The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-02-22
PASSING OF P.J. GEARON
COEUR D ALENE PIONEER
CAME TO DISTRICT IN 1sss-Ac-
lively IDENTIFIED WITH
MINING OPERATIONS.


lGearon in Spokane last Friday after
noon was a shock to the people of Wal
lace, which had been his home fol
many years. Mr. Gearon, accompan
led by Mrs. Gearon, had gone to Spo-
kane the first of the week on business
connected with the James f. Howarth
company, of which he was president
the company having recently opened a
branch Office in Spokane. In his room
at the Palmerston hotel he had con-
ferred up to about IL o'clock Thurs
day evening with H. b. Kingsbury,
with whom he was associated in the
HOwarth company and who left the
following morning for New York on
business in which they were mutually
interested. Soon after he retired Mr.
Gearon complained of trouble with his
heart. This finally passed away and
he slept until about 700 o'clock, when
he suffered another attack Mrs.
Gearon called DR.. Charles r. Mowery,
who soon relieved his suffering He
remained in bed during the day up to
about $780, conversing at times with
Mrs Gearon and planning to return
to Wallace Sunday. About that hour
while Mrs Gearon was at the tele-
phone telling inquiring friends of his
improved condition, Mr. Gearon got
up and as he walked across the room
his heart failed and he fell to
the floor, expiring almost instantly.
Many Friends Attend Funeral.
Mr.. Gearon was member of the
Wallace lodge of Elks and his funeral
was conducted by the Spokane lodge
last Monday morning and burial took
place in FairmOnt cemetery where
rest the remains of his father and
mother. A large number of Wallace
friends attended the funeral going to
Spokane on the afternoon train Sun
day. The following Wallace Elks, per
sonal friends of the deceased, acted as
pail bearers: James f. Clyde, NJ. ]
Flohr Homer c. Brown. L. c. Wilson.
John F. Murphy and John p Mahon-
ey There was large attendance at
the funeral, for Mr.. Gearon had
wide acquaintance and many personal
friends in Spokane The Spokane
stock exchange, of which the James
F. Howarth company is a member
closed the day of the funeral out OF
respect for his memory.
Mr. Gearon is survived by his wife
and his son. John Gearon who arriv-
ed the day following his death from
Fairbanks, Alaska; a brother, Thomas
Gearon of this city, and two sisters /
Mrs. John F. Moffatt. of this city, and I
Mrs. Thomas Heney. of Spokane.
Pioneer of the Occur d'Alenes.
Mr.. Gearon was born in Freeport /
Ill.,, on June 21 1862 and while in in
fancy his parents moved to Sioux
City, Iowa, which was his home until
he was Is years of age. In 1877 he
came by steamboat to Montana, land
ng at Fort Benton. the head of navi-
cation of the Missouri river, and from
here he joined his father and elder
brother, James, near Helena. There
le found employment in the old Bel
mont mine, and later was employed in
he mines at jefferson and Butte. In
he meantime he met James Kaufman,
If this city which marked the begin
ling of a warm friendship which ex-
ended to the hour of his death Mr. !
Kaufman and Mr.. Gearon had tie
contract from the Northern Pacific
lear Missoula when the news came
# the discovery of gold on Prichard
reek in 1888. Young and adventure
ome, they joined the mad rush to the
lew Eldorado and arrived at Eagle
,ity in November 1888 They engag-
d in placer mining in the vicinity of
Iurray with varying success. The
discovery of the lead deposits on the ]
outh side was coincident with the {
ecline of placer mining on the north, {
nd in 1887 Mr.. Gearon went to Burke 5
where he was for several years en- (
aged in mining, which included a s
ontract to drive the Hidden Treas s
ire tunnel and employment as a shift Y
loss at the Hecla. In 1891 he was (
married to Miss Sarah Cartin in Wal {
ace. and from that time this city was y
lis home. In 1903 he took over the t
of the Ryan hotel, which .
e successfully conducted for many {
ears. About 1912 he Joined James F. g
Iowarth, the blind broker, in the or i
of the James F. Howarth t
which soon built up a large (
nd profitable business and which has c
ow extended its field of operations t
o Spokane. During the war the How a
nth company obtained control of the {
'uccess Mining company from H. F. T
amuels, Mr.. Gearon becoming presi- i
ent of the company and during his a
the company reached a
he peak of profitable operation. At t
he time of his death he was president
f the independence Lead mines and 4
Ice president of the American Com v
handler Mining & Milling company C
nd was heavily interested in many S