A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 49

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

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Mr. Rehal erected the first four buildings to go up in Joplin and among them is the Park Hotel, a four- teen-room hostelry, equipped with steam heat and other modern conveniences. It is recognized as the best hotel between Havre and Shelby. He also built and owns the opera house, which is now being re- modeled for mercantile purposes and which will event- ually be the home of the Rehal Mercantile Company. Up to the fall of 1911 Mr. Rehal was extensively en- gaged in the sheep-raising business in Chouteau county and he still owns his fine homestead, which comprises 320 acres and which is eligibly located one and one- half miles distant from Joplin. Nasef Rehal, an older brother of the subject of this review, is residing on a large ranch adjacent to the village of Joplin and is achieving marked success as sheep raiser and rancher.

In his political allegiance Mr. Rehal is a stanch sup- porter of the principles promulgated by the Repub- lican party, in the local councils of which he is a most active factor. In May, 1910, he was appointed post- master of Joplin and for one and one-half years he has been a member of the board of trustees of school dis- trict No. 59. Prior to coming here he served for two years on the Chester school board. Mr. Rehal is deep- ly and sincerely interested in all that affects the gen- eral welfare of Joplin and Chouteau county and his fine character and exemplary life commend to him the unalloyed confidence and esteem of all with whom he has come in contact. In religious matters he and his

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wife are devout communicants of the Roman Catholic church, in which faith they are rearing their children.

May 14, 1898, in the city of Butte, Montana, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Rehal to Miss Annie Zinnil, who was born in Syria and who came to Amer- ica with her parents when she was a child of but four years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Rehal are the parents of five children, whose names are here entered in respec- tive order of birth,-William J., Olga, the first white child born on Lonesome Prairie homestead; Hazel, Gertrude and Julius.

NELS L. OLSON. A man who has gained unusual prominence in the business world of Butte, Montana, is Nels L. Olson, who is president of the Olson Imple- ment Company, of that city, and is also at the head of the Swedish Crucible Steel Company, of Detroit, Michigan. From the 'humble trade of blacksmith Mr. Olson has made his way upward and, in addition to extensive financial interests, he has won world-wide distinction as inventor of the Olson adjustable plow points, which are manufactured by the Swedish Cru- cible Steel Company, Detroit, Michigan.

A native of Sweden, Nels L. Olson was born Octo- ber 15, 1868, and is a son of Ola and Ingar (Christof- ferson) Olson, both of whom were also of Swedish birth, the natal year of the former being 1818 and of the latter, 1828. Ola Christofferson was a farmer by occupation and he passed his entire life in the place `of his birth, where he died in 1883. His cherished and devoted wife passed away in 1905.

Nels L. Olson attended the schools of his native place until he had reached the age of fourteen years, when he was apprenticed to learn the trade of black- smith. At the age of seventeen years he decided to come to America and after arriving in this country was for six months a resident of Chicago, whence he later removed to the Sacramento valley, in California. For one year he was a resident of the Golden state and then he located in the city of Portland, Oregon, there engaging in the blacksmith business for a number of years. In 1890 he moved to Butte, Mon- tana, where he resided for about twenty years and where he conducted a blacksmith shop of his own, continuing to operate the same for the ensuing five years. In 1897 he established the Olson Implement Company, which he conducted individually until 1901, when the business was incorporated under the laws of the state with a capital of $20,000. Mr. Olson is president of the company; Mrs. Olson is secretary and treasurer; and Arthur Brown is a stockholder and a member of the board of directors. Offices of the com- pany are located at No. 745 South Wyoming street. This concern ranks as the largest implement house in the entire state and controlled a very large and lucra- tive business. The business, however, is being wound up, owing to the fact that Mr. Olson cannot give it his personal attention.

Mr. Olson has extensive realty holdings in Butte and as a business man in that city is honored and respected for his fair and straightforward dealings. On Novem- ber 1, 1910, he patented a plow point, known as the Ol- son adjustable plow point, which is manufactured by the Swedish Crucible Steel Company of Detroit, of which he is president and the largest stockholder. The other officers are: A. J. W. Nixon, vice president ; and J. H. Tobin, Jr., secretary and treasurer. The adjustable plow point is a great time and labor saver for the farmer.

