 1841 - 1910 (68 years)
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| Name |
Thomas Benton Gess [1, 2] |
| Born |
5 Oct 1841 |
Randolf Co., Missouri  [1, 3] |
| Gender |
Male |
| Died |
9 Feb 1910 |
Boise, Idaho [1, 3] |
| Buried |
Pioneer Cemetery, Boise, Idaho [4] |
| Person ID |
I7849 |
Carley Bisher's Ancestry |
| Last Modified |
27 Dec 2010 |
| Family |
Anna Maria Crews, b. 12 Jan 1842, Lafayette, Missouri , d. 25 Aug 1924, Boise, Idaho (Age 82 years) |
| Married |
5 Aug 1867 |
House of Mr. Lillard, Stewartsville, DeKalb Co., Missouri [3, 5] |
| Children |
|
| Last Modified |
27 Dec 2010 |
| Family ID |
F5565 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
-
| Notes |
- From:
"History of Idaho: a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests" by Hiran T. French, M.S., Volune II, The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago and New York, 1914.
Thomas B. Gess. The late Thomas B. Gess, an
Idaho pioneer since 1865 and for nearly forty years
associated with the life of Boise, was a man of dis-
tinction in this locality and has been greatly mourned
since the time of his demise. He was a native of
Randolph county, Missouri, and a son of William
and Sarah Helen Gess, of that community, where
the father was a prominent stock raiser. The par-
ents were, respectively, of Tennessee and North
Carolina nativity, although both died in Missouri.
In the county of that state where they had estab-
lished their home the birth of their son, Thomas B.
Gess, had occurred on October 5, 1841.
Thomas Gess spent his boyhood days among the
scenes well known to the rural resident of that time
and place, obtaining his educational advantages from
the country schools of Randolph county. As he
approached manhood's estate, he took up the voca-
tion of stock raising and as his interest in this work
broadened he determined to follow the fortunes of
the west in that line. He had left his home during
the war period and had spent one year at Bloommg-
ton, Illinois, after which — in the spring of 1865— he
organized a wagon train to come across the plains to
Boise. On that trip the party encountered many
bands of hostile Indians, but fortunately came through
without any serious loss.
After Mr. Gess had settled his affairs and plans
for life in Ada county, he returned — after eight
months — to Missouri, his transportation being ac-
complished by the same method as had his trip to
Idaho. The object of this return trip was his
marriage to Miss Ann Crews, of Stewartsville, Mis-
souri, a daughter of Harley and Mary (Lee) Crews
and a descendant of General Lee of Virginia. Her
family were of Puritan as well as of Cavalier con-
nection and two uncles on her mother's side served
in the Revolutionary war and that of 1812. Her
father was a furniture merchant during his life,
which was spent in Missouri, where he lived until
the year of 1887, having reached the age of sixty-
nine years.
The bridal journey of Thomas Gess and his wife
was the westward trip to Boise. From Stewarts-
ville they traveled by rail to the end of the railroad
at Green river. There they took the stage to Salt
Lake, thence coming by the Wells Fargo system to
Boise, near which place their ranch was located.
There for many years Mr. Gess conducted the opera-
tions of stock raising, which he continued until
1890. In that year he sold his ranch and stock
property and established his residence in Boise.
A Democrat of staunch principles, Mr. Gess was at
various times called upon to give civic service in one
capacity or another. He had also gained considerable
prominence through having served on the Hay-
ward jury, of which he acted as foreman. In 1886
he had been made postmaster of Boise and had ably
discharged the duties of that office. As a resident
of Boise, his ability and his leisure made him partic-
ularly eligible for the office of assessor, which he
filled for two years. After giving up that office his
interests again turned to stock raising which he con-
tinued until his death.
Mr. Gess was survived by his estimable wife and
by an admirable group of children and grandchildren.
The eldest child of Thomas and Anna Gess was a
daughter. Lulu, who is now Mrs. Mark, of Denver,
Colorado, and who is without children. The only
son is William Gess, who married Miss Katherine
Porter and whose four children are named as fol-
lows: Gerald, Elouise, Thomas Benton and William
H. Jr., — all of whom are yet in school. The young-
est of the children who were born to the subject of
this review and his wife is a daughter who is well
known in Boise as Mrs. James Stevenson. Her
only son, James Stevenson Jr., met an accidental
death by drowning, in June of 1903, at the age of
four years.
Not only by his loving family is Mr. Gess mourned,
but by many devoted friends, including his brother
members of the Christian church, as well as his
comrades in the order of Ancient Free and Accepted
Masons, in which he was a member both of chapter
682
HISTORY OF IDAHO
and blue lodge. His is one of the beneficient memor-
ies gathering about the personalities of Boise citizens
who have lived and left the impress of their thoughts
and deeds among us. He passed from this life,
February 9. 1910, at his home in Boise, leaving to
the world the bequest of his worthy descendants and
to them the influence of an unpretentious but estim-
able life.
---------
"The Founding Fathers of Boise,"
by Hugh H.Hartman
Thomas Benton Gess was one of the early pioneers of Idaho, arriving in1865, and for over forty-five years was associated with the good life of Boise City. Mr. Gess was born on October 5, 1841 in Randolph County, Missouri. He was the son of William and Sarah Helen Gess. William Gess was a prominent stock raiser in that community. Thomas was raised and educated in the public schools of Randolph County. He followed in the footsteps of his father and took up the vocation of stock raising. He left home during the Civil War, and spent one year in Bloomington, Illinois. In the spring of 1865, he organized a wagon train to cross the plains to Boise City. Many bands of hostile Indians were encountered on the trip, but fortunately they came through without any serious loss. Mr. Gess claimed a ranch near Boise City, and after eight months of getting set-up, returned to Stewartsville, Missouri. The reason for this return trip was to marry Anna M. Crews Heidelsine. Anna was the daughter of Harley and Mary (Lee) Crews. She was born in 1841 at Lafayette, Missouri. She had two children by her first marriage, they were Louella Heidelsine, who was born in 1862 in Missouri, she married a man by the name of Mark; Samuel L. was born in 1863 in Missouri. Thomas and Anna had two children, they were: William H. and Alice "Nellie." William was born at Boise City in 1866, and married Katherine Porter. Alice "Nellie" was born at Boise City in 1869, and on April 2, 1897 married James Stephenson, Jr.The bridal trip of Mr. and Mrs. Gess was the journey westward to Boise City. From Stewartsville they traveled by rail to the end of the railroad at Green River. They took the stage to Salt Lake City, thence coming by the Wells Fargo system to Boise City. Mr. Gess was a staunch Democrat. He gained considerable notoriety having served as jury foreman at the "Big Bill" Haywood trial. He served the office of Ada County Assessor for two years. Mr. Gess was a member ofthe Christian Church and the order of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Mr. Gess operated his stock ranch near Boise until 1890, at which time he sold the ranch and relocated in Boise City at 1517 North Fourteenth Street. Thomas B. Gess died at his residence in Boise at Fourteenth and Eastman Streets on February 9, 1910. He was interred at Pioneer Cemetery, Boise. His wife, Anna, died on August 25, 1924, and was also buried in Pioneer Cemetery. The same book, on p. 24 shows that John Gess owned two city lots on Market Street very near 10th Street in Boise City.
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