A history of Montana, Volume II, Part 107

Author: Sanders, Helen Fitzgerald, 1883-
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1002

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work for Capt. A. R. Ninnenger, and later the two were engaged in business together in Miles City until 1883. Mr. Savage was elected the first treasurer of Custer county in 1878, and was re-elected in 1880. He was the first post-master of Miles City, the first town of that name, before the present Miles City was moved to its present site, being appointed to that office by President Hayes, and in 1884 was elected sheriff and served two years. He then moved to Livingston and engaged in the drug business, subsequently conducted the Hotel Albemarle four years, and then, returning to Miles City, took charge of the Hotel McQueen. For four years he had charge of the Hunter Springs Hotel, but subsequently took over the management of the Leighton Hotel, and his death occurred soon after giving up this last hostelry, September 8, 1905. A stanch Republican, he was sent to represent his dis- trict in the territorial legislature. Fraternally he was connected with the blue lodge, chapter and com- mandery of Masonry at Glendive, being a charter member thereof, and also was associated with the Algeria Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Helena, serving as junior and senior warden. He was a charter mem- ber also of the Miles City lodges of the Odd Fellows, the Elks and the Knights of Pythias. In 1853 Mr. Savage was married to Miss Fannie Blowers, a native of Michigan, daughter of Hiram and Polly (Cooley) Blowers, natives of Vermont, and she died in 1863, having been the mother of three sons and a daughter, of whom two sons survive: William E. and George W., the latter living at Sheridan, Wyoming. For his second wife Mr. Savage married Miss Ida Brown, who died without issue, and his third wife, Mary E. Cafey, is now living in Colorado.

William E. Savage secured his education in Hennepin county, and Moorhead, Minnesota, and in April, 1882, located in Miles City, Montana and engaged in busi- ness with Dr. R. G. Redd. This association continued until the fall of 1889, at which time Mr. Savage pur- chased his partner's interest, and he has since con- ducted the establishment alone. He carries a large and complete stock of all kinds of drugs, and his busi- ness is conducted in an able and successful manner. Mr. Savage was elected in 1889 the first county treas- urer of Custer county after Montana became a state, taking the office in 1890, and he served in that capacity for five years, giving complete satisfaction to his fel- low citizens. In 1901 he was elected sheriff of the county, a position for which he was peculiarly fitted on account of his experience as a member of the famous Vigilantes, was re-elected in 1903, 1905 and 1907, and during his four terms of office thoroughly maintained order in his community and proved one of the most popular officers the county has known. Fraternally Mr. Savage is connected with Lodge No. 26, A. F. & A. M., of which he acted as treasurer for twelve years, and is the oldest member of this lodge living in Miles City; Crusader Lodge, No. 7, Knights of Pythias ; and Miles City Lodge No. 537, B. P. O. E., of which he has acted as treasurer. As did also his father, he gives his allegiance to the candidates and principles of the Republican party, and is known as one of that organization's most influential workers in this part of the state.

On September 8, 1881, in Bismarck, North Dakota, Mr. Savage was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie O. Sweet, who was born in Becker county, Minnesota. and died November 5, 1909. She was the daughter of George W. Sweet, a prominent attorney of Hennepin county, Minnesota, who acted as counsel for the North- ern Pacific Railroad. He died in Havre, Montana. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Savage, namely: Fannie Estelle, who is a graduate of the Minnesota State Normal school, and now the wife of Frank Williams, of Deer Lodge, Montana; Lucille, a graduate of the St. Cloud Business College, Minne- sota; Percy W., a graduate in pharmacy from North-

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western University, Chicago, and now in business with his father; and Eugene W., who is a student in the Miles City high school.

WILLIAM WILSON HARPER, postmaster and leading business man of Anaconda, presents in his frank and jovial personality an example of triumphing over diffi- culty, not once but many times. 'When he arrived in Anaconda to become a citizen of the community he was without means, and in the face of this situation he met reverses time and again. His pluck and perse- verance, however, kept him battling for the upper hand, and he is today in a secure place, enjoying prosperity and what is more by far to him, the friendship, respect and esteem of his fellow citizens.

