Ada County ID

Ada County ID, established in December 1864, is located in southwestern Idaho and serves as the state’s most populous county, with Boise as its county seat and largest city. The county’s establishment came during a period of significant expansion and settlement in the Pacific Northwest, spurred by the discovery of gold and the subsequent mining booms in Idaho Territory. Its geographic features, including the Boise River and surrounding foothills, have played a pivotal role in its development, influencing settlement patterns, agriculture, and the establishment of transportation routes. Ada County’s early records, crucial for genealogical research, begin in the 1860s and encompass land transactions, mining claims, and vital records that detail the lives of early settlers, many of whom were miners, farmers, and entrepreneurs drawn to the region by economic opportunities. The area was traditionally inhabited by the Shoshone and Bannock tribes, who utilized the river valleys and foothills for hunting, fishing, and gathering. For genealogists, Ada County’s historical records, including census data, marriage, birth, and death records, provide invaluable insights into the socio-economic dynamics of the region and the ancestries of families who have called it home since its establishment.

Huffman, Donald Wayne – Obituary

Union, Oregon Donald Wayne Huffman, 73, of Union died Aug. 10 at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Boise. The funeral will begin at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 14 at the Union United Methodist Church. Burial at the Union Cemetery will be followed by a reception at the United Methodist Church. Mr. Huffman was born March 25, 1933, in Pyles Canyon. He attended school in Tolecaset until the eight grade. Don later graduated with the Union High School class of 1951. After high school, Don enlisted in the United States Army and after his honorable discharge he returned to the family ranch. … Read more

The Growth Of Quartz Mining Discoveries

Prospecting early indicated that the future mineral wealth of Idaho would depend upon quartz mining, and accordingly efforts were early made to develop that feature of Idaho’s principal industry. In the autumn of 1863 it was found that thirty-three claims of gold and silver quartz-mines had been made on the south Boise alone, ail of which promised well. The Ida Elmore, near the head of Bear creek, the first and most famous of the south Boise quartz mines in that year, was discovered in June. In an arastra it yielded two hundred and seventy dollars to the ton of rock; … Read more

Poston, Marjorie A. – Obituary

Marjorie A. Poston, 81, long time Baker City, Ore., resident died Sept. 29, 2006, in Boise, Idaho. A private family service will be held at a later date. Cremation was done by Eastern Oregon Pioneer Crematory in Baker City. Arrangements are by Coles Funeral Home, Baker City, Ore. Used with permission from: The Record Courier, Baker City, Oregon, October, 2006 Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor

Perkins, Eugene Edmond – Obituary

Eugene Edmond Perkins, 83, a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 13, 2006, at his home in Boise. His memorial services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Southminster Presbyterian Church, 6500 W. Overland Road in Boise. The Rev. Edward Dunn will officiate. Private inurnment will be at Morris Hill Cemetery. Funeral Arrangements are under the direction of Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel in Boise. Eugene was born on June 28, 1922, at Baker City to Edmond P. and Nell E. Hansen Perkins. He was a Boise High School graduate and attended Boise State College. Gene worked in radio and television broadcasting … Read more

Purdy, Ruth Marion Rippey Eccles Mrs. – Obituary

Ruth Marion Rippey Eccles Purdy, 92, of Picabo, Idaho, a former Baker City resident, died Feb. 26, 2006. Her memorial service will be at 1 p.m., Saturday at the Community Campus (old Wood River High School) Auditorium at Hailey, Idaho. Internment will be at the Picabo Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to a “Celebration of Ruth’s Life” at the Picabo Store immediately after the internment. The daughter of Clark and Lottie Rippey, she was born on June 29, 1913, at Portland. Soon after, the family moved to Baker City, where her father worked for the Railway Mail Service on … Read more

