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 73
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 73
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 73
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 73
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 73
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 73
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 73
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It was in the excellent public schools of Minnesota that our subject received his early education, which was subsequently supple- mented by a partial course at the State Uni- versity. He first came to Montana with a Northern Pacific engineering corps, then oper- ating in the Yellowstone valley. This was on August 18, 1879. In December, 1881, Mr. Foster located at Coulson, where he formed a partnership with P. W. McAdow in the gen- eral merchandise business. This was contin- ued until 1883. In April, 1882, he patented a quarter section of land, now a part of the thriving city of Billings, known as Foster's Addition. He was also engaged in the real estate business. His interest in this enter- prise he disposed of in 1883, to his partner, and then devoted his attention exclusively to Billings realty and the upbuilding of the city. He was a member of the first board of com- missioners of Yellowstone county ; member of
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the board of school directors, and was elected mayor in 1889, re-elected in 1893, again in 1903 and in 1905, being now the present mayor of the city. From 1889 until 1893 he served as county clerk and was elected clerk of the district court in 1904. He was secre- tary of the state senate in 1895, which was the fourth legislative assembly.
In 1892 Mr. Foster went to Washington, D. C., and was instrumental in securing the passage of a bill authorizing the appointment of a commission to treat with the Crow In- dians for the opening of the western portion of the Crow Indian reservation. Of this com- mission he was, also, a member.
April 19, 1882, Mr. Foster was united in marriage to Miss Georgia Mclaughlin, a na- tive of Minnesota. She is the daughter of Horace and Margaret Mclaughlin, both na- tives of Massachusetts, and both descendants of an old and prominent New England fam- ily, Horace Mclaughlin being of Highland Scotch ancestry, which came to New England about 1650. The mother of our subject was of English ancestry. Mr. Foster has one brother residing in New Orleans, a retired lieutenant of the United States Navy, and one sister, Mrs. Clara L. King, living at Van- couver, B. C. Our subject has six children living, viz: Herbert H., residing at Billings ; Clara L., Robert, Annabel, Henry W., school children, and Dorothy, an infant.
Fraternally, Mr. Foster is a member of Billings Lodge, No. 394, B. P. O. E., of which he is a past exalted ruler, past W. P. of Bil- lings Aerie, F. O. E., past council commander of the W. O. T. W., and a member of the A. O. U. W. and is auxiliary Degree of Honor. Politically he is a Democrat.
ELMER WILDER, the postmaster at Sabra, Montana, was born in Wisconsin, Au- gust 1, 1865, the son of Joe and Phoebe
(Finch) Wilder, natives of Wisconsin, where they now reside, having followed farming all their lives. In his native state, our subject was reared and educated and there remained until 1886, when he journeyed west to South Da- kota. He worked for wages in various ca- pacities there until 1890, in which year he came to Rosebud, Montana. Here he was em- ployed at different things for five years, when he took a homestead, where he now resides, and began the cattle industry. He has fol- lowed ranching and stock raising there since and has met with reasonable success.
In 1895. Mr. Wilder married Miss Annie Straw, who was born in Missouri, and came in 1882 with her parents to Montana. Her father, O. H. Straw, was a native of Virginia and married Sarah Larkins, who was born in Iowa. He was a volunteer in the Nineteenth lowa ånd was wounded in the battle of Prai- rie Grove. Mr. and Mrs. Wilder have two children, Ruth and Jesse, both born in Rose- bud county.
Mr. Wilder is affiliated with the I. O. O. F. and is a man of excellent standing. He was appointed postmaster at Sabra in 1903 and has held the office since, having given gencral satisfaction to all of the patrons.
JOHN H. HALL, who now resides in Carbon county, about one and one-half miles south from Belfrey, where he follows ranch- ing and stock raising, is one of the well-known men of the county and is an aggressive, wide- awake citizen, who takes a great interest in the upbuilding of the country, which he has chosen for his permanent home. He hails from the good old state of Missouri, being born in Franklin county July 1, 1861, when the turmoil of war was shaking this fair re- public through and through. His father, John Hall, was born in the same locality as his son and followed farming in Missouri
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until his death there. His father, the grand- father of our subject, came to Missouri from North Carolina in 1816. John Hall married Miss Martha C. Jeffers, a native of Missouri.
