Biography of Andrew McGregor

This doughty end intrepid frontiersman, now one of the leading farmers and stock men of his vicinity, having a tine estate eight miles west from Ontario, which is the family home, and being a man of prominence and capabilities, has accomplished much in the development of the County and we are pleased to accord to him a representation in the history of Malheur County. Mr. McGregor was born in Glasgow, Scotland on June 28, 1845, being the son of Duncan and Marguerette (McIntyre) McGregor. The father was born in Inverness, north Scotland, on February 14, 1800 and the mother was … Read more

Biography of George Ainslie

Hon. George Ainslie is a western man by birth, training and choice, and possesses the true western spirit of progress and enterprise. He belongs to the little group of distinctively representative business men who have been the pioneers in inaugurating and building up the chief industries of this section of the country. He early had the sagacity and prescience to discern the eminence which the future had in store for this great and growing country, and, acting in accordance with the dictates of his faith and judgment, he has garnered, in the fullness of time, the generous harvest which is … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William H. Ridenbough

A business man of Boise engaged in the manufacture of lumber and flour, Mr. Ridenbough, is a native of St. Joseph, Missouri, where he was born April 17, 1853. He has built a most palatial residence in Boise, and his home, with its beautifully arranged grounds, fittingly represents the good taste of its builder. In Boise Mr. and Mrs. Ridenbough possess a large number of friends, who are often the recipients of their cordial hospitality.

Biography of John Cuddy

In western Idaho is located Cuddy mountain, which will ever stand as a monument to the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, one of the honored pioneers of the state. More than a third of a century has passed since he came to this part of the Union, and few if any of the early settlers are more widely known than he, while none are held in more genuine regard. In almost daily fear of Indian attack, he planted his business interests near the mountain named in his honor and there maintained his home while civilization slowly advanced toward him … Read more

Biography of Richard Z. Johnson

Perhaps there is no part of this history of more general interest than the record of the bar. It is well known that the peace, prosperity and well-being of every community depend upon the wise interpretation of the laws, as well as upon their judicious framing, and there-fore the records of the various persons who have at various times made up the bar will form an important part of this work. A well known jurist of Illinois said, “In the American state the great and good lawyer must always be prominent, for he is one of the forces that move … Read more

Hendren, Neva – Obituary

Neva Hendren Passes in Boise Services for Neva Agnes (Engle) Hendren, 50, of 2213 Targee, Boise, who died Thursday of natural causes at a Boise hospital were conducted at 1 p.m. Monday in Baker at the Langrell Funeral Home. Buster Holcomb of the Boise South Unit of Jehovah’s Witnesses officiated and interment was in the Haines Cemetery. Mrs. Hendren was born July 22, 1920, at Haines and attended Muddy Creek and Haines schools, graduating from High School in 1938. She was married to Norman A. Engle in Baker, Dec. 7, 1939. He died in 1959. She has lived in Boise … Read more

Coles, Curtis Alan – Obituary

Curtis Alan Coles, 47, a former Baker City resident, died Nov. 17, 2000, at his home in Wenatchee, Wash. His memorial service was Saturday at the Grandview Cemetery in La Grande. Pastor Beuford Belcher officiated. Mr. Coles was born on Jan. 15, 1953, to William J. and Norma I. Snow Coles in Boise. He moved with his family to La Grande where he graduated from La Grande High School. He worked as a carpenter and later moved to Wenatchee, Wash. He enjoyed working and spending time with his friends. Survivors include his brothers, Steven Coles of Elgin, William J. Coles … Read more

Biography of John W. Daniels

The public-school system of Boise is a monument to the character and labors of Professor John W. Daniels. There is no nobler profession to which man may devote his energies than that of the teacher. What man prominent in public life does not attribute his success in a considerable measure to the influence of some teacher whose instruction he enjoyed in youth? The thoughts implanted in the young minds grow and develop, and largely shape the destinies of those by whom they have been received. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the training of the young shall be … 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 Thomas T. Redsull

Great, indeed, have been the changes that time and man have wrought since Thomas T. Redsull landed on the Pacific coast. California yet belonged to Mexico, and much of the land, especially in the southern part of the state, was divided into large estates, owned and occupied by Spanish families. Mr. Redsull was then but eleven years of age, yet had started out to make his own way in the world. He was born in the County of Kent, England, on the 15th of November, 1827, a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Goymer) Redsull, both of whom were natives of … Read more

