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 9

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 9

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Mr. Hasbrouck engaged in mining on Granite creek until June, 1862, when he removed to Owy- hee county, Idaho, and mined on Jordan creek for a year. In the winter of 1863-4 he was ap- pointed one of the county commissioners of that county, which was at that time created, and in

the fall of 1864 he was elected a member of the territorial legislature, which convened at Lewis- ton, and was the second session ever held. Dur- ing that time the act was passed whereby the capital was removed from Lewiston to Boise. On the close of his legislative service, Mr. Has- brouck returned to Portland, and the following May again went to Owynee county, coming thence to Boise. In the capital city he was em- ployed in the internal revenue service under Jolin Cummings, the first internal revenue collector in the territory. In 1866 Mr. Cummings was ap- pointed one of the judges of the territory and he appointed Mr. Hasbrouck clerk of the court.

In 1867, thirteen years after he had left New York, Mr. Hasbrouck visited his native state. and there married Miss Ann Eliza Van Wagenen, a friend of his childhood and a schoolmate of his youth. Theirs has been a happy married life. In 1868 they left the east for their new home in Idaho, and were soon comfortably located in Boise. Four children have been born to them: Edward Hallock, the eldest, has followed mining principally; Raymond DeLancy, the second son, is now acting chief engineer on the United States steamer Puritan; Elizabeth M. is the wife of Charles D. Shrady; and Van Wagenen is deputy clerk of the supreme court, and makes his home at Lewiston. He is a lawyer, and has been ad- mitted to practice in all of the courts of the state.

Upon his return to Idaho, Mr. Hasbrouck was reappointed clerk of the district court, and also of the supreme court. At the same time he was gauger in the internal revenue service and clerk in the office of the superintendent of Indian af- fairs.

In the meantime he studied law, was admitted to practice in the district courts, and in 1871 was admitted to practice in the supreme court of the territory. He formed a law partnership with Henry E. Prickett, under the firm name of Prick- ett & Hasbrouck, a connection that was con- tinued until Mr. Prickett was appointed district judge, when Mr. Hasbrouck turned his atten- tion to merchandising, which pursuit he followed for twelve years in Boise and Weiser. While in the latter place a disastrous fire occurred, which almost wiped out the town, and he thereby lost everything he had. Soon after this Judge J. H. Beatty, now district judge of the federal court,

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

appointed him clerk of the district court. A year later Idaho was admitted to the Union and an independent supreme court was created, of which he was appointed clerk, a position which he has since acceptably filled. During his long term in this office he has discharged his duties in a most prompt and capable manner, winning the com- mendation of the bench and bar and the regard of the public. He is a very agreeable and oblig- ing official and has thereby won a host of friends throughout the whole state. In politics he is a "silver" Republican, and in religious belief he and his family are Episcopalians. Perhaps no one in the state has been more continuously identified with its public service through a longer period than Solomon Hasbrouck, who has borne 10 unimportant part in shaping the policy of idaho and advancing its interests. He may well be numbered among its honored pioneers, and his life history deserves a prominent place in its annals.

GEORGE LITTLE.

The list of the leading citizens of Caldwell contains the name of Judge George Little, one of the representative and honored citizens of Canyon county. His record as a soldier, as an official and as a business man has been so hon- orable that he has gained the confidence and good will of all with whom he has been brought in contact, and as probate judge and superin- tendent of public instruction he won still higher encomiums from his fellow men by reason of the fidelity and ability which he manifested in the discharge of his duties. He retired from office in January, 1899.

A native of Kentucky, Judge Little was born in Daviess county, July 15, 1839, and is of Scotch and English descent. The original American an- cestors of the family located in Massachusetts, and the branch to which our subject belongs was afterward planted in Charleston, South Carolina. Later generations of the family removed to Ken- tucky, where Wesley Morgan Little, the father of the Judge, was born, in 1814. In early life he learned the wheelwright's trade, but afterward engaged in farming. His wife bore the maiden name of Henrietta Waltrip, and belonged to one of the old families of Culpeper county, Virginia. Her father was one of the prominent residents

of that county and held various positions of honor and trust. In politics the father of Judge Little was a Democrat and served as presidential elec- tor in 1856, casting his vote for James Buchanan. In a political altercation with a Know-nothing he was shot and killed, leaving a family of three children. The mother of our subject had died in the twenty-ninth year of her age, and he. had later married again, having three children by the second union.

