An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 114

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 114

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W. J. McCormick was educated at Asbury College, Greencastle, Indiana, and in 1856 was admitted to the bar. In 1857 he went to Utah, where he held the respon- sible positions of Secretary, Attorney General and Chief Justice. IIe came to Montana in 1863 and first located at Virginia City, where he practiced his profession for over two years. He took an active and efficient part in the politics of the country. He was Secretary of the first Democratic convention held in the Territory, and in 1864 was elected a member of the Territorial Legislature. In 1866 he was appointed to the Flathead Indian Agency, which position he held for two years.

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

snecess at the poles was appreciated chiefly for whatever of executive influence could be used in the determination of senatorial honors in the gauntlet of the legislative assembly.

The first official step taken by the Demo- cratic conspirators found expression through a proclamation issued by Governor Toole under date of November 22, the day preceding the meeting of the legislative assembly. This body was about to convene in response to a formal proclamation previously promulgated by the gov- ernor, under the provisions of law. But the manifesto of the 22d of November, at the very threshold of its convention, conveyed to the members of the legislature and to the public something of the nature of the contest which the Democratic leaders had planned to make. In this proclamation the governor said that in all probability a conflict would arise between re-

Mr. McCormick came to Missoula in 1868, and here the following year he was married to Miss Kate Higgins, daughter of Christopher Power Higgins and Edith (O'Byrn) Higgins, and sister of the late Captain C. P. Higgins, of Missoula. Her people were descendants of the early kings of Ireland, and came to America in 1826. The date of her arrival in Montana was 1865.

After locating in Missoula, Mr. McCormick became connected with Captain Higgins and Hon. F. L. Worden in the building and development of the town, and soon came into the possession of a large amount of property here. Ile was interested in milling and stock-raising in both Missoula and Choteau counties, and had valuable ranch property in the Bitter Root valley. He was also the founder and first editor of the Gazette. An editor, a talented lawyer, an influential politician and a successful business man, his various abilities were of great value in this frontier country and were always directed in the right channel. News of his untimely death brought sorrow not only to his immediate family but also to his many acquaintances throughout the State. His death was caused by his being blown by a high wind from the roof of one of the buildings at Fort Owen. He died Feb- ruary 3, 1889. Few, indeed, of the early citizens of Mis- soula, did more to bring about her development than did he. Among other of his benefactions were the three blocks on which the Catholic school, the hospital and church edifice now stand. He also gave largely to secure the building of the Northern Pacific Railroad to Missoula. It was just after his demise that Missoula had her great-

spective claimants for seats in the legislature which might imperil the peace of the State. He therefore designated that the respective houses " shall meet " for organization at rooms in the county courthouse of Lewis and Clarke county, which he named for the purpose, making this designation mandatory in the sense of involv- ing legality of procedure, which was clearly beyond his authority. He also defined as mem- bers of the legislative assembly those who held certificates of election from the respective county clerks, which would have the effect to rule out of the membership of the house of representatives, in advance of its convention, those members from Silver Bow county whose title to seats rested upon certificates of election from the State canvassing board. In other words, it would seat the five Democratic claim- ants holding county certificates from the county

est era of prosperity, and had he lived a few years longer he would have been one of her richest citizens, as he was, without question, one of her best.

Mr. and Mrs. McCormick had seven children, all natives of Missoula, their names being as follows: Mary Edith O'Byrn, William Worden, John Francis Higgins, Blanche Ada Louise, Veronica Honora Ilester, Paul Christopher Higgins, and Washington J. The daughter, Blanche Ada Louise, died Janary 15, 1892, in her seventeenth year. She was a beautiful and accomplished girl and was a general favorite among her many friends. Mr. McCormick was reared a Baptist, but was not a man of creeds. Mrs. McCormick is descended from a long line of Catholic ancestry who never swerved in their faith in the Christian religion, and she and her children are all trying to follow in the footsteps of their worthy sires. To the eldest daughter are we indebted for the material for this sketch of her honored father.

THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF MISSOULA Was chartered first as The Missoula National Bank, in 1873, by Messrs. F. L. Worden, S. T. Hauser, C. P. Higgins, Hiram Knowles and D. J. Welsh, with a capital stock of $50,000. Its offi- cers were C. P. Higgins, president; D. J. Welsh, vice- president; and Ferdinand Kennett, cashier. In this way it continued until 1882, when its stock was increased to $100,000. E. L. Bonner, R. S. Eddy and A. B. Hammond became stockholders, and the latter gentleman was elected vice-president. In 1889 the stock was increased to $150,- 000, Mr. A. B. Hammond was elected president, and J. M. Keath cashier, and the name was changed to the First

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clerk of Silver Bow county by reason of the mandamus requiring the local board of canvass- ers of that county to count the alleged returns from precinct 34, after the State board had completed its work and the case was legally closed.

It was claimed in justification of this re- markable attempt to prejudge the question of right and title to legislative seats, on the part of the governor, that Chief Justice Henry N. Blake had ordered the county clerk of Jeffer- son county to issne a certificate to one Whaley, a candidate for joint representative in the coun- ties of Jefferson and Gallatin; but, as a matter of fact, Blake made no such order. He merely ordered the county clerk, in deference to a com- plaint legally made, to appear and show cause why such certificate was not issued. The prec- edent upon which Governor Toole based his

National Bank of Missoula. In 1893 its charter expired and was renewed. At this writing its capital, surplus and, undivided profits amount to over a half million dollars, and it is considered one of the strongest and best banks in the State of Montana.

JOHN RANKIN, one of Missoula's enterprising and suc- cessful citizens, dates his arrival in Montana in the spring of 1869. Since that date he bas been closely connected with the growth and development of this city. Of his life we make record as follows:

John Rankin was born in London, Canada, October 21, 1841. His father, Ilugh Rankin, was born in the High- lands of Scotland, in 1804; came to America when a boy and located at Prescott, ('anada East, where he was reared, and where he was married to Miss Jenette Stew- art, a native of the Lowlands of Scotland and a daughter of Angns Stewart, the Stewart family having located in Canada about the same time Mr. Rankin came to America. Some years after their marriage they settled on a tract of wild land near London, which at that time was covered with heavy timber and which, after years of hard labor, Mr. Rankin developed into a fine farm. He died there Janvary 1, 1878, in the seventy-fourth year of his age. His good wife survived him until 1893, when she passed away, at the age of eighty-four. They were faithful members of the Presbyterian Church and their whole lives were characterized by honest industry. They had seven sons and two daughters, of whom John was the fourth-born and is one of the seven survivors

He was reared on his father's frontier farm where edu- cational facilities were meager, his only schooling being

declaration had not been established. An opin- ion as to the legal rectitude of the governor's proceeding, ostensibly emanating from the Ter- ritorial attorney-general, was prepared by that gentleman several days after his retirement from office, when he held no position as a legal adviser more responsible than that of a Demo- cratic attorney. The constitution makes each house of the legislative assembly the judge of the qualifications of its own members, and Governor Toole's invasion of this prerogative, in order to determine in advance the status of the Demo- cratic claimants from Silver Bow county, pro- voked the most intense criticism.

This proclamation was followed by active steps on the part of the governor to make its declara- tions effective. The rooms which the governor had positively designated as the convention halls of the respective houses of the legislature had been

obtained in the primitive log schoolhouse near his home. When he was nineteen years of age he began to learn the carpenter's trade and continued to work at that trade in C'anada until 1869, at which time he came to Montana. He was two months and a half on the voyage up the Mis- souri river. At Crow Island the boat grounded and from that point he made the rest of the journey on foot. This was the year in which Colonel Baker punished the In- dians so severely for their many atrocities on the settlers. Mr. Rankin first worked for a short time at Helena. Then he went to Unionville, where he and his brother, Duncan Rankin, built a quartz mill. After this they bought a team, went to the Cedar Creek mining camp and prospected in the mountains, and in the fall of 1870 John Rankin came to Missoula, then a town composed of only a few little houses. After this he was engaged in contracting and building bridges. Many of the first bridges in Missonla county were built by him. The first was called the Blockhouse bridge. It was five miles south of Missoula and was 250 feet in length. After- ward he turned his attention to building houses, and many of the fine business blocks and residences in Missoula are the result of his handiwork. While working on the first stone building erected in the town he met with an aeci- dent by which he came near losing his life. At some political meeting the town people were having a cannon fired. It was heavily loaded and wadded with old gunny sack. He came round a corner just as it was discharged and was hit on the head by the wad, being knocked senseless and remaining so for ten days. From the effect of that shock his hearing has ever since been slightly

