USA > Idaho > History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume III > Part 53
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Mr. Sampson finds his chief recreation in hunting and fishing and during the season spends as much of his time as he can spare from business with his gun or rod. He has not missed a trip into the country on the opening days of the hunting season . in ten years. He belongs to the Boise Commercial Club and to the Boise Elks Club and is a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of the Shrine. Business has claimed the greater part of his attention and he finds joy in the solution of business problems and the accomplishment of his purposes along commercial lines, just as he does in almost every circumstance which goes to make up his life's contacts and experiences. His salient characteristics make for personal popularity and he is one of the best known business men of Boise.
JOHN LUNDELL.
John Lundell, the well known manager of the Shelley Mill & Elevator Company, at Shelley, was born in Sweden, February 10, 1871, and is a son of Charley and Christeve Lundell, natives also of Sweden. The father was a blacksmith and worked at that trade during all of his active life, dying in Sweden in March, 1885. His widow is still living in the old country, having reached an advanced age.
John Lundell was reared and educated in Sweden, and in 1889, at the age of eighteen years, feeling that the new world offered greater possibilities for advancement, he emigrated to the United States, and on his arrival located in Chicago, where he worked in the Pullman shops for about eight months. He then entered the employ of the Deering Harvester Company and worked for them at intervals during a period of eight years and also helped a brother who was engaged in farming. In 1895, Mr. Lundell removed to Idaho Falls and went to work in a blacksmith shop, having learned that trade in Chicago. In the spring of the following year, he took a homestead near Goshen, . Bingham county, which he improved and developed, placing it under cultivation. He continued to operate this place for about six years and at the end of that time removed to Shelley, where he farmed for one year. Mr. Lundell then formed a partnership with Chris Johnson and established the Johnson-Lundell Company, conducting a general store for two years. He then indulged in a vacation from business and spent one summer in California. On his return he worked for the Shelley Merchandise Company from 1906 until September, 1917, when he bought land in Bonneville county, which he cultivated until October, 1919. During the winter of 1917-18, he was state potato inspector for the Federal government. On November 5, 1919, Mr. Lundell was appointed manager of the Shelley Mill & Elevator Company, in this capacity giving the utmost
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satisfaction to the company and its patrons alike. He still owns the farm, which is operated by his son, and on it the family resides.
On January 1, 1897, Mr. Lundell was united in marriage to Annie Carlson, and they have become the parents of one child, Alfred B., born in April, 1900. Mr. Lundell served on the Shelley town board for four terms of two years each. He is still a stockholder in the Johnson-Lundell Company and is also the owner of a residence property and of forty acres of land. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a charter member of the Shelley lodge of that order. He is a supporter of the republi- can party, but has never been a seeker after political office, preferring to devote his time to his business interests. He is a member of the Lutheran church and warmly interested in all its works, as he is in all matters calculated to serve the best interests of the community.
FRED WILHELM.
Fred Wilhelm, the youngest son of John and Catherine Wilhelm, who are men- tioned elsewhere in this work, owns a nice little suburban home and a five acre ranch just east of the corporate limits of Emmett. He was born in Germany on the 18th of January, 1883, and was twelve years of age when he came with his parents to the United States, arriving in Idaho in 1895. The family at once made their way to the Emmett section of the state and his mother is still living on the old Wilhelm homestead two miles southeast of Emmett, while the eldest son, Otto Wilhelm, resides on a highly improved ranch which he owns adjoining the old home place. He was the first of the family to come to the new world and locate in Idaho.
Fred Wilhelm has lived In the neighborhood east of Emmett since 1895. He was reared upon a ranch and completed his education in the schools of Emmett. From the age of eighteen years he has been engaged in threshing, at first in part- nership with his brother Otto, with whom he continued for several years, and during the past eight years he has carried on the business alone. He owns a complete threshing outfit and in the season is a very busy man, constant demands being made upon his time and energies in connection with the harvesting of the crops through this section of the state. His own little five-acre ranch is very valu- able and productive land, upon which is a good set of farm buildings and improve- ments, including a new frame residence and all the accessories and conveniences of a model little ranch farm of the twentieth century. He purchased this prop- erty in 1918. Because of its proximity, for it lies just outside the corporation limits, it is worth about a thousand dollars per acre, as other small improved tracts in the vicinity have been selling for that amount.