Vinton, Iowa, was the original home of Mr. Harper, he being born at that place on March 26, 1861. Until sixteen years of age he attended the country schools of the neighborhood, absorbing such lessons in "readin', 'ritin', and 'rithmetic," as the meager opportunities of the vicinity afforded. Then he remained with his par- ents on the farm until he attained his majority.

When his twenty-first birthday anniversary arrived he determined to seek points further west, and therefore, came to Montana, the Deer Lodge Valley being his objective point. He secured a position as manager for the Spencer-Johnson Ranch Company, and remained with them for six years, then went to the Big Hole country as manager for N. J. Bielenberg's ranch. This was in the spring of 1888, and he remained at this place until the fall of 1890, when he came to Anaconda, to become manager for the Crystal Ice Company.

He next worked for Walker & Gills, butchers, for three years, then leased and operated the Crystal Ice Company's plants for two years. In the fall of 1898 he purchased the entire plant and other equipment, and he conducted this personally until 1905, when he took as his partner Mr. A. J. Touchreherer the firm being now known as the Anaconda Ice Company.

Mr. Harper is the owner of a fine ranch of 160 acres near Anaconda, on which is a splendid body * of mountain water, from which most of the ice con- sumed in Anaconda is taken. He has a pleasant home and owns considerable city realty.

Although Mr. Harper is postmaster, he is by no means a non-combatant in politics, to sit secure in his position while the other fellow endures the heat and burden of the fray. He loves the game of. politics and plays it with a zest that is inspiring. He works hard and openly for the good of the Republican party, to which he is proud to own allegiance. That means more in Anaconda than it does in some other portions of the United States. An incident worthy of mention in this connection was in the fall of 1896. The city of Anaconda could boast of only seventeen men who openly favored the election of William Mckinley, Mr. Harper being one of that number. He was chairman of the city central committee, and they worked hard for the Republican candidate, with the result that out of a population of 10,000, Mr. Mckinley received fifty- two votes. Mr. Harper was always a staunch friend and admirer of Colonel Wilbur F. Sanders.

His first political office was that of city treasurer. He served two years, and in the fall of 1904 was elected state senator, and served one term (four years). On the first of May, 1910, he was appointed postmaster. At the expiration of his present term as member of the school board he will have served ten years on that body. Mr. Harper had the distinction of opening the first postal savings bank in the state of Montana, which was on January 3, 1911, and is proud of the fact that it caught the fancy of the people of his home city and has proven very successful.

Although prosperous now, he has mastered difficulties that would have broken the spirit of many a man. He is genial at all times, a good mixer, happy and cheer-

ful by nature and the soul of integrity. His friends trust him implicitly and he has never abused a confi- dence. When personal popularity is considered Mr. Harper is an assured leader. He is a Mason a member of the Royal Arch, belongs to the Odd Fellows, Elks, Scottish Clans, Eagles, and is a social member of the Modern Woodmen of America.

He married Miss Etta S. Crawford on April 21, 1886. His wife was a daughter of John Crawford, of Ohio, who was one of the Iowa pioneers. Mr. and Mrs. Harper have been blessed with five children, of whom four are living. They are: Minnie Fern Harper, now Mrs. R. E. McCormick, of The Dalles, Oregon ; Bessie V. Harper, who is a graduate of the high school and of business college; William Edward Harper, who is a rancher in the Big Hole country; Howard and Harry, who were twins. Harry died in Anaconda in 1895.

Alexander Harper, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Pennsylvania, and went to Indiana as a boy of eight. He followed farming and moved to Iowa in 1854. Mr. Harper was one of the patriots in the Civil war days, and enlisted as a private in the Eighth Iowa on August 15, 1861. He returned home in 1865 as captain of his company. He fought in the battles of his regiment and was with Sherman in his march to the sea. He was mustered out of ser- vice at Mobile, Alabama, after serving four years and six months. He died in February, 1901. His wife was Anna Spiers. Their family consisted of five sons : Alexander P., Robert Spiers and Charles Stewart, all of whom live at Vinton, Iowa, the first named having a transfer business and the others being engaged in farming. William Wilson, the subject of this review, is the fourth child and James Edward, who is also farm- ing at Vinton, Iowa, is the youngest child.

