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 95
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 95
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 95
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 95
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 95
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 95
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 95
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In addition to all the above, Mr. Miles has served as vice-president of the Livingston Na- tional Bank, director of the Park National Bank, president of the Montana Implement Dealers' Association, president of Livingston board of trade, eleven years on county school board, and in various other capacities, while he has carried on an extensive stock ranch on Shields river. He owns in addition to what has been mentioned much valuable real estate in Montana and other states of the Union while his interests in many lines have increased man- ifold.
In fraternal relations, Mr. Miles is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, and the Elks, Woodmen of the World and is a shriner.
Reverting to the early life of our subject we note his birth occurred in Westminster, Massachusetts, June 20, 1859, his parents being
Daniel C. and Mary Jane (Puffer) Miles, the former a brother of General Nelson A. Miles, so long commander-in-chief of the army of the United States. His paternal grandparents were Daniel and Mary (Curtis) Miles, natives of Massachusetts, as were also the maternal grandparents, James and Lucy Puffer, descen- dants of colonial stock. After a good training in the public schools young Miles was matricu- lated in the Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, his native state, and graduated in the class of 1878. Then commenced his public career. On December 19, 1885, Senator Miles was united in the holy bonds of matrimony with Miss Idella M. Draper, a native of Holliston, Massa- chusetts, and the daughter of W. H. and Sarah L. (Perry) Draper, descendants of colonial ancestors. To Mr. and Mrs. Miles the fol- lowing named children have been born; Louise Gertrude, Daniel Nelson, Adena Josephine, and Perry, the last named being deceased.
HERMAN KUJATH. Three miles and one half north from Bridger is the farm of Mr. Kujath and it consists of about one hundred and fifty acres, is well watered from the irri- gating ditch and produces abundant crops of hay, that being the principal crop cultivated. Mr. Kujath is a native son of Germany, the date of his birth being April 7. 1876. His father, Carl Kujath, was born in Germany in 1837 and followed farming and night watch- ing. His death occurred in his native land in 1886. He had married Miss Elizabeth Mainty, also a native of Germany. She came to Amer- ica about twenty years ago and died as the re- sult of an injury received in falling from a load of hay. Our subject received the foundation of his education in the schools of Germany and when ten years of age came to the United States and began farming, having settled in Minnesota. When twenty-one years old he came on west to Washington and did ranching,
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logging and railroad work. After that he re- turned to Minnesota for a visit and finally made his way to Montana. In this state he engaged in sheep herding and later went into the sheep industry for himself, having served an appren- tice of two years in herding. For two years he continued in this enterprise and then came to Clarke's Fork and purchased the ranch where he now resides. Since that time he has given his attention to the cultivation and im- provement of his farm and he has a good place.
In 1903 occurred the marriage of Mr. Ku- jath and Lola Steele, the wedding being at Hel- ena. Mrs. Kujath is a native of Wisconsin and her parents, Henry and Emma (King) Steele, now reside in that state. The father was born in New York state and the mother in Germany. To Mr. and Mrs. Kujath two children have been born, Margaret and Elizabeth.
CHARLES A. BURG is at the present time the affable, efficient, and highly esteemed postmaster of the town of Livingston and has so discharged his duties in this capacity since the time of his appointment, July 8. 1897, that he has won the respect and admiration, not only of the patrons of this important government office, but of his superiors in the department, as well, being now in his tenth year in these labors. Few men in the county of Park are better known than Mr. Burg and in as wide a circle as his acquaintance occupies so widely is he esteemed by friends, too, being a man, gen- ial, sympathetic and kindly disposed to his fel- lows, which qualities together with a sterling integrity are bound to win friendships. Mr. Burg is a typical son of the Fatherland, his birth in Germany occurring in 1849. His edu- cation was well looked after by thoughtful par- ents and after completing the public school course, he finished by a course in the military academy at Frankfort-on-the-Main and then. it being about 1865, he migrated to the United
States, St. Anthony, Minnesota, being his ob- jective point. For the succeeding two years he was in the quarter-master service in St. Paul, after which he embarked in lumbering on the upper Mississippi. This vigorous cal- ling was keenly enjoyed by him and he fol- lowed it closely until the spring of 1876. Then he began a study of the west with the result that in the following August he pitched his tent towards the setting sun and soon had jour- neyed to Montana. Those were days of hostile Indians, unoccupied ranges and weary freight- ing, for Montana in the centennial year was far from Montana of this day. The awfulness with which the massacre of Custer had swept the nation had brought Montana into promin- ence, but a prominence that was unsavory, save to a few brave and undaunted spirits, who courted the scenes of rugged activity and the dangers of the plains. For two years after this Mr. Burg was contracting for the government on the Tongue river and in the spring of 1878 sought other lines of activity. He is practically a father of Livingston, as he was here when it was called Clark City, a mere trading post. He was soon installed manager for the mercan- tile house of Orschel Brothers, continuing in this capacity until the fall of 1887, when he engaged in business for himself. Three years he continued thus and was then appointed by President Harrison as register of the land office at Lewiston, this state. Four years he .occupied this position and then returned to Livingston to take up business life, which con- tinued until the time of his appointment to the postoffice, as mentioned above. Since that time his services have been greatly appreciated by a grateful public and he is known to be a con- scientious and faithful officer of the depart- ment.
