An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 101

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 101

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began the practice of his profession in the county in which he had always resided. In the spring of 1841, he removed to Monroe county and continued his law prac- tice there until 1859. He then moved to Glasgow, in Bar- ren county, where he resided until he came to Montana, February 6, 1887. Here he has since continued in his profession, except thirty months of the time, while serv- ing as Governor of the Territory.

In politics he was a Whig until 1856. He then became a Democrat, and has since consistently and unwaveringly adhered to his party. In 1842 he was elected County Attorney for the county of Monroe, in which capacity he served until 1844, when he was elected to represent the county in the State Legislature; and in 1850 he was again elected to the same position. After his second term had expired he was, in 1852, elected to the State Senate, and in 1867 was again elected to the Senate. The second term he was elected Speaker of the Senate. That year there occurred a vacancy both in the office of Lieutenant Governor and Governor, and by virtue of his being Speaker of the Senate he became Governor of the State, his inauguration occurring February 13, 1871. After serving the unexpired term, he was elected Governor by the people, receiving a majority of over 39,000 votes, a most gratifying compliment to his integrity and ability. He was inaugurated on the 5th of September, 1871, and served four years. He then returned to his practice in Glasgow, Kentucky, and in July, 1881, there occurred a vacancy in the office of Circuit Judge, and he was ap- pointed by the Governor to fill it; and in September, of that year, he was elected by the people to succeed him- self. He discharged the duties of his office until Sep- tember, 1886, when President Cleveland appointed him Governor of the Territory of Montana. He took the oath of office February 8, 1887, and served until April 13, 1889.

He was appointed about the 1st of March, 1894, United States District Attorney, by President Cleveland, for the District of Montana, which office he now holds and handles with the same sucesss that always gave credit and honor to his official work in other positions.

Previous to the great Civil war, Governor Leslie was a strong Union man, and did everything in his power to preserve the Union; but when the war began his sympa- thies were with his people of the South, and he sided with and supported boldly, and with great earnestness, the Confederate cause, until the end of that memorable struggle. IIe has held office of great importance and trust during very exciting times in the history of the country, and through it all he acted with the best of wis-

like men intoxicated over the excitement. The dance is demoralizing, indecent, and disgust- ing.

"' Desiring to exhaust all reasonable means before resorting to extremes, I have sent a mes- sage to Sitting Bull by his nephew, One Bull, that I want to see him at the agency, and I feel

dom and judgment, and maintained his integrity as a Christian gentleman.

November 11, 1841, Mr. Leslie married Miss Louisa Black, a native of Monroe county, Kentucky. They had a family of seven children, all of whom were reared to maturity. August 19, 1858, Mrs. Leslie died, and No- vember 17, 1859, he married Mrs. Mary Kuykendall, a native of Boone county, Missouri. Three children came of that marriage, and they are all grown.

September 2, 1838, Mr. Leslie joined the Baptist Church, of which he has since been a consistent and active mem- ber. IIe has now attained the ripe age of seventy-four years, is in the enjoyment of good health, is vigorous and active in the affairs of life, and his mind is as strong and as clear as ever.

JION. JAMES M. PAGE, a resident of Beaver Head val- ley, Montana, came to the Territory in 1866, and is now one of the prominent stock men of the State. A resume of his life is as follows:

James M. Page was born in Crawford county, Pennsyl- vania, June 22, 1839, son of Wallace and Nancy (Bonney) Page, born in Massachusetts. His parents removed in 1830 to Pennsylvania and settled on a farm in Crawford county, where the father died in 1840, in the thirtieth year of his age, leaving a widow and five children. She died in 1852. All the children are still living. The parents were mem- bers of the Baptist church and were highly respected people.

James M. is the youngest of the family. He went with his mother and her other children to Michigan in 1844 and settled at Climax, being then four years old. They were poor and had a hard struggle for existence and soon the children were scattered. James lived a part of the time with his uncle, Thomas B. Eldred, and later with another uncle, Emerson Bonney. When he was twelve years old he began to do for himself, and was a wage worker on farms until he was sixteen. Then he engaged with a surveying party, with whom he worked on public surveys in northern Michigan. He remained in this business until April, 1862.

