An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 145

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

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Dillon Marceau, the youngest of the three children, was only one year old when his mother died, and was raised by his grandfather, Paul Piedalue. Ile left Canada for California in January, 1859, rin the Isthmus, followed mining in El Dorado and Calaveras counties, afterward went to Oregon, and in 1864 arrived in Montana. In 1869 Mr. Marceau returned to his native country, and March 10, 1870, was united in marriage with Miss Mathilda Gad- yette, a native of Canada. On the 16th of the same month they came to this State, a part of the journey having been made by railroad, and the remainder by teams. They arrived at Green valley April 20, 1870, and Mr. Marceau immediately purchased a right to school lands on which they have ever since resided. IIe now owns a

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

Killy, Jeanette, Holland, Robert Emmett, Black Diamond, Marble, Little Phil, Louisiana, May, Pittsburg, Grey Eagle, Summit, Rose Cleveland, Intimidation, Atwood, Emma Muller, Hickey, Bluebird, Sanford and White Boy.

The Drum Lummon is one of the best inines in America. It has three mills, running 120 stamps, which crush from 6,000 to 7,000 tons per month, and yield some $100,000 per month -sometimes as much as $112,000. No mine is better equipped with all modern appliances,

valuable farm of 200 acres, where, in addition general farming he raises a good grade of Durham cattle and Norman-Percheron, Belmont and Morgan horses.

Mr. and Mrs. Marceau have had seven children, one of whom, Dillon, died at the age of seventeen years. The surviving children are: Zephina, Emma, Amanda, Leo Baptisti and Alfred.

Zelphina Marceau, a brother of our subject, was born in Canada, in 1836. He went to California in 1859, worked with and accompanied his brother to Washington and Oregon, in 1863 removed to Boise, Idaho, and in 1864 arrived in Montana. He was married in 1873 to his cousin, Lea Piedalne. They have a farm of 300 acres adjoining his brother's place. The brothers have been together nearly all their lives, and are well known and respected citizens in the county in which they have so long resided. Both families are members of the Catholic Church, and have aided liberally in erecting the church edifice at Frenchtown. Messrs. Marceau were formerly Democrats in their political views, but have recently been identified with the Populists, on account of the question of the free coinage of silver.

RODERICK D. LEGGAT, one of Butte City's most ener- getic and enterprising mining men, came to Montana in 1866 and has ever since been identified with its interests. Some personal mention of him is appropriate in this work; indeed, a history of the representative men of this part of the State would be incomplete without a sketch of his life.

Roderick D. Leggat was born in Albany, New York, June 14, 1836, the son of a worthy Scotchman who emi- grated to this country in 1832 and settled in Albany. On another page of this work will be found the biography of John A. Leggat, in which more extended reference to the family is made.

Roderick D. was educated in Albany, New York, and at Grand Haven, Michigan, and in 1866 he came up the Missouri river in a steamboat, bringing a load of mer- chandise of which he and his brothers, John A. and Alex- ander, were owners. He opened a store at Helena, where he sold goods at wholesale for some time, and from there be removed to High Gulch, then in Deer Lodge county, but now in Silver Bow county, where he continued

and none is better managed for profitable results and for the safety and health of its employes. The output of this mine since the present com- pany took it is something over $8,000,000.

The Belmont also had a thirty-stamp mill, which gave abundant returns; but when the music of thirty stamps will once more awaken Belmont, no one knows. There is a fine gronp of mines on Lost Horse creek called Tousley Gulch. The Consort, Earthquake, General Grant, Tousley and Cement are promising

successfully in the mercantile business. While thus engaged he became interested in mining property, mak- ing purchases from time to time, and is no ranked with the wealthy mining men of the State. He owns all of Highland Gulch, which is six miles in length, and where he is doing hydraulic mining. He is interested in the Cordwell district, which comprises twenty-two cl ims, and he has also numerous other mining interests, owning claims in many of the counties of the State. He and other parties spent no less than $20,000 in developments on the Sand Creek property.

