The Pioneer Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will dedicate the previously unmarked grave of early Idaho Territory pioneer Lorenzo West on Saturday, October 10, at 11:00 a.m. The ceremony takes place at Silent Camp in Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise, marking the conclusion of a multi-year effort to honor veterans buried without proper markers.
Fort Boise Pioneer Honored
Lorenzo West, born in Cayuga County, New York, in 1834, played a critical role in the establishment of Fort Boise. As a mule-team driver and scout, West hauled grain, provisions, ammunition, and other supplies from the Columbia River to the fort site over rough terrain for three years. Each journey covered approximately 300 miles, with West recalling an average daily travel distance of 15 miles.
“When the major decided upon the location of the new fort, I was sent back at once, this time to Wallula, for further supplies,” West said regarding his logistics work. Fort Boise was formally sited on July 4, 1863, at the intersection of the Oregon Trail and routes leading to the Boise Basin and Owyhee mining districts.
West died on April 7, 1925, at the Idaho Soldiers’ Home in Boise. For 101 years, his remains lay in an unmarked grave until Rebecca Bromley, Marsi Woody, and Nancy Daigle identified the site in 2022.
Monumental Challenge Project Concludes
The dedication ceremony represents the final phase of the Monumental Challenge Project, spearheaded by Bromley, Woody, and Daigle. The initiative aimed to provide Department of Veterans Affairs memorials for eligible veterans in Morris Hill Cemetery’s three military sections. Over a four-year period, the project secured VA headstones for 78 previously unmarked graves.
Pioneer Chapter members continue to steward these burial sites. Woody and Daigle submit annual applications to the VA for replacements of cracked or damaged headstones and flat bronze markers. Student volunteers assist by cleaning headstones annually and reporting any damage they find. The VA has recently approved two additional headstones, which are ready to be shipped to Morris Hill for installation.
Community Partnerships
Several organizations are sponsoring the dedication event, including the Matoaka Chapter of the Colonial Dames XVII Century, the Idaho Chapter of the Oregon-California Trails Association, Boise Valley Monument Company, and the Boise Parks & Recreation Department. Members of the Idaho Civil War Volunteers and the Fort Boise Garrison Living History Association will attend wearing period-appropriate clothing to honor the historical significance of the site.