History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume III, Part 29

Author: Hawley, James Henry, 1847-1929, ed
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 926

USA > Idaho > History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume III > Part 29

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mr. Harris was born in Pleasant Grove, Utah county, Utah, April 10, 1857, and is a son of George H. A. and Ann (Burraston) Harris, who were natives of England and came to America in 1852. For a time the father was clerk of the courts of Provo, Utah, and finally became a resident of Pleasant Grove. For sev- eral years he taught school and later he worked as a farm hand, while next he engaged in general merchandising for some time. He then bought land and con- tinued its cultivation for a considerable period, or until 1887, when he came to Rexburg, Madison county, then a part of Bingham county. He afterward made his home with his children throughout his remaining days, passing away April 3, 1919, at the age of eighty-eight years. The mother had died in May, 1863.

George H. B. Harris was reared at Pleasant Grove and pursued his education in the public schools there. He remained with his father until he attained his majority but worked for others during that period, as there was a large family and he was the eldest son. He began to provide for his own support when eleven years of age, going to the mines with his father and there working for a time. He cut wood in American Fork canyon when the snow was up to his shoulders and for some time herded cattle and in fact did almost every kind of work. He is truly a self- made man and one who deserves much credit for what he has accomplished. He met many hardships and difficulties in the early days hut resolutely pushed his way forward. He went to Frisco, Utah, where he burned charcoal, and later he worked in the Horn silver mine, working one shift. He left there because his wages were cut and then turned his attention to getting out wood, which he sold at four dol- lars per cord. He continued in that work until 1881, or for a period of six years. In 1882 he made his way to Wood river, Idaho, and was employed in the vicinity . of Hailey, Bellevue and Ketchum for one summer in teaming. He then returned home, where he continued through the winter, and the next spring he once more went to Wood river, Idaho, where he contracted to furnish wood, which he hauled for nine dollars per cord. On the afternoon of the 2d of October one of the wheels of his wagon broke when he was in the mountains, but he managed to fix it and make his way into the open. On October 17, 1883, he arrived at Roberts, then Market Lake, in Bingham county, but did not remain there very long. He and his brother James journeyed up the north fork of Snake river and across Rocky Ford near Parker to Teton island and on the 23d of October, 1883, filed on the

250

HISTORY OF IDAHO

southwest quarter of section 8. township 6 north, range 40 east, B. M. He then hauled a set of house logs to his land and returned to Pleasant Grove, Utah.

On the 3d of April, 1884, Mr. Harris was married to Miss Victoria Sandgreen and in the month of May they came to Idaho with three span of horses and two wagons, one team being driven by a half-brother, Carlos Vivian Harris, now in Canada. They arrived at the north fork of the Snake river, six miles west of Rex- burg, but on reaching the ferry found that the river had overflowed its banks from a quarter to a half mile, but they managed to cross. on the ferry to the south bank. The goods in each wagon had to be divided into several small boatloads, which were taken from the south bank of the river to the edge of the flood waters. The horses were led through the water, the men going in up to their armpits. Mr. and Mrs. Harris finally arrived at the homestead and they lived in the wagon box that summer while he built a log house. He also erected. other buildings and continued the further development and improvement of the farm until 1917, when he removed to Rexburg. He now rents the farm for two thousand dollars per an- num. His land is splendidly irrigated and was brought under a high state of cul- tivation by Mr. Harris, who transformed a wild tract of sagebrush land into one of the rich and productive farms of his section of the country. He was the orig- inator of the Salem Canal Company and has assisted in digging many ditches which have constituted important additions to the irrigation interests of the state. While he has won a very substantial measure of success, in the early days the crops were very poor and it required unremitting labor to bring about the changes that have been wrought. With his removal to Rexburg, Mr. Harris found that he could not content himself to remain idle and entered the employ of the Farmers Implement Company, of which his son, Cyrus A., is manager.

Mr. Harris has always been a prominent churchman. In August, 1885, the High Council of Bannock was organized and Mr. Harris was made a member. On the 23d of November, 1885, he was chosen and ordained bishop of Salem ward, in the Bannock stake, and remained bishop for fifteen or sixteen years. He filled a four months' mission to the northwestern states, has held various offices in the church and is now a high priest and bishop. He has also been prominent in sec- ular affairs and served as assessor and collector in 1905 and 1906, while for three years previous he had been deputy assessor and for a number of years was road overseer.

