USA > Montana > An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens > Part 107
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ROBERT H. SELWAY. of Dillon, came to Montana in 1864, and is one of the representative farmers of the Bea- ver Head valley, his farm being located at the mouth of Blacktail creek, one half mile north of the city of Dillon.
Ile was born in England in 1847, and crossed the ocean in the Great Eastern with his father and family in 1849. They landed at New York, and went to Kenosha, Wiscon-
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1
PROSPECTORS READY FOR THE HILLS.
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529
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
clothing Others have made large fortunes by developing their discoveries.
In fact prospecting always has been, is now, and always will be, an important business in all mining countries. Some think Montana has been well prospected; some think the prospector is a character of the past, but hundreds are now searching our mountain sides and our gulches for the precious metals, and their discoveries are recorded by the thousands every year. The books of the recorders in the different counties showed the following entries between December 1, 1889, and December 1, 1890, when these books were carefully examined :
COUNTIES.
Quartz
claims.
Placer
claims.
Coal
claims.
Iron
claims.
Other
mines.
Total.
Beaverhead ..
250
4
2
3114
Cascade
344
106
7
459
Choteau. . .
1
9
Deer Lodge .. ..
1184
147
1331
Fergus.
115
13
128
Gallatin.
66
27
11
104
Jefferson ..
1466
191
1660
Lewis and
Clarke . .
338
142
480
Quartz
claims.
Placer
claims.
Coal
claims.
Iron
claims.
Build'g
stone.
Fire
C'lay.
Total.
Madison
607
90
697
Meagher
1301
141
2
1444
Missoula
599
190
31
820
Park ...
259
39
12
1
336
Silver Bow
825
140
965
Total number of claims recorded in thirteen counties
.8745
sin, where they settled on a farm on lake Michigan, which the father purchased. In 1864 he returned to England on a visit, and died there in the sixty-fourth year of his age. His widow then came to Montana and made her home with her son, the subject of this sketch.
James Selway, one of their sons, had come to Montana in 1863, and Robert H. and his brother Thomas followed in 1864. They came with oxen, were all summer in mak- ing the journey, and had to fight the Sioux Indians off a great deal of the way. On the Platte river one of their company was killed by the Indians. Their train at times numbered as high as two hundred, and while traveling through the hostile Indian country they kept guard every night.
These returns show the total number of claims recorded in thirteen counties during the year 1890 alone to be 8,745. Some of these were doubt- less old elaims recorded under new names, but the larger part of them were new discoveries. This certainly is a good showing for a State which has had thousands of sharp-eyed pros- pectors searching every ravine, foot-hill and mountain-side for quartz veins during the last quarter of a century. It also shows that there is a calling for the prospector, and that he will still make many discoveries, some of which may prove as valuable as the Granite mountain, the Anaconda or the Drum Lummon.
All these facts, developed in the last quarter of a century by prospectors, miners and by scientific men, show most conclusively that all the mountains of Montana, save that part of the range of the Rocky mountains north of Sun river, are intersected with metallic veins, and the probabilities are that there are few sections of land in them all, save those named above, which has not some mineral veins. No intel- ligent man, who has followed the discoveries al- ready made, will doubt that the future will prove the above prediction trne.
Like the trapper, the prospector has a soli- itary life, and he has more hardships, more ex- posures, and more exhausting labors. While the trapper may have a temporary home, though
Mr. Selway came direct to Beaver Head valley and located on the land which he now owns. When he arrived there were only three or four settlers in the whole valley and the Bannack and Spoke Indians were numerous These Indians, however, were friendly. He homesteaded and pre-empted land, and now has 640 acres, on which he has good buildings and valuable improvements. In 1865 he raised the first crop of potatoes and wheat. In 1866 he went 120 miles for seed oats, paid twenty cents per pound for it, and raised a large crop, which sold for ten and fifteen cents per pound. The following year all the crops in this vicinity were destroyed by grasshoppers, and the misfortune was so great that many of the settlers left the country. He quit farming and turned his atten-
COUNTIES.
