A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 20

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

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in the schools of his native shire, being then apprenticed to learn the miller's trade, and it was upon the close of his four years' apprenticeship that he came to the United States. Locating at Minneapolis, Minnesota, he followed his trade there two years and then in 1887 pushed farther west, settling at Dupuyer, Teton county, Montana. Here he engaged in the raising of live stock and he has now spent twenty-five years in that line of business with large profit. There are six hundred acres in his estate and he raises and grazes large numbers of horses and cattle. His residence is at Dupuyer. His capital with which to begin his independent career con- sisted of a thorough knowledge of his trade, pluck, energy, a large stock of perseverance, and good business ability, and by their use he has acquired that competence which makes him one of the substantial men of Teton. county.

A Democrat in politics, Mr. Savory has long been an active worker in the interests of his party and has served four years as assessor of Teton county, having been first elected to that office in 1907 and re-elected to it in 1911. He has also served three terms as a member of the Dupuyer board of education. Fraternal associations are sustained as a member of Mountain Meadow Camp No. 234, Woodmen of the World, and of Chouteau Lodge No. 44, Free and Accepted Masons. His religious faith finds expression as a communicant of the Episcopal denomination.

In September, 1897, at Dupuyer, Montana, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Savory and Miss Annie Bail, whose birthplace also occurred across the water, she being a daughter of Erin's Isle. Mr. and Mrs. Savory have no children.

GEORGE FRANCIS STANNARD. It is not offen that one finds a successful man, with as broad an experience with many phases of life as is revealed in the story of George Francis Stannard, of Kalispell, Montana. It is the idea of many people of today that in order to attain success, a man must turn his mind exclusively to one kind of business and must not diverge a hair's breadth from this line until he has reached his goal. This notion has been borne out in many instances, for this is truly the age of specialization, but on the other hand there are many men, like George Stannard, who have attained prosperity, but have tried their hands at many things, and no one will deny that they have gained much more from life than the other type. To be sure, it takes a great amount of natural ability, and versatility, and a man must be above the average in- tellectually, in order to succeed in this latter sort of career. Mr. Stannard has lived in the state of Mon- tana for many years, most of the time being spent in the section in which he now lives and he is well and favorably known, not only as a keen business man, but as a man of strength of character and high ideals.

George Francis Stannard was born in a spot dedi- cated, in the minds of most of us, to romance. this being the Island of Guernsey, one of the Channel Is- lands. The date of his birth was the eleventh of No- vember, 1860, and his father was James P. Stannard, a native of County Wexford, Ireland. He was born in this county in 1814 and died there in 1900, at the age of eighty-six. The Stannard family had lived on their great estates in this part of Ireland since the time of Charles the Second, by whom the estates were granted to them. James Stannard spent all of his life as an Irish landlord, having the care of a thousand acres of land, with the many tenants, the hundreds of petty worries, that daily perplex the mind of a large landholder. His wife was Elizabeth Power, also a native of Ireland, having been born in Mallow, County Cork, Ireland, in 1826. She died in 1890, at the age of sixty-four. George Francis Stannard was the thir- teenth child in a family of fourteen, seven of whom were girls and seven boys. As the seventh and young-

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est son, there was not much for him to look forward to in the way of inheritance, so from his childhood he was prepared for a life different than his father's.

The early education of the young Irish boy was re- ceived in the Kingston school, in County Dublin, and upon completion of his preparatory work he was sent to Dublin University, where he received his B. A. de- gree with the class of 1881 and continued his studies in the university in civil engineering. With the in- tention of entering the Indian Engineering Service, he determined to take a course in Cooper's Hill College in Staines, England, but since the age limit has been lowered from twenty-one to nineteen, he only had one trial for entrance which was given by competitive ex- aminations. Being unsuccessful he now turned to the military service, and entered the Kilkenny Fusileers, receiving a commission as sub-lieutenant, or as we would say, second lieutenant. He remained in the ser- vice for three years being attached to the Sixth-fourth Regiment of the British army. Then feeling that the pay was not sufficient to justify his remaining in the service any longer, and that he would be of more use in some other sphere of activity, he resigned from the army. Soon afterwards he received an appointment as civil engineer at the Banff coal mines in Alberta, Canada.

