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.

Biography of James J. Rogers

The life of James J. Rogers has not been one of unvarying monotony, circumscribed by the habits, thoughts and customs of some narrow community, but contains many interesting incidents that come with travel and extensive intercourse with the world. Born on the Atlantic coast, he has visited foreign lands, has viewed many of the interesting scenes of our own country, and is now located in the beautiful city of Boise, which nestles in one of the loveliest valleys of the Pacific slope. There he is successfully engaged in the practice of law, and in the political affairs of the state … Read more

Biography of Abner E. Callaway

The old adage that ‘”truth is stranger than fiction” finds exemplification in the annals of the northwest. The most marvelous characters of the novelist cannot exceed in courage and daring the hardy pioneers who have opened up this vast region to the advance of civilization. Traveling across the hot, arid, sandy plains, climbing the steep mountains, threading their way through dense forests of towering trees, they came to this land of the “silent, sullen people,” whose hostility made existence most uncertain, and here they have established homes, churches and schools, developed the rich agricultural and mineral resources of the country … Read more

Craig, Marcia Lareen Parker Mrs. – Obituary

North Powder, Union County, Oregon Marcia Lareen Parker Craig, 69, died Dec. 12, 2005, at Boise from complications of a long, hard-fought and painful battle with throat and mouth cancer. At her request, there will be no funeral. A memorial service and celebration of her life will take place March 18 at the First Presbyterian Church in Baker City, with a reception following at the church, 1995 Fourth St. Services are under the direction of Gray’s West & Co. Mrs. Craig was born March 20, 1936, at Baker City to Gifford Henry and Elfleda Midde Maxwell Parker. She grew up … Read more

Lewis, Merle M. – Obituary

Merle M. Lewis, 85, a former Baker City resident, died July 4, 2001, at a Boise care facility. Her funeral was today at 1 p.m. at the Relyea Funeral Chapel in Boise. Burial was at Dry Creek Cemetery in Boise. Arrangements were under the direction of the Relyea Funeral Chapel. Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, July 13, 2001 Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor

Glenn, Guy – Obituary

Summerville, Union County, Oregon Guy J. Glenn, 67, former La Grande resident and member of a well known local family, died Wednesday, Oct. 13, at his home in Knights Landing, Cal., where he has lived for the past five years. Services will be held at Summerville, Ore., his birthplace Monday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m., in the Summerville chapel, and interment will be in Summerville cemetery. Snodgrass funeral home will be in charge of arrangements. Mr. Glenn was born March 20, 1881, on the Glenn homestead at Summerville. He attended grade and high school there and later farmed the home … Read more

Biography of James H. Richards

Among the prominent lawyers of Boise is Judge James Heber Richards, who has practiced at the bar of this state for nine years, winning an enviable reputation by his erudition, his ability to give to each point of a case its due prominence, his force in argument and his mastery of the intricate problems of jurisprudence. In a witty after-dinner speech Chauncey M. Depew once said, “Some men achieve greatness, some men are born great, and some men are born in Ohio.” The first and last clauses are both applicable to Judge Richards, who is a native of the Buckeye … Read more

Davis, Patricia Bernadette Darling Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Patricia Bernadette Davis, 69, of Baker City, died March 2, 2004, at her home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 9, at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, 2235 First St., followed by a graveside service at Mount Hope Cemetery. Father Rob Irwin will officiate. Friends are invited to join the family after the services for coffee in the St. Francis Parish Hall. Visitations will be held at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., on Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Patricia was born to Eric … Read more

Biography of John Brodbeck

One of the representative businessmen of Boise, Mr. Brodbeck, is a pioneer of Idaho, having come to this state in 1865. He is a native of Switzerland, where he was born April 4, 1833, and was reared and educated in his native land and there learned the brewing business. His parents were Nicholas and Elizabeth (Hagler) Brodbeck, the former of whom was a miller by trade, and he and his wife were members of the Lutheran church and were people of high respectability in the old country. He died in his fifty-third year and his wife survived him until attaining … Read more

Biography of Henry M. Thatcher

Throughout the greater part of his life Judge Henry M. Thatcher has resided on the Pacific slope, and as one of the honored pioneers of this section of the country has been prominently identified with its development, progress and up-building from an early day. He was born in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, October 17, 1833, and is of German lineage. His grandfather, Samuel Thatcher, was born in Germany, and when a young man emigrated to the United States, settling in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, where he married Miss Hannah Smith. He was a soldier in the war of 1812 and lived to … Read more

Berto, Genevieve A. Metzker Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Genevieve A. (Metzker) Berto was born Sept. 29, 1917, in Baker, (now Baker City) and entered into eternal rest on Nov. 21, 2004, in Boise, Idaho. Genevieve was born to Jeff Metzker and Lora Mae McClurg Metzker. There were seven children in the Metzker family, four boys and three girls. All graduated from school, some from college. Genevieve graduated from Baker High School in 1935. Genevieve met and married Earl Cock in 1940 and had two children, Larry and Lynda, and resided in Union and Baker. In 1944 Genevieve and Earl were divorced. Genevieve then went to … Read more

