The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-06-11

JESSE GREENE FINNELL.
There are few people better
known in the counties of Custer
and Lemhi than the one whose
name heads this sketch. He was
born in Boone county, Me-, a
county that has produced mazy
pioneers of the West. His father
dying left widow and two boys,
Jesse being the elder. When a
train for California was being
made up in their neighborhood,
and many of them old acquant-
ances, the mother decided to go
with them and give her boys an
opportunity to grow up with a
new country. This was In the
spring of 1852, when Jesse was
IL years of age end his brother
9. The train outfitted at Inde-
pendence, and comprised about
100 persons, 33 wagons drawn
by oxen They went by way of
Salt Lake and were six months
making the journey. Mrs Fin
nell bought land and got home
and they followed farming and
stock raising for some years In
1852 and '63 Mr.. Finnell engaged
in trading and freighting from
Sacramento TO the Nevada towns.
In 1864 we find our pioneer on
Moore's creek, in Boise Basin,
placer mining with profit; from
there, in 1865, he went to Port
land and was with the Water and
Gas Co. In early spring of 80
went to Bear gulch, Mont; from
there was on an exploring expe-
dition to the Saskatchewan, in
British Possessions and from
there returned to Idaho In fall of
SO on the Leesburg stampede;
mined there two years; thence to
Salmon City and engaged in the
blacksmithing business, IAN art
that he had acquired during his
n0madic life) and spent much of
his earnings In Quitting pros
pectors. For a change, he ac-
cepted Office. and served one term
as County Treasurer and three
/ terms as Sheriff of Lemhi county
when Custer county was within
the boundaries of Lemhi, and
the officers in those days took .
pack horse along to carry the
guns and blankets
In 1880 our pioneer came to
Challis and again engaged in the
business of Smithing. When =
former sheriff of Custer county
defaulted and absconded Mr..
Finnell was appointed to the va
lcancy. In 1898 he was elected
Probate Judge Ofthis county and
is now serving his fifth term of
| that office. Judge" F'innelI, as
| he is now recognized, was elect
ed always on the Democratic
ticket, but never solicited the
office nor canvased for votes
He was born Democrat and
Is built that way and can't help
it. There was time in his ma
tive State when Black Repnb-
licann was as great a curiosity as
a white nigger in Africa.
The Judges brother, who went
to California with him in 1852,
and who had been in the mining
countries of the West ever since.
died in Goldfield, New, over a
year ago. His mother died In
Sacramento many years ago. He
has cousin in Salt Lake city.
whose maiden name was Alice
Larkin Richardson, now the wife
of A. L. ellison, the discoverer
of the mineral wax fields of Utah,
known as Gilsonite.
Judge Finnell is worthy of u
Carnegie gold medal for youthful
fortitude and heroism if any boy
ever was. He walked from the
Missouri river to Sacramento in
his bare feet with his trousers
rolled up to the knees; yoked
and whacked two span of bulls
across the deserts and plains,
stood his share of the watch and
guard with the men; carried his
own gun and banged the linens
whenever they undertook to mo-
lest the train.
-GRsrH.
Cyaakee Fork s-OS>ervatory -
rhafffs Tdaho f,,ra osh t0t-