USA > Montana > Yellowstone County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 61
USA > Montana > Park County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 61
USA > Montana > Dawson County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 61
USA > Montana > Rosebud County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 61
USA > Montana > Custer County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 61
USA > Montana > Sweet Grass County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 61
USA > Montana > Carbon County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 61
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CHAPTER IV
DESCRIPTIVE.
Prior to the advent of the Northern Pa - cific railroad in 1881, Dawson county, and in fact. most of extreme eastern Montana, was a wilderness, remote from the farthest outposts of civilization and inaccessible save only by dangerous Indian trail and primitive and ex- pensive river navigation. But with the inva- sion of the iron horse the savage aspect of the land was subdued and the footprints of indus- try reached out into the rock rimmed valleys in every direction. The supremacy of the wolf and coyote in the buffalo's once lordly do-
main was superseded by the importation of cattle, horses and sheep that now roam upon a "thousand hills." The great ranchies of the princes of the plains extended their dominion over the primeval soil, and hamlets sprung up where hitherto solitude had reigned.
This transfusion of life and industry was chiefly facilitated by the first settlement of Glendive. It was the nucleus around which the rich and growing commonwealth of the county extended itself in the establishment of homes and the foundation of wealth. As
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HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
SOO11 as population and wealth permitted, boundaries were laid and the county organi- gation was perfected. Public highways were constructed and improvements and develop- ment pursued. When the historic days of the stage coach, with its panoply of war, were ended, and the steel highway brought this region into union with the more populous dis- tricts of the east and west. the growth of the town and county was accelerated, and new ter- ritory continued to be opened up. Progress and prosperity came with the onward march of immigration and the concomitant increase in commercial affairs, and so extensive has busi- ness become that today the arteries of trade are opened throughout a region with a radius of more than 100 miles.
The topography of the county was recog- nized as being especially adapted for stock raising purposes. The vast ranges with their rich, succulent grasses and numerous valleys, rock bound and sheltered from storm, were susceptible of sustaining thousands of head of cattle : and here, too, was the sheepman's para- dise. Water was plentiful in the numerous creeks and streams throughout the entire region, and the majestic Yellowstone river with its immense volume of water traversing the southeastern part of the county, made ir- rigation projects possible for the aid of the farmer in his agricultural pursuits.
The main industry of the county since its formation has continued to be stock raising and it is one of the most extensive in the state. An idea of the capital invested in this business may be had from the assessed valuation as given in 1906 which was as follows: Horses, 13,787. valued at $526.556 ; cattle. 57.679, val- ued at $1,079,027 ; sheep, 396,791, valued at $1, 171,379. These figures do not include hogs, the valuation of which will not reach $2, 000, this, however, is a growing industry and many of the farmers are going into this busi- ness more extensively each year.
The lower Yellowstone valley is undoubt- edly one of the richest valleys in the state and its possibilities under agriculture are un- limited. This valley starts about fifteen miles below Glendive and continues to the North Da- kota state line. It has an average width of from four to six miles and is about sixty miles in length. Its topography differs from that of most river valleys, in that it has a gentle slope, sufficient for good drainage, from the foot hills to the river, while the descent the other way conforms throughout its entire length to the fall of the river. It has a rich alluvia! soil varying in depth from ten inches to two feet, with a clay subsoil underlaid with gravel. The annual rainfall has always been sufficient to insure good crops and a total failure has never been known in this section.
The climate is unexcelled for purity and health. Malaria is an unknown disease. So dry and clear is the atmosphere in winter that a temperature of forty degrees below is less noticeable in its effects than one twenty degrees below would be in countries that have a damp atmosphere. Very cold weather, however, sel- dom lasts for more than a day at a time. The water both from the springs and wells is excellent and a well of poor water is a rare exception.
As an agricultural district the valley is. as yet, practically undeveloped, but enough settlers have been engaged in the past twenty years in crop raising for profit, to demonstrate that it is no longer a theory, but a well estab- lished fact. that the valley returns a more bountiful yield, in proportion to the cost of production, than many of the agricultural belt states. Hay, grains of all kinds, vegetables and fruits yield prolifically in this district.