The marriage of Mr. Burg and Miss Cyn- thia F. Weymouth, the daughter of Judge Weymouth of Marshall, Minnesota, was con- summated on the twenty-first day of June, 1880. On April 4, 1901, Mrs. Burg died from pneu-
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monia leaving her bereaved husband and four children.
Charles A. Burg married his present wife, November 4, 1903. She is a daughter of S. M. Fitzgerald of Gardiner, Montana.
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SIVERT HELGELAND, born in Nor- way, December 6, 1877, now resides ten miles south of Absarokee, Carbon county, on Spring Creek, where he has a fine and productive ranch and is comfortably situated. His father, Sjur, is a farmer in Norway, which is the country of his nativity, and where he is still living; his mother, Wolborg, is also a native of the same country.
It was in 1900 that our subject first came to the beautiful Yellowstone Valley, and here he located in Carbon county, and has since had no reason to regret his choice of a home. At present he rents other lands aside from his homestead, and is one of the successful farmers of the valley.
FRANK S. WHITNEY, deceased The subject of this memoir was, in life, one of the earliest of Montana pioneers and a man of prominence, both in the territory and state. He was born in Lorain county, Ohio. January 17, 1845, the son of Henry C. and Elvira Whitney. The father was a native of Mas- sachusetts ; the mother of the Empire State. There were three brothers of the name of Whitney who came from England to America at an early day. John Whitney was the pater- nal ancestor of our subject: Eli Whitney, in- ventor of the cotton gin, was also a member of the same family . The mother of our sub- ject was of French descent, although the family has been in America for many years.
At the age of nine years our subject was taken to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, by his parents,
where he attended school until he was eight- een years of age. He then enlisted in A Com- pany. Forty-fifth Iowa Infantry, serving five months. He made the trip across the plains in 1865 with ox teams, going to Virginia City (Alder Gulch), Montana, in 1866 and in the fall of 1868 he went to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he achieved considerable prominence throughout the territory. He was extensively engaged in freighting and employed a great many teams running to Deadwood, in the Black Hills, Dakota. While in Wyoming he was elected to the legislature in 1873, which was the third session since the admission of the state. Finally he established a line of freight teams from Fort Pierre to Deadwood, South Dakota, which at that period was not South Dakota at all, the state not having yet been divided. In 1878 he resided at Fort Pierre. At this time he owned one of the heav- iest freight teams on the route. It was in 1882 that Mr. Whitney came to Coulson, there be- ing at time no Billings in existence. Finally he settled at Junction, Montana, and here he established a commission and forwarding house, remaining there twelve years. In 1895 he removed to Billings, where he was called from earth March 18, 1896. He was a mem- ber of the last Territorial Legislature of Mon- tana, was always a staunch Republican, and a prominent leader throughout the territory and state.
May 29, 1870, Mr. Whitney was married to Orilla Karns, a native of Des Moines, Iowa. When a little girl she removed with her par- ents to Winterset, Iowa, going thence in 1863 with her parents to Denver. Here she com- pleted an excellent education, returning to Galesburg, Illinois, where she passed one year in school. She went to Cheyenne, Wyoming. in 1868, with her mother, her father having died in Denver, January 7, 1864. and she was there married. She is the daughter of Lewis D. and Martha K. (Gaff) Karns, the former born in Zanesville, Ohio; the latter at Xenia,
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same state. Lewis D. Karns was one of the pioneers of Iowa, going there in 1849. Two children born of this union survive their fa- ther, Ira Lewis, deputy county clerk, and Or- illa Karns. Charles A. died August 12, 1905, aged 28, and Elvira M. died in infancy.
