The Leader mentioned a building boom of sorts in the fall of 1955. New homes under construction included one for Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Plummer on their ranch east of Council and another for Mrs. and Mrs. Bert Hoffman in the west part of town. Mr. and Mrs. Russell Evans and Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Cloward were building “north of the drug store corner.” A “new home and motel units were completed at the Wayside by Mrs. and Mrs. Harry Ludwig some time ago.” Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Winkler were settling into a new home just “completed next door to the home they recently sold to Mr. and Mrs. Bert Rogers.” Bert and Shirley Rogers lived in the house mentioned (the second house south of the SW corner of Fairfield and Whiteley) until Bert died in 1995. It still looks a lot like it did back then.
In the November 1958 election, Charlie Winkler was reelected as Adams County’s Representative in the Idaho Legislature. In the same election, Charles Burkholder defeated Frank Yantis for Adams County Sheriff; Bailey Armacost won 3rd Dist. Commissioner, over Sylvester Farrel. In the First Dist. Commissioner race, Wm. L. (Roy) Boehm won over Robert Whiteman.
In May of 1962 George A. Winkler, son of Lewis Winkler, died at the age of 53. The Leader printed his obituary, saying he was born in 1909, married Ruth Wines in 1929 and for the past 30 years had been employed by the Utah Oil Refining Co. He was survived by one son, Neal, and grandson Mark G. Winkler; two brothers, Elmer of Whitebird and Robert of Hanford, CA; one sister, Mildred Frey of Fresno, CA. He served 8 years as Council mayor. Mildred visited here in the 1990s and I drove her around town and videotaped her while she told stories about her childhood.
In the 1964 election, Charlie Winkler finally lost his House seat to Dr. John Edwards. Lyndon Johnson was elected president, and Fred Glenn defeated Rollie Campbell in the race for the county’s Senate seat.
In April 1965 the Leader announced: “Ralph Bass of the Council Merit Store and Carl Shaver of Boise announce the sale of the former Idaho Department Store building to Eddie Ludwig, owner of the Wayside Grocery.” This was the building that still stands in Council and that the Ludwig family operated at the Council Valley Market for many years. It was also in 1965 that Carl Shaver bought the Merit Store and it became “Shavers.”
The same issue of the Leader reported that Mary Anderson died at the age of 75. She was the daughter of George M. Winkle and wife of Aaron Anderson. She was survived by a son, George Anderson of Idaho Falls; three brothers, Charles Winkler of Council, Henry Winkler of Pollock, George A. Winkler of Boise.
Adams County Leader, November 16, 1967: Died: Henry Winkler, 65, of Pollock. He was born in 1902 in Council, served in World War II and had worked for the Forest Service for many years. He had also been employed as a butcher in the Council area. Survivors include two brothers, Charles of Council and George of Walnut Creek, California.
In 1970 Charlie Winkler ran against incumbent Dr. John Edwards in an effort to regain the House seat, but lost 667 to 523.
In the spring of 1972 Ruth Winkler retired as City Clerk and was replaced by Diane Burgess. That same year, Charlie Winkler donated the “Curio Collection” he had inherited from his Uncle Bill Winkler to the City of Council.
Adams County Leader, August 3, 1972– Died: Nellie K. Winkler, 76, longtime resident of Council. She married Ernest W. (Si) Winkler in 1917 and the couple operated a general merchandise store in Council for 42 years. Survivors include two daughters, one of which is Mrs. Ralph (Frances) Bass of Council; four sisters and one brother.
Adams County Leader, June 20, 1974 – “Mr. and Mrs. Donald Wright have purchased the former drugstore building from Mr. and Mrs. Charles Winkler where Jenkins TV and appliance is located. The Wrights plan to have a pet, gift and hobby shop, ‘Happiness Is,’ in the front part of the building.” They plan a floral shop in part of the building. This, is the brick building still standing on the NW corner of Illinois and Galena. It has contained a lot of different businesses since then!
Charlie Winkler died in 1978 at the age of 80. Esther later married Carl Carlton. He died in 1995, and Esther died in 1997. She is buried in Iowa.
