This well known business man and esteemed gentleman of enviable prestige was born in Linn County, Iowa, on July 19, 1856, being the son of Isaac and Persilla (Timmons) Mounce. The father was a stockman, born in Muscatine, Iowa, in 1 82 1 and is now living in Lewiston. The mother was born in Van Buren County, Michigan, in 1836 and died at Lewiston, in 1900. Our subject attended public school and then went to Western College, at Western, Iowa, and in 1878 came west to Vancouver, Washington. Soon after that he was in Lewiston, where he took a homestead near town and went to raising stock.
He devoted himself to this for ten years with excellent success and then sold the stock, retaining the land. He removed to town and was appointed deputy sheriff under J. M. Eakins, for two years and then was nominated on the Democratic ticket and elected, although the County is Republican. Two years as sheriff were spent with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. The law allows only one term in this office and then as Harry Lyden was elected, our subject was made deputy for two years longer. He was also serving at this time as deputy United States marshal, continuing in this until 1897; then he turned his attention to real estate and was connected with the Idaho Investment Company until 1900, when he sold out and formed a partnership with W. H. Skinner, the firm being known as Skinner & Mounce. Mr. Mounce was one of the original directors of the Idaho National Bank and connected with it for some time.
The marriage of Mr. Mounce and Miss Callie J. Rose was solemnized in Iowa. She died in 1890, leaving one child, Lionne, now at home. Mr. Mounce was married a second time to Eva (Kelly) Yantis. She is the daughter of M. A. Kelly. M. D., who is mentioned in another portion of the work. Mrs. Mounce was born in Lewiston in 1866. To this marriage one child was born on June 4, 1897, Gordon. Mrs. Mounce has by her former marriage, one daughter, Frances Yantis, now at home. Mr. Mounce has the following named brothers and sisters, John S., a farmer in this County; Clara, wife of J. L. Goodnight, near Genesee; Lafayette, farmer twelve miles southeast from Lewiston; Hattie, wife of William Ruddell, of this County; Edith, wife of George Ruddell, of this County.
Mr. Mounce is a member of the M. W. A. and a charter member of the Lewiston lodge of K. of P. He is an active Democrat and owns considerable property in the town and country. In 1899, the people called Mr. Mounce to the state legislature and although his County was Republican, he gained a majority of ninety-five and made a clean and good record in those halls. He has ever been the friend of education and sought to aid the state normals while in the legislature. He was chairman of the committee on County offices and of the committee on education, of public lands, and was one of the joint committee of house and senate. Mr. Mounce made a good record, did faithful work for his County and for the interests of the state.
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Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903