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 71
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 71
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 71
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 71
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 71
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 71
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 71
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In October of that year 1882 he re-entered the hardware business in partnership with his brother, Charles D. Camp, under the firm name of Camp Brothers, and this became one of the largest concerns in eastern Montana, build- ing and occupying the entire building that is now known as the Commercial Hotel, corner of Montana avenue and 26th street. Owing to commercial depression in the city and sec- tion of the state the firm was obliged to make an assignment for the benefit of its creditors in July, 1886. In the January following, after making full settlement with all their creditors, the new company was formed known as Will- iston Camp Company, which was soon changed to that of The Williston Hardware Company. On January 15, 1887, after having
retired from the above mentioned firm, Mr. Camp purchased the plant of the Gazette Pub- lishing Company which had just consolidated with the other three newspapers, the Post, Herald and Rustler, thus becoming the owner of all the papers published in Yellowstone county: He conducted the Gazette, daily and weekly, for one year, then discontinued the daily edition but continued the weekly, known as the Montana Stock Gazette until in Septem- ber, 1888. he disposed of all his interest to E. H. Becker. During the years from March 4, 1885, to March 4, 1887, Mr. Camp also was treasurer of Yellowstone county, and besides being an alderman for a time was elected mayor of the city of Billings in 1888 which position he filled until in January. 1889, he re- moved from the city with his family, living at various times in Helena, Spokane and Chi- cago, returning from the latter city to Bill- ings in March, 1897, and being with Yegen Brothers for one year, with his brother opened a general mercantile store at Laurel, where he platted and owned the townsite of that now growing little city, disposing of most of his interest in the town in December 1905. In May, 1902 he reurned to Billings and engaged in his present business, he is interested in several ranches in the valley.
January 21, 1886. Mr. Camp was united in marriage to Ida L. Carter, a native of Bridge- port, Connecticut. The ceremony was solemn- nized in Jersey City. She is a daughter of Gil- man and Ila A. ( Hudson) Carter. The father was a native of Boston, Massachusetts; the mother of Newburg. New York.
Mr. and Mrs. Camp have no children, but have adopted two orphan children of her brothers Lila Gilman and Ruth Esther. Mr. Camp has one brother, Charles D. Camp, a farmer near Laurel, and one sister, Mrs. Rose Coombs, of Los Angeles, California. Mrs. Camp has one sister, Mrs. Emma A. Ander- son, in San Francisco, California.
Fraternally our subject is a member of
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the Modern Woodmen of America, Brother- hood of American Yeomen, and the Mountain- eers, and'is director on the board of the Inter- Mountain Mutual Life Insurance Company of Billings, Montana.
Both himself and wife are members of the Congregational church and Mr. Camp was one of the organizers of the first church in Billings in the spring of 1882. He has always taken a keen interest in all that pertained to the best interest of the city and community in which he lived.
WALTER O. COWAN has resided in the state of Montana for thirty years and more and has gained the reputation of being one of the state's thrifty and substantial business men, having wrought in various capacities and localities during these days. At the present time Mr. Cowan is the owner and operator of the largest livery business in the city of Liv- ingston. His is known far and near as one of the finest outfits in the country and is enjoying as it deserves, a splendid patronage from all classes. Mr. Cowan is a careful and skillful man and spares neither pains nor expense to have his stock, his rigs and everything of the best and so insure the safety and comfort of his patrons.
Walter O. Cowan was born in Pulaski county, Kentucky, on November 27, 1851. His parents, James D. and Nancy ( Newell ) Cowan, were natives of the same county as their son, the former born in 1810 and the latter in 1812. The mother's parents were Samuel and Nancy Newell. After receiving his education in his native state. our subject came west to Mon- tana in 1876, settling in the Gallatin valley. There he was occupied until 1899 when he pur- chased a farm in the Shields river country, where he also raised stock. In 1903, Mr. Cowan sold out all his holdings on the Shields river and bought a ranch five miles up the
Yellowstone from Livingston, near Carter's Bridge. On June 14, 1906, he closed the deal that gave him the title to his present large business and since that time he has given his personal attention to its supervision. It is prospering and with his wise and efficient management is assuming proportions that are very gratifying.
