A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 92

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

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Mr. Harris is author of "The Crow Reservation Homeseekers Adviser," a publication relative to the opening of the ceded portion of the Crow Indian Reser- vation, and "Harris' Public Land Guide," a recent and complete compilation of public land laws, and depart- mental regulations and forms thereunder.

On July 4, 1897, Mr. Harris . was united in marriage with Miss R. Irene Crane, who was born in Freeport, Illinois, daughter of James H. and Cynthia Crane, the former deceased, and the latter a resident of North Yakima, Washington. Mr. and Mrs. Harris have one son, Charles F.

WILLIAM W. TRACY, manager of the Tracy Electric Supply Company and the Butte Taxi Cab Company at Butte, was born in Ashtabula, Ohio, on October 4. 1875. He is the son of Anson and Frances C. (La- Grange) Tracy, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Ohio. Anson Tracy was a contractor and builder and died at Ashtabula, Ohio, in 1890.

William W. Tracy was fifteen years of age when his father died, when the widowed mother was left with three children to care for, as the father had been able to provide comfortably for his little family, but was not able to leave them with sufficient income to meet their needs. William W., the second son, at the time of his father's death had finished the course in the elementary schools at Ashtabula, and had had several years' work in the high school. By doubling his efforts he was able to complete the high school training in the spring of 1891, although he was but sixteen years of age. Feeling, to a great extent, the responsibility of the family, he at once accepted a position with the Ashtabula Rapid Transit Company. For two years he served as an employe of this com- pany, and then for one year was connected with the Oil City, Pennsylvania, Street Railway. The work was much to his liking, but seemed to offer little for the future. Being ambitions to become a master in lines of his chosen vocation, he apprenticed himself to the National Tube Works at Oil City, Pennsyl- vania, where he became an expert machinist, as well as a good electrician. So thorough had he been in his study that he at once obtained a situation with the Chicago City Railway in the department of mechan- ical and electrical engineering. In the year of the Spanish-American war, 1898, Mr. Tracy, after sac- rificing his desire to go to the front to the duty that he felt he still owed to his mother, decided to try his fortune in Montana. He arrived in Helena in the autumn of that year and in the capacity of elec- trical engineer assisted in the installing and operation of the electrical machinery for the Missouri River Power Company for one year. When this piece of

work was completed he spent a little more than a year in East Helena, with the Livingston Reduction Company, serving them in the capacity of electrical engineer.

In 1900 he was called to Butte to act as electrician for the Butte Electric Railway Company, which was at that time installing its service. Although his posi- tion as chief electrician for this company was in every way most satisfactory, he having had orders carte blanche in all his work, yet his ambition had always been to be at the head of his own business. With this object in view, he organized, in 1896, the Tracy Elec- tric Supply Company, of which he is the sole owner. This business is located at 1128-30 Utah avenue, where the company does a large wholesale and retail busi- ness in electrical appliances of all lines. Mr. Tracy owns and operates the Butte Taxi Cab Company (Inc.), one of the largest transportation companies in the city, with offices in the First National Bank building.

He married Miss Mollie E. Kellogg, of Wicks, Montana, the daughter of James M. Kellogg, for- merly of Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Tracy are the parents of two daughters, Katherine and Helen Irene.

Notwithstanding the demands made upon him by his diversified and rapidly growing business, Mr. Tracy has found time to take an active part in the civic af- fairs of Butte, serving as alderman from the Seventh ward, in 1910-11. While a stanch member of the Republican party, he is firm in the belief that party politics have no place in the city government. He is a member of Butte Lodge, No. 22, A. F. & A. M., and is also a member of the Knights of the Maccabees, while with his family he is a member of the Pres- byterian church.

Mr. Tracy has won for himself a most creditable position among the best business men of Butte, and represents that valuable type of a citizen who is ever ready to encourage a movement or project that in- volves the advancement or progress of his city and state.

HORACE J. MERKLE, manager of the Prudential In- surance Company for the state of Montana, with head- quarters at Butte, where he has resided since 1898, is deeply interested in community affairs and his ef- forts have also been a potent element in the business progress of this section of the state. He has with ready recognition of opportunity directed his labors into various fields and holds distinctive prestige as one of the representative business men of the younger generation.

