Adams County Leader

Well Known Citizen Passes: A.C. Thorpe, Former County Commissioner and Well Beloved Citizen Laid to Rest

Universal sadness was occasioned in this community Saturday when word came the A.C. Thorpe had died at his home on Hornet Creek.

He had been failing in health since he suffered a partial paralytic stroke nearly two years ago. More recently he had failed rapidly so that his death was not unexpected.

A.C. Thorpe was one of the substantial citizens of the county. He was active in public affairs, a proponent of all that goes to make for civic betterment and moral uplift. His ideals were high and his efforts could always be counted as being on the moral side of problems that might arise.

He was widely known, having served as county commissioner and he was active as a member of the stockmen's association and on the Federal Farm Loan Board.

Obituary

Arthur Clayton Thorpe was born in Western Iowa [Ohio], January 1, 1861. His parents, of Scotch origin, and with the true instinct of hardy pioneers, determined like many others of that day, to reach the "land of Golden Promise" California before Arthur had attained the age of 7.

They joined the great trek westward by ox-team, arriving at San Francisco late in '68. [1874.] Here, near the Golden Gate, along the shores of San Francisco Bay, Arthur grew to manhood. He worked at various trades - stone cutter, carpenter, as handyman on fishing boats, occasionally in positions in architectural planning and designing.

At the age of 27 he left San Francisco and journeyed north to Oregon and Washington, engaging in a variety of enterprises - mining and prospecting for a new discovery of gold in British Columbia, a store keeper and owner of property in a small logging town on the Columbia river. Early in 1888 he met Gennette May in Dayton, Washington and they were married June 5, 1888.

After marriage he took to the more settled occupation of agriculture and stock raising and for the following fifteen years he was a farmer in Stevens County, Washington. In 1907 he came to Idaho, locating on Little Camas Prairie where he followed stock raising. He moved to Council and resided there to the time of his death, Saturday, April 25, 1931. [According to another article, the family moved to Council, Idaho in 1918 and resided on Hornet Creek.]

His wife preceded him to the beyond January 18, 1922. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Thorpe: Earl of Long Beach, Cal.; Mrs. W.S. McCarter [Mattie], Fairfield, Idaho; Raymond of Pocatello, Idaho; Arthur of Council, and Mrs. Frank Newcomb [Mary] of Berkeley, Cal.

His mother is still living at Oakland, Cal. Two sisters and three brothers of the same state survive him.