In politics Mr. Olson maintains an independent attitude and his religious faith is in harmony with the tenets of the Swedish Lutheran church. He was one of the founders of the Swedish chapter or lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Butte, and has figured prominently in many movements tending to promote progress and development in this section of the state.

At Butte, in November, 1899, Mr. Olson was united in marriage to Miss Ina Mickleson, who was born in Finland, whence she came to America with her parents as a child. She was raised and educated in Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Olson have three children, all of whom were born in Butte, namely,-Florence, Norman and Blanche.

EGBERT H. IRISH. Butte, Montana, is recognized as the commercial and industrial center of this portion of the northwest, and numbered among its important en- terprises are many which devote the greater amount of attention to supplying the wholesale trade. In this class of business undertakings is classed the harness and saddlery establishment of Egbert H. Irish, located at No. 133 South Main street originally, but now occupy- ing greatly enlarged quarters at No. 106 East Park street.

Mr. Irish learned his trade at Yarker, Ontario, Can- ada, serving his apprenticeship in the factory of A. A. Van Luven. After achieving competence as a saddle and harnessmaker he continued to work for Mr. Van Luven for a time, but four years later went to Manitoba and followed his trade as a journeyman during the sub- sequent fourteen years. The date of his arrival in Butte was 1890, and during the first six years of his residence here he found employment in the leading shops and gained the reputation of being one of the most competent experts in his line of industry. He established his present business on an independent basis in 1896, and the continual growth of the enterprise fin- ally obliged him to seek a location where operations could be advantageously carried on at increased capacity. Accordingly in May, 1907, he moved into the factory he now occupies, which is reputed to be the largest and best equipped establishment of its kind in the entire northwest. He manufactures all kinds of heavy harness and has an equipment embracing the most modern and highly improved machinery to be obtained for this line of work. Three expert workmen are employed and under Mr. Irish's personal management and direction the quality of product turned out is of the highest grade, material and workmanship being also of the best class.

Mr. Irish is a native of Canada, having been born at Ontario, November 4, 1855, the son of William Stafford and Jane (Jones) Irish, both of Canadian parentage. The elder Irish died in Canada in 1862, when forty years old, his wife surviving him many years. She was a resident of Yarker, Canada, at the time of her death which took place in 1884, in her fifty-sixth year. They were the parents of four children, Egbert H. being next to the oldest. His early life was spent on his father's Canadian farm and his education secured in the public schools which he attended until sixteen years of age. His marriage to Miss Agnes Henderson was solemnized at Manitoba, November 28, 1890, she being also a native Canadian and the daughter of Thomas Henderson.

Mr. and Mrs. Irish have two children, the elder of whom, William G., was born in Manitoba, August 31, 1889, and the younger, Egberta, born in Butte, Septem- ber 4, 1903. They reside at No. 1113 West Aluminum street, in an attractive home which is owned by Mr. Irish, and are recognized as among Butte's influential factors in leading political, social and religious circles. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Irish is fraternally affiliated with the Benevo- lent Protective Order of Elks, in which lodge he has been a trustee for three years. He is a man of high moral principles, strict honesty and integrity, an in- dependent thinker and a conscientious citizen of the city and country of his adoption.

EDWIN NEWTON. Born and reared on a farm in Ohio, and now one of the enterprising, far-seeing and resourceful contractors and builders of Missoula,

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Edwin Newton is one of the valued and serviceable contributions of the East to the progress, development and adornment of the Farther West. He is knowing and skillful in his business, and has found a fruitful field for his enterprise in this new country and his services in constant demand since he first offered them to the public here.

Mr. Newton was born in Medina county, Ohio, on April 17, 1864, and is a son of Lewis and Lucinda (Wise) Newton, also natives of that state, where the father carried on the operations of a good farm. They came to Missoula in 1890 to pass their declining years with their son, and here the father died when at fifty-nine years of age, and the mother at about the same age. They were active in business during their residence in this city,

Their son Edwin began his education in the public schools of his native county and completed it at the Normal School in Ada, Ohio. After leaving that institution he learned the carpenter trade and worked at it a number of years in the state of his birth. In 1890 he came to Montana and located in Missoula, and here he has ever since had his home and employed his energies in good work. His first employment in the city was with A. J. Gibson, with whom he was associated until 1895, when he determined to set up in the contracting and building business for himself.