In April, 1862, he returned to his home and enlisted in Company A, Sixth Michigan Cavalry, and went to the front in the Army of the Potomac, serving under Generals Kilpatrick and Custer. IIis service began August 14, 1862, and lasted until the close of the war, when he was mustered out, in June, 1865. He participated in all the engagements of his regiment until after the battle of Gettysburg, and had been in thirty-five battles and skirm- ishes; and at Liberty Mills, while engaged on the skirmish

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quite confident that I shall succeed in allaying the present excitement and put a stop to this absurd "craze," for the present at least, but I would respectfully recommend the removal, from the reservation and confinement in some some military prison, some distance from the Sioux country, of Sitting Bull and the parties named

line, he and twenty-three of his comrades were captured by the enemy and were taken to Libby prison, Belle Isle and Andersonville. He spent fourteen months in these Confederate prisons, at the expiration of which time Mr. Page and one other were all that were left of the twenty-four. Mr. Page was one of the first prisoners taken to Andersonville, where he spent seven months and endured horrible sufferings that are beyond descrip- tion. At the time of his release he was a mere skeleton. He then joined his command and soon recuperated. When President Lincoln was assassinated he assisted in running down the murderer. IIe also participated in the review of the victorious army at Washington. From Washington he was sent to Leavenworth to be engaged against the Indians, and while there his regiment was discharged. He had entered the service as a private, was promoted as Second Lieutenant, and his whole army record was an excellent one.

After his discharge Mr. Page returned to Grand Rap- ids, Michigan, and for a brief time was in railroad employ. During the winter of 1855-6 he attended Eastman's Busi- ness College in Chicago. In the spring of 1886 he started for Montana, leaving Leavenworth, Kansas, on the 3d of March, in a company composed of twenty-four men, making the journey with horse teams, and landing safe at Virginia City, June 22. On this trip the party were menaced by the Indians, but succeeded in keeping them off. On his arrival in Montana he engaged in farming and stock-raising in Madison valley, and in the fall of 1869 came to his present locality, five miles south of Twin Bridges, where he now has a fine ranch of 1,000 acres. He has a home on this ranch and also one in Twin Bridges, and besides has four other improved farms of 160 acres each. Ever since he came to Montana he has been largely engaged in stock-raising and has also been more or less interested in mining. He was one of the organizers of the King Mining Company, and has re- cently closed the sale of the King mine for $25,000. He held the appointment of United States Mineral Surveyor for a number of years in Montana and Idaho, and has ex- tended the Government surveys in nearly every county in Montana. In this way he has not only become thor- oughly informed on the mineral wealth of the State, but has also made a wide acquaintance among its people. During his early surveying expeditions he had many ex- citing experiences with the Indians in the Yellowstone and Musselshell country, and he has been longer connected with the General Surveyor's office than any other man now in the State.

in my letter of June 18 last, hereinbefore re- ferred to, some time during the coming winter before next spring opens.'

"At other Sioux agencies the Messiah craze seems to have made little or no impression. At Lower Brulé it was easily checked by the arrest by Indian police of twenty two dancers, of

Mr. Page was married July 7, 1872, to Miss Mary Christianson, a native of Holstein, Germany, a daughter of Christian Christianson, and a resident of America since 1861. Her family came to Montana in 1864 and her father is now a resident of Sheridan, this State. Mr. and Mrs. Page have four daughters: Ilelen E., Mina E., Mary E. and Lena M. Mrs. Page and three of her daughters are members of the Baptist Church.

Fraternally, Mr. Page is a Master Mason and a Knight Templar, and also belongs to the A. O. U. W.and G. A. R. Ile has been a Republican since the organization of the party and has been the choice of his party to fill various positions of trust. For fifteen years he filled the office of County Surveyor of Madison county and for three terms was a member of the Montana Territorial Legislature, representing the counties of Madison and Beaver Head, and in whatever position he has been placed he has per- formed his duty with the strictest fidelity.

FRANCIS REDFERN .- In the beautiful Ruby valley, twelve miles northwest of Virginia City, is located the rich farm and commodious and refined home of the gen- tleman whose name appears above. He is a Montana pioneer of 1864 and is one of the representative farmers of the State. Some personal mention of him is appropri- ate in this work and is herewith presented.