Mr. Wilhelm was married May 21, 1913, to Miss Clara Alsager who was born in South Dakota, November 6, 1886, and is a daughter of Swend Alsager, who died near Emmett, March 16, 1919. The mother of Mrs. Wilhelm bore the maiden name of Olina Aga and is still living. Both of her parents were born in Norway but were married in South Dakota. The family came to Idaho in 1906. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wilhelm are members of the Lutheran church and Mr. Wilhelm is a mem- ber of the Payette Valley Threshermen's Association. The greater part of his life has been passed in this locality and he has ever been a man of diligence and industry, his success being attributable entirely to his own efforts.
MARTIN DAVID MOREHOUSE.
Martin David Morehouse, a rancher residing six miles west of Emmett, was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, November 12, 1847, and is a son of Martin and Johanna Eliza (Eldridge) Morehouse. When he was but a little lad his parents removed westward to Buchanan county, Iowa, with their family and there resided until after the Civil war, when the family home was established in Pottawattamie county, Iowa, where the father and mother spent their remaining days. The death of Martin Morehouse occurred January 18, 1870, while his wife died January 27, 1871, and both were fifty-nine years of age at the time of their demise. They were both natives of the Empire state, the father having been born In Onondaga county, New
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York, August 7, 1810, while the mother was born in Chenango county, October 14, 1812. They had a family of five children: Sherman G., Martha Eliza, Sarah, Martin David and a son who died unnamed.
Martin David Morehouse is the only member of the family now living. He was married in Pottawattamie county, Iowa, to Selina Robinson on the 22d of February, 1871. She was born in Wisconsin, November 2, 1851, a daughter of William and Catherine (Willey) Robinson. Her father passed away in June, 1919, but her mother yet resides in Iowa. Both were born in England but were married in Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Morehouse have now traveled life's journey together for forty-nine years. They removed from Iowa to Lincoln county, Nebraska, and three years later came to Idaho, where they arrived in September, 1899. For four years they made their home in the Boise valley, near Meridian, and then removed to a ranch near where they are now living in the Payette valley, taking up their abode upon their present farm property in 1905. This is known as "Island Home," as it is surrounded by branches of the Payette river. Many improvements have been added to the property, which has been developed into one of the good ranches of this section of the state, and in its neat and thrifty appearance gives evidence of the care and supervision of a practical and progressive owner. Mr. Morehouse also bas much other good ranch land near by and the income from his property sur- rounds him with all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.
To Mr. and Mrs. Morehouse have been born twelve living children. Dora Gay, who was born January 30, 1872, is the wife of Adam Hoatson, of Nebraska. Edward William was born September 5, 1873. Elmer E., born December 19, 1874, died in infancy. Mattie Pearl was born December 19, 1875. Sherman G. L. was born January 15, 1878. Nettie May, born March 10, 1880, is the wife of Neal Jennings, of Eagle, Idaho. Ora Clarence was born March 7, 1883. Estella, born May 3, 1885, is the wife of Henry Stalker, of Emmett. Bertie Earl, born October 22, 1886, was for six months at Camp Lewis in training for service in the World war. Sarah Ella, born April 20, 1889, is the wife of Ival Hankin, who resides on the Emmett bench. Clancey Martin, born September 4, 1891, died in infancy. Nellie Olive, born January 27, 1893, is the wife of Ben Howard, of the Emmett bench. Lutie Eliza, born April 8, 1895, is the wife of Ebbie Hilton, of New Plymouth. Dewey Jennings, born June 8, 1898, was named for Admiral George Dewey, his birth having occurred just five weeks after the Admiral's splendid victory in Manila.
Mr. and Mrs. Morehouse give their political suport to the democratic party. He formerly belonged to the Good Templars and the Grange but is not actively connected with either organization at the present time.
WILLIAM FRED SCHMID.
William Fred Schmid, who was a representative farmer and enterprising busi- ness man of Idaho from 1894 until the time of his death, was born in Konigreich, Wurtemberg, Germany, and when about twenty-one years of age left that country to take up his residence in "the land of the free and the home of the brave." He made his way first to Iowa and afterward to Glen, Montana, where he worked at the trade of bridge carpentering. He was also employed by his uncle, John Schmid, a farmer, and on leaving Glen, Montana, he went to Butte, where he secured em- ployment in the smelter. By hard work he accumulated enough to procure a fine home and other city property at Anaconda, Montana, and thus step by step he steadily advanced. In 1894 he came to Idaho with his family and purchased the farm of thirty-eight acres upon which his widow now resides, this place being situ- ated four miles northwest of New Plymouth. After residing for several years in Idaho, they disposed of all of their holdings in Montana.
