Last summer, I saw Polly Bemis for the first time at a monastery in northern Idaho. Obviously, I didn’t see her in person. It was just a lifesize cardboard image of her – standing at a little over four feet tall - an Asian lady with a kind and smiling face. It started my curiosity. After some readings on the subject, the journey of Polly Bemis unfolded in front of me. 

On September 11th, 1853, a baby girl was born to a poor family near Beijing, China. No one around her would’ve known her path would later take a sudden turn and bring her to the other side of the Pacific. About 20 years later, her father sold her to bandits for a few bags of seeds. The bandits smuggled her onto a ship bound for the United States. From the moment she was sold, the rest of her life journey lay ahead of her, unknown, unpredictable and unexpected. The ship carried her to San Francisco. After being passed through many hands, she finally arrived at Warren, Idaho. As an old saying goes, “When one door closes, another opens.’’ The girl did not complain about her life’s difficulties. Rather, she carried on, knowing the path laid at her feet would lead to her destiny. 

Polly Bemis lived in Idaho for over 60 years. Her presence added a fascinating page to Idaho’s history. She conquered adversity, made many friends and enjoyed a hard but happy life. One of her friends eventually became her husband. They had no kids. Because of her enthusiasm, courage and generosity, she gained trust and won respect from her friends. Polly always told fairy tales and shared her garden produce with her friends and neighbors. She also helped take care of their children. Her friends, Charlie Shepp and Pete Klinkhammer, helped rebuild her house after it was damaged in a fire. Her neighbors helped the Bemises chop wood, order and deliver their winter food supplies as they aged. The Czizek family took her to Boise for the first time. She spent her last moment with no family around her, but she had life long friends around her to dissipate her loneliness. 

Some Chinese miners in Warren also made friends with Polly. They always looked out for one another. Lee Dick is a resident of Warren. He saved many lives in this area because of his knowledge of the Chinese medicine. He spent a lot of time to relieve the suffering, never expecting money. Polly sometimes gave him fruits and vegetables from her garden. Even though Lee eventually moved back to China, their friendship remained. 

In that era, many Chinese chose to go back to China or move to places with a bigger Chinese population. Polly chose to stay because she fell in love with this place. It gave her courage, hope, and happiness even though she was not born here. More than a century later, more Chinese women came here to get education, take on all kinds of jobs, and contribute their talents to America! 

“There’s truly one state in this great land of ours, where ideals can be realized. The pioneers

made it so for you and me, a legacy we’ll always prize.” One such pioneer who inspires and

encourages with her legacy is Polly Bemis. She may have been no taller than a broom, but the

legacy she left behind is larger than Idaho’s towering peaks. Polly’s pioneering spirit stimulates

Idahoans today to exercise self-reliance and ingenuity, to display courage and seek adventure,

and to demonstrate kindness and friendship.

Polly Bemis continually displayed self-reliance and ingenuity. One such example is when she

ran a boarding house. She was unmarried, and she cooked, cleaned, and ironed for her boarders

without any financial or physical assistance from a spouse. Additionally, she succeeded in

taming Idaho’s wild desert and sprouting an extensive garden while living with her husband.

Polly also demonstrated ingenuity by multi-tasking while toiling in her garden. She saved fat

worms in her pocket to use as bait while fishing later in the day. She further provided for herself

and her husband by fishing daily. She excelled at fishing and one day caught 27 trout!

Polly also exhibited courage and a spirit of adventure. One such instance was while she was

running her boarding house, and the rugged miners living there disliked her coffee. Instead of

being intimidated, she brandished her knife saying, “Who no like my coffee?” This act of

courage showed that she stood up for herself. In addition to courage, Polly possessed a spirit of

adventure. Her husband, Charlie, once caught a cougar. She took part in taming it and even

allowed it to dine at her table! After her husband’s death, Mrs. Bemis also demonstrated bravery

by opting to continue living by herself, with no protection or assistance in labor from her spouse.

Additionally, Polly Bemis showed kindness and displayed friendship. When her husband was

shot in the cheekbone by an angry gambler, the doctors thought he would die, and they gave up

on him, but Polly nursed him back to health. She also demonstrated kindness to the children in

the community by remembering all of their names and birthdays, even those she had not seen in

years. Polly assisted children that were unable to find lodging while receiving an education. She

fed them and gave them a place to sleep. It is evident that her adult friends, Charlie Shepp and

Pete Klinkhammer, cared about her because when her cabin caught fire, they rebuilt her home

and garden. Other various friends took her on a trip to Grangeville, where she saw her first

movie, observed her first train, and rode in her first automobile.

Polly’s venerable character traits help inspire all of Idaho’s population. Her work ethic, industry,

bravery, compassion, and amiability encourage Idahoans to carry on her legacy.