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The next permanent white American settler was Wm. Craig, who
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THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
appears to have come into the Nez Perce country from one of the western states with his wife (who was a half-breed Indian woman) in about the year 1842, and settled on a tract of land which was lat- er within the boundaries of the Nez Perce Indian reservation. Mr. Craig seemed to understand how to get along peacefully with the Indians. He lived there for many years and until he died, often ren- dered valuable service to the whites in the settlement and develop- ment of that portion of the country in the early sixties.
The next attempted settlement was made by a small party of Mormons in what is now a portion of Lemhi county in the eastern portion of Idaho, in 1855. They built what was called old Lort Lemhi and began the cultivation of some of the agricultural land with the view of making permanent homes, but after some two years stay, the Indians became so troublesome they were forced to leave and return to Utah territory from whence they had come.
The next permanent settlement made in what is now Idaho ap- pears to have been in and around where Lewiston now stands at the junction of the Clearwater river with the Snake, in 1860, and also a few prospectors for gold mines in the southern portion of Sho- shone county at the small mining camps later called Pierce City, Orofino and Elk City. Placer gold having been discovered in these small camps, quite a number came in 1860, and more in 1861. In 1861, more extensive and richer placer mines were discovered fur- there east in the mountains at a place called Florence, a few miles from the Salmon river, now in Idaho county. There was a great rush for these mines, several thousand people went in. A few did well, while many were losers. This rush of people to the mining camps gave the people and town of Lewiston quite a boost as Lewiston was situated at the head of steamboat navigation on the Snake river. There were quite a number of business houses erected there in 1862. The material consisted principally of board sidings and canvas roofs. In the summer of 1862, another placer mining camp was discovered south of the Salmon river called Warrens which was not very rich nor extensive. Late in the fall of 1862, more extensive and much richer placer mines were discovered in what is known as Boise Ba- sin in Boise county which attracted people from all over this coast.
The reader must bear in mind that when all these mines were dis- covered and towns and settlements made, in what is now Idaho, up to March 3, 1863, Idaho was a portion of Washington territory, and the Territorial laws of Washington territory extended over us. A few locations of farming land were made in the Boise and Payette valleys prior to the year 1863.
On December 20, 1861, the Legislature of Washington territory
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EARLY SETTLERS IN IDAHO
passed an act to "create and organize Idaho county," and on the same day passed an act "to create and organize Nez Perce county," and on December 21, 1861, passed an act to "establish and define the boundaries of Shoshone county." (See pages 3 and 4, Ninth Reg- ular Session Laws, held at Olympia, W. T., 1861 and 1862.)
At their next session held in 1862 and 1863 they passed an act "to create and organize Boise county." So at the time Idaho was created by act of Congress, approved March 3, 1863, we had three organized counties, viz., Nez Perce, Idaho and Boise, and the boundary lines of Shoshone county established by law but no orga- nization.
Soon after the approval of the act of Congress of March 3, 1863, the President of the United States appointed a corps of territorial officers for the territory of Idaho, towit: On March 10, 1863, Will- iam H. Wallace, Governor, William B. Daniels, Secretary, Sidney Edgerton, Chief Justice, Alex C. Smith and Samuel Parks, Associ- ate Justices. Dolphus Payne was appointed U. S. Marshal on March 13, 1863. There does not appear to have been any person to accept the position of U. S. Attorney until February 29, 1864, when George C. Hough was appointed. Most of these officers were in the east when appointed, and did not get out here for some considerable time, owing to the long, slow and roundabout way. They had to come by water from the east to the Pacific coast. We have no rec- ord of the exact date of their arrival, but presume the Governor arrived some time in the following July as his appointment of John M. Bacon, Territorial Auditor, was made July 23, 1863. Derrick S. Kenyon was appointed Territorial Treasurer Septem- ber 7, 1863.
The delay of the Federal officials in getting to Idaho did not stop the wild rush of people to the rich placer gold mines in Boise Basin, situated in Boise County which had been discovered in the fall of 1862. They came in large numbers, horseback and afoot. A few made selections of agricultural lands and built cabins thereon. Major Lugeanbeal with a detachment of U. S. troops located the present military post, Fort Boise, early in July, 1863. A few days later, Cyrus Jacobs, Thomas Davis, H. C. Riggs and a few others laid out and started the present town of Boise.
