[This text was scanned from an old photocopy and may contain typographical errors. Some misspellings and grammatical errors have been corrected. Please report any mistakes that need to be corrected to Dale Fisk at dafisk@ctcweb.net. 


HISTORY OF MEADOWS VALLEY
The following was taken from a "magazine" that was originally produced by Bessie Baker's Meadows Valley High School English Class in 1945. It was reprinted by the Pep Club in 1967-Mrs. Louise Jones, advisor. Some corrections to spelling and punctuation have been made.

For the convenience of our readers, we have included this map of the townsite. We believe that it is an added attraction in our magazine. This map was drawn to scale by Hilda Balbach in 1945.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VALLEY
From the Meadows Eagle, dated December 28, 1911:
	"Imagine a vast, almost level, oblong tract of nearly 30,000 acres, about sixteen miles in length by four or five miles in average width, surrounded on all sides by tree clad mountain ranges, like some titanic amphitheatre. The slanting rays of the October sunlight heighten the dark green of the great fields of clover, timothy and alfalfa, and give the gold to the yellow stubble of wheat and oats. Close into it run little spurs of the darker green of the timber. Across it trails half way the dark brown ridge of the new railroad grade, over which, very soon now, the great steam horse will come in, shrieking the birth of a new era of man's ambition and power.
	Quiet and peaceful it all lays as in the days back when the first white man stood on the hilltops and looked with wondering eyes into the beautiful spot of nature. There are few such valleys, even in this wonderful west of ours. As it lies there in the solemn stillness of the bright October afternoon, there is a charm about it that enters the memory, never to be driven out.
	As we drive down the steep road, one feels as if coming back to some well-remembered spot. The little mountain stream that ripples on into the heart of the great valley gives one a glad welcome. Almost without effort, one recognizes in the dark brown fertile soil the wonderful possibilities of production it contains, here and there, dotting the level stretch are farmsteads in the great stacks of gray brown hay tell of almost fabulous yields of clover and timothy. It is little wonder the valley was settled away back in 1862, and that it has been a paradise of the stockman and the rancher ever since. They tell tall stories of three or four tons of timothy and clover hay and immense yields per acre of wheat and oats, and one does not question them. They say potatoes grow tops like rank weeds, and the farmers get tired of digging them, they yield so prodigiously; that cabbage get like bushel baskets in size, and firm and hard clear through, and one believes it all readily.
	Although the altitude is about 1,000 feet, there are a number of small orchards in the valley, and they tell you that in point of keeping qualities and flavor they beat the world's, the apples from these orchards, and they give you one and you are convinced that what they say is true.
	It is all ideal. As you drive across the valley and approach the town of Meadows, lying nestled up on the slope with the big green pines and firs for a background and the rich teeming soil coming into your nostrils from the furrows just over there where the plow still stands, you can fully understand the feeling of attachment the home feeling of the people who live in this glorious valley,I saw alfalfa, which were reported to have yielded five to seven tons yearly, and was told that they had not been irrigated for fifteen years. Water is plentiful for irrigation all over the valley, however, and each tract has the best of water rights. I saw a number of orchards, planted to mixed varieties, and the trees all looked exceedingly thrifty and were all overloaded with splendid fruit. There is not doubt about being able to raise apples. Immense reaches of yellow stubble land and other reaches of dark brown soil newly turned over the fact of big areas in grain. Haystacks galore on every hand in the valley show the productiveness of the alfalfa, clover and timothy.
	Now in 1946 the valley has been built up into a big town. The Boise Payette Lumber Company moved in and cut the trees, and the valley is cut into parts by fences, roads and irrigation ditches. The mountains around still have a heavy growth of young timber on it, and are still very beautiful. The southern end of the valley is largely built up of homes, and the main highway cuts the town in half.
There are many more houses and buildings now than there was then, and the roads are built up and paved. The pastures are not as abundant in grass as they used to be, but they still give plenty of grass and hay.

INTERVIEW WITH S. J. MITCHELL
	I interviewed Mr. and Mrs. Sam Mitchell at their home in New Meadows, January 20, 1946. They told me the following.
	Mr. and Mrs. John Mitchell and three sons, John, Andy and Sam, came here in the spring of 1888. They came from Grand Ronde Valley, Oregon to this valley, but were originally from the state of Iowa. They made the trip in three covered wagons-Mrs. Mitchell driving one of them. They crossed the Weiser River twenty-three times between here and Council, and got stuck in the mud this side of the bridge coming in. They homesteaded where Mrs. Bowlin Abshire now lives. The boys later took up places of their own over the valley.
They immediately took part in the pioneer life of the country, Mr. Mitchell preaching the first sermon in the valley in the schoolhouse. Mrs. Mitchell lived to the ripe old age of 99 years, 3 months and 7 days.
	Sam Mitchell married Annie Zweifel in July 1901. He ran a mercantile business in Meadows for some years, and later was the postmaster here for nineteen years and ten months.
	Andy was married to Louisa Zweifel in 1895, and moved to the place he lives now.
John was married to Miss Tessy Shepard-a girl from here-in 1890, and moved to California in 1895.
	It took a ton of flour to run them a year. Deer meat and fish were the fresh meat. Currants and gooseberries were their main fruit.
The Indians used to come and play baseball and take part in the races held at the old racetrack.
	On the 4th of July, every one in the valley came and brought baskets and tubs of food, and would gather in the grove for a picnic dinner.
Mrs. Sam Mitchell belonged to the first Woman's Club in the valley. It had twelve members, met every week and studied parliamentary. It was the first club organization in the valley.
The Odd Fellows lodge started in 1902. In 1945 Mr. Sam Mitchell was the only charter member (out of those twenty) living.

INTERVIEW WITH FRED CLARK
CLARK FAMILY
	On December 25, 1852, in the town of Quincy, Illinois, was born a little girl who was to become one of the pioneer settlers of our valley, She was Vina E. Latham and she spent her early childhood with her parents in Illinois. However, in 1864, her father joined a wagon train, which was headed west across the Great Plains. With their worldly possessions in an ox wagon, the Latham Family came to Idaho.
	In the same fateful year, George W. Clark came with his parents in the same wagon train. He was born in the town of Monroe in the state of Iowa in the year of 1850 on January 30th.
	Both of these children's parents settled in Boise Valley where the children grew to manhood and womanhood. In June 1870 these young people were married. They spent the first years of their marriage on a ranch near Star.
	Mr. Clark taught for several terms at a school in Boise Valley, and one of his students was his wife. His teaching was very successful, but he wasn't satisfied, so in 1883 he made his first visit to our beautiful valley. In the year of 1888 he brought his wife and eight children from their home in Boise Valley to Meadows Valley to make their home. After moving to Meadows Valley, three more children were born.
The Clarks owned the first sawmill in the Valley. At first it was where the Tom Rubberd [sic] house now stands, but later they moved it down toward the Sam Mitchell ranch. They logged with oxen, and there was a crew of six-an engineer, sawyer, ratchet setter old an off-bearer. Frank Waggey drove the oxen. They cut Lumber and boards and sold them to the people of Meadows Valley, in rough lumber for doors, barns, fences, etc. The planing had to be done by hand because there was no machinery with which to do it.
	The Clark family also farmed. Their home was on the ranch where Earl Simpson now lives. They had the largest barn in the valley. It didn't have any nails in it to hold the together; instead they used wooden pins. The barn was built by Dan Yoakum and Newt Munkres and it was 175 feet long.
	For many years Mr. Clark and his family put up hay on the present town site of New Meadows. Part of their house was built with the first house on the original town site of New Meadows. This house was built where the Northern Hotel now stands.
Mr. Clark played the violin for the dances, while Herma Yoakum played the organ. They would load the organ on a sled, and several families would take their sleds and they would all go somewhere for a dance. Sometimes they all went to Round Valley. They would do their chores early Saturday night so they could get an early start, and they would get back late Sunday morning.
	Mr. Clark played for the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Campbell.
For twenty years Mr. Clark was very active in church work while he was in Boise Valley. He had a church office; his work was somewhat like that of a Deacon.
Mr. Clark carried the mail on skis for many years, between New Meadows and Council. The trip to Council from New Meadows took one and one half days. He would eat his dinner at the Stevens station situated at the mouth of the East Fork. He made the trip between Council and New Meadows alone and he cut through the mountains at Evergreen. In the winter months, for many years, he helped another man take the mail to Warren. The trip for the mail was made twice a week.
	In those days all supplies were brought in by wagon from Boise. Quite different from the bakeries now days, all bread and pastries had to be baked at home. Most of the clothing was made by hand. They didn't have speedy machines run by electricity as we have now, but they were happy and had their amusements to enjoy like we have ours.
One of the Clark boys, Fred Clark, was formerly one of our local game wardens.

