A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 35

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

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Herman A. Towle was a lad of but fourteen years of age at the time of his father's demise and thus early was bereft of paternal love and guidance. His pre- liminary educational training consisted of such advant- ages as were afforded in the public schools of Mish- awaka and in Falls City, Nebraska, where an elder brother then resided. As a youth Mr. Towle entered upon an apprenticeship at the jeweler's trade and after thoroughly familiarizing himself with that line of en- terprise was a journeyman jewelry in Chicago and other places. In May, 1889, he came to Butte, where he en- tered the employ of Hight & Fairfield, remaining with that concern for the ensuing four years. In 1894 he purchased the interest of Mr. Cameron, a member of the firm of Cameron & Winterhalter. In 1908 the business of the above concern was incorporated with a capital stock of $80,000. At that time J. L. Hanafin was admitted to membership in the company and the business is now conducted under the title of Towle, Winterhalter & Hanafin. The official corps of the com- pany is as follows: L. Winterhalter, president ; H. A. Towle, vice-president ; and J. L. Hanafin, secretary and treasurer.

Mr. Towle has had a most successful career in Butte, where he has gained many friends and won the con- fidence and patronage of the public. He is connected with one of the finest and most up-to-date jewelry houses in the west. He is a business man in the broadest sense of the word. He does not take part in local politics but exercises his franchise in favor of

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the Republican party. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and he is also a valued and appreciative member of the National Union.

At Niles, Michigan, in 1894, was celebrated the mar- riage of Mr. Towle to Miss Emily Kelsey, a native of Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Towle have four children, whose names are here entered in respective order of birth,-Mildred, Charlotte, Elise and John H.

WV. P. BAKER. A man of pronounced ability, energy and enterprise, W. P. Baker is intimately identified with the agricultural development of Ravalli county, owning a valuable and well-managed ranch, and as one of the leading attorneys of Hamilton is widely and favorably known in legal circles. A native of Missouri, his birth occurred at Lancaster, Schuyler county, May 12, 1864. His father, the late Moses Baker, was born and bred in Kentucky, and was there fitted for a professional career. Migrating to Missouri in early manhood, he taught school a number of years in Schuyler county, but later bought land in that county and was there engaged in general farming until his death in 1898. He was much interested in local affairs, and for three terms served as treasurer of Schuyler county. He married Miss Frances Henson, of Kentucky, and she died on the home farm in Schuyler county, Missouri. Of the six children born of their union, four are living, namely: Anna, widow of J. P. Peyton, of Missoula, Montana; James L., who for many years has served as postmaster in Lancaster, Missouri ; Ida M., wife of H. B. Wayland, of Hamilton, Montana, and W. P., the special subject of this brief biographical review.

Brought up in Missouri, W. P. Baker attended the rural schools of Schuyler county and the public schools of Lancaster, until he was eighteen years of age, laying a substantial foundation for his future education while young. He subsequently assisted his father in the care of the homestead for six years, during which he spent all of his leisure in reading law, acquiring a good knowledge of legal affairs, and was there admitted to the bar. Coming then to Montana, just before it donned the garb of statehood, Mr. Baker purchased a tract of land in the Bitter Root valley, near Grantsdale, and but three miles from Hamilton. Continuing his agricultural labors, he has now one of the best improved and most attractive and valuable ranches in Ravalli county, the superintendence of which he still retains. He has also acquired title to city property of value, and is financially interested in the mining resources of Montana. In 1898, Mr. Baker opened a law office in Hamilton, and in addi- tion to his other work is actively engaged in the prac- tice of his profession, having built up a substantial prac- tice in the city and, surrounding country.

Evincing a warm and intelligent interest in local affairs, in 1898, Mr. Baker was elected county attorney on the Silver-Republican ticket, and was reelected to the office three successive times. Fraternally, he is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In former days, Mr. Baker took great pleas- ure in hunting deer and other large game, but of recent years his business affairs have demanded so much of his attention that he has found no leisure to devote to his favorite pastime.

At Hamilton, Montana, November 26, 1901, Mr. Baker married Carrie M. Miller, who was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and they have one child, Eulalia E. Baker.