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rented from E. W. Knight, Democratic chair- man of the board of county commissioners. The ordinary locks on the doors were speedily removed and in their stead Yale locks, or locks of a similar character, were put on. Reliable Democrats, noted for their physical courage, were placed " on guard " and the following of- ficial order given:

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH, in Charge of House of Representatives:

Sir :- At 12 o'clock noon to-day you will open the doors of the house of representatives and admit no person to the floor except persons claiming to be members of that body. When notified by any member whom you have admit- ted that the house of representatives las tem- porarily organized, you will turn over your keys to such person as the house may desig- nate. If the auditor of the State appears at the door before you are relieved by the person des- ignated by the house of representatives, you

impaired. To Mr. Rankin belongs the distinction of hav- ing built the first church edifice in Missoula -the Method- ist Church, erected in 1872. About that time he purchased a sawmill on Grant creek. Fort Missoula was established soon after and he furnished most of the lumber for it. After this the town began to grow rapidly. In 1884 he built Mr. Fred Kennett's fine residence, and the following year he built his own beautiful and attractive home. These were among the first good residences that were built here. In 1891 he erected the Rankin Block on Front street, a brick building 86 x 90 feet, three stories and basement, finished for stores and hotel. It has sixty- five rooms, is well finished and furnished throughout, and is a credit both to its builder and to the town in which it is located. Mr. Rankin is running the hotel himself. He still owns his sawmill, and is also the owner of a ranch of 1,480 acres, where he is raising hay and grain and some stock.

April 27, 1879, Mr. Rankin married Miss Olive M. Pickering, a native of New Hampshire. She is a daugh- ter of John L. Pickering, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and a niece of C. W. Berry, Missoula's noted pioneer. Mr. and Mrs. Rankin have had six children, all born in Missoula. Phila they lost while in her ninth year. The others are Jenith P., Hattie L., Wellington D., Mary F. and Grace.

Mr. Rankin is a member of the A. O. U. W. and the I. O. O. F., and his political affiliations are with the Re- publican party. He held the office of County Commis- sioner for one term, and thus rendered his county valuable

will admit him to the floor of the house. When you are relieved by such person your employ- ment ceases.

J. K. TOOLE, Governor.

The proclamation of the governor, supple- mented by the Yale locks and the official order to Captain John Smith, indicated to the Re- publicans that no one not possessed of a key or a certificate from a county clerk would be per- mitted to enter the room set apart for the house of representatives. It was evident that the Democratic scheme contemplated effecting an organization of the house with the five Demo- cratic claimants from Silver Bow occupying seats in that body, and then permit the five Re- publican members, who were ruled out thereby, to go through the farce of contesting for their seats in a body made Democratic by their ex- clusions from the seats to which they were en- titled by virtue of the State certificates they

service. Little of his attention, however, has been given to political matters, as his extensive business operations have claimed a greater part of his time.

LAWRENCE WALSH, one of the prominent mine-owners of Montana, was born in Waterford city, Ireland, Novem- ber 15, 1844, of Irish parents. 1Ie received his education in St. John's College, Catholic. In 1862 he came to Amer- ica, landing at New York, and for a number of years aft- erward was employed as freight check clerk for the Michigan Southern & North Indiana and Toledo & Ann Arbor Railroads.

In 1869, filled with the spirit of adventure, he came up the Yellowstone river to Bozeman, Montana, and thence to Alder Gulch, now Virginia City, where he followed placer mining two seasons. Mr. Walsh was then en- gaged in hunting and trapping at Yellowstone until 1875, in the fall of which year he went to the Black Hills at Deadwood, but, not meeting with good success there, re- turned to Montana in the following spring, and remained at Bozeman until 1877. He next prospected at Pony, also followed placer mining at Jackson creek until the spring of 1878, and since that time has resided in Marysville. Mr. Walsh has discovered many valuable quartz mines, among them being the Bon Mahon, Fraction No. 2, Lib- erty, Intermediate, Marguerite S., Sergeant Jasper, Sum- mit, Nile, Concert, Shakopee, Earthquake, General Grant, General Sheridan, etc. These mines are considered among the most valuable of this rich mining district.

