Chapter 13

As related before, Ida, the eldest of the Haven daughters married William McCullough, an old-time resident, and to them were born three sons and two daughters. Ada, the next in age, married John Smith, who as mentioned before, built and operated the first hotel in the town of Weiser. They had five daughters, Maud, the second oldest, is now the wife of J.W. Beckham and resides in Weiser. Nellie, whose husband, Wm. Monday was murdered by the Indians, as before told, remarried several years after the tragic death of her husband and became the wife of S.J. Durbin. She had three children by her first marriage, Harry, now of North Powder, Ore.; Minnie Roe and Hattie Walker, wife of W.B. Walker, reside here. Three children were born of the later marriage, one of whom survive. Walter lives here and is a mechanic in the Clyde Wilson garage. Minnie, wife of H.J. Linder and the youngest of the family lives in Middle Valley. She has more descendants than the other three combined. Of children, grand and great grandchildren they would constitute one of the largest family groups in the county. Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Durbin have been dead several years.

Shaw Family

Wm. A. Shaw and family were early corners to the valley and made their first home three miles up the valley from the Weiser depot. The family consisted of four sons and two daughters, only one of whom now survive. Wm. R., now a resident of Council, where he is a prominent and much respected citizen. We now come to a brief history of the Woodson Jeffreys family, one of the most prominent in Ada and afterwards in Washington County. As said before Mr. Jeffreys came here in 1864 with his friend T.C. Galloway from Yamhill County, where they acquired large land holdings. On coming here, he had the choice of any piece of land on the river and took up the ranch now owned by R.T. Davis, just beyond Mann Creek. He was a systematic and methodical farmer and made a success of the business. He soon entered the cattle raising business in addition to his farming operations, getting his first start of stock from Oregon. His cattle increased until he had the largest herd in what is now Washington County.

First School

After he had brought his family here and there were a few other children in the neighborhood needing schooling he within others determined to build a school house. His teams hauled lumber from near the head of Shafer Creek, not far from Idaho basin with which to construct it, which was the first school building to he erected in the Weiser country, and has always borne the name of Jeffreys. Although the name is wrongly spelled on the building now occupying time original site.

He planted the first orchard on the river which flourished for many years but not a tree is now standing, all falling victims of modern pests. Mr. Jeffreys was born in Jackson County, Missouri some time in the 1830s and died at his home in October, 180, sincerely mourned by all his acquaintances. He never sought political preferment but did serve one term as a county commissioner for Ada County and school trustee many terms. Mrs. Jeffreys before her marriage was Sarah Jane Forest, a member of a prominent Willamette Valley family. She was a most splendid character, a devoted wife and mother and a real neighbor, beloved by all who knew her.

She never spoke ill of or bore malice toward any, and if she could not say a good word for another, she said nothing. She survived her husband a number of years, living with her son, Johnny and died in Weiser about 15 years ago.

There were five children in the Jeffreys family. two sons and three daughters, all born in Oregon except the youngest, who was born on the old home place here in Idaho. Thomas M. was the oldest, John L. next, Mary, who afterwards married J.H. Anderson; Ella, married twice, first to Sylvester Lansdon and after divorcing him, Ed R. McGrew a long time resident of Weiser. Olive, the youngest and the only one born in Idaho, married A.C. Mitchell and soon afterwards left here to live in other parts. Not one of them now survives. Thos. M. married Malinda Jewell, the widow of C.W. Jewell, who was killed by Indians at the time of the outbreak of the Umatillas in 1878 in Umatilla county. John L. was married but for some reason the marriage was not a success and a divorce ensued.

Not one of the many descendants of Woodson, Jeffreys, or of Sol his brother, now remain in this county. Tom Jeffreys followed more varied vocations in life than any other man in the country. He was a worker, as a boy on his fathers ranch and on the range, a student in school at Forest Grove, Ore., a student and graduate of a college at Lexington, Kentucky, a merchant in the first general merchandise business, a druggist, representative in the legislature after the creation of Washington County, county treasurer, probate judge, postmaster, school teacher and bookkeeper for Haas Bros. at Salubria, at which he was very proficient. Tom lacked confidence in himself, else he would have made a greater success in life. While well educated and a student of current events, he could not make an off-hand address of one minutes duration. He always had his speech written and delivered them from the manuscript. I have gone through campaigns with him when he was a candidate for an office when he invariably dived into his pocket and produced his speech which he proceeded to read with great force and eloquence to the utmost displeasure of his fellow campaigners who had to endure it every evening during the campaign. This experience reminded us of the old deacon who had a son graduate for the ministry.

