The Coeur d’Alene Mining District

This article, as well as that following, concerning the lead belt of the district, is contributed by F. R. Culbertson, under date of July 9. 1898: The Coeur d’Alene mineral belt of northern Idaho, in area about twenty miles square, first came into prominence as a gold-placer camp in the summer and fall of 1883. Placer gold was first discovered on Pritchard creek, near Eagle City, now a deserted camp in Shoshone County. Fabulous reports of the richness and extent of this gold soon spread and attracted the attention of the outside world. In the spring of 1884 there was … 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

Stanciu, Churby Janice Densley Mrs. – Obituary

Churby Janice Densley Stanciu, 78, of Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, died June 10, 2008, at Coeur d’ Alene. Her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Richland Seventh-day Adventist Church. Interment will be at the Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception at the Eagle Valley Grange Hall after the committal service. Mrs. Stanciu was born on Feb. 6, 1930, at Richland to John and Belva Densley. She grew up in the Richland area, and was a 1948 Eagle Valley High School graduate. She married Lorin Stanciu on Oct. 20, … 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

Historical Notes on the Work of the Catholic Church in Idaho

As the Catholic Church has ever been the pioneer in civilization, so that we find her name linked with the early history of all lands, so, too, is it true of Idaho. Long before the coming of the first settlers to our present “Gem of the Mountains,” we find the faithful Catholic priest, laboring not for earth’s golden treasures nor ambition’s honored guerdons, but for the upbuilding of that grand edifice whose comer-stone is Christ, for the elevating and saving of souls who, without the ministration of the “Anointed of the Lord,” would never have been drawn from the darkness … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William R. Minor, Jr.

Among the pioneers who put their shoulder to the wheel and pressed the good work of development forward in this section, enduring hardships and deprivations that were calculated to overcome the hearts of those who were not brave and hardy, especial mention must be made of the esteemed gentleman whose name is at the head of this sketch, and it is with pleasure that we give him space in the history of his county, both because of this excellent work and because of his moral qualities of worth that have constantly been in evidence in all of his walk. Mr. William … Read more

Pearson, Leona – Obituary

North Powder, Oregon Oct.. 13 – Leona Pearson, graveside service, 2 p.m., North Powder Cemetery La Grande Observer – October 12, 2009 ___________________________________ Leona June Pearson, 75, of La Grande, died Oct. 8 at her home. A graveside service will begin at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the North Powder Cemetery. Loveland Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements. La Grande Observer – October 12, 2009 ______________________________ Leona J. Pearson La Grande 1934-2009 Leona June Pearson, 75 of La Grande, died Oct. 8 in the family home surrounded by her children and other loved ones. Leona was born July 28, 1934, … Read more

Biography of V. W. Sander

Success is not always the result of fortunate circumstances, but is the outcome of labor and business ability, and the one who achieves success along industrial or commercial lines must be possessed of energy, strong determination and executive force. Such are the qualities which have won for Mr. Sander a leading position among the merchants of Idaho and gained for him the presidency of the Idaho Mercantile Company, Limited, of Coeur d’Alene. A native of Germany, he was born February 4, 1857, and is a son of Henry and Henrietta (Othmer) Sander, also natives of the same country. In 1860 … Read more

Dailey, Ivy A. Person Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Ivy A. Dailey, 87, of Baker City, died Jan. 6, 2003, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Gray’s West & Company Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Ed Niswender of the Calvary Baptist Church will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. A reception will be held at the Calvary Baptist Church in Baker City following the interment. Ivy was born Oct. 10, 1915, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, to Charlie and Vira (Powers) Person. Ivy’s mother, Vira, passed away shortly after giving birth to her. … Read more

McMillen, Carl Richard – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Carl Richard McMillen, 71, of Spirit Lake, Idaho, and formerly of La Grande, died April 7 in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho. Celebration of life services begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Clark Fork Senior Center in Idaho. A private family interment will follow at the Clark Fork Cemetery. Loveland Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Carl was born June 26, 1936, to Maxine Petrina Skillingstad and William Hyrum McMillen in Salt Lake City. During WWII the family moved to San Francisco to work in the war effort. Carl attended grade school in San Francisco at … Read more

Biography of John B. Goode

The readjustment of the national affairs after the civil war led to conditions under which the people of the north and the people of the south began to mingle, and became acquainted and ratified the feeling of mutual admiration which their prowess during the four years’ struggle had compelled for foemen who wore the gray and foemen who wore the blue. Men of the north took part in the southern business and politics; men of the south began to have a hand in the national and local affairs at the north. A paternal sentiment has resulted which has buried old … Read more