YOAKUM FAMILY
Interview with Mrs. Chester Irwin
	Don Yoakum was born in Missouri in February 1859.  His wife, Anna (Hunt) was born in Arkansas in 1868. She is now 98 years of age. She is presently living, in Portland, Oregon (1945). They were married in January 1888 at Pendleton, Oregon. Three children were born to them: Grace, Jenny and Edith.  Mr. Yoakum's occupation was farming.
Grace Yoakum was born at Pendleton, Oregon in 1886. She came to Meadows in the spring of 1890. The trip from Pendleton took  6 weeks in a covered wagon. They lived at various places--the Kearns place, near S.S. Freeman's house; near Stanley Parrot's barn; Old Town, and the Hot Springs.
	They went to school near the Abshire home 3 months a year. In 1905 she graduated from grade school. There were no high schools here then, so they could not continue their education in this vicinity. They rode horseback to school. Her teachers were Florence (Freeman) Brown, sister of Mrs. Meyers, a former teacher of the primary grades at New Meadows; Miss Jewel, Mary Henn, Lola Date, Mr. Erving Lee, Bess Meriness and Elizabeth Lapp.
	At Christmas and Thanksgiving, programs were given by the pupils of the school. Such games as "pompom Pullaway," "London Bridge" and "steal sticks'' were played. In school they studied arithmetic, geography, physiology, spelling and history as their subjects. School was much harder then because there were no reference books as there are today.
She was married to Chester Irwin in 1907, two years after her graduation from grade school. They lived near Salmon River for 6 years, then came back to New Meadows in May, 28 years ago.
	To this family were born 3 children-two boys and one girl. They are Lloyd, Nellie and Everett.
	While they were on the Salmon River they were in the sheep business, but while in the lower end of the valley they were in the cattle business. Mrs. Irwin joined the Rebekah Lodge in December 1923.


INTERVIEW WITH EDWARD OSBORN
	It was a cold dreary day December 14, 1871 in Warrens, Idaho when a baby boy was born to William and Elizabeth Osborn. His name was Edward Osborn. The Osborn family spent four years in Warrens after Edward was born. These were hard years for the Osborns, so hard in fact that when Edward was four years old, they moved to Salmon River.
	It was when they moved to Salmon River that a tragic thing happened to the Osborn family. It was June 17, 1877 that the Nez Perce Indians, who were half crazed with drink, descended upon the little settlement and killed Edward's father, William Osborn. This happened near Whitebird. There were about five people, including Edward's father, who were working on some placer claims located near Whitebird, Idaho. Whitebird at the time was nothing but a few log cabins. Mr. Osborn, along with his three children and wife, and four other men were journeying to Whitebird one day and as they neared Whitebird they observed a large cloud of smoke. This, they later found out , was the Indians burning the cabins at Whitebird. When they found this out, they turned around and made for their home. The Indians saw them and came after them. "Big George" as he was known, was shot through the palm of the hand. Thus far he was the only one hurt. When they got home, they forded White Rock Creek-the men folk carrying the children. When they came to Salmon River, they crossed it in an old boat  that one of the men owned. On this side of the river was where Old Man Baker lived. As they entered the house, Mrs. Osborn suddenly exclaimed, "Here they come." At this, they all rushed into the house and barred the doors and windows. When the Indians came, they started firing madly at the cabin. The first one
to be hit was Mr. Osborn. The bullet went through his heart and he died instantly. (Mrs. Osborn and the children were under the bed for protection.) The Indians set fire to the cabin. When this did not bring them out, the Indians decided to break into the cabin. Chief Whitebird, who was commanding the Indians, let Mrs. Osborn and the three children (one of whom was Edward, who then was only 6 years old) go. They walked miles to a fort at Slate Creek, for protection. 
	In 1880 this unfortunate family moved to Meadows Valley. Their first winter in the valley was spent in Goose Creek cabin. The winter was a cold one and the fatherless family had a hard time. The next summer, however, they purchased the 
present home of Henry Clay from John Smith. This home they lived in until 1909. It was here that Edward, who had by this time become a young man, was married to May Taber.
	When the Osborns first moved to the valley, there were but few families before them. The first permanent settler to come to the valley was Bill Jolley, who was a bachelor that came here in the spring of 1877. Shortly after this, Jim Croose and Wilson A. Williams, also bachelors, settled in the valley. In the fall of '77, the Whites, the first family to be permanent settlers, moved into the valley. Shortly after this Thomas Cooper, a bachelor, moved into the valley. Before he moved here he was a Pony Express rider between Olympia and Challous. (Both in Washington.)
	For about three or four years after this, with the exception of Johnny Lions, Bill Warr, and Margue [?]Jones, those families comprised the community of Meadows Valley.
In 1880, the nearest railroad to New Meadows was at Kelton, Utah. All of the merchandise to be sold was hauled to Boise and then freighted to Kelton. This haul to Boise took many days and the families who went on the trip stayed all night at the most convenient place. This was usually along the road someplace. The trip usually took about ten days.
In 1909, Edward and his wife moved to their present home. It was here that their three children were born, Warren and Arthur. Warren and his son, Everett, are now running the ranch. Neil, Edward's second son, died February 27, 1942 at the Osborn home site.

Cal White Family
Interview with Walter White
	Calvin R. White, one of the early pioneers of Meadows Valley, was born in Massachusetts. His wife was born in Illinois. They came to this small valley in 1878, the year of the Indian War. At the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. White there were only three men, all bachelors, living here. They were Bill Jolly, Tom Cooper, and Willis Williams.
The Whites owned a piece of land one mile square at Meadows. They also owned the first store, blacksmith shop, hotel, and the saloon. Born to Mr. and Mrs. White were eight children. The White children, Clay children and Leata (Stout) Becker were children attending the first school in the valley, held in Jennings' cabin.



Taken From - Meadows Eagle 1911 
WALTER WHITE
	"Walter White, one of the best known ranchers of Meadows Valley, is a native son of Idaho, having been born in Idaho City, Boise county, in the year of 1867. He came to Meadows Valley with his parents in 1880 and has resided here ever since. Immediately upon attaining his majority he took up a homesteaded below the town of Meadows upon which he made improvements, and then concluded to make it his permanent home. To use his own words "I had practically nothing, except my great faith in the future of Meadows Valley." How well that faith was founded has been proved by the years that have passed, for today Mr. White is one of the wealthy ranchers and cattle men of this section.
Mr. White has proven to be a good citizen and neighbor-the right kind of a man to have in a community. He has made good in every sense or the word.
	Eighteen years ago, Mr. White was married to Miss Nellie Smith, daughter of' Senator Gilbert F. Smith, one of the pioneers of this section. Mrs. White was a charming girl, and her charm and youth has remained with her. She is one of the many matrons of whom Meadows Valley is justly proud.
	Four bright children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. White. They are growing up in Meadows, and give good promise for the future. These young people are named as follows; Berle, Blanche, Earl and Nellie.
	Mrs. White passed away January 27, 1942, and Mr. White has left the ranch, and spent this winter in Weiser. He is at present visiting his son in Council, Idaho.

McMAHAN FAMILY
George McMahan
	Mr. Jonathon McMahan was born in a little town in Iowa in February 1850. Mrs. McMahan was born in Missouri and came to Ogden, Utah on the Union Pacific, then to Baker, Oregon in a stage. They lived in a town outside of Baker called Durky and ran a ranch; this gave them a little start or enough to buy their own horses. Mr. McMahan then moved to Indian Valley in the early spring of 1893, then came to Meadows later in the year. Mr. McMahan came about three months earlier than the rest of the family, so as to get a home ready for them. He and three other men, one being Jim Harp, made the trip. The snow was so deep in places that all four horses had to be put on one side of the tongue in order to stay on the trail. Then after going 2 or 3 miles this had to be repeated, this time putting them on the other side. The snow was twelve to fourteen feet deep, as he came over in February. 
	There was a little cabin at what is now Strawberry that was about 12 by 20 feet long. The four men and sixteen horses all stayed in this cabin four nights in a row. While they were trying to get by, they would walk to it from where they had left the sleds and then they had to shovel out the door to the cabin so they could get by, then they made it to a stopping place run by Eston Freeman at what is now Tamarack.
	They had, in all, five children. Edward and George were born in Durky, Oregon. Cora was born in Missouri, and the two girls, Lilly and Daisy, were born in Indian Valley.
The family ran a store in Meadows for an occupation. They had to do all the freighting from Weiser and do it in the summer before there was any snow on the ground, or they would not be able to get it. They had to do all the freighting by themselves most of the time. Some of the freighters that worked for Mr. McMahan were Joe Bean, Chris Madison, and Jim Harp from Council. When they did not have any freighters, George and Cora drove the freight wagons.
While they were in the store business, they made two trips back to Missouri to see their folks and visit with them.
They then quit the store business and went into the stock business for while, and while they were in the stock business they made another trip back to Missouri.
	They did not stay in the stock business very long, but went back to running the store.	
	Some of the settlers that were in here when they came were Cal White-he was the first settler in the valley, and Sadie White was the first white child born in this valley. Packer John's cabin was a stopping place for packers but no one lived there. Other settlers were Tom Clay, Wilson A. Williams and Tom Cooper.
	Mr. McMahan passed away in 1924, being seventy-four years old, and Mrs. McMahan died in 1939 at the age of 83.

