A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 104

Author: Sanders, Helen Fitzgerald, 1883-
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 970

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Mr. Lemert has always taken a lively interest in politics, being a life-long Republican, although latterly he has aligned himself with the Progressive movement. He has never been desirous of holding office himself, but he has done a great deal to put his party's candi- dates into their positions. In several campaigns, the state committee have called upon him to fill speak- ing engagements in important districts.

In the ancient and venerated Masonic fraternity. Mr. Lemert has been a prominent member, both of the York and of the Scottish Rite bodies, and of the Mystic Shrine. He has been master of the Helena Chapter of Rose Croix No. 3, and an officer of three other Scottish Rite bodies in Helena. He is also a member of the Odd Fellows, of which he is past presiding officer ; of the Eagles, the Red Men, and the Knights of Pythias: In the purely social organizations, he belongs to the Lambs Club and Commercial Club.

On May 3. 1902, Mr. Lemert was united in marriage to Miss Florence May Smith, the daughter of S. H. B. and Katherine Smith, of Salt Lake City. The mar- riage took place in Helena. There have been no chil- dren of the union.

Mr. Lemert has the tastes of a student and also of a collector, both of which he indulges. His fondness for books is evidenced by his fine library of some 3.500 volumes, to which he is steadily adding. Of late years,

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he has been especially interested in geneological inves- tigations and has given all his leisure time to that fascinating line of research. Numismatics is another of his fads-if one may apply so frivolous a word to an interest which has found expression in so valuable a collection of coins as Mr. Lemert has brought to- gether. His 12,000 specimens are especially noteworthy for the rare Greek and Roman coins of silver and copper, of which he has a great number. The collec- tion also contains a fair sprinkling of medieval speci- mens.

Of the most distinguished ancestry, and descended of men who were powers in the civic, military and intel- lectual life of the American colonies, Mr. Lemert worth- ily carries on the name he bears, and adds his contri- bution to the heritage of good citizenship and intellectual advancement which is to preserve and to amplify the power of the republic.

CHARLES L. F. KELLOGG. Madison, Wisconsin, is the native place of Charles L. F. Kellogg whose father, Lafayette Kellogg, came to that state in the pioneer days, and bore a prominent part in the early history of Wisconsin. Both he and his wife, Rosa Catlin Kellogg, were natives of New York state. Mr. Kel- logg was the first clerk in the supreme court of Wis- consin, entering upon that office at the organization of the court, and retaining it until his death in 1878, June 4th. He was but fifty-nine years old at the time of his demise. Charles was then something over twenty years of age, as he was born on February 14, 1858. His mother died when he was but five years old.

Charles grew up in the university town and received the benefits of its excellent schools. Upon completing the high school, he took the law course in the univer- sity, and graduated from it in 1882. When he had finished his studies in the state university, Mr. Kel- logg went to Seattle, where he practiced law for a number of years and where he became connected with the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railroad, having charge of their auditing department. In 1897, he went to St. Paul and for three years was associated with the law firm of Richardson & Lawrence. This was an excellent opening, but Mr. Kellogg had spent too many years west of the Rockies to find even the lively and progressive city of St. Paul "western" enough to suit him, so in 1900, he went to Butte as cashier of the Hennessy Mercantile Company. For five years he held this position, and then in December of 1905, came to Missoula and organized the Northwestern Abstract & Title Company. In the short time of its existence, this business has become one of the strong institu- tions of the city. The presidency of this concern is filled by Mr. Kellogg and Mr. J. B. Bliss is secretary. They do an extensive business throughout the west- ern part of the state.

It is characteristic of the natives and the residents of Missoula to regard their town as the most desir- able spot for commercial undertakings and for a place of residence to be found in the entire United States, but even in a city where that is the general attitude, Mr. Kellogg is known as an enthusiast on the ad- vantages and the attractions of Missoula. Mr. Kel- logg's activities in the interest of the city are not con- fined to verbal ones, but he is always ready to do a generous share in promoting any enterprise for the good of the place. He is no politician, but this does not interfere with his being eminently public-spirited. In 1910 he was vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce, and in 1911 president of that organization. He has also held that office in the Missoula Club, of which he is an interested and an influential member. Besides these bodies, Mr. Kellogg belongs to the Ma- sonic fraternity.

