USA > Idaho > History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume III > Part 99
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W. E. FISHER.
W. E. Fisher is one of the extensive landowners of Ada county, having eight hun- dred and seventy-five acres near Eagle, which he purchased in 1911. He has brought his place to a state of high productivity, and his enterprise has resulted in constantly adding modern improvements and equipment, so that his ranch has become one of the valuable farm properties of this section of the state. He was born in Iowa, December 20, 1884, his parents being George and Ella (Forney) Fisher, who crossed the plains from Iowa and settled in the Boise valley in 1889. They first took up their residence on Dry creek, about a half mile from where W. E. Fisher now resides.
He attended the Lower Dry Creek school and at the age of twenty-one years secured a homestead in the Black Canyon irrigation project in Canyon county, obtaining there a tract of one hundred and sixty acres which he still owns. After proving up on that property he returned to Eagle and engaged in the live stock business. In 1911 he purchased his present place of eight hundred and seventy-five acres and upon this ranch has fed over eight hundred head of beef cattle in the winter. His is one of the largest alfalfa ranches in this section and he cuts over four hundred and fity tons of hay a year. He likewise raises wheat by dry farming and has in this way produced twenty bushels to the acre. His beef cattle are bred from pure bred bulls, so that there is no finer stock in the state, and there is no phase of stock raising with which Mr. Fisher is not thoroughly familiar, for in the early days he would ride the range and engaged many a time in broncho busting. As soon as he was old enough to own an outfit he began to ride and for a time was in the employ of John Lemp, who was one of the largest stock and land owners of Idaho.
Mr. Fisher never forgot the obligation which he owed his parents and many long days he put in on the home place to help support the family. He likewise worked on the Farmers Union ditch during its construction, driving a team and scraper for ten hours a day at a dollar per day, and if any accident occurred, such as breaking the harness, forcing him to stop to repair it, he would be docked for the time spent in repair work. His father was a poor man and had a family of fifteen children, so that
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W. E. FISHER
MRS. CLARA B. FISHER
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he was kept busy earning enough to feed them and could not acquire land. When they had to go after wood they had no equipment and it took half a day to get together an outfit from the neighbors that they might make the trip for their fuel. The parents crossed the plains with horse teams and endured many hardships en route but were not molested by the Indians although they saw many of the red men while on the journey. W. E. Fisher remembers on one occasion as the Indians were moving with their tepees he saw a large dishpan fastened to the back of a pony and in it was a papoose bouncing up and down as the pony trotted along. Mr. Fisher's parents had only two poor horses and a wagon with which to cross the plains and when they reached Wyoming one of the horses became alkalied and was of no further use, so their com- panions in the train had to lend them an old mule which was about the size of their horse and the horse was so jaded that the mule practically had to pull the whole load. The days of hardship and trial, however, have passed and as the years have gone on W. E. Fisher, overcoming the handicap of poverty and difficulty, has become one of the prosperous and representative agriculturists and stockmen of Ada county.
In 1906 Mr. Fisher was married to Miss Clara B. Aiken, daughter of T. H. Aiken, one of Idaho's prominent pioneer citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have become the parents of six children: Maybelle Mary, Thomas H., Ella Grace, Ida Pearl, Walter Edward, and Helen Lois. The family occupies an attractive home which is built of stone taken from the hills near by. The house contains ten rooms and the finest moun- tain water is supplied through pipes from the springs upon the place. The barn is a large and substantial structure, and all of the facilities and equipment of the model farm are found upon this place, Mr. Fisher sparing no effort or expense in making his one of the valuable and highly improved farm properties of the locality. There were but two hundred and eighty acres in the tract of land when he made his first purchase and from time to time he has acquired the balance. Of this two hundred and eighty acres only the bottom land was under cultivation and it produced but one hundred tons of hay and fifteen hundred bushels of grain. He has brought the soil to its present state of productivity by feeding stock upon it in winter, thus fertilizing the soil by natural processes. In 1919 he secured about six hundred tons of hay from the place and fifteen hundred bushels of grain, accomplishing this result through modern scien- tific methods of farming, combined with good judgment and unceasing effort. He now has three hundred and twenty acres under cultivation and has one hundred and twenty acres more cleared of the sagebrush and ready for the plow. One hundred and sixty acres are in alfalfa and in the following year he will have two hundred and sixty acres of former sagebrush land planted to alfalfa. He has spent approximately ten thousand dollars in improving the ranch, which was an old neglected farm when it came into his possession, and today he could sell the property at a handsome profit. The residence is beautifully located between the hills, perfectly sheltered and surrounded by fields green with growing grain. The entire farm presents a beautiful picture and is the visible evidence of the life of well directed energy and thrift which W. E. Fisher has lived.
