History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889, Part 62

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe, 1832-1918; Victor, Frances Fuller, 1826-1902
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: San Francisco : History Co.
Number of Pages: 880

USA > Idaho > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 62
USA > Montana > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 62
USA > Washington > History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889 > Part 62

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

557

LEWISTON AND MOSCOW.

Nez Percé Indian reservation, and south of it, is a tract of lower lying and warmer land of superior quality. One township south of the Clearwater, with two fractional ones, raised, in 1883, 30,000 tons of wheat. Fruit also does well. The winters are short and mild. At Lewiston, along the river bottoms, and in low and sheltered localities, grapes, peaches, and apricots of a large size and fine flavor are easily raised. The staple productions of Nez Perce county are wheat, barley, flax, hay, and vegetables. 18

18 Perhaps from the desire to avoid the neighborhood of the Indian reser- vation, perhaps iu anticipation of the Northern Pacific railroad, the lands north of the Clearwater were more eagerly seized upon than the warmer and equally fertile land on the south side. A number of towns grew up between 1875 and 1885. Moscow, in Paradise Valley, was founded iu 1878, and a braneh railroad connected it with the trunk line. Mention is made of extraor- dinary vegetable productions in Paradise Valley, such as turnips weighing 14 pounds, beets weighing 22 pounds, potatoes weighing 4 pounds and onions 6 pounds; while sugar-cane, corn, melons, and hardy fruits attain marvellous proportions. In every new country and virgin soil similar phenomena are observed; but the region of Palouse River has produced some remarkable specimens of vegetables, and wonderful erops of grain. The trade of Moscow amounted in 1SS2 to $400,000. Schools, churches, and a public library sprang up, and a newspaper, the Moscow Mirror, was published by C. B. Reynolds. Lewiston, the county seat, was the principal town south of the Clearwater, with whose carly history the reader is acquainted. It did not long remain a canvas town, intruding upon an Indian reservation, watched by a military company to keep the peace, populated by adventurers with a large proportion of the eriminal classes, gamblers, horse-thieves, and highwaymen, who met here to intercept the successful miner on his homeward road. On the removal of the capital, and the rush of miners to southern Idaho, it remained for years a quict, Mexican-looking town of one principal strect, and one or two side streets, its most interesting institution being the large warehouse where could be seen miners' pack-saddles and outfits. A new life was infused by the settlement of the country north of the Clearwater, and the construction of a branch of the Northern Pacific railway. The one-story structures of the carlier period rapidly gave way to large fine buildings. Avenues of trees sprang up to shade its sandy streets, and gardens of the choicest flowers beautified its homesteads. With its fine location on a point between two rivers, sloping back gradually to the grassy, rolling hills, its admirable climate, and rich agricultural surroundings, Lewiston with many was the favorite city of the Snake River country. Fort Lapwai and the Indian agency were twelve miles from Lewiston, in the pretty little Lapwai Valley. Camp Howard was also about 75 miles away, on the south side of the reser- vation. After the purchase of the land from the Nez Percés in 1863-7, a conflict of titles arose, claim being laid to certain settled portions of the town by Alonzo Gilman, who in common with others occupied the land before a title could be acquired. At all events, so it was decided by the commis- sioner of the U. S. land office. The town site was entered by Levi Ankeny in trust for the inhabitants of Lewiston in 1871, having been incorporated in 1866, and the commissioner allowed the claim. Lewiston Signal, June 28, 1873; Idaho Laws, ISGG-7, 87, 1872-3, 16-21. The other early towns of the county were Cottonwood, Genesee, Thorn, Lidyville, Blain, Four Mile, Palouse, Mountain Cove, Camas Creek, and Pine Creck. The population in 1883 was 4,500, and the assessed valuation for the previous year $1,327,616.

558

MATERIAL AND SOCIAL PROGRESS.

Oneida county, the south-east corner of Idaho, was early settled by Mormons, being organized by the legislature of 1865. It occupied a large extent of territory, about one quarter of which was taken up by the Fort Hall Indian reservation. The resources of Oneida county are varied. It has two agricultural districts of great fertility and considerable extent, the Malade and Cache valleys, aside from the fertile lands adjacent to Snake River, which extends for 100 miles along the northern and western boundary of the county, and gathers its many head waters into the main stream within these limits.19

Ezra Bird, born in Schoharie co., N. Y., in 1839, came to Cal. by sea in 1861, remaining in S. F. one year, when he removed to Idaho and engaged in mining, express-carrying, and cattle-raising. He was elected sheriff of Nez Percé co. in 1873, serving 3 terms. He married Alice Odle in 1873.

