History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume III, Part 48

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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JOHN EDMUND HOLMES.

John Edmund Holmes is a rancher residing a mile and three-fourths west of Emmett and such is his popularity and camaraderie that he is known as "Ned" to all of his many friends. He was born at Murray, Utah, then Cottonwood, September 15, 1871, and is a son of William F. and Elizabeth ( Entwhistle) Holmes, both of whom were natives of England but were married at Murray, Utah. The father was born in Suffolk, England, in 1808, while the mother's birth occurred in Manchester about 1844. William F. Holmes was a British marine in young manhood and came to the United States about 1852, while the mother of John Edmund Holmes arrived in the new world about ten years later. William F. Holmes was married twice and had a family of eighteen children, six sons and twelve daughters.

Mr. Holmes whose name introduces this review was reared in Utah with the usual experience of the boy whose time is largely given to the acquirement of an education and such tasks as are assigned him by parental authority. He was married in Utah at the age of twenty-four years to Miss Catherine Butcher, a granddaughter of Bill Hickman, a very prominent character among the Mormons of Utah. About twenty years ago Mr. Holmes removed to Emmett and throughout the intervening period has lived on ranches in the vicinity of the town. He purchased his present ranch property west of Emmett about twelve years ago and has since given his atten- tion to its further development and improvement, transforming it into an excellent property. He had mined for eight years in Utah before removing to Idaho but in this state has always given his attention to agricultural interests.

In 1905 Mr. Holmes was called upon to mourn the loss of his first wife, who passed away on the 10th of June of that year. Eight years passed before he was married again when on the 20th of January, 1913, Mrs. Mary Murphy became his wife. She was the widow of William D. Murphy and a daughter of William and Harriet (Windmill) Fuller, who were natives of London, England, and of Alberta, Canada, respectively. Mrs. Holmes was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 3, 1873, and on the 23d of April, 1891, she became the wife of William D. Murphy in Provo, Utah. Mr. Murphy passed away at Green River, Utah, in 1908, and in October, 1912, his widow removed to Gem county, taking up her abode near Emmett. By his first marriage Mr. Holmes had two children: Edmund, born August 3, 1900; and Goldie, born July 15, 1902. By her first marriage Mrs. Holmes had six children who are yet living: Mary Etta, who was born January 24, 1893, and is now the wife of Arthur Bedal, by whom she has one child; William E., whose birth occurred November 23, 1894; George H., whose natal day was March 17, 1896; Alice, who was horn August 24, 1899, and is now the wife of William Cole; Hattie, born Feb- ruary 16, 1903; and Mabel, born June 10, 1905.

Mr. Holmes is a republican in his political views. He formerly belonged to the Western Federation of Miners but is not identified with the order at the present time. He is fond of hunting and fishing and in his hunting trips has killed two bears and perhaps about a thousand deer. His efforts and attention are now largely concentrated upon his ranching interests and his practical and progressive methods ' of tilling and developing the soil have been the source of his growing success ..

CLARENCE O. MOREHOUSE.

Clarence O. Morehouse owns and operates an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres which is situated four miles west of Emmett and is known as the old John B. Davies ranch. His birth occurred in Pottawattamie county, Iowa, on the 7th of March, 1882, his parents being Martin D. and Selina ( Robinson) Morehouse, who are natives of Ohio and Wisconsin respectively. A sketch of the father appears on another page of this work. It was in 1901 that Mr. and Mrs. Martin D. More- house came with their children to Idaho from Nebraska, where the family home

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had been maintained for three years. They have reached the ages of seventy-two and sixty-eight years respectively and now reside in Gem county, their home being about three miles distant from that of their son, Clarence O., and seven miles west of Emmett. Their family numbered fourteen children, seven sons and seven daugh- ters, all of whom are yet living with the exception of two of the sons.

