USA > Idaho > History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume II > Part 68
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On the 10th of September, 1907, Mr. Atkinson was married to Miss Emma Cleveland Hawley, the eldest daughter of Governor James H. Hawley, and they have three children, Elizabeth Lida, Reilly, Jr., and Hawley, aged respectively nine, seven and three years.
Mr. Atkinson's military record is an interesting one, for he served as a private second and first lieutenant of Company L of the Thirty-third Michigan
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Regiment during the Spanish-American war, taking part in the battle of Santiago under General Shafter and in other military movements which led up to the final victory that crowned the American arms. His religious faith is that of the Roman Catholic church and fraternally he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He belongs to the Boise Commercial Club and also to the Country Club and his dominant characteristics are such as make for personal popularity in the community in which he makes his home.
GEORGE CUTHBERT.
George Cuthbert, who for the last five years has been deputy sheriff of Jeffer- son county with residence in Rigby, was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, August 21, 1871, the son of John A. and Georgiana (Thompson) Cuthbert. The father came originally from Illinois, and the mother was a native of England.
It was when the western frontier was being broken by the sturdy, ambitious pioneers of the middle west, that immigrant trains were being made up of families gathered together to start to that yet unbroken territory beyond the plains to make a home, regardless of the hardships of travel and of living that awaited them. On one of these immigrant trains as it made its way westward, destined for the wilds of Utah, John A. Cuthbert, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born. On arriving in Utah, the Cuthbert family set to work with courage and diligence to till the soil and establish a home. It was amid these surroundings that John A. Cuthbert grew to manhood, receiving the scant schooling afforded at that time in that section, giving the greater part of his time, however, to farming. He remained in Utah until 1884, when, wishing to be independent, he came to Idaho, where he took up a homestead three and one-half miles from Rigby in what was Bingham but is now Jefferson county. He spent the remainder of his life here working to improve his holding in true pioneer spirit. He died in May, 1910, at the age of sixty-one years. The death of Mrs. Georgiana Cuthbert occurred in the summer of 1875 when her son George was four years of age.
Until George Cuthbert was twenty-six years of age he remained on the home place near Rigby, having received his early education and training partly in Salt Lake City and partly in Jefferson county, Idaho. While helping to manage his father's farm, he gained the knowledge and practical experience which proved to be of great benefit to him when he started out for himself. Having already received a part of the old homestead as his share of the estate, he leased a neighboring farm in 1897 and on these two tracts he carried on agricultural operations until 1914. In the meantime, however, by successful management he had been able to add to his holding a dry farm which he now leases.
Mr. Cuthbert's interests do not lie wholly in farming, for he gave up in part his agricultural operations in 1914 to go into the sheriff's office as deputy, in which "capacity he has since served the citizens of Jefferson county to their entire satis- faction. Previous to his elevation to the office of deputy sheriff, he had served Jefferson county as constable for six years and the citizens of Rigby as city marshal for fourteen months.
On February 2, 1897, Mr. Cuthbert was united in marriage to Alice Tout. They have no children. Both are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, giving it their active support. Mr. Cuthbert is a democrat, and the interest which he and his wife take in the welfare of their town places them among the community's most valued citizens.
SCHREIBER & SIDENFADEN.
The firm of Schreiber & Sidenfaden, funeral directors and embalmers, is well known in southern Idaho, for their establishment in Boise is one of the most mod- ern and scientifically conducted in the state. They have a splendid chapel with large seating capacity and their equipment in every particular is up-to-date. Wil- liam Sidenfaden has been in Boise for twelve years as a member of the firm. He came to this city from St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1906 and purchased the interest of
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Edward Brennan in the undertaking firm of Schreiber & Brennan. He is a native of Missouri.
Adolph F. Schreiber arrived in Boise from St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1891. He was born in Germany and for more than a quarter of a century has now been identified with the business interests of Boise. The present building of the firm at Nos. 609 to 611 Bannock street was erected in 1909. It is a two-story brick struc- ture, fifty by one hundred feet, thoroughly equipped for the purpose used. Today theirs is one of the oldest and largest undertaking establishments of southern Idaho, the business having been established by Mr. Schreiber in 1901. They were the first firm in the state to own an ambulance and they have ever stood for all that is most progressive in relation to the business.
