This intelligent and bright young agriculturist of the reservation portion of Nez Perces County is a man whose labors have been bestowed with sagacity and enterprise, and he has as a result a goodly showing in the fine farm of one quarter section where he resides, five miles west from Peck, and also in the other property that he holds.
Jesse E. Tumelson was born in Cowdey County, Kansas, on September 14, 1873. being the son of William C. and Sarah E. (Groves) Tumelson, natives of Illinois and born in 1846 and 1845, respectively. They now live in Cedarvale, Kansas. The father was a soldier in the Civil war for three years and languished in Andersonville for three months.
Jesse grew to young manhood in Kansas and when seventeen joined his brother, Albert, who was in Latah County, Idaho. They mined with hydraulic in Garden Gulch and did well. In 1896 they came to Nez Perces County and settled on their present places. Our subject has since that time devoted his energies assiduously to the improvement of his farm and has a fine property.
On December 23, 1898, Mr. Tumelson married Miss Cora E., daughter of Thomas and Rosa (Duston) Springston, the wedding occurring at Gifford. Mr. Springston is a farmer and thresher in this County and was born in 1857. His father, Samuel A., was a soldier in the Civil war. The mother of Mrs. Tumelson was born in 1858. Mrs. Tumelson has the following brothers and sisters, Grace Henderson, Harry, Maggie Henderson, Etta Tumelson, Lota Allen, Howard, Katie, Floyd, and Loren. Mrs. Tumelson was born near Garnett, Kansas, on February 12, 1882. Mr. Tumelson has the following brothers and sisters, Lydia A. Strode, Albert E., Emma B., deceased, Bessie Witt, William O., Lucy Wilson, and Lura. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Tumelson, Bessie R., Lena M.
Mr. Tumelson is a staunch Republican and an advocate of excellent schools. His farm supports a goodly number of hogs, cattle and horses, and he gathers annually good harvests of grain and fruits from the entire place.
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