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 67
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 67
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 67
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 67
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 67
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 67
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 67
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family. At present she lives at the old home in Canada.
The public schools of Scotland contributed to the early education of our subject, he at times walking seven miles morning and even- ing to attend school. He passed two years in Canada, where he learned the trade of a car- penter, and also studied drafting and archi- tecture. For fifteen years he followed his business of contracting and building in Min- nesota, Missouri, Colorado Springs, Ogden, Utah, coming to Billings in 1898. At the ter- mination of two years he purchased a one-half interest in his present laundry business. Janu- ary I. 1906, he bought the interest of his partner.
Politically, our subject has ever taken a lively interest in Republican politics. He is chairman of the executive committee of Yel- lowstone county. In 1894, at Ogden, Utah. he was united in marriage to Clara Douglas. born in that city, and who was called from earth six weeks following the music of the wedding bells. In 1900, Mr. Scott was united in marriage to Clarissa Faux, born in Marion. Utah. She died in 1901. fourteen months after marriage. October 14. 1903, Mr. Scott was married to Mary A. Newman, a native of Montana.
Our subject has three brothers, Robert, in New Zealand, who for twenty years was drum major in the life guards; Alexander, a farmer on the home place in Canada, and John, a druggist in British Columbia. He has one sis- ter, Isabella, single and a resident of Canada.
Fraternally, our subject is a member of the Elks. W. O. W., Royal Highlanders and A. O. U. W.
CLARENCE SIRRINE, a rancher and stockman residing one and one-half miles south of Chance, is one of the younger citizens of this section, although he has also been here a
sufficient length of time to entitle him to the position of pioneer, and he has certainly done the pioneer's work. His birth occurred at Clear Lake, Iowa, on March 6, 1872, his par- ents being Warren O. and Mary E. (Coates) Sirrine, who are especially mentioned else- where in this work. When a child he went with the balance of the family to Minnesota, where he attended his first school. Thence they journeyed to Glendive, Montana, where he continued his studies, being one of the stu- dents in the first school, his mother being teacher. He grew up on the stock ranch and was busy much of the time on the range and many an exciting run has he had when the Red- skins were after him, but he always escaped with his life. The Groveons, a small tribe of early Montana, were camped near his parents' home, and the Sioux Indians were the enemies of these Indians and many a battle did they wage back and forth. It was the unusual priv- ilege of our subject to watch several of these deadly combats, and their memory is still viv- idly before him. His parents were the only white people within fifteen miles and they were the pioneers in the true sense of the word, be- ing the very first settlers in this section of the country. Often times when Mr. Sirrine was absent on business. his wife being alone with the children, the Indians would come about and scare the children and frequently would they force our subject to turn grindstone while they sharpened their knives. Then for reward they would seize his scalp locks and motion with the sharpened knife as if they were about to sever the scalp from his head. These days were not the pleasantest in Montana life, but they have had their place and it is very pleas- ant, though, now that our subject who braved the times of trouble is enabled to enjoy the fruits of his labor in the incoming civilization that has made the state so prosperous.
In 1902, Mr. Sirrine married Miss Ella Johnston, a native of New Matamoras, Ohio. She came to Kearney, Nebraska, with her par-
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ents when a girl of fourteen and thence she came to Montana in 1900. She was occupied in teaching school in Nebraska and also in Montana. Her parents, James and Laveni (McWilliams) Johnston, were natives of Ohio, and were people always greatly inter- ested in education and literary work and the result is that they encouraged their children in the pursuit of education to the end that all are well trained mentally and are a cultured family. Mr. Sirrine is one of the successful and re- spected men of this section and has the esteem and confidence of all.
ALBAN D. SPANG is a man who has had much experience in traveling to various portions of the United States. He was born in Tuolumne county, California, on May 29, 1855, and now lives four miles south from Lame Deer. His father. Peter Spang, was born in Alsace, now a part of Germany. He came to Connecticut with his parents when nine years old and there resided until 1849. when he journeyed via the isthmus to Cali- fornia and followed mining there for about fourteen years, after which he returned to Connecticut, then went to lowa and thence to Florida. After that to Wisconsin and later to Wyoming, where he remained until his death. His wife in maiden life was Miss Harriett Hubbard, a native of Bridgeport, Connecticut. She went to California via the isthmus to join her husband in 1853. being ac- companied by her two children. As there was no railroad on the isthmus then, they were transported upon mules and one child rode a mule and the other was carried by a native. Mrs. Spang is still living in Wyoming. Our subject was ten years old when the family went from California to Connecticut and in the latter state and Iowa he received his edu- cation from the common schools. In 1876 he
came to the Black Hills and there followed freighting for sometime. After that he was occupied in freighting for the military in Wy- oming and finally in 1894, he came to his present location and settled down to stock- raising.
