It is gratifying indeed to see the prosperity that has attended the efforts of our subject since he settled in his present location, one mile east from Summit. He came with a saddle horse and blankets in December, 1895, and while camping on his land the snow came and covered him a foot deep. The next spring he moved his family here, but as there were no roads it was tedious work. All honor to the brave pioneers who blazed the way into these wilds and have made of them fertile and productive farms. Mr. Peden has done his share, for from the little shack which he built for his family and the wilds that stretched in every direction, have been evolved by his labors a good home, large barn, substantial outbuildings, a well cultivated and fertile farm, and a good orchard, all of which is deserved because of the faithfulness and industrious labors of Mr. Peden and his worthy wife. Mr. Peden was born in Davis County, Iowa, on November 25, 1865, being the son of Henry and Mary E. (Johnson) Peden, natives of Ohio. The father was born in Kentucky in 1819 and died in 1896, and was a pioneer in Nodaway County. Missouri. The mother was born in Tennessee in 1833 and still lives in Nez Perces County. Idaho. When they lived in Missouri all their property was blown away by a cyclone. The father enlisted in 1861 in the Thirty-sixth Ohio Infantry and participated in the battles of Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain and many other struggles. In the battle of Lookout Mountain he was carrying a blanket under his arm and nine bullet holes were found in it. At this battle he was wounded in his left leg and sent home. During his illness he was married, but as soon as he recovered he returned to the front and served out his time, being honorably discharged in 1864. Then they moved to Davis County, Iowa, and when our subject, who was the oldest of six boys and three girls, was seven, they all went to Ohio, but soon came back to Iowa and then removed to Gage County, Nebraska. In 1888 the father crossed the plains with team and settled in Whitman County. Washington. In 1890 our subject made the same trip and remained in Whitman County, teaming until the trip to find his present location, as described above. In Gage County, Nebraska, on January 14, 1886, Mr. Peden married Miss Laura Guthrie, whose parents were born in Missouri and Tennessee, respectively. The father was a pioneer in Nodaway County, Missouri, and died in Oregon in 1896. The mother still lives with a brother near Winchester. Five children have been born to them, Elsie E., Lena M., Lizzie A , Harvey D., Hattie E. Mrs. Peden was born near Marysville, Missouri, on May 23, 1868. Lena, the second child of Mr. Peden, has assisted her father to harvest three hundred and fifty acres of grain each year for four years past, driving the lead team on the binder machine all the time. Mr. Peden and his wife have labored faithfully and are now seeing the rewards of their toil and enjoying the fruits of their labors. They are members of the Congregational Church and are devout supporters of the faith, while in all matters of progress and advancement Mr. Peden is always active. He has done labor on all the roads in his section and is a zealous advocate of good roads.
Source: An Illustrated History of North Idaho: Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho; Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903