530
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
it be of a primitive kind, the prospector camps wherever the fatigues of the day and the shades of night find him. Seldom do his labors per- mit him to occupy the same place many sncces- sive nights. Men in other professions do some prospecting when their regular occupations permit; it then becomes recreation, like hunt-
tion to the raising of cattle and horses, in which he suc- ceeded, and, in company with his brothers, he has as high as 3,000 head. This stock was pastured on the free range in summer, but was brought home in winter, and for many years it proved a fair-paying business. He import- ed Shire horses from England, and is now breeding Percherons.
In 1879, on Christmas day, Mr. Selway was married to Miss Julia A. Block, a native of Illinois, a daughter of Charles Block, she having come to Montana in 1878. They have three sons and two daughters, as follows: Maud M., Charles E., Robert R., Mable and Warren F.
Mr. Selway has always been a reliable Republican, but has never been an office-seeker or office-holder, nor has he ever joined any societies. Ile is one of the earliest pioneers of Beaver Head county and one of her most respected citizens, highly deserving of the success which his industry has acquired. Two of his brothers reside near him, and they are also highly respected and in well-to-do circumstances.
JOSEPH SOLOMON, one of Missoula's most successful business men, is a native of Germany and a descendant of German ancestry, his birth having occurred January 8, 1849. In 1865, when a boy in his 'teens, he emigrated to America, landing in New York, a stranger and not know- ing a word of our language. From New York he went to San Francisco by way of the Isthmus of Panama, ar- riving at that city in 1866, and soon after his arrival there accepting the position of traveling agent for Bonner Brothers, of San Francisco. Later he traveled for Strauss, Heller & Company. In this business he continued for twelve years, traveling all over the West, including Cal- ifornia, Oregon, Washington, Montana and New Mexico, thus gaining an extensive acquaintance with the busi- ness men of these States and Territories.
In 1878 Mr. Solomon selected Missoula, Montana, as the best point in which to start in business for himself, and he accordingly opened a general merchandise store here in which he did a large and successful business for five years. He then sold out and invested his means in city property, and now he is one of the largest real-estate owners in Missoula. He owns seven residences and eight business buildings, besides a large number of city lots and suburban property.
Mr. Solomon was married in 1891 to Miss T. Seleig, of San Francisco, daughter of Moses Seleig, a prominent business man of that city.
Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order, the
ing and fishing; but when the professional prospector starts out for his summer's work he finds it anything but play and recreation.
If he would make tolerable provision for his creature comforts and mingle a little recreation with his labors, as all men should, he will pre- pare an extra outfit,- a pack-horse and perhaps
A. O. U. W., the E. B. of San Francisco, and of the Free Sons of California. Politically, he is a Democrat. IIe has, however, given but little attention to politics, as his extensive business operations have all along claimed his close attention. He has been very successful in his busi- ness ventures, and is regarded as an able financier and most worthy citizen.
JAMES M. KIMBALL, telegraph operator on the N. P. Railroad at Billings, was born in Indiana, in 1842, a son of John and Lucinda (Ililton) Kimball, of German ancestry. The father was for many years prominently connected with the railroads of Indiana, and at the time of his death was an official of the Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western Railroad. IIe was killed by a railroad collision at In- dianapolis, in 1877. James M. Kimball received his edu- cation at Vernon Academy, under Prof. O. Phelps, and when young began studying electricity. When the cry for the defenders of the Union was heard over the land, in 1861, young Kimball left school, and in September of that year enlisted in the Sixth Indiana Volunteer Infan- try, Company B. Ile was afterward detached and placed in charge of the left flank of the Fifty-fourth Indiana Regiment, as drill master. With a number of others he was captured at Green River, but was paroled and re- turned to his home in Indiana. The war closed before he received his exchange. After the close of the struggle, Mr. Kimball began the study of telegraphy, and has ever since followed that occupation. He has gained a voting residence in eighteen States of the Union while in the employ of the Western Union Telegraph Company.