John H. Hall was educated in his native state, commencing in the common schools and later finishing this important preparation for life's battles in the State Normal, at Warrens- burg. When fourteen he laid aside the books of school life and went to Indian Territory, where he wrought on "the trail" for several years. In 1880, he went to No Man's Land and followed ranching for three years. After this he returned to Indian Territory and was inspector for a large Indian stock asso- ciation. Also he held the position of deputy United States marshal for four years, as well as other offices of trust. In 1895, Mr. Hall determined to try the farther west, and as he was a man who loved the out-door life thor- oughly, he fitted out a mule team and jour- neyed on toward the setting sun until he ar- rived in the country now occupied by the Big Horn county, Wyoming. Here he halted and was instrumental in assisting to organize the county and put its machinery of conduct in motion. He erected the first hotel in Basin, Wyoming, and conducted it for two years. It was 1897 when he came to his present location and purchased a ranch. This property he later sold and secured the land where he now resides, which is one of the good ranches of the section. Since that time, Mr. Hall has been one of the substantial men of the county and is a hard worker for the advancement of it in every line. At present he is handling the stage line from Bridger, Montana, to Clark, Wyoming. Mr. Hall has held many offices of trust and has always proved himself a man to be relied on and who discharged the responsi- bilities of his position with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituency.
In 1893 occurred the marriage of Mr. Hall and Miss Laura Payne, a native of Missouri. Her father, Wiley Payne, was also a native
of Missouri, and conducted a bank on the line between Kansas and Indian Territory and also handled a large amount of stock, being one of the large stockmen of the section. He was killed by bank robbers. To our subject and his wife two children have been born, Edgar and Joy.
WILLIAM J. KNAPP has followed two distinct lines of industry during his life, hav- ing been forced from one by adhering to his convictions of right, he was possessed of suf- ficient vigor and determination to enter upon another calling and make a success of it, thus in a large measure bringing victory out of de- feat. A brief outline of his life will be inter- esting, especially to those who have at heart the problem of the day, namely, labor and cap- ital.
William J. Knapp was born in Conklin county, New York, January 11, 1867. His parents, Zopher and Orilla ( Chalker ) Knapp, are mentioned in the biography headed Lewis R. Knapp, found in another portion of this volume. William J. is the third of a family of seven children, all living except one sister, who died in childhood. Lewis R. Knapp, above referred to, is a brother. Mr. Knapp is a twin, the other being Mrs. Lillie Mangold, in Fargo, North Dakota. Educated in Moor- head, Minnesota, where his parents moved when a small child, as early as fourteen he en- tered the employ of the St. Paul, M. & M. railroad. During those fourteen years. he learned what pioneer life was, as his parents came into that portion of Minnesota with ox teams and opened the farm from the wilds. Be- ginning as a car repairer, our subject worked up through the shops, caring for sleepers and supply stores until he was installed as fireman on a locomotive for five and one-half years and from long service in that capacity he fired an engine and then was given one to run. He
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fired the engine that hauled the material for the construction of the Devil's Lake and Minot road and worked on west to Troy. He contin- ued steadily in the railroad work until the great strike of 1894, when active participation in that caused his name to be placed on the black list. At that time he was located at Glasgow, Montana, and he immediately started a stock ranch, which occupied him for several years. In April, 1898, he sought out his pres- ent place while looking for a stock ranch and immediately located. It was an excellent stock company, but as settlers came in condi- tions changed and he turned his ranch into an alfalfa field. Coming directly from the cab of a locomotive to the ranch without any experi- ence in agriculture or stock raising was 110 small undertaking. He had everything to con- tend with, a seven mile ditch to build and prac- tically no capital and but one pair of hands to do it all with. However, he succeeded and now has one hundred and ten acres in the alfalfa. which average more than four tons per acre annually. For this, Mr. Knapp finds a ready market and he is becoming one of the substan- tial, well-to-do men of the county.
On December 25, 1888, Mr. Knapp mar- ried Julia E. Lafayette, a native of Iowa, and of the same family as General Lafayette. Her father, John L., died April 5, 1889, aged sixty. Her mother, Mary (Hofines) Lafayette, still lives, quite aged. Mr. Knapp and wife have two children, Orville M .. born December 15. 1891, and Lillian A., who owns August 9. 1901, as her birthday.
