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 88
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HISTORY OF IDAHO.
In 1893 he served as secretary of the state senate.
On the 2d of January, 1889, while residing at Elko, Nevada, Mr. Rogers was happily married to Miss Rose Gertrude Garrecht, a native of that place. They now have two interesting children: Lucille Mary and James J. Mr. Rogers and his wife enjoy the hospitality of the best homes of Boise and occupy an enviable position in cul- tured society circles. He is a gentleman of much ability and great versatility of talent. On the stage, in the field of painting and at the bar he has scored notable successes. His broad culture and wide general knowledge, arising from his travels, makes him a most entertaining conver- sationalist, and he is a most companionable gen- tleman, whose unfailing courtesy renders him a favorite with all.
LAMBERT L. STRONG. 1
Lambert Leroy Strong, one of Lewiston's rep- resentative and enterprising citizens, engaged in the undertaking and embalming business here for the past fifteen years, was born in Franklin county, Ohio, August 8, 1849. He is of Scotch descent and his ancestors were early settlers of New York. The paternal grandfather was a Methodist minister and became one of the pio- neer settlers of Ohio. His son, Caleb Strong, the father of our subject, was born in Ohio, and married Miss Albinia Lambertson. When our subject was only five years of age they removed with their family to Cedar county, Iowa. The father served his country in the war with Mex- ico, and in 1862 started across the plains to Cali- fornia, but died at Fort Kearney, at the age of fifty years. His wife still survives him and is now sixty-eight years of age. They had four children, of whom three are living.
The eldest of the family, Lambert L. Strong, spent his boyhood days under the parental roof, and as soon as old enough to handle the plow began work in the fields. He assisted in the culti- vation of the fields through the summer months and in the winter season pursued his education in a little log school-house. On attaining his majority he enlisted in the regular army, and served for three years, receiving an honorable discharge on the expiration of that term. In 1879 he came to Lewiston and entered from the government a claim of one hundred and sixty
acres of land, which he has improved and still owns. He has erected a good residence on the place and now has the fields planted to wheat. He also has a good residence in Lewiston, where he and his family make their home. For some years Mr. Strong has been engaged in the under- taking business, and in 1888 pursued a course in the embalming school conducted by Dr. Rogers, of San Francisco. He was graduated there Oc- tober 23, 1890, and has since done most excellent work in the line of embalming. He keeps a large line of caskets and everything pertaining to a first-class undertaking business, and has acquired an excellent reputation. His reliable business methods have gained him a very desirable posi- tion in the ranks of the leading business men of Lewiston, all of whom entertain for him the high- est regard and accord him their confidence.
In 1877 Mr. Strong led to the marriage altar Miss Ester A. Blackington, a native of Illinois and a daughter of M. R. Blackington, who re- moved from Vermont to Illinois. Mrs. Strong is a valued member of the Methodist church, and Mr. Strong holds membership in the Knights of Pythias fraternity. Both have many warm friends in Lewiston, won through their sterling qualities of mind and heart. In his political views and affiliations Mr. Strong was for many years connected with the Republican party, but now disagrees with it on the great money ques- tion. He has served his city as one of her coun- cilmen and has twice been elected coroner of Nez Perces county. His duties have been promptly and faithfully performed, and no trust reposed in him, whether of a public or private nature, has ever been betrayed.
JOHN CORAM.
One of the most extensive land-owners and stockmen of Camas prairie is John Coram, who, through his well directed efforts has achieved a most creditable success in his business career and has not only won a handsome competence but has gained the confidence and respect of all, by rea- son of his honorable methods and reliability. A native of Bristol, England, he was born August I, 1841, his parents being William and Jane (Dunn) Coram, both of whom were natives of England. They were married in that country and in 1847 emigrated to Canada, becoming re-
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spected farming people of the British domain. The mother died there in 1853, at the age of thirty-two years, leaving her husband and two children to mourn her loss. Mr. Coram reached the advanced age of seventy-four years.
