A history of Montana, Volume II, Part 84

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

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The marriage of Mr. Holbrook to Miss Margaret Grace Scriber occurred February 28, 1894, at Salem, Oregon. Mrs. Holbrook was born in Oregon, August 22, 1869, daughter of Charles Scriber, a pioneer settler of Marion county, Oregon, and she died November 20, 1907, without issue. On April 29, 1911, Mr. Hol- brook and Miss Jessie M. Magill were united in mar- riage and they now occupy their well appointed and hospitable home at 6241/2 North Galena street. Mrs. Holbrook is a daughter of C. O. Magill, of Kansas, a former resident of Butte.

CHARLES B. CLARK. Typical of the sturdy man- hood that has been the medium through which the state of Montana · has achieved greatness within the span of a few short years, Charles B. Clark stands today among the most substantial citizens of Billings. The success which has come to him is well merited and has been fairly earned. He has had his full share of disappointments and discouragements, but through- out his career he has displayed a cheerful character, philosophically taking his misfortunes as a part of the trials to be borne by the pioneer in new fields and new places, and that today he is regarded as one of his city's representative men is but the result of a life of earnest, steadfast effort. Mr. Clark was born at Henderson, Sibley county, Minnesota, August 31, 1856, and is a son of John A. and Sarah (Butler) Clark.

Mr. Clark's parents, natives of Ohio, removed from that state to Illinois, where they spent some time in Jo Daviess county, then going to Henry county, Iowa. During the lead excitement at Galena, Illinois, they returned to that place, the father engaging in lead mining for five or six years, at the end of which time the family moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. They re- mained in St. Paul until the spring of 1852, when they settled in Henderson, and there Mr. Clark's death occurred in 1857, in the midst of a successful mercan- tile career. He was the owner of a large store, and the high esteem in which he was universally held was made manifest by his election to various offices of public trust. He was the first sheriff of Sibley county, and served in other public positions.

The education of Charles B. Clark was secured in the common schools of his native place, and in 1866, when he was ten years old, went with his mother to Litchfield, in which town they remained until 1873. He then joined the Stanley expedition engaged in run- ning the first lines of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and as a member of the surveying party made his first entrance into Montana. He remained within the limits of the territory until the expedition disbanded a few months later, when he went to Bismarck, North Dakota, and in the fall of 1876 joined the stampede to the

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Black Hills. The next four years were spent in mining and freighting, but he met with only indifferent suc- cess, and in the spring of 1880 he came up the Yellow- stone to Bozeman. In the fall he went to Helena and engaged in sawmilling with Holter Brothers, remain- ing in that vicinity until 1888, and during that tinie located the Jerusha mine at Empire, which he and "Deaf John" Gleason developed. Mr. Clark sold his interest in this property to A. J. Seligman after he had taken out about $50,000 worth of ore, and he then went to Butte where he leased and worked various mines with a fair degree of success. In 1893 he gave up mining and located on Clark's Fork, fifteen miles east of Red Lodge, where he developed one of the finest ranches in the state, with every improvement known to modern ranching. For a number of years he gave a great deal of attention to the raising of Hereford cattle, and at times had as high as 500 head, but sold his interest in this line, intending to give up his business activities and retire. This, however, was not to be. In 1907 he disposed of his ranch and took a trip to Alaska, and during the summer of that year associated himself with T. P. McDonald in the Behring coal fields, where he and his friends invested $200,000. A contract was drawn with the Alaska Syndicate Rail- road to build a road into the coal mines being developed, they to take 300 tons of coal per day at $7.00 per ton, but the interested parties were notified by Government Agent Garvis that mining must cease, and they thus were victims of the Ballinger-Pinchot controversy. During the winter of 1907 Mr. Clark returned to Seattle, Washington, where he spent the winter and spring and in May, 1908, went to Prince Rupert, the terminal of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad. He then moved on to Skeena and some 200 miles further to Hazelton where he began prospecting for coal. With his associates he located ten sections of coal lands and during that summer returned to Seattle. During the spring that followed he returned to Alaska, going up Cook's Pass to Knik where he purchased a saddle horse and pack animals, and passed on to Talkettna range, near Mount Mckinley. Meeting, however, with only indifferent success, Mr. Clark returned to Seattle, where he was joined by his family and they all came on to Billings. During the summer of 1911 he made another trip to British Columbia, and took a bond on ten copper claims in the Buckley valley which he had noticed on a previous trip. Crews of men are now developing this property.

