This successful farmer and stock raiser is one of the men who has labored faithfully to develop the resources of the reservation portion of Nez Perces County and has wrought wisely and well. James A. Fritz was born in Grant County, Wisconsin, on July 13, 1866, being the son of Casper and Elizabeth (Bred) Fritz, natives of Germany, born in 1832 and 1834, respectively. The father was a butcher and stockman, served in the Civil war and died in 1885. The mother still lives in Wisconsin. James A. worked at home until eighteen, having gained his education from the public schools. Then he went to South Dakota and one year later returned home.
When twenty he went to Minneapolis and railroaded. Soon he was in Ponca, Nebraska, and in January, 1887, Mr. Frtitz came to Moscow, Idaho. He farmed for one year and then went to Santa Barbara, California, but returned to Moscow the next year and bought land. He tilled this until the fall of 1897, when he made his way to the reservation and located his present place, about one and one-half miles south from Melrose. He has a fine farm, raises oats, wheat and flax and has some excellent Berkshire hogs.
At Moscow in the fall of 1891, Mr. Fritz married Miss Emma B., daughter of Electus M. and Mary J. (Warren) Frost, natives of Pennsylvania, the father from Rome, and the mother from Sullivan County. The father served in the Civil war and both are now living. Mrs. Fritz was born in Sullivan County. Pennsylvania, in 1876, and has three brothers and two sisters, Frank W., John O., deceased, Fred M., Cora, Maude. Mr. Fritz has the following brothers and sisters: Henry S., Peter, Charlie, Casper, August, Mary, Lizzie and Katie. All are in Wisconsin, except Casper, who is on the reservation, and Katie, who is deceased. Two children have been born to this happy union. Marie E. and Hazel B.
Mr. Fritz is a member of the W. of W., at Melrose, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Church. He is an active Republican and is always in his place in the caucuses and conventions. Mr. Fritz is a man of excellent standing, has an untarnished reputation and is one of the substantial men of the County.
Back to: Nez Perce Biographies
Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903