Nez Perce County - 1920 History by Hawley

"In addition to the region inclosed within the above described boundaries, all that part of Idaho north of the Clearwater River and west of the 116th meridian of longitude, the summit of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains and a line there from due south to the middle of the South Fork of the Clearwater River was attached to Nez Perce County for civil and judicial purposes. This attached territory included all the present counties of Latah, Benewah, Kootenai, Bonner and Boundary. The county was named for the Indian tribe that once inhabited the country.

"Among the pioneers of Nez Perce County was Perrin B. Whitman, the nephew and adopted son of Dr. Marcus Whitman, who was killed at the Waiilatpu Mission by the Indians in November, 1847. When only thirteen years of age he crossed the plains to Oregon with his uncle and at the time of the massacre was at The Dalles, whereby his life was saved. He grew to manhood in Oregon, married Miss Priscilla M. Parker in 1854, and in 1863 came to Lapwai, Idaho, where he was employed as an interpreter and for a time had charge of the Indian agency. He died at Lewiston on January 26, 1899.

"Ezra Baird, a native of New York State, came to Lewiston in 1862 and was for some time engaged in mining at various places in the territory, after which he embarked in the stage and express business with headquarters at Lewiston. In 1874 he was elected sheriff of Nez Perce County, and in September, 1886, was appointed United States marshal by President Cleveland, for the Territory of Idaho, dying in Boise County in 1913.

"On February 19, 1900, the Nez Perce County Pioneer Association was organized with G. C. Kress, president; Chester P. Coburn, vice president; Wallace B. Stanton, secretary; John N. Lindsey, treasurer; Edmond Pearcy, Robert Grostein, Joel Martin and M. A. Kelly, trustees. Of these officers Mr. Coburn came to Idaho in 1862, assisted in the organization of the territory, established a livery and sales stable at Lewiston for saddle and pack horses, and was later engaged in the cattle business. Mr. Pearcy came to the Oro Fino mining district in 1861. Later he and a Mr. Allen put up a sawmill at Lapwai. Mr. Allen was drowned in 1866 and Mr. Pearcy was afterward engaged in the ferry business. Robert Grostein, a native of Poland, was one of the early merchants of Lewiston.

"Nez Perce County claims a greater diversity of agricultural products than any other county in the state. The altitude varies from less than seven hundred feet at Lewiston to more than five thousand feet on Craig Mountain, which gives the county a climate conducive to the production of a wide range of plants and fruits. In the northeastern part wheat, barley and oats are the chief crops; north of the Snake River is a rolling prairie, where grazing is the leading occupation; south of the Clearwater, between the Snake River and the Camas Prairie, is the great fruit growing section of what is known as the 'Lewiston country,' where apples, peaches, pears, cherries, plums, apricots, grapes and berries of all kinds grow in profusion, and even almonds and English walnuts are raised.

"Two branches of the Northern Pacific railway system traverse the county, following the Clearwater and Potlatch rivers, and the Camas Prairie Railroad connects Lewiston with Grangeville. Along these several lines of railroad the principal stations in the county are Agatha, Culdesac, Gurney, Lapwai, Leland, Lewiston, Myrtle and Sweetwater. There are a number of interior villages, the largest of which are Cameron, Peck, Lookout, and Melrose so that the shipping and trading opportunities are above the average.