In April, 1893, Mr. Clark was married to Miss Mary Barkley, a native of Shakopee, Minnesota, and daugh- ter of John Barkley. They have no children except an adopted daughter, Ruth. In fraternal relations he is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Clark's home is situated at No. 803 North Twenty- eighth street. Mr. Clark has led a busy and a useful life, and during the years of his activity has done much to develop the resources of his adopted state. He well merits the esteem and confidence in which he is held by his fellow citizens.

JOHN B. SULLIVAN, M. D. A resident of Montana from his childhood days, Dr. Sullivan has risen to a position of distinct prominence as one of the repre- sentative physicians and surgeons of the metropolis of the state, his success being the more gratifying to note by reason of the fact that it stands as the concrete result of his own ability and efforts. Through his own earning he defrayed the expenses of his professional education, and to one of such marked ambition and determination success comes as a logical sequel of well directed endeavors. The doctor has served as city physician of Butte and has been secretary of the county board of health since 1905, his retention of this office showing his strong hold upon popular esteem in

the community and also indicating the high regard in which he is held by his professional confreres.

Dr. Sullivan claims the old Keystone state as the place of his nativity, as he was born in Newcastle, Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, on the 23d of October, 1878. He is a son of Timothy D. and Johanna (Con- nolly) Sullivan, both natives of Ireland, the former having been born in County Kerry, in 1836, and the latter in County Kilkenny, in 1848. Timothy D. Sul- livan came to America in 1852, as a boy of about fifteen years, and thereafter he was continuously identified with mining operations in the state of Pennsylvania for more than a quarter of a century, a man of sterling character and unflagging industry. In 1880 he came with his family to the territory of Montana and located at Butte, where he found employment in connection with the mining industry. He died in Helena on the 11th of April, 1889. There are few dramatic passages in the history of his life, but his course was marked by impregnable integrity of purpose and by earnest effort 'as one of the world's workers, so that he ac- counted well in all the relations of life and was not denied the confidence and esteem of his fellow men. His wife came to the United States in 1870 and their marriage was solemnized in 1873, at Newcastle, Penn- sylvania. The devoted wife and mother was sum- moned to the life eternal on the 17th of February, 1881, her death having occurred at Meaderville, a sub- urb of the city of Butte. Both she and her husband were devout communicants of the Catholic church, and to this noble mother of Christendom three of their four children have dedicated their lives, Dr. Sul- livan, of this review, being the one exception. Rev. Ambrose A. Sullivan, eldest of the children, is a member of the Jesuit order of the Catholic priest- hood and is a resident of St. Ignatius, Montana, as well as a missionary among the Indians of that sec- tion. Rev. Stephen J. Sullivan is likewise one of the representative members of the priesthood of the Cath- olic church in Montana and is president of St. Charles' College, in the city of Helena. Dr. John B. Sullivan, subject of this sketch, is the youngest of the sons, and the only daughter, Josie C., who was born in the city of Butte, on the 14th of February, 1881, is a Sister of Charity in the Catholic church, her present residence being at Leavenworth, Kansas.

Dr. Sullivan is indebted to the parochial and public schools of Helena, Montana, for his early educational advantages, and in pursuance of his higher academic studies he entered Gonzaga College, a fine Catholic University at Spokane, Washington, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1895 and from which he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Thereafter he held a clerical and executive position in the office of one of the extensive smelting plants at Anaconda, Montana, until 1899, taking this means to secure the funds with which to complete his course in medical college, as he had early formulated definite plans for his future career. He finally entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons in the city of St. Louis, Missouri, and in this admirably ordered institu- tion he was graduated as a member of the class of 1903, the while he earned most fully his coveted degree of Doctor of Medicine, being one of the honor grad- uates. After his graduation Dr. Sullivan returned to Butte and here he has since given his time and attention to the work of his profession, in which he has gained distinctive success and prestige, with specially high reputation as a surgeon and with a clientage of rep- resentative character. For five years after his gradua- tion he continued to give efficient service as a member of the surgical staff of St. James' hospital and in this connection he gained wide and varied clinical experi- ence. In 1909 he held the office of city physician of Butte and he has been secretary of the board of health of his home county since 1905, as previously stated

