A history of Montana, Volume II, Part 74

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

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On February 21, 1883, Mr. Vaughan was married to Letha Wilkinson in Clarkesville, Missouri, as men- tioned in a previous paragraph. She died November 26, 1889, leaving besides her husband two daughters, Wayne B. and Mary L. Mr. Vaughan contracted a sec- ond marriage November 10, 1891, when he became the husband of Miss Lucy Metcalf, a native of Dubuque, Iowa.

Mr. Vaughan is a member of a number of fraternal societies, prominent among them being Ashlar Lodge, No. 29 A. F. & A. M .; Billings Chapter, No. 6 R. A. M., Aldemar Commandery, No. 5 K. T .; Algeria Tem- ple of Helena, Montana, and is a charter member of Billings Lodge, No. 394, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Both he and his wife are members of Edna Chapter, No. 15, Order of Eastern Star. He is a Democrat, and has served one term as alderman from the First ward.

It is worthy of mention that Mr. Vaughan traces his ancestry directly back to the early days of the Pilgrim fathers, one of his ancestors having come over in the Mayflower, and many of them being prominent in Colo- nial days. His uncle, George Vaughan, who was an officer of the Confederacy, claims the distinction of be- ing the recipient of Lincoln's last official act of mercy, or indeed in any capacity, before he went to Ford theatre on the evening of April 14, 1865, where he was assassinated, he having signed the pardon of the con- demned Confederate officer just prior to his departure for the theatre.

WALTER J. DUNNIGAN. Prominently identified with the business interests of Miles City as a member of the firm of Custer Commission Company, dealers in insurance, live stock and real estate, Walter J. Dunni- gan has also interested himself in city affairs, and is now acting as alderman of the First ward. His earlier years were spent as a cowboy on the range, where he gained much valuable information as to live stock values, and the firm of which he is at present a member is widely known in its line throughout the

state. Mr. Dunnigan was born at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, December 14, 1874, and is a son of Patrick T. and Catherine (Shelley) Dunnigan.

Mr. Dunnigan's father was born at Brooklyn, New York, in 1838, from whence, in 1861, he enlisted in Company I, Forty-seventh Regiment, New York Vol- unteer Infantry, for service during the Civil war. He became first lieutenant of his company, and served with distinction throughout the struggle between the north and south, and after the close of hostilities, removed to Kansas. There in 1875, he enlisted in Company H, Fifth Regiment, United States Regulars, serving as first lieutenant throughout the Indian wars, and re- ceived his honorable discharge at Fort Keogh, Montana, June 15, 1879. He then purchased a home in Miles City, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a faithful member of the Roman Catholic church, in the faith of which he died in 1885. On September 13, 1870, Mr. Dunnigan was married in Junction City, Kansas, to Miss Catherine Shelley, who was born in County Galway, Ireland, September 30, 1855. and she still survives and makes her home in Miles City. They had a family of nine children, of whom six are still living as follows: Frank, who resides in Miles City ;. Walter J .; Mary, the wife of W. H. Martin, of Miles City, Margaret; Julia, the wife of Arthur A. Peterson, of Billings, Montana; and John, who lives in Saskatche- wan, Canada.

Walter J. Dunnigan secured his education in the public schools of Miles City, and as a young man be- came a cowboy, working on the range until 1907, in which year he returned to Miles City and formed a partnership with W. Gordon, under the name Custer Commission Company, which has become one of the leading concerns of its kind in the city. It does a large business in live stock, real estate, brokerage and insur- ance, and the partners are known as young men of much ability and sound business principles. In political matters Mr. Dunnigan is a stalwart Republican, has been active in the ranks of the party organization, and in April, 1911, was elected alderman of the First ward for a term of two years. He fraternizes with Miles City Lodge No. 537, B. P. O. E., and Knights of Columbus, No. 1518, in both of which he is very popular.

Mr. Dunnigan was married in 1898 to Miss Bridget O'Neil, who was born in County Mayo, Ireland, daugh- ter of Thomas O'Neil. Four children have been born to this union: Ruth, Walter Francis; Thomas, who died in infancy; and Eugene. Mr. Dunnigan has the reputation of being an energetic and progressive busi- ness man, and in his official position is practicing the same straightforward methods that have made him suc- cessful in commercial circles. He has the city's welfare at heart and has been connected with a number of movements that have resulted in much benefit to its interests.

