History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume III, Part 85

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 Pierce, born in the mining camp at Idaho City, first attended the old Blagg school, which was located where the car barn of the Boise Valley Electric Railroad now stands, near the Boise Country Club. This was at that time the only school between Boise and Star. He completed his education in the Cox school, now known as the Green Meadows school. During his youth he remained upon the home farm, assisting his father in the further development and improvement of the property and seldom going away. After his father's death he took charge of his inheritance and still occupies the land, having a fine home, where he is surrounded by a most interesting family, num- bering a wife and five children.

It was in 1897 that Mr. Pierce wedded Miss Bertha Wiggins, a native of Missouri, who came to Idaho in 1877. She is a daughter of William and Nancy (McKay) Wiggins, who came to Idaho and settled in Middle valley, thirty miles north of Weiser, where both passed away. To Mr. and Mrs. Pierce have been born the following named: Gladys, Clayton W., Joy, Clifford W. and Walton Foye.

Mr. Pierce is largely familiar with every phase of pioneer life in Idaho. In his youth he played with the Indian children in the sagebrush. His parents had many Indian scares, but nothing serious ever occurred although on several occasions they had to leave their home and go for protection to the fort at Boise. John Pierce has lived to witness remarkable changes since those early days, for the country has become rapidly settled, its wild lands have been claimed for the purposes of cultivation and development, and the work of progress has been carried steadily forward until the civilization of Idaho is equal to that in any of the older states of the Union.

MAIER KAUFMAN.

A most interesting history is that of Maier Kaufman, of Idaho Falls, who is now in the ninetieth year of his age. With every phase of pioneer life in the western part of the United States he is familiar. He was born in Mannheim, Germany, July 14, 1830, and was fifteen years of age when he crossed the Atlantic to New York city. He there secured employment as a cigar maker and in the early '50s he made his way to St. Louis, Missouri, from which point he crossed the plains to California and there engaged in gold mining, being employed in the St. Gabriel mine. He obtained a mining claim and took out quite a large quantity of gold but sold his mining property in 1860 and purchased sixty head of horses. He then employed two Mexicans to assist him in the care of his horses and started to St. Louis in order to sell the animals. When they were encamped on the Majova river the Indians stole all of the horses, leaving only one saddle horse and a pack horse. The following day the Mexicans left Mr. Kauf- man and started on their return to California.

Mr. Kaufman then went to Salt Lake City, where he became an express messenger in the emplcy of Ben Holliday in connection with a stage line. On leaving that employ he began driving for the Fargo Express Company from Corinne, Utah, to Helena, Montana, and he was also at one time employed by the Gilmore & Saulisbury Stage Company.

In 1862 Mr. Kaufman was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Owen, of Salt Lake City, who had recently arrived in this country from Manchester, England. Following his marriage he kept stage stations for the firm of Gilmore & Saulisbury at Millerville, Wyoming, at Kaysville, Utah, at Centerville, Utah, at Sand Hole, Idaho, and Hole in the Rock, four miles above the present site of Dubois, Idaho. While at

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the last named place the Nez Perce Indians went on the warpath and it was reported were going toward Hole in the Rock. Mr. Kaufman sent his wife and children to a stockade in Pleasant valley, Beaver canyon, for protection and hid in a cave. The Indians stole all of the horses and cut up the harness. Mr. Kaufman went through his full share of these hardships and trials, which featured in the pioneer life of the west. The following year he removed to Utah and engaged in farming on Silver creek. From that point he went to Junction, Idaho, where he purchased a hotel, and in 1884 he took up his abode on Birch creek, where he turned his attention to ranching and the live stock business. For about seventeen years he devoted his attention to the develop- ment and improvement of his ranch property and the care of his stock, but in 1901 sold the place and the business to his sons, Edward and Henry.

To Mr. and Mrs. Kaufman were born six children, four daughters and two sons, who reached adult age: Lillian, the wife of C. B. Watts, of Dubois, Idaho; Millie, a resident of Idaho Falls and the widow of David Miller, who passed away in 1914; Nettie, the wife of James T. Gayle, of Dubois, Idaho; Annie, the wife of Edward Wellesley, of San Francisco, California; and Henry and Edward, living at Idaho Falls. All are still living with the exception of Mrs. Gayle, who passed away January 28, 1919. The mother died on the 17th of September, 1917. Mr. and Mrs. Kaufman had traveled life's journey together for fifty-five years ere they were separated in death. Mr. Kaufman now makes his home with his daughter, Mrs. Miller, at Idaho Falls and is a remarkably well preserved man for one of his years. He has one sister, Mrs. Joe Gans, and a brother, Louis Kaufman, at Helena, Montana. Mr. Kaufman is able to enjoy three meals a day and goes all over the town alone. His reminiscences of pioneer times are most interesting, and he is one of the honored residents of his section of the state.