Judge Little was educated in the public schools of his native town, and when the great civil war was inaugurated gave his support to the Union. Careful consideration led him to believe that any attempt to destroy the power of the national governnient was absolutely wrong, and with a patriotic impulse he joined Company M, Seven- teenth Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry, serving in Mississippi and Tennessee. He participated in a number of engagements and was wounded in the thigh by a guerrilla. On the expiration of his term of service he engaged in merchandising on Green river, Kentucky, and joined a regiment which was organized for home protection, of which command he was made major. This aroused the special ire of the guerrilla bands, who destroyed his store by fire and took him prisoner, but he was afterward rescued by a com- pany of Kentucky cavalry. Judge Little then went to Louisville and enlisted in the regular army, serving on the regimental staff of General John Gibbon for three years.

On the close of the war he resumed merchan- dising, choosing as the scene of his labors the town of Laramie, Wyoming, where he remained for sixteen years, enjoying a liberal patronage. During that time he served as postmaster of Laramie by appointment of President Grant, and also held important county offices. In 1884 he came to Caldwell, where he established a drug store, continuing in that line of trade for five years, when his health failed and he sold out. Hoping that a change of climate would prove beneficial, he sought the higher altitude of the Jordan valley, in Oregon, where for a time he conducted a general mercantile store. His un- dertakings there, however, were not attended with success and he returned to Caldwell. Since that time he has been almost continuously con- nected with the public service. He was district

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

clerk and deputy auditor and recorder for two years, and since that time has been twice elected probate judge, which position he is filling at the present time, together with that of superintend- ent of public instruction in Canyon county. His extreme fairness makes him especially capable in the former office, while his liberal mental cul- ture. and deep interest in the cause of education render his service in the latter position extremely effective.

In 1875 Judge Little was married, în Laramie, Wyoming, to Miss Flora Cameron, a native of Canada and of Scotch descent. They now have two children: Edna, who has attained a high reputation as a successful teacher and is now occupying a position in the Moscow high school; and Wesley, who is attending college in Caldwell. The Judge has been a lifelong Republican and now supports the free-silver wing of the party. He was made a Mason in Laramie Lodge, No. 2, A. F. & A. M., of Laramie, Wyoming, and is a charter member and past master of Essene Lodge, No. 22, of Caldwell. Both he and his wife are consistent and active members of the Presbyterian church, with which he has been connected since the age of sixteen years. He is now superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday school in Caldwell, and is very earnest and zeal- ous in the work, and generously co-operates with all movements or measures intended for the bet- terment of humanity. He is a man of strong mentality, of broad humanitarian principles and kindly motives. No trust reposed in him has ever been betrayed, and whether on the field of battle protecting the stars and stripes or in local political office, he is true to his country and its best interests,-a loyal and patriotic citizen.

SOLOMON M. JEFFREYS.

In the front rank of the columns which have advanced the civilization of the northwest, Solo- mon M. Jeffreys has led the way to the substan- tial development, progress and upbuilding of Idaho, being particularly active in the growth of Weiser, where he still makes his home. He is numbered among the pioneers of Idaho, Cali- fornia and Oregon, his memory going back to the time when the entire Pacific coast was but very sparsely settled, when the Indians were

more numerous than the white men, and the land had not been reclaimed for purposes of cultiva- tion, but remained in the primitive condition in which it came from the hand of nature.

Mr. Jeffreys was born in Jackson county, Mis- souri, February 1I, 1835, and is of English line- age. His father, Thomas Jeffreys, was born in Kentucky and was married there to Miss Mary Dickerson. In 1845, with his wife and five chil- dren, he started for Oregon with a train of sixty wagons, drawn by oxen and mules, there being about two hundred persons in the company. They were nine months in making the long and tedious journey across the plains and endured many hardships and privations. Their route lay along the south and west banks of the Snake river, but they little dreamed that in the course of a few years members of their party would lo- cate in that beautiful district of what is now the state of Idaho. They pressed onward to the fer- tile Willamette valley, and the father located a "donation" claim of six hundred and forty acres of land in what became the rich county of Yam- hill, Oregon. In 1849, attracted by the discovery of gold in California, he went to that state, ac- companied by two of his sons, and engaged in mining for some time. When they had taken out considerable gold they started to return to Ore- gon, but the father died and was buried at sea, when forty-eight years of age. He was an hon- est, industrious and brave pioneer. His estimable wife, who shared with him in the dangers and privations of frontier life, survived him for a long period, and died at the age of seventy-three years. Of their five children who crossed the plains only two are living, Solomon and James.