Subsequent events have proven that he was wise in making the venture, as he has been very successful in securing big contracts, and has made for himself an excellent and wide-spread reputation by the man- ner in which he has done the work provided for by them. He has a large and completely equipped plant, which effords him ample facilities for big undertak- ings, and his energy leads him to keep all his forces in motion at all times, as far as possible. He is therefore diligent in seeking business and very zealous and industrious in attending to it when he gets it.

Mr. Newton has erected his own monument in Mis- soula in the form of many imposing and useful struc- tures, which he has built with every regard to per- manency of endurance and adaptability to require- ments in each case. He put up the Harnois theatre, the Cheney block, the Greenhood building, and many others of equal magnitude, massiveness and attrac- tive appearance. As he is a man of strict integrity, whose work can be relied on for its excellence in every respect, he always has plenty of engagements on hand to keep him and his force occupied, and by rea- son of his ability, progressiveness and devotion to his work, the city is improving in the solidity and im- pressiveness of its business and public structures under the guidance of his wise head and the tireless industry of his skillful hand every year.

Mr. Newton was married in Missoula in 1905 to Mrs. Louise Hershey, like himself a native of Ohio. Fraternally he is connected with the Order of Wood- men of the World. Politically he is a member of the Progressive party. In business he is solid, substan- tial and productive. In all the elements of his citi- zenship he is altogether worthy of the high regard so freely bestowed upon him by all classes of Missoula's population. He is deeply interested in the welfare of the community, and the community knows this and esteems him cordially as one of its best and most useful residents.

CAPT. AMOS SHAW, senior member of the transporta- tion firm of Shaw & Powell, and owner of a fine ranch in Shields River valley, makes his home in the city of Livingston, Montana, although for a number of years he has been widely known among and universally popular with the tourists visiting Yellowstone National Park. A seafaring man during the greater part of his life, he was captain of a vessel on Yellowstone lake more than twenty years ago, and still spends a Vol. III-11

large part of his time in displaying the wonderful beauties of that great section to visitors from every part of this and other countries. Captain Shaw is indeed a "son of the water," for he was born on the Atlantic ocean, June 1, 1848, a son of Amos and Mary (Cassedy) Shaw. His father, a native of Yorkshire, England, was educated in his native country, and as a young man enlisted in the English army, becoming a member of the Twenty-first Royal Infantry. During the fourteen years of his services he saw many foreign lands, and later he joined the English navy and continued as a man-o'-war's man for six years. Coming to the United States shortly prior to the Civil war, he first located at Flint, Michigan, and later removed to Bay City, that state, where he enlisted in the three months' service at the outbreak of the war between the states. He was sergeant of the First Michigan Cavalry at the first battle of Bull Run, after which he was appointed drill-master at Bay City, and sent two well-equipped companies to the front. His was not the nature to remain so far away from the scene of activities, however, and he eventually veteranized as sergeant of a Michigan regiment of vol- unteers, with which he served until the close of the war. Shortly thereafter he died, being in his sixtieth year. His wife, who was born in Dublin, Ireland, survived him until 1871, and was sixty-two years old at the time of her death. They were married in England and had twelve children, as follows: Mary, born in the Holy Land; a son, John, born at Gibraltar; Sophia, born on the coast of Spain; William, born in Egypt; Elizabeth and Louise, born in London; Amos born on the Atlantic ocean, but his birthplace was chosen in Michigan, by law of the state; Albert born on the coast of Africa; Maria, Charles and Lillian, born in Canada; and Ed- ward, born in Michigan. Of the foregoing, three sur- vive, namely: Amos; Charles, who resides in Michigan ; and Lillian, the wife of Charles Rich, living in Indiana.