John Coram obtained his education in Can- ada, and became a seafaring man. He was upon the ocean from 1860 until 1883, occupying the position of engineer on a steamer. On December 21, 1861, when on the steamship Columbus, in Central America, he was shipwrecked, the vessei running ashore and dashing to pieces against the rocks in the night. On the 27th of July, 1862, he was on the fated steamer Golden Gate, when she was lost by fire while en route from San Francisco to Panama. Two hundred and thirty passengers were lost. Mr. Coram escaped death by swimming ashore, but he can never forget the terrible disaster. The boat ran toward shore, but he did not leave his post until the flames envel- oped the sixteen-foot ladder upon which he had to depend if he escaped. He was badly burned, but rushed through the flames, jumped over- board into the water and swam ashore, a dis- tance of about five hundred yards. The marks of that catastrophe he still carries with him in the scars of his burns. During his "life on the ocean wave" he experienced many hardships and dan- gers and visited many portions of the world, so that he has a broad and comprehensive knowl- edge of the globe and can relate most interesting anecdotes of his voyages and the sights he has witnessed in foreign ports.
In 1883 Mr. Coram came to Camas prairie and took up one hundred and sixty acres of land, since which time he has engaged in raising cat- tle, horses and hogs, of the Durham, Shire and Poland-China breeds, respectively. He and his brother have had as high as four hundred head of cattle, one hundred head of horses and one hundred and fifty head of hogs at one time, and have added to their landed possessions until their farm property aggregates eighteen hundred and sixty acres of the rich productive land of Camas prairie. They have met with almost phenomenal success in their undertakings since coming to Idaho sixteen years ago, the rich land affording them excellent returns for their labors, while in their stock-raising industry they have been equally prosperous. They are gentlemen of ex-
cellent business ability and marked energy and well deserve to be ranked among the leading cit- izens of this section of Idaho.
Mr. Coram of this review was married in No- vember, 1884, to Miss Mary Catherine Carroth- ers, a native of Westminster, Canada. Their children are: Maude V., Olive G., Cassia M., Jessie I. and Edwin. They are an interesting family and have many friends in the community. Mr. Coram belongs to the Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities, takes a deep interest in edu- cational affairs and gives an earnest and hearty support to all measures calculated to advance the material, social, moral or intellectual welfare of the community in which he resides.
EDWARD E. LORTON.
Edward Ewell Lorton, the proprietor of The City Drug Store, at Salubria, is a native of Mis- souri, his birth having occurred in Montgomery county, that state, on the 29th of May, 1866. The family of which he is a representative is of Eng- lish origin, and the ancestry can be traced back to John S. Lorton, the great-grandfather of our subject, who took up his abode in Baltimore, Maryland, at one time owning the town location, whence he afterward removed to Norfolk, North Carolina, in 1801, and there his son, John J., the grandfather of our subject, was born, March 20, 1805. In 1810 John S. Lorton and family removed to Warren county, Kentucky, where William H. Lorton, father of Edward Ewell Lor- ton, was born, February 20, 1827. Having ar- rived at years of maturity he married Miss Mary A. Sailor, their union being solemnized Novem- ber II, 1854. She was a native of Missouri, in which state William H. Lorton engaged in stock dealing. He owned a large amount of land there and carried on business on an extensive scale. In 1888 he came with his family to Idaho, locat- ing in Salubria, where he is now living a retired life.
Edward E. Lorton, whose name introduces this sketch, is the fifth in order of birth in a family of six children. He was educated in Shell City, Missouri, and for a number of years successfully engaged in teaching school, being a most able and efficient instructor, having marked ability to impart clearly and concisely to others the knowl- edge that he had acquired. In 1895 he purchased
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the pioneer drug store of Salubria, it having been established by W. D. Shaw, in 1889. From the beginning Mr. Lorton has enjoyed a good trade, which is constantly increasing, and the prosperity which is attending his efforts is well deserved. As a business man he is highly regarded for his probity, and his upright, honorable methods com- mend him to the confidence and support of all. In politics he is a Democrat and religiously he is connected with the Christian church. A popular resident of Salubria, having many friends in the community, he is justly deserving mention among the representative men of western Idaho.
