"LEWIS, JUDGE ELISHA, was born in Claylick, Franklin county. Pennsylvania, May 24, 1834. At the age of seventeen he left home for Ohio, where he clerked until the spring of 1853, when, in a company of ten, he crossed the plains for California, arriving there September 25, 1853. He engaged in placer mining, principally at Jackson and Indian diggings, and in ihe spring of 1858 joined the crowd for Fraser river, and was one of the first discoverers of the celebrated Cariboo mines. Bad health compelled him to leave British Columbia, and he settled at Dayton, Oregon. In August, 1861, he joined a company of sixty-one volunteers for the purpose of exploring the Blue mountains. They discovered good prospects at John Day river, and returned to The Dalles and reported same in October. One Bud Woodward, a well-to-do merchant of Portland became interested, and they organized a party of thirty-one and returned to the John Day country, but, the winter proving severe, they concluded to send their animals to The Dalles; but the party escorting them, numbering twelve, were all but one killed by the Indians, besides losing their outfits and sixty head of horses, worth, all told, about $12,000.00. The survivors of the party, upon hearing the sad news, organized a company, elected Lewis as captain, and, after a severe and perilous trip of over 200 miles, reached The Dalles on the first of March, where they were hospitably received by the inhabitants. In August, 1862, he secured an interest in a placer claim, in partnership with one L. W. Getchell, at Mormon basin, and by June, 1865, secured a homestake of $10,000.00. With this he returned East and engaged in farming in Michigan, and on October 3, 1866, was married to Charlotte E. Colt, of Suspension Bridge, Niagara county, New York.
"He continued farming at various points in the East until 1873, when he sold out and returned to the Pacific coast. During the autumn of 1864, while at Portland, he purchased from one P. M. Coffin an interest in the Crane & Dreggs mine (now Cumberland), and in July, 1865, made a visit to Owyhee for the purpose of inspecting this property, stopping at the Miners' hotel, Ruby City, and this led him to return to Silver City, where he arrived and stopped at the Idaho hotel, May 14, 1873. A month later he engaged in the general merchandise business, which he continued for over three years, and in the meantime, in 1874, purchased the Leviathan (now the Alpine) for $4,000.00. He worked this property until he had exhausted his resources and had involved himself, but took to his old pursuit of placer mining, and on one claim in Long gulch, running from the Blaine tunnel to the mill, he took out $6,000.00; and in the summer of 1884 he took out of another claim, near the old Morning Star millsite, over $2,000.00.
"For two years prior to July, 1889, he served as road overseer, and was then appointed probate judge, to fill the vacancy of J. B. Coakley, and was subsequently elected to that position for three terms, his last term expiring January, 1897. He also for over twenty-one years held the position of superintendent of Sabbath schools at Silver City". [A Historical, Descriptive and Commercial Directory of Owyhee County, Idaho, 1898]
"He continued farming at various points in the East until 1873, when he sold out and returned to the Pacific coast. During the autumn of 1864, while at Portland, he purchased from one P. M. Coffin an interest in the Crane & Dreggs mine (now Cumberland), and in July, 1865, made a visit to Owyhee for the purpose of inspecting this property, stopping at the Miners' hotel, Ruby City, and this led him to return to Silver City, where he arrived and stopped at the Idaho hotel, May 14, 1873. A month later he engaged in the general merchandise business, which he continued for over three years, and in the meantime, in 1874, purchased the Leviathan (now the Alpine) for $4,000.00. He worked this property until he had exhausted his resources and had involved himself, but took to his old pursuit of placer mining, and on one claim in Long gulch, running from the Blaine tunnel to the mill, he took out $6,000.00; and in the summer of 1884 he took out of another claim, near the old Morning Star millsite, over $2,000.00.
