Frank T. Mathias was born in Bloomfield, Iowa, February  3, 1852. He was married July 1, 1881, to Clista E. Green at San Leandro,  Van Buren County, Iowa.[1] She was born March 7, 1855.
The family started west, a long rambling trip. One son   was born in Iowa, one in Kansas, and one in Gunnison City, Colorado, where one son died at age five.
From Gunnison City they went to Glenns Ferry, Idaho, then to Van Wyck, near Cascade, for one year, and finally in 1884 to Council. They traveled by team and wagon.
Two daughters, Ethel and Bertha, were born in Council.
Frank Mathias owned all the land in town which was east of the town square. His ranch contained 160 acres. The house, which burned about 1920, was at the foot of the schoolhouse hill. The land was clear and they could raise hay and good crops. They soon had a fine garden, fruits, and berries. Mr. Mathias built the first blacksmith shop in Council on his ranch. He was an excellent blacksmith.
The nearest market was at Weiser. Mr. Mathias made the trip twice a year, spring and fall, to buy or sell as needed. The trip took six days, two days each way and a two-day rest in Weiser to transact business.
There were Indians who still visited Council about 1900.   They were a peaceful group and caused no trouble. They camped by a thorn bush thicket across from the Mathias home. When one of the Mathias children was badly burned and did not respond to treatment one of the squaws said she could cure the burns. She gathered roots and plants and made a poultice which soon healed the boy's hand.
 In 1892 there was an epidemic of diphtheria in Council which caused the death of nine people, six of which were children. Frank Mathias was a carpenter as well as a blacksmith. Bertha remembered their house filled with the coffins he made. Mrs. Mathias lined them and covered them with black sateen. The burials were at night to help prevent the spread of the terrible disease. The Mathias children watched the lantern lights from their upstairs windows. The burials were in Kesler Cemetery.
Bill and Lewis Winkler, A. L. Freehafer, and Frank Mathias were part- ners in the Golden Rule mine between Warren and Burgdorf Hot Springs. The Mathias family spent eight years there, 1901-09.
    Mrs. Mathias was elected First Vice Grand of the Diamond Rebekah Lodge in Council in June, 1901. The lodge had a rule that any officer who missed three meetings in a row would automatically lose her office. The family went to Warren and Mrs. Mathias missed two meetings. She was determined not to miss the third. Her husband said, "Mother, you can't make such a trip." Her son said, "I won't let you make the trip." But she did, taking twelve-year-old Bertha with her. They started at first light on Saturday morning.
    Mrs. Mathias rode a little spotted Indian pony and Bertha rode Morgan Gifford's horse. They wore riding skirts and rode side-saddle ninety miles.
    Near Squaw Meadows it began to rain. Soon it was pouring, and they were soaked. They saw a sheepherder's camp across the meadow, and the fire looked inviting. They rode across to the camp, and the men were very kind, giving them hot coffee and helping them get warm. One of the men pulled a pair of his wool socks over little Bertha's feet while her stockings were drying. Leaving the camp, they went on to Little Payette where they spent the night. The next night they stayed at Old Meadows. They arrived in Council at five-thirty Monday evening. Their clothes were removed from flour sacks and pressed. Mrs. Mathias attended her lodge meeting and Bertha visited friends. Early Tuesday morning they started the long trip home.  By fall the family was back in town, and Mrs. Mathias had no need to repeat the long trip to lodge meeting.
    Don R. Mathias, born January 13, 1882, married Lida B. Biggerstaff  April 28, 1903. Bertha remembered, "Don was one of the world's gentlest and dearest people. Lida was a gorgeous young girl. She had the most beau- tiful red hair I've ever seen."
    Lida died suddenly March 28, 1904. Don was a watchman at Hathaway's placer mining camp on Grouse Creek. He and Lida were the only ones in camp. They lived about three miles from Secesh Meadows, where they had to go for mail and supplies.
    Don made the trip on snowshoes, and when he returned he found Lida on the floor by the bed. She was pregnant, and, as it was warm in the house, her husband thought she had fainted.
    Mr. Wetter, who lived farther on, had returned with him but declined to come in, saying he had better get on. When Don couldn't rouse Lida he hurriedly called him back. Mr. Wetter knew at once that she was dead, but Don refused to accept the fact.  Not wanting to leave Don alone in his grief, Mr. Wetter sent him for help, telling him he could travel faster on snowshoes. There was a "sporting woman" living with some men several miles away. He was sure she would help. She came and so did the men. She was kind and helpful, making coffee and doing what she could.  It was a long cold trip to bring Lida home for burial at Council. They spread a cowhide and put a featherbed and pillow on it, wrapping her care- fully. Another pillow was put over her face. The cowhide was roped secur- ely around it all and for three days she was pulled over the snow. Ropes  were tied around the toboggan, and at night the ropes were thrown over a tree limb, and the body was pulled up into a tree, away from the animals.

Word had gone out to their families, and some of them met the group when they reached McCall and accompanied them home. Lida died of brain hemorrhage. She is buried in Kesler Cemetery.[2]

In 1906 Don Mathias married Maggie Morrison. They had one son and one daughter.

 Don Mathias died January 13, 1934, and is buried in Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise. So are his parents and both sisters.

Ethel Mathias married Swedish-born Ed Roden, and they lived in Council for a long time before moving to Boise. She died February 15, 1934.

Bertha Mathias, born August 23, 1889, in Council, married Carl Abercrombie in Boise May 31, 1913.[3]

Carl's parents were Young Howard Abercrombie and Alice Lindsay Aber- crombie of Boise.

Carl was a cement finisher and his father was a cement contractor. They built the Council Bank, and that is when Carl met Bertha.

Mr. and Mrs. Abercrombie had two children, Don and Doris. to Boise, where her family had gone in 1913.

Frank Mathias died i4 May 1928, leaving his heirs his interest in the Golden Rule placer mines.[4]

Bertha Abercrombie died November 10, 1973, and is buried in Morris Hill Cemetery beside her husband.

1. Obituary of Frank Mathias, Adams County Leader Council, Idaho, June 1, 1928
2. Bertha Mathias Abercrombie, Boise, Idaho, oral interview, 1972.
3. Marriage records, Washington County, Weiser, Idaho.
4. Bertha Mathias Abercrombie, oral interview, 1972
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McCLURE

Andrew Robertson McClure was born in Pennsylvania May 14, 1865, and his wife, Daisy, was born in Missouri April 2, 1870.

They came from Missouri to Idaho by emigrant car, a railroad car which carried the family, their household goods, and their livestock. In this way the men could take care of feeding and watering the animals. It took about a week to make the trip to Boise Valley, where the family remained for a while before moving to Council in 1909.

Both children, Mamie and Will, were born at Rich Hill, Missouri.

Will McClure, born October 12, 1893, was the second graduate from Council High School. He always said he got the highest grade in his class. He was the only one in it.[1]

 Will married Marie Freehafer. In later years they lived in Payette. They are the parents of Senator James McClure.[2]

Mamie McClure worked in the Adams County Courthouse until her retirement. She lives in Payette.[3]

A.R. McClure died January 12, 1945. Daisy Arnetta McClure died January 10, 1950.[4] Both are buried in Riverside Cemetery in Payette.