JOHN T. LOGAN is one of the indus- trious agriculturists of Rosebud county and dwells four miles north from Birney. He has a good ranch which he secured through the homestead right and in addition to doing gen- eral farming, he is raising horses and cattle.
In Hancock county, Illinois, on January 20, 1865, occurred the birth of Mr. Logan and there he remained until the family removed to Kansas in 1869. In this latter state he re- ceived his education from the public schools and remained with his parents working on the farm until 1886, when he made his way to the west, finally locating in Custer county where he secured employment and continued thus working for wages until he had saved sufficient funds to warrant his starting in busi- ness for himself. Then he sought out the place where he now resides and took it as a homestead and settled down to general farm- ing and stock raising. Each year has seen him a little farther ahead than the one past and he is now doing well in handling his stock and in ranching.
Mr. Logan's father, James D. Logan, is a member of the old Kentucky family of Lo- gans, but was born in Indiana. Later he re- moved to Illinois and, as stated above, in 1869, he went on west to Kansas and engaged in farming. He was a participant in the Civil War, being captain of an Illinois company where he served with distinction until the struggle ceased. He married Delila Sawyer. a native of Ohio, who is now dwelling in Kan- sas.
In 1902, our subject married Marie Foster,
a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and to them has been born one child, Agnes N.
GUNDER IVERSON HOINES, one of the energetic and progressive ranchmen of one of the finest agricultural valleys in the state of Montana, now residing twelve miles south of Absarokee, on Volney creek, was born in Norway, June 22, 1861. His father, Iver Iver- son Hoines, a native of the same place, when a young man followed the sea for a living. He married and purchased a farm, on which he remained until his death. The mother, Helga (Swenson), was born in Norway, where she was reared, educated and married.
In the public schools of Norway he was educated, and at the age of fourteen he went to sea, which he followed about ten years. He then went to Traill county, North Dakota, where he found employment for wages. He came to Meagher county, Montana, in 1888, and after working for others he sagaciously purchased some land of his own. In 1893 he came to Volney Creek, where he has since re- mained. Most of the time he has been engaged in the sheep business.
March 8, 1899, he was married to Sophia M. Ekle, a native of Norway, who came to Montana about fifteen years ago. Her parents, both natives of Norway, were Jacob and Olena J. (Nelson) Ekle. She has five children, En- golf Hagbart, Hjalmer Olinius, Gonval I., Sigur and Sidney Robert.
JAMES KING, who resides about six miles south from Ashland, in Rosebud county, is engaged in raising and handling stock and is one of the few men who have spent the ma- jor portion of their lives in visiting many por- tions of the west in constant activity and thrill- ing experiences, to detail which would re-
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quire a volume. It is our privilege to append an epitome of his career and it is with pleasure we assay the task. In far away Dover, New Jersey, on May 25, 1848, Mr. King first saw the light, being the son of Patrick and Bridget (Munny ) King, natives of Ireland. They came to New Jersey in their younger days and there remained until the death of the father in 1904. Our subject was educated in his native state and there remained until fourteen, when he went to Pennsylvania and there learned the art of shoeing horses, becoming expert in the work. He also mastered general blacksmithing and in 1867 came via the isthmus to California, landing in San Francisco. Two years were spent in working at his trade and in 1869, we find him at White Pine, Nevada, where a min- ing excitement was calling people. The next year he left that camp and visited various other places in Nevada, finally settling at Halleck, where he engaged as blacksmith for the S. H. ranch. In 1877, he left this occupation and joined General Howard's military force that was sent after the Indians, the Nez Perces. He participated in all that thrilling cam- paign and was at the Big Hole fight, continu- ing all through the campaign. He was horse- shoer and blacksmith. After the Nez Perces were quelled, the army was stationed at Fort Ellis, but soon was ordered to Utah. Thence Mr. King went to San Francisco and worked until the spring of 1878 when he came back and was all through the Bannack and Piute war, doing horseshoeing. After that he went to Arizona and later to Wingate, New Mex- ico, whence he journeyed to San Diego, Cali- fornia, and finally returned to Halleck, Nevada. All this time he was a blacksmith in the United States army. Many and varied were the ex- periences Mr. King passed through in all these years of service all over the west and against savages, amid dangers and enduring much de- privation and hardship. In 1884, he deter- mined to try Montana again and accordingly came hither, engaging with the S. H. Ranch
in Custer county. For several years he was with this company and during that time he purchased stock for himself and finally took a portion of the old S. H. ranch as a home- stead and settled down to raising stock for himself. Since then he has been engaged in raising cattle and horses and has prospered in his business.