Clarence O. Morehouse was a young man of about nineteen years when the family home was established in Idaho. Throughout his entire business career he has been actively identified with ranching interests save for the year 1918, which he spent as clerk in the Emmett postoffice. In March, 1907, he took up a home- stead claim of eighty acres about three miles from his present ranch property, proved up on the place and continued its cultivation and improvement for more than a decade, or until 1918, when he disposed of the farm. Early in 1919 he purchased the old John B. Davies ranch of one hundred and sixty acres, situated four miles west of Emmett, where he is now engaged in the raising of hay and of cattle. This is one of the best known and most highly improved ranches of the vicinity, and in the wise management of his agricultural interests. Mr. Morehouse is winning well deserved prosperity.

On the 28th of November, 1907, Mr. Morehouse was united in marriage to Miss Sylvia Clarkia Hopper, who was born in Custer county, Idaho, March 7, 1887. It is an interesting coincidence that she and her husband were born on the same day of the same month. Her parents, Henry Sigle and Frances Pauline (Galland) Hopper, were married at Challis, Custer county, Idaho, May 28, 1886, and now reside near Twin Falls, this state. Mr. and Mrs. Morehouse have become the parents of five children, as follows: Neal Francis, born September 7, 1908; Selina Grace, whose birth occurred February 20, 1910; Louise, whose natal day was January 25, 1913; Juanita Evelyn, born December 20, 1914; and Bruce, who was born on the 19th of November, 1916.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Morehouse are democrats in their political views. The former has never held office except that in 1918, as above stated, he acted as clerk in the Emmett postoffice under civil service, resigning that position in order to resume ranching. The period of his residence in Idaho covers about two decades and he has become widely recognized as one of the substantial agriculturists and esteemed citizens of the community in which he makes his home.

GEORGE C. GRIGGS.

Since the year 1901 George C. Griggs has been a resident of Teton county, which, however, at the time of his arrival was a part of Fremont county. Various business interests, though largely farming, have claimed his attention through the intervening period although at the present time he is conducting a billiard parlor in Driggs. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, May 13, 1883, and is a son of Thomas C. and Mary A. (Price) Griggs, the latter also a native of Utah. The father was born in Dover, England, and was brought to the United States when a lad of nine years, accompanying his mother, who for a time resided in Boston, Massachusetts, but made Utah her ultimate destination. She came across the plains with ox teams and took up her abode at Salt Lake. There Thomas C. Griggs was reared and educated and when old enough he entered the employ of Walker Brothers in their mercantile establishment. Later he embarked in business on his own account as a general merchant and conducted the Fifteenth Ward Store in Salt Lake for twenty- five or thirty years, becoming one of the best known and most prominent merchants of the state. He finally retired from active business life and devoted his remaining days to church work. For a number of years he was superintendent of the schools of Salt Lake stake and he was also president of the Second Quorum of Seventy. He likewise filled a three years' mission to England. He possessed much musical ability and for some time was leader of the tabernacle choir. He wrote several Mormon hymns. He was a very successful man and a prominent historic figure of Utah whose life rounded out to a most honored old age. He passed away August 12, 1902, and is still survived by the mother, who now makes her home in Driggs.

In Salt Lake City George C. Griggs spent his youthful days and obtained his education, remaining in his parents' home until he had attained his majority. Не worked for his father in the store and thus received his initial business training.

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In 1901 he removed to Teton county, then a part of Fremont county, and purchased land near Driggs, concentrating his efforts and attention upon general farming. He continued to operate and improve his land until 1916, after which he rented the farm and entered the employ of Leroy Hillman in a coal mine. He spent two years in that connection and then for a year again resided upon the farm, after which he sold the property and purchased the billiard parlor at Driggs in March, 1919. He has since conducted it and is now numbered among the business men of the town. George C. Griggs was united in marriage October 28, 1909, to Miss Martha J. Cooper and to them have been born three children: Bunnell, Jennie and George C. Jr. The religious belief of the family is that of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints. Politically Mr. Griggs is a republican whose interest is that of a progres- sive citizen but not of an office seeker.

JOHN F. MILLS.

John F. Mills, who owns and occupies a ranch a mile and a half west of Emmett, took up his abode upon his present place in May, 1918, but dates his residence in Idaho from 1883. He was born at Pleasant Grove, Utah, July 4, 1864, and was therefore a young man of nineteen years when he came to this state. He is a son of Frank and Merab (Banks) Mills, the former a Civil war veteran. The mother, a native of England, came to the United States with her parents, who were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and made their way to Utah. It was in that state that the parents of John F. Mills were married and there Mr. Mills of this review spent the first nineteen years of his life, after which he came to Idaho, first settling at Oakley, where he remained for several years. He after- ward resided at Hagerman, Idaho, for sixteen years and in May, 1918, came to the Emmett district, settling on his present ranch, which he purchased from D. M. John of Emmett.

