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 68
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 68
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 68
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 68
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 68
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 68
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 68
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Mr. Meadors is a Republican and was chosen commissioner of Dawson county at the November election in 1906. He is very active however, in every enterprise that is for the building up of the country and is considered one of the substantial, hustling and sagacious business men of the county.
EDWARD LESLIE resides on Bridger creek, about six miles east and eight miles
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south from Greycliff. His native place is New York city. When still an infant Edward and Margaret (Geelin) Leslie both died and he was thrust out into the world among strangers. At nine years of age, so hard was his lot that he determined to start in the world for himself and accordingly left his adopted home. He fell in with a man who was traveling to Texas and went via Savannah, New Orleans and thus by boat to Galveston, whence he journeyed to San Antonio, which place was the headquarters of the man he was with. For eighteen years, he continued with this man and although he saw many others make a fortune, as it was the palmy days for stock in Texas, he never went into the business for himself. When twenty- seven years of age, he left the ranch and struck out as a buffalo hunter and followed that wild and exciting life for a good many years. He remembers well when the price of hides was so low that he had to stop hunting until the market was better. He continued at this busi- ness until 1879, when he took a trip to New York and then came to Montana the next year. He landed first at Big Timber and for several years was occupied in hunting in the Crazy Mountains and at the head of Boulder creek. Also he followed trapping for nine years. Dur- ing this time he saw the settlers coming into Montana, but it never occurred to Mr. Leslie that Montana would ever be anything but a wild country, never settled up as at present. For fourteen years he followed sheep herding and during this time he visited almost every part of the state, usually going on foot with a flock and sleeping out at night. Looking at the shepherd's life from books, it appears very pleasant and romantic, but the actual experi- ences are very different ones. Beneath the liot sun or in the frosty winter time and at night, in the storms as well as the calm, one has to be alert and watching and caring for the welfare of his flock. The labor is trying. is dreary and Mr. Leslie endured untold hardships during these six years. Finally, about eleven years
since, he quit the business and located his present ranch. He supposed he had gone fur- ther up Bridger creek than settlers would ever come, but of late years, he has seen the country all settle up above him and being brought un- der cultivation. Mr. Leslie gives his atten- tion to raising hay and furnishing pasture and of late years he has mostly retired from active labors. He is perhaps the oldest settler on Bridger creek and is certainly one of the pio- neers of the state of Montana.
Politically, Mr. Leslie is independent and as to marriage, he has never seen fit to enter those relations.
THOMAS McGIRL. Our subject whose name forms the caption of this biographical sketch, is one of the most prominent ranchers in the Yellowstone Valley, a man with a most meritorious war record, and one who has as- sisted in making much of the most interesting history of the state of Montana. At present he resides twelve miles east of Billings. He was born in Ireland, November 8, 1845.
His parents were Patrick and Sarah (Mc- Govern) McGirl, both natives of Ireland. The father died when our subject was a small child, and the mother died in Lafayette county, Mis- souri, in 1881.
At the age of three years Thomas McGirl was brought to the United States by his cousin. His mother and eight children had preceded them and settled in Rhode Island. Here they remained six years, thence moving to Lexing- ton, Missouri, in 1855. Our subject was patri- otic, and at the age of 18, in 1863. he enlisted in Company I, Fifth Missouri Mounted Infan- try. The company was disbanded in January, 1864. At the close of the war he journeyed to Santa Fe. New Mexico, but subsequently re- turned to Missouri where he remained three years, going thence to Texas and engaging in railroad construction for some years. May
.
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20, 1875, Mr. McGirl left for Montana and settled on his present eligible location. He left Bozeman with the first mail down the Yellow- stone river, and began operating a ferry and trading post where he now lives. It was util- ized as a stopping place for travelers. In 1878 he named this location "Huntley," and secured a postoffice of which he was assistant post- master for a number of years. At the time of the advent of railroad facilities the postoffice was moved across the river. At that period there were very few settlers in this portion of the country. Forty-five miles down the river Paul McCormick was settled and Horace Countryman was at Columbus. But there were no other settlers between. The first year Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce Indians came near this place. The next year they were followed by the Bannacks. The Nez Perces were closely pursued by General Howard, who camped at subject's house over Sunday, and they had no time to annoy the settlers. In the morning the stage left Mr. McGirl's ranch and at Canyon Creek it was captured by In- dians. Hank Eastward drove this stage. Fan- nie Clark was on the vehicle, but the passen- gers and driver finally succeeded in making their escape.