To Mr. and Mrs. Harris have been born thirteen children, eleven of whom are still living, namely: George V., who was born July 23, 1885, and is still at home; Geneva V .; Cyrus A., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Ida C., at home; Alvin Edward, who during the World war served in France with Twentieth Engineers from October, 1917, until his discharge in August, 1919; Lilly Eliza, who is teaching school in Salt Lake City, Utah; Shorland A., who was also in France in the aviation service, having enlisted in November, 1917, and being hon- orably discharged in June, 1919; Nina, Effie, Lydia and Edna Viola, all of whom are yet at home. Those deceased are: Florence, who died in 1904; and Norma Beatrice, who died when two weeks old.

Mr. Harris and his family remain devoted members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints and in politics he is a republican. He stands for all that is of worth to the community and his aid and influence have always been on the side of progress and improvement. He certainly deserved much credit for what he has accomplished in a business way. Starting out in life empty-handed when a lad of but eleven years, he has advanced step by step as the result of his industry, his perseverance and his faithfulness. He has made judicious investments, has wisely conducted his business affairs and is now one of the men of affluence in Madison county.

W. S. ROBINSON.

W. S. Robinson, who owns and occupies a farm two miles south and a half mile east of Wilder, in Canyon county, was born in Indiana September 16, 1874. His father, W. H. Robinson, was also a native of the Hoosier state, where he fol- lowed the occupation of farming. He served in the Civil war with the rank of ser- geant and was wounded in the head on the second day of the battle of Gettysburg,

251

HISTORY OF IDAHO

this injury ultimately causing his death, which occurred in 1877. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Jemima A. Ferris, died in Indiana in 1910, although she had previously resided for several years in Idaho.

W. S. Robinson acquired his education in the common schools of Jasper county, Indiana, the place of his birth. In 1900, when twenty-six years of age, he removed to Kansas, where he engaged in the lumber business as yard foreman until 1906. That year witnessed his arrival in Idaho. He drove from Salt Lake City to Twin Falls by team and thence came hy train to his destination. He located on his present farm, then a tract of sagebrush land of eighty acres, which he homesteaded. He had to wait three years for the development of an irrigation project to furnish water to his land, but in the meantime he cleared it and put it in condition for the first crop. While thus engaged he had to haul all water for his stock and for house- · hold purposes from the Snake river, a distance of three miles. The first crops which he raised were wheat, oats and alfalfa. He now gives much of his attention to the raising of alfalfa and also has thirty acres in corn. He has good outbuildings and ten head of registered shorthorn cattle. In fact everything about the place is indicative of his practical and progressive methods and enterprising spirit. He keeps his buildings in good repair at all times in order to furnish ample shelter for grain and stock and his lahors are bringing to him a substantial measure of success.

In 1909 Mr. Robinson was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ettie Long, of Indiana, a daughter of Benjamin and Susan Long. Her father, who was a farmer by occupation, has passed away, but the mother still resides in Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson are widely and favorably known in the district in which they reside, having a large circle of warm friends throughout Canyon county.

WILLIAM M. MITCHELL.

William M. Mitchell is senior partner in the firm of William M. Mitchell & Son, owners of the Eighth Street Grocery & Meat Market, which is located at Eighth and Fort streets, Boise. This successful business enterprise enjoys a large patronage, its success being largely built on the reliable methods which have.ever been the policy of the house. Mr. Mitchell was born on a farm in Will county, Illinois, July 1, 1862, and is the only living son of Daniel Harrison and Asenath Hannah (Mullen) Mitchell, natives of Kentucky and Ohio respectively. The father was an agriculturist. The family was established in Kentucky by the paternal grandfather, who removed from Virginia to that state, walking the entire distance and carrying a whipsaw on his back.