MICHAEL MAILAND, an energetic and progressive citizen in Virginia City, Montana, where he conducts an exclusive shoe store, was born in Tyrol, Austria. the date of his nativity being the 24th of September, 1851. He was educated in the public schools of his na- tive place and at the early age of twelve years entered upon an apprenticeship to learn the trade of shoe- maker. When he reached his legal majority he im- migrated to the United States, where he learned the English language with unusual rapidity. He first set- tled in Clarion county, Pennsylvania, and resided there for the ensuing four years, during which time he devoted his attention to his trade. In 1876 he went to Chicago, where he remained for one year and thence he went to Omaha, Nebraska, residing in the latter place for four years. In 1879 he came to Montana, and after making short stays in different cities, such as Butte, Helena and Bozeman, he settled permanently in

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Virginia City. During the first few years of his resi- dence in this place he worked for wages but since 1886 he has been most successfully engaged in the shoe business on his own account. He now has the only exclusive shoe store in Madison county and his estab- lishment is up-to-date in every way.

In his political convictions Mr. Mailand is aligned as a stalwart in the ranks of the Republican party, and while he does not take an active interest in party af- fairs he believes it is the duty of every man to vote. For three terms he served with unusual efficiency as a member of the city council and for years was a mem- ber on the school board. He is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, in which he is an officer, and in religious matters he and his family favor the Protestant Episcopal church, to whose char- ities they are contributors. Mr. Mailand is unusually fond of hunting and fishing and he always keeps a . fine horse on hand for those purposes. He attends all athletic games and meets that occur in Virginia City and at one time was a valued and appreciative member of the Turner Society here. He loves music and singing and devotes considerable time to reading and research work along historical and scientific lines. In praise of his home state he says: "My admiration for Montana is so intense that I really can find no words to express it. Just say for me that any state- ment of honor and merit that is made for the state will receive my O. K. In this I am sincere and honest."

In the early days before a Montana National Guard was in existence a private company was formed in Butte and of this organization Mr. Mailand was a member. This was the first militia in Montana and was held intact until a legal guard was organized. It consisted of three companies,-Companies A and B, of Butte, and Company C, of Helena. Mr. Mailand was a member of Company A and he retained his member- ship until he left Butte.

On May 18, 1886, in the city of Butte, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Mailand to Miss Emma Speckart, a daughter of Adolph Speckart, of Butte. To this union four children have been born, as follows, Louisa Henrietta, Frances Sophia, Helen Maria and Adolph Speckart. All the children are public school graduates and the two older daughters are nnusually talented musicians.

MARCUS M. KLEIN has had a most unusual life, and there can be no mistake about the fact that he is a self- made man. Since his ninth year he has completely sup- ported himself, and when he was only eleven years old he came to this country entirely alone, with no friends, no money and no prospects beyond those which his own courage and sturdy strength brought him. At an age when most children are still considered little more than babies and who are tenderly watched over by solicitous mothers, Mr. Klein was fighting his own battles, and demonstrating by his own unaided efforts his right to live in this world. Determination, optimism, health, abil- ity to act quickly and surely, are what has brought him to his present high position in the financial and social circles of his community, but even possessing these in as high degree as he did the odds are tremendously against him, and his success seems a big achievement.

Mr. Klein was born in Bohemia, October 8, 1854, the youngest in a family of eight, the children of Samuel and Annie Klein. Both his father and his mother were born in Bohemia and lived there all their lives. Both of them lived to a good old age, Mr. Klein dying in 1900, at the age of one hundred and two, and Mrs. Klein in 1890, at the age of eighty-nine. Mr. Klein was a farmer and served in the Austrian army during the war. Both he and his wife were devout Christians and took an active interest in all church matters. Despite the large number of his brothers and sisters, Marcus M. Klein is

the only member of his family who has come to Amer- ica.

Mr. Klein attended the Bohemian schools until he was nine years old, when he accepted a position as cabin boy on the ship Weser plying between Hamburg and New York City. He worked in this capacity for two years, occasionally making a short visit home. Then, young as he was, he decided that the old country held out no opportunities to him, and that if he was to realize the ambitions for prosperity that were already taking possession of him he must go to the new world. His parents could not come with him, and none of his brothers or sisters cared to go, and so he came alone. His first stop in the United States was at Cleveland, Ohio. For a year and a half he made his living by selling papers on the streets. He was still anxious, however, to push on to a less developed country, and his next journey took him as far as St. Louis. He sold papers there for the next two years, working all day long and attending school in the evening, in order to learn the language. By this time he was old enough and large enough to undertake work with more of a future in it than paper selling held out. He went to Leavenworth, Kansas, and entered a butcher shop. After a year's training there he moved to Sedalia, Mis- souri, and from there to several other Missouri towns, all the time working in the butcher business, and grad- ually becoming more and more familiar with every de- tail of the trade.

