Boise County ID

Boise County, Idaho, established on February 4, 1864, during the Idaho Territory’s formation, is a picturesque region that epitomizes the rugged beauty of the American Northwest. Named after the Boise River, which flows through the county, “Boise” is thought to have originated from the French word “boisée,” meaning wooded, a name given by French Canadian fur trappers for the area’s once abundant trees and verdant landscape. The county’s geography is marked by its mountainous terrain, part of the Boise and Sawtooth National Forests, offering a plethora of outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, and hot springs, embodying Idaho’s reputation as a haven for nature enthusiasts. Boise County’s history is deeply intertwined with the Idaho gold rush era of the mid-19th century, serving as a pivotal area for mining operations and the resultant boomtowns that contributed significantly to the settlement and economic development of Idaho.

Biography of Jonas W. Brown

Jonas W. Brown, of Boise, is an honored pioneer both of California and of Idaho. He crossed the plains with ox teams to Shasta county, California, in 1853, and since that time his life record has been inseparably interwoven with the history of this section of the country. At all times he has been the advocate of those measures tending to-ward the advancement and development of the region, and his influence is that of an honorable, upright man, whose force of character stamps itself indelibly for good upon the public life. This work would be incomplete without mention of Jonas … Read more

Owyhee County Its History, Towns, Industries

In 1862 the present county of Owyhee was a part of Boise County, which comprised all of the western portion of Washington Territory lying south of what was then called Idaho county, its area being nearly equal to that of Pennsylvania. When Idaho was created a territory by act of congress, March 3, 1863, Boise county became part and parcel of the territory of Idaho, and at the first session of the territorial legislature, held at Lewiston, Idaho, Owyhee County was created, December 31, 1863, out of all territory south of Snake River and west of the Rocky mountains. In … Read more

Washington County Its Towns, Resources, Etc.

Washington County lies on the western border of the state of Idaho, and about five hundred miles from the Pacific coast. It contains a large area of land suited to various purposes. It has a population of over five thousand people. Its inhabitants are, generally speaking, enterprising and thrifty people, many of them having settled here in the early 6o”s and have remained ever since. The early settler devoted himself to stock-raising and placer-mining, and he thought that was all the county was fit for. But as the county began settling up it was soon found that anything which grew … Read more

Discovery Of Gold in Idaho

It is reported that gold was discovered by a French Canadian in Pend d’Oreille river, in 1852. Two years later General Lander found gold while exploring the route for a military road from the Columbia to Fort Bridger. The earliest discoveries of which we have any authentic record, however, were probably made by members of the party with that veteran pioneer and path-finder, Captain John Mullan, the originator of the now famous Mullan road from Fort Benton to Walla Walla, a distance of six hundred and twenty-four miles. In a letter dated Washington, D. C, June 4, 1884, to Mr. … Read more

Biography of Warren P. Hunt

Warren Palmerton Hunt, who has been a highly respected citizen of Lewiston since 1862, and is numbered among the California pioneers of 1854, was born in Erie County, New York, March 13, 1832, a son of Isaac and Diantha (Allbee) Hunt, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of the Empire state. In 1852 the father went by way of the Cape Horn route to California, but returned to his farm in Erie County, where he made his home until his death, which occurred in the eighty-sixth year of his age. His wife passed away in her eighty-second … Read more

Biography of Hon. James G. Watts

Among the practitioners of the bar of Silver City, Idaho, is James G. Watts, who is also a distinguished member of the state senate. Pennsylvania is the state of his nativity, his birth having occurred in the town of Wellsboro, July 23, 1858. His father, Daniel Watts, was a native of England, and on crossing the Atlantic to America took up his residence in New York, whence he afterward removed to the Keystone state. There he was married to Miss Harriet Goodrich, a native of Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and a representative of an old Puritan family. During the civil war … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James B. Crossen

JAMES B. CROSSEN. – Mr. Crossen is the present postmaster at The Dalles, and was born August 11, 1838, at Donegal, Ireland. This was his residence until he emigrated to America in 1849 and made his home with his parents in New York City until of age. In 1859 he crossed the Isthmus to California, and resided at Callaghan’s Ranch for four years, going from thence to Idaho, where he engaged in business at Placerville until 1863. Seeking a new location, he cast his eyes with hope towards the State of Oregon, and selected The Dalles as the most eligible … Read more

Biography of Calvin R. White

Calvin R. White, one of the best known pioneers of Idaho, now residing in Boise, was born near Boston, Massachusetts, July 27, 1836, his parents being Samuel B. and Sarah (Richardson) White, natives of the Bay state. The father was for many years connected with the Boston & Lowell Railway, and died in the city of Boston when about seventy-six years of age. He was a son of Samuel White, also a native of Massachusetts, in which state his death occurred when he had passed the psalmist’s span of life of three-score years and ten. The mother of our subject … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Noah S. Kellogg

NOAH S. KELLOGG. – This renowned prospector, whom Fortune has singled out as her favorite from among many thousands, was born in Ohio in 1829. In 1852 he began the journey across the plains, reaching Council Bluffs that year, and coming on to Portland, Oregon, in 1853. He terminated his trip at the Sound the same season. The next year he engaged in lumbering at Port Gamble, and continued in that business until 1870, spending one year, 1860, in the Boise basin. Since 1870 Mr. Kellogg has devoted the most of his attention to mining, traveling in British Columbia, California … Read more