Mr. Cowan married Miss Fanny Mc- Creary, the daughter of Jefferson and Ange- line McCreary. To Mr. and Mrs. Cowan four children have been born, Harry N., May 31, 1892, Edwin W .. December 13, 1893. Mattie A., June, 1896, and Helen M., in 1898. Mr. and Mrs. Cowan are members of the Congre- gational church and are highly esteemed peo- ple. Politically our subject is a Democrat and takes a lively interest in the elections and in school matters.
JOHN FORSTER, although not a man of many years, is still a pioneer of Montana and has had a career of marked success as will be seen in the following : He was born in Bavaria at the foot of the Alps on December 6, 1872, and now lives in Montana, where he owns a farm of one hundred and eighty-four acres, half of which is now under cultivation. Simon Forster, his fa- ther now resides in Billings, where he came in 1881. He was a butcher in Miles City in very early days. He came to the west as a buffalo hunter, later had a contract on the N. P. R. R. and since has been a farmer, being located at the mouth of Alkali creek. He mar- ried Regina Reichart, who is also living, aged fifty-nine. Our subject is the only child of this marriage and he came to Montana in 1891 with his mother, to the home the father had prepared for them. Five years were spent in laboring with his father and then he worked on a sheep ranch for eighteen months. Dur- ing that time, Mr. Forster saved five hundred
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dollars. With this capital, he bought eight hundred sheep, taking a partner with him in the deal, and kept them for a year. They then purchased seven hundred more, making twen- ty-two hundred sheep with the two bands and their increase. The following spring they sold out so advantageously that they cleared thirty- five hundred dollars a piece. With this money they purchased another band of sheep and his present farm. He kept the sheep for a year and a half then traded them for cattle. He was six months in disposing of his horned stock and did so at good figures. Mr. Forster does diversified farming, raising some stock and is in dairy business. His experimenting with Durum wheat, hulless barley, oats, and rye in dry farming and has done some very interesting work. .
In April, 1900, Mr. Forster married Ter- esa Wimmer, a neighbor girl in Bavaria. They have five children, Teresa, Regina, John, Luit- pold, and Rudolph.
Mr. Foster is a member of the Yeomen and a good strong Republican.
He has always taken a special interest in assisting to organize and build up the country and for five years has been on the school board. He is a very ardent supporter of educational matters and works hard for a good school. He and his wife are consistent members of the Catholic church and very industrious and thrifty people.
Mr. Forster's ranch is beautifully located and is one of the finest along the Yellowstone. In the background rises the prominent cliff with groves of the waving poplar ornamenting its base, while the farm stretches its fertile acres, the completion of the charming scene.
WILLIAM HARRISON CHENEY. Among the brave pioneers who blazed the trails through what is now the state of Mon- tana in those early days when the only human
beings to be seen were the savages, ready at every opportunity to take life, a prominent place must be given to the gentleman whose name appears above. Rich in frontier exper- ience, his life has practically been spent thus far in the west and a somewhat detailed ac- count can but prove very interesting to all lovers of the history of their state. At pres- ent, Mr. Cheney lives about one and one-half miles southwest from Ridgelawn and gives his attention to general farming and stock raising. He was born August 1, 1839, in Harrison county, Ohio. His father, Elzey Cheney, was born in Maryland in 1781, received there a good school education, went to Ohio when a young man and after teaching school for sev- eral years turned his attention to farming. Ohio then being on the frontier. In 1844 he took his family to Iowa and died a month after landing there. He had married Susan- nah McDaniel, who was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1800. She was a very bright and capable woman and very bravely took up the task of providing for herself and . little ones in the then wild sections of Iowa. There were ten children in the family, three boys and three girls of whom lived to reach majority. Besides our subject, there is but one other, Alfred P., now living and his resi- dence is in Missouri. Mrs. Cheney lived to a good ripe age, her death occurring in 1886. One son, Elzey, fought in the Civil War. Our subject received his early education in the common schools then attended the Wesleyan Academy at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, finishing his studies in 1857. Then he purchased an interest in a threshing machine and operated the same for two years. In 1859 he went to Kansas, started for California and stopped at Leavenworth. Then he drove to Denver for a Pikes Peak Company, that now great city being then just starting. He returned via Julesburg to Nebraska City and then freighted to Fort Laramie for the Overland Express, wintering thirty-five miles above Laramie.
