Walker, Sydney W. – Obituary

Sydney W. Walker, 89, of Grangeville, Idaho, and a former Baker City resident, died Aug. 19, 2006, at Life Care Center in Lewiston, Idaho. His funeral will take place Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville. Inurnment will be Friday at 2 p.m. at the Prairie View Cemetery in Grangeville. Sydney was born Sept. 2, 1916, at Steele, N.D., a son of Sydney A. and Faye Crofoot Walker. The family moved to Grangeville, where he graduated from high school in 1936. Following his graduation the family moved to Baker City, where he worked in the shoe … Read more

Biography of Edmond Pearcy

Edmond Pearcy, whose history is one of close connection with the pioneer development of the state as well as its latter-day progress and prosperity was born in Bedford County, Virginia, on the 22d of March 1832, and is of Scotch and Dutch descent. His ancestors were early settlers of Virginia, and for many years the families were represented in Bedford County. His father, Nicholas Pearcy, was born there, and having arrived at years of maturity he married Rebecca Hardy, a native of Maryland. They became the parents of twelve children, eleven sons and one daughter, and of the number but … Read more

Biography of Henry F. Samuels

There is coming to the front of Idaho a class of lawyers of the younger generation who are making their mark in no uncertain way and will be worthy successors to some of the older members of the bar when their time for retirement shall come. One of the best and most prominent of these is Prosecuting Attorney Samuels, of Shoshone County, some account of whose busy and successful career to the present time it is purposed to introduce here. Henry F. Samuels was born in Mississippi, April 4, 1869, a son of Captain Floyd and Isabella (Jenkins) Samuels. His … Read more

Biography of James W. Poe

James W. Poe, a distinguished lawyer and Idaho pioneer, residing at Lewiston, is a native of Jackson county, Missouri, his birth having there occurred on the 15th of January, 1838. His father, William B. Poe, was born in North Carolina, and married Mrs. Nancy Mulkey, nee Johnson, a native of South Carolina, by whom he had four children, two of whom are yet living. He valiantly served his country as a soldier in the Mexican war, and in 1853 crossed the plains to Oregon with his family. Our subject accompanied his parents on their westward emigration, and acquired his education … Read more

Carpenter, Erwin H. – Obituary

Elgin, Oregon Erwin H. Carpenter Erwin H. Carpenter, 80, of Lewiston, Idaho, and formerly of Grangeville, Idaho, and Union County, died Feb. 20 at the Idaho State Veterans Home in Lewiston. Viewing will be from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 Seventh Street, La Grande. A graveside service will follow at 2 p.m. at the Grandview Cemetery. Erwin was born Jan. 13, 1927, to Earl and Ida Carpenter in La Grande. As a child he lived on the family farm near Elgin. He and his sister, Doris, rode their horse three miles to attend … Read more

Biography of Charles A. Thatcher

Identified with pioneer life in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, Charles Albert Thatcher figured long and prominently in the development and progress of the northwest and in the events which form its history. He lived an honorable, upright life, won prosperity through determined purpose and indefatigable energy, and at all times enjoyed the esteem of his fellow men, by reason of those sterling qualities of manhood which in every land and every clime awaken admiration and regard. Mr. Thatcher was born in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, July 24, 1826, and was a representative of an old American family. He acquired his education … Read more

Biography of William A. Hall

Honored and respected by all, there is no man in northern Idaho who occupies a more enviable position in professional circles than William A. Hall, who for many years has devoted his energies to the practice of law and to the spread of the gospel among his fellow men. Born in England, February 15, 1847, he was five years of age when brought to America by his parents, William and Lucy (Atkinson) Hall, who crossed the Atlantic with their six children and became residents of Walworth county, Wisconsin. There the father engaged in farming up to the time of his … Read more

Biography of Abner E. Callaway

The old adage that ‘”truth is stranger than fiction” finds exemplification in the annals of the northwest. The most marvelous characters of the novelist cannot exceed in courage and daring the hardy pioneers who have opened up this vast region to the advance of civilization. Traveling across the hot, arid, sandy plains, climbing the steep mountains, threading their way through dense forests of towering trees, they came to this land of the “silent, sullen people,” whose hostility made existence most uncertain, and here they have established homes, churches and schools, developed the rich agricultural and mineral resources of the country … Read more

Biography of John Hanson

John Hanson, who loyally served this country as a member of the navy, is now successfully engaged in farming and stock raising on Camas prairie, in Idaho county, where he owns four hundred and eighty acres of land. He is a native of Denmark, his birth having occurred in that land on the 9th of June 1827. At the age of fifteen he bade adieu to home and friends and went to sea, eventually sailing to New York, in 1849. While there he joined the United States Navy and served for sixteen months, at the expiration of which period he … Read more

