Rev rend E. L. Iverson, pastor of the Congregational Church from 1918 to 1921,[1] married Mrs. Maude (Peters) Gregg in 1918.

During the flu epidemic he devoted most of his time to care and nursing of the sick.

In 1921 they moved to Oakdale, California. He died there April 18, 1936.

Mrs. Iverson died at Los Altos, California, January 22, 1960.

1. Obituary of Reverend E.L. Iverson, Adams County Leader, May 8, 1936.

JOHNSON, HANNIBAL F. "SEVEN DEVILS JOHNSON"
      One of the colorful characters who once inhabited the Council
and Seven Devils areas was Hannibal F. Johnson.  He was a
miner and poet, who acquired the title "Seven Devils Johnson" 
from the local residents.  Johnson, born in Indiana in 1830, came
west looking for gold, and was in the Boise area in the early
1850's.  He later located a mining claim in the Seven Devils
about 1884.  In 1892, he ran for the office of Washington
County Senator against T.C. Galloway.  During the campaign,
Galloway called Johnson "Pine Tree Johnson", claiming that he
had real no home and lived under a pine tree.  Johnson won the
election and served one term.  * Pickett p. 42-3 and Elsensohn
303 Johnson apparently never married, and did a great deal of
traveling from place to place around the country, driving a
two-wheeled cart.  In a time when doctors were few and far      
between, he was in demand as an authority on home remedies. 
He was a good natured man with a keen sense of humor, and
seemed to be liked by almost everyone.  *Cary, pp. 34-35
 
Weiser Leader, Sept 27, 1889  Printed in its 24 verse entirety:
The poem "Cuddy Flour" by H.F. Johnson "We publish the same
by request, believing it to be written in a good spirit toward Mr.
Cuddy and that it is aimed as a farewell to his burr mill flour." 
Cuddy received his new roller mill Saturday for his location at
Salubria.               

Weiser Leader, Oct 25, 1889 "Farewell to Idaho" poem printed. 
As with the Cuddy poem, the credit is given only to "A Seven
Devil Miner".  [By H.F. Johnson]

Salubria Citizen, April 12, 1895    H.F. Johnson has written a
book of Idaho Poems.

Salubria Citizen, Apr 19, 1895   H.F. Johnson's book of poems
costs 50 cents.

Salubria Citizen, Apr 21, 1899 Seven Devils Johnson is
"canvassing for two books..."  The Illustrated New Testament 
and a history of tour war with Spain. [I assume this means
selling door to door, more or less.] 

Salubria Citizen, June 2, 1899 P.W. Johnson of Spokane, is in
Council visiting his ex-senator brother H.F. Cambridge Citizen,
Oct 12, 1900 H.F. Johnson running on the Progressive ticket for
State senator - A.H. Wilkie for Rep., same party. 

Cambridge Citizen, Mar 15, 1901 H.F. Johnson has taken the
agency for a chemical fire extinguisher, and will be traveling the
area demonstrating what his machine will do.  
              
Weiser Signal, Mar 26, 1904 H.F. Johnson, of Pollock, and
partners own the Alliance group of gold mining claims, about 8
miles up the main Rapid River. 

Weiser Signal, Aug 24, 1904 P.W. Johnson, of the firm of
Haworth & Co. of Council... 

Council Journal, Mar. 18, 1902 P.W. Johnson - secretary of the
Council Board of Trade 

Council Journal, June 5, 1902   H.F. Johnson and his brother
P.W. have a gold mine called the Ajax on the West Fork of
Rapid River              
              