Davison, Mary L. Roberts Mrs. – Obituary

Richland, Oregon Mary L Davison, 72, of Boise, Idaho, died Wednesday, March 31, 2004 at a Boise care center. Memorial services were held on Saturday, April 3, 2004 at Euclid Community Church of the Nazarene in Boise. Cremation was under the direction of Flahiff Funeral Chapel, Mary was born Sept 16, 1931 in Richland, the daughter of Walter W. and Mary Luretta Kirby Roberts. She lived to various places in Oregon and was educated In Boise and Gresham, Oregon. She married William A. Davison 1951 in Nampa, and they lived for a time at Lime. They also lived in Texas, … Read more

Internal Improvements

In 1892 twenty thousand dollars was voted by congress for the improvement of Snake river, and one hundred thousand dollars for the Boise public building. The river and harbor appropriation bill, passed by congress in April, 1896, carried twenty-five thousand dollars for the improvement of the Clearwater River, and five thousand dollars for the Kootenai between Bonner’s ferry and the British boundary. The appropriation for the Boise public building was increased from one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to two hundred thousand dollars and a building site was selected which cost seventeen thousand and five hundred dollars. Of the special … Read more

Halliday, Grace Bertha Viergutz Mrs. – Obituary

Grace Bertha Halliday, 75, of La Grande, died Sept. 25, 2007, at St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise. A celebration of life will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh St. in La Grande. Committal and interment will follow at the Hillcrest East Cemetery. Viewing will be held Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Daniels Chapel of the Valley. Mrs. Halliday was born Oct. 26, 1931, the daughter of Raymond and Anna (Gritzmacher) Viergutz in Wausau, Wis. When she was young she played semi-pro softball on an all-women’s team and loved … Read more

Biography of Isaac W. Pfost

The Virginians have given to nearly every state in the union much of the good blood and good citizenship, for, wherever his lot is cast, the Virginian is patriotic and does honor to his environments. Idaho has many well known citizens of Virginian birth, but not one who is more highly regarded for integrity and perseverance and all the other qualities which make for real success than Isaac W. Pfost, of Boise, who, having been born in Virginia prior to its division, is literally a native of the Old Dominion. Isaac W. Pfost, proprietor of the Bancroft Hotel, Boise, Idaho, … Read more

Shoemake, Robert Goldman – Obituary

Robert Goldman Shoemake, 87, died March 26, 2008, at the Idaho State Veteran’s Home of causes incidental to age. A proud native of the Gem State, Bob was born July 26, 1920, to Albert and Nora Todd Shoemake in the rural community of Castleford, Idaho. As a child Bob and his family moved to Oregon and Bob grew up in Baker and La Grande, graduating from La Grande High School in 1941. Anxious for more education, Bob enrolled at Oregon State University that summer to study Soils Engineering. He was able to attend OSU for one year before World War … Read more

Biography of Christopher W. Moore

One of the honored pioneers and distinguished citizen of Boise is the well known president of the First National Bank of Idaho, Christopher Wilkinson Moore. To him there has come the attainment of a distinguished position in connection with the great material industries of the state, and his efforts have been so discerningly directed along well defined lines that he seems to have realized at any one point of progress the full measure of his possibilities for accomplishment at that point. A man of distinct and forceful individuality, of broad mentality and most mature judgment, he has left and is … Read more

Biography of John S. Horner

The esteemed gentleman, whose name initiates this paragraph, is one of the substantial and enterprising agriculturists of Wallowa County, having wrought here with commendable zeal and sagacity for its development and material progress since he has been domiciled within its borders, and his faithfulness and ability have well earned for him the high esteem in which he is held among his fellows, and the prestige which he enjoys as well as the leading position in many ways is merited. John S. was born in Illinois on February 11, 1839, being the son of John and Sarah (Seymore) Horner, natives respectively … Read more

Huey, Ora Mrs.