As a consequence the month of June, 1886, found him embarking on a steamer at Liverpool bound for the Dominion of Canada. He arrived in Maple Creek, Alberta, Canada, on the Ist of July, 1886, feeling as though he were in a different world, for not only the vastness and immensity of the country was a contrast to the bits of islands where his days had for the most part been spent, but the crudity and roughness of the life was, in comparison with the culture and refinement of the civilization whence he came, like being taken out of a warm bath and being plunged into an icy one. It takes a strong man, with moral as well as physical courage to endure such a test, and many a young Englishman in a similar position has given up the fight and returned to the mother country. Not so with Mr. Stannard. To his great disappointment he learned that the position which he had come to fill would not be open until January of the following year, and consequently there were six months that must be disposed of somehow. He first visited Colonel Mc- Illree, assistant commissioner of the North Western

Mounted Police. While staying here he met Joe Conrad, brother of W. J. Conrad and J. Howard Con- rad. These brothers owned ten thousand head of Texas cattle on the range near Cypress Hills in Al- berta, and they invited Mr. Stannard to go on the round-up with them. Eagerly accepting this invita- tion to see one of the characteristic sights of the country, Mr. Stannard became so filled with the spirit of cowboy life, that he offered his services as cow puncher, and was accepted. He received to his great delight, a salary of forty dollars a month and re- mained a cowboy for two years, thoroughly enjoying the free, healthy out-of-doors existence, in the days when the life on the range was somewhat like the popu- Jar novels of life in the cattle country depict it. After loading steers on the Missouri river at Fort Poplar, which were destined for the markets at Chicago, he gave up the range and came over into the states ex- pecting to get a position with T. D. Baker & Company at Fort Benton.

It was in the winter, however, and there was no work to be had, so he went on to Helena, with letters of introduction to Colonel Broadwater, Judge Hunt, C. S. Ashley, Judge Carpenter and others. He remained in Helena during 1887-88, and during this time he met T. J. Demars, of Frenchtown, near Missoula. Mr. Demars took a fancy to the young Irishman, on ac- count of the fact that he spoke French fluently, having resided in Brittany from 1861 to 1870. He insisted

therefore that, Mr. Stannard come to Flathead and take the position as bookkeeper in the general merchandise store, which was located at the head of navigation on the Flathead river, and was the first large store in the Flathead valley. In this position, therefore, Mr. Stan- nard remained until the death of Mr. Demars, which occurred in 1889. At this time the Missoula Mercantile Company purchased the store, and Mr. Stannard turned to another line of business, this being the real estate business.

The first platting in Flathead valley had been done by Mr. Stannard, and he had acquired an interest in a vast area through Flathead valley, all of which he had platted himself. He named the townsite, Demarsville, and in a short time quite a small town had grown up. In 1891 the engineers of the Great Northern Railroad surveyed lines for the transcontinental road, which was then being built, through the valley, and laid out the townsite of Kalispell three miles to the north of the site of Demarsville. Since Kalispell was thus made the railroad town it was natural that the population of Demarsville should transfer itself to the former town, and hither also came Mr. Stannard. He has since remained in Kalispell and the town has no more loyal citizen. He continued the real estate business which he had begun as a resident of the Flathead valley, and added the insurance business. In 1893 he became associated with W. H. Griffin, in the real estate busi- ness, the firm name being Griffin & Stannard and is now known as Griffin, Stannard & Johnson. This firm which is the oldest real estate firm in the valley, does a large amount of business, and Mr. Stannard personally owns great tracts of land in the county as well as valu- able realty holdings in the city.

As an athlete Mr. Stannard has as wide a reputation as he has as a successful business man. He was the honored recipient of a certificate from the Royal Humane Society of England for saving lives from drowning, and as coxswain of the Kingston Harbor Boat Club, he was the winner of every big rowing race held in England, Ireland and Scotland, during his membership in the above club. His rooms are full of cups, medals and prizes won in various kinds of ath- letic contests, and among these is the Henley medal.

