An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 72

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 72
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 72
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 72
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 72

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).

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

Pacific. After this he went to the Flathead reser- vation and worked for the mission for a time, con- tinuing 1intil 1894.

On April 14, 1888. in Montana, at the Flathead mission, Mr. Tellier married Miss Cecile, daughter of Louie and Mary Ann. The father was a Frenchman and the mother a Nez Perces Indian woman. Her father was a smart man and one of the first among the Indians who was educated. His Indian name was Kimpilets, but in English he was known as Dick Richards. He was a powerful chief and a firm friend of the whites. Mrs. Tellier was born in Missou- la, Montana, on May 30, 1864, and she has one sister, Lillie Compleville. Mr. Tellier has the following brothers and sisters: Mary Beauchamp, Nelson, Cleo- faus, Theodore, Adelaide. The children born to Mr. and Mrs Tellier are named as follows: Rosa Find- lay, who was educated in the Montana mission and is at Kamiah; Esther, educated at the Montana mission ; Cleofaus, Laurett, Albert, Louie, all at home and will be educated in the English schools. Mr. and Mrs. Tellier are members of the Catholic church. He is a Democrat and takes an active part in the campaigns.

THOMAS J. S. MABBOTT. While Mr. Mabbott is one of the best farmers of his section he is also equal- ly skilled in the art of the carpenter and builder and his life has been mostly made up in labors in these two important lines. He was born in Iowa county, Wiscon- sin, on January 8, 1849, being the son of Christopher and Mary A. (Springthrop) Mabbott. The father was a farmer and stockman, born in Rutlandshire, Eng- land, on March 26, 1809. He came to the United States in 1844 and died in 1886. The mother was born in Rutlandshire, England, September, 1809, and died in 1890. Our subject was educated and grew to man- hood in Iowa county and remained with his parents until he was twenty-four. He perfected himself in the carpenter trade and then worked at it eight years in McGregor, Iowa. Then he removed to Sauk county and engaged in the grocery business for two years, after which he farmed and in 1894 he took an extended trip all over Iowa, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming. Washington and other places, finally settling in the vi- cinity of Genesee. He farmed two years and in 1896, he came and secured his present place a mile south- west from Ilo.

On June 24, 1874, in Wisconsin, Mr. Mabbott mar- ried Miss Nellie, daughter of Luke and Mary Ellen (Ballou) Farwell. The father was a farmer, born in Ohio, in 1826, and died in 1860, at Pikes Peak, being in that excitement. His father was a pioneer in Iowa county and went to California in the exciting days of 1852, remaining ten years. Mrs. Mabbott's mother was born in Illinois in 1827 and died when this daugh- ter was but four years old. Mrs. Mabbott was born in Iowa county in 1852, May 26, and has two sisters, Adelia Jain and Adora Pope. Mr. Mabbott has the following brothers and sisters: Charles W., John R., Amos M., Mary A., Edward J., Christopher A.,

Martha A., George W., Laura J. Five children have been born to this worthy couple: Ernest C., May L., Grace A., Guy E., Ruth N. Mr. Mabbott is a pro- gressive and active Republican and is on hand in all the primaries and the campaign fight, while also he takes great interest in the advancement of school facilities. He has a good home place, well improved, and handled with skill and thrift.

ALBERT G. WISNER is one of Nez Perces county's leading farmers and stockmen, being a man of excellent capabilities and sterling worth, which have been duly manifested in his business achieve- ments, his political career and in his walk as a citizen and as an upright man. He dwells about ten miles southeast from Lewiston, on a fine farm of three hun- dred and sixty acres of good land. This is laid under tribute to produce good wheat and barley each year, while in addition, Mr. Wisner handles about three hundred head of hogs each year. This alone would be a sufficient industry for one but also the one line in which Mr. Wisner has gained the finest success is in breeding excellent Hereford cattle. He has some spec- imens that would delight the eye of a stock connois- seur and of which he is justly proud. Mr. Wisner also handles a section of rented land.