Mr. Leggat has been a resident of Butte City since 1878, and his public spirit and generosity have been manifested here in more ways than one. In connection with his brother, John A., and Mr. Lee Foster, he platted the Leggat addition to Butte City. This addition is east of the old town site, and much of it has been purchased and improved. Mr. Leggat's unceasing energy and his undaunted conrage have been the chief characteristics of his life. The following little incident will give some idea of the kind of a man he is:

When the Northern Pacific railroad was completed and the golden spike was driven at Gold Creek, Mr. Vill- ard brought out the foreign stockholders. Many of Montana's prominent citizens were invited, and among other distinguished guests was General Grant. Mrs. Vill- ard and her little son were also present. Mr. Villard had a programme arranged which ignored all the Montana men and also left out the illustrious Grant. Mr. Leggat succeeded in getting up to the track near the spike, and after Mr. Villard had called on one or two of his great men to strike, Mr. Leggat cried out with a loud voice "Let Henry the second strike!" Mrs. Villard looked at her husband and said, "Ile means for our little son to strike." So they put the sledge in the child's hands and . directed the blow. Much cheering followed. Then Mr. Leggat shouted with a loud voice, "General Grant, Gen- eral Grant!" and the people cheered and the General stepped forward, and as he took the sledge to swing it, Mr. Leggat shouted, "Send her home, Grant!" With one hard blow the General struck the spike clear down to its head. Thus Mr. Leggat broke Mr. Villard's programme, and his course gave great satisfaction to his friends in

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claims. These mines show large quantities of ores rich in silver, gold, lead and copper. Some of them have shipped large quantities of ores. Here we also find the Summit, Bell Boy, Glea- son, Nile, Republic, Jerusha, R. E. Lee, Gold Leaf, Cleveland, Tom Moran and St. Patrick. The Gloster and its sixty-stamp mill are idle for the good reason already mentioned. There are the Ophir, Regan and East Regan. The Empire and its sixty-stamp mill are still idle. There is no want of ore in the mine, and in the

Montana. One of the papers, afterward in commenting, upon his action, called him the "typical mountaineer." Mr. Leggat says he knew it was rude of him, but he was so exasperated at the slight to Montana's brave sons who had done so much for the road and had treated Mr. Vill- ard so royally, that his action came to him spontaneously and he really could not help it.

Politically, Mr. Leggat has been an ardent Democrat all his life. Now, however, he is greatly displeased at the action of his party has taken on the silver question. He was reared in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, of which his parents were stanch members, but he him- self has never joined any church or any society. While he is not a church member, he believes in churches and has liberally contributed to the building fund of every church in Butte City. He also helped to build the first church in Helena. In the advancement of education too, has he done much, and the poor and needy have never been turned empty-handed from his door. Indeed, he is noted for his generosity.

Mr. Leggat was married January 19, 1891, to Mrs. Catharine Blake, widow of John Blake, both formerly of Indiana. They own and occupy one of the delightful homes of Butte City.

RICHARD P. BARDEN, County Treasurer of Lewis and Clarke county, Montana, is a native of Missouri, born in St. Louis, May 20, 1857.

Richard Barden, the father of Richard P., was born ou the Emerald Isle, and in early life emigrated from that country to America, taking up his abode in Maine. In that State he was subsequently married to Miss Catharine O'Neal, a native of Maine. In 1856 they removed to Missouri, where he died in 1858, leaving a widow and infant son. Richard P. and his mother remained in Mis- souri until he was twelve years old, she in the meantime becoming the wife of Henry Adams, and in 1869 they came to Montana and located at Helena. Mrs. Adams still resides in Helena.

Mr. Barden attended school after coming to Montana, and his first employment was as clerk in a stationery store. Afterward he served three years as a clerk in the postoffice at Helena, and subsequently as deputy post- master at Butte City. Upon his return to IIelena he again

Whippoorwill, M. & L., Smithville, Homestake, American, Flag, Lost Whippoorwill, Puritan, Cornucopia, St. Lawrence, Triumph, Bronca, E. L. F. and Blackbird. The Jay Gould and its mill did good work for many years, much to the satisfaction of its owners.