Horace J. Merkle was born at Virginia City, Ne- vada, on the 12th of October, 1879, and he is a son of Thomas and Mary (Dempsey) Merkle, the former of whom was born and reared in the state of Ken- tucky and the latter of whom is a native of Ireland, whence she came to America, alone, at the age of twelve years. The Merkle home was established in Butte in 1898 and Mr. Merkle is engaged in mining enterprises in the vicinity of Missoula. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Merkle, and of the num- ber eight are living at the present time, in 1911, Hor- ace J. being the third youngest.

To the public schools of Virginia City Horace J. Merkle is indebted for his early educational training, the same including a couple of years in the high school. At the age of sixteen years he was apprenticed to learn the butcher's trade, which he followed in Vir- ginia City for a period of two years. He came to Butte with his parents in 1898, and here his first employment was as a clerk with the Hennessy Mer- cantile Company, with which concern he remained for a period of two years, at the expiration of which he began to work for the Gans & Klein Company. In 1899 he was in the employ of the Brownfield Canty Carpet Company, a general merchandise, furniture and

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carpet concern. One year later he was appointed deputy sheriff, under Sheriff Quinn, and he served in that capacity for the ensuing four years. His next position was in Harry O'Gorman's cigar store and in 1906, in company with Bart L. Monahan, he opened a general brokerage business on the corner of Broad- way and Hamilton streets. The firm was known as Merkle & Monahan and a specialty was made of min- ing stocks. A splendid business was built up and controlled, but the panic of 1907 and the ensuing hard times made continued success a practical impossibility. After closing up his brokerage business Mr. Merkle organized the Merkle Cigar Company, which was in- corporated under the laws of the state of Montana, and he was its president. Fine headquarters were maintained at No. 116 West Main street and the com- pany were wholesale and retail dealers in cigars, to- bacco and smokers' articles. This was one of the leading shops of its kind in the city. Mr. Merkle retained his interests therein until April 18, 1912. He had previously, on April 17, 1912, been appointed manager for the state of Montana for the Prudential Insurance Company of America.

In politics Mr. Merkle is a stanch advocate of the principles and policies for which the Democratic party stands sponsor, and he is an active worker in the in- terests of that organization and a member of Butte Chamber of Commerce. In fraternal ways he is af- filiated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Columbus, while socially he belongs to Silver Bow Club. He is a devout Roman Catholic in his religious faith and is a generous con- tributor to the charities of the church. He is un- married and resides in the home of his parents, at 411 West Granite street. Mr. Merkle is a great lover of all athletic sports and is quite prominent in Butte as a handball and baseball player. He takes many extended trips into the mountains on hunting and fish- ing expeditions and is a thorough sportsman in the most significant sense of the word.

DANIEL SHOVLIN. Education and financial assistance are very important factors in achieving success in the business world of today, where every faculty must be brought into play, but they are not the main ele- ments. Persistency and determination figure much more prominently and a man possessed of these quali- ties is bound to win a fair amount of success. Dan- iel Shovlin, whose name forms the caption for this article, earned his own education and during the later years of his life he has climbed to a high place on the ladder of achievement. He is one of Butte's most prominent citizens and at the present time, in 1912, is the popular and efficient incumbent of the office of city treasurer.

A native of the fine old Keystone state of the Union, Daniel Shovlin was born in Luzerne county, Pennsyl- vania, on the 18th of May, 1877. He is a son of Dan- iel and Katherine (Carr) Shovlin, the former of whom was born in Ireland and the latter in Pennsylvania. Daniel Shovlin, Sr., came to America in 1868 and settled in the Keystone state, where he still resides, his home being now in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania. During the greater part of his active career he was engaged in mining enterprises but he is now living virtually retired. The maternal grandparents of the subject of this review were born and reared in Ire- land, whence they immigrated to the United States in the ante-bellum days. Mrs. Shovlin was called to eternal rest in 1881, and she is survived by her hon- ored husband and two children, namely, Daniel, the immediate subject of this sketch, and John, who is engaged in mercantile business at Mahanoy City, Penn- sylvania.