Ora Huey, 74, of Boise, died Feb. 17, 2005, with her husband of 55 years, Donald Huey, by her side. Her memorial service was Monday at the Cloverdale Funeral Home in Boise. She was born in Baker on Jan. 8, 1931. She worked for the Bureau of Land Management until moving to Boise in 1967, where she continued to work for the BLM and the Forest Service. She enjoyed fishing, camping and traveling after her early retirement from the Forest Service. Until her illness, she was an avid bridge player and played several times a week with her good friend … Read more

Baird, Thos. Mrs. – Obituary

Union, Union County, Oregon Mrs. Thos. Baird’s Death The sad news of the death of Mrs. Lyda B. Baird, wife of Thos. Baird and mother of George Baird, the Union Merchant, was received here yesterday. She passed away at Boise City, Monday night at 10:30 o’clock. She was nearly 71 years old and raised a family of five sons and three daughters. She came to Union with her family in 1863 and resided here until about six years ago, when she removed to Woodriver, Idaho. She had been in Union for some time, visiting, until about two weeks ago, when … Read more

Lay, Lois Irene Deardorff Mrs. – Obituary

Lois Irene Lay, 92, of Boise, a former longtime Northeastern Oregon resident, died of complications from a stroke on July 16, 2006, at Boise. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Ginger Creek Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 11918 W. Ustick Road, Boise. Visitations will be at the church from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. prior to the service. There will be a short graveside service at the Union, Ore., Cemetery, at 3 p.m. Wednesday. Lois was born on June 14, 1914, at Baker City to Charlie Lewis Deardorff and Minnie Meyer. … Read more

Rouse, Mildred M. Pickerell Mrs. – Obituary

Mildred M. Rouse, 83, of Portland, a former Baker City resident, died June 26, 2003, at Portland. Her graveside funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Pastor Gordon Bond of the Richland Christian Church will officiate. Vault interment will be after the service. Mrs. Rouse was born on Dec. 5, 1919, at Boise to Fred and Mae Hiner Pickerell. She was raised at Boise. She married Roy Givart at Mountain Home, Idaho, on Oct. 7, 1942. He preceded her in death. She married Eddie C. Rouse on April 23, 1971, at Winnemucca, Nev. … Read more

Silver City Owyhee Idaho Avalanche

Their names were: Michael Jordan A. J. Miner G. W. Chadwick Cyrus Iba William Phipps Joseph Dorsey Jerome Francisco John Moore J. R. Cain W. Churchill H. R. Wade A. J. Reynolds James Carroll William Duncan Dr A. F. Rudd F. Height W. L. Wade John Gannon M. Conner C. Ward H. W. Prindall D. P. Banes O. H. Purdy J. G. Boone W. T. Carson P. H. Gordon L. G. Gehr and 3 others. In the Silver City Owyhee Avalanche of Jan. 8, 1876, is a notice of the death of Alexander Eddington, an Englishman aged 60, a ‘pioneer … Read more

The Mining Fields Of Idaho

The following excellent monograph by W. C. Austin was issued in pamphlet form early in the present year (1899) by authority of C. J. Bassett, state commissioner of immigration, labor and statistics, and as a valuable contribution to the history of the great mining industry of Idaho is held to be worthy of reproduction in this work: There is no other country on God’s green earth that has encompassed within her borders such vast and varied mineral wealth as Idaho. The position that Idaho occupies in the western mineral world is like a wagon wheel, of which Idaho is the … Read more

Biography of Francis E. Ensign

Holding marked prestige among the prominent members of the Idaho bar is Francis Edward Ensign, who is now engaged in the practice of the legal profession in Hailey. There are few-men whose lives are crowned with the honor and respect which is uniformly accorded him; but through forty-five years” connection with the west his has been an unblemished career. With him success in life has been reached by sterling qualities of mind and a heart true to every manly principle. In his varied business interests his reputation has been unassailable and in offices of public trust he has displayed a … Read more

Holt, Thomas Martin – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Thomas Martin Holt Thomas Martin Holt, 72, died at his home Feb. 21. He was born Sept. 2, 1934, in Marquette, Kan., to John Charles Lucas and Eunice Louise (Johnson) Holt. The family intends to hold a memorial service for family and friends in the La Grande area sometime this summer. Details for this will be forthcoming. Memorials in Tom Holt’s name can be made to Zion Lutheran Church, 902 Fourth St., La Grande 97850. Mr Holt was raised and educated in Marquette. He graduated from Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kan., with a BA in business administration … Read more