FREEMAN FAMILY
	We are sorry that we-were not able to secure more information concerning the Freeman family, but we were unable to get an interview with the members of the family.
	Taken from New Meadows Eagle 1911:
	J. E. Freeman was born in Lorington, Virginia. He came to Idaho with his parents when a boy of twelve years of age. The Freemans left their old home for the West because the West offered advantages that were rapidly disappearing from the East even then. After traveling extensively through the West, they came to Price Valley, Idaho where they settled and took up homesteads.
	J.E. Freeman, or Eston as he is familiarly called by his many friends, worked for wages until he bought an interest in the mill and stage business which he followed for a number of years. He became very successful and purchased ranch property, and invested on his big hay ranch where he and his family spent part of their summers. He is a big true-hearted Virginian of the first water, and he is loyalty itself to those he calls friends.
He considers the most important event in his life his marriage to Miss Lizzy Clay, one of Meadows Valley's charming daughters and also a pioneer. She has been an incentive to his success, being both wife and comrade, and there is no more happily mated couple in Meadows Valley than these two energetic young people. They have one child, Roy, a manly golden-haired little fellow of seven who is their pride and chief interest in life. He is a very worthy representative of the Freeman home.
	Eston Freeman is a successful man and he won his success by hard work and good management. He is a booster for Meadows Valley, and thinks it the banner spot in the Gem State.


INTERVIEW WITH MRS. CAROLINE CAMPBELL
	Caroline Osborn was born at Warren in 1870, and when a child of ten, moved to the 
valley where she lived in Goose Creek Cabin for awhile, then moved to Clay's. In 1888 she married Charles Campbell, and they moved to the place where the Campbell homestead is.
Charles Campbell had worked in Nevada, and then moved to this valley to spend the rest of his life.
	They had five children; the first was Albert who married Grace Lufkin. The second child was Anna Organ, and she had a family of five and lived in Cambridge. The third child was also a girl, and they named her Carry and she married Dr. Whiteman, and she lived in Cambridge. The fourth child was Rollie who married Margaret Allan when he was 23, and they lived in the valley. The fifth and last child was Loyal and he married Mary Levengood. Rollie fought in the First World War.
	Before the train came, Mr. Campbell raised cattle and trailed them to Weiser and Payette to sell them when they were three years old. He bought the cattle in Indian Valley, and the cattle were fed all through the winter.
William H. Campbell was born near Springfield, Illinois, March 27, 1855. Florence Ellen Cook was born in Wisconsin, February 21, 1867. She came to the valley in 1883, and he came in 1880. They were married in Weiser in April 1884. They raised a. family of six.
John Campbell married Mary Price in 1892 and moved to Kansas from Illinois in 1883. They came to the valley in the spring of 1921 and he died in 1941. They had one child named Floyd.
	Some incidents of interest about Caroline Campbell and her husband were that they started out with 3 cows and $500, and now the Circle C is one of the biggest cattle ranches in the United States. There was a band of sixteen wolves, which roamed around Clay's property for a while, but Smith and Wilson trapped them. There were also a few cougars, but they never came down close to the house, and a few bear, which killed young calves. All of these things made pioneer life exciting, as well as difficult.

BALBACH
Interview with Richard Balbach.
	One spring morning in April 1899, two young men, Richard and Will Balbach, ages 22 and 21, came to Meadows Valley. Richard homesteaded the ranch on which Tommy Carr now lives. Will homesteaded on the mouth of Mud Creek. They worked from dawn till dusk and went without any luxuries, for they had put most of their money into horses, yearlings and farm machinery. For the first year they lived on $125 cash.
	After 8 years of hard work and saving they had 120 head of cattle, 12 horses and 4 ranches, and good farming machinery. They also made a trip to the St. Louis World's Fair, went to Danville, Illinois to visit a brother, and then home to Waupun, Wisconsin to visit their folks. They stayed 3 months and then came back to Meadows. A month after returning, their cabin burned while they were visiting a friend. They then moved to the ranch now owned by Joe and Chester Hubbard. Since all their blankets, cooking utensils, etc., burned they had to buy a new outfit.
	They then logged 100,000 board feet of lumber for Johnny Clay who owned a small sawmill south of Sam Mitchell's place. Out of some of the lumber they built a new house on Mud Creek.
	A year later, about 1908, they bought a piece of timber west of Carr's place and set up a sawmill. They sold their cattle to build the sawmill. They operated the sawmill and ran four ranches until 1917.
	Will was married in 1915. In 1919 he sold out and moved to Riverside, California where he lives at the present time. In 1922, Richard married Helen Sniegor; they reared four children--Ruth, 
	Richard, Robert, and Hilda. They lived in a beautiful home in Meadows.

FAMILIES
	We have tried to get information on all the first families to settle in the valley, but in some instances information was not available. We should like to have included in our history, an Interview with Mrs. Becker, who is a well-beloved pioneer of our valley, but she was ill and in the hospital, so we could not do it. If any other families have been omitted, it is because we could not secure the information in the limited time we had.

Produced by the Journalism Class of Mrs. Bessie Baker, 1945,
Updated by the MVHS Pep Club, and advisor, Mrs. Louise Jones.

HISTORY OF CHURCHES IN MEADOWS VALLEY
	Previous to the coming of the Methodists, Meadows Valley had been occupied by the Episcopal and Congregational Churches. The Episcopal having a church building at New Meadows and for a time maintaining a pastor, but in a few years the church was without a pastor.
	The Congregationalists had a church building at Meadows, and for a while maintained regular service, but in later years they too were without a pastor. During the summer of 1921, Rev. J. L. Riley, Pastor of the M.E. Church of Council, Idaho assisted his brother, Floyd K. Riley in tent meetings at Meadows. At these meetings several were baptized but none were received into the M.E. Church, and no M.E. Church was organized.
	In the fall of 1922, Rev. C.R. Arches arranged with the authorities of the Protestant, Episcopal and Congregational Church for the withdrawal of the churches from the Valley and for the transfer of both church buildings to the M.E. Church, as there were not enough people for all the churches here.
	Small Methodist classes were then organized at both Meadows and New Meadows. At the Annual Conference in September 1923, Meadows Valley was made a separate charge with Edwin Deacon appointed pastor. When he arrived he found only 14 remaining of those who had joined the proceeding spring, with 8 residing in New Meadows and 6 at Old Town. During the first years, there were no marked changes and very little progress made.
	During April 1925, Rev. R.C. Lee, the M.E. pastor from Weiser, conducted revival meetings here for a week. After the annual conference, Rev. Deacon returned to his church. During February, Rev. Smootz of Oregon was secured for evangelistic work, and at the end of the meetings 5 were received for preparatory membership into the church. During the summer of 1925, Rev. Deacon asked to be removed because of his age, he being 65 when he retired.
After Rev. Deacon left, Rev. Smootz followed, and during his ministry, Jennie James and Irene Erwin became full members of the church-also the Wymans and Mrs. Witherspoon and D. J. Yoakum. He was removed to Joseph Oregon, and Rev. Floyd White followed him, and the new members during his ministry were as follows: Mrs. Berl Crane, George and Lima Hurd, Agnes Johnson, the Ledingtons, and Sarah Steckman. He moved to Nyssa, Oregon in 1932.  Rev. Eaker, Quinn, Johnson and Robinson followed. The first ministers each had his ups and downs as the man before, and each gained more members for the M.E. Church until the present membership is around seventy full members.
	Two other churches are active in the valley.
ASSEMBLY OF GOD
	This Church was started in Meadows in 1943 and prospered greatly. Mr. Kindel was Pastor, and plans were laid for starting a Church building that spring. 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints-Information on this church was not available.

SCHOOLS IN MEADOWS VALLEY
	The high school district in Meadows Valley was bonded on March 21, 1924 when the first High School board were: Chairman, Jonathan McMahan; Clark, Lee Highley, H.R. Ackley, Mrs. R.L. Campbell, Mrs. J.M. McCulley, Mrs. Emma Clark. The first superintendent was Joseph Dilley, and the assistant teacher was his wife, Miriam Dilley. The first superintendent was paid $1500 a year, and the assistant was paid $1300. The first high school was held in what is now Middle District grade school. Then it was moved to Beaumont Grade School, until the present high school building was built in 1939.
The Beaumont Grade School was built in 1911. Previous to this time there was no school in New Meadows.
	The first school in Meadows Valley was a small one-room log cabin on Goose Greek, just across the road from Jack Iric's place. It was built In 1889 by some of the settlers. The first teacher was Mrs. William Campbell, mother of Harold Campbell.
The next school was held in a house out by Bolin Abshire's place. The teacher was Miss Florence Brown. Some of the students of this school were Mrs. C.C. Irwin, and the Clark brothers, Fred and Alfred. The Clark brothers rode horses, walked or skied about four miles to get to school. There was a certain trick played on Alfred Clark, but by popular demand it cannot be published.
	Middle District was next, and for a while it was high school, grade school and all. It is the oldest school still in use in the valley.
We were unable to secure any information on the grade school at Old Meadows.

