History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume III, Part 47

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

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At his death Mr. Tschudy left a family of five children, three sons and twc daughters. Ella Marie, born July 10, 1886, is now the wife of Ernest Swindler, of Banks, Idaho, Arthur Theodore, the next of the family, was born July 12, 1888. Clara Catherine was born on the 28th of August, 1890. Fred Lewis, born May 3, 1892, and Henry Robert, born May 5, 1895, are also with their mother, living upon the ranch, which they operate. The daughter Clara is employed as a dressmaker in Boise. The Tschudy ranch is devoted to the raising of hay, grain and live stock and they keep a large number of good shorthorn cattle for dairy purposes. The eldest son, Arthur Theodore, had been in the army for about three and a half months when the armistice was signed. He first went to Camp Lewis and later to Vancouver and finally was with a spruce production division in Oregon, being discharged on the 6th of January, 1919. The family is well known in the vicinity of Emmett and at the family home the father passed away in February, 1915, his death being a matter of deep regret to many friends as well as to the immediate members of his household.

JOSIAH SCOTT.

Josiah Scott, deceased, was a resident of Menan and was closely associated with farming interests and with the important problems of irrigation, contributing much to the development of the state along those lines. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, August 20, 1854, a son of John and Elizabeth E. (Menary) Scott, who were natives of Ireland and of Canada respectively. The father resided for a time at Palmyra, New York, and while there embraced the Mormon faith. He went to Utah in 1848, making the journey across the plains with ox teams, settling first at Salt Lake and later at Millcreek, four miles to the south. He subsequently removed to the Cache valley, where he spent his life as a practical, progressive farmer. His wife passed away in December, 1886.

With the father's death the support of the widowed mother and the children of the family devolved upon Josiah Scott, who when but fourteen years of age began hauling lumber, which he took from Gardner's sawmill to Salt Lake City with his own team, taking a contract for hauling at so much per thousand feet. He was thus engaged until he reached the age of twenty-six and in the meantime be worked also upon the home farm. In 1880 he removed to Idaho and engaged in freighting between

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this state and various Montana points. He then secured a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres two miles east of Menan, in Jefferson county, on Poole's island. He early took a most active interest in the vital question of irrigation and became a stockholder in the Long Island Irrigation Canal Company, assisting in the construc- tion of the canal. He was one of the directors of the company from its organization and served as its president for several years. In the conduct of his private business interests he was very successful and purchased an additional forty acres of land, so that he became the owner of an excellent farm of two hundred acres, which he splendidly improved, placing the entire tract under a high state of cultivation. He was one of the pioneers in the matter of raising potatoes in Idaho and the family still enjoys the reputation of producing the best potatoes in the country and have sent seed potatoes to Niagara Falls and other eastern cities. Mr. Scott continued in active farm work until his death, which occurred in February, 1916, after an illness of two months.

On the 24th of June, 1886, Mr. Scott was united in marriage to Miss Mary Walton, a daughter of George and Catherine (Hawley) Walton. She was born Sep- temher 14, 1863. Her father was a native of England and her mother was born in Holland. On coming to America her father settled in Salt Lake City, being among the first of the Mormons to colonize Utah, where he arrived about 1848. There he engaged in farming throughout his remaining days, his death occurring in 1905, while the mother of Mrs. Scott passed away in 1909.

Mr. and Mrs. Scott had a family of ten children, namely: Laura, who was born March 30, 1887; Albert J., born July 30, 1888; Walter A., March 20, 1890; Orson M., February 20, 1892; Charles S., December 15, 1893; Clarence L., May 24, 1895; Irma S., February 9, 1897; Vera E., who was born December 22, 1899, and died in January, 1914; Arthur E., who was born in September, 1901; and Lloyd E., born June 21, 1908.

In religious faith Mr. Scott was connected with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in politics was a republican. He served for seven years as a school trustee and was very active in public matters, aiding in every plan or project tending to develop and uphuild the county. His pioneer activities and his efforts along agricultural lines constituted an important element in the growth and progress of his section of the state.

GEORGE H. HANSON.

