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 22

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 22

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).

Mr. Pinney is a man of the most genuine

118

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

worth, whose courtesy is unfailing, whose integ- ritv is above question. Without ostentation or any desire for praise he has labored most earn- estly for the welfare of Boise, and his efforts have redounded to the credit and benefit of Idaho's capital city.

WILLIAM LAUER.

Since the establishment of Payette William Lauer has been identified with its development and upbuilding, and his labors have been most effective in promoting its welfare. He is the pio- neer hardware merchant of the town, and still continues in that line of business, his well di- rected efforts bringing him success. He is among the worthy citizens that the Fatherland has furnished to the New World, his birth having occurred in Germany on the IIth of November, 1833. In his youth he crossed the Atlantic to New York with his father, Isaac Lauer, who made his home in the eastern metropolis until called to his final rest. His death occurred in his eightieth year.

William Lauer had attended the public schools of his native land, and was fifteen years of age when he came to America. He learned the tin- ner's trade in New York city, and there remained for seven years, when he resolved to leave the Atlantic coast and seek a home on the Pacific coast. In 1854 he sailed from New York to San Francisco, and engaged in merchandising in Siskiyou county, California, where he remained until 1861, when he came to Idaho, attracted by the Oro Fino excitement. He engaged in clerk- ing and also in placer mining, but his efforts in the latter direction did not prove successful. For his services as a salesman, however, he received one hundred dollars per month. Later he visited the various mining camps in Idaho, was in Elk City and in Florence, finally returned to Lewis- ton, and subsequently went to Warren, where he met with success, both as a merchant and in the mines, for the mineral deposits were very rich in that locality. In 1863 the excitement over the discoveries in the Boise basin was at its height, and with others he went to that section of the state. For two years he engaged in clerking and then opened a store of his own, but had been in business only nine days when almost the entire town was wiped out by fire, and his savings

of many years were totally swept away. His losses amounted to fifteen thousand dollars, but, not discouraged, he resumed business almost im- mediately, the new store rising phoenix-like from the ashes. He continued merchandising there until 1878, after which he engaged in mining and in the sawmill business until 1885, when he sold out and came to Payette.

This town had just been established, and the depot was not yet built. Mr. Lauer purchased two lots, erected a store building and became the pioneer hardware merchant in the town. He has since continued in this line of business, and en- joys a large trade, which has grown with the increasing population. By close attention to business, enterprise and untiring industry, he has attained a fair degree of prosperity, and notwith- standing his heavy losses by fire is now ac- counted one of the well-to-do citizens of Payette.

On the 27th of February, 1867, in Portland, Oregon, Mr. Lauer wedded Miss Bertha Ober- dorfer, a native of Germany, and their union has been blessed with four sons and a daughter. Isaac H. was born in Portland, but the others are natives of Idaho. Milton, who was born in Idaho City, is now a successful liveryman of Payette; James A., born in Idaho City, is en- gaged in general merchandising in Payette; Edwin is clerking for his brother; and Lillie is at home with her parents. The parents and chil- dren are all working together in the greatest har- mony, and all are respected members of society in Payette.

Mr. Lauer has been a life-long representative of the Democracy, and does all in his power to promote its growth and insure its success. He has been a useful member of the school board and was serving in that capacity when the com- modious brick school building was erected. Since 1858 he has been an exemplary and leading member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. belonging to both lodge and encampment, in the former of which he has filled all the chairs and is now serving his third term as noble grand. Since 1861 he has been a resident of Idaho, and through the thirty-eight years which have since passed he has practically witnessed the entire de- velopment and growth of the state. He resided within her borders when her towns were little more than mining camps, and has been an iun-

AnaMobileou.

119

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

portant factor in the work of progress and im- provement, so that he well deserves mention among the honored pioneers.