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In 1860, he started for Santa Fe with General Harney, but before reaching their destination they were ordered back to Fort Laramie. He then acted as wagon master between Fort Scott and Leavenworth. In 1862 he acted as wagon master for General W. F. Sherman in Arkansas, also spent some time under General Ewing, their headquarters in 1863, being at Kansas City, Missouri. Later, he returned to Fort Scott and went thence to Fort Leaven- worth. Early in the spring of 1864 he went to Fort Smith and under orders of the quarter- master of the northwest, joined Sully's ex- pedition as wagon master. They came up the Missouri by boat to St. Joe, then overland to Sioux City and in May the expedition left that place and from that time on it was almost continual excitement because of the many fights they had with the Indians. In the Bad Lands in Dakota and Montana they were on almost constant duty. They finally reached Yellowstone forty-five miles above its mouth, forded and then recrossed to Fort Union on their way back to Sioux City, having been out six months. After this, he was one of a party under Captain Pope sent to rescue a bunch of gold hunters and in 1865 was under Gen- eral Sully in an expedition to Devil's Lake. After this he accompanied the Reeves expedi- tion to Camp Cook at the mouth of the Judith river and then returned to Omaha. Finally in 1871 he quit the service of the government and then went to freighting from St. Cloud to Winnipeg and along the Northern Pacific line from Moorhead to Bismarck. In 1873, he was with Col. D. S. Stanley's party which came west surveying the Northern Pacific Railroad as far as Pompey's Pillar. After remaining three months there, he returned to Fort Lincoln. In 1873. Mr. Cheney engaged on the stage line in Canada and remained until 1876. when their horses were all killed by disease, then he returned to Moorhead and wintered at Fort Totten on Devil's Lake. In
1877, we find him at Bismarck cutting wood for the steamboats. After this, he was em- ployed at Fort Custer, Montana, for a short time and then acted as fireman for a brief pe- riod on one of the steamboats down the river and back. In the fall of 1877, he embarked in the wood business on the Yellowstone and remained there, doing a good business until 1883, at the close of which time he moved to the north side of the river and located near his present residence and since that time he has been giving his attention to general farm- ing and stock raising. He owns eight hundred acres of excellent land as fine as there is in the Yellowstone valley, has it reasonably well improved, owning considerable stock and other property. .
Mr. Cheney has never seen fit to embark on the matrimonial seas.
In political matters he is always active and is ever allied with the Republican party. He is a stanch supporter of educational interests and has a school on his land, the site for which he donated. Mr. Cheney is highly respected by all who know him and it may be truthfully said of him that he is a man who can "do things," as was aptly remarked by our presi- dent. Had we the space to outline the hard- ships, the thrilling incidents, the trials, self- denials and dangers and wonderfully arduous labors that have been in the path of Mr. Che- ney, they would be instructive and interesting to all. During the earlier part of his life he was intimately associated with all those his- tory making incidents so common among the events of the northwest.
B. M. MELUM is counted the very first settler in that part of Custer county that lies about Capitol. He has been United States commissioner for that section of the county and is, also, surveyor for Custer county, hav-
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ing held the office continuously since 1904 a period of fifteen years, which speaks much for his ability and his faithfulness to the interests of the people. The postoffice of Capitol was secured by the efforts of M. Melum in 1891 and for the first four years he was the post- master and then his wife was appointed and she still holds that position. The office is in the Melum home and in addition to the things mentioned, Mr. Melum carries on his farm and does some stockraising.
B. M. Melum was born in Norway, May 20, 1863, the son of Mons and Bertha Melum, natives of Norway. The father was a farmer, and also, a tanner and merchant. He remained remained in Norway until his death, and was a very wealthy and influential man. Our sub- ject came to the United States when a lad of four years, accompanied by his foster parents. Wisconsin was the point of settlement and there he remained for four years. Then he went to South Dakota and there received his education. In 1884, being then just at his majority, Mr. Melum came to Custer county and engaged in the cattle business. He took land by squatter's right which was not sur- veyed until 1892. Previous to being elected surveyor in 1904, Mr. Melum had filled the position of constable and other public offices and was known as an efficient officer.