George H. Hanson is proving himself a most fearless defender of law and order in the execution of his duties as sheriff of Power county. He was born in Lincoln, Maine. December 7, 1870, but has been a resident of the northwest during the greater part of his life, having come to Idaho in 1883 with his parents, Edwin M. and Hannah E. (Arthur) Hanson, who were also natives of the Pine Tree state. The father was a lumber merchant and contractor in Maine, carrying on business there until 1883, when he came to Idaho and settled in Moscow, where he took up land. He then turned his attention to farming and continued the further development of his fields until 1902, when he retired from farm life, sold the property and removed to Cali- fornia. He is a veteran of the Civil war, having enlisted in the Twelfth Maine In- fantry, with which he served for three years and three months, participating in many of the hotly contested battles that proved the supremacy of the Union. On one occasion he was taken prisoner but .was held only a short time. In 1902 he went to Sawtelle, California, where he now resides, but the mother passed away in Maine in 1880.

George H. Hanson is indebted to the public school system of his native state for the educational privileges which he enjoyed up to his thirteenth year, when he came with his father to Idaho, remaining with him until he attained his majority. In early life he worked as a farm hand for some time and in 1892 he became a resident of Cassia county, Idaho, where he rode the range for eleven years in the employ of Sweetser Brothers & Pierce, a large cattle company. There is no phase of this life with which he is not familiar and his experiences have acquainted him with all of the various chapters in the pioneer life of the west. In 1904 he was elected to the office of sheriff of Cassia county and filled the position in 1905 and 1906. Since then he has given his attention to cattle raising in Cassia and Power

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counties, the latter county being set off partly from Cassia county. He is still running cattle and has been very successful in the conduct of this business owing to his sound judgment, progressiveness and laudable ambition. Other interests also claim his attention at the present time, for in the fall of 1918 he was elected sheriff of Power county and is now discharging the duties of that position.

On the 4th of July, 1895, Mr. Hanson was united in marriage to Miss Edna M. Guard and they have become the parents of three children: Clell M., Ethel and William J. The son Clell enlisted in the United States army in 1915 and was on duty on the Mexican border. When the United States declared war with Germany he was transferred to the quartermaster's department aud is now quartermaster sergeant. He has been stationed much of the time at Fort D. A. Russell, Cheyenne, Wyoming, but is now in Siberia.

Mr. Hanson has always given his political allegiance to the republican party. He is an exemplary representative of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Cassia Lodge, No. 14. He has ever faithfully followed the teachings of the craft concerning the brotherhood of mankind and the obligations thereby imposed, and he enjoys in highest measure the respect of his brethren of the fraternity and of many friends who are not identified with the order.

JOHN B. JOHNSTON.

John B. Johnston, who practically throughout his entire life has given his attention to the work of stationary and locomotive engineer, now owns a ranch a mile and a half west of Emmett but makes his home in town. He has been a resident of Idaho for thirty-seven years, having come to this state in 1883 from Denver, Colorado, with his parents, Martin and Nora (McNichols) Johnston, who were born and reared in Ireland but were married in England and soon afterward came to the United States, settling first at Indianapolis, Indiana, before removing to Audrain county, Missouri. It was in the latter county that John B. Johnston was born on the 7th of January, 1874. His father was a railroad man, working in various capaci- ties. In 1879 he removed with his family to Denver, Colorado, and from that city came to Idaho in 1883, settling at Toponis, now Gooding, where he and his wife spent their remaining days. The mother passed away May 2, 1910, and the father several years later.

John B. Johnston has lived in Idaho since a lad of nine years and throughout practically the period of his mature life has followed the occupation of stationary and locomotive engineer. He has worked diligently along these lines and what- ever success he has achieved and enjoyed is attributable entirely to his own labors. Making wise investments in property, he is now the owner of a good ranch a mile and a half west of Emmett.

