Isaac S. Billow lives one mile north and three and one-half miles east from Nez Perce upon a farm which he took from the wild country and has made one of the choice places of this community.
He was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania on October 24, 1845, being the son of Martin and Elizabeth (Kahney) Billow, natives of Perry County, Pennsylvania. When Isaac was five years old the family came to Illinois and later settled in La Salle County. There he grew to manhood and received a common schooling.
In the spring of 1864 he enlisted in Company A. One Hundred and Thirty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He belonged to the rear guards and spent most of his time in Kentucky and on the Mississippi and participated in numerous skirmishes. After six months of this service he was honorably discharged and returned to La Salle County. On February 20, 1817, Mr. Billow married Miss Sylvia A., daughter of William D. and Margaret (Worsley) McDonald, natives of New York and Kentucky, respectively. They came to La Salle County, where Mrs. Billow was born on January 28, 1847. Her grandfather, Dr. Malcolm McDonald, was a prominent surgeon in the war of 1812. In 1870 Mr. Billow and his wife came to Carroll County, Missouri, and took up farming and stock raising until 1890, at which time they came west to Palouse, Washington.
They farmed in Latah County, near Moscow, until 1896, and then came to their present home, about three miles northeast from Nez Perce. The farm is a good one, all fenced and cultivated. A seven room modern structure adorns the property, good barns and outbuildings are in evidence and the estate presents testimony of being one of the well kept and valuable ones of the County. When Mr. Billow came here he had two cows, four horses and a wagon. Now he is numbered with the most prosperous.
Mrs. Billow is a devout member of the Christian Church. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Airs. Billow: Martha E., wife of George Reinhardt, of Nez Perce: Addie W., wife of Hiram Thornburg, of Moscow: William F., near Kamiah: Aland R., wife of Mark Harding, near Nez Perce; Charles H., Iona S. and Gladys V., all at home.
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