Amos Shaw received his education in the schools of Bay City, Michigan, and when only nine years of age began working on the old steamer "Globe," a coast-line vessel, running between Saginaw, Michigan, and Buffalo, New York. For four years he acted in the capacity of cabin boy, and then began sailing on the Great Lakes during the summer months and working in the lumber woods in winter. He was so engaged until 1890, on December 8th of which year he arrived in Livingston, Montana, where he supervised the building of the steamer Zillah for the Yellowstone Lake Boat Com- pany, for use on Yellowstone lake in the National Park. This vessel passed inspection July 10, 1891, and was immediately put into service, with Captain Shaw in charge, a position which he held during the seasons of 1891, 1892 and 1893. Since the latter year he has been engaged in the transportation business under the firm name of Shaw & Powell, taking passengers through the great park of natural wonders. Mr. Shaw's ranch, located in the Shields River valley, is devoted to horses, cattle and grain, and is known as "Idylewyld." He was first made a Mason in Frankfort lodge, No. 32, A. F. & A. M., at Frankfort, Michigan, from which he demitted to become a member of Livingston lodge, No. 32, A. F. & A. M., and he also holds membership in other fraternal societies. His political proclivities are those of the Democratic party, but he has never entered the public arena as an office holder.

On April 20, 1876, Captain Shaw was married to Miss Eunice Conway, who was born in Medford, Maine, daughter of John and Margaret Conway, natives, re- spectively, of New Brunswick and Maine. Mr. Con- way removed to the state of Michigan as a young man, and there spent his life in agricultural pursuits, rising to a position of prominence among his fellows and being a well-known Democratic politician and office-holder. Mr. and Mrs. Shaw have had six children: Jessie E., Walter, Chester, Reether and Reeva, twins, the former

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of whom is deceased, and Rose. The comfortable fam- ily home, where the many friends of the captain and his family often meet on social occasions, is situated at No. 123 West Geyser street.

EUGENE D. COLEMAN has been a resident of Glas- gow since 1800, and is a pioneer builder of the city. He is now, and has been for many years, a prominent merchant and hotel man in the city, and is altogether one of the leading spirits of the place. He has watched the city grow from a small village to its present thriv- ing state, and has ever had the best interests of Glas- gow close to his heart. While he has prospered in a financial way, his prosperity has furthered the growth of the city, and every venture launched by Mr. Cole- man has proved a developing influence in the history of Glasgow.

Mr. Coleman is a native of the state of Wisconsin, born in Greene Lake county, that state, on January 29, 1857. He is the son of Thomas and Ellen (Wilson) Coleman, the father a native of Ireland, born in Dub- lin, as was also the mother. Thomas Coleman immi- grated to America as a young man and settled in Wis- consin in 1844. He later moved to Olmstead county, Minnesota, and died in 1908 at the age of ninety years. The mother died at the home of her son, Eugene, of this review, in 1911, at the age of seventy-seven. They were the parents of eight children, of which number five are living today, Eugene being the eldest. The others are: Hannah, living in Baltimore, Maryland ; Theresa, in Valley county, Montana; Thomas, a farmer in Valley county; William, a farmer and stockman in Canada.

Until Eugene Coleman was fourteen years of age he attended the public schools of his native town, after which he remained with his parents until he reached the age of nineteen years, employed in various capaci- ties. At the time he was nineteen years of age he went to Swift county, in western Minnesota, where he took up a tract of land and for four years he farmed there, after which he sold out and went to Devil's Lake, North Dakota, there securing another piece of land, where he remained for another four year period, engaged in farm- ing and cattle raising. He then disposed of his inter- ests there and went to Minot, where he was for five years engaged in the livery business, and at the end of that time sold out again and came to Glasgow, reach- ing here in 1890. Mr. Coleman hegan life in Glasgow as a hotel keeper, as the business partner of Hiram Rowell. In a comparatively brief time he purchased the interests of his partner, and shortly thereafter the build- ing burned to the ground. Mr. Coleman erected in its place a first class modern fireproof brick structure, at that time by far the finest building in Glasgow. and to this day the best hotel in the city. He has continued as the proprietor of this hotel through all the years, al- though having many other interests in and about Glas- gow. In 1902 Mr. Coleman erected a brick block to be used for store purposes and engaged in the meat and grocery business, which venture proved a decided suc- cess with him. In 1906 he entered the general hardware business, and he has continued in all these lines to the present day, in consequence of which he is occupying a leading place in the ranks of the mercantile men of Glasgow. In addition to his hotel and store buildings, Mr. Coleman has done considerable other building in Glasgow, and is the owner of some fine residence prop- erty, owning eight houses, and also holds several sec- tions of valuable ranch lands in the county. He is a di- rector of the First National Bank of Glasgow, and in a public way, has served as county commissioner of Val- ley county, and was the first elected to the office. He has served as state committeeman for the past fifteen years. lle is a Democrat, and is active in politics in a quiet and undemonstrative way. During his life in

