2022 The 101st Pioneer Picnic
Valley County’s Oldest Event was wonderful. It was held at Historic Roseberry in the barn. The guest of honor was Will Kerby.
The Kerby family catching up at Historic Roseberry.
Sherry Scheline and Tashia Kerby
Cliff Scheline and Cason Sisneros help with clean up. We always need additional volunteers at the picnic. Contact Sherry Scheline at [email protected] to find out how to help.
Tana and Kyle Kerby with their grandson Wilson.
Present at the Pioneer Picnic from the Kerby family:
Kyle and Tana Kerby
Tashia
Wilson great-grandson
4 generations
Several nieces, cousins
Dave and Kay Coski
PLEASE NOTE the following notes were taken by a 14 year old. Please honor his attempt at recording history.
Will’s Talk (Notes by Cason Sisneros Age 14)
Edmund and Marion Kerby 1921 (the year they were married)
2 great grand mothers, One from Ireland, Caroline Jarvis. She had five kids: Jone Jarvis , 1st that came to the long valley, had one arm, built a cabin , made Caroline come with Sarah
Stan Jarvis / Flores / Jerry d Jarvis/ Sarah, came to long valley with Caroline, married a cow guy.
Had four sisters, Buried at sal cemetery
One of Will’s sisters was mother of the year.
There are 12-14 homesteads connected to Kerby family in Long Valley.
Frank Kerby homesteaded in Long Valley just south of Cascade , Idaho (By the Alpha Grange). Will’s father was born in Long Valley 1898. In 1928 Will was born. (Miss Sherry, the Librarian, says he is the OLDEST Valley County resident, that has lived here his whole life.
Boise Payette company started in Minnesota. John Morgan (Will’s Grandpa) worked in logging in Nova Scotia, Canada from thereto Minnesota where he was a master mechanic for Weyerhaeuser and from Minnesota to Cascade, Idaho still with Weyerhaeuser after there a short time, Boise Payette lumber company took over the Weyerhaeuser operation at Cascade.
Weyerhaeuser group started it. History :: Weyerhaeuser
Grandfather moved to where house lumber company. Two company’s joint together called Boise Payette company. Lumber pine company started to close wanted to move to Cascade.
Will’s Grandfather (John Morgan) retired in 1941 and the Company contacted Jack Morgan and asked him to take his Dad’s place which he did. In 1946 Jack purchased The logging division at New Meadows from Boise Payette Lumber company and named it J.I. Morgan, Inc.
Grandfather was a master mechanic. In charge of locomotives. Moved Cabarton and Mcgreger in 14 days
14 houses
1940 moved to New Meadows
Gave plans for New Meadows
After Will graduated from Cascade High School he worked summers on the ranch. Will attended the University of Idaho for two years. In between school years he worked summers for his Uncle, J.I. (Jack) Morgan. When the Korean conflict came along he spent two years in the army. During a time when he was home on leave, he married his wife Myrna who was from a California logging family. Will and Myrna raised 4 children.
Will always believed he would be a rancher like his father, but his Uncle Jack persuaded him to move permanently to Meadows Valley and work for the J.I. Morgan Logging Company. He started as a choker setter and never returned to ranching.
With the advent of the logging truck in the 40’s, J.I. Morgan did not have to relocate his young logging company. The trucks made transportation of timber less reliant on the rails.
The quiet philanthropic J.I. Morgan Logging Inc. tradition, that started with Jack Morgan, continued on with Will Kerby and then Will’s son Kyle.
Morgan company closed last year spring{2021}
Mother
Mother of the year in Idaho. Once got stopped going to Cascade. Told police “you have no business pulling me over its mother day and I’m late for church.” He let her go and escorted her to church.
During driving test said “I’ve been driving for 50 years if there are no cars coming why should I stop.”
Questions answered
}Why did Old Meadows become New Meadows.}
Called old meadows because it was were it started but the railroad missed it so they switched it so they moved.
Graduated 1947
[Grandpa and gma’s influence on the bank.]
Grandpa Kirby was trying to call it valley county and not Boise county, was in state legislator, and was a lawyer
{When did he take over the mill}
Took over the mill from his uncle 1970ish
Uncle took over in 1906
Picked up steel for the railroad in 1947
Jackie was about 6,7
Had about 200-400 people working for then
About 180 in Idaho
Had about 40 trucks.
For more on Will Kerby check out Adams County History at HISTORIC P&IN DEPOT | Will Kerby (historicpindepot.com)