HomeMy Public PortalAboutGreenleaf, IdahoLone Iowa Farmer's Homestead
Grew Into Hamlet of Greenleaf
By MIRIAM BAR
The Idaho Statesm
THE IDAHO STATESMAN, Boise, Monday, January 26, 1976 cilities. A bond issue to pro-
GREENLEAF — The City of Green-
leaf and the Friends Church and Acad-
emy owe their start to William Brown,
the first settler in this vicinity under
the Homestead Act.
Brown, however, did not move to
Idaho to start a city, church, or school.
He came from Iowa in 1905 to farm on
the sagebrush land that had been
opened to homesteading by the govern-
ment. He claimed land about two miles
southeast of the Greenleaf townsite.
Boise Project ditches were being built
in the valley, but were not dug at
Greenleaf when Brown arrived.
As a promoter for the area and a
member of the Society of Friends,
Brown encouraged other members of
his church in Iowa to come. One by
one, families arrived and the commu-
nity grew. Most of the first families
were from Iowa and Nebraska.
The city has been incorporated since
June 8, 1973. In that short time, there
have been three mayors and changes
in the City Council.
Greenleaf incorporated so it could
apply for a federal grant for water and
__ _._ city s share of the project
costs was defeated when the total costs
were higher than property owners had
thought.
The church, school, grocery store,
meat processing piant and lockers,
Post Office and some houses are on a
private sewer line, and newer devel-
opments are using septic tanks with
approval of the Southwest District
Health Department.
Dean Douty, a contractor, took office
as mayor Jan. 8, with his brother, Del-
bert C. Douty, and Ray Mayfield as
new councilmen for four -year terms.
Olen Fountain, the only remaining
original councilman, and Gary Brown
are holdovers for two years. Mrs. Anna
Mills is city clerk.
The incorporating mayor, i.loyd R.
Puntenney, was postmaster of Green-
leaf for a number of years. He moved
to Fruitland two years ago and was
(Continued on Page 18, Col. 5)
Lone Iowa Farmer's Homestead
Grew Into Hamlet of Greenleaf
(Continued from Page 17)
succeeded as mayor by Derrol L. Hock -
ett, one of the initial city councilmen.
Greenleaf is the home of Canyon
County Sheriff George W. Nourse, and
his officers police the city. Money
saved by not operating a city hall and
police department allow municipal
taxes to be lower than in other cities.
Lower municipal costs attract people
to Greenleaf. The city is using 427 as
its population figure, but the city clerk
said the town is "a lot bigger now."
Greenleaf is about five miles west of
Caldwell on Idaho 19. Notus, Parma
and Wilder are on the north and north-
east, and Homedale and Marsing to the
southwest.
In 1907, about the time the Friends
were planning to build a church, I.S.
Binford, a homesteader, was planning
to leave. He donated his land to the
other settlers for a church and a
school. His land was the townsite.
Not much is known about Binford,
who apparently did not stay long. He
must have been opposed to the use of
liquor, however, because of a stipula-
tion printed on the original deeds for
property in the townsite.
The deed states that if alcoholic bev-
erages ever were manufactured or sold
on the premises, the land would revert
to the original owner.
doubt that
r
V3
Lone Iowa Farmer's Homestead
Grew Into Hamlet of Greenleaf
(Continued from Page 17)
succeeded as mayor by Derrol L. Hock -
ett, one of the initial city councilmen.
Greenleaf is the home of Canyon
County Sheriff George W. NOUrse, and
his officers police the city. Money
saved by not operating a city hall and
police department allow municipal
taxes to be lower than in other cities.
Lower municipal costs attract people
to Greenleaf. The city is using 427 as
its population figure, but the city clerk
said the town is "a lot bigger now."
Greenleaf is about five miles west of
Caldwell on Idaho 19. Notus, Parma
and Wilder are on the north and north.
east, and Homedale and Marsing to the
southwest.
In 1907, about the time the Friends
were planning to build a church, I.S.
Binford, a homesteader, was planning
to leave. He donated his land to the
other settlers for a church and a
school. His land was the townsite.
Not much is known about Binford,
who apparently did not stay long. He
must have been opposed to the use of
liquor, however, because of a stipula-
tion printed on the original deeds for
property in the townsite.
The deed states that if alcoholic bev-
erages ever were manufactured or sold
on the premises, the land would revert
to the original owner.
Present residents say they doubt that
requisite could be enforced, because no
one knows if there are any heirs of
Binford.
Nevertheless, neither alcohol nor to-
bacco is sold in Greenleaf. The city is
accepting its proportionate share of the
state liquor tax.
Almost every resident for many
years belonged to the Friends Church,
and their children attended the secon-
dary school. Only about half the resi-
dents now are Friends.
The Friends in the area gathered at
the Brown home Jan. 3, 1906, and took
steps to establish a monthly meeting,
the Friends' name for an organized
service. The first service, called the
Mountain View Monthly Meeting of
Friends, was held in the home Jan. 7,
1906.
The name, Greenleaf Friends
Church, first appeared in the minutes
of the monthly business meeting for
June 19, 1909.
Members made plans in September,
1907, to build a church. A 32x50 -foot
church opened for services Feb. 9, 1908,
with 83 persons attending Sunday
School and 120 at the worship service.
That church remained in use until 1943,
when the present red stone structure
was built.
Anson Cox was the first pastor.. Ezra
Pearson was called in July, 1908, and
was pastor for many years.
The academy opened in the church
building Nov. 10, 1908. The church oper-
ated classes for grade school students
for a few years, but the elementary
ROBIN ROURKE TAKES A BOOKKEEPING CLASS
City Clerk Anna Mills teaches the Friends Academy course
students have attended public schools
for most of the 67 years.
The public Greenleaf Grade School,
District No. 44, now replaced by the
West Canyon Elementary School of
Canyon District, was a mile south and
one -half mile west of Greenleaf.
Miss Lualla Beals, daughter of Isaac
Beals, was the first teacher in the
church- sponsored day school, Mrs.
Floyd Fivecoat of Nampa recalled. She
said her family moved from Iowa to
Greenleaf in 1909, and she attended the
public elementary school except for
her fourth through sixth grades.
Fivecoat said she graduated from the
academy in 1920. She remembered that
1916 was the year the lower grades
were discontinued.
Supt. Ken Smitherman now has 158
students in grades five through 12, and
expects to add the third and fourth
grades next year. The fifth and sixth
grades were begun last September,
and the seventh and eighth grades the
year before.
Smitherman said the church and
school administration began planning
several years ago, and intend to add
two grades each year until students
will be offered 12 years in a religious
atmosphere. He said the officials have
not made a decision about whether to
offer kindergarten.
"Enrollment has been going up
steadily the past three years," Smi-
therman said. The increase is in addi-
tion to adding lower grades.
There are no facilities at the acad-
emy for boarding students. Smither-
man said three or four students from
outside commuting distance are living
with local residents, "but we don't so-
licit" students from other areas.