Florence E. (Holbrook) Fenn was laid to rest beside her husband Major Frank A. Fenn in Kooskia’s Pine Grove Cemetery on December 18, 2012. Her remains have been on a shelf in the Walla Walla, WA, coroner’s office, unclaimed since her death in 1956.
Some of you may recall a news article last year about unclaimed cremains at the Oregon State Hospital. In September of this year, there was a similar article in the Union-Bulletin from Walla Walla about the unclaimed cremains of over 300 people at the Walla Walla coroner’s office.
The article sparked the interest of Ryan Moore of Oregon. He has always had an interest in repatriating unclaimed remains for proper burial. He started researching relatives of the deceased. Approximately 65% have had relatives contacted, but sadly, a very small percentage have been claimed. The list included Florence Fenn.
Mr. Moore began researching Mrs. Fenn. He contacted the Idaho State Historical Society who did not seem interested but gave him a contact at the U of I Archives in Moscow. They, in turn, contacted the USFS and one morning the chain of emails landed in my inbox.
Given my love for the history and genealogy of Idaho County, I felt that I needed to get Florence back home where she belonged. After all, the Fenn family is an important part of our county's history.
I did an internet search to try and locate a relative of the late Mrs. Fenn. I finally received a response saying a family member would be claiming her remains. The following day I received another email from them stating that they would rather I took care of it instead. I sent other emails asking their name and address so that I could let them know when she was laid to rest, but have never received any response.
I wondered why no one had claimed her so many years ago. In my research, I found that at the time of her death she had been living with her daughter, Allene Florence (Fenn) Quist in Washington State.
Doing more research, it was brought to my attention that Mrs. Fenn’s son-in-law, Fredrick Quist, had passed away the previous year and his cremains were also there, unclaimed. Perhaps her daughter could not handle the loss of both her husband and mother so close together. We may never know. . . Someone has since claimed the remains of Mr. Quist. Mr. Quist was a very prominent citizen of the Kooskia area.
Even though I am not a relative I felt that Florence needed to be with her husband so I contacted Richard Greenwood, Walla Walla Coroner, and asked if he would forward her to me. He was very pleased that she would finally have a resting place. A short time later a package arrived at my door, it was Florence! She has a beautiful brass urn, in the shape of a book.
On a cold, windy afternoon several of us gathered and with the assistance of Keith Fludstad of the Pine Grove Cemetery, she is now resting alongside her husband.
The following history of the Fenn family was taken in part from “Major Fenn’s Country”, a history of the lower Lochsa, the lower Selway, the upper Middlefork of the Clearwater, and surrounding lands, by Neal Parsell. Also from “The Fenn Family Experience”, by Reece Spicer, and other sources.
The story of the Fenn Family in Idaho cannot be told by just a few paragraphs in the history section on the back page of the local newspaper. In reality, it would take a book to do justice to the many things that the members of this family have accomplished since arriving in Idaho.
Steven Fenn, the great grandfather of Frank A. Fenn, was born in 1769 in Waterford, Connecticut. Stephen grew up in Connecticut and at the age of 25, he married Miss Philomila Southmayd. Their son, George, married Miss Sarah Givens.
George and Sarah’s firstborn was Stephen Southmayd Fenn, a man whose pioneer spirit and an outlook toward the future began the Fenn family’s Idaho adventure.
Steven Fenn was born in Watertown, Connecticut, on March 28, 1820. He was the son of George and Sarah (Givins) Fenn and the grandson of Stephen and Philomila (Southmayd) Fenn, natives of Connecticut. He spent much of his younger days in Lockport, New York, and at twenty years of age he went to Dubuque, Iowa, and then on June 14, 1848, he married Miss Rhoda Gilman. After hearing of the gold strike in California, Stephen crossed the plains to that country, settling on the Yuba River and taking up mining and general merchandising. His family joined him in 1852.
In 1862 the Fenns moved to the Salmon River mines and to the town of Florence. This area was part of the Washington Territory and later became Idaho Territory. In 1867 they moved to Lewiston and remained there until 1872. President Johnson appointed Stephen as the first register of the land office in Lewiston. Mr. Fenn was the prosecuting Attorney for two terms, represented Idaho County in the legislature five sessions, and was a delegate to Congress from the territory, serving from 1874 to 1878.
Stephen became quite senile in his later years and was placed in the asylum for the insane in Blackfoot, Idaho. He died there at age seventy-two on December 8, 1892. Children of Stephen and Rhoda Fenn are Frank A. whose story is next, George G., Walter A., Stephen S., Jr., and Nettie M., who was married to a Mr. Hansen.