HON. LORENZO R. THOMAS.
Hon. Lorenzo R. Thomas is numbered among Idaho's leading citizens and prom- inent attorneys, practicing law as senior partner in the firm of Thomas & Andersen at Blackfoot. He has recently retired from the position of state senator, in which con- nection he was ever allied with the progressive element of the general assembly that has sought the continued welfare and development of the state.
He was born in Hanley, Staffordshire, England, May 31, 1870, and is a son of James and Elizabeth (Richardson) Thomas, who are natives of Wales, but of English parent- age. The father was a tailor and worked at his trade in England until 1873, when he came to the new world, making his way to Salt Lake City, Utah. He later removed to Logan and in 1882 came to Idaho, settling at Eagle Rock, now Idaho Falls. There he engaged in the clothing business until 1913, when he retired from commercial pur- suits and removed to Blackfoot, where he now makes his home, but spends the winter months in California. He is now enjoying in well earned rest the fruits of his former toil. The mother is also living.
Lorenzo R. Thomas spent the period of his boyhood and youth in Utah and Idaho. He was a pupil in the public schools of the former state and continued his studies in
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Idaho after coming here with his parents when a lad of twelve years. He made his initial step in the business world as an employe in a store and after working in various mercantile establishments he was made manager of the Rexburg Mercantile Company at Rexburg, Idaho. It was while he was residing there that he was elected to the state legislature as a representative of a district comprising five counties, the same territory now embracing fifteen counties. He was a member of the third general assembly and upon its adjournment he was appointed deputy state treasurer and had absolute charge of the business of the office, serving for two years. He was afterward appointed register of the United States land office at Blackfoot by President Mckinley and still later by President Roosevelt, continuing in that position from 1897 until 1907. Later he was elected probate judge of Bingham county but after a short time resigned the office and went to Europe, where he spent the summer. Since his return he has been engaged in the practice of law and in 1913 formed a law partnership with James H. Anderson, with whom he has since been associated. The firm enjoys an extensive clientage of an important character. Aside from his law practice Mr. Thomas has various business interests, being a director and stockholder in several different cor- porations. While serving as register of the land office he was engaged in the clothing business at Rexburg and there erected a fine business block, which he afterward sold. At Blackfoot he organized the Thomas Mercantile Company, conducting business there for several years, and he still owns the building which he there occupied. He like- wise has farming interests in Bingham county, owning sixteen hundred acres of dry land and two irrigated farms, which are being operated by his brother-in-law.
Throughout the years Mr. Thomas has remained a most prominent and influential representative of the republican party and his progressive citizenship has received the endorsement of the public in his election to various offices. He has served as city attorney of Blackfoot and in 1915 he was elected to the state senate, where he served for four years, covering the thirteenth and fourteenth sessions of the Idaho general assembly. While in the upper house he gave most thoughtful and earnest considera- tion to the many important problems which came up for settlement, and his support was a helpful element in connection with many measures which have proven of marked value to the state.
On the 6th of January, 1892, Mr. Thomas was married to Miss Lillian Elliott and to them have been born the following children: Grace is the wife of Charles H. Kiefer, of Blackfoot. Willis Shoup, who married Elaine Hyde and resides at Blackfoot, served for eighteen months in the war with Germany. He was connected with the air serv- ice and was in Europe during the greater part of that time. He now has charge of the road /building department of Bingham county. He has studied law and was in the University of Utah at the time he joined the army. Lawrence Myradin, who mar- ried Delpha Williams, resides at Blackfoot, where he is engaged in farming. Glenona, sixteen years of age, and Linden M., aged nine years, are the next of the family. James died in 1909 at the age of eighteen months.
