An illustrated history of the state of Idaho, containing a history of the state of Idaho from the earliest period of its discovery to the present time, together with glimpses of its auspicious future; illustrations and biographical mention of many pioneers and prominent citizens of to-day, Part 103

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1014

USA > Idaho > An illustrated history of the state of Idaho, containing a history of the state of Idaho from the earliest period of its discovery to the present time, together with glimpses of its auspicious future; illustrations and biographical mention of many pioneers and prominent citizens of to-day > Part 103

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Accordingly, in 1890, Mr. Pierce came to Boise, and since that time has been accounted one of the leading business men of the city. That few have done more for the advancement of the city of Boise and Ada county is a fact generally acknowledged. He is actively engaged in the real-estate business, and it is estimated that fully five hundred persons have settled within the lim- its of this county annually as the result of the efforts of the firm of W. E. Pierce & Company, consisting of W. E. Pierce, J. M. Haines and L. H. Cox, is the best known and most reliable real- estate firm in "The Gem of the Mountains," and has done more than all others combined for the advancement and best interests of the city and state. They have induced eastern people and others to become permanent citizens here. Large sums of eastern capital also have been in-

vested in local enterprises, owing to the zeal and executive ability of the firm and the personal in- fluence of Mr. Pierce and his partners. They constantly handle property, both in large and small tracts, and are agents for outside parties, at home and abroad. An example of the enterprise of the firm is shown in the very handsome sou- venir pamphlets which they publish annually, illustrating the attractions of the city and setting forth its numerous advantages as a place of resi- dence and business investment.

In 1896 W. E. Pierce was honored by election to the mayoralty of Boise, and the same progres- sive spirit and executive force manifested in his business career marked the discharge of his of- ficial duties. Under his administration many · substantial improvements, accruing greatly to the benefit and beauty of the city, were instituted; sidewalks were built, shade-trees planted and numerous other necessary and valuable public works were inaugurated. Mr. Pierce inaugurated the first street-paving, at the time he was mayor, even though at that time it was accomplished un- der great difficulties and met with great opposi- tion, while now everybody concedes that it was the right thing to do. He was the most progressive mayor that Boise ever had, and under his man- agement an immense stride was taken toward a more brilliant future than was ever before thought possible for her.

The marriage of W. E. Pierce and Miss Georgie Mundy, of Keokuk, Iowa, was cele- brated in 1882. She presides with grace and dignity over their beautiful home on Franklin, near Eleventh, street.

ALBERT G. CORDELLE.

Among the wide-awake and enterprising mer- chants of Weiser is Albert G. Cordelle, proprietor of the leading furniture store of the town. His entire life has been passed in the northwest, and he possesses that spirit of progress and energy which has resulted in the rapid development and upbuilding of this section of the country. He was born in Canyon City, Oregon, on the 30th of January, 1866, and is a son of W. J. and Jane Cordelle, of the same state. He acquired his education in the public schools of Idaho, and was then fitted for the practical and responsible duties of life. In 1886 he entered upon his busi-

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HISTORY OF IDAHO.

ness career as a clerk in a store in Silver City, where he was employed for some time by W. F. Sominercamp, with whom he came to Weiser in 1890. Forming a partnership with his former employer, they carried on business together for seven years, at the expiration of which period Mr. Cordelle sold his interest to Mr. Sommer- camp and opened the furniture store which he has since conducted. He carries a full and complete line of furniture, carpets, crockery and house- furnishing goods and enjoys a large trade, which has come to him by reason of his straightforward business methods, his careful management, his moderate prices, and his earnest efforts to please his patrons.

Mr. Cordelle was married in 1890 to Miss Mary Sommercamp, a sister of his former partner, and · a general grocery business on Cleveland avenue. they now have two children, Howard and Grace. In his political views Mr. Cordelle is a Democrat, but has never sought nor desired the honors or emoluments of public office. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the. Knights of Pythias fraternity and occupies a lead- ing position in business and social circles. He is still a young man, but has attained most credit- able and gratifying success, and the future holds out bright prospects for him.

JAMES F. KANE.