1.Mamie McClure, Payette, Idaho oral interview, 1974.
2.Marie Freehafer McClure, Payette Idaho, oral interview, 1974.
3.Mamie McClure, oral interview.
4.Riverside Cemetery records, Payette, Idaho.
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McGINLEY

Katherine McGinley, born December 13, 1891, at Denver, Colorado, was the daughter of James and Katherine McGinley.  She was raised at Ogallala, Nebraska and taught school there for several years.
They came to Council in 1916[1] and she married R. H: Caseman at Weiser. July 24, 1921.  She was a bookkeeper for Sam Criss in his general store. They moved to Fruitvale, where she served as postmistress for eight years. They had two sons, Robert M. and Walter R. Caseman. She died February 8, 1965.
Francis Sterling McGinley was a brother of Katherine, born June 19, 1893, at Ogallala, Nebraska.  He came to Idaho with his family.  He married Alma Reimers January 17, 1928, at Payette.  Following their marriage they farmed at Fruitvale until 1944,[2] when they purchased Fruitvale Mercantile and post office, which they operated until they retired in 1964.  He died in December
 There was one brother, Ed.

1 Obituary of Katherine McGinley Cageman, Adams County Leader, February 18, 1965
2. Obituary of Francis Sterling McGinley, Adams County Leader. December 18. 1969.
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McMAHAN
Jonathan McMahan, born in Indiana in February., 1850, was the oldest son of George and Hannah McMahan. He had three sisters, who did not come to Idaho, and a brother Isaac, the youngest, born in 1859 in Adair County, Missouri.

About 1876 Jonathan married Caroline Percilla Magers, born March 10, 1856, in Putnam County, Missouri. Her parents were Joseph and Percilla Magers.[1]

In 1876 Jonathan and Caroline moved to Ogden, Utah, on the train, then to Durkee, Baker County, Oregon, in a stage. With them came their small daughter, Cora, and Jonathan's brother, Isaac. They settled at Durkee, outside of Baker, where sons Edward and George were born. They all moved to Indian Valley in the spring of 1883. Here daughters Lilly and Daisy were born. They moved to Council and then to Meadows, where they were cattle ranchers and operated a store.[1]

Jonathan died March 11 1925 and Caroline September 7, 1939. They are buried in Meadows Cemetery.[2]
Isaac McMahan, born April 28, 1859, married in Baker on October 19, 1866, Lucy Elane Barnes, born at Forest Grove, Oregon. After 1877 they moved to the area now known as Alpine. They built a store and established a post office in it. It was Lucy who chose the name of Alpine, and it was approved by the post office department. She was the postmistress.

They were away from home for a Fourth of July celebration in 1894, when the store burned. They had chosen the Alpine area because at that time there was no store at Indian Valley and because it was along the road used by freighters and travelers to and from Meadows and the Seven Devils.
In 1894 they moved to Council, as it was a crossroads for miners and ranchers. Isaac entered partnership with John 0. Peters in the mercantile business. Their store was on the south side of the town square.

They traded the store to Joseph Whiteley for land at Fruitvale in 1903.[3]

The coming of the P.I.N. railroad brought about the founding of Fruitvale by Richard and Arthur Wilkie, J. L. B. Carroll, Isaac McMahan, Fred Brooks, George L. Robertson, Vollie Zink, and Miles D. Chaffee, each buying a fifty dollar share. It was an incorporated townsite and shares were sold in it.[4]
Fruitvale store was built by the Wilkie brothers. The first to build a home there was W. N. Harp. They built a hotel which was later bought by Isaac McMahan and sold to the grange.[5]

Lucy McMahan died November 2,1927.

Their children were Earl, Ernest, Rollie, and Lester Isaac. Lester Isaac McMahan was born in Durkee, Oregon, October 23, 1887. He married Hattie Vassar in Weiser June 15, 1910. They ranched at Fruitvale until 1937 when they returned to Council where Lester worked in the sawmill until he retired in 1952. They had one son, George, and daughters Mildred and Lillian Lester Isaac McMahan died November 4, 1973.

1. Ernest McMahan, oral interview, Boise, Idaho, 1974.
2. Meadows Cemetery Records, New Meadows, Idaho.
3. Ernest McMahan, Oral interview.
4. Township records in records of First Bank Of Council, Idaho State Historical Society.
5. Ernest McMahan, oral interview.
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MINK

James D. Mink was born in Grant County, Virginia, February 23, 1871.
He married Rebecca Parzada Perkins February 26, 1891, at Rugby, Virginia.[1]
They moved from Virginia to Battle Creek, Nebraska, in 1894, and in 1901 to Soldier, Idaho, where they continued to farm. In 1918 they came to Council and settled on Cottonwood Creek. Here they farmed and raised cattle.[2]

The Mink children were: Nanny, Cora Elza, Fred ["Dick"], Owen C. ["Bud"], Edwin Carl [Carl],
Ira Fitzhugh [Fitz], Leo Munsey ["Jack"], and Tanner Charles ["Bob"].[3]

Rebecca Parzada Perkins was born at Marion, Virginia, March 18, 1871.[4]
She took a forty-acre homestead in 1919 at Council.[5]

Mr. Mink died in May 1953 and Mrs. Mink in 1959. They are buried in Weiser Cemetery.

1. Obituary of James D. Mink, Adams County Leader, May 29, 1953.
2. Beulah Mink, Boise, Idaho, oral interview 1972.
3. Ibid.
4. Obituary of Rebecca Parzada Mink, Adams County Leader, January 22, 1959.
5. Bureau of Land Management homestead records, State B.L.M. office, Boise, Idaho
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MISSMAN

Addison Charles Missman, born at Harmon, Illinois, June 10, 1866,[1] and his wife, Alice Fredricks, moved to Council in 1912 from Dixon, Lee County, Illinois. With them came their children and Alice's father, Joseph Fredricks, who had been a widower for years. The children were: Melvin, Earl, Ethel, Rolland, Glen and Esther, Vernon, and Hazel.

One daughter died on the family plantation in Mississippi some years before the family came west.

Addison Missman bought part of Council Orchards, eventually acquiring one hundred ten acres. This included the old Rinehart place, part of Loron Rinehart's, and part of Dr. Frank E. Brown's homestead.[2]

 Earl Missman patented a homestead[3] and his grandfather, Joseph Fredricks, bought a farm adjoining it.

Melvin Missman bought the Ingrahm ranch.[4]

Rollie and Glen served in the armed forces during World War 1[5] and went through the battles of Musse and the Argonne.

Alice Missman died June 1, 1917. Addison married Hattie May Robinson.[6]

He died February 11, 1943.

1. Obituary of Addison Missman, Adams County Leader, February 19, 1943.
2. Glen Missman, Boise, Idaho, oral interview, 1974.
3. Bureau of Land Management homestead records, State B.L.M. office, Boise.
4. Glen Missman, oral interview.
5. American Legion records, Council, Idaho and Adjutant General’s records, Boise, Idaho.
6. Glen Missman, oral interview.
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MONTOMERY

John Montgomery, Sr., was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in July, 1836, and his wife, Martha Ivors, was born in Canada about 1834. They were married at Auburn, Oregon. Sometime before 1864 they came to Idaho. Charles, Loretta, and Emma were born in Idaho.[1]

About-1869-70 the family moved to Jamison, Oregon. Here their daughter Lilly was born August 11, 1872. A year later they moved back to Boise and settled on State Street on one-half acre of ground now occupied by the State Capitol. John and Lottie were born there.

