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10, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7,seD. A. R. UNVEILSPIONEER MARKERDedicate MonumentOnSite of Old FortW IsoniehtheTie,inlis-icdoofSheinabidebleairrt-The Dorian Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution tied icated a marker Sunday October 3 upon the old site of Fort Wilson six miles east of Payette. The fort was built by the settlers of Payette Valley during the Nez Perce Indian War of June 1877.We are indebted to Mrs. John McKinney for the following historical sketch of the fort which she gave at the unveiling: of the monument. Mrs. McKinney was introduced by ras • Mrs. Chas. Gill, Regent of the DorianChapter.“The Massacres of Slate and White-bird creeks in the Salmon river country in June 1877 were in the nature I lt;of reprisals taken by Chief Joseph 11 and his band of Non-Treaty Indians because the Government was compelling them by force to go on the Reservation and cease their annual Trek to the Wallowa country in Oregon forhunting and fishing.“Constant uneasiness had been felt by the settlers of the Weiser, Pay- I * ette and Boise valleys because of the 11 roving bands of Indians and when the news of the massacres reached the I i few scattered families in this part I s of the valley that uneasiness became 3 a ‘dominating all ineompassing fear* £ according to the Nez Perce Indian I c war letters. I £“The people believed that the Indians would rather be driven before 10 the troops, over the Lolo Trail into | ^ Montana, or they would come down the Little Salmon, through the Crane [v Creek country, the Payette valley anam~II.xtedheensialhebe.r-e-tebebebeir-G.e-shofIdn,hogo into Oregon. ^“The settlers also feared that therdVteorrs:\nee10midleylethorh,ofroof;•s.PirreicL*Ccrr.yaidre»I-:ei-r-inydenCEAtineyEEilocal Indians might start a ‘Sympathy War’ and attack them at any time.“A few families of this immediate part of the valley including J. F. Grif lin and J. Cordwinbaek of the *49’ Irwin ranch, the Culps, Mclvors, Ru fus Emery, the Bivens, the Hunts I v and the Pences assembled at thi I D. M. Bivens ranch now known as the 1ft Ed Harper place for greater safety |v and the comfort of being together.“As no reassuring word came to the settlers, it was decided to build a Fort. Mr, Peter Pence returned or horseback to his ranch, the presen Walter Pence place, where he had left his nephew Albert Wilson \ guard the grain fields from range cattle. Mr. Pence and Mr. Wilson immediately began to get the lumber that had been brought from the Milk Ranch on Big Willow Creek to the Pence ranch, loaded to take down the valley to build the' Fort. Albert Wilson hauled the lumber to approximately this location, and with the help of the neighbors gathered at the Bivens place, the fort was built.“The fort was built in a circular shape of double walls of lumber filled in between with dirt. The walls contained port holes. This location was chosen because it was believed to be out of reach of the Indian bullets from the river and surrounding hills.History records that the Indians fled over the Lolo Trail, not coming this way as feared, and the local In dians staged no uprising, so after some anxious days the settlers were able to return to their homes. The fort was occupied, however, for a few days by the Palmer Manns Creek party.”Mrs. ftlcKinney introduced U. S. Senator W. E. Borah who talked of pioneers, law enforcement and world peace. Senator Borah made an earnest appeal for law enforcement, pointing to the pioneers as examples of law abiding citizens.The monument was unveiled by Albert Wilson, eighty year old sole surviving builder of the original fort, and for whom it was named. The service was concluded with the dedication of the monument by the Regent and the benediction by the Chaplain.John Webster Rhodes American Legion Post fhmished the Color Bearer and Escorts. Jack Bowman was trumpeter and Mrs. Bernard Eastman, vocalist, led in the singing of Idaho.A crowd of approximately 300 attended the unveiling, many old timersAeiGFwCnEGESKtlAlid;hlt;S01wSNMMMWSiMNdlt;of the valley being present. w
Newspaper Details
New Plymouth Payette Valley Sentinel
New Plymouth, Idaho, US
Thu, Oct 07, 1937
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ID, USA 12 Nov 2021
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New Plymouth Sentinel
New Plymouth Payette Valley Sentinel
