A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 88

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

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At Glendora, California on December 14, 1911, Mr. Roberts was united in marriage to Miss Blanch Whit- comb, a daughter of F. W. and Jeannette Whitcomb, residents of that city. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics Mr. Roberts is a Republican. He is prominently identi- fied with different fraternal orders, being a member of the blue lodge and chapter of the Masonic order and of its auxilliary branch, the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, is a member of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pyth- ias and the Knights of the Maccabees. He has served as high priest of the Great Falls Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and as master of Cascade Lodge No. 34, A. F. & A. M., of Great Falls, Montana. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and is a past grand of Rainbow Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows at Great Falls. His acquirements, temperament and social qualities are such as make him a popular member of the different circles in which he mingles and all who know him esteem him highly as a man of energy, ability and honor. He stands a worthy repre- sentative of the best and progressive citizenship of Montana.

JOHN H. TOLAN is the son of George Tolan who was a native of Indiana. Like many another young man of his time, George Tolan was consumed with the fever to go west and become a pioneer. To him, at that time, Minnesota seemed the far west, in consequence of which he took up a claim in Minnesota and moved there with his young wife, Elizabeth Hunter Tolan.

Bertram H. Junshee.

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Mrs. John Tolan was born in Pennsylvania and came to Indiana with her parents when still quite a child. Together with her husband she helped clear and cul- tivate the plot of ground on which they took up their homestead in Minnesota. Here, on the 15th of Jannary, 1875, their son John was born to them and here they lived, near the town of St. Peter, until the death of Mr. Tolan in 1906. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Tolan, with the pioneer blood still red in her veins, went to Missoula, Montana, to join her son. There she still lives, taking a real delight in the west that is west.

John Tolan was educated in the public schools of St. Peter, Minnesota. At the age of twenty-two, how- ever, he too, was seized with the longings of the pio- neer. His brother had preceded him to Anaconda, Montana, and entered into the mercantile business. Here John joined him in 1897 and became an assistant in his business establishment. Finding that he had no liking or aptitude for trade, young Mr. Tolan went to Kansas, in the autumn of 1899, and entered the law department of the Kansas State University situated at Lawrence. After enjoying three years of legal study and social life on "Mt. Oread," he completed his law course and returned to Anaconda.

Here, he almost at once took rank among the prominent attorneys. For two terms, he was elected county attorney on the Democratic ticket and in 1908 he weis candidate for attorney general of the state. By the spring of 1909, he began to see that Missoula was destined to become the chief city of the Bitter Root valley. He had known success in Anaconda but not such success as might be attained in a larger and more thriving city. In 1907, he had married Miss Alma Deschamps the popular daughter of Mr. Gas- pard Deschamps, one of the best known and most successful citizens of Missoula. In June of 1909, Mr. and Mrs. John Tolan took up their permanent residence in Missoula. To them have been born two children, Denise and John Hunter. The son, John, Jr., bears the name Hunter as a tribute to his paternal grand- · mother, who still forms one of the family circle.

John H. Tolan is a member of the Brotherhood of the Protective Order of Elks and a Knight of Colum- bus. He is a leading Democrat, a powerful attorney and an orator of no mean ability. His service as an after dinner speaker are quite in demand throughout the state. With all the honors that he has attained, Mr. Tolan's career has not yet reached its prime, he being still young in years and younger in his chosen profession.

CARL H. DOENGES. Maintaining a leading position among the contractors and lumber dealers of western Montana, Carl H. Doenges, of Thompson Falls, is recognized as one of the most progressive and promi- nent citizens of his section, one who has prospered in business, and who has earned success by his enter- prise, natural sagacity and well-established reputation for integrity and upright dealing. Mr. Doenges was born January 31, 1872, in Anglaize county, Ohio, and is a son of Louis and Lizzie (Wagner) Doenges. His father, a native of Germany, came to the United States when about six years of age with his parents, settling in Ohio, where he has since been engaged in agricul- tural pursuits, in connection with which he carried on carpenter work for some years. He and his wife, who also survives and lives on the old homestead in Au- glaize county, had four children, Carl H. being the third child and youngest son.