CATTLE RAISING INDUSTRY OF MEADOWS VALLEY
	The Cattle Industry of Meadows Valley is the leading industry. Almost everybody who lives in the valley and owns any land owns some cattle, even if it is just a few milk cows. Then there are the bigger ranches that raise cattle to sell for beef in the fall of the year. The cattle raised in the valley at present are just the opposite type of their predecessors. The first cattle were tall, slim rangy type that never got fat enough to make good beef. The present type of cattle is short and chunky type which get fat quickly and are sold here or shipped to markets below, where they're sold in the sale ring by an auctioneer to the highest bidder.
	The first cattle in the valley were owned by Cal White, which were the tall, slim type. The Circle C Ranch own the biggest herd of cattle in the valley at present, and have for a long time. They also own more land in the valley than anyone at present. Every fall there are several carloads of cattle shipped out of the valley to below markets by the cattle owners. Information on how many carloads were shipped this year was not made available.

ELECTRICITY
	Electricity was first brought into this valley by Mr. Chism and Ed Goodman, near the Keska home, in the year 1909.
	Ross Krigbaum, Thomas Hendrick and John McCully bought the plant from Mr. Chism in 1911. They built the new plant above the Krigbaum home in 1911.
The rates were quite high, but everyone in New Meadows and Old Meadows had electricity. The plant was not large enough to produce power for the ranches farther away.
In 1922, McCully bought out Thomas Hendrick and Ross Krigbaum and ran it by himself until his death in 1942. It continued to be operated by Mrs. McCully's son. Harold Irick, until it was bought by the Idaho Power Company in 1948.
Now that Idaho Power has taken over, the ranches and homes out in the country have electricity; also, the rates are lower. The power, however, is brought over the mountains from Long Valley, and the old power, plant is no longer in use.


THE NORTH AND SOUTH HIGHWAY
	The U.S. 95 North and South Highway was run through Meadows Valley in 1934 and was surfaced in the early spring, especially down the Salmon River, because of frost and swamp conditions. However, the highways are maintained, and improved each year. The highway runs north from here, down the Little Salmon River toward Grangeville, and southward down toward Weiser until it enters Washington [County].
It joins the S. 15 here at New Meadows, which runs out through Old Meadows and on east toward McCall.

THE COMING OF THE RAILROAD
	Quoted from the Meadows Eagle, December 28, 1911
"The P. & I. N. depot at New Meadows is a model for neatness, convenience, and comfort. It is a two-story brick structure with stone trimmings. The lower floor is completely equipped for a modern depot, including electric lights, water and sewer connections, etc.
The upper floor is entirely used for the general offices of the Pacific & Idaho Northern. Each office is completely equipped with modern furniture used in railroad offices. The private office of Co. E. M. Heigho, the president, general manager, and the traffic manager of the P. I. N. Is very handsomely furnished in mahogany.
	The other P. I. N, officials in New Meadows are Lee Highly, Chief engineer; R, J. Kennedy, assistant traffic manager; J. L. Soule, auditor; R.H. Williams, superintendent of transportation; A. H. O'Leary, superintendent of' maintenance; F.L. Miller., assistant secretary; Louis McLain, assistant treasurer; T.W. Foster, general master mechanic; E. A. Richard, store keeper; E.G. Dunn, agent; and Dr. Martin, Local Surgeon."
	The railroad first came to New Meadows in 1911. This was also the year that the depot was built. The town of Meadows was started east of the present site of New Meadows about one mile. When the railroad came to Meadows Valley, it only came to the present site of New Meadows. The townsite was then moved down to New Meadows.
	The company that first built the railroad to New Meadows was the Pacific & Idaho Northern. This railroad, however, sold out to the Union Pacific.

FOX FARMS
	Sometime around 1924 a pair of foxes were brought to Meadows Valley. Unfortunately one of them escaped, and no increase was possible from this transportation until another mate could be secured, by which time other foxes were brought in. Then the unscrupulous promoters and inexperienced had to be eliminated, during which time quite a number of foxes were produced.
	By 1928 there were a number of small fox farms in the valley, Jim Madison, Webster Curtis, Curt Harrington, Lafe Keener, C.C. Hargrove  and the Smith family. Later a number of these were closed, and a new and modern Fox Ranch was built on Goose Creek, by H. C. Williamson and partner. The owners of this Ranch employed a man by the name of Claude Warr, who was a great lover of animals, and foxes became his favorite. The happy combination led to many good things for the foxes since he was almost constantly with them. He learned their language  (yes foxes have what, amounts to a language) and went about his work constantly talking to the foxes and so gained their confidence. His understanding and influence became so great that the owner had microphones installed in the kennels and could then know by the way the mother foxes called to their little ones when all was not well with their family and would offer relief in case of distress to give aid to the very young pups. A maternity house was built and equipped with furniture invented on the spot.
In this house happened many things that men had never done before. Expectant mother foxes were brought in from 24-48 hours before the pups were to be born. They were weighed and placed in their little maternity houses till the moment came when professional help was needed, then they were taken to the delivery table. The pups were fed and weighed each morning until they were conditioned to be returned to the outside pens.
	Short periods in the maternity house were 5 days, and the longest 33 days. During the operation of this maternity house, only one pup was lost, and he was destroyed by the mother. She was given two other pups who were raised to maturity.
	From the record of this maternity house it was learned that fox pups gain 100% in weight in from 6-8 days, that they are very hardy, and if fed within the first hours after birth can stand great exposure and survive.  A complete motion picture of the delivery of 6 pups was made, and is now in the hands of Dr. Thurston. Unfortunately this place had to be closed on account of shortage of labor during the war, but only needs the proper help and management to be restored.
	This place was built from the sale of pelts, and cost $18,000.00 and shows a man can make a good living from fox farming.
Some of the best-informed men in the fur business have stated that Meadows Valley is the best fur farm location in the northwestern states.
	In 1945 there were still some fox farms in operation.

CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION
	On January 7, 1914 the Cattlemen's Association of Meadows Valley was organized. Officers of the first year were President, John McMahan; First Vice President, Edward Osborn, and John A. Wilson was Secretary.
	Officers in 1945 were S. J. Farrell, President; Ward Branstetter, Vice President; Rollie Campbell, Secretary-treasurer; Albert Campbell, Association representative; and Henry Clay and Howard Dryden were the advisory board members.
This association was started by J.A. Mitchell, W. H. Campbell, John McMahan, Edward Osborn, D. I. Royer, W. Branstetter, Henry Clay, C.A. Campbell, M.H. Dryden, Walter White, A. P, Krigbaum, E.D. Wallace, Ed Goodman, and Ota Becker.
	The first meeting was held at John McMahan's residence, but changed to holding the meetings at the Forest Station in 1945.
	There were eighteen members the first year, and in 1945 there were ten members. They met once a year unless special meetings were called.
This organization has rubbed poison weeds from range territory, built trails, built watering troughs, built drift fences, sowed grass seed, bought sheep allotment and added to cattle allotment. They offered rewards for conviction of theft of live stock. They became a member of the American Cattle Association.



PARENT-TEACHER'S ASSOCIATION
	In 1942 the PTA of New Meadows was organized. The officers for the first year were Mrs. Reid Soper, President; and Mrs. Clifton Evans, Treasurer. There were thirty-nine members the first year and seventeen charter members. The organization was sponsored by Mrs. L. W. Buchholz who attended the P.T.A. convention. The present year of 1945 the officers were, Mr. Morin as President, Vice President was Mrs. H. C. Rich as first and Mrs. Kinoff  as second, Mrs. Bower was the Secretary and Mrs. C.L. Buffaloe was Treasurer.
At the present there are 59 members and $232.93 in the treasury. In the second year the P.T.A. sponsored several High School parties. The school board, student body, and P.T.A. bought a nickelodeon for the high school. At that time the P.T.A. was making plans for improvements at the Grade School, including a fire Escape.

LADIES AID
	The Ladies Aid of Meadows Valley was organized in December 1926.
Mrs. Byron Irwin was chairman of the first meeting, held at her home in New Meadows. The constitution and by-laws were written by Mrs. Mack. No record has been kept of the officers of the first year.
	Officers of the organization then were Mrs. John Harm, President; Mrs.. Thomas Clauson, Vice President; Mrs. S.J. Farrell, Secretary; and Mrs. Carl Peterson was Treasurer.
Beginning in 1934 the members of the Ladies Aid Society made about 200 calls to the sick and shut in people. They collected clothing for the Children's Home, China Relief, Russian Relief, and European Relief. Mending and sewing was done for the Red Cross and the hospital, Approximately $4,100.00 was raised by the organization, and it was spent to pay $5.00 a month for ten years on the minister's salary. Drapes, decorations, new roof, piano, and a carpet was bought for the Church. Material, stove, rug, davenport, and chair, were bought for the parsonage. The labor was mostly donated. They made contributions to the Red Cross, Children's Home, Scout Building, War Fund, Council Hospital and people who lost their homes by fire. They gave gifts to the sick children and helped with the Christmas treats at Sunday School. They bought flowers for the sick and shut in. Less than $100 of this money had been sent to foreign missions.
	There were about twenty-five members the first year, and twenty-two in 1945; six of them were charter members. There was about $50 in the treasury then.
	They met at the home of the members. In August 1944 the name was changed from "Ladies Aid" to "Women's Society of Christian Service."