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in this context. The doctor is a close student and by availing himself of the best of the standard and periodical literature of his profession he keeps in close touch with the advances made in the sciences of medicine and surgery. He is a progressive and loyal citizen, takes a deep interest in all that touches the welfare of his home city and state and is a staunch advocate of the principles and policies of the Dem- ocratic party, in whose cause he has given effective service. Holds the unique position of being the only physician in the State of Montana, who is a regularly qualified and practising attorney, having been admitted on examination before the supreme court of the state to practice law in all the courts of the state. He is a communicant of the Catholic church and is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and Elks. Dr. Sulli- van is held in unqualified esteem in the community which is the stage of his earnest and effective services in his profession. Dr. Sullivan is unmarried.

CHARLES MCDONNELL. Coming to Big Timber more than thirty years ago, as the first man to bring sheep into the Yellowstone valley, Charles McDonnell, state senator from Sweet Grass county and president of the Citizens State Bank of Big Timber, has had a varied and eventful career, during which he has steadfastly progressed in business and public life, and now holds an influential position among the citizens of the com- munity in which he has resided for so many years. Mr. McDonnell was born in County Mayo, Ireland, April 16, 1850, and is a son of John and Mary (Hefferon) McDonnell, natives of County Mayo. John McDonnell was a merchant and farmer and spent his days in Ire- land, where he died in 1871, at the age of fifty-two years, while his widow still resides in the old home and has attained the advanced age of eighty-one years. They had a family of four children: Charles; James, who resides in New York state; Ellen, who is deceased; and Annie, the wife of Joseph Holmes, living in Ireland.

The education of Charles McDonnell was secured in the national schools of his native country and in a private academy, and he subsequently devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits. In 1870 he decided to try his fortunes in America, and accordingly came to the United States. Landing in New York City, he remained in the metropolis only a short time, when he journeyed to Sacramento, California, and from there went to Red Bluff, where he worked as a farm hand and sheep herder. Being economical and industrious, he carefully invested his savings in sheep, and when he had accumulated a band of 3,000 started overland for Montana. Driving them through Forty-nine Can- yon, Nevada, he crossed the Little and Big Humboldt rivers, and when he came to the Central Pacific Rail- road, followed the tracks from Hallack to Humboldt Wells, then going north to the Thousand Spring valley, on to the head of Goose creek, and City Rock, at the head of Raft river. He went down that stream to Snake river, and from American Falls to Fort Hall and then on to Blackfoot and Camas, Idaho, sub- sequently crossing the Rocky Mountains into Dillon, Montana, through Virginia City, and on to Red Rock. After leaving the latter place, Mr. McDonnell came to the toll bridge of Henry Haywood, who demanded two cents toll for each sheep that crossed the bridge. Money was a scarce commodity at that time with Mr. McDonnell, and he was having a spirited argument with Mr. Haywood when an incident that occurred was the means of saving him considerable money, at least what was to him considerable money in those days, a matter of some forty dollars. Mrs. Haywood was the owner of seven fine maltese cats who took exception to the presence of Mr. McDonnell's shepherd dog and started a regular Kilkenny fight. Mrs. Haywood, com- ing from milking her cows, with a large bucket of