Daniel Shovlin, Jr., received his rudimentary edu- cational training in the public schools of Highland,

Pennsylvania, but at the early age of eleven years he was obliged to leave school in order to help sup- port the family. His first occupation was as breaker boy in the Pennsylvania coal mines, and at the age of twenty-one years he came to Montana, settling in Butte, where he immediately became interested in cop- per mining. From 1898 until 1911 he devoted his un- divided attention to mining enterprises, but in April of the latter year he ran for and was elected to the office of city treasurer, being incumbent thereof at the present time. He is proving himself an able ad- ministrator of the fiscal affairs of Butte and has advo- cated and established many changes, which are prov- ing of benefit to the city.

In politics Mr. Shovlin is a stanch and uncom- promising supporter of the Socialist party, in the lo- cal councils of which he is an active worker. He is a man of broad mind and generous impulses and one who is a willing contributor to all matters calculated to better conditions politically and socially in Butte, where he is a man of mark in all the relations of life. Inasmuch as Mr. Shovlin's success in life is entirely the outcome of his own well directed endeavors it is the more gratifying to contemplate and by reason of his exemplary conduct he has gained the unalloyed confidence and esteem of all with whom he has come in contact.

DONALD McMILLAN. As cashier of the Western . Lumber Company at Butte, Montana, Donald Mc- Millan is well versed in lumbering interests in this section of the northwest. He is prominent in athletic affairs in this city and in every connection is a most worthy and desirable citizen.

Mr. McMillan was born in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada, on the 10th of August, 1861, and he is a son of Edward and Jessie (McKay) McMillan, both of whom were likewise born and reared in Can- ada and the former of whom was summoned to the life eternal in 1892, at the age of sixty-three years. In the agnatic line Mr. McMillan traces his ancestry to Duncan McMillan, a native of Scotland, whence he came to Canada in 1821. Edward McMillan was en- gaged in the mercantile business during the greater part of his active career and his place of business was located at Whycocomagh, Canada. Mrs. McMillan, who has reached the venerable age of eighty years, resides at Whycocomagh.

The third in order of birth in a family of nine children, Donald McMillan was educated in the public school of his native place and as a young man he turned his attention to bookkeeping. In 1886 he came to the United States, locating first in the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, where he continued to reside until 1898, at which time he came to Butte. For four years after his advent in this city Mr. McMillan was engaged as bookkeeper for the Big Black Foot Lumber Com- pany. In 1902 he severed his relations with the latter concern in order to accept the position as cashier in the offices of the Western Lumber Company, owned by Senator W. A. Clark, in the employment of which con- cern he has continued until the present time, in 1912. Mr McMillan is well known in social and business circles in Butte and is everywhere accorded the unal- loyed confidence and esteem of his fellow men. Al- though a Republican in his political affiliations, he does not participate in local politics.

Mr. McMillan has devoted considerable time to in- troducing and boosting the old Scotch game of curling. In 1905 he organized the Butte Curling Club, which has had a most successful career and which numbers about one hundred members. This club has taken part in numerous tournaments in Canada and has won many honors. In 1909 the Royal Caledonian Club of Scot- land invited the Caledonian Club of Canada to play a series of games in Scotland. The Butte Club being

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affiliated with the Manitoba branch of the Caledonian Club, Mr. McMillan was selected as one of the team. Only three men were chosen from the United States,- one from Duluth, one from Milwaukee, and Mr. Mc- Millan from Butte. The ensuing trip to Scotland was one long to be remembered, and out of twenty-six games played the visiting club won twenty-three, in addition to which it was also presented with a beauti- ful cup by Lord Strathcona. The members of the club were royally entertained everywhere in Scotland and were King Edward's guests at Balmoral Castle. In, addition to his interest in the great game of curling Mr. McMillan is a member of the Butte Country Club. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. His religious faith is in harmony with the teachings of the Presbyterian church, in whose faith he has reared his daughters.

In 1884, at Murray Harbor, Prince Edward Island, Canada, Mr. McMillan was united in marriage to Miss Charlotte F. Clements, who was born and reared in Canada. Two daughters have been born to this union, namely,-Mary Cecilia, who is the wife of Rev. John B. Stevens, påstor of the First Presbyterian church at St. Juneau, Alaska, and Alcinda Auten, who remains at home with her parents.