At Oakley, Idaho, on the 22d of February, 1891, Mr. Mills was married to Miss Argenta Tanner, a daughter of Alva A. Tanner, of that place, who is well known in Idaho and the northwest as a poet of much ability, his writings frequently ap- pearing in the newspapers and magazines of this section of the country, while a collection of them has been compiled in book form. Mr. Tanner is still living at Oakley at the age of sixty-eight years. Mrs. Mills was born in Salt Lake county, Utah, September 12, 1872, and by her marriage became the mother of seven children: Iva, the wife of Charles Skinner; Verne; Fred; Mildred; Hazel; James; and Nettie. The son Verne served with the American Expeditionary Force in the World war in France and Germany, being a member of the Fifth United States Marines of the Second Division, which made such a splendid record for bravery at Belleau Wood, Chateau Thierry and in other drives. He is now twenty-six years of age. The daughter Mildred, twenty-two years of age, is now teaching for the second term in the Idaho public schools. Hazel, James and Nettie are all in school.

In politics Mr. Mills is a republican, and though never an office seeker, keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America and is a loyal follower of the teachings and purposes of these organizations.

GEORGE FREDERICK SMITH.

George Frederick Smith is holding a responsible position at Emmett with the Boise-Payette Lumber Company, being sales manager in charge of the retail depart- ment. At the same time he is an active and influential representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, being bishop of the Emmett ward of the Boise stake. He took up his abode at Emmett eighteen years ago, or in 1902, having resided just west of the city all through the intervening period. He has owned and lived in several different homes and has acquired much valuable realty just west of the town, having today two hundred and twenty-four acres of improved land in the vicinity of the large plant of the Boise-Payette Lumber Company at Emmett, and in that plant he and four of his children are holding good positions.

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Mr. Smith was born in Salt Lake county, Utah, July 14, 1876, and is a son of George W. and Anna Margaret ( Thompson) Smith. The father, who was born in Salt Lake county, Utah, passed away at the home of his son, George Frederick Smith, January 8,. 1920, at the age of sixty-nine years. The mother was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, and was brought by relatives to the United States when nine years of age and taken to Utah, becoming the wife of Mr. Smith in Salt Lake county. She died in 1900.

Mr. Smith whose name introduces this review was reared in his native county and, having arrived at years of maturity, was married June 17, 1896, to Miss Minnie Elizabeth Denney, whose birth occurred in Salt Lake City, December 26, 1877, her parents being Charles and Sarah Ann (Gold) Denney, who are yet residents of Salt Lake City. Her father is a son of Mrs. Mary Ann Denney, nee Dangerfield, who is vet living in Salt Lake City at the notable age of ninety years and still enjoys good health. Mr. and Mrs. Smith removed from Salt Lake county, Utah, to the Emmett section of Idaho in 1902, since which time he has been steadily employed in the iarge lumber plants of this district, filling various positions. He has always been a diligent and industrious man and that he has been able to enjoy the comforts of life is due to these qualities.

To Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been born five sons and two daughters. George C., born March 20, 1897, wedded Miss Esther Coburn on the 8th of April, 1919. Lorenzo Hudson, whose birth occurred December 26, 1898, married Miss Jane Pearl McGee and has one child, Leo Hudson Smith. The other members of the family are as follows: Darrel Alphonso, born November 10, 1900; Sarah Margaret, July 6, 1903; Frederick Avon, April 8, 1905; Lillie Ann, November 15, 1906; and Emmett Maynard, May 9, 1909. Mr. Smith and his family are all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and he has been a member of the Bishopric as counselor and bishop for the past seventeen years and has acted as bishop of Emmett ward for six years. In politics he is a republican. His success is due entirely to his enterprise and sound judgment. From time to time he has made judicious in- vestment in real estate in this locality and has sold some of it to good advantage, while other properties he has kept. These are situated in the vicinity of the lumber plants and are steadily rising in value, so that they will be a valuable asset to his revenue in later years.