Carl H. Doenges received his education in the pub- lic schools of Ohio, and as a youth learned the trade of carpenter with his father. He remained on the home farm during his young manhood, dividing his time between tilling the soil and working at his trade, and on attaining his majority came west, locating first

in California, where for two years he worked at his trade. The year 1897 saw his advent in Thompson Falls, and here he has built up a large business in the lumber line and contracting, and at all times has been identified with every public enterprise calculated to benefit the community, giving his services willingly for the public welfare. He has erected more school- houses than any other man in Sanders county, enjoys a large and lucrative clientele, and his integrity is un- questioned. In his political preferments he has been an independent Democrat since attaining his majority, served as a member of the first board of commissioners of Sanders county, and at one time acted as county treasurer to complete an unexpired term. No man stands higher in the esteem of the people of Thomp- son Falls, and his present leading position is a con- clusive proof of what pluck, ambition and honest en- deavor will accomplish. He belongs to the Thompson Falls Development League, and swears allegiance to his adopted community, refusing a number of temnt- ing offers from other localities in the belief that his present field possesses features and opportunities not to be found in any other part of the country. Although he is a devotee of out-of-door sports, baseball being his favorite recreation, he is a great reader and in his well stocked library may be found many works of a historical nature. He holds membership in the Masons and Odd Fellows, and his religious faith is that of the Lutheran church.

BERTRAM H. DUNSHEE. If those who claim that fortune has favored certain individuals above others will but investigate the cause of success and failure it will be found that the former is largely due to the improvement of opportunity, the latter to the neglect of it. Fortunate environments encompass nearly ev- ery man at some stage of his career, but the strong man and the successful man is he who realizes that the proper moment has come, that the present and not the future holds his opportunity. The man who makes use of the Now and not the To Be is the one who passes on the highway of life others who started out ahead of him, and reaches the goal of prosperity in advance of them. It is this quality in Bertram H. Dunshee that has won him a prominent position in the mining world of Butte, where he has resided for the past fourteen years. He is assistant general super- intendent of mines of the Amalgamated Copper Com- pany, and is well known in mining circles throughout the entire northwest.

A native of the fine old Green Mountain state, Mr. Dunshee was born at Bristol, Vermont, on the 13th of April, 1857. He is a son of John and Rosina ( Parmlee) Dunshee, both of whom were likewise born at Bristol, Vermont, the former on the 29th of Feb- ruary, 1824, and the latter on the 9th of November, 1835. The father was reared in his native place and in 1848 went west to Mexico, subsequently spending some two years in California. He returned to Ver- mont in 1853 and five years later moved to Wiscon- sin, where he was a farmer and ranch-owner for a number of years. In 1864 he made the long over- land trip to Montana, where he engaged in mining and was one of the first locators in Prickley Pear Gulch, near Helena. He returned to Wisconsin in 1865, and in 1866 he took his family by the way of the Isthmus of Panama to California, where he re- sided until his death, which occurred in 1892, at the age of sixty-eight years. Mrs. Dunshee was sum- moned to the life eternal in California in 1880, at the age of forty-five years.

The first in order of birth in a family of three chil- dren, Bertram H. Dunshee received his preliminary educational training in the schools at Santa Bar- bara, California, later supplementing the same by a course of study in the University of California, at

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

Berkeley, in which excellent institution he was gradu- ated in the College of Mining as a member of the class of 1879, duly receiving his degree of Ph. B. After leaving college he was engaged in mining and milling in California and Arizona for a number of years and in 1887 he came to Montana, settling first in Madison county and later locating at Philipsburg, where he started the Bi-Metallic Quartz Mill and where he remained until 1897. In the latter year he came to Butte, where he has since maintained his home. Here he immediately became identified with mining interests and for the ensuing six years was mining superintendent for the Boston & Montana Com- pany. When that concern was consolidated with other companies under the name of the Amalgamated Cop- per Mining Company, Mr. Dunshee was made assist- ant general superintendent of mines, a position he has held since 1903. He is well known in mining cir- cles in this section of the state and in connection with his work is a valued member of the American Insti- tute of Mining Engineers and the Montana Society of Engineers. His present standing as a capable busi- ness man is due entirely to his own well directed efforts.