JAMES H. FRASER was born in Johnston county, Kansas, December 25, 1876, and is the son of William. and Charlotte E. (Armstrong) Fraser. His father, William Fraser, claims Ohio as his native state, hav- ing been born in Marietta, Washington county, and is now a resident of Kansas. His wife was born in Iowa. She died in 1895 at the early age of forty- five years. They were the parents of ten children, six of whom are living, our subject being the fifth child.

William Fraser was educated in the district schools of his birthplace, and came to Johnston county, Kan- sas, in 1865. He was engaged in stock raising and diversified farming from the time of his arrival until he retired from active life in 1905. Mr. Fraser has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church since his boyhood, always living a careful and upright life, and bearing an excellent reputation among his fellow men.

James H. Fraser received his education in the local schools of Johnston county, Kansas, and in 1898, when he was twenty-two years old, he came to Billings, Montana, where he secured employment as a clerk with the A. L. Babcock Hardware Company. He devoted his best energies and interests to his work in that capacity, and later he was made manager of the business, which position he creditably filled from 1904 to 1909. In the latter year, having further demonstrated his capacity for careful management and more firmly established himself with the firm as a progressive and able man of business, a partnership was effected between himself and Mr. Babcock, and the firm is now known as the Babcock-Fraser Com- pany, successor to the Babcock Hardware Company, with Mr. Fraser as vice president and manager of the concern.

Mr. Fraser is recognized in Billings as one of the prominent business men of that city, and one who has a very bright future. On April 6, 1904, he was married to Miss Ella M. . Kestner, who is of Vermont birth. Mr. and Mrs. Fraser are the parents of two children, Harold J. and Frances Edna.

Fraternally Mr. Fraser is a member of Billings Star Lodge No. 41, I. O. O. F., and is past noble grand of that order. He is also a member of Billings Lodge No. 394, B. P. O. E.

STEPHEN P. WRIGHT. As general manager and treas- urer of the Western Mining Supply Company, dealers

in mining machinery and consulting engineers, Stephen P. Wright has been largely instrumental in promoting the growth of that important corporation and he is recognized as one of the foremost business men and citizens of Butte, where he has resided since 1898.

Stephen P. Wright, was born at Malone, New York, on the 24th of July, 1858, and he is descended from stanch old Quaker stock. He is a son of Samuel T. and Sarah (Pearl) Wright, both of whom were born and reared in Vermont and both of whom are now deceased. The American branch of the Wright family was founded in the early colonial epoch of our history and the original progenitors of the name in this country were of Irish and Welsh stock. Mr. Wright's maternal ancestors were of English extraction and both the Pearl and Wright families were devout Quakers in their religious faith. In 1857 Samuel T. Wright es- tablished the family home at Malone, New York, whence removal was made, in 1865, to Cloverdale, Michigan. In the latter place Mr. Wright was most successfully engaged in farming operations and he continued to reside at Cloverdale until the time of his death, in 1891. Mrs. Wright passed away in 1902 and she and her husband were the parents of six children, of whom the subject of this review was the third in order of birth.

At Cloverdale, Michigan, Stephen P. Wright received his early educational training and after reaching man- hood he attended private school for a time. At the age of 18 years he was apprenticed to learn the trades of blacksmith and machinist and he followed those lines of occupation at Muskegon, Michigan, and at Minne- apolis, Minnesota. He resided in Minneapolis from 1882 to 1898 and during that period was connected with various street car lines in the twin cities. He was engineer of the first electric railroad in Minneapolis, the same being known as the Twin City Rapid Tran- sit Company and for a number of years he conducted the plant for the Minneapolis General Electric Com- pany. He has devoted most of his attention thus far to engineering work. Mr. Wright came to Butte in 1898 and at that time became one of the organizers of the Western Mining Supply Company, which is incorporated under the laws of the state of Montana with a capital stock of sixty thousand dollars. The com- pany deals in and contracts for mining machinery and controls an extensive and lucrative business as con- sulting engineers. W. H. Hall is president of the Western Mining Supply Company, S. P. Wright is treasurer and general manager.