In the early 1890's, R.E. Lockwood, for whom Lockwood
Saddle is named, was doing some mining in the Devils, and
staying at a camp in the head of Rapid River near the North Star
mine.  One evening Mr. Johnson visited the camp, and all of the
men present became caught up in lofty discussions of philosophy
and literature.   Lockwood later wrote, it was a "feast of reason
and a flow of soul". *Camp p 46  Johnson recited one of his
mountain poems for the  group, and Lockwood was greatly
impressed.  Lockwood recalled,  "There, with true nature in all
her vastness and grandeur spread out beneath us, (we were at an
altitude of about 8,000 feet) with the green forests stretching
away for miles, with mountain 'turrets reaching to the  sky' above
us, it was easy to appreciate the impulses which inspired the 
lines." * camp p47  Lockwood was the editor of the Weiser
Signal newspaper, and was so enthusiastic about Johnson's
poems that he risked his own money in 1895 to publish a 125
page book of the poets works which was entitled  Poems of
Idaho .

This poem from which Lockwood quoted above, was included in
the book of Johnson's poetry: 
              

Gay D. Johnson was born near Ramseytown North Carolina, October 18, 1890. About 1896 the family moved to Kentucky.[1]

There was very little employment in that area except in the mines, so in 1910 the three Johnson brothers, Alonzo, Freeman, and Gay, came west looking for work. They settled at Republic, Washington, and sent for their mother and sisters.[2]

In 1913 Gay's sister, Dora, married Grant Moore of Council. Gay visited them about 1916, liked his new brother-in-law, and stayed to work for him.[3]

Gay Johnson enlisted in the army in 1917. He was with the military police division and remained with the occupation forces in France for a time after the close of the war.[4]

Shortly after he returned to Council, Gay married Annie Gould, January 29, 1922. Annie, born in 1897, was the daughter of George and Viola Gould. They lived on the Bill Phipps place on Cottonwood. Their children were a son who died shortly after birth, Clyde, Dorothy, and Elmer.[5]

Annie died in 1949 and is buried in Weiser Cemetery.[6]

In the early 1950s Gay Johnson sold his ranch and moved to Sandpoint and married Virgie

1. Gay D. Johnson, Sandpoint, Idaho, oral interview, 1974.
2. Ibid.
3. Dora Johnson Moore, Boise, Idaho, oral interview, 1970
4. Gay D. Johnson , oral interview.
5. Ibid
6. Ibid

Salubria Citizen, Mar 3, 1899 Capt. E.W. Baughman will go
down the Snake from Huntington to check on the feasibility of
running a steamer from Lewiston.  The steamer has made it to
Wild Goose rapids a number of times.  C.W. Jones, who has a
big copper mine on the Snake, is in on the scheme, and plans to
haul ore this way to Lewiston.

Salubria Citizen, Mar 17, 1899 C.W. Jones started off with his
river scow to go from Weiser 25 miles to his Copper Chief mine
on the Snake.

Salubria Citizen, Mar 24, 1899
      C.W. Jones made it to his mine
with his scow on the Snake

Salubria Citizen, Apr 14, 1899 C.W. Jones has made it to the
mouth of Deep creek in "Hells canyon"

Salubria Citizen, Apr 28, 1899 C.W. Jones's scow is named
"Hotel Weiser" and set sail on March 8

Salubria Citizen, Jan 12, 1900 Liquor licenses issued: Nick
Klosaner,  Gossi & Dellacqua,  - Degitz & Jones,

Cambridge Citizen, Apr 12, 1901 "The first sale of town
property was made in the new town of  Decorah on March 28th,
when C.W.Jones sold his entire interest in the saloon business,
including buildings and fixtures to Nick Klosaner of Cuprum for
$4,000." elegant billiard table and other furniture

Cambridge Citizen, May 9, 1902  Mention of the Advance paper
in Council - Mr. Jones, publisher

THE ADVANCE  Council paper  C.W. Jones, publisher
              The Advance, July 24, 1902

Weiser Signal, June 15, 1904 C.W. Jones now in charge of the
Peacock, White Monument, Helena and several other mines -
lives in Landore.

The Weiser Semi-Weekly Signal, July 12, 1905 C.W. Jones -
"Charlie" lives at Landore

KAMPETER

August Fredrick Kampeter was born in Germany July 27, 1858.