Lilly was ill, and when she was fourteen her family decided to move her to a higher elevation and chose a farm on Hornet Creek. The remaining seventy years of her life were to be spent in that area.

The Montgomery children attended Upper Dale School, going on skis in winter. Their first textbook was the Almanac, until their parents brought books from the old homestead in Boise. They also brought the first fruit cans into the district and jars that were round on the bottom and sealed with pitch. Most of the fruit available for canning was wild. Mrs. Montgomery's birthday was a day to look forward to, for it usually marked the start of a family vacation when supplies were loaded into a wagon and the family went to the mountains to camp out and pick blackberries. About 800 quarts of canned fruit was needed for the large family. Two hundred quarts were huckleberries and the rest were of chokecherries and sarvis berries.

Lilly married Robert Z. Harrington in Indian Valley June 29, 1890.[2] They were the parents of sixteen children.

John A. Montgomery Was born May 25, 1874, in Boise. He moved to Council with his family in 1886.[3] He was married on Christmas Day 1925 to Eva Ivers at Vale, Oregon. He worked away from the valley but always called it home. He came back to the area to make his home in March, 1945. He died September 9, 1954, aged 80 years.

Emma Montgomery married A. F. Lewis in 1887, and her sister Lottie married Jacob Lakey.

John Montgomery, Sr., died April 28, 1922, of Bright's Disease, aged 85 years. He is buried in Dale Cemetery beside Martha.

1. Obituaries of John Montgomery Sr. Adams County Leader, May 5, 1922, and of John Montgomery Jr. Adams County Leader September 17, 1954.
2. Marriage records of Washington County, Weiser, Idaho.
3. Obituary of John Montgomery Jr.
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MOORE

Alfred Grant Moore was born March 18, 1872, at Oaktown, near Vincennes, Indiana. His parents were Isaac John Moore and Eliza (Ward) Moore. His mother died when he was three years old. His father married Hannah Coonrod Clark, a widow with two sons. Grant said she was a wonderful mother to her own sons, her three stepsons, and the three children who were born after she married his father.

The family moved to Clay County, Illinois, and later to Mound Valley, Kansas, where Grant grew up.

Grant married Cora Randolph and they had one son, Alva. Cora had tuberculosis and they moved to California for her health. Next they went to Oklahoma, where Cora died. Cora had asked Grant to promise he would let her sister, Mrs. Walter Rowley, raise Alva. He promised, but tried to work nearby so he could be near his son. When Walter Rowley was transferred by the railroad company to Cambridge, Idaho, Grant moved too. He worked for Loren Rinehart for a year or two, and in 1912 he bought a farm on Cottonwood Creek.[1]

On January 12, 1913, Grant Moore married Dora Johnson at Weiser.[2] She came by train from Corbin, Idaho. There was a massive snow slide which delayed her train for many hours. She was afraid Grant would think she wasn't coming. Dora was divorced and had a small daughter, Nellie.

Among Mae Beckman's and Stella Essex's [3] memories, some are outstanding:
In the early spring after Mother and Dad were married Dad was anxious to show off his bride and have her meet the neighbors. She dressed in a new hobble skirt which was the height of fashion. They walked across the meadows, going to see Mr. and Mrs. Beier. The spring run-off left small streams meandering across the meadows. When they came to one of these Mother could not step across it because the hobble skirt was tight around the bottom, allowing her to take only very small steps. Dad decided to carry her across the little stream. However, she was heavier than he thought and he dropped her in the water. Of course, they did not go on to visit and Mother never wore the skirt again.

When Walter and Mae Rowley went to California, about 1917, Alva went with them. He had contacted tuberculosis from his mother and required the hot, dry climate.

Dad took a forty-acre dry-land homestead adjoining the farm. He patented the land in 1920, after three years of back-breaking work. The land was dry, rocky and covered with sagebrush which had to be cleared. Mother held a lantern so Dad could see to grub it out. This was done after dark because the daylight hours were filled with the regular farm work and the grubbing could be done when it was too dark to do field work.
We three girls, Mae, Stella, and Marguerite, were born on Cottonwood. Nellie, Mae, and Stella attended school on Cottonwood before we moved to the Branden place on Hornet Creek in 1924.

Dad operated the siding for the Mesa tramway for several years. The apples came down the tramway from the orchards on a big carrier. Each carrier held many boxes of apples which had to be unloaded and stacked for shipping. They arrived at a rapid rate and had to be set off as soon as they arrived. Dad worked often as many as four or five shifts without relief. The tramway operated twenty-four hours a day in the rush season. Mother or one of us girls took hot food to him at meal times.

On Hornet Creek there was a rattlesnake den on the hill across the road from our house which was a constant worry to Mother and Dad. Each time we went out to play there was the warning, "Watch out for snakes." Many rattlers were killed in the yard and garden and even several on the porch.

Mother and Dad had enough money saved to buy a farm when the bank closed, January 29, 1926, taking all their money.

About that time Dad had what was called milker's rheumatism. He was unable to stand or walk. He crawled on his hands and knees to do the chores and Mother and we children did what we could to help. Dad's teeth were badly Infected and may have caused his illness for when he had them pulled the rheumatism soon cleared up.

We moved in 1930, to the John Kesler place and, in the fall of 1932, Dad bought a farm at New Plymouth. Mother and Dad retired in 1942 and moved to Payette.

Grant Moore died May 29, 1948.

Dora Johnson was born May 19, 1882, at Ramseytown, North Carolina, daughter of John and Eliza Johnson. In the 1890s her family moved to Rockcastle County, Kentucky. There she married Charlie Bond in 1905 and they had one daughter, Nellie. They were divorced in 1910 and Dora requested her maiden name be restored. She and Nellie came west with her mother, brothers, and sisters and lived at Corbin, Idaho, until she married Grant Moore.[4]

Dora Moore died June 6, 1970, in Boise and is buried beside Grant in Riverside Cemetery in Payette.

1. Marguerite Moore Diffendaffer, Boise, Idaho, oral interview, 1970.
2. Marriage records, Washington county, Weiser, Idaho.
3. Mae Moore Beckman and Stella Moore Essex, Washougal, Washington, oral interview, 1970
4. Marguerite Moore Diffendaffer, oral interview.
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MORRISON,  Reverend A.

Reverend A. Morrison, familiarly known as "Dad Morrison," was probably Council's first resident preacher.

He was an old-timer of the Pacific coast and was a resident of eastern Oregon for many years. He moved to Council in the 1880s. During most of his years there he lived in the George Moser home.

It is believed that at one time he was an ordained minister of the Church of United Brethren, but some thought he was a Unitarian. He had no church, just preached in homes or the schoolhouse. In his older years he was not very active in church work, devoting himself to politics. He was well known throughout the county.

Mr., Morrison died at the home of Mr. H. Nutt, in Council Valley, September 29, 1895.[1] There is no record of his place of burial.

1. Salubria Citizen, October 4, 1895.
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MORRISON, Casper B.

Casper B. Morrison was born in Crawford County, Kansas, April 16, 1843, the son of William Isaac and Katherine Morrison.[1]

He served in the Union Army, 1864-1866, as a private in the Illinois infantry.[2]

On August 1, 1869, he married Margaret Lofton, born in Illinois, November 28, 1852.

When Margaret was fifteen she rode horseback from Illinois to Kansas. Her father drove a team of mules and her sister, Jane, and her brother, Will, drove an ox team. In crossing the river by ferry the ox team insisted upon following the mules as they had across the plains. The mule team was driven onto the ferry and the oxen, in their determination to follow, almost carried their load into the river after the ferry left the shore.