At Minidoka, Idaho, on the 14th of January, 1897, Mr. Johnston was united in marriage to Miss Nellie Grace Hill, who was born in Jefferson county, Iowa, December 10, 1879, a daughter of Curtis and Sarah (James) Hill, both of whom were natives of Iowa, the father being of Scotch-Irish and the mother of Holland Dutch descent. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston have become parents of nine children: Marie B., Bernice C., Nora I., Martin C., Alice L., John B., Leo M., Prudence S. and Nellie E. The parents and their family are all members of the Roman Catholic church and Mr. Johnston gives his political allegiance to the democratic party.

ANDREW C. SMITH.

^ Andrew C. Smith is the owner of a small but highly improved ranch property a mile west of Emmett and in addition has other business interests which make his life an active one. He is a native of Salt Lake county, Utah, born March 4, 1857, and is a son of Willis and Ollie (Downs) Smith. His parents were natives of Vermont and went to Utah as converts to the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prior to the Civil war, spending their remaining days in Salt Lake county.

Andrew C. Smith was reared in that county upon a ranch and became a successful

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sheep raiser of Utah, continuing in the business for a long period before coming to Idaho in 1902. Since then he has lived in and near Emmett save for a period of two years spent in the Deer Flat section of Canyon county. Throughout almost his entire life Mr. Smith has lived on ranches but has also engaged largely in business as a trader and speculator and has been very successful along those lines. He has built up a very substantial competence and is now financially independent, while at the same time he has been most. generous with his family of nine children. As the years have passed he has bought and sold both lands and live stock in Utah and in Idaho and has also dealt in oil stocks. He now holds much valuable stock in good oil properties in both Idaho and Wyoming, and while he has lived on ranches practically all his life, ranching has really been a side line in business with him. He displays keen judgment and sagacity as a buyer and speculator and has made no investments of any kind in land, live stock or oil stock that have not paid him a good dividend and fair profit.

In Salt Lake City, at the age of twenty-one years, Mr. Smith was married to Miss Martina Hanson, who was then a young lady of twenty years and was of Nor- wegian descent. She passed away May 21, 1900, leaving a family of nine children, while three had previously departed this life. The surviving members of the family are: Martin Hanson, who was born June 16, 1879; Edna Carolina, whose birth occurred January 15, 1881: Polly L., whose natal day was August 25, 1882; Isabelle, born February 27. 1886; Orson Elisha, born November 9, 1887; George William, born June 6, 1891; Martina, horn July 14, 1893; Willis, born October 8, 1897; and Lorenzo, who was born on the 23d of March, 1899. The nine children are all now grown and are well situated in life, some living in Idaho and the others in Utah. Mr. Smith is today well known in Gem county and throughout other sections of the state where he has made investments, and his sound judgment and enterprise have established him as a leading and substantial business man.

OBADIAH ARMSTRONG.

A roster of the pioneer business men of Jefferson county would not he complete without the name of the late Obadiah Armstrong, the first merchant to locate in the city of Rigby. He was born in Mount Hope, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, in March, 1858, and died in Rigby, Idaho, April 26, 1914. He was a son of William and Mary (Kirk) Armstrong, who left England, their native land, in the first half of the last century to cast their lot with the citizens of their mother country's most important colony-the Dominion of Canada. While he was a resident of the old country, Wil- liam Armstrong followed the occupation of blacksmith, and after he had located in Canada he found ample opportunity to ply his trade and he continued at the same during the remainder of his life, which ended in 1886. The death of his wife, the mother of the subject of this sketch, occurred in 1895.

Obadiah Armstrong spent his early life in Canada, where he received his school- ing, and he remained with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-one years. At that time he decided to seek his fortune in the States, hence he left his father's home and located in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he was engaged for the following six or seven years in working in a lumberyard. Since he found this business much to his liking, he took it up on his own account and established and operated a sawmill at Teton, Idaho, for several years. At the end of that period he disposed of his Ium- ber business at Teton and removed to the Rigby country, where he bought a farm and took a homestead. When he began farming in Jefferson county, there was no com- mercial center hereabout, a condition which resulted in no small amount of incon- venience to the settlers when they wished to market their crops and lay in their supplies. In order to satisfy this want, the town of Rigby was laid out and Mr. Armstrong, who saw in this a business opportunity, disposed of his farming interests to establish the first store in the village, where for five or six years he carried on general merchandising. He then returned to Canada and located in the Province of Alberta and there farmed for the succeeding five years. At the end of that period he again came to Jefferson county, Idaho, where he dealt in stock until he removed to Rigby to engage in the meat business, which he followed until his death in 1914.

