Payette County ID Archives Biographies.....Stegner, Eugene Arthur 1869 - 1953
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Cheryl Hanson ihansonb@fmtc.com January 19, 2006, 1:21 am

Author: Hiram T. French

History of Idaho
By Hiram T. French, M.S.
The Lewis Publishing Co
Chicago & New York 1914

EUGENE A. STEGNER

The first postmaster and the pioneer merchant of Fruitland, Idaho, and one of 
the most successful of its business men as well, is a Hoosier by nativity, but 
from early childhood was reared in the central West and grew up imbued with 
the western spirit of aggressiveness that grapples determinedly with fortune.  
This both by character and training he is well qualified to become a leader in 
the development of a new community. 

He was born at Sunman, Indiana, January 21, 1868, to Robert D. Stegner and 
Mary Anderson Stegner, both natives of Indiana and new residing near 
Fruitland, Idaho, where they took up their home in the spring of 1901.  They 
removed from their Indiana home to Minnesota in 1871, a few days before the 
great Chicago fire in October of that year, and there the elder Mr. Stegner 
very successfully followed farming and stock raising for about thirty years.

Eugene A., the only surviving child of four that came to these parents, grew 
up a farmer boy and attended school to the age of sixteen.  On attaining his 
majority he purchased a farm of 160 acres and rented another of like size, 
going in debt about $800 on his purchase, and then set out determinedly to win 
success.  He continued there successfully eleven years and then sold his farm 
interests, removing from thence to Fruitland, Idaho, where he purchased a farm 
of sixty acres near Fruitland from T. R. Hubbard.  After five years spent here 
in successful agricultural activity he then disposed of his farm and 
established his present mercantile business at Fruitland, where he was the 
first to engage in mercantile lines and built the first building place on the 
town site.  Besides the full stock of groceries, hardware, sporting goods, 
etc., which he carries he owns his store building, a comfortable home and 
other town realty in Fruitland.  From the beginning his business proved a 
prosperous venture and his annual business is now approximately $20,000.  He 
is also serving as the first postmaster of the village, to which office he was 
appointed in March, 1911.  In political views he is a Democrat but he does not 
actively participate in party work.  He is a member of the Fruitland 
Commercial Club, and fraternally is identified with the Royal Highlanders, in 
which order he has served as illustrious protector in the Fruitland lodge.  
This section of Idaho has no stauncher admirer than Mr. Stegner and he backs 
that admiration with the most cordial support of all measures that have its 
development for their aim.

In Big Stone county, Minnesota, at the home of his bride, he was joined in 
marriage in December, 1898, to Miss Jene C. Newell, daughter of Erastus 
Newell, and to their union have been born three children, named:  Myrtle, Carl 
and Opal.  Mr. and Mrs. Stegner are members of the Methodist Espicopal church. 

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/id/payette/bios/stegner36nbs.txt

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