It will be interesting to trace the life of such a successful man and with pleasure we append the de- tails. Albert G. Wisner was born in Genesee county, New York, on October 31, 1851, being the son of Peter S. Wisner, who had married Miss Haner. The father was a carpenter and a native of the Empire state also, and 1880 is the year of his demise. The mother died in 1856 and thus Albert never knew the tender hand of a mother while he was growing up. The parents removed to Kent, Michigan, before the death of the mother and after that sad occurrence, the father kept the little band together until our sub- juct was ten years of age and then they all went for themselves. However, Albert remained there and la- bored at different callings until he was twenty-four. He had purchased a portion of his father's farm and in 1876 sold that and came to Douglas county, Ore- gon. The next year, we see him in Lewiston and there he enlisted with General Howard to fight the Indians. Then he was hired by the government to aid in the construction of roads. Next, he logged on the Clearwater and in the fall of 1879, he took a claim south of Tammany hollow. Later, he sold that property and bought the farm where he now lives. His place is embellished with a fine, modern, eight-room house with plenty of closet and pantry room and ex- ceptionally well arranged for comfort and conven- ience. He also has a fine, large, red barn and out buildings. Mr. Wisner deals in cattle a great deal, being an excellent judge of stock.

In April, 1882, Mr. Wisner married Miss Lillie, daughter of W. H. and Ora (Kirk) Wishard, natives of Indiana. The father was a wheelwright and died in 1894 and the mother died in 1872. Mrs. Wisner

ALBERT G. WISNER.

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was born on September 9, 1861. Mr. Wisner has the following-named brothers and sisters: Rebecca Og- den, Matilda Vanorton, Byron D., Louisa Frazee and John S., Adelia Sessions, Gustavus, Ruth Warner, Frederick. Mr. and Mrs. Wisner have one adopted child, Lauretta. In political matters, Mr. Wisner is a stanch Republican and votes the ticket straight ; he often attends county conventions as delegate. He was elected county commissioner on his ticket in 1894 and with great credit to himself and advantage to the county he served his term and was renominated, but the entire party was snowed under. Mr. Wisner had three brothers, Byron, John and Gustavus, who fought for their country in the time of the dark rebellion. One entered the ranks when but fourteen years of age. Mr. Wisner is a strong advocate of good schools, has al- ways worked for their betterment and is to be credited with much good accomplished in this line.

EDWARD B. WILSON. It is remarkable how many excellent mechanics there are in the reservation portion of Nez Perces county and as a pioneer of them all, as well as a leader in both proportions of business, and excellence of equipment, we are constrained to mention the well known gentleman whose name is at the head of this article. Mr. Wilson is a pioneer in that he was among the very first settlers in the res- ervation country, and also in that he erected one of the first blacksmith shops in Nezperce. To the prosecu- tion of the business he has steadily devoted his labor and excellent skill since that date and it is without doubt that he has today one of the best paying con- cerns in the state. Recently, Mr. Wilson took as part- ner in business Mr. Davis, and the firm is known as Wilson & Davis. Mr. Wilson is a first class me- chanic in both wood and iron, and handles a number of men in his shop. His shop is now one of the finest to be found. It is fully equipped with all modern and up- to-date appliances and is a model of neatness and or- der. The upper story is arranged for a nice hall to accommodate theatrical entertainments, it being pro- vided with good stage, curtains and scenery. It is of note that when Mr. Wilson came to this town in the fall of 1896, he was not well provided with finances, and when he erected the first shop in February, 1897, he had but fifty dollars. With this humble start, by industry, executive ability, and excellent skill of Mr. Wilson, there has been evolved a business, as stated above, second to none in the state; he has since pur- chased his partner's interest. The equipment, build- ings, land, and so forth, all belong to Mr. Wilson, per- sonally, and are at a low estimate worth over five thousand dollars. In addition to this, Mr. Wilson owns a seven-room cottage of neat and tasty architec- tural design, which is his family home.