In politics Mr. Dunshee is a stalwart Republican, and while he does not participate actively in public affairs he is a loyal citizen and is every ready to give of his aid and influence in support of all measures and movements advanced for the good of the gen- eral welfare. He is affiliated with the Silver Bow and Country clubs and devotes all his leisure time to out-of-door sports. Socially he is genial and court- eous, and the popularity that comes from these quali- ties, together with the distinction that comes from his achievements, makes him a man among many. A thorough business man, a true friend, a jolly fel- low and a gentleman,-such will describe the marked characteristics of Bertram H. Dunshee.

At Butte, on the 15th of April, 1903, Mr. Dunshee was united in marriage to Miss Fannie Bowie, a daughter of the late Dr. Clifford N. Bowie, of Philips- burg, Montana. Mrs. Dunshee's parents are both de- ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Dunshee have one son, Win- field Bowie, born July 25, 1908. In religious matters Mr. Dunshee attends and gives his support to the Protestant Episcopal church, of which his wife is a devout communicant.

WILLIAM PRITCHARD first saw the light of day in Mitchell county of the Hawkeye state, the date of his nativity being September 3, 1869. He received his education in the public schools of the county of his birth and also in Osage and Charles City, Iowa, and left school at the age of sixteen years. The ensuing five years until the attainment of his majority he assisted his father in the work of the farm. At that juncture he decided to see the world, believing like the Bard of Avon, that

"Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits,"

and desirous of seeing the northwest, he came to Mon- tana. After traveling through the state and visiting the important places in the Treasure state, he went to Chicago and there learned the trade of plumbing and gas fitting, devoting no less than six years to acquiring a thorough mastery of this difficult and important busi- ness. In 1897 he returned to Missoula, the memory of whose charms and advantages had remained vividly with him and here secured employment at his trade, in the establishment of Willis Broadbent of this city. He subsequently transferred his activities to the Mis- soula Mercantile Company and took charge of the plumbing department of that concern. He remained thus employed until he made another comprehensive trip over the wonderful northwest, having in mind the selection of a suitable location in which to establish a business on his own account. After traveling through

Dakota and Minnesota, he paid Missoula the highest compliment within his power by returning to the city, which he liked better than any place he had visited and deciding to locate here after all. In 1905 he began an independent plumbing and gas fitting business in this city in association with William Berriman, who later located at Billings, Montana, after six months of part- nership with the subject. Mr. Pritchard bought his partner's interest and has today a substantial, constantly growing and firmly established business. He is admir- ably located on one of the leading business corners of the business section of Missoula. His thorough knowl- edge of his business and his fine executive ability and honorable methods have procured for him much suc- cess and an enthusiastic patronage.

Mr. Pritchard is interested in the many-sided life of the community. He is independent in politics, being of that broad-minded type which esteems principle above partisanship. He is public-spirited and gives his support to all measures like to result in benefit to the whole of society. He is a Mason on his way to the attainment of the thirty-second degree and is also affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is of that typically American product-the self-made man, for he has made his own way to success quite unas- sisted.

Mr. Pritchard was happily married to Miss Tillie Moen, a native of Wisconsin, and their three children are Dorothy, Lois and William, the eldest, a girl of seven, being a pupil in the public schools.

The subject's father, Richard Pritchard, a native of Wales, came to America as a young boy with his parents and located in Racine, Wisconsin. He for many years followed the calling of a sailor, but eventually left the. "bounding main" and became a farmer and stock raiser in Mitchell county, Iowa, where in 1903, his demise occurred. The mother, whose maiden name was Jane Davis, also a native of Wales, survives, and makes her home at Charles City, Iowa, with her daughter, Mamie, now Mrs. Ponto. Mr. Pritchard is one of a family of five children, as follows : Roselia, now Mrs. Charles Hill, of Charles City, Iowa; Robert, assistant to the subject in his business in this city; Annie, now Mrs. L. H. Dunton, of Riceville, Iowa; Mr. Pritchard ; and Mamie, now Mrs. Gus Ponto, of Charles City, Iowa,

PROF. HENRY A. DAVEE. A man of broad mental at- tainments and excellent executive ability, Professor Henry A. Davee, superintendent of the city schools of Lewistown, has met with well-deserved success in his professional career, and has gained distinctive recognition as one of the foremost educators of Fergus county. A son of the late Zachariah Davee, he was born, July 29, 1872, in Martinsville, Morgan county, Indiana, but spent a large part of his earlier life in Illinois.