William M. Mitchell was reared on Illinois farms, his parents removing from Will county to Kankakee county, that state, when he was but six years of age. In that county he remained until 1900, when he removed to Iowa, and for about twelve years was engaged in farming in Blackhawk and Buchanan counties. In 1912 he came to Boise and a year later he and his son Kenneth purchased the Eighth Street Grocery on the corner of Eighth and Fort streets, where they have since conducted a strictly high class grocery and meat market. Reliability has al- ways been the watchword of the firm and Mr. Mitchell's thorough education has also been a factor in his success as it has made him a thorough business man. He not only attended the public schools but also was a student in Valparaiso University at Valparaiso, Indiana, and in early manhood taught school for two terms in Kan- kakee county, Illinois.

On March 12, 1889, Mr. Mitchell married Leura Frances Mills, the ceremony being performed in Joliet, Illinois. She was born in Ohio, February 19, 1866, hut was reared and educated in Illinois and at the time of her marriage was a teacher in the public schools of that state. To this union were born three children, a son and two daughters: Kenneth Mills, born February 5, 1890, was married on the 9th of June, 1915, to Mary Jane Johnston, of Boise, a daughter of Duncan Johnston, who is in charge of the Ada County Hospital near Boise; Frances A. is the wife of A. B. Cory, of Nampa, Idaho; Elizabeth Asenath is attending the Boise high school, being in the senior class. Kenneth Mills Mitchell has attained high rank in Ma- sonry, being a member of the Scottish Rite. He is engaged in business with his father and through his youthful energy has largely contributed toward the success . of the business.

252

HISTORY OF IDAHO

In his political affiliation William M. Mitchell is a republican, but has never heen active in public affairs since coming to this state. He belongs to the Presby- terian church and also to the Masons, belonging to the Scottish Rite bodies, and, moreover, is a member of the Boise Commercial Club, in whose projects for expan- sion he always takes a great interest. His career is a creditable one and has always been guided by the strictest principles of honesty and good purposes.

IVER PETERSON.

Iver Peterson follows farming upon land which he homesteaded and which accordingly came into his possession as a wild and undeveloped tract. His place adjoins the city limits of Nampa on the east and he has resided thereon for more than twenty-eight years. A native of Denmark, he was born February 19, 1861, and was but two and a half years of age when his father died. The mother after- ward married again but passed away when her son Iver was but thirteen years of age. At the time of her second marriage Iver Peterson left home and from that time forward has made his own way in the world. His educational opportunities were extremely limited and whatever success he has achieved is the direct outcome of his persistent purpose and his earnest labor.

Mr. Peterson left his native land when twenty-one years of age and made his way to Nebraska, where he worked for a year at farming. In 1883 he came to Idaho and was employed on the construction of the Oregon Short Line Railroad until it was completed to the Huntington bridge in Oregon. He afterward worked as section hand for about three years and then spent three years at farm labor on the Boise river. During the next two years he cultivated rented land, after which ne preempted one hundred and sixty acres near where the Hulhert dairy farm is now located, on the road between Nampa and Caldwell. He proved up on this claim and sold it, after which he entered into partnership with his brother-in-law, Patrick White, who homesteaded the one hundred and sixty acres upon which Mr. Peterson now resides. Mr. White died in 1916 and Mr. Peterson then became sole owner of the place, which is pleasantly and conveniently located on the eastern border of Nampa, so that the advantages of city life are easily obtainable. He car- ries on dairying and milks twenty cows. In 1899 he sold eighty acres of the home- stead but it is his purpose to retain the other eighty. In addition to his dairying he raises alfalfa and grain, and he has a fine barn where he can feed twenty head of stock and which also contains two box stalls.

In 1890 Mr. Peterson was married to Miss Isabella White, a native of Ireland. who came direct from the Emerald isle to Idaho, settling at Boise with her brother, Charley White, in 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson have four children. Charley, twenty-seven years of age, joined the United States army and participated in the battle of the Argonne with Company C, One Hundred and Twenty-first Machine Gun Battalion, while later he was with the army of occupation in Germany. Agnes Mary is the wife of Conrad Winter, who was also in France as a member of E Com- pany, One Hundred and Ninth Infantry, and was in all of the important drives in which the American troops participated from the 1st of October, 1918, until the armistice was signed. Mr. and Mrs. Winter have one child. Francis I., eighteen years of age, was graduated from the Nampa high school in 1919. Lawrence I., sixteen years of age, is a junior in high school.

Mr. Peterson has never had occasion to regret his determination to come to the new world, for here he has found the business opportunities which he sought and in their utiliization has made steady progress, winning a place among the substantial farmers of his community.