The prominent part which Mr. Stannard takes in the business world of Kalispell may be seen by the posi- tions which he has held in that important center of the city's commercial life, the chamber of commerce. From 1902 until 1905 he was secretary of the chamber of commerce, and he is now the president of the above body. He has also been a valued member of the board of directors of the Bank of Commerce for four years. In his fraternal relations Mr. Stannard is a firm be- liever in the principles of Masonry and is a member of the chapter and of the blue lodge, also being a Knight Templar. He also belongs to the Elks and is past exalted ruler of that body. Of the more strictly social clubs he holds membership in the Kalispell Club. In religious affairs Mr. Stannard is a communicant of the ancient faith of England, and of the Episcopal church of America.

Mr. Stannard was married in Kalispell on the 20th of July, 1910, to Miss Jeanette Swaney, a daughter of Hugh Swaney, the public administrator of Flathead county, although he is an old resident of Missoula county, and has spent the greater share of his life there. Mrs. Stannard is a native of Pennsylvania.

Such is the life of one of Montana's successful men. When he came to this section of the country, he had about five hundred dollars in his pocket and unlimited courage and determination. He succeeded in whatever . he undertook, in spite of numerous disappointments, and now he holds a high place in the community and is one of the men who is looked upon to decide ques- tions affecting the welfare of the people of Kalispell,

A Rend

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for he has proven to them over and over again that he is entirely worthy of their confidence.

WILLIAM H. REID. During the nearly twenty-five years of his residence in Missoula. William H. Reid has been actively connected with the industrial and mercan- tile life of the city in a leading way. His record is there- fore well known to all classes of the people of the com- munity, and the high regard and genuine esteem they have for him is based on demonstrated worth and use- fulness, which has been made manifest in both private and public life, in business, social and official channels, and in all the lines of activity appertaining to and find- ing expression in good citizenship.

Mr. Reid is not a native of Montana or of this coun- try. But he is as true and loyal an American as he could possibly be if he were. He was born in the prov- ince of New Brunswick, Canada, on July 12, 1855, and his family was not long resident in that country either, for his parents, John and Elizabeth ( Henry) Reid, were natives of Ireland. The father was born and reared in Londonderry, in the Emerald Isle, and came to New Brunswick when he was a young man. He made that country his home until his death in 1897.

William H. Reid grew to manhood in his native prov- ince and obtained his education in its schools. He also learned his trade of tinsmith there and for a number of years worked at it in that country. In 1883 he came to the United States and located in Minneapolis, Min- nesota, where he remained four years. Then, in 1887, he sought a home in the farther west, moving to Mon- tana and taking up his residence in Missoula. Here he entered the employ of the Missoula Mercantile Com- pany, and for twenty-three years had charge of all the manufacturing done in its tin and sheet iron department. The business was extensive and his position was one of great responsibility, but he met its requirements in a way that gave entire satisfaction to the company and won the approval and commendation of its patrons.

In 1910, determining to go into business for himself, Mr. Reid bought the store and shops he now owns and conducts, and since then he has largely increased their output and popularity. Although the business is an old one, established early in the eighties, and notwith- standing it was extensive and well managed under its former proprietor, Mr. Reid has made many improve- ments in its equipment and facilities, extended its trade and raised it in rank among the industrial and commer- cial institutions of the city until now it is one of the most prominent among them.

The public interests of the city and county have long engaged Mr. Reid's attention and the promotion of their welfare has been an object of special solicitude to him. He has aided in every way open to him in augmenting their industrial, mercantile and commercial importance, and done everything he could to add to the comfort, con- venience and prosperity of their residents and advance the general weal along all lines of wholesome growth and development, moral, mental, material and social. He is a Democrat in politics, and as such was elected mayor of the city in April, 1911. But he was legislated out of office when the commission form of government was adopted on June I of the same year.

On January 14. 1880, Mr. Reid was joined in wed- lock with Miss Eliza Mayer, the nuptials being solem- nized in New Brunswick, Canada, where both of the con- tracting parties were then living. Mrs. Reid is, however, a native of England. Two children have blessed their union and brightened and sanctified their domestic shrine: their daughter, Harriet, who is now the wife of E. B. Hord of Superior, Montana; and their son, Will- iam G., who is associated with his father in business. The father is a member of the order of Knights of Pythias.

