A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 76

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

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John R. Herd was educated in the city of his birth, Philadelphia. At an early age he became connected with the Bullock-Moir Manufacturing Company, of Philadelphia, and he was twenty-five years in their. service as head carder. When the Civil war broke out he promptly enlisted and served three years and six months in Company I, Fifty-first Regiment, Pennsyl- vania Volunteers, participating in practically every skirmish and battle in which his regiment figured throughout the term of his service. He was seriously wounded on the field of Antietam, and after a long and trying period of inactivity in the United States Hospital at, Washington, D. C., he was honorably dis- charged from the service on account of disability.

Following his discharge he returned to Philadelphia, where he continued his service with the Bullock-Moir Manufacturing Company. as before mentioned. He bought a farm about eight miles from Broad street, Philadelphia, and on this place he spent the greater part of his life and reared his family.

The son, John G. Herd, was educated, like his father, in the public schools of the city of Philadelphia. He lived at home on their country place until the age of eighteen, when his ardent desire to see the country. which is the heritage of most American youths, caused him to make his way to Colorado, and he was em- ployed in Denver by the firm of Mallery & Van Fossen, contractors, until 1888. He then set out for San Fran- cisco, and spent three years in that city in the service of William Diamond & Company, importers and ex- porters of merchandise, in the capacity of a clerk. From there he went to Hillsboro, North Dakota, where he was engaged as the foreman for R. T. Kingman, the owner of a large grain ranch of four thousand acres. He was thus occupied for a space of . three years, after which he returned to visit his old home in Philadelphia, in the year 1894. He spent the winter amid the pleasant surroundings of his boyhood home and in the companionship of friends and family, and in the spring of 1895, he returned to the west, making directly for Butte, Montana, where he took a position with the Butte city fire department, and where he remained employed for a period of four years. Re- signing his position there, he launched out into business on his own responsibility, and engaged in the project of sheep raising in Valley county, Montana, north and south of the Milk river. The business prospered, but circumstances made it desirable and expedient for him to change his location in 1905, and he thereupon re- moved to Yellowstone and Rosebud counties, Montana, where he is now located and where he is busy with the cares and multitudinous duties attendant upon the successful management of a sheep ranch controlling fifteen thousand head of sheep. At the present writing his herd does not outnumber fifteen thousand, but there

have been times when his herds aggregated forty thou- sand head of sheep.

On May 20, 1897, Mr. Herd was wedded to Miss Sarah E. Keeler, who was a resident of Hastings, Minnesota, being the daughter of John and Elizabeth Keeler. The father, John Keeler, was a native of Canada, for many years a resident of Hastings, Minne- sota, and now in Faribault, that state. Four children were born of this union, Sarah E. Herd being the second child. Mr. and Mrs. Herd reside at the family home in Billings, Montana, which they established there in 1896. They have no children.

Mr. Herd, like his father before him is an adherent to the principles of Republicanism, and while not a politician in any remote sense, has a good citizen's interest in the affairs of his municipality.

MILTON S. BENNETT. The name of Bennett is prominently identified in Montana with extensive busi- ness interests, including the raising of sheep and cattle and gold and silver mining. The family is of English extraction and its present representatives in this section of the United States came from the great and produc- tive country along its northern border. Milton S. Ben- nett, who is one of the leading shippers of sheep from Custer county, Montana, to the Chicago and Omaha markets and whose ranch covers many acres near Hardin, Montana, was born at Sutton, Ontario, Canada, August 20, 1875, and is a son of Willard and Elizabeth (Tomlinson) Bennett.

Willard Bennett and wife were both born in Canada, he in 1847 and she ten years later, were married there and now are valued residents of Helena, Montana. Five children were born to them, namely: Milton S .; Ethel, who is the wife of Hon. Albert J. Galen, attor- ney-general of Montana; Anson B., who is a merchant and contractor living at Toston, Montana; George, who is a resident of Helena, Montana; and one that died in infancy. While living in Canada, Willard Bennett engaged in farming. In the spring of 1882 he came to Deer Lodge, Montana, and in partnership with his brother, Nelson Bennett, under the firm name of Bennett Brothers, went into the agricultural imple- ment business at Deer Lodge, Butte, Townsend, Mon- tana and Salt Lake City. Nelson Bennett was already known as a successful contractor and had completed the Cascade tunnel, a great engineering feat at that time. The Bennett brothers, with W. A. Clark, built the first street railroad in the city of Butte and at that time closed out their agricultural implement business. Willard Bennett soon afterward became in- terested in mines and mining and became president of the Royal Gold and Silver Mining Company, whose properties lay between Philipsburg and Deer Lodge, at the head of Boulder creek, Montana. He continues his interest in mines and at the present time is presi- dent of the Black Friday Gold and Silver Mining Company. For about twelve years he was in the sheep business in Custer and Broadwater counties, his undertakings in this direction proving extremely prof- itable. His ability as a business man brought him recognition also in the field of politics and he served one term in the state legislature with marked efficiency. He is a Republican in politics and for more than thirty years has been a member of the Masonic fraternity.