FRANK E. WILEMAN, clerk and recorder of Granite county, is entitled to a place in the front ranks of the young men of Philipsburg who have done well with their lives thus far. Mr. Wileman was born in Auro- raville, Wisconsin, on March II, 1873. He is the son of Joseph C. and Frances (Gill) Wileman. The father

was born in Belleville, Ontario, Canada, coming to the United States as a young man. He served in the Union army during the Civil war and took an active part in six battles, in one of which he was wounded. He settled in Wisconsin for a number of years and then went to Leadville, Colorado. He conducted the first boarding house at the Little Pittsburg mine and was there during the great mining excitement. He has since traversed many states and followed various occupations, including ranching and hotel business. He is now living in Philipsburg. His young wife died in Wisconsin in 1873, at the early age of twenty-two years, and is there buried. Three children were born to them, Frank E. being the second born and the eldest son.

His mother died when he was an infant, and Frank Wileman was taken in charge by friends of the fam- ily when he was four years old. The family removed to Ripon, Wisconsin, taking the motherless child with them, and there he grew up as one of their own, attending school and helping with the farm work after hours and between school seasons. When he was six- teen years of age he came to Philipsburg, and since that time he has been a continuous resident of this city. The first work of any importance that Mr. Wileman did was when he was seventeen years old, at which time he put in the water works at Granite. He took the contract and performed the work, carrying it out successfully, and the plant stands there today in testimony of the ability which the young man showed. For several years he worked in the mines in and about Philipsburg, and in 1901 was appointed deputy sheriff for a four-year term. Following the conclusion of that term he returned to his mining ventures, and for six years was thus occupied, three years being passed in Alaska. In 1908 Mr. Wileman was elected county clerk and recorder, and he is now serving his second term in that office, where he has performed his duties with a high degree of efficiency and in a manner which has inspired confidence and esteem in the minds of the public.

Mr. Wileman is a Republican and takes an active and intelligent part in the political affairs of his dis- trict. He is a Mason and an Odd Fellow, and has been through all the chairs of the latter named order. He and his wife are attendants of the Methodist Episcopal church, but not members.

On June 20, 1903, Mr. Wileman was united in mar- riage with Miss Jennie Johnson, daughter of Erick and Marie Johnson, natives of Sweden. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wileman, a daughter named Frances Elois, who is attending the schools of Philipsburg.

DAVID C. MAXWELL. During a long career spent as a railroad man, David C. Maxwell has become widely and favorably known to the people of Dawson county, Montana, and more particularly to those of his home city, Glendive, where he has a residence at No. 623 Kendrick avenue. For the last ten years he has had a passenger run between Glendive and Billings, and so favorably has he impressed the people of this section with his abilities that he has on numerous occasions been elected to fill positions of public trust and import- ance, and is also well known in fraternal circles. Mr. Maxwell was born at Tomah, Monroe county, Wis- consin, April 9, 1862, and is a son of Christopher and Anna (Nowlan) Maxwell.

Christopher Maxwell was a native of Guelph, On- tario, and was about eight years of age when he accom- panied his parents to Baraboo, Wisconsin. There he at once secured employment in a general store, his duties being so confining that he did not leave the es- tablishment. even having his sleeping quarters there. Subsequently he worked in the lumber camps, winters, and in driving logs on the Wisconsin river, in summers,

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later drifted into the contracting business and farming, and was finally employed in the construction of the bridges of the West Wisconsin Railroad, now the Chi- cago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad, a branch of the Chicago & Northwestern system. Although he had not been given many opportunities in his youth, Mr. Maxwell was a man of great industry and enter- prise and success came to him through his own efforts. He was self-educated, and, not content with a mere literary training, studied law and was admitted to the Wisconsin state bar, practicing before it until his health failed. He was an active member of the Knights of Pythias, and a stanch Republican in politics. He mar- ried Mrs. Anna (Nowlan) Whalen, who had one son by her former marriage, James B. Whalen, living in Leadville, Colorado. To them were born three chil- dren : David C .; Theresa, who was the wife of Charles Weiss and died at the age of thirty years; and Chris- topher J., who lives at Tomah, Wisconsin.

