The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-03-21


came down this river that flows past his
door. when this century, now so nearly
ended. had just commenced its event
full march. For il is but historic truth
that after their wanderings through the
mountain wilderness, these travellers
in 1904 came hither and found a safe
camp at the mouth Of Orifino creek, on
the south fork Of the Clearwatr. where
they were most Hospitality entertained
by the Nez Perces. afterward chang
ing their location to where the pictur-
esque and lovely city of Lewiston now
stands, which place was named after
one of the intrepid explorers.
"Old Lawyer and White Head-Nez
Perez chiefs-who lived coincidently
with the explorers, were fully as friend
ly to them, and to the whites Of sue
ceeding generations as was Timothy,
they living in peace and honor until
only few years ago when they were
gathered to their fathers. And to light
up their dark eyes with the fire of youth
1t was only necessary to mention in
their presence the-to them-sacred
names of Lewis and Clarke. These old
men not only remembered them most
pleasantly but spoke their names in
reverence. Nor is there any doubt but
that the contact of these Indians with
the explorers named, and the influence
eXerted by the kind treatment received
at their hands, has served to make that
tribe of Indians the friends of the whites
through all the intervening years, or at
least up to the time of the Nez Perez
war. which war is now recognized as
having had all the equity on the side Of
the Indians"
I'm my talk with Old Timothy, he told
me Of the death of his wife which had
occurred the February previous. She
too, was a companion of her husband
during those historic days, and remem-
bered Lewis and Clarke well, and the
old man took from their hiding place
mementoes given her by them when she
was but a barbarian child in the wild
and wondrOus days of the past"
At the death of this noble old Indian,
the East Washingtonian of Pomeroy,
Garfield county, paid the following
tribute to his character:
1.-THE death Of Old Timothy. the aged
Indian chief, at the mouth of Alpowai.
removes from among us prominent
character in the history of the north
west Though a red man. and springing
from a savage race, he had many Of
the noblest attributes of humanity. lie
was always the white mans friend and
when the red hand of murder was lifted
and the incendiary torch was lighted.
Timothy always stood forth to stay the
arm of the destroyer. Timothy and his
little band have lived at the mouth of
the AlpOwai for more than three-uuar-
ters of century that is known. and per
haps their ancestors for many hundred
years before. The missionary, Spauld-
ing planted them an orchard about
1891 when Red Wolf was chief of the
Nez Perce's. Some of the old trees re
main yet (Apples which may be seen
in Spokane markets in boxes marked
"Old Mission, Alpowai," are from this
historic orchard.)
Ever since the settlement of the cOun-
try Timothy has been the friend of the
whites. He and a number of his band
were early converts to Christianity.
and have lived lives that might shame
many white brother. During one of
the Indian wars Timothy fitted out a
number of volunteers from among his
own people and sent them to aid the
whites against the hostiles. For this
act of loyalty and friendship toward
our own people, he never received any
compensation. The ponies that the In
dian volunteers took were lost in the
fighting, and were never paid for. In
1858 Colonel Steptoe's command was
whipped out by the savage hordes and
driven from the Palouse and northern
country toward Snake river. The Col
onel beat hasty retreat following
down the deep gorge known today as
Steptoe canyon. When they reached
Snake river opposite the mouth Of AL
powai, their horses were jaded and
they exhausted. Had ii not been for the
help of Timothy and his people they
would have all been butchered by the
bloodthirsty savages. The history of
the relations of the red men to the
whites on the North American CONT
nent affords no brighter page than that
which records the friendship and 10y
atty Of Old Timothy. Though wrapped
in the skin of a savage he had the
heart of nobleman. The people of this
section ought to erect him a monument.
Pomeroy and Garfield county will do
their part"
A well-merited eulogy on a good and
useful man, who lived far beyond mans
allotted span, in comfort and cOmpe-
tence, with an honest pride in the def
erence awarded him. and who has now
received-we trust-an honest mans
reward at His hands who "is no re-
specter Of persons"
She Won the Doctor.
DR.. Abernethy, the famous Scotch sur
geon, was a man of few words but he
once met his match-in a woman. She
IL IL N l.