In 1905, Mr. King married Lily B. Wiltse.
L. S. BADGETT. Montana is still a new state in many things, and especially so when one observes her vast undeveloped re- sources that are evident on almost every hand, but how much more was it new a score or so of years since when the mammoth wealth that is now being made within her borders was but little dreamed of. Mining has played a very important part in her growth, but stock rais- ing is, owing to its more steady progress, on account of which it is not so patent to every one, one of the greatest sources of revenue to the state and it is in this line that so many are engaged today who came with little to start with and were willing to brave the hardships and discouragements that faced them on every hand. Bearing up under these and forging ahead because of sheer energy and determina- tion, these same men have wrought out a mag- nificent result in the total and have made the state one of the best stock markets in the en- tire west. Among these steady workers, we are constrained to mention the gentleman whose name appears above and who has so carefully conducted his affairs that he has won the suc- cess we all hope for, and which, in his case is substantial and abiding because well laid on a proper foundation and built with wis- dom.
L. S. Badgett is a native of Kentucky and 1866 is the year of his birth. His father, Hardin Badgett, was a Kentuckian too, and when a young man went to Illinois where he
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followed farming until his death. He married Miss Elizabeth Tatum, who died in Illinois also. From the public schools of Kentucky and Illinois, Mr. Badgett received a good work- ing education and then, being eighteen years of age, came on west to Wyoming, deter- mined to find the fortune that waited for his efforts. At once he took up the ardnous life of the cowboy and followed it steadily, riding on all portions of the range. He came in due time into the territory of Montana, landing here first in 1889. Here, too, he continued in the cattle business for various companies and rode in all directions. Mr. Badgett knows the country from actual experience in riding in every portion of the southeastern Montana, and finally, in 1898, he decided to go into busi- ness for himself. He secured the ranch where he is now living, near Ashland, a fine property, and began improving the same, and com- menced to raise cattle and horses. He has done considerable ranching with his stock business and is one of the prosperous men of the county and has shown commendable wisdom in his work which could but bring success which has so abundantly crowned his efforts. He is a man who forsees and plans accordingly and is blessed with the ability to see that every de- tail of his plans are carried out and every por- tion of his business is handled with that scru- tinizing care that wins the way to success in every line.
In 1896, Mr. Badgett married Miss Carry Lower, a native of Missouri and an immigrant to Montana with her parents when a small girl. Her father was occupied in ranching and raising stock. To Mr. and Mrs. Badgett five children have been born, Ina Elizabeth, George WV., Ralph Thomas, Wallace E., and L. S., Jr. Mr. Badgett has a fine place, is a man of intelligence and always manifests an inter- est in the affairs of the community and state that bespeaks the progressive citizen and loyal American.
On the sixth day of March, 1906, Mr.
and Mrs. Badgett received a terrible shock as their beloved son, Ralph Thomas was drowned that day in Otter creek. He was a little past five and it was a hard blow to learn the fact of his death.
FRED GEISDORFF, a Montanian by birth, the place of his nativity being Park county, and the date October 13, 1871, at pres- ent resides on a fine ranch one mile west of Lindley, Carbon county. His father, Francis, a native of Germany, came to Yellowstone valley as early as 1866. At that period the Crow Agency was on Mission creek, near Liv- ingston, Montana, and he was the physician at the post for many years. Later he removed on to the ranch sixteen miles above Livingston on the Yellowstone river, residing there fif- teen years. Thence he went to Bozeman, where he remained until his death. For a long period he was the only physician in the country, be- ing quite often called forty or fifty miles to attend those who were ill.
With his father our subject removed to Bozeman while the latter was a child, and here he secured a good business education in the public schools of that county. In 1892 he came to Carbon county, and located the home- stead where he now resides.
In 1894 he was married to Mary Bebee, daughter of Horace R. Bebee, born in Catta- raugus county, New York. Her mother, Or- phenia (Wilson) Bebee, was born in Lincoln county, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Geisdorff have six children : Florence, Francis, Frederick, Mattie, Hazel and Annie ..