EDGAR CAMPBELL. For thirty years identified with the business interests of Miles City, Edgar Campbell is well known to the residents of this city, where he has established a well-merited reputation for integ- rity and honorable dealing. He is now at the head of the furniture and undertaking establishment of A. T. Campbell & Company, with a large and up-to-date es- tablishment at No. 717 Main street, and during his long and useful career has assisted materially in advancing and developing the city's manifold interests. Mr. Camp- bell was born at Friendsville, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, February 25, 1851, and is a son of Charles and Betsy (Dodge) Campbell.

Charles Campbell, who was a native of Susquehanna county, was engaged in a general merchandise busi- ness at Friendsville until 1856, in which year he re- moved to Albany, Green county, Wisconsin. There he followed the same line for a time and subsequently continued the business at Monroe, Green county, but in 1867 returned east and located in Elmira, Chemung county, New York. He conducted a tannery at that place until 1882, when he went to Chicago, Illinois, and was there engaged in the wool business until fail- ing health caused his retirement, at which time he again went to Albany, Wisconsin, where his death occurred in his seventieth year. In early life he was a Whig and later became a Republican, but never cared to enter the field of politics. His wife, who was a na- tive of Green county, New York, passed away in her sixty-eighth year, having been the mother of two sons: Alfred T., of New York City, for the past fourteen years a state bank examiner, and at this time chief bank pin county and Moorhead, Minnesota, and in April, examiner for the state of New York; and Edgar.

Edgar Campbell was five years old when lie accon- panied his parents to Green county, Wisconsin, and he received his education in the public schools of Monroe, Wisconsin, and Elmira, New York. His advent in the world of business was as a partner of his father-in-

AV. W. Harper

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law, William A. Atkinson, in the coal business in El- mira, New York, where he continued until 1882, in that year coming to Miles City. Arriving in this city September 9, he joined his brother, Alfred T., in form- ing the firm of Alfred T. Campbell & Company, al- though his brother had been engaged in business some time prior to this. When Alfred T. Campbell returned to the east, Edgar took over his interest, and has con- tinued to conduct the establishment under the old firm style. The large stock of furniture carried by this house is modern in every respect, Mr. Campbell's long experience in the business having made him familiar with the demands of his customers, and the under- taking establishment is equipped with every modern appliance for embalming and funeral directing. In political matters Mr. Campbell is a Republican, and has served as alderman of the First ward, but is not a politician nor an office seeker.

On December 18, 1879, Mr. Campbell was married to Miss Alice Atkinson, who was born in Syracuse, New York, daughter of William A. and Caroline (Webster) Atkinson, natives of Maine, both of whom are deceased. Mr. Atkinson was a farmer and mer- chant of Belfast, Maine, and served as provost mar- shal during the war of the Rebellion. Subsequently he removed to Elmira, New York, where he engaged in the coal business for fourteen or fifteen years, and then went to Albany, New York, and later to Oakland, California. He finally settled in St. Paul Minnesota, where his death occurred, and shortly thereafter his widow came to Miles City, where she spent the re- mainder of her days at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Campbell. Two children were born to Edgar and Alice Campbell, William Donald and Charles, but the latter died in infancy. Donald Campbell is a graduate of the law department of the University of Michigan, class of 1905, and is now associated with Judge C. H. Loud and Sterling M. Wood at Miles City, the firm style being Loud, Campbell & Wood. He married Miss Winifred Wilson, the daughter of John Aracher and Uila Plat Wilson of Fredonia, New York, and resides in Miles City.

B. FRANK YERKES has been a resident of the state of Montana since 1882, and since that time he has been identified with the newspaper business in various ca- pacities, but for the most part as editor and publisher. Up to the year 1904, Mr. Yerkes was connected with numerous newspaper enterprises in the eastern section of the state, but in that year he returned to Twin Bridges and bought out The Monitor, which in pre- vious years he had owned and disposed of, and since 1904 he has confined his energies and attention to the publication of The Monitor in this city.

Mr. Yerkes was born in Bordentown, New Jersey, on May 19, 1862. He is the son of Andrew J. and Susan P. (Kelsey) Yerkes, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, and there were reared and married, soon after which they removed to Pennsylvania, where Mr. Yerkes was employed at his trade, that of a carriage maker and blacksmith. He was a very de- vout Christian gentleman and was a member of the Baptist church. He was prominent as an Odd Fellow, of which order he was a lifelong member. He died in 1864, while he was still a very young man. The wife and mother survived her husband many years, and passed away in Red Lodge, Montana, in 1897, when she had reached the age of sixty-seven years. They were the parents of four children, B. Frank being the third born and the youngest son. Two others of the four are yet living: Abel K. and Lillian, both of whom reside in Seattle.