Casper and Margaret Morrison had six children: James Vanzant ("Van"), Anna May, Martha Bell, Mary Ellen, Maggie Matilda, and Fred Bowers.

The family migrated to Ironside, Oregon, about 1887, and in 1889 they moved to Council. Casper homesteaded a quarter section north and west of Council and they spent the rest of their lives there. Margaret died in 1900 and Casper in 1902. They are buried in Winkler Cemetery.

Van Morrison was born in Girard County, Kansas, August 8, 1880. He took a homestead in Council which bordered the south side of his parents'. He married Dora D. Sult of Long Valley November 1, 1901. They had six children: Harry, Emery, Oliver, Leonard ["Bricks"], Viola, and Alice.

Van was thrown from a horse when he was twenty-four years old. He was unconscious for several days but slowly recovered. However, the injury caused some damage which resulted in a personality change which lasted all his life.

In 1934 Van was gored by a farm bull which had been considered very gentle, in fact a pet. He died within a few hours on January 29, 1934. He is buried in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery.

Mrs. Morrison remarried in 1941 and lived at Scappoose, Oregon, where she died, June 18, 1962.

Dora Dissiah Sult, born in Wilson County, Kansas, April 25, 1883, was one of seven children of John Theodore and Virginia Sult. The family left Kansas in 1885 and in June 1888 they settled on Boulder Creek, near Roseberry, Idaho. Theodore Sult and his oldest son, Charles, built the Moser Hotel in Council in 1891.[3]

Anna May Morrison, daughter of Casper, born 1873 in Girard County, Kansas, married  Warren G. Taylor in Council May 14, 1889.

Martha Bell, born September 1, 1878, in Malheur County, Oregon, married Henry O'Connor Young in Council May 8, 1898.

Mary Ellen, born January 21, 1881, married James Alexander Winkler March 31, 1901, in Council.

Maggie Matilda, born May 22, 1883, married Don R. Mathias in Council May 23, 1906.

Fred B., born November 21, 1888, married in California.

1. Viola Ventris, Scappoose, Oregon, oral interview 1973.
2. Idaho Adjutant General’s records, Boise, Idaho.
3. Viola Ventris, Oral interview.
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MOSER

George Milton Moser, born 1830, was the son of John Wesley and Nancy Holman Moser. Upon reaching manhood, George married Elizabeth Weaver Bailey, born December 12, 1839. The Moser and Bailey families were neighbors in Tennessee. After their marriage (1858?) they went to Kentucky. From there George served in the Union Army for several months during the Civil War.[1]

In 1867 the family moved to Arkansas. The 1870 census shows them living 2 in Dover, Pope County, Arkansas, and near neighbors of Robert P. White.[2]

1876 saw them headed west in a second attempt to find a home. They reached Council Valley October 25 that year.[3]

Mr. Moser was a shrewd pioneer. He chose the best possible location for his home, at the junction of the trails to the Seven Devils mines and to Meadows. The Council business district now stands on forty acres of his original one hundred-sixty-acre homestead. The present Adams County Courthouse stands on this land, also.

Moser's first log cabin was just west of the site of the Evergreen service station which was built many years later. This cabin was a lodging place for travelers, but it was soon too small to accommodate the traveling public and was replaced in 1891 by a large, two-story frame house. This was known as Moser's Hotel. Here stopped the early miners, prospectors, and freighters going to or from the Seven Devils.

Many were lured by reports of valuable minerals in the Seven Devils. Towns sprang up in those mountains. Before 1900 there were Cuprum, Decorah, Landore, and Helena. At the height of the activity, the population of Landore was estimated at 1,000. Decorah, located between Landore and Cuprum, was quite small. Helena and Iron Springs were very active in mining. Wagons loaded with machinery, furniture, groceries, and tools and drawn by four- or six-horse teams passed through Council regularly to these points. Other wagons came from the mines hauling ore to the railroad. These freighters had to eat and sleep and Moser Hotel was the place they went for both.

The Mosers had the first stove in Council Valley. Used to cooking in a fireplace, they had no idea how to use a stove. Mr. Moser built a fire in it--in the oven. Of course when the oven door was closed, the smoke Poured out, filling the cabin. Sure that this was not the thing to expect, Mr. Moser turned to his wife. "My God, Mother, get the children out. She's gonna' 'splode!"[4]

George Moser built good barns and a granary. The dry grain was kept in a three-room granary, each room holding a different kind of grain for feeding the horses, cattle, chickens, duck, and geese and for grinding into flour.

Canning fruit was unknown but much was dried or preserved and stored in crocks. Root vegetables were stored in pits. Holes were dug in the earth, lined with sand and then straw. Vegetables and apples were laid on the straw and covered with dirt. This prevented freezing.

Green string beans, in the shell, were spread on a cloth in the sunshine until they were completely dry. These were called "shuck beans" and were delicious when boiled with salt pork. Corn was cut from the cob and dried in the sun, also. Most fruits were peeled, sliced, and dried in the same manner.

George Moser died in Arkansas in 1894 and his widow, Elizabeth, died December 11, 1910. She is buried in Cottonwood Cemetery.

MATILDA MOSER              
    One of the living Landmarks of Council was Matilda Moser, the youngest daughter George and Elizabeth Moser.  Matilda, born August 9, 1881, was said to be the first white girl born in the Council Valley.  She is best known as Adams County Clerk, a position she held for over 28 years. Matilda died in 1965.
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Matilda Moser's Notes:

In 1873 several families from Pope County, Arkansas, started west. When passing through Oklahoma they camped one night where the water was impure and several children became ill and some died, among them being two of the Moser children. The travelers were so discouraged that they returned to Arkansas. Three years later the Mosers with their four children and the Robert P. White family set out for the "Oregon Country." They were five months and eight days on the way. The Mosers had two wagons, ox-drawn, Mrs. Moser driving one team most of the way and Emily Alice, the 14-year-old daughter, driving the other team. Mrs. White drove their team much of the way, as the menfolk walked ahead to inspect the roadway. Each man carried a gun in case they should sight game birds or animals. Fording large streams was a difficult matter, especially crossing the Platte, which was the largest stream.

At Laramie, Wyoming, a camper who had been farther west told them about a valley he passed through that had impressed him. It was called Council Valley and was a sportsman's paradise. Grass was waist-high. There was cold mountain water, fish, and wild game in abundance. Mr. Moser decided to head for this land of promise. They reached Fort Boise in September, 1876, and Mr. White decided to stay there through the winter, but the Moser family moved on. At Falk's Store, near the present town of Payette, they set up camp shortly before the birth of a daughter whom they named Mary Ida. The family reached Council Valley about October 25, 1876. Between Weiser and Indian Valley roads were little more than trails, and north of Indian Valley there was only a trail.