Mr. Thomas is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for three years filled a mission to England and Wales. He served in the Blackfoot stake presidency and as bishop of the second ward of Blackfoot for eight years. He is now a member of the High Council. His interest has been manifest in connection with all things which are of value in the material, intellectual, social and moral progress of the community, while in political. circles he is recognized as a leader and was an alternate member to the last republican state convention.
PETER W. BERNTSON.
Peter W. Berntson, foreman of the Teton Valley News, published at Driggs, was born in Christiania, Norway, September 5, 1882, and is a son of John and Karen (Olsen) Berntson, who were also natives of Norway. The father was a carpenter and worked at his trade in his native country until 1891, when he sought the opportunities of the new world. He made his way to the growing northwest, traveling across the country to North Dakota, where he worked at his trade. Before leaving his native land he had become a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and it was his intention to become a resident of Utah. He remained in North Dakota, however, long enough to earn money to help him on his journey. There he became
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ill and never reached his destination-Utah-for after a year he passed away in North Dakota in 1895. The mother is now living in Logan, Utah.
Peter W. Berntson was a lad of nine years when he accompanied his parents to the new world. For three years he had attended the public schools of Norway and for two years continued his studies in the public schools of North Dakota, while later he spent two years in study in Logan, Utah. In 1897, when a youth of fifteen years, he began learning the printer's trade in Logan and has since worked at that trade in various sections of the country. He came to Idaho in 1905, settling first at Rexburg, where he worked as a printer for a year and a half. He then removed to St. Anthony, where he remained for three and a half years, connected with Wood D. Parker. After an absence of a year he returned to St. Anthony, where he was again employed for six years. He then located on a ranch, of which he had charge in the absence of his wife's brother, who was called into the army. He finally sold his home in St. Anthony and removed to Driggs in February, 1919, accepting the position of foreman with the Teton Valley News. He is well qualified for this work by his long experience in the printing business and is giving excellent satisfaction.
On the 6th of April, 1914, Mr. Berntson was married to Miss Kathryn E. Farnes and to them have been born two children, John Russell and Arthur Lewis. In his political views Mr. Berntson is a democrat, and his religious faith is that of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has led a busy and active life and the thoroughness with which he has always performed his work has been the means of his progress in the line of activity which he has chosen.
DANIEL F. MURPHY.
Daniel F. Murphy, a general contractor of Boise, occupying a substantial and attractive cut stone residence, which he built in 1908, came to the city in 1903 and during the intervening period of seventeen years has been actively connected with building operations, chiefly the erection of public buildings. He was born in Spring- field, Massachusetts, September 15, 1870, one of the seven sons of Thomas B. and Mary (Fleming) Murphy. The father is now living in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the age of eighty-four years. He is a retired contractor. Both he and his wife were born in Massachusetts and the latter passed away there forty years ago. The father after- ward married again and reared a family of eight children. In tracing the ancestral line back still farther it is learned that Daniel F. Murphy is of Irish descent in the second generation removed, for his grandparents in both the paternal and maternal lines were natives of Ireland. They were Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Murphy and Mr. and Mrs. James Fleming, all of whom emigrated to the new world and became residents of Massachusetts.
Daniel F. Murphy was reared and educated in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he learned the building business under the direction of his father. When eighteen years of age he went to New York city, where he remained for more than a decade in the employ of a large contracting firm. Later he came to the west and for four years was in the service of the Campbell Building Company of Chicago. which he represented in various states of the west and south. In 1903 he arrived in Boise and for a num- her of years was a partner of Charles Storey under the firm style of Storey & Murphy. They became recognized as one of the prominent building firms of the state and they, together with several other firms, were engaged on the building of Idaho's splendid new capitol. They also erected the Odd Fellows block in Boise and various other important structures of the city. During the past six years Mr. Murphy has also had the con- tract for the erection of various public buildings in other sections of the state, including the interurban depots at Nampa and Caldwell and the high school building and the hospital at Pocatello. In fact he has erected important structures throughout southern Idaho and is now engaged on the execution of a contract for a two hundred thousand dollar state asylum in Wyoming.
