A history of Montana, Volume II, Part 123

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

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LEWIS O. EVANS. One of the representative bar- risters of the state of Montana, whose precedence at the bar has been gained by the studious application of his talents and his discriminating knowledge of the law, has been a resident of the Treasure state for nearly thirty years.

Mr. Evans is a native of Utica, New York, and was born August 31. 1871. His parents, Owen and Emily J. (Church) Evans, are also natives of the state of New York, the latter being a descendant of one of the prominent old families of the Empire state. a daughter

of Mrs. Emily (Makepeace) Church, whose father was Charles Plumb, a Revolutionary soldier.

In 1883, Owen Evans came to Montana and located at Helena where he entered mercantile pursuits and was prominently identified with the business life of that place for a number of years. He subsequently re- moved to Anaconda, when that city began to build up, and there he and his wife have ever since resided. being numbered among the highly respected citizens of the community.

Lewis O. Evans attended the public schools of Utica, New York, and continued his studies at Helena, Mon- tana, where his parents located when he was twelve years old, graduating from the high school of the lat- ter city, in the class of 1887, when not yet sixteen years old. He further pursued his literary training at the celebrated seminary, in Cazenovia, New York, where he studied for two years, then returned to Helena, and entered the law office of Word & Smith, later Word, Smith & Word, with whom he continued his technical reading until 1894, when he was admitted to the bar. He at once took up the active practice of law and remained in Helena, until December, 1895, when he came to Butte, and entered the law office of John F. Forbis. One year later he was admitted as a part- ner of Mr. Forbis under the firm name of Forbis & Evans. This firm acquired high rank at the bar, handling some of the most important mining cases then before the courts of the country, notably the Larkin case, which was a cause celebre, and became known as able exponents of mining law, strong advocates and safe counsellors, as well as potential factors in all branches of law. In the litigation between the Butte and Bos- ton and the Boston and Montana Companies vs. the Montana Ore Purchasing Company, Forbis & Evans conducted all the cases for the two companies first men- tioned, and in many of them Mr. Evans had entire charge.

His ability was recognized and upon its organization in 1899, he became one of the associate counsel of the Amalgamated Copper Company, a position which he has since filled with credit to himself and the advantage of his client, being advanced from time to time, to a position next to the company's chief counsel.

In November, 1903, Mr. Evans was married at Butte, to Miss Martha. a daughter of Judge Erastus A. Nichols, (and Sarah Elizabeth Warren), formerly a prominent business man of Butte, but now a resident of Missoula, Montana.

Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Evans : Lewis Nichols, born October 12, 1904, and Richard Orvis, born August 22, 1907.

In his political relations Mr. Evans is a Republican. while fraternally he is a Master Mason, a member of Silver Bow Lodge No. 48. A. F. & A.M. He is also a member of the Butte Lodge of Elks, and socially be- longs to the Silver Bow Club. and is its present presi- dent. He is also a member of the Silver Bow Bar As- sociation, of which he has served as president.

The prominence in his profession, attained by Mr. Evans, has not been accidental or the result of adventi- tious circumstances. but distinctly the result of hard work combined with a marked pragmatic ability.

ALLEN J. STOUGH. In the beautiful and fertile Ju- dith basin country, and especially about the town of Stanford, no one is better known through long years of residence or more esteemed by reason of honorable success in business than Allen J. Stough, the banker. merchant. rancher and old settler. He was in this country at its formative epoch, when nature's wild- ness was being overcome by the forces of progress and settlement. After practically thirty years of resi- dence, he has won a place of distinctive influence and individual power in the community.

Mr. Stough is an Ohioan by nativity, and was born

Franck Henry

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in Crawford county, September 12, 1852. The name and family was established in America by his great- grandfather, who came from Germany and was the first Lutheran minister to cross the Allegheny moun- tains into the middle west. Thus westward pioneer- ing has been a long established habit of the family, and about the time Allen J. Stough attained his majority he left his old home in Ohio and went out to the coast, remaining in California until 1881. For two years he was employed in a store, and the rest of the time was spent in prospecting and mining. He lived in the mining district for five years and one year in the Carson valley of Nevada.