As they reached the place now known as Mesa and found no road down the steep hill, Mr. Moser went back to Indian Valley, where a few families had' settled, and borrowed a plow that he might make a roadway. Upon reaching the place where the town of Council is now located, he found the junction of two trails, one leading toward the Seven Devils mountains and the other toward Lewiston and-other mining sections to the north. He decided this would be a good place to locate. He had some groceries, 35t in cash, and unbounded enthusiasm for the adventures ahead. Deer meat was plentiful. He erected a log cabin and gathered wood for winter use. As soon as he could leave the family he went to Indian Valley and obtained work, taking pay in foodstuffs.
In the spring of 1877 the Indians in various parts of the Territory, aroused by the invading white settlers, went on the warpath. Mr. Moser took his family to Indian Valley where a fort had been built and they spent the summer there. Upon their return home they were surprised to find that some cabbage plants which they had set out before leaving home had grown and formed heads.
Mr. Moser worked hard to develop his farm, much of it having to be cleared of thorn brush and some leveling done because of meandering streams across the land. A small stream brought water from springs on the east hillside and he filed on this water as it was very necessary for livestock, orchard, and garden. Horses soon took the place of oxen and a few milk cows were purchased. After several years he was able to buy one hundred head of cattle in eastern Oregon for $1,000.00. He found hog raising especially profitable, as there was a sale for them to Chinese buyers who in turn sold them in mining camps; and the cured meats were largely used in the boarding house which Mrs. Moser conducted, and any remaining amounts were sold to prospectors or directly to a store. For several years Mr. Moser made at least one trip each year to Boise or Baker to buy groceries and clothing. About one week was required for the trip.
In 1877 the Robert P. White and Alexander Kesler families came. Zadock Loveless and his son, William J. Loveless, also came that year. A trapper, Henry Childs, had wintered on Hornet Creek and remained in that section for several years. The George A. Winkler family arrived in 1878. That spring a fort was built on the Loveless land and each of the four families with children--Winklers, Keslers, Whites, and Mosers--was assigned a corner of the fort which they occupied during the summer as protection against the Indians, but they were not molested. Each day the men would go to their respective farms to work, the women often accompanying their husbands.

During the next few years there came the Rufus Andersons, Harry Camps, William Glenns, Sam Harps, James Copelands, and other families.

Bear, deer, coyotes, and other wild animals roamed at will and the settlers were compelled to protect their stock from predatory animals. Among the "adventures" Mr. Moser had during those early years in Council was one with a bear. This big bear had been annoying the neighborhood by killing pigs. Finally three or four men with guns and dogs went out to track the bear. Mr. Moser, going along a trail and stooping to avoid overhanging branches, came to a dry creek. As he reached the creek bed, the bear, angered by the dog, suddenly appeared and lunged down the opposite bank. Before the hunter could aim his gun the bear was upon him, snarling and biting. A clump of willows in the creek bed offered some protection.

The garden provided most kinds of vegetables, and always a patch of watermelons was included. Dried corn was used for hominy or corn bread; and for winter evenings popcorn or parched corn was a treat. My father was fond of "crunchy" foods, and occasionally he browned thin slices of potatoes in a Dutch Oven set over a bed of coals or in a long-handled frying pan.
Lye was used in preparing corn for hominy, and for this purpose a lye kiln was built in the rear yard. The kiln was filled with ashes, and water poured over the ashes filtered down into a trough which emptied it into a pail placed at the lower end. Lye was also used in making soap.
Sauerkraut was made in a barrel. A spade, cleaned and sharpened, was used to chop the cabbage to tiny pieces. Salt was then added and the barrel covered and set aside for cabbage to "sour."
Turnips, carrots, etc., were gathered and piled in heaps and covered with earth to protect them from freezing, and removed from the pit as needed
During the first ten years or more here only green coffee was obtainable. It was carefully browned in the kitchen oven and ground as needed in a grinder fastened to the wall. Later a boxlike grinder, which could be held on the knees, was operated by turning the handle round and round.
As soon as lumber could be procured, my father built a milkhouse' covered it with rustic, and lined it with shiplap. A row of shelves was made to hold the many shiny tin pans into which the strained fresh milk was poured. Mother churned often, as we used much butter and there was a ready market for any surplus. For years the regular price was 25t per pound for butter and 5t per quart for milk or buttermilk. For better clearance of milk from freshly churned butter, a "butter worker" was made of planed wood. The container was supported by four legs, the two in front being shorter than the others so that the milk drained into a pail placed at the lower end. The butter container was about 21/2 feet long and its base board had about a 6-inch sideboard on either side. A paddle for working the butter was fastened by a rod at the lower and narrower end. A wooden mold and paper, factory made, were used to form and protect the rolls of butter.
In those early years it seemed the weather was more predictable than at present and generally hog-killing time was late in November or early .December. Prior to that the animals were fattened by an extra supply of wheat, often cooked. In one of our log cabins was a large fireplace not regularly used. A 40-gallon cast iron kettle was placed there and into it a sack of wheat was poured and water added. If my brother wished to make a pair of skis he placed one end of ski-length boards in the simmering wheat and left it there until the board was softened enough to be bent to the proper shape. He then polished the skis and attached the leather foot holds

We children looked forward to hog-killing day because of the coming of several neighbor men to help my father and one or two women who helped my mother and sisters with the cooking and other extra work. Very early in the morning the large scalding vat was made ready. One year forty hogs were killed and dressed, and nearly as many some other years. All the helpers served without money payment but each one received payment in meats. Afterward the family began the task of salting and storing the meat preparatory to smoking at the proper time. Alder wood was used in the smoking process to give the desired flavor, and each piece of meat was hung up so that the smoke could circulate about it.
A large quantity of sausage was made into rolls and placed In rows on long clean boards which were then placed on the joists above to be smoked. There was lard to be rendered, largely for marketing; and the "cracklings" used to make both bar soap and soft soap, the latter being especially convenient for many cleansing purposes. The fresh liver, backbones, spareribs, and hearts were much enjoyed by the family and boarders alike. The brains, too, made a tasty dish when mixed with eggs and seasonings and fried. Head cheese was especially appetizing. This was made from the animals' heads and was quite a chore to prepare. The parts were cleaned and cooked until the meat was easily removed from the bones. It was then worked to a pulp and seasoning added. Then a cover was placed over the container and weighted down, which brought any excess fat to the top and it could be removed; the remaining Pulp congealed and it could be sliced, which made it good for sandwiches or for the table.
Deep snow in winter and colder weather than now was the rule. Mother had a spinning wheel and spun both cotton and wool thread from which socks, stockings, mittens, wristlets, and neck scarfs were made. However, before the spinning, cards were used to make the wool or cotton into small rolls 12 to 15 inches long. As no one had overshoes at that time, the wool hose were much needed in winter. Some men used "gunny sacks" to bind about their feet and legs when doing outside work, but many suffered from chilblains before rubber boots and overshoes came into use.

For a number of years roads were poor and there were no bridges. In winter sleighriding was enjoyable to young people who had some thrills and sometimes jolts in crossing small creeks as the snow was deep and generally frozen. Running water melted the ice in the center of creeks and the team of horses were reluctant to cross the small chasm. Sometimes they would cautiously edge down into the opening and up the other side but were as likely to jump across, causing the sleigh to strike the opposite bank with considerable force. It was in this way that Della, the nineteen-year-old daughter of the R. P. Whites, received a spinal injury that caused her death a few days later.

Four days was the usual time required for a trip to Weiser and return. Travelers on the Council-Hornet Creek road crossed the river in a small boat. This was hazardous in early spring when the ice broke up and the river overflowed its banks at some places. One such place was on the east side of town where there was a slough beginning a little north of the present bridge and extending south some distance. One man lost his life while trying to cross the river by boat. S. F. Richardson, who, near 1900, was in the store business where the Pomona Hotel now stands, disposed of his business and built a sawmill on elevated ground north of the present bridge. He filled the depression near the mill by dumping sawdust there, and the County had some work done; but it remained for the State Highway Department to grade up the roadway some years later and complete the work necessary to protect it.

