USA > Idaho > History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume II > Part 100
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In addition to his connection with the Union Stock Yards and the Caldwell Horse & Mule Company, J. W. Smeed is the owner of a valuable farm property of six hundred acres west of Caldwell and a farm of one hundred and sixty acres east of Caldwell, together with a fine residence property on ·Kimball avenue in the city.
On the 26th of May, 1909, Mr. Smeed was united in marriage to Miss Florence Beckman, a daughter of Emil Beckman, of Leadville, Colorado, and they have one child, Jack, now four years of age. Mr. Smeed has a host of warm friends, ranging from bankers to cow punchers, is a gentleman of most affable manner and pleasing personality, who rates his friends not by wealth but by worth, and true worth can always win his regard.
OTIS RIFE.
Otis Rife, a live stock dealer of Meridian, who came to Idaho from Wyoming in 1908, settling in Ada county, has always given his attention to the raising of sheep and cattle and his activities along that line have not only constituted a measure of in- dividual success but have also been an element in the development of the live stock industry in the district in which he has resided. Mr. Rife is a native of Quincy, Adams county, Illinois, his birth having there occurred January 13, 1874. His father, William A. Rife, was throughout his entire life engaged in raising and dealing in live stock, first in Illinois and afterward in Wyoming. He was born in West Virginia, July 10, 1844, and in early life became a resident of Illinois. There he responded to the country's call to aid in the preservation of the Union and went to the front with the "boys in blue" as a member of Company K, One Hundred and Nineteenth Illinois In- fantry. He was married in Adams county, Illinois, to Belle Mills, who was born in Ohio, and they became the parents of four children, three sons and a daughter, of whom Otis was the second in order of birth. The sons are all yet living and all are well known live stock men. Two, Otis and Oran, are residents of Idaho, the latter making his home at Garden Valley. The other brother is Sterling O. Rife, of Rock Springs, Wyoming. The only sister, Leora, married and died at the age of twenty-two years, leaving a son, Oran Goodman. The parents of Otis Rife have also passed away. The mother died at Rock Springs, Wyoming, December 25, 1911, while the father de- parted this life in Boise, Idaho, December 9, 1918.
Otis Rife was reared and educated in Quincy, Illinois, and in 1890 went to Rock Springs, Wyoming, in company with his elder brother, Sterling O., who was then but twenty years of age, while Otis was a youth of seventeen. During his residence in Wyoming the latter engaged in sheep raising and for several years rode the range. As soon as he had money enough to make a start in the business world independently he turned his attention to raising live stock on his own account and throughout the intervening years has devoted his energies to the sheep and cattle industry. He followed sheep raising in Wyoming from 1890 until 1909 and in days gone by his flocks sometimes numbered many thousands of sheep, but about five years ago he ceased sheep raising and is now devoting his attention exclusively to cattle. From 1908 until 1916 he resided in Boise, at the corner of Seventeenth and Lemp streets, and then removed to Meridian, where he has since made his home. He recently sold his Boise property and in Meridian he has a nice residence on Idaho street. Here he is most comfortably situated, his success bringing to him not only the necessities of life but also many of its luxuries.
On the 1st of June, 1899, at Kemmerer, Wyoming, Mr. Rife was married to Miss
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Fannie F. Curtis, a daughter of Frank R. Curtis, who resides at Seventeenth and Dewey streets in Boise. Mrs. Rife was born in Illinois, April 10, 1881, and has become the mother of two children: Edna May, born May 24, 1900; and Frank Otis, May 11, 1903. The daughter is now an accomplished young lady of nineteen years who was graduated from the Meridian high school with the class of 1919 and is at present study- ing music in the University of Oregon. While a high school pupil she gave much at- tention to manual training work and in the Rife home are a number of attractive pieces of furniture which she made. The only son is now attending the public schools of Meridian.
Mr. Rife. gives his political allegiance to the republican party. Fraternally he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He enjoys hunting and fish- ing and in his hunting trips has killed many deer, elk and bears. To this he turns for rest and recreation. The major part of his time and attention, however, is given to his business affairs and he is not only a breeder of live stock but also buys and sells cattle and his business affairs are now of extensive proportions, he being one of the well known live stock men of Ada county.