JOHN M. SILCOTT. r

Almost forty years have passed since John M. Silcott took up his residence in Idaho, and he is therefore one of the oldest and most widely known pioneers of the state. He came in the spring of 1860 to establish the government In- dian agency at Lapwai, and has since been iden- tified with the growth and development of this section. He is a Virginian, his birth having oc- curred in Loudoun county, of the Old Dominion, January 14, 1824. His French and Scotch an- cestors were early settlers there, and during the Revolution and the war of 1812 representatives of the family loyally served their country on the field of battle. William Silcott, the father of our subject, married Sarah Violet, a lady of Scotch ancestry, and about 1828 they removed with the family to Zanesville, Ohio, where the father en- gaged in business as a contractor and builder. He was liberal in his religious views, and his wife held the faith of the Presbyterian church. His political support was given the Whig party and the principles advocated by Henry Clay. Only two children of the family of five are now living, the sister being Sarah T., who married Captain Abrams, of Brownsville, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Abrams now makes her home in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1845 the family removed to St. Louis, where both the parents died.

Mr. Silcott received a common-school educa- tion in Zanesville, Ohio, and one of his school- mates was "Sunset" Cox, afterward distinguished in the United States congress. In his early life our subject learned the carpenter's and boat- builder's trades, which knowledge afterward proved of great practical benefit to him in his pioneer life in the west. He began to earn his own living when only thirteen years of age, by working on a flatboat and as cabin boy on a steamboat plying the Ohio and Mississippi riv- ers. In 1847 he entered the employ of the gov- ernment and was sent to Brazos, Santiago, which · was then occupied by General Taylor as a base of supplies for the American army, then engaged in war with Mexico. The news of the great gold discoveries in California in 1849 decided him to

make the voyage around Cape Horn to San Francisco, where he found immediate employ- ment at his trade, wages being very high and mechanics in great demand. He also worked at his trade in Sacramento, both cities being then in the first stages of their great growth, which was to make them the metropolitan centers of the Pacific coast. Later, with three others, Mr. Sil- cott went to Yreka, where they acquired placer claims and took out on an average of one hun- dred dollars per day. They bought a wagon, made a cart of it and hauled the dirt to the creek, where they washed it and secured the gold. They very successfully continued their labors until the sum- mer, when the creek dried up and they were obliged to abandon work.

Mr. Silcott then engaged in prospecting on Scott river, and assisted in building Fort Simqua. In 1850 the Rogue river excitement caused him to make the voyage to Portland, Oregon, on the steamship named for that state, this being her first trip from San Francisco to Astoria, at which time she carried the news of the admission of California to the Union. After prospecting in Oregon for some time without success Mr. Sil- cott returned to Sacramento and worked at his trade. In 1858 he made his way to the Fraser river, in British Columbia, attracted by the gold discoveries in that region, and underwent many hardships there, having to fight Indians much of the time. There again he was unsuccessful in his mining ventures, and he sold his outfit in or- der to get money to take him back to California. His bacon sold for one dollar per pound, but on reaching Portland he again found himself with- out money and was obliged to borrow eighty dol- lars from a friend. He then made his way to Fort Walla Walla, arriving there about the time General Harney proclaimed the country open for settlement. Mr. Silcott engaged in building and selling shacks and remained there until 1860, making money rapidly. It was in that year that he came to Lapwai and established the Indian agency, having charge of the same for a year. In the fall of 1861 he went to the Snake river six miles below Lewiston, and out of whip-sawed lumber built one of the first ferries across the Snake river. The gold discoveries in this vicin - ity brought many hundreds to the neighborhood, and Mr. Silcott accordingly did a large business,

120

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

taking in as high as four hundred dollars per day. The rate for ferrying a horse and wagon was five dollars, and for each additional team fifty cents; a man unmounted paid fifty cents; for animals with packs a dollar and a half was paid; for horses and cattle fifty cents each; hogs and sheep twenty-five cents each. Large flocks and droves were frequently taken over, and in conse- quence the ferryman made money rapidly. In 1862 he established the ferry across Clearwater river at Lewiston, and has since conducted the business. As time has passed the ferry fare has been gradually reduced until the rate is now very moderate, a farmer with a team, crossing to Lew- iston to trade, being ferried across and back for twenty-five cents.

In 1862 Mr. Silcott aided in platting Lewiston and became the possessor of a large amount of property there. Many of his lots were "jumped" by the new comers, but he raised no objection, as he did not consider the land of much value, but with the passing years and the increase of popu- lation it has become very valuable and desirable. There is probably no resident of this part of the state more widely known than Mr. Silcott. As ferryman he formed the acquaintance of all who came to the region, and his identification with the growth and progress of the city has also made him widely known.