Fraternally, Mr. Knapp is affiliated with the A. F. & A. M.
In politics, he is a wide-awake Socialist. In 1904. he ran for state senator on that ticket. Mr. Knapp says the black list on the Great Northern forced him into a study of these matters and he saw very plainly that the only true principle of settling this question properly is embodied in the conservative doctrines of Socialism, as held and propounded by think-
ing and experienced men. The practice that might makes right and adopted by so many is not true and a reasonable principle of arbitra- tion, as set forth by Socialism, is yet the truth and one day will obtain throughout the civil- ized world. Mr. Knapp is a believer in true Socialism, not the nihilism or anarchism, which are simply taking the might makes right principle and using it against them they abuse for using it. Socialism is nothing of the kind. Socialism, as propounded by Mr. Knapp, is a practical application of the beautiful command, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you;" it is the principle of right and jus- tice obtaining between all people, whether workman or employer, and the mild and equit- able method of wise arbitration to settle all differences and all disputes between all classes of persons.
CLAUDIUS D. YOUST. The writer who said, "The west, the west, the bright, free west: that is the place for you and me," cer- tainly expressed the thought of our subject, for even a cursory view of his life's career dem- onstrates the fact that his path way has clung as loyally to the west as does the needle to its pole of attraction. Born in Sumner county, Kansas, when that portion of the state was well "out west" he has been on the frontier ever since and is today one of those who as- sisted in making the great state of Montana what it is at this time, so that he is rightly classed as a pioneer.
Gilford E. Youst, the father of our sub- ject, was born in Marion county, West Vir- ginia, settled on a farm in Kansas in 1874. went thence, in 1879, to New Mexico, locat- ing near Raton, where he was engaged in handling cattle. In 1879, he came to Sheridan .county, Wyoming, there, also, taking up the cattle business. In the spring of 1893, he came to Carbon county and located where our
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subject now resides, near Belfrey. In 1901, he returned to Kansas and settled on a ranch just over the line into Oklahoma, where he resides at the present time. From the schools of Raton, New Mexico, Sheridan county, Wy- oming, and Red Lodge, this county, our sub- ject received his education and was with his father in every trip he made until the last one to Kansas. As soon as he was of age, he took up the place where he now resides as a homestead and since then he has devoted him- self to its culture and improvement. The re- sult is that he has one of the fine ranches in the county and it is very valuable.
In 1905, Mr. Youst married Miss Mary Kelsey, a native of Utah, who came to Mon- tana in 1901 with her parents. Mr. Youst's mother was, in maiden life, Miss Virginia Vic- toria Cuiningham. She was born in West Virginia and is now residing in Red Lodge. His brothers are James A., born in Kansas, having a farm adjoining that of our subject, and George B., born in New Mexico.
ROBERT BROWNLEE. In presenting to the reader of this work this appreciative notice of Mr. Robert Brownlee, we do it feeling that it will not only serve to keep green the memory of one of Sweet Grass county's most progressive citizens, but will in after years give to some young man the necessary courage to face and overcome such obstacles as must lie in the way of all who have the ambition to rise above the mediocre in any walk of life. Born in Berwickshire, Scotland, January 17, 1859, the subject of our sketch can still re- member when the home in the land o' the heather was broken up to move to Ontario, where his parents settled near the then small town of Barrie, on Lake Simcoe. There the parents still reside, spending their declining years in a comfortable abode that the deter- mined Scottish home maker carved out of the
forests of birch and maple. The father, Alex- ander, born in the town which our subject also claims as the place of his nativity, first saw the light of day in 1832. The mother, Mary Ann (Stoddard ) Brownlee, fit helpmeet for the pioneering husband, was born a year later. Since settling on the shores of the beau- tiful Lake Simcoe, they have made it their home and there raised a family of eleven chil- dren, of which Robert was the fifth. Nine of the eleven still live, scattered over all of the earth, from Germany, where a sister is study- ing in a musical conservatory, to Australia, where two brothers reside. A sister, Mrs. James B. Elliott, is a resident of Billings, Mon- tana. Mr. Brownlee tells an amusing story of how he induced his mother while on a visit east in 1904 to go to a theater to see the vet- eran actor and her kinsman, J. H. Stoddard, in "Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush." This was her first visit-at the age of seventy-one-to a theater, having always held to the strict Presbyterian views.
