USA > Idaho > History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume III > Part 90
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George E. Casper was reared in Salt Lake county, remaining at home until he attained his majority. He then began work in a sawmill in Weber county, there remain- ing for several months. He was next employed on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad for several months between Greenriver and Castlegate and after the completion of the
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road was in the railroad employ for several years. He saved what he could to gain a start and in 1885 came to Idaho to look over the country, accompanied by his brother and several others. They found Jefferson, then Bingham county, a promising district but Mr. Casper decided that he would not then secure a homestead. He returned to Utah, where he remained for two or three years longer. In October, 1885, he wedded Eliza Wray and afterward worked around the old homestead there for some time, or until he had accumulated more money.
In May, 1888, Mr. Casper started for Idaho, being eleven days upon the road from Salt Lake City, traveling with one horse and an old mule as a team. He filed on his present place of one hundred and sixty acres, then covered with sagebrush, and at once he took up the arduous task of breaking the sod and transforming the land into rich and arable fields. His labors soon wrought a marked transformation in the appear- ance of the place. During the first year he built a log house, which is still standing. He then returned to Utah and that winter worked in the mines, but when spring came again took up his abode upon the farm, which he has since cultivated. Not only has he produced splendid crops but has also raised high grade stock, and his close application and indefatigable energy have been salient features in the attainment of his present day success. He has also been keenly interested in the development of the community and in everything pertaining to the betterment of the county and has assisted in building all of the roads and canals in his district.
Upon the home farm Mr. and Mrs. Casper have reared their family of eleven children: Nellie, the wife of Lyman J. Ball, of Rigby; Joseph H., manager for the Smith Mercantile Company at Lewisville; George M., living at Kilgore, Idaho; Juliana, the wife of Stephen Peterson, of Lewisville; Mary, the wife of C. H. Smith, of Holbrook, Idaho; Florence, the wife of Lloyd Peterson, of Lewisville; Eliza, Charles and Emma, all at home; William, who was a twin of Joseph and died at the age of one month; and Lucille, who died at the age of two years and two months.
Politically Mr. Casper is a republican. He belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has served as president of the elders in the Seventy and now belongs to the High Priests Quorum. Many times he has been ward teacher and on one occasion he filled a mission for the church in North Carolina but after serving a short time was released on account of illness. He has always led a busy and useful life, caring for the comforts of his family and interested in everything pertaining to the welfare and development of the district in which he lives.
ANDREW SWENSON.
Andrew Swenson, the president of the Ririe Garage Company, Ltd., of Ririe, Idaho, is in every sense of the word a self-made man who has hewed out his own career with little or no assistance. Sweden is his native land and he was born February 4, 1861, a son of Peter T. and Charisty (Peterson) Swenson. The father was an agriculturist in the old county but came to America in 1872 in quest of a more promising field for his operations. Soon after the arrival of the Swenson family on American soil, they located near Murray, Utah, where the father resumed farming which he continued to follow throughout life. He died on the home place in Utah in June, 1914, and his wife, the mother of our subjeet, survived three years, her death occurring in May, 1917.
All the formal training Andrew Swenson ever had he received while he was living in Sweden, for as soon as his father had become permanently settled in Utah he left home as a lad of eleven years to shift for himself as a farm hand and sheep herdsman. Early in his career he evinced a diligent and energetic disposition, and while little more than a youth he began sheep raising on his own account, grazing his herd on government land in the neighborhood of Murray, Utah. He was thus engaged until 1907, in which year he disposed of his sheep business to take up farming, considering it more profitable, and eame to Jefferson county, Idaho, where he bought a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres. At that time he found his land to be little more than an expanse of sagebrush but the eight years of effort he applied to it wrought a wonderful change in his farm which was brought to a high state of improvement. Eighty acres of the tract is now cultivated as a dry farm and on the other half excellent results are obtained through irrigation. He continued farming until 1915, in which year he rented his ranch and removed to Ririe to engage in business. Here he built the Amusement Hall, which he has since continued to operate, and besides his own residence he erected several houses which he
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now rents. In 1917 Mr. Swenson and his associates decided that the town of Ririe and the neighboring country could well support a distributing agency for motor vehicles and their accessories, hence they organized and incorporated the Ririe Garage Company, Ltd., of which Mr. Swenson was the first president and he is still serving in that capacity. The firm is equipped to carry on a general repair and accessory business, in addition to which it has the agency for the Oldsmobile, Willys-Knight and Overland automobiles and the J. I. Case farm tractor. Since its establishment the concern has been a pronounced success, which has been in a large measure due to the managerial ability of its president, and the extensive patronage it is now enjoying promises for it a prosperous future. Besides his business interests in and near Ririe, Mr. Swenson is a stockholder in the Gem State Grist Mill at Ucon, Idaho.