In those early days there were few white wom- en in the country, and Mr. Silcott selected for his wife a beautiful Indian girl, the daughter of Timothy, the Christian Nez Perces chief, a life- long friend of the Rev. Mr. Spalding and the white settlers. Mr. Silcott's wife was baptized by Mr. Spalding with the Christian name of Jane. She was a true, good wife and faithful compan- ion, and together they traveled life's journey un- til 1895, when they were separated by death. Mrs. Silcott was called to the home beyond and her last resting place, on the Silcott homestead, is marked by a marble monument.

In his political affiliations Mr. Silcott was orig- inally a Whig, but later became a Democrat and was a delegate to both of the national conven- tions which nominated Grover Cleveland for the presidency. He was also a member of the com- mittee of notification, but aside from this he has always declined office, nor has he identified him- self with any society. He is a genial, cordial

man, kind-hearted and charitable, and a citizen of the utmost worth and integrity. In 1874 he erected a pleasant home on the banks of the beau- tiful Clearwater, near the boat landing, and there resides, the good genius of the ferry. which he has now operated for thirty-eight years. He is one of Idaho's honored pioneers, and the history of the state would be incomplete without the record of his life.

THOMAS DAVIS.

The founders of a state are not merely the men who handle the reins of government and control the public policy, but are also those who carry civilization into hitherto wild regions and develop the natural resources of the state: Such an one is Mr. Davis, who came to Idaho in pioneer days and was the first to establish the fact that this is an excellent fruit-producing region. Thus he in- troduced a new industry and thereby largely pro- moted the material welfare of the region. His business interests have ever been energetically and successfully managed and his reputation in commercial circles is above reproach.

Mr. Davis is a native of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Cincinnati, on the 2d of January, 1838. His father died during the early childhood of the son, who was then bound out until he had attained his majority. He was sent to the district school during the winter season, while during the summer months he labored early and late in the cultivation of the fields. When a young man of twenty-three years he joined a company of sev- enty-five men en route for the west. He drove his own team of mules and was accompanied by his brother Francis, who has since died. They were persuaded by some Mormons to travel by way of the Sublette cut-off. Fort Lemhi was then occupied by Mormons. At that place they found they could go no farther with the wagons and that it had been the plan of the Mormons to force the emigrants to sell their wagons and provisions very cheap. They offered to buy the new wag- ons for five dollars each and for the provisions offered prices equally low, but Mr. Davis' party were not to be cheated in this way and resented the conduct of the followers of Joseph Smith; so, loading all the goods they could upon theit horses, they made huge piles of the remainder, together with the wagons, and set fire to all. The

121

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

horses, however, were not accustomed to carry- ing packs, and when they started they became frightened and stampeded. The utensils and pro- visions were thus badly shaken up; but after considerable excitement the animals were quieted and the journey was resumed. The road was mostly an Indian trail, leading over high peaks, which they had considerable difficulty in climb- ing. On the 3d of July they were in a hard snow - storm. On one occasion they found a white man pierced by Indian arrows, but they did not suffer at the hands of the hostile savages, and on the 4th of July reached Elk City in safety, but without provisions. They then went to Walla Walla and later came to Boise.

Mr. Davis first engaged in mining at Idaho City, and in 1863 took up three hundred and sixty acres of government land,-the property on which his beautiful home now stands and on which the depot is located. It is now very val- uable and has brought to the owner substantial financial returns. Owing to the scarcity of vege- tables and fruits, Mr. Davis resolved to engage in horticultural pursuits, and has since followed that calling with excellent success. He purchased his first seed crop for twenty-five cents per pound -onions, cabbages and potatoes,-and at the end of the season the products were sold for fifty thousand dollars. In the spring of 1864 he planted the first orchard in this section of the country, setting out seven thousand apple-trees, which had been shipped to him at a cost of a dollar and a quarter each. This orchard, now thirty-five years old, is still standing on the prop- erty, and has paid for itself many times over, but is soon to be cut down, for the ground is needed for city lots. In 1872 the apples sold at twelve and a half cents per pound and the profits were between ten and fifteen thousand dollars. The earlier fruit from the orchard brought as high as