Mr. Kellogg was married at St. Paul in March, 1898.

His wife is Marian Ellithorpe Kellogg, born in Rochester, Minnesota. Few people have made so many friends and such a place for themselves in the community in so short a time as Mr. and Mrs. Kel- logg, and none are more loyal Missoulans.

HARRY L. OWEN. Recognizing the fact that in the journalistic field there is plenty of room for men of brains and vim, the young man whose name appears at the beginning of this article has chosen for his calling the newspaper profession, with what degree of success is shown in his present well-kept establishment and the excellent business he enjoys. As editor and pro- prietor of the Plainsman, a spicy, up-to-date, well printed and thoroughly reliable newspaper, he is prov- ing himself an advocate of progress along all lines, an able writer and a man who has the welfare of eastern Montana at heart. Mr. Owen was born at Kasson, Minnesota, June 12, 1881, and is a son of Vidocq S. L. and Sophia (Hilton) Owen. His father, who was born in Wisconsin, was an educator for more than a quar- ter of a century, acting as superintendent of schools in numerous cities, but is now a commercial traveler and makes his home in LeSueur Center, Minnesota. Of their seven children, Harry L. is the oldest.

The early education of Mr. Owen was secured in the public schools of DeSmet, South Dakota, and he later took a high school course at Adrian, Minnesota, and subsequently became a student in commercial law under a university professor in St. Paul. The news- paper business seems to have had a fascination for him even as a lad, for when he was twelve years of age he earned his first money selling papers, but subsequently turned his attention to mercantile lines and worked during vacations in various stores until about seven- teen years of age. At that time he became a general office boy and reporter, and while thus engaged learned the printer's trade, which he subsequently followed in the printing department of the J. R. Watkins Medical Company, at Winona, Minnesota. After two years spent in that position he went to St. Paul, where he worked in the printing department of the West Publishing Company, continuing with this firm until coming to Montana. His first location was in Missoula, where he was connected with the Daily Sentinel as foreman of the job printing department, and in July, 1911, he came to Plains and purchased the Plainsman plant of the J. A. McGowan estate. Since taking charge he has made numerous improvements, not only in the quality and appearance of the paper, but in the equipment of the plant and .offices. Mr. Owen is conducting his paper along independent lines, but is deeply interested in politics, and is fearless in championing the candidates or principles which he deems right. Although new to the state, it has not taken him long to discover its virtues, and he is now an enthusiastic "booster" for Montana. It is his opinion that from a climatic point of view there is no spot finer; that the water, soil and other conditions are conducive to wonderful growth; that the natural resources, such as timber, mineral, etc .. are here in inexhaustible quantity and only awaiting development; that there is a prolific field for invest- ment; that it is the hunter's paradise; in short-that as a whole Montana in general, and the Plains valley in particular, spell inspiration, happiness and success. Mr. Owen has not been slow in laying his views before the people through the medium of his excellent news- paper, and, the power of the press being recognized, it will be appreciated that lie may lay claim to belonging to the class of citizens who are developing the best interests of this community. Although Mr. Owen's journalistic duties demand a great deal of his time and attention, he finds time to enjoy baseball, fishing and hunting, and still maintains an interest in athletics of all kinds, having been a baseball player and track runner during his earlier years. His able articles on

Hermanf. Mayer.

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various subjects show that he is a close student of good literature, while he is also able to write and con- verse intelligently upon music, singing, theatricals, the opera and elocutionary entertainments.

On June 27, 1911, Mr. Owen was married at Mer- riam Park, Minnesota, to Miss Winifred H. Tower, daughter of Isaac W. and Theresa Tower, of Luverne, Minnesota. Like her husband, Mrs. Owen is possessed of much business ability, and is now engaged in con- ducting a millinery establishment in Plains.

