A history of Montana, Volume II, Part 76

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

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Albert E. Pound was born June 7, 1831, in Penn- sylvania, received excellent educational advantages in his native state, and there taught school for a number of years. Later he removed to southern Wisconsin, and subsequently to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, where until 1876 he was prominently identified with large lumbering ventures. In 1879 he came to Martinsdale, Montana, where he was engaged in the sheep business, but during the early eighties went to Butte, where he carried on a real estate business and also devoted some attention to mining. In 1888 he located in Missoula, Montana, where he is now living, being identified with the Cobban Realty Company. In political matters he is a stanch Republican, and while living in Chippewa Falls was mayor of the city for two or three terms and a member of the Wisconsin state legislature on two occasions, in addition to acting in the capacity of post- master. He had reached the thirty-second degree in Masonry, and was identified with the Milwaukee Con- sistory. His wife, a native of New York, died in 1886, having been the mother of five children, as follows: Ida L., the wife of Charles T. Busha, living in Big Timber; Harvey C .; Alice, the wife of A. S. Robert- son, of Livingston; Thaddeus, deputy sheriff of Yellow- stone county, and a resident of Billings; and Mary, the wife of George M. Hatch.

The education of Harvey C. Pound was secured in the public schools of Chippewa Falls, and in 1879 he came with his parents to Montana, engaging in the sheep business with his father six miles from Martins- dale, in the Musselshell valley, and also, in 1881 and 1882, being his father's partner in the stage line running from Martinsdale to Fort Benton and Fort Maginnis. His father retired from these ventures during the early eighties, but Harvey C. continued in the sheep, cattle and horse business until 1894. In 1895 he came to Big Timber and engaged in ranching for about two years on Big Timber creek, six miles from the city, being subsequently engaged for four or five years in the livery business. From 1903 until 1909 he acted as clerk of the district court, and since 1904 he has held the appointment to the office of United States cominis- sioner, in addition to acting as justice of the peace. The greater part of his attention is now devoted to the real estate business, in which he is meeting with well- deserved success. In political matters he is a Republi- can, and his fraternal connection is with Big Timber Lodge No. 25, Knights of Pythias.

On September 6, 1885, Mr. Pound was married to Miss Minna Robertson, who was born at Spencerville, Ontario, Canada, daughter of George and Ellen (Stitt) Robertson, natives of Ontario, the former of whom is deceased. Mrs. Pound was the third in order of birth of her parents' seven children. She and her husband have had nine children: George E., who married Queena Davis and resides at Gig Harbor, Washington; Samuel H .; Grace R., the wife of C. J. Knox, of Manhattan; and Thaddeus, Hugh, Beth, Ralph, Nellie and Alice.

To Mr. Pound's well-directed efforts must be given much of the credit for the development and advance- ment of his section. He has ever maintained a lively interest in the material prosperity of the county, where he is well known and held in high esteem as a repre- sentative citizen and able business man.

MAMIE E. BURT, superintendent of the schools of Silver Bow county, is a brilliant young woman whose fifteen years' experience as a teacher makes her particu- larly fit for the important and responsible position of which she is now incumbent. Holding advanced ideas concerning educational methods of teaching, Miss Burt is introducing a system into the Silver Bow schools which is proving of the most practical value in mak- ing the school what it ever should be-a preparation for the responsible duties which devolve upon every individual after reaching maturity. Her course has received the approval of the most progressive citizens of Butte and she has enlisted the co-operation of her teachers to such an extent that great harmony prevails and the concerted action is attended with excellent re- sults.

A native of Vermont, Miss Burt was born at West- phalia, that state, and she is a daughter of Phillip and Mary A. (Bryant) Burt, both of whom were born in England, the former in 1849 and the latter in 1853. The father immigrated to America at an early age and after spending a number of years in Vermont, where was solemnized his marriage to Mary A. Bryant, he came to Butte, here engaging in a number of different business enterprises until the time of his death, in 1903. Mrs. Phillip Burt came to America as a child with her parents and she was reared to maturity in Vermont. She was summoned to the life eternal at Butte in 1907, at the age of fifty-four years. Mr. and Mrs. Burt became the parents of five children, as fol- lows: Mamie E. is the immediate subject of this review ; William, Sophie, Joseph, and Annie L.

