Biography of Philip Wyman

A typical westerner in every respect and a man of ability and honor, whose career has been packed with adventure and thrilling incident that would in itself make an interesting book, and who has wrought with energy, skill, and display of courage and fortitude, the well known gentleman mentioned above is well entitled to representation in any volume that purports to chronicle the history of Nez Perces County.

Philip Wyman was born in Germany, in 1837. His parents Philip and Louise (Fisher) Wyman, were born in Germany in 1812 and 1817 respectively. The mother died in 1887. The father was a confectioner and came to St. Louis in 1845. Our subject was educated there and also during his minority learned the butcher trade.

In 1861 he crossed the plains with a drove of horses numbering eight hundred, and remained in Virginia City, Nevada, for several years following his trade. Then he sold out and went to San Francisco, butchering there two years, after which he opened a butcher shop in Portland, remaining there seventeen years. His next venture was to drive a large herd of cattle, sheep, hogs and so forth to the mines in Nez Perces and Shoshone Counties where he did a fine business for several years. He went to the Salmon River and opened in stock raising in 1885, which he sold later. He has a farm two miles west from Morrow. Mr. Wyman is engaged in buying and selling ranches in different sections, and is also devoting his attention to buying and selling stock and is doing a prosperous business. He has one brother and one sister. Ludwig, Louise. Mr. Wyman is a Democrat from principle and is intelligent in the issues and questions of the day. By way of reminiscence we desire to mention that on one of his ranches there occurred the hottest battle of the Bannock war and he later found a sword and a couple of guns that are now on exhibition in one of the Lewiston banks.

He was one of five in 1862 that pulled a boat from Portland clear up the Columbia, Snake and Salmon to Slate creek. They rowed it all the way except in rapids and in one case they had to tow it with an eighty rod rope. Nothing but Indians were to be found in the country and it was a hazardous undertaking. Two months were consumed in the trip. At one time, Mr. Wyman packed one hundred and fifty pounds for seventeen miles, receiving fifty cents per pound. He is intimately acquainted with all the early pioneers and is one of the well known men all through central Idaho. He has ever displayed a courage and endurance dominated with keen wisdom and foresight that have given him the need of success and no man in the whole region mentioned stands better in the hearts of those who know him than does Mr. Wyman.

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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