David C. Maxwell spent his boyhood days under the parental roof, and attended school until he was sixteen years of age. At that time he decided to take up rail- roading as a career, and secured employment as a brakeman with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul. Later he was made freight conductor, and in 1889 moved to Forsyth, Montana, and entered the service of the Northern Pacific Railroad in the same capacity, but in 1900 was promoted to passenger conductor, acting in that position to the present time. Always a stanch Republican, in November, 1906, Mr. Maxwell made the race for the position of state representative from Daw- son connty, was elected, and in 1908 was returned to that office in view of the excellent record he had made as a member of that body. He is a member of the Order of Railroad Conductors, and has served as a member of the general committee since 1901. In 1886, in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, he was made a member of the Knights of Pythias, and he also belongs to Hiram Lodge No. 52, A. F. & A. M., at Forsyth, Montana.

On June 15, 1882, Mr. Maxwell was married to Miss Minnie Maxwell, who was born at LaCrescent, Houston county, Minnesota, daughter of Abraham W. and Sarah Ann (Switzer) Maxwell. Mr. Maxwell was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and died February 15, 1908, when he had attained the advanced age of ninety-one years, while his wife, who passed away March 14, 1912, at the age of eighty-eight years, was a native of St. Louis, Missouri. Of their eight children, three are liv- ing: William, of Esterville, Iowa; Harriet, the wife of Fred Billings, of LaCrosse, Wisconsin; and Mrs. Maxwell. As a young man, Abraham W. Maxwell enlisted at Galena, Illinois, in an Illinois volun- teer regiment, serving four years during the Civil war and under General Sibley, later participating in the In- dian warfare in Minnesota. At one time he helped to capture twenty-eight Indians, who were hanged at Man- kato, Minnesota, in 1868, and subsequently went to Col- orado for some length of time. Returning east as far as Dubuque, Iowa, he remained there for some time, but later removed to Houston county, Minnesota, where he was engaged in the stone quarry business. His next move was to LaCrosse, Wisconsin, but after spend- ing some time in the hotel business there returned to Iowa and settled in Esterville, where his death occurred. He was an active and popular comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic, and in his political views was a stanch Republican.

Mr. and Mrs. David C. Maxwell have had six chil- dren, as follows: Harold; Alice; Lloyd, a graduate of Glendive high school, who had been appointed to at- tend the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis a short time before his death, passed away at the age of nineteen years; and Anna, Rae and Leslie.

ALBERT MAY. The career of Albert May has been so closely identified with the business and public history

of the city of Stevensville, that a record of one would touch and be identical with that of the other at num- erous points. He is identified with the ranching indus- try as half-owner of about two thousand acres of land in the Bitter Root valley, holds prestige in business circles as president of the Stevensville Mercantile Company, one of the largest concerns of its kind in this part of the state, and as mayor when the city was first organized rendered valuable service during two administrations. Mr. May is a man whose abilities have found expression in various fields and whose progressive energy has made him a leader in his numerous ventures, and throughout the period of his business activities he has ever maintained a reputation for strict integrity, probity and reliability that has held in the highest degree the confidence of his associates and the public at large.

Albert May was born April 14, 1853, in Clinton, On- tario, Canada, a son of William H. and Sarah Anna (Davis) May, the former a native of London, Eng- land, born in 1832. William H. May followed the peace- ful occupation of tilling the soil throughout his life, and died at Clinton, Ontario, in 1887, his widow, a native of Worcestershire, England, surviving until 1897. They were the parents of eleven children, as follows : W. H. and George, of Stevensville; Charles, of San Dimas, California; Lewis, a stockman and rancher of Ravalli county; Allen, who is engaged in farming in Michigan; Frank and John, who are deceased; Lucy, who married William Langslow, of Duluth, Minnesota ; Fanny, who married Harry Goodrich, of Edmonton, Canada; Albert, and a child who died in infancy.

Albert May received a country school education, and remained with his parents until 1889, in which year he came to Montana, and first located in Billings, in and around which city he worked at ranching and other occupations for one year. At that time he came to the Bitter Root valley with his brother, George May, who furnished the capital necessary to establish them in the sheep raising business on the open range, and this they followed in connection with horse rais- ing until 1900. From time to time they added to their holdings, and at present have abont three thousand acres of the finest land to be found in the valley. In 1900 they were the prime movers in the organization of the Stevensville Mercantile Company, capitalized at $100,000, of which they became the heaviest stock- holders, while Albert has since acted in the capacity of president of the concern, and under his shrewd, alert and progressive methods, the business has grown to great proportions. All movements of a beneficial na- ture find in him a hearty co-worker and supporter, and he has a strong and unwavering faith in the future of Stevensville, where he has invested heavily in real estate and owns a modern home. He is a director in the First State Bank of that city, and has associated himself with various other enterprises. In politics a stanch Republican, he served as Stevensville's first mayor and so ably did he discharge the duties of that office that he was elected for a second term. For seven- teen years he has acted as Sunday school superintend- ent in the Methodist church, and he and his family are widely known in church work as well as in social circles.