Milton S. Bennett attended the public schools of Deer Lodge and Deer Lodge College, later the North- western University at Chicago, then took a commercial course in the Bryant & Stratton College in that city and supplemented it with a course in the Helena Busi- ness College. Following these years of study he at- tended two military colleges, one at Louisville, Ken- tucky, and the other at Ogden, Utah. For two and one-half years the young man was then in the employ of the Royal Gold & Silver Mining Company, with his father, and in partnership with the latter in 1895 went

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into the sheep business south of Miles City, Montana. In the fall of 1899 he embarked in the same business on his own account in the same region, continuing for two years and then removed to Dickinson county, North Dakota, for two years more, then to Toston, Broadwater county, Montana, where he continued in business for six years, in 1909 coming to Billings, the educating of his children becoming a matter of large moment. He is a Republican in politics but so far business has claimed his attention to the extent that it has left little time for the performance of public duties other than those of ordinary good citizenship.

On June 28, 1898, Mr. Bennett was married to Miss Izolia G. Willson, a daughter of John and Priscilla Willson, all of whom were born in Canada. Mrs. Bennett was. the sixth born in a family of eleven children, ten of whom survive. Early in the 'eighties Mr. Wilson came to Minnesota and in 1891 to Custer county, Montana, where he engaged in the sheep and cattle business until 1906, when he returned to Can- ada, where he now lives retired. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have five children: Myrtle, Violet, Paul, Leo and Natalie. Mr. Bennett is identified with Helena Lodge, No. 193, B. P. O. E.

ARTHUR JORDAN, M. D., a prominent physician, mem- ber of the state legislature and mayor of the city of Twin Bridges, is of necessity one of the busiest men in his city. He has been a resident of the state since 1895 and of Twin Bridges since 1905, having passed the first ten years engaged in practice in Marysville, Montana.

Born in Atlantic, Iowa, on September 17, 1869, Dr. Jordan is the son of James and Agnes (Dungan) Jordan. The father was born in Indiana and settled in Iowa in 1865, where he engaged in farming. He was a veteran of the Civil war, having served in the Union army. He was always an active politician and took a prominent part in the political affairs of his locality. In 1907 he removed to Oregon, where he now resides. His wife still lives, and shares his fortunes in their Oregon home. They were the parents of eight children, Dr. Jordan being the third born and the eldest son of the family.

Until he was in his twenty-second year Dr. Jordan remained at home in Atlantic, where he attended the high school, followed by a normal course, part of which he took in Atlantic and a part in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Following his normal course he went to Iowa City and took a four years' course at the state university there, graduating in 1895 and receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine. He located immediately after his grad- uation in Coon Rapids, Iowa, there conducting a prac- tice for a short time, the year 1895 marking his location in Montana. The first ten years of his life in this state were spent in practice in Marysville, after which, in 1905, he came to Twin Bridges, which has since represented the center of his professional activities.

Dr. Jordan takes a hearty interest in political affairs as a Republican of well fortified party opinions, and is regarded as one of the strong men of the party in his county, and a fighter of formidable qualities. His in- terest in local politics is no less keen than in state affairs, and he is now mayor of the city. In 1911 he was chairman of the school board, and was re-elected as a member in 1912. He was a member of the board of aldermen, which office he resigned to assume the duties of the mayorality. In 1910 Dr. Jordan was elected to the state legislature, at that time there being but one other Republican elected in the county.

Dr. Jordan keeps up his medical studies and research work and is a member of the State and American Medical Associations, as well as the Madison County Medical Society. Fraternally he is identified by mem- hership with the Masons and has served as master of the blue lodge, the Elks and the Maccabees.