Mr. Spang married Lucy Harris, the daughter of Captain James Kayle, who was stationed for years at Fort Laramie. Spang has some nice herds of stock and breeds excellent mules. He is well known and a man of good standing.
THOMAS R. AUSTIN, one of the lead- ing citizens of Carbon county, is at present mayor of Red Lodge, having been elected in 1906. He is a man who has risen by his own efforts and has climbed the ladder successfully to a position of competence and holds the re- spect and esteem of all who know him. His birth occurred on a farm in Hastings county, Ontario, July 5. 1858. his parents being Joseph and Katherine ( Hurst ) Austin, the former a native of the north of Ireland and the latter of Pennsylvania. The father came with his par- ents to Canada in 1854 and settled on the frontier. He was married in 1856 and his death occurred in New York. The widow is still living in Seymour, Wisconsin. Thomas R. was educated in the public schools of his native place and in 1878 went thence to Al- pena, Michigan, and soon was in the lumber woods. The following spring he drove on the Alpena river and in July, 1879 came on west to Wisconsin, where lumbering and farming occupied him till 1881, in which year he located at Granite Falls, Minnesota. He did plaster- ing, which trade he had learned and came to Montana in October. 1882. He was soon en- gaged in the construction department of the Northern Pacific building chimneys and set- ting stationary engines. In March, 1883, he put up the chimneys of the first depots in Liv-
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ingston. After that he helped to burn the first brick manufactured in Livingston and in July of the same year, 1883, he went to the National Park and followed his trade there. Also he was engaged in freighting and other occupa- tions and did passenger driving in the park. He located at Nye, purchased lots and erected some buildings and turned his attention to bar- bering. Later the camp went down and he lost all his property. In 1887 we find him in Red Lodge which was then just starting. Since that time he has resided here and on his farms, having three quarters of good land, besides some fine business property on Main street, in Red Lodge. He also has a large dwelling and other property.
The marriage of Mr. Austin and Annie Sheridan occured at Billings on May 10, 1888. and they have four children, two sons and two daughters. Mrs. Austin comes from Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. Mr. Austin is affiliated with the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias. and the Eagles. The family are identified with the Episcopalian church. In political matters we find Mr. Austin is a close student of social- istic principles and he votes accordingly.
LUDLOW B. RENO. attorney at law. residing at Chance. Montana, is known far and near in Carbon county and other portions of the west. He is a man of great activity and energy, has been connected with many enterprises and is now giving his entire atten- tion to the practice of his profession. Mr. Reno is distinctively a self-made man, and one, too, who did not stop when the job was "half done" as the renowned Mark Twain remarks about one of his characters. When other men were resting from their labors, Mr. Reno was toiling away with his books and aug- menting the training that was lacking in his educational career when a lad. To follow the
path of his life will be interesting to all and with pleasure we enter into the same somewhat in detail.
In far away Beaver county, Pennsylvania. on February 26, 1842, there was born to John and Elizabeth ( Barris) Reno, a son afterward named Ludlow B. John Reno was a well- to-do farmer, a native of this same Beaver county. In 1843 when Ludlow was an infant of one year the father determined to try the west. and accordingly went to Indiana, that be- ing well out west in those days. Eleven years were spent there in pioneer work, opening up a farm and so forth. Then he came on with the ever advancing tide of the restless Ameri- can people, to Iowa where he settled down, oc- | cupying himself with farming and stock-rais- ing until the time of his death. John Reno was a direct descendant of the original Reno family that came to America in the early colo- nial days from France and settled in Pennsyl- vania. Our subject's mother was born in Pittsburg. Pennsylvania, descending from an old family. Her mother's maiden name was Fumbell and the Fumbell family was also early settlers in the colonies from France.