He came to America when he was twenty-six years old and located it Pleasant Grove, Iowa. On June 10, 1896, he married Mary Hilderbrand.[1]

They had a farm at Danville, Iowa, until they came to Council, November 5, 1908, and settled on Hornet Creek.[2] They chose the Council area because Mary's mother and stepfather were living there. Those who came to Idaho were "Gus" and Mary and their children John, Hilda, Clara, Vida, Louise, and Albert. Three more children, Viola, Bill, and Beth, were born on Hornet Creek.

The Kampeters came west on the train. Hilda was too young to remember how long the trip took-only that they were very tired. The only livestock they brought were two dogs.[4]

Mary W. Hilderbrand, born August 21, 1872, at Stuttgart, Germany, came to America at two years of age. She died October 5, 1961. She is buried beside her husband in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery. Mr. Kampeter died at home March 22, 1936.[5]

1. Obituary of August Frederick Kampeter, Adams County Leader, March 27, 1936.
2. Ibid
3. Hilda Ham, Council, Idaho oral interview, 1974
4. Ibid.
5. Obituary of Mary Kameter, Adams County Leader, October 14, 1961.

Augustus Henry Keckler was born May 25, 1875, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He farmed for a while in Illinois before moving to Council in 1910.

He was married September 23, 1913, in Boise to Bertha Brown of Indian Valley.

Mr. Keckler was prominent in the development of Mesa orchard district.

There were two sons, Lewis and Donald, and two daughters, Mrs. Harold White and Mrs. Carroll Schmidt.

Mr. Keckler died August 25, 1955, and is buried in Indian Valley.[1]

Emory John Keckler, son of Abraham and Elizabeth Alice Keckler, was born at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, November 30, 1877. As a young man he worked with his brother, Gus Keckler, as a guide through the battlefield.

He graduated from barber college at Mt. Morris, Illinois. On June 28, 1908, at Chicago, he married Mary Ruth Horton, daughter of James and Katherine Horton.

Mr. Keckler owned and operated a barber shop in Chicago until 1918 when they came to Council. In Council he owned and operated a barber shop for over forty years.

The Keckler children were Joe, Katheryne, Jim, and Alice.

Mr. Keckler died November 24, 1959,[2] and Mrs. Keckler in May, 1966.[3]

1. Obituary of August Henry Keckler, Adams County Leader, August 26, 1955.
2. Obituary of Emory John Keckler, Adams County Leader, November 27, 1959.
3. Obituary of Mary Ruth Keckler, Adams County Leader, May 19, 1966.

Mason Kerr born February 14, 1889 at Sewickley, Pennsylvania, came to Council in 1921[1] to join Frank Galey, William Spahr, and Robert Lindsay.

These four young men all came from well-to-do families who were able to sponsor their spirit of adventure. The four men bought ninety acres of newly planted apple orchard as a promotional deal. The trees died and they went on to other things.[2]

Mason Kerr served in World War I.[3]

He was killed at his home, May 4. 1930. He and an employee, George Richards, were in the barn when a quarrel rose. A shot was fired and Richards ran out shouting, "He's shot himself!" The bullet entered behind his ear and came out near his chin (a difficult suicide shot). Richards was charged with murder[4] but at his trial on December 30 he was exonerated.

1. Obituary of Mason Kerr, Adams County Leader, May9, 1930
2. Frank Galey, Jr., Boise, Idaho, oral interview, 1973.
3. American Legion records, Council, Idaho (courtesy of Charlie Winkler).
4. Mason Kerr, obituary.

Alex Kesler was born in Green Brier County, West Virginia, December 4, 1829.[1] His brother, Andrew, was born September 13, 1819.