BERNARD LOUIS LEMP.
Bernard Louis Lemp, engaged in the cattle business and in dealing in land at Boise, was born November 8, 1886, in the city which is now his home, being next to the youngest of a family of thirteen children, seven sons and six daughters, whose parents were John and Catherine Lemp, mention of whom is made elsewhere in this work. Of the family four sons and three daughters are yet living.
Bernard L. Lemp was reared and educated in Boise, attending the public and high schools and later completing a course in a local business college, in which he made a study of bookkeeping. Since completing his school work he has been extensively engaged in the cattle business and in farming. He has large ranch interests in Ada and Canyon counties and upon his ranch property and on the forest reserve lands he raises many thousands of head of beef cattle annually, fattening them for the Omaha and Kansas City markets. He has a thorough understanding of the business, most care- fully and wisely directs his interests and through the capable conduct of his affairs is winning well deserved success. He finds the keenest pleasure in cattle raising and himself rides the range to a large extent, greatly enjoying life in the open.
On the 22nd of July, 1908, Mr. Lemp was married in Boise to Miss Leona Caroline Tucker, who was born and reared in Placerville, Idaho. They have two sons: Bernard Louis, Jr., born April 6, 1910; and George Tucker, born November 26, 1915. Mr. Lemp and his family are Episcopalians in religious faith. Fraternally he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and he belongs also to the Boise Country Club and to the Boise Commercial Club-associations that indicate much concerning the nature of his interests and his recreation. He is, however, a most alert and energetic business man and his unfaltering industry and sound judgment have been dominant forces in the attainment of his present success.
OLIVER P. ANDERSON.
Oliver P. Anderson, who is engaged in ranching on Marsh creek. near Declo, in Cassia county, was born in San Antonio, Texas, February 23, 1863, and is a son of Oliver Erwin and Mary (Kellem) Anderson. He was only a small boy when his par- ents left San Antonio and removed with their family to Benton county, Arkansas, where they settled upon a farm that had formerly been owned by the grandfather of Oliver P. Anderson.
The latter there passed his youthful days to the age of seventeen years, when he went to Colorado Springs, Colorado, and later made a trip from that place with cattle to Leadville, Colorado, spending the summer at Twin Lakes. In October of the same year he returned to Colorado Springs with the cattle and later he went to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and eventually to Kelton, Utah. From that point he traveled by stage to Baker Citv. Oregon, and for some time engaged in driving freight teams for the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company. He is next found at Union, Oregon, where he engaged
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in cow punching in connection with different cattle outfits. In the spring of 1887 be made his way to Ketchum and to Hailey, Idaho, with horses which he sold in those districts. He afterward prospected for a time and in August, 1887, came to the present site of Malta although the town had not yet been founded. He was there associated with the S. R. Gwinn Cattle Company. Later he drove a stage from Albion to Minidoka, Idaho, thus spending the winter of 1887-88. Subsequently he was for six years in the Saddle Raft river country of Idaho where he engaged in punching for various outfits, and in the spring of 1894 he began operating the R. L. Woods ranch on Marsh lake, concentrating his efforts upon the development of the land, with cattle raising interests conducted in connection therewith. After two years, or in 1896, he was elected sheriff of Cassia county and established his home in Albion, filling the office for two years He afterward purchased his present ranch, known as the old Dr. Lucas ranch, com- prising three hundred and twenty acres of land. To this he has added from time to time as his financial resources have increased and he now has seven hundred acres, constituting a valuable property. He erected new buildings upon the place and has supplied it with all modern equipment and conveniences. He is running from three hundred to four hundred head of cattle upon his place and is regarded as one of the leading stockmen of his section of the county. He is also a director and stockholder in the Declo State Bank and in addition to his cther interests he has a farm of two hundred and forty acres at Albion.
In 1893 Mr. Anderson was married to Miss Lillie Robbins, a daughter of Henry and Dora (Moon) Robbins and a native of Malad, Idaho. Her father was one of the first settlers of Albion and at an early day engaged in freighting from Kelton, Utah, to Boise, Idaho. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have become the parents of six children: Pearl, who died at the age of fourteen; Oliver; William; John C., who died in infancy; Mar- garet; and Richard.