Obadiah Armstrong was twice married. In 1882 he married Hannah Deming, who died in 1892, and to them were born four children, namely: Emily, Francis, Hazen and

OBADIAH ARMSTRONG

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Henry. He was married in June, 1894, to Phebe Wood and to this union were born eight children, as follows: Irene, Leslie, Belle, Ethel, Clarence, Pearl, Lloyd and Mer- lin. The mother still survives and resides in Rigby.

Mr. Armstrong was a life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints and was ever found in the forefront of any movement which had for its object the best interests of his denomination. He gave his political endorsement to the democratic party and at one time he served as a member of the board of commis- sioners of Fremont county. During his residence in Rigby, Mr. Armstrong enjoyed the friendship and high regard of those with whom he was brought in contact through business or religious relations, and today he is remembered by those who knew him as a man who held nearest his heart the best interests of his community.

RICHARD F. JARDINE.

Thirty-eight years have been added to the cycle of the centuries since Richard F. Jardine became a resident of Jefferson county. Through the intervening period he has been engaged in farming, transforming wild land into productive fields, and thus he has contributed in substantial measure to the agricultural development of the state. He was born in Shuttleston, Lanarkshire, Scotland, December 30, 1848. and is a son of James and Isabella (White) Jardine, who were natives of Scotland and emigrated to America in 1855. Settling in Pennsylvania, the father worked in the coal mines for a year and a half and then removed to Perry county, Illinois, where he again engaged in coal mining until 1859. In that year he crossed the plains with ox teams to Salt Lake, where he remained for a month, and, being out of funds, worked to get money to buy flour and other necessities. He then removed to Wells- ville in the Cache valley, where he resided until 1866, when he took up his abode at West Weber, Weber county, Utah, and entered land. This he developed and im- proved, continuing its cultivation until his death, and the place is still owned by his youngest son, William. The father died August 7, 1891, at the age of seventy-three years, and the mother passed away September 8, 1906, at the age of eighty-four.

To a limited extent Richard F. Jardine attended school during his boyhood, but his educational opportunities were very limited as at the age of nine years he began work in the coal mines in Illinois. He was principally reared in the Cache valley of Utah and was a member of the home militia for three years while living there. He worked with his father on the home farm until he attained his majority, when he entered land in Weber county, Utah, which he improved and cultivated until salt appeared upon the surface and then he almost gave it away. He worked at different jobs and made every effort to gain a start in the business world.

On the 3d of January, 1870, Mr. Jardine was married to Luna C. Ellsworth, a granddaughter of President Brigham Young of the Mormon church and a daughter of Edmund and Elizabeth (Young) Ellsworth. The father was born at Paris, Oneida county, New York, July 1, 1819, and was married July 10, 1842. He and his wife became pioneers of Utah, crossing the plains in 1848 and locating at Salt Lake City, where Mr. Ellsworth engaged in the sawmill business, while later he followed farming for several years. He afterward went to Arizona, where he followed farming and stock raising until his life's labors were ended in death on the 29th of December. 1893. The mother passed away in Lewisville, Idaho, February 2, 1903, at the age of seventy-six years. To Mr. and Mrs. Jardine were born thirteen children, all of whom are married and have reared families of their own. They are: Luna C., Frank, Leo, Rowenna H., Le Roy, Elizabeth, William, Minnie Belle, Joseph, Ellen, Lester, Mary and Ruth.

Following his marriage Mr. Jardine carried on farming in Utah until 1882, when with several others he came to Jefferson county, Idaho, then Oneida county, settling at Lewisville. He relinquished his rights in Utah and on coming to Idaho took up more land adjoining the town, where Bishop Green now lives. This he improved and cultivated for twenty-seven years and eventually sold the place to his son. He also took up a desert claim and developed both properties. After selling the home place he removed to the desert claim and continued to till the soil there until 1917, when he sold that property to his son and built an attractive residence in Lewisville. He has since resided in the town and is enjoying a well earned rest, having retired from active business.