Mr. Kimball was married in Indiana, in 1863, to Miss Julia Woods, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Shell) Woods, natives of Tennessee. The mother was a relative of the prominent Shell family of east Tennessee. The father, a farmer and mechanic by occupation, owned land near Morgantown, Indiana, and his death occurred before the late war. Mr. and Mrs. Kimball have five children, viz .: Joseph T., Andrew S., Melvina, Sarah and Julia. In his social relations, our subject is a member of the I. O. O. F., the K. of P and the G. A. R. Although reared un- der Democratic influences, his first presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln, and he has since continued an aggressive Republican. Both he and his wife are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
HON. JOHN B. CATLIN, Receiver at the Land Office in M ssoula, dates his arrival in Montana in 1866. Of his life we present the following brief sketch :
John B Catlin was born in Cleveland, Ohio, June 21, 1837. He is of Welsh extraction, his grandfather Catlin
531
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
a saddle-horse, gun and fishing tackle, bed blankets, frying-pan, flour, crackers, sugar, cof- fee and bacon, hammer, pick, shovel, hatchet, gold pan or horn scoop, and a canvass or rubber blanket for shelter. With such an outfit he may enjoy the few luxuries of the profession, together with the recreations of fishing and
having been born in that country, and being one of the early settlers of Washington county, New York, where he reared his family. Arad Sprage Catlin, the father of John B., was born in Washington county in 1810. He was married in Franklin county, New York, to Miss Mary Babcock. Her father was a native of Rhode Island, aud her mother, a McGowran, was descended from one of the Highland chieftains of Scotland. The year follow- ing his marriage, Arad S. Catlin and his wife removed to Ohio, thence in 1838 to Indiana, and in 1861 to Buchanan, Michigan, where he had a farm and where he also con- ducted a blacksmith business. There he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in 1870. His whole life had been characterized by honest industry and his efforts were crowned with success. His widow, Dow in the seventy eighth year of her age, resides with her son, John B., at Missoula. She is a member of the Ad- ventist Church, of which her husband was also a con- sistent member. They reared six children, of whom four are living, John B. being their first born.
The subject of our sketch received his education in Indiana. His early life was spent in farm work, at which he was engaged when the Civil war came on. In August, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company H, Eighty-seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and from that time notil the close of the war he participated in all the privations, battles and victories of the brave and in- vincible Army of the Cumberland. For meritorions ser- vice during the battle of Missionary Ridge he was pro- moted to Commissary Sergeant, and served in this capac- ity notil Sherman's conquering army reached Atlanta. He was then promoted to Captain of Company I, and bad command of Company H on Sherman's grand march to the sea and at the grand review of the victorious army in Washington. After this he was mustered out, and re- turned to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he received his honorable discharge in June, 1865.
July 4, 1966, Mr. Catlin left Nebraska City with an ox train to cross the plains to Montana. There were twenty- seven men in the company, many of them veterans of the war, and all were armed with Remington breach-loading rifles. On a portion of the way they were constantly menaced by the Indians, yet when attacks were made the Indians were easily repulsed, and their journey was only retarded by their often having to get ready to defend themselves. December 9, 1866, they arrived at Bozeman. Mr. Catlin came to a place near where Butte City is now located, and that winter he and his companions occupied
hunting. But if the prospector has " quartz on the brain," or a mania for " gold diggins," his outfit will likely be much more limited, and you will find him making good time carrying all-blanket, frying-pan, salt, bacon, flour, pick, shovel, hammer and horn-scoop, revolver and fish line.
themselves by hunting, killing deer, mountain sheep, elk and antelope. The following season he mined on Silver Bow Gulch, four miles below Butte. In 1867 he made a trip to Idaho, Oregon and Washington, wintered at Pnget Sonnd, and in the spring of the following year came back to Montana, making the journey back by way of Coenr d'Alene. Upon his return he purchased a ranch in Bitter Root valley, to the improvement and enltivation of which he devoted his time and energy. He had about 500 acres under fence, and in the meantime he was also more or less interested in mining.
In the fall of 1870 Mr Catlin returned East, and in Iowa, December 6, 1870, married Miss Lizzie Taylor, a native of La Porte, Indiana, a former schoolmate of his and the daughter of William Taylor of Indiana. He re- turned to Montana with his bride, and for nine years they made their home on the ranch above alluded to. IIe sold this farm in 1880 and purchased a hotel in Stevensville, and continued in the hotel business there for nine years. At the end of that time he received the appointment of agent at the Blackfoot Indian Agency, where he remained a year and a half. lle resigned his position there in order to accept the appointment of Receiver of the Land Office at Missoula, this appointment being dated September 30, 1890. Since he entered upon the duties of this office he and his family have resided at Missoula.