Mr. Walsh is thoroughly informed on the general topics of the day, as well as upon all the mining interests of his

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

held. Under the law it becomes the duty of the State anditor to call the house of represent- atives to order: hence the direction given Cap- tain Smithi to admit him if he appeared. The right of the State anditor to preside over the house of representatives until a temporary or- ganization is effected, is unquestioned. As in- cidental to this authority, and in view of the warlike preparation made by the Democrats to capture the organization by strategy if possi- ble and by force if necessary, State Auditor E. A. Kenny (Republican) issued a call for the house of representatives to meet at Iron IIall on Main street in the city of Helena for the purpose of effecting an organization. His right to designate the meeting place of this body, over which he must temporarily preside, was as clearly defined as the right of the governor to

State, and it may be truthfully said that he has tramped over the Territory of Montana, having camped for months wherever night found him. In political matters, he sup- ports the Republican party, but is thoughtful and inde- pendent in all his actions, and is thoroughly identified with American interests.

CHARLES WESLEY CANNON, whostands well to the front among Montana's most successful pioneer business men, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, July 1, 1836.

Mr. Cannon is of French deseent. Jan Cannon, the pro- jenitor of the family in America, was a French IInguenot who settled in New York city as early as 1692, where he was for many years a prominent merchant and honorable citizen. Among his descendants have been men of mark, both in the Colonial days and in the later history of the country. Our subject's grandfather, James Le Grand Cannon, was born in Stratford, Connecticut, and was a di- reet descendant of Jan Cannon. Ilis son, George Can- non, boru at Stratford in 1799, was married in 1830 to Miss Margurette White, daughter of Dr. White, of Albany, New York, her birth having occurred in 1813. They re- moved to Cineinnati, Ohio, where he was for a number of years engaged in business, and whenee he removed to Dubuque, Iowa, there being successfully engaged in merchandising the rest of his life. His wife died when in the prime of life, leaving him with a family of little children, five sons and a daughter, of whom Charles W. was the third born. The father's death occurred Sep- tember 15, 1862, in the sixty-third year of his age. Both were consistent members of the Episcopal Church. In 1852, on account of the failing health of the elder Mr. Cannon, the care of his business largely devolved upon

set apart a convention hall by proclamation, when there is no capital building designed for that purpose.

Governor Toole's enthusiasm for Democratic success invoked a long period of disaster to the young State, without adding to the political as- sets of the Democratic party. It was an execu- tive mistake that proved an expensive one to his party. In the light of after events Governor Toole's action strongly reminds one of Mac- aulay's statement that when King Carles went down to Parliament with an armed force he in- tended to commit a crime, but only committed a mistake.

The day following the issuance of this re- markable proclamation, November 23, 1889, the first legislature of the State of Montana convened. The Senate met at the place desig-

his son, Charles W., who was at that time only sixteen years of age. The experience gained at that time proved of great value to him in after life. In 1859 a partnership was formed with George B. Smith, and under the firmn name of Cannon & Smith their house became one of the most successful ones in Iowa.

In 1863, soon after a double bereavement by the death of their father and only sister, Mr. Cannon and his younger brother, Heury, decided to leave the scene of their sorrow and try their fortune in the far West. They accordingly sold out their business and made necessary preparations for the hazardous journey. Their outfit consisted of fonr mules and a wagon loaded with necessary supplies, and they had also the luxury of a French cook. They started in April, 1863, from Dubuque, crossed the State of Iowa to Omaha, and their route from Omaha was on the north side of the Platte river. The pleasure of the first part of the journey was unmarred, but when they arrived at a point eleven miles west of Fort Laramie they were at- tacked by a band of twenty-three Sioux Indians. The Iu- dians succeeded in getting one of their mules, and the whites, thinking that the red men were satisfied with what they got, tied the third mule to the rear of their wagon; but before they had proceeded far the Indians made an- other raid upon them and captured another mule. By their undaunted courage the young emigrants escaped with their lives, although the Indians fired showers of amunition at them. Continuing ou their journey, they found their load was too heavy for the two mules and they were obliged to dispense with everything they could pos- sibly do without. The Indians followed them at a dis- tance, but tinally gave up the chase. That same day the