Miss Burt was a child at the time of her parents' removal to Butte, where she completed her educational training. She was graduated in the Butte high school as a member of the class of 1892. She gained her first

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pedagogic experience as a teacher in the Washington school in Butte and in 1895 she was transferred to the Centerville school, where she remained for a period of four years, at the expiration of which she was made principal of the Hobart school. One year later she ac- cepted the position of principal of the Walkerville school, remaining in that place for six years. Her unbounded popularity as a teacher and principal made her a successful candidate for the office of county su- perintendent of schools in January, 1910, when she was elected to that position on the Republican ticket. By reason of her extensive experience as a teacher Miss Burt is unusually competent as superintendent of the Silver Bow schools and she is proving of great satis- faction to her constituents. In religious matters Miss Burt is a devout and active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to whose charities and good works she is a most liberal contributor of her time and means. She is popular amongst all classes of people, is broad-minded and sincere in her views of life and by her sunny, genial disposition has made friends of all with whom she has come in contact.

JOHN T. SMITH, JR. One of the leading legal firms of Livingston, Montana, is that of John T. Smith & Son, the senior member of which, John T. Smith, Jr., in addition to being prominent in his profession and in the public arena, has been identified with move- ments of a progressive nature calculated to benefit his city and state, and carries on extensive ranching operations in Park county. He was born in Kirks- ville, Adair county, Missouri, July 17, 1850, and be- longs to a family of Montana pioneers.

Captain John T. Smith, his father, was born in eastern Tennessee, February 25, 1813, and when fifteen years of age removed to Howard county, Missouri, with his parents, Josiah and Martha Smith, farming people who spent the remainder of their lives there. Captain John T. Smith was given the advantages of a public school education, and as a young man engaged in the general merchandise business at Kirksville, buy- ing the stock of Jesse Kirk, the original merchant of Kirksville and the man in whose honor the city was named. In 1850 he sold his interests and went to California overland as captain of an outfit of oxen, which had a narrow escape from death on the plains. After three months they arrived in San Francisco, where Mr. Smith engaged in the hotel business, but after eighteen months, meeting with big success, started for home by sailing vessel to the Isthmus, which was crossed on foot, passage then being taken on a sailing vessel for New York City, and the remainder of the journey to Adair county, Missouri, being made by rail and stage. Engaging in farming and stock raising, Mr. Smith became one of the leading citizens of this locality, being one of the organizers of the State Bank at Kirksville, Missouri, the successor of which is still in existence, and president and cashier at different times up to 1864. He was a member of the Missouri legislature when Sterling Price was governor, and in political matters was a Democrat and a great admirer and supporter of Stephen A. Douglas. Later he pre- sided over the first Democratic convention of impor- tance held at old Gallatin City. Largely through his efforts George C. Swallow was made state geologist of Missouri, he later becoming the incumbent of the same office in Kansas. The advent of Captain Smith in Montana is interestingly set forth in a narrative prepared by him for publication in a magazine, and which will, no doubt, prove interesting and instruc- tive to those of the younger generation, not only as an illustration of the perils and hardships encountered and overcome by the old pioneers, but also as a paper of historical value. It read in part as follows : "In the spring of 1864 I was residing at Kirksville, Missouri, where I had lived for many years. The animosities of the then pending Civil war had become

intense, and many good and harmless citizens were being called to their door-steps only to meet a volley of musketry. My personal property had, to a great extent, been confiscated, and being the only solvent surety remaining upon the bond of a defaulting sheriff, my real estate was practically tied up. My two old- est sons were about the age for conscription and I determined to leave the country and take them with me. In May of that year a man by name of Alexander Foster and myself prepared to go west. I had two teams consisting each of a team of oxen and two yokes of cows. A colored man named John, now liv- ing in Helena, Montana, decided that he did not want to be left behind, and so he, my two sons, Mancil and Robert, and Porter Smith, a nephew, and myself, together with Foster, started for Nebraska City about the middle of May, having no particular destination beyond that place in view. At Nebraska City we found many other refugees headed westward, and a company was founded, of which I took command, and we pro- ceeded on the old California route, over which I had traveled in 1850, and struck the Platte river a little below Fort Kearney. Having learned about this time of the discovery of gold in Alder Gulch, near Virginia City (then in Idaho Territory), we determined to make for that place. We kept up the Platte river to the last crossing of the North Platte at Renshaw's bridge, where I first met Captain Bozeman, who had formed a company with the purpose of viewing the route east of the Big Horn mountains to Idaho, and in which enterprise he was to receive five dollars for each wagon in his company.

