Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1911-11-23


Every western community boasts
of its pioneers and recently numer-
Gus papers in other sections OF
Idaho have been running accounts
of residents of their section that
came to Idaho in the early day. Pay
cite has a citizen whose connection
with many of the leading events OF
the history of the state forms no
unimportant chapter in its annals.
He has been identified with its ear
ly development through that period
when existence in the northwest was
attended by many difficulties and
dangers and with its latter day pro-
ress and advancement which have
placed Idaho on a par with many OF
the older states of the east.
His early years were spent far
from this Gem Of the Mountains.
He was born in Armstrong county,
Pennsylvania in 1887 and is Of Ger
man parentage. His ancestors were
pioneers in the keystone state,
grandfather having served as a lieu
tenant in the Revolutionary war.
Peter Pence was reared upon his
fathers farm in Pennsylvania as
sisting with the work in the field
and meadows until 1857 when he
went to Kansas where he was living
during all of those troublesome tim
es concerning the adoption and 70
lection OF slavery. He had many
thrilling escapes and his experience
es during this period Of his life If
written in full would form an inter
esting volume. On several occasions
he. almost met death at the hands OF
border ruffians and at one time was
waylaid by "jayhawke-s" who stole
his team from him, but with daunt-
less courage he followed them and
finally succeeded in recovering pos
session OF his horses. Win this
same team he hauled TO Atkinson
the Jim Lane cannon" with which
they defended the town. In 1860 he
made three trips to Denver freight
ing with oxen and hauling some of
the goods that stocked the first stores
built in that city. In 1862 he again
started on the long perilous journey
across the plains. leaving the Mis-
sour' river on June 9th. The parry
was continually harassed by Indians
and passed over many battlefields on
the trail where they saw the re-
mains OF many emigrznts killed by
sayages. They arrived at the ford
on the Maiheur river. September 2s.
1862. Here they met party OF
men bearing the news OF the gold
discoveries in the Boise Basin, but
Mr.. Pence was prevailed upon TO so
to Baker City. Oregon. then town
Of but two unfinished homes.
Mr.. Pence stayed at Baker but
two weeks and on the first day OF
November 1862 in company Of a man
BY the name of Jno. Wagner. he
swan his horse across the Snake
River near Whitley Bottom and that
evening namped IN a draw near
Falks Store. Mr.. Pence's first in
to Idaho was indeed stFea.
lous as he and his companion had
70 sooner finished their first supper !
n Idaho territory than their ears
we're assailed by the war dance song
II a large body of Indians just across
ne river from them Hastily put
ing out the fire they broke camp |
nd in the darkness OF the night
moved onward toward the Boise Ba-
in. The next morning they came
cross a battlefield where thirty.two
nen under Capt Jesse Stanford had
cen attacked that morning by In
ians and the next evening caught up
nth these same men at Horse Shoe
lend. This party had captured an