In 1906 Maude Peters, now about 26 years old, was still teaching at Council. That July she married George Gregg who was a teacher and Justice of the Peace. They may well have gotten to know each other well while teaching at the same school. He had come to Council from Michigan in 1905. They had one child, a daughter, Winona, on May 21, 1907. At some point, Maude became Adams County Superintendent of Schools.
In early August 1906, a fire broke at the Lowe & Jones store. Someone had left a candle burning on some rags and paper on the wooden sidewalk near the store, and the flames soon spread to the store. The fire was noticed and put out in time to avoid serious damage. Jim Lowe was convinced that John Peters was the culprit. Evidently there was some bad blood between Peters and his former partner. Lowe’s arson accusation was taken seriously, and Peters was arrested.
The details are lacking, but evidently there was a trial in late September or early October. Peters was found not guilty of arson.
During this time, John Peters spent one winter visiting his brother in California. In the summer of 1908 he did some mining or prospecting in the Seven Devils Mining District, returning to Council that fall to open a store with his son-in-law, George Gregg. The store was now called “Peters & Gregg” hardware, furniture, Gen. Merc. and was located at the north end of the Overland Hotel complex (where the Ace building is today).
Bill Winkler said about this time: “Some residents, including A. L. Freehafer, Dick Ross, Lewis Winkler, John 0. Peters, and possibly one or two others desiring water for their lawns, put in a pumping system to cover two city blocks. They dug a deep well and lined it with bricks, built a strong tower, set up a large storage tank and a windmill above, installed pipe lines to the respective lawns and later were much disappointed to find there was not enough breeze to run the windmill.” Photos from this period show several windmills in town.
The 1910 Census, which was conducted in April in the Council precinct, showed John and Anna Peters living with their daughter, Maude, and her husband, George Gregg. Less than two months later, John Peters died on May 27th. He would have been about 71 years old. It was determined the cause of death was a ruptured artery in his stomach. He was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery south of town.
The very next issue of the Council Leader after Peters’ death was announced, the paper still contained an ad for “Furniture at the Peters & Gregg store.” This name was in use until at least December 1911 when an ad in the Meadows Eagle newspaper said the store was located “near the depot.” By this time the P&IN depot was on the west side of town, so it makes me wonder if the store moved back to near the Peters’ old home.
Adams County was separated from Washington County in 1911. New county officials were appointed until the 1912 election. George Gregg was appointed Probate Judge. In the photos taken of the new officials, Gregg does not look well. In fact he was dying. At some point he had contracted tuberculosis, and he didn’t have much time left.
Under “Courthouse News” in the April 4, 1912 Council Leader, a deed was recorded that Anna and J.O. Peters sold to C.L. Ham, Lots 13 to 18, block 11, Perrill addition. This was on the north side of Lucille Avenue, not far west of the present highway.
From Council Valley – Here They Labored about George Gregg: “He was teaching school on Cottonwood when he became too ill to continue his work. He had suffered for years from tuberculosis and drugs no longer helped., When his illness progressed to the advanced stage he moved into a tent house in the hope of finding some relief. This was the accepted treatment for tuberculosis at that time. Mrs. Zink cared for such patients at her hospital and tent houses were part of her facilities.”
On March 4, 1914 George Gregg gave up his fight with TB, just 11 days short of his 48th birthday, leaving Maude a widow with a six-year-old daughter.
In 1918, Maude Peters – Gregg married E. Leonard Iverson, the pastor of the Congregational Church in Council. Maude’s mother, Anna Peters, now 73, moved in with them. In 1921 the family moved to Oakdale, California. Maude’s daughter, Winona Gregg, was about 13 at the time.
Anna Peters died January 13, 1935 in California at the age of 91. Her obituary said she had moved to Weiser and then California. She was living with her daughter’s family when she died.
Maude’s husband, Leonard Iverson, died at Oakdale in 1936.
Maude Peters – Gregg – Iverson died in California in 1960. Her daughter, Winona, married Roy Burkhart; they lived at Los Altos Hills, California and had five children and two grandchildren at the time of Maude’s death.
In 1960, the house that the Peters family built in 1900 at 207 Moser Avenue was occupied by Hattie Finn, widow of Ernest Finn. That house seems to look very much like it did originally and is still a home.
100 years ago
December 19, 1924
The Weiser Signal publishing company has been sold to P. H. Ware of Baker, Oregon.
“Tom Carr shipped about 2,000 sheep from New Meadows to the Lower Country this week, to be put on their winter feed ground.”
75 years ago
December 22, 1949
Married: Shirley Bays, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Bays of Goodrich and William Wickoff, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wickoff.
A girl named Linda Karen was born to Mr. and Mrs. Clarence roads at the Weiser hospital December 15.
Died: Alfred E. (Backy) Houston, of Robinette, Oregon. Born in 1905 at Halfway, Oregon he lived most of life at Robinette and Cambridge. He was a sheep herder. Burial at the Hillcrest Cemetery.
49 years ago
December 18, 1975
Died: Wade N. Smith, 69. He was born in 1906 at Salubria and attended school in Cambridge. Burial in the Star Cemetery.
Died: Frank H. Allison, 69, of Nampa. He was born in 1906 at Salubria, the son of William and Sylvia Myers Allison.
Part of a story by Gertrude Milligan Shanafelt: “Father (Elmer Milligan) became postmaster at Cambridge. In later years he used to tell about the woman who carried mail on the ‘ Star Route.’ She came to Cambridge in the dead of winter from the Seven Devils country. She presented quite a site on arrival. Her horses had bells on their hames and were loaded with furs and ore. The lady herself was wrapped in a bearskin coat... And other legend of the area.”
Died: William Hanson, 89, of Council at a Caldwell nursing home. He was born in 1886 at Dale and grew up on Hornet Creek. He married Lulu Sabin in 1909. Mrs. Hansen died in June 1940. He continued ranching until 1954 when Bill retired and moved to Council.
25 years ago
December 16, 1999
The Weiser River Trail sponsor organization announced that more than 30 continuous miles of the trail are open from the Galloway Diversion near Weiser to Midvale and Cambridge.
Died: Ralph G. Stephens, 83, of Midvale. He was best known as a stock contractor for area rodeos for 35 years. Ralph retired from the stock contracting business in 1983 but continued to operate his ranch on North Crane Creek until the time of his death.
Died: Lora Edith Cornett Morris. Born in 1907, she grew up and attended school in the North Crane Creek area east of Midvale. She graduated from Midvale high school in 1926.
Died: Mike Graveen, 49, Cambridge Telephone Company employee.
Died at Council: Nova Rudger, 96, of Cambridge.