F. L. KELLER.

F. L. Keller, of Caldwell, has always led a very busy, active and useful life, and while it is said that he is now living retired, he cannot content himself without some business interest and for fifteen years has had the contract for street sprinkling in Caldwell. Moreover, his investments claim considerable of his time, but the success of his former years would enable him to rest from further labor in the enjoyment of the fruits of his previous toil. Mr. Keller was born near Burlington, Iowa, July 2, 1844, a son of Silas and Lydia (Barnes) Keller, who were natives of Kentucky and removed to Iowa in 1833, when it was still a territory. They made their home about ten miles north of Burlington, between that city and Wapello, their place being now on the Burlington & Cedar Rapids Railroad, although no road had been built at the time they established their home west of the Mississippi. The father was accidentally killed in 1854, but the mother long survived and passed away at her Iowa home in 1885

F. L. Keller came to the west in 1862, when a youth of eighteen years, making his way first to Auburn, Oregon, while the following spring he came to Idaho City, Idaho. His education had been such as the common schools of his native state afforded. He followed mining in Idaho during the winter of 1863-4 and in the spring of the latter year removed to Boise, where he resided for a brief period, when his brother-in-law, R. L. Short. homesteaded near Star, on the south side of the Boise river, at what is now known as the Brennan place. Mr. Keller lived upon that place for twelve years, carrying on business in partnership with Mr. Short. Together they improved the land and brought it under a high state of cultivation, making it a very productive farm. Mr. Keller sold his interest, however, to his partner in 1875 and purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres three miles west of Caldwell, on the Boise river, and homesteaded an adjoining one hundred and sixty acre tract. The land which he

MR. AND MRS. F. L. KELLER

VD !. III-26

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bought had been improved, but the homestead was wild and undeveloped and upon him devolved the arduous task of turning the first furrows. He lived upon that place until 1899, when he sold the ranch and built a home in Caldwell, where he has since resided. After taking up his abode in the city he bought an eighty-acre farm three miles east of Caldwell, which he highly improved and later sold. He then invested in forty acres north, across the Boise river, about three miles from Caldwell, and this he likewise developed and sold the following year. His next purchase made him owner of thirteen and a half acres of raw land, three and a half miles south of Caldwell. which he has improved and still owns. He also bought thirteen and a half acres more of raw land adjoining the other place and it is still in his possession, being now highly cultivated and developed. For the past fifteen years Mr. Keller has had the contract for sprinkling Caldwell's streets and he has led a most active life, his untiring indus- try and persistency of purpose bringing him a most gratifying measure of success.

During the long years of his residence in Idaho, Mr. Keller has become familiar with every phase of the state's development from pioneer times down to the progres- sive present. At one time his next-door neighbor, Jarvis by name, was killed by the Indians. He and Mr. Keller were teaming to Silver City from Boise but, though traveling the same route. were not always together, which was the case in this in- stance. The Indians had secreted themselves behind some rocks and when Mr. Jarvis came along he was killed and left in the road, where Mr. Keller found him. His wagons had been burned and his stock had been taken by the Indians. Mr. Keller and his family suffered all the horrors of the fear of being massacred by the Indians at any time. Life was never safe in those days and Mr. Keller was one of those who volunteered to assist in suppressing the Indians and received an honorable discharge as first lieutenant from the state militia. On many occasions he owed his life to the fact that he possessed a better horse than the pursuing Indians, but it was not until the red men were suppressed by military force that he and his family felt safe. At one time, when going to Silver City on horseback, he surprised a band of Indians who were dismounted. They lost no time, however, in remounting and gave chase, but Mr. Keller had a fine horse and a good gun, and whenever one came too near he let him know that he was a good shot. However, they chased him for more than five miles before he succeeded in eluding them. The Indians would sneak into the houses even in the daytime and commit petty depredations. On the present site of Caldwell the people had built a strong willow corral, into which they put their stock at night and securely locked the gate so that no one could enter. One evening, after the men had locked the stock in and were playing cards, the Indians burned a hole through the corral from the outside and ran the stock out of it before the men knew anything about it and could offer resistance. Mr. Keller and others who lost their stock fol- lowed the Indiens, but the red men got across the Snake river and away with the stock, which was never recovered. On one occasion the Indians made a raid near Middleton and during these troublous times were captured and hanged over a bluff of lava rock. A card was fastened on their backs informing General Howard of the United States army that he could have them if he wanted them, as the citizens had no further use for them. Mr. Keller was six months in crossing the plains on coming to the west and while en route had several encounters with the Indians. He and another boy at one time followed some Indians who had stolen their cattle for a distance of sixteen miles and recovered the stock. There is no phase of Indian warfare or their methods of living with which Mr. Keller is not familiar and his reminiscences of the early days are most interesting, showing the marked contrast between conditions of the present and of the past.