With the completion of the government ir- rigation ditch and the reclamation of the semi- arid land in the valley, thousands of settlers will find homes here, and in a few short years the Yellowstone valley will be known through-
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HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
out the land as the most prosperous agricul- tural section in the state.
The paramount industry of the valley, how- ever. is the growing of stock, which dwarfs all others in comparison. The rich, nutritious grasses of this section renders the Yellowstone valley the very paradise of stock growers. The bunch grass starts early in the spring, grows rapidly, and after maturing, possesses the peculiar quality of curing on the stump with- out losing its flavor or fattening qualities. making the very best of winter pasturage and cattle are often found on the range in the se- verest weather, in prime condition. The val- ley range is unusually well watered through- out its entire length by clear running perennial streams of pure water flowing out from the foothills at intervals of from four to eight miles, crossing the valley and emptying into the Yellowstone.
Dairying and poultry raising as side in- dustries have received considerable attention and are sources of considerable revenue to the settlers.
Beaver creek valley is another of the rich valleys of Dawson county and has more nat- ural advantages than any other section of the county. This valley in Dawson county ex- tends about thirty miles. The soil is remarkably rich, and is of much value for agricultural and horticultural pursuits. Gar- den truck and fruits thrive well and there is no section of the state where diversified farm- ing can be carried on with as great success and with less cost than in this favored spot.
The country to the north and west of Glendive is essentially a prairie country. though more rolling and broken tl.an most of the prairie countries in the state. To the south and east are the "Bad Lands" which are famous as feeding grounds for stock.
That part of Montana and Dakota known as the "Bad Lands' which begins some fifty miles east of Glendive, and extends north and
south a distance of 120 miles, forms one of the interesting regions of the United States. It is a mighty labyrinth of nature. Hills of every conceivable form and hue, cones, wedges and giant cubes, deep valleys, wild gulches, colossal fortifications of nature, patches of trees on scoriac land, agatized stumps, hay meadows and streams, petrifactions, crimson, white and yellow mounds, mighty gorges and smiling dells, with rocks abounding every- where, resembling sphynxes, pyramids, obe- lisks, temple ruins and cathedral spires, are the features prominent from every point of view. The "Bad Lands" are becoming of more interest each year and there is an inde- scribable charm in the surroundings that is fascinating in the extreme. This is also a paradise for the sportsman as all kinds of wild game are to be found in this section.
In the matter of fuel Dawson county is exceptionally well favored, at least half the county being underlaid with excellent seams of lignite coal. Coal has been found as far east and south as Wilbaux and Glendive creek; as far north and east as Culbertson ; as far north and west as the Big Dry creek and as far south and west as Sanford. Many of the de- posits are free from bone and are of good thickness. The best producing area at present is near Glendive. The mine being due east of the city and is owned and operated by the Electric Light Co. Many tons are taken from this bank annually as the lignite is used to a great extent by the people of Glendive. From Glendive to Wibaux are some good outcrop- pings on either side of the railroad. The best mines, near Wibaux, are about eleven miles southeast of the town on Glendive creek, where one outcrop is nearly twenty feet thick. Heavy deposits occur near Sidney on the Yel- lowstone river about 15 miles west of the Da- kota line, and numerous outcroppings are found along the streams that empty into the Yellowstone from the south. The following
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HISTORY OF DAWSON COUNTY.
is an analysis of the Dawson county lignite : Moisture, 14.925; Vol. Comb. matter 39.400; Fixed Carbon, 42.200 and ash, 1.475.
Dawson county is destined to become one of the richest counties in the state of Montana. With the completion of the irrigating ditches, the settlement of its semi-arid lands by agri- culturists, the building of a railroad down the
valley of the Yellowstone to Fort Buford and the contemplated change in course of the Northern Pacific, will give this section an im- petus that will not be stayed until its many re- sources are fully developed, and Dawson county will have become one of the foremost counties in the state.