Mr. Anderson is a democrat in his political views and has filled the office of high- way commissioner. Throughout the period of his residence in Idaho his labors have been of direct value in the improvement and upbuilding of the districts in which he has lived, and his worth as a citizen is acknowledged by all.
FRANK L. PAYNE.
Frank L. Payne, proprietor of the Western Meat Company, his market being located at No. 110 North Tenth street, is one of the honored pioneers of Idaho. He was born at Prompton, Wayne county, Pennsylvania, September 29, 1855, but in the spring of 1856 the family removed from the Keystone state to La Salle county, Illinois. He came to Idaho in 1863 with his father, Homer R. Payne, from La Salle county, Illinois. His mother, Louisa (Greeley) Payne, was a niece of the famous editor and political leader, Horace Greeley, in whose home she spent a portion of her girlhood. She died in La Salle county, Illinois, when Frank L. Payne was only six years old. He was the youngest of six children, five sons and one daughter. The father came to Idaho in 1863, crossing the plains in a wagon train drawn by horses and mules, and with him came his son, Frank L., who was then eight years of age. The enormous size of the train may be inferred from the fact that it comprised thirteen hundred people. In 1865, Mr. Payne and his son returned to La Salle county, Illinois, by wagon. In Wyoming the Indians held up the train one morning just at daylight and stole two hundred and twenty-seven horses. This serious incident, however, was only one of many that occurred on the western plains in those days. The wagon train naturally encountered great difficulties in order to obtain a sufficient number of horses to proceed on the way but finally the hazardous trip was completed. From 1863 until 1865 Mr. Payne. Sr., and his son were residents of Bannock City, Montana.
In 1903 Frank L. Payne returned to Idaho. For a time he lived at Pearl and sub- sequently at Caldwell, this state, hut since 1907 has been a resident of Boise, where he is now successfully engaged in the meat business. He has been located at his present establishment since 1916. The business is conducted under the firm name of the Western Meat Company and in its conduct he has proven himself a reliable and progressive business man. He believes in the utmost honesty and fair treatment, and it is therefore but natural that he has built up a large trade.
Mr. Payne has two sons by his first marriage: LeRoy, a resident of Portland, Oregon; and Earl, of Payette, Idaho. By his second union he also has two children:
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Pauline, attending the Boise high school, and Elwood Morgan, aged nine, who is a student in the common schools.
Mr. Payne has always been a public-spirited citizen and is ever ready to give of his time and effort in order to promote the growth of the community in which he now resides. While a resident of Caldwell he served as deputy sheriff of Canyon county for three years and while in that position had the distinction of arresting Harry Orchard, the murderer of Governor Steunenberg, the trial and case receiving world-wide atten- tion and being of the greatest national importance. Mr. Payne is a republican, stead- fastly supporting the principles of that party, and fraternally he is an Odd Fellow, in which organization he has many friends.
CLYDE EARL SUMMERS.
Clyde Earl Summers, of the 'firm of Summers & Krebs, funeral directors of Boise, who is also filling the office of county coroner in Ada county, was born upon a farm near Mapleton, in Bourbon county, Kansas, November 15, 1889. He is one of the two sons of William Ely and Adaline Ophelia (Camp) Summers. The father, a farmer by occupation, was born in Ohio and spent his last days in Boise, where he passed away July 20, 1918, at the age of seventy-three years, dying at the home of his son Clyde. The mother is still living and has reached the age of sixty-seven. Both were of Scotch-Irish descent. The only brother of Clyde E. Summers is Clifford Olin Summers, a master mechanic who was engaged in placing machinery on government ships at Tacoma, Washington, during the World war. He is twenty-seven years of age and is now in San Francisco. There are also two living sisters: Mrs. Lone Myrick, of Spokane, Washington, and Mrs. Maud B. Allen, of Rockford, Iowa.