S. C. Hale, born in Gardiner, Me, in 1829, arrived in Cal. by sailing vessel in 1850, and after a year's residence at Napa, returned home as he came. The following year he came out to Or. and resided there 4 years, when he again went home, and married Fidelia Matthews, by whom he has 1 child, a daughter. In 1858 he came out a 3d time, to Olympia, W. T., where he had a brother, C. H. Hale. In 1862 he went to Idaho and settled at Lewiston.

Edmund Pearcy, born in Bedford co., Va, in 1832, came overland to Cal., via Sonora, with a drove of cattle, in 1853. Leaving the cattle in the San Joaquin Valley, he went to Or., settling in Multuomah co., where he had 3 brothers. In 1856 he went to Scott Valley, Cal., to mine, with his brother James. Ou their return his brother was killed by Indians at Grave Creek hill. In 1859 he went with the Mullan expedition as far as the Bitter Root Mountains, returning to winter at Walla Walla, where he remained 2 years, when he went to Lewiston. He married Mrs Jennie Davis in 1881. His brother, Nathan Pearcy, resided at Portland.

John B. Menomy, born in New York city in 1828, came to Cal. by sea in 1849, remaining in San Francisco until 1856, when he went to Monterey, and thence to the Pajaro Valley. In 1866 he went to the Boise mines, and from there to Lewiston the following year, where he remained. He married in 1864 Mary E. Gloyed, who died. He married a second time, Emma R. Lent, by whom he had 1 child, which died. The mother followed in ISSI. He has a brother, Edward T. Menomy, in San Francisco.

J. Clindinning, born in St Stephen's, New Brunswick, in 1831, came to Cal. overland in 1851, with a horse-team, in company with H. H. Sloan, arriving at American Valley, Plumas co., in July. He mined in different localities for 3 years, when he settled at Crescent City until 1862, at which time he went to the Nez Perce mines, remaining in Elk City 5 years. Sub- sequently he traded in the mines of Kootenai and Warren, Idaho, and also in the Montana mines, having his headquarters at Lewiston, where he still resides. He married H. E. Martin in 1881.

19 Cache Valley, or the valley of Bear River, called also Gentile Valley to distinguish it from the Mormon settlement of Bear Lake, has been pronounced the garden-spot of Oneida county. Round Valley, which is the upper end of Cache Valley, is the wheat granary of southern Idaho and northern Utah. The land-office for this district is at Oxford in this valley. The Utah and Northern railroad passes through it. The Idaho Enterprise is published at Oxford, and has run ever since 1878, J. A. Straight, editor and publisher.

559

OWYHEE COUNTY.

Owyhee county, organized by the first legislature of Idaho, and once regarded as the chief silver-pro- ducing region of the country, long retained its eminence as a mining region. Though never an agricultural county, it had much good land on Jordan, Reynolds, Sinker, Catherine, and other creeks, and in the valley of the Bruneau, where some fine farms were made. But the chief business has been stock-raising.20

Swan Lake, a lovely sheet of water, abounding in fish and water-fowl, is a silvery mirror reflecting the sharply pencilled outlines of the Wasatch range. The scenery all about Round Valley is fascinating. The foothills furnish excellent ranges for stock. W. H. Cooper, in 1880, sold $10,000 worth of horses off these natural pastures. Malade Valley, population in 1880, 2,500, contained in 1885 many of the finest farms in Idaho. Malade City, the prin- cipal town, with a population of 1,200 and the county seat of Oneida, has been made an attractive place, the streets having ditches of pure running water, and gardens thickly set with trees. The court-house cost $12,000, and with other public buildings gives an air of substantial prosperity to the town.

Henry Peck, sometime probate judge, was the first settler in Malade Valley, in the spring of 1865. During the summer Benjamin Thomas, Lewis Goutler, James McAllister, Richard Jones, and others made locations, and in 1866 there was an influx of Josephite Mormons. Silver City Idaho Avalanche, March 11, 1876. Franklin became an important place; also Soda Springs, from the curative properties of the waters, a second Saratoga or a German Spa, Weston, Cherry Creek, Chadville, Samaria, Battle Creek-so called from a battle fought with the Bannacks in 1863-4, the road passing through a defile named Connor's cañon, because General Connor was here attacked by the Indians under Pocatella in ambush, and defeated them; Mink Creek, St John, Swan Lake, Nine Mile, Arimo, Oneida, Belle Marsh, Port Neuf, Poca- tella, Ross Fork, Blackfort, Shoshone, Eagle Rock, Camas, Pleasant Valley, and Beaver Cañon were in 1885 small towns or railroad stations.