"Bozeman's train was to start the next morning and he invited me to join him. I declined on account of having to rest our teams a couple of days. I told him, however, that I thought I would pull in on his trail when we should renew our journey. On the third morning after Bozeman's departure, we took his trail and were overtaken by Mich. Bozier, who pushed on to Bozeman's camp on Powder river that night and informed him of our movements. Captain Bozeman waited two days for us to come up, when he told me he needed assistance in looking out the route and that having heard that I was a good woodsman he hoped I would join him, as he had no one who could be of any assistance in his train, and besides he expected trouble with the Indians. I declined this proposition, for the reason that my men would not consent to pay him five dollars each for pilotage. Captain Bozeman, however, generously waived the stipend, but I told him I thought his men might not feel satisfied with such an arrangement or else might claim special privi- leges ; and that we would avoid trouble and secure all the benefits of union by traveling in supporting dis- tance of each other and camping together at night. This proposition was cheerfully acceded to, with the further understanding that I should assist him in spy- ing out the route. The next morning we moved out, crossed Powder river and camped the second night on Piney river, where Fort Phil Kearney was after. wards located, and had a man badly torn up by a bear. Our journey for some days was across a beautiful country, dotted with buffalo as far as the eye could reach, and crossing Goose creek, Tongue river, the Muddy and the Little Big Horn, we reached the Big Horn on the 4th of July, which the boys celebrated by killing over one hundred buffalo. The next morn- ing we crossed the Big Horn and took a northwestern direction along the base of the mountain, crossing many rushing mountain streams and beautiful vales until we reached the Yellowstone at a point about two miles below the present site of Billings. We traveled up that river to Clarke's Fork, and not being able to go further along the south bank of the Yellowstone, we turned our train up the Clarke's Fork until we struck the trail of that veteran pioneer, Jim Bridger, who had passed through a few days before with a train which he

JOIIN T. SMITH AND FAMILY.

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had brought through between the Wind river and the Big Horn mountains. We were now out of danger of the Indians and each traveled much to suit himself. We came back on the Yellowstone below what is now Big Timber some distance and crossed it a little below Hunt- er's Hot Springs, and at the mouth of Shield's river there was a general separation, some going up the Yel- lowstone to Emigrant Gulch. Bozeman, with a party, went over the Jacob's route, as it was then called, but is now known as the Bozeman Pass. My detach- ment went up the Shield's river and followed Bridger's trail westward through Bridger's canyon and came in to the 'Gallatin valley at the place where Story's mill now stands.

"When we came in full view of the Gallatin valley we felt that our long journey had not been in vain. We passed on to Virginia City, where we found Alder Gulch crowded with emigrants. Many men could not. find employment, although the gulch was then being worked for six or eight miles in extent. Here we got the history of the famous banditti and its extinction by the Vigilantes in the preceding winter. I was shown a lamp post where five of the road agents had been hung at one time. I asked the landlord where I stopped, where some of my valuables could be safely deposited over night, and he told me to leave them in the wagon on the street; that my pocketbook would be safe if left lying on the sidewalk. It has been said that stealing is the result of a disease. If so the rope had proven an effectual preventive in that large and mixed settlement !

"Capt. Bozeman had theretofore made very gracious acknowledgments for my assistance rendered him on the way out, and promised in recognition thereof to accompany me to any part of the country I might de- sire to visit, so after setting free my colored man, John, and seeing him at work in a restaurant at five dollars per day, Bozeman, Ellet, Rouse and myself, re- turned to the Gallatin valley and went to Rouse's ranch on the East Gallatin river. I bought a ranch from Rouse which had a cabin on it, and the price, fifty dollars, was discharged by my sons working for him ten days. Bozeman and Rouse went up the East Galla- tin and located the town of Bozeman, and Capt. Boze- man offered me a third interest in the town if I would move there and give my influence for that point; but as I did not then believe the county seat would be located there I declined the offer.