ELOF ANDERSON.

Elof Anderson is a self-made man of Boise. This term does not imply merely that his success, which is of substantial proportions, has been acquired through his own efforts, but it indicates that he has also determined and given shape to his own character and has fixed at a high plane the standards which have governed

253

HISTORY OF IDAHO

his life in all of its relations. He was born in Smaland, Sweden, on the 11th of December, 1859. His father, Anders Gummeson, was horn in 1825 and after arriv- ing at years of maturity he was married to Christina Fredericks, a native of Sweden, born in 1827. The former died in 1905, surviving for two years his wife, who passed away in 1903.

Their son, Elof Anderson, acquired a public school education in Sweden but has always been a student of men, of affairs and of books and is continually learning from experience many a valuable life lesson. He early began learning the tailor's trade, which his father had previously followed, and after being employed as a tailor in Stockholm for a short time he sailed for the new world in 1882, hoping to find better business opportunities and conditions on this side of the Atlantic. He went first to Leadville, Colorado, but after a brief period there passed took up his abode in Hailey, Idaho, July 20, 1884. He was attracted by the chances of the great west and in Hailey he opened a merchant tailoring establishment, which he successfully conducted for eleven years. In 1895 he came to Boise, where he has now made his home for almost a quarter of a century and throughout the entire time he has maintained a position as one of the foremost merchant tailors not only of the capital city hut of the entire state. He made it his purpose to satisfy his cus- tomers by giving to them all that is newest and best in workmanship, in style and quality of goods, and the integrity of his methods soon became recognized as one of the salient factors in his growing patronage. As he prospered he made invest- ments in real estate, becoming the owner of much valuable property in and near Boise, including a splendidly developed farm. His judgment as to real estate values is keen and decisive and his sagacity has been again and again demonstrated in his purchases of realty.

On the 19th of February, 1887, in Hailey, Idaho, Mr. Anderson was united in marriage to Miss Emma W. White, a native of Cambridgeshire, England, and theirs is one of the attractive homes of Boise, not only by reason of the fact that it is commodious and beautiful hut also because it is the center of a cultured society circle. In it are found those things which have ever heen an inspiration to higher, holier life-the best literature, the finest music and various works of art. He in- herited a love of music which has found expression in his devotion to such com- posers as Chopin, Beethoven, Mozart, Lizst and Wagner. He is not only familiar with their compositions but also with the story of the lives of the composers and the purposes which dominated them in the production of their great oratorios and operas. He finds his association with master minds of all ages in his well ordered and carefully selected library. He is equally a lover of nature-the flowers of the fields, the birds, the beautiful trees, the mountain ranges, and all lead him from nature up to nature's God. He is a member of the Church of Christ, Scientist, and his political support is given to the republican party. When one reviews his life record, notes the trend of his thought and his activity, it seems that he has made his career the embodiment of the Channing symphony: "To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common."

ANDREW RASMUSSON.

One of the attractive farm residences in the Falk district of Payette county is the property of Andrew Rasmusson, an enterprising agriculturist and fruit raiser, who comes to this state from Norway. He was born in the southern part of that country and came to the United States in 1869. On his way westward he crossed the Missouri river on a footbridge supported by iron piers. After remaining for a short time in Iowa he removed westward to Placerville, Idaho, traveling by rail to Kelton, Utah, and thence to his destination by stage. He there engaged in mining for two years. after which he turned his attention to cattle raising near Falk in the Payette valley. The ranges were open in those days and he devoted some time to his stock raising interests. Seeing the opportunity for securing land, he home-

254

HISTORY OF IDAHO

steaded one hundred and sixty acres, now known as the Strohbehn place, near Falk. He also purchased his present home property of one hundred and twenty acres, which is situated three-quarters of a mile from Falk, and at different periods he has sold and owned other lands. He has wrought notable changes upon his place, having greatly improved his farm, which is now one of the valuable properties of the neighborhood. He has upon it a very fine home, built of concrete blocks in attractive style of architecture, and there is an excellent family orchard upon the place that yields an abundance of fruit. Mr. Rasmusson is now devoting his time largely to the live stock business and has one hundred head of cattle and forty head of sheep. He likewise has planted about eighty acres of his land to alfalfa and twenty to grain. His farm presents a most attractive and pleasing appearance and an air of neatness and thrift pervades the place. In all that he undertakes he man- ifests a progressive spirit and keeps in touch with the most advanced methods of land cultivation in this section of the country.

