Biography of John T. Springston

The valuable estate and pleasant home of our subject lies three and one-half miles southeast from Lenore. The land, one hundred and sixty acres, was acquired by homestead right in 1896, and since that time Mr. Springston has devoted his wisdom and labors to the improvement of it, and also to handling a threshing outfit, of which latter industry he is a skilled master, having operated in it for twenty-five successive years.

John T. Springston was born in Warren County, Illinois, on May 3, 1857, being the son of Samuel A. and Rebecca (Haynes) Springston, natives of Virginia and both born in 1834. The mother died in 1866, but the father still lives in Kansas, a veteran of the Civil war. John T. remained at home until nineteen, gaining in that time his education and good skill in labors on the farm. Then he married and settled down to farming for himself, which continued in that country until 1884. Then he came to the vicinity of Palouse, bought land and rented more and devoted himself to the agricultural art in which he has been successful. He also gave attention to logging, and in 1893, when the Palouse Milling Company went to the wall, he was so encumbered by their failure that he lost almost everything also.

In 1896 he saved enough out of the wreck to make his way to the reservation with a small saw mill, and since that time Mr. Springston has been closely identified with the substantial progress and development of this section, well earning the place of prestige and prominence that he enjoys.

While in Kansas, in 1876. Mr. Springston married Miss Rosa, daughter of George and Lillie (Smith) Duston. The father was a sea captain and a native of England, and is now deceased. The mother was a native of Ireland and is now living with our subject. Mrs. Springston was born in 1858, at Burlington, Iowa, and has one brother and two sisters, – Joseph, in Elgin, Oregon; Lillie in Garnett, Kansas; Emma, in Omaha, Nebraska. Mr. Springston has two brothers and one sister, – Andrew, in Kansas; Frank, in Oregon; Lucinda, in Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Springston there have been born the following children: Grace Henderson, Harry, Maggie Henderson, Etta Tumalson and Cora Lota Allen, Horona, Howard, Kittie, Floyd and Loren.

Mr. Springston is a Populist and active in the conventions, and he has devoted much time and energy to the labors on the school board for the betterment of the school facilities and is decidedly a man of progress and improvement.

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

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