Near this place General Howard's con- mand had a brush with Indians and six wound- ed soldiers lay at subject's ranch for several days. A woman on the stage returned and nursed these men. Our subject had four brothers in the Civil War. He is the youngest of a family of ten.
Mr. McGirl has succeeded well in business life and owns 1.487 acres of fine agricultural land. He has paid attention both to general farming and as well has been extensively en- gaged in handling both cattle and sheep.
GEORGE W. POWERS, who resides seven miles east from Miles City, where he has 28
a quarter section of irrigated land, is one of the industrious farmers of Custer county and has had much experience in many sections of the west. He was born in Warsaw, Missouri, October 23, 1863, the son of Henry Clay and Mary Elizabeth ( Hudson) Powers. The father came from Virginia, his native state, to where Warsaw, Missouri, now stands, accom- panying his parents in the early thirties. His ancestors were among the first settlers in Jamestown, and they were all through the co- lonial days and were strictly American before there was a United States. His parents were among the very first to settle in Missouri near Warsaw, and in 1850 he crossed the plains with ox teams, accompanied by his two broth- ers. They visited California and returned to Missouri about the breaking out of the Civil War. In 1864, he crossed the plains again, this time to Bannack, Montana. There he en- gaged in mining till the fall of 1864, when he went to Virginia City with the stampede, and later he participated in the Sterling excitement. After that he was in at the Last Chance flurry, then went on the crest of the incoming tide to Silver City, later to Radersburg, thence to Uniontown, near, and there he discovered some of the properties that afterward proved to be great mines. As the excitement died out, he went to Helena and remained till one year after the big fire, then went to Gallatin valley and settled down to farming, determining to drop the roving life of prospecting. In 1877, however, he went again to Virginia City and there the family remained till 1893, while he spent most of his time in prospecting. In 1893, they removed to Dillon and there they reside at this time. All this time Mr. Powers has been prospecting and is still engaged in that calling. His wife was born near the mouth of Mammoth cave, Kentucky, and her people discovered the cave and owned the land at its mouth. She came to' Missouri with her par- ents when a small child and since her marriage has been with her husband on all his journeys.
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Our subject remembers that when he was yet so young as to be unable to hold onto the pack horse, he was tied on and so accompanied the family in its wanderings as they removed from place to place in the work of prospecting. In 1883, our subject went to Nevada and Arizona and traveled well over the territories, prospecting and mining. In 1884, he went to Omaha and between that point and Kansas City he spent six years in timber contracting. In 1890, Mr. Powers came back to Montana and settled in Madison county first, whence he came to his present place in 1896. Here he has remained since and he owns now a quar- ter section of good land, all under the ditch.
On January 1, 1895, Mr. Powers married Miss Mary M. Love, the daughter of John and Jane (Magee) Love. The former was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, there married and later removed to Illinois, whence he re- turned to Pennsylvania and there remained until his death. The mother was of Scotch descent and her people were among the very first to settle in the vicinity of what is now Oil City, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Powers was born in Oil City, Pennsylvania.
IRA M. ALLING, who was born in Dutchess county, New York, on September 16. 1860, resides at Sidney, Montana, having retired from ranch life, which he successfully followed for some years in this state. He is now interested in the lumber business and is vice-president of the Bank of the Valley at Sidney. The parents of our subject, John T. and Frances (Mabbett) Alling, were born in Dutchess county, New York, on August 30, 1830, and in June, 1828, respectively. They received their education from the common schools, were married in 1851, followed farm- ing and died, the former in 1903 and the latter in 1892, at Poughkeepsie, New York. They were very progressive, industrious and sub-
stantial people and made good success in life. The other children besides our subject were Mary, the wife of Abraham P. Doughty, and Eva Bell, the wife of Silas E. Card, both liv- ing in Poughkeepsie, New York. After re- ceiving his education in the schools of his na- tive county, he finished at the Poughkeepsie high school and remained at home until nine- teen years of age. Then, it being 1879, he journeyed west to Greene county, Illinois, and remained there on a ranch for three years. In 1882, we find Mr. Alling in Glendive, Mon- tana, where he soon selected a ranch twelve miles out. After a two years' residence there, he removed down the Yellowstone river on the south side and located a ranch at Smith Creek, where he followed ranching eight years. In 1891, he settled on Hay creek and there continued successfully until 1905, when he sold out and moved to Sidney. Here he erected a fine residence and is turning his at- tention to commercial and financial lines, as stated above. Mr. Alling takes a lively in- terest in political matters, being allied with the Democratic party, but he is neither a wire puller nor a partisan.