Section 4 of the act of Congress creating a territorial govern- ment for Idaho, provides among other things "that the Governor, previous to the first election, shall cause a census of enumeration to be made of the voters and divide the territory into legislative districts, apportion the numbers for each district, call an election,
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canvass the returns, issue certificates of elections, name the place for them to meet, etc."
The first election was called and held on October 31, 1863. The time and place appointed and directed by the Governor for the Legislature to meet was on the seventh day of December, 1863, at Lewiston.
CHAPTER LXII.
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE STATE OF IDAHO.
This Society was created by act of the Ninth Session of the leg- islature of the State of Idaho, approved March 12, 1907. The act did not take effect until sixty days after the adjournment of the session. The act provided for the taking over of the property holdings of the Historical Society of Idaho Pioneers, a corporation organized first on February 10th, 1881, when articles of incorpora- tion were filed in the office of the Secretary of the Territory. In 1896 they re-incorporated and filed Articles of Re-Incorporation with the Secretary of State on March 3rd.
The act of March 12th, 1907, provided, among other things, that the Governor should appoint three trustees who should have control of the property taken over from the old Pioneer Society, to "manage and conserve the same for the use and benefit of the State." The act also provided that the trustees should appoint a Librarian to care for and keep this property on exhibition for the benefit of the people. Other duties of the Librarian are set forth in the act as follows:
"Section 2 .- First, to collect books, maps, charts and other pap- ers and materials illustrative of the history of this state in partic- ular and generally of the northwest.
Second. To procure from pioneers narratives of their exploits, perils and adventures.
Third. To procure facts and statements relative to the history, progress and decay of the Indian tribes within the state.
Fourth. To collect and preserve fossils, specimens of ores and mineral objects, curiosities connected with the history or other ma- terial as will tend to facilitate historical, scientific and antiquar- ian research.
Fifth. To bind, catalogue, and carefully preserve all unbound books, manuscripts, pamphlets and especially newspaper files con- taining legal notices, now in its possession or which it may here- after receive.
Sixth. To biennially prepare for publication a report of its collections and such other matters relating to the tranasactions of the society as may be useful to the public.
Seventh. To keep its rooms open at reasonable hours on busı-
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ness days for the reception of the citizens of this state and others who may wish to visit the same."
The governor appointed Hon. James A. Pinney, Prof. H. L. Talkington and Mrs. Leona Cartee as the Board of Trustees, and designated the Senate Chamber in the Capitol building as a tem- porary place for the Historical room.
The trustees appointed a Librarian, and on the 7th day of May, 1907, all of the property, relics, etc., taken over from the Pioneer organization, were moved into the room named in the Capitol building, by the librarian, and placed on exhibition. The room has been kept open from 9. A. M. to 12 M., and from 1:30 P. M. to 5 P. M. each business day for the public to inspect what we have. Since the opening of this Historical Room, the librarian has ad- ded to the small collection to commence with, quite a large num- ber of interesting and instructive articles of various kinds, too numerous to mention here, all of which the public is cordially in- vited to come and see, free of charge.
We also tender our sincere thanks to all who have contributed articles of various kinds to help build up and make this Historical Room an interesting place for visitors, and we trust that the val- uable assistance given to this institution in the way of contributions in the past will be continued in the future.
The state furnishes a room in which to place articles on exhibi- tion and pays the librarian to take care of the room and exhibits; also pays incidental expenses of the office, including freight or express charges on articles contributed and sent here from a dis- tance. Inasmuch as this institution is supported by the state for the especial benefit of the people, it is our earnest hope that the people of Idaho will feel that they all have an interest in this Historical exhibit, and that they all have a right to come and see, and that each and every one has the privilege to and will contribute something to help make this institution the pride of all the people of Idaho. Each person is given credit for all he or she contributes.
JOHN HAILEY,
Librarian of State Historical Society.
CHAPTER LXIII.
THE STATUS OF THE DIFFERENT TRIBES OF INDIANS LOCATED IN THE TERRITORY OF IDAHO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR 1890.
We have already said a great deal about the wars and trouble between the white people and the Indians. The last, as before stated, ended in the capture and taking to Vancouver of a small band of Renegades by United States troops in 1879.
