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We Have a Winner: Harriet Reece.

She sent the answer: Clifford C. Fuller this morning by email.

This information about Fuller was gleaned from An Illustrated History of North Idaho, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903.

Clifford C. Fuller was born Aug. 21, 1868 in Morenci, Michigan, to Morris F. and Mary L (Page) Fuller. One of his mother's ancestors was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and prominent in the Revolutionary War.

He attended school in Morenci until he was 15 and his family moved to South Dakota. He continued his education in private schools and taught school for three years.

He went to Olympia, WA in 1890 and "read law" for a year before going to Moscow to continue that pursuit. He was also involved in other businesses.

When the Nez Perce Indian Reservation opened up, Fuller came to the present site of Orofino and filed on a homestead of 147 acres. He built a store where he sold general merchandise, fenced the land and made other improvements.

Fuller embarked on another venture he had long considered feasible, running a steamer on the Clearwater River. He hired the Lewiston for one trip. A large load of cord wood was hauled to Lewiston. With the test showing that the steamers could come up the river, the history book felt this would be a very worthwhile venture in commerce.

He organized a company called Clearwater Improvement Company with himself as president and P.H. Blake as secretary. He deeded his land to it and they built a warehouse, platted a town site and made other improvements. They also constructed a ferry and the town began to grow. The railroad came in the fall and the town had "excellent prospects".

In 1903, when the book was written, Fuller was conducting business selling real estate and insurance and was considered one of the leading citizens of the Clearwater Valley. He had married Mabel B. Anderson of Moscow in 1898. Her mother was the first postmistress in Orofino. At the time the book was written, they had one child, Lucelle and Mabel was attending "State University in Moscow".

Fuller was also deeply involved in the politics of the growing area. In 1896, he was nominated by the Fusion ticket, but declined since he was too young to be eligible for the position. In the same campaign, he was elected to as a state representative. During that campaign, he also took an important part in the Heitfield-Dubois senatorial fight. When the former was elected, Fuller was appointed secretary and served for a year before returning to his Orofino business. He was a stanch Republican.

Monday: This person was an Orofino original.

Tuesday: This person was born in Michigan.

Wednesday: This person sold real estate and studied law.

Thursday: This person was nominated to be Lt. Governor of Idaho, but was too young for eligibility.

Friday: This person was very involved in politics, especially the Republican Party.

Saturday: As president of Clearwater Improvement Company, he did the original platting of Orofino in 1898.

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Window on the Clearwater
P.O. Box 2444
Orofino, ID 83544
208-476-0733
Fax: 208-476-3407
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