On November 3, 1896, Mr. Alling mar- ried Minnie Hurst, who was born at Wadena, Minnesota, on March 10, 1877. They have three boys, John, aged nine; Robert, aged three, and Frank, an infant of a few months.
WILLIAM F. SCHMALSLE, at present one of the well-known business men of Miles City, is a pioneer of many places in the west and was for many years acting in the capacity of scout in the military, during which time he had many thrilling and most interesting expe- riences. He was born in Germany. February 22, 1847, the son of Jacob and Caroline (Schibley ) Schmalsle, who brought him to Cin- cinnati, Ohio, in 1853. Soon the family came on west to Kansas and in 1861 the father
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joined the Twenty-eighth Ohio Infantry, hav- ing gone back to Ohio, and served throughout the Civil War. Our subject was educated in the various places where he spent his youth and when his father went back to Ohio he was left in Kansas and soon was placed by Major M. P. Barry as bugler in the army, continuing in that capacity till 1861, when he resigned, owing to the Major's resignation from the army. In the spring of 1862 they came across the plains to 'Oregon and William F. went to work at LaGrande on a pack train. Later he went to the Willamette valley and after four years returned east again, going as far as Helena, Montana, where he was engaged about the mines. In the spring of 1867, he joined the Salmon river rush and later enlisted in Captain Hart's company of Montana mili- tia, being stationed for the summer where Livingston now stands. In the fall the sol- diers took their equipment as pay and all went to New Mexico on a mining venture. Here Mr. Schmalsle fell in with California Joe and Aaron Dickison and the three started to Texas. Upon arriving at Fort Dodge, they found the Indians on the war path and stopped to assist in quelling them. Dickison was killed out- right, but the other two escaped with their lives after some lively scouting. In 1870, we find our subject on a homestead in Osborne county, Kansas, and his time was largely spent in guiding hunting parties. Being eaten out by grasshoppers in 1874, he quit farming and returned to Fort Dodge. Soon he joined an expedition led against the Indians by General Miles, acting as scout. He was useful in per- forming some very valuable work and re- mained with the General till the campaign closed. In 1875, he was scout at Fort Elliott, and the next year he was attached to the Fifth U. S. Cavalry under General Merritt as gov- ernment scout. He joined the command at Fort Hayes and was under Crook the balance of the summer. In 1877, he was transferred to General Miles and served him all through
the Sitting Bull matter and the Nez Perces war. When peace was restored he remained at the post and became a very warm friend of the General.
Finally he determined to sever his connec- tion with the military and went into business in Miles City, where he has remained. In the volume entitled "Personal Recollections of Nelson A. Miles," our subject is frequently mentioned and a portrait of him appears.
ANTON H. JOHNSON is one of the effi- cient officers of Dawson county, having been assessor for six years. His efficiency, excel- lent judgment and reliability have won him a place in the esteem of his constituents that is very enviable indeed. He owns considerable real estate in Glendive and other places and has large stock interests throughout the county.