JOHN W. DANIELS.
The public-school system of Boise is a monu- ment to the character and labors of Professor John W. Daniels. There is no nobler profession to which man may devote his energies than that of the teacher. What man prominent in public life does not attribute his success in a considerable measure to the influence of some teacher whose instruction he enjoyed in youth? The thoughts implanted in the young minds grow and develop, and largely shape the destinies of those by whom they have been received. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the training of the young shall be entrusted to those who have a just appre- ciation of the responsibilities that rest upon them, who realize the value of physical, mental and moral development, who can instruct the chil- dren how best to use their powers, and, while promoting intellectual activity, neglect not to sow the seeds of character that will produce high ideals of manhood and womanhood. Such is the mission of the teacher, and such has been the life work of John W. Daniels.
Professor Daniels was born in England, on the Ist of January, 1846, and when five years of age was brought to America by his parents, Thomas and Margaret (Sullivan) Daniels, who crossed the Atlantic with their five children, and located near Boston, Massachusetts. The father had learned the dyer's trade in England and had be- come very proficient in that line of work, which he successfully followed during his residence in this country. He departed this life in the sixty- third year of his age, his wife having died ten years previously.
Their son, John W. Daniels, acquired his early
education in the public schools, where he was always known as a bright and enthusiastic stu- dent. In his young manhood he engaged in school-teaching, whereby he acquired the capital which enabled him to pursue his studies in higher institutions of learning. He pursued a literary course in New Hampton, New Hampshire, where his Greek and Latin studies were directed by the celebrated Dr. Andrews. He continued studying and teaching alternately until his graduation in Bates College, of Lewiston, Maine, in 1876. The great persistence which he displayed in the ac- quirement of his education has marked his busi- ness career throughout life. For some time he was engaged in teaching in the Westbrook Semi- nary and Female College, at Westbrook, Maine, and during that time Mr. Lippincott, now an ex- sheriff of Boise county, was one of his pupils.
In 1876 Professor Daniels was united in mar- riage to Miss Alice S. Steward, of North Anson, Maine, and in 1881 they came to Boise, where they have since made their home. At that time the public-school system had not been estab- lished, there was no good school building in the town, and less than two hundred pupils. When the large and handsome central school building, containing sixteen rooms, was erected, the school board was severely criticized for putting up a structure of such dimensions, but it is now crowded to its utmost capacity, and two other fine brick edifices are included within the school property of Boise. Professor Daniels at once commenced his work of organizing a public- school system, and has been seconded in all his efforts by the school board, who have the utmost confidence in the ability and trustworthiness of their superintendent of public instruction. Thus assisted by a progressive board, he has prose- cuted his labors along advanced lines, introduc- ing the best methods of teaching and securing all the modern appliances which aid in the ac- quirement of an education. His labors are by everyone spoken of in terms of the highest praise, and the schools of Boise rank with the best in the land. A man of scholastic attainments and broad general knowledge, Professor Daniels is also an excellent disciplinarian, an enthusiastic instructor and a gentleman of culture and refine- ment, never failing to leave the impress of his own individuality upon the minds and characters
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of his pupils. He is assisted by a most efficient corps of teachers, and the work done in the school is alike creditable to the instructors and the pupils. The latter are furnished with all things necessary for their school work, from the most advanced text-books down to lead pencils and even pencil sharpeners.
In teachers-institute work Professor Daniels is also very successful, for his methods are practical and appeal at once to the intelligence of those whom he is directing. He has the faculty of im- parting clearly and readily to others the knowl- edge he has acquired and of inspiring other teach- ers with his own enthusiasm and interest in the work. In ' 1885, after having advanced the schools of Boise to a high standard of proficiency, he resigned his position, studied law and was admitted to the bar of the supreme court. He then practiced in Boise with good success for six years, but during this time the schools degener- ated, and the board induced him to again resume the superintendency, giving him a salary of two thousand dollars per year. Almost as if by magic the tone of the school was improved, and Boise has now every reason to be proud of her excellent educational system. In April, 1899, Professor Daniels was re-elected to the superintendency, and his long service is certainly an incontrovert- ible argument in evidence of his marked ability.