In the spring of 1879 he left for Omaha, Nebraska, making the trip on a boat. From there he traveled to Corinne, Utah, where, by engaging himself with a freighting outfit he came through to Dillon, Montana. He arrived in the fall of 1879 and has been a resident of the state ever since. He soon left Dillon for Helena, where he worked on the Benedict ranch for nearly a year, and then for two years after that night herded cattle for the Murphy-McLane outfit between Helena and Benton. In 1883 he came into the Musselshell valley, and for the next eighteen years he worked for the Montana Cattle Company. He had worked so faith- fully during these years, and saved his money so well, that at the end of this time he was able to go into business for himself. He has since been operating a ranch and stock business on a large scale and has been very successful. But even now, when his years of labor have brought their reward, and he could live in luxury for the rest of his life, he still loves to be among the cattle that were his friends for so long, and to be out on the plains.

Mr. Klein has held several public positions, and is now chairman of the board of county commissioners. He has been a justice of the peace, and at one time he was postmaster at Hope, Montana. He has also been a member of the school board. Outside of his ranching interests he is connected with several other business enterprises, and is vice president of the First National Bank at Roundup. He attends the Catholic church, although he is not opposed to any denomination. The Eagle Lodge claims him as one of its members, and he has been a trustee of the organization. Although he favors the Democratic party, and has always been interested in watching the course of politics, he has never had time to take much of an active part.

Mr. Klein was married June 23, 1903, at Lavina, Mon- tana, to Mary L. Locken, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harmon Locken, formerly of Germany, and they have three children, Juaneta Sylvia, now in school, Melba Montana, still at home, and a baby lately born.

JOHN C. DUFF. An able and influential lawyer of Chinook, and a citizen of much prominence, John C. Duff has for many years been intimately associated with the development and advancement of the best interests of Chouteau county, his efforts being widely appre- ciated. He was born, April 3, 1845, at Newburgh, New

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York, where his childhood days were spent. His fa- ther, Thomas A. Duff, a native of New York City, was a man of talent and culture, and held a com- manding position in professional circles. He married Laura Frazer, who was born in New York state, and to them six children were born, of whom John C., the subject of this brief biographical review, is the sole survivor. Both of the parents died in Darm- stadt, Germany, and were there buried, the mother dying in 1856, and the father in 1864.

When three months of age, John C., with his parents, went to Germany and remained there until the youth was sixteen years of age, when, his parents having died in Germany, he returned to the United States, and in 1863 enlisted in Company F, Thirtieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. He was immedi- ately commissioned first lieutenant, and at the age of seventeen had full charge of eight companies. He was with Sheridan in the Shenandoah valley, and im- mediately after the battle at Cedar Creek was cap- tured by the enemy between Harpers Ferry and Mar- tinsburg, his guards and staff also becoming prisoners. Until February 22, 1865, the gallant lieutenant was held a prisoner, and on being released was sent south with orders to proceed to Mexico. A change of plans being made, Mr. Duff was ordered to report to Gen. Daniel E. Sickles in South Carolina, where he remained until July, 1865, when he was sent to Wash- ington, where he took part in the grand parade of Union troops.

On being mustered out of service, Mr. Duff took up commercial studies in New York City, and was there a resident for several years. In 1879, while Montana was a frontier territory, he came to what is now Chouteau county, locating at Fort Benton, where he began the practice of the law, making a specialty of land cases, of which he had an excellent knowledge. Removing thence to Chinook in 1901, Mr. Duff there followed the land law practice for eight years, his previous studies and experience having made him an expert in that branch of professional work. Since 1909 he has been a general practitioner of law, and has met with characteristic success in his work, hav- ing built up a wide and lucrative patronage.

A steadfast Republican in politics, Mr. Duff is very active in public affairs, having never shirked the re- sponsibilities connected with office holding. While at Fort Benton, he held every office from mayor down; was for four years county treasurer of Chouteau county; and for eight years he has served as town clerk and city attorney in Chinook. He has acquired considerable wealth, owning valuable city realty at that place, in- cluding one of the most pleasant homes in the city. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Mr. Duff married, July 9, 1902, Miss Waite Counzil- man, and they have one child, John Charles Duff.