Anton H. Johnson was born on February 24. 1845, in Christiana, Norway. His father, Jens Johnson, was born at Holstad, Norway, in 1804. and married Loviec Halvorson, who was born in Christiana in 1797. the nuptials occurring in 1825. She died in 1895, aged ninety-eight. This worthy couple were the par- ents of five boys and two girls, those living, being our subject, Mrs. Carlson at Butte, Mon- tana, and Mrs. A. Dahl and John Johnson in Norway. Anton H. was educated in the schools of his native country, and in 1865 came to the United States, locating in Chicago, where he worked for the city for eighteen years. In 1883, he came to Glendive and en- tered the employ of the Northern Pacific Rail- road, continuing in the same for two and one- half years. Then he operated a dairy and gradually drifted into the stock business in which he is still interested. The marriage of Mr. Johnson and Miss Eleanor Blair oc- curred in Chicago in 1867. Mrs. Johnson was born in Ireland in 1846, received her education
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there and came to the United States in 1865. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson reside in Dawson county, and are named as follow : Mrs. Mason, aged thirty-four ; Harry L., aged thirty-two; Nora, aged thirty : Mrs. Maude W. Schabb ; Charlie Anton, aged twen- ty-six; Vernon, twenty-two, killed on North- ern Pacific Railroad in 1905; and Francis A., aged twenty.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are members of the Lutheran church, while he belongs to the Odd Fellows and the A. O. U. W. He shows a keen interest in political matters and every- thing for the welfare of the county and state, and has always allied himself with the Repub- lican party.
JOSEPH LAY is one of Montana's pro- gressive and capable agriculturists, at the pres- ent time dwelling four miles west from Reed. He was born in Kirksville, Missouri, on May 25, 1866, the son of Nathan and Jane (Gil- more) Lay. The father was born on May 27, 1827, in Tennessee, came to Missouri in 1842, and in 1877 drove across the country to the Gallatin valley and returned the same year. The next year he brought a large train of emigrants to the Gallatin valley, where he made his home until his death, February 15. 1902. His mother had died in January, 1871, being then aged 38. Our subject is the eleventh of thirteen children, ten of whom are still living, all being in the west except one sister in Missouri. When eleven years old as our subject states, he was loaded into a wagon, given the reins of a strong team and headed west. The trip occupied the time from May 10th to July 29th, and was one of the epochs of Mr. Lay's life. Just at the age when everything was vividly impressed upon his mind, he can distinctly remember the lead- ing features of the journey. Even then in that early day there were settlers along the
streams in the Bozeman valley, but they were scarce. He recalls driving with his father from Salesville to Bozeman when there was only one cabin on the road. Schools were fairly good, however. Mail was carried by stage but there was no postoffice between Boze- man and Manhattan. The father settled in the Bozeman valley and our subject remained there with him until twenty-one years of age, during which time he learned much of Mon- tana farming and gained a good education. Having arrived at his majority, he started out to see something of the state and for three years, mined and prospected in various sec- tions. He developed several claims during that time but with indifferent success, so in the spring of 1893, the reservation hav- ing been thrown open the fall previous, he came across the mountains and selected him a home place. His present property is what he homesteaded and since that time, this has been the center of his activity. It is of inter- est to know that when he got located, he found his capital amounted to' fifteen dollars and for three years he had to work very vigor- ously to maintain himself and to make any show of improvements upon his claim. The first three winters he spent in teaching at Reed point and Bridger creek. Gradually he began to improve his place and he now has a fine field of alfalfa and other improvements upon the farm. "Almost the entire quarter section can be put under the ditch and is a valuable property. Mr. Lay owns some cattle in addi- tion to farming and is being prospered in his labors.
Thus far in life, he has never seen fit to try the matrimonial seas but is content with the quieter joys of the jolly bachelor.
Politically, Mr. Lay is a good strong Dem- ocrat and was once nominated for the county treasurer of Sweet Grass county, but by actual count there were not enough Democrats in the county to give a majority, so with his ticket, he went down.
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Fraternally, he is affiliated with the M. W. A. at. Reed Point and is well and favorably known throughout the county.
BERT R. ALBIN, secretary, treasurer and general manager of the Hart-Albin Com- pany, Billings, was born in Germany, April 5. 1878, the son of August and Ferdinandina (Bethke) Albin, natives of Germany, now liv- ing in Minnesota. The father was a wood . carver.