On the 19th of April, 1894, Mr. Schreiber was married to Miss Josephine Mc- Mahon, who was born in Silver City, Idaho, January 8, 1873, a daughter of the late John McMahon, who was a very prominent citizen and pioneer of Silver City. Mr. and Mrs. Schreiber have two children, Josephine and Elizabeth Louise. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church and Mr. Schreiber is connected with the Knights of Columbus. He also belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and several other fraternal organizations. He is like- wise connected with the Boise Commercial Club and he gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He has served for several terms as coroner of Ada county, making an excellent record in office.
Mr. Sidenfaden also is married and has four children, two sons and two daugh- ters. He, too, is of the Catholic faith and is a member of the Benevolent Pro- tective Order of Elks. He likewise belongs to the Boise Commercial Club and his political allegiance is given to the democratic party.
FRANK RIBLETT.
.The experiences which have come to Frank Riblett in the course of an active life have been broad and varied. He is now filling the position of United States commis- sioner at Malta, Cassia county, and he has been identified with the work of shaping the legislation of Idaho as well as contributing to the material development of the state. He was born in Pekin, Illinois, December 24, 1854, and is a son of Jacob H. and Diana (Fisher) Riblett. He was sixteen years of age when he left Illinois in company with his parents, who removed to Keokuk, Iowa. Later the family home was established in Clark county, Missouri, and in April, 1875, Frank Riblett went to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he remained for a brief period. He afterward traveled to Soda Springs, Idaho, making the trip with ox teams. He taught the first school at Soda Springs and also worked for ranchers in that section. Later he went to Dry creek, southwest of Burley, where lived his uncle Jeremiah, and his next removal took him to the Marsh basin, where the town of Albion now stands. He also taught the first public school there, when it still formed a part of Owyhee county, and later he purchased a ranch where Oakley is seen today. That was the year of the Bannock Indian war. There is no phase of pioneer life with all of its attendant hardships, pri- vations, opportunities and privileges with which Mr. Riblett is not familiar. He has studied the Indian at close range, knows his methods of warfare and his habits in times of peace, and as the years have passed he has lived to witness the wonderful changes which have occurred as the seeds of civilization have been planted upon the western frontier. He continued to develop and improve his ranch at Oakley until the spring of 1880 and in 1878 he carried the mail for a short time. In 1879 Cassia county was struck off from Owyhee county and Mr. Riblett was appointed county sur- veyor of Cassia county and his duties in that connection brought him wide familiarity with the country, its conditions, its topography and its opportunities.
In January, 1881, he made the first location on what is now known as the Mini- doka Reclamation project and during that year ran a number of lines and discovered its possibilities as a gravity proposition. Years later it was taken up by the United States government and developed as existing today. Mr. Riblett was chairman of the first organization of water users. In 1887, on his own initiative, he made the first preliminary survey for a canal from Snake river to irrigate the territory lying on the south side below the American Falls. The report of this survey was widely quoted by Governor Stevenson and others, including Delegate Fred T. Dubois in a speech made
FRANK RIBLETT
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in congress leading to surveys and' Investigations by the government soon afterward, and resulted in the development of the lower Snake river valley. Mr. Riblett also discovered and made a location on what is now known as the Twin Falls-Salmon River Carey Act project in 1892-3, many years before it was taken up by any company for active development. With his keen foresight he saw the advisability of starting these projects almost a quarter of a century before they were put in execution.
On the 26th of April, 1898, Mr. Riblett responded to the country's tall for troops for the Spanish-American war, joining Company C of the First Idaho Volunteer Infan- try, with which he served until September 25, 1899, his regiment being with the First Division, Eighth Army Corps. After his discharge' he returned to Albion. He had been 'elected to the office of county surveyor in the fall of 1898, while he was absent in Manila-a fact indicative of the trust reposed in him by his fellow townsmen and their appreciation of his ability. Mr. Riblett has been kept almost continuously in public office. In 1902 he was elected to represent his district in the legislative session of 1903 and in the spring of the latter year he was appointed state water commis- sioner and occupied that office until the spring of 1907. 1n 1908 he was again elected to the state legislature to serve through the following year and in 1911 he was ap- pointed United States commissioner, taking the office in June, 1913, since which time he has served continuously in this position, the duties of which he discharges with marked promptness, capability and fidelity. He; also operates his ranch near Burley and another near Declo, having secured forty acres near Burley that is now within the corporation limits of the town. He has taken a prominent part under Judge Hawley in some of the largest water 'suits of Idaho and there is no man more familiar with irrigation conditions and interests in this state than Mr. Riblett. He is a certified engineer and a member of the American Association of Engineers.