In the woods of Indiana there was little opportunity to gain an education and Ludlow being a very strong and active boy he was well occupied in the arduous labors of assist- ing his father on the farm. He was about twelve when he came to Iowa with the family and there, too, little opportunity presented it- self for him to secure training from the schools, and the fact of the matter is that Mr. Reno attended school but one term in all his life. But that could in no way quell the desire in him to study. How he learned to read, he does not remember, but learn he did and then woe to the book that came within his grasp, for it was devoured and thus by poring over volumes that he could secure, he stored his mind with the necessary knowledge to fire his heart for more. But education consists in
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knowing things and, as well, and sometimes more important, in knowing how to use the knowledge that has been gained. Here is where Mr. Reno manifested the real wisdom of his nature, for he was enabled to so put to use the knowledge that he gained that he always was using it for its full worth. What a pre- cious faculty this is is only understood by those who have watched the working's of such wisdom. Many a man has been put through the universities by fond parents, polished, too, with all that skilled professors could do, but who showed himself utterly helpless when called upon to use the knowledge that he had acquired, and because of this lack of wisdom to know how much to apply his store of accu- mulation he has made a failure. Many such are to be found on every hand, and so it is that the self-made man is always in the lead. He has had a hard time to get the store of knowledge and that has wrought in him a skill to use what he has until the better part of the man's education after all, namely, the power to wisely utilize what he has, is much more developed and augmented than it is in the man who has had lavished on him all the advantages of the higher institutions. It is of worth to remember that when the immortal Lincoln addressed the gathering at Gettys- burg, after the renowned orator, Wendell Phillips, had pronounced the classic his great skill had prepared for the occasion, he so far outdid the work of Phillips that the latter remarked, he would trade his life work for the ability to make one such speech. Wendell Phillips was a master orator, but he had never split rails and that was the key to the situation. This gives a little illustration of the thought we desire to bring out in connection with the life of Mr. Reno. He is self-made, has per- fected to a great degree the wisdom of know- ing how to use the knowledeg he gained over the midnight oil.
When the dark clouds of fratricidal strife rent the nation and the call came for troops
to stem the awful devastation, Mr. Reno, then nineteen years of age, responded quickly and was numbered in the Third Iowa Cav- alry, Company E. He went in as pri- vate and was in command of a com- pany at the time of his honorable dis- charge, although his commission had not yet been issued. Here. again, we see the manner of man, for, not as many who fought a battle and then quit. Mr. Reno re- mained until the work was done for which the awful war was waged, and then he laid aside the implements of death that he might give his hand to assist in the rebuilding of the nation that had so sadly suffered. His regi- ment had been in some severe work, as on Wilson's raid and other equally hard. it being a part of the Sixteenth Corps.
From the soldier's camp Mr. Reno went to his Iowa home and soon removed to Saunders county. Nebraska, and engaged in farming. He took up the study of law while engaged in farming and pressed his studies so that in due time he was admitted to the bar. However, he had allowed his name to be placed on the Democratic ticket for sheriff of that county and he was promptly elected. So well did he discharge the duties incumbent on him that he was called upon to serve a second term. This completed he entered the practice of law until 1876. the year when the great rush poured into the famous Black Hills country. Mr. Reno was a man of aggressiveness and the spirit of the west took possession of him and he soon was among the voyageurs that sought the golden sands of that favored region. He was among the first ones in the Hills and his ex- periences there were fraught with many excit- ing occurrences. Judge Reno, as he became to be familiarly known, was a prominent figure in Custer county, where he remained until 1895, when he again came "west." this time to locate in Red Lodge, where he was elected prosecuting attorney the next year. Two terms he served in that office and then he
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transferred his residence to Chance where we find him at the present time, engaged in the practice of law. Mr. Reno is a great favorite with the younger people, especially, as he takes a great interest in providing things for their education and advancement and, under his fostering care, he has conducted a lyceum for debates and so forth and the result is that many a one has been brought out to stir up the talent in him by this means that might have slumbered on.
On November 16, 1865, Mr. Reno mar- ried Miss Lucinda Stansberry, a native of In- diana and the daughter of John and Esther (Rice) Stansberry. Her parents were born in New York. To Mr. and Mrs. Reno three children have been born, namely. William A., a rancher in Carbon county ; Bertha, wife of Joseph Pitt; and Walter, a rancher in Car- bon county. Mrs. Reno is postmistress at Chance and also conducts a mercantile estab- lishment.