"The following winter I remained on my ranch and enjoyed the splendid opportunities for hunting. The valley was full of game and I killed a very large grizzly bear, a moose and numbers of deer and antelope. In the early spring, however, my bread stuff gave out and as none could be obtained at any price I lived without bread for six weeks. I bought a plow from Joseph Lindley, now of Bozeman, for forty-five dol- lars and went to farming. Paid seventy-five dollars for five bushels of seed wheat, got a little seed oats and barley, and raised a nice little crop in 1865. In the meantime Gallatin county had been organized with Gallatin City as the county seat. I had the honor to preside over the deliberations of the first Democratic convention ever held in the county. A little incident occurred at the convention which I will relate. It seemed that the people about the county seat had formed a sort of combine to get the offices, and some Republicans had been run in as delegates. A delegate from Diamond City, by name of Head, formerly from Arkansas, a lawyer and an escaped military prisoner from Douglas prison, Illinois, had discovered the trick and arose, saying in a very emphatic and impressive style: 'Mr. Chairman, my constituents, sir, sent me here as a Democrat to represent Democrats in a Dem- ocratic convention. Sir, if I thought this were not a strictly Democratic organization, I would immediately withdraw. I have no blind side, sir, by which a Re- publican can approach me.' The sentiment was very

contagious and the convention was soon purged of Republican representatives.

"In the fall of 1865 I left my two sons on the ranch and took passage down the Yellowstone on the Mack- inaw fleet, which started near Livingston's present townsite. It was a jolly fleet of fifty-five boats and on the twenty-third day out we reached St. Joe, Missouri, having rowed day and night throughout the journey, whenever it could be done. In the spring of 1866 I conducted another train of emigrants en route to Montana, and brought out a small herd of cows, and in the following year sent my sons back to Missouri to attend college. In 1868 I returned to Missouri via Fort Benton and though greatly infatuated with Montana and impressed with my opportunity to make a fortune raising cattle, I determined to remain east and educate my seven children, all of whom were of school age, and in 1869 returned to Montana to close out my affairs. My little herd of twenty cows had increased so rapidly that they brought me $4,500. In 1876 one of my daughters was married to Vard Cockrill and became a resident of Gallatin county, and in 1879, my children all being grown up, I came to the Gallatin valley to spend the remainder of my life."

The death of this old and honored pioneer closed in his eighty-fourth year, June 29, 1896. Firm in the faith of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, of which he had been a member and elder for sixty-three years, he met the end calmly and bravely, surrounded by his children. His remains were interred beside those of his wife in Dry Creek cemetery, but later the bodies of both were removed by the children to the Bozeman cemetery. Capt. John T. Smith was married at Pal- myra, Missouri, May 20, 1844, to Sarah A. Goode, who was born at Casey county, Kentucky, October 21, 1818, and she died December 21, 1889. Of their eight chil- dren, one died in infancy, while three still survive: John T., Jr .; Mashina, who married Vardeman Cock- rill, deceased; and Wilmoth, widow of David Richards.

John T. Smith, Jr., received his education in First District State school, at Kirksville, Missouri, Mr. Bald- win having been formerly the father of normal schools in Indiana. He graduated in the class of 1872 and sub- sequently had his first experience in the field of politics, making a campaign for Mr. Baldwin, who was working with the voters of Missouri for an appropriation for a state normal school. This was entirely successful, the state appropriating $100,000 for the school at Kirks- ville, in which Mr. Smith took a full course of four years. He graduated as the youngest man in his class, and subsequently accepted an offer from the board of regents, taking the chair of chemistry, geology and his- tory, and taught for one year, fulfilling a promise he had made the state during the time he was a student. From early youth it had been his intention to follow a professional career, and he accordingly took up the study of law, being admitted to the bar in 1874, and locating in practice in Butler, Missouri, from whence in 1876 he was elected county attorney of Bates county in 1876 and served one term. Resuming general prac- tice, he so continued in Butler until 1890, when he came to Livingston, Montana, and has since gained eminence in the profession as senior member of the firm of John T. Smith & Son. A stalwart Democrat in his political views, he has always been active in the ranks of his party, and in 1899-1900 served as mayor of Livingston. He is the president of the Park County Bar Association, of which he has served as president continuously since its organization, and was one of the organizers of the Eastern Montana Bar Association in 1905, and its presi- dent ever since. In addition he belongs to the Mon- tana State Bar Association, Butler Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Butler, Missouri, and Livingston Lodge No. 246, B. P. O. E. He maintains well-appointed offices in the National Park Bank building. In 1905 Mr. Smith en- gaged in general ranching in Park county, and at this time has 3,800 acres of land, and raises fine cattle,