COLONEL JAMES BARNARD.

Colonel James Barnard, a veteran auctioneer of Emmett and the senior member of the firm of Barnard & Son, has been a resident of Idaho since 1902, coming to this state from Albion, Boone county, Nebraska. He was born in Clinton county, Iowa, August 23, 1860, and is a son of James Barnard. who was a native of Sussex, England, where he was reared and spent a portion of his early manhood, being employed as gamekeeper in his native land. The mother of Colonel Barnard bore the maiden name of Emily Reeves and was also born in England. The parents were married in that country and their first two children were born ere they left the merrie isle. These were Sarah Jane and John, the latter now deceased, while the former lives at Payette, Idaho, and is now Mrs. Sarah Jane Driscoll. About the year 1858 the parents came to the United States and settled in Clinton county, Iowa, but spent their last days near Junction City, Kansas, the father passing away December 19, 1885, while the mother survived for almost a year, dying December 4, 1886. Two children were born after they came to the new world, James and Elizabeth, both born in Clinton county, lowa, while the latter is now a resident of Missouri.

Colonel James Barnard was reared in his native county upon the home farm, and having arrived at years of maturity, was married in Jackson county, Iowa, January 2, 1882. to Lucinda Ann Smith, whose birth there occurred September 23, 1860, her parents being Enoch and Mary Ann (Powell) Smith, both now living at Junction City, Kansas, at the ages of eighty-two and seventy-seven years respectively. Mrs. Barnard is the eldest of their family of fifteen children, thirteen of whom survive. Two of the number are now in Idaho, Mrs. Barnard and James Smith, who makes his home in Payette county.

In 1884 Mr. and Mrs. Barnard removed from Iowa to Kansas, residing near Junction City for a time, the former being there engaged in bricklaying, which trade he had learned in his native state in young manhood. In 1892 he removed with his family to Albion, Nebraska, and in 1902 came to Idaho, since which time he has lived in the Payette valley. He first resided on a ranch near Fruitland for five years and "then spent several years at Letha, Gem county, while subsequently he removed to a large ranch in Round Valley, in Valley county, which property he still owns. There he lived for four summers, spending the winter months in Emmett in order to give his children the advantages offered by the schools there and also desiring to follow auctioneering through the winter months. In 1916 he took up his abode upon his present small ranch just south of Emmett in order that he might not have so active

COLONEL JAMES BARNARD AND FAMILY

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a part in agricultural affairs and give more time to his auctioneering business, which he has followed for more than a quarter of a century. In this his son, James Frank, is associated with him under the name of Barnard & Son, and they are the only auctioneers of Gem county. They not only cry all the sales in this county but also many in Payette county, especially in the vicinity of Fruitland and New Plymouth, and the son, James Frank Barnard, resides at Fruitland.

Colonel Barnard and his wife have become parents of eight children: James Frank, who was born October 14, 1882; William Edward, whose hirth occurred March 18, 1884; Martha, whose natal day was August 28, 1886; Emily Mae, born February 9, 1889; Laura, born August 15, 1892; Bertha, born September 14, 1894; Nora, born February 25, 1898; and Florence, who was born on the 9th of January, 1902. All are now married with the exception of Florence who is only eighteen years of age and is at home. All of the married children have children of their own, so that there are now sixteen grandchildren. The eldest son, James Frank, was married July 3, 1911, to Mildred Heap and they have a son and a daughter: George, born January 8, 1913; and Edna, born March 3, 1917. The young couple occupy an enviable position in the social circles of Fruitland and that vicinity, having many warm friends there.

Colonel Barnard is a republican in his political views and his wife and their children are also supporters of the same political faith. Their religious belief is that of the Roman Catholic church. Colonel Barnard belongs to the Emmett Gun Club and is very fond of hunting, fishing and all kinds of outdoor sports. He concentrates his time and attention upon his business affairs, however, and is most skilled in the work of auctioneering, being ever ready with the apt word and the quick reply, while at the same time he is familiar with the thorough business methods that must always underlie the work of the successful auctioneer.

