USA > Idaho > History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume III > Part 72
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Mr. Griffin was a member of the Knights of Pythias. He was a man of many sterling traits of character, progressive, enterprising and reliable in business, loyal in citizenship and faithful at all times to the ties of home and friendship.
GEORGE W. BUTLER.
George W. Butler, an ice dealer of Boise, connected also with ranching and cattle raising Interests, came to Idaho in 1880 from Sedalia, Missouri, where he had resided for about four years. He was then a young man in the railroad service, being employed as a brakeman on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad. Indiana numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred in Martin county, that state, on the 20th of July, 1859. He is a son of Hiram and Mary (Walker) Butler, who were natives of Indi- ana. The mother died in that state, but the father passed away in Portland, Oregon. After the death of his first wife he was married again and by that union had three daughters. His second wife is still a resident of Portland. By his first marriage there
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were five children, four of whom are yet living, two sons being residents of Ada county- George W. and Edward E. Butler, while James W. is a resident of Portland.
George W. Butler was only twelve years of age when his parents removed from Indiana to Missouri. He then had a stepmother, who, however, proved most wise and faithful in caring for her stepchildren. At fifteen years of age Mr. Butler took up the work of braking on the railroad and was thus engaged for four years in Missouri, after which he arrived in Boise, Idaho, in 1880. Soon, however, he went to Washington county, this state, and took a squatter's claim near Weiser, living thereon for about nine years, during much of the time keeping bachelor's hall. He sold that property in 1889 and returned to Boise, where he has since made his home. For two years he was engaged in the hotel business, conducting what is known as the Anti-Chinese Hotel on Ninth street, between Main and Grove streets. For more than twenty years he has been actively engaged in the retail ice business, associated with W. H. Riden- baugh and for a part of the time with his brother, Edward E. Butler, the business being conducted under the name of the Boise Ice Company. On account of the war, however, the business has not been actively carried on for the past two years. How- ever, activity along that line will soon be resumed. In the meantime Mr. Butler has been giving his attention to the management of his ranches. He owns a two- thirds interest in the ice business, while Mr. Ridenbaugh holds a third interest.
On the 14th of May, 1891, in Boise, Mr. Butler was married to Louisa E. Knox, the wedding ceremony being performed by Rev. Skidmore, a Methodist minister. Mrs. Butler was born in Mitchell county, Kansas, September 18, 1871, a daughter of George D. and Amanda Martha Knox. Her father has passed away, but her mother still survives, making her home southeast of Boise. A sketch of Mrs. Amanda Martha Knox appears on another page of this work. To Mr. and Mrs. Butler have been born two children, a daughter and a son. Susie Ellen, born May 14, 1892, became the wife of Roy Hiner on the 25th of June, 1912, and they reside in Ada county, one mile west of Ustick, at Butler Station, which is located on one of her father's ranches. The son, Walter W., born August 17, 1893, married Pearl Hiner, a sister of Roy Hiner, on the 30th of September, 1914. She passed away July 30, 1917. Walter W. Butler served in the United States army, being connected with the Medical Corps at different cantonments in the United States. He is now again at home and is aiding his father in the management of his ranch properties. Mr. and Mrs. Hiner have three children: Ralph Everett, born February 13, 1913; Margaret E., March 8, 1914; and Gladys L., born January 25, 1916.
In religious faith Mrs. Butler is a Presbyterian. Politically Mr. Butler is a repub- lican and fraternally is an Elk and an Odd Fellow. Both are widely known in Boise and throughout the surrounding country, where Mr. Butler has lived for a period of forty years. His forcefulness, resourcefulness and adaptability in business have been again and again demonstrated and his capability has brought to him a sub- stantial measure of success.
WILLIAM A. WALKER.
William A. Walker, a well known and extensive farmer, owner of one thousand acres of prime land in Rexburg, Idaho, which he is engaged in operating, large shipper of grain and potatoes in season, a former member of the state legislature and other- wise identified with public affairs in Madison county and in business in Rexburg, is a native of Utah, born in Salt Lake City, November 5, 1859, a son of William and Mary J. (Shadden) Walker.