25
USV
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
CAPTAIN JOSEPH TALIAFERRO BROWN. After the traveler has been jostled over one hundred miles of stage road up the Tongue river valley from Miles City, he ar- rives at Birney in the pink of condition to keenly enjoy the frank and hearty welcome and entertainment so characteristic of the Montana stockman's home. Entering the por- tals of Captain Brown's stone residence, he is more than charmed by the air of southern re- finement and culture apparent everywhere, which is more conspicuously pleasant as the welcome is pronounced as only a southerner transplanted to Montana can speak it.
Since the days of the sixties Captain Brown has been a leading figure in this por- tion of the state and he is numbered with the most successful and influential men of Mon- tana, and quite in keeping with the purpose of our volume we are privileged to take up to ! some extent the thread of his life's work and present salient points for the reading and re- flection of those who would exemplify those sterling traits which win genuine success.
Copiah county, Mississippi, owns the Cap- tain as her son and January 26, 1849, marks the date of his birth. Captain H. G. D. Brown, the father of our subject, was born in Union district, South Carolina, on February 29. 1824. and while still an infant went with his parents thence to Mississippi. The mother of this infant, Elizabeth (Rice) Brown, was the daughter of a wealthy and aristocratic family of South Carolina and her marriage to Mr.
Brown was opposed by her people, owing to the lack of finances possessed by Mr. Brown. Therefore, being a woman of pluck and great capabilities, she persuaded her husband to leave the old 'state of their birth, South Carolina, and make their way out into the wilderness of the Mississippi country. Discouragement and trial awaited them, but as a pilot star, her determination never failed and she was often the power that persuaded her husband to stick to the new plantation, bravely saying that she would not under any consideration return to her people. After years of this try- ing work, they lived to see their three sons highly honored and become leading men of the country. Their sons were Edwin R., who became one of the wealthiest men in the state of Mississippi: Albert G., who be- came governor of Mississippi and later United States senator ; and H. G. D., who was the infant when they went to their new home in the west. Of this latter one we will now speak more particularly. He was kept on the plantation until sixteen years of age when he was placed to acquire a military training. As the naval academy was not then established at Annapolis, he was placed on the man of war which was to be the training ground of the ca- dets. Upon the establishment of the academy, after he had been on the man of war for two years, he was ordered home from a foreign port and immediately matriculated as a mem- ber of the first class of that now world famous institution, the United States Naval Academy,
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
founded in 1845 through the efforts of George Bancroft, Secretary of War. In May, 1846, when war was declared with Mexico, Mr. Brown left the academy to join the naval force sent for the reduction of Vera Cruz. He per- sonally took part in the bombardment of castle San Juan de Ulua, the fortress guarding the port and city of Vera Cruz. After serving with distinction until the close of the war he returned to the academy and graduated in due time with honors. During his naval career, he married, and soon after his graduation he resigned his position and returned to the plan- tation. He remained thus engaged until the breaking out of the Civil War when he organ- ized a troop of artillery known as "Brown's Battery." This battery was captured at Fort Hudson and after the war, Mr. Brown re- turned to the plantation, where he remained until his death in 1877. He was a man with a splendid record and was accounted a mili- tary man of skill and bravery. He had mar- ried Mary P. Taliaferro, a native of Virginia. Her paternal ancestors, of Norman extraction, came from England in 1640 and settled in Virginia, and the family was always well rep- resented in all American and Indian wars, and one member, William B. Talieferro, was gen- eral under Stonewall Jackson in the Civil War. Another member of the family is now United States senator from Florida.
Reverting more particularly to the career of Captain Brown of Birney, we note that he was reared on the Mississippi plantation and later graduated from the Kentucky Military Institute. Although his parents were wealthy, they were nearly ruined financially by the rav- ages of the Civil War. When Joseph T. was a lad of fourteen years, he entreated his mother to allow him to go to war, but she refused and was not to be persuaded from her decision. His father was in the conflict, and so young Brown felt it his duty to take up arms and ac- cordingly ran away from home and joined the Confederate army under General Forest. He
was not regularly enrolled as a soldier but was in the battle that occurred soon after he joined the regiment. After this battle he de- termined to return home, but feared the treat- ment he might receive at the hands of his par- ents, whom he had dishonored in his disobedi- ence. The Colonel of the regiment, a south- ern gentleman, Mr. Roberts, seeing the plight of the lad, wrote the following letter :
"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Brown :- This will be handed to you by the young hero, Jos. T. Brown. You must not scold him as he has more than acted well his part. Joe borrowed a gun and went into the fight and fought through like a tiger, receiving a bullet in his pantaloons. He is the admiration of all. God bless and preserve him. Yours truly,
"COLONEL ROBERTS.
