An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 10

Author: Miller, Joaquin, 1837-1913. cn
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1216

USA > Montana > An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 10

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Fremont, born, and bred a Carolina gentleman, a natural geometrician, astronomer, a born stu- dent of great theories from the cradle to the grave, he had grown up in battle harness and

COL. WILLIAM H. EWING, a veteran of both the Semi- nole and Mexican wars, and one of Montana's highly re- spected pioneers, was born in Millersburgh, Bourbon county, Kentucky, July 11, 1818. His ancestors were early settlers of Virginia and Maryland, and his fore- fathers, on both his paternal aud maternal side, were par- ticipants in the Revolutionary war. Colonel Ewing's father, William M. Ewing, was born in Hamilton, Ohio, in 1796; was married in 1817 to Miss Mary Reed, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1799. After their marriage they resided in Kentucky for a time, two of their children being born there, and from Kentucky removed to Ohio, where two more children were added to their family. William M. Ewing died in Ohio in 1824. His widow survived him until 1852, when she passed away in the fifty-third year of her age.

Young Ewing was just merging into manhood when trouble arose with the Seminole Indians in Florida. He enlisted for service in the war and went to the seat of action. Ile served under Colonel Zachary Taylor and Colonel Dick Gentry. On Christmas day, 1837, they fought the battle of Okechobee and whipped the Semi- noles, the loss to the United States being sixty men. The Colonel and seven men were killed in Mr. Ewing's company.

Mr. Ewing remained in Florida until October, when he returned North. A few years later, when the trouble with Mexico arose, he again enlisted his s-rvices. But previous to this he was employed as clerk in his uncle's

spent his life in the saddle and by the camp fire, remote from books, in the home of the savage. Yet with all his hardships, rude housings with rough men, I remember that his voice was ever soft and low and kindly, his manners courtly and graceful as a cavalier's of old, even to the most humble and in things most common place. To his last days he was a courtly figure, straight as an Indian, and elastic as a boy in his body as in his mind. But feeble all mention of mine to show his nature compared to this from his own soul, said of his wife, in his old age. No man can say such lovely things of woman withont himself having a most gentle and lovable heart.

"I went with the eldest of the sisters to a school concert in Georgetown, where I saw her. She was then just in the bloom of her girlish beanty, and perfect health effervesced in bright talk, which the pleasure of seeing her sister drew out.

store in London, Missouri. It was in Colonel Willick's Battalion, Company I, that Mr. Ewing entered the ranks for the Mexican war, and soon afterward he received the appointment of Colonel's Bugler, in which capacity he served until after the American victory at the city of Mexico. He had been mustered in at Fort Leavenworth, - Kansas, and served for some time in New Mexico, where his term of enlistment expired and where he re-enlisted in Company C, Santa Fe Battalion. They continued in New Mexico until October of 1848, and then marched to Independence. Missouri, where he was mustered out in November, same year. He participated in the battle at Touse and also the battle of Santa Cruz. He was with the forces that wintered on the Rio Grande, and it was there that they received news that the city of Mexico was taken and hostilities ended. Before this news reached them, however, they had gone on forced marches to Santa Cruz and had captured that city. The war over, Colonel Ewing returned to Independence, Missouri, and was honorably discharged.

Soon after the Mexican war the subject of our sketch started from Missouri across the plains to California, and landed at Los Angeles on Christmas, 1848. He went to the mines at Rough and Ready, below Nevada City, and in a short time made about $12,000. From there he went on the Gold Lake stampede and lost the most of his money. He continued to mine and trade until 1854, when he returned to Santa Fe. The following year he went on to Missouri and from there to Kansas, and opposite the

IIISTORY OF MONTANA.