FREDERICK WILLIAM DALTON.

Frederick William Dalton, a rancher and breeder of registered hogs and dairy cattle, who until recently resided in Twin Falls county, now makes his home on the Boise hench. He was born at Willard, Boxelder county, Utah, April 7, 1870. His father, Matthew William Dalton, is mentioned at length in connection with the sketch of John A. Dalton, a half-brother of Frederick W. of this review. The mother of the latter bore the maiden name of Alice Ophelia Miller. She was born in Southampton, England, July 19, 1845, and died in Utah, January 17, 1900. She was a daughter of John Hawkins and Anne (Shepherd) Miller, who became converts to the Mormon church in England and as such came to the United States, arriving in Utah in 1866, after crossing the plains with a mule team. They lived first in Salt Lake City and afterward removed to Eden, Utah, while still later they became residents of Willard, where they remained for many years. In 1905 they came to Idaho, settling in Bingham county, where the father passed away December 16, 1905, at the age of eighty-five, and the mother on the 27th of March, 1911, she, too, having reached the age of almost eighty-five years.

Frederick W. Dalton was reared at Willard and pursued his education in the schools of that town and of Plain City. He was graduated at the latter place and afterward spent one year as a student in the University of Utah. He became a school teacher in early manhood and followed the profession for eleven years in all, teaching for five years in Utah and for several years in Idaho. He was the teacher of the Poplar school near Plain City, Utalı, in the winter of 1894-5 and among his pupils was Annie Benson, who is now his wife. They were married June 5, 1895, Mrs. Dalton being at that time a young lady of about twenty-one years, her birth having occurred in Denmark, Feb- ruary 6, 1874. She is a daughter of Andrew P. and Matilda (Aaberg) Benson, the former a Dane by birth and the latter a native of Sweden. Mrs. Dalton came to the United States with her parents when ten years of age, the Benson family settling at Plain City, Utah, whence in 1896 they removed to Bingham county, Idaho, becoming pioneers of that section. There Mr. Benson passed away March 1, 1919, at the age of seventy-four years, his birth having occurred in Denmark, October, 13, 1844. His wife survives and is yet living in Bingham county, at the age of seventy-five, her hirth having occurred in Sweden, September 20, 1844. Both were converted to the teachings of the Mormon church in Denmark and at the time of his demise Mr. Benson was a patriarch in the church.

Mr. and Mrs. Dalton removed from Utah to Idaho in the fall of 1897 and first lived

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in old Bingham county, residing in that section that is now Bonneville county. For sixteen years they lived upon a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres, which Mr. Dalton developed with the aid of his wife. In 1914 he sold that property and for two and a half years resided on a ranch of four hundred and eighty acres which he purchased ir Camas county, on the Camas prairie. In 1916 he traded this for an eighty- acre ranch near Filer, Twin Falls county, thus exchanging cheap land for some of the best land in Idaho. Upon the latter place they resided for three years and prospered beyond their expectations, Mr. Dalton being very successful both as a breeder of reg- istered Duroc hogs and as a farmer. In fact he is today one of the best known and leading breeders of Duroc Jersey hogs in Idaho. He has been in the business for more than twenty years and has been a prominent exhibitor at the fairs held in southern Idaho for many years and also at the Idaho state fair of 1919, where he exhibited a sow that won first prize in her class and which is a daughter of the grand champion Duroc sow of the whole northwest. In the fall of 1919 Mr. Dalton was offered an excellent price for his farm near Filer and sold the property for three hun- dred and twenty-five dollars per acre. He then purchased a small but valuable ranch on the Boise bench and took up his abode thereon, having located near Boise in order to educate his children in the schools of the capital city. He is still breeding registered Durocs and is also engaged in the breeding of registered Holstein cattle, both branches of his business proving sources of substantial profit.

Mr. and Mrs. Dalton have become the parents of eleven children, six sons and five daughters. Frederick William, who was born March 5, 1896, is a veteran of the World war, having served for two years as a volunteer, one year of that time being spent in France, after which he mustered out as sergeant major. The other children are: John Andrew, born November 4, 1897; Alice Matilda, September 7, 1899; Audubon Mathias, whose birth occurred July 18, 1901; Bertha Annabelle, whose natal day was December 19, 1904; Lygia Teresa, born December 12, 1906; Nellie Ione, born December 16, 1908; Irene Dorothea, born February 18, 1911; Ursus Benson, born June 19, 1913; Albert Matthew, born October 26, 1915; and James Cecil, who was born on the 6th of Janu. ary, 1919.