Reverting more to the early life of our subject we note that he was born in Morgan county, Illinois, on March 9, 1862, being the son of Henry and Harriet (Breckon) Wilson. The father was born in Illinois in 1833, of English parents, and now lives in Central

City, Nebraska, retired. The mother of our subject was born in England in April, 1833, came to the Un- ited States when she was six years old with her par- ents, who are dead. She was married in 1854. Ed- ward was reared on a farm, educated in the common schools and then took a course in mechanical drawing. When twenty-three, he went to Nebraska and opened a blacksmith shop. Eleven years were spent there and a move was made to Moscow : then he operated a shop in Cornwell, after which he came to Nezperce, as stated above. Mr. Wilson has two brothers, Lincoln, a blacksmith in Wyoming, and Albert, a Methodist preacher.

At Archer, Nebraska, on September 6, 1888, Mr. Wilson married Miss Viola V., daughter of Jacob B. and Martha Templin, natives of Ohio. The father was a merchant and operator of creameries in Archer. Nebraska. He was a popular and prominent man and held many public offices. He is a veteran of the Civil war and carries a wound in his hip, which crippled him for life. He served in the Ohio Cavalry all through the conflict. Mrs. Wilson was born on May 19, 1871, and has the following brothers and sisters ; Wilbur, a farmer at Archer, Nebraska; Leonard. re- siding with his parents; Ollie, wife of George Ayers, county attorney of Merrick county, Nebraska : Clara, wife of Roy Farnham, a farmer near Wheatland, Wy- oming; Jessie, a student in Lincoln University : Alice, at home. Mr. Wilson is a member of the I. O. O. F., North Star Lodge, No. 56, of Nezperce; of the M. W. A. and the W. W., both of Nezperce. He and his wife also belong to the auxiliaries of the last two or- ders. They are prominent members of the Methodist church and have an excellent standing in the commun- ity. To Mr. and Mrs. Wilson there have been born six children, Harry, Pearl, Lloyd, Roy, Earl, Glenn.

His father served in Company D, IOIst Illinois Vol- untcer Infantry for three years from enlistment to the close of the war, under General Sherman, and on the march to the sea, Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga and Peach Tree Creek.

ARTHUR S. CORDINER. We are constrained to mention this genial and capable gentleman, who has labored with unflagging interest for the upbuilding of the country and the handling of his business enter- prises. He has a fine farm in the vicinity of Melrose, it being about three miles southeast from the town, and there he has bestowed his labors with excellent visible results and he is counted one of the substantial men of the community.

Arthur S. Cordiner was born in London county. Ontario, on April 13, 1866, being the son of Arthur and Ellen (Beatty) Cordiner. The father was born in Scotland in 1818 and still lives. He came to Can- ada in 1848 and farmed there. He was one of the councillors in his county. The mother of our subject was born in Scotland in 1828, and died in 1893. Our subject remained at home until he was eighteen, being educated in the famous schools of Ontario, which

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have justly gotten a world wide reputation. Then he came to Walla Walla and worked on a farm for five years. His next move was to Whitman county where he farmed for himself. This was a trying time for Mr. Cordiner for he went to that county with two thousand dollars cash and came away in six years with one thousand dollars of debt. In 1896 he settled on his present place and two brothers took land adjoining his. They have labored together and our subject has a fine orchard and does a general farming business, also raising many shire horses.

Mr. Cordiner is a Democrat and always on the side of progress and advancement. He is a member of the M. W. A. and of the I. O. O. F., both at Melrose. He has the following named brothers and sisters: Alex- ander, John. Mary Jarron, William, George, Jessie Cunningham, Ella Cook, Anna Nevel, Peter F. and James B., twins, both graduates of Pullman, and Peter is now attending Ann Arbor University and Robert S.