PATRICK H. SIDLEY. Among the well-known citizens of Butte, Montana, whose years of young boyhood and fater maturity have been filled with interests identified with the growth and progress of this section is Mr. Patrick H. Sidley. Although born in Houghton county, Michigan, the date of his birth being November 23, 1866, he came with the family to Butte in September, 1879, and has since then lived the greater part of the time in this city. Mr. Sidley is the son of Timothy and Margaret (Murphy) Sidley, both of whom were natives of Ireland. Mr. Sidley, senior, came to Amer- ica about 1862. and settled first in Massachusetts. In 1878, however, he arrived for the first time in Butte, then a mining town with a mere handful of population, and a year later removed his family to this place. He followed the occupation of miner during his lifetime and died in this city April 30, 1903. He is survived by

his wife, who is at the present time a resident of Butte.

Patrick H. Sidley received a rudimentary education in the public schools of Butte and later attended All Hallows College at Salt Lake City, finally completing his studies when nineteen years old. His entrance into the business world took place immediately afterward, when he assumed the duties of a clerical position, re- maining at that employment for a time, but later drifted into mining work. His first venture as an independent tradesman was when he purchased a grocery store at Butte. The business did not yield the profits he de- sired, however, and he soon sold out and returned to clerical work, becoming associated with the Ana- conda Copper Mining Company in 1001. He con- tinued to hold a clerkship with that corporation for two and a half years, and resigned to assume the duties of the office of city clerk of Butte, to which he had in the meantime been elected. After serving a two-year term as city clerk Mr. Sidley returned to his position with the copper company, and for the past three years has been chief clerk at the mines' office. As a man of superior ability, wide experience and utmost reliability, his services are recognized by the firm with which he is connected as exceedingly valu- able. .

Mr. Sidley is of Democratic political faith, and in times past has taken quite an active part in party affairs. His devotion to duty when in official position was creditably shown some years ago when he served as a deputy during the administration of Sheriff Regan. He is greatly interested in civic matters and has broad and intelligent views on the many important public questions that interest the high-minded citizens of this country today. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Knights of the Maccabees.

On April 30, 1889, occurred the marriage uniting Mr. Sidley and Miss Mary E. Sullivan, daughter of M. M. Sullivan, of New York, who came to Butte with his family in 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Sidley have three children, Walter J., Edna M. and Ruth, all born in the city of Butte.

PETER H. SMITH, one of the substantial retired busi- ness men of Billings, is an example of the men who have by their energy, public spirit and careful manage- inent, reached positions which the struggles of the earlier years scarcely indicate, and who are known and respected for their sterling worth as citizens, having always in view the upbuilding and best interests of the communities in which they live. Of this class, the Yellowstone valley has many representatives, none perhaps more worthy than the gentleman whose per- sonal history is here recorded. Mr. Smith is a native of the little kingdom of Denmark, and was born De- cember 28, 1843, a son of Hans and Mary Smith, farm- ing people of that country who are both deceased. They had a family of four children, of whom Peter H., the third in order of birth, is the only survivor.

The early education of Peter H. Smith was secured in the schools of his native country, and when he was twenty-two years of age he made his way to America, settling first in Quebec, Canada. Subsequently, he emi- grated to Dwight, Illinois, where in order to learn the English language he attended a district school in the farming community in which he worked. During the spring of 1871 he moved to Lincoln county, Kansas, and took up a homestead, on which he resided until 1876. There he was working when the Black Hills gold ex- citement struck the country, and hastily selling his property he went overland to the Dakotas, where he followed mining until 1879, at which time, with others, he went to Miles City, Montana, and during the two years that followed was engaged in hunting buffaloes for their hides. The spring of 1882 saw Mr. Smith's arrival in Billings, then a tent town, and until 1885 he

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secured employment at various occupations. In that year he formed a partnership in the livery business with the late John M. Ramsey, under the firm name of Ramsey & Smith, an association which continued until 1895, in which year Mr. Smith retired from active pursuits. In 1907 he erected what is known as the Smith block, on the site of the old livery stable, corner of Twenty- seventh street and First avenue north, and May 10, 11910, he was one of the organizers of the Farmers' and Traders' Bank, which is located in this building and of which he is a director and stockholder. Mr. Smith also owns a handsome residence at No. 214 North Thirty- second street. He is independent in his political views and has never desired public office, his business activi- ties having demanded all of his time and attention. His fraternal connection is with the Rathbone Lodge No. 28, Knights of Pythias.

On January 27, 1899, Mr. Smith was united in mar- riage with Miss Lillian V. Soule, a native of Illinois. Among the representative self-made men of Billings, few have been the architects of their own fortunes to such a degree as Mr. Smith, and his career should be encouraging and prove stimulating to the youth of to- day, of whatever country, who are struggling to over- come obstacles to attain success. During his long resi- dence in Billings, Mr. Smith has made numerous ac- quaintances, among whom he can count friends by scores.