OVID S. DRAPER. Every section of this great nation of ours, as well as many foreign countries, have sent great numbers of the flower of their manhood and womanhood to populate the new and developing Northwest and to share the splendid advantages offered to energy and ambition. From the South has come Ovid S. Draper, a native of Georgia, who in recent years has resided in Montana and proved an enter- prising factor in the life of the communities in which his interests have been centered. Mr. Draper, who for a considerable period was employed in the Ana- conda Mining & Milling Company's stores at Bonner, was on January 1, 1911, appointed postmaster of this place by President Taft, and has proved a most able and faithful servant of Uncle Sam in his postal affairs.

Mr. Draper is a native of Macon, Georgia, his birth having occurred in that city on November 23, 1858. He received his general education in the primary and high schools of his native place, but at the age of six- teen bade farewell to his desk in the school-room and became an actual factor in the world of affairs. He found employment as a clerk in Macon and engaged in that capacity for a number of years, his taste for wandering-the usual heritage of youth-taking him into various states of the southwest. He eventually engaged in business independently in Georgia and later in Arkansas, his particular field being mercantile business and this period of his career being some eleven years in duration. In 1900, he became imbued with the ambition to come to Montana, of whose op- portunities he had heard remarkably good report, and in the year mentioned, he located at Deer Lodge, where he secured employment with the E. L. Bonner Mercantile Company, with whom he remained until 1907. In that year he went to Spokane, Washington, and was employed as salesman there for two years, but the charms of Montana were by no means dis- lodged from his memory in his removal to other scenes, and he returned this time to locate in Bonner, a suburb of Missoula. Here he entered, as mentioned previously, the Bonner branch of the Anaconda Min- ing & Milling Company, and remained with the same until his official appointment. He has won general esteem in this locality and is a man of genial and pleasing personality, among his gifts being that of notably fine conversational ability. He is very popular in lodge circles and holds membership with the Odd Fellows, being an officer of the grand lodge and sec- retary of the local order. He is also a member of the Woodmen of the World. He is independent in poli- tics, being of the broad-minded type which sees greater logic in the support of the best man and the best measure than in maintaining a fervid partisanship.

Mr. Draper was married November 6, 1909, to Mrs. Minnie (Selfridge) Bien, widow of the late Frank Bien, of Deer Lodge, Montana. Mrs. Draper was born at Saratoga Springs, New York. Their union has been blessed by the birth of a little daughter, Dorothy Ovide, and they also share their attractive household with Mrs. Draper's daughter by her previous marriage-Frances Pauline Bien.

The subject's father, James Monroe Draper, was born in Georgia and was prominent in railroad cir- cles during and previous to the Civil war, as superin- tendent of the Southwestern Railroad, running from

Macon to Montgomery, Alabama. The deatlı of this gentleman occurred in the year 1865. The mother, Sarah Ann Hamilton Draper, also a native of Georgia, is deceased. Mr. Draper had two brothers and two sisters, as follows: Robert Lee Draper, a prominent publisher, since 1896, a resident of Little Rock, Arkansas; Aden Hamilton Draper, a veteran (Con- federate) of the Civil war, who was wounded and made prisoner at the time of the great conflict between the states, became prominent as a contractor and rail- road builder, and died at Oxford, Alabama in 1911; Edna Frances, now Mrs. W. C. Clark, of Anniston, Alabama; and Mary Cordelia, now Mrs. A. H. Craw- ford, of Lincoln, Alabama.

Mr. Draper has three uncles on the maternal side who were soldiers in the Civil war and prominent in military annals, these gentlemen being Capt. John Ham- ilton, Henry Hamilton, and William Hamilton.

The mother of the subject's wife, Elvira Eaton Sel- fridge was a native of the state of New York. The father made several trips from the Empire state to Montana prior to the coming of his family, having made the first one as early as 1857. He finally decided to locate here and prepared a home for his wife and children, who came on in 1880. Mr. Selfridge became a prosperous contractor and builder at Alder Gulch, erecting some of the largest buildings in Helena, Deer Lodge and Virginia City.