Mr. Walker was reared and educated in Salt Lake City and remained with his parents until he reached his majority, when he engaged in the general merchandise business and contracting in Utah, until 1884. He also taught school for one year and did railroad contracting in Utah, Idaho and Montana. In 1884 Mr. Walker removed to Lewisville, Jefferson county, Idaho, and later to Oneida county, and engaged in general merchandising and did some farming at the same time. He was the owner of the first store north of Idaho Falls and was the first postmaster at that place. In 1893 he sold out and removed to Rexburg, where he accepted the position of manager with Studebaker Brothers, and held that position for fourteen years. He erected their build- ing at Rexburg and also at Rigby and Driggs and had charge of the business at those places. On first coming to Rexburg, Mr. Walker bought a tract of land, which he has
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operated ever since and has devoted all of his time for the past three years to his farming interests. He is now the owner of one thousand acres, ninety acres of which are irrigated. He has been very successful as a grain raiser, having cut as high as forty-seven bushels to the acre on a six-hundred-acre tract.
On April 14, 1881, Mr. Walker was married to Lavina Harper, a daughter of Charles A. and Lavina (Dilworth) Harper, natives of Pennsylvania, who crossed the plains hy ox team with the pioneers to Utah in 1847 and located in Salt Lake City. On coming to the west Mr. Harper commenced farming and secured a homestead tract nine miles south of Salt Lake City. He died April 23, 1900, having passed the age of eighty-three years, and his widow died in July, 1903. Mr. and Mrs. Walker became the parents of nine children, namely: William A., Jr., Chester B., Charles E., Walter, Lavina, Dilworth, Viola, deceased; Mahel M. and Rudgar.
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mr. Walker occupies a prom- inent position. He has held the offices of a seventy, an elder and a high priest, and was first and second counselor, respectively, to Bishop Neilson and to Bishop Jardine. He was senior teacher of the theological class at Lewisville from 1885 to 1902. Mr. and Mrs. Walker were married under consecration of President Joseph Smith, of the Mormon church. In 1891 Mr. Walker was called to serve on a mission for his church in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas and Nebraska, but at the end of fourteen months had to abandon the work in consequence of ill health.
Mr. Walker gives his support to the republican party and in 1894 was nominated by that party as its candidate for the lower house of the Idaho legislature. He was elected and has the distinction of being one of the first members of the Mormon church to secure a seat in that body, in the deliberations of which lie attracted much attention by his wisdom and common sense. He did excellent work for his party, his church and his constituents, and largely through his efforts was brought about the repeal of the "test oath" law, and after the signing of the bill, Mr. Walker was presented with the pen which made the hill a law.
From 1891 to 1894, Mr. Walker was manager of the Farmers Union at Idaho Falls. Since the latter year he has been an extensive private shipper of grain and potatoes during the winter and fall seasons. In 1895, as a delegate to the Irrigation Congress, he accomplished much work of valne to the state. Mr. Walker has served as president of the town board of trustees; he has been chairman of the county central committee of Madison county, and in other directions has given of his time and ability to all causes calculated to advance the welfare of the public at large.
JOHN F. DAILY.
John F. Daily, an Idaho pioneer now residing in Emmett, has retired from active business life, although formerly known as a prominent ranchman and live stock dealer. He is a veteran of the Union army, having served in the Civil war, and in 1875 he came from Appanocse county, Iowa, to Idaho. Mr. Daily is of Irish birth, having first opened his eyes to the light of day in County Kerry, Ireland, in August, 1841. He came to the United States when a lad of ten years with his mother and one brother, Murt Daily, and a sister Mary, who is now Mrs. Mary Kerby, of Caldwell, Idaho. The father, Francis Daily, better known as Frank Daily, had come to the United States two years before and was engaged in railroad contract work in the state of Ohio. In 1854 he removed with his family from Ohio to Appanoose county, Iowa, and there settled upon a farm on which he spent his remaining days, his death occurring on that place in 1873. His widow passed away in Beloit, Kansas, twenty-four years later or in 1897. To Mr. and Mrs. Francis Daily were born eight children, four sons and four daughters, of whom John F. is the eldest. Two sons and two daughters of the family are yet living, these being: Murt, who is also a veteran of the Union army and now resides at Belolt, Kansas; Mrs. Mary Kerby, of Caldwell, Idaho; Mrs. Johanna Loomis, of Sterling, Colorado, and John F.