Our subject's early life was spent more in helping make a living for the large family of younger children than in study and his early schooling was barely that prescribed by the school laws. In his early teens he learned the trades of blacksmithing and carriage building, at which he wrought in Ontario until 1886. when, impelled by energy, he came to Billings and there took a working interest in a sheep ranch with J. B. Elliott. This he held for four years and at the end of that time paid a visit to the eastern states and his Canadian home. After a few months spent in this way, he re- turned to Montana and purchased a black- smith shop at Melville, where he set out to lay the foundation of the comfortable fortune which his energy and business acumen has enabled him to provide. In 1895, he took as a partner George Taylor and with him purchased a ranch on what is known as the Big Coulee, where Mr. Taylor looked after the interests of
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the .firm until 1900, when he retired. Mr. Brownlee then sold his business the same year and devoted his time to the ranch until 1903. when he sold out his band of sheep and rented the ranch. That fall he took twenty-five thousand sheep to Schuyler, Nebraska, where he fed and marketed them during the winter. The care of such a band may be best understood when it is stated that they devoured one thou- sand tons of hay and the contents of two ele- vators of corn for their winter's keep. The summer of 1904 was spent in Billings looking after property interests, but in the fall he re- turned to Canada for the winter. The spring found him again in Montana, where business kept him until winter, when he left for a trip to California, visiting Seattle, Portland and Vancouver, B. C., en route. The winter was pleasantly spent among orange groves, but in March he returned, stating that "while orange groves were good to look at, sage brush was the right thing to live amongst." Since re- turning, he has bought one hundred and sixty acres of land eleven miles up the Boulder river from Big Timber, where he plans to make his home. While in California, he paid several visits to the new camp, Searchlight, Nevada. and invested in property known as the Black Bear, adjoining the famous Quartet Mine, and operated by the Searchlight Mining & Devel- opment Company.
How well he has proven the possibilities of Montana for men of industry is evidenced by the fact that besides his home ranch of one hundred and sixty acres, which he recently bought for six thousand dollars, he owns twen- ty-three hundred acres on Big Coulee, besides city real estate and buildings in Big Timber.
Years of toil and study have been fully re- warded, for by keeping in touch with the af- fairs of the country, he found himself in 1900 the choice of the people of his county for their representative in the state legislature and was returned in 1903 and 1906 to that same office. Republican in politics, active and energetic,
courteous and progressive, with a keen sense of right and an equally keen sense of humor, unspoiled by success and broadened rather than made narrow by the confidence reposed in him by the people without any solicitations on his part, Mr. Brownlee is what might be classed as a typical Montana man, and is yet as he has always been to his many friends, plain "Bob" Brownlee.
Fraternally, he is a member of the K. P. lodge No. 25, Big Timber, and Livingston Lodge, No. 246, B. P. O. E.
HENRY ALEXANDER SAMPLE, one of the younger business men of Dawson conn- ty. holds the responsible position of clerk of court and dwells at Glendive. He was born at Greenfield, Indiana. August 22, 1875, being the son of James M. and Charlotte ( Hum- phries ) Sample. The father was born Sep- tember 23. 1842, and enlisted in the Fifty- fourth Indiana Volunteers, serving three years in the Rebellion. He was in the siege of Vicksburg and was with General Grant on his Mississippi campaign. After being honora- bly discharged, he turned his attention to farming, teaching school during the winters. When thirty-two years of age he married and in 1888 moved to Livingston, Montana, in the vicinity of which he is farming at the present time. Politically, he has always held with the Democratic party and during his younger days was a personal friend of James Whitcomb Ri- ley. Mrs. Sample is the daughter of Henry and Cynthia Humphries, of Greenfield, Indi- ana, and previous to her marriage taught school in Indiana and Kentucky. Our sub- ject has one sister. Elsie May Linn, whose hus- band, C. E. Linn, is an employe of the North- ern Pacific railroad at Wrenshall, Minnesota. Henry A., went with his parents to Fairfield, Indiana, when six years of age and attended the common schools there until thirteen and
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then accompanied them to Livingston, where he finished his education. After that he en- tered the employ of the Northern Pacific rail- road in the capacity of call boy and later the desk of billing clerk, but lost his job in the strike of 1894. Following that he was em- ployed in the Merchants' bank at Livingston until 1897, when he occupied a position in the store department with the Northern Pacific. While engaged with the bank, Mr. Sample took a correspondence course in bookkeeping and was given a diploma. In September, 1897, he was transferred to Glendive and given charge of the local division store, which he conducted until 1899, when he was trans- ferred to the office of the division superintend- ent and successfully occupied all chairs ex- cept that of chief clerk. In 1902, Mr. Sample was appointed to the office of public adminis- trator and two years later was elected clerk of the court for Dawson county, where we find him at the present time.
