Winnie Mary Hopper Clarke

CLARKE, HOPPER

Posted By: Dianna (email)
Date: 3/1/2005 at 16:39:05

Mrs. Winnie Mary Clarke 90, one of the few remaining colorful pioneer figures of Idaho, died Thursday night at her home at 459 Sixth street after a lingering illness.
A resident of Idaho since 1878 Mrs. Clarke played a prominent part in the rugged mining days in the Boise basin.
She was born June 30 1858 at Green Island Iowa the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Blyth Hopper(note we dont know why her son gave Blyth as her father her father and mother were James Jackson Hopper and Julianna Elder Hopper)On December 1, 1873 she was united in marriage with Patrick Henry Clarke of Dubuque Iowa. In 1878 they came by train to Utah and thence by stage coach to Boise. The before they made the trip the Indians had killed all the passengers on the coach. In the Boise basin where her father was superintendent of a mining concern( note her father died before she came to Idaho) she operated a boarding house. In order to avoid road agents the miners cleaned up the high grade gold, leaving it with Mrs. Clarke at the boarding house. She kept it in an old trunk until it could be moved from the camp to Boise by ox team.

In 1882 they moved to Bellevue Idaho and then the following year to Lost River. In 1891 they moved to NIcholia and from there to Poole's Island between Lewisville and Roberts where they resided until 1895, when they moved to the coltman area. Returning to Spring Mountain in 1899 they lived there until 1918 when they moved to Idaho Falls where she has resided since. Her husband died February 19 1949.
She is survived by one son Willliam E. Clarke of Idaho Falls . Anothe son and daughter preceded her in death less than a year ago. funeral services will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church with the Rev. Father T.J. Ryan officiating. The rosary will be recited at the Wood Funeral Home Sunday at 8 pm. Burial will be in the Rose Hill cemetary . The family request no flowers.