Evan E. Filby's Blog: South Fork and More, page 129

Banker, Idaho Governor, and Reclamation Manager D. W. Davis [otd 04/23]

Idaho Governor David William Davis was born April 23, 1873 in Wales. The family moved to the U.S. two years later, and the father found work mining coal in the districts northwest of Des Moines, Iowa. This being before strict child labor laws, David began working in the coal mines there in 1885, when he was twelve years old.
Boy miners were once common. Library of Congress.
After three years he landed a job in the mining company store. Personable and hard-working, Davis showed a talent for the...

Military Expedition into Idaho, Salmon River Gold Mines Flourishing

On April 22, 1863, the Oregonian, in Portland, reported that “a detachment of fifty men, belonging to Capt. Harris’ company of Oregon Cavalry, left Fort Dalles on Tuesday morning for Fort Walla Walla, on their way to the Boise country.”

The item said that the force would acquire what reinforcements it could at Fort Walla Walla. With the Civil War raging in the East, the Army was hard pressed to find units to spare. A few weeks earlier, the Oregonian had described the hostility of the Indians,...

Watermaster, Irrigation Engineer, and Musician Forrest Sower [otd 04/22]

F. L. Sower. Beal & Wells photo.Engineer and irrigation expert Forrest Lindsay Sower was born April 22, 1887 in Battle Creek, Michigan. The family soon moved to Idaho, and Forrest graduated from Caldwell High School in 1907. He then attended College of Idaho for a time before transferring to the University of Idaho. He earned a B.A. degree in 1911.

Also a talented musician and composer, Sower pursued that hobby at UI: He played professionally in various bands, and had a number of songs pub...

Lewiston Physician and Hospital Founder Edgar White [otd 04/21]

Dr. White. J. H. Hawley photo.Edgar Lee White, Lewiston physician and hospital operator, was born April 21, 1883 in St. Louis, Missouri. The family moved to Spokane in 1888. For five years starting at age ten, Edgar worked as a newsboy in Spokane. He then entered the carpenter’s trade. After his high school graduation in 1903, he continued in carpentry, while also attending classes at Washington State College (now University).

White next pursued higher education in Missouri and then at th...

Educator, Newspaperman, and Rexburg Patriarch Arthur Porter, Jr. [otd 04/20]

Arthur Porter, Jr. as a young man.
Porter family records.Arthur Porter, Jr. – college professor, businessman, public servant, and religious leader – was born April 20, 1876 in Auckland, New Zealand. Mormon converts, the family moved to Utah in 1885.

Arthur, Jr. grew up there and went on to school at Brigham Young College in Logan. After earning his B.S. degree in 1896, he served as a missionary in Switzerland. While there, he took classes at the University of Geneva.

Even a minimal summary of P...

Grand Opening for Exotic and Modern Egyptian Theater [otd 04/19]

On April 19, 1927, crowds began to gather outside the brand new Egyptian Theater at least an hour before it was supposed to open, at 7:00 pm. Boise's first movie "palace" had created an expectant buzz in the city.
Egyptian Theater, ca. 1928*. Idaho State Historical Society.
Of the five other movie houses in town, the Pinney Theater was the largest and fanciest. Former Boise mayor James Pinney [blog, Sept 29], a theater enthusiast, opened the Pinney in late 1908. Designed initially for stage pla...

Borders of Idaho Territory Reported in the West (Finally)

Over a month after Congress created Idaho Territory, and 150 years ago (April 18, 1863) today, the Oregonian, in Portland, finally published a general description of the new entity. Somewhat awkwardly worded, the item said, “The boundaries of the new Territory include all that portion of Washington lying east of Oregon, and all lying east and north of the entire boundary of Oregon. This includes Lewiston, Florence, Oro Fino, Elk City and Boise river.”

The newspaper didn’t bother to describe th...

Rancher, Horse Breeder, and Sheriff Sam F. Taylor [otd 04/18]

Samuel F. "Sam" Taylor was born April 18, 1848 in Kentucky. Like his cousin, James Madison “Matt” Taylor [blog Dec 10], Sam traced his lineage back to Englishman James Taylor, who emigrated to Virginia in 1635. James Taylor’s descendants included two U. S. Presidents: James Madison and Zachary Taylor (second cousins to Sam and Matt). Sam’s family moved to Lafayette County, Missouri when he was a year old.
Making hay, the old way. Library of Congress.
In 1870, Sam finished a college degree in K...

Guest Blog: Paris, Idaho; Pioneer Families Rich and Budge

A bit over a week ago, a fellow blogger, “Leslie Ann,” offered me the chance to do a guest blog for her site, Ancestors Live Here (it’s included on my “Links” page). As you can tell from her title, her blog leans more toward genealogy and family history. Leslie has done a remarkable amount of work for her blog, and she even has another one called Lost Family Treasures. Amazing.

Anyway, in keeping with her theme, and the fact that she has roots in Paris, Idaho, I prepared an article that has a...

Nampa Incorporates and Forms City Government [otd 04/17]

On April 17, 1891, the village of Nampa, Idaho was officially incorporated and proceeded to form a municipal government. The town – there's no consensus on the origin of the name – owes its existence to the Oregon Short Line Railroad, which ran its tracks through the area in late 1883. Because a direct line into Boise City involved severe grades, the OSL stayed west of that city, following Indian Creek.
Steam locomotive at water tower.
State of California photo.
The railroad established a small...