Mr. Reno is a Democrat and has always been a wheel horse in the campaigns. He is a well known speaker of ability and his ser- vices are greatly in demand on all occasions. Especially is he forceful and convincing in po- litical work and his pleas at the bar are listened to with interest by all. Mr. Reno is dis- tinctively a man of practical ideas and he has always been a person with the courage of his convictions. He has passed three score years in the activities of life, but he is still hale and hearty, genial as ever, well liked by all and a man whose career shows many points both of interest and commendation.
NATHANIEL G. CARWILE, judge of the police court of the city of Billings, and sec- retary of the Montana State Realty Company, was born in Edgeville county, South Carolina, January 7, 1855, the son of Zachariah W. Carwile, also a native of South Carolina. His
father and grandfather came from England. Zachariah W. was a planter in the ante- bellum days, and being, also, an attorney, was for many years a commissioner in equity, and was considered the best equipped equity lawyer in the section in which he resided, confining his practice entirely to the courts ofequity. His father was a planter and for twenty years sheriff of Newberry county. When a young man his grandfather had come from England and located in South Carolina during the days of the Revolution and served in the Con- tinental army under Marion and Sumter.
Our subject received an excellent educa- tion, graduating from the King's County Mil- itary Institute, following which he engaged in the mercantile business at Augusta, Georgia, until 1878. when he came west. He followed stock-raising in western Nebraska and in 1881 was engaged in the same avocation in the Pow- der river country, Wyoming. In 1882 he was elected clerk and recorder of Johnson county, Wyoming, serving two terms. For two years he was deputy treasurer. It was in 1892 that he came to Montana, to Butte, where he en- gaged in the brokerage business until 1894, when he located at Billings. He was chief accountant with Yeggen Brothers until Jan- uary, 1897, when he was appointed deputy clerk and recorder, and elected clerk and re- corder in 1898, serving two terms. Subse- quently he was appointed city clerk and follow- ing the termination of office he became police judge.
May 15. 1884. Mr. Carwile was married at Buffalo, Wyoming, to Lizzie Green, a na- tive of Canton, Missouri. She is the daughter of James S. and Elizabeth (Reese) Green. both natives of Virginia. Her father comes of an old and prominent Virginian family the members of which participated loyally in the War of the Revolution. He served as United States senator during the administration of President Buchanan, from Missouri. He died in 1872.
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The family of the mother of our subject was prominent in old Virginia affairs, being members of the bench, bar, etc. At present she resides with her son. The latter has four children : James Green, aged 21, a civil engi- neer : Frances Gertrude, aged 18, a high school student ; Nathaniel G., aged 16, a school boy, and Edward A., aged 7. He has three brothers living: Thomas W., Zachariah W. and James, a merchant in Deadwood, South Dakota. He has lost three brothers : John R., William E. and Henry. Mrs. Carwile has one brother and three sisters: Thomas J., Mrs. George Van Worden. Mrs. James M. Loblan and Mrs. William A. Murphy. Mr. Carwile has four sisters: Mrs. Goode Mob- erly, Sarah C., Mrs. Lucia A. Latimer and Mrs. Whitfield Moberly. By death he lost one sister, an infant.
Fraternally our subject is a member of Ashler Lodge, No. 29. F. & A. M., being past master of same: Past C. C., Rathbone Lodge, No. 28. K. of P .: W. O. W .. of which he is past consul commander : the Billings Club and past president of the Billings F. O. E., No. 176.
MARTIN LENNON hails from county Wicklow, Ireland, where he was born, April 18, 1862. His parents, Hugh and Kate (Murphy) Lennon, were born there also and there they reside at the present time. Our subject was educated in his native place and at the proper age was apprenticed to learn the blacksmith trade. He mastered that by the time he was eighteen and then it being 1880, he decided to bid farewell to his home land and journeyed to the United States. After landing here, he spent sometime work- ing in New York and then went to St. Louis and wrought at his trade. Finally in 1887 he enlisted in the First United States Cavalry and was sent to Fort Custer, Montana. He
remained in the service until his honorable discharge in 1890, then went back to St. Louis and there was occupied for four years. . Then Mr. Lennon decided to try Montana once more and accordingly came hither and homesteaded the place where he now resides, some three miles north of Lame Deer. Since that time he has given his attention to general farming and stock-raising and has met with a reasona- ble success.
