In 1940, several years after his wife Emma died, Joe Zaunmiller met Frances. Frances had come to Idaho’s backcountry from Texas, in search of a remote place to get over a turbulent marriage that had ended in divorce. She hired on with Joe Zaunmiller as a cook and caretaker for his hunting outfit. In 1942 they married. In 1945 Francis began writing a regular column for the Idaho County Free Press in Grangeville. These columns were later published in a book titled, "My Mountains: Where the River Still Runs Downhill." This remarkable chronicle of life on the Salmon River is a priceless record of daily life at Campbell’s Ferry.

In 1958 with Joe getting on in age, they decided to sell the property. John and Mary Crowe from California bought the place, giving Joe and Frances lifetime rights to stay. The Crowes became good friends with Frances, providing much needed support in keeping the property up. In 1960 they brought in a Farmall C tractor. Lucille, as Francis named the tractor, became a major part of life at Campbell’s Ferry. As I described in a recent article Frank Crowe wrote for a tractor collector’s magazine, "Lucille was the taxi to get up to the runway to get people and the mail (along with any groceries you might have ordered.) She logged, making it much easier to get the winters supply of firewood. She plowed a huge garden (almost everything you could want, including something like eight varieties of raspberries!) She also mowed and raked hay for the milk cow and remaining horses and mules. She had a barn when it snowed, and was well cared for by the resident humans. Joe passed away in the 60’s, but Frances stayed, with Lucille always there to help." Wood was gathered from downed or dying trees and brought in by the tractor. The now antique tractor was a part of Campbell’s Ferry history for almost 30 years. The tractor was essential to maintain the runway, which was the primary means of access to the property.

In 1962 Joe Zaunmiller died of a heart attack. In 1963, Frances married Vern Wisner. Vern was from Nebraska, half Sioux and a fair hand at carpentry. He helped Frances keep up the property until his death in 1974. Frances died in 1986.

The Crowes sold the property to The Trust For Public Lands. TPL sold a conservation and scenic easement to the Forest Service and the deed to the property to conservation buyers Doug Tims and Brad Janoush of Boise, Idaho. Tims and Janoush made contributions to the Idaho Heritage Trust which were used for materials to restore the Zaunmiller Cabin. They are working to maintain the property as it existed in the 50’s.