In 1887 occurred the marriage of Mr. Melum and Miss Inger Oleson, a native of Norway and the daughter of Torkel Oleson, with whom she came to the United States when a child. To our subject and his wife eight children have been born, Clara, Theodore. Martin, Olive, Oscar, Bernard, Melvin and Bernt. In political matters, Mr. Melum is a stanch Republican and is always active in the campaigns in the interests of the principles he believes to be for the good of the country. He has shown his zeal in the various things he has accomplished in the building up and improve- ment of the country and he is considered one
of the leading citizens of this portion of the county.
JOHN FLYNN has a fine residence two miles east of Greycliff and devotes his atten- tion to general farming and stockraising. He handles about fifteen hundred well bred sheep. besides cattle and horses and is classed among the leading agriculturists and stock men of Sweet Grass county. It is only in the latter portion of his life that he has given attention to these industries and that he has made a first class success in their prosecution speaks well for his business ability. Mr. Flynn has seen much of the mining west and in his time was considered one of the best experienced miners and mine managers who operated in the west- ern districts. He was born in lowa county, Wisconsin, on December 14, 1861. His father, Thomas Flynn, was born in Ireland and became one of Wisconsin's earliest pioneers. He joined the rush to Pikes Peak in 1862 and settled at Black Hawk. His death occurred at Denver in 1885, being then aged sixty. The mother of our subject, Mary Wall in maiden life, died in Colorado on August 29, 1896, aged sixty-two Mr. Flynn is the third of a family of six chil- dren, all of whom live in Colorado, and Mon- tana, except one brother, Michael Flynn, who is now in Australia. When the family went west to Colorado, our subject was left with his grandparents, with whom he remained until he was twelve years of age, then he joined his parents in Colorado, where he was educated. While still a boy he had his first experience in mining, becoming first an ore sorter. For twelve years he was occupied in every capacity about a mine, mastering each portion thor- oughly as he went along, remaining all of this time in Colorado. Then he journeyed to the Black Hills and assisted in the famous Home- stead mine, near Deadwood. For a short time
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just before going to the Black Hills, he tried farming in Medison county, Nebraska, but dis- continued the same, owing to the severe win- ters. After leaving the Black Hills, Mr. Flynn went to North Idaho and dwelt for a short time. Then he was foreman on the famous A. D. & M. property at Gibbonsville, Idaho. After this he went to British Columbia and was in full charge of the Highland mine at Ainsworth, for a Philadelphia corporation. Later, the world famous Leroy mine at Rossland was under his management. Altogether, he spent consider- able time in British Columbia and finally in 1901, decided to quit mining altogether. He had purchased a ranch in Montana, the place where he now lives, some years before he gave up min- ing and thither he directed his steps in 1901. He immediately began the work of improve- ment on his estate and since that time has stead- ily followed general farming and stock raising.
Fraternally, Mr. Flynn is affiliated with the Yeomen and M. W. A. at Big Timber.
In political matters, he adheres to the prin- cijles of the Republican party, although not an acive partisan in these lines. He is one of the energetic, substantial and successful men of Swet Grass county and has a fine large family who bid fair to all become respected citizens of Montana.