Mr. Schmid purchased a desert claim about two miles south of the present home farm and this they ultimately homesteaded. It was in 1889 that he married Rosa Heileman, a native of Germany, who came to America on a visit to her uncle in Philadelphia during her girlhood days and never returned to her native land. She became the wife of Mr. Schmid in Butte, Montana, and proved indeed a help- mate to him. She assisted him greatly in improving their home, which was wild land when it came into their possession. The place now has ten acres planted to fruit trees, including prunes, apples, peaches, apricots and pears, which are now
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in bearing. There are also about one hundred head of sheep, hogs, cows and horses upon the place. The sons of Mr. and Mrs. Schmid carry on the work of the home farm and are progressive and enterprising young men. The family residence is one of the finest in their neighborhood and everything about their place presents an air of neatness and thrift.
It was a great blow to the family when in 1897 Mr. Schmid passed away, his death resulting from injuries sustained when a horse slipped and fell upon him, causing his demise the following day. Upon Mrs. Schmid devolved the care of their four children and the management and improvement of the home farm. She resolutely and bravely took up the task, which she has splendidly accomplished. Their children are: Christine Elsie, who teaches school at Fruitland; Emil Ernest, twenty-five years of age, who is upon the home farm with his mother; Wilder Emanuel, twenty-four years of age, who is now a student at the University of Idaho at Moscow, and was in the Hospital Corps in France during the World war; and William Fred, twenty-two years of age, who was at Camp Rosecrans, California, when the armistice was signed. The family has made a most creitable record for business enterprise and progressiveness and has developed a splendid farm prop- erty, Mrs. Schmid remaining a most active factor in the direction of the business from the time of her husband's death.
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WILLIAM FRANKLIN DAVISON.
William Franklin Davison, living near Emmett, came to Idaho when it was still under territorial rule from the state of Missouri in 1875, crossing the plains in a covered wagon drawn by a sorrel mule and a bay mare. He traveled with his brother-in-law. John Morris, who had wedded his sister, Laire Davison, who died while the party were enroute to the northwest, passing away just west of Soda Springs. They had started for Oregon, but her death changed their plans, and Mr. Morris later returned with his three young children to Missouri. Mr. Davison, however, being pleased with Idaho and its prospects, decided to remain. He was then a young man of just eighteen years. His birth occurred in Polk county, Mis- souri, October 22, 1857, his parents. being Thomas and Betsey Davison, both of whom were natives of Tennessee and were there married, afterward removing to Missouri. The father was killed in 1862, while serving in the Missouri State Militia as captian of Company H, his death resulting from the attack of a bushwhacker.
Mr. Davison of this review resided in Polk county, Missouri, until he reached the age of eighteen, when he started for Idaho with his brother-in-law, as previ- ously indicated. He continued to make his headquarters at Boise to the time of his marriage, which was celebrated January 11, 1880, Miss Ellen Bridget Brock becoming his wife. She was born in Pettis county, Missouri, December 20, 1865, a daughter of Hamilton Green Brock, who served during the Civil war in the same militia company of which Thomas Davison was captain. His daughter, Mrs. Davi- son, came to the territory of Idaho with her parents in 1875, arriving in this state about two weeks after Mr. Davison had come to the northwest. She was then ten years of age. The Brock family lived in and near Boise for many years and Mrs. Brock died in the Boise valley, June 15, 1897, at the age of sixty-seven, while Mr. Brock died at the Davison home ahout seven miles west of Emmett, November 22, 1914, at the age of eighty-six. For a short time after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Davison resided in Boise but soon removed to a ranch six miles northwest and remained in the Boise valley until 1902, when they took up their abode on their present ranch in the Payette valley. They have reared a family of ten children, of whom six are living. Their children are: Thomas William, born June 1, 1881; Hamilton Green, April 8, 1884; Mattie Ellen, who was born October 8, 1885, and is now the wife of Elmer Hess, living near Emmett; Katie Adaline, who was born September 27, 1887, and died January 14, 1888; Nellie, who was born May 8, 1889, and is the wife of Warren Simmons; Walter Franklin, who was born April 14, 1891, and died August 15, 1893; Elizabeth Margaret, who was born April 24, 1895, and became the wife of Ralph Vanderdassen, who died November 13, 1918, since which time she has become the wife of Wilber Slate and resides with her parents; Grover, who was born July 22, 1901, and lives at home. Two other children, a son and a daughter, died in infancy.
