lewiston Mercantile Company but sold out in 1901. At present he has mining inter-

ests. At one time Mr. Timberlake was elected mayor of Lewiston but refused to serve, and has always de- clined the honor of public office, but has labored hard for his friends' election. He is allied with the Demo- cratic party, and laconically remarks that he has been trying to elect a Democratic president.

Mr. Timberlake was married in 1876 and has now one grown daughter. Mr. Timberlake had relatives on both sides of the struggle in the Civil war and was in and out of the lines on both sides and had many thrilling experiences. While in the stock business he was active against the Indians in the outbreak. One of his herdsmen, Mowery by name, was killed by the Indians. Swift Timberlake, of Liberty, Missouri, who for so many years fought the James and Younger boys, and traced them so much, was a noted officer in the entire country, and a cousin of our subject. While Mr. Timberlake was in the stock business, the gov- ernment sent special agents out from Washington a number of times to quell the Indians and prevent their driving him out of the country.

COMMODORE B. NELSON. Nez Perces county does not come one whit behind in the excellency of her mechanics as she does not in any other line. One to be mentioned especially in this num- ber of worthy workers is named at the head of this page. Mr. Nelson is well known and highly esteemed and is now operating one of the leading blacksmith shops in the town of Lewis- ton. Being a natural mechanic, he has added to this a wealth of skill and experience that make him one of the leaders in his line, and he is doing a fine business.

C. B. Nelson was born in Adams county, Illinois, on September 3, 1868, being the son of James R. and Mary C. (Ruddell) Nelson. When a child, his parents came to Marion county, Iowa, and in the fall of 1876, he came with them, via San Francisco, to Walla Walla, where the father entered government land and farmed until January, 1880. Then a move was made to the vicinity of Lewiston. Commodore remained with his parents and received his education in these various places.

On September 2, 1888, Mr. Nelson married Miss Melissa, daughter of John and Barbara (Shoup) Tripp. Mrs. Nelson was born in Adams county, Illi- nois, on July 13,1868, and came to Nez Perces county the April before she was married. Subsequent to their marriage they removed to Lincoln county and there farmed for a short time, after which they returned to Nez Perces county, then in 1890 went to Rathdrum and Mr. Nelson took up the logging business until 1895. The following year he returned to Lewiston and opened a blacksmith shop and since that time has de- voted himself to this important industry. In the be- ginning of this labor Mr. Nelson was associated with Mr. Nelson, no relation, but in 1897 his partner died and he has operaated the labor alone since. The shop hires one man and part of the time two men and does a fine business. Since the start, Mr. Nelson has done a

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thriving business and is one of the prosperous men of the town now. He has a fine modern residence of ten rooms at the corner of Second and Prospect avenues, elegantly furnished, over which Mrs. Nelson presides with refined dignity and graciousness, making it one of the very attractive homes of the city. Mrs. Nelson has a most beautiful collection of house plants upon which she took the first premium at the inter-state fair in Lewiston and her artistic ability in arranging them creates a beautiful effect. She has received a second premium also for the choicest selections of house plants. Mr. Nelson is a member of the I. O. O. F., Lodge No. 8, in Lewiston and is also a member of the Encampment. He has been noble grand in the lodge. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Nelson, James Carl and Ruby Olive.

SERAPHIN WILDENTHALER is among the oldest pioneers of Lewiston as well as one of its most substantial citizens. He was born in Baden, Germany, on July 1, 1827. His family sailed from Havre, France, in 1852 and settled in Sandusky, Ohio. Soon there- after our subject came back to New York and went thence, via Panama, to San Francisco. For eight years he prospected and mined in the Golden state and came thence to northern Idaho in 1862. Hostile Indians attempted to stampede their horses while they were enroute and one morning they found the ground filled with arrows that had been shot at them in the night, the weapons being half buried by their force. In due time they arrived at Lewiston, a city of five thousand, all living in tents. A crossing was effected on the Snake where the ferry is now operated. Every day a pack train wound its way out from Lewiston and the tinkle of their bells was a familiar sound of the day. For three years Mr. Wildenthaler mined at Oro- fino and in the autumn of 1865, in company with Nye and Harness, took a pack train of flour to Kootenai and there sold it for sixty-five dollars per hundred. Later in the same years he opened a bakery in Lewis- ton with C. Baker. But the freedom of the hills called him and he sold out to his partner and went to Mon- tana. He mined on Harvey and Ten Mile creek and then went to Arizona, California, Nevada and finally came back to Sweetwater and South Pass. Mr. Wild- enthaler joined the workers on the Union Pacific and operated a bakery along the line, moving it sixteen times to keep abreast of the road. He witnessed the laying of the silver rail and the driving of the golden spike that celebrated the completion of the first trans- continental railroad in the United States, which act was done at Promontory Point. Mr. Wildenthaler visited Ohio at this time and two months later came back to Walla Walla. In 1870 he selected Lewiston as his home place and bought a half interest in the gro- cery and bakery business of Conrad Wintch. This partnership continued until 1878 when Mr. Wilden- thaler bought the entire business. He conducted it alone until 1901 when he sold a share to Joseph E. Kincaid. The next year Mr. Kincaid sold his inter-