In the spring of 1882 he set out for Montana, com- ing over the Oregon Short Line as far as Dillon, at which point he bought a span of mules and drove through to Bozeman. Most of his time there was spent at the late Senator Edwards' ranch, but he also tried to make some money with his team by hauling ties from the mountains to the line of the Northern * Pacific, construction on which had just begun. Find- ing that he could not make enough to feed himself and his mules, he gave up the job, and concluded to go on to the destination which he had already directed his course toward-the Judith basin. He arrived in the vicinity of Utica along the Judith river in 1883, and for thirty years has never been long absent from this great basin.

However, after two and a half years of ranching and stock raising, he sold out and started for the east with the determination to settle in Florida. But when absent the great northwest made an irresistible appeal, and he soon returned, this time intending to locate in the state of Washington, along the route of the Northern Pacific, which was then building. On the way he stopped in his former Montana home for the purpose of collecting some money that was due him,-and has never left these scenes permanently from that day to this. He has had a varied business career. Mining was his occupation up to 1890, at which time he located in the old town of Stanford, where he was first engaged in the hotel business. To this he added a general store, and also took up stock ranching. With the founding of the new town of Stanford, he moved his store to this place, and at the same time organized the First State Bank of Stanford, of which he has been president ever since. The bank and the Stanford Mercantile Company are the enterprises with which his name ha's been most familiarly associated, but his business energies have extended to many other affairs in this vicinity. He was one of the organizers and is a director of the First State Bank at Geyser, and has similar interests in the Raynesford Mercantile Com- pany. He also owns valuable blocks of real estate in Great Falls.

Mr. Stough's fine record of attainments in business becomes more conspicuous in view of the handicaps under which he labored during his early life. He had a few brief terms of schooling in his native vicinity, but was really graduated from the university of hard knocks. When he was sixteen his father died, and being the oldest of the family he had to take on him- self the principal responsibilities of the home farm, and from that time forward was engaged in earning his own way and helping others. He had charge of the home farm until he was twenty-one, at which time he turned it over to his next younger brother, and then set out for the west.

Mr. Stough's parents were John T. and Maria (Thompson) Stough, the latter being a daughter of Judge Nathan Thompson, of Kenton, Hardin county, Ohio. They were married in Ohio, where both of them were natives, and the father was engaged in farming throughout his career, dying in 1867 at the age of forty-one. The mother lived until 1895, to the age of seventy-five, and both are buried side by side in Ohio. There were five children in the family.

Mr. Stough was married in Lewistown, this state, on July 4, 1887, to Miss Alma L. Culver, the daugh- ter of Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Culver, formerly of Iowa. Mr. Stough and his wife formed one of the couples in an interesting double wedding, Harry T. Kendall, the discoverer of the famous Kendall mines, being mar- ried at the same time, and ex-Judge Meagher per- formed the ceremony. Mr. Stough and Mr. Kendall had been comrades and friends, had worked together in the mines, had "batched" together, and enjoyed the intimate friendship which association in a new country fosters. Mr. Stough also worked for a time in the mines at Maiden, and his superintendent at the time was Granville Stuart, another one of the notable figures of this state.

He is one of the active members of the Stanford Commercial Club, and in politics is Republican, though he has consistently refused any personal political honors. As a citizen he has been foremost in pro- moting the welfare and efficiency of the public schools, and has worked as a member of the school board for the improvements which he has most at heart. Of the interests which divert and are for recreation, practically all of the outdoor sports find in him a devotee. He is fond of hunting and fishing, is a real baseball "fan," and with his own car combines busi- ness and pleasure in automobiling. Books and the theatre attract him, and toward all the interests of life, both the practical and the intellectual, he main- tains a progressive attitude, believing that a community should keep on going ahead in every department of its activities. With regard to the state of Montana he has a ready loyalty toward it. This is his home state, it has been the scene of his prosperous career, and to ambitious young men at the outset of their careers he presents this as a locality where opportun- ities of all kinds are waiting to be improved.