GRANVILLE O. DAVIS. To the honest and hardworking mechanics, and those who have taken hold with their hands and wrought out the develop- ment of the reservation country, we are constrained to grant a prominent place in the history of our coun- ty, for we firmly believe that the ones who have done the labor are the ones who should receive the credit of opening any country, regardless of the amount of wealth the laborer has gathered. As a leader in the realm of mechanics in Nezperce, we mention Mr. Davis, of the firm of Wilson & Davis, doubtless the largest firm for blacksmithing and wheelwright work in the coun- ty, and the operators of as good a shop and as well furnished and equipped as there is in the state. They employ three men besides the proprietors and Mr. Davis attends to the wheelwright department.

Granville O. Davis was born in Ross county, Ohio, on February 10. 1858, being the son of Horatio H. and Lucy ( Kuhl) Davis, natives of Fayette county, Ohio, born on February 22, 1833, and 1835, respect- tively. The father has a large shop in Lyndon, Ohio, where he is a prominent citizen and his ancestors came from the Plymouth Rock pionecrs. He was married in 1854. The ancestors of our subject's mother lived in Virginia for seven generations back. Granville was educated in his native place, finishing with a course in the South Salem Academy. In 1878 he started in blacksmithing for himself in South Salem, Ohio, and fifteen years he wrought there. It was 1893 that he came to Johnson, Washington, and there operated the best shop until 1901, when he came to Nezperces and at first entered partnership with S. J. Doggett, but later sold to Mr. Doggett and in November, 1901. formed his present business relations. Mr. Davis has three brothers, Peter K., a traveling salesman for the Gilliam Manufacturing Company of Canton, Ohio; Horatio H., with the same company : Jesse R., a phy- sician in New York city. Mr. Davis also has three sisters, Ogeda V., single, living with parents; Annie. wife of Joseph Rohan, a horseshoer in Jeffersonville.

Ohio ; Lucy, wife of Amer Wilson, a farmer at Johnson, Washington.

In Ross county, Ohio, on October 30, 1878, Mr. Davis married Miss Vedie L., daughter of Joseph and Louisa (Wilson) Lumbeck, natives of Ohio. The father was an undertaker and died in 1885, aged fifty- eight, while the mother died January 20, 1903, in Burlington, Iowa. Mrs. Davis has one brother, Daniel W., a physician at Burlington, Iowa. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Davis, Bonnie L. and Edna W. Mr. Davis is a member of the K. P., McLean Lodge, No. 262 of Greenfield, Ohio; and also of the W. W., at Nezperce. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church and are highly respected people.

JACOB H. MOWRY. It is with pleasure that we essay the task of outlining the career of this estimable gentleman, since he has demonstrated in the face of overwhelming odds, his integrity, determination, and ability to endure hardships and win success in spite of the greatest opposition and obstacles to overcome.

Jacob H. Mowry was born in Miami county, Ohio, on May 11. 1860. being the son of Phillip and Sarah (Shellenbarger ) Mowry, natives of Pennsylvania. The mother died when our subject was eight years old. His father is now aged seventy-eight and is living a retired life at Covington, Ohio. Our subject was reared on a farm which his father rented from the noted patent medicine man, Dr. Harter. He was educated in the high school and when twenty-one went to Arkansas to raise cotton. Later he removed to Iowa, and in various places in that state he wrought at farming and in the starch works until the opening of the reservation when he came hither and bought the relinquishment to his present place. He was rather depleted as to finances, and his wife was very poorly from consumption. Mr. Mowry was forced to leave the family and go to Walla Walla and work in the harvest fields to secure food for them. On November 10, 1897, Mrs. Mowry died and left four children, the youngest four years old. Mr. Mowry remained at home and cared for his little ones as best he could and little by little improved the ranch. He worked out and one day earned a little pig, which he brought home under his arm. He now has one hundred and twenty-five descendants of that animal on his place and is being prospered exceedingly in raising hogs, being very skillful in that line. Mr. Mowry has his place improved well, has platted twenty acres and sold some lots and is one of the leading and respected men of the county. His children are bright and showing great talent in the line of music and there is great credit due our subject for his faithful and wise manner in which he has met the adversities of life and has wrought.