Mr. Wright is independent in his political convic- tions, always casting his vote for the best man, regard- less of party organization. His first presidential vote was given to James A. Garfield. Mr. Wright has passed through the circle of York Rite Masonry and he is also a thirty-second degree Mason. He has been hon- ored with many important offices in Masonry, having been Worshipful Master of Plymouth Lodge in 1897 and being grand master of Grand Council, Royal and Select Masters, in 1911. He is likewise affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America and is a valued and appreciative member of the Silver Bow Club.

At Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the Ist of August, 1886, Mr. Wright was united in marriage to Miss Eliza- beth Petter, a daughter of William and Katherine Petter, both natives of Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Wright are the parents of two children, Grace Elizabeth born in Minneapolis, August 13, 1887, is unmarried and re- mains at the parental home; and Mabel Irene, born September 9, 1888, is the wife of James Baird, a prom- inent citizen of Butte.

JESSE B. ROOTE. Of the many successful lawyers who have honored the Montana bar within recent years one of the most prominent is Jesse B. Roote, of Butte, whose legal attainments and scholarly and forceful ar-

-Pau B More L

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

guments have given him a wide and well-merited repu- tation for professional ability and skill. Numbered in the first rank of successful legal practitioners, he is exceptionally well posted on constitutional law. A native of Missouri, he was born April 15, 1870, in Saint Genevieve county, where he received his prelimi- nary education. After his graduation from the State Normal school, at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, he com- pleted his education at Saint Stephen's College, in An- nandale, New York, in the meantime studying law for three years. Returning to his Missouri home, Mr. Roote passed the examinations admitting him to practice in all the courts of his native state in September, 1890, and immediately began his professional career. Com- ing to Butte, Montana, in 1898, he was for two years associated with John B. Wellcome as junior member of the law firm of Wellcome & Roote. On January 1, 1900, Mr. Roote formed a partnership with W. A. Clark, Jr., son of Senator Clark, and until June, 1902, was head of the firm of Roote & Clarke, a period of two and one-half years. Since that time Mr. Roote has been extensively and successfully engaged in the practice of his profession alone, and is widely known as one of the leading attorneys of the state, and in the performance of the duties devolving upon him in this capacity has displayed a wise discrimination, and a keen sense of justice. He has been president of the Silver Bow Bar Association; a member of the American Bar Association; and belongs to the bars of the supreme courts of Missouri, Utah, Montana, and Washington, and of the supreme court of the United States. Rec- ognized among the orators of Montana as one of the most eloquent speakers who ever stood before the people of the state. He is possessed of a personal magnetism and courteous manner that fortify but never betray his stern fidelity to the best ideals, and add to the persuasiveness of his influence for the general good.

Politically Mr. Roote is a Democrat in national af- fairs, while in local and civic matters he votes for best men and measures regardless of party prejudice. Fra- ternally he stands high in Masonic circles. In 1891 he was made a Mason in Mansfield Lodge No. 543, at Mansfield, Missouri, which he formerly served as senior warden, and of which he is still a member; he has taken the thirty-second degree of Masonry, and is a Knight Templar, and a member of the Butte Consistory; he is likewise a member of the Bagdad Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine. Socially he belongs to the University Club. Mr. Roote organized, in 1908, the Keating Gold Mining Company, of which he was president until June, 1910, and of which he is now a director and vice president.

On June 19, 1896, Mr. Roote was united in marriage with Miss Rozene Haven Lehman, a native of Shreves- port, Louisiana. He has one son, Jesse B. Roote, Jr. Mr. Roote has an attractive home at 607 Grant street, while his offices are located in the Lewisohn build- ing.

December 9, 1905, Mr. Roote was commissioned Judge Advocate General of the National Guard of Montana, with the rank of major, a rank which he still holds.

ROBERT M. SUTHERLAND. Fenton Sutherland, the father of Robert M. Sutherland, came to Utah from the Michigan town of his birth while still merely a youth, his parents being among the Gentile pioneers of Salt Lake City. Both Mr. Fenton Sutherland and his father Jobe Sutherland were capable and prominent attorneys of Utah, being very active in political affairs. They are father and brother, respectively, of the present Senator Sutherland of Utah. It was these same gentle- men, members of the law firm of Sutherland and McBride, who so ably defended the great Brigham Young during his litigation with the government of the United States.

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A history of Montana, Volume III, Part 92

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