[Vision2020] The Naylors

[Phil Nisbet]

Reading the various postings here on V2020 and on Joan's columns in New 
West, any person would get the idea that Naylor Farms was a corporation of 
outsiders with some mysterious outside funding source.

Pat Olson makes just such a claim on New West, claiming that Jay Thomson is 
just such a link.  Lois Blackburn does the same in her recent statements on 
Liberal Island.  Then of course Joan says "Well, the gloves are off, and so, 
too, any wool Naylor Farms might have hoped to pull over the eyes of Latah 
County residents. This is not a nice family farm; it's a commercial 
operation with deep pockets/ . . ."

>From http://www.usroots.com/~idhistry/latah/naylorj.html

JOHN L. NAYLOR. A representative and well known business man of Moscow, 
where he conducts a real estate and insurance office, soliciting for some of 
the leading underwriting companies, the subject of this article is eminently 
fitted for representation in any volume that has to do with the annals of 
this section of the country.

Mr. Naylor is a native of Washington County, Pennsylvania, and the date of 
his birth is April 5, 1851; being the son of Aquilla and Sarah J. Naylor, 
who were numbered among the agricultural population of that section. He 
accompanied his parents to Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri, in 1866, and 
there completed his common school education, later taking a course in the 
Central Commercial College, at Boonville, Missouri. Subsequent to this 
fortification for the battle of his life he turned his attention to the art 
of mining and wrought in the lead mines for a number of years. In 1874-75 he 
was foreman in the Lamine lead mines in Cooper County, Missouri. In the 
Centennial year he made the journey to the coast, stopping the first winter 
in southern Oregon and then migrating to Nez Perces County, Idaho, locating 
three miles north from Moscow, where he secured a fine farm. To the 
cultivation and improvement of this property he gave his industrious effort 
and attention until 1892, when he removed to the city of Moscow and opened 
an office as mentioned above, and since that time he has done a prosperous 
business in these lines in addition to super-intending his farms. He was 
chosen by the people as county commissioner of Nez Perces County on the 
Republican ticket in 1886, and when the county of Latah was organized, in 
1888, he was chosen to a similar office in the new organization, filling 
both offices with efficiency and faithfulness. In 1892 Mr. Naylor was chosen 
for the office of sheriff of Latah County, and in this, as in other public 
service, he showed both ability and integrity in the discharge of the duties 
incumbent upon him. Fraternally Mr. Naylor is associated with the I.0.0.F. 
Lodge No.3, with the Crescent Encampment, No. 12, Canton of Idaho, No. I; 
Star of Rebekahs, No.15; with the A.0.U.W., No. 13; all of Moscow. The 
marriage of Mr. Naylor and Miss Rebecca E., daughter of David and Diana 
Allen, who were among the earliest pioneers of the state, was solemnized in 
Moscow on August 7, 1881, and they have become the parents of four children, 
Ruth, Roy, Ralph and Neppa. Mr. Naylor has conducted himself in the affairs 
of life, both public duties and private enterprise, with manifestation of 
vigor, enterprise, ability and integrity, and he has justly earned the 
competence that is his to enjoy, as also the confidence and esteem of the 
people which is generously bestowed.

The company that was formed is called Ralph Naylor Farms and you may note 
that John Naylor's third child was indeed Ralph Naylor.  The land that the 
Descendents of Ralph Naylor own and are planning for is the same land first 
farmed by John in 1877.

As with most families, Ralph Naylor had daughters, who subsequent to their 
marriages changed their names.

So, Rob Lemke, the President of Naylor Farm, is a grandson of Ralph Naylor 
and Great Grandson of John Naylor.

Jay Thomson is a Great Grandson of Ralph Naylor, whose mother is a cousin to 
Rob.

A simple family tree shows every single one of the 'shareholders' of Naylor 
Farms is a descendents.

As for deep pockets, many of the Naylor offspring have done well in life.  
One of them is married to the CFO of Columbia Sportswear.  One is the Chief 
Fraud investigator for the Idaho Department of Insurance.  One owns a motel 
and restaurant.  One owns a computer business.

What they all have in common is a desire to keep the family's farming 
history alive and to pay tribute to the memories they have of their Grandpa 
Ralph.

Ralph Naylor, by the way, was one of the organizers of the Latah County Soil 
Conservation District, the first Soil Conservation District in the State of 
Idaho and he served on its first board in 1940.  He is well known for having 
organized the first export of wheat and wheat products from the Palouse to 
Oriental markets, something that was groundbreaking at the time.  Among the 
things he wanted his grandkids to do when he passed on was to build some 
lakes and ponds on their property because he was a fond believer in wetlands 
habitat.

The farm that Ralph had has been whittled down by inheritance over the 
years, as different kids got a piece of it.  By incorporating and making it 
a company, the family can keep what is left of the farm in one piece.

So, Ralph Naylor pushed the radical idea that farmers needed to change the 
way they handled conservation and the need to change crops to enter 
international markets.  His Grandkids and Great Grandkids want to change 
crops and build lakes.  Looks like a family tradition of bucking the 
conventional wisdom to me and one that has benefited the area over close to 
140 years.

(And as a personal aside, you could just as easily suggest that there was a 
giant conspiracy by Columbia Sportswear to grow grapes in Latah County.  
Their family owns more of that company than any other asset.  Or maybe it’s 
a nefarious plan to move the Sacajawea Motor Inn from Lewiston to Moscow?  
Ain't conspiracy theories just a rolling hoot when you get into them?)

Phil Nisbet

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