On October 20, 1897, at Marysville, Montana, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Jordan with Adele M. Dillon, the daughter of Patrick B. and Mary Dillon, of Marysville, old pioneer residents of the state. Two children have been born to them, Arthur and Elizabeth, both in school.

HON. GEORGE W. BURT. The ability which is de- veloped in an active business life, in great commer- cial transactions and the rapid changes and fluctuations of trade and finance, have proved in practice as valu- able in the management of the public affairs of the state as that which comes from the exclusive study of law. The accomplished merchant, banker or financier is more likely to take a plain, common sense view of the questions of state, and to be unembarrassed by the quibbles, chicanery and superfine distinctions and definitions of the lawyer, than the man who has been trained in the school of precedent, authorities and legal hairsplitting. To this class of business men belongs George W. Burt, of Miles City, and the sig- nal services he has rendered his state are due, in perhaps equal measures, to the eminently practical and sensible constitution of his mind and to the thorough- ness of his business training.

George W. Burt was born in Armington, Tazewell county, Illinois, February 22, 1868, and is a son of William and Emma (Tenney) Burt, and grandson of William and Elizabeth Burt, natives of Kentucky. The latter founded the family in 1827 in Tazewell county, Illinois, the grandparents taking up land from the government, and spent their lives in establishing a home there for their six children. William Burt was born on the old homestead, the youngest. of his par- ents' children, grew to manhood thereon, and spent his active life in farming and stockraising, becoming one of the prominent and influential agriculturists of his community. He died when sixty-three years of age, in 1908, in the faith of the Christian church, of which he had been a member all his days. In po- litical matters he was a Whig and later a Republican, and held various township offices, serving for a num- ber of years as a member of the school board. His widow, a native of Atlanta, Logan county, Illinois, still resides on the old homestead. and has been the mother of two children, George W. and Jessie, the latter being the wife of George Hunter, who now operates the Burt homestead.

George W. Burt was educated in the schools of Tazewell county, Illinois, and Michigan University, Ann Arbor. Reared to the life of an agriculturist, he followed farming and stockraising on the home place until 1895, then coming to Terry, Custer county, Montana, being here engaged in the sheep business until 1911. In 1909 he located at Ismay, on the line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, and sold to that line the land on which the present town of Ismay is located. In 1911 he located in Miles City, where he now resides, although he still super- intends the operations of his 2,000-acre ranch, all of which is under irrigation. Mr. Burt was one of those whose foresight caused them to purchase North- ern Pacific land, purchasing ninety-three sections on O'Fallon creek, of which he has disposed at a hand- some profit. He is president of the State Bank at Terry, and of the Erling-Burt Mercantile Company at Ismay. In his political proclivities he is a Re- publican, served as a member of the school board at Terry for several terms, and was elected a mem- ber of the Eighth, Ninth and Twelfth sessions of the Montana state legislature. Fraternally he is con- nected with Yellowstone Lodge, No. 26, A. F. & A. M., Miles City Chapter, No. 14, R. A. M., Miles City Commandery, No. 1I, K. T .; Nona Lodge, I. O. O. F., and Terry Lodge, M. W. A.

On March 25, 1894, Mr. Burt was married to Miss .

Ger N. Burt

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Della Fluss, who was born in Armington, Tazewell Branch county district schools, after leaving which he county, Illinois, daughter of Frederick and Melissa (Henline) Fluss, natives of Kentucky, both of whom are deceased. They had a family of six children, Mrs. Burt being the fourth in order of birth. Mr. Fluss was a pioneer farmer in Tazewell county, where he spent all of his life in agricultural pursuits. Mr. and Mrs. Burt have three children: Lucille, Paul and Jessie. Mr. Burt's shrewd business acumen has fre- quently been highly commended, and his record as a progressive and far-seeing judge of land values has served to advance the interests of Custer county ma- terially. Notwithstanding his wide business interests, he has found time to serve his city, county and state, and has well proven that not alone in business mat- ters is he a preeminently capable man; but rather, as hinted in the commencement of this sketch, has he been all the better qualified for public office because of his consummated business efficiency. He is a gen- tleman of refinement, and has many friends through- out Custer county.