Bates, George Edward – Obituary

George Edward Bates, brother-in-law to Mrs. Leta Bates, Ellensburg, died July 4 [1969] in Coeur d’Alene, Ida. A resident of Spokane for the last 40 years, he is also survived by his wife, Mabel Bates; 3 sisters, Mrs. Joy Gage, Mrs. Murrel Baird both of Yakima; and Mrs. Ruth Cole, Long Beach, Calif. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Weeks, Steven Robert – Obituary

Steven Robert Weeks, 63, died July 9, 2009, at the Pinewood Care Center in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, from complications of pneumonia. Graveside inturnment was at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 18, 2009, at Pine Grove Cemetery in Kooskia, Idaho. There was a no-host lunch afterward. He was born March 15, 1946, at Kamiah, Idaho, to Robert Weeks, and Diane Hazelbaker-Weeks. Steve loved the Clearwater Valley and lived there most of his life. He attended schools at Kamiah, Kooskia, and Orofino, Idaho. He sometimes caught a fish or two during school hours, but he hated it when he got caught skipping as … Read more

Biography of James H. Harte

A well known real-estate and insurance agent of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, is James H. Harte, who was born in Connecticut, near the city of Hartford. July 25, 1854, his parents being Walter and Elizabeth (Gibson) Harte, both of whom were natives of Connecticut, in which state the father died when about fifty-five years of age, while the mother still makes her home there. Mr. Harte of this review pursued his education in the public schools of Plainville, and Hartford. Connecticut. He then entered upon his business career as a clerk in a drygoods store in Hartford, where he remained for … Read more

Biography of Robert E. McFarland

Robert E. McFarland, late incumbent of the responsible position of attorney general of Idaho, by his faithful and capable discharge of duty won the highest commendation. Thoroughly versed in the principles of jurisprudence, he was well fitted to handle the intricate problems which presented themselves for solution, and his success affords the best evidence of his capabilities. He is a native of Missouri, born in Independence, November 21, 1857. The family is of Scotch lineage, the first American ancestors having crossed the Atlantic in colonial days and actively participated in the events which form the history of that epoch. They … Read more

Kinkade, Mabel A. Olson – Obituary

Mabel Kinkade, 86, a long-time resident of Kittitas County, died Tuesday November 10, 1981 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Born May 1, 1895, in Bottineau, ND, she came to the Kittitas Valley at the age of five with her parents. Her father, Ben Olson, managed the old Tjossem Flouring Mill, where the Millpond Mobile Manor now stands. She married Dallas Kinkade in 1917. He preceded her in death in 1951, as did two brothers and two sisters. She had lived off the Kittitas Highway all her married life and moved to Idaho six years ago. Mrs. Kinkade was along-time member of … Read more

The Lead Belt Of The Coeur d’Alenes

Lead was first discovered in the Coeur d’Alene mining district, in northern Idaho, on Canyon creek in the fall of 1884, the discovery at that time being the Tiger mine, situated at the town of Burke. During same year a few other locations were made on Canyon creek, a few at Mullan, and in the fall of 1885 the Bunker Hill & Sullivan mines were discovered at Wardner. At the time these discoveries were made the country was inaccessible, with no railroads, wagon roads or trails, and the only way of getting in was by foot; ten to fifteen miles’ … Read more

Carlson, Mardella Lee – Obituary

Summerville, Oregon Mardella Lee Carlson, 56, of Coeur d’Alene and formerly of Summerville and La Grande, died Oct. 28 at Kootenai Medical Center. A memorial service is planned for Friday at 1 p.m. at the La Grande Nazarene Church. Daniels Chapel of the Valley is in charge of arrangements. Miss Carlson was born Feb. 8, 1950, in La Grande to Dale L. and Valera L. Robinette Carlson of Summerville. She grew up on the family farm and was active in local 4-H clubs and in Girl Scouts. As a child she loved picking huckleberries in the nearby mountains with her … Read more

The Standard Group Of Mineral Claims

The Standard group of claims consists of the following patented lode claims: Standard, Banner, Snow Line, Sancho, Sandwich, Youngstown, Sullivan Fraction, Banner Fraction, Parallel, Little Chap, Mammoth Fraction, a portion of the Mammoth, and Tariff, also the Columbia, Crown Point and Tom Reed, all located in the Coeur d’Alene silver-lead mineral belt, Lalande mining district, Shoshone county, Idaho, one mile from Burke, also the Union Mill-site located at Wallace, Idaho, together with water rights and flumes from which is developed about three hundred horse-power. The Standard claim was located May 7, 1885, by Timothy McCarthy, Timothy Hynes. Frank Hanson and … Read more