When three years of age our subject came with his parents to the United States and was reared and educated in Minnesota. When twelve years old he entered the service of the Dickinson Company as a cash boy at the m11- nificent salary of two dollars per week. With them he remained four years, steadily advanc- ing, and having charge of the linen stock when he left the company. He then entered the employment of the Powers Dry Goods Company, remaining four years. To Mis- soula, Montana, he came in 1899, and was for six months general manager of the dry goods department of the firm of R. Manheim & Con- pany. Thence he came to Livingston, assum- ing charge of the Boston Store. Here he re- mained two and one-half years, then forming a partnership with R. M. Hart, of St. Louis, and coming to Billings in 1902, the firm name being the Hart-Albin Company. It was in January. 1906, that the firm moved into their present handsome quarters in the Stapleton block where they have fifteen thousand square feet of floor space-the largest dry goods and clothing establishment in the city of Billings. and the second largest store of the kind in the state.
July 5. 1904. 'our subject was united in marriage to Alice Dwyer, at Billings. She is a native of Illinois. Her father, Patrick D .. a native of Illinois, is dead, as is also her mother. Mrs. Albin was for twelve years in
the employment of Mandel Brothers store in Chicago, in charge of various departments. Until recently she has been in the store of her husband and has proved an important factor in the phenomenal development of the enter- prise, now carrying a stock of $75,000. The company is incorporated. Fraternally our subject is a member of the B. P. O. E.
ORSON MERRITT has resided in Mon- tana since 1882 a sufficient length of time to entitle him to be classed as one of the early pioneers and builders of this part of the state. His present home is at Lee, in Rosebud county, and he holds the position of postmaster, hav- ing been appointed in 1902. He is a well known citizen of the Rosebud valley and has not only seen but has taken an active part in the development of the country from the wild- ness of nature to its present prosperous condi- tion. He has been acquainted with the stock industry in various portions of the west, has spent much time on the plains and is now occupied in general farming and raising cat- tle. Mr. Merritt was born in Michigan on July 20, 1848, the son of Horace and Jane (Chambers) Merritt, the former a native of New York and the latter of Ontario. They moved to Michigan in pioneer times and set- tled in the wild timber lands and there set to the herculean task of opening up a farm. Shortly before the father died, he returned to New York and there remained until his death. Our subject was left alone when a young lad and was forced to secure his education and make his way in the world the best he could. He gathered the learning he was able from the common schools of Michigan, and then went to work by the month. At the age of six- teen he went to New York and remained two years. After that he turned his face to the west and next we find him in Iowa, where he worked for wages for some time. Later on
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he went to Nebraska and finally in 1882 he was engaged by Frank Robertson to assist in bringing a drove of cattle from Nebraska to the Rosebud valley, Montana. After arriv- ing here in safety with the cattle, he contin- ued in the employ of Mr. Robertson for several years until he finally succeeded in getting a few head of cattle and then started in the stock business for himself. Since that time, he has given his attention to raising stock as men- tioned above, with general farming, having taken a homestead where he now resides. Mr. Merritt is a good neighborly citizen, has dis- charged his duties as postmaster to the satis- faction of all, and is one of the men who be- lieve Montana the greatest state in the union.
CHARLES E. VOLIN is one of the prominent men of Custer county and he has gained his standing by reason of real merit and worthy labors, which have given him enough reward of this world's goods to make the path of life pleasant and happy in the years of his pilgrimage yet to come. His home place is three miles down the river from Capitol, and he owns altogether about two thousand acres of good farm land. His estate is divided into farms and each farm has good buildings on it, some of which are among the best in this por- tion of the county. In addition to overseeing all these properties, Mr. Volin handles much stock and is considered one of the wealthiest stockmen of the county.
journeyed on to Iowa, settling as has been mentioned. Just previous to the Civil War, Mr. Volin removed his family to Yankton, Dakota, and there he engaged in farming, deal- ing in cattle and doing government contract work on the Missouri. Many Indians were in the country then, but they managed to get along without bloodshed, although those days were rough pioneer times when men and women had to endure the hardships that would often be considered unbearable in times of civ- ilization. In addition to the other occupations mentioned, the father freighted to the Black Hills in early days and became a very wealthy man and is now residing in South Dakota. He had married Andrine Volin, a native of Can- ada, who is still living, enjoying the fruits of their labors.
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