The former acquired his education in Polk county, Oregon, and at the Methodist Mission College, at Salem. In 1849 he went with his father and brother John to California and en- gaged in mining on the north fork of the Ameri- can river. When they had saved twenty-five thousand dollars they started to return to Ore- gon. After the death and burial of their father at sea, the brothers continued on their way alone to Yamhill county, where Mr. Jeffreys of this re- view engaged in farming for a number of years. He then followed stock-raising in eastern Ore- gon, and became one of the largest cattlemen of that time. In 1862 he drove one thousand head

I In Jeffreys

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

of cattle from The Dalles to the Carriboo country, where he butchered them, selling the beef to the miners for fifty and seventy-five cents per pound, making on that venture about half a million dollars. On the trip to that place, the Indian chief Moses and his band accompanied Mr. Jeffreys and his party, and they feasted the In- dians on the best they had. His brother John was a lieutenant in the Wasco Company, and with his command participated in the Indian war of 1856.

In the year 1865 Mr. Jeffreys of this review ar- rived in Idaho, and settled in what is now Wash · ington county, and he engaged in the raising of cattle and horses. Later he was actively identi- fied with many of the industrial and commercial interests of Weiser. He built the first flouring- mill and was also one of the early merchants of the town. He became one of the builders of the city water ditches and a member of the Weiser City Ditch and Irrigation Company, which has been of great value to the town and surrounding country .. Since its organization he has been president of the company, and in all his business interests he has met with gratifying success, ow- ing to his careful management, his reliable judg- ment and his unabating energy.

In 1868 Mr. Jeffreys married Miss Mary Boyles, a native of Polk county, Oregon, and a daughter of Dr. Boyles, who was a very promi- nent physician. By that marriage there were three children. The mother died soon after the birth of her twins, and they did not long sur- vive her. The first born, Laura, is now the wife of W. W. Curtis, of Salem, Oregon. On the 23d of April, 1878, Mr. Jeffreys wedded Mrs. Sarah E. Ripper, and they have two sons,-Oliver, in school, and Woodson, who is a volunteer in the American army at Manila.

Mrs. Sarah E. Jeffreys, nee Anderson, was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, December 29, 1845. Her parents, Samuel Anderson and Cynthia Ann, nee Penland, were born, raised and married in Fleming county, Kentucky. Her father is seventy-five years of age and makes his home with his children. Her mother died Jan- uary 13, 1884, when sixty-one years of age. Her great-grandparents, of Scotch-Irish descent, came from Virginia and took part in the war of 1812. Mrs. Jeffreys moved with her parents to Bu-

chanan county, Missouri, in 1847, and crossed the plains to Willamette valley in 1851. She was married to C. W. Ripper, March 19, 1863, and with her husband moved to eastern Oregon in 1864, and to Weiser, Idaho, in 1869. They had five children,-three sons and two daugh- ters; one son and daughter were twins. Only one of the five is living,-Isaac N. Ripper, of Day- ville, Oregon. Mrs. Jeffreys is a charter member of the Baptist church and one of its most active workers. Mr. Jeffreys was made a Master Mason in Amity Lodge, No. 20, at Amity, in Yamhill county, Oregon. In his earlier years he gave his political support to the Democratic party, but is now a Populist. He was a member of the terri- torial legislature in the seventh session and aided in procuring the erection of Washington county, being one of the commissioners appointed to ef- fect its organization. He is now a member of the town council and his popularity in Weiser is indicated by the fact that he was made the nom- inee of three parties for the office of county treas- urer. He has ever discharged his duties with marked ability and fairness, for he is a most loyal, public-spirited citizen. As a business man he has been conspicuous among his associates, not only for his success, but for his probity, fair- ness and honorable methods. In everything he has been eminently practical, and this has been manifest not only in his business undertakings but also in private and social life.

