In the spring of 1915 Leslie Featherston and Ida Whitaker, a young woman from Dunlap, Kansas, were married and began their married life at Arbon. Thirteen months later Ida died at their home there, and in the fall of 1916 Leslie sold out and left for Kansas. Their time in the valley can be followed in a handful of short newspaper items.
The Featherstons belonged to the circle of Kansas families who had been coming to the valley since 1908, whose story is told in the Swim family history. The papers spelled the name more than one way: the American Falls Press wrote Featherstone, and the Pocatello report of Ida's death wrote Featherson. This post uses Featherston.
Married at Pocatello
On April 29, 1915, the Arbon column of the Press reported that Ida Whitaker and a Mr. Featherstone had been married at Pocatello "last week." The scanned text of that item is hard to read, and it seems to give his name as Lester J.; every later item calls him Leslie. "They are well known here," the correspondent added.
Two weeks later the same column noted that Mrs. Clifford Miller had entertained three couples at her home on a Sunday: the Morris Johnsons, the John Butlers and the Leslie Featherstones. Morris Johnson was M. M. Johnson, and he and John Butler were both homesteaders of the Kansas group.
That June a Featherstone appears among the officers of a new Sunday school at the Central school, the District 12 schoolhouse described in the Arbon area history. The Press reported on June 17:
A Sunday school was organized at the Central School Sunday, June 6, at 10:30 a. m. Mr. Wm. Allard was elected Superintendent and Miss Merle Porter, secretary and Mrs. J. E. Keeler, treasurer, Miss Leslie Featherstone, organist.
"Miss" was probably a slip for Mrs. The organist was very likely Ida.
A winter and a spring
The Arbon columns of that winter and spring add a few details. In January 1916 a Mr. Featherstone, very likely Leslie, returned with John Butler and Merl Johnson from a business trip to the Black Pine country, southwest of the valley. In March a Mrs. Whittaker and a Mrs. Johnson came from Kansas to visit relatives at Arbon. They rode in Morris Johnson's new car as far as John Noble's store, at Pauline, and came "the rest of the way by sleigh." Ida's maiden name was Whitaker, and the visitor may well have been one of her family, though the paper does not say so.
By April Ida had been unwell. The North Central Arbon column of April 20 reported that Mrs. John Butler and Mrs. Leslie Featherstone were improving in health.
May 28, 1916
On Monday, May 29, the Pocatello Tribune printed a short notice under the heading "Died Yesterday." It said that Mrs. Ida B. Featherston, wife of L. J. Featherston, had "died last evening at the family home in Arbon, after a short duration of septicemia." Septicemia is an infection of the blood. She was 28 years old, and the paper said she was survived by her husband and several relatives. It went on:
The body was shipped to Dunlap, Kansas on No. 18 today, her former home where burial will take place. Undertakers Schumacher & Hall had charge of the arrangements.
A Pocatello report in the Salt Lake Tribune of June 1 repeated the news. It called her husband "one of the prominent citizens of the Arbon valley."
The Arbon column in the American Falls Press of June 1, probably written before her death, still carried a line on Mrs. Featherstone's condition. No notice of her death has been found in the Press.
The first auction
In late October 1916 Leslie left the valley with the family of M. M. Johnson, who had homesteaded on upper Bannock Creek beside the other Kansas families in 1909. The Press reported their going on November 2, 1916:
M. M. Johnson and family and brother-in-law, Leslie Featherstone, left last week for Kansas, to make their home, having disposed of their homes, household goods, stock and farm implements here. Col. Cotant of Rockland held an auction sale, selling everything for a fair price. A delicious dinner was served. A large crowd attended. This is the first sale of this kind out here. The Johnsons will be greatly missed here by their many friends and we hope they will return here.
The paper called Leslie the brother-in-law of M. M. Johnson. Ida was probably the sister of Johnson's wife, Grace, as the Swim family history also suggests, though no report of the time says so directly. That sale is now counted among the valley's firsts, the first farm auction reported there. The items do not say where Leslie settled in Kansas.
The article as printed
American Falls Press, November 2, 1916, page 12. Transcribed from the page scan.
ARBON NEWS.
J. D. Dawson and family have moved to Utah for the winter months.
Miss Mary Evans and Miss Mildred Warren attended the teacher's institute at Pocatello.
Mrs. J. E. Keeler and daughter, Mildred, were in Pocatello last week shopping.
John Payne is in Salt Lake City visiting for a few days.
John Noble was in Pocatello recently on business.
Miss Thelma Rust of Pocatello visited with her sister, Mrs. E. A. Logan last week.
The Arbonites are quite proud of their mail service [illegible] from Pocatello now, which makes it much handier for us on account of the mail arriving here several days sooner. Mr. Lorin Bailey is carrying the mail.
Miss Nina Keeler left last week for American Falls to attend school.
Harold Leavitt is now agent here for the Chicago Tailoring company of Chicago. Look over his line of samples at the Arbon postoffice.
FOR SALE A U. S. cream separator, see Mrs. E. A. Logan.
[illegible] Snyder was a Pocatello visitor last week.
Mr. Dunn of American Falls was in Arbon a few days ago on business.
Charles Bailey was in Pocatello last week on business and while preparing to leave Michaud Saturday morning for home one of his most valuable horses suddenly took sick and died. This makes the second [illegible] horse his father, J. R. Bailey, has lost within the last two weeks. The first one was foundered.
Dr. Schlitz of American Falls was in Arbon a few days ago on professional business.
Mrs. Frank Swim, who has been quite ill, is now convalescent.
M. M. Johnson and family and brother-in-law, Leslie Featherstone, left last week for Kansas, to make their home, having disposed of their homes, household goods, stock and farm implements here. Col. Cotant of Rockland held an auction sale, selling everything for a fair price. A delicious dinner was served. A large crowd attended. This is the first sale of this kind out here. The Johnsons will be greatly missed here by their many friends and we hope they will return here.
MEN TAKE NOTICE See Harold Leavitt at Arbon postoffice for a good hair cut.
A very enjoyable surprise party was given to Thelma Rust, Thursday afternoon, October 26th, at the home of her sister, Mrs. E. A. Logan, the occasion being Thelma's tenth birthday. Delicious refreshments were served by Mrs. Logan, assisted by Mrs. G. W. Handy. Those present were Margaret Allard, Darlene Handy, Merl Bailey, Theresa Bailey, Edna Bailey, Mary Bailey, Thelma [illegible], Vernon Logan, Ralph Smith, Bowen Smith and Orville Porter. The little guests departed at a late hour wishing Thelma many more happy birthdays.
J. E. Keeler and son, Howard, spent a few hours in Pocatello last week.
Mrs. Nathan Bullock is quite ill at Moreland, Idaho. Mrs. John Bullock left here a few days ago to be with her. We hope to hear of her improvement.
On this site: the Kansas homesteaders are in the Swim family history and the Pauline and West Fork area history, and the 1916 sale is told in the first farm auction.
Sources
- American Falls Press, April 29, 1915, page 4
- American Falls Press, May 13, 1915, page 8
- American Falls Press, June 17, 1915, page 1
- American Falls Press, January 27, 1916, page 4
- American Falls Press, March 16, 1916, page 7
- American Falls Press, April 20, 1916, page 1
- Pocatello Tribune, May 29, 1916, page 7
- American Falls Press, June 1, 1916, page 1
- Salt Lake Tribune, June 1, 1916, page 9
- American Falls Press, November 2, 1916, page 12