The year before this, most of the Indians had settled down on their respective reservations, and under instructions of the In- dian agents had devoted at least a part of their time to agricultur- al pursuits.
In our last Territorial Governor's report to the Secretary of the Interior, the late Governor, Geo. L. Shoup, had taken great pains to ascertain from the different Indian agents in Idaho, the status, holdings and doings of the different tribes of Indians in Idaho for the year 1889. Believing the Governor's report to be substan- tially correct, I shall copy the statistical portion of his report from each Indian reservation.
NEZ PERCE INDIAN RESERVATION.
"This reservation contains nearly 750,000 acres. The allotment of lands under the Severalty Act to the Indians is progressing satis- factorily with but little opposition on the part of the Indians. The land on this reservation is excellent, producing all kinds of grain, and vegetables mature well with a large yield per acre without ir- rigation. Some of the Indians have good orchards, producing a variety of fine fruit.
"About 290 families of these Indians are engaged in farming and cultivate about 6,000 acres.
"Population of Nez Perce Indians in 1889: Male Indians 700
Female Indians 750
Total 1450
Wheat, oats and corn raised in 1889 47,000 bushcls
Vegetables raised in 1889 9,500 bushels A large amount of hay, beans, peas, turnips, squashes, melons, etc., not reported.
Horses on hand owned by Indians
Head
. 14,000
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Cattle on hand owned by Indians 6,000
Hogs on hand owned by Indians 500
Fowls on hand owned by Indians 2,500
In addition to this they raised a few mules and sheep.
LEMHI RESERVATION.
This reservation is on the Lemhi river in Lemhi county. It has an estimated area of 120,000 acres, most of which is mountainous and rolling hills. This is a poor selection for an Indian reserva- tion. Recommends these Indians be put on the Fort Hall reserva- tion where they can have good homes.
Population of Indians in 1889:
Male Indians 524
Female Indians 265
Total 789
Wheat and oats raised 3,500 bushels
Vegetables raised 2,000 bushels
Hay raised .75 tons Head
Horses and mules owned 3,003
Cattle owned
75
Fowls owned 20
Land cultivated 300 acres
FORT HALL INDIAN RESERVATION.
This reservation is the largest and perhaps the best in the Ter- ritory. Its location is in Bannock County, and is occupied by the Bannock and Shoshone Indians. It has an area of nearly 1,200,000 acres, nearly one-half of which is excellent farming land, with a fine lot of grazing land on the low rolling hills.
Population of Indians in 1889:
Male Indians
785
Female Indians 808
Total. . 1593
Wheat, oats, barley and corn raised in 1889. 8,975 bushels
Potatoes and other vegetables raised in 1889. 1,990 bushels A large number of melons raised in 1889. Hay raised in 1889. 1,800 tons
Horses owned by Indians in 1889 6,140 head
Cattle owned by Indians in 1889. 1,000 head Hogs owned by Indians in 1889. . 50 head Fowls owned by Indians in 1889 400 head
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INDIAN TRIBES
Land cultivated by Indians in 1889. 1,100 acres
COEUR D'ALENE INDIAN RESERVATION.
This reservation is situated in Kootenai County. It is estimated to contain about 600,000 acres of land. It has some good agricul- tural land, but the larger portion is mountainous with a consider- able amount of timber. It is occupied by the Coeur d'Alene tribe of Indians. Their number is: Males in 1889. 208
Females in 1889 215
Total. 423
They cultivate 7,000 acres of land, and raised:
In 1889, wheat, oats, barley and corn .78,100 bushels
In 1889, vegetables.
11,250 bushels
In 1889, hay. .1,000 tons
They owned horses and mules 1,010 head
.300 head
They owned cattle 400 head
They owned hogs
They owned fowls. 600 head
These Indians all live in houses. They have most all adopted the white man's custom of living, dressing, farming, education, etc.
KOOTENAI INDIAN RESERVATION.
The Kootenai Indians are a small tribe consisting of about 218 souls, who appear to have no permanent home or reservation. They live in the northern part of Kootenai County along the Kootenai River near the boundary line of the British possessions, and live by hunting and fishing. They do not appear to have advanced much in civilization.
DUCK VALLEY INDIAN RESERVATION.
