Thomas Fork
Information comes from Treasured Tidbits
of Time Volume I by Jens Patrick Wilde
Indians looked upon the Thomas Fork Valley in much the same way as the first settlers did, a prime grazing area. The Indians grazed their horses each summer and early fall as they hunted in nearby mountains for game.
The name Talmas Fork was the first name of Thomas Fork so named in the 1820s by the early trappers. A French Canadian trapper, Joseph Francis Talmas was killed here, near the confluence of Thomas Fork and Bear River in 1821. The name is shown on early maps and for many years people believed that the valley had received its name because Thomas L "Peg-Leg" Smith had wintered his horses there.
Thomas Fork was settled in 1877 by Grandison Raymond, Henry Evans and the Connolly Brothers. For a while the communities of Alton, Nuphur, Raymond, Thomas Fork and Geneva formed into one church and one social group.
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Montpelier Examiner, Saturday, 25 April 1896, page 1
Henry Evans, of Thomas Fork, was in town this week and before leaving paid $2.00, his respects to the Examiner office. He reports everything quiet in his "native land" with good prospects of splendid range for this year.
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Montpelier Examiner, Saturday, 2 May 1896, page 1
Alfred Price was in from Thomas Fork this week after supplies.
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Montpelier Examiner, Saturday, 9 May 1896, page 4
The St Charles school closed last Friday and its teacher, John Miles, will shortly accept the Thomas Fork school for its summer term.
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Montpelier Examiner, Saturday, 13 June 1896, page 1
P Larsen was elected as trustee of Thomas Fork district. No tax was voted.
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Montpelier Examiner, Wednesday, 17 March 1897, page 1
James Cozzins and Walt Phelps were over to Thomas Fork last week and while returning home lost two horses in the snow. They got off the trail and the snow being deep, they smothered to death while the owners were endeavoring to get them out.
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Montpelier Examiner, Wednesday, 8 September 1897, page 3
Alfred Price and James Jennings of Thomas Fork were in town yesterday.
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Montpelier Examiner, Wednesday, 15 September 1897, page 3
Rumors have come in from Thomas Fork that Richard Clow, well known in this city, was having trouble with the Quayle bros. of Salt Lake, over some sheep. They swore out a warrant for his arrest but up to date the same has not been served.
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Montpelier Examiner, Wednesday, 6 October 1897, page 1
The road to Thomas Fork where it runs through Emigration canyon has been rendered impassable except with a light buggy by the recent rains. Parties over from there Monday say that the road bed is washed out for considerable distance so that it is impossible to haul a load over it.
Just at this time works a great hardship on Thomas Fork citizens as they are just laying in their winter supplies and of course haul heavy loads over this highway. We hope the commissioners will act promptly and see that the matter is fixed up so that the fall trade from that section will come to this city and not go elsewhere.
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Montpelier Examiner, Friday, 5 January 1900, page 1
Andy Layland had an exiting experience with a big mountain lion on Thomas Fork last week. The animal had been prowling around Andy's place for some time, so he set a trap for him. The "king of the forest" promptly got his foot in the trap, but broke the chain and got away. Layland, armed with a shot gun, took the trail and followed the animal to the hills.
Suddenly in going around a point of rocks he came upon Mr. Lion. Quickly bringing the gun to his shoulder he fired. The shot was a lucky one but it did not prevent the lion from making a leap for Layland and the pair rolled down the hill together. When they stopped it was found the animal was dead and Andy escaped with a few scratches. It was a close call for the hunter, as the lion was about as large as they usually grow.
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Montpelier Examiner, Tuesday, 6 February 1900, page 1
Bishop Larsen called at the Examiner this week and left enough lucre to more than pay for a year's subscription. He reports just enough snow on Thomas Fork for good sleighing.
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Montpelier Examiner, Friday, 16 February 1900, page 1
Enoch Bagley started for Montpelier from his Thomas Fork home one day last week. Just after leaving the house he noticed a large animal following him along at some distance. Having his family with him, he called his wife's attention the beast, but neither could tell just what it was.
The further from the ranch Enoch got, the bolder the animal became, running up quite close. Finally Mr. Bagley said he would turn back and get a rifle and as he turned for home, his tormentor concluded it was time to make a dash for the rig and he came at the occupants of the sleigh with a dash.
Enoch doesn't drive cayuses? and their fleetness saved him and his family from a probably battle. Arriving at the ranch he secured the assistance of two or three men and well armed they started out. They found the animal's trail following it the creek, it went into the heavy willows and was lost.
Judging by Mr. Bagley, a description the animal must have been a huge mountain lion, as they are quite numerous in the Thomas Fork hills this winter.
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Paris Post, Friday, 6 November 1908, page 1
Mrs. Roy Leland of Thomas Fork was brought over and examined before Probate Judge Kunz during the past week and sent to the asylum. She was examined for insanity, Dr. Hoover and Hayward being present. She is harmless and quiet, but was decided to be irresponsible.
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The first church house was a log building located on the south side of Thomas Fork. A new frame church was built in 1915. The first store was operated by Godfrey Eschler and the first post office in the home of Hyrum Holmes. At first the post office was known as the Thomas Fork post office until 1889. Then in 1900 it was changed to Raymond. But another post office in Northern Idaho was also Raymond and mail was always getting mixed up so the post office changed the name to "Corinth" and it remained until 1964 when the post office closed.