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A trip through history at the Porthill Cemetery |
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October 14, 2016 |
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By Dottie Gray
Perched on a hill above what was once called
Ockonook (“a grassy hillside with rocks”) at the
very top of Boundary County lies a small
cemetery with an incredible history dating back
to 1898.
Familiar historical names such as Klockmann,
Sloop, McLoughlin, Baker, and King can be found
in this, the Porthill Cemetery, along with many
many others.
On Saturday, September 24, The Boundary County
Historical Society and Museum under the
direction of Sue Kemmis, Curator, Howard Kent,
Historian, and Terry Howe, Field Researcher,
gathered with 61 others for the annual Museum
Cemetery Tour.
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| Photo by Sue
Kemmis |
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The Houck
farm house |
Sue had done her homework weeks in advance,
mapping the route and researching the families
that told her story. Family histories,
engravings and symbols on stones kept the group
engaged as her labyrinth unfolded. Howard,
Terry, and many attendees added additional
tidbits throughout the tour.
The history of the cemetery is a story in
itself. In 1901, the International Order of Odd
Fellows opened Boundary Lodge #63 at Porthill.
Land for the lodge was owned by Zachariah
Montgomery, who sold the piece of property to
the lodge in 1906.
John Jacob Stitch acquired a portion of the
homestead belonging to John and Louisa Sloop in
’07, selling one acre to Boundary Lodge #63,
IOOF in ’08. This acre became the IOOF Cemetery.
Later on, J.J.Stitch sold one-half acre to the
Roman Catholic Church so the cemetery would have
a Catholic section, which enlarged the cemetery
to one and one-half acres. Due to the IOOF Lodge
closure in 1972, the cemetery ownership was
transferred to the Porthill Community Cemetery
Association, which now operates and maintains
the grounds.
The oldest burial site, dating back to 1898,
belongs to Louisa Sloop. Albert and Martha
Klockmann are familiar names associated with the
Continental Mine and The Klockmann Diary. David
McLoughlin, also known as “Kiskayooka” by the
Kootenai people, and his wife, Annie Grizzly,
can be found not far away.
More recently, former Boundary County
Commissioner Chester Baker’s final resting place
is in this cemetery.
There are records of burials with no grave
markers: Katie Pries and Hugh English lie
somewhere on this piece of land.
The crowning event of the day was the arrival of
“the King”… Hartley King, that is.
Hartley arrived in Porthill with his family in
1904 and has just recently celebrated his 100th
birthday.
He participated in the two hour tour with
colorful antidotes about people and events that
were part of Porthill’s early days. Assisted by
his loving wife, Janice, Hartley traversed the
path crisscrossing the cemetery.
Following the tour, many continued on to the
Houck Farms, three miles south of Porthill in
District #6, to visit the Denton Black house,
built in 1901, which became the home of the
Houck family in 1924.
A history of the Houck family and the house
itself was shared by Jeff Hood, a great grandson
of S.I. and Gertrude Houck. A good time was had
by all!
The Museum appreciates the partnership with the
Porthill Community Cemetery Association for this
tour.
Members of the Association had a work party
prior to the tour, and were part of the tour
itself. A minimal donation was requested by the
Museum, which was split with the Association.
Thanks to all who joined in for a beautiful fall
day full of stories and a bit of “oral” history.
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