Biography of Oliver L. Fairley

This enterprising and well known agriculturist and business man is at the present time handling the Monroe house, one of the leading hotels in the reservation portion of the County of Nez Perces. It is situated in Peck, adjoining which town Mr. Fairley owns a first class ranch.

Oliver L. Fairley was born in Cherokee County, Kansas, on October 16, 1869, being the son of Edward and Martha (Sailing) Fairley, natives of Iowa and born in 1848. The father was a farmer and carpenter and pioneer to California in an early day. The father and mother are still living on the reservation.

Our subject grew to the age of fourteen in Kansas and then the family removed to Salem, Oregon, and thence to Grant County, in the same state. Soon they removed to Montgomery County. California, and one year later journeyed to the Grande Ronde country in Oregon. After failing to get a filing on some land they came to the Palouse country, settling near Viola. The next year they went to Douglas County, Washington, it being 1887, and there they raised stock on a large scale. Our subject commenced to drive stage from Coulee City to Waterville and Wenatchee and continued for eight years. All the time he was interested with his father in the stock business. In 1896 they left that country and the following year they came to their present place adjoining Peck and settled, the land being then unsurveyed. They filed in June. 1898. Mr. Fairley has a nice lot of stock, cattle, hogs and so forth. He also raises much poultry and does a general farming business. Good buildings adorn the premises.

At Peshastin, Washington, Mr. Fairley married Miss Martha G, daughter of Morgan and Mary E. (Adams) Lacey. The nuptials occurred on December 17, 1895. Mr. Lacey was born in Virginia and his wife in Iowa. Her father died when she was nine months old and her mother when she was seven years of age. Mrs. Fairley was born in Indiana, in 1866, and is an only child. Mr. Fairley has one brother: Earl E., at Peck.

Mr. Fairley is a Democrat but not aggressive. He labors zealously for the promotion of good educational facilities and is a stirring business man.

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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