est to D. O. Powell. The firm still occupies the same place on west Main street, but the old wooden struct- ure has given place to a brick building.

In 1878 Mr. Wildenthaler was united in marri- age with Miss Hattie Palmer and they have become the parents of two daughters and one son.

WILLIAM E. SCHNEBLY. It is with pleasure that we are enabled to grant this estimable gentleman a representation in the history of Nez Perces county since he has not only made a handsome success in busi- ness matters in the west, as his fine holding and enter- prise will show, but has also achieved a success as an educator ; in addition to these two lines of commenda- ble labor he has also done worthy work in the minister- ial line, having been exceptionally favored as a mission- ary in establishing churches of his faith. Mr. Schne- bly is a Baptist of the true stock and has preached for many years in the sections where he has resided and many places in the west are deeply indebted to him for sound moral teaching and gospel preaching.

A more minute detail of his life will be interesting and therefore we note at the beginning that he was born in Clarke county, Missouri, on December 14, 1854, being the son of John H. and Mary E. (North- craft) Schnebly. The father was a farmer, born in Maryland in 1816 and died in 1889. He was sheriff of Clarke county for two terms, was pioneer of that county as he had been of Peoria, Illinois and was a capable and respected man. The mother of our sub- ject was born in Virginia in 1830 and died in 1890. Her father was a pioneer of Clarke county, Missouri, having come thither in the thirties. Our subject re- ceived a common school education while at home and remained with his parents who removed to various places. The father served in the Civil war in the quar- ermaster's department and on account of the scourge of the war removed after it closed to Lafayette, Saline and Knox counties, to the latter in 1869. When Will- iam was twenty-five vears of age, he saw the need of better education and so labored and attended Edina Seminary. He began his career of teaching at that time and has followed it more or less since. He taught and preached and finally in 1881, came west to Mon- tana and the next year to Garfield county, Washington. He farmed four hundred acres there, taught school, and preached, being as busy a man as could be found in the county. About this time, being thirty, he de- termined to study in the theological seminary and ac- cordingly went to Louisville, Kentucky, and took a course. He returned to Latah county where he had purchased land and settled to till the same, but also took up missionary work in his church. For three years he was missionary pastor in Kendrick and he es- tablished churches at Ping, Washington, Pine Grove, Idaho, Kendrick, Big Meadows, and Lookout. Mr. Schnebly remained in Latah county until the reserva- tion was opened and then took up land where Lookout now stands.

On January 13, 1888, in Knox county, Missouri,

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Mr. Schnebly married Lucy A., daughter of Welling- ton and Amanda A. (Stapeles) Buford, natives of Virginia and pioneers of Lewis county, Missouri, both dying in Knox county. Mr. Buford was a brickmason and for years was judge of Knox county. Mrs. Schne- bly was born in Knox county in 1854 and has ten brothers and four sisters. Mr. Schnebly has the fol- lowing naned brothers and sisters, Frances V., Eliza- beth V., Arabella, John H., Andrew, and Richard, the last one deceased. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Schnebly, William B. B., at home. Mrs. Schne- bly's brother, George, was a soldier in the Civil war. Mr. Schnebly is a Prohibitionist and was nominated by his party for secretary of state. He is an advo- cate of good schools and morals and always labors for these worthy ends. Mr. Schnebly is a man of business and is handling the telephone system of this section, having been the promoter of it and now owns a two- third interest in the property. In addition to this he has a farm of one hundred and twenty acres at Look- out and one hundred and sixty in Latah county.

