A patriotic and loyal citizen, an upright and capable man. a true disciple of business and respected by all such is the esteemed gentleman whose name is at the head of this article and it is with pleasure that we are enabled to incorporate an epitome of his career.
Joseph Ziver was born in Bohemia, on November 13, 1858, being the son of John and Francisca (Marlick) Ziver, natives of Bohemia, where they now live, prominent and wealthy people. Our subject attended school from five to eleven in Bohemia and one year in Germany.
When twenty, he went to Saxony and when twenty-eight he left the old country and journeyed to America. Soon he was in Philadelphia, thence he went to Chicago and six months later was in North Dakota. It was 1888, when he came to Helena, Montana, and afterward spent some time in Wallace, Idaho. The next we see of Mr. Ziver was in Tacoma, where he spent three years. From this place he repaired to the Palouse country and also later settled in Lewiston, taking up the butcher business. Dissolving with his partner there he came to Spalding and soon secured the contract of supplying the Indian school with beef, which he has handled since. Mr. Ziver supplies fifty thousand pounds of beef annually to this institution and also has an extensive trade besides this. He handles a shop in Culdesac and is a thorough business man.
Mr. Ziver is the only one of his family who has come to the United States, but he is an enthusiastic supporter of our free institutions and is a true American citizen. In politics, he is a Democrat but still he reserves for himself the liberty to choose the man whose principles he will uphold. Mr. Ziver has one brother, Frank, in the old country. Our subject is a member of the Maccabees and of the M. W. A., both in Culdesac.
He was raised in the Catholic faith. He has a fine ranch in addition to his business and raises stock and hay. Mr. Ziver is a warm supporter of the dignity and greatness of this country and is firm in the belief that is dear to every true American, that the United States is the greatest country on the earth today.
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