"For two years prior to July, 1889, he served as road overseer, and was then appointed probate judge, to fill the vacancy of J. B. Coakley, and was subsequently elected to that position for three terms, his last term expiring January, 1897. He also for over twenty-one years held the position of superintendent of Sabbath schools at Silver City". [A Historical, Descriptive and Commercial Directory of Owyhee County, Idaho, 1898]
"LEWIS, JUDGE ELISHA, was born in Claylick, Franklin county. Pennsylvania, May 24, 1834. At the age of seventeen he left home for Ohio, where he clerked until the spring of 1853, when, in a company of ten, he crossed the plains for California, arriving there September 25, 1853. He engaged in placer mining, principally at Jackson and Indian diggings, and in ihe spring of 1858 joined the crowd for Fraser river, and was one of the first discoverers of the celebrated Cariboo mines. Bad health compelled him to leave British Columbia, and he settled at Dayton, Oregon. In August, 1861, he joined a company of sixty-one volunteers for the purpose of exploring the Blue mountains. They discovered good prospects at John Day river, and returned to The Dalles and reported same in October. One Bud Woodward, a well-to-do merchant of Portland became interested, and they organized a party of thirty-one and returned to the John Day country, but, the winter proving severe, they concluded to send their animals to The Dalles; but the party escorting them, numbering twelve, were all but one killed by the Indians, besides losing their outfits and sixty head of horses, worth, all told, about $12,000.00. The survivors of the party, upon hearing the sad news, organized a company, elected Lewis as captain, and, after a severe and perilous trip of over 200 miles, reached The Dalles on the first of March, where they were hospitably received by the inhabitants. In August, 1862, he secured an interest in a placer claim, in partnership with one L. W. Getchell, at Mormon basin, and by June, 1865, secured a homestake of $10,000.00. With this he returned East and engaged in farming in Michigan, and on October 3, 1866, was married to Charlotte E. Colt, of Suspension Bridge, Niagara county, New York.
"He continued farming at various points in the East until 1873, when he sold out and returned to the Pacific coast. During the autumn of 1864, while at Portland, he purchased from one P. M. Coffin an interest in the Crane & Dreggs mine (now Cumberland), and in July, 1865, made a visit to Owyhee for the purpose of inspecting this property, stopping at the Miners' hotel, Ruby City, and this led him to return to Silver City, where he arrived and stopped at the Idaho hotel, May 14, 1873. A month later he engaged in the general merchandise business, which he continued for over three years, and in the meantime, in 1874, purchased the Leviathan (now the Alpine) for $4,000.00. He worked this property until he had exhausted his resources and had involved himself, but took to his old pursuit of placer mining, and on one claim in Long gulch, running from the Blaine tunnel to the mill, he took out $6,000.00; and in the summer of 1884 he took out of another claim, near the old Morning Star millsite, over $2,000.00.
"For two years prior to July, 1889, he served as road overseer, and was then appointed probate judge, to fill the vacancy of J. B. Coakley, and was subsequently elected to that position for three terms, his last term expiring January, 1897. He also for over twenty-one years held the position of superintendent of Sabbath schools at Silver City". [A Historical, Descriptive and Commercial Directory of Owyhee County, Idaho, 1898]
"He continued farming at various points in the East until 1873, when he sold out and returned to the Pacific coast. During the autumn of 1864, while at Portland, he purchased from one P. M. Coffin an interest in the Crane & Dreggs mine (now Cumberland), and in July, 1865, made a visit to Owyhee for the purpose of inspecting this property, stopping at the Miners' hotel, Ruby City, and this led him to return to Silver City, where he arrived and stopped at the Idaho hotel, May 14, 1873. A month later he engaged in the general merchandise business, which he continued for over three years, and in the meantime, in 1874, purchased the Leviathan (now the Alpine) for $4,000.00. He worked this property until he had exhausted his resources and had involved himself, but took to his old pursuit of placer mining, and on one claim in Long gulch, running from the Blaine tunnel to the mill, he took out $6,000.00; and in the summer of 1884 he took out of another claim, near the old Morning Star millsite, over $2,000.00.
"For two years prior to July, 1889, he served as road overseer, and was then appointed probate judge, to fill the vacancy of J. B. Coakley, and was subsequently elected to that position for three terms, his last term expiring January, 1897. He also for over twenty-one years held the position of superintendent of Sabbath schools at Silver City". [A Historical, Descriptive and Commercial Directory of Owyhee County, Idaho, 1898]
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