The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1907-04-04

The following letter from W. |.
Cummings, worshipiul Master, OF
the Arco Lodge, contains a bit of the
history OF the making OF Genital
Idaho, and viii be OF Interest To ali,
Lost River. Idaho, March ~. isos.
Messrs. Dillingham;,
About one year ago met, while Oh
my way To HALEY, MIR. G. a, Leepel
returning TO his home In Lewiston
lie had been spending few months
In sanitarium In tile east, and had
returned ms far as pocatello ON his
way home TO die with consu mption
as he expressed IL.
Mt Leepef In speaking OF Mackay
and It's surroundings gave the writer
some very interesting details OF the
death, burial and removing OF the
body of Mccaleb, who was, as IL well
known, killed by Indians many years
ago at battle-ground. few miles
above Mackay.
Mr.. Leeper said that In '1s the
Masonic Lodge appointed the late
Colonel Shoup, who ut the time OF
his death was a Past Grand Master
Of 4. +. and A. Nj. of Idaho, on n
committee To remove the remains OF
McCaleb 10 Salmon City for more de-
cent interment.
| The body was taken up, frozen and
conveyed to Salmon City and there
buried With Masonic honors.
They also named the peak that
oyerlooks Mackay so gfandly, aud
which may he claimed by the frater.
nIty 10 be the highest Masonic mon.
uncnt In the World (ll 900 ~.
And We would suggest for tho new
lodge that will sooner or later be
established IN Mackay, the name OF
Mount McCaleb Lodge.
IL Is a real pity that the body OF
Sir Jesse McCaleb had 10 be removed
II were far better that this grand
old peak should have continued It's
eternal sigils, over this, his last
resting place.
The above article Is taken from
the Mackay Miner, and has reference
Ia one o: the earliest settlers OF Sal
mon. The subject of the sketch.
Jesse McCaleb, came 10 Salmon 10
1867 or 1865, the exact date left In
some doubt. Jesse McCalob was one
OF the few Masons In the country at
the time the local lodge was organ.
lied. iie Joined the Masonic lodge
soon after he reached his maIofity nj
his home at Linn Creek, Missouri,
which at that time was a trading
point Of considerable prominence, 10.
Gated on the Usage river
At the close OF the civil war. OF
soon after It's close, he started West.
leaving old associations to make a
home. A few years aftefward he re-
turned TO Missouri and was married.
his wife returning with him To Sal
mon, where SHE at present resides.
lie was largely instrumental la the
organization OF the Salmon lodge 81
Masons. aud we understand that he
was the first Master. meeting up
stairs IN the old log building across
the street from The Recorder Office.
In the secret work of Masonry lac
was considered authority aud his
Judgment, pertaining To the secret
work OF the order is even yet referred
TO IN the discussions by the Older
members Of the local Organization.
AZ the time Jesse McCaleb was
killed by the Indians he was running
store at challis for George l..
sboup 4 Co, In which he WAS iinan.
cially interested. lie was not Killed
In the Nez Perce war, As Is generally
understood, or when Chief Joseph
made his raid through the salmon
river county, but the following WIN
ter after the raid. At the time he
Was killed he, with guard consist.
Ing of thirteen men besides himself
aud the drivers ~ The freight wagons,
making some twenty men in all. seie
freight from the railroad 10 Challis.
When the freishting outfit reached
the place where Macksy pom stands,
the little party VAS attacked by a
band Of renegade Indians composed
Of Nex Perce and Indians from Fort
Hall. Iris said that Ia the freight.
ing outfit there WAS a large supply OF
rifles sbd ammunition which the
territorial governor VAS distributing
among the settlers Of Lemhi county
iDr f-protectlon against the Ia
oians A renegade white man was
In the band who had learned this
fact. and TO procure these imple.
nents of war was the object 1f the
attack. As soon as the little .eom.
psny saw that the Indians we're hos
tile. the wagons were thrown into a
corral aud breast~orks made Of tile
iour and provisions. While Jesse