Mr. Keller married Miss Lucy E. Dement, who passed away October 20, 1918. They were the parents of seven children. James resides at Cascade, Idaho. Mattie L. is the deceased wife of H. J. Zeh. Lydia is the wife of L. F. McNitt and the mother of three children: Fay, who is attending high school; and John Keller and Ralph, aged respectively ten and eight years. Pearl D. is the wife of R. R. Woneack, of Cascade, Idaho, and has a daughter, Elizabeth. Furman Harry married Margaret Clevenger. Marie is the widow of S. L. Lewis. The youngest member of the family is Laoni Lucile.

Such in brief is the life history of F. L. Keller, whose record if written in detail would furnish a story more thrilling and interesting than any tale of fiction. He came into Idaho when in the wild mountain fastnesses lurked the savage foe and it required great personal courage and determination to meet conditions such as then existed. Mr. Keller, however, was a resolute man who became an adept in the use of

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the rifle, and he had moreover removed to the west with the purpose of here estab- lishing a home and aiding in the development of the country. He carried out his determination and has contributed in substantial measure to the growth and upbuild- ing of this section of the country. His has been a most active and useful life, and while he has now passed the seventy-fifth milestone on life's journey, he is still an active man who finds it impossible to sit idly by and yet bears his part in the world's work.

ALFRED W. BALL.

Alfred W. Ball, a sheepman and farmer living at Lewisville, came to Idaho from the neighboring state of Utah, his birth having occurred at Vernon, Tooele county, August 3, 1878, his parents being Alfred and Mary A. (Walker) Ball, mentioned elsewhere in this work. Alfred W. Ball of this review was largely reared at Union, Utah, and there acquired his education. He remained with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-four. He removed to Jefferson county, Idaho, in 1901 in company with his parents and later he was employed by the Utab-Idaho Sugar Company for two years. Subsequently he leased a band of sheep and engaged in sheep raising, in which business he is still active. He afterward bought one hundred and seven acres of land and later forty acres more, as well as a tract of two and a half acres at Lewisville. His land is all situated near the town and he has improved these various tracts, bringing them under a high state of cultivation. He built a fine modern brick residence at Lewisville, where he now makes his home, and he is actively engaged in business as a sheep buyer, although he has not been on the range for the past three years. He buys sheep for mutton and is meeting with sub- stantial success in the conduct of this business, which he carries on in connection with general farming. He is an excellent judge of sheep and in all of his business affairs displays a spirit of unfaltering enterprise.

On the 8th of June, 1903, Mr. Ball was married to Anna T. Walker, daughter of Don C. and Anna T. Walker, pioneers of Jefferson county, where they took up their abode in 1884. The father still engages in farming in this district, making his home at Lewisville. Mr. and Mrs. Ball have become parents of eight children: Helen, Mary A., Alfred V., Ora, Leland W., Anna, Ronald J. and Edna.

Mr. Ball is a faithful follower of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is president of the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Quorum of Seventy. For twenty-five months he filled a mission in the northwestern states and British Columbia. Politically he is a republican, and while he has never been active in politics as an office seeker, he has served for the past six years as a member of the school board and the cause of public education finds in him a stalwart friend. He is actuated by a spirit of progress in everything that he undertakes and his support is never grudgingly given to any project for the general good.

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History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume III, Part 48

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