Long a stanch supporter of the republican party, he served for eight years as chair- man of the republican central committee of Cassia county and his opinions carry weight in party councils and his cooperation is sought by prominent republican leaders of Idaho. He has a very wide acquaintance in this state, has served the public well in all positions to which he has been called and over the record of his official career there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil. His fidelity and progressiveness in citizenship and his sterling personal worth have made for 'popularity wherever he is known. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and with the Masons and is a loyal follower of the teachings of these organizations. Dur- ing the World war he took a very active part in Red Cross, Liberty Loan and other war work, to which he contributed liberally of his means ..
LORENZO Y. RIGBY.
Lorenzo Y. Rigby, postmaster of Rexburg, was born at Newton, Cache county, Utah, January 7, 1878, a son of William F. and Ann (Yates) Rigby, who were natives of England. The father came to America in 1856 and crossed the plains with ox teams to Utah, where he engaged in farming and stock raising until 1879, when he settled in Beaver canyon, where is now the town of Spencer. There he operated a sawmill and supplied timber for ties and bridges for the construction of the Oregon Short Line Railroad to Butte, Montana. He operated his lumber mill until 1884, when he came to Rexburg, Idaho, settling in what was then Bingham county but is now Madison county. He filed on land near Rexburg and in connec- tion with Thomas E. Ricks laid out the town of Rexburg in 1883. He continued the work of developing and improving his farm property, devoting his remaining days to its cultivation and making it an excellent farm. He also filed on a timber claim, secured title thereto and then converted it into the Rigby addition to Rex- burg. Not only did he take active part in advancing the material development of his section of the state but also figured prominently in political circles and in 1898 was elected to the state legislature, in which he served for a term, during which time he was instrumental in influencing the Oregon Short Line to build a branch road through Rexburg. He was also a very prominent representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was first counselor to Thomas E. Ricks. He filled a mission in Europe for two years and did everything in his power to promote the work of the church, in the faith of which he passed away in March,
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1901, at the age of sixty-five years. His wife, who came to America in 1864, died in December, 1917.
Lorenzo Y. Rigby was reared and educated in Madison county, Idaho, then Bingham county, having been but six years of age when his parents settled in this state. He completed his education in what is now Ricks Academy, then called the Bannock Stake Academy, his father having been one of the founders of that school. He remained with his parents until he attained his majority and then filled a three years' mission in the Netherlands. Upon his return he purchased school land two and a half miles northeast of Rexburg and at once began to improve and develop the property, which he converted into rich and productive fields. He also bought grain until the Ist of April, 1914, when he was appointed postmaster at Rexburg by President Wilson and to the office was reappointed in September, 1918. He is still active in business life, being vice president of the United Mercantile Company of Rexburg and a director of the Rexburg Home Builders. He likewise owns his farm of forty-five acres.
On the 27th of October, 1903, Mr. Rigby was married to Miss Emma Jane Holman and they have become parents of a daughter, Emma, who was born Sep- tember 11, 1904, and is attending high school. Politically Mr. Rigby is a democrat and his religious faith is that of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has been connected with the Quorum of Seventy, has held stake offices and is a worker in the Sunday school. He has likewise filled secular offices, serving for two years as a member of the city council, and he represented Idaho at Brussels, Bel- gium, at the international congress for the relief of the deaf and blind. He has thus made his life one of usefulness to his fellowmen and of service to the state as well as a benefit to his family in providing for them those things which make for material, social, intellectual and moral progress.
MRS. ZINA HANSEN POOLE.
