Biography of Francis Marion Davis

The history of Idaho would be incomplete if the biographies of two of her pioneers, Francis M. and Thomas Davis, brothers, and old residents of Boise City, were omitted. They were always believers in the great future which was in store for the state, and were influential factors in the development of its resources. When death summoned Francis M. Davis to lay aside his many enterprises, to leave to other hands his uncompleted work, the whole community mourned and, though nine years have rolled away, the memory of his goodness, his many worthy deeds and fine traits of character, is … Read more

Biography of John A. O’Farrell

John Andrew O’Farrell was born in the county of Tyrone, province of Ulster, Ireland, on the 13th day of February 1823. He pursued his education in the common schools until his thirteenth year, and was then placed in a naval school where he remained for two years. He went to sea in the Oriental Steamship line when fifteen years of age, sailing from the East India dock on the Thames, London, England, to the city of Calcutta, Hindustan, East Indies. The return trip occupied seven months time and the vessel delivered and received mails and passengers at the isle of … 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

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

Biography of George E. Gray

The profession of the law, when clothed with its true dignity and purity, and strength, must rank first among the callings of men, for law rules the universe. The work of the legal profession is to formulate, to harmonize, to regulate, to adjust, to administer those rules and principles that underlie and permeate all government and society and control the varied relations of man. As thus viewed, there attaches to the legal profession a nobleness that cannot but be reflected in the life of the true lawyer, who, conscious of the greatness of his profession, and honest in the pursuit … Read more

McKee, O.D. “Jay” – Obituary

O.D. (Jay) McKee, 83, a former longtime Baker City resident, died Aug. 19, 2006, at his home in Boise. His graveside funeral will be conducted by the Idaho Lodge No. 1, A.F. & A.M., of Boise on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Morris Hill Cemetery, under the direction of Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel in Boise. During a blizzard on Nov. 12, 1922, in Chardon, Rawlins County, Kan., Jay was born on his grandparents’ farm to Jesse and Anna Laura McKee. The doctor arrived the next day in a horse-drawn sled. Jay’s education began in a one-room schoolhouse near Brewster followed by … Read more

Grove, Patricia Anne Davis Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Patricia Anne Grove, 71, of Baker City, died Aug. 8, 2002, at her home. Her funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Roger Scovil of the Baker City First Christian Church will officiate. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a reception following at the Christian Church. Visitations will be today until 8 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel. Pat was born Feb. 23, 1931, at The Dalles to Lloyd W. Davis and Ruth G. (Hazen) Davis. Her family moved 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

Hopkins, Orange Allen – Obituary

Orange Hopkins, 88, a former Baker City resident, died April 2, 2005, at his home in Winnemucca, Nev. His funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. There will be a reception afterward at the Baker Senior Center, 2810 Cedar St. Orange Allen Hopkins was born July 10, 1916, at Lamar, Colo., to Olive and Chester Hopkins. He had a family of five brothers and sisters: Calvin Hopkins, Evelyn Ames, Emma Ellis, Bill Hopkins and Ava Fullerton. The family moved to Idaho when Orange … Read more

Biography of Judge John T. Morgan

The gentleman whose name heads this review has been a conspicuous figure in the legislative and judicial history of two states. Probably the public life of no other illustrious citizen of Idaho has extended over as long a period as his, and certainly the life of none has been more varied in service, more constant in honor, more fearless in conduct and more stainless in reputation. His career has been one of activity, full of incidents and results. In every sphere of life in which he has been called upon to move he has made an indelible impression, and by … 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 Moses Alexander

The sturdy German element in our national commonwealth has been one of the most important in furthering the substantial and normal advancement of the country, for this is. an element signally appreciative of practical values and also of the higher intellectuality which transcends all provincial confines. Well may any person take pride in tracing his lineage to such a source Moses Alexander is one of the worthy sons that the Fatherland has furnished to America, and Boise now numbers him among her leading merchants, while in the office of mayor he is capably handling the reins of city government. He … 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

Thompson, Shirley Eugene – Obituary

Island City, Oregon Stanley Eugene Thompson, 59, of Island City, died from unexpected natural causes on Aug. 24 at a hospital in Boise. A celebration of life at the Island City School will begin at 6 p.m. Sunday. He was born in Arcata, Calif., on Aug. 11, 1947 to Ana Mae (Posey) and Glen Thompson. He was raised and educated in Oakland, Calif., and Eufaula, Okla. Mr. Thompson enlisted in the Navy in April of 1965. After his naval service, he moved to Government Camp and helped his father cook at the Huckleberry Inn Restaurant. He greatly enjoyed his work … Read more

Thompson, Marty Jo – Obituary

Marty Jo Thompson of North Powder died at birth at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise. Her graveside funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at North Powder Cemetery. Bishop Allen Bingham of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will officiate. She was born on Oct. 24, 2005, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise. She was so loved and will be missed by all, her family said. Survivors include her father and mother, Colby and Erin Thompson of North Powder; her twin sister, Jacee Ann Thompson of North Powder; grandparents, Doug and Nanette Winkelman of Elgin and Brent and … Read more

Huntsman, Conrad C. – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Conrad C. Huntsman, 88, of Boise, died Jan. 29, 2006. His funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the Boise Cherry Lane LDS Chapel, 3020 Cherry Lane. Visitations will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Relyea Funeral Chapel, and from noon to 12:45 p.m. at the church on Friday prior to the service. Interment will be at Hillcrest Cemetery in La Grande at noon PST Saturday. Conrad was born on Dec. 29, 1917, at Provo, Utah, to Emery Huntsman and Elsie Caroline Shipp. He grew up in Baker City and was … Read more

Remsen, Ruth Abbott Mrs. – Obituary

Ruth Abbott Remsen, 83, of Richland, Wash., a former Richland, Ore., resident, died April 8, 2005, in the company of her daughter. Her graveside memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 28, 2005, at the Island City Cemetery. She was born Aug. 13, 1921, in Malheur County, near Weiser, Idaho, to Isaiah and Nannie May Wade Abbott. Ruth was one of 11 children. Ruth and her husband, Mearl F. “Mick” Remsen, were married on July 7, 1942. After the war, the family moved to Lakeview, where they lived for 12 years. They later moved to La Grande, where … Read more

Planting, Freada Lucille – Obituary

Freada Lucille Planting, 86, of Boise, died Saturday, Dec. 14, 2002, in a Boise care center. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18, at Central Assembly Christian Life Center, 12000 Fairview Ave., with Pastors Loren Yadon Ted Buck and Marion Fretwell (Freada’s brother) officiating. Burial will follow at Cloverdale Cemetery. Services are under direction of the Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel, Boise. A viewing will be held today from 4 to 8:30 p.m. at the funeral home, with the family greeting friends from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Freada Lucille Planting was born April 7, 1916, at the family … 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 Selden B. Kingsbury

The profession of the law, when clothed with its true dignity and purity and strength, must rank first among the callings of men, for law rules the universe. The work of the legal profession is to formulate, to harmonize, to regulate, to adjust, to administer those rules and principles that underlie and permeate all government and society and control the varied relations of men. As thus viewed there attaches to the legal profession a nobleness that cannot but be reflected in the life of the true lawyer, who, rising to the responsibilities of his profession, and honest in the pursuit … Read more