Janies F. Kane, the leading grocer of Poca- tello, Idaho, was born at Joliet, Illinois, April 3, 1858, to Michael and Anna (Smith) Kane, natives of Ireland, who emigrated to Boston, Massa- chusetts, early in life and there met and married. At Joliet, Illinois, Michael Kane became a pros- perous farmer, and for years he was foreman of the Illinois prison quarries. He is now, at the age of sixty-nine, a prominent farmer and stock- raiser of Nuckolls county, Nebraska. His wife died in her fiftieth year, in 1882. As is her hus- band, she was a devout member of the Catholic church. They had eight children, of whom seven are living.

James F. Kane was the fifth in order of birth. He was reared at Joliet and attended the public school and a private school of his church. He farmed three years in Nebraska and then lived for a time in Iowa, until he was offered a position as traveling salesman for a cigar factory, in New York city, of which one of his uncles was pro-

prietor. He was successful in this work, and was called into the office and made assistant book- keeper, a position which he retained until the death of his uncle necessitated the termination of the business. He was then chosen to settle up his uncle's estate, which he did to the satisfaction of everyone concerned.

In 1890 he came to Pocatello and for about nine months was in the employ of the Oregon Short Line Railroad Company. For a time he was a clerk in the mercantile house of Harkness & Company, then in a small way he began busi- ness for himself on the east side of the town, handling fruits, vegetables, fish and oysters. He was successful in this venture, and in about two years removed to the west side and embarked in

In 1895 he purchased his present store, in which he materially enlarged his business, which is now the most important of its kind in the town. His stock of merchandise is most complete, and his honorable methods commend his establishment to the favor of all classes of customers. Heeding the instructive maxim of Ben Franklin that "he who by the plow would thrive, himself must either hold or drive," he has from the outset giv- en the closest personal attention to his growing interests, and to this fact much of his success is to be attributed.

He was married in 1881 to Miss Myra L. Hol- lingsworth, a native of Boston, Massachusetts. They have three children, named Kathleen, Myra and John. Their home is a very cosy and en- joyable one. They are hospitable in the extreme, and are highly esteemed by a wide circle of ac- quaintances. Mr. Kane is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and of the Woodmen of the World.

WILLIAM H. STUFFLEBEAM.

There is not a more popular man in Idaho either as Elk or "landlord" than William Herman Stufflebeam, proprietor of the Blackfoot Hotel, at Blackfoot; there is not a man better liked on purely personal grounds; and there is not a man to whom the citizens of Idaho would more con- fidently entrust the unraveling of a difficult prob- lem or the settlement of important monetary in- terests than to Mr. Stufflebeam, who is a business man of careful and comprehensive training.

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HISTORY OF IDAHO.

William Herman Stufflebeam was born at Whitehall, Washington county, New York. His paternal great-grandfather and his grandfather fought together in the patriot cause during the Revolutionary struggle, the former as captain and the latter as private in his father's company. After peace and American independence were established, these two patriot soldiers became prosperous farmers in Hudson county, New · York, and upon the death of the father the old homestead descended to the son. William G. Stufflebeam, father of the subject of this review, was born in 1834 and married Miss Olive Mosher, a native of Washington county. He was long superintendent of the New York & Lake Cham- plain Transportation Company. In 1883, in com- pany with his son, William Herman Stufflebeam, he came west on a prospecting tour, and bought a stock ranch twenty-five miles south of Black- foot. In 1884 his wife and their other children came out from New York state and the family was reunited on this place, which comprises twelve hundred acres and is regarded as one of the fine stock ranches of Idaho. Mr. and Mrs. Stufflebeam had four children, all of whom are living: William Herman, John H., who assisted his father in his stock-raising enterprise; Benja- min E., who is in the service of the Illinois Cen- tral Railroad Company, at Vicksburg, Mississip- pi; and Mary E., who married J. E. Holbrook, and lives at Greenwood, British Columbia.

William Herman Stufflebeam was educated at Whitehall, New York, at Greenville Military Academy, New York, and at Eastman's Business College, Poughkeepsie, New York. During the early part of his business career he was in charge of the office and business of the New York & Lake Champlain Transportation Company, at Troy, New York. In 1883 he built the Black- foot Hotel, which he has managed since, except during an interval of five years. During four years of the five referred to, Mr. Stufflebeam was chief of the division of suspended banks at Wash- ington, D. C., and during the remaining year of the five was receiver of the National Bank of Moscow, Idaho. At present he is state land se- lector for Idaho. He is an active Democrat, in- fluential in the conventions and campaign work of his party. He is an Elk and enjoys a wide acquaintance with the members of that order

throughout the country. In 1892 he married Miss Carrie M. Keith, daughter of William Keith, of Whitehall, New York. Mrs. Stuffle- beam is a member of the Baptist church. Mr. Stufflebeam was reared in the Presbyterian faith.