This reservation is estimated to contain about 140,000 acres, about one-half of which is situated in the southern portion of Owyhee County, Idaho, and the other half in the northern portion of Nevada, covering a part of the boundary line between Idaho and Nevada with an agency established on that part located in Nevada.
We have no census of the Indians on this reservation. It ap- pears to be occupied by fractions of different tribes of Indians, in- cluding some Shoshones, Bruneaus, Snakes and Digger Indians of not a very high grade. As to how they are progressing or what they own, I do not know.
Taken altogether, Indian affairs in Idaho at the beginning of the year 1890 were in a fairly good condition, much better and
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THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
much more satisfactory than ever before. They were all peaceful at this time, with every indication that they would remain at peace with the whites in the future. Many of them had selected their land for permanent homes under the Severalty Land Act, and seemed to have abandoned their nomadic customs and settled down to work to improve and cultivate their land with the view of mak- ing permanent homes and an honest living. The younger ones were making fairly good progress in education at the schools which were kept and supported by the general government at the different agencies. Taken all in all, the condition of Indian affairs in Idaho at the beginning of the year 1890 was very satisfactory.
As to the increase or decrease of these Indians, I have no reliable statistics ; but I am satisfied that most of these tribes have greatly decreased since the organization of this Territory in 1863.
CHAPTER LXIV.
INTERESTING HISTORY FROM THE PEN OF JUD BOYAKIN, ONE OF IDAHO'S PIONEER EDITORS.
A few evenings ago some old Idahoans met and, with cigar lighted, fell into a reminiscent mood, indulging in stories of early days long past when these grizzled pioneers were young men with smooth faces, and Idaho was a part of Washington Territory with more Indians on its trails than white men. The conversation turned on great Atlanta, which at this time is attracting so much at- tention. The "Democrat" learned it was discovered in 1863 by a party of prospectors who left Warren diggings on the 5th of July that year for the purpose of prospecting on the upper tributaries of the South Fork of the Salmon River, a region which at that time had never been trodden by the foot of white man. The party numbered twenty-three men, Frank R. Coffin being one of them and the only one at this time known to be a resident of Idaho. All of them had mined at Florence the previous year, a fabulously rich placer camp, situated in a basin twelve miles from the main Sal- mon. They were now going to look for a similar basin, which they felt certain would be found in the wild and rugged mountains they were going to explore. Nothing of value was discovered until reaching Stanley Basin, named for Capt. John Stanley, the eld- est man of the party. There they found gold on two different gulches, but to work them involved the bringing of water a long distance. The remoteness of the country from supplies and the feeling of uneasiness on account of fresh Indian signs on their trail made it inadvisable, if not impossible, for them to avail themselves of what in after years proved to be a rich placer camp.
At Stanley the party divided and separated, thirteen under the leadership of Joe Haines returned to Warren diggings. Attempt- ing to go back by following the river, they got into deep canyons where they had to abandon their horses, after killing some of them for food. Enduring great hardships and losing one of their num- ber by death, twelve out of the unlucky thirteen reached Warren.
The party of ten, consisting of Capt. Stanley, Barny Parke, Ed Deeming, Jack Frowel, Ben Douglas, Dan Lake, Mat Gardner, Frank Coffin, Lee Montgomery and one whose name has been lost, left Stanley the same day the returning party did. As their provisions were nearly gone, they hoped soon to find a pass
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THE HISTORY OF IDAHO
through the mountains that would lead them to Boise County, or Bannock, as Idaho City was called at that time. They had gone about fifteen miles over the old Indian trail east of Stanley, when suddenly and unexpectedly they came onto a band of about sixty Indians camped on a large creek. In the twinkling of an eye the Indians disappeared in the tamarack timber beyond them. Here was a poser that called for a council of war. Dropping back on the trail behind the point that had brought them in view of the Indians, the veteran Stanley was appealed to for advice, but alas ! he who had been through the fire of a scene of desperate Indian battles, and bore on his weather-beaten frame the scars as unmis- takable evidence of his courage, was no longer a leader. The old man's nerve was gone. He begged and implored the party to turn back on the trail and overtake the Haines company.
