Idaho County Free Press
Thursday, January 28, 1954


Long Time County Resident Oscar Maxwell Succumbs

Oscar Maxwell, 84, a resident of Idaho County since 1892, died at General hospital Wednesday morning. Although he had been a patient in the hospital since January 5, 1953, he always remained alert and bright, glad to visit and up in a chair daily and his sudden passing came as a surprise to the hospital staff.
He was born in Clinton, Iowa coming to Idaho County as a young man, where he raised livestock, spending time at Elk City, Salmon River and other places in the area.
Only survivor is his daughter, Gertrude Maxwell of Elk City who was coming to Grangeville Wednesday afternoon to make funeral and burial arrangements. The body is resting at Ailor Mortuary.

Idaho County Free Press
Thursday, February 4, 1954


Rites Held Saturday For Oscar Maxwell

Elk City (Special)---Funeral services for Oscar Maxwell, who died at Grangeville January 27, were held last Saturday morning at the Ailor chapel with Rev. John W. Briggs officiating. Interment was in Prairie View Cemetery.
Mrs. Helen Brieze sang hymns with Mrs. Bob Box presiding at the organ. Pallbearers were John D. Spencer, M.H. Williams, George Anderson, Geo. J. Smith, Hugh Arnold and Idaho Litchfield.
Oscar was born near Clinton, Missouri December 11, 1869, the second of a family of nine. Three of the family survive: Charley Maxwell and Carrie Owens, Collins, Iowa, and Bert Maxwell, Mingo, Iowa.
Oscar left home in 1887 and for five years cowboyed in Wyoming and Montana. He came to Idaho in 1892 over the old Nez Perce Indian trail, traveling with Ed Brown, Al Stanley, and Frank Housel.
That winter the men and their 18 head of pack and saddle stock wintered on the Salmon River at the present site of the Allison ranch.
He trapped for the next two winters in the same vicinity before moving to the early mining town on Elk City where he established a saloon and livery stable.
On Sept 3, 1899, he was married to Rachel N. Garner of Melrose Idaho. Their first home was Dixie, Idaho where Mr. Maxwell hauled cordwood to the Ajax mine. The next year he operated a sawmill on American River. In 1901 he bought out Sam Myers' homestead right in the Big Elk Creek Valley, where he and his family resided until he moved to Stites in the 1920's, where he was associated with the operation of the old stage line from there to Elk City.
His wife died in 1933.
Mr. Maxwell farmed in the Stites and Kooskia areas until stricken by paralysis, and also had the misfortune of several broken bones.
He had been a patient at General hospital since January 5, 1953. His demise came suddenly and quietly at the hospital Wednesday morning of last week.
His daughter, Gertrude Maxwell of Elk City, is his only survivor here in the west

Submitted by Chris Cornett

BACK

HOME

If you have any records, photos, family information, etc., we would love for you to share.  Or if you have questions or suggestions, please drop me a line. My email address is County Coordinator

©2004-Present

Keeping Internet Genealogy Free

Copyright Notice:
All materials contained on these pages are furnished for the free use of those engaged in researching their family origins. Any commercial use or distribution, without the consent of the host/author of these pages is prohibited. All images used on these pages were obtained from sources permitting free distribution, or generated by the author, and are subject to the same restrictions/permissions. All persons contributing material for posting on these pages do so in recognition of their free, non-commercial distribution, and further, is responsible to assure that no copyright is violated by their submission.