milk, took a hand in the affair, using her milk pail and spilling its contents all over the dog and cats and finally all hands joined in, the dog getting consid- erably the worst of the argument. The sheep becom- ing frightened at the uproar crossed the bridge, and Mr. McDonnell followed them. When asked by Mr. Haywood what he was going to do about the matter, Mr. McDonnell replied in like manner, and the argu- ment came to a conclusion when Mr. McDonnell gave the other a twenty dollar gold piece, about one-third of what was originally asked by Mr. Haywood. Mr. McDonnell then proceeded on through the Gallatin valley into Bozeman, and remembers that there was not more than a quarter of a mile of fence all along the road. He continued on to the Yellowstone valley, and arrived at Big Timber creek November 7, 1880, being the pioneer sheepman of the valley, and con- tinued to do business until 1904, since which time he has retired from active work, although he still has considerable money invested in the sheep industry. His feat of driving his sheep over the Bozeman pass created quite a lot of excitement at the time it was accom- plished. In 1881 he removed to American Fork and took up a pre-emption claim, to which he added from time to time until he had 26,000 acres. He was for many years associated with Edward Veasey, having as many as 20,000 head of sheep at a time, and also devot- ing a great deal of attention to the raising of hay, the land being under the most effective irrigation. A cross between the Cotswold and Merino breeds was the fav- orite with this firm.

Mr. McDonnell was generally recognized as one of the leading sheepmen of his community, and it was but natural that he should turn his business ability to good advantage when he settled in Big Timber. He was the prime mover in the organization of the Citi- zens State Bank, and from its inception, May 25, 1906, has acted as its president. A stanch and active Repub- lican, he has been known as one of the influential workers in the ranks of his party. In 1904 he was first elected state senator from Sweet Grass county, was again sent to the senate in 1909, and has succeeded himself in office in 1910, 1911 and 1912. He is fra- ternally connected with the Odd Fellows, and with his family attends the Roman Catholic church. During his long residence in this section he has accumulated a wide acquaintance, and in business and public and private life has many warm friends.

On December 22, 1891, Mr. McDonnell was married to Miss Elizabeth Feeley, who was born in County Roscommon, Ireland, daughter of Patrick and Marie (Naughton) Feeley, natives of County Roscommon, where Mr. Feeley still lives, being interested in farm- ing, while his wife has passed away. Mr. and Mrs. McDonnell have had six children: Annie, Bella, Edith, Evaline, Alexander Ranald and Charles E.

ARTHUR G. HATCH. An eminent representative of the Montana bar, and for the last quarter of a century one of the most prominent men of Sweet Grass county, both in public and professional life, Arthur G. Hatch, county attorney of Sweet Grass county, and city at- torney of Big Timber since its organization, holds an enviable position among the legists of the state. His birth occurred in Pike county, Illinois, where the family held precedence as pioneer settlers, October II, 1856, and is a son of Reuben B. and Ellen (Bush) Hatch. Reuben B. Hatch was born in New Hampshire in 1830, and during the early 'thirties accompanied his parents to Pike county, Illinois, where he secured his education. He was reared to agricultural pursuits, which he fol- lowed until the outbreak of the Civil war, at the begin- ning of which struggle he was made chief quartermaster of the Thirteenth Army Corps. Later he served on Gen- eral Dana's staff, and his military career was an active and brilliant one. On his return to civil life, he em-

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barked in a mercantile business at Quincy, Illinois, with which he was identified at the time of his death, in 1871. His wife, who was born in 1824, in Pitts- field, Massachusetts, survived him until 1893. They had a family of nine children, of whom five are living. In political matters Mr. Hatch was a Democrat.

Arthur G. Hatch received his early education in the public schools of Pike county, Illinois, and subsequently became a student in Columbia (Missouri) University. After graduating from that institution, he began to read law in the office of C. C. Boland, Rolla, Missouri, and in 1878 was admitted to practice in the Missouri courts. In 1880 he removed to White Sulphur Springs, Montana, and in 1887 came to Big Timber, where he has since built up an extensive practice. An active and energetic Democrat, he has served as city attorney of Big Timber since the organization of the city, and since 1911 has heen county attorney of Sweet Grass county. He is a valued and popular member of the Montana Bar Association, and his many talents have gained him the respect and esteem of his confreres. As an advocate and sane and conservative counsel, Mr. Hatch has won prestige, having that most essential quality of taking infinite care in the preparation of his cases and never presenting a case until he gained com- plete mastery of its salient points. As a public official he has shown a conscientious devotion to the duties of his office, and Sweet Grass county has no more popular public servant. Fraternally, Mr. Hatch is connected with the Knights of Pythias.