On the 6th of February, 1900, Mr. Murphy was married to Miss Emma Louise Woes- ner and they have one son, Raymond, born April 9, 1905, and now a high school pupil. Their religious faith is that of the Catholic church.
Fraternally Mr. Murphy is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and he gives his political allegiance to the republican party, but has never sought or been a candidate for office. He has always concentrated his efforts and energies upon
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his business affairs and from the age of nineteen years, when he left home, has heen entirely dependent upon his own resources. The thoroughness and reliability of his work have been dominant elements of his present day prominence and prosperity.
WILLIAM H. EVANS.
William H. Evans, who up to recently lived in the Maple Grove school neighborhood, Ada county, and at present is the owner of a most desirable fifteen-acre ranch in Collister, near Boise; was born in Jefferson county, Missouri, September 11, 1880. His parents, George and Anna (Huff) Evans, were also natives of Missouri, where they spent their entire lives. George Evans has been dead for some years and his wife died when the son, William H., was a child of eight. The latter has two sisters living in Missouri but no living brother.
Mr. Evans was reared on his father's farm in Jefferson county, Missouri, and was married there, March 23, 1904, to Bessie Spencer, who was born in the same neighbor- hood, September 12, 1881, and is a daughter of Andrew J. Spencer, known as "Zach" Spencer. It was in 1911 that they came to Idaho and lived for one year on Fish creek in Blaine county. They then removed to a ranch near Wendell, Gooding county, where for several years Mr. Evans owned one hundred and sixty acres, which was well irrigated. In 1918 he sold that ranch and removed to South Boise but in July of the same year he located on an excellent eighty-six acre ranch near the Maple Grove school. In the spring of 1920 he sold the latter place for twenty-four thousand dollars and hought the fine and highly improved fifteen-acre ranch near Boise, known as the Charles Blaisdell ranch, a half mile north of Collister, where he and his family are making their home, which farm for its size has few equals in Ada county., Mr. and Mrs. Evans are the parents of four children, namely: Stanley, horn December 10, 1904; Jean, February 9, 1907; Violet, March 17, 1909, and Spencer, March 16, 1912.
Mr. Evans is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Masonic order. He supports the democratic party hut has never been an office seeker. Mrs. Evans is a member of the Mountain View Club of Maple Grove district and takes an active interest in the social and cultural affairs of the community in which she and her husband make their home.
JAMES B. HITT:
James B. Hitt, a rancher living at Malta, Cassia county, was born at Culpeper Courthouse, Virginia, September 28, 1851, and is a son of John R. and Laura (Brown) Hitt. He was only eight years of age when he left the Old Dominion with his parents, who removed with their family to Howard county, Missouri, where the father pur- chased farm land which he tilled and cultivated for some time. James B. Hitt re- mained at that place to the age of seventeen years and then made his way westward to Elko, Nevada, where he engaged in cow punching for a year. He next went to Sacramento, California, and afterward to the Grande Ronde valley of Oregon, spending a short time in Union county. He subsequently returned to Nevada and on the 16th of January, 1875, came to Idaho, making his way first to Goose creek in Owyhee county. Again he was employed at cow punching by the firm of Russell & Bradley, with whom he continued until 1881, when he took charge of the ranch of J. Q. Shirley on the Raft river, there continuing until March 15, 1883, when the Shirley interests were sold to Keough Brothers of Salt Lake City. Mr. Hitt, however, remained with the latter until 1885. In 1883, however, he took up his present ranch while with Keough Brothers and secured four hundred and eighty acres of land. He built thereon a one-room frame house and with characteristic energy began tilling the soil and improving his place. He is now the owner of six hundred and fifty acres and is prominently known as a successful cattleman, handling Durham and Hereford cattle. He has altogether twelve hundred head and the extent and importance of his live stock and ranchIng interests place him with the leading business men of this section of the state. He is also the president of the Stockgrowers Bank of Pocatello. Throughout his business career he has readily recognized and utilized opportunities that others have passed heedlessly by. He displays sound judgment and keen sagaclty and his unfaltering enterprise has
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enabled him to overcome all difficulties and obstacles in his path and advance steadily to the goal of success.