On April 19, 1902, Mr. Sample married Nellie E. Hurst, the daughter of W. S. and L. M. Hurst, of Glendive, Montana, In 1899, she completed the high school course at Gien- dive and received her diploma. One child has been born to our subject and his wife, Lillian Alma. Mr. and Mrs. Sample are both mem- bers of the Episcopal church and he is a Re- publican in politics, always taking a keen in- terest in these matters.
ALLEN B. LAMOTT is one of the lead- ing and well-known stockmen of the Yellow- stone valley, having his home and his head- quarters in the city of Billings. Since the date of his arrival here in 1885. he has been fol- lowing steadily the occupation of raising and handling stock of all kinds and his experience and success in this line of enterprise have placed him among the best stockmen of the eastern portion of the state, while a con-
tinuous residence here for more than twenty years entitles him to representation with the pioneers of the state of Montana.
Allen B. LaMott was born in Tompkins county, New York, January 8, 1847. the son of Lucius and Emily (Mix) LaMott, the former a native of Vermont, and the latter of New England, also. The father followed farming all his life and died in 1901. The mother was the daughter of Ethan Mix, a New England farmer, and she is now living in New York state, aged eighty-one years. The other children of the family are Lucius, living on the old homestead; Emily Robinson, and Nettie E. Hart, living in New York state, and Pearl Carr, in Massachusetts.
Mr. LaMott was reared and educated in his native place and there remained associated with his father until 1883. when he decided to try the west, coming first to Dakota, where two years were spent. Then he came direct to Billings and was here only a few weeks before he had a herd of stock of his own and com- menced the business that has occupied him steadily since that time. Success has attended Mr. LaMott, owing to the industry and wis- dom that have characterized his ways here and his care of details, that great necessity that always accompanies successful enterprises, is as well displayed as is his ability to manage affairs and execute successfully well-laid plans.
Twice has Mr. LaMott been married, the first time in New York state and Miss Loretta Fulkerson being his chosen companion. Later he led to the altar Elizabeth F. Dudley, a rela- tive of his former wife, and this last wedding occurred on June 1, 1904.
Politically, Mr. LaMott is a well-informed Democrat and his votes while not cast from a partisan spirit, since he is independent in thought, have, nevertheless, been put forth for the advancement of the principles of genuine Jeffersonian Democracy and his belief is that such is the proper method of governmental administration in national affairs, at least.
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CHARLES CARLSON. A striking il- lustration of what can be accomplished in the resourceful state of Montana, is vividly set forth in the case of Mr. Carlson, whose biog- raphy it is our privilege to outline at the pres- ent time. To the traveler who had wandered to the upper Clarke's Fork in the early nine- ties there, perhaps, would not have been much to invite him to stay, nor could he see anything enticing in the wilderness that stretched in every direction ; but not so with Mr. Carlson. who carefully studied the country. So well was he pleased with it that in 1894 he took a quarter section as his homestead, which lies just three-fourths of a mile from the present post office of Belfrey. Should the same trav- eler chance to come through the country now. he would never realize that the magnificent ranch under the charge of Mr. Carlson is the same place he passed by a decade ago, refus- ing to stop to even test its merits. But such is the case. No better farm is in the country than Mr. Carlson's. It is kept, too, in the pink of condition for the best returns, and this is the work of the gentleman, who came with his bare hands and set to work to build a home on Montana's wilds. How well he has accom- plished this, let any one judge who sees the fine outbuildings, the good barns, the comely residence, and the broad acres well tilled and productive of wealth. So much for what Montana has to offer to the intelligent and the thrifty, with all due credit, too, to the man whose hand has wrought and whose brain has planned the successful outcome of it all.
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