JACOB OSENBRUG. Among the pioneer business men of Butte, Montana, who have been active participators in the growth of the city from a small town to an im- portant commercial center of metropolitan proportions such as it now stands, is Jacob Osenbrug, president of the Home Baking Company of Butte. Mr. Osenbrug was born in the province of Hanover, Germany, on Jan- uary 28, 1860, the son of a prosperous merchant in the province of Hanover, near Hamburg. His parents, Klaus Osenbrug and Elizabeth (Stockmann) Osenbrug, were both born in Germany and passed their lives in that country. The father died at Hollern in 1881, hav- ing reached the age of seventy-two years, while the mother survived him one year and was sixty-six years of age when she died.

Jacob Osenbrug attended the public schools of Hollern as a child and later was sent to a private school, where he continued to pursue his studies until he reached his fourteenth year. He was then apprenticed to learn a trade, as is the invariable custom in Germany in the case of the sons of the family, whether rich or poor, and the trade he elected to master was that of a baker and confectioner. After a three years' apprenticeship he worked as a journeyman for less than a year in Ger- many, then went to England, where he was similarly employed for six months. In the spring of 1879 he de- cided to seek his fortune in the western world, and em- barking, was three weeks upon the ocean in the vessel "Mosel." Arriving in America, he made his first ob- jective point St. Louis, Missouri. He remained in that city but a short season, however, and in spite of the fact that he had insufficient funds in hand to properly finance the journey, determined to come to Butte. When he reached Ogden, Utah, his money was entirely exhausted. He sought and secured employment there, earning a sum sufficient to buy a pony, having in the meantime walked a portion of the way to Idaho Falls. From that point he made his way more easily on horseback and finally arrived in Butte, possessed of a fund of experience he could in no other way have obtained, and undaunted determination to work his way to a position of success and honor in his new home.

There was no bakery in Butte at the time Mr. Osen- .brug arrived here and he was accordingly obliged to

turn his hand to whatever kind of lucrative employment he could find. In a short time, however, he succeeded in interesting Joseph Pitzer in the establishment of a bakery and undertook its management. The enterprise represented a struggle from the beginning, with limited capital and a change in partners at intervals, but all united in demonstrating Mr. Osenbrug's fitness for the business, and in 1882 he was able to purchase an interest in the establishment. This acquisition was the nucleus for the foundation of what afterwards became known as the Home Baking Company, as now reads the firm name under which he at present operates. His first little shop was located at No. 13 east Granite street and was known as the Eagle Bakery, and the pioneers who remember the place years ago find it difficult to believe that the present immense plant is its immediate suc- cessor. In 1884, when Mr. Osenbrug had become sole owner, he bought the property at No. 15-17 east Granite, and in 1885 he built the building that still stands there. The Home Baking Company is known to be the only machine bakery in the state, and it has a capacity of thirty thousand loaves of bread daily. Twenty-one peo- ple are employed in operating the bakery and attending to the trade. Not only are local sales large, but an extensive shipping business is also done, many stores in other parts of the state being supplied with products from the Butte plant. Home Baking Company bread and other bakery products are known for their superior quality throughout Montana and the business which is already so extensive is constantly increasing. The com- pany was incorporated in 1904 with Mr. Osenbrug as president; H. J. Rathmiller, vice president, and John Haller, treasurer.

In addition to his connection with the Home Baking Company as its executive head, Mr. Osenbrug has other financial interests which mark him as one of the sub- stantial elements of the city's commercial and industrial life. He is an extensive owner of valuable city and country real estate, and is also a financial factor in the ownership of several valuable mining properties. Throughout his residence in the country and city of his adoption he has manifested a marked interest in public and civic matters and discharged his duty as a con- scientious citizen with intelligence and integrity. He was a member of Company F, First Montana State Militia for eleven years. In political matters he advo- cates Republican principles, but takes no active part in party affairs. He holds membership in several of the leading clubs and fraternal orders of the city, including the Silver Bow Club, the Masonic fraternity, in which he is a member of Butte Chapter No. 24, R. A. M., the Knights of the Maccabees, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Sons of Hermann.

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A history of Montana, Volume II, Part 84

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