From Find A Grave Contributor Kerry (48011981).∼Daughter of Russell Holbrook and Margaret Keziok
(Source: Washington, Death Records, 1883-1960)
Some of you may recall a news article last year about unclaimed cremains at the Oregon State Hospital. In September of this year, there was a similar article in the Union-Bulletin from Walla Walla about the unclaimed cremains of over 300 people at the Walla Walla coroner’s office.
The article sparked the interest of Ryan Moore of Oregon. He has always had an interest in repatriating unclaimed remains for proper burial. He started researching relatives of the deceased. Approximately 65% have had relatives contacted, but sadly, a very small percentage have been claimed. The list included Florence Fenn.
Mr. Moore began researching Mrs. Fenn. He contacted the Idaho State Historical Society who did not seem interested but gave him a contact at the U of I Archives in Moscow. They, in turn, contacted the USFS and one morning the chain of emails landed in my inbox.
Given my love for the history and genealogy of Idaho County, I felt that I needed to get Florence back home where she belonged. After all, the Fenn family is an important part of our county's history.
I did an internet search to try and locate a relative of the late Mrs. Fenn. I finally received a response saying a family member would be claiming her remains. The following day I received another email from them stating that they would rather I took care of it instead. I sent other emails asking their name and address so that I could let them know when she was laid to rest, but have never received any response.
I wondered why no one had claimed her so many years ago. In my research, I found that at the time of her death she had been living with her daughter, Allene Florence (Fenn) Quist in Washington State.
Doing more research, it was brought to my attention that Mrs. Fenn’s son-in-law, Fredrick Quist, had passed away the previous year and his cremains were also there, unclaimed. Perhaps her daughter could not handle the loss of both her husband and mother so close together. We may never know. . . Someone has since claimed the remains of Mr. Quist. Mr. Quist was a very prominent citizen of the Kooskia area.
Even though I am not a relative I felt that Florence needed to be with her husband so I contacted Richard Greenwood, Walla Walla Coroner, and asked if he would forward her to me. He was very pleased that she would finally have a resting place. A short time later a package arrived at my door, it was Florence! She has a beautiful brass urn, in the shape of a book.
On a cold, windy afternoon several of us gathered and with the assistance of Keith Fludstad of the Pine Grove Cemetery, she is now resting alongside her husband.
The following history of the Fenn family was taken in part from “Major Fenn’s Country”, a history of the lower Lochsa, the lower Selway, the upper Middlefork of the Clearwater, and surrounding lands, by Neal Parsell. Also from “The Fenn Family Experience”, by Reece Spicer, and other sources.
The story of the Fenn Family in Idaho cannot be told by just a few paragraphs in the history section on the back page of the local newspaper. In reality, it would take a book to do justice to the many things that the members of this family have accomplished since arriving in Idaho.
Steven Fenn, the great grandfather of Frank A. Fenn, was born in 1769 in Waterford, Connecticut. Stephen grew up in Connecticut and at the age of 25, he married Miss Philomila Southmayd. Their son, George, married Miss Sarah Givens.
George and Sarah’s firstborn was Stephen Southmayd Fenn, a man whose pioneer spirit and an outlook toward the future began the Fenn family’s Idaho adventure.
Steven Fenn was born in Watertown, Connecticut, on March 28, 1820. He was the son of George and Sarah (Givins) Fenn and the grandson of Stephen and Philomila (Southmayd) Fenn, natives of Connecticut. He spent much of his younger days in Lockport, New York, and at twenty years of age he went to Dubuque, Iowa, and then on June 14, 1848, he married Miss Rhoda Gilman. After hearing of the gold strike in California, Stephen crossed the plains to that country, settling on the Yuba River and taking up mining and general merchandising. His family joined him in 1852.
In 1862 the Fenns moved to the Salmon River mines and to the town of Florence. This area was part of the Washington Territory and later became Idaho Territory. In 1867 they moved to Lewiston and remained there until 1872. President Johnson appointed Stephen as the first register of the land office in Lewiston. Mr. Fenn was the prosecuting Attorney for two terms, represented Idaho County in the legislature five sessions, and was a delegate to Congress from the territory, serving from 1874 to 1878.
Stephen became quite senile in his later years and was placed in the asylum for the insane in Blackfoot, Idaho. He died there at age seventy-two on December 8, 1892. Children of Stephen and Rhoda Fenn are Frank A. whose story is next, George G., Walter A., Stephen S., Jr., and Nettie M., who was married to a Mr. Hansen.