The annals of the past are full of the achievements of men but history had to wait until the earlier years of the twentieth century to record the initial en- trance of woman into her broadened sphere of usefulness, and one of the pioneers of her sex who are convincing the world of the superior gifts of their kind is Mrs. Zina Hansen Poole, the clerk and recorder of Jefferson county, who is a resident of Rigby. Mrs. Poole was born in Teton, Fremont county, Idaho, May 16, 1892, a daughter of Nels P. and Rhoda A. (Shelton) Hansen, both of whom are natives of the state of Utah, the father having been born in Brigham City and the mother in Mendon.
In 1886 when this part of Idaho was still a new country, Nels P. Hansen brought his family northward and located in Fremont county, where he engaged in dairying, in connection with which he operated a cheese factory until 1902. In the year pre- vious, he was elected sheriff of Fremont county and served his term of two years, after which he returned to farming and engaged in the same until 1906. In that year his neighbors recalled him to public service in the capacity of county as- sessor and he served them efficiently and well for two years with the able assistance of his daughter Edith, who was his deputy and who, when her father's term of office had expired, remained in the service of the county for five years longer as a deputy to the clerk and recorder. After Mr. Hansen had completed the term of his last public trust, he returned to farming in which he engaged after his removal to Rexburg, this state, until 1917. In that year he left this state to locate in Salt Lake City, where he and his wife, the mother of Mrs. Poole, now reside. Mr. Han- sen is now vice president of the West-Rideout Brokerage Company, which is carry- ing on a flourishing business in Salt Lake City.
Zina Hansen Poole grew to womanhood in Fremont county and there received her elementary education in the public schools. Early in her career she recog- nized the need of advanced training and after she had completed her preparatory course in the high school she entered Ricks College, from which she graduated in 19II. During her college career, she took a prominent part in school activities, editing for two years the college newspaper, called the Student Rays, and playing basket ball on the girls' college team which held the championship of southeastern Idaho, While a student in Ricks, Mrs. Poole was a member of the college quartet,
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a musical organization which appeared before audiences in all parts of the state for two or three years, and on the occasion of Governor James H. Hawley's inaugural ball the quartet was invited to sing at that important function.
After the completion of her college course, Mrs. Poole entered the office of the Utah Power & Light Company at Rexburg, Idaho, where she remained for two years. At the end of this time she began working in the office of the recorder of Fremont county, gaining much experience which has proved to be of great value to her subsequently. When Jefferson county was organized in 1913, her previous training recommended her for the office of deputy clerk and recorder, to which she was duly appointed. Under three different auditors Mrs. Poole served in this ca- pacity until the autumn of 1918, when the citizens of the county, convinced of her superior ability as shown in her performance of the duties, elected her clerk and recorder, in which office she is now serving.
It was on April 16, 1918, that Zina Hansen was married to Lewis W. Poole. In May of the previous year Mr. Poole had enlisted in the service of the United States navy and was mustered out in New York in January, 1919, after six months spent overseas. For several years prior to his enlistment, he was connected with J. C. Peney & Company walch operates a chain of stores, and after his return to civilian life he resumed his connection with that firm. He also has agricultural Interests in Jefferson county, being the owner of a well improved farm which lies five miles north of Rigby.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Poole are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints at Rigby, giving its furtherance their unstinted support, the former hav- ing served this denomination in mission work in the southern states for three years. Both the husband and wife are stanch republicans.
D. ROLLA HARRIS.
D. Rolla Harris, who is filling the position of postmaster at Sugar, was born in Pleasant Grove, Utah, November 23, 1868, and is a son of George H. A. and Sarah (Loader) Harris, the latter now living in Rexburg. Extended mention of the father is made in connection with the sketch of George H. B. Harris on another page of this work.
At the place of his nativity D. Rolla Harris was reared, remaining at home to the age of sixteen years, when he began working in a sawmill in Montana. He was thus employed until he reached the age of twenty-five, when he turned his attention to general merchandising at Salem, Idaho, where he conducted his store for eighteen years and then sold the business to his brother. Subsequently he drove a rural mail route out of Rexburg for eighteen months and on the 22d of February, 1917, was appointed postmaster at Sugar and has since occupied that position. This was not his original experience as postmaster, for he had filled the same office at Salem, where he had also served as justice of the peace. In addition to his official duties he has farming interests in Madison county, includ- ing fifty acres of irrigated land and one hundred and sixty acres of dry land which he homesteaded. He also owns several residences at Sugar, from which he de- rives a substantial annual rental.
