Wednesday, June 15, 1983 Independent-Enterprise, Payette, Idaho
Profile: Calling the bid
Clayton Tschirgi
Not many people get paid for talking constantly and rapidly, interrupted only by a wave of a hand or a nod of a head, but Clayton (Clayt) Tschirgi, Fruitland, Idaho, has made his living song just that, starting in the auctioneer trade as a youngster.
"I sold milk cans and milk stools and halters, standing on the top of an old stump, from the time I was 10 years old," he said, smiling at the memory.
"We had a neighbor in Minnesota, who was also a close friend. He was the most popular auctioneer in the area. He got me started "calling the bid."
Clayt was born in Rushmore, Minnesota, in 1914. His family pioneered in the Brogan area of Oregon in 1908, but had returned to Minnesota in 1914. "Thus I was born in Minnesota instead of Oregon," Clayt, 69, explained.
In 1924 the family left Minnesota and settled in New Plymouth where they farmed his grandmothers fruit ranch for a year.
"We moved to the old Boomer place, east of Fruitland, in 1925. I started school in Fruitland, but in my junior year we moved back to New Plymouth. I graduated from New Plymouth High School in 1931."
After graduation, Clayt didn't start immediately into the auctioneer business.
"I decided to farm and did so during the depression. Then in 1936, under the supervision of the University of Idaho, Dairy Extension Department, in Moscow, I started the first bull stud service in Idaho. It was the forerunner of the artificial insemination programs we have now. In 1938 I sold to Lloyd Johnson and moved back to the Boomer place and dairy farmed." He still wasn't serious about auction work.
He worked on the Anderson Ranch Dam in 1942 then that fall went to Hays, Kansas, where he was the general farm foreman of the University of Kansas experimental farm. From there he traveled to Troy, Montana, and worked in the woods.
"While I was in Montana my brother was seriously injured so I came back to take care of his farm in Oregon. Then in 1943 Mrs. Boomer called needing help with a dispersal sale. Her registered Holstein sale was one of the first Holstein sales in the Country. We had a very successful auction."
"After Mrs. Boomer's sale I did a little sale in Vale. I also sold for the Weiser Livestock Commission Co. in Weiser. That was when Fred Loy owned it. Weiser has always been a favorite of mine. I love the people of the area. They made me feel welcome and have always been friendly."
Now when Clayt got serious, he really got serious. He auctioned for many years n partnership with Joe Church and Bert Anderson and later with Bud Grant. "One year we handled 156 sales. I think that is still a record for this area.
"Years ago Bert was calling a sale for an old gentleman over by Vale," Clayt remembered, "This auction was going pretty good and the old guy had lots of horses and mules. He had one pretty good team of mules he brought into the ring. As he was driving the team around Bert began to call the bid. The more he talked the more excited he got. Bert was telling everyone how good those mules were and before long he had the value up and them pretty well sold, but he just kept selling them. All of a sudden the old feller braced himself, pulling on the mules and stopped, right in the middle of the sale ring. He said, "Bert, I can't sell these mules," Burt said, "Why not?" the old man said "I just didn't realize how good they really were until you started talking about them."
Clayt laughed and continued, "We could see the commission go flying right out of the ring with that old man as he left."
Clayt credits the good partners he has had through tout his years as the reason for his success.
He was once a partner in, as well as selling for, the Ontario Livestock Commission Co., and the Enterprise Livestock Auction and has sold for the O.K. Livestock Auction, Baker Livestock Auction, LaGrand Livestock Auction, and the Emmett Livestock Auction. He has also held sales in Idaho, California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and Canada. All kinds of sales, form antiques to farm machinery to cattle and horses.
Part of Clayt's spare time is spent "calling the bid" for charity auctions and fat stock sales at the local fairs. For these he receives no pay. For his 20 some years of service to the Eastern Oregon Bull sale he was awarded a silver belt buckle and honored with a reception.
