Feour, Dan

The following data is extracted from Illustrated History of the State of Idaho.

Among the sons of the Pine Tree state who have found homes in the northwest and whose history forms an integral part of the record of the development of the rich mining interests of southern Idaho is Dan Feour. He was born in Aroostook County, Maine, June 9, 1850, a son of William and Catherine Feour. His father was born in Ireland, and when a young man came to the United States. He died in the fiftyfourth year of his age, and his wife departed this life at the age of fortyfour years. They were the parents of five children, four of whom are yet living.

Dan Feour was reared to manhood in Boston, Massachusetts, and acquired a good practical education in the public schools of that city. He then learned the machinist's trade, and for some time worked in the Grover & Baker sewing machine factory. In 1865 he cast in his lot with the settlers on the Pacific coast, and has borne no unimportant part in the development of this section of the country. By way of the isthmus of Panama he made his way to California and there engaged in mining until 1869, when he went to White Pine, Nevada, and thence to the Squaw creek, Washington, and Victoria, British Columbia, attracted by the discovery of gold at those places.

In 1875 Mr. Feour arrived in Owyhee County, where he has since engaged in mining, meeting with excellent success in his undertakings. He has also prospected in other parts of the state, and prosperity has attended his labors. In 1879 he sold the St. John mine to the Henrietta Company; in 1894 the Colorado group of three claims to the Trade Dollar Mining & Milling Company; and in 1895 the Comstock to the Florida Mountain Company. The following year he negotiated the deal whereby the Humboldt group, owned by John Feour and Taylor Gearhart, was sold to the Florida Mountain Company. On all these transactions our subject has realized a good profit and has thus won a handsome competency. He still has other valuable mining interests, and has a firm belief and faith in the richness of mineral deposits to be found in the mountains of Owyhee County. Many of the mines in which he has prospected have already yielded good returns, and there is no doubt that others are rich in ore.

In 1895 Mr. Feour married Miss Sallie Catlow, of Silver City, daughter of John Catlow, who came to this country from England, being one of the California pioneers of 1852, and of Silver City in 1864. In partnership with Colonel Dewey he opened the celebrated Black Jack mine, and was a member of the firm of Smith, Mann & Catlow, of San Francisco, where they conducted a large butchering business. They were also owners of large cattle ranches in the Stein mountain country, where Mr. Catlow still resides. He was also at one time a partner of James G. Fair, of California fame. Mr. and Mrs. Feour have one daughter, Marion.

In his social relations the subject of this review is an Odd Fellow, and in political faith is a Republican, but has no time for political work, his energies being demanded in his mining interests. By his activity along this line he has largely aided in the development of the state and has advanced Its welfare, for its prosperity and growth have, in a great measure, come as the result of the discovery and utilization of the rich mineral deposits that nature has so bountifully bestowed upon the "Gem of the Mountains."

Source: Illustrated History of the State of Idaho

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