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Mr. and Mrs. Davison are members of the Baptist church and republicans in political belief. He served as clerk of the school board for thirteen years and as road overseer for eight years, resigning both positions. Both Mr. and Mrs. Davison have been residents of Idaho from territorial days and are numbered among the honored pioneer settlers.
OSCAR M. DOWNEY.
Oscar M. Downey is the senior partner of the firm of Downey & Wilder, tin- ners, sheet metal workers and furnace builders, conducting business at No. 906 Idaho street in Boise. They take contracts for work of that character and their business extends not only throughout Boise but to various cities of the Boise val- ley. Mr. Downey has been a resident of the capital since October 6, 1900, when he came to Idaho from Lancaster, Ohio. He was born in the Buckeye state, his birth having occurured at Portsmouth, Ohio, November 11, 1852, his parents be- ing James E. and Catherine (McCord) Downey, who were natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively. The father was a recognized leader in democratic circles in his state and held various important political positions. He is now residing at Newark, Ohio. He served in various capacities at the county courthouse, spend- ing much time in the county clerk's office.
Oscar M. Downey was largely reared at Newark, Ohio, where he learned the tinner's trade, which he followed there between the ages of eighteen and twenty- one years, receiving three dollars per week during his term of apprenticeship. He afterward worked as a journeyman tinner in various states of the middle west, thus spending nearly thirty years before coming to Idaho. A leaf from his diary gives the following: "Left Lancaster, Ohio, July 30, 1882, arrived at Topeka, Kansas, February 16, 1885: went to St. Marys, Kansas; left St. Marys, May 20, 1889; returned to Topeka; left Topeka on the 3d of July, 1889; went to Fairbury, Nebraska; left Fairbury in 1891; returned to St. Marys, Kansas; left there April 1, 1893; was at Columbus, Ohio, until February 2, 1894; then at Lancaster, Ohio, until October 2, 1900. and arrived in Boise on the 6th of October, 1900." This indicates the various changes which Mr. Downey has made as the years have passed, following his trade in various sections of the country. After coming to Boise he worked as a journeyman for several years. He was first in the employ of Lawray & Twain and later spent ten years in connection with the firm of Carlton, Lusk & Company. In 1912 he embarked in business on his own account as a member of the firm of Downey & Wilder, his partner being John C. Wilder, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. The firm did business at No. 109 North Ninth street until 1919, when a removal was made to No. 906 Idaho street. They are accorded a liberal patronage, their business covering a wide territory outside of as well as within the corporation limits of Boise.
Mr. Downey was married in Newark, Ohio, when twenty-one years of age, to Miss Minnie Tedrick, who was born in the Buckeye state. They have one daugh- ter, Bessie, now the wife of John Thomas, of Boise, by whom she has a son, Frank- lin Thomas, now a lad of fifteen years, attending high school.
Mr. Downey occupies a residence which he owns at No. 1619 North Twenty- sixth street. In his political views he is a republican but has never been an aspi- rant for office. He belongs to the Commercial Club of Boise and to the Modern Woodmen of America and is recognized as a man of progressive spirit, manifesting loyalty to every cause which he espouses and standing at all times for those inter- ests which he believes will prove of practical value in Boise's further development and upbuilding.
CHARLES S. DAVIS.
Charles S. Davis, engaged in the fur and hide business in Caldwell, was born in Ithaca, New York, January 5, 1862. He completed his education when eighteen years of age and after leaving school went to Mineral, Idaho, then a mining camp. He prospected largely in the Seven Devils section of the country and also in the
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Green Horn camp of Oregon and while in the former section killed hundreds of rattlesnakes and made a hat band of their rattles, which won him the nickname of "Rattlesnake Jack." He continued his prospecting until 1893 and then went to San Francisco, California, being there at the time of the great railroad strike and also at the time of the Mid-Winter Fair. In the following spring he turned his attention to placer mining on the American river, near Auburn, a business which he followed with varied success until illness compelled him to abandon his work there.