Zachariah Davee was a native of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Martinsville, Clark county, in 1840. As a young man he spent several years in Indiana, in the town of Martinsville, but on returning to Illinois with his family took up his residence in Coles county, that state. Eventually he removed to Kansas, and there spent his last years, dying ir 1908, at the age of sixty-eight years. He married Elvira King, who was born in Indiana in 1842, and died in Illinois in 1882.

The second child in a family of three children, Henry A. Davee was but three years old when his parents moved from Indiana to Illinois, which was his home during the ensuing fifteen years, when the fam- ily migrated to Kansas. He received his preliminary education in the public schools of Illinois, and later attended the Kansas Normal College at Fort Scott. Coming to Montana in 1897, Mr. Davee entered the teacher's profession, and, with the exception of one

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

year spent as a student in the State Normal College, at Dillon, taught in the public schools for six years, meeting with good success in his work. Entering the University of Wisconsin in 1904, he was there gradu- ated with the degree of Ph. B., and the following year was superintendent of schools at Roseburg, Oregon. Returning then to Montana, Professor Davee accepted the management of the schools at Lewistown, which under his supervision have made noteworthy advance- ment in various lines, new courses of study having been introduced, and newer methods of teaching, while the efficiency of each department has been increased.

Lewistown has, indeed, reason to be proud of her educational institutions, which rank favorably with any in the state. The proper housing of the school children of the city is being solved by the Lewistown board of education, which is making a thorough study of the best way of heating, ventilating, and obtaining the best possible sanitary conditions for its school buildings, the city being perfectly willing to spend money for the benefit of children. The corps of in- structors in the schools are men and women of tal- ent and culture, nine-tenths of them being college or normal school graduates, and many of them special- ists in their particular studies. A thorough training is given in the fundamental branches of learning, while special instruction in music, art, domestic econ- omy and science, and in mechanics, the industrial de- partment, with its well equipped shops being an im- portant feature of the industrial training given to the boys. The new Garfield school building is one of the best in the county, and the new Lincoln school build- ing is not surpassed in the beauty of its architecture, its furnishings, and its equipments by any building of a similar nature in the state. In the domestic science department of the schools the girls are taught how to use thimble and needle; the various kinds of stitches, and how to make them; how to use a sewing machine; the art of cutting and fitting patterns; the making of underwear and dresses; the value of foodstuffs, table setting and serving; and the cooking of plain and fancy dishes; the aim being to help prepare the girls for home makers and keepers, many of them becoming competent cooks and dressmakers through the lessons first learned in the schoolroom.

A stanch Democrat in politics Professor Davee takes much interest in public matters, but is not an office seeker. On November 5, 1912, he was elected state superintendent of public instruction on the Democratic ticket. Fraternally he is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons; of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has passed all the chairs; and of the Modern Woodmen of America, in which he has filled all the offices. He also belongs to the Outlook Club, of which he is now president. He is very loyal to the state of his adoption, and says that Montana spells opportunity to the man who is honest, and willing to work.

Professor Davee married, December 24, 1902, at Chinook, Montana, Mabel Flinders, daughter of John and Mary Flinders, and into the household thus es- tablished two children have made their appearance, Chalmer and William Robert.

GEORGE HIRSHBERG. The Hirshberg Mercantile Com- pany, at Conrad, Montana, is known as the largest and most complete department store in Teton county. It was established by Joseph, Julius, George and Edward Hirshberg in 1904 and since that time has been under the direct management of George Hirshberg. Mr. George Hirshberg is an enterprising business man, whose initiative and energy have won him a high place in the business world of his community, as well as in the esteem of his fellow citizens. He is financially in- terested in the Hirshberg Mercantile Company and is Vol. III-19

connected with other business projects of local im- portance.