HARRY C. KEITH. Success in any of the pursuits of life usually challenges the admiration of the world. It

matters not whether in the profession of law, medicine or literature, or in the theological domain, in the mili- tary or civil life, or mercantile pursuits, it is the one distinguishing and distinctive characteristic of all busi- ness transactions. In the commercial world alone Harry C. Keith, in his sphere of labor and activity, has distinguished himself as an active, energetic business man, and has demonstrated the fact that to a man of merit belongs the full measure of success and worldly prosperity. Mr. Keith, who is president of the First National Bank of Kalispell, and vice-president and man- ager of the Kalispell Mercantile Company, is one of the best known figures in business circles of Montana. He was born in the province of New Brunswick, January 9, 1863, and is a son of Lewis and Rebecca (Blakney ) Keith. He was reared on his father's farm, gaining the benefit of a country school education, until he was sixteen years old. when he took a three-months business course at a commercial college at St. John, New Brunswick. He then commenced clerking in J. S. Trites & Company's general store at Sussex, remained there eighteen months, then attended commercial col- lege for three months, and subsequently took a clerk- ship in a store at Upper Corners, Sussex, New Bruns- wick, the firm being W. J. Mills & Company, a branch store of George H. White & Company. After a time this was discontinued and Mr. Keith returned to Lower Sussex to clerk in their store, where he continued until the spring of 1887, when he came to Missoula, Montana, arriving there in April. From there he soon went to Stevensville, to take charge of the mercantile interests of the Missoula Mercantile Company at that point. He was later sent to open a branch store at Victor and was there for eighteen months, when, returning to Missoula, ' he became the treasurer of the company. In 1890 the Missoula Mercantile Company purchased the large business establishment of T. J. Demers at Demersville, on the Flathead river, and Mr. Keith was placed in charge. At that time a historian wrote: "The unpar- alleled success of the Missoula Mercantile Company (their business for the last year amounting to nearly $2,000,000) illustrates what capital and push can accomplish. The firm is a close corporation, with headquarters at Missoula, and branch establishments placed in the best agricultural section of western Mon- tana. Their extraordinary facilities have had much to do in assisting and increasing their exceedingly large business. In less than three years the Demersville store has built up a larger and more extensive trade than any other in all Montana. Under the management of Mr. H. C. Keith this branch institution promises to outgrow the parent house ere a decade passes away. Mr. Keith is a young gentleman well and thoroughly drilled in business, of recognized business sagacity and Drobity and large capabilities. He controls the entire business of the various Flathead concerns owned by the firm of which he is assistant treasurer." This store was moved to Kalispell in 1893, the business here being at first confined to hardware and implements, and one clerk being employed. In 1898 was erected a grain elevator with a capacity of 40,000 bushels, run by a gaso- line engine of twelve horse-power. Groceries were added in March of that year, and fifteen clerks were hired, and the business has so increased that the working force now amounts to a small army of men. On Febru- ary 20, 1911, the name of the firm was changed to the Kalispell Mercantile Company, and the business in- corporated, Mr. Keith becoming vice-president and gen- eral manager, while C. H. McLeod is president. The trade of the firm extends along the line of the Great Northern from Bonner's Ferry on the west to Havre on the east, a distance of 370 miles, north to the inter- national boundary, and northwest to Tobacco Plains, ninety miles. Extensive shipments are also made to Butte. The business is by far the largest in western Montana, if not in the entire state.

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Mr. Keith is a Republican in politics, and a Baptist in his religious belief. He belongs to Kalispell Lodge No. 42, A. F. & A. M., and was made a Knight of Pythias in Laurel Lodge No. 1I, at Missoula, in 1889. Purchasing control of the First National Bank of Kalis- pell, in December, 1907, he was chosen for its vice- president, and in August, 1908, he became president of this institution, a position he has retained to the present time. Mr. Keith's career has been one of remarkable activity and remarkable success. Every venture with which his name has been connected has been brought to a satisfactory conclusion, and by his example he has materially advanced the growth and development of Montana's commercial interests. A man whose busi- ness interests demand constant application, he has still found time to devote to movements that promise to be of benefit to his community or its people, and as a citizen who stands for education and morality he has the entire esteem of his fellow townsmen.