On the 24th of December, 1883, Mr. Hitt was married to Miss Jane L. Parke, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Parke. Mrs. Hitt removed to the Raft River district with her parents in 1871. Her father took up a ranch, built a log house and concen- trated his efforts and attention upon the improvement of his property, which was soon greatly transformed through his unfaltering efforts. He engaged in cattle raising for a time and later sheep raising and he continued upon the ranch until his demise. Mr. and Mrs. Hitt have become parents of nine children: Laura, James, John, Maud, Maggie, Jennie, Grover, Joel and Emma. The three last named died in infancy.
When Mr. Hitt settled upon his ranch the Indians were numerous in this section of the state and at various times went upon the warpath. White people were killed and life was not at all safe for many years. Moreover, there were many difficult con- ditions to face and many hardships to be horne. Kelton, Utah, was the nearest post- office and trading point and Silver City was the county seat-a distance of two hundred and sixty miles. Later the seat of government was removed to Albion and finally to Burley. Mr. Hitt has ever borne his part in the arduous task of developing wild land, reclaiming it for the purposes of civilization and furthering the work of progress in every possible way. He at one time served as a director of the State Normal Col- lege under the Governor Hawley administration and in 1890 he was elected to represent his district in the Idaho state senate. He has always heen a believer in democratic principles, voting at all times in support of the party. His interest in the welfare of the state has heen of a most deep and abiding character and his labors for Idaho's up- building have heen far-reaching and resultant.
PROFESSOR OLIVER O. YOUNG.
Professor Oliver O. Young, principal of the Boise high school during the past four years, was born upon a farm near Canton, in Stark county, Ohio, June 24, 1881, a son of the Rev. George and Christine (Overmyer) Young, the former a clergyman of the English Lutheran church. Both parents have now passed away. The father was born in Alsace, France, and was of French lineage. He crossed the Atlantic in 1838 with his parents, being at that time an infant, his birth having occurred in 1837. His father was George Young, who settled with his family in Holmes county, Ohio. There the Rev. George Young was reared and in 1869 he married Christine Overmyer, a native of Perry county, Ohio, who came of Pennsylvania Dutch and Irish ancestry. Rev. Young and his family removed from Stark county, Ohio, to Johnson county in eastern Kansas and while a resident of that state he served as pastor of several churches of the English Lutheran faith. Later he went with his family to Oregon, establishing his home near Portland, and his last days were passed in the northwest His death occurred in Oregon in 1904, while the mother survived until 1918. Of their children only two are living, the surviving daughter being Mrs. Lydia Buchholz, of Oregon City, Oregon.
The son, Professor Oliver O. Young, acquired his early education in the schools of Kansas and was graduated from the high school at Olathe, Kansas, seven miles from his home in the town of Lenexa. While he graduated in 1899, he did not at once take up the profession of teaching but for a short time clerked in a grocery store at Decatur, Illinois. In the fall of 1900 he entered Bethany College at Lindsborg, Kansas, where he pursued a four years' course, being graduated in 1904 with the Bachelor of Arts degree. He then turned his attention to teaching and has since been engaged in edu- cational work in Kansas, South Dakota and Idaho. He was for two terms principal of the schools at Long Island, Kansas, and in 1907 went to Huron, South Dakota, to accept the position of principal of the high school there. He remained in that position for three years and for one year was instructor in the department of history in the Uni- versity of South Dakota at Vermilion. From 1911 until 1915 he was assistant state superintendent of public instruction in the state of South Dakota and was located dur- ing that period at Pierre. In January, 1915, he matriculated in the University of Chicago for post-graduate work and there continued his studies until July of the same year. In 1914 the University of South Dakota conferred upon him the Master of Arts degree. In July, 1915, he accepted the position of principal of the high school of Boise and at once took charge, holding the position throughout the intervening period of
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