Several men and women who have resided in what is now Blaine County, have filled positions of trust and honor. I fully realize the difficulty of drawing the line of demarcation between the great and the near-great, and I hesitate to mention names. In presenting such a list I shall only include the names of those who have occupied state or federal offices, or were distinguished in some calling or profession. I shall not even include all state officers, as members of the legislature are classed as state officers, but I shall include only the names of a few in this class and they were distinguished in other lines. There may have been many, and doubt less there were, who have done their duty in humble walks of life who are as worthy of the laurel wreath of fame as some of these whose names I am about to indite. But their names are unknown and their deeds unsung. Gray, in his Elegy, Says: “Some mute, inglorious Milton here may rest, Some Cromwell, guiltless of his country’s blood.”
Blaine County can boast of one native son of international fame:
Ezra Pound, the poet, son of Homer L. Pound, the first Register of the United States Land Office at Hailey. He was born in Hailey on October 30, 1886. His poems have received favorable mention from some of the foremost critics of Europe. He lives abroad all the time.
Frank R. Gooding served two terms as Governor of Idaho and one term as United States Senator and was serving his second term when summoned by death.
Andrew W. Mellon, Secretary of the United States Treasury.
Harold Lancaster Butler is a noted singer and teacher of music, and at present is a doctor of music teaching in the Syracuse, New York, conservatory of music.
James H. Hawley was District Attorney when he lived in Hailey. He was a distinguished lawyer and Governor of the State of Idaho.
Isaac Newton Sullivan served 26 consecutive years on the Supreme Bench of Idaho.
James H. Beatty served two years as District Judge and 17 years as United States District Judge.
Charles O. Stockslager served four years as Receiver of the United States Land Office in Hailey, 14 years as Judge of this District and six years on the Supreme Bench of Idaho.
Lyttleton Price served four years as Judge of this District.
Henry F. Ensign had served nearly 12 years as Judge of this District and was serving his fourth term when his untimely death closed his earthly career.
Selden B. Kingsbury was a United States District Judge at Honolulu, Hawaii.
Geo. H. Roberts was first. Attorney General of the State of Idaho.
Geo. M. Parsons was second Attorney General of the State of Idaho.
Norman M. Ruick was United States Attorney.
Presley M. Bruner was District Attorney of this District, and later was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge I. O. O. F. of Idaho.
Francis E. Ensign was a prominent pioneer lawyer of California and Idaho, and was Grand Master of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Idaho.
Robert E. Strahorn was Vice President and manager of the Idaho and Oregon Land Improvement Company and is now a reputed millionaire.
Hugh C. Wallace was Secretary of the Idaho and Oregon Land Improvement Co., was appointed Ambassador to France by President Woodrow Wilson, and is now a reputed millionaire.
A. J. Pinkham was first Secretary of State of Idaho.
Isaac W. Garrett was a Secretary of State of Idaho.
Geo. J. Lewis was a Secretary of State of Idaho.
E. S. Chase was a United States Marshal.
Joseph Pinkham was a United States Marshal.
W. T. Riley was Register of the United States Land Office at Hailey.
W. H. Brodhead was Register of the United States Land Office at Hailey.
W. F. Horne was. Receiver of the United States Land Office at Hailey.
W. A. Hodgman was Receiver of the United States Land Office at Hailey for two terms.
Fred C. Bradley was Receiver of the United States Land Office at Halley.
Ben R. Gray was State Fish and Game Warden and also Register of the United States Land Office at Hailey.
H. K. Lewis was Receiver of the United States Land Office at Hailey.
Miss May G. Angel was Register of the United States Land Office at Hailey.
Stewart Campbell is serving his tenth consecutive year as Inspector of Mines.
Nathan Kingsbury was a Vice-President of the Telephone & Telegraph Company.
W. A. Brodhead was Chairman of the State Highway Commission from 1915 to 1919.
Mrs. Mary George Gray was a State Representative and in 1926 was nominated for Representative in Congress, also a Past President of the Rebekah State Assembly of Idaho.
Miss Permeal J. French was State Superintendent of Public Instruction and at present is Dean of Women at the University of Idaho, at Moscow.
Miss Bernice McCoy was State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Dr. D. W. Figgins was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge I. O. O. F. of Idaho.
E. B. Lemmon was Grand Master of Grand Lodge I. O. O. F. of Idaho.
W. E. Heard was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge I. O. O. F. of Idaho.
Emil A. Friedman was Grand Patriarch of the Grand Encampment I. O. O. F. of Idaho.
Leon Fuld was Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge I. O. O. F. of Idaho.
Presley F. Horne is present Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge I. O. O. F. of Idaho. He has served as such continuously since October, 1913.
Mrs. Ella W. Horne is a Past President of the Rebekah State Assembly of Idaho.
Mrs. Blanche E. Kleinman is a Past Grand Matron of the Grand Chapter of the Eastern Star of Idaho.
John W. Cramer was Assistant Attorney General of Idaho.
Back to: Blaine County, Idaho Genealogy and History
Source: Based on McLeod, George A. History of Alturas and Blaine Counties, Idaho. The Hailey Times, Publisher. Hailey, Idaho. 1930.