On January 6, 1884, Mr. Mowry married Miss Millie A., daughter of Charles and Mary (Thomas) Walker. now deceased. Mrs. Mowry was born in Illi- nois in 1869. She had the following brothers and sis- ters, Lester. Fred. Charles and Milton, all residents in Iowa : Allie, wife of Seth Smith, in Racine, Wiscon-

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sin : Lula, single and on the home farm in Marshall county, Iowa. The four children of our subject are named as follows : Roy, born May 15, 1885 : Fred, born January 7, 1887 ; Hazel G., born December 30, 1891 ; Pearl, born January 3, 1893. Mr. Mowry has two brothers, Samuel and John, both farmers near Coving- ton, Ohio. He is a Republican and is often seen at the conventions. Mr. Mowry is one of those worthy men whose example and walk and business enterprise are worth much for the upbuilding of the country and it is gratifying that we are able to record that he is now enjoying the reward of the wise effort that he has be- stowed.

FRANK J. DECKER. The travels and exper- iences of this well known and substantial resident of Mason prairie would fill a volume and the best way to recount the career of a man is to see what he has done. So we will give in as great detail as we are able to do the review of Mr. Decker's lite.

Frank J. Decker was born in Jefferson county, In- diana, on February 4, 1849. His father, George D., was a machinist, born in France and at nineteen years of age he was head of a large shop. He patented the first shoe pegging machine and was also the patentee of several other valuable inventions. He married Ju- cith, danghter of John and Eleanor Hall. She was born in Kentucky. The father died in 1839 and the mother in 1899. Our subject went to live with his grandmother when he was thirteen and two years later he commenced to learn the harness trade. Next we see him in Kansas City then in Stark county, Illi- nois, where he worked in the coal mines. In the fall of 1869, he went to Montana, looked the country over and in his trips nearly lost his scalp, only avoiding that unpleasant experience by secreting himself in the brush. A few nights following this he was awakened in his camp by breathing in his face ; carefully lighting a match, he held it to some prepared tinder which dis- played a bear who was quite at home, but at this he concluded to depart. Game was plenty in those days in Montana and one day when he had gotten into settled quarters, he heard a disturbance in the yard and went out to find a lusty elk with his antlers caught in the door of the dog house. The dog inside was re- senting the intrusion as desperately as circumstances would permit. In 1870 Mr. Decker landed in Helena and worked there with one man for six years. While he was there, the Chessman reservoir broke and Mr. Decker was in the way of the awful torrent. He was tossed about as a cork and not a thread of clothing was left on his body. He was bruised terribly all over his body but escaped with his life and a broken leg and no clothes. Several others perished in the flood. He was broken in finances because of this catastrophe and made a new start in life. He took up farming and also freighted to Fort Benton from Deer Lodge and other points. He then bought sixty-five head of cattle and went to the head of the Teton and a hard winter killed all. This left him with a four-horse team and thirty collars. He came west and located in Spirit valley and

two years later came and took his present place, known as the Mason creek ranch. He has one hundred acres mn meadow, two good barns, a comfortable residence, twenty-five cattle and other improvements and pro- perty. Mr. Decker was one of the very first to settle in this part and is well known all over this section, hav- ing kept for years a stopping place and feed barns.

Mr. Decker has two children by his former mar- riage, Emma A., born April 21, 1878, at Helena, Montana ; Ella E., born January 20, 1880, at Helena, and wife of Edward Cole.

