Cavendish-Teakean Family History

Cavendish-Teakean Pioneers

When Frederik Georg “George” and Boline Jørgine “Jørgine”  (Olsen) Frederiksen answered Johan “John” Olsen’s request to come to the United States, in 1909, and take over the aging man’s homestead, in North Central Idaho, little did they know of the joys and tragedies that would befall them in the new world.

Jørgine would die in childbirth, in 1916, leaving George a single parent of three. Their only surviving daughter Ane, would be taken by a brain tumor, in 1919. The two surviving sons Christian “Chris” Anker and Svend “Swen” Aage were left to make their mark in the community and carry on the Frederiksen legacy on this side of the pond.

Upon their arrival George and Jørgine became part of the community and were befriended by the Carey family. Frank H. and Julia (Wells) Carey, were homesteaders with a young family. The Frederiksen and Carey children would form a bond that would last for generations. Frank and Julia’s oldest son was Frank L. Carey, then known as Frankie.

Frankie was closest in age to Chris but all three boys were fast friends. The boys would engage in childhood mischief together, grow into adulthood together and would remain close the rest of their lives; particularly Frankie and Swen.

Chris, the oldest son, would serve his country in WWII, as a Navy Gunner’s Mate. After being discharged he would meet his future wife Reta Ellen (Lilly) Stelting while living in the Yakima region of Washington state. He soon returned to the area and continued to serve his community, in law enforcement, eventually becoming the Clearwater County Sheriff. Their son, Rod, would follow those footsteps and later become the Chief of Police in both Lewiston, Idaho and Kent, Washington.

Swen, would stay in the Cavendish-Teakean area and marry Wanda Marie Daniels, a fellow member of a pioneer family. I doubt that Swen knew when the pretty neighbor girl, Wanda, turned his head and he began courting her, that he would eventually be marrying into a family with some of the deepest roots in the region; intertwining the “newly immigrant” Frederiksens with nearly every founding family on “The Hill.” Swen’s oldest child and only son, Clinton, would marry S. Elaine Gleason, a descendant of two other Clearwater County pioneer families, changing the scope of inter-family relationships from the small community of Cavendish-Teakean to encompass the entire Clearwater Valley region.

Frank and Swen

Frankie Carey, by this time known as Frank, and Swen were together when Swen suffered his final heart attack. According to Frank, Swen knew he was dying and told Frank to look after his granddaughter and to watch over her. Frank would honor his friend’s final request and would become the much loved and adored “Unkie” in Swen’s granddaughter’s life. This legacy would lead the granddaughter to eventually start researching the families on “The Hill” and create this website dedicated to her Unkie, Frank LaSalle Carey, in an attempt to document the stories of the pioneers who settled Cavendish-Teakean and the history of the area.