A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 148

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

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very active in connection with political affairs. He is a firm and zealous member of the Democratic party, always eager for its success in its contests, and at all times diligent, energetic and effective in helping its cause along. As its candidate he was elected in 1910 to the lower house of the state legislature as one of the representatives of Missoula county, and while in that body rendered such signal and satisfactory service to his constituents and the whole state of Montana that he won for himself universal commendation and prominent mention for higher honors in the official life of the state.

Fraternally he is connected with the order of Elks and the Knights of Columbus, and the Loyal Order of Moose, and his membership in both is very serviceable to them and highly valued by their other adherents in this locality. Socially he is warmly welcomed at any gathering of the residents of the city or county, and in his daily intercourse with the people he is always cour- teous, obliging and agreeable. In the transaction of business he is alert, knowing and resourceful, whether in his office giving counsel to his clients or in court engaged in the trial of their cases. In all respects he is an excellent citizen and one of the most vigorous and highly vitalized forces for good in the community he has adopted as his home. He is all zeal for the wel- fare and progress of Missoula city and county and the state of Montana, and they are enriched by his citizen- ship and his activity in their behalf.

MORRIS D. ROWLAND. Among the learned profes- sions, that of law is ably represented in Montana by many of the younger generation, and in this class in Lincoln county none has attained a higher standing than Morris D. Rowland, of the legal firm of Rowland & Gray, of Libby. Mr. Rowland has not confined his activities to the practice of his profession, however, as he is interested in various enterprises of a business nature, and at present is vice-president of the Lincoln County Abstract Company. He was born in Milton, Iowa, September 22, 1885, and is a son of Jonathan D. and Mary (Claflin) Rowland. His grandfather, Samuel Rowland, is a well-known merchant of Milton, Iowa, settlers in the vicinity of Milton, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits throughout his life, and his farm is still in the family's possession. Jonathan D. Rowland has lived in Milton all of his life, and is one of that city's leading capitalists and business men, being engaged in banking and mercantile lines and owning large properties in northern Iowa and southern Missouri. He is a Republican in politics, but his business interests have satisfied his ambitions, and in spite of numerous offers of public preferment has never agreed to enter the political arena. The mother of Morris D. Rowland, the daughter of an army officer who graduated from West Point, was reared in a convent, and was married to Mr. Row- land at Olathe, Kansas. They had three children, of whom one is deceased. The oldest child, Lamar H. Rowland, is a well known merchant of Milton, Iowa, and Morris D. was the second in order of birth.

Morris D. Rowland received his primary education in the Milton public and high schools, graduating from the latter in 1903, and playing with the high school football team four years. He subsequently spent one year in the University of Iowa, and then entered Yale University, where he was graduated with the degree of L.L. B. in 1908. During the fall of that year he went west to Spokane, Washington, and after being admitted to the bar of the state engaged in practice for six months. However, he was not satisfied with con- · ditions as he found them, and, hearing of the oppor- tunities offered to young men of ability and energy in Montana, came to Libby and for one and one-half years was engaged in practice with C. A. Adams. He next formed a co-partnership with W. H. Gray, a prominent attorney of Libby, under the firm style of

Rowland & Gray, and is also connected in the abstract business with Mr. Gray, who is president of the Lin- coln County Abstract Company, Inc., Mr. Rowland being vice-president. Both as an attorney and a business man, Mr. Rowland is recognized as an alert, progressive and enterprising citizen, and one who has the best interests of his community at heart. He has invested in Lincoln county land, and at the present time is engaged in farming to some extent. He is a member of the National Guards, being first lieutenant of his com- pany, is connected with the Masonic fraternity, and in political matters adheres to the principles and supports the candidates of the Republican party. Was one of the charter members of the Acacia fraternity at Yale, name Pe Chapter.

Mr. Rowland was married at Iowa City, Iowa, Sep- tember 18, 1910, to Miss Alberta Allis, daughter of William H. Allis, a well known real estate man of Iowa, and to this union there was born one child who died in infancy.