Frances Winkler Bass died in 1987. She had a headache that turned out to be the precursor to a stroke. She was flown to a hospital in Boise where she died. Ralph stayed in Council for a time, but eventually moved in with his son at New Meadows. He died there in 1990 at the age of 72. Ralph Jr. died in 2015 at the age of 77.
That concludes my very incomplete accounting of the Winkler family. Their stories are very much entwined with our history.
100 years ago
February 29, 1924
“Last Saturday a meeting of the trustees of a number of nearby districts met at the Cambridge school to discuss the advisability of enlarging the present Rural High School District No. 1 to include the other districts for high school purposes.”
“A big new 31-passenger gasoline railroad car was contracted for this week by the Pacific & Idaho Northern to be put into service between Weiser and New Meadows about April 15. The contract was given to a California concern and calls for a car completed in all its appointments, including baggage space, heating equipment, and toilet room. The car is 36 feet long with a six cylinder power plant of 80 hp. It will be finished with the upholstery, and the whole construction follows the lines of comfort and safety. This big passenger car will take the place of the converted auto stage which was tried out last summer and which proved popular with the traveling public. With the highway north from New Meadows in good shape a new auto stage schedule from North Idaho will be put on in the spring which will eliminate overnight stop at Riggins and will connect with the P. & I. N. at New Meadows in such a way as to give very good service between North and South Idaho and points east and west from Weiser.”
“The Mesa Orchestra will play at the leap year dance, Friday, February 29.”
High school boy Warren Brown finished fourth in the 15-mile McCall dog derby – the closing event in the two-day carnival. “C. Parks, Albert Campbell and Dell Davis all lost their horses in the horse and man ski event.” “In the jumping of high school boys Irvin Hoff went 39 feet, with Homer Park finishing second, leaping 24’ 10”.” The youngest jumper was six-year-old Lloyd Johnson. “Although almost a baby, young Johnson startled the crowd when he leaped over the jump and qualified.”
Died: Fred W. Lough, who lived near Cambridge for about the past 10 years. Burial in the Cambridge Cemetery.
W. H. Echols, pioneer merchant of Cambridge, purchased the Hager Hardware stock last week.
Died: Mrs. L. A. Thompson of Indian Valley.
75 years ago
March 3, 1949
“Midvale: an ice jam in the Weiser River above Midvale at the Adolph Gaertner ranch resulted in the evacuation of Russell Davis and family last Thursday. There is one-half mile of solid ice below the jam. The jam itself is a mile long.”
Died: John Kisling, of Midvale. He first came to Midvale in 1912, then returned to Iowa after which he returned to Midvale in 1936 to live with his sister, Phoebe Shaw. Burial in the Hillcrest Cemetery.
A girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. Roy Blakely on February 26 at the Weiser hospital.
A son was born February 22 to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Smith at the Weiser hospital.
Midvale – “Alma Merk of Council visited her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Russell Merk last week.”
49 years ago
February 27, 1975
The Midvale Rangers will go to the a 4-A State Basketball Tournament for the eighth time in nine years.
Don Ward is purchasing the Cambridge metalworks building and business from his father, H. C. Ward. The senior Ward established the business in the old Farmers Co-Op Creamery after E. D. Ferris operated a garage there. Ward enlarged the building.
Died: R. W. “Bill” Kinney, formerly of Cambridge.
Died: Claud Emery, 80, of Pollock. He was born in 1894 at Wildhorse near Council. He married Anna Hopper in 1920 at Midvale and they farmed at Wildhorse. She died in 1948, and he retired from farming in 1959 and moved to Pollock. He is survived by seven sons – Arnold of Council, Jim of Emmett, George of Virginia, Joe of Boise, Jerry with the Army in Germany, Harry of New Meadows and Alvin of Riggins. He is also survived by three daughters – Mrs. Herbert Hibbard of New Meadows, Mrs. Wilmer Miller of Payette and Mrs. Hubert Ward of Cambridge.
A son named Dustin Lee was born to Mr. and Mrs. Daryl Potter February 24 at the Weiser hospital.
25 years ago
March 4, 1999
Died: David M. Yoder, 77 of Payette.
Died: Elmer H. Cutler, 87 of Payette and Boise.
Died: John H. Brandt, 94 of Nampa.