Alex Kesler married Martha J. Summerville in Wirt County, Virginia (now West Virginia), September 29, 1859.[2] Martha was born May 2, 1836.[3] Her father, Andrew Summerville, was born in Ireland and her mother, Rebecca as born in Virginia. Martha's sister, Letitia, married George A. Winkler.[4]

Alex and Martha moved to Kansas in 1868 and the next year to Arkansas. They left there in late January 1876, heading west by way of Kansas and Missouri as part of a family group. The wagon train was made up of Alex's brother, Andrew Kesler-; George A. Winkler's family; James Copeland and his fourteen-year-old bride Ida (Kesler); William Harp and family; and George Robertson and his wife, Martha Harp Kesler. They traveled by ox teams and wagons.[5]

When they reached Boise Valley the Harps and Robertsons stopped.

In Indian Valley the group heard of troubles with the Indians and decided to stay there until the problem was settled.[Nez Perce War of 1877] The Alex Keslers' youngest daughter, Elva, was born [at Salubria] shortly after their arrival in Indian Valley and soon after that they moved to Council Valley, where they arrived October of 1877**.[6] Mosers, Whites, Copelands, and Winklers were well settled there.
    [Elva Kesler, who later married Robert Young, was born in December of 1877.]

The Keslers settled north of the present town site in a house they built. Their house was known as the "Beehive" because of the large family--10 children.

The children of Alex and Martha Kesler were: Rebecca (remained single), Elizabeth (married John Pickens), Ida (married James Copeland), Lewis (married Lena Day), William (married Milly Pottinger), John (married Edna Wisdom), Jennie (married Sam Harp), Emma (died young of typhoid fever), James (married Anna Schultz), and Elva (married Robert Young).[7]

John Kesler died September 13, 1937.[8] this excerpt from his obituary describes the family home:

In retrospect, I glance backward a half a century, to the home of young John, looking eastward, Council mountain towering 8000 feet above sea level, northward the peaks of the Seven Devils, its range towering in the distance; westward Cuddy mountain with its timbered slopes and to the southward the great open sagebrush plains, the solitude of the valley certains presents a picture that can be naught but awe inspiring and make us realize the handiwork of our Creator and the smallness of man.
Nestling almost in the center of the valley, built of logs, with the huge porch looking eastward, and the gorgeous lilac bush shading the front yard, while flanking either side, large fruit trees laden with golden apples, and red-cheeked pears, the latch string hanging outward, bidding the neighbor and the stranger alike to enter and partake of the true southern hospitality of a pioneer home. Seated before the huge fireplace, in an old fashioned arm chair, I can yet see Uncle Alex, as we were wont to call him gazing silently at the flickering embers, the kettle steaming on the crane, Aunt Martha busy preparing the long table for the midday meal, loading it with choicest viands that only a southern housewife could prepare, the table being set, all repaired around the festive board, the stranger within the gates occupying the seat of honor, after dinner the older men returning to the front porch to discuss news of the neighborhood, and to devise ways and means of getting new settlers into the valley, or improvement of the road to Weiser. The boys, including John, repairing to the river with spears and rifle to capture the toothsome Chinook, or possibly the bear that had been invading the swine herd, along the river, or maybe to lure the wily buck, that had been making' nightly visits to the bean patch.
The mail carrier on the route from Indian Valley to Warren, on his semi-monthly visit, arrives and reports an Indian uprising, that already some depredations had been committed, word was sent from house to house to the few settlers in the valley, and hurried consultations were held, a fort was erected near the river about three-quarters of a mile northwest of Council, the fort being a crude stockade enclosed affair. The women and children were hurried into the protection of the crude affair, the men standing guard and plying their daily toil. The war over, the settlers returned to their homes and regular routine.
Alex and Martha Kesler were the founders of Kesler Cemetery. There are many graves there, some marked and some not. Martha died August 5, 1909, and Alex died May 2, 1913. They are buried in Kesler Cemetery as are their son John and daughter Emma.
For many years John and his wife, Edna, ran the valley's first poor farm. The large white two-story house which was built on the family homestead still stands. It is west of the railroad tracks and north of Kesler Cemetery.
John and Edna Kesler had five children: Leila, Chester, Emma, Paul, and John, Jr.
James Kesler, born April 25, 1874, at Little Rock, Arkansas, came to Council at age three with his family. He married Anna Shultz. They had two children, Anna and George. About 1903 James opened a jewelry store. After several years he went to New Meadows and was in the same business but returned to Council in 1919 and operated a jewelry store until a week before his death, January 3, 1947.[9]