IGNATIUS STAPLETON, The growth and progress that has marked the history of the United States dur- ing the past decade or two has been one of the won- ders of the age, and in no section of the country has this development been more marked than that embrac- ing the Northwest Rocky Mountain states. Montana has been one of the conspicuous examples of this mar- velous upbuilding and in Montana no city has attained a greater fame than that of Butte. As is but natural where development is so rapid the real estate business is one of the most active of any line of endeavor, and draws to the ranks of those engaged therein men of large abilities and experience. Among the men promi- nently identified with the real-estate business in Butte todav is Mr. Ignatius Stapleton, efficient manager for the T. B. Potter Realty Company, which controls large interests in this section and does an extensive business in engineering deals for the purchase and sale of prop- erties.

Mr. Stapleton has enjoyed a business experience that has taken him into all parts of the country and given him practical insight into various lines of com- mercial activity. A native of New York City, where he was born May 7, 1859, he was two years later taken by his parents to Illinois, the family becoming residents of Joliet. The father, William Stapleton, and his wife. Anne (Casey) Stapleton, both were natives of Templemare, Tipperary county, Ireland. They were married in New York and were citizens of Joliet from 1861 until the time of their death, the burial place of both being in the last named city. Mr. Stapleton was during his life engaged in mercantile business. His family consisted of five boys and two girls.

Ignatius Stapleton was the recipient of a good edu- cation secured in public and parochial schools of Joliet, Illinois, in which place he lived until 1878. He was plucky and ambitious as a boy and earned his first money when he was thirteen years old, when he received fifty cents a day as a messenger boy for the Western Union Telegraph Company, and during the time that he held this position he sturdily walked three miles to and from his work every day. For a year he con- tinued to act as messenger and found time before he was fifteen years old to master telegraphy, and at that young age secured a position as operator on the Rock Island Railroad. During the two years that he re- mained in that place he acquired a great deal of valu- able experience which served him well in later work. His next position was with the Joliet Iron & Steel Company as operator of a private wire for that con- cern. He next went to Milwaukee having secured work with the North Chicago Rolling Mill company, filling the double position of pay roll clerk and opera-

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tor. From that place he went to South Chicago and worked at the rolling mills there, but subsequently returned to Milwaukee and entered service of the Chi- cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway as operator in the general office of the company there.

After a period he was sent by the company to Chi- cago to act as train dispatcher, remained there about six months, and was then transferred to Perry, Iowa. Subsequently he severed his connection with the Mil- waukee company and went to Sacramento, California, and entered the employment of the Central Pacific (now Southern Pacific) Railway Company as dis- patcher and operator, and was later transferred to Tulare, California. Returning to the east again he re-entered the employ of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company and was operator at Davis Junction, Illinois, for a time.

Desiring to engage in some other line of work Mr. Stapleton then went to southwestern Nebraska in the cattle country and worked on the range for three years. This did not satisfy him, however, and feeling the lure of the railway employe's life he went to Colorado and took charge of a station at Arkansas Junction for the Colorado Midland Railway Company. Leaving that place he next became station agent at Colorado City. This was in the mining section and like many others he succumbed to the mining fever and going to Sugar Loaf mountain west of Leadville he leased the Virginia mine, which he worked for about a year. That was the extent of his mining ex- perience for he went back to Colorado Springs at the end of that time and accepted a position as statistician clerk in the auditor's office of the Colorado Midland Railway Company. He left that position to go to Chi- cago as chief clerk of the joint railroad commission during the construction period of the World's Fair in that city, and remained there until after the close of the fair.

Again wishing to vary the nature of his employment, Mr. Stapleton next engaged in the butter and egg business in Chicago, later branching out into a gen- eral commission business. He continued in this line for a time then sold out his interests and was with a firm of public accountants in Chicago for a time. He re-entered the butter and egg trade, pursued the busi- ness a short time then went to Kansas City and be- came traveling salesman for a creamery supply house, his territory embracing Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and a part of Nebraska. Retiring from that position he next represented the Sharples Cream Separator Company in the same territory, and when that com- pany was absorbed by the John Deere Plow Company Mr. Stapleton remained with the latter company until 1905.