twenty-five cents per pound. Other citizens platted orchards, but for one or two seasons the grasshoppers were very bad and destroyed many of them. Mr. Davis resolved to save his, if pos- sible, and employed a large force of men for sev- eral weeks to shake the trees from four o'clock until late in the afternoon. The grasshoppers were thus shaken to the ground and ate the vege- tation under the trees, and in this way the or- chard was saved. Mr. Davis now has seventy acres planted to pears, prunes and apples. He is also the owner of large tracts of land in differ - ent sections of the northwest; and is extensively engaged in the raising of horses and cattle. He is equally successful in this line of business, for his energy, sound judgment and thorough relia- bility enable him to carry forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes. Other busi- ness enterprise in which he is interested have contributed largely to the improvement and de- velopment of the city, as well as added to his individual prosperity.

In 1871 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Davis and Miss Julia McCrumb, a native of Can- ada, who came to Boise in 1869. They now have three sons and two daughters: Thomas, who is in charge of the cattle owned by his father in Long Valley; Harry, who is managing the horse ranch; Ella, Edwin and Hazel, at home. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are Episcopalians in their religious faith, and throughout the community in which they re- side they have many warm friends. In politics the subject of this review has been a lifelong Re- publican, and is an honored member of the Pio- neer and Historical Societies of Idaho. His adopted state owes its advancement and present proud position to such men,-men possessed of an enterprising, progressive spirit, who are re- liable in business, loyal in citizenship and faithful in friendship.

CHAPTER XIV.

HISTORICAL NOTES ON THE WORK OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN IDAHO.

A S THE Catholic church has ever been the pioneer in civilization, so that we find her name linked with the early history of all lands, so, too, is it true of Idaho. Long before the coming of the first settlers to our present "Gem of the Mountains," we find the faithful Catholic priest, laboring not for earth's golden treasures nor ambition's honored guerdons, but for the upbuilding of that grand edifice whose corner-stone is Christ, for the elevating and sav- ing of souls who, without the ministration of the "Anointed of the Lord," would never have been drawn from the darkness of semi-barbarism into the bright light of Christian faith. It is fitting, then, that in a history of the state of Idaho the work of the Catholic church be not omitted; so with no apology to the reader of the present vol- ume the author presents the following data care- fully gathered from many sources, in the hope that by his feeble pen the work of so many of earth's noble men may be preserved to future generations as an incentive to devoted labor on the part of their followers, not less than as a "means of spreading a knowledge of the Catholic church, the mother of Christian churches and the fountain-head of so much that is good and true in history, art, science, and civilization.

The Catholic missionary to whom belongs the honor of having held the first ecclesiastical juris- diction over the territory now comprising the state of Idaho was the Most Rev. F. N. Blanchet, archbishop of Oregon, who, in 1838, in company of Rev. Modest Demers, was sent out to the Pa- cific coast by Archbishop Signay, of Quebec, to minister to the Catholics, chiefly French Cana- dians, in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Com- pany, and to establish missions among the In- dian tribes. When, in 1846, the Pope erected the see of Walla Walla, what is now Idaho became part of the jurisdiction of that new see's incum- bent, the Rt. Rev. Magloire A. Blanchet, the Archbishop's brother.