Mr. Dalton maintains an independent course in politics. He has served in various local offices of importance, acting as ditch director, as justice of the peace and in other public connections, where he has proven his loyalty to the best interests of the com- munity, He is a man of genuine personal worth as well as of excellent business ability and Ada county numbers him among her substantial citizens.

GEORGE NIBLER.

George Nibler, who follows farming and stock raising in Ada county not far from Boise, was born in St. Cloud, Minnesota, February 26, 1860, and in his early youth went to Oregon with his parents, Michael and Mary (Sites) Nibler. He acquired his early education in the public schools of Oregon until the early '70s. when he accom- panied his parents to Idaho, the family home being established at Boise, where the father died soon afterward. George Nibler and his brothers, Joseph, Michael, now deceased, Louis Nicholas, Jacob and John then took care of the mother and their sisters, Annie, Mary and Maggie, assuming the responsibility of providing for the household. The mother survived the husband and father for a long period, departing this life in 1905.

In the early days George Nibler and his brothers followed mining in the Wood river and Twin Springs districts, meeting with varied success. Of recent years, how- ever, George Nibler has concentrated his efforts and attention upon farming and stock raising and is now the owner of ninety-five acres of good land in the Dry creek district, about a mile from the Brookside school. He is engaged quite extensively in the live stock business and his son, George E., has a range at the head of Dry creek, where they range their cattle. They also raise their own horses, which are of high grade.

In the year 1896 Mr. Nibler was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Wilson, daughter of John V. and Amanda ( McClellan) Wilson. Her father, who was born at Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1843, came to Idaho in 1864 and in 1869 was married in Boise to Amanda McClellan, whose parents were also among the early settlers of this state, having come to Idaho in 1863. There were eight children in the Wilson family: Phillip, Hattie, John, Thomas, Ella, Elizabeth, Mary and Pearl. The father, John V. Wilson, home-

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steaded one hundred and sixty acres of land, a part of which is now the property of Mr. and Mrs. Nibler. The latter was born within a mile and a half of her present place of residence. Her father after settling on the old homestead never left the place until his death, which occurred April 6, 1919. Before his demise he had sold about seventy acres, which has been subdivided into small tracts and upon which are many beautiful and attractive homes. The homestead property is situated about two and a half miles west of Boise on the interurban electric line. Mrs. Nibler can recall the days when her mother would take the children and hide for fear of Indian attacks. By her marriage she has become the mother of four children: Gladys, who is teaching school; George E., who is twenty years of age and who enlisted in the infantry but did not have the opportunity of going overseas; Crawford, fourteen years of age; and Victor, a lad of twelve, who is attending school. Mrs. Nibler has spent her entire life in Idaho, while Mr. Nibler has been a resident of this state from the early '70s. Both have therefore witnessed much of the growth and development of the northwest, and through carefully directed business affairs Mr. Nibler has won a place among the substantial farmers and stockmen of Ada county.

JAMES H. SCALES.

James H. Scales resides on a small ranch of six acres constituting one of the attractive suburban homes of the Boise bench. He was formerly actively engaged in ranching but is now living retired, enjoying the fruits of his former toil in a well earned rest. His present place is situated near the Franklin school in Ada county and he has been a resident of Idaho for eighteen years, having come to this state from Henry county, Iowa, in 1902. He left Iowa in 1901 but spent a year at Canyon City, Colorado, ere continuing his journey to the northwest. He was born near Carrollton, Ohio, November 7, 1856, a son of John and Margaret (McClane) Scales. When he was six months old his parents removed to Henry county, Iowa, where he was reared upon a farm. Most of his life has been devoted to general agricultural pursuits. He lived for a considerable period in Iowa and following his removal to Idaho he first settled near Meridian and spent eight years upon a ranch in that locality. Later he disposed of his interest in that property and for a year was a resident of Boise, serving during that period as a member of the Boise fire department. He next took up a homestead cf one hundred and sixty acres on the south fork of the Salmon and for a time kept bachelor's hall there. He bent his energies to the improvement and development of his property and converted it into an excellent ranch, which he owned until 1919, when he sold the property and returned to Boise, purchasing one of the prettiest six-acre suburban homes on the Boise bench. He now occupies this place and is most comfortably and pleasantly situated in life.