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nated by the governor, there being no con- tested seats in that body. The Republican members of the house of representatives met at Iron Hall and effected a temporary organiza- tion, while the Democratic members met at the hall in the courthouse designated by the gov- ernor, admitted to seats the five Democratic claimants from Silver Bow county, and effected a temporary organization therewith. Thus was inaugurated the dead-lock which was maintained until the session of the first legislature expired hy limitation and part way through the second session of that body the following legislative year.

The Republican house of representatives, having been called to order by the State audi- tor, as required by law, and having effected an organization in due form with a quorum pres-

Cannons overtook some other omigrants, with whom they camped that night. Next morning both parties started out together, and continued together until they reached Deer Creek Station, which was on the opposite side of the river. There were a few soldiers stationed there. As they were soon to enter the mountains and as the other emi- grants could not render them any assistance as they had all their own teams could do, Mr. Cannon decided to cross the river and see if he could buy a team. He accordingly took a roll of greenbacks in his mouth and swam the Platte river, more than 100 feet wide at this point. IIe secured a yoke of oxen for $160. Although they experi- enced some little difficulty in getting the oxen and the mules to work together, they proceeded on their way, but before they had traveled far found that they were be- ing followed by Indians. At this critical time they were fortunate in falling in with some other emigrants whose assistance then perhaps saved their lives.

Notwithstanding all their hardships and dangers, they never once thought of turning back. Meeting with a com- pany of soldiers who were preparing for a campaign against the Indians on Powder river, the soldiers tried to get them to enlist but they declined. IIere the French cook deserted them. Subsequently Mr. Cannon exchanged his oxen for a horse by given $40 to boot, and for a time they drove a spike team as it was called. At the Sweet Water, in Wyoming, they rested a brief time and pros- pected some, but found nothing sufficient to induce them to remain and accordingly they moved on. Before they reached their destination, however, the horse and one of the mules died of starvation, and it was with the aid of borrowed cattle that they were enabled to get their wagon

ent, had complied with the provisions of law and was in fact the legal house of representa- tives, as was subsequently determined by action of the Supreme Court of the State of Montana and by the Senate of the United States. The Democratic house, on the contrary, conformed to a few of the legal forms of organization, with but twenty-eight members responding to roll call, including the five claimants, who had no title in fact to the seats they insisted upon fill- ing.

The two houses remained apart during the entire session, although at the outset an effort was made by the Republicans to effect a com- . promise on somne basis that would permit the interests of the State to be served by necessary legislation. Representative R. II. Howey (Re- publican) offered the following resolution in

to Virginia City. More than four months had been spent in making the journey. Upon his arrival in Virginia City, Mr. Cannon entered a barber shop to have his hair cut, the price for which was $1, and it was there that he found greenbacks were worth only fifty cents to the dollar. Prices in gold were as follows: 100 pounds of flour, $40; coffee, $1 per pound; sugar and salt, each $1 per pound; a shovel, $13; gum boots, $11 a pair, the freight on all goods being thirty-five eents per pound from the States.

In Virginia City they began merchandising under the firm name of C'annon Brothers. A year later they re- moved to IIelena, and after they had conducted business in Helena a year the subject of our sketch returned to St. Louis. There he formed a partnership with Captain F. B. Kerchiville and Mr. M. S. Mullon, the style of the firm being Kerchiville, Cannon & Company. They char- tered three steamboats, loaded with goods and miners' supplies and sent them to the house at HIelena, the boats being unloaded at Fort Benton and brought from there by wagon to Helena. This venture proved a great success. The business was continued by the firm in Helena until 1869, when Mr. Cannon purchased the interest of his part- ners and continued it successfully himself until 1880. That year he sold out, retired from merchandising, and has since given his attention to real-estate, mining and other business interests, which by his capable and sagaci- ous management grew to enormous proportions. Pros- perity continued to attend him and he became a million- aire, -- the largest tax payer in Helena, a city noted for its large proportion of wealthy citizens.

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An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 114

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