Gustave Beauregard Quarles (1869 - 1937)

Born 28 Dec 1869 in Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky, USA

Ancestors

Died 17 Dec 1937 at age 67 in North Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California, USA

Biography

Gustave Beauregard Quarles was educated in the public schools of Kentucky and at West Kentucky College, Mayfield, Kentucky. He taught school for one year and read law at the office of Judge Moss in Paducah, Kentucky and was admitted to practice law in the circuit court McCracken County, Kentucky in October 1894.

He moved to Salmon, Idaho, read law in the office of his brother Ralph, and secured his license in 1895 to practice in all courts of Idaho. He became a law partner of his brother Ralph Quarles, served as Probate Judge and ex-officio County Superintendent of schools of Lemhi County, 1896-98. He served as City Attorney for six years, and probate Judge for two years. In 1900, he was licensed to practice law in the Supreme Court of Idaho, and a year later was licensed to practice law in the United States district Court, District of Idaho. He also served on the school board in Salmon, Idaho, for six years.

In 1902 he established, along with his brother Albert, the Hydro-electric Light and Power Plant of Salmon. The plant was in a state of bankruptcy when they took it over, and it was turned into a financial success, selling seven years later to a competing company for $1000,000.

He became involved with mining interests in the area, and in 1905 acquired title from the U.S. Land Office in Washington, D.C. to the Red Bird, Annie, Katie, Katie Fractions, Junebug, and Comet sites.

He built and operated a wool warehouse at Salmon, close to the Gilmore and Pittsburgh R.R. Station, bringing the sheep industry up from zero to 125,000 head in the Lemhi Valley.

In 1909, after selling the power plant, and retiring from the law practice, he founded the Citizen's national Bank of Salmon with a capital of $100,000. He was president of the bank for twelve and a half years, until 1922.

After Word War I, when wool dropped from 57 cents to 17 cents per pound, and the price of hay, due to the hot dry summer followed by a long hard winter, rose to $40 a ton, his bank financed the farmers who had to buy feed for their cattle and sheep. He did this while having to borrow money, and this led to a series of events beyond his control which wiped him out. His share of the bank's notes that could not be paid took his life's savings, and he left Salmon with only enough money to buy a home in North Hollywood, California, where he resided until his death in 1937.

Bio courtesy of Wendy L. Fielding.

Sources

• *Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67681556/gustave-beauregard-quarles: accessed 19 September 2022), memorial page for Gustave Beauregard “Gus” Quarles (28 Dec 1869–17 Dec 1937), Find a Grave Memorial ID 67681556, citing Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California, USA; Maintained by Kathleen B (contributor 46845386) .