HERMAN J. MEYER. Numbered among the represen- tative business men of the city of Butte is Herman J. Meyer, who is vice-president of the Butte Commer- cial Company, which is one of the most extensive wholesale liquor concerns in the state and of which he was one of the organizers. Large and definite suc- cess has crowned the efforts of Mr. Meyer in connec- tion with his business operations and this success has been won in the face of many obstacles, as he has been dependent upon his own resources from his boy- hood days and has made his own opportunities, even as he has gained his education largely in the practical school of experience. The lash of necessity has a ten- dency to develop strong and self-reliant characters, and this has been significantly shown in the career of Mr. Meyer, who has pressed steadily forward, with undaunted determination and ambition, and who has won for himself a place of secure order as one of the substantial business men of the Montana metropo- lis, where his circle of friends is large and where he stands exemplar of the most loyal and progressive citizenship.

Herman J. Meyer was born in Ozaukee county, Wis- consin, on the 4th of June, 1874, and is a son of Charles G. and Clara (Helmuth) Meyer, both of whom were born in Germany, where their marriage was solemnized. Charles G. Meyer was born in the year 1827 and in 1841 his parents came from Germany to America and numbered themselves among the pioneer settlers of Wisconsin, where they contributed their quota to the development of that commonwealth and where they passed the residue of their lives. Charles G. Meyer was reared to maturity in the old Badger State and eventually became one of its prominent and influen- tial citizens. For a number of years he was engaged in the mercantile business and finally he became a promi- nent factor in the political affairs of his state, as a stalwart supporter of the cause of the Democratic party. He was at one time the candidate of his party for representative in congress, but met defeat with the rest of the party ticket. He was one of the early settlers of Ozaukee county, Wisconsin, and wielded much influence in the furtherance of its civic and material development and progress. In the year 1883 he disposed of his interests in Wisconsin and removed with his family to California, where his death occurred later, in January, 1885. Upon his

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widow was thus laid the heavy responsibility of caring for the children and through a series of reverses she lost most of the financial resources left by her honored husband. Thus Herman J., of this review, who was one of the elder children, early found it incumbent upon him not only to provide largely for his own maintenance but also to assist his mother in caring for the other members of the family. His filial devo- tion never wavered and it was a source of great satis- faction to him that he was able to give to his devoted mother the solicitude and comfort which she so richly merited at that time and in the later years. She was born in 1842 and was summoned to the life eternal in 1904, having passed the closing years of her life at Milwaukee. She was married in her native land, and accompanied her husband on his return to the United States, in 1866, after he had been traveling in his Fatherland, where he formed her acquaintance at this time. Both were devout communicants of the Luth- eran church, in which faith. their children were reared. Of the seven children three died in infancy, and one son, Ernest, died at twenty-seven years. Of the three now living Herman J. is the second eldest.

Herman J. was about nine years of age at the time of the family removal to California. In Los Angeles, that state, he attended the public schools until he had attained to the age of fourteen years, and from that time forward he numbered himself among the world's practical workers. He followed such vocations as offered him a livelihood and enabled him to assist his mother, and he passed the greater part of the inter- vening years in California until 1900, in October of which year he arrived in the metropolis of Montana, the city of Butte. Here his first employment was with the Capilce Commercial Company, and with this con- cern he continued to be identified for seven years, within which, by faithful and efficient service, he won promotion to the position of manager of one of the departments of the extensive business. In the mean- while he carefully conserved his finances, ever look- ing forward to engaging in business in an independent way. His worthy ambition was realized on the 9th of January, 1907, when he became one of the organizers of the Butte Commercial Company, of which he has been vice-president from the beginning of operations. W. A. Wiloughby is president of the corporation; Joseph P. Ledwige is secretary; and James J. Canning is treasurer. Through careful and conservative meth- ods and progressive policies this company has built up a large and important enterprise,-one which takes front rank .among similar business undertakings in the state. An adequate corps of traveling representa- tives is retained and the trade of the company now extends throughout the various states of the North- west, so that it constitutes a valuable contribution to the commercial precedence of the city of Butte.