Mr. Stapleton's next connection was with a Port- land. Oregon, firm. Wallace, Corcoran & North, who handled a general line of wagons, buggies, etc., and he covered Oregon, Washington, Idaho and British Co- lumbia as their traveling representative. Receiving tempting inducements to travel for the firm of John S. Beall, Mr. Stapleton accepted the offer, and later was promoted to general manager of the offices of that company, remaining in that capacity until August I, 1909. At that time he made his present connection with the T. B. Potter Realty Company as manager for their interests in Butte City, and that position he continues to occupy at the present writing.

While Mr. Stapleton has made many business changes during his life he has invariably "made good" in the various positions he has filled and his career has heen one of advancement to larger and more re- sponsible fields with each change. His energy and strict personal integrity have never been questioned and he has always held the highest respect of his busi- ness and social acquaintances and friends wherever he has been. He is a man of independent thought and

action and politically believes that principles are far more important than party lines. His interests are varied and he takes enthusiastic part in a multitude of affairs that affect the industrial, civic, religious and social affairs of the city in which he resides. He is a devout member of the Catholic church, prominent in its affairs and liberal in subscribing to its benefactions and is one of the most valued members of the Knights of Columbus. Mrs. Stapleton also is a consistent com- municant of the Catholic church and prominent in its various activities. She is a member of the Ladies' Catholic Benevolent Association and the Ladies' Aid and Altar Societies of Sacred Heart parish ..

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Stapleton occurred April 29, 1908, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mrs. Staple- ton was before her marriage Catherine McCoy, daugh- ter of Martin and Mary McCoy of Milwaukee. Her father died in that city in 1886 at the age of 52 years and her mother's demise occurred at the same place in 1901, she being fifty-seven years old at the time of her death. Mr. and Mrs. Stapleton have a host of friends throughout the country and are held in high esteem by all who have the pleasure of their acquaint- ance.

JOHN P. MCCARTHY. The Flathead Drug Company, which was established at Polson, July 3, 1910, the sec- ond business of this kind in the town, has become one of the leading concerns in Polson and this section of Montana. Mr. McCarthy, who is an expert pharmacist with long experience previous to coming to Polson, is owner of half the stock in the company, with Frank and J. B. Jette as the other proprietors.

John P. McCarthy was born in Holt county, Ne- braska, March 12, 1888, and was the second of five chil- dren born to Jeremiah and Mary (Dwyer) McCarthy. The grandfather McCarthy came from Ireland when Jeremiah was six years old, and settled at Hancock, Michigan, where he followed mining and farming, and was also a soldier in the Civil war. The father was a carpenter by trade, and he died at O'Neill, Nebraska, May 11, 1906, at the age of forty-three. The mother was born in Michigan and is now a resident of Butte, Montana.

Most of his youthful years Mr. McCarthy spent at O'Neill, Nebraska. He prepared himself carefully and thoroughly for his branch of business, but he worked for his advantages in the way of schooling, and since a boy has been enterprising and dependent on his own efforts. After graduation from the high school he worked his way through Creighton University, getting his A. B. degree in 1906 and graduated in pharmacy from the Creighton College of Pharmacy in 1907. His first experience in the drug business began when he was eight years old, and he had eleven years' practical work in pharmacy before getting his certificate. In 1907 he was licensed in Nebraska and Iowa, and in 1908 in Montana, where he had the management of the Family Drug Company in Butte one year. Then in 1910 he came to Polson and established the Flathead Drug Company.

Mr. McCarthy is a Democrat, but takes no active part in political work. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus at O'Neill, Nebraska, and the Woodmen of the World and the Fraternal Order of Eagles at Polson. His church is the Catholic. He was married in Polson, May 18, 1912, to Miss Clara Gates. Mrs. McCarthy, whose father was A. M. Gates, was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota, but was reared in Mis- soula, Montana.