Mr. May married Miss Phoebe Howson, who died in 1906, at Stevensville, and one daughter was born to this union; Phoebe Alberta, now the wife of the Rev. Edward L. Mills, a well-known divine of Helena.

TIMOTHY O'LEARY was what Mr. Kipling would call a "first class fighting man." He fought his way through school, he fought for the Fenian cause, he fought for the cause of liberty in Cuba, and he ren- dered good service to Uncle Sam as a soldier. Now since his death he is mourned, not only as a good

Mr. O'Leary was an Irishman, born near Cork, on December 15, 1844. His elementary education was secured in the public schools and he then attended

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Christian Brothers College until he was seventeen years of age, when he came to the United States.

Immediately upon his arrival in this country he joined the United States Army, becoming a member of the Fifteenth United States Infantry, in which com- mand he served three years during the war between the state. He was at the battles of Stone River, Chick- amauga, Kennesaw Mountain, Atlanta and Jones- boro. He was slightly wounded at the battle of Jonesboro, but he kept right on fighting.

At the conclusion of his service for Uncle Sam, Mr. O'Leary became actively identified with the Fenian cause as major and military organizer. He held the rank of major at the battle of Ridgeway, Canada, in 1866. Later he was adjutant-general of the Fenian army, and estab- lished military organizations in many parts of the United States. Through his instrumentality nearly fifty thousand men were organized and put in readiness for battle. At the Ridgeway conflict a force of six hun- dred Fenians was opposed by sixteen hundred of the enemy, but the Fenians were victorious. Hostilities were stopped however, by the intervention of the United States government. Major O'Leary and thirteen other officers who engaged in that battle were arrested and taken by the United States steamer Michigan, to Buf- falo, New York, put in jail and afterwards placed under bonds of two thousand dollars each. They were repre- sented by Grover Cleveland, who secured their release on bail. All were taken to. Canadagua, New York, where they were arrainged in the United States court, and eventually their cases were nolle prossed.

Mr. O'Leary, thus returned to the paths of peace, began the study of law in 1868, but shortly afterwards went to Cuba and joined in the war for liberty on the island. In the conflict between the Cubans and the Spanish government, Mr. O'Leary soon arose to a posi- tion of importance. He was appointed chief of ord- nance, and commanded an expedition on the steamer "Katherine Whiting," loaded with arms and ammuni- tion. Three schooners were sent from New York City to Gardner's bay under his direction and there waited for the steamer "Whiting" to appear. This vessel, how- ever, was seized by the United States revenue cutter "Bayard." Mr. O'Leary became suspicious at the delay and returned to New London, Connecticut, where he found the vessel had been seized. He returned to Gardner's bay where he had other steamers unloaded and sent back to New York. He became suspicious of his secretary, and on investigating found the man was really a Spanish spy. Mr. O'Leary promptly gave the fellow a first class whipping, but the result of the whole affair was the abandonment of the Cuban expedition.

The Fenian cause again engaged his attention and his energies, but he continued to read law between fights. In 1870 he again headed a Fenian expedition into Canada, but this expedition like the others, came into conflict with the United States government and Mr. O'Leary "went into retirement" for a while.

Mr. O'Leary went west, locating in Minnesota, and entered the employ of the Northern Pacific railroad, then building its first section west of Duluth. He became a section hand and for a time remained very quiet. Three months of this seclusion satisfied him that the skies were clear, and he entered upon the practice of the law. He was admitted to the bar in 1870, and prac- ticed fifteen years in Minnesota, first in the city of Hast- ings, then at Henderson. He was appointed United States post-office inspector by Grover Cleveland and held that position until 1888, when Mr. Wannamaker was appointed postmaster general. For an unexplained reason Mr. O'Leary was dismissed by wire, no cause being assigned.