Mr. Catlin affiliates with the Republican party; is a member of the G. A. R., and is Past Master Workman of the A. O. U. W. In 1885 he was elected a member of the Territorial Constitutional Convention of Montana, in which action was taken upon a constitution for the new State.
Mr. and Mrs. Catlin have two children, Mary Belle and Arthur Wilbur.
GASPER F. DELETRAZ, who has been a resident of Mon- tana ever since 1864, is now a respected citizen of Fort Benton. He has bad a remarkable career.
He was born May 11, 1824, in Annecy, France, is of Spanish descent, received his education in his native country, and learned the trade of cook. He arrived in San Francisco January 7, 1851, and followed his trade for six months in Sacramento, being paid $300 a month. While in San Francisco be went one evening to visit a friend of his father, and on returning late at night he was attacked by a ferocious bulldog and badly bitten, and in consequence was laid up a number of months in a hospi- tal. This institution was such a neglected, filthy place that he narrowly escaped death; nearly every day some
532
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
A skillful prospector, thus equipped and full of life and hope, has as fair a chance to become a millionaire as men of other pursnits, and to make his money as honestly; but he may endure many hardships and suffer heat, cold and hun- ger before he sees the reward of his labors. While men in other professions will enjoy the
one died there. Finally he made the doctor understand that he would die if he did not get more nourishment. The doctor then furnished him a quart of porter, and in this way he got "strength" enough to "get out of" that place. Finding his father's friend again he told him his trouble, and with his assistance he obtained a place as cook in a private family at San Pablo, where the head of the family, a Spaniard, had two beautiful daughters, one of whom brought him daily the orders what to cook for the different meals. She was a lovely girl, and Mr. Dele- traz was young and smart, and they "fell in love" with each other. When she came to see him he occasionally gave her a kiss. But oue evening her father discovered the courtship, and the next two days she did not come to give the usual cooking orders. In the afternoon of the second day Mr. Deletraz noticed her sitting in a second- story window, and she threw him a kiss, and he returned it. But then he thought that the beautiful girl was imprisoned on his account, he felt bad and resolved to leave. Accordingly he gave notice to the manager to tell the proprietors to look for another cook. The lady asked, " What does he want to leave for? He is a good cook; let him stay." Mr. Deletraz then made the mistake of his life by saying that he would not stay at any wages.
But our subject had another narrow escape. Ile con- sidered himself a good equestrian; but one day he was given a stupid-looking horse to ride, which went very slow at first and then suddenly started up and rau off at a high speed. In doing so he ran so close to a tree that Mr. Deletraz fell off and was badly crushed. He was then laid up for three months.
After this he went to Siskiyou county, California, where he had a good prospect; but the work proved too hard for him, and he filled the position of cook in the La Fay- ette Hotel for six years. He finally ran the institution and did a large business; but one day, when he had it stocked full of provisions, a fire consumed it, and he lost all he had made.
Then he returned to Yreka and was employed in the Empire Restaurant until the breaking out of the Fraser river excitement, when he repaired to its source, but only to find everything a failure there. He then sold his property at Yreka and went to Salem, Oregon, and started the first soda-water manufactory in that country, in which he was successful, making some money. He purchased eighty acres of land in Linn county, that State, and raised fruit and supplied the people of the Willamette valley with soda-water. In the winter of 1861-2 the great flood came and carried off his horses and 1,800 bushels of wheat
comforts and even the luxuries of lite, he will be enduring its hardships.
Montana was once the paradise of prospectors, when there was no dew and only two or three rain storms from May to November, and when one conld kill rabbits and grouse at almost every stream and lake, and when the trail of the buffalo,
and devastated the whole place; and he was broken up again. In this calamity he lost thirteen horses; in fact, all that was left consisted of two good horses and a wagon, which happened to be not on the place at the time of the flood. With this meager outfit, and almost heartbroken, he went to Walla Walla, where the first winter proved a hard one, and it required all he could make to support himself and team. In the spring he sold the horses and wagon, for $700, and started alone, without even a blanket, and walked to Lewiston,- a journey of eighty-seven miles, - sleeping by a fire at night. When he reached Snake river he was very thirsty and drank too much water, resulting in giving him a fever, which laid him up for a long time. A would-be doctor dosed him with a course of "medicine," either to "cure or kill;" and the patient was at one time unconscious for three days. Ile was picked up by men who thought him almost dead, and laid on a higher piece of ground, as the water was rising in the river. He at length recovered, and soon afterward he had the good fortune to make a discovery that led to the arrest of the murderers of Magruder. They were followed to San Francisco, arrested, brought back, con- vieted and executed.