Oneida co. had in 1885 six grist-mills and 30 saw-mills, the salt-works be- fore mentioned, the mining district of Cariboo, and the placer mines of Snake River, besides its farming and stock-raising, to create wealth. Population 7,500; assessed valuation $1,401,410, exclusive of railroad property on the Indian reservation, which it crosses, and where the company has refused to pay taxes. It had more wealth and greater advantages than any other dis- trict in Idaho with the exception of Ada and Nez Perce counties. Various attempts were made for the suppression of polygamy in Idaho, but all through the early period of its history the Mormon influence there was strong enough successfully to oppose such efforts.

20 In 1882 the taxable property of Owyhee was assessed at $665,152, of which $321,979 was for live-stock. Cattle were assessed at $10 a head, and sheep at $1.50, while horses were valued at ten dollars and upwards. The number of cattle in the county was given at 24,559, the number of sheep at 15,150, the number of horses at 2,046. Dairying was followed in the lower Jordan Valley. There was little timber. Game abounded on the plains and among the hills, and mineral springs of value were found in the eastern part of the county. The county seat was removed from Ruby City to Silver City in 1866-7, which place finally absorbed the former, and grew into a scattering collection of residences and quartz-mills, covering two sides of Jordan Cañon. The Avalanche newspaper was published here, and was an authority on mines, and altogether a valuable journal to the territory. The early towns of Owyhee county were not numerous or large. Fairview, a thriving little city, suffered

560

MATERIAL AND SOCIAL PROGRESS.

Shoshone county was the first part of Idaho mined and settled. It was soon abandoned by its mercurial population, attracted by gold discoveries elsewhere. The whole region is elevated and broken, except on the plains near the junction of the North Fork with the Clearwater, where there is a body of fine agri- cultural land, which was rapidly settled. There were extensive forests of fir, pine, cedar, spruce, and hem- lock on the mountains and the bottoms of the streams, to be rafted down the Clearwater to mills and market.21

Washington county was laid off along the Snake River for a hundred miles, commencing at no great distance south of the mouth of Salmon River. The country is much broken, the valley of the Weiser being the largest body of farming land in this dis- triet. Lower Weiser Valley had 25,000 acres of fertile bottoms.22

a loss of $100,000 by fire in October 1876. Boonville, Ruby City, Camp Lyon, Flint, Reynolds Creek, Castle Creek, South Mountain, MeKenzie, and Bru- ncau were mining and farming settlements of no great importance. The population of the county in 1885 was 1,600.

21 The population of the county in 1885 was 800. Pierce City, the county seat, had connection with Lewiston by stage over a good road for 90 miles. The town of Oro Fino was destroyed by fire in August 1867, but the mines of Oro Fino district continued to be worked, and the inhabitants manifested a faith in their county and its resources which enabled them to keep up an organization and representation in the legislature, against the efforts of the more populous counties to disorganize it. The property of Shoshone county was assessed in 1882 at $44,368.

22 Little Salmon Meadows in the north, Council Valley in the central, and Indian Valley in the eastern part of the county, and several other small bodies of rich land, are all good farming or grazing sections. This place was founded in 1880, by Solomon Jeffries, who donated ground for the county buildings. It was laid off in blocks of five acres each, with streets a hundred feet wide. Building was begun in 1881, and in 1883 there were 250 inhabi- tants, with a good court-house and jail, a school-house, a town-hall, a flouring mill, three general merchandise establishments, three hotels, thrce livery- stables, hardware, harness, and saddlery stores, a brewery, drug store, and all the conveniences needed by a young community. The Weiser City Leader, a weekly newspaper, was published by II. C. Street, connected with various democratic publications in the carly years of Boisé basin. The town of Boomerang was laid out near the mouth of the Payette River. Other settlements were Mann Creek, Salubria, Old's Ferry, Brownlce Ferry, or Ruthburg, and Council Valley. Two brothers named Wilkinson were the first settlers on the upper Weiser, where they took farming claims in 1863, and made beautiful homesteads. In 1864 the Abernethy brothers, the Allison brothers, and one Jewell located in the neighborhood. On the lower river, Shaw, Thomas Galloway, Woodson Jeffries, James Galloway, and Havens were pioneers, and had many a tilt with the Shoshones and Piutes.

561

SURVEY AND SOCIETY.