The ice breakup in the spring of 1891 caused greater hardship than perhaps any other year. Two or three families further up the valley were compelled to leave their homes because of the river overflow. A family named Osborn living on the south side of Hornet Creek near the mouth of the Weiser River were threatened by overflow waters of the Hornet Creek. Their cries for help were heard by neighbors who helped them to higher ground and protection from the cold.
The George Groves family lived on the east side of the river about three quarters of a mile south of the present bridge. The house was on a slight elevation and a short distance from the river. After nightfall the ice broke and the raging waters forced a great stream of ice-laden water down along the east side of the Groves home. The family of five took refuge upstairs and then discovered that a wall of ice several feet high had formed all along in front of their house, so they, too, shouted for help. Several men went on horseback and found a river-like stream with water up to the sides of their horses. With difficulty they made the necessary trips to bring the members of the family one by one except the two-year-old twins, girls who were handed down from the ice wall to one man who took a bundled-up child under each arm and held it tightly while the gentle horse carried them safely across and on to a warm shelter.
In those days, as at present, the farmers depended largely upon stockraising as a means of support, and the saying was common that they had better barns than houses. About 1885 our big barn was built on the south half of the present Block 4 of Moser Division, in Council. It was arranged like many of the houses in the South in having two main parts with a passageway between the roof covering the entire building. The entire building was about 75 feet in length. Walls of the two stables were two stories high and built of logs. The passageway was wide enough to admit a wagonload of hay. A sliding derrick was up near the highest part of the roof and arranged to unload the hay in the loft of either stable. The lower parts housed milk cows and work horses. Along most of the outside of the building were lofts, for storage of hay and as overhead protection for other livestock in stormy weather. At one side of the passageway a swing was put up, and young folks enjoyed some thrilling rides in it.
Some of the hens preferred the barn instead of the chicken house as a Place for their nests; and gathering the eggs was a daily chore for some member of the family. This afforded each of us children, and even my grownup brother, the fun of hiding eggs near Easter time in the lofts, each one hoping to have the largest cache. In rare instances the discovery of another's cache brought exultation to the finder and dismay to the loser.
Many bands of migrating wild ducks and geese passed over the valley each spring and fall, and some would land at the small creek north of the present high school, only a few feet from the south end of our barn. Here they could enjoy a short rest period and a bath. Once some member of our family found an egg laid by a wild goose near the creek and brought it to Mother, who put this egg with some other goose eggs under a brooding hen. All the eggs hatched and the wild goose was apparently happy with the other geese until it was about mature. Then it "felt the call of the wild" as displayed by interest and agitation at the appearance of the migratory birds, and finally (during the third year of its life) it joined a migratory band.

In 1891 our first lumber house was built at the place where the Evergreen Station is and has been for a number of years (northeast corner of Block 4). Charles Sult and his son, Theodore, of Long Valley were the carpenters. In later years this building was purchased by George M. Winkler of Council and moved to the northeast part of town (now 202 N. Fairfield Street). It has remained in possession of members of the Winkler family, the present owners being Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Bass, who remodeled the house in 1959.
The first "post office" was in the home of Robert P. White and the mail was kept in the wooden box which was open to any patron. Edgar Hall was the first mailcarrier, coming once or twice a month, I believe, bringing the mail from some southern point and going on to places farther north. I remember my Mother saying that soon after the birth of my brother on January 31, 1879, Mr. Hall stayed overnight in our boarding house. The parents had not definitely decided upon a name for the baby and Mr. Hall suggested that they name the baby Edgar, and they did. Mr. Hall was pleased and on a later trip he brought a Bible for the baby. He also brought a Bible for James Copeland, Jr., who was born about the same time that my brother was. These were the first two white children born in Council Valley.
Alexander Kesler had the first regular post office with a box for each letter of the alphabet.
Dr. T. J. Sherwood, an elderly man, and his son Tom, who lived in the Meadows Valley for a comparatively short time, were the first occupants of the presently known Starkey property. Both hot and cold water emerge from a hillside a short distance from the Starkey Resort. Dr. Sherwood constructed a large wooden bathtub and set up a tent around it for use of the few patrons who risked driving over rough roads to get there to take baths. Dr. and Mrs. R. S. Starkey later located and platted the resort site and made considerable improvements. Dr. William M. Brown and A. E. Alcorn, druggist in Council, purchased the property from, the Starkeys and the Brown family assumed management, enlarging facilities which made it a delightful place for vacationers and as a health resort. Upon retirement of Dr. and Mrs. Brown the property was transferred to their daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lindsay, who each summer cooperated with the local Red Cross in providing swimming lessons for children.
Before the State Highway was built the road from Council to these Hot Springs was winding, and there were nine crossings of the Weiser River between the two places. These crossings were impressed upon my mind because of an incident. My oldest brother, Anderson, wanting to camp for a few days in that area, went there with a friend but Mother was to arrange about his ride home. At the appointed time Mother and three others of us took a picnic lunch and drove to Anderson's camp, where we ate and rested a short time. His equipment was put in the back part of the spring wagon, which was lighter, narrower and higher than a farm wagon. It had two spring seats which provided a rather high perch for the five of us. As we reached a river crossing and came down a bank where one side was lower than the other, the wagon turned over and dumped all its contents into the water, which was deep and swift to wade through as we hastily got on our feet and rescued the camp equipment and picnic supplies. Most were saved but a few small articles were swept away. We all got soaking wet but no one was hurt and we went merrily on our way. We still had several miles to travel and as the sun sank lower our thoughts turned to the discomfort of our slowly drying garments, and reaching home became our main objective.

Reference to springs on the east hillside appropriated by my father. soon after settlement here was heretofore made. The water from these springs followed a natural course that led westward along the north side of the old Schoolhouse Hill, then south along the east side of the present Main Street of Moser Division of the town of Council. After the death of my father and the settlement of the eastern part of the village, it became increasingly difficult to have the use of the water. Therefore my mother disposed of her right to it.

This section of Idaho is fortunate in having cold drinking water. Formerly all water for household use was from springs or wells. In recent years chlorine has been added to the water used in the Village of Council, which, since 1915, has been supplied with water from the springs above described, supplemented by water from the "Grossen" springs about 1-2 mile to the north; and some years later by a small spring located south of the first named springs, and by drilled wells and storage tanks. Sewers for the village were laid in 1939.

The early settlers soon realized the need for irrigation for farm land. My father, hoping to bring water from the Weiser River, bought a right of way 1/4 mile in length across a farm three miles north of ours. A ditch was constructed from the point of diversion on that farm to the place of intended use and the following year, which was 1893, he had the use of the water from the ditch. Because of failing health, in the spring of 1894 he went to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for treatment but passed away soon after reaching there. That year my mother tried to look after the ditch work, but frequent leaks prevented the water from reaching our farm. The next year she hired a man to camp near the head of the ditch and care for it. He tried hard to control the trouble but the leaks continued and the project was abandoned.
During the first sixteen years the settlers depended mainly on home remedies in case of illness or accident, as there was no practicing physician in the valley. However, in 1892 there was an epidemic of diphtheria and Dr. William M. Brown of Salubria was called and found many suffering from the dread disease which had gained considerable hold. Nine deaths resulted. The next epidemic here was in 1918 when influenza struck in many parts of the world. In this community sixteen lives were claimed, among whom were Mrs. Ida Selby and son Ray (mother and brother of Mrs. Clarence Hoffman of Council) and Mrs. Mattie Hartley (sister of William Hanson of Council).
Dr. Frank E. Brown of Salem, Oregon, a young physician, was the first in regular practice of medicine here. He came in the spring of 1901 and remained for fifteen years. He was a beloved physician and in movements for community improvements. His decision to return to his native state was made at the urgent request of an elderly specialist in a Salem clinic who desired to retire and have Dr. Brown succeed him.