AMERICAN  LEGION
	The American Legion was organized and the national charter was granted by Congress in 1919.
	There are many American Legion branches in America, but American Legion Post 111 of Meadows Valley was organized in 1945, and thirty-five members joined the first year.
The officers of the first year were Mr. Swick as Commander, Mr. Noel Thomas as Adjutant and Secretary, and Mr. R.L. Cochran succeeded him as Commander for l945. At the end of 1945 there was $21 in the treasury.
	The legion met the second Monday or the month in the R.P.L. Hall. It was started in France by Ouentin Roosevelt, the son to Theodore Roosevelt. It is the largest of the veteran's organizations. It had a membership of well over two million, and expected to have three and one half million by convention in the fall.
	One thing of importance that was started by the American Legion Post 111 was the building of a hall for the Scouts of Meadows Valley. Other organizations helped, and now the Scouts own their own building. The American Legion encourages education by awarding a medal to the outstanding, boy and girl high school student each year.

GIRL SCOUTS
	The Girl Scouts of Meadows Valley was first organized in 1937-1938. Their first leader was Mrs. Samuel E. Tyson, Assistant leader was Ruth Shobrook. The troop committee was Mrs. James A. Wilson, Mrs. Albert Campbell, Mrs. Clyde Miller, Mrs. Howard Bishop, and Mrs. Roy Wyman, Twenty girls registered the first year.
	In 1940 Mrs. Earl Miller was the leader. The troop committee was Mrs. Albert Campbell, Mrs. Waldo Baker, Mrs, Roy Wyman, Mrs. LaMoine Lafay, and Mrs. S. E. Tyson. Thirty-eight girls registered.
	In 1941 and 1942 Mrs. Earl Miller was again chosen leader, Assistant leader was Mrs.Ted Wagner, Mrs. W.A. Metsner was assistant for the Brownie Scouts. The troop committee Mrs. W. H. Spickelmire, Mrs. Roy Brooks, Mrs. Reid Soper, Mrs. L. W. Bucholz, and Mrs. Waldo Baker. There were thirty-two girls registered that year, and twelve Brownie Scouts.
The year 1946, Mrs. M.G. Jacobson was the leader. Assistant leaders were Mrs.
D. W. Middlekauff and Mrs. Claude Merin, Mrs. Virgil Wadell was the Brownie leader, and Mrs. John Harm was their assistant.
	The troop committee was Mrs. Earl Miller, Mrs. W. J. Law, Mrs. Floyd Whitlow, and Mrs. Rex Knapton. Twenty-four girls scouts and fourteen Brownie Scouts were registered.

GRANGE
	The Meadows Grange was organized October 4, 1933 with thirty charter members. The first year George S. Mitchell was the Master and Jenness Campbell was secretary. The first meeting place was at the I.O.O.F. Hall. The officers in 1945 were Bob Reumiser, Master; Mrs. Ted Clausen, secretary; and Mrs. W.E. Hanson was the treasurer. They met at the B.P.L. Hall. Then there were fifty members. It vas started by Mr. George S. Mitchell, Mrs. Harold Campbell, and Mr. Charles Wyman.
	The Grange has always upheld the highest ideals for the Community and worked
to make this one of the best communities. They bought salt, groceries, and coal for the benefit of the Grangers, and at the time were trying to secure the employment of a County Agent to help with various crops, live stock, and weed control.

MATRON'S CLUB
	In 1936 the Matron's Club was organized. The Junior girls club started it, and it was an organization for the young married women. Thelma Abshire was treasurer for the first year.
	In 1945 the officers were, Mrs. Ed Morgan, president; Mrs. Warren Loomis, vice president; Mrs. Tom Stevens, secretary; Mrs. Ray Forrey, corresponding secretary; and Mrs. Carl Shaver was the treasurer.
	Over years they have done welfare work and donated to different causes.
At that time they had  $100 in their treasury. They met at the homes of the members and at the B.P.L. Hall.

REBEKAHS
	Wild Rose Rebekah Lodge No. 102 was organized March 8, 1911. Officers for the first year were Ethel Roden, Noble Grand; Annie Mitchell, Vice Grand; the Secretary was Mrs. Schubury. Officers of the year 1945 were Carolyn Hancock, Noble Grand;  Myrtle Day, Vice Grand; Hazel Wisdom, secretary; Ruby Nixon, Financial Secretary; and Mary Adair is the treasurer.
	At first there were eighteen members, and at present (l945) there are 114. Approximately $54 was in the treasury the first year, and in 1945 they had $340.87.
It was started by the Odd Fellows and their wives. The meeting place was the I.O.O.F. Hall.

ODD FELLOWS
	The Odd Follows Lodge was organized on October 22, 1902. Officers in 1945 were George Matteson as Noble Grand; Gordon Logan, Vice Grand; Fred Gildroy as Secretary; Steve Wisdom was Financial Secretary, and Tom Clauson was the Treasurer.

WOMEN'S CLUB OF THE MEADOWS
	This Women's Club was organized in 1908 and federated in 1909. The colors of the second district were white and gold, and their flower was the Syringa.
	It was started by Mrs. C.B. Irwin, Mrs. A.B. Lucas, Mrs. J.E. Freeman, Mrs. G. S. Mitchell, Mrs. Caroline McMahan, Mrs. Orianna Hubbard, Mrs. McRea, Mrs. Morthias, Mrs. Adamson, Mrs. Gilbert, Ruth Mayo, Mrs. Bergh, Mrs. Turner, and Mrs. Jones.
	Officers of the first year were Mrs. C.B. Irwin as president; Mrs, A.P. Lucas as vice president, Mrs. Maude Jones was secretary; and Mrs. Orianna Hubbard was the treasurer.
Officers of the year 1945 were Mrs. L. Robinson as president; Mrs. John Harm, first vice president; Mrs. Wm. Baker, recording secretary; Mrs. Steve Wisdom, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Joaquin Arte, treasurer. Mrs. Henry Love and Mrs. R.L. Campbell were Parliamentarians.
They met the first and the third Wednesday of each month. They held their regular meetings at different homes, and the special meetings were held at a hall.

	The Club has not grown very much in the last few years. Many of the old members have passed on, some have moved on, others have organized another club called the Good Will Circle at Meadows, and some have joined in with the Boise Payette.
	They have studied flower culture, had nature talks, world's fair side light, century of progress, history, women who have made history, public welfare, community betterment, Idaho citizenship, household hints, health, music, forestry, mining, Russia, impromptu program by post and teachers from 1883 to 1935 at teacher's reception. They have organized a Junior Club, had debates, and have studied the state capitol and flower. They have always donated to most worthy things, and have had splendid meetings and some grand times.
Mrs. J. A. Mitchell also said that at one meeting she had fifty club members at her home, and many times Mr. Mitchell hitched the horses up to the sled, and took a load of members to some club meeting before they had snow plows and town people had no way to go.
	Names of the post president from 1908-1909 to 1932 -1933 are Mrs,
C.B. Irwin, Mrs. A.B. Lucas, (two terms), Mrs. W.H. Campbell (two terms), Mrs. Edward McMahan (two terms), Mrs. Lewis Kimbrough, Mrs. J.M. McCully (two terms), Mrs. Lee Highly (two terms), Mrs. R.L. Campbell (two terms) Mrs. G.S. Mitchell (two terms), Mrs. Blake Hancock, Mrs. P.A. Wood, Mrs. Eston Freeman, Mrs. Albert Campbell, Mrs. E.J. Osborn, Mrs. J.H. Witherspoon, and Mrs. Clarence LaFay.
	In 1934 there were 45 members.

THE LADIES AUXILIARY
	The Ladies Auxiliary was started in 1934 at Cabarton, Idaho, and was then the Ladies Aid. Mrs. Flora Morgan was the first president. The membership was very small. After moving to MacGregor the membership grew to 25. Moving to New Meadows, there being a Ladies Aid, this organization was changed to the Boise Payette Auxiliary.
They help the Red Cross, Children's Home, Community Hospital,, and Boy Scouts. Meetings are the first and third Thursdays of each month.
Some officers were: President, Mrs. Ethel Kinoff; Secretary, Treasurer, Mrs. Tom Clauson.