Biography of John L. Weaver

Among the distinguished citizens of Boise is Hon. John L. Weaver, who is now serving as adjutant-general of the state. For many years a prominent representative of the Christian ministry, honored and respected in every class of society, he has for some time been a leader in thought and action in the public life of the state and his name is inscribed high on the roll of fame, his honorable and brilliant career adding luster to the history of Idaho. General Weaver was born in Switzerland County, Indiana, May 26, 1856, and is descended from Swiss, French and Scotch ancestors, … Read more

Sasser, Myrna Karleen – Obituary

Myrna Karleen Sasser, 70, formerly of Wallowa County, died Aug. 6 at her home in Idaho. Burial will be at the Enterprise Cemetery. Summers Funeral Homes of Boise is in charge of arrangements. Miss Sasser was born Jan. 28, 1936, to Foy A. and Edna Byrle Sturm Sasser near Enterprise. She graduated from high school in New Plymouth, Idaho, and attended Nampa Business College. She worked as a legal secretary for attorneys in Boise and Eugene, and for U.S. Sen. Frank Church in Washington, D.C. She returned to Boise in 1980. She published the decisions of the Idaho Industrial Commission … Read more

Cox, Patricia Karen – Obituary

Patricia Karen Cox, 66, of Cove, died Oct. 11 in Boise. A graveside service will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Cove Cemetery. Viewing will run from 4 to 6 p.m. today at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh Street. Patricia was born on Nov. 18, 1940, to Delbert C. and Adria (Nicholson) Webster in Iowa City, Iowa. The family moved to Cove where she graduated from high school. On Dec. 26, 1958, she married Craig Cox in Weiser, Idaho. She was a stay-at-home mom and a homemaker who loved to take care of her family. She loved … 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

Taylor, Cleo Irene Bartlett Hall Mrs. – Obituary

Cleo Irene Bartlett Hall-Taylor, 77, of Boise, a former resident of Baker City and North Powder, died on July 24, 2007, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise. There will be a memorial service to celebrate her life at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall, 2005 Valley Ave. Cleo was born on Jan. 31, 1930, at Baker City to Jack Bartlett and Emma Corn Bartlett. She was the third of four children. She attended Baker schools and married James Hall on Sept. 11, 1948. They had two daughters, Gloria and Deborah. Cleo began working at Pacific Northwest … Read more

Biography of Augustus Titus

AUGUSTUS H. TITUS is a man that has a wide range of experience both in the affairs of life in its ordinary occupations and also in pioneer experiences, having passed through practically all the various vocations usually met with in frontier life, as mining, camping, opening up a new farm, as well as the incidents of danger and adventure with which such existence is frequently attended, beside much fighting with the savages in various places; universally manifesting both a cool and wise judgment and capabilities and valor and courage that are the constituent parts of the true man and progressive … Read more

Biography of Charles J. Sinsel

Charles J. Sinsel, a wholesale fruit dealer of Boise and ex-county treasurer of Ada County, was born in Grafton, West Virginia, July 13, 1867, and is descended from Holland ancestry. Three brothers of the Sinsel family came from the little Dutch kingdom to America to aid Great Britain in her subjugation of the colonies, but were so well pleased with the land that they resolved to make their home in the new republic and located in Virginia. They and their descendants were planters and were Baptists in religious faith. The father of our subject, William F. Sinsel, was born in … Read more

Biography of James H. Bush

James H. Bush, deceased, was one of the prominent and widely known businessmen of Boise, where he spent the greater part of his life. He was born in White Lake, Oakland County, Michigan, July 29, 1842, and was a son of Elias Oliver and Mary Jane (Fife) Bush, both of whom were well-to-do farmers and early settlers of Michigan and members of the Baptist church. James Bush was educated in Flint, Michigan, and in early manhood was a purser on a steamboat. In February, 1865, he sailed from New York for the Pacific coast by way of Panama, reaching Boise … 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

Snell, Doris Mabel Bowman Mrs. – Obituary

Doris Mabel Snell of Boise, a former Baker County resident, died July 7, 2003, two days before her 89th birthday, at her home where she had lived for more than 50 years. A celebration of Doris’s life was at 1 p.m. Friday at the Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel in Boise. Pastor Eric Brown of the Cloverdale Seventh-day Adventist Church officiated. Interment was at Cloverdale Cemetery, where she was laid to rest next to her husband, Loyal. Doris was born to Joseph and Ida Bowman on July 9, 1914, at their homestead at Wolf Creek. Although born healthy, digestive difficulty made it … Read more