From Find A Grave Contributor Kerry (48011981).∼Daughter of Russell Holbrook and Margaret Keziok
(Source: Washington, Death Records, 1883-1960)
Florence E. (Holbrook) Fenn was laid to rest beside her husband Major Frank A. Fenn in Kooskia’s Pine Grove Cemetery on December 18, 2012. Her remains have been on a shelf in the Walla Walla, WA, coroner’s office, unclaimed since her death in 1956.
Some of you may recall a news article last year about unclaimed cremains at the Oregon State Hospital. In September of this year, there was a similar article in the Union-Bulletin from Walla Walla about the unclaimed cremains of over 300 people at the Walla Walla coroner’s office.
The article sparked the interest of Ryan Moore of Oregon. He has always had an interest in repatriating unclaimed remains for proper burial. He started researching relatives of the deceased. Approximately 65% have had relatives contacted, but sadly, a very small percentage have been claimed. The list included Florence Fenn.
Mr. Moore began researching Mrs. Fenn. He contacted the Idaho State Historical Society who did not seem interested but gave him a contact at the U of I Archives in Moscow. They, in turn, contacted the USFS and one morning the chain of emails landed in my inbox.
Given my love for the history and genealogy of Idaho County, I felt that I needed to get Florence back home where she belonged. After all, the Fenn family is an important part of our county's history.
I did an internet search to try and locate a relative of the late Mrs. Fenn. I finally received a response saying a family member would be claiming her remains. The following day I received another email from them stating that they would rather I took care of it instead. I sent other emails asking their name and address so that I could let them know when she was laid to rest, but have never received any response.
I wondered why no one had claimed her so many years ago. In my research, I found that at the time of her death she had been living with her daughter, Allene Florence (Fenn) Quist in Washington State.
Doing more research, it was brought to my attention that Mrs. Fenn’s son-in-law, Fredrick Quist, had passed away the previous year and his cremains were also there, unclaimed. Perhaps her daughter could not handle the loss of both her husband and mother so close together. We may never know. . . Someone has since claimed the remains of Mr. Quist. Mr. Quist was a very prominent citizen of the Kooskia area.
Even though I am not a relative I felt that Florence needed to be with her husband so I contacted Richard Greenwood, Walla Walla Coroner, and asked if he would forward her to me. He was very pleased that she would finally have a resting place. A short time later a package arrived at my door, it was Florence! She has a beautiful brass urn, in the shape of a book.
On a cold, windy afternoon several of us gathered and with the assistance of Keith Fludstad of the Pine Grove Cemetery, she is now resting alongside her husband.
The following history of the Fenn family was taken in part from “Major Fenn’s Country”, a history of the lower Lochsa, the lower Selway, the upper Middlefork of the Clearwater, and surrounding lands, by Neal Parsell. Also from “The Fenn Family Experience”, by Reece Spicer, and other sources.
The story of the Fenn Family in Idaho cannot be told by just a few paragraphs in the history section on the back page of the local newspaper. In reality, it would take a book to do justice to the many things that the members of this family have accomplished since arriving in Idaho.
Steven Fenn, the great grandfather of Frank A. Fenn, was born in 1769 in Waterford, Connecticut. Stephen grew up in Connecticut and at the age of 25, he married Miss Philomila Southmayd. Their son, George, married Miss Sarah Givens.
George and Sarah’s firstborn was Stephen Southmayd Fenn, a man whose pioneer spirit and an outlook toward the future began the Fenn family’s Idaho adventure.
Steven Fenn was born in Watertown, Connecticut, on March 28, 1820. He was the son of George and Sarah (Givins) Fenn and the grandson of Stephen and Philomila (Southmayd) Fenn, natives of Connecticut. He spent much of his younger days in Lockport, New York, and at twenty years of age he went to Dubuque, Iowa, and then on June 14, 1848, he married Miss Rhoda Gilman. After hearing of the gold strike in California, Stephen crossed the plains to that country, settling on the Yuba River and taking up mining and general merchandising. His family joined him in 1852.
In 1862 the Fenns moved to the Salmon River mines and to the town of Florence. This area was part of the Washington Territory and later became Idaho Territory. In 1867 they moved to Lewiston and remained there until 1872. President Johnson appointed Stephen as the first register of the land office in Lewiston. Mr. Fenn was the prosecuting Attorney for two terms, represented Idaho County in the legislature five sessions, and was a delegate to Congress from the territory, serving from 1874 to 1878.
Stephen became quite senile in his later years and was placed in the asylum for the insane in Blackfoot, Idaho. He died there at age seventy-two on December 8, 1892. Children of Stephen and Rhoda Fenn are Frank A. whose story is next, George G., Walter A., Stephen S., Jr., and Nettie M., who was married to a Mr. Hansen.
