Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1919-02-27
A REAL PIONEER.

beng pioneer, and pioneer OF I'LL
years ago in this community, withou
a question knows what it means to b
real pioneer.
Peter Pence was one of the earl
: settlers of the Territory of Idaho
crossing the plains in 1862 with ;
party of about 300 men, women an
children who had become enthusec
with the gold excitement in this earl,
days. Mr.. Pence is native of Penn
lsylvania, leaving that state in 1856:
settling in the state of Kansas, which
was at that time the extreme frontier
of civilization. In the spring of 1862
young and full of ambition, and eager
to explore the west, he started with
his party which consisted of so wagons
drawn by oxen, mules and horses, ano
about 300 people including women and
children. The Indians at that time
were hostile and caused much trouble
; and disaster to smaller parties who
were crossing the plains. but they
being we'll armed and were kept well
guarded were unmolested. The only
real misfortune was the death of three
I of the party while enroute, and on Sep
TENDER Goth camped at the hot springs
where the town of Vale now stands.
That night child was born and one
man in the party died. The party re
manned over the next day while
coffin was made from the lumber Of
a wagon box to bury the unfortunate
man.
A few days later they reached the
place where Baker City is now To-
Gated, at that time the foundation for
the first two log houses was built.
Here they learned of the gold dis
covery at Warren and Boise BASIN
and after few days preparation Mr.,
Pence in COMPANY with seven other
men equipped with one yoke of oxen
two saddle ponies wagon with
water-tight bed for crossing rivers,
and a winters supply of provisions
took the back trail for Boise basin.
Mr. Pence and a man by the name Of
Wagner rode the ponies going ahead
leaving the others to follow with the
OK team. They arrived at the Snake |
River and were taken across in a skiff
which had very recently been built
for that purpose, landing on what is
now called Whitley Bottom, paying
the owner of the sl1iff $500 each for
taking them across. This was Mr.
Fences first introduction into the
territory of Idaho. That night as II
was getting dark, and feeling that
they were rather safe from any in
trusion by the hostile reds, camped i
a little gulch near the bank of til,
Payette river where Falk Store is
now located, but had only got the
little camp fire started when directly
across the river and not over three
yards distant, the doleful
sound of an Indian war-dance and the
ingling of Deeds was heard. Their
ire was soon extinguished and a rapid
moving of camp several miles up the
iver took place.
The next day they overlook a party
f 80 men at Horseshoe bend whc
we're also bound for the Boise Basin >
n search of gold. A few days aftol
eaching the Basin Mr.. Pence and :.
Wagner went back to meet the rest Of :,
he party with The OK team and pro- ;,
isions, and found them at the Snake :,
iver doing a good business bringing
.ayelers across in the wagon bed .,
hat winter Mr.. Pence and a man BY a
ie name of Sam Kinney purchased ia
econd-hand whip-saw converting logs It
ito boards by hand, and in the spring 81
I'D all of their output at 5000 per e,
lousand for the erection of a saloon br
Idaho City.
During that summer QS63) great sh
rongs of men came into the basin pr
RI in the fall $1,000 votes were cast
TIE general election. Mr.. Pence, lif
ring that year, devoted his time in
uline logs with an OK team for the th
ildings of the rapid growing town IN
Idaho CITY. and that fall sold his ia
i'm and during 1S64-65 packed and ia
lighted provisions from Umatilla to Ane
mining camps at Idaho City, and
'ly in the summer of 1866 went TO o.
rtland and purchased threshing 90,
chine and after threshing for tn 10,
ly settlers of the Boise valley -
his outfit receiving in exchang 7
pounds of gold dust, and on Jan ,nl
y 9th, 1867 camped on his way to fin.
LA Walla at what is now the Slick T
oh. At Walla Walla he purchased ella
unch of cattle and drove them back \