Mr. Scales has been married twice. His first wife died, leaving no children. In Boise, on the 1st day of May, 1918, he wedded Mrs. Emma Shanks, who was then a widow and who bore the maiden name of Emma Long. She was born in Greene county, Illinois, and came to Idaho with her parents in 1900. She is a daughter of S. L. and Ellen Long, who now reside near Boise. By her first husband Mrs. Scales had two daughters, Vida Mae and Velna Editha, aged respectively fifteen and twelve years. Mrs. Scales is a member of the Baptist church.

Mr. Scales enjoys hunting and fishing and now that he has retired from ranching has ample opportunity to indulge his love of those sports. His success is attributable entirely to his own labors. He worked diligently and persistently for many years and his energy and enterprise brought to him the success which now enables him to largely rest from further toil.

JERRY FERREL.

Jerry Ferrel is a retired merchant who now owns and resides upon a small, highly improved acreage tract on the Boise bench. He was born in Wayne county, Iowa, June 23, 1861, and is one of a family of nine children, seven sons and two daughters, whose parents were John and Rebecca (Reece) Ferrel. The father was born in Ohio in 1822, while the mother was a native of Pennsylvania and passed away when her son

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Jerry was but twelve years of age. The father afterward married Rebecca Hamilton. He took up a homestead in Wayne county, Iowa, in 1844, becoming a pioneer there. He developed an excellent tract of land and prospered in his farming operations.

It was upon that farm that Jerry Ferrel was born and reared. In early life he learned the carpenter's trade but followed it for only a year or so. He afterward removed to northwestern Nebraska, where he took up his abode in 1884, securing a homestead in that year. He proved up on the property in six months by taking advan. tage of the preemption law and paying a dollar and a quarter per acre for his land. When he went there, the nearest town and railroad were one hundred and forty miles distant, the town being Valentine, Nebraska. In 1885 the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad was built through and the town of Hay Springs was established four miles from his ranch. Mr. Ferrel became one of the first merchants of the town and there engaged in the furniture and hardware business for many years.

While in Nebraska, Mr. Ferrel was married at the age of twenty-nine years to Miss Julia Moulton, who was born in Illinois in 1871, a daughter of Arby Moulton. In 1911 Mr. Ferrel removed to Boise and bought two and a half acres of choice level land on Fourth street, near Garden avenue, on the Boise bench. There were no improvements upon it, but it is now a beautiful suburban home, for he has erected an attractive residence and other buildings and has converted the place into beautiful lawns and gardens.

To Mr. and Mrs. Ferrel have been born six children, a son and five daughters: Ruth, who is now the wife of C. C. Dewey, of Arizona; Cora, living in Boise; Lyle, twenty-three years of age, who served as a chauffeur in France for sixteen months with the American army during the World war; Zelma, the wife of R. C. Sage, living near Glenns Ferry, Idaho; Ina, nineteen years of age, who is a senior in the Boise high school; and Gladys, seventeen years of age, who is also attending high school.

Mr. Ferrel and his family are members of the Christian church and fraternally he is an Odd Fellow who has served as noble grand of his lodge. He likewise belongs to the Highlanders and in politics he is a democrat. While living at Hay Springs, Nebraska, he served on the school board and also as assessor. He finds recreation and pleasure in fishing and the fact that he has retired from active business now enables him to indulge his love of that sport. For many years he was a progressive merchant, alert and energetic, giving his attention to the demands of the trade and thus building up a substantial business whereby he gained the comfortable competence that now enables him to rest from further labor.

JOSEPH LEONARD.

Joseph Leonard, devoting his time and energies to general farming near Eagle, was born in Missouri, August 11, 1876, and is a son of A. J. and Sarah (Gentry) Leonard. The father was a native of Alabama and removed to Missouri with his parents when a youth. In the latter state he wedded Sarah Gentry, who was horn in Missouri and died in Texas in 1880. Mr. Leonard and his son Joseph afterward came to Idaho in 1890 and first settled in Boise, while subsequently they removed to Meridian, where A. J. Leonard engaged in farming for ten years. He is now living retired in Boise and has reached the age of seventy-six years.

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History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume III, Part 85

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