From Find A Grave Contributor Kerry (48011981).∼Daughter of Russell Holbrook and Margaret Keziok
(Source: Washington, Death Records, 1883-1960)
Some of you may recall a news article last year about unclaimed cremains at the Oregon State Hospital. In September of this year, there was a similar article in the Union-Bulletin from Walla Walla about the unclaimed cremains of over 300 people at the Walla Walla coroner’s office.
The article sparked the interest of Ryan Moore of Oregon. He has always had an interest in repatriating unclaimed remains for proper burial. He started researching relatives of the deceased. Approximately 65% have had relatives contacted, but sadly, a very small percentage have been claimed. The list included Florence Fenn.
Mr. Moore began researching Mrs. Fenn. He contacted the Idaho State Historical Society who did not seem interested but gave him a contact at the U of I Archives in Moscow. They, in turn, contacted the USFS and one morning the chain of emails landed in my inbox.
Given my love for the history and genealogy of Idaho County, I felt that I needed to get Florence back home where she belonged. After all, the Fenn family is an important part of our county's history.
I did an internet search to try and locate a relative of the late Mrs. Fenn. I finally received a response saying a family member would be claiming her remains. The following day I received another email from them stating that they would rather I took care of it instead. I sent other emails asking their name and address so that I could let them know when she was laid to rest, but have never received any response.
I wondered why no one had claimed her so many years ago. In my research, I found that at the time of her death she had been living with her daughter, Allene Florence (Fenn) Quist in Washington State.
Doing more research, it was brought to my attention that Mrs. Fenn’s son-in-law, Fredrick Quist, had passed away the previous year and his cremains were also there, unclaimed. Perhaps her daughter could not handle the loss of both her husband and mother so close together. We may never know. . . Someone has since claimed the remains of Mr. Quist. Mr. Quist was a very prominent citizen of the Kooskia area.
Even though I am not a relative I felt that Florence needed to be with her husband so I contacted Richard Greenwood, Walla Walla Coroner, and asked if he would forward her to me. He was very pleased that she would finally have a resting place. A short time later a package arrived at my door, it was Florence! She has a beautiful brass urn, in the shape of a book.
On a cold, windy afternoon several of us gathered and with the assistance of Keith Fludstad of the Pine Grove Cemetery, she is now resting alongside her husband.
The following history of the Fenn family was taken in part from “Major Fenn’s Country”, a history of the lower Lochsa, the lower Selway, the upper Middlefork of the Clearwater, and surrounding lands, by Neal Parsell. Also from “The Fenn Family Experience”, by Reece Spicer, and other sources.
The story of the Fenn Family in Idaho cannot be told by just a few paragraphs in the history section on the back page of the local newspaper. In reality, it would take a book to do justice to the many things that the members of this family have accomplished since arriving in Idaho.
Steven Fenn, the great grandfather of Frank A. Fenn, was born in 1769 in Waterford, Connecticut. Stephen grew up in Connecticut and at the age of 25, he married Miss Philomila Southmayd. Their son, George, married Miss Sarah Givens.
George and Sarah’s firstborn was Stephen Southmayd Fenn, a man whose pioneer spirit and an outlook toward the future began the Fenn family’s Idaho adventure.
Steven Fenn was born in Watertown, Connecticut, on March 28, 1820. He was the son of George and Sarah (Givins) Fenn and the grandson of Stephen and Philomila (Southmayd) Fenn, natives of Connecticut. He spent much of his younger days in Lockport, New York, and at twenty years of age he went to Dubuque, Iowa, and then on June 14, 1848, he married Miss Rhoda Gilman. After hearing of the gold strike in California, Stephen crossed the plains to that country, settling on the Yuba River and taking up mining and general merchandising. His family joined him in 1852.
In 1862 the Fenns moved to the Salmon River mines and to the town of Florence. This area was part of the Washington Territory and later became Idaho Territory. In 1867 they moved to Lewiston and remained there until 1872. President Johnson appointed Stephen as the first register of the land office in Lewiston. Mr. Fenn was the prosecuting Attorney for two terms, represented Idaho County in the legislature five sessions, and was a delegate to Congress from the territory, serving from 1874 to 1878.
Stephen became quite senile in his later years and was placed in the asylum for the insane in Blackfoot, Idaho. He died there at age seventy-two on December 8, 1892. Children of Stephen and Rhoda Fenn are Frank A. whose story is next, George G., Walter A., Stephen S., Jr., and Nettie M., who was married to a Mr. Hansen.
From Find A Grave Contributor Kerry (48011981).∼Daughter of Russell Holbrook and Margaret Keziok
(Source: Washington, Death Records, 1883-1960)
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