On the 3d of April, 1895, Mr. Harris was united in marriage to Miss Euphemia Lutz, by whom he had a son, Reeves R., who was born January 18, 1896, and is now cashier for the Oregon Short Line Railroad at Arco, Idaho. The wife and mother passed away September 26, 1896, after a short illness, and on the 9th of June, 1897, Mr. Harris was again married, his second union being with Sarah Bell. To them have been born nine children, as follows: Vesta, who was born April 21, 1898, and died the following day; Euphemia, whose birth occurred May 12, 1900, and who is a postoffice clerk; Myrthan, whose natal day was September 6, 1901, and who passed away December 31, 1910; Alice, who was born August 16, 1906; Olive, born October 26, 1907; Maude, born July 26, 1909; Lowell, born October 9, 1911; Martell, born September 24, 1914; and one unnamed, who was born on the 6th of December, 1918, and died the same month.
Politically Mr. Harris is connected with the democratic party and his religious faith is that of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is a member of the high council of the Fremont stake and has filled three missions covering
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seven years. He spent twenty-eight months in England, from the 23d of February, 1903, until June 24, 1905, and from the 15th of June, 1897, until May 24, 1899, filled a mission in the northwestern states, while his labors in the eastern states extended from the 4th of March, 1912, to the 24th of December, 1913. He has held various other offices in the church, including that of superintendent of the Sunday school, teacher and choir leader.
Mr. Harris dates his connection with Madison county from July 27, 1883, when he arrived in this district as a youth of fourteen years. He thus early became' familiar with frontier life, with its varied experiences and its attendant hardships and privations. He has lived to witness remarkable changes as the years have gone by and at all times he has borne his part in the work of general develop- ment and improvement.
GEORGE HOWARD FISHER.
George Howard Fisher, member of the Idaho industrial accident board through ap- pointment of Governor Davis, has the distinction of being the only democratic appointee of the present administration. He was first called to the office by Governor Moses Alex- ander in the fall of 1917 and npon the organization of the board, January 1, 1918, he was made its first chairman. In Jannary, 1919, his name was sent by Governor Davis; the republican incumbent, to the state senate for . confirmation for a four years' term. No higher testimonial of fidelity and efficiency could be given. ..
Mr. Fisher is a native of Richmond, Utah. He was born December 5, 1872, and belongs to one of the old Mormon families of that state, his father, William F. Fisher, being a man of note in both Utah and Idaho. He is still living, making his home at Oxford, Idaho, and is now an octogenarian. He was born in Woolwich, England, No- vember 16, 1839, and came to the United States at the age of fourteen years in company with his parents, Thomas F. and Jane (Christon) Fisher. The grandparents were con- verts to the Mormon faith and crossed the plains in the year 1854 to Bountiful, Davis county, Utah, where they spent their remaining days. In England the grandfather had been a shipbuilder. William F. Fisher, the father, lived in Utah until 1877 and since that date has made his home in Idaho. At different periods he has followed merchan- dising and stock raising and is one of the few survivors of the pony express riders of Russell, Majors & Waddell. He carried the news concerning the first election of Abra- ham Lincoln in 1860 from Salt Lake City to Rush valley, a distance of seventy-five miles, in four hours and ten minutes, making the trip on horseback. He also rode from Ruby Station, Nevada, to Salt Lake City on horseback, a distance of three hundred miles, in thirty-six hours, using a relay of seven horses. The last horse he used was called Bnck- ing Bolly and covered the last seventy-five miles in six hours. The object of this rapid riding was to bring the news of an Indian outbreak and have the United States govern- ment send troops. The government responded with two companies of dragoons, under Lientenants Weed and Perkins, from Camp Floyd, Utah. The mother of George H. Fisher prior to her marriage bore the name of Millennium Andrews. She is still living and is yet hale and hearty. She is six years the junior of her husband. She reared a family of eleven children, of whom George H. was the sixth in order of birth, and seven of the family survive. Mrs. Fisher was born in Nauvoo, Illinois, August 31, 1845, a daughter of Milo Andrews, a famous character in Utah in his day. He was a contractor and railroad builder and a very prominent churchman who served for eleven years on missions for the church in foreign lands. He was known as one of the most eloquent speakers of his day.
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