The same alert and progressive attitude that has characterized the business career of Mr. Meyer has marked his attitude as a citizen, and he is ever ready to lend his influence and co-operation in the support of measures and enterprises tending to advance the best interests of his city and state. He is an active factor in local politics and in a generic way credits himself as a member of the Democratic party. He has a host of friends in the state of his adoption and in his home city is affiliated prominently with various Masonic bodies, including the Knights Templar and the Ancient Arahic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He holds membership in the Silver Bow Club and is a member of the United Commercial Travelers' Association. Mr. Meyer owns a beautiful home of modern design and facilities, the same being located at 640 South Montana street and being known for its cordial hospitality.

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the native city of the bride. was solemnized, on the 29th of June, 1904, the marriage of Mr. Meyer to Miss Clara Wolfgram, a

daughter of Frank Wolfgram, a well known citizen of the Wisconsin metropolis, and the one child of this union was Carl Wolfgram Meyer, a fine little son who was born in Butte, on the 17th of February, 1906.

CLIFFORD W. POWELL. Belonging to those who hold to the belief that the resources of Montana are as yet far from being developed and that the state can support three times its present population and still have room to spare, Clifford W. Powell, vice-president and active head of the First National Bank of Plains, and treas- urer and manager of the clerical department of the McGowan Commercial Company, is widely known as one whose activities in the fields of business and finance have tended to greatly advance the interests of his community. A shrewd and capable banker and mer- chant, he has also demonstrated his ability as a public official, and he enjoys in a marked degree the confidence and personal esteem of all who know him. Mr. Powell was born at Summit, New Jersey, June 27, 1869, and is a son of Willoughby and Virginia ( Wheeler) Powell. His father, a native of New York state, now resides in Brooklyn, is a veteran of the Civil war, and is engaged in the insurance and mercantile business. Mrs. Powell died in 1891, at the age of fifty-seven years, and was buried in Brooklyn. Of their six children, Clifford W. was the fifth in order of birth.

Clifford W. Powell commenced his studies in the pub- lic schools of his native place, but when he was seven years of age his parents removed to Brooklyn. On com- pleting his education when about fifteen years of age he began working for his father in the insurance office, his first salary being three dollars per week. He sub- sequently became conected with the banking and brok- erage firm of H. Knickerbocker & Company, of Wall street, New York, remaining with this concern for nearly three years and securing an excellent training in matters of a financial nature. His next connection was with the Fourth National Bank, with which he was connected for about three years, and then spent some time with the Nassau National Bank, Brooklyn. On giving un the banking business temporarily. Mr. Powell engaged in the umbrella business in New York, as a member of the firm of Connor, Wallace & Com- pany, with which he remained about five years. In 1900 Mr. Powell changed his residence to Montana, locating first at Pony, where he remained about one year, and then going to Deer Lodge, which was his field of operation for a like period, being engaged in work of a clerical nature at the state penitentiary. On coming to Plains he became associated with the Mc- Gowan Commercial Company as treasurer and man- ager of the clerical department, a position which he still holds. During the spring of 1904 the First National Bank was organized, he being elected vice-president of the institution after serving some time as cashier. This is recognized as one of the solid, substantial bank- ing houses of Sanders county and its officials have so conducted its affairs as to gain the entire confidence of the people of the community. Mr. Powell is a mem- ber of the Montana Bankers Association and served on the executive council thereof for one year, and also belongs to the Plains Valley Commercial Club, of which he was the first president. A stanch Republican in politics, he served as the first mayor of Plains, a capac- ity in which he acted for four years, and is now one of the county commissioners of Sanders county. His religious faith is that of the Congregational church. Mr. Powell is fond of reading and maintains a well- stocked private library, but also believes in outdoor sports, and is an ardent baseball "fan." One of his community's most progressive men, it is a source of satisfaction to Mr. Powell that his progress has not been aided by favorable circumstances or any luck except that which industry, energy and ability gains for one. His standing among his business associates

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is high, and he has made and retained numerous friend- ships since coming to Plains.

On October 16, 1906, Mr. Powell was united in mar- riage at Newport, California, with Miss Sallie Pea- body, daughter of Henry A. and Sallie Peabody, of that place. Two interesting children have been born to this union : Henry P. and Virginia W.

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A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 104

Author: Sanders, Helen Fitzgerald, 1883- Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 970

Author: Sanders, Helen Fitzgerald, 1883-
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 970