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horses and hogs, and is owner of the famous saddle horse "Cadmus Chief," and a part owner of the full- blooded Percheron stallion "Xemenes."

On September 7, 1877, Mr. Smith was married to Miss Ida A. Jacobs, the fourth child of Dutton D. and Elizabeth (Kirk) Jacobs, of Youngstown, Ohio, the former of whom died in 1857, and the latter in 1902. Mr. Jacobs was one of the pioneer merchants of Youngstown, where Mrs. Smith was born. Three children have been born to Mlr. and Mrs. Smith, namely : Kirk, who is superintendent of the ranch, was educated in the State Agricultural College of Montana; . Vard, his father's partner in the firm of John T. Smith & Son, received his legal education at the law department of the University of Nebraska and was elected county attorney of Park county in 1912 as a Democrat; and Louise Goode died in infancy.

JOHN H. CRONIN. The well-known and popular county commissioner, John H. Cronin, was born in Tipperary, Ireland, on April 18, 1852. His father, Daniel Cronin, was born in the same place, and died there when John H. was a boy. He married Mar- garet Ryan, who also died in Ireland.

The boy attended school in Ireland, and at the age of seventeen, came to America all alone. After land- ing in New York, he made his way to Scott county, Minnesota, but remained there only a short time before going to St. Paul. His stay here was for but a few months, and then he removed to Marquette, Michigan, where he worked in the mines. This was in the year 1870, and he remained there for three years. From here he returned to New York, and thence went to Pennsylvania where he secured employment in the coal fields in Luzerne county. In 1877, Mr. Cronin went back to Michigan and thereafter his course was stead- ily westward. From Michigan, he journeyed to Winni- peg, and at last in 1879 came to Montana, to the in- significant mining camp which then represented the city of Butte. He went to work in the mines and has ever since been a citizen of this community. He has witnessed the rapid growth of the mining camp into the leading city of a great commonwealth. Naturally he has always taken the greatest interest in the admin- istration of the city affairs and he has been prominent in the political life of the place.

Mr. Cronin has always loyally supported the Dem- ocratic party, and his popularity is attended by the numerous times he has been called upon to fill various offices in the gift of the voters. He has served as city sanitary inspector under Mayor McCarthy and under Mayor Davey. He was city jailer during Mayor Mul- lens' administration, and at present he is serving as county commissioner.

On April 16, 1895, Mr. Cronin was married to Miss Hannah McCune, of Butte. Both are members of the Catholic church, and in that body, as well as in other circles, they have a host of friends.

Mr. Cronin belongs to the Knights of Columbus, and also to the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Few of Butte's citizens can muster a greater company of friends, or lay claim to a more general respect, than Mr. Cronin. Both as a public official and as a citizen and neighbor he is accorded the tribute of the esteem and con- fidence which he well deserves.

HON. PARIS GIBSON. In the noble list of far-seeing and enterprising men who have contributed to the de- velopment of the great state of Montana, for more than thirty years the name of Paris Gibson, the founder of the city of Great Falls has stood foremost. Other men of power and initiative have come and gone since Mr. Gibson found a home in Montana, some to ad- jacent sections and many have passed off the scene of life, but in honored and venerable age, Mr. Gibson con- tinues to be a factor in all the important affairs of the city of which he is the acknowledged father and his

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A history of Montana, Volume II, Part 76

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