Mr. Decker married a second time on August 12, 1897, Ida A., daughter of Otto and Anna M. ( Robison ) Brown, becoming his wife then. She was born in Montana, on June 22, 1880. Her mother was born in Denmark, July 19, 1864. The following named chil- dren have been born to this union : Clarence G., born February 11, 1898; Frederic F., born December 28, 1899 : Elmer E., born January 9, 1901 ; all were born in Nez Perces county.

CHARLES A. MARKWELL. This young man is one of the substantial property owners of the reser- vation portion of our county and he is also one of the vanguard of progress and development, having a fine farm in the vicinity of Nezperce, while also he has great interests in the mining regions of the Coeur d'Alenes.

Charles A. Markwell was born in Missouri on Sep- tember 20, 1871, being the son of Sylvester and Esther ( Stevens) Markwell. The father was born in In- diana, on May 29, 1840, and his parents were born in Missouri. He is a mining man and raiser of stock. The mother of our subject was born in the vieinity of Bangor, Maine; her father was a native of England and her mother of Scotland. When an infant, our sub- ject was taken to Nevada with his parents and there was educated in the graded schools, also attending school some in Healdsburg, California. He labored with his father until twenty-one, when they all came to Wallace, Idaho, where he and his father went into the dairy business. This he conducted until 1901, and then sold out to his brothers. In 1898 Mr. Markwell filed on his present claim, purchasing a relinquish- ment. He has given attention to the cultivation and improvement of this farm since that time and it is one of the valuable places in this vicinity. Mr. Mark- well also owns stock in the famous Hercules mine, in Burke, for which property one million five hun- dred thousand dollars were recently refused. He also owns three dwellings and a business building in Burke, which he rents. Then he has a one-third interest with his father and brothers in a fruit ranch and stock farmi two miles from Wallace. Mr. Markwell has three brothers and two sisters,-J. Fred, a dairyman ncar Wallace ; Frank P., a partner in this dairy; Jess E., in Wallace : Effie F. : Emma, wife of Thomas J. Hardwick, a vegetable farmer near Wallace. Mr. Markwell's father was in the Civil war and after con- siderable sickness he was discharged. Mr. Markwell

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is a thorough business man and has operated with display of great wisdom and keen foresight in his ven- tures, success having crowned him each time. He is of excellent standing and has the good will and esteem of all who may have the pleasure of his acquaintance, being an affable and pleasant companion and a loyal friend.

GEORGE W. DILL. This prosperous farmer is to be classed among the most enterprising men of the county and his hard labors, deprivations and hardships endured in the struggle to open this new country, dem- onstrate him to be possessed of true grit, energy, wis- dom and powers to overcome.

George W. Dill was born in Nevada county, Cali- fornia, on June 24, 1870. His father, Henry P., was born in St. Louis, on June 13, 1833. In the early fifties he went across the plains with ox teams and although the Indians were on every hand they escaped a battle and he was soon in the mines of the Golden state, where he discovered some valuable properties. After min- ing for some time on his own responsibility, he took the superintendency of a large hydraulic company and operated it for seventeen years. He is now farming in Washington. He married Elizabeth, the daughter of Michael and Elizabeth Sullivan. She was born in California in 1850, May 28. They had the following children, besides our subject : Henry, died in Califor- nia ; Laura L. Hayhurst, Elizabeth L., with parents. George W. worked with his parents until he was of age and then went to Whitman county and farmed for three years. In the panic of 1893 he was completely broken up financially and packed his blankets seventy miles to work in the timber. Two years there and he came with a three-horse team to the reservation coun- try and during that trip camped out when the mercury registered twelve degrees below zero. He took a quarter by homestead right and has given himself to its culture since. He had a stopping place for freighters and travelers during the days of freighting to Grange- ville. He was one of the first to settle on Mason prairie and has made a fine showing, having marketed over twelve hundred bushels of grain this year, has stock and is a prosperous man. He drew up the petition for the first school district and was appointed director by the county superintendent. Politically he is a Demo- crat but is an independent thinker and chooses rather the man than the tenets of any party.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 72

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