In August, 1894, Mr. Keith was married to Miss Mary Hunt, an adopted daughter of Daniel Hunt, of Avoca, Iowa, she being a native of Des Moines, Iowa. Of their children, nine survive, namely : Harry, Robert, Helen, Francis, Louise, Irma, Hattie, John and a baby daughter.

LOUIS K. POOL. The Pool family were pioneers of Montana, and the name has been prominent in political life, business and professional affairs for forty years. Louis K. Pool is a civil engineer with a large and grow- ing practice at Polson and vicinity. He was born in Radersburg, this state, March 20, 1887.

His father is Hon. Gustavus E. Pool, a well-known Montana citizen, now residing at Townsend. A native of Missouri, he came to Montana in the early seventies, first settling in Jefferson county, later served eight years as sheriff of Broadwater county, represented that district in the first and second assemblies of the state legislature, and for many years has been one of the influential Democrats of Montana. At the present time he is justice of peace in Townsend, where he is pro- prietor of the Townsend Drug Company. He married Eldora Morgan, who represents another prominent pio- neer name. She was born in Illinois but came to Mon- tana when four years old. Her father, Walter R. Mor- gan, immigrated to the Northwest in the early sixties, coming up the Missouri river to Fort Benton and set- tled at Diamond. For a number of years he was en- gaged in mining, which was the chief industry of that period, and later homesteaded at the foot of Con- federate Gulch.

Louis K. Pool, who was the second in a family of five daughters and three sons, received his early education in the Broadwater county schools and then took his technical course at the State College in Bozeman, where he was graduated with the degree of civil engineer in 1910. In June of the same year he located at Polson, succeeding to the practice of A. D. Maynard, and has since built up a large practice from official and private sources. He is the city engineer of Polson, and.is also owner of a homestead of one hundred and twenty acres, four miles from Polson. Politically he is a Democrat, but takes no active part in party affairs. His church preference is the Presbyterian. On June 4, 1912, he married Miss Gretchen Fiske, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Fiske, Helena, Montana.

CHARLES GIES. Many of the more enterprising and prosperous citizens of our great country are of foreign birth and breeding, noteworthy among the number be- ing Charles Gies, of Great Falls, Montana, whose birth occurred at Hesse Cassel, Germany, November 10, 1868. His grandfather, Johannes Gies, Sr., was born in 1797, and spent his entire life of eighty-one years in Germany, being well known in military circles.

Johannes Gies, Jr., the father of Charles Gies, was

born, lived, and died in the Fatherland, his death occur- ring in 1903, at the age of seventy-nine years. He, too, was widely known in the army circles of Neustadt, having a fine military record as a member of a troop of Hussars. He married Katherine Rickel, who was born in Germany, and there died, in 1896, aged sixty- two years. Ten children were born of their union, two daughters and eight sons, Charles, the subject of this sketch, being the sixth child in order of birth.

Having completed his studies in the public schools of his native land, Charles Gies was employed in a bakery until sixteen years old. Coming then to America with an uncle, he followed the baker's trade in St. Paul, Minnesota, until 1887. Foreseeing the grand oppor- tunities offered a young man of ambition in the far west, he then made his way to Montana, which had not at that time donned the garb of statehood, and for a year was engaged in the restaurant business at Maiden. Disposing of his interests there in July, 1888, Mr. Gies was engaged in the bakery business at Great Falls, Montana, the ensuing four years. Selling out then at an advantage, he embarked in the manufacture of soft drinks at Great Falls, being one of the first to erect a factory for that purpose in that part of Cascade county. In 1896 Mr. Gies made another change of oc- cupation. Selling his factory, he formed a partnership with Mr. Frank Glab, with whom he was associated in the wholesale liquor business until 1900. The part- nership being then dissolved, Mr. Gies has since con- tinued in the same business alone, being now one of the leading wholesale liquor merchants of the city.

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A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 20

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