HORACE STANLEY. About two miles north from Steele post office is located the estate of Mr. Stanley, which he secured from the government by his homestead right, filing on the land in August, 1897. Since that time Mr. Stanley has been laboring assidu- ously in the good work of improving and opening his place, and he is now the owner of a fine farm, with good improvements, stock, orchards, buildings and so forth, all of which is the result of his industry and wisdom, for he came to the country in a "prairie schooner," which was the sum total of his assets at that time.

Horace Stanley was born in Guthrie county, Iowa, on October 17, 1865, being the son of Samuel C. and Emma (Newman) Stanley, natives of Indiana, where also they were married. When Horace was four years of age the family went to Jasper county, Missouri, and later to Berry county. It was 1877 when they went to Cherokee county, Kansas, and in the spring of 1888 they migrated to San Diego county, California, where the father went to raising fruit.

In Cherokee county, Kansas, Mr. Stanley married Miss Mary, daughter of William and Abigal (Lee) Jessup. The wedding occurred on November 22, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Jessup were natives of Indiana and were married there. Subsequent to that event they removed to Wayne county, Iowa, where Mrs. Stanley was born on April 14, 1864. In 1866 the family went to Chero- kee county, Kansas, and there her mother died in 1877, and her father passed away in 1885. In 1884 Mr. Stanley had taken a trip to Yamhill county, Oregon, for the purpose of exploring the country, and in 1886 he returned to his home in Kansas. In 1889 he came with his family to where his father dwelt in California, and thence in 1890 to Yamhill county again. In 1896 he migrated from that county to Latah county, and in 1897 came to his present place. He bought the right of a squatter and took a quarter section at that time.

Mr. Stanley has been active in the endeavors of build- ing up the country and has always labored for good schools and good government. He has rendered ex- cellent service as director and in all matters for the building of good roads and so forth he has also been zealous. Mr. and Mrs. Stanley are devout members of the Friends church and are real exemplifications of the principles of the faith. To this worthy couple there have been born five children,-Emma L., born October 7, 1889 ; Carl J., born October 22, 1891 ; Ethel A., born July 27, 1893 ; Howard S., born June 10, 1895 ; Warren N., born July 7, 1897.

SIMEON J. GILLMORE. It is with pleasure that we are enabled to incorporate in the history of Nez Perces county an epitome of the career of the es- teemed gentleman whose name is at the head of this. article. He was born in Pulaski county, Indiana, on February 27, 1863, being the son of James and Mary A. (Rumbough) Gillmore. When a child he went with his parents to Michigan and there he was reared until thirteen, when he began the labors of life for himself. He wrought in different parts of Michigan in logging and timber work and also did much dock build- ing on the lakes. In 1891 he came to Tacoma and en- gaged in logging, and the next year he came to the Okanogan country, where he delved for the riches of the mining regions. Later we see him in this same work in Shoshone county, Idaho. There, also, he was occupied in locating timber claims, in which he was skillful. When the reservation was opened he came hither and located on a choice quarter section of land, three miles north from Mohler. To the improvement and opening of this he has devoted himself with an en- ergy and skill that have brought their sure reward of a good competence and a fine and valuable farm. Mr. Gillmore states that when he landed on his present place he had but ten days' rations and he was obliged to continue for three years, nearly, before he got any returns of any value from the farm. But he was de- termined to make a valuable estate and he has been very successful in this labor. He has plenty of im- plements of all kinds for the cultivation of the farm, has it all tilled, fenced and bearing the fruits of the field, while a good house, orchard and other improve- ments are in evidence. Mr. Gillmore is a member of the W. of W. and is a reliable and honorable man, who is deserving of the generous approval and esteem that are bestowed upon him from his fellows.

JAMES R. LYDON. Since this volume is pur- porting to grant consideration to the leading citizens of Nez Perces county, therefore it is fitting that the gen- tleman whose name is at the head of this article should be mentioned herein, since also he is a man of good standing, uprightness and ability, and has spent most of his days in this and adjacent counties. James R. was born in San Francisco, on November 15, 1865.

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He was elected city treasurer in 1891, and that and various other employments occupied him until 1895, when he was appointed deputy sheriff under his broth- er, Harry Lydon. Two years later, this labor being finished, he went into the employ of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company and continued there until 1900, when the people called him to act as county treasurer. He was nominated on the Democratic ticket. and although many of that ticket suffered de- feat he was elected by a handsome majority. Since January 1, 1901, he has filled that office with credit to himself and acceptability to the constituency.