PETER J. PEFLEY.

An Idaho pioneer of 1864, Peter J. Pefley, is now engaged in the harness and saddlery busi- ness in Lewiston, and has long been accounted one of the representative men of the state, for the active interest he has taken in promoting her welfare renders him one of her valued citizens. His childhood days were spent on the Atlantic coast. He was born in Roanoke county, Vir- ginia, June 6, 1830, and traces his ancestry back to the Fatherland, whence John Pefley, his great- grandfather, came to America, sailing fronı Bad- en-Baden in 1730. He took up his residence in Virginia, and there occurred the birth of John Pefley, the grandfather, who served as a lieuten- ant with the Virginia volunteers during the war of the Revolution. He was a lover of liberty and an opponent of oppression in every form, and on account of this liberated his slaves. With the Dunkard church he held membership, and he was a man of most generous impulses. He mar- ried Susanah Bond, a native of his own county, and they became the parents of seven children, all of whom were given scriptural names, including such as Solomon, Jonathan, Jacob and Daniel. The grandfather lived an upright, honorable life and died in the sixty-second year of his age, his wife being called to her final rest in her fifty- fifth year. Their son Jacob Pefley, the father of our subject, was born in Virginia and married Miss Mary Myers, also a native of the Old Do- minion. They were industrious and respected farming people, their well spent lives winning them high regard. The father died at the age of sixty-three, while the mother departed this life in her thirtieth year, leaving a family of five children.

Peter J. Pefley, the second in order of birth, is now the only survivor. He was educated in the Delawaretown Academy, learned the harness- maker's trade in early life, and in 1851 crossed the plains to California, driving an ox team in a train consisting of twenty-seven wagons. On the journey some of the stock was stolen by the

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HISTORY OF IDAHO.

Indians, but the savages did not attack the peo- ple, who were armed and well prepared to receive them. They were six months upon the journey, but ultimately reached their destination in safety, without having any great misfortune. Mr. Pefley engaged in farming on French prairie, near Salem. He was married there, in 1855, to Miss Sarah A. Smith, a daughter of Daniel Smith, who with his family crossed the plains in the same company with which Mr. Pefley traveled.

In 1864 Mr. Pefley brought his family to Idaho, locating on the Idaho City road, about five miles from Boise. He brought with him from Oregon about ninety-five head of cattle, and en- gaged in the stock business and in dairy farming. Four years later he removed to Boise, where he opened a harness and saddlery store, which he successfully conducted until 1896. While in southern Idaho he also became the owner of a placer-mining claim, operated it to a considerable extent and still has mining interests in that part of the state. In 1898 he removed to Lewiston, where he opened his present store, and has now built up a good trade. In the manufacture of harness and saddlery he displays excellent work- manship, and his reliable business methods, rea- sonable prices and courteous treatment of his patrons have secured to him a large and con- stantly increasing business.

While in Oregon six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Pefley,-Pierce J., Elbridge, Serena, Edith, Harlan and Wayne; but Pierce J., Wayne and Edith all died in that state. Since coming to Idaho the family circle has been in- creased by the addition of five other children,- Anna Inez, Maude, Claudia, Ray and Wynn, but Anna Inez and Ray are now deceased. Maude and Claudia are at home, and Wynn entered his country's service and is now on active duty in Manila. Throughout his entire life Mr. Pefley has given an earnest support to the principles of Democracy, and has been a recognized leader in the ranks of his party in Idaho. In 1887 he was elected mayor of Boise, and in 1880 was elected to the territorial legislature, and was a member of the convention which framed the present state constitution of Idaho. Every public trust re- posed in him has been faithfully guarded, and his service has been valuable and progressive. He has witnessed almost the entire growth of

Idaho, and at all times has given his influence and co-operation to such measures as tend to- ward the material, social, moral and intellectual progress of the state.

EDWIN R. SHERWIN.

