Biography of Oscar Addington

The subject of this article is a good representative of that class of men who have wrought on our frontiers with assiduity and wisdom and have made the abode of civilization to extend to the remotest bounds of the United States. At the present time Mr. Addington resides two and one-half miles northeast from Melrose on a farm which he secured by homestead right and which he has made from the wilds of the reservation.

Oscar Addington was born in Kansas, on July 13, 1874, being the son of Willis G. and Melissa M. (Jessup) Addington. The father was born in Iowa in 1837, served in the Civil War, for which he now draws a pension of $24.00 per month. He was a pioneer in Kansas and still lives. The mother was born in 1842 and still survives.

When Oscar was a small child his parents came to Dayton, Washington, and there took land and farmed for nine years. There he was educated and assisted his father in the farm work. Later they all removed to the Rig Bend country and farmed on the Columbia for nine years, then came to the reservation, where the father and our subject and his brother all took land and are dwelling on it at the present time.

On June 4, 1896, Mr. Addington married Miss Beva, daughter of W. W. and Mary Crockett, the wedding occurring in Sprague, Washington. The father is a native of Missouri and is now a stockman in Washington. Mrs. Addington was born in Missouri and has one brother and six sisters, Alice Gentry, Belle Gentry, Cora Buck, Besie Crockett, Oren, Dollie and Elsie. Mr. Addington has the following brothers and sisters, Alice Lewis, Emma Hammer, Mina Tavis, Ruth Denny and Berton. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Addington, Orville, Mabel, Percy.

Mr. Addington is a member of the M. W. A., at Melrose and his wife is a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. Addington is a good farmer and in addition to the production of the fruits of the field, he raises cattle, horses, and hogs, being prosperous in his labors.

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

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Pin It on Pinterest

Scroll to Top