The home of Professor and Mrs. Daniels is the center of a cultured society circle. Mrs. Dan- iels possesses that grace of manner and cordiality that renders her a charming hostess. She is an excellent pianist and her husband possesses a fine tenor voice, so that music is often a feature of their pleasant "at homes." Their residence is surrounded by most tasteful and beautiful grounds, and the air of culture and gracious cordiality that pervades the place is most pleas- ing. The Professor ranks among the most noted educators of the northwest, and the high char- acter of his work shows forth the lofty principles which permeate all that he says or does.
GEORGE A. FROST.
The horologe of time has marked off thirty- nine years since George A. Frost came to the Pacific coast, and thirty years have been added to the cycle of the centuries since his arrival in Lewiston. He is numbered among the esteemed
and valued residents of this place, and as a repre- sentative citizen of northern Idaho well deserves mention in this volume. He was born in St. Auburns, Somerset county, Maine, November 14, 1836, and is of Scotch and English lineage. His parents were both natives of Kennebec county, Maine, and in 1852 the father came to the west, making the journey by way of the Panama route. He first located in California, where he engaged in mining, and was one of the first at the Com- stock lead, in Nevada. He later removed to Walla Walla, Washington, where his death oc- curred in 1878, when he had reached the age of seventy-eight years. His widow still resides there and is now in her seventy-ninth year.
George A. Frost is the eldest of their three children. He was educated in Dexter, Maine, and when his father returned to the Pine Tree state for the family he came to the Pacific coast. They followed the isthmus route and located in California, our subject engaging in mining on the American river. He afterward went to Nevada, where he took out considerable gold, and then sold his claim for twenty-seven thousand dollars. Then followed a period in which he was not quite so successful, and he returned to the east by the overland route. He paid Charles A. Robinson fifteen hundred dollars for a claim which was represented to be very rich, and then again crossed the plains for the purpose of finding and working his new claim, but he never found it. He then prospected in the Coeur d'Alene moun- tains for three years, and discovered a valuable claim, which he still owns and which is now about to be developed. It is located between the Coeur d'Alene and Buffalo Hump, and is a very rich property.
Mr. Frost, however, has not confined his atten- tion and energies entirely to mining interests. While in San Francisco he studied photography, and in 1871 opened an art gallery in Lewiston, where he carried on business for three winters. Subsequently he accepted a position in John Brearley's private bank and was thus employed until the death of Mr. Brearley. In 1875 he was superintendent of the Rescue mine at Warrens. He was also engaged in the draying business for a number of years, but eventually sold out and is now partially retired from active business. How- ever, he looks after his property interests, hav-
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ing considerable improved and unimproved city property, and personally superintends its sales. He manages his business interests with marked ability, and his undaunted enterprise, strong reso- lution and native sagacity have been the salient features in his success.
Mr. Frost was united in marriage to Miss Angeletta Sidelinger, a native of Maine, and to them have been born a son and two daughters: Caro C., George H. and Alta A. In his political views Mr. Frost has always been a stalwart Re- publican, unswerving in his allegiance to the party. He was elected and served for five years as a member of the city council of Lewiston, and has ever been active in promoting the best inter- ests of the town, giving his aid to all measures tending to advance the social, intellectual, ma- terial and moral welfare. He has witnessed almost the entire development of this region. When he came to Lewiston there were but four ranches under cultivation near the city, and all goods were brought by pack trains. Now this is a beautiful railroad center, surrounded by a splen- did agricultural district, the fields of waving grain giving evidence of a prosperous and contented people.
HON. RUEL ROUNDS.
Ex-Senator Ruel Rounds, postmaster and prominent citizen of Idaho Falls, was born in Rutland, Vermont, September 3, 1841, a son of William M. and Maria (Sanderson) Rounds, both natives of Vermont, where his ancestors were early settlers. Forefathers of his in both lines fought for American liberty in the Revolutionary war. His parents were members of the Metho- dist Episcopal church and wielded an influence for good upon all who knew them. His father, who was a successful farmer, died in his fifty- eighth year. His mother died ten years younger. Of their eight children, five are living and Ruel was the first born.
