The US GenWeb Archives provide genealogical and historical data to the general public without fee or charge of any kind. It is intended that this material not be used in a commercial manner. From History of North Washington, published 1903, now in public domain. Submitted by Candy L. Grubb April 30, 1997. Both above notices must remain when copied or downloaded. candyg@ieway.com _____________________________________________________________________________ MOSES C. PELTIER Moses C. Peltier is to be mentioned as one of the leading men of western Stevens county. He pioneered this country in the eighties and located where Fruitland now is, with very limited means. He erected a log cabin on his homestead and went to selling merchandise from a wagon in this and adjoining sections. His stock consisted of fifty dollars worth of goods and from that day to the present, Mr. Peltier has been a leader in business lines. Soon he succeeded in placing a small stock of goods on his farm, secured the postoffice and names it Fruitland, and opened in business. He always used the best of wisdom to select the stock needed for the trade and as the country settled up, Mr. Peltier increased his goods and today he has fine large stock of all kinds of general merchandise and farm implements and owns a commodious store, good residence, feed barn, blacksmith and carpenter shops, besides various warehouses, all large and well stored with goods and machinery. Mr. Peltier has always labored faithfully for the upbuilding of this country and has done a grand work in bringing the place to the front. He also does a good hotel business and has a good feed barn. Mr. Peltier supplies much of the produce needed in these enterprises from his own farm and handles much from the surrounding country. Referring more to the personal detail of his career we note that Moses C. Peltier was born in St. Roch, Canada, on September 26, 1833, the son of Isaac and Aurelia (Rochelau) Peltier, natives of the same place. They are of French extraction and the father was a shoemaker. Our subject was favored with an excellent education and then worked in a store. In 1854 he came to the United States and until 1860 was in Fairbault, Minnesota. There, on June 26, 1859, he married Miss Marguerite C., daughter of Simon and Theotise (Mauge) Larose. The mother died in Quebec and this daughter came to the United States with her father and dwelt in Fairbault. She was born at Varennes on the St. Lawrence in the province of Quebec, on April 10, 1841. In 1860, Mr. Peltier was assistant postmaster under state senator George H. Skinner, and that year he started with his young bride to the coast. At Omaha they fell in with other emigrants and together they travelled to Placerville. For a time Mr. Peltier mined and then went to Nevada where he remained until 1884. Then came a journey to Pendleton, later another to Spokane, and in 1886 he settled on his present place. Since then we have outlined his career, but it remains to be said that in all this time Mr. Peltier has so conducted himself that he has won the confidence and esteem of all. This worthy couple have no children but have raised three orphans, the children of Elvi N. Peltier, and named as follows: Mrs. Regina Pijeon, in Humboldt county, California; Mrs. Louisa A. McRea, whose husband is a physician in Fruitland; Wilfred J, a farmer near Fruitland. By way of reminiscence, it is interesting to note that Mr. Peltier paid four hundred dollars per thousand for lumber and fifty dollars per sack for flour in Nevada. He has made several fortunes but lost heavily in different ventures and is now handling a large and lucrative business.