However, the first missionary work of the Catholic church in Idaho was not done by these men, but by the famous Indian missionary, Fatal- er De Smet, who, whilst on his way from St. Mary's mission, in Montana, to Vancouver, in the spring of 1842, met the Coeur d'Alene In- dians on the spot now occupied by Fort Sher- man. These Indians had heard of the arrival of the "Black Robes" among the Flatheads; and wishing to be equally privileged they asked the Father to remain with them, to teach them all about "Our Maker," as they called God in their language, and all about the future rewards and punishments of which they had heard. Not being able to comply with their request for a longer time than three days, he improved the oppor- tunity by teaching the principal prayers and dog- mas of the church in a manner of his own con- ception that was very ingenious. With the aid of an interpreter he translated into the Indian language spoken by the Coeur d'Alenes the sign of the cross, the "Our Father" and "Hail Mary," the Apostles' Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Acts of Faith, Hope, Charity and Contrition. The translation being completed, he made all the younger members of the tribe stand in a circle around him, demanding that they should always take the same places when meeting for prayer and instruction; then he entrusted to the men- ory of each but one sentence of the prayers, so that the knowledge he desired to impart would be divided among them all. Frequent repetition by each in turn of what he had memorized se- cured to all in a few days the knowledge of the prayers in their entirety. In fact, on his return trip the zealous missionary had the pleasure of ascertaining that a large portion of the members of the tribe knew the prayers by heart. This in- duced him to send missionaries, and in the fall of the same year Father Nicholas Point and Brother Charles Huet left the Flathead mission in Montana under the escort of a deputation of

122

St. John's Cathedral, Boise, Idaho.

123

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

Coeur d'Alenes who had gone there for the pur- pose of bringing the promised "Black Robes" to their territory. Father Point and Brother Huet selected for their first establishment a site on the south fork of the Coeur d'Alene river and placed it under the patronage of St. Joseph. St. Joe river owes its name to that first Catholic mission. Two years later the venerable Father Joset, who, after ministerial labors covering more than half a century, still lives among the Indians, joined himself to the first missionary. About this time, the fall of 1844, Father De Smet converted and baptized a number of Kootenai Indians, and in the spring of 1845 about a dozen of the Nez Perces tribe, mostly chiefs, begged to be in- structed in the Catholic faith. As the Nez Perces language differed from that of the Coeur d'Alenes, which the Fathers had already succeeded in learning, they had to have recourse to a Coeur d'Alene Indian, who himself spoke the Nez Perces but indifferently, to act as interpreter. With his aid and that of signs they succeeded in converting a few of the Indians who had come to the mission. They came again in 1846, and one of their number, an old chief, was baptized at a time that his life was despaired of on account of a serious illness. He recovered, however, and lived to save the life of Mr. Spaulding's family by giving them shelter in his own house during the turbulent times which followed upon the murder of Dr. Whitman.

The same year the mission on the banks of the St. Joe river was abandoned, because the site, al- though an ideal one in the fall, was every year flooded by the spring freshets and consequently rendered unsuitable for the agricultural pursuits upon which the Fathers depended so much to civilize their Indian neophytes.

The location of the second Catholic mission in Idaho was on the banks of the Coeur d'Alene river, at a point now known as Old Mission or Cataldo. It was there that in 1853 was begun by Fathers Gazzoli and Ravalli, who had as- sumed charge of the mission two years pre- viously, the building of the first Catholic church erected in Idaho. That structure still stands, a silent witness to the zeal and energy of the Jesuit Fathers, about sixteen miles from the Coeur d'Alene lake, where the steamboats make their upper landing. Father Ravalli drew the plans

for the imposing structure which the Indians, un- der his direction and that of Brother Magri, exe- cuted. The magnitude of the task undertaken by the Fathers and the untutored savages may partly be realized when one reflects that they had at their disposal none of the tools and conven- iences for building which are considered indis- pensable in civilized communities. They manu- factured trucks, harnessed themselves to them, and brought down the timbers, rocks, etc., to the spot selected. They had no nails, so they turned out wooden substitutes which to this day hold the different parts of the building together. The red men of the forest received no pay and asked none; but worked solely for the honor and glory of God. Not to be allowed to work on the building was considered severe punishment, which was some- times inflicted for disobedience to orders, to the great humiliation of the culprit.

That the Jesuits did not always have smooth sailing with their Indian converts is evidenced by the war made upon the government troops in 1858, in which the Coeur d'Alenes, in spite of the efforts made by Father Joset to dissuade them, took an active part. In consequence of this re- bellion the Fathers resolved to abandon the mis- sion; but General Clarke, commander of the De- partment of the Columbia, and Colonel Wright, who had led the expedition against the Coeur d'Alenes and other tribes and had defeated them, urged the missionaries to stay at their post, say- ing: "These Coeur d'Alene Indians will yet be- come good." Their present condition fully veri- fies that prophecy.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

An illustrated history of 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 22

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