William F. Winkler, who was twelve years of age at the time his father and family arrived in Council in 1878, wrote a very interesting account of the early settlers, the schools, religious services, and Indian tribes, which article was dated 1924 and, after Mr. Winkler's death in 1942, was published in pamphlet form. As far as we know this is the only firsthand record of those earliest days of settlement in this locality. By 1887 the school term had been changed to the summer months only and continued so until the present plan was adopted during the latter part of the 1890s. My remembrance is of hearing different old-timers speak of the first schoolhouse having burned down; and in 1887, a new schoolhouse was built about 1/2 mile north of the present "Square" on the east side of the main road. It was of rough lumber, box-type, and the desks and teacher's table and chair were handmade. That year the teacher was a Mr. Burgess, who was here temporarily from Indiana. He was a cousin of Mr. A. W. Peebles, a resident of Cottonwood, whose son Stephen for many years owned and occupied the old home place. Stephen passed on in December, 1961, and is succeeded by his son, Stephen L. Other teachers who in the following years taught in this old schoolhouse were: Mrs. John 0. Peters, Mrs. William Black, Mr. Herbert Lee, Mr. D. W. Richardson, and Mrs. Lizzie Canary, whose home was in Weiser.
During the winter of 1897-98 1 attended the public school a few months in Weiser. Our teacher was Miss Carrie Madge Blue, who the next year was married to Mr. J. F. Lowe, the school principal. Soon afterward they moved to Council. Mr. Lowe had a store for several years and eventually formed a partnership with Mr. J. J. Jones, a progressive farmer who resided on the farm now owned by the Lester Goulds. After a few years in the store business Mr. Jones and family moved to Portland. For several years Mr. Lowe gave some attention to farming, but his health failed, and the last few years of his life he was confined to his home. When the youngest of their four children was of school age, Mrs. Lowe resumed teaching for a short time but, due to illness in the family, was soon compelled to return to home duties. During the later years of her life she served for about ten years as county school superintendent, after which she continued to teach until the time of her death.
In the latter part of the 1890s a one-room rustic schoolhouse was erected on the hill north of the square. After two or three years another room was added. Teachers in the one-room building that I recall were: Miss Mida Lorton, whose term report showed an enrollment of sixty-six pupils, and who, was an unusually fine teacher, and Mr. John Root. In the two-room building in following years were Miss Maude Peters, Professor George G. Gregg, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Freehafer, Mr. Willis, and possibly others.
By 1907 a brick building, two stories high, was built on acreage in the southeast part of town and served as both grade and high school until a high school building was erected in 1941 on E. Bleeker Avenue; and in 1958 a new elementary school was completed on an adjoining tract on the west side of Highway 95.
For a number of years community evening meetings were held at stated times in the schoolhouse for the purpose of holding debates, spelling,  ciphering, or other forms of entertainment. Anyone present could take part. There were a few very good spellers, among them a few ex-teachers; and there was much good-natured fun. On one occasion the man who pronounced the words gave the word "onion". It seemed no one could spell it and finally the man was asked to give the spelling from the book and he did: UNION. As interest increased, the longest and most difficult words to be found in the book were chosen. One of "Uncle Davy" Richardson's favorites was: Honi soit qui mal y pense. That sounded like music to us youngsters who had not the slightest idea what it meant or how to pronounce it correctly. The dictionary defines it as: Evil to him who thinks evil. It is said that an embarrassing moment in the life of a member of the English Royal Family caused this prompt expression by a Royal defender.
In winter dances were held in homes and a real attraction was the midnight supper. Skiing was popular among children and young adults. Skis were also commonly used by men when taking trips into the mountains for trapping or other purposes. William H. Camp, whose parents with their five children moved to Council from Kansas in 1883, was of particularly strong physique and carried very heavy packs on his back as he travelled by skis over the mountains to the Thunder Mountain mining camp during the boom there.
For those who liked games, checkers, cribbage, and other card games were home pastimes. Both young women and young men played croquet or other outdoor games in summer. Breaking broncos was popular among young men and baseball was sometimes played. As there was an abundance of fish, game birds, and wild animals, there were no restrictions on these sports.
Mr. Winkler, in his history of Council Valley, stated that the first religious services were held in 1879. Thereafter for the next twenty years or more evangelists came from time to time and held protracted meetings. Spirited singing of the gospel songs helped increase attendance. Joel Glenn became one of the local song leaders and was ably assisted by his brothers Dan and William. Joel used a "tuning fork" to get the correct tone
Frank T. Mathias and family came during the first half of the 1880s and located on a tract of land mostly north and east of the old schoolhouse hill. The Mathias home was where Mrs. Georgia York now lives; and Mr. Mathias had the first blacksmith shop a short distance south of his home on the east side of the present Galena Street. His later chief interest was in mining and the family spent some time in Warren and later moved to Boise.
Also during the 1880s came John 0. Peters bringing dry goods, carried at first in suitcases. Then he located temporarily three quarters of a mile north of Council and moved his wife and young daughter, Maude, there. Mrs. Peters taught a term of school in the nearby schoolhouse. Then they bought a plot of ground in Council (about where the present Merit Store is located) and erected a building which housed a general merchandise store, the family, and the post office, of which Mrs. Peters now had charge.
Abe and Sam Criss also brought merchandise of miscellaneous sort by cart or wagon and after a few years opened a store in Council. Some one of these early peddlers brought a package of goods tied up in a nice table cover. He may have arranged packages according to family needs, since the package we bought had woolen material in different designs for dresses and also shawls for my mother and each one of us girls and woolen cloth suitable for suits for my father and brother. The price for the package was $90.00.
With the Criss brothers came Carl Weed, a young man from Oregon who became a clerk in the store and remained with the firm until the owners retired and moved away. After a brief association with another firm, Mr. Weed opened a general merchandise store in his own name and thus served the community until 1941, when he disposed of the property and retired to his farm home southeast of town. There he had brought his bride many years before, and there their three children, Carlos, David and Mildred, were born and reared. About 1950 Mr. and Mrs. Weed moved to Ojai, California, and his son Carlos became owner of the old home place. Mrs. Carlos Weed, formerly Ella Camp, was the manager and first nurse in the Community Hospital of Council, and was the very efficient nurse employed by Dr. John A. Edwards of the Council Clinic. Carlos and Ella are the parents of five children.
The national depression during the 1890 decade caused many of the settlers to mortgage their farms; and ours was one of a number given in favor of a New England Mortgage Company. It was for $1200.00 with interest at 10% and matured in five years. One of the problems my mother faced after my father's death was to raise $120.00 annually for payment of the interest. This amount was not large of itself but when added to property taxes, costs of settling the estate, hiring help, and general maintenance of the farm, seemed almost "the last straw." A well-meaning neighbor advised her to sell the livestock and "let the old place go." However, she believed that if she kept the stock she would be able to pay the mortgage when it matured.
For years mining had flourished in the Boise Basin and many Chinese were employed in the various towns of that locality. The Chinese were especially fond of pork and chickens and occasionally a Chinese passing through this valley had bought pigs or chickens from us. Mother decided to take a load of shoats to Placerville and offer them for sale. My brother Edgar and one of my sisters went along to help. The load was quickly sold; and for three years thereafter she followed this plan to raise the $120.00 due in the fall. The last year I was privileged to go along, and after the pigs were sold we drove on to Garden Valley for a brief visit at the home of my oldest sister, Mrs. Miles S. Bramblee, and family. From Garden Valley we went to Boise and traded'-at Falk's Store. After Mother paid the grocery bill, Mr. Falk gave me about a pound chunk of Maple Sugar.
When the time arrived to pay the mortgage, a sufficient number of cattle were sold to make the payment and pay off some other indebtedness, although the price for 3-year-old steers was $16.00 per head and for cows $12.00 per head.
During the time the mortgage debt loomed before us some self-denial was necessary. One instance stood out in my memory. There was to be a Magic Lantern show at the school house and the price for admission was .25, a prohibitive price. In such instances Mother comforted us by saying that when the mortgage was paid we would not have to deny ourselves such entertainments. When the Release of Mortgage was received from the Mortgage Company our family had a day of rejoicing. Mother never mentioned her own self denial; and I have ever felt that her example of courage and loyalty to her family was of far more worth than any material gifts.