"July 5th, 1864."
The following February, Joseph T. again made his way to the army and joined it. He remained until the close of the war and then went to the Kentucky Military Institute and finished his course, graduating in 1870. Soon after that he started for Texas, and having little money he accepted a position as surveyor on the Texas & Pacific Railroad, having per- fected himself in civil engineering in his course at school. He was careful of his money and invested in cheap land in Texas. Later he went to Virginia and graduated from the de- partment of law in the University of Virginia, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Re- turning to Texas to look after his land he was offered the position of attorney for the same railroad he had surveyed for and accepted the position. Later he was general claim agent and retained this position till the road went into the hands of a receiver. Soon thereafter he went to Indian Territory, purchased a band of cattle and came overland to Montana, set- tling on the place where we now find him. From that time to the present Captain Brown has been one of the energetic and leading men of this portion of the state, has prospered won-
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
derfully in the stock business, has lands, cat- tle and other property so that he is about the heaviest taxpayer in his county. He was pres- ident of the Montana Stockgrowers Associa- tion four terms, was elected on the Demo- cratic ticket a member of the state legislature in 1897 and has always taken a deep and active interest in the advancement and upbuilding of the state.
In early days the Cheyenne Indians were killing settlers and destroying property and so Captain Brown organized the Company C of the First Montana Infantry to protect the set- tlers against the Indians. At the breaking out of the war with Spain, this company became Troop I of the Third Regular United States Volunteer Calvary and went to Chickamauga, and our subject was captain of the troop when it was mustered out of service at the close of the war.
In 1883 Captain Brown married Miss Mary G. Humphreys, who was born at Fort Gibson, Mississippi. She was educated in Whitworth College. Her father, Daniel B. Humphreys, a native of Mississippi and a wealthy planter there, was lieutenant in the Confederate army. His paternal ancestors came from Wales to the colonies in early days. His grandfather, Ralph Humphreys, was a colonel in the Revolution and the grandson of that patriot. Benjamin G. Humphreys, was a general in the Confederate army under Gen- eral Lee. Mrs. Brown's mother, Katherine Watson Shelby Jeffers, in maiden life, was born in Mississippi a direct descendant of Evan Shelby, of Revolutionary fame.
To Mr. and Mrs. Captain Brown three children have been born, namely. Albert G., a student at the University of Virginia ; Joseph T., with his parents on the ranch: Natalie, a bright and charming young lady who has in her own right a nice band of stock and takes a great interest in stock raising and ranching, generally.
Captain Brown is a large land owner as
well as one of the leading stockmen of the state, and his home place is improved in a be- coming manner and he and his wife are known far and near as most hospitable, kind and capa- ble people. In political matters the Captain is a stanch Democrat and has always been a man with the courage of his convictions. Poli- tics never appeals to him from the wire pulling side, but, as a most fascinating science, he has always delved into it and its kindred, political economy, that he might be well informed upon the grave issues of the day, and so has kept himself fully abreast of the advancing times.
WILLIAM B. STONE resides three miles east from Miles City and there owns a good farm. He gives his time to general farming and is one of the substantial men of the county. His experience in various portions of the west would be very interesting reading had we the time and the space to detail the same. But it would take a volume and we shall be forced to content ourselves with an epitome of his career, and in detailing this we take great pleasure. Mr. Stone is of the typical fron- tiersmen, although he did not come west as soon as some, still he has a wide experience in the ways of the pathfinder and hunter and his travels have taken hin all through the plain country.