Francis Redfern was born in Bedford county, Pennsyl- vania, January 13, 1849, and is descended from Irish an- cestors, his father, John Redfern, having been born in Ireland in 1801. John Redfern's first wife died on the Emerald Isle, leaving bim with three children, and in 1837 he married Miss Mary Hogan, with whom he soon afterward emigrated to America. They settled in Bed- ford county, Pennsylvania, where for some years he worked at his trade, that of stonemason and bricklayer, aud where he also became the owner of a farm. He sold his farm in 1858 and removed to Iowa, where he pur- chased land and settled down to farming.

In 1864 he and his son (the subject of this sketch) crossed the plains with ox teams, leaving Jackson coun- ty, Iowa, on the 1st day of May and landing at Virginia City, Montana, on the 8th of August of the same year. They came ont to the Ruby valley and located the latds on which Francis Redfern now resides, being among the first settlers in the valley. Their first crop was wheat, oats and potatoes, the seed wheat costing $10 per bushel ; oats, twenty-seven cents per pound ; and potatoes, fifteen cents per pound. Although the seed was high the crops were good and sold for enormous prices to the miners at Alder Gulch. Here the elder Mr. Redfern continued to

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whom seventeen were imprisoned for eight weeks at Fort Snelling. The Crow Creek, San- tee, Yankton, and Sisseton Sioux, through schools, missions and industrial pursuits, had been brought to give too valuable hostages to civilization to be affected by such delusion.

" As early as June, 1890, a rumor that the Sioux were secretly planning an outbreak and needed close watching led this office to call

upon the agents for the Sioux for reports as to the status and temper of the Indians in their charge. The replies indicated that no good grounds for apprehending trouble existed. The Rosebud agent, however, referred to the fact that secret communications had been passing between dissatisfied non-progressive Indians at the various agencies who had refused to sign the agreement under which a large portion of

reside up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1887, in the eighty sixth year of his age. By his second wife he had had a family of nine children.

At the time he came to Montana with his father Fran- cis Redfern was only fifteen years old. As soon as he reached his majority he took claim to 160 acres of land adjoining his father's, to which he has since added 260 acres more, all of which he still owns, making one of the choicest farms in the valley. In 1875 he built his pres- ent farm residence. Since coming to Montana his time has been principally devoted to raising cattle and horses, his cattle heing of the Durham hreed, and his horses Clydesdale.

In 1874 Mr. Redfern discovered the Bedford quartz mine in Madison valley. This is a rich silver and lead mine, sixty parts lead and thirty ounces of silver to the ton, the vein being from fifty to sixty feet wide. There are a group of these mines near together. A stock com- pany has been formed to develop them, and in it Mr. Redfern is interested. He is also interested in rich placer mines near the California and Harris Gulcli.

Mr. Rediern was happily married, July 15, 1875, to Miss Elinor Lucretia Meagher, who was born in St. Augustine, Florida, daughter of Captain James Drew Meagher. Captain Meagher was born in Waterford, Ire- land, and was a first cousin of Thomas Francis Meagher, in honor of whom Meagher county, Montana, was named. Her mother's maiden name was Elena Eldhor, and she was of Spanish descent. The Captain had resided in the South for several years previous to the Civil war, and when the war broke out he, being opposed to slavery, espoused the Union cause and served in the Union navy. He lost his right arm in one of the engagements in which he most gallantly participated. Through the ravages of war his property in the South was swept away and after peace again reigned he located in Marquette, Michigan, where he died in 1879. His widow survived him until 1889, when she passed from this life to the felicity of the faithful in heaven. They were people of great nobility of character and were highly appreciated and heloved by a wide circle of friends. Mr. and Mrs. Redfern have five children, viz .: Francis Meagher, Arthur Arnold, Eugene, Bernice and Lucretia.

In their religious faith Mr. Redfern and his family are devout Catholics, and, politically, he is a Democrat.

JOHN HAUSWIRTH, deceased, was one of the highly respected pioneers of Montana. Ile was born in the vil- lage of Saanen, canton Bern, Switzerland, December 28, 1829. After completing his studies in the common schools of his native land, he entered the military service of his country, distinguishing himself during the Sonderbond war, and, for his meritorious conduct, being promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant.