In 1899 Mr. Swenson was united in marriage to Ellen Headberg and to this union no children have been born. Both are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in the affairs of this denomination they take an active interest. In politics Mr. Swenson is a stanch republican and although he has not had time to devote to the quest of public office, he was chosen a member of the village board of Ririe and for the past two years he has served as chairman of the same. His has been an honorable and upright career marked by success. Now he is enjoying the competence which he has gathered during the many years of his unceasing toil.
HERBERT ALDRIDGE.
Herbert Aldridge, a rancher of Ustick, is the owner of sixty acres, constituting a well improved and valuable property adjoining the town limits and seven miles west of Boise. He dates his residence in Idaho from 1901, at which time he came from Lake county, Oregon, and at once purchased his present place, for which he paid sixty dollars per acre. It was at the time simply a sixty acre tract of nice level land with a modest little house and orchard. Today it is a highly improved ranch property, in the midst of which stands a substantial two-story residence of ten rooms, thoroughly modern, supplied with electric light, hot and cold water and all the conveniences of a city home. There is also a good barn upon the place and fine shade trees with well kept lawns and orchards. All of the improvements have been made by Mr. Aldridge and the place is a monument to his enterprise, thrift, care and business ability. He paid cash for the land and it took every dollar which he had to do so, but he began developing the property and his profits from his ranch have enabled him to carry forward the work of improvement. His place is situated in a neighborhood where land is now selling at from two hundred and fifty to five hundred dollars per acre, but the Aldridge ranch is not for sale at any price. In fact Mr. Aldridge is so thoroughly satisfied with his present home that he says a thousand dollars per acre would be no temptation to him. Six years after he had taken up his abode upon this place the interurban railroad from Boise to Nampa was built in front of his house and in the same year the town of Ustick was platted adjoining his ranch on the east. The railroad thus brought him into close connection with the capital city, while the smaller town provides him with many things that are needed upon the ranch.
Mr. Aldridge is a native of England, his birth having occurred in Worcestershire, December 22, 1871. He is a son of George and Emma (Ewins) Aldridge, who never came to the United States. The father, however, still resides in England and is now seventy-five years of age. Herbert Aldridge came alone across the Atlantic when a youth of sixteen years. He made his way first to Canada, where he had an older brother, George H. Aldridge, living, who is now a resident of Lake county, Oregon. Herbert Aldridge joined his brother in Canada and afterward the two brothers removed to Oregon and engaged in sheep raising in Lake county for ten years. It was in this way that Herbert Aldridge gained his start, but he did not make very substantial profits, for the price of sheep and of wool was very low at that time, which was in the '90s, when wool prices ranged from three and a half to eight cents per pound and sheep sold at two dollars per head. In 1902 Mr. Aldridge and his brother disposed of their sheep at two dollars and a half per head and he then came to Idaho and purchased his present ranch.
Just before making the investment in this property Mr. Aldridge was married on the 20th of November, 1901, near Boise, to Miss Virginia Pease, who was born in Missouri, May 4, 1882, and they have become the parents of eight children, namely: Gladys, who was born August 20, 1902; Elizabeth M., born November 11, 1904; George Horace, October
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7, 1906; Annie Virginia, June 26, 1908; Lela Mabel, March 27, 1910; Nellie Blanche, February 9, 1912; Clarence Herbert, September 9, 1913; and Emily May, March 1, 1915.