Clyde E. Summers came west to Idaho with his parents in 1901, the family home being established at Genesee. In 1906 a removal was made to Moscow, Idaho, chiefly that the children might enjoy educational privileges there offered, and Clyde E. Summers spent three years in the Moscow high school. When twenty years of age he entered the United States railway mail service, with Spokane as his headquarters, and for a year made the run between Spokane and Wallace. He then resigned and learned the undertaking business in Spokane, serving his apprenticeship with Smith & Company, the largest undertaking firm of that city. In 1911 he came to Boise and at once be- came one of the incorporators of the Fry & Summers undertaking firm, of which he was the secretary and treasurer, but on the 1st of January, 1920, the firm became- Summers & Krebs. This is one of the oldest establishments of the kind in Boise, the business having been originated by the firm of Glover & Company many years ago., The present proprietors are enjoying a liberal patronage and conduct their business along the most scientific lines.
On the 30th of March, 1913, Mr. Summers was married to Miss Roxie Loraine Dickson, of Boise, and they have a little daughter, Mary Adaline, born June 22, 1914. The religious faith of the family is that of the Christian church. Politically Mr. Summers is a republican and is filling the office of county coroner, to which he was elected in 1914. Fraternally he is associated with the Masons, having attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, while with the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine he has crossed the sands of the desert. He also belongs to the Grotto and to the Order of the Eastern Star, is an Elk, a Modern Woodman of America and a Woodman of the World. He likewise belongs to the Boise Commercial Club and he turns to hunting, fishing and motoring for recreation when opportunity permits. His inter- ests are thus broad and varied and he is a typical American citizen, alert and enter- prising, active in business and at the same time finding opportunity for support of measures and movements which make for individual uplift and for community better- ment.
CHARLES H. ELDRED.
Among the representatives of farming interests in Twin Falls county is Charles H. Eldred, who resides on section 31, range 9, township 17. He was born in Miami county, Kansas, February 26, 1868, and is a son of John Richard and Harriett (Knowles) Eldred. The father, a native of New York, enlisted in 1861 as a drummer
CLYDE E. SUMMERS
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boy for service in the Union army during the Civil war and was at the front for three years and three months, serving for the last two years as a private, having enlisted in Illinois for active duty in that way. Following the war he was married in Illinois and afterwards removed to Miami county, Kansas. Subsequently he took up his abode in Labette county, Kansas, and later became a resident of Barber county, following farming throughout these various periods. He at length passed away upon his farm in Barber county in 1880, at the age of forty-five years. He had learned the cabinet- maker's trade in Illinois and followed that pursuit in early life, but his attention was later given to the development of the soil. In politics he was a stalwart republi- can. His wife passed away at Bountiful, Utah.
Charles H. Eldred spent his boyhood in Barber county, Kansas, and pursued his education in one of the old-time schoolhouses of the frontier, built of logs. He was but twelve years of age when his father died and upon him largely devolved the support of the family. It was a heavy burden for one of his years to assume, but he did not hesitate to take up the work which fate thus thrust upon him. In 1888 he went to Rock- vale, Colorado, where he was employed by a coal company, and later he worked in a sugar factory at Medicine Lodge, Kansas, spending two years in that connection. In 1891 he removed to Salt Lake City, Utah, and for four years was an employe of the city. He afterward spent five years in the employ of the Rio Grande & Western Rail- road in connection with the water service department and during the next four years he was in the employ of the Utah Fuel Company. On the 1st of September, 1904, he arrived in Twin Falls, making the trip by stage from Shoshone, Idaho. Turning his attention to agricultural pursuits, he invested in farm land, which he purchased from the Twin Falls Land & Water Company, obtaining eighty acres, for which he paid twenty- five dollars per acre, with water right at fifty cents per acre. He at first built a shack upon his place and as soon as possible erected a substantial modern house and good barns, carrying on the improvement of the farm, which he has converted from a tract "of wild land producing nothing but sagebrush into one of the highly developed farm properties of the district. There were but one hundred people in Twin Falls at the time when he took up his abode upon this place. Through the intervening period he has carried on general farming, making his fields very productive, so that he annually harvests good crops, and he also makes a specialty of handling Poland China logs.
Iu 1892 Mr. "Eldred was married to Miss Clemence Smithers and their children are Bessie, Arthur, Dora, Melvin and Adeline. The family is now well known in Twin Falls county, where Mr. Eldred has carried on farming from early pioneer times, con- tributing in substantial measure to the agricultural development of this section of the state.