It was in 1857 that Mr. Hauswirth emigrated to Amer- ica with his family, and upon his arrival here he settled in Wisconsin and engaged in merchandising, remaining there thus employed until 1864. In 1864 he came to Montana and commenced mining and prospecting at Al- der Gulch. Believing that there was a great future for Montana, he went back to Wisconsin in 1868 for his fam- ily and the following year brought them with him to this pioneer country, locating in Deer Lodge valley. In this valley they made their home until 1875, when they re- moved to Butte City, where he continued to reside up to the time of his death, December 27, 1884. His death was the result of a heavy cold which he contracted while helping a lady and her children to cross the Big Hole river. It was on a bitter cold day, the river was partly frozen, and the only way they had to cross was to wade, which he did, carrying two of the children in his arms, the river being hip deep. He landed the children in safety on the shore, and himself traveled some distance 1 in his wet and frozen clothes. The result was congestion .. of the brain, which in two days terminated in his;e death.

Mr. Ilauswirth's whole life was characterized by acts d of kindness. During his residence in Butte City he was distinguished for his public spirit and his willingness to render aid in any enterprise tending to advance the interests of the place. He was an intelligent and perse- vering prospector and his efforts in that direction were rewarded by his being the discoverer of the Anselmo mine, as well as many others of less note. The net prod- net from the Anselmo mine in two years was $147,000. He was one of the principal owners of the Sheridan mine, a very valuable property. These mines are now owned by his heirs and others.

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Mr. Hauswirth was married in 1848 to Miss Kunni- gunda Zwalla, a native of his own canton, who came with him to America and to Montana and shared with him all his reverses and successes, and who survived him three

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the Sioux reserve had been opened to settlement by the President's proclamation of February 10, 1890. The Standing Rock agent reported as follows :

*** So far as the Indians of this agency are concerned, there is nothing in either their words or actions that would justify the rumor, and I

years, her death occurring in 1887. They had seven children, of whom fonr are living, occupying honorable and useful positions in life. Their daughter, Mrs. Cath- arine Fenner, of Anaconda, is referred to elsewhere in this work. John Hauswirth is a resident of Salt Lake City. Herman Hauswirth is engaged in mining at Butte City. Another son, Robert, is Deputy Sheriff of Silver Bow county.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Hauswirth were members of the Lutheran Church. He was one of the organizers of the Liederkranz Society in Butte City, and for two successive years served as its president. Ile was also an active member of the fire department in that eity.

ELISHA GIRARD, a resident of Warm Springs, Deer Lodge county, is another one of the Montana pioneers of 1865, and his long residence here entitles him to some personal mention in this work. A sketch of his life is as follows:

Elisha Girard was born in Iberville, Canada, December 9, 1836. Ile is of French ancestry and springs from the same family of which the noted Stephen Girard was a mem- ber. The progenitor of their family came from France to America in 1687 with General Carignan. Mr. Girard's grandfather, Joseph Girard, was a farmer by ocenpation and was a veteran of the war of 1812. Ile married Miss Mary Moquin, by whom he had four children, one of whom, Joseph, was the father of our subject. After her death he wedded Miss Emily Brunelle, and seven more children were added to his family. Grandfather Girard was seventy-six at the time of his death, and his second wife lived to be ninety-one.

The younger Joseph Girard was born in Longneuil. Canada, January 1, 1812. He was a ship-carpenter and resided in Brooklyn, New York, where he carried on his business for many years. He died in 1873, at the age of sixty-one years, at Iberville, Canada. IIis wife, nee Ther- sil Dubeau, is also a native of Canada and is now in her eighty-first year and living with her son Elisha. Like her worthy husband, she is a devout member of the Catholic Church. They had a family of fifteen children, eight of whom reached maturity and six of that number are still living.

Elisha Girard is the eldest of his father's family, Ile was educated in the public schools of his native town, and soon after he reached his majority went to California, mak- ing the journey by way of the isthmus of Panama and landing in the Golden State in 1858. For two years he engaged in mining there, principally in Amador county," accumulating some money, After that he spent about

do not believe that such au imprudent step is seriously meditated by any of the Sioux. There are, however, a few malcontents here, as at all of the Sionx agencies, who cling tenaciously to the old Indian ways and are slow to accept the better order of things, whose influence is ex erted in the wrong direction, and this class of