NIELS P. SORENSON. A record of the career of Niels P. Sorenson, of Miles City, cannot prove aught but interesting, not only to those of the younger genera- tion who delight in hearing recounted the thrilling experiences incidental to pioneer days, but also to all who have an interest in those who have assisted in developing Montana from a wilderness into a center of commercial and educational activity. Although now engaged in the peaceful occupation of selling real estate and insurance, Mr. Sorenson has passed through some adventurous times and has watched the transformation of the former hunting grounds into well-regulated farms, thriving cities and centers of civilization. He is a native of Denmark, a country that has given Mon- tana some of its best citizens, and was born February 26. 1856, a son of S. and Anna (Christison) Sorenson, both of whom are deceased. Mr. Sorenson's father, who died at the age of fifty-six years, was for thirty- two years gardener for the King. Of his four children, Niels P. is the only survivor.

Niels P. Sorenson was educated in his native coun- try, and was seventeen years of age when he came to the United States. Landing in New York City, he made his way across the country to Oshkosh, Wiscon- sin, where for about six months he was employed as a farm hand. At that time he learned the trade of blacksmith, at which he worked until 1877, and in that year traveled overland to Bismarck, North Dakota, where he put the spars in the first steamer that came up the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers, Colonel Lee being in charge of the troops carried by the vessel. Later Mr. Sorenson went overland to the Black Hills and continued on to the Big Horn Mountains, and while going through the Wolf Mountains met a band of Indians and were compelled to fight their way through. After prospecting in the Big Horn Mountains for some time, the party of which Mr. Sorenson was a member went overland to the present site of Bozeman, and then returned to the Black Hills and remained two months. At the end of that time, with his friend, James Alkinson, Mr. Sorenson started for Arizona, each having a team of horses and a wagon. While making their camp at Rock Creek they learned there had been a stage robbery near that place, and during the following day they met Tom Keenan, one of the rob- bers, who was driving an old wagon, pulled by two horses. After a conversation, Keenan drove on, leav-

'ing them totally unaware of his identity or of the fact that under a number of old blankets in his wagon rested the very safe that had been taken from the stage the day before. Subsequently Mr. Sorenson and his partner changed their minds as to their destination and decided to go to Fort Laramie, having letters from Col- onel Lee to the various fort commanders requesting that the two men be given work. As there was no employment at which they could be put at Fort Lar- amie, they went on to Fort Mckinney, where Captain Pollock was in command, this being during the fall of 1877. The Captain detailed a sergeant and four pri- vates to escort the travelers to a camp about thirty miles from the fort, supplying them with guns and ammunition with which to hunt elk, mountain sheep and buffalo, to furnish the fort with meat, and in addi- tion each located land claims. When they had been at their camp for some days they were approached by a visitor, who after some conversation informed them that he was a member of a band of road agents who were housed in a dug-out not far distant, and that it would be healthy for them to say nothing in regard to the fact. Later they were taken to the dug-out, where they met some eighteen or twenty desperadoes, among whom was the Tom Keenan of previous acquaintance. Later Keenan and Jesse James called at their camp, having in some manner discovered that Mr. Sorenson was a blacksmith, and Mr. Sorenson was forced to set the shoes on Jesse James' horse. As he had no tools of his own, he used those belonging to the famous bandits, who seemed to be well equipped with all neces- sary paraphernalia. During the fall of 1879 Mr. Soren- son came to Miles City, and shortly thereafter engaged in hunting buffaloes for their hides in the Little Sheep Mountains and on White Creek, with James White, in whose honor the creek was named. In the spring of 1880 he resumed his trade, but in 1881 went to the Tongue river, fifty miles from Miles City, and built the first house in the locality on the Clark ranch. During the following winter he again gave his attention to hunting, but in 1882 came back to Miles City, where he closed a contract with the Northern Pacific Rail- road for grading, and in the winter of 1882-83 again hunted buffalo on Grand river, in Dakota. Returning to Miles City in the spring of 1883, he worked at his trade for a year, and in 1884 went to Regina, North- west Territory, Canada, having a grading contract with the Canadian Pacific Railroad. He spent the summer in Canada and then returned to Miles City and worked at his trade until 1895, in which year he erected a shop at the corner of Main and Eighth streets, and continued in business until 1901. At that time he sold his establishment to engage in the sheep business, with which he was connected up to 1910, and since 1911 has carried on a successful real estate and insur- ance business. In political matters Mr. Sorenson is a Republican, and has served very acceptably as alder- man of the First ward. He is popular with all who know him, and has many friends among the members of the United Workmen, the Knights of Honor and the Homesteaders, to all of which he belongs.

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A history of Montana, Volume II, Part 74

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