Mr. Aldridge is of the Episcopalian faith, while his wife is a Methodist, and hoth attend the Ustick Baptist church. In politics he is a republican and was one of the directors of the local school at Ustick. He is now serving his second term in that capacity. He was also deputy postmaster at Paisley, Lake county, Oregon, for two years. Fraternally he is connected with the Masons. having taken the entered apprentice degree. The Aldridge family has been at Ustick since pioneer times and none living in the locality are more highly esteemed than Mr. Aldridge and his family. His fidelity in citizenship, his sterling worth as a business man and his faithfulness in friendship are all qualities which have established him high in public regard in Ada county.
WELBY H. WALKER.
Welby H. Walker, of Lewisville, who follows farming, was born at Salt Lake City, Utah, January 8, 1864, and is a son of William H. and Mary J (Van Velsor) Walker, who are mentioned more at length in connection with the sketch of Arthur Goody on another page of this work. Welby H. Walker was reared and educated in Salt Lake City. He started upon his business career in connection with railroad grading when seventeen years of age and was thus employed for three years. In 1884 he came to Idaho, settling in Jefferson county, then a part of Oneida county, and filed on his present place of one hundred and sixty acres. This he has since improved and cultivated and he also has five acres in the town, where he resides. He has made a substantial success of his farming operations, displaying sound judgment in the further development of his fields and the care of his crops. From 1884 until 1886 inclusive he was also engaged in freighting the goods for the first store in Lewisville from Logan, Utah. He hecame a stockholder in the Intermountain Farmers Equity and is still identified therewith.
On the 10th of March, 1884, Mr. Walker was married to Miss Dido Casto and they became the parents of five children: Theodosia M., Le Roy, Veda, Lyle, and Ora, but the last named passed away in 1894. The wife and mother died in January, 1894, and on the 10th of October, 1895, Mr. Walker was married to Mrs. Sarah Taylor, who by a former marriage had three sons: Elmer, who is now a painter at Rigby; Horace, located at Twin Falls, Idaho; and George, who is farming in Jefferson county. To Mr. and Mrs. Walker have been born seven children: Oral H., who enlisted in 1918 and was soon afterward sent to France; Sarah Violet; Mary Verna; Olive Fay; Mayor W .; De Carl, who died April 20, 1918; and Eugene.
Mr. Walker belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is one of the elders in the church and a member of the Seventy. In 1895 he filled a mission to Michigan. He has been a member of the Old Folks Association for twenty-five years. His political endorsement is given the republican party and he has heen quite active in politics, serving as precinct committeeman for twenty years, while at one time he was mayor of Lewisville. His interest in public affairs has ever been of a practical character as he has always sought to develop the best interests of the community and bring about its substantial growth and improvement.
RUSSELL K. HARRIS.
Russell K. Harris, a well known representative of the farming interests of Lewis- ville and Jefferson county, was born in Smithfield, Utah, June 8, 1869, and is a son of Martin and Nancy (Homer) Harris, who were natives of Ohio and Iowa respectively. The father, a farmer by occupation, went to Utah in 1859, making the long trip across the plains with ox teams, while later he made a second trip to assist other emigrants in crossing the plains. After reaching Utah he turned his attention to farming and cultivated land in Cache county until 1885, when he removed to Jefferson county, Idaho. While in Utah it was necessary to have a guard in the early days while the settlers did their farming. Jefferson county was a part of Bingham county when Mr. Harris took up his abode within its borders. He secured a homestead a mile and a half south of Lewisville and at once began the task of tilling the soil and converting it into productive
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fields, continuing to reside thereon until called to his final rest on the 20th of September, 1913. The mother passed away in 1875.