"Naturally I was attracted. She made the effect that a rose of rare color or beautiful pic- ture would have done. Months passed before, in the vacation time, I saw her again, at her father's house, which already I had come to fre- quent. She was happy in the return to her home, and my first impressions of her were made in the unreserve of family life, where the real nature most readily expresses itself. Her beauty had come far enough down from English ances- try to be now in her that American kind which is made up largely of mind expressed in the face; but still it showed its Saxon descent. At that time of awakening mind the qualities that made hers could only be seen in flitting shadows across the face, or in the expressions of incipent thought and unused and untried feeling. So in writing here I give what after-knowledge made known to me. Nor would it be possible to dis- entangle the interwoven threads of memory and

city of Leavenworth he located a tract of land, on his Florida war warrant, took up his abode upon the same, and continued to reside there several years and afterward sold for $6,000. In 1856 he was married to Mrs. Rebecca B. Hill, a widow with two children. Her maiden name was Taylor. Of her children we record that Mary B., formerly the wife of David M. Goodwin, now Mrs. Edward Crawford, resides near her stepfather; Sallie L., now deceased, was the wife of J. W. Hopkins; and the adopted son, Philip, lives in the Flathead country in Montana.

It was in 1864 that Colonel Ewing crossed the plains the second time, this time coming in an ox train, his out- fit consisting of four wagons and a carriage, and bringing his wife and son. The other children were left to attend school. The date of their arrival at Virginia City was September 7, 1864. The Colonel brought with him a lot of goods, a part of which he sold at a good profit at Vir- ginia City, and the following spring brought the rest of his goods to Helena, where he disposed of them. He then engaged in the livery business in Helena, and from the fall of 1865 until 1871 did a successful business. In 1871 he sold his horses and carriages and rented his building, and the following year the building was burned, his loss being several thousand dollars. In 1868 he purchased a squatter's right to 320 acres of land in the Prickly Pear valley, four miles north of Helena, this tract costing him $1,500. Later he purchased 160 acres more, for which he paid $400, and this latter piece of land he gave to his son

confine impressions to the time when they were made. These are features which convey to us a soul so white that they impress with instant pleasure, and of this kind were hers. As, too, in the daily contact there are others from which to receive pleasant words or kindly acts gives the sort of agreeable surprise we feel when sud- denly we come upon patches of bright, parti-col- ored phlox growing on naked rocks. The phlox loves the naked sand or rock, but the difference is in the warmth it finds there. In the human rock thereis no heart to replace the sun."- Memoirs of my Life, by John Chas. Fremont: pp. 68-69.

" It reads almost like dramatic romance to say that Captain Robert E. Lee was instrumental in providing the poorly equipped expedition of John C. Fremont with its only piece of artillery, the only piece of artillery that was ever placed in the field to be used in the defense of Montana

when he became of age. In the spring of 18:0 he rented his farm, and, accompanied by his wife, made a trip to California, remaining in the Golden State from July until December. Then they went East and spent the rest of the winter, and in the spring came back to Montana. Although he had bought his farm in 1868, it was not until the spring of 1872 that he moved to it. Here he has since resided, and his career as a farmer has been a suc- cessful one, his principal products being hay and grain, which always finds a ready market in Helena. In 1890 he sold 160 acres of his farm for $75 per acre, and the rest of his land he now rents, the income from it together with the interest on his money affording him a comfortable support. He also receives a small pension for the service he rendered during the Mexican war.

Mrs. Ewing died December 29, 1888. She was a most estimable woman, and during their early pioneer life as well as later years of prosperity she proved herself a belpmate in the truest sense of that word. December 8, 1890, the Colonel married Mrs. Mary E. Bates, his present companion, whose daughter is named Ester.

Colonel Ewing has never joined a church or society of any kind. He has been a life-long Democrat. A veteran of two wars, a pioneer of several States, aud a man who has traveled extensively, he has many pleasing remin- iscences which he relates in a manner that is instructive as well as entertaining. Few of the pioneers of Montana have a larger circle of friends than Colonel Ewing.

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

and her immediate sisters, against a foreign foe. But this is veritable history. Here is what the anthor of the first emancipation proclamation says of his first meeting with Lee, long after the great Captain had passed away:

"' At St. Louis I met for the first time Gen. Robert. E. Lee, then a captain in the United States Engineer Corps, charged with improve- ments of the Mississippi river. He was already an interesting man. His agreeable, friendly manner to me as a younger officer when I was introduced to him first made a more enduring impression than usually goes with easual intro- ductions.'"-From " Memoirs of' my Life," by .John Chas. Fremont: p. 31.