In a short time after the Indians vanished in the timber, seven of them rode out in sight with superb grace and dignity and one of them dismounted, divested himself of his blanket and accou- trements, laid his riflle on the ground at his feet, and, raising his open hand, made signs that he would like for one of the white men to meet him unarmed on the open ground between the two parties. Frank Coffin being an accomplished Chinook linguist, was selected to meet the gallant brave. Observing the same for- mality that his red brother had, he proceeded to the ground designated by the Indian for the talk. When they met the Indian extended his hand, and with many assurances in poorly spoken Chinook but very sxpressive sign-language, convinced Coffin that his people did not want to fight. The representative of the white men, in elegant Chinook and with much impressive gesture, as- sured the red men that neither were his men on the war path, but were gold hunters on the way to Boise County. The red am- bassador was a splendid specimen of the North American savage, young, graceful and supple as a leopard. On his way to Mon- tana in 1867, Coffin met this Indian again on Wood River near where the town of Bellevue now stands. The brave in his recog- nition referred to Coffin's moustache, which had been added since their meeting in 1863, and reminded his white friend that he was no longer a papoose chief.
Proceeding a few miles along the trail from where they met the Indians, they left it and bore directly for what appeared to be a low pass over the range, but after floundering around for two days in the timber and brush, they were confronted with towering cliffs and lofty perpendicular mountain walls that barri- caded their path. They had reached an elevation that enabled them to see that they would have to return to the trail they had
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DISCOVERY OF ATLANTA
left and travel further east before they could get over the range. Retracing their steps they struck the trail not far from where they had left it three days before.
Near where they came to the trail again, on a freshly blazed tree, the adventurers read a history of their sensational meeting with the Indians in a beautiful pictograph. It was about five feet long and eighteen inches wide, and on its surface the artist had done his work so well in red and black pigment that every one of the ten men read it at once. On the upper end of the blaze he had painted the figures of nine men and horses, repre- senting the number the white men had, and their only dog. On the lower end of the pictograph six mounted Indians and one riderless horse appeared, not far from which the artist had painted a rifle and the accoutrements of which the Indian had divested
himself. In the middle of the picture the two ambassadors were represented with clasped hands. Between them and the figure representing the white company, the artist had painted a miner's pick, near which was an arrow pointing in the direction the white men had gone. There was no mistaking the object of the picto- graph; it was to advise their people passing that way that there may be or had been a party of gold hunters in the country.
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CHAPTER LXV.
STORY OF BRICE-TELLS OF RESCUE OF MANUEL'S CHILD.
The Lewiston Tribune received a copy of the Butte Inter- Mountain, containing an account of the death of Pat Brice, the hero of the Nez Perce war of 1877 and reference to whose death was made in the Tribune yesterday morning. The Butte paper publishes the story from Anaconda where Brice died of Bright's disease and says :
"His story, one of the bravest recorded in the West, has been told in prose and verse in many ways, but he was prevailed upon to give it from his own lips two years ago to an Inter-Mountain reporter. It is as follows and bears repeating:
"It was in June, 1877, that I started from Oregon to go to War- ren's mining camp in Idaho following my pursuit of prospecting. I had a saddle horse, gun and usual outfit. I had not heard of any trouble with the Indians and therefore was taken completely by surprise when, near the crossing of the Whitebird River, a band of about twenty-five Nez Perces came upon me suddenly and made me a prisoner.
"They took my horse and blankets and most of them wanted to kill me on the spot, but an Indian I had met before interceded in my behalf, telling them that I was a friend of his and had never done them any harm. While they were discussing the di- vision of my outfit, the Indian, whose name I shall never forget, queer as it sounds, 'Moxmoose,' it was, told me of the decision of the Nez Perces to go to their old home, and that they were on the warpath; unless I could hide in the brush, the main body of the tribe now only a mile away would surely kill me if I was found in that section. Seizing an opportune moment I slipped away into the brush as he had directed and lay quiet until darkness came on.
"I kept along the bed of the creek then in an effort to escape, but I had gone but a few rods when I heard a child's voice sob- bing and crying. I knew it was a white child as she kept calling for her mama in English, so I made a search until I found her. A little girl I should judge about six years of age, whose name I learned was Maggie Manuel. From what she told me I thought her people had been killed by the Indians. Her mother and an infant at breast had been killed outright at the cabin and the father was left for dead in the field by the hostiles, though he
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