Russell K. Harris was reared in Utah, pursuing his education in the schools of that state. He came to Idaho with his parents, remaining under the parental roof until he had attained his majority. He then started out in the business world and was employed for a time as a farm hand and also worked in brickyards in Montana in 1888 and 1889. He was ambitious, however, to own property and purchased forty acres of land from his father and also bought a forty acre tract adjoining. He then bent every energy to the further development and improvement of his eighty acre farm and has since care- fully cultivated it with good success. He afterward secured a three hundred and twenty acre homestead near Roberts and has also cultivated that property throughout the inter- vening period. He now resides in Lewisville, where he has nineteen acres of land, upon which he makes his home, and he likewise has twenty acres of the old homestead farm and seventeen and a half acres south of the town. His realty possessions have thus become extensive and from his farming interests he is now deriving a most gratifying annual income. He is a stockholder in the Intermountain Farmers Equity but the greater part of his time and attention is concentrated upon the development of hls fields and the care of his stock, the sale of which annually returns to him a substantial income.
On the 5th of December, 1894, Mr. Harris was married to Miss Eliza Walker, a daughter of William H. and Harriet (Paul) Walker, the latter a native of England. Further mention of Mr. Walker is made in connection with the sketch of Arthur Goody on another page of this work. The mother died in 1896. Mr. and Mrs. Harris became the parents of six children. Russell W. entered the service of the country on the 3d of October, 1917, and sailed overseas in July, 1918, being discharged in April, 1919. He is now farming with his father. Harriet passed away August 7, 1918, at the age of nine- teen years. Ella, Esther, William and Alfred are all at home. Dorothy, the daughter of Mr. Harris' brother, is living with them as a member of their household.
Politically Mr. Harris maintains an independent course. His religious belief is that of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He filled a mission to the central states from April, 1902, until July 3, 1904, and for a few years he served as first counselor to the bishop. His life has ever been guided by integrity and high principles, and in his business affairs he has displayed substantial qualities, which have gained for him the respect and confidence of all who know him.
L. W. KING.
L. W. King is the founder and organizer of the King Motor Company of Boise, which has developed a substantial business as distributors for Oldsmobile cars and trucks in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon. Mr. King came to Boise in the spring of 1919 and established his present business, being joined about the 1st of January, 1920, by his father, and the two are now associated in the conduct of a constantly growing business. L. W. King was born in Rushville, Nebraska, February 28, 1889, and is the only son of Frederick W. and Ella (Purdy) King, both of whom are now residents of Boise, occupying a home of their own on Harrison boulevard.
The son was reared in Nebraska and pursued his education in the public schools of that state and in the University of Denver, Colorado, being there graduated with the Bachelor of Arts degree as a member of the class of 1912. During his college days he became a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and he took an active part in college athletics and was also a member of its debating and literary societies. Since his graduation he has been identified with the automobile business. He became a travel- ing automobile salesman in Nebraska and Iowa, with headquarters in Omaha, and later he was located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he engaged in the automobile business for about two and a half years. During 1918 he served with the United States army for five months in the capacity of an instructor in motor mechanics, being at the State College at Brookings, South Dakota, for three months, and then transferred to Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky, for two months, being in the Field Artillery Officers Training School. Following the close of the war, he came to Boise in 1919 and organized the King Motor Company, which has its headquarters in the Empire building but will occupy the entire lower floor and basement of the new Masonic Temple at the corner of Tenth and Bannock streets when it is completed in the fall of 1920. About the 1st of January, 1920, Mr. King was joined by his father, who for many years had been engaged in the milling and real estate business in Omaha. Father and son
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constitute the sole owners of the business, which is rapidly increasing. The prosperity of the present time has led to the growing sale of high grade cars and the King Motor Company has already disposed of many Oldsmobiles throughout southern Idaho and eastern Oregon, having the agencies thereof for this territory.
At Boise on the 24th of December, 1919, L. W. King was married to Miss Bessie Martin, a native of Idaho, born at Star. Her father is Thomas B. Martin, of Boise, who was formerly United States marshal of Idaho and deputy warden of the state penitentiary and also at one time chief of police of Boise. Mrs. King is well known in the capital city, where for several years. she was employed as a saleslady in the Falk Mercantile Store. While Mr. King has resided here for but a brief period, he has already gained a wide acquaintance and made for himself a most creditable position in business circles. A progressive spirit always makes strong appeal to the people of the west and Mr. King has ever manifested that spirit in marked degree.