And yet the most dramatic feature in the story of that first field piece on the plains re- mains to be told. Let it be told, and at length, as it deserves to be, in the words of that brave and brilliant woman, the explorer's wife:

CHARLES Q. JOHNSON, County Clerk and Recorder of Silver Bow county, residing at Butte City, is a native of Utah, boru in Manti, April 7. 1865. The ancestry of his family are remotely German, removing at one period to Sweden and finally to America. His father emigrated from Sweden to this country when a young man, but married: in Sweden he had married Johana Johnson, and on coming to this country he brought her and their two children,-a son and daughter,-first settling in the State of Missouri: later they removed to Colorado, but finally settled in Utah. Mr. Johnson was a carpenter and cabinetmaker, and at length became also a dealer in fur- niture: he died at Salt Lake in 1887. Of their twelve children five are living.

('harles Q., the eighth in the above family, received his education at the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute, and began to take care of himself at the age of sixteen years, his first position being that of office boy in Wells & Fargo's bank for two years, in the meantime, however, attending night school, and acquiring a knowledge of bookkeeping, penmanship and a business education generally. In 1883 he came to Butte, and in July accepted a clerkship for C. B. Trowbridge & Company, wholesale liquor dealers. After filling this position for three years, he became as- sistant bookkeeper and collector for J. Caplice & Com- pany, and continued with them a year. In 1857 he went to Anaconda, where he was for a year in the employ of W. B. Dodridge & Company, general merchants, being their bookkeeper and purchasing agent. Next he entered

"Coming home from school on an Easter holi- day, I found Mr. Fremont part of my father's ' Oregon work.' It was in the spring of '41; in October we were married, and in '42 the first expedition was sent ont under Mr. Fremont. Mr. Nicollet died during the summer, regretting he could have no part in this great and useful development of the country which had been part of France.

"This first encouragement to the emigration westward fitted into so large a need that it met instant favor, and a second was ordered to con- nect with it further surveys to the sea-coast of Oregon. At last my father could feel his idea ' moved.' Of his intense interest and pride and joy in these expeditions I knew best, and when it came in my way to be of use to them. Mr. Fremont was at the frontier getting his camp and animals into complete traveling con- dition when (as with Ledyard) there came an

the employ of the Montana Union Railroad Company, first as freight clerk, then baggagemaster and finally ticket agent. The road is now the Union Pacific and the Northern Pacifc. At the end of five years, November 8, 1892, he was elected Clerk and Recorder of Silver Bow county. He had always been an active and enthusiastic Republican, and had always taken an active and efficient part in the politics of this county. That year there were three tickets in the field, the Populist element then being an unknown quantity ; but he received a plurality of 351 votes, which was largely ahead of his ticket.

June 19, 1885, Mr. Johnson married Miss Maggie Noble, a native of California; they have a son. named Floyd Frederick. After his father's death in 1887 at Salt Lake City, Mr. Johnson brought his mother and younger brother to Butte, and she resided here until her death, April 10, 1893, in the sixty-fifth year of her age. In re- ligious faith both she and her husband were Lutherans. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he is now receiving the degrees of the Scottish rite. He is also a member of the P. O. S of A. and of the National Union. He has a pleasant home in the Ophir addition on South Main street. He is a capable and obliging officer, hls railroad service training him to be accurate and systematic. Thus he has made some very desirable changes in the methods of keeping the county records. Mir. Johnson is a genial, kind-hearted man, and as such has made hosts of friends in Silver Bow county.

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

order recalling him to Washington; where he was to explain why he had armed his party with a howitzer; that the howitzer had been charged to him; that it was a scientific and not a mili- tary expedition, and should not have been so armed; and that he must return at once to Washington and 'explain.'

" Fortunately I was alone in Saint Louis, my father being out of town. It was before tele- graphs; and nearly a week was required to get letters either to the frontier or to Washington. I was but eighteen, an age at which consequences do not weigh against the present. The important thing was to save the expedition, and gain time for a good start which should put it beyond interference. I hurried off a messenger-the mails were slow-to Mr. Fremont, writing that he must start at once and never mind the grass and animals: they could rest and fatten at Bent's Fort; ouly, go, and leave the rest to my father; and that he could not have the reason for haste, but there was reason enough.