George Hirshberg was born in Germany on August 8, 1880, and is a son of Gustave Hirshberg, now de- ceased, but a prominent banker in his day in Hohen- salza, Germany. The wife and mother, whose maiden name was Martha Loewensohn, still lives. Three chil- dren were born to these parents, and George Hirshberg was the youngest of the number. He was educated in the public schools of his native place up to the four- teenth year of his life, when he entered upon an ap- prenticeship to the druggist's trade. Three years later, in 1897, he immigrated to America and went direct to Choteau, Montana, where he was for a time in the employ of his uncles, Joseph and Julius Hirshberg, learning the details of the mercantile business under their direction.

Joseph and Julius Hirshberg were both born and reared in Germany and they came to America in early life, settling at Fort Benton, Montana, in the early seventies. They became interested in merchandising and in the live stock business, and opened mercantile branches at various places in the state, including Sun River, Choteau, Robare, and Dupuyer. The establish- ment at Choteau is known under the name of Joseph Hirshberg & Company. In 1904 the firm purchased the F. D. Kingsbury store at Conrad and continued the business as the Hirshberg Mercantile Company, and this concern is under the management of the subject of this review, as set forth in a preceding paragraph. In recent years Mr. George Hirshberg became interested in farming and acquired about one thousand acres of land, installing an irrigation system which has proved a great success. The farm is located near Aldrich Springs.

The Hirshberg brothers, while never active in po- litical affairs, have ever been loyal and public-spirited in their civic attitude and have always contributed lib- erally to all public and charitable institutions. They were prominent factors in the early development of this section of the state and formerly were engaged ex- tensively in sheep raising in Teton county. Both are members of the time honored Masonic order and Julius is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Elks, K. of P., and the Woodmen.

On June, 1909, in the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was solemnized the marriage of George Hirshberg to Miss Sarah Ginsberg, a daughter of Morris Ginsberg, who is a prominent real estate dealer of that city. Mrs. Hirshberg was born in the state of New York, but was reared and educated in Minneapolis. A son, Gustave Joseph, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Hirshberg on August 12, 1912.

Politically Mr. Hirshberg is an uncompromising mem- ber and supporter of the Republican party, and in re- ligious matters he and his wife are devout members of the Jewish Reformed church.

JAMES SHELTON, a prominent real estate dealer in Valier, Montana, was born on the 25th of November, 1875. He is the son of George Wesley and Helen (Collier) Shelton, both natives of Indiana, and now deceased. The father settled in Missouri in 1866, or thereabouts, there engaging in farming, in which busi- ness he passed his life. He was a Civil war veteran, and his death took place at Stanford, Missouri, in January, 1902, when he was in his sixty-fourth year. The mother passed away at Maryville, Missouri, in 1880, when she was thirty-one years of age. They became the parents of five children, James being the third born. He was educated in the schools of Mary- ville to the age of eighteen, soon thereafter becoming engaged in the real estate business. In 1897 he first came to Montana, where he was engaged in various capacities, until December. 1909, when he came to Valier, and here engaged in the land and real estate business. He has continued in the business, prospering

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in accordance with his efforts, and has acquired a goodly share of lands and other property in the city and county.

Mr. Shelton is a Republican, although he takes no active part in the operations of the party in this locality, and he is a member of the Presbyterian church. He was married in 1908 to Miss Dora Ethel Bishop, the daughter of George W. Bishop of St. Vincent, Minne- sota. Three children have been born to them: George Sheridan, Dorothy Ellen and Gladys.

COLIN N. WARD. It is merit that wins recognition for men of any trade, calling or profession, and it has been merit that has enabled Colin N. Ward, the present sur- veyor of Teton county, Montana, to secure the con- fidence and high standing he enjoys among the people of that section. He is a young man, as years go, vig- orous, industrious and ambitious, and though he has been a resident of Teton county barely five years, he has been placed in charge of responsible duties there and has discharged them with efficiency.

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A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 88

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