In 1897 Mr. Lennon married Bridget Murphy, a native of Wexford county, Ireland, and they have five children : Hugh, Kate, Martin, James and Thomas.
PAUL H. CARLTON, who resides two miles east of Reed, Montana, was born in Stearns County, Minnesota, in 1874. His parents being Francis and Lydia (Duncan ) Carlton, the latter of whom died fourteen years since. The father was a native of Portland, Maine, born in 1840, and came to Minnesota about 1849 and still lives in that state. He saw active service in the Civil War in Com- pany C, with the Minnesota Cavalry, and is a descendant of Lemuel Carlton of "Boston Tea Party" fame. Our subject is the third of seven children and has a brother, Guy, in Seattle and James in Elk, Washington. When young Paul H. left home and went to work in North Dakota, whence he journeyed to the lumber woods of Minnesota. In 1895 he came to Wyoming and rode the range for a few months and then came on to Red Bluff, Mon- tana, where he worked for the Big Black Foot Lumber Company at Missoula. In 1896 he went to work for the American Steel Com- pany on bridge construction and steadily rose until he was foreman on the construction of bridges operating from the coast to Montana. In the spring of 1898, he quit bridge work and was two years with the Melville Mer- cantile Company. Then, it being 1900, he
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turned his attention to sheep raising and is now one of the well-to-do men of Sweet Grass county, having over two thousand head of sheep, eighty-five head of cattle and three thousand acres of land.
In 1899 Mr. Carlton married Miss Lena Lende, a native of Norway, where her parents still reside. Three children have been born to this union : Ruth, Francis and Guy.
Mr. Carlton is a member of the M. W. A., and a strong Republican, although not especi- ally active.
JOHN P. MEADORS. Montana may well be proud of her many young. progressive and successful stockmen and farmers, for there is an especially ac- tive class of men here who are occu- pied in these profitable callings, and it is unnecessary to state that they are among the brightest, most stanch and capable men of the progressive northwest. John P. Meadors is to be classed high in this company and a brief outline of his career will be very pleasant read- ing to any who desire to learn of genuine suc- cess wrought out by merit and wisdom.
John P. Meadors was born in De Witt, Iowa, on June 3, 1872, the son of William and Annette (Betty) Meadors, who are especially mentioned in another portion of thos work. They were both very industrious and substan- tial people and were leaders in the communi- ties where they lived. The family came to Montana in 1881, our subject being but nine years of age. After finishing the public schools, John P. was graduated in 1894 from the scien- tific department of the Northern Indiana Nor- mal School at Valparaiso, Indiana. Being then twenty-two and equipped with a splendid men- tal training, he returned to Montana to en- gage with his father, their headquarters being at Fairview. Soon after that he went into business for himself and has steadily followed
general farming and stock raising, in both of which lines he has prospered well. In 1904, Mr. Meadors also took up the real estate busi- ness, which he is handling in connection with his other matters at the present time. Mr. Meadors owns eleven hundred and twenty acres of good land, considerable property in Sidney and Fairview and four hundred head of cattle, besides other property.
On June 16, 1903, Mr. Meadors married Miss Catherine Unfred, who was born in Scott county, Minnesota, August 16, 1875. She was educated in her native place, came to Glendive, Montana, in 1899, and they now reside at Fairview. Mrs. Meadors is a mem- ber of the Catholic church. Mrs. Meadors' father, John Unfred, was born in Germany November 30, 1832, came to America in 1850, learned the machinist's trade in Chicago and in 1866 located in Henderson county, Mon- tana, where he followed the trade for years. Then he was occupied in farming and in 1886 took up the hotel business, which, together with farming, has engaged him since. He married Margaret McCarthy, who was born in Chicago in 1842, their wedding occurring in 1862. They are both still living and are the parents of the following children : Frank H. and James J., both engineers at Minneapolis, Minnesota : Mrs. J. J. McMillan, in Minne- apolis, Minnesota ; Mrs. Eugene Cook, at Rock Rapids, Iowa; John W. and William M., near Henderson, Minnesota, both farmers.
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