In 1885, at Weiser, Idaho, Mr. Rasmusson was married to Miss Stena Kesgard, whose parents were pioneers of Idaho, having come to this state in 1868. The father has now passed away, but the mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Ras- musson have become the parents of two children. Lena C. is a Red Cross nurse in the Army Nurses Corps at the Letterman Hospital at San Francisco, California. Louis W., twenty-one years of age, is at home with his parents.

There is no phase of pioneer life and development in the northwest with which Mr. Rasmusson is not familiar. He was one of the volunteer scouts in the state militia for two years during the Bannock war and his home was an old camping grounds of the Indians and even today many Indian relics are found upon his place. Mr. Rasmusson was one of the party that with Peter Pence was called to guard the stage from the Indians between Falk and Weiser, and during that time a young man named Ballantine was murdered by the Indians on Squaw creek, about fifty miles from Mr. Rasmusson's home. The days of hardship and pioneer privation have long since passed and with the work of general improvement and development through all the intervening years Mr. Rasmusson has been closely associated. He built his own irrigation ditch and takes water out of the Payette river, so that he is independent of the larger irrigation projects. When he came to this district lumber was selling at one hundred dollars per thousand and had to be sawed with a whipsaw. The first home he built, situated on the Strohbehn place, is today in a good state of preservation and the lumber of which it was con- structed he purchased at one hundred dollars per thousand feet in Emmett. The house in which he lived in the Boise basin was built of logs. This is in marked contrast to his present home, which is one of the beautiful farm residences of the district and stands as a monument to the life of industry and diligence which he has led. He is interested in bee culture as well as in regular farming pursuits and now has one hundred hives of bees. His personal popularity and the confidence reposed in him by his associates, are fully evinced. Nor is Mr. Rasmusson remiss in the duties of good citizenship, for he stands for all that he believes to be of benefit to his community. He is wide-awake, well read and ever ready to champion an improve- ment or cause that will help his fellowmen.

ROBERT MCGUIRE.

Ten miles west of Caldwell, on the south side of the Boise river, is the farm of Robert McGuire, who there preempted one hundred and sixty acres of land, which was covered with sagebrush and willows. His place today bears no resemblance to the tract which came into his possession, for it has all been cleared and brought under a high state of cultivation. The results which he has achieved rank him with the leading farmers of Canyon county. Mr. McGuire is a native of New Brunswick, his birth having occurred in York county on the 28th of March, 1857. His father, James McGuire, was born in Ireland and came with his mother to America, being reared in Philadelphia. Following the attainment of his majority he went to New Brunswick, where he wedded Nancy Dale and took up the occupation of farming.

Robert McGuire was reared upon the old homestead farm, which his brother John still cultivates. He remained in his native country until 1872, when at the age of fifteen

ROBERT McGUIRE

257

HISTORY OF IDAHO

years he went to Portland, Maine, and there learned the carriage making trade and blacksmithing with the Kimball carriage concern. He spent two and a half years in that connection and then removed to Pennsylvania, where he obtained a position as blacksmith at a lumber mill. In 1876 he left the east and made his way to California, settling at Eureka, Humboldt county. There he worked at lumbering in the redwoods for over a year. Later he went to British Columbia and was employed in the mines at McDaines Creek. He walked alone over a distance of three hundred miles and spent over two thousand dollars in prospecting, but the only compensation which he received was his experience. He then returned on foot to Fort Yale on the Fraser river and boarded a boat as a stowaway, going to Esquimalt, near Victoria, British Columbia. His clothes were badly worn and he was in a sorry plight. When he was discovered, the captain allowed him to work out his passage. He then traveled over the Puget Sound country but could not find employment for more than thirty dollars per month. He later traveled through eastern Oregon and at Walla Walla, Washington, he was employed by William Glassford, remaining in that city for a year.

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

History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume III, Part 29

Author: Hawley, James Henry, 1847-1929, ed Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company Number of Pages: 926

Author: Hawley, James Henry, 1847-1929, ed
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 926