A man with courage enough to leap the narrow bounds of partyism and choose for himself the man and vote for him, a successful farmer and a thoroughgoing and upright man in every respect, of whom his neighbors speak well and who is respected wherever he is known, such is the gentleman of whom, with pleasure, we incorporate an epitome.
Abraham L. Staley was born in Shelby County, Ohio, on April 4, 1861, being the son of William and Julia A. (Babcock) Staley. The father was a farmer and sawmill man, was born in Ohio, in 1841, came to Spokane County in 1884 and died there in 1896. The mother was born in Virginia, in 1835, and lives in Spokane County. The family went to St. Joseph County, Indiana, when our subject was nine years of age and the father operated a saw mill there. Three years later they came to Richardson County, Nebraska, and farmed for seven years.
Abraham here grew to young manhood and received his education. When fourteen he went to do for himself and when eighteen came to Lemhi County, where he wrought on the farms as he had done previously. In 1887 he returned to Kansas, settling in Sheridan County, and one year after that he came again to Lemhi County and took a ranch and spent one year there. In the spring of 1896 we find Mr. Staley on the reservation and he secured one of the finest pieces of government land, and it lies about two miles east from Chesley. This has been tilled to diversified crops, is well improved and the family home now. Between the times of his labor in Lemhi County and the date of his settlement here. Mr. Staley was in Whitman County farming. He did well there as he is doing in this County.
In 1882 Mr. Staley married Miss Clara B., daughter of John and Mary C. Yearian, natives of Ohio and Illinois, respectively. The father was a railroad man and a farmer and pioneer in Lemhi County. Mrs. Staley was horn in Illinois, in 1863, and has one brother and two sister, Alpha, in Lemhi County, Idaho; Flora, in Spokane County; Sarah, in Lemhi County. Mr. Staley has the following named brothers and sisters: Reuben, in Smith County, Kansas; Ezekiel and Jacob, in Spokane County; Lydia, in Kansas; Martha, in Philips County, Kansas; Lillian, in Nebraska. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Staley: Elmer, Wilber, Ira, Alpha, Minnie B., Jennie, and an infant still unnamed.
Mr. Staley is a member of the M. W. A. at Kippen. He is a warm advocate of substantial development, progress and good educational facilities.
Source: An Illustrated History of North Idaho: Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho; Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903