JUDGE FRANK HENRY. The passing of Judge Frank Henry on May 27, 1912, robbed the state of Montana of one of her most valued citizens, and terminated the busy career of one of the ablest legists of the state, who had, in addition to numerous other public services, served on the bench for twenty-three consecutive years. He was one of those men who conferred dignity and honor upon the high office called upon to fill, and his influence was felt no less as an attorney in the active practice of law than in the exercise of high judicial functions. He was for years judge of the sixth judicial district of the state, which now comprises the counties of Park, Sweetgrass and Carbon.

Born on the 15th day of November, 1855, in Dayton, Ohio, Judge Frank Henry was the son of Rev. James M. and Elizabeth (Reid) Henry, the former a native of Greene county, Ohio, who rendered a long and faithful service in the ministry of the Christian church. For sixteen years he retained the pastorate of the church of his denomination in Dayton, after which he was in charge at New Albany, Indiana, for a matter of four years, then removing to Chillicothe, Missouri, where he died in 1882, one year after the passing of his wife. He was the son of John Henry, a native Virginian, and was there born and reared, the family being one of the honored ones of the state.

Frank Henry secured his early schooling in his native city, and when his family removed to Chillicothe, Mis- souri, he accompanied them to that place, there entering the offices of Luther Collier, an able lawyer of that place, and entered upon the study of the law with char- acteristic zeal and energy. In 1877 he had so far pro- gressed with his studies that he was admitted to prac- tice in all courts of the state. He promptly engaged in the practice of his profession in Chillicothe, where he was already well and favorably known as an enterpris- ing and progressive young man, and in the following year he was elected to the office of city attorney, an office which he filled for an entire term and conducting

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its affairs in a manner that further established his repu- tation in the community. It was not until 1883 that Judge Henry came to Montana. He located at Livings- ton at once, there engaged in his profession, continued successfully until 1886, when official preferment came to him a second time in his election to the office of county attorney. The election came at a time prior to the formation of Park county from the county of Galla- tin, and his election necessitated his removal to Boze- man. In 1888, however, Mr. Henry resigned his office and returned to Livingston, there resuming practice. That he was peculiarly eligible for public service in a higher capacity was early recognized, and in 1889 he was elected judge of the sixth judicial district, then comprising the counties of Park, Meagher, and Gallatin. His highly satisfactory services on the bench resulted in his successive re-election to the office, on two occa- sions without an opposition, and he was still the in- cumbent of that office at the time of his death, having completed twenty-three years of service in his judicial capacity. At that time he had served longer on the bench than any other incumbent.

Judge Henry was a staunch Republican, and in a fra- ternal way he was affiliated with the Knights of Pythias. He was a man who gained and held the confidence and unqualified respect of all classes, and his continued retention in his high office is sufficient testimony of his zealous conservation of the best interest of the state, in so far as his judicial acts might be expected to regu- late or effect those interests. He was well grounded in the science and technicalities of the law, with a wide understanding and knowledge of jurisprudence and precedents, and his rulings seldom met with reversal.

Judge Henry was married on the fifth of May, 1880, to Miss Julia Ballenger, a native of Illinois, and the daughter of Merrill S. Ballenger, born in Garrett county, Kentucky, on July 20, 1821. He was the son of Henry Ballenger, a native son of Rockbridge county, Virginia, who married Lucy Jeffries of Garrett county, Kentucky, and was himself the son of Eccles and Mil- dred (Hudson) Ballenger, the former a native of Culpeper county, Virginia. Mrs. Henry's mother was Jane Hardcastle, the daughter of Edward Hardcastle of Baltimore, Maryland, who married Elizabeth Reed, born in West Virginia. She was the daughter of Isaac and Jane (Hill) Reed, both Virginians and leaders of society in colonial days in that state.

Judge and Mrs. Henry became the parents of one son, Merrill, born April 6, 1881.

The death of Judge Henry called forth many expres- sions of regret and appreciation throughout the state, which lack of space will not permit the reproduction of, in this connection, but an editorial appearing in the Butte Miner at that time is here introduced, and will serve as a plain, unvarnished statement of the regard in which the late Judge Henry was held :

"In these modern days there are persons who claim that judges should not hold their positions upon the bench for life, but down in eastern Montana there were none who believed that Judge Frank Henry was not entitled to preside over the court of his district just as long as he lived, and that is exactly what he did.