Minot, North Dakota, Mr. Coleman assumed his share of the civic burden, as he has ever done in Glasgow, and was one of the first aldermen of the town of Minot, and was also sheriff of the county of Ward, North Da- kota, for one term. He is affiliated with a number of fraternal orders, among them being the Benevolent Pro- tective Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias, and the Order of Eagles, in all of which societies he has held all offices.

In 1878 Mr. Coleman was married to Miss Sarah Buckley, a daughter of John Buckley, who was a pio- neer settler of the state of Iowa where he passed his life as a farmer. She died in 1890. One son was born to them,-Leo Coleman, who is the manager of his father's hardware and general merchandise business. He is a young man of splendid qualities, who finds his heartiest amusement in his deer-hunting expeditions, of which he possesses as mementoes a fine collection of mounted deer and goat heads, which he has brought down in the mountains of Montana.

JACOB H. KARNOP. Every line of business is being successfully prosecuted at Harlowton, Montana, for the city is of sufficient importance to command a large trade from the surrounding country, and the people who make it their market demand the best of goods and service. One of the leading business ventures of this community is that conducted by Jacob H. Kar- nop, dealer in implements and automobiles, who has built up a large enterprise from a small beginning and won the confidence of the people of his adopted section. Mr. Karnop is a native of a country that has given to the United States some of its best citizens, having been born January 17, 1867, in Germany, son of Henry and Wilhelmina (Gutzman) Karnop.

Henry Karnop was born in Germany and there mar- ried, and in 1875 brought his family to the United States, settling in Wisconsin, where he followed various occupations. In his native country he had been a soldier in the German army during the Franco-Prus- sian war. He died at about seventy years of age, in Wisconsin, where his wife also passed away, and they were laid to rest side by side. They were devout Christians and active in church work, and were the parents of six children, Jacob H. being the third in order of birth, while the remainder reside in North Dakota and Wisconsin.

Jacob H. Karnop was eight years old when the family came to the United States, and until he was fifteen years of age made his home in Prairie dur Chien, Wisconsin, where he secured his English edu- cation. At that time he started out to make his own way in the world, traveling to Minnesota and locating on the Kimmel Indian Reservation for about two years, where he hunted and trapped in addition to working in the lumber camps. He then went to the Red River valley, in North Dakota, where he conducted a grain ranch for several years, but since 1890 has been a resident of Montana. On first coming to the Treas- ure state he engaged in ranching on the open range, and also drove freight teams for some time, and then came to Harlowton, where for three years he acted in the capacity of city marshal. At the present time he serves as city constable, and while on the range acted in the capacity of school director. On leaving the office of city marshal, Mr. Karnop established himself in the implement and automobile business, an enterprise that has had a steady and pleasing growth from its inception. He carries a complete and up-to- date line of goods, being the only exclusive dealer in this line in the city and his progressive methods and · absolute integrity have served to materially advance his city's commercial importance. At all times he is ready to testify to his belief in Montana's future, especially as an agricultural state, and it must be conceded that

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he is fully competent to judge, his long business ex- perience, in which he has dealt extensively with the farming class, making him fully conversant with agri- cultural conditions. In Democratic politics he is recog- nized as wielding much influence, but he is not an office seeker or active politician, although he believes that every man should enter the arena when called upon to do their duty as citizens. Personally, he has the true out-of-door man's love for all kinds of square sport, especially baseball, and also enjoys a good speech, public lectures and music. His fraternal con- nection is with the Modern Woodmen of America.

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A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 49

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