Biography of Clarence W. Brooks

A little thoughtful consideration of the career of Clarence W. Brooks, proprietor of the Brooks House, Idaho Falls, brings one to the conclusion that he has in most of his business operations been impelled by the spirit of the pioneer. He has sought out new plans and new conditions likely to favor his projects, and after he has made them available and profitable, he has sought out still others, and after those others. The wisdom of his selection has been proven by the success which has crowned his efforts. Not only is he one of the boldest, most venturesome and … Read more

Biography of George W. Mills

A self-made man who has not despised the day of small things, and who has used obstacles as stepping-stones to higher successes, has a right to regard his advancement with pride. It is comparatively easy for a man of reasonably good ability to achieve a business success on capital borrowed or inherited, but it requires real force of character to earn the capital by hard, persistent work, and save it and invest it successfully. George W. Mills, who enjoys the distinction of being one of the leading butchers of southeastern Idaho, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, September 13, 1854, … Read more

Biography of Theron J. Smith

Theron J. Smith, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, has influenced the settlement of more families in the Snake river valley than any two or three other men. He has been a factor in local real-estate transactions, and without doubt has been, in a general way, one of the most efficient promoters of the growth and prosperity of Idaho Falls and the settlement and development of its tributary territory. As immigrant agent of the Oregon Short Line Railroad, he has brought many excursions to this part of the country from Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois, and these excursions have resulted in a marked … Read more

Biography of Hon. Ruel Rounds

Ex-Senator Ruel Rounds, postmaster and prominent citizen of Idaho Falls, was born in Rutland, Vermont, September 3, 1841, a son of William M. and Maria (Sanderson) Rounds, both natives of Vermont, where his ancestors were early settlers. Forefathers of his in both lines fought for American liberty in the Revolutionary war. His parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and wielded an influence for good upon all who knew them. His father, who was a successful farmer, died in his fifty-eighth year. His mother died ten years younger. Of their eight children, five are living and Ruel was the … Read more

Johnson, Roger Dale – Obituary

Roger Dale Johnson, 55, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, and formerly of La Grande and Union, died March 22 after an extended illness. Services are planned for a later date. Buck-Miller-Hann Funeral Home in Idaho is in charge of arrangements. Roger was born Nov. 9, 1952, to Burnies and Metta (King) Johnson in La Grande. He attended schools in Union and graduated from Union High School in 1971. He then served in the Army. Roger moved to Idaho Falls in 1988 and worked for Anderson Lumber until his health began to decline. He took great pride in his son, Tanner. He … Read more

Lyman, Viola Mrs. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Mrs. Viola Lyman Laid To Rest Viola Elizabeth Lyman, daughter of Peter L. and Nancy Ann (Bannon) Lingenfelter, was born August 12, 1889, in Bradshaw County, Nebraska, where she spent her early life. In 1906, with her family, she came west to Idaho Falls, where on December 22, 1915; she was married to Henry W. Lyman. In 1923, Mr. and Mrs. Lyman and family moved to Wallowa County which has since been her home. Mrs. Lyman passed away August 11, 1950 at the Wallowa Memorial hospital in Enterprise, after an illness of about three months. Mrs. … Read more

Willaims, Leanora – Obituary

Lenora “Nora” Ruth Williams, 93, of La Grande, died Saturday, Feb.19, 1994, at Mountain Vista Care Center. A service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at the Cove Cemetery the Rev. Kenton Thielen of the La Grande First Baptist Church officiating. Mrs. Williams was born on May 20, 1900, to Grant and Lucy Robin (Hayes) Gardner in Center, Colo. She moved with her family to Burntfork, Wyo., and then to Idaho Falls, Idaho, in 1910, and to Cove in 1912. On April 24, 1917, she married Edward W. Meroney. They divorced, in 1925. She married Raymond Williams on … Read more

Biography of William T. Reeves

William T. Reeves, a prominent lawyer of Idaho, residing at Pocatello, was born at Kinkleville, Kentucky, January 21, 1855, and is of Scotch-Irish ancestry, a combination which everywhere and always produces good citizens and has given to America many of her best and greatest men. George Reeves, Mr. Reeves paternal grandfather, emigrated from Ireland and brought his wife with him. They had four sons and three daughters. William Harrison Reeves, Mr. Reeves’ father, was born in Richmond, Virginia, and married Miss Penelope B. White, a native of Tennessee. While he was a mere boy his father removed with his family … Read more

Bonneville County, Idaho Census Records

1870 Bonneville County, Idaho Census Free 1870 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – 14 Days Free 1870 Bonneville County, Census (images and index) $ 1810-1890 Accelerated Indexing Systems $ Hosted at Census Guide 1870 U.S. Census Guide 1880 Bonneville County, Idaho Census Free 1880 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – 14 Days Free 1880 Bonneville County, Census (images and index) 1810-1890 Accelerated Indexing Systems $ Hosted at Census Guide 1880 U.S. Census Guide 1890 Bonneville County, Idaho Census Free 1890 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – 14 Days Free 1890 Veterans … Read more

Biography of Louis Elg

The man who first used gas for illumination at Idaho Falls, who put in the first telephone and who set up the first soda fountain in the town, is Louis Elg, druggist. Front and Maine streets. In other respects Mr. Elg has been a pioneer as well. His life has been a busy and eventful one and its important details are well worth the writing and the reading. He was born in Sweden, June 8, 1853, and is descended from a long line of Swedish ancestors. His father, also named Louis Elg, was an ironworker and was frozen to death, … Read more