SAMUEL G. REYNOLDS. The Crow Indians of Mon- tana, now one of the most highly civilized tribes of the country, were but a decade ago practically savages, clinging to their ancient tribal customs, indifferent to or rebelling against the white man's way, preferring to move along in their old-established rut, with no ambi- tion to educate themselves or to better their condition in any way. The task of civilizing these wards of the government was a hard and not altogether agreeable one, but it was accomplished in such a manner as to leave no doubt as to its success, and the credit for the happy conclusion of this gigantic undertaking must be given almost unreservedly to one man, Samuel G. Reynolds, of Billings, who during the eight years that he held the position of Indian agent showed himself a man of excep- tional ability and perseverance. His success seems all the more remarkable when it is considered that up to the time of his appointment, his experiences had been chiefly in office work, principally with financial institu- tions, with which he has been connected for a number of years. Mr. Reynolds was born in Branch county, Michigan, October, 31, 1868, and is a son of Lorenzo D. and Elizabeth (Keeler) Reynolds, and a grandson of Lorenzo and Christina (McMurdy) Reynolds, natives of New York state and Ireland, respectively.

Lorenzo D. Reynolds was born in the Empire state and was educated in the public schools and under the tuition of his father, who was an educator by profession. In 1848 he moved west to Michigan territory, first locat- ing in Branch county where he worked in the lumber woods until he had accumulated sufficient capital to secure himself a homestead in the wilderness. There he was engaged in clearing himself a farm when the Civil war broke out, and he became a member of the Eleventh Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry. with which he served faithfully for three years, participat- ing in all the engagements of that organization, includ- ing the battles of Stone River and Murfreesboro. After securing his honorable discharge he returned to Branch county, Michigan, and continued to clear and cultivate his land, becoming one of the substantial agriculturists of his section. His wife died in 1875, but he still sur- vives, at the age of seventy-seven years, making his residence in the town of Quincy. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics a stanch Republican, and has served as justice of the peace for a quarter of a century, as a member of the school board for forty years, and in other public capacities. He is a popular comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is prominent in Masonic circles, having taken his first degree in Masonry prior to going to the war. He and his wife had four children, three of whom are living, and Samuel G., was the second in order of birth. Samuel G. Reynolds secured his education in the

became a newsboy on the railroad for one summer in order to earn enough money to continue his studies. Subsequently he worked as a driver of a delivery wagon and at whatever occupations presented themselves, for a time being a schoolteacher, and in this way managed to put himself through Ferris Institute, Big Rapids, Michigan. During 1887 and 1888 he was employed by the Emmons Brick & Tile Company, a concern which also dealt in lumber, near Muskegon, Michigan, and he then secured a position as bookkeeper with the Big Rapids National Bank, with which he was connected until 1895. In that year Mr. Reynolds came to Billings and accepted the office of assistant cashier with the Yellowstone National Bank, but in 1898 went with the First National Bank in the same capacity. In 1902 he was appointed government agent of the Crow Indians, and the manner in which he discharged his duties and the success with which he handled affairs caused his reappointment by President Roosevelt in 1906, and he continued to serve in the same capacity until handing in his resignation July 1, 1910. On July 14, 1910, he was appointed receiver of the First Trust and Savings Bank, of Billings, the duties of which position he took up on the same date. The success which attended Mr. Rey- nolds' work as Indian agent was almost phenomenal. From half-savage blanket Indians, living in tepees, they became industrious, enterprising farmers, and during the first year he was in office he took rations from all able-bodied Indians, and from all of them during his second year, thus making them self-supporting and saving the government from $50,000 to $75,000 a year. At the outset this task seemed almost impossible and attended by nearly insurmountable obstacles. Of course, there had been a number who had already adopted the ways of civilization, but the majority displayed a nat- ural repugnance to the entire program proposed by Mr. Reynolds, objecting to the disruption of the old tribal ties, to the distribution of their lands and to the demands that they should work. The greatest diffi- cultv was encountered in making the members of the bands take up their allotments, and in some cases out- right refusal was made, notably among the White River Utes, who decamped bag and baggage to the reservation of the Sioux, in South Dakota. The work, under Mr. Reynolds' supervision, went steadily forward, however, and that he succeeded may be seen by the fact that the tribe built 165 houses, and that the greater part have improved their lands and acquired good buildings, stock and implements. One of Mr. Reynolds' ideas to stimu- late interest was the establishment of the Crow Annual Fair, which has become one of the unique celebrations of the tribe. The "Wild West" features, which were allowed at first to predominate as an inducement have gradually become almost eliminated, and the agricultural exhibits of these people would now do credit to agricul- turists of almost any section in the country. The work accomplished by Mr. Reynolds was of inestimable value, not only to the Indians themselves, but to the resources of the state and to the United States government. In Indian Commissioner Leupp's report for 1906 special mention is made at length regarding the educational benefit to the Indians. He was first elected alderman of the Second ward in 1900 and was re-elected without opposition in 1902, but gave up the office to accept the government position. In fraternal work he has also been prominent, belonging to Big Rapids Lodge, No. 171, A. F. & A. M .; Big Rapids Chapter, No. 52, R. A. M .; Pilgrim Commandery, No. 23, Big Rapids, Michigan, of which he is past eminent commander; and Saladin Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Grand Rapids, Michi- gan. In 1901 he attended the organization of the Mystic Shrine in Honolulu, and was an active participant in the ceremonies. He also holds membership in Billings Lodge, No. 394, B. P. O. E., of which he is past exalted