THOMAS P. WOODCOCK.
Thomas P. Woodcock, general manager at Boise for the firm of Bissinger & Com- pany, dealers in wool and hides, was born at Molalla, Oregon, on the 22d of July, 1856, a son of W. D. and Allizana (Cornelius) Woodcock. The father came to the Pacific coast in 1844, removing from Ohio to Oregon, and the mother accompanied her parents to that state in 1843. She was a daughter of Absalom Cornelius and both families became pioneer residents of Oregon.
Thomas P. Woodcock was chiefly reared in Oregon City, Oregon, and in his youthful days learned the butcher's trade, beginning work along that line when a lad of fourteen. He was thus engaged until 1893 and in 1879 removed to Boise, where he conducted a meat market on Main street, between Eighth and Ninth streets. In 1893 he became the local manager for the large hide and wool concern of Bissinger & Company of San Francisco, California. He installed the local plant at Boise and has been the directing head at this point continuously since 1893 save for a period of three years, from 1911 to 1913 inclusive, during which time he was giving his attention to public duties as one of Boise's city commissioners, his specific position being that of commissioner of safety. Elected on a non-partisan ticket, he was a member of the first commission form of government in Boise. On retiring from the office he resumed his connection with Bis- singer & Company and his record is a most enviable one. He has served the concern continuously for a period of more than a quarter of a century save for the three-year interval and his record has been marked by the utmost fidelity to duty and thorough appreciation and utilization of the opportunities which have come to him in this con- nection for the advancement of the interests of the corporation which he represents.
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On the 30th of January, 1884, in Boise, Mr. Woodcock was married to Miss Anna Brodbeck, a daughter of the late John Brodbeck, founder and owner of the Boise Brewery, who died in 1908. They became parents of two daughters: Edith, now a musician of Portland, Oregon, and Mahel, a student in the Boise high school as a member of the class of 1919. The elder daughter was graduated from the Boise high school with the class of 1905 and has made a special study of piano music for many years.
Mr. Woodcock belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having member- ship in Ada Lodge, No. 3, I. O. O. F., since 1882, and he is a past grand. In politics he is a republican but has never been an aspirant for public office, although he served as city commissioner as previously indicated. In community affairs, however, he has been deeply and helpfully interested. He served for many years as a member of the old volunteer fire department of Boise and was elected its first chief engineer, in which capacity he was acting at the time Boise had her biggest fire, which occurred on the south side of Main street, between Seventh and Eiglith streets, many years ago. Those who know him, and he has a wide acquaintance, entertain tor him warm regard because of his sterling traits of character as a business man and citizen, who, free from ostenta- tion, is nevertheless loyal to every interest which he represents and canse which he espouses.
EDWARD C. OSTNER.
Edward C. Ostner, one of the well known young business men of Boise who for the past ten years has had the sprinkling contract for the city, was born in Bellevue, Blaine county, Idaho, February 13, 1885, and is the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Albert W. Ostner, of this city, and a grandson of the late Charles Ostner, whose name is in- seperably linked with Idaho's history, for he was a pioneer of the state and a man of marked artistic tastes and talents, who carved the George Washington statue that is now seen on the capitol grounds.
Edward C. Ostner was but five years of age when his parents removed to Boise and in 1903 he was graduated from the Boise high school. For the past ten years he has had the contract for street sprinkling in Boise and previous to that he had spent four years in the state land office during the administration of Governor Gooding. His early education embraced a year's study in the Montana School of Mines and it was his plan then to become a mining engineer, but his fondness for horses and live stock overcame his desire and he entered into other lines of activity. On the 1st of January, 1911, he and a partner, William Howell, of Boise, under the firm style of Howell & Ostner, were given a five year contract for street sprinkling in Boise. At the expiration of that period Mr. Ostner purchased his partner's interest in the teams and equipment and took the contract for another five years on his own account. He also has ranch and cattle interests in Elmore county.
In November, 1918, Mr. Ostner was married to Miss Fay Griffith, of Moscow, Idaho, and in Boise they have a wide acquaintance among the best people. His chief recrea- tion is polo and he is also fond of hunting and fishing. Fraternally he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks.
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