Biography of John Krall

Few lives have been more active or more thoroughly filled with incidents of interest and of unusual nature than has that of John Krall, one of the pioneers of Idaho, and for about thirty-five years a resident in the vicinity of Boise City. Now a wealthy man, he is indebted to himself alone for his fortune, for he started out in youth to fight the battle of life, a poor boy, and by the exercise of industry and perseverance, in the face of great difficulties, he came off victor over all. Mr. Krall is a native of Germany, born December … Read more

Biography of James Wilson

James Wilson, deceased, was for many years one of the leading farmers and stockmen of Idaho, and during his residence in this state did as much as any other man in the commonwealth in the interests of agriculture and stock raising. He is properly classed among the pioneers of Idaho, for his residence dated from 1864, and from that time until his death he took an active part in the conduct of business interests that resulted to the benefit of the state, as well as to his individual prosperity. A native of Washington County, Indiana, he was born May 15, … Read more

Biography of Gen. Morton Mathew McCarver

GEN. MORTON MATHEW McCARVER. THE FOUNDER OF BURLINGTON, IOWA, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA AND TACOMA, WASHINGTON,- General McCarver was born near Lexington Kentucky, January 14, 1807. Of an independent, roving spirit, determination, courage and enterprise that knew no bounds, he quit his home at the age of eighteen years and went to Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, and not finding anything congenial to his tastes returned and settled in 1830 at Galena, Illinois, where he was married to a Miss Mary Ann Jennings. He served in the Black Hawk war, and after the surrender of the great chief of the Sacs and Foxes, … Read more

Biography of Nelson Schoonover

NELSON SCHOONOVER. – It now becomes our pleasant privilege to outline the career of the enterprising and progressive citizen, whose name initiates this paragraph, and who has wrought in Union county for many years, ever being active for its upbuilding and advancement, while his wisdom and energy and ability have served in many instances for the good of his fellows. Mr. Schoonover has been occupied in many different lines of industry, but in them all he has never forgotten its labor for the town and county where his lot was cast, and to-day he stands as one of our most … Read more

Biography of James I. Crutcher

One to whom has been entrusted important public service and over whose record there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil, is James I. Crutcher, of Boise. President Cleveland recognized his eminent qualifications for responsible duties when he appointed him United States marshal for Idaho, in which position he served for four years and two months, in a manner above suspicion. His unbending integrity of character, his fearlessness in the discharge of duty and his appreciation of the responsibilities that rested upon him were such as to make him a most acceptable incumbent of that office, and his … Read more

Political Secessionism And Crime

Before the mining period, commencing in 1862, Idaho was a comparatively unknown region belonging nominally to Oregon and afterward to Washington. During the years 1862-3 such was the rush of immigration to this section that Idaho was erected into a territory of the United States government. The enabling act to organize as such was passed by congress in the spring of the latter year, and on the 22d of September William H. Wallace, late delegate to congress from Washington, who had, on July l0th preceding, been appointed governor of Idaho by President Lincoln, issued his proclamation for organizing the territory, … Read more

Biography of Louis N. B. Anderson

Fortunate is the man who has back of him an ancestry honorable and distinguished, and happy is he whose lines of life are cast in harmony therewith. In person, in character and talents, Mr. Anderson is a worthy scion of his race. Though his life has been one rather of modest reserve than of ambitious self-seeking, he has shown himself a peer of the brightest men of his adopted state, and his mental talents led to his selection for the important position of superintendent of public instruction of Idaho for the years 1897 and 1898, in which capacity he served … Read more

Biography of George Dabney Ellis

One of the founders of Boise City and one of the most active spirits in the upbuilding and progress of this thriving place during the past quarter of a century has been George D. Ellis, a pioneer of Idaho, whither he came in 1863. He is and has been the president of the Capital State Bank of Boise City for several years; is a stock-holder and general manager and treasurer of the electric street-car line of this place and is a stock-holder and a director of the Artesian Hot & Cold Water Company, besides having materially aided and fostered many … Read more

Biography of Thomas Davis

The founders of a state are not merely the men who handle the reins of government and control the public policy, but are also those who carry civilization into hitherto wild regions and develop the natural resources of the state: Such an one is Mr. Davis, who came to Idaho in pioneer days and was the first to establish the fact that this is an excellent fruit-producing region. Thus he introduced a new industry and thereby largely promoted the material welfare of the region. His business interests have ever been energetically and successfully managed and his reputation in commercial circles … Read more

Biography of James Fleet

Many of our most capable and substantial citizens have come to us from England and among that number we must mention the subject of this sketch, whose career has demonstrated the pluck, perseverance and intelligence of the doughty Anglo Saxon race, and any work which purports to give review of the prominent citizens of Wallowa County would be quite incomplete were there not mention of this honorable and esteemed gentleman, whose uprightness, integrity and capability have given him a standing among his men and fellows and it is with pleasure that we accord him representation in the chronicles of our … Read more

Biography of James Colson

One of the respected pioneer farmers of Salubria is James Colson, who came to Idaho in 1864, and has since been engaged in stock raising. He was born in Ripley county, Indiana, October 23, 1834, a son of John and Polly (Allen) Colson, the former of whom was a farmer in Kentucky, moving to Iowa in 1850, where he was successful as a business man and landowner. He died at the advanced age of seventy years. To him and his wife were born eight children, three of whom survive. James Colson was reared on his father’s farm and received his … Read more