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

ruler ; and McCosta Lodge, No. 26, K. of P., being past chancellor of the latter.

On May 20, 1896, Mr. Reynolds was married to Miss Carrie Brown, who was born in Big Rapids, Michigan, daughter of Judge Michael Brown, of Billings. Four children have been born to this union, namely: Michael B., Carolyn, Rosalind and Mary Alice. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds have a pleasant home in Billings, where west- ern hospitality is ever displayed to their many friends.

ALONZO ELLIS has led a life of agricultural activity in various sections of the country, his operations hav- ing been carried on in his native state and county, in Illinois, in Indian Territory, again in Kansas, and lastly in Montana, where he has been located since 1895. His operations in this state have been of a wide and comprehensive scope and he has prospered in a man- ner wholly consistent with his experience and ability. In addition to his ranching business he conducts a lumber business in Harlem, where he also owns a planing mill, a blacksmith shop, and a general hard- ware and implement store. Altogether, it would be dif- ficult to find a man with more irons in the fire, and withal, more successful in each venture, than Mr. Ellis. He has won to himself a position of prominence and importance in the business life of Harlem, and is known for .one of the most prosperous men of the place, as well as one of her most valuable citizens from the standpoint of his civic pride and willingness to aid in the advancement of the community.

Mr. Ellis was born in Fulton county, Illinois, on Sep- tember 5, 1855, and is the son of Joseph and Laura M. (Jacobus) Ellis, natives of Ohio and New York, respectively. Joseph Ellis was a prominent river man in the early days of flat-boating on the Mississippi river and he did an enormous trading business in those days. Later he became established in Fulton county, Illinois, and passed many years in that place as a prosperous farmer. He died there in 1873, at the age of sixty-three years, and was buried in Oneida. Illinois. The mother lived to the age of seventy-seven years. They were the parents of two children,-Alonzo of this review, and Mary, who became the wife of Frank Murdock. Both husband and wife are now de- ceased, leaving Alouzo Ellis the sole remaining mem- ber of the family.

The early education of Mr. Ellis was received in the public schools of Farmington, Illinois, which he finished when he was seventeen years of age. He thereafter applied himself to the business of farming at home and elsewhere in the county, until he had reached the age of twenty-eight years, when he went to Eldorado, Butler county, Kansas. There he purchased a ranch and began stock-raising. For five years he continued thus, when he sold out and went to Norcatur, Kansas, and there engaged in a similar venture. There he remained for three years; then went to Indian Terri- tory and carried on general farming until the year 1895. In that year he came to Montana, settling first in Chouteau county, as it was then called, but now known as Blaine county, and he purchased a fine ranch near to Harlem, now about a quarter of a mile from the city limits. After three years of ranching he went into the lumber business in Harlem. He erected a planing mill which he operates very successfully. and, as stated, conducts a blacksmith shop, as well as owning and operating a general hardware and imple- ment store in the city. Mr. Ellis is naturally of a mechanical turn of mind, and he is thus able to over- see the details of the mill and smith work, as well as the store. He carries a large stock of hardware, and his lumber yard is one of the most modern and com- plete to be found in the county. Since he has been in Harlem Mr. Ellis has added another quarter section of land to his ranch, and has built for himself one of the finest residences in the city, a notable feature of

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A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 76

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