The last named spent his youth upon a farm in Appanoose county, Iowa but in the spring of 1862 put aside all business and personal considerations and enlisted in the Union army as a sergeant of Company A, Second Missouri Cavalry, being mustered out at Hannibal, Missouri, in November, 1863. On the 6th of March of the following year he was married in Putnam county, Missouri, to Miss Serena Davis, who was born in Cumberland county, Kentucky, December 13, 1847, a daughter of Hamilton and Salina
JOHN F. DAILY
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MRS. JOHN F. DAILY
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(Lewis) Davis, who were natives of Kentucky. Mrs. Daily removed with her parents to Missouri when but two years of age. Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Daily resided upon a farm in Appanoose county, Iowa, until 1875 and then came to Idaho, first spending a few months with Mrs. Daly's parents, who in the meantime had removed from Missouri to this state and were living in Middleton, in what was then Ada county but is now Canyon county. Later Mr. Daily engaged in cattle raising for several years on the Snake river, in what is now Payette county. About 1889 he and his wife took up their abode upon a farm of one hundred and sixty acres near Emmett, the place being then called Emmettsville. Since then this worthy couple have occupied that property, still living in a fine, big, old-fashioned ranch home that stands on the northwest corner of their one hundred and sixty acre tract. But the city of Emmett, which was a mere hamlet when the property was purchased, containing then perhaps not more than a dozen houses, has continually grown and developed, extending in their direction until it will not be long before the Daily ranch is a part of the city, which has been made the county seat of Gem county. From time to time they have sold portions of the original tract until they now have only about two and a half city blocks left. This constitutes the Daily home in Emmett, a most inviting place, the residence being a large two-story dwelling of eight rooms surrounded by broad verandas and standing in the midst of fine old shade trees, while there are also many kinds of fruit trees upon their land. The town has grown up all around them and what was once a valuable old ranch home is now in the very heart of the city.
To Mr. and Mrs. Daily has been born hut one child, who is now Mrs. Mary Carter and who was horn in Appanoose county, Iowa, May 7, 1865. She was but a tiny little maiden when brought by her parents to Idaho. She is now a widow and is the mother of three sons, two of whom, John and Collis P. Carter, served in the World war, the former in the army and the latter in the navy. Frank Carter, her eldest son, is married and resides at Enterprise, Oregon, being employed as a railroad conductor. The second, son, John O., residing in New York city, is also married, his wife being a daughter of Dr. W. J. Boone, of the College of Idaho at Caldwell. Collis P., the youngest son, now nineteen years of age, has been discharged from the navy and lives with his grand- parents. Mr. Daily belongs to the Roman Catholic church and his wife to the Methodist church. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and is a past department commander, while his wife is a past department chaplain of the Woman's Relief Corps. All interests which have to do with progressive citizenship and patriotic support of the country receive their earnest endorsement. Their allegiance to Idaho and its welfare has been manifest in many tangible ways and from pioneer times they have been worthy and valued citizens of the state.
G. R. BRASHEARS.
G. R. Brashears, actively engaged in general farming and stock raising near Eagle, in Ada county, was horn in Carroll county, Arkansas, April 1, 1877. He had the oppor- tunity of attending the public schools only until he reached the age of thirteen years. His father, Alvin Brashears, is a farmer of Arkansas who still makes his home in that state. He was born near Clarksville, Arkansas, and is at present engaged in farming at Berryville. His wife, who hore the maiden name of Minerva Farmer, was born in Carroll county, Arkansas, and is also living.
Through the days of his boyhood and youth G. R. Brashears assisted his father in the work of the home farm and was also employed in Texas and in the Cherokee Nation. He concentrated his efforts and attention upon farm work until he reached the age of twenty years, when he came to Idaho. Here for a brief period he was in the employ of John Woods and afterward engaged in herding sheep for a few months for the firm of Bound & Armshy. Later he engaged in hauling hay to Boise and sub- sequently worked for Mr. Woods again, his second period of employment on the Woods place covering eight months. During the succeeding three years he was employed hy Joe Pence at farming and fruit raising and previous to this time spent three months in conducting the farm of Tom Aikens, who is now his father-in-law and who owns the land upon which Mr. Brashears is now residing. The latter afterward rented the Woods place, which was the property of the grandfather of Mrs. Brashears. This farm he conducted for a year and afterward leased his present place, which he con- ducted on shares for two years, and during the following three years he paid seven
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hundred dollars cash rental yearly for the land. On the expiration of that period, however, because of overwork he found it necessary to abandon such arduous labor and employed a man to further cultivate and develop the place and in consideration of his making improvements and paying the taxes Mr. Aikens let him have the land without further cost. Mr. Brashears' father-in-law still owns the land, which com- prises two hundred and fifty acres.