SAMUEL STRICKLER.

The story of pioneer life in Idaho is well known to such men as Samuel Strickler, for through thirty-six years he has been a witness of the de- velopment of the northwest and has faithfully borne his part in the work of upbuilding and advancement; he now resides in Bellevue. He claims Pennsylvania as the state of his nativity, his birth occurring in Chambersburg, Franklin county, November 21, 1832. He is of German descent and his ancestors were among the early settlers of the Keystone state. His father, Sam- uel Strickler, was born in Lancaster, Pennsylva- nia, and married Susanna Hollinger, also a na- tive of Pennsylvania. Twelve children, six sons and six daughters, were born of this union, and ten grew to maturity, while six are yet living.

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

The father died in 1875, at the age of eighty-one years, and the mother passed away a little later at about the same age.

Mr. Strickler, of this review, was educated in Pennsylvania and in 1846 accompanied his fam- ily on their removal to Mount Carroll, Illinois, where he also attended school. In 1859 he crossed the plains to Colorado with an ox team and through the summer successfully engaged in mining. In the fall of the same year he returned to his home in Illinois, and in 1860 he again went west, locating in Denver, where he engaged in farming, selling his produce in that city. He was very successful in that venture, but in 1863, learning of the gold excitement in Idaho, he pur- chased a stock of miners' supplies and took them to the territory, opening a store in Idaho City, July 3, 1863. On the 15th of December of the same year he removed to Boise, built a store and there engaged in business. He had a pack train with which he hauled his own goods, and also engaged in packing for others. In 1866 he sold out and engaged in gold-mining in Oregon, but after a time returned to Boise and purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land in the valley, below the capital. There he cultivated hay and grain and obtained good prices for his products, selling oats sometimes as high as five cents per pound. At length an excellent oppor- tunity came for him to dispose of his property, and selling out he returned to Boise. Later he also sold his town property and purchased a freighting outfit, freighting from Boise to Kelton and other places. But gold and silver were dis- covered in large quantities in the Wood river val- ley, and, selling his stock, he came to Bellevue, where he once more resumed mining. He is the owner of considerable property in the town and also of Kentucky Ledge, a fine property located thirty-five miles northwest of the town. He is now engaged in its development, and has made a tunnel one hundred feet long. The ore yields eighty ounces of silver and sixty per cent lead. Mr. Strickler also has a number of teams which he uses in hauling ore and in freighting, and thus his life is one of activity and usefulness, in which his labors are being crowned with a good financial reward.

Throughout the passing years Mr. Strickler has experienced many of the hardships incident

to pioneer life. In 1869 there were about five hundred Indians hunting in the Wood river val- ley, when he and his partner, Senor Hicks, pur- chased a load of goods which they took to the valley to trade with the Indians for furs. They camped on the present site of Bellevue, and on the second day passed there Mr. Hicks started up the valley to see how far they could go with the wagon, leaving Mr. Strickler alone with the wagon and the goods. For two days there was not another white man within miles. During that time he went over to the Indians and a big "brave," grabbing hold of him, threw him on the ground, planted his knee upon him and then put a big knife at his breast! Mr. Strickler ex- pected instant death, but the Indian finally re- leased him, and, getting up, he made his way back to the wagon where he had two guns. Soon afterward he saw the Indian coming toward him, but he did not think it best to shoot. The In- dian then offered to smoke a pipe of peace with him, but Mr. Strickler did not smoke, and so the red man gave him a mink skin as a peace offering.