Surveys of the public lands in Idaho began in 1866, when L. F. Cartee was appointed surveyor- general, with his office at Boisé City. The initial point of survey was fixed on the summit of a rocky butte, standing isolated in the plain between the Boisé and Snake rivers, on the parallel of 43º 36' of north latitude, distant nineteen miles from Boisé City, in the direction of south 292° west. Congress, in 1864, had appropriated $10,000, under which the contracts were let for establishing the standard lines. 28

Of the social condition of Idaho, it is indicative of the character of its permanent residents that they have been from the first a reading community and that more books of the better class may be found in the homes and camps throughout the territory, than in many towns of a like population in the older states, east and west. Shoup says that farmers of Lemhi county are as intelligent and refined a class as can be found anywhere; and similar statements are made concerning other counties. Twenty newspapers were published in Idaho in 1884. Owing to the fact that the 16th and 36th sections granted by congress to each state for common-school purposes cannot be sold

" The population of Idaho in 1870 was 14,999; in 1880, 32,611; and in 1883, 52,320, including 5,000 Chinese; finances prosperous; valuation of property, exclusive of mining claims, which are not taxed, in 1882, $9,339,071; bonded indebtedness, $69,248; and the estimated surplus in 1883 was $60,000. Governor's Message, 1882, 3-6; Treasurer's Rept, 1882, 3. Manufactures few; mills in 1880, grist 16, lumber 48, others 98. Lime was made in Ada and Alturas counties. Pottery was attempted as early as 1863, by Pliny Thayer, at Idaho City. Fish were cured in brine for market at the Great Payette Lake by two companies. A small trade in furs was continued after the settlement of Idaho, increasing after 1869, when Orchard and Cohn be- gan shipping east by rail. The skins were marten, fisher, mink, and beaver, and were taken in the country between the Salmon and Payette rivers. There was quite a local trade in wild meat in the shooting season. A ganie law was enacted in 1863-4, for the protection of the larger game from Fcb. to July, throughout the territory, which was not strictly regarded in the mountains. There was also a law for the preservation of quail, grouse, and ducks, from March to August, in the county of Ada; and to prevent the de- struction of their eggs, or the trapping of birds in any part of the territory. Fish-wears were also declared a nuisance, and the use of giant powder for- bidden in the taking of fish.

HIST. WASH .- 36

562

MATERIAL AND SOCIAL PROGRESS.

until the territory has become a state, Idaho, like every other territory, has been compelled to support its schools as best it has been able. The annual reve- nue for schools, derived from the interest on escheated estates, grants or bequests made for the support of the schools, and from a tax on all taxable property of not less than two mills or more than eight on the dollar, has amounted to $25,000. The tax collectors and county treasurers received no fees for their services. The territorial comptroller was ex-officio superin- tendent of public instruction, serving also without salary.24

24 See Idaho Laws, 1879, 14-26; Governor's Rept, 1880, 14-15. The school law of 1864 gave one per cent of gross proceeds of all toll-roads, bridges, ferries, and all other franchises to the school fund. The law of 1875 set apart fines for the same purpose. Each county received the exclusive benefit of its own educational resources, receiving no aid from the territory, Lewiston and Boisé City alone having graded schools. Private means were often devoted to school purposes, since school-houses are as plentiful here as elsewhere. A bill to grant lands to Idaho for university purposes became a law of congress June 15, 1880; but it has been suggested by Governor Neil that a grant of land for the support of common schools in each of the territories would be the greater benefit. Indeed, congress did grant, in February 1881, 72 sections of public lands for school purposes, under certain restraints. The immediate benefit to the territory was insignificant. Congress gives annually a large amount of money for the maintenance of schools on Indian reservations, and not a cent for the education of the first generation of white children in the new commonwealths of the federal union.

The Boisé Valley seminary, a private institute, was founded at Boise City in the spring of 1867, by H. Hamilton. A movement was made in 1874 at Boisé City, toward founding a university at that place.

The earliest religious teachers in Idaho were the missionaries at Lapwai and Kamiah, and at the Cœur d'Alene Lake, whose operations have been re- corded in a previous volume. Hist. Or., i. ch. xiii. Peter J. De Smet, the pioneer of the Cœur d'Alene country, died at St Louis, May 23, 1873. He was a native of Belgium, born in 1801. H. H. Spalding, the pioneer of Lap- wai, died at that place, August 3, 1874, in his 73d year. Gray's Or. Presby- tery, 11. A. B. Smith left the country in 1841. De Smet, at Cœur d'Alene, named the St Joseph River in Idaho, and the St Ignatius in Montana, when the whole country was called a part of Oregon. Gregory Mengarini and Nicholas Point, two jesuit fathers, began the mission of the sacred heart, on St Joseph's River, in 1841, directly north of Lapwai. It was found that the waters of the Lake backed up in the season of floods, and prevented the im- provements necessary to carrying out their plans. Therefore, in 1846, they removed to the present site of the Cœur d'Alene mission on the river of that name. The church, built of wood in a poor imitation of M. Angelo's San Miniato on the hill, stood on a knoll surrounded by low, flat, alluvial lands. Approaching from the west it was seen at the other end of the valley, facing north. In the rear was the residence of the fathers-a rustic cottage with overhanging caves, and a narrow piazza all round it. A hundred fect to the west was the refectory, and grouped around the sides of the knoll were 50 wigwams and cabins. In front of and to the east of the church considerable ground was enclosed by a substantial rail fence. Here the Indians labored

563

CHURCH AND CHARITY.