WILLIAM C. KINGHORN.
William C. Kinghorn, who follows farming four and a half miles west of Rigby and two and a half miles east of Lewisville, was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 7, 1867, and is a son of Alexander and Jane (Campbell) Kinghorn, mentioned elsewhere in this work. He was reared and educated in Salt Lake City and remained with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-five years. The family removed to Idaho when he was sixteen years of age and he afterward operated his brother's farm for two years. Later he rented his brother's place, which he cultivated in connection with forty acres of land which he had purchased. His land was wild and undeveloped when he took possession thereof, covered with a native growth of sagebrush, and his labors in the intervening years have transformed it into an excellent and productive farm, which he now carefully and successfully cultivates.
On the 25th of September, 1892, Mr. Kinghorn was married to Miss Cliffe Howard, a daughter of John and Rowennah (Ellsworth) Howard, who were natives of New York and of Utah respectively. The father made his way to Utah at an early day, becoming a mining man of that state, and he resided during the remainder of his life in Salt Lake City. He died in 1873, while the mother survived until 1881. Mrs. Kinghorn was born in Bingham Canyon, Utah, September 25, 1872, and by her marriage became the mother of nine children: Lillie, the wife of Sam Briggs, a farmer residing a mile north of her father's place; Jennie, the wife of Gibson Walker, a resident of Jefferson county; Rowennah, at home; Evelyn, the wife of Clarence Cuthbert, a farmer of Jefferson county; William, Alavon, Belle and Marguerite, all at home; and Ellen, who died in January, 1909.
Mr. Kinghorn has served on the school board and gives his political allegiance to the democratic party, while his religious faith is that of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From the age of sixteen years he has lived in Idaho, has witnessed much of its development and progress and as the years have gone by has contributed to the agricultural upbuilding of Jefferson county.
WILLIAM A. PYKE.
With the development of Idaho in various localities William A. Pyke has been identified for more than a third of a century and in the spring of 1915 he came to Dubois, where he is now the secretary and treasurer of the Dubois Mercantile Company. He was born in Hudson Heights, in the province of Quebec, Canada, March 2, 1865, and is a son of the Rev. James W. and Elizabeth (McTavish) Pyke, who were also natives of Canada. The father was an Episcopal minister throughout his entire life and was in charge of one parish in Canada for about sixty years. He passed away at Hudson Heights in February, 1896, and thus closed a life of great usefulness, while his memory remains as an inspiration and a benediction to all who knew him. He had long survived his wife, who died in April, 1879.
William A. Pyke spent his youthful days in his native city and there pursued his education. He was a youth of seventeen years when he left home and went to Colorado, where he worked for the Denver & Rio Grande Express Company until 1884. He then made his way to the west, settling first at Camas, Oneida county, Idaho, now a part of
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Jefferson county. There he hegan working for the Idaho Trading Company, with which he remained until 1885, when he removed to Nicholia, Idaho, and entered the employ of the Viola Mining & Smelting Company. Four years were thus passed, at the end of which time he made his way to Medicine Lodge, Idaho, and filed on land. He then turned his attention to ranching and continued the further development and improve- ment of that property until 1900, when he removed to the Fort Hall reservation and in partnership with another gentleman engaged in trading there until the spring of 1912. At that date he hecame a resident of Boise, where he resided until the spring of 1916, when he removed to Dubois, Clark county, then a part of Fremont county. Here with others he organized the Dubois Mercantile Company and has since managed the business. They carry a large stock and enjoy an extensive patronage. The store is well appointed and the husiness is one of substantial growth. Mr. Pyke also has farming interests in Jefferson county and is a stockholder in the ldaho Loan & Investment Company of Pocatello.
In December, 1901, Mr. Pyke was united in marriage to Miss Essie M. Fayle and to them have been born three children: James Elliott, who was born December 6, 1902; William G., who was born in August, 1904; and Elizabeth Catherine, born Decem- ber 1, 1911.
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