LEON L. LONG is most successfully engaged in the lumber business at Ravalli, Montana, and he is also the owner of a fine ranch eligibly located two miles distant from this city. He is possessed of ambition and determination and his energy, courage and busi-

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ness judgment have brought him to a position of esteem and influence among the citizens of this section of Montana, where he is a man of mark in all the rela- tions of life. He is deeply and sincerely interested in community affairs but has never been an office seeker, preferring to give his undivided attention to his exten- sive business interests.

A native of the fine old Badger state of the Union, Leon L. Long was born at Downsville, Wisconsin, October 27, 1872, and he is a son of Jackson P. and Anna M. (Harrington) Long, the former of whom was born in New York and the latter in Illinois. Jackson P. Long settled in Wisconsin as a young man and there was engaged in farming operations during the greater part of his active career. He was sum- moned to the life eternal in 1902, at the age of seventy- eight years. His cherished and devoted wife, who sur- vives him, is now a resident of Montana, her home being on a ranch adjoining that of the subject of this review. She is a woman of most gracious personality and is deeply beloved by all who have come within the sphere of her gentle influence. Mr. and Mrs. Long became the proud parents of sixteen children-nine daughters and seven sons. One other son, Paul C., resides in Montana; he lives on and conducts the ranch for the subject of this review.

The eighth in order of birth in a family of sixteen children, Leon L. Long was reared to maturity on the old homestead farm in Wisconsin and he was educated in the district schools. He remained at home until he had reached his twentieth year when he went to North Dakota, settling in the vicinity of Fargo, where he followed railroading for about one year. In 1893 he came to Montana and remained at Helena for about two months but as business did not look very promis- ing he returned east, locating in Minneapolis, where he was engaged in railroad work for about a year, at the end of which he went south and became identified with the lumber business in Louisiana and Texas. He remained in the latter states for some three years and then went to the famous San Louis valley, where for the ensuing two years he was interested in lumbering and also ran threshing outfits. He then went to Cali- fornia and thence to Portland, Oregon, where for the greater part of ten years he was superintendent in the lumber department of the Oregon & Washington Boating Company. About 1908 he drifted back into Montana, settling at Taft, where he conducted a store for the Flathead Mercantile Company for one year, at the expiration of which he came to Ravalli, establish- ing a stage line between Ravalli and Polson. Subse- quently he disposed of his stage line and engaged in the lumber business, beginning with one yard at Ra- valli. He and his associates now have branch offices and yards at Roman, Dixon, Perma and Arlee. The business is constantly growing larger.

Mr. Long has a fine government homestead just two miles from Ravalli and his mother has a quarter section of land adjoining his. They were both fortunate enough to get lucky numbers at the recent government draw- ing for homesteads. Both quarters are valuable and rich. Mr. Long planted two sacks of potatoes on his land last season and they yielded him in return sixty- five sacks; other vegetables were fully as profitable. Mr. Long's estate is managed by his brother, Paul C., mentioned above, and he himself resides on it, driving to and from business every day. In politics Mr. Long is an independent Republican but he takes no active part in public affairs. He served for years as deputy sheriff, and he is a member of the school board of his district. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and in sporting matters he is very enthusiastic about base ball, play- ing a great deal as catcher and shortstop. He goes on a great many hunting expeditions and is also fond of angling. He devotes considerable time to riding and

driving and always keeps many head of fine horses on hand. While his early educational training was some- what limited he has supplemented that discipline with extensive reading, being exceedingly fond of all the old masters. He enjoys good shows, music and singing and is a man of broad and liberal ideas. He cannot say too much in praise of Montana and following is a statement by him in regard to the golden opportunities of this state: "Montana is all cream and pure gold- same inside and out-never deceives or disappoints and is a composite picture of confidence, activity, pros- perity and wealth."

Mr. Long is a business man of progressive ideas and considerable aggressiveness. He is deeply interested in all that affects the good of mankind and never lets slip an opportunity to better material conditions in his home community. He is a man of fine mentality and broad human sympathy. He is always courteous, kindly and affable and those who know him personally accord him the highest esteem. His life has been ex- emplary in all respects and he has ever supported those interests which are calculated to uplift and benefit humanity, while his own fine moral worth is deserving of the highest commendation.