After having gained requisite primary educa- tion in the district schools near his home, Ruel Rounds entered Windsor College, from which in- stitution he was "graduated" into the United States Army in May, 1861, without waiting to finish his classical course. He became a member of Company K, First Regiment Vermont Volun- teer Infantry, and on the Ioth of June, the next month after his enlistment, received his "baptism
of fire," in the battle of Big Bethel. His term of service expired in 1862, and he re-enlisted in Company K, Twelfth Regiment, Vermont Volun- teer Infantry, which was included in the Army of the Potomac. He was in numerous engage- ments, among them those of Falmouth, Fred- ericksburg and Gettysburg, where he participated in heavy and prolonged fighting. At the end of his term of enlistment he received a second hon- orable discharge from the service in the United States Army. Returning to the life of a private citizen, he was for two years engaged in the marble business. In 1866 he left New York city for the west and arrived in Virginia City, Mon- tana, in the fall. A little later he joined a com- pany of prospectors bound for the Wind River mountain, where he prospected during the winter and spring of 1866-7, and early in the summer following he established a trading post at South Bitter Creek, on the stage road between Denver, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah. While this enterprise promised well at the outset, it was doomed to an early termination, for the estab- lishment was wiped out of existence by Indians, July 7, 1867, and its proprietor was left nothing but his rifle and the clothes he wore. A posi- tion as guard on the stage line was offered him by the Wells-Fargo Express Company, and he accepted it, the more gladly because he hoped some day to get a shot at some of the redskins who had despoiled him. Whether he did or not he never knew, for he never recognized any of the Indians who from time to time were defeated in attacks on the stages on which he rode. The life was an exciting one, and he continued it until the Union Pacific railroad was completed to Green river, Wyoming. He then engaged in merchandising along the line of construction, stopping for a longer or shorter time at different points, as business policy appeared to dictate. When the two branches were completed to the junction, in 1869, he sold his stock in trade and for about two years mined with considerable suc- cess in the Sweet Water mining country. Again he started up a business in marble, this time in Denver, Colorado, but he sold it out after two years to go back to mining in the San Juan dis- . trict in that state. There he operated to some good purpose, and in 1878 he went to Silver Cliff, a new mining town in the Wet Mountain valley.
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He was successful there for two years and then mined a year at Leadville. At this time oppor- tunity for merchandising with profit along the line of construction of the Mexican Central Rail- road was presented. He availed himself of the opportunity and operated at different points be- tween El Paso del Norte and the city of Mex- ico until the railroad was completed. He then returned to Colorado, and in 1885 went thence to southwestern Kansas, where he developed into an efficient and prominent real-estate operator and from 1885 to 1880 helped to "boom" several Kansas towns. In 1889 he returned to Colorado. In 1890 he took up his residence in Idaho Falls, where he bought land, and was interested with others in the purchase of all the unsold lots in the original town site and also bought more land outside the town limits and helped to plat addi- tions thereto and became one of the leading pro- moters of the town.
In 1893 he was appointed, by Governor Mc- Connell, commissioner for Bingham county, a responsible position, in which he served with great ability and credit for two years, assisting to adjust satisfactorily all matters of difference between Bingham and adjacent counties, grow- ing out of the erection of several new counties from the territory formerly known as Oneida county. His part in these important affairs was taken so creditably that he was the most available Republican candidate for the state senatorship, in the campaign that followed. He was elected and made an enviable record as a senator, plac- ing himself on the right side of much important legislation and bearing a conspicuous part in the movement which seated Hon. George L. Shoup in the United States senate. In 1897 Mr. Rounds was appointed postmaster of Idaho Falls, and it is a noteworthy fact that his was the first appoint- ment by the present administration in the state of Idaho, it having been confirmed by the sen- ate April 19, 1897. Mr. Rounds entered upon the performance of the duties of this office June I, following, and is discharging them in such man- ner as to win the approbation of all classes of citizens.
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