DAVID HARRISON RUSSELL has had an experience in the various calling's of the pio- neer andfrontiersman that would fill a book to overflowag with thrilling scenes and interest- ing data. He had always been on the frontier and his evry trip to the west was fraught with incidents tht can hardly be understood by those who now live the comforts and accommoda- tions that c'ilization has brought. Born on December 3.1843, in Henderson county, Illi- nois, the son f Levi and Mary (Finley ) Rus- sell. he has pased a long life and now is just beginning to eloy the golden days that come
to the honest laborer and pioneer of many sec- tions. The father crossed the plains in 1852 and settled in Linn county, Oregon, and one year later removed thence to Marion county. In 1846, our subject, being then but three years of age, the father started across the plains and when the full train assembled at Saint Joseph, Missouri, the dread cholera broke out with sev- erity and Mrs. Russell died. This so dishearten- ed the father that he turned back to Illinois but his children came on with their grandmother, Mrs. Finley, and an uncle, Alexander Finley. They had an ox team and after a hard and try- ing trip, for the reader must remember that in 1846 the country was exceedingly new, they fin- ally arrived at the place where The Dalles, Ore- gon, now stands and camped preparatory to making boats to carry their baggage down the Columbia. The falls where Cascade Locks are now were very dan- gerous but finally they were passed, butt it was not until the fall of 1847 they camped twelve miles from the old Fort Vancouver or where Portland now stands. In the chill days of that fall the measles broke out among the immigrants and Mrs. Finley went to Fort Van- conver to secure medicines. The rain set in while she was gone and it detained her some time and when she came back it was to the melancholy scene of death for over ninety of the train died, mostly children. She found her son Alex, and our subject's two brothers and one sister dead. This was a terrible blow in this wild and new country so far from home and loved ones. How trying, only those who have passed through it can tell. The melan- choly woods and the pouring rain only added to the horror for the months until the grand- mother and our subject were taken by General Scott to Fort Vancouver where they were housed until spring. Then they journeyed to what is now Lynn county and seven years later the grandmother died, leaving David H. with neighbors. He had already learned to drive cattle going with different ones on the
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long trails to the various mining camps in dis- tant parts of the country. He in turn visited California, Nevada, Montana, Washington, Idaho and the Cariboo country of the Frazer river district. In 1865, Mr. Russell came to Montana and spent one winter with the Nez Perce Indians on the Yellowstone river. He had participated in all the Indian wars before that such as the Cayuse and the various uprisings but had escaped with his life. Mr. Russell be- came a very skillful Indian fighter and being naturally a courageous and resourceful man he was feared by the savages far and near. On one occasion when he was with General Har- ney who was establishing the boundtry line between the United States and Canada, he was attacked in the Okanogan country and received seven arrows in his back as he was making for cover. Owing to the fact that the arrows were not poisoned and that Mr. Russell had on a very thick overcoat, they did little damage, aside from some painful flesh wounds. Finally, in 1881, Mr. Russell became tired of the danger- ous drives of cattle and fighting Indians, and he came to Montana and settled down where we find him at this time, four miles south of Fkalaka, on Russell creek. He has given his un- divided attention to farming and is one of the well known and esteemed men of the county.
In 1874. at Fort Laramie, Mr. Russell was married and he has fourteen children, ten liv- ing at this time.
HON. WILLIAM LINDSAY is one of the leading men of the state of Montana. His life has been filled with active labor during which time he has met and overcome many formid- able obstacles, and by reason of his merit and stability has won a brilliant success in every line. At present, he resides in Glendive and his financial interests are largely in Dawson county.
William Lindsay was born in Poland, Ohio, on April 20. 1852. James M. Lindsay,
his father, was born and raised in New Jersey being the descendant of an old Lutheran family from Scotland. He was a quiet unassuming man, noted for his temperate habits and integ- rity and was looked up to by all. He conduc- ted a barrel factory in Ohio until 1896. The mother of our subject was in maiden life. Eliz- abeth M. Bebout, a native of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, and she was married to Mr. Lindsay when sixteen years of age. The children born to this worthy couple aside from our subject, not following the order of their birth. are Oliver, who died at Kansas City, Missouri in 1898 : Benjamin G. lives at Newell, Jowa; Charles lives at Youngstown, Ohio; Eli, died when eight years old; Bamer G., died when three years old and Edward lives at Leavenworth, Kansas; Mrs. Elizabeth Shook of New Brighton, Pennsylvania; and Mrs. Ella McArthur. of Brooklyn, New York.
During his school life. Mr. Lindsay wa closely associated with the Mckinley family and remembers well Abner and his sister wlo were a brother and sister of the late President Mckinley. When thirteen years of age, ur subject quit school life and began to work for himself. He first learned the tinsmith tade then went to Menominee. Michigan, and worked in the lumber woods until twent -one years of age. . After that we find him in Jeaver Falls, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in the hardware and house furnishing busines until 1883. in which year he removed to lontana and located near the Missouri river sme sev- enty miles north of Glendive an herded sheep for the first year, thus beginnng at the bottom in this state. The next yar he se- cured a band of sheep on shares ad began to lay the foundation of his present frtune. He did very well until the winter f 1886 and 1887 practically wiped out his oldings, but Mr. Lindsay was not made of he stuff that gives way at the first attack, › he gathered together some more sheep and ontinued in the same business and by 1893 helot only had re-
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