MARION B. RIFFO, noted architect and talented violin- ist, ranks as one of the foremost citizens and business men of Kalispell, where he has maintained his home since 1909. A native of the city of St. Louis, Missouri, Mr. Riffo was born August 1, 1877. and he is a son of Marion B. and Amalia Estelle (Scheible) Riffo, the former of whom was born and reared in Switzerland and the latter of whom was a native of Kentucky. The father immigrated to America when he was twenty-one years of age, and settled in the East, subsequently locat- ing in St. Louis, where he passed the residue of his life. He was a structural engineer by occupation and prior to his demise had achieved considerable fame as a musician. He was summoned to the life eternal in 1889, at the comparatively early age of thirty-five years, and his wife passed away in 1887, aged thirty-three years.

After completing the curriculum of the public schools of St. Louis, Mr. Riffo was matriculated as a student in the University of Pennsylvania, in which excellent institution he was graduated as an architect in 1901. After leaving college he worked in New York, Philadel- phia, and Atlantic City for several years and during that period was associated in business with some of the noted architects of the East. He came to Montana in the latter part of the year 1908 and in the following year located in Kalispell, where he has since maintained his home and where he has succeeded in building up a large and lucra- tive business as an architect. He has designed all the prominent buildings erected recently between Kalispell and Spokane, among them being the hospital at Havre, all the schools in Kalispell and many of the more im- posing residences in this city. He drew the plans for the Sisters of Mercy Hospital and has just completed the plans for the new Elks building that is soon to be erected here. He is an expert in his particular line of business and is recognized as the best architect in this section of Montana.

At Boomsbury, Pennsylvania, in 1900, Mr. Riffo was united in marriage to Miss Lillian Redeker and this union has been prolific of five children, whose names are here entered in respective order of birth,-Marian B., Cyril S., Lillian A., Raymond R. and William Waldo.

In a fraternal way Mr. Riffo is affiliated with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Kalispell Club and the time-honored Masonic order, in which lat- ter organization he is connected with both the York and Scottish Rite branches. In politics he is a Democrat and in his religious faith he is a devout member of the Presbyterian church. He is a well-known and popular citizen and is recognized as a good sportsman, his favor- ite recreations being hunting and fishing. Much of his

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spare time is devoted to music and he has won wide renown as a violinist. He began to study music as a child and while very young played a number of very difficult compositions on the violin. He plays at many musical entertainments and is decidedly popular in his home community, where he is honored and esteemed by all with whom he has come in contact.

CARL B. TAYLOR. Highly as this community prizes its more mature citizens for their experience and judg- ment, it finds an element no less indispensable in its vigorous and enterprising young professional and busi- ness men. It is especially gratifying to contemplate the steady development of a successful career like that of Carl B. Taylor, Polson's enterprising young jeweler. The son of William Tate and Mary Louise (Gross) Taylor, Carl B. Taylor was born in New Brunswick, Canada. Both parents were natives of New Brunswick, his father's life having been full of interest and adven- ture through his experience as a miner and prospector through the west. From New Brunswick he traveled to Oregon by way of Panama in March, 1863; from there he went to San Francisco; later he left that city for the less advanced possibilities of Lewiston, Idaho, Florence, Warrens and Boise Basin, Territory of Idaho, and in other parts of the latter named state, as well as in Montana and in Nome, Alaska, he followed the variable fortunes of a miner. He was one of the early prospectors of the Flathead country, and during one of his trips through this region in 1870, he and his com- panions carried over many miles of- trail a gum boot over 250 pounds avoirdupois from Rhodes' Gulch, Ca- nal Gulch and Orofino Gulch, Idaho, packed with gold. It was a precarious journey, but its end was finally reached in safety. Many stories are told of the dangers of this and other trips taken by this courageous and venturesome miner, whose skirmishes with hostile Indians were not a few. He has since settled down to the peaceful life of a homesteader near Ronan, where he and his wife are now living. A son, Roscoe S., lives in the same community, and another son, Levant Tate, resides at Dillon, as does their daughter, Cora V.

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A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 148

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