BOY SCOUTS
	The Boy Scouts of Meadows Valley was reorganized February 29, 1943. Sponsoring the institutions were the Labor Union-1944, L.D.S. Church-1945, and the Odd Fellows Lodge-1946.
Officers of the Club then were Claude Morin, scout master, and Kenneth Johnson, Steve Wisdom, Edwin Hanson, Tom Stevens and John Steckman were committee men. They met each week at the Scout Hall.
	In 1945 twenty-six boys belonged, and it grew to eighteen members. Fourteen boys were first class scouts, and twelve were Star Scouts. They purchased eighteen uniforms. They also helped in all types of charity drives.
	There was also a strong Cub Scout organization, with John Harm as Cub Scout Master, and Mesdames Morin, Kenny Johnson, Stevens, Shaver, Adair and Lae as Den Mothers.

UNION
	The Labor Union of Boise Payette - Local A.F.L. #2733 has sponsored dances to raise money for the tuberculosis and infantile paralysis drives. They have given money to the Boy Scouts, and for school children's Christmas treats.
	Officers for the first year were Albin J. Reynolds as President; Mrs. McFall, treasurer, and Ted McDougal was financial secretary. Officers of 1945 were E.A. Weller president, D.W. Middlekauf as vice president; H.C. Rich as recording secretary; Arthur Gough an financial secretary and Gordon Maxwell was the treasurer. They hold their meetings at the B.P.L. Hall.

CHAMBER OF COMMENCE
	This organization was started March 18, 1946. The first, meeting place was at LaFay's Hall. Mr. Evans and Mr. Crabtree started it.
	R.L. Campbell was the president; C. E. Evans, vice president; W.E. Hanson, secretary, Hazel Wisdom was treasurer. Temporary chairmen were Kenny Johnson and Rey Brook.
The Chamber of Commerce met once a month . There were sixty members. So far all they had accomplished was forming their organization and filling their committees for work.

THE GOOD WILL CIRCLE
	The Good Will Circle was organized about 1935. At present there are about 20 members. The officers during this term were Mrs. Bob Rumiser, Mrs. L.E. Campbell, Mrs. Gene Keska, and Mrs. Phil Woods. They met every two weeks at the homes of members.
	They have painted, kalsomined, and put a new metal roof and new steps on the Old Meadows Church. They also furnished a room, and extra bed and numerous things for the hospital. They give to all charitable causes, and have done a great deal of good in the community.
	The ladies do quite a bit of sewing, and whenever anyone loses their home by fire, or any tragedy strikes, the Good  Will Circle is one of the first organizations to give help.

ROD AND GUN CLUB
	The Rod and Gun Club of Meadows Valley was organized about thirty-four years ago.
Sim Reed was president, C.C. Irwin was vice president, and Carol Hood was secretary the first year.
	The year 1945 the officers were President Carl Shaver, Vice President Claude Buffalo, and Herb Fitz was the secretary. There were about one-hundred members then. They met at the I.0.0.F. Hall.

SOCIAL LIFE OF OLD TIMERS
	Entertainment for the young people of the old times was very little and not often.
Dances were held about every two weeks. They were not like those today because they lasted until daylight; they had fiddlers instead of an orchestra. They danced square dances, waltzes, mazurkas, polkas and others. George Clark and Pete Johnson were fiddlers for all occasions. The dance hall at Old Town was used for the dances.
	There was a Literary Society which also helped entertain everyone. At these parties they sang, had readings read, debated various subjects. They took their basket lunches and ate after they were too tired to play any more games. Everyone, young and old, went to this Society.
	During the winter, folks went on skis to parties and dances. Many times people from Round Valley came up to dances, and people from Meadows Valley went there. Christmas was celebrated with a dance and a tree. Christmas gifts were put on it for everyone.
July fourth, Independence Day, was celebrated at a grove east of Meadows. They had a speaker, had the Declaration of Independence read, and sang songs. They set tables and had basket dinners. Sometimes they took washtubs full of food. Everyone ate until there was no more to eat. Games were played, and egg races and foot races for the men and boys were enjoyed. To finish the night, a dance was held. Tickets cost $l. The hotel served a midnight supper at 50¢ a plate.
	Horse racing and baseball games were enjoyed for a week at a time. People from Grangeville, Riggins, and other places came for the races. 'Tin Horn' gamblers came and purses were put up for the winning horse. The racetrack was located in back of the Loyal Campbell home.
	The Riggins baseball team came up, and they and the Meadows team played their games by the week. Today we have basketball, football, baseball and other games at the High School gym.

Lumbering Industry In Meadows Valley
	The first lumber mill in Meadows Valley was owned by George Clark. It was a small mill and was located near the Hot Springs.
	The Balbach Bros. owned two good sized mills. One was located near the Tommy Carr ranch. The other was located out on Mud Creek. This mill was the largest of the two mills.
The largest of the mills in the valley was the Cavette mill which was located where the shop is now located. It had a dry kiln and a planer in it, which none of the other mills in the valley had. This mill burned about 1929. This mill was the last big lumber mill until Boise Payette Lumber Company moved to New Meadows in 1940. There have been other mills in the valley after the Cavette mill, but they were small mills. One of them was the Dryer's mill which was now located on the hill leaving the valley going toward Council.
	The mills of the Boise Payette Lumber Company are located in Council and Emmett. April first, Jack Morgan took over the Boise Payette Lumber Company operations after having purchased it.
	The Wiston Addition or the Company's house is larger than New Meadows was before
the Boise Payette Lumber Company took their houses from MacGregor and moved them here.
The lumber companies brought money, social life and other benefits to the community. Also the lumber company has done a lot for New Meadows, and we hope that the valley will always prosper from it and other things.

EXPERIENCE OF AN EARLY SETTLER
	Taken from the "Meadows Eagle" 1911
	Graphic Recital of the Experience of Mrs. Thomas Clay during the Indian War of 1877.
It is rare that one has the opportunity of speaking to one of the pioneers of the country who has passed through one of the historic massacres of the state and hears the story direct from the lips of one who has suffered much at the hands of the blood thirsty redskins.
	Mrs. Katherine Clay, a fragile little brown-eyed woman about 65 years old, now living at Meadows, Idaho, had the terrible experience of seeing her husband and two friends murdered before her eyes by the Indians, and her four small children torn from her when she was carried away at this time, walking almost constantly for 24 hours, carrying a babe, only to meet the Indians, from whom she had been fleeing all this time and then compelled to walk for another 6 hours to reach a haven of safety, was enough to have killed or driven insane a less courageous and gritty woman.
	[Elizabeth] Katherine Kline came over from Germany a mere slip of a girl with relatives, coming "round the Horn," and going in the spirit of adventure to the Warren Diggins in North Idaho. Here she married Mr. Osborn, and after a short time spent at Warrens, they sold out their interests and went to the Salmon River Country. It was while living here on June 13, 1877 that Mrs. Osborn passed through the most horrible experience of her life. They were living at French Bar, what is now the town of Whitebird. The men of the family, Mrs. Clay says, were out helping the neighbors get in their hay when a messenger rode up and shouted that four men had been reported killed by the Indians on Slate Creek, not far away. The men were sent for, and Mr. Osborn and his brother-in-law, Harry Mason, commenced at once to arrange to get the people of the surrounding country together at the cabin of Old Man Baker, whose place was so built that it could be better fortified than any other cabin in the vicinity.
	Mrs. Clay, then Mrs. Osborn, with her four children and Mrs. Walch, her neighbor, with two children, started with three men, Mr. Osborn, Mr. Mason and a man known as Big George for the Baker cabin. Having only three horses it was necessary that the children ride, and Mrs. Walch not being well, rode also, leaving Mrs. Osborn and the three men to walk.
	Nervous, full of excitement, Mrs. Osborn darted ahead of the men all the way. Arriving at a creek so deep that they had to all use the horses to ford, Mrs. Osborn crossed first, and just as she came to the fence surrounding the Baker cabin, she spied the Indians. They at once commenced to fire, aiming high up. She sank to the ground and called to the rest of the party. Her husband reaching her, she pulled him down, taking the youngest child in her arms saying: "We might as well die together," believing it was their last moment on earth. In telling the story, Mrs. Osborn said, "The bullets were so thick that they seemed like snow." Dropping down as they did in the midst of the willows surrounding the Baker place. The Indians evidently lost sight of the party for they soon passed on to the Baker cabin.
	After waiting a time the party cautiously crept up the creek to a shallow spot where they recrossed, this time on foot-the water coming to the waists of the women. It was necessary for the men to make six trips across the creek before they got the women and children all across. They had but one gun with them, and at this time but two cartridges left. One of the stray shots from the Indian's rifles had hit the little finger of Big George, who suffered intense pain. The little party had left home at 2 o'clock the next morning. They held a council, and concluded the safest thing to do was to go down to Lewiston in a boat. At the store kept by Harry Mason, about a mile from the home of the Osbornes, which was only a short distance from the present town of Grangeville [sic*], they knew they could get some boats. Arriving at the store they found that the Indians had been there and had stolen all of the whiskey and supplies. They started up to the Osborn home to get some supplies to take with them, and just as they reached the door of the cabin, Mrs. Osborn called out, "Here they come!" She being behind the party all this time, caught sight of a band of 18 braves winding down the hill, rods away.
	*[The Mason Store was near the mouth of Whitebird Creek, not for from present-day Whitebird.]
	At the alarm given by Mrs. Osborn the party at once hurried into the cabin, the women and children crawling under the bed. No sooner did the men bar the door than the Indians were upon them, and firing through the window. The first shot went directly through the heart of Mr. Osborn, who fell over dead not two feet from his wife. Other shots stunned both Mason and big George who was with the party. The Indians then started to burn the house, setting fire to one corner.
	The women debated what they should do when they saw the fire, having apparently only two alternatives, that of being burned to death or tortured to death. Just then Big George, who hard been stunned by the shot which he had received, aroused himself and jumped on the bed to protect the defenseless women just as the Indians broke open the door. His brains were instantly blown out, and as Harry Mason raised his head, he met the same fate.
The two women and their six helpless children were thus left to the mercy of the drink-crazed redskins. 
	In telling of the horrible events of this awful day, Mrs. Osborn stated that no a child whimpered, even when the shots were fired. In spite of their long journey, through every obstacle, and even going without food, they were absolutely quiet.
	When the door was burst open, Chief Whitebird entered and assured the women that he intended to spare the women and children. In spite of his protests, they were treated shamefully, the chief seeming to have no influence over his braves. "They started to ransack the house," says Mrs. Osborn, "and I was so nervous over all I had gone through that I was pretty sassy, I guess, and Whitebird Said, "You keep still; if you don't, I can't protect you."
	The chief finally succeeded in getting the women and children out of the house, and they started for the home of Uncle John Woods, 12 miles way. On the way, they met Mr. Shoemaker, who had originally started with them in their flight from the Indians, but whom they had dropped behind at some point. Putting the youngest child of Mrs. Osborn on his back, he started ahead. He arrived first at the Woods home, where both were known, and was so stunned from the happenings of the day that he could not tell anything, and taking the little 2-year-old child on her lap, Mrs. Woods learned from it the full tragedy. "Pap shot dead, uncle dead, Indians shoot. Momma coming."
	Mrs. Wood made out enough of the story to guess what had happened and her husband at once sent out a friendly Indian with the one horse they had, to meet the party.
Mrs. Osborn says that when she saw that friendly Indian, whom she had known before, coming on the Wood's horse, she fainted away. During all the horrors of the 24 hours she had kept her senses, but now that aid was in sight, she fainted.
	The two families remained at the Woods home for six weeks when they went again to Warren's Diggings. Here Mrs. Osborn supported herself and children by taking in washing, the only thing she was able to do, and at the time she weighed only 84 pounds. About year and a half later she married Mr. Clay who died 19 years ago.
	Mrs. Clay has lived to rear six of her eight children, to give them all a good education and to now enjoy her old age among her grandchildren. The terrible tragedy of the awful 13th of June, 1877, while still fresh in memory in its minutest detail, is now more like a horrible drama which she witnessed, rather than an actual happening of real life in which she played one of the star parts. Her home for some years has been at Meadows. She says that during the last six years she has lost track of Mrs. Walch, her companion of the tragedy.