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Mr. Jardine is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was the first bishop of Lewisville, his territory extending to Blackfoot. He thus served for twenty years. He was then appointed to the high council of the Rigby stake and is still filling that office. He has also done home missionary work. Polit- ically he is a stalwart republican and he was one of the first county commissioners of Fremont county. He also served as county coroner for several terms and was quarantine marshal for ten years. He was appointed a member of the first city council of Lewisville but did not accept the office. He was constable for several terms and has at all times faithfully performed his duties of citizenship but prefers to concentrate his efforts and energies upon his business affairs. For years he was closely and prominently connected with agricultural interests and also made a spe- cialty of raising pure bred Percheron horses, introducing the first Percherons into Lewisville. He contributed much to the development of high grade stock in the district and thus materially promoted the welfare of the community. He is now enjoying a. well deserved rest. In January, 1920, he and his wife reached the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage, having reared a large family of children, and they now have sixty-four living grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. They are a highly esteemed and worthy couple, Mr. Jardine having passed the seventieth mile- stone on life's journey, and he well deserves the high respect and warm regard that are uniformly accorded him.

GEORGE S. CRANE.

It was in 1881 that George S. Crane became a resident of Boise and through the intervening years to the time of his death on the 4th of October, 1899, he con- tinued an active factor in the business circles of Idaho. He arrived in this state as a young man of twenty-six years, having up to that time followed the occupation of farming in Iowa. He was born in Van Buren county, lowa, February 28. 1855, and was reared and educated in that section of the country.

Following his arrival in Idaho Mr. Crane was married on the 4th of April, 1882, to Miss Alice J. Ohenchain, who still survives and who resides at the Crane home in South Boise, established about twenty-six years ago. Mrs. Crane was born in Marshall county, Kansas, May 23, 1863, a daughter of James and Mary (Shipp) Obenchain. When she was a young woman of seventeen years she traveled westward with her parents from Colorado, the trip being made with two covered wagons drawn by horses. They passed through Boise on their way to Jackson county, Oregon, where the winter was spent, and in the spring of 1881 they returned to Boise. Her father, James Obenchain, spent the remainder of his days in Idaho, residing much of the time on his ranch near Bellevue, Blaine county, where he passed away October 31, 1900. His wife survives and now resides in Ada county.

Mr. and Mrs. Crane became the parents of seven children. The eldest, Minnle, died of typhoid fever on the 4th of October, 1899, and on the same day her father died of the same disease. The daughter was born October 18, 1883, and was there- fore sixteen years of age at the time of her demise. The second child was Harlen, who was born June 12, 1886, and was killed in battle in France on the 2d of October, 1918, while serving as a member of Company L, One Hundred and Eleventh United States Infantry. He met death in the battle of Argonne Forest, which took the greatest toll of life of any battle in which the American forces were engaged. He left a widow, now living in Boise. The third child, Edgar S., born January 23, 1889, is at home. Ethel, born April 10, 1891, is the wife of Carl B. Arentson. Alice E., born June 17, 1893, and George E., born June 17, 1896, are at home. The latter was stationed at Camp Merritt, New Jersey, at the time the world war ended. Ger- trude, born May 15, 1899, is the youngest of the family.

The Crane homestead in South Boise is one of the most charming homes in the suburhan environs of the capital city, embracing about seven and a half acres of land beautifully adorned with flowers, crnamental shrubbery, orchards, gardens and well kept lawns, the whole making a picture which would delight any artist. The house itself is a spacious two-story frame dwelling of pleasing design which sets well back from the highway, with a beautiful lawn stretching to the street, adorned with fine trees and graceful shrubbery, while to the south is an orchard with its splendid old apple trees, presenting a picture of surpassing loveliness in springtime with the

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pink and white blossoms and one of equal beauty when the fruit is ripened on the trees. All of the improvements made upon this place were put there by Mr. Crane after he and his family took up their abode thereon.

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History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume III, Part 47

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