HON. JOSEPH P. WOOLMAN, one of the pioneers of Montana, and one of Helena's most respected citizens, is a native of Woodstown, Salem county, New Jersey, born February 5, 1841. His ancestors came from England to America in 16.8, William Woolman, the great-grandfath- er of John Woolman, the noted Quaker preacher of New Jersey, being the progenitor of the Woolmaus in Amer- ica. Joseph P. Woolman's father, named James Wool. man, was born in New Jersey in 1804, married Miss Aun Pedrick, a native of the same State, and reared a family of nine children, of whom seven are still living. He and his good wife attained the ages of seventy-six and seventy- five respectively. Both were members of the Society of Friends, and by occupation he was a farmer and leather manufacturer.

Joseph P. was the fourth born in his father's family, and was reared in his native town, working on his father's farm until nineteen years of age. His education was fin- ished at the Pennsylvania State Normal School at Mill- ersville. After he had completed his education, he spent one year in New Jersey teaching school, and at the end of that time went to Philadelphia, where he accepted a pos tion as salesman in a wholesale and retail dry-goods establishment. In 1864 we find him en route across the plains with a mule outfit, for the gold fields of Idaho, but

"To the Colonel of the Topographical Bureau who had given the order of recall I answered more at leisure. I wrote him exactly what I had done and to him gave the reason; that I had not sent forward the order nor let Mr. Fre- mont know of it, because it was given on insnf- ficient knowledge, and to obey it would ruin the expedition; that it would require a fortnight to settle the party, leave it, and get to Washing- ton-and indefinite delay there-another fort. night for the return, and by that time the early grass would be past its best and the underfed animals would be thrown into the mountains for the winter; that the country of the Black- feet and other fierce tribes had to be crossed, and they knew nothing of the rights of science. When my father came he entirely approved my wrongdoing and wrote to Washington that he would be responsible for my act; and that he would call for a court-martial on the point charged against Mr. Fremont. But there was never further question of the wisdom of arming his party."

instead of going to the mines he stopped in Utah, where he spent the winter engaged in teaching school near Salt Lake. The following year he came to Helena, and after working a short time as a day laborer in the placer mines of Last Chance Gulch, was engaged for several years in mercantile pursuits. Later, he opened a boot and shoe store here, which he conducted a number of years successfully. Recently he has disposed of this business and is now devoting his time largely to the sheep and cattle industry. He is also the possessor of con- siderable real estate and has mining interests, being one of the owners of the once famous Jay Gould and other mines. Mr. Woolman has seen the whole growth of the city of Helena and has done his part toward advancing her pros- perity and supremacy as the Queen City of Montana.

In politics, Mr. Woolman has always been a Republican. He served two years as chairman of the Republican Ter- ritorial central committee. He has creditably served his adopted State in several positions of prominence and trust. In 1876 he was Montana's representative at the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia, and was appointed a Commissioner from Montana to the Paris Exposition of 1878. In 1879 he was appointed by Governor Potts, and confirmed by the Territorial Council, as Auditor of the Territory of Montana, and was reappointed by Governors

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

We find Fremont even in his third expedi- tion, which took him first to California, push- ing and pressing to the extreme this same idea, -the possession of the entire Louisiana pur- chase. Not waiting to recruit his horses at Sutter's fort on the Sacramento, he bought fresh ones and started for Oregon through the then pathless wilderness. He had hardly more than crossed the Oregon line when he was furiously attacked by savages one night and had one-third of his force slain by Indians armed with steel - pointed arrows purchased from British traders in Oregon. Fremont in his report of the affair

Crosby and Carpenter to succeed himself in the same office, and served in all a period of eight years. In 1894, he acted as chairman of the Executive Committee in the ocation of the permanent capital of the State in the con- est between Helena and Anaconda.

He was married in 1880 to Mrs. Sarah E. Glendinen, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Thomas and Eleanor McGavran. Mrs. Woolman died in 1890, and he was again married, in 1893, to Mrs. Cornelia M. Goodwin, a native o Delaware and a daughter of William H. and Eleanor Ann Swiggette.

HON. TILGHMAN H. CLEWELL came to Montana in 1863 and for three decades has been one of her most re- spected men.