Mr. Hicks soon afterward returned and the partners remained in the valley until they had sold their goods, clearing two thousand dollars off the transaction. They then returned to Boise, and in 1870 Mr. Strickler again engaged in freighting on the Kelton road. In 1877, with two companions and two wagons, he was cor- raled by the Indians on Clover creek. The sav- ages were on the war path and Mr. Strickler and his party, not being able to pass them, were forced to remain for five weeks. During this time, on a certain night, one of the men came and awakened him, saying that the Indians were coming. Our subject then asked, "Where?" and in response to the man's reply, "From all around:" he said, "Well, I will remain where I am." Such was the coolness with which the pioneers met danger. On reaching Kelton the party found the United States soldiers there and learned that five teamsters had been killed and their wagons burned. The Indians had also gone down the Snake river, and, meeting a man with a pack horse and saddle, had grabbed the horse by the bit and held him until the chief. came up, when he gave word to release the man, who returned to Kelton, sold his horse and went

HISTORY OF IDAHO.

by rail to the states. Such experiences were very common among the hardy pioneers, who left be- hind them the comforts of the east to subdue the western wilderness for purposes of civilization.

In politics Mr. Strickler was for many years a stalwart Republican, and is now identified with the "silver" Republican party. He is rated as one of the leading and influential citizens of Bellevue, where he has a pleasant home, and acts as his own housekeeper, having never married. He has many friends among the pioneers and later arrivals in Idaho, and well deserves men- tion among the early settlers of this splendid commonwealth.

THOMAS T. REDSULL.

Great, indeed, have been the changes that time and man have wrought since Thomas T. Red- sull landed on the Pacific coast. California yet belonged to Mexico, and much of the land, espe- cially in the southern part of the state, was di- vided into large estates, owned and occupied by Spanish families. Mr. Redsull was then but eleven years of age, yet had started out to make his own way in the world. He was born in the county of Kent, England, on the 15th of Novem- ber, 1827, a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Goy- mer) Redsull, both of whom were natives of England and representatives of ancient families of that country. They were both members of the Episcopal church, and the father was a col- lector of excise for the government. He departed this life in 1858, at the age of fifty years, and his widow is now living at the age of one hundred and three years. They had seven children, but only three are now living.

Mr. Redsull of this review acquired his early education in England, and when only eleven years of age was bound out as an apprentice to the Hudson's Bay Company, and in their service came to the United States in 1838, landing in California. He is consequently one of the oldest pioneers of that state. The same year he also went to Oregon, and therefore can claim the honor of being a pioneer of that state, too. He made his home at Vancouver and was for twenty years a pilot on the Columbia river at Mult- nomah.

On Multnomah island, May 4, 1854, Mr. Red-

sull was united in marriage to Miss Amelia Spence, a native of Canada, and their union has been blessed with six children, five of whom are living, namely: James Spence, a resident of Owyhee county, Idaho; Elizabeth, wife of George B. Pinkham; Emma, widow of Charles H. Te- gaskis; Caroline, wife of W. H. Bailey, of Hailey; and Sarah, who is at home with her parents.

During the mining excitement in this state Mr. Redsull removed to Idaho City, where he engaged in placer mining, taking out consider- able gold. He was a soldier in the Cayuse war, and was on the field at the massacre of Dr. Whit- man and his family. In 1863 he was one of the organizers of a company formed for the purpose of checking the Indian depredations. This com- pany was commanded by Captain Jeff Stanford, and they came upon the Indians at the crossing of Snake river on the Weiser. They were sent there to protect the emigrants and had sev- eral little encounters with the red men, continu- ing the organization for two and a half years, during which time some eight or ten of the vol- unteers were killed, and also several Indians; but the habit of the Indians in carrying off their dead made it impossible to determine with accuracy just how many of the red men were slain. In 1878 Mr. Redsull volunteered to aid General Howard and continued with him until the close of hostilities, when the Indians surrendered. He then located in Boise and was engaged in freight- ing for four or five years. On the expiration of that period he went to South Mountain, and on to Tuscarora, Nevada, where he conducted the Grand Prize Hotel, at the Grand Prize mine.

There he remained until 1881, when he came to Bellevue, being one of the first settlers of the town. Since that time he has been prominently associated with its development and upbuilding, and for seventeen years was honored with the office of justice of the peace. In 1898 he was elected judge of the probate court of Blaine county and is now acceptably serving in that ca- pacity. What higher testimonial of his ability, trustworthiness and fidelity to duty could be given than the statement that he served in one office for seventeen consecutive years? His of- ficial record is above question and is indeed cred- itable to himself and his constituents. He be- came a Republican on attaining his majority, and

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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 9

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