 1.Obituary of Alex Kesler, Adams County Leader, May 9, 1913.
 2.Ibid.
 3.Obituary of Martha Kesler, Adams County Leader, August 6, 1909.
 4.1850 census, Wirt County, Virginia, 70th -district, Family #16.
    1860 census, Wirt County, Virginia, Zackville, Family #43.
 5. Obituary of John Kesler, Adams County Leader, September 17, 1937
6. Ibid.
7 Lila Young Perkins, Boise, Idaho, oral interview, 1974.
8 Obituary of John Kesler.
9 Obituary of James Kesler, Adams County Leader, January 3, 1947.

Leonard Randall Knight was born October 1, 1897, son of Leonard and Alice B. Knight of Langford, South Dakota. They came to Idaho about 1911 and made a home at Council.

Immediately after World War I started Randall enlisted in the service. He suffered severe injury which caused permanent disability, requiring long periods of hospitalization in veterans' hospitals, and he never fully overcame the effects. In late years he was unable to work and increasing disability resulted in his death.[1]

In June, 1929, he married Gladys Bowman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Wayland Bowman.

1. Obituary of Leonard Randall Knight, Adams County Leader, May 13, 1949.

James Krigbaum was born in Maryland about 1826 and emigrated to Illinois as a young man. He became a farmer there and raised fine stock. Tales drifted back 'from those who had gone to the California gold fields. In the early '50s he decided to see for himself this fabulous land. He went by way of the Isthmus of Panama. He remained in California until 1856, then he returned to Illinois.

James Krigbaum married Margaret McClaren, who was born in Iowa about 1843 but came to Illinois later to live.

From Illinois the family moved to Texas, and in 1884 they moved again-this time to Council, where they settled three miles north of town. Here they remained the rest of their lives.[1]

They had six sons and four daughters. Ross, the oldest son, the fifth child, was born in Fulton, Illinois, April 16, 1869. He first went to school in Texas, but schools were poor and there was much work to be done at home so he had little opportunity for an education. He left school at age nine and worked on his father's farm until he was seventeen, when he left home and struck out on his own.

In Idaho Ross took a contract to carry mail between Indian Valley, Warren, and Roosevelt. He carried mail many years, most of the time in the back country, as wages were better on snowshoe lines. In twenty-three years he traveled over sixty thousand miles on skis and on foot and carried over 32,850 pounds of express. Sometimes he was snowed in on the high mountains, sick and lying out under the trees in twenty feet of snow.

Albie Ross Krigbaum married Annie Osborn in New Meadows in 1915. They owned Krigbaum Hot Springs.[2]

Ed Krigbaum carried mail across the mountain from Council to Thunder Mountain. His twin brother Marcus was a farmer in Council.

Dollie Krigbaum taught school in Council area. Before 1900 she taught the Cottonwood Creek school. She married Harry Bowman and had four children.[3]

James Krigbaum died March 19, 1902. He and his wife are buried in Kesler Cemetery.[4] His marker resembles a white tree stump. She has no marker.[5]

1. Ruth Maxon, Boise, Idaho, oral interview, 1973.
2. French, History of Idaho, vol. 2,  p.813
3. Ruth Maxon, oral interview.
4. Obituary of James J. Krigbaum, Council Hournal, May 19, 1902.
5. Ruth Maxon, oral interview.