Tilghman HI. Clewell was born in the State of Penn- sylvania, November 12, 1833. Ilis forefathers came to this country from Alsace-Lorraine, Germany, and settled in Pennsylvania at an early day, and his father, Christian Clewell, was born in Pennsylvania. Christian Clewell married Miss Diana Klotz, also a native of the Keystone State, and some time after their marriage they removed to Ohio and settled in Tuscarawas county, where three of their children were born. The mother died when Tilghman H. was four years old, and after her death he made his home with his grandmother Klotz. He re- ceived a common-school education in Ohio, and at an early age was employed as clerk in a general merchan- dise store in Tuscarawas county, where he remained until 1855, That year we find him in Iowa, also engaged in clerking, and in the spring of 1857 he went to Omaha, Nebraska, and made his home in that city until 1860. News of the gold discovery in Colorado at that time caused him to cross the plains and seek his fortune in the West. He drove a mule team all the way, and in addition to this service payed $25 for his passage. His first mining experience was at Missouri City, but was soon afterward taken sick. Upon his recovery he secured employment as clerk and manager of a store, continuing thus occupied there for three years. In 1863

to the Government directly charges the English traders at the month of the Umpqua river with furnishing the Indians with weapons of their own manufacture, and says "Kit Carson pro- nounces them the most beautifully warlike ar- rows he ever saw."

War having been declared between Mexico and the United States, Fremont was called back from his work of watching the aggressive Eng- lish to take possession of California. In bidding him farewell, permit me to give his picture of a gentleman who once had not only all Montana,

the Salmon river gold excitement brought him to this place, now a part of Montana. His mining operations at Bannack, however, were unsuccessful, and his next move was to Last Chance Gulch, as Helena was then called. He discovered gold at Wilson creek, secured a good elaim and met with success, taking out in a single day as high as $140. He continued to operate this mine for some time and made considerable money. Next he went to the Park diggings, but there he met with in- different success, and soon afterward he opened up a small stock of general merchandise at Park City, where he conducted business for eighteen months, until the camp was deserted and it was no longer profitable to re- main. In 1881 he purchased a hook and stationery business in Helena, which he has since conducted suc- cessfully. He has for a number of years been more or less interested in quartz mining and still has valuable property in the mining districts.

Mr. Clewell's political views have always been in har- mony with the principles advocated by the Republican party. He has faithfully served the public in several positions of prominence and trust. In 1877 he was elected a member of the Territorial Legislature, and in 1880 was appointed Postmaster of Vestal, in which posi- tion he served until coming to Helena. In 1885 he was elected Treasurer of Helena, the following year was elected to fill the same office, and for two years he served as Alderman for his ward, In 1891 he was appointed Postmaster of Helena by President Harrison, and in this position he is still serving, rendering a high degree of satisfaction. For years he has been a worthy member of the Masonic fraternity, having attained the thirty- second degree in the Scottish Rite, and also being a member of the Shrine.

Mr. Clewell was married in 1878 to Miss Eliza Col- lins, a native of Ohio and a daughter of James Collins of that State. Mr. Clewell's residence is one of the attrac- tive homes in IIelena.

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

but also all the plains and mountains for a play- ground. He says in his Memoirs, page 74, of Kit Carson :

"I was pleased with him and his manner of address at this first meeting. He was a man of medium height, broad-shouldered and deep- chested, with a elear, steady blue eye, and frank speech and address; quiet and unassuming. It will be anticipating to speak here of Carson in connection with after events, but I give one ineident to illustrate the simple honesty of his character.

" He had gone to Washington with despatches from me in 1847, and was staying at the house of Senator Benton, welcomed there as my friend. Mr. Benton was in the West, but Carson's modesty and gentleness quickly made him a

HON. WILLIAM MUTH, one of IIelena's most enterpris- ing young business men, was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, October 2, 1851. John G. Muth, his father, a native of Frankfort-on-the-Maine, born in 1813, came to America and settled in Virginia in 1833, spending the rest of his life at Wheeling, where he was largely en- gaged in buying and packing pork. At Wheeling he was married to Miss Elizabeth Bayha, a native of Wheel- ing and a daughter of German parents. They had five children, four of whom are still living. Ile died in his seventy-third year, and his wife is still living. They were members of the Lutheran and Presbyterian Churches respectively.

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An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 10

Author: Miller, Joaquin, 1837-1913. cn Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis pub. co. Number of Pages: 1216

Author: Miller, Joaquin, 1837-1913. cn
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1216