GEORGE J. ALLEN has dwelt on his pleasant farm about eight miles south from Livingston for more than a quarter of a cen- tury. He has shown in this long residence
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that he is a man of stability, energy and wis- dom and the substantial exidences in lands and other property manifest him a first-class financier. His place consists of more than thirty-five hundred acres, situated in a beauti- ful valley and improved in excellent shape. He handles some stock but pays much attention to the production of the fruits of the field.
George J. Allen was born in Henry county, Missouri, January 19, 1844. His father, George Allen, was born near Asheville, North Carolina, and removed to Boone county, Mis- souri, in 1834, and the next year he came on to Henry county, being one of the first set- tlers there. He located a farm and gave his undivided attention to its cultivation and im- provement until his death. His father, James Allen, the grandfather of our subject, was also born in North Carolina and came west to Mis- souri the same time as his son and there re- mained until his death. George Allen married Miss Esther Mitchell, a native of Washing- ton county, Tennessee. She was married in the east and came west to Missouri with her husband. Her maternal grandfather, Samuel Doak, D. D., was a noted educator and founded Washington College in eastern Ten- nessee, being its first president. Referring more particularly to the immediate subject of this article, we note that George J. Allen was educated in the common schools of Missouri and in 1863 came west with mule teams to Colorado. The next year he made his way to the famous Alder Gulch and there mined for a time. In 1865 we find him at Last Chance, where Helena now is, and then in Dry Gulch where he secured a claim and mined for himself. In the fall of 1865, Mr. Allen, in company with others, hauled lumber from Helena to Fort Benton, constructed boats and made their way down the river to St. Joseph, consuming twenty-eight days in the trip. He returned to the old homestead of his father's and there settled down until 1880, when he came west to Montana again and purchased
and homesteaded where we find him at the present time. While in the east after his min- ing venture, Mr. Allen married Miss E. J. Fisher, who was born in Howard county, Mis- souri, and came west with her husband in 1880. Her father Jacob Fisher, was born in Augusta county, Virginia, and came to Missouri in 1838. He married, Jane Allen, a native of North Carolina. To Mr. and Mrs. Allen, eight chil- dren have been born, two of whom are living, Elbert F., an attorney in Livingston, and Car- rie E., a student. Mr. Allen is a member of the Congregational church, while his wife affil- iates with the Baptist denomination.
HENRY J. GREENWAY, who is today one of the well known and well-to-do sheep men of the great state of Montana, having won this position by virtue of his own merit and energy, is a man who has faced the world alone since the days of early childhood, and who has learned by dear experience what it is to make one's way alone in the world and to meet single handed the obstacles and re- buffs that are so numerous in the self-made man's path, and which overcome, as he has overcome them, so contribute to the general strength of the overcomer and establish, broad and deep, the very foundation of the success so dear to all, and so usually won by the man who travels this path. Descended from good old English stock, he was born in Birming- ham, England, on November 23, 1862. His father, Henry Greenway, a talented physician, came early from Birmingham, England, to Brooklyn, New York, and there followed the profession he had chosen. Later he went to St. Louis, Missouri, and there continued the practice of his profession until his death, in 1904. He had married Miss Elizabeth Horner, also a native of England and now living in St. Louis. Our subject received some train- ing from the common schools of Brooklyn
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and then, being eleven years of age, started cut west to try his fortune in the wild state of Kansas. After attending school a few months, he started to Indian Territory and was engaged in transferring cattle from the south to Montana, and until eight years since he continued at that business. He was in- timately acquainted with all the phases of the stock business both in the south and in these more northern climes, and was an expert in handling stock. He was used to the rigorous life of the cowboy, both on the round up and on the drive, and almost the entire portion of what is called the range country of the United States, has been tra- versed by him in various capacities. Having been a man who was careful of his money the time came when Mr. Greenway was justified in ceasing in the employ of others and start- ing in business for himself. His ample and ex- tended experience had abundantly fitted him for this important move and the capital he had secured was sufficient to enable him to start sheep raising in good shape. He has met with the success that always crowns wisdom and care in this business and he has many bands in different portions of the state. He has a ranch about six miles southeast from Miles City and another on the Powder river, and his stock is centered around these branch places. The increase and growth of his business has placed him among the prosperous men of the county and he has constantly many hands in his employ.
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