The very next day the Philadelphia Press in a lead- ing article stated that a mistake had been made, as Mr. O'Leary's services had been excellent. He did not, however, return to the service. In 1889 he came to

Montana and settled at Anaconda. He almost immedi- ately became active in public affairs, and stumped the state for the Democrats on many occasions. He served three terms as city attorney for Anaconda.

Mr. O'Leary was a member of the Knights of Colum- bus, and prominent in the affairs of the Grand Army of the Republic. In the early part of his residence in Montana he was especially fond of hunting and indulged this liking on every convenient occasion. He had many trophies of his skill as a hunter of big game and was a fine shot.

Mr. O'Leary was married to Miss Kate Ahern, a native of Brooklyn, New York. She is the daughter of Michael and is still living in Anaconda. The one son of Mr. and Mrs. O'Leary, Arthur O'Leary, seems to have inherited his father's love for the military. He is a captain of the United States marines. Arthur O'Leary enlisted at the outbreak of the Spanish war as a bugler in a local militia company. He was promoted to second lieutenant before seeing service. Later he became first lieutenant and then captain of the United States marines. The Montana regiment in which Cap- tain O'Leary served, and the captain's company especi- ally, was employed by Major Bell in many dangerous scouting expeditions, and Captain O'Leary's company became known as the "suicide squad" because of the daring of its members.

Timothy O'Leary was recognized as one of the lead- ing lawyers of Deer Lodge county. He was held in very high regard and had many friends and admirers, and in spite of his advancing years he declared that he was still ready to do battle in any good cause; there- fore when the end came on the 13th of May, 1912, he met it bravely, for he had "fought the good fight."

HOWARD D. SMART. To be the cashier of a large and prosperous financial institution, and to be capable of assisting in directing its policy and managing its com- plex interests in these modern days, demands more than ordinary talents, and those who occupy positions of this character in a community may justly be termed prominent citizens. Thus, attention is called to Howard D. Smart, cashier of the First State Bank of Stevens- ville, and a man of many business qualifications, who has served very acceptably in public office. Like many of Montana's most successful citizens, Mr. Smart is a native of Canada, having been born in New Brunswick, March 8, 1859, a son of James and Mary Jane (Carson) Smart. His father, a native of Scotland, came to Amer- ica with his parents at the age of thirteen years, settling in New Brunswick, where he became an extensive farmer and stock raiser and owned a large property at the time of his death in 1902. His wife was a native of New Brunswick, and they had a family of four chil- dren, as follows: Howard D .; Fred, residing at Van- couver, British Columbia; Jennie, wife of Douglas Duplisea, of St. Stephen, New Brunswick; and Laura G., who lives at Chico, California.

Howard D. Smart secured a public and high school education in the schools of New Brunswick, and at the age of twenty years went to Minneapolis, Minesota, to become bookkeeper for the Washburn Milling Com- pany, with which he was connected for nine years. In May, 1889, he came to Montana, settling at Riverside, near Hamilton, where he held a position as bookkeeper and salesman, and resigned his office to accept the county assessorship of Ravalli county. He subsequently became county clerk, and at the expiration of his term of office returned to the lumbering business. In 1903 he began as bookkeeper and salesman for the A. M. C. Company, with which firm he was connected until 1907, and in that year, with George Harper, engaged in the lumber and sawmill business in the Bitter Root valley. Two years later he sold his interests therein and accepted the posi- tion of cashier which had been tendered him by the offi- cials of the newly organized First State Bank of Stevens-

Donald Calder,

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ville, with which he has since been connected, and in which he is also a stockholder. The personnel of this institution's executive board is a guaranty of its solidity and substantiality, and it now does a representative busi- ness with most of the large firms and important individ- uals in the Bitter Root country. A genial, courteous and thoroughly capable official, Mr. Smart is very pop- ular with the bank's depositors, and is held in the highest esteem by his business associates. He firmly believes in the future of Stevensville, has identified himself with other earnest and hard-working citizens in forwarding movements of a beneficial nature, and has a modern residence situated in the residence district of the city. Politically a Republican, he has been active in the interests of his party, and is regarded as one of the dependable wheel-horses of the organization in his section. He is a member of the Woodmen of the World, in which he takes quite an interest, and when he can absent himself from his arduous duties, delights in going on a hunting and fishing expedition. Mr. Smart is a consistent member and trustee of the Presbyterian church, to which his wife also belongs, and both are well and favorably known in religions circles.

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A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 35

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