Beginning with his advent to life, which occurred in Clay county, Missouri, April 16, 1857. we note that he was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools of his county. Jacob A. Stone, his father, was born in the vicinity of Lexington, Kentucky, and came to Clay county in 1844, being one of the first settlers in that vicinity. He married Mi- nerva Harbaugh, born near his own birth place, and they remained in Clay county until the death of the father, J. A. Stone. The mother still lives, aged seventy-nine. When our subject had reached budding young man-
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
hood, he took a trip overland to Texas, and liking the journey, he soon was on another. Whether for pleasure or for business we are not told, but these two journeys served to give him a taste of plain life and camping, and especially, as he had caught the spirit of hunting on these journeys and had some ac- tual experience in slaying that king of the plains, the buffalo, he decided to try his hand in a larger way. So, in 1879, accompanied by his brothers, John and Charles, and a neigh- bor's son, James Story, they set out overland for Miles City. Their outfitting point was Kansas City, Missouri, and as soon as they reached the plains they began hunting. For six years in eastern Dakota and western Mon- tana they continued this work and many and many a herd has fallen before their rifles. In the meantime. Mr. Stone had taken a home- stead about five miles east from Miles City and that was the point of rest when they were be- tween hunts. Like all other hunters, Mr. Stone has had many and thrilling experiences, but always found a way to get out of the diffi- culty. Although the Indians were hostile much of the time, still he had no great diffi- culty with them, still on several occasions he had to repel them with the rifle. White horse thieves, or to be more explicit, white colored men, who followed horse stealing, were more troublesome to the hunters than were the In- dians. After remaining here for about seven years, Mr. Stone went back to his home in Missouri and in 1892 returned to this county and purchased the ranch where he now resides. Just before coming out the last time, however, Mr. Stone, in the spring of 1892, with his young wife, having been married in 1891, took another trip overland to Texas. Having pur- chased his present ranch, he set to work to fur- ther improve the same and make it a good and valuable place, as it is at this day. Mrs. Stone, in maiden life, was Miss Ada Thomas, and at time of her marriage to Mr. Stone was the
widow of John Galvin, and her parents, John and Sarah ( Eaton) Thomas, were natives of Kentucky and came in early days to Clay county, where this daughter was born. In Clay county Mrs. Stone was reared and edu- cated and her trip to Texas when she joined her husband was her first long journey. Mr. and Mrs. Stone has a large family and the children are named as follows: John Galvin, by her first marriage; Lewis, Jesse, Clara, Robert, Charlie, Oscar, Minerva, and an infant daughter yet unnamed.
Mr. Stone has always evinced a becoming interest in political and educational matters and is a progressive man and one of the real build- ers of the county, as he is always laboring for advancement and improvement. He has won and retains the respect and esteem of all who know him and his standing in the community is of the best.
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HANS JONAS HALVORSEN, a prom- inent young attorney of Glendive, was born at Sole, Norway, January 1, 1873. His father, Jonas Halvorsen, was born in the same place August 7, 1844, and after receiving his edu- cation followed farming there. In 1881 he came to the United States and located in Yel- low Medicine county, Minnesota, and a year later came to Glendive. For two years he did carpenter work and then moved to his ranch five miles out from Glendive, starting in the sheep business, which he has since followed. In October, 1871, he married Lisabet Kalberg, who was born at Sole, Norway, April 17, 1841. They are both living at the ranch home in this county. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Halvorsen, three boys and two girls. One son died when young. The other children besides our subject are Mrs. Carrie Barnett, near Indianapolis; John, at Baker, Washington, and Josephine, living at Glen-
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
dive, Montana. Mr. and Mrs. Halvorsen have always been adherents of the Lutheran church and he is a Republican in politics.
Our subject was first educated in the pub- lic schools at Glendive and in 1892 went to the Concordia Academy at Moorhead, a church school, whence he graduated in 1894. Then he attended the Northern Indiana Normal school at Valparaiso, Indiana, completing the scientific course in two years. After this he came home and for two years following, to 1896, he was busied on the ranch. Then Mr. Halvorsen returned to Valparaiso and took up the study of law in the same institution, grad- uating in the class of 1900. Immediately thereafter, he returned to Glendive and opened an office and since that time he has given his attention to the practice of his profession. Also he is interested in stock, sheep and horses, but his time is given to the law. From the start he secured a good practice and has now a large clientage. He has served in the office of city clerk and city attorney since the incorporation of the town in 1892.
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