OSCAR B. CHESLEY is one of the later settlers in Nez Perces county, but he is a pioneer in the place where he now resides, having come to Rock Creek and started the town of Chesley in 1899. He established a general merchandise store, got a post office located, and since that time has been doing a good business, and in addition to those industries mentioned he also operated a hotel. Mr. Chesley is a man of ability and enterprise, and has shown himself a valuable citizen. In political matters he is active, always taking part in the affairs of state. In his walk he is a man of integ- rity and has won the good will and esteem of all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance.

Oscar B. Chesley was born in Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, on March 15, 1864, being the son of Israel and Jemima (Hendricks) Chesley. The family dates back for many centuries and the family tree is without break in all this long time. The Chesleys were always noted in the military actions of their day and took a prominent part in the Indian and Colonial wars.

The original emigrant, Philip Chesley, came to America from Dover, England, and was among the founders of Dover, New Hampshire, in 1642. The descendants scattered from this point, and in 1758 Camuel Chesley, who joined the colonial forces, went to Halifax and the following year settled on a grant of land in Nova Scotia allowed for military services. The father of our subject descended from this branch of the family and was born at Granville, Nova Scotia, and later emigrated to Canada, finally settling on his new farm at Campbellsport, Wisconsin, in 1850, where he still resides. The mother of Oscar was a descendant of the early Pennsylvanians and was born in that state ; later moved to Wisconsin, where she was married, lived and finally died, in 1900.

Oscar was educated in the Fond du Lac high school and then taught for several terms ; in 1887 he came to the Black Hills country, South Dakota, and settled at Oelrichs, where he edited and published the Oelrich's Times, a weekly newspaper. He also acquired title to over four hundred acres of land there, which he still owns. Mr. Chesley was elected clerk of courts of Fall River county, South Dakota, on the Republican ticket, and also served an unexpired term of another incumbent.

On May 30, 1898, near Omaha, Nebraska, Mr. Chesley married Miss Minnie J., daughter of Charles

G. and Lonisa (Roberts) Laing. The father came to the country where Omaha now stands when there were but two houses, and he fought the Indians several times. He was a native of Canada, of Scotch extrac- tion. The mother of Mrs. Chesley was born in Illinois. Mrs. Chesley's brothers and sisters are Prince C., Liz- zie Graham, and Rose, Cyrus, Margaret, Lena, Kirk, at home. in Springfield, where Mrs. Chesley was born. Her uncle William and his three sons were killed near Oberlin, Kansas, by the Indians. Mr. Chesley has two brothers, Walter W. and Arthur D. Mr. Chesley is a member of the M. W. A. and of the I. O. O. F., while he and his wife are church people. He was ad- mitted to the practice of land law in South Dakota. He had four uncles who fought for the Union, and two were killed in battle, one died before he came out of the war and one came home and died from the effects of his hardships. Mr. Chesley is one of the leading men of his section, and his ability in business matters, his careful management of the affairs of life entitle him justly to this position. In the fall of 1902 Mr. Chesley was nominated by the Republicans to the office of probate judge.

CAPTAIN LOUIS D. SCHATTNER is one of the veterans of the Philippine struggle, being captain of Company B, First Idaho Infantry. His company was detailed for the service of the Philippines and he was active in the battle of Manila. Shortly after this he was taken sick and was sent home after serving there for eleven months.

Our subject was born in Wurtemberg. Germany, on October 1, 1858, being the son of David A. and Ursula (Kast) Schattner. The father was a highly educated gentleman, was in the military in Germany, was born on January 6, 1833, and died in 1895. He held the permanent position of foreman of the grand jury and was a prominent and highly esteemed man. The mother was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, also, in 1836, and died in 1872, being a thoroughly educated lady of distinction. Our subject was educated in the high school of his native place, and then graduated from the Polytechnic schools. He came to America in 1873 and soon established himself in the drug busi- ness in Baltimore, but later went to Texas, following the same business. Soon after we see him in Butte. Montana, mining. He next enlisted in the regular army, Company G, First Cavalry. For ten years lie served in the western department. He was engaged in the Nez Perce war, with the Bannocks and the Sheepeaters, the latter on the Salmon river. After his honorable discharge he went to Billings, Montana, and then to Spokane, Washington, and later opened a drug business in Kendrick. After the fire there he established himself in Leland and was there appointed postmaster. It was 1805 that he came to Lewiston ; then again we find him in Montana. in the drug busi- nes. After his return from the Spanish-Philippine war he went to Lewiston and opened a drug store. which, however, he recently sold, and is now engaged

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 67

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