This well and favorably known resident of Grangeville came to the territory of Idaho when the flourishing city of Lewiston was but a col- lection of tents, and through the thirty-seven. years that have since come and gone he has been an important element in the business life of this section of the commonwealth. He was born in Onondaga county, New York, January 26, 1821, and is of English and German descent. His ancestors were early settlers of New Eng- land, and the grandfather, Captain Joshua Sher- win, was a resident of Hartford, Connecticut. He was one of a family of seven sons, whose parents were old-school Presbyterians and gave to all of their children scriptural names.

Joshua Sherwin, Jr., the father of our subject, was born in the Nutmeg state, and in New York wedded Miss Mary Perry. He was an indus- trious and respected farmer, whose life was well spent. Both he and his wife were consistent members of the Presbyterian church, and while attending a convention of the church in Buffalo, New York, he was taken ill with cholera. For a time he appeared to improve, and made his way to his home, but soon after had a relapse and died of the disease. In the family were four chil- dren, but a daughter and our subject are the only ones now living.

The mother died when Edwin R. Sherwin was about six years of age, and he was reared by his paternal grandparents. He was educated in the public schools, and learned the blacksmith's trade, which he later followed in Rochester, New York, and in Hamilton, Canada West. He was married on the 2d of June, 1847, to Miss Susan Benson, a daughter of Loyal Benson, a New York farmer. They resided in Hamilton for four years and then returned to the United States. After traveling for some time in Illinois, he pur- chased a farm fifteen miles east of Belvidere, that state, and in connection with blacksmith work carried on agricultural pursuits until 1861. He then entered into an agreement with a party to cross the plains to California, as their black-

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HISTORY OF IDAHO.

smith and farrier, as they were taking a large number of horses with them and would need the services of some one familiar with his trade. They made a successful journey, arriving at Sac- ramento in September, 1861. Although he had no intention of remaining in the Golden state, Mr. Sherwin began working at his trade there the day following his arrival, and thus spent the winter, being in Sacramento at the time of the great flood. The same fall gold was dis- covered at Florence, Oro Fino and Elk City, and in April, 1862, he left Sacramento for the gold diggings of Idaho, going by steamer to Portland, thence to The Dalles, where he ob- tained pack horses to convey his goods, while he walked from there to Lewiston. He was accom- panied by a Mr. Anderson, of California, and after spending a week at Lewiston, they started for Florence, crossing the Craig mountain and for the first time viewing the beautiful Camas prairie, which, covered with grass, lay spread out before them. There was, however, not a house to be seen on the prairie. They continued on their way to the Salmon river, deciding to go up that stream to Florence, thereby escaping travel in the deep snows. At length they reached their destination in safety, and soon afterward pur- chased a placer claim and engaged in mining with a rocker, but this was Mr. Sherwin's first experience in that kind of business and the work went slowly and did not prove as profitable as he anticipated. That winter he and his partner built a little cabin and continued to mine until spring, when Mr. Sherwin went to Warrens to take possession of a half interest in a blacksmith shop he had purchased. After working for some time with his partner he purchased the latter's interest, and for some time made money rapidly, doing all the business in his line for the entire camp of fifteen hundred people, taking in as high as eighty dollars per day. But money made easily is easily spent, and people at that time did not as carefully save their earnings as at the present time.

About this time quartz-mining was instituted in the locality, and many brought their quartz to Mr.Sherwin to melt in his shop. He was the first to do that kind of work in this section of the state, and was quite extensively engaged in that labor for some time. He also engaged in quartz-

mining on his own account. One day, while sitting on a ridge to rest, in company with Jo. Griffith, they kicked off a piece of rock and found gold in it. The next day they returned to the place and began a search for float. which they found two hundred yards below and which had considerable gold in it. They trenched, found the ledge, named it the Rescue and located it, and it proved a valuable property, the ore assay- ing fifty dollars to the ton. They took fifty tons to the mill, and after working the ore the mill made a return of ten dollars to the ton. This they knew was an insufficient amount, so they took twenty-one tons more to the mill and Mr. Sherwin remained there while it was worked,- the result being just fifty dollars per ton. The mill-owners were nonplussed, but claimed that the rock was picked and they supervised the bringing of twenty tons more. On that lot the man who had operated the mill all the time ran it very hard, but the rock produced forty-eight dollars per ton, and there was in consequence every reason to suspect the mill operator. Mr. Sherwin and Mr. Leland then declined to pay a store bill which they owed the parties, until the loss on the ore was made good, whereupon they were sued and put to much trouble, the parties getting judgment against them, and taking the mine for the debt and costs. They operated it for a time and took out eighty thousand dollars. Mr. Leland then took the matter on appeal to the supreme court and recovered judgment for the mine and property. A corporation was then formed, but under its management the mine was not successfully worked. Mr. Sherwin sunk ten thousand dollars in the operation and found hin- self again without money. He then accepted a position from the government at Camas and Lapwai, having charge of the government black- smith shops. He served in that capacity for sev- eral years, or until the government lowered the price of labor.