My parents were impressed by the quietness of the air, with seldom a breeze blowing, though an electrical or wind storm did occasionally strike with considerable force. A few times some damage was done to rail fences and shed roofs. Many of the early settlers were from tornado country and so did not give too much thought or worry to these lesser winds and storms.

About 1910 some residents, including A. L. Freehafer, Dick Ross, Lewis Winkler, John 0. Peters, and possibly one or two others desiring water for their lawns, put in a pumping system to cover two city blocks. They dug a deep well and lined it with bricks, built a strong tower, set up a large storage tank and a windmill above, installed pipe lines to the respective lawns and later were much disappointed to find there was not enough breeze to run the windmill.

As the water from the hillside spring provided only enough water for our poultry, stock, garden, and orchard, my father bought a right-of-way for a ditch across the E. Hinkle farm for a distance of one quarter of a mile (the farm was later owned by John Hoover). The water was to be diverted from the Weiser River for a distance of some three miles to a ditch running along the north line of our farm. He had the use of the water for one season before his death. Mr. Hinkle was paid one thousand dollars for the right-of-way.

First Families in Council Valley[5]

In October, 1876, two covered wagons drawn by oxen wended their way over hills and vales of Idaho toward the headwaters of the Weiser River.

In the first wagon were five persons--two adults and three small children. The driver of the second team was a fourteen-year-old girl and with her was a boy of twelve years of age.

As the little company reached the top of Middle Fork hill they beheld, over intervening hills, a beautiful valley some ten miles in length and two miles wide. On the west side a deep row of yellow balm and cottonwood trees showed the course of the Weiser River and steep hills rose abruptly on the west of the river. To the east the valley, covered with bright red hawthorn and yellow quaking asp trees, sloped gently upward to the mountains which were partially covered with pine and fir trees and whose tops were already covered with snow.

The driver of the first team, a small energetic man of middle age, gazed eagerly at this mecca of his dreams and his heart thrilled at the prospect of making a home in that land of glorious opportunity. The weary little woman by his side, holding in her arms a two-weeks-old babe, experienced a deep thankfulness that the six-months journey "across the plains" was ended and she said, "This is the last time we shall move."

There was no road down the steep Middle Fork hill, therefore it became necessary to return to Indian Valley where a plow was secured to use in constructing a road. Thus George M. Moser reached the place where the town of Council now is and decided to locate here on account of a junction of trails at this point--one trail leading to Meadows Valley and the other toward the Seven Devils.
In 1877 R. P. White and Alex Kesler came bringing their families. Zadoc Loveless and his son William J. Loveless also came that year. The box factory now stands on the southern part of the Loveless homestead.
The settlers spent most of the summer in a fort in Indian Valley because of warfare with Indians in certain sections of the territory. The next year a fort was built on the Loveless land and was occupied by the four families here, the men going forth daily to work on their respective homesteads.
In 1878 the George A. Winkler and Rufus Anderson families arrived, and during the next few years there came the Camps, Glenns, Harps, Copelands, and others. The first houses were built of logs and covered with "shakes." All the furniture was home made. A few of the chairs are still in use and prized by the owners. Fences were made of rails.
Bear, deer, coyotes and other wild animals roamed at will and the settlers were compelled to protect their stock from predatory animals.
During the first few years a trip was made once or twice a year to Boise or Baker after groceries and clothing. Soon, however, these could be purchased in Weiser and a man named Cuddy set up a flour mill in Upper Salubria Valley.
John 0. Peters came with dry goods carried at first in suitcases and later in a one-horse cart. Then came the "Jewish Peddlers," Abe and Sam Criss. One peddler conceived the idea of selling a package of dress goods, shawls, etc., tied up in a small tablecloth--all for the sum of $90.00, which the settlers willingly paid.
The roads were scarcely more than trails and there were no bridges. Four days of hard travelling were required for a trip to Weiser and return. For a number of years travelers on the Council  Hornet Creek road crossed the Weiser river in a small boat. This was a hazardous undertaking in spring when the River was a raging torrent and not confined within its banks as well as it is now.
R. P. White was the first postmaster and Edgar Hall was the first mail carrier who once a month made a trip on horseback or skis from Weiser to Warrens. The postmaster was not troubled by the "Christmas Rush" nor parcel post. No lock boxes were necessary as all mail was kept in one small box which could be pushed under the bed out of the way. Mr. Kesler served as postmaster for several years.
R. P. White also taught the first school and he was followed by George M. Winkler. The first professional teacher was David Richardson, who, during his residence in Idaho, taught in almost every school between Boise and Meadows Valley and was generally known as "Uncle Davy." Until about 1900 school was held only during summer and lasted three months. Since none of that brief time was spent in the many diversions of present day the pupils acquired a very creditable knowledge of subjects taught.

The social life was limited. Spelling contests were sometimes held in winter but parents and grandparents vied for honors. Infrequently itinerant preachers held services.

Dances were given in homes during winter, and a real attraction on such occasions was the midnight supper. No "dainty refreshments were served by the hostess." Each matron brought a washtub or box of equal size containing the best she was able to offer in the culinary art. Sleigh riding and skiing were popular winter sports, and young men found pleasure in breaking broncos to ride or drive.

About 1887 John 0. Peters opened a little store on what is known as the Bedwell ranch and shortly afterwards, he erected a store building across the road north of Evergreen Service Station and thus the town of Council was started. By 1900 there were buildings set close together along the four sides of the "Square" but fires at intervals destroyed all these old wooden buildings as the "bucket brigade" was entirely inadequate at such times.

The railroad was extended to Council, the town was platted, and a new era began in Council.

1. Matilda Moser, notes, unpublished.
2. 1870 Census, Dover, Pope County, Arkansas
3. Matilda Moser, notes.
4. William Shaw, New Plymouth, Idaho, oral interview, 1973.
5. Adams County Leader , January 3, 1930.