"No man in Montana ever held judicial office as long as did Judge Henry, for he was elected at the first state election, re-elected every four years since that time, and without an interruption in his service he was fill- ing the same position when he fell into his long last sleep yesterday.

"Since he became a judge on the first day of statehood the boundaries of his district were frequently changed, new counties being added to it and old ones taken from it, but this made no difference, for the people under his jurisdiction always insisted that he should serve them.

"Although not a politician he did not always run on the same ticket, for at one time he joined the silver Republican party as a matter of conscience and freely

announced his change, but the citizens of his district did not care what political views he held, for they knew he was a good judge and they made up their minds to keep him on the bench, no matter what political doctrine he might believe in.

"In late years he was usually elected without an opposing candidate, for the voters made up their minds they could not improve upon Judge Henry. His record of judicial service is only exceeded by his record for honesty and integrity, and his death will be felt as a per- sonal bereavement in every household in his district."

HENRY L. KEETON. One of the wealthy and well- known ranchmen of Montana is Henry L. Keeton, of Great Falls, who as an "old timer" is thoroughly fa- miliar with the old and exciting order of ranch life that obtained in this state in an earlier period, has seen its passing, together with much of the lawlessness of those days, and has marked the advent of Montana as one of the states of the Union and its rapid progress as a commonwealth. He has rounded up cattle on the very site where now stands the thriving city of Great Falls, the second in size in the state.

Mr. Keeton was born at Cleveland, Ohio in 1859. His school days were limited to but a few years, for at a tender age he was forced to go to work on a ranch in Iowa whither his parents had emigrated at an early period, and there he did the duties of a ranch boy until thirteen years of age. About that time the gold excitement was at its height in the Black Hills of South Dakota and many of the early pioneers in Iowa were making up parties to cross the plains for the new El Dorado. With the spirit of an adventurous youth he secured a place with one of these companies as lookout to assist in guarding the safety of the travelers from bands of marauding Indians who were constantly harassing and murdering the early gold seekers. The party numbered 400 people and had a train of 60 wagons. The trip was attended with many dangers, the party finally reaching the new gold dig- gings after two months of hard and rugged travel, dur- ing which time they had several skirmishes with In- dians but without the loss of a single life. Mr. Keeton remained there but a short time and then took the overland journey back to his old home. Until the following spring he worked as a cowboy on his father's ranch and for a short time afterward was similarly employed on a ranch in Western Iowa. Once more he crossed the plains, this time making his way alone to Bismarck, South Dakota, then a wild frontier town, and for two and a half years he worked there as a cowboy on a ranch. From Bismarck he came to Mon- tana and secured similar employment on a ranch in the Gallatin valley, remaining there but a short time, however. His next employer was a noted cattleman of the early period named "Two Dot" Wilson, whose ranch lay in the Musselshell valley. There he had many thrilling experiences and narrow escapes from bands of roving Indians and at one time was shot through the arm in a running fight with the Redskins but escaped with his life. That was in the fall of 1883. From 1884 to 1889 he was successively in the employ of B. H. Phil- lips, Alex Tuttle and Ole Tharseon, all noted cattle- men of the early days. In the meantime he had saved considerable money. He bought his first ranch in 1885 with Peter Vann as a partner. Mr. Vann worked away and Mr. Keeton worked the home ranch. After a time they divided their interests, and finally Mr. Keeton sold out to the Baiur Brothers in 1901. He then purchased of Thomas Thornton another ranch of 880 acres in Cascade county which he still retains. It is stocked with quite a number of horses and cattle and has on it a substantial house and ample ranch buildings. Besides this property he owns other valuable realty in Great Falls including a fine modern residence erected in 1910 at 1204 Fifth avenue north, elegant in its ap- pointments and furnishings. This beautiful home is

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often the scene of a gracious and cordial hospitality extended to the many friends of Mr. Keeton and his family.