In the meantime Mr. Sherwin had saved his money and sent for his wife and children, who joined him in 1873. He went to the Salmon river, and purchased a ranch and a placer mine. He improved the former property, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, still owns it, and has recently planted a portion of it to a variety of fruits, including prunes, peaches and apples.

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HISTORY OF IDAHO.

During the Nez Perces war, all of his property was destroyed by the Indians, but he has since largely repaired the ravages and has an excellent ranch. He has developed his mining claim but little as yet, but the whole flat is underlaid by a river channel, and there is an area one hundred by seventeen hundred feet of virgin soil, in addi- tion to which he has a vast body of ground, twelve feet deep, and gold in all of it, so that it is a very valuable unworked property. At the time of the Indian war, Mr. Sherwin, with other set- tlers, built a fort for the protection of their fam- ilies, and they were thus unmolested, but the Indian depredations began near them, several white men in the vicinity were killed, and it be- came a time of great danger to the few white settlers then in the county. It was the plan of the savages to kill every white man, but the young warriors were so eager to begin their work of butchery, that they did not fully mature their plans and thus frustrated their own ends. Those were days of great hardship and dangers, and the pioneers who were the advance guard of civilization in this once wild region certainly are

deserving of great praise and gratitude.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Sherwin have been born four children: Perry E .; Elbert C .; Frances E., who became the wife of Francis James, and died in 1891, leaving three children; and Carrie E., who resides with her parents and relieves them of many cares in their declining years. Mrs. Sherwin is now an invalid, and the daughter has the management of the household affairs. One of the sons resides upon and operates the ranch, and Mr. Sherwin is therefore living a retired life in his pleasant home in Grangeville. He is a gentleman of much intelligence and has restored his eyesight so that he can now read the news- papers without glasses. In politics he was first a Whig, but on the organization of the Republican party joined its ranks, and has since been one of its stalwart supporters, yet has never been an aspirant for office. He enjoys the high esteem of his fellow men and is numbered among the hon- ored pioneers of Idaho, and having passed the seventy-eighth milestone on life's journey, he is crowned with the veneration and respect which should always accompany old age.

Wood River Valley, Looking South from Hailey.

CHAPTER XL.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

I N 1892 twenty thousand dollars was voted by congress for the improvement of Snake river, and one hundred thousand dollars for the Boise public building.

The river and harbor appropriation bill, passed by congress in April, 1896, carried twenty-five thousand dollars for the improvement of the . Clearwater river, and five thousand dollars for the Kootenai between Bonner's ferry and the British boundary. The appropriation for the Boise public building was increased from one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to two hun- dred thousand dollars and a building site was selected which cost seventeen thousand and five hundred dollars.

Of the special land grants to the state by the national government, aggregating over six hun- dred thousand acres, only one-sixth remained to be settled in 1897.

ASSESSED VALUATION OF PROPERTY.

The total assessed valuation of the state in 1894, exclusive of railroad property, was $22,- 942,910, which was about fifteen per cent. less than that of the preceding year. The railroad assessment was about eight million dollars. The assessment of the main lines of all railroads for this year was fixed at six thousand and five hun- dred dollars a mile, including rolling stock; branch lines at five thousand dollars a mile, and narrow-gauges at four thousand dollars a mile. The assessment on telegraph lines was at the rate of fifty dollars a mile for poles and the first wire, and twelve dollars and fifty cents a mile for each additional wire; and telephone lines at forty- two dollars a mile.

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An illustrated history of the state of Idaho, containing a history of the state of Idaho from the earliest period of its discovery to the present time, together with glimpses of its auspicious future; illustrations and biographical mention of many pioneers and prominent citizens of to-day, Part 103

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 1014

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1014