TAKEN FROM THE MEADOWS EAGLE, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1911
	"Nov. 17: It is estimated here that the improvements in properties, business blocks, residences, hotels, school, etc., approximate $150.00 [sic], This is a wonderful showing, in view of the fact that the foundation for the $25,000 P. & I. N. depot practically the first building started in the new town, was put in only a little over a year ago. Most of the buildings here were built this year. In addition to having one of the finest depots in the state, New Meadows will have in Hotel Heigho, when completed in January, one of the finest hotels in the state. As a matter of fact, there are in Idaho at present only five hotel buildings that may be said to excel Hotel Heigho. This hostelry is planned for the accommodation of commercial travelers and tourists. The scenic wonders of this section of the state, the magnificent summer climate, the splendid sports that here offer themselves to the nimrod and hunter, are attracting the tourist and traveler to this part of the Gem State.

Business District of New Meadows
	The beautiful valley with its 30,000 acres of plow land, the millions of feet of tributary timber, the rich mineral resources made tributary by the P. & I. N. extension through Long Valley in the near future, are for the great development this town and entire surrounding territory.
	Hotel Heigho, now under course of construction will be a 53 room hotel, the sixth finest in the State. It is built for the accommodation of commercial travelers and tourists. This hotel will be completed by the first of the year and will cost $56,000.
New Meadows has the following establishments.
	Meyer & Metz [or Hetz?], $5000 store building; Howard & Loe, hardware dealers; Phil
Hubbard, bakery; Mack Thompson occupies the upper floor with rooming house. Clarence LaFay, barber shop and I. N. Ripper's cigar and soft drink parlor, occupy the next building.
The townsite building is next, and is occupied by W. H. Edwards' barbershop. Mr. Edwards lives upstairs.
	The Meadows Valley Bank is occupying temporary quarters next door.
The Coeur d'Or building, owned by Mrs. Jo. Hancock, is occupied upstairs by herself as a rooming house. Below is the elite pool and billiard hall, owned by Percifield & Lond, formerly of Old Town. French & Dutcher, architects, have neat offices adjoining.
Loe Brothers, general merchants, occupy the large building on the corner. To show that business is good in New Meadows, this firm made $1200 cash sales Saturday and Monday of last week, and their book account for the two days was $1200 more.
	Howard & Howard's building comes next and is occupied by H. P. Shmitz's meat market. Then comes the Balbach building, occupied by the W. W. Donahue restaurant.
Opposite is the location of the $10,000 Meadows Valley Bank building, which
is now under course of construction. J. H. Hill formerly of Nyssa, is the efficient cashier of this bank.
	The Dr. T. E. Martin Building is next, and is occupied in front by the New Meadows Post Office, James M. Hart being the postmaster.  Dr. Martin has his office and residence in the rear.
	Across the street is the Straight & Oldridge building used as card room, cigar, and confectionery and soft drink stand. The North side of this building is used by Mrs. H. B. Oldridge as a restaurant.
	The New Meadows Tribune occupies the next building with a splendid newspaper plant. Frank L. Roberts, formerly publisher and editor of the Payette Lakes Progress, is the publisher and editor of the Tribune. Balbach & Buiter are owners of the building. Mrs. M. M. Retch has millinery store in this building.
	Before reaching the business district, the incoming traveler finds all the properties of the P. & I. N. railroad, of which Colonel E. M. Heigho is the president and general manager. The handsome depot, costing $25,000, is located here. The other P. & I. N. properties here are the freight station, car shops and round house, section house, tool house, large coal bins and stock yards.
	In this part of town is the Mitchell & Mathias forwarding house, where all freight for the interior points is handled. Opposite is Dryden & Sons livery stable."