At the present writing Mr. Brashears is engaged in both farming and cattle raising. He made a start in the stock business by acquiring a few head at a time and for the first two years he took charge of other people's stock, which he ranged for a dollar and a half per head, paying all of his own expenses. During the first year he handled twelve hundred head alone save that in the spring and fall he employed one man. During the second year he became associated in the business with Charley Mace and they drove seven hundred head of cattle to the Bear valley over five feet of snow, being compelled to break trail for them. They had a few old cows that had been over the trail before and these led the herd, otherwise they never could have accom- plished the trip, which was a distance of ninety miles. They lost twenty-seven head from eating poisoned roots, including the wild parsnip, hemlock and monkshood. The scarcity of food caused the stock to eat anything which they could find and at night they found it necessary to herd the stock for three nights in order to keep them from straying in search of food. They made the trip about June 1, 1907, and it was in the high mountains that they found the snow. Mr. Brashears has ridden the range for many years and is now running cattle on his own account near Idaho City.
On the 14th of December, 1902, Mr. Brashears was married to Miss Mabel J. Aikens, a native of Eagle island, who was born not more than a hundred yards from her present place of residence. Her father, Tom Aikens, is a pioneer farmer and stockman of Idaho and her mother was Mary Conway, who is now living at Long Beach, California. Mr. and Mrs. Brashears have become the parents of four children: Alvin Floyd, fourteen years of age; Evva Agnes, aged twelve; Thelma Mabel; and Esther Loraine. Mr. and Mrs. Brashears are well known as representatives of the farming interests of Ada county, where a life of intense and well directed activity has brought to him the measure of success which is now his.
MALANTHEN F. EBY.
Malanthen F. Eby, a mining man of Boise, who became a pioneer resident of the city and whose history is closely interwoven with Idaho's development, was born in Canton, Ohio, January 1, 1852, his parents being Andrew Jackson and Sarah Jane (Albright) Eby. The father died in Iowa many years ago but the mother now resides on the Boise bench near the capital city at the advanced age of eighty-seven years and is mentioned at length on another page of this work.
M. F. Eby was but an infant when his parents removed from Ohio to Iowa and upon a farm in the latter state he was reared to young manhood. While there residing he engaged in the operation of a threshing machine, following the threshing business for twenty-seven years, of which twenty-six years were passed in Iowa and one in Montana. He started in the business as soon as he was old enough to stand on one of the old-time horse power machines and hold the whip, being a lad of but eight years when he took up work of that character. While engaged in threshing he had his right hand caught In a belt and the injury caused the loss of his index finger. He has always been a most industrious and energetic man, never afraid of hard work, and his close application and determination brought to him the substantial measure of success which he now enjoys.
On the 4th of July, 1874, Mr. Eby was married to Miss Caroline Reinig. They began their domestic life in Iowa but in 1879 removed to Montana, where they lived until 1882, when they returned to Iowa. After three years, or in 1885, they came to Idaho and Mr. Eby has since made his home in the Boise valley, living chiefly in or near the city of Boise. In this state he has followed ranching and mining pursuits and has owned various ranch propertles In Ada, Gem and Elmore counties. He still has ranch interests but for the past elghteen years has given hls attention largely to mining investments, which were placed in Valley and Idaho counties.
To Mr. and Mrs. Eby have been born six children: Frank M., mentioned elsewhere in this work; Mrs. Leota Pearl Lambach, whose home is near Boise; Mrs. Minnle
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Stella Shepherd; Daniel A., living at Kuna, Idaho; Mrs. Mabel Wood, of Boise; and Mrs. Elbia Eliza Grebe, of Kuna.