His parents, John and Martha Keeton, were both natives of Ohio, but became pioneer settlers in Iowa. The latter died when her son Henry was three years old, in 1861, and he was then placed in the care of his grandmother. John Keeton was one of the valiant defenders of the Union during the, Civil war and was wounded while in action. At the time of the great Chicago fire he filed on a homestead in that city but later gave it up. He died in Iowa in 1883.

The marriage of Mr. Keeton took place in Lewis- town, Montana, on November 7, 1888 when he was united to Miss Grace D. Matkin, Judge Marr officiat- ing. Mr. and Mrs. Keeton have one daughter, Jessie Ellen Keeton, born September 16, 1897 at Stanford, Montana, who is now attending school in Great Falls. Mrs. Keeton, too, is thoroughly familiar with the hard- ships and dangers of early western life. After her father's death at Maloth City, Idaho, the mother with her three children took the trail alone in a prairie schooner to join her brother, H. F. Dent in which is now Denton, Montana. From Maloth City, Idaho, they followed the trail to Fort Benton, thence to Wolf creek, where they settled on the ranch which remained the home of Mrs. Keeton until her marriage. While traveling to their new home many nights were spent in the open surrounded by all manner of dangers from wild beasts and marauding Indians. This is an example of the true western spirit of the early days of Montana when women as well as men displayed the courage and staying qualities so marked in the people of this state.

Mr. Keeton is identified fraternally with the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, and in politics is a Democrat. He and his wife are members of the Bap- tist church. While there are still great opportunities in Montana for able and energetic men, the romance and daring of former days has largely given place to a more settled and prosaic life. This serves but to in- crease interest in the careers of those men who won their success in the old days and are living links connecting the old order with the new. It is with pleasure that the publishers of this work herein preserve the life story of Mr. Keeton, one of Montana's pioneers.

FRANKLIN U. KEENE. Noteworthy among the native- born citizens of Broadwater county who are con- tributing in every possible way towards its growth and development, whether relating to its agricultural or financial interests, is Franklin U. Keene, whose birth occurred October 22, 1883, on the farm of his father, Thomas F. Keene.

Born at Sterling, Virginia, July 15, 1836, Thomas F. Keene spent his earlier years in his native state, during the Civil war serving through one enlistment in the Confederate army. Following the tide of emi- gration westward in 1864, he became a pioneer settler of Alder Gulch, Montana, on the long and tedious journey by wagons across the plains being accompanied by two brothers, Harvey L. and Flavius J., whose death occurred in July, 1906. These three venturesome pioneers suffered, in common with their very few neighbors, all of the hardships and privations of fron- tier life, but eventually became extensive land owners, and prosperous ranchmen, of Broadwater county. Mr. Thomas F. Keene was for awhile engaged in mining in the vicinity of Alder Gulch, Helena and Diamond.

Deciding, however, that he could make more off of the land as an agriculturist than he could dig out of it as a miner, he located in Broadwater county, and has since proved up a large tract of land that is now one of the finest improved and most valuable ranches in central Montana. He has spared neither time nor expense in the improvement of his property. more especially since the formation of the firm of Thomas F. Keene & Sons, of which he is at the head. He mar-

ried Sarah Virginia Downtain, of Missouri, who has proved herself a helpmate in the truest sense implied by the term, sharing with him the early labors on the home ranch, and doing her full share in the rearing and educating of one of the finest families in the county. Seven children blessed their union, five of whom are living, as follows: Newton, Guy, and Franklin U., who are in business with their father; Jesse Ray and Virginia Viola, attending the Town- send high school. Guy Keene, the second son of the parental household, married Hattie Porter, of Ohio, and lives on the home ranch.

After leaving the public schools of Broadwater county, Franklin U. Keene continued his studies at Central College Academy, in Fayette, Missouri, and afterwards spent three years at the college in Boze- man, Montana, taking the college course, and special- izing in civil engineering. Returning home when through college, Mr. Keene engaged in agricultural , pursuits as a member of the enterprising firm of Thomas F. Keene & Sons, and is meeting with un- qualified success in his labors.

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A history of Montana, Volume II, Part 123

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