Little had been done in 1886 by the government for the improvement of Idaho. Its public buildings were

as much as they could be prevailed upon to do. P. P. Joset, who succeeded Mengarini at this mission, taught the Indians agriculture. Point, who was in charge, was succeeded in 1847 by Gazzoli, who remained for many years at this mission. It was said he belonged to an illustrious Italian family. Dalles Mountaineer, Nov. 21, 1865; Walla Walla Statesman, Sept. 2, 1864; Shea's Missions, 476; Kip's Army Life, 78-9. A fire destroyed the mission in 1864, which was rebuilt. Gazzoli died June 10, 1882. Palouse Gazette, June 23, 1882. Mengarini and Zerbinati established the mission of St Igna- tius on Clarke Fork of the Columbia River, north-east of Kalispcl or Pend d'Oreille Bay in 1844. De Smet's Missions, 180-1. It lay in a prairie, and the buildings were begun in 1845. In 1846 it had 14 houses and a large barn, with everything prepared for erecting a church. Three hundred acres were fenced and sowed, and the missionaries had 30 cattle. On ascension day, 1843, P. Hoecken baptized over 100 Indian adults. He was joined and assisted by Ravelli. De Smet first selected the St Joseph as the proper site of a mission, but removed to the Cœur d'Alene River after a trial of two or three seasons, finding the ground too wet at the place first selected. The protestant mission of Spalding, under the patronage of the American Board of Foreign Missions, was established in 1836-7, on the Clearwater, in the warm and fertile valley of the Lapwai. Lapwai signifies place of meeting, or a boundary, and was the dividing line between the upper and lower Nez Percés. Victor's Or., 121-4. The residence was a one-story log house. A saw-mill and grist-mill were erected, and good crops raised, while the Indians were taught farming and christian ethics. The Cayuse war was the cause of the abandonment of the mission in 1847. After white people began to go into the Nez Perce country to mine, Spalding returned as a teacher to the Indians at Lapwai, and there died. Henry Hart Spalding, son of the missionary, settled at Almota, Whitman county, Washington, in 1872. He married, in 1875, Mary Warren. He built the first road out of Almota toward Colfax.

The first church erected in Idaho was by the catholics, in 1863, at Idaho City, by A. Z. Poulin, dedicated by Father Mesplie. In the following spring there was a protestant church erected by C. S. Kingsley, methodist clergyman aud merchant as he was quoted in the city directory. Both of these churches were ou Commercial Street. The great fire of 1865 destroyed the methodist church, and a building was afterward put up to serve for the use of all de- nominations, and used also as a court-house, for which purpose it was finally sold in 1866. Idaho World, Sept. 9, 1865; Virginia and Helena Post, Nov. G, 1866. The catholics also erected the church of St Bernard at Placerville, and the chapels of St Dominick and St Francis at Centreville and Pioneer City, all in 1863-4. They were first at Boise City, as well. A very determined effort was made by the catholics to obtain the patronage of Idaho in religious and educational matters. Owing partly to this, partly to Mormon influence, there were but thrce protestant churches prior to 1871, and four sunday- schools. The number of churches had increased in 1874 to 15, after which time there was a steady improvement in religious architecture. A bible so- ciety was established in 1871. The first session of the Idaho conference of the methodist church was held Sept. 17, 1SS4. The baptist association meets annually.

The people of Idaho, even in the wildest whirl of early events, were not forgetful of charities. In 1864 a hospital for the indigent sick was provided in Boisé county, the county commissioners being authorized by law to make a levy, not exceeding $2 annually, upon each taxable inhabitant, in addition to a tax not exceeding a quarter of one per cent upon the value of all taxable property. I. H. Harris was the first attendant physician, and A. S. Goodrich had charge of the hospital. The county of Ada had a poor-farm, with good buildings. The legislature of 1864 authorized the commissioners of each

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana : 1845-1889, Part 62

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe, 1832-1918; Victor, Frances Fuller, 1826-1902 Publication date: 1890 Publisher: San Francisco : History Co. Number of Pages: 880

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe, 1832-1918; Victor, Frances Fuller, 1826-1902
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: San Francisco : History Co.
Number of Pages: 880