The young man returned home and his father had it so arranged that the young minister should deliver his first sermon in his home schoolhouse.

There was a very good attendance at the meeting and the old deacon was all puffed up with pride because of the fact that his progeny was to begin his career where he was born. At the proper time the new sky pilot arose, read a chapter and announced his text, which was "And Simons wife's mother lay sick of a fever." He delivered his sermon with great eloquence and to the great satisfaction of his proud sire. After the meeting the young man and his father were warmly congratulated on the success of the meeting, and the old man made arrangements for him to preach the next Sunday at another schoolhouse a Yew miles away. When the time arrived, the old gray mare was hitched up to the family buggy and father and son went over there where they found an expectant congregation awaiting their coming. At the proper time the young minister read the same chapter he had read the Sunday before and announced his text: "And Simons wife's mother lay sick of a fever" and followed by preaching, word for word the same sermon as he had preached for the repetition. As his audience had not heard him before they congratulated both father and son on the effort and they went home. On the following Sunday he was to preach at another schoolhouse in the vicinity and the father took him over there full of expectancy that he would hear something different. At the time for operations to begin the young hopeful arose, read the same chapter he had read on the two previous occasions and announced his text: "And Simons wife's mother lay sick of a fever." This was too much for the old man; he was exasperated and jumped up and yelled at the young man: "Say, son aint that damned old woman dead yet?" The poor fellow went home a sadder but wiser man than before, and concluded that as a minister his son was going so prove a monumental failure.

Johnny, second in age of the Woodson Jeffreys family was his fathers mainstay in his cattle operations. He was foreman on the range and looked after the branding, marketing and other duties concerning the business. After his fathers death the whole business of the estate devolved on him. The next year after the death of Woodson, Sol Jeffreys, a partner in the business determined to close out the cattle business and they were gathered and sold at ruinously low prices. Yearling heifers went at seven dollars per head, yearling steers at eight, two year old steers at 12 dollars, cows from two years old up, either with or without calves at 10 dollars each. At that time steers sold by age rather than weight.

The next year after the sacrifice of the Jeffreys herds, Peter Pence, of the Payette River sold his cattle at 26 dollars per head, all around, counting sucking calves, more than three times as much as the Jeffreys cattle brought on the average. After the cattle had been sold Johnny remained on the ranch with his mother and two sisters until the girls were married, after which he and his mother lived together on the ranch until it was sold to the present owner, R.T. Davis, when they moved to town. All the heirs agreed that Johnny should have the ranch as he had done more than all of them in accumulating the estate, and took other property not so valuable. Johnny was a most devoted son to his mother and nothing she could wish for was omitted. It was the writers privilege and pleasure to have been his close friend for nearly 40 years. We associated, hunted, prospected and mined together and outside of my own family, never had another such friend. He was born near McMinnville, Yamhill County, Oregon, on the first day of April, 1856, and died at his home on the 14th day of August, 1929.

Sol Jeffreys, a brother, and partner of Woodson, married Mrs. Sarah Ripper, mother of Newt Ripper, of Weiser. She was a wonderful woman who never tired of doing good. She was the head and front of the movement to build the first church building in Weiser, Located at East Court Street and Tenth Street east and later moved to its present location at East Main and Eighth Streets after it had been sold to another denomination. It was built and for a long time occupied by the Baptists. Mrs. Jeffreys was greatly hurt because of the sale of the building which she had labored so untiringly to have built, and never attended church at the new building, although she retained the faith she had had for so many years. Two sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. Sol Jeffreys, Woodson and Dr. Oliver Jeffreys, both of Los Angeles, Calif.

Edward Barton

There are a number of men and women who have done well their part in the development of the latent resources of this and Adams Counties not herein mentioned, but there are two whose works were so outstanding and beneficial, that special mention is deserved. These were Edward M. Barton and Aubrey G. Butterfield.

Barton came to this section in 1878 with his father, mother, a brother and sister. They settled on Monroe Creek about three miles from where Weiser now stand, where the father and Ed took up claims. He and his brother later engaged in the sheep business, and also acquired a large tract of land on Buttermilk Island. Ed also invested in Weiser real estate and built the Weiser Hotel. He purchased a considerable amount of land on Monroe Creek and built the reservoir that now furnishes irrigation water for the lower five miles of the valley along the creek. He had interests in a large number of mining claims in the Seven Devils mining district, but these ventures proved to be a liability rather than an asset.