Taken from the Meadows Eagle, Thursday, December 28, 1911:
	Letter from Geo. S. Mitchell
	Dear Sir: In response to your request for a little write-up of my impression of Meadows and Meadows Valley, as seen from the inside; will say, that I can probably best do that by giving you a little narrative of my impressions, and what I have seen, as I can, from the time I came here down to the present time.
	About twenty-four years ago, I came here, at that time just a mere boy, in company with my father and mother.
	I cannot say that my first impression of Meadows was very good, for like all youngsters I was pining for the companionship of my former playmates, but as is characteristic of the young, my memories of the young, my memories of former associates soon began to dim, and I found myself forming new acquaintances, now associates, and new ties which bound my heart to Meadows, and those ties and associations have grown stronger and stronger, with the passing years until today, Meadows Valley is to me, the dearest spot of all the earth. At the time of my coming here the improvements and population of Meadows Valley were nothing as compared with what they are today. At that time the valley boasted but one painted house, in fact most of the homes were of the log cabin type, which is characteristic of the frontier. The land was practically all in its raw state, there was but little fencing, no roads, no town, no telephone service, and but once a week mail service. Those were some of the conditions confronting the early pioneers of this valley. With the nearest trading post sixty-five miles distant, the nearest physician the same distance away, and in order to reach this town one had to travel a road which our roads of the present time would be turnpikes in comparison, and with these same roads closed to travel throughout several months of the year from deep snow. With such conditions as these which I have just portrayed prevailing, one may well say that it took men and women with stout hearts and strong convictions of the future development of this place, to endure the hardships and privation which were inevitable to the building of homes and starting the even meager improvements which were to grow and unfold into the grand proportions of what they are today. But even as many years ago as that, there were several who had proceeded us here and were busily engaged in the arduous task of carving out homes for the future.
Perhaps there is no one thing, which is so clear an index of the progress of a community as the development of its schools. At the time that I came here, the whole valley maintained but one school, and that is the little old log structure which still stands at the lower edge of the town.
And there many of the men and women who are now engaged in the active development of this valley, received their educational training which fitted them for home building and good citizenship.
But for the poor advantages for schooling which we had in those with but one teacher, which precluded the possibility of a graded system such as we have now, with our school house at the remote distance from many of the pupils, I am proud to say that all of those pupils are taking a position second to none in the development of this valley. Did I say all? No, for the Great Father has called some of those schoolmates home and are now peacefully sleeping in our little cemetery, while their souls have flown to a brighter and fairer land than ours, where trouble never comes and sorrow is unknown,
Such were the school conditions in those days. Today we have in our valley and Price Valley which is tributary to this place, the schools ranging in cost of construction to twelve thousand dollars, in three of which in tributary to this place, the schools ranging in cost of construction from one to twelve thousand dollars, in three of which the higher branches are being taught, and employing in all at the present time nine teachers, to which salaries are paid amounting to six hundred dollars per month. Some little progress in the way of educational institutions eh? From one little school room with one teacher to our present facilities along the line.
The progress of our mail service has been a parallel one with our schools, as I have stated we had at the time I came here a weekly mail service, and one sack or possibly two was sufficient to hold all the mail that was brought in, but with our home development, our mail service was gradually increased from once a week to twice a week, and from that to three times a week. Now we felt pretty much as though we were beginning to amount to something when we were granted a mail service three times a week, but our progress was so rapid that we were soon granted daily service which we have enjoyed for some time past, and today there are dozens of sacks of mail unloaded at our office every morning, containing hundreds of pounds of mail and from our office mail is being sent out each day except Sunday to three points of the compass.
As with our schools and our mail, so has been the development of our lumber industries, from a little sash saw, with a capacity of about a thousand feet per day, to six mills with an aggregate capacity of hundreds of thousands of feet per day.
As to the development along the lines of agriculture, stock growing and kindered industries I feel myself incompetent to wait, but suffice it to say, that it too, has kept pace with the line of progress of this splendid valley.
One of the most interesting things to me in the way of the development of our valley has been the birth and growth of our little town of Meadows from a post office and log hotel, to its present proportions. Mr. Calvin White earned the distinction of not only being one of the pioneers of this valley, but of also being the pioneer merchant of Meadows, and while the stock he carried was not large, it filled a long felt want, and many a poor devil was enabled to fill his haversack at his counter and thus keep the wolf of hunger from the door, and from that date forward our town began to grow, keeping pace with the development of the country, and thus keep the wolf of hunger from the door, and at all times being able to meet the needs of the country. The next in the line of merchants was Uncle John McMahan with M.E. Keizur, a close friend with whom I soon afterwards formed a partnership, a few years later the mercantile firm of Smith & Webb was brought into existence and sandwiched in between and following closely after the business enterprises which I have just mentioned came other needed business institutions such as our drug store newspaper, bank, hotels, feed and livery barn, blacksmith shops, etc., until today practically every avenue of business is well represented, with all the different, proprietors wearing that smile that won't rub off.
As to the beauties of the valley, the unparalleled resources which have brought about these wonderful developments, I will leave to a more able pen than mine to portray. But with our valley dotted with magnificent homes, fit for kings to dwell in, our people happy, prosperous, well clothed and fed, we may well say peace on earth, good will to men.
George S. Mitchell


PACKER JOHN CABIN
TAKEN FROM MEADOWS EAGLE- DECEMBER 23, 1911
"Near the town of Meadows stands the famous log cabin in which two of the 'early territorial conventions were held during the formative period of the state's organizations as a body politic. In it first met the Republican convention of 1863 when Gov. Wallace was nominated for delegate in congress, and in it also met the state convention of 1864. It is a small one-roomed log building, erected in 1862 by John Welsh (known to fame as Packer John) and used by him to store merchandise in transit on pack horses from Lewiston, in northern Idaho, to Boise Basin, at that time celebrated as West Bannock, the richest mining region in southern Idaho. It was the popular stopping place for travelers and highly in favor with the early Argonauts as the Mountain House. That it was well constructed is attested by the fact that it has stood in stress of sun and storm for almost fifty years. In fact it had been long overlooked and neglected until some two years ago, when the Women's Club of Meadows initiated a movement for its preservation. It then showed signs of decay and seemed in danger of falling into oblivion. The Women's Club rallied to its rescue and by interesting the legislature and secretary of the State Historical Society in its preservation have restored it to its pristine glory and insured its history from forgetfulness. Through the effort of the club and with the assistance of some of the men of the community, an appropriation was secured and the land whereon it stands purchased as a state park. The cabin was taken down, all decayed logs removed and replaced, with roof logs and a new covering of tamarack shakes put on. The floor was re-laid-two half windows put in, a quaint old door of pioneer architecture hung at the entrance with the peculiar long handmade wooden hinges of the first settlers who executed carpenter work with the ax and draw-shave. The proverbial latchstring provides the means of opening and locking the door and the whole made as near as way be a replica of the original. The stones of which the old fireplace was built were used in restoring the heating plant and the cabin made good for another fifty years. To suitably mark the structure, a bronze memorial tablet has been selected and in due course will be attached to the building with appropriate ceremonies. There is probably no more interesting historic building in the state than this, quaint, old Cabin located as it is at the foot of the picturesque range of mountains separating Meadows Valley from Long Valley and immediately on the first and oldest trail between the early mining camps of the territory. Now that the state owns it and the State Historical Society is caring for it, there is no doubt but it will be preserved for many years for the sons and daughters of the Commonwealth to enjoy.

PACKER JOHN'S CABIN
Built in 1862
Close beside the bubbling Goose Creek
In the Meadows Valley fair, 
Leans low an ancient cabin, 
Crumbling, half-forgotten, there, 
Yet so rich in early history 
Is this quiet, lonely spot, 
That the future generations 
Must reclaim it; loose it not.

There, the trader, Packer John,
Spent the winter days alone,
Trapped for muskrat, mink, and beaver, 
Built this tiny cabin home. 
In it met a group of brave men-- 
Democrats -the first convention, 
In the year of '63, 
Building good laws, its intention,

Later on, a gallant mother, 
Brave, unfaltering pioneer,
Sought protection of this cabin-
Kept her family sheltered here.
Now this ancient cabin dozes
In the golden summer sun,
Living with a host of memories,
Dreams them over, one by one. 
			Bessie Baker



DEDICATION
We should like to dedicate this paper to those gallant pioneers of 60 years ago, who braved hardships, fought Indians, and died to make this lovely valley what it is today. We, the Journalism Class of 1946  and teacher, Mrs. Baker, do lovingly dedicate this volume to them. may everyone who reads the record of Meadows Valley, and the people who built our community, find enjoyment and inspiration. Forgive any errors we may have made, for we have done our best.
Reprinted by Pep Club, 1967, Mrs. Louise Jones, advisor.
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(Editor's note: In May of this year (1967) this article appeared in a Salem,
Oregon newspaper. It was written by James Flanigan, formerly of Emmett, who is
now working for the Capital Journal newspaper in Salem. )

ZANE WAS A DUDE TO UNCLE EDWARD
Uncle Edward was the most unforgettable character I have ever known. Actually he was in the winter of his life when I met him, so all the tales about him are by hearsay.
It was almost hard to believe some of the stories of his encounters with the Indians and long winters in the wilds when you looked at him then. He was a frail old man with hollow cheeks and just a wisp of silver hair, but the way he still chewed tobacco led you to know he was a rough and ready guy for his size way back when.
Visions of the old man in bolder days came easy when you read a Zane Grey book from the collection in the living room of his big white ranch house or watched the cow hands go about their business.

A Different West
Uncle Ed probably would have had a twinkle in his eye, though, if he knew I'd given so much weight to Zane Grey's old West. Uncle Ed had met the Western writer once when he came to Idaho to research a book, and promptly labeled him a dude.
When Uncle Ed was just a boy, he got his first real taste of the True Old West. His family was caught in the massacre of Whitebird Hill.
Uncle Ed, then a frightened boy, crouched beneath a bed and watched as his father was murdered. His mother and the children escaped. They headed southeast over the mountains until they reached the mining town of Warren, a good many miles from the death scene.
Warren was a wild place with miners and gambling and all. Uncle Ed grew to manhood there.
Throughout that maturing process, there was one particular night that stood out vividly in his memory. He watched in a local bar as a young Chinese girl he had played with as a youngster was gambled away in a card game. The story of the incident later was told in True Magazine.

Horseless Ed
	Uncle Ed eventually started carrying the mail by foot between Meadows Valley and Warren. During the winter, snowshoes were required to make the rugged trek because of high drifts and sudden blizzards.
There were Indians in those days, too, and they weren't friendly, always. Once Uncle Ed came across a raiding party of savages while out alone, but a flight of ducks saved him. Just at the moment the Indians would have spotted Uncle Ed's scalp, the ducks flew over the timber like a cloud bearing a silver lining. The diversion gave him just enough time to find a secure hiding place until the Indians had departed.

A Bank Director
Uncle Ed finally got into the cattle raising business and he built one of the biggest spreads in New Meadows. He became so prominent he even served as a local hank director.
But the outdoors was his first love. In cattle drives they said he could ride better and rope better than any other man about. His small frame afforded him agility.
They ran a picture in a national magazine of Uncle Ed and his kinfolk a few years before he died. Standing next to a wood rail fence, his light-blue eyes stood out in the photograph, reflecting a wisdom that few men realize in a lifetime.