two years in Nevada, following which he prospected for nearly five years in the British possessions, and during that time made a visit to his home in Canada. In the spring of 1865 he came up the Missouri river to Fort Ben- ton and thence to Ilelena, arriving at the latter place on the first of July. After mining for a short time, he se- eured a elerkship in the store of Belanger & Allen, with whom he remained five years, until they closed out their business. He then came to his present location and here took claim to 160 acres of Government land. As the years passed by prosperity attended his earnest efforts. He added more acres to his original tract and his herd of cattle increased until at one time he had four hundred head. ITis brother Moses and a widowed sister, Mrs. Roselie Danserean, and her son Rudolph, a boy of seven- teen, reside with him and all are interested with him in business. They now own 3,000 acres of land, still carry on stoek-raising and also keep a general store. Besides this they do a money loaning business. In connection with his brother-in-law, Louie Belanger, Mr. Girard owned the Warm Springs property, which they improved by erecting a number of buildings and which they sold to the present owners, Drs. Mitehell and Musicbrood. They had expended upon this property no less than $16,000, and sold out at a heavy loss. The present owners have built the Insane Asylum here and the place has become noted and greatly enhanced in valne.

Politically, Mr. Girard affiliates with the Republican party. IIe has served most efficiently as County Com- missioner of Deer Lodge county and for fifteen years has been Postmaster of Warm Springs. Publie-spirited and enterprising, intelligent and well posted on public affairs, he is a man of influence in the community and is as highly respected as he is well known.

CAPTAIN C. II. PALMER, Butte, Montana, manager of the Bntte & Boston Mining Company, is one of the most efficient and widely known mining superintendents in the Northwest. The founder of this company, and also its general manager from the time of its inception, he has developed it into a large industry, controlling many of the most available claims in the Butte district.

Mr. Palmer was born in Fredonia, New York, June 5 1841. As early as 1856 he began mining in the copper districts of Lake Superior. Ile subsequently entered the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where he grad- uated in 1863. The next two years he studied abroad, chiefly at Berlin. In 1866 he returned to America and became engineer of the Atlantic mine, formerly South Pewabie, in Michigan, where he remained until 1810.

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Indians are ever ready to circulate idle rumors and sow dissension, to discourage the more progressive; but only a few of the Sioux could now possibly be united in attempting any overt act against the Government, and the removal from among them of a few individuals (the leaders of disaffection) such as Sitting Bull,

During 1870 and 1871 he was engineer of the Silver Islet Mining Company, after which he retired from the mining business and followed railroading. From 1879 until 1888 he was in the Lake Superior country, and in the latter year came to Montana.

After looking over the Territory for some time he secured the properties near Butte which have made the Butte & Boston Mining Company one of the most suc- cessful concerns of its kind in the country. During his residence in Butte Mr. Palmer has become one of the most efficient and active operators in this great mining camp, and by his shrewd industry and ability has built up one of the most perfect mining and smelting institu- tions in the West.

Personally he is a man of sterling character, genial and whole-souled, and, as the able president of the hos- pitable Silver Bow Club, of Butte, has made a wide cir- cle of friends in Montana.

IION. HENRY L. FRANK, one of Butte's most enterpris- ing and successful business men, was born in Ironton, Ohio, July 5, 1851. His ancestors in the old country were wine-growers in Alsace, then in France but now a part of Germany. Ilis father, Moses Frank, a native of that place, emigrated to America when a boy, settling in Cin- cinnati, became a wholesale merchant and still resides there. IIe was married in that city, to Miss Ester Luplin, and had eight children, of whom seven are living, besides both the parents.

Henry L., the eldest, was educated in his native city, in the public schools, and obtained his mercantile know- ledge in his father's store. After leaving home he was two years in Colorado and New Mexico, and then came to Butte City, in 1877, and began in the wholesale liquor business, in which he has had great success. ITis trade was small at first, conducted in a log cabin with a dirt roof; it had been the Copperopolis Restaurant, and stood on the ground where the Butte Hardware Company now have their fine brick building on Main street. Mr. Frank remained there three years, and then removed to the corner of Broadway and Main street, where he followed his trade four years; then removed to the corner of Utah street and Broadway, and was there six years, when he came to his present location on East Broadway, where he occupies a fine store, 42 x 100 feet in dimensions, two floors, besides a building 40 x 100 feet at the depot, and a refrigerator and bottling house. These facilities for doing business give some conception of the growth of his trade since he first started out in it.

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An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 101

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