The early education of Mr. Yerkes was obtained in the public schools of New Jersey, in Bordentown, which place represented the family home until he had reached the age of about seventeen. When he reached

that age he went to Hatboro, Pennsylvania, and it was in that place that he learned the printer's trade. He was, by his own wish, apprenticed to a three year term of service in a print shop of that place, and he learned the trade in all its details, a training which has proved most valuable to him in these later years. In 1882 Mr. Yerkes came to Montana, and he has been a con- tinuous resident of the state since that year. He first located at Coulson, in which place he remained but a short time, removing to Billings, where his brother, who then had a paper at Coulson, and himself estab- lished the first newspaper in Billings, which was then in a most primitive state of organization and develop- ment. They remained there but a short time, selling out and locating in Bozeman, in which place Mr. Yerkes of this review continued to be engaged in news- paper work for a period of about ten years. He was connected solely with newspaper work during the first years of his stay in Bozeman, but later he engaged in the ranch business. His next venture took him to Pony, where he established a paper called the Madison County Monitor, and he ran the paper until July, 1893, then moving the plant to Twin Bridges. For two years he remained in this place, then sold out and returned to Bozeman and worked on one of the local papers for several months, which experience was followed by his removal to Carbon county, where he secured control of another paper, which he operated for a few months and disposed of it, going to Red Lodge, where he took charge of the Carbon County Chronicle. He managed the paper for a year, after which he returned to Twin Bridges and purchased the plant of The Monitor, which he had been the owner of some two years previous. His purchase of The Monitor plant took place in De- cember, 1904, and he has retained the active control and management of the paper since that time.

Mr. Yerkes is a member of the Masonic fraternity, affiliating with the blue lodge and chapter, in both of which lodges he has held offices. He is also a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He is a stanch Republican, and has always taken an active and effective interest in politics, and is an acknowledged power in local party affairs. He is president of the council, and is secretary of the Madison County Pub- licity Club and secretary of the Commercial Club of Twin Bridges. He has held a similar position on the local school board since 1907. Mr. Yerkes is enthu- siastic in his predictions for the future of the town and the state, and is one of the most aggressive "boosters" of Twin Bridges to be found in the com- munity, possessing qualities of progressiveness and initiative that cannot fail to be of inestimable value to the town, or to any town in which he finds himself.

On June 27, 1905, Mr. Yerkes was united in mar- riage at Twin Bridges with Miss Grace M. Baker, the daughter of Palmer W. and Elizabeth Baker, of Page- ville, Montana.

AMOS C. HALL. A prominent banker and the pop- ular and efficient incumbent of the office of mayor of Virginia City, Amos C. Hall is a citizen of influence in both business and political circles in this place, where he has resided during practically his entire life time thus far. He is descended from a fine old New England family and his father, the late Amos C. Hall, Sr., was born in Lamoille county, Vermont, December IO, 1836. The latter was a son of Jesse and Rebecca Hall, prominent farmers in the Green Mountain state, where he was reared and educated. Mr. Hall, Sr., went west in 1856 and settled in Janesville, Wisconsin, where he took up a tract of government land and en- gaged in farming. He was a vigorous opponent of slavery during the Civil war period and in 1858, while a resident of Kansas, he and his brother Austin W., with nine other men, were fired upon by border ruffians and left for dead. Five out of the eleven anti-slavery