Thomas, Frank A. – Obituary

Wallowa, Wallowa County, Oregon Frank W. Thomas, 58, died at the Veterans Hospital in Boise, Id., on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 1980. He had been in poor health for the past 25 years. He listed Wallowa as his home address. Born in Wallowa on July 7, 1921, he was the son of Bill and Laura Thomas. A veteran of World War II, he was a cook by occupation. Services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, 1980, at the Wallowa Christian Church, with Bruce Hill officiating. Soloist and organist, Nyoda Scott sang “In The Garden” and “How Great Thou Art.” … Read more

Biography of George Gumbert

The proprietor of the city meat market and the pioneer butcher of Boise, where he has been in business since 1864, is George Gumbert, who is a native of Pennsylvania, his birth having taken place in Pittsburg on June 11, 1835. Of German extraction, his ancestors were early settlers of Pennsylvania and his great grandfather, Gumbert, fought in the colonial army during the Revolutionary war. His paternal grandfather was a farmer in Westmoreland County. His father, George Gumbert, was born in Pittsburg, where he followed the meat business nearly all his life, having attained the advanced age of ninety years. … Read more

Biography of John M. Haines

The wise system of industrial economics which has been brought to bear in the development of Boise has challenged uniform admiration, for while there has been a great advancement in all material lines, there has been an entire absence of that inflation of values and that erratic “booming” which have in the past proved the eventual death knell to many of the localities of the west, where “mushroom” towns have one day smiled forth with “all modern improvements” and practically on the next day have been shorn of their glories and of their possibilities of stable prosperity, so to remain … Read more

Smith, Robert Darrel – Obituary

Robert Darrel Smith passed away peacefully early October 16, 2004, at Ivy Place in Boise, Idaho. Darrel was born in the Crane Creek, Idaho area, April 20, 1904, to Alex and Effie Anne Cochran Smith, the youngest of three children. The family lived on their father’s homestead until Darrel was 2 years old, when they moved to Payette, Idaho. When he was 7, the family moved to the ranch his father purchased near Durkee where he rode a horse to a one-room schoolhouse and completed the eighth grade. After attending his high school freshman year in Brownsville, Ore., he returned … Read more

Biography of James King

A leading representative of the building interests, of Boise, and the present register of the land office of this city, James King is a native of Pennsylvania, his birth having occurred in Pittsburg, on the 15th of August 1832. He is of both German and English descent, his ancestors of those nationalities having settled in New York in 1664. They came with General Braddock and always remained in this land. In the war of the Revolution the family was represented by loyal Americans, who fought for liberty, and throughout many years they were prominently identified with the Presbyterian Church. The … Read more

Pulliam, Ernest – Obituary

Two Die When Car Skids On Higway Ernest Pulliam was killed instantly and Herbert Mock fatally injured when Pullam’s car skidded in soft gravel near Unity, between Baker and Huntington Friday of last week. Mock died a few hours after the accident in a Baker hospital. Pullam was a resident of Boise, while Mock was known to have been a resident of Sardina, Ohio. Two other men riding in the car escaped with minor injuries. North Powder News Saturday, February 27, 1926

Noland, William “Bill” Harold – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon William (Bill) Harold Noland, 83, of Enterprise, died Nov. 2 at Wallowa Memorial Hospital after a lengthy illness. A 2 p.m. memorial service will be conducted Saturday at the VFW Post 4307 Hall in Enterprise, with private burial in the Enterprise Cemetery. Mr. Noland was born Feb. 2, 1923, in Boise. At 16 he left school to join the Civilian Conservation Corps for a year. He returned to high school in Idaho but left again during his senior year to join the Air Force in December 1941. He received his high school diploma while in the military. As … Read more

Crooke, Bill Jack – Obituary

Union, Oregon Bill Jack Crooke, 81, of Pendleton and formerly of Union, died Feb. 27 at his home after a long illness. A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at Berean Baptist Church (formerly Calvary Baptist), 8 NW Ninth St., Pendleton, with Pastor Carl LeTourka officiating. Arrange-ments are under the direction of Burns Mortuary of Pendleton. Mr. Crooke was born April 4, 1925, to Ruth Ester and Jack Crooke in Meridian, Idaho. He was raised by his grandmother, Mrs. White, in the Meridian area and attended school there until he went to live with his father and stepmother … Read more

Biography of John Strode

With two of the most important industries that have contributed to the development and prosperity of the northwest, mining and stock rasing, John Strode has long been identified. He became a resident of California in 1852, ten years later went to Oregon, and since 1863 has made his home in Idaho. His birth occurred in Tennessee, on the 6th of February 1833, and he is of English, German and Welsh descent but the original ancestors, who came from England Wales and Germany, found homes in America at an early period in her history and were pioneer settlers of Kentucky. John … Read more

Carlson, John E. – Obituary

John E. Carlson, 87, of Baker City, died April 12, 2006, at the Boise Veterans Hospital. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Private vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Sister Kay Marie Duncan of Pathway Hospice will officiate. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception after the service at The Sunridge, 1 Sunridge Lane. John was born June 16, 1918, at Buhl, Idaho, to Edward and Amanda Lindstrom Carlson. After graduation from Baker High School, he attended Oregon State College. His Rose Bowl … Read more