"I look on it as a n obligation. If you make your living out of a community, you should try to pay the community back. I feel I get little enough opportunity to pay the community back. Livestock people, especially, have fed my family for how many years?," he pauses and adds, "Forever, that's how long. I have turned down a few charity auctions in the last few years, but that is out of necessity. Guess I'm getting a little tired."
Clayt and his wife, Velma, raised 10 children of their own and at various times, helped with the raising of three additional boys.
"We have never regretted the time and effort we spent on the kids. They all turned out to be good kids." The Tschirgis lost one son, age 23, who was named Herdsman of the Year the same year he died.
Clayt is of Swiss ancestry, and the name Tschirgi has been traced as far back as 300 years after the crucifixion of Christ. One of his relatives is known the world over as "Oscar of the Waldorf" restaurant in New York City and was on a first name basis with the elite and important.
If titles can be 'earned' by what you do in life, Clayt should be Clayt of the Community.
Interview by Darlene Allison of the I-E
CLAYTON CLARK TSCHIRGI
FRUITLAND - Clayton Clark Tschirgi, 75, of Fruitland, died Tuesday, April 18, 1989, at a Boise Hospital.
Funeral services will be held at 10 am Friday, April 21, at the Methodist Church, 502 N. 11th St. Payette. The Rev. Doris Dunn of the Plymouth Congregational Church, U.C.C., New Plymouth, will officiate, and Rev. Earl Traughber, Fruitland, will co-officiate. Burial will follow at Parkview Cemetery, New Plymouth.
Mr/ Tschirgi was born April 7, 1914, at Rushmore, Minn., a son of Hubert William and Lulu Belle Tschirgi. He moved to Northern Minnesota with his family in 1918, and then to New Plymouth, Idaho in 1924. Clayton attended schools in Fruitland and New Plymouth, Idaho, graduating from New Plymouth High School in 1931. He was in the dairy business for several years following his graduation, raising registered Holstein cattle. Clayton started in the auction business in the fall of 1942, and pursued that occupation for 43 years. During that time he also farmed and raised registered Hereford cattle. Clayton married Velma Wall on Dec. 30, 1946, at Stevenson, Washington, to this union eight children were born, one of whom, Janet Kay, died in infancy.
He was Secretary for the Idaho Hereford Breeders Association; and was a past president of the Eastern Oregon Hereford Breeders Association. He helped organize the first Idaho Hereford Breeders Bull Sale at Gooding, Idaho. In later years Clayt helped establish the first Intermountain Draft Horse and Mule Sale. He served on the board of directors of the Fruitland Canning Association; and was a past partner of the Ontario Livestock Commission Co. He attended Plymouth Congregation Church, U.C.C., New Plymouth, Idaho.
Survivors include his wife Velma of Fruitland; sic daughters, Carolyn Tschirgi of Boise, Colene (Mrs. Lowell) Grant of Middleton, Wanda (Mrs Gary) Justice of Boise, Serena (Mrs Mike) Brennan of Pocatello, Patrica Tschirgi of Nampa, Paula (Mrs. Rob) Frye of Fruitland; one son Brian Tschirgi of Fruitland; he also had three children by a former marriage; a son John Tschirgi, who died in 1964, and two daughters, Lona McIntyre of Payette, and Norma (Mrs. Tom) Grossen of Indian Valley, Idaho; hi is also survived be 10 grandsons; and 6 granddaughters; and 10 great-grandchildren; 3 sisters, Brenice (Mrs Clayton) Cripe of Troy, Mont., Mrs Dorothea Rosenburger of Boise, and Mrs. Evelyn Hall of Olympia, Wash.; and numerous nieces and nephews, His parents and a brother, Richard Tschirgi, also preceded him in death.
The family suggest that memorials may be made to the Plymouth Congregational Church, the Mountain States Tumor Institute of to ones favorite charity, c/o Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, P.O. Box 730, Payette, Idaho 83661.