In former years Mr. Eby took a most active interest in Idaho state politics in the days when the populist party was prominent and he was the candidate of that party for several high offices, including that of secretary of state, state treasurer and county assessor. He was solicited to become a candidate of the populist and democratic parties for the United States senate but declined. Mr. Eby now has in his possession a most interesting photograph of five generations, taken in January, 1920, and including Mrs. Sarah J. Eby, now eighty-seven years of age, M. F. Eby, F. M. Eby, a grandson, Fred B. Eby, and a great-granddaughter, Erma Eby, who was eighteen months old at the time the picture was taken.
WILLIAM MICHAEL KING.
William Michael King, more familiarly known as Mike King, has been actively identified with ranching interests in Idaho for the past eight years but recently disposed of his Gem county property and purchased the farm upon which he now resides a mile and a half east of New Plymouth. His birth occurred in Montgomery county, Kentucky, on the 25th of August, 1873, his parents being Peter and Emily (Dickerson) King, who were also natives of the Blue Grass state and both of whom have passed away. He has three living sisters but is the only son of the family.
It was in 1912 that William M. King removed from Kentucky to Idaho and three years later he purchased a ranch of eighty acres twelve miles west of Emmett, in Gem county, which he continued to operate with good success until March, 1920, when he disposed of the place. Since then he has lived on a ranch which he purchased near New Plymouth, in Payette county, and it is felt that his broad experience and enterprising methods as an agriculturist assure him continued prosperity.
On the 13th of January, 1895, in Kentucky, Mr. King was united in marriage to Miss Margret Parker, who was born in that state February 13, 1879. They have nine living children, namely: Pearl, who is the wife of Irving Nicholls; Arthur; Edna; Mabel; Charles; Herbert; William; Fay; and Fern. Henry, another son of the family died in childhood.
Mr. King gives his political endorsement to the republican party, while fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The rules which have governed his life are such as have won for him the esteem and friendship of all with whom he has come in contact, while in business affairs he has gained the success which is the outcome of well directed industry and energy.
ROLAND THURMAN.
Roland Thurman, whose connection with Boise dates from pioneer times, was born in the parental home that stood on the site of the Baptist church on Tenth street, his natal day being November 19, 1870. His father, W. L. Thurman, came to Idaho from the south in the early '60s and settled at Soda Springs, after which he removed to Boise, while subsequently he took up his abode at the place known as the old Thurman Grist Mills on the Boise river, about eight miles west of the capital city. There he operated his mill and was the owner of most of the land adjacent thereto. He also owned the Bill Francis place on Eagle Island, now the property of Truman C. Catlin. His possessions aggregated about eleven hundred acres in these two places. After living at the mill for about twenty years he sold the property and removed to a stock ranch near Mountain Home, Idaho, which place he owned and conducted for many years, there being extensively engaged in stock raising. At one time he had five hundred head of horses upon that place. A village has since been laid out and developed there and is called Thurman. The father was also interested in mining properties and owned the Shaw Mountain property, which is today yielding excellent dividends. He traded this property to Mrs. McCarty for eighty acres and the old home mill and returned thereto. Afterward, however, he resumed stock raising and turned the old Thurman mill place over to his wife, who lived there, while Mr. Thurman remained upon the stock ranch. He ultimately sold the latter property and bought Mountain
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Home property and in fact he continued to make investments in property to the time of his death, which occurred at Mountain Home in February, 1913, when he had reached the advanced age of eighty-two years. At one time he owned and conducted a store in Boise and also a store at the mill. In politics he was a stanch democrat and for one term served as county commissioner of Elmore county and also was appointed to serve an unexpired term. At Soda Springs he owned a store and traded largely with the Indians, and he also traded with the Indians at the old mill store. When engaged in the stock business he owned over a thousand head of stock. He was a man of very generous disposition and helpful spirit and many a tale could be told by the old-timers of the flour and other provisions which he gave to the poor. His property at Mountain Home is a part of the family estate and is worth a very considerable fortune. The mother of Roland Thurman bore the maiden name of Victoria Augerbright and the parents were married in the east. Her death occurred at her home in Boise in 1909. The family numbered fourteen children: Jafe, now fifty-seven years of age; W. L., who if fifty-two and is married and follows farming near Meridian; Roland of this review; Charlie, forty-two years of age; and Claude, aged thirty-eight; while nine children of the family have passed away. The father was one of the typical pioneer citizens who contributed much to the substantial development and unbuilding of the northwest.
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