Jewell, Robert “Mike” – Obituary

Robert “Mike” Jewell, 65, of Boise and a former Baker City resident, died Jan. 16, 2005, at Capital Care Center. He died of Alzheimer’s disease which he battled for more than eight years. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Calvary First Assembly of God Church, 102 N. 18th St. in Boise. Burial will be at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery. Visitations will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at Accent Funeral Home, 1303 N. Main St., Meridian, Idaho. Mike was born at Boise on Aug. 11, 1939. He attended grade school at Franklin Elementary … Read more

Wilson, Donna Rae Fine Mrs. – Obituary

Donna Rae Wilson, 59, of Joseph, a former Baker County resident, died Aug. 12, 2005. Her memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the First Baptist Church, 1420 W. North St., in Enterprise. Burial will be at 11:45 a.m. Thursday at the Grangeville, Idaho, Cemetery. Donna was born on Feb. 23, 1946. She attended schools in Idaho at Clearwater Valley and Grangeville. She married Ray Wilson in 1961 and began her adventurous life on a sheep ranch in Hells Canyon. The couple had two sons and a daughter. After the Forest Service forced them off of their land … Read more

Biography of Keith W. White

Keith Wood White, a retired farmer now residing in Grangeville, is a native of the far-off state of Connecticut, his birth having occurred in the town of Ashford, Windham County, on the 15th of May 1838. His ancestors came from old England and settled in New England at an early epoch in the history of this country, and there the family remained for several generations. Keith W. White, the father of our subject, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and married Catharine Farnum, a native of Connecticut. They became the parents of two children, and the father provided for their support … Read more

Sullivan, Sean Richard – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Sean Richard Sullivan, 27, of La Grande and formerly of The Dalles died Aug. 14 in Riggins, Idaho, following an automobile accident. A Mass of Christian Burial was held today at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church with burial at the Island City Cemetery. Mr. Sullivan was born June 15, 1979, to Joseph Patrick and Toni Gaye Walker Sullivan in Portland. He graduated from The Dalles High School in 1998, and from Eastern Oregon University this year with a degree in Rangeland Management. He worked at various jobs, including at D&B Supply and the auction yard. … Read more

Williamson, Clarence Lewis “Big Lou” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Clarence Lewis “Big Lou” Williamson, 58, died Jan. 31, 2003, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Monte Loyd of Baker Valley Christian Assembly will officiate. Mr. Williamson was born on Sept. 6, 1944, at Robinson, N.D. He was a son of Edwin and Purnelby “Dolly” Brady Williamson. He grew up and attended school at Lake Williams Country School. Lou worked in his uncle’s service station at Cottonwood, Idaho, then later moved to Boise, where he worked at General Tires and … 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

Biography of Peter J. Holohan

The gentleman whose name appears above claims distinction as having been one of the first settlers at Wallace, Idaho, and as a member of the firm of Holohan & McKinlay, dealers in tobacco and cigars, he is recognized as one of the prominent business men of that city. He is a native of Hardin county, Kentucky, and is a son of Michael and Ann (Welsh) Holohan, natives of Ireland, who came early in life to the United States and met and married here, settling in Kentucky about 1850. Michael Holohan died in Idaho, in 1880, aged about fifty years, and … Read more

Biography of Henry Wax

Henry Wax, president of the board of trustees of Grangeville and one of her most enterprising business men, claims California as the state of his nativity, his birth having occurred in San Francisco, on the 4th of August, 1859. His parents were Jacob and Amelia (Elkles) Wax natives of Germany, who located in California in pioneer days. The year 1852 witnessed their arrival in the Golden state, where the father carried on merchandising in several towns up to the time of his death. He passed away in his forty-fourth year, his estimable wife having been called to the home beyond … Read more

Idaho County, Idaho Census Records

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

Biography of Jacob C. Garber

The efficient and capable postmaster of Grangeville, Jacob C. Garber, is a native of Rockingham County, Virginia, born near Fort Republic, January 7, 1829. The family is of Swiss origin and the ancestors of our subject crossed the Atlantic to the New World prior to the Revolutionary war. They were long residents of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and in religious faith were Dunkards. Martin Garber, the father of our subject, was born in the Old Dominion and married Miss Magdalen Mohler, a lady of German lineage and a representative of one of the old Virginian families. Fourteen children were born of … Read more

Biography of Aaron Freidenrich

Aaron Freidenrich, one of the most prominent merchants of Grangeville, and the managing member of the firm of Alexander & Freidenrich, wholesale and retail dealers in general merchandise, is in control of the largest establishment of the kind in the town, and perhaps no town of equal proportion in the entire country can boast of a better or more extensive store. The success of this enterprise is due to him whose name begins this sketch, a most energetic and progressive man, whose sound judgment is supplemented by industry and honorable methods. These qualities have brought to him a most creditable … Read more