The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-11-06

jain l.. Naylor, one of the pioneers
of Latah county, and president of the
Latah County Pioneers Association
throws much light on the early settle
ment of this county, it's formation, its
first officers and the early history oi
Moscow, the county seat and now hav-
ing a population of 4200 and being
the seat of the University of Idaho,
the states largest educational insti-
tuition. Mr.. Naylor was one of the
early settlers of what is now Latah
county, and the chairman of the first
board of county commissioners, and
he has kept a careful record of chro-
biological events in this county from
it's early history to the present day
His paper follows:
GAS to who were the first settlers
of Latah county it would be a mere
matter of conjecture, for miners and
trappers were here for different per-
iods of time before any attempt at real
settlement of the county began.
John H. Buchanan settled on Mea-
dow creek in August, 1885, where he
raised vegetables, hogs and chickens
and marketed them at Lewiston and
supplied the miners who were pros
pecting or washing out gold in the
Hoodoo districh on the upper Palouse
river. William Ewing, native of
Ohio, was living on the Palouse river
at the crossing known in the early
days as Ewing's bridge. He was en-
gagged in raising cattle.
In 1865 Frank Points, Dad Miller,
Arthur Green, Charley Halter, Will
lam King, and Long Jim Lockridge
we're in the northern part of Latah
county Thomas Tierney and family
settled on their Thorn creek ranch in
September, 1870. AT that time there
we're no white settlers near him. The
indians were friendly and used to dig
heir winter supply of camas on the
lat lands where it grew in abundance
throughout this country.
Moscow Was "HOg Heaven
The country around where Moscow
low stands was known as Hog Hea-
amas and other roots which furnish |
d abundant feed for hogs.
In the spring of 1871 the first in
lux of settlers began. John Neff !
yho was a squatter sold out to A. A. |
.ieuallen, who homesteaded the quar-
er section on which a part of Mos
ow now stands, Lieuallen arriving
ere in April, 1871. Dr.. Jones was
lso a squatter on the quarter section
wing east of Main street. He sold
ut to John Russell. Another squatter
old his claim to Henry McGregor,
vhile James Deakin became the own
r of the opposite quarter section,
here the University of Idaho now
tands.
Early in 1871 the actual settlers
tho located in and around Moscow
ere George w. Sommer and family;
William Frazier and family and Viii
am Mckenzie and family and Murdo
nd Dan Cameron; A. A. Lieuallen
nd family, Henry Trimble and fam :
y, j. W. Northrup and family, J.
[ontgomery and family, L. Haskins )
nd family and T. j. Haskins and
amily.
In 1872 the arrivals here were John
ussell and family, Henry McGregor,
rthur Goselin, J. Land and family,
-artin Anderson and family, David
lien and family and Samuel and !
euben Cox.
At that time the mail was carried
/ hrseback from Lewiston to Lone !
inc, near Pennington, in Washing |
N Territory. Major Wimpy, Sam |
rane and James Cox were early day
all carriers The early settlers did {
IT receive much mail as the carriers
4rried the mail for the entire coun- /
Y in pouches tied on behind their c
ddles on the hurricane deck of a S
yuse.
The country was covered with a e
xurian growth of bunch grass which t
pened and became excellent winter
ed for stock especially horses, many h
which wintered on the range un- l
IS the snow became too deep for G
EN- to paw through it and reach \
e grass. The sod was easily a
oxen and produced good crop even t.
new breaking. There was very p
tie money in circulation here at K
at time and wheat became the me- e
I'm of exchange after wheat grow Y
3 had become an industry here. Y
ree bushels Of wheat was given in N
change for days work in the har- N