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men, who were fired upon, recovered from their wounds and among that number were Mr. Hall and his brother. This affair is known in history as the Marias des Cygnes Massacre. Shortly after that oc- currence Mr. Hall returned to Vermont, where he re- mained until the following spring, when he was again in Kansas, whence he started for Pike's Peak by the old Santa Fe trail. The party of which he was a mem- ber met. with so many discouraging reports from re- turning prospectors in regard to the Pike's Peak country that they returned to Junction City, Kansas. In 1860 Mr. Hall made the overland trip to Denver, where he remained until May, 1863, when he came to the mining regions of Montana, here winning a fair amount of success as a miner. In 1866 he installed the first bed-rock flume ever built in this state. In October, 1879, he engaged with Mr. A. J. Bennett in the banking business and established a private bank in Virginia City, this being one of the substantial financial institutions of this place at the present time, in 1912, and known as the Madison State Bank. He was a very charitable man and always took an active part in the maintenance of law and order. He was very popular amongst his fellow citizens, stood high socially, and was never known to have an enemy. He was summoned to the life eternal on February 27, 1893, at the age of fifty-seven years, and is buried in Virginia City. Here was solemnized his marriage to Miss Anna P. Griffith, who was born in Athens, Ohio, and who is now a resident of New York City. Of the six chil- dren born to Mr. and Mrs. Hall three are living, in 1912, namely : Amos C., whose name forms the caption for this review; Frank C., a graduate of the Uni- versity of Columbia, is engaged in the importing busi- ness in New York City; and Harry E., likewise a graduate of the University of Columbia, is a mining engineer in Virginia City.

Amos C. Hall was born in Virginia City, Montana, February 21, 1882, and his early educational training consisted of such advantages as were offered in the public schools of this place. Later he attended public and private schools in Des Moines, Iowa, for five years, at the end of which he went to Philadelphia, where he took a four year preparatory course prior to entering college. His collegiate course was inter- fered with, however, by the illness of his older brother and he was obliged to return home, in 1900, and enter the banking business which was begun by his father and a Mr. Bennett some thirty years earlier. He has been incumbent of the office of cashier in the Madison State Bank in Virginia City since 1900 and is likewise vice-president of the bank of Twin Bridges. In addi- tion to his other interests he is manager of the vast A. C. Hall, Sr., estate. In politics he is a stalwart supporter of the principles and policies promulgated by the Republican party, in the local councils of which he has long been an active factor. In 1909 he was hon- ored by his fellow citizens with election to the office of mayor of Virginia City and he is now filling his third term as mayor. He has also served with honor and distinction on the school board and is a generous contributor to all matters projected for the good of the general welfare.

While he is not formally connected with any reli- gious organization, Mr. Hall has implicit faith in the good accomplished by all churches and contributes liberally to their maintenance and support. He is a member of the Elks, in which he is past exalted ruler, and he is affiliated with a number of other fraternal orders of a local character. In lauding Montana he says: "Montana is the coming state of the Union, with double the opportunities of any other undeveloped state. Her future, in my opinion, is excellent."

In Greenleaf, Kansas, June 25, 1907, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Hall to Miss Myrtle Lauffer, a daughter of Albert C. and Caroline H. Lauffer, promi-

nent residents of Greenleaf. Mr. and Mrs. Hall have two children, Amos C. (III) and Morgan L. -

ANDREW JOHN GILSDORF. The late Andrew John Gilsdorf, a prominent business man of Billings, Mon- tana, where he had made his home continuously since 1882, was all his active life identified with the meat business, in which he was more than ordinarily suc- cessful, being one of the financially substantial men in the city at the time of his passing away, on the 22nd of September, 19II.

Mr. Gilsdorf was born in Wabasha county, Minne- sota, on March 2, 1859, and was the son of Andrew and Mary Gilsdorf, people of German descent. Until he was seventeen years of age the subject lived in the village of Wabasha, attending school there, and after that period in his life he was employed in various parts of the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota, always in the meat market and butchering business. For thir- teen years he attended conscientiously to the work, learning the business in its every detail, and when he came to Billings, Montana, in 1882,. he was in every way qualified to establish a business of his own. Though his capital was small, his working knowledge was great, and he conducted his affairs in a manner conducive to the best success in the business. So steadily did he progress with his work that at the time of death he was the owner and proprietor of one of the finest meat markets in the entire state, and the owner of a splendid brick block on Minnesota avenue, Billings, as well. This building he erected in 1893, and it is a two story double pressed brick affair, thor- oughly complete in every detail of workmanship and construction, and as fine a building as may be found in the state. In this building he conducted his meat market up to the time of his death.

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A history of Montana, Volume II, Part 107

Author: Sanders, Helen Fitzgerald, 1883- Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1002

Author: Sanders, Helen Fitzgerald, 1883-
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1002