Boosts For Bridge

When Dead-ox Flat had settled up and the settlers made Weiser their trading place, and large numbers of sheep and other livestock were brought here for shipment, a bridge to span Snake River was deemed to be a necessity, and Ed Barton was one of the most enthusiastic advocates of the proposition. A bill was drawn and introduced in the legislature for an appropriation of 15 thousand dollars, at the 1903 session, when he went to Boise and stayed there continuously lobbying for his hobby until it was passed and signed by the governor. The bill appropriated that amount on the condition that a like amount should be raised by subscription or otherwise to match the states donation.

Barton came home and at once took the lead in the movement to raise the necessary amount to put the act in to force, heading the list with a subscription of $1,500 and Butterfield followed with a donation of $1,000. With this start of one sixth of the necessary amount subscribed, nearly everybody in Weiser and some on the Oregon Side, who had property interests contributed to the fund until the necessary amount was raised and paid into the state treasury, when a contract was let and the bridge, the first to span the Snake River between Idaho and Oregon, was completed and opened for travel. ,

But for the interest, enthusiasm and liberality of these two men, there might not have been a bridge there to this day.

The building of the Monroe Creek reservoir and necessary ditches, cost Barton a great deal more than he had calculated on and he became heavily involved and was obligated to mortgage all his vast holdings to secure his indebtedness. A stringency in the money market coming on when money lenders were inclined to call in their loans rather than to make new ones, he was obligated to appoint a trustee with power to sell off his holdings and pay up his indebtedness, which was done.

He became afflicted with an incurable malady, but in hopes a remedy might be found for his ailment, he went to San Francisco and was treated there, but without any beneficial results, and, the he died a financial wreck. His body was brought back and buried here where he had lived and labored for half a century

Butterfield Ranch

Mr. Butterfield, a native of Florida came to Weiser in the 1880s and first engaged in the hardware business with B.W. Watlington and others, and later took to the livestock business, first horse raising, which proved unprofitable.

He turned his attention to sheep raising. In order to extend the business on a larger scale, he organized the Butterfield Livestock Co., corporation, in which some local capitol was invested and a number of Boise people subscribed to the stock. The sheep holdings were increased and large amount of the finest land in the valley was purchased and improved with good houses, barns, lambing sheds and other necessary improvements. Ranches and range rights were secured in other parts of the county and in Oregon until the company became one of the greater sheep raising concerns in the state.

Mr. Butterfield was president and general manager of the company and took great pride in his work, always proceeding in a substantial manner calculated to produce ultimate benefits. The company imported the bet breeding stock to be found in this and some foreign countries, employed expert sheep breeders and continued the enterprise until it had built up the best sheep breeding farm in the state. Its fame spread to other states and sheep growers came from all parts to purchase breeding stock, and when these sheep were exhibited at fairs they always carried away blue ribbons. This concern had grown to such a magnitude that was the most beneficial to the public generally of any enterprise operating in the county. Such a vast business necessarily must contract considerable debt, but the obligations of this company were not disproportionate to the value of its assets and with proper management all of its indebtedness could and would have been liquidated.

Management Changed

The Boise stockholders, who held majority of the stock and were in the majority on the board of director appointed another manager, who knew but little about the business in which the company was engaged, with a resultant failure, the first thing done was to dispose of the sheep the lifeblood of the concern, at prices far below their value leaving as the only asset, the farm and range lands. The grazing lands were without value without stock to eat the grass, and the farm lands were unprofitable with out stock to eat the hay and grain produced. The company under the new management, struggled along for a time, when a receiver was appointed to sell out its remaining holdings which has been done, and the splendid enterprise which Mr. Butterfield had built was no more.

It was a bitter disappointment to Mr Butterfield and his hundreds of friends to see the collossal enterprise which his energy and ambition had built, go to the wall, as well as an irreparable loss to the community.

Although disappointed, his ambition did not forsake him. He left this vicinity and went to Willowa Valley, Ore., where he again engaged in the livestock business and is prospering fairly well.

Mr. Butterfield married Mary, daughter of the late T.C. Galloway, the pioneer or 1864 hereinbefore mentioned. There were some children born to them, all of whom still live and are leading honorable and useful lives.

Wherever Mr. Butterfield goes, the best wishes of his friends will follow him, and they will rejoice in hisprosperity, for they all know whatever gains may come to him will be honestly got.