Returning to San Francisco, he took passage on a steamer for Portland, Ore- gon, and thence made his way to New Weiser, Idaho. At that time the city gov- ernment had not been organized and lawlessness reigned. There was consider- able rivalry between new and old Weiser but finally the old town was absorbed by the new. Mr. Davis is familiar with every phase of frontier life and belonged to that class of men who assisted in maintaining law and order for the benefit of the localities in which he lived. He remained in Weiser for a year, being there en- gaged in the fur business, after which he spent one year in mining in the Saw- tooth mountains of Idaho. Later he removed to Boise, where he remained for a brief period, and then came to Caldwell, where he has since successfully conducted a fur and hide business. He has a most interesting picture of himself, with a beautiful silver gray fox pelt thrown over his shoulder, the second one he has been able to buy since he has been in the business here, this pelt being valued at five hundred dollars. He sells his furs and hides to traveling representatives of large eastern houses and his business amounts to about five thousand dollars annu- ally.
On the 6th of August, 1897, Mr. Davis was married to Miss Hattie E. Rule, of Caldwell, and they have become parents of three children: Wilbur R., Eloise and Charlotte S., all attending the Caldwell schools. Mrs. Davis is a daughter of Robert Rule, a native of Ireland, who is now a farmer living near Boise. Her mother, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Seaton, is of American birth. The family occupy a pleasant home in Caldwell which is owned by Mr. Davis, who likewise has other property here. He has been prominent in community affairs, serving as deputy game warden for a year and as councilman for two years under Mayors Little and Steunenberg. Mr. Davis believes in the strict observance of the law for the protection of wild game and animals and is greatly opposed to ruth- less slaughter, which results in extermination.
NICHOLAS HAUG.
Nicholas Haug, who spent the latter part of his life in Boise and previously re- sided for some time in Idaho City, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, December 6, 1836. The opportunities of his native land, however, did not satisfy him and he sought a fortune in America. He left Germany when but sixteen years of age, sail- ing for New York, where he remained for a short time. The reports of the discovery of gold in Oregon, however, led him to make his way to that state. He journeyed west- ward by rail to the terminus of the line and then traveled across the country to Jack- sonville, Oregon, after which he gave his attention to farming for a time, entering land from the government. He afterward disposed of his farming interests, however, and went to Rocky Bar, where he devoted his attention to mining. At a subsequent period he became one of the owners of a brewery, forming a partnership with John Broadbeck in the purchase of a brewery in 1868. In the conduct of the business, they prospered, building up a large trade, and their manufactured product found favor with the public, so that their sales annually increased, bringing them a good financial re- turn on their investment. While continuing the brewery at Idaho City, Mr. Haug re- moved to Boise some years prior to his death and spent his last days in the capital.
In early manhood Mr. Haug was united in marriage to Miss Mary Gerrecht, a daughter of Theodore and Katherine (Stubenrauch) Gerrecht, the former a son of John and Margarette Gerrecht and the latter a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Benze) Stubenrauch, all of whom spent their entire lives in Germany. Leaving her native country, Mary Gerrecht crossed the Atlantic, landing at New York, but soon afterward embarked for the Isthumus of Panama and after crossing that narrow stretch of land proceeded by boat up the Pacific coast to California. From that point she traveled
NICHOLAS HAUG
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overland to Idaho City in 1869 and on the 28th of March following she became the wife of Nicholas Haug, with whom she traveled life's journey happily until they were separated by the hand of death. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Haug, all natives of Idaho City. The eldest is now Mrs. Emma Lippincott, the wife of A. C. Lip- pincott, a prominent physician of New York city, by whom she has two daughters, Lucille and Doris Lippincott. Theresa became the wife of W. H. Puckett, who was an able and well known attorney of Boise and a law partner of Ex-Governor James H. Hawley. Mr. Puckett passed away December 18, 1916. Ethelbert Haug makes his home at Kellogg, Idaho. Josephine is the widow of James B. Latimer, who was a well known druggist of Boise and passed away July 3, 1912, when but thirty-eight years of age. Frank is in the drug business in Boise. The youngest of the family is Mrs. Victoria Jones, the wife of Mark Jones, of Cleveland, Ohio.
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