Next Mr. Deletraz went to Salt Lake City, where he could have had a good start again could he have violated his conscience by becoming a Mormon. He next walked to Cheyenne, a distance of 800 miles, and was so worn out on arriving there that he was not able to endure the hard labor of the position he obtained more than a week,- loading gravel. Then he started on foot for the fort in the Black Ilills, lost his way, slept in hay-stacks and fin- ally reached Lake Ranch House, where many people were stopping. He asked for his breakfast, saying at the same time that he could not pay for it. They inquired of him what he could do, saying that their cook had been drunk for three days, and told him to cook his own break- fast. He did so, and bacon never tasted so good to him in his life as on that occasion. Learning that he could cook, they employed him in that capacity, for thirty-two to forty persons; and they had a cellar well stocked with everything they needed. There it was his custom to rise at four o'clock in the morning, and he had all his meals ready to the exact minute. It was a common exclamation among the guests, "What good meals yon have here!" While there he once prepared a meal for General Gibbon and A. Porter, a banker at Denver, who both noticed Mr. Deletraz' work as a cook; and the latter went so far as to say to him, "If you will come to Denver we will build you a hotel and let you run it." Such was the way he
533
HISTORY OF MONTANA.
the moose, the elk, the deer, the antelope and the the monntain sheep and even the tracks of the bear were as frequent as the paths of the miners. Then pine knots made a most brilliant camp fire, and a few pine boughs and a blanket a most luxurions bed, and the blue vanlt gemmed with stars made a tent more gorgeous than Per- sian kings ever imagined. But now the dews
pleased the people who enjoyed the good meals at Lake Ranch House. At the end of six months he was paid $1,200, and he proceeded to the fort, where he became cook for the officers' club. Everywhere he went he did such excellent work that he was specially praised.
Subsequently he went to the North Platte and started a restaurant, and did a good business there. When trade began to slacken he purchased mule and horse teams and wagons, loaded these with supplies, aud started for Los Angeles, California. It was a long journey, but he arrived there, set up his tent and served the people four weeks. After this he purchased a ranch of 160 aeres on Kern river, took up 160 acres more, bought 300 cows and began dairying. The cattle did well the first year, but during the second the drouth came and everything was burned up. Grass and all the live stock perished, and Mr. Deletraz was attacked again with a severe fever till he thought he should die too. After taking qui- niue thirty-six days he became strong enough to get away from that place.
Proceeding to San Francisco, he was told there that if he wanted to get well he must go to the Rocky mountains. Accordingly he started for IIelena, Montana, but was fear- fully sick on the journey. After recovering his health there he was employed a year in the Pacific Hotel, at $250 a month. Next he came to Fort Benton, where he spent his first night sleeping on his blanket. In the morn- ing he looked at the beautiful Missouri as it rolled by in its majesty, and prayed that if God would give him health he would make that vicinity his home. He worked eight months in the Overland Hotel, and then became cook for Hon. T. C. Power. From the window of the kitchen here he saw the beautiful tract of land directly in the rear of the town, and he learned hy investigation that it was Govern- ment land. He entered it, built a cabin upon it and soou after ward Fort Benton began to boom. Some parties en- deavored to "jump" his land, but he stuck to it, obtained his title from President Hayes, and he made of it an addi- tion to the town. He has sold $14,000 worth of lots, and has 505 lots yet left. It is a most beautiful tract of land. Mr. Deletraz has also 160 acres of land in Teton, has a band of sheep, has erected a number of buildings in the city, and has become one of the wealthy and influential men of the place. He is still enterprising, being will- ing to give a large bonus to any solid company that will build a line of railroad directly into the city.
In 1881 he made a trip to his old home in Europe; and while there he desired to marry his cousin, Annetta Dele-
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