It certainly is a pleasure to be permitted to review the career of the gentleman to whom we are now introduced, and chronicle the salient points thereof, since he is a man of energy, has accomplished excellent achievements, has set a worthy example all of his life as a student, an up builder, a progressive element in the communities where his lot has been cast, and as a Christian. “Strenuous.” indeed, has been his life; it is no small matter of congratulation that the sons of America are many of them, at least, given to studious lives, and it is surely right to say that in this line, Mr. Holliday is a real leader.
George T. Holliday was born in Pike County, Missouri, on May 15, 1858, being the son of William P. and Mildred (Nally) Holliday. The father was born in Pike County, Missouri, of an ancient and influential family from Virginia, is a physician and farmer, now living on the reservation. His mother’s parents came from Kentucky and their parents from Scotland, but the Hollidays were English extraction. The mother of our subject is a native of Newton County, Missouri, and of Scotch extraction. She is now living on the reservation aged sixty-four and her husband is aged seventy-four. Gorge was raised in Missouri until seven, then he came with the family to Warren County, Illinois, and two years later to Texas, where he remained until he was thirty-one. In these various places.
Mr. Holliday began his education in the common schools, but he has not yet completed it. How often we hear the young sprig say, “I have finished my education.” Alas, that one can ever believe that he finished his education. It is not true of the typical man, that he ever finishes his education; he is simply passing from one form on to the other. Thus has Mr. Holliday gained the true idea, and his nights are always spent in hard study as regularly as he takes his sleep. Thus is gained real information, strength of mind and the wisdom that makes wise.
For eleven years, Mr. Holliday handled stock for Hunter, Evens & Company, of Kansas City and for nine of those years, he was foreman. Then, on account of failing health from excessive strain and care, he resigned his position and came to the west, following his parents within a few months to the vicinity of Moscow. This was in 1889. Mr. Holliday had a decided turn of mind toward the geological and mineralogical world and he at once set about gratifying his desire for investigation in these worthy lines. He spent the summers in careful prospecting and the winters in hard study in the Denver school of mines, for two years and more or less since then he has kept up his labors along this line and the result is that he has gained a wonderful fund of knowledge and has at the same time located some valuable properties in mineral claims. In 1897, he riled on his present place, a little northwest from Chesley, where he has bestowed his labors since that time. He has a fine farm, raises the cereals and flax, with stock and orchards. In addition, Mr. Holliday handles a threshing outfit, owning a half interest. He also pays considerable attention to raising the small fruits and vegetables. He has the following brothers and sisters, James B., near Winchester, farming; William P. and Richard, partners in the livery business in Moscow; Martha, wife of Eli Richardson, a fanner and stage owner near Lookout; Annie, wife of Mr. Flannery, in Texas.
On January 17, 1892, at Moscow, Mr. Holliday married Miss Telitha, the daughter of John and Catharine (Kane) Miles, natives of Berry County, Missouri, where also Mrs. Holliday was born, in 1867. Mrs. Holliday is a graduate of the state normal school at Monmouth, Oregon, and she taught for four years in Roseburg, Oregon. She has three brothers and one sister; John, a cattleman in southern California; Charles, postmaster and storekeeper, in Webb, on the Sweetwater; Ira, a dealer in lumber near Portland; Rose, single and living with her parents near Roseburg, Oregon. Mr. Holliday is a member of the I. O. O F., Ilo Lodge, No. 71, at Ilo, Idaho.
He and his wife are devout members of the Christian Church and are leaders in this work, while in politics, he is independent. Five children have been born to bless this household, Pearl Miles, Marion, Nellie and Veva.
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Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903