Grangeville in Idaho County, Idaho — The American West (Mountains)

The Eimers Legacy

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 25, 2019

1. The Eimers Legacy Marker

Caption: (bottom center) In addition to playing at the annual Border Days festivities, the Grangeville Cowboy Band was invited to play at events throughout the Inland Northwest. This photo taken before a concert in Kemmerer, Wyoming in 1918, shows clarinet player, Gib Eimers, standing third from the right.

Inscription.

The Eimers Legacy. . Homesteaders flocked to the Camas Prairie in the early 1900s. Lured by the rolling, fertile land, John, Jake, and Gib Eimers, brought their hopes and dreams to Grangeville from Albion, Illinois. Soon after, sisters Elsie Eimers Bunting, Helen Eimers Soltman, and Lydia Eimers Marshall joined their brothers in Idaho. , The Eimers siblings were active in business and in the social and political life of the community. , This park, named for the Eimers and Soltman families, is part of the original Jake Eimer's estate. , Born in 1876, John Eimers (upper left) drove west in 1904. After a short stay in Lewiston, he came to the Camas Prairie where he farmed, operated a hardware store, and worked as a cashier at the First National Bank and Bank of Camas Prairie. Over the years, John was a tireless public servant serving as the Postmaster, Idaho County Sheriff, Idaho County Auditor, and Idaho State Representative. He died in 1954. , Youthful and likeable Jake Eimers (top, center-left) joined his brother, John, on the Camas Prairie in 1905. He was active in the business and political life of the Camas Prairie serving as Grangeville Mayor, Idaho County Commissioner and Sheriff. At one time, he was a partner in Miller Hardware with Al Urbahn. Later, he ran insurance and farm implement businesses. , Gib Eimers (bottom left) came to Grangeville from Albion, Illinois in 1913. He owned and operated several businesses. A civic-minded politician, he served as an Idaho State Senator,, Idaho County Commissioner, City Councilman, and Grangeville Mayor. He also was a great supporter of school sports. , The spirited Lydia Eimers Marshall (top center) born in 1884, left her Albion, Illinois home in 1929. She first worked for a probate judge before taking a position in the Idaho County Treasurer’s office. In 1946, she was elected Idaho County Treasurer, on office she held until 1954. She died in 1980. , Fashionable Helen Eimers Soltman (middle right, shown on the left) (1891-1986) worked at the bank and the courthouse before starting her own business in ladies’ apparel. She was active in fundraising for the local hospital. , Elsie Eimers Bunting (middle right, shown on the right) (1882-1948). Elsie and her husband, Louis, drove a Reo touring car from Albion, Illinois to the Camas Prairie in 1919. They bought a home on “China Hill” near what is now Grangeville's Pioneer Park. They could see both the prairie and the mountains - a great change from the Midwest they had left behind. Elsie was active in civic and social clubs.

Homesteaders flocked to the Camas Prairie in the early 1900s. Lured by the rolling, fertile land, John, Jake, and Gib Eimers, brought their hopes and dreams to Grangeville from Albion, Illinois. Soon after, sisters Elsie Eimers Bunting, Helen Eimers Soltman, and Lydia Eimers Marshall joined their brothers in Idaho.
The Eimers siblings were active in business and in the social and political life of the community.
This park, named for the Eimers and Soltman families, is part of the original Jake Eimer's estate.

Born in 1876, John Eimers (upper left) drove west in 1904. After a short stay in Lewiston, he came to the Camas Prairie where he farmed, operated a hardware store, and worked as a cashier at the First National Bank and Bank of Camas Prairie. Over the years, John was a tireless public servant serving as the Postmaster, Idaho County Sheriff, Idaho County Auditor, and Idaho State Representative. He died in 1954.
Youthful and likeable Jake Eimers (top, center-left) joined his brother, John, on the Camas Prairie in 1905. He was active in the business and political life of the Camas Prairie serving as Grangeville Mayor, Idaho County Commissioner and Sheriff. At one time, he was a partner in Miller Hardware with Al Urbahn. Later, he ran insurance and farm implement businesses.

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Gib Eimers (bottom left) came to Grangeville from Albion, Illinois in 1913. He owned and operated several businesses. A civic-minded politician, he served as an Idaho State Senator,, Idaho County Commissioner, City Councilman, and Grangeville Mayor. He also was a great supporter of school sports.

The spirited Lydia Eimers Marshall (top center) born in 1884, left her Albion, Illinois home in 1929. She first worked for a probate judge before taking a position in the Idaho County Treasurer’s office. In 1946, she was elected Idaho County Treasurer, on office she held until 1954. She died in 1980.
Fashionable Helen Eimers Soltman (middle right, shown on the left) (1891-1986) worked at the bank and the courthouse before starting her own business in ladies’ apparel. She was active in fundraising for the local hospital.
Elsie Eimers Bunting (middle right, shown on the right) (1882-1948). Elsie and her husband, Louis, drove a Reo touring car from Albion, Illinois to the Camas Prairie in 1919. They bought a home on “China Hill” near what is now Grangeville's Pioneer Park. They could see both the prairie and the mountains - a great change from the Midwest they had left behind. Elsie was active in civic and social clubs.

Erected by Northwest Passage Scenic Byway and All-American

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 25, 2019

2. The Eimers Legacy Marker

Road.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 45° 55.935′ N, 116° 7.913′ W. Marker is in Grangeville, Idaho, in Idaho County. Marker is on Pine Street near U.S. 95, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 258 Pine Street, Grangeville ID 83530, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Tolo, Alab-lemot (a few steps from this marker); The Camas Connection (a few steps from this marker); Home on the Grange (a few steps from this marker); Gold Pans and Whipsaws (a few steps from this marker); The Camas Prairie Mammoth (a few steps from this marker); A Mammoth Discovery (a few steps from this marker); The ADVANCE Steam Traction Engine (approx. 0.6 miles away); Mount Idaho (approx. 3.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grangeville.

More about this marker. This marker is located in Eimers Park.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 18, 2019. It was originally submitted on October 18, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 333 times since then and 59 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 18, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.