Biography of Joseph A. Clark

The Idaho canal is fed by Snake River, ten miles above Idaho Falls. It has three head gates, is forty feet wide and thirty-five miles long and irrigates one hundred thousand acres of land, the country which it waters being largely settled by prosperous farmers who raise hay and grain in large quantities. The productiveness of this stretch of country and the prosperity which flows from it are made possible by this great inland improvement, and the canal was made possible largely through the personal efforts of Joseph A. Clark, who advocated it, promoted it and was chiefly instrumental in … Read more

Biography of Addison V. Scott

Addison V. Scott is well known throughout southern Idaho as a shrewd and public-spirited financier and real estate operator, and Mrs. Adelia B. (Dugan) Scott, his wife, has wide distinction as having been the first women in Idaho elected to the office of justice of the peace, the important functions of which she is discharging with admirable ability. They were married in 1883 and are among the prominent families of Idaho Falls. Addison Scott was born in Madison County, Iowa, January 14, 1858, and is descended from English-Irish ancestry. His forefathers settled early in Indiana, and Joseph Scott, his grandfather, … Read more

Biography of Benjamin A. Jenne

Character and ability will come to the front anywhere. As boy and man, many a man has been buffeted by fortune and had almost insurmountable obstacles thrust in his path, but per-severance has cleared them away and he has gone on to success. Such has been the experience of the subject of this sketch, one of the rising and popular citizens and public men of Bingham County, Idaho, a man with a heart for any venture, and a smile for friend and foe. Benjamin P. Jenne, deputy sheriff and jailer of Bingham County, Idaho, was born at Poor Man’s Gulch, … Read more

Biography of Lorenzo R. Thomas

There are some men in every community who appear to have been born to succeed, but their success is not by any means a matter of chance. They are born with those qualities of mind and heart which, if cultivated and applied to the affairs of life, will produce success as surely as wheat well sowed and fertilized will produce its kind. Men who make vigorous and judicious use of these talents are the successful ones. Lorenzo R. Thomas, one of the enterprising men of Idaho who has continually advanced in the affairs of life, was born in Hanley, Staffordshire, … Read more

Biography of Samuel J. Rich

A representative of the legal fraternity and a well known business man of Idaho Falls, Samuel J. Rich has spent his entire life in the west and is thoroughly identified with its interests and progress. He was born in Centerville, Davis county, Utah, May 1, 1860, his parents being Charles C. and Emeline (Grover) Rich, natives of Kentucky and New York, respectively, and pioneers of Utah of the year 1847. In 1864 they removed from Utah to Bear Lake county, Idaho, Mr. Rich being the pioneer and first while settler in Bear Lake valley. In the common schools of Bear … Read more

Brown, Wynona Eleen “Elaine” – Obituary

Cove, Oregon Wynona Eleen “Elaine” Brown, 75, of Cove died July 31 at her home. The funeral will begin at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 8 at the LDS Church in Union. Viewing will begin at noon at the Church before the service. Burial will follow at the Cove Cemetery. Mrs. Brown was born Nov. 16, 1930, to Norma Eleen Poormon in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She graduated from Enterprise High School in 1948, and married Gerald A. Brown of Joseph. They had a ranch on Upper Prairie Creek and moved to Union County where he worked for the General Telephone Co. … Read more

Bingham County

While not one of the most populous nor one of the most wealthy counties in the state, Bingham county does not by any means stand at the foot of the list. In 1891 the Idaho Register, published at Idaho Falls, in giving a description of Bingham County, stated that it was the largest county in the state. Its length was one hundred and seventy-six miles, its width ninety miles, and it contained about fourteen thousand square miles, or about eight million acres of land; it extended from the Montana line on the north to within about twenty-one miles of the … Read more

Biography of William H. B. Crow

William Henry Byron Crow was born in Greene county, Illinois, June 16, 1S52, and came of English ancestors who emigrated to America before the Revolution. His paternal great-grandfather was born at Bennineton, Vermont, III 1754 and with his son, Mr. Crows grandfather, went to Ohio in 1818, where the elder Crow died in 1844 aged, ninety years. Stephen Crow, father of William H. B. Crow, was born in New York in 18 16, and was two years old when the family removed to Ohio. He married Miss Elizabeth Prater, a native of Indiana, born in 1823, who was brought up … Read more

Biography of Ed. F. Winn

No work that might attempt to tell the story of the settlement and civilization of Idaho would be complete if it should contain no account of the hard, brave work performed by Deputy Sheriff and Deputy United States Marshal Ed. F. Winn, in ridding the country of the gangs of thieves, cut-throats and outlaws that once infested it. A book devoted to the exploits of Winn and other Federal and civil officers in this part of the country would be of thrilling interest. Ed. F. Winn is a native of Brownsville, Pennsylvania, and was born October 29, 1857. His parents, … Read more

Biography of De Forest Chamberlain

Not only has the subject of this all too brief sketch seen southeastern Idaho grow from a wild country, with only a few white inhabitants, to a rich agricultural country, containing thousands of good homes and acres of growing towns, inhabited by an industrious, prosperous, enlightened and progressive people, but he has participated in and assisted the slow, persistent work of development which was necessary to produce a change which is so complete that it has come to be popularly referred to as magical. De Forest Chamberlain is descended from English and Irish ancestors, who settled in America before the … Read more