French and Spokane Bars and their placers and other placers are on the Missouri be- tween the Gate of the Mountain and Cañon Ferry. These placers still yield gold, but they have become more noted for their sapphires

entered the postoffice and acted as assistant one year. In 1887 he was elected Treasurer of the city of Helena. Two years later he was elected County Treasurer, and has been twice re-elected to succeed himself, and is now serving his third term. That he is an efficient public ser- vant is evinced by his long continuance in the office. Half a million dollars go through his hands each year, and for the safe keeping of the county's money he furnishes a bond of $150,000.

Mr. Barden is a member of the Order of Elks, and in polities he is a Republican.

WILLIAM B. GEORGE, a popular young business man of Billings, was born in Platte county, Missouri, in 1965, a son of William P., and Fannie (Duncan) George. The maternal grandfather was an early pioneer of that county, was its first county judge, and was the most extensive hemp.producer in that region. The grandmother was a lineal descendant of the prominent family of Peytons in Virginia. William P. George was an extensive farmer was a director of a military institute and of a female orphan asylum at Camden Poiut, Missouri.

William B., our subject, attended school at Liberty, Missouri, afterward entered the State University at Co- lumbia, that State, next took a course at Eastman's Busi- ness College, in Poughkeepsie, New York, and then taught school two terms in his native State. In 1885 Mr. George came to Helena, Montana, where he served as Secretary of the State Board of Education for a time, afterward served one year as Assistant Postmaster at Deer Lodge, for the following ten months was engaged as rail- way mail clerk between Helena and Billings, was en- gaged as assistant Postmaster at Billings two years, and in March, 1891, purchased the cigar and fruit business in the post-office building. He has since added confection- ery, stationery and all newspaper periodicals. Mr. George also furnished and coudneled the opera house for more than two years. He has served as city treasurer for the past three years, is assistant Postmaster at Billings, and is watch inspector for the Northern Pacific railroad.

Mr. George was married June 15, 1892, to Virginia F. Sleeper, a daughter of Nehemiah and Martha J. (Flem- ing) Sleeper. They have one son, Warren Peyton. Mr. George has filled the position of Senior Deacon in Ashlar

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

than their gold. The gems gathered from them are oriental sapphires, which rival the diamond in their brilliant and varied reflections and in hardness and durability. The mountains be- tween Prickly Pear valley and the Missouri have many good prospects.

Dry Gulch and its tributaries are fringed with hundreds of quartz inines and claims. A promising mine is opened on a regular vein of quartz in the city limits,-the Craig mine, on Rodney street. Just above town is the Ruby

Lodge, No. 29, is a member of Chapter, No. 6, and Alde mar Commandery, No. 5, F. & A. M. of Billings ; of the K. o P., of this city ; of the Algeria Temple, of Helena ; and is also a member of the Volunteer Fire Department. Both he and his wife are members of the Christian Church, and the former is a staunch Democrat in his political views.

HENRY BUCK, a prominent merchant of Stevensville, came to Montana in 1863. Of his lile we make record as follows:

Henry Buck was born in Sandusky county, Ohio, August 13, 1846, of Swiss descent, bis ancestors having emigrated to this country several generations ago and settled in Pennsylvania. He is a brother of Amos Buck and is the youngest in his father's family. In the public schools of Monroe county, Michigan, he received his early education, and in 1866 he graduated in the Commercial College at Albion, Michigen. Following his graduation he was for two years engaged in teaching school in Mon- roe county. In 1868 he came to Montana, and with his brothers, Fred and Amos, mined for two years in Lin- coln Gulch, Deer Lodge county, their mining operations there, however, ending in failure. Next they went to Cedar creek, where they met with better success. They mined there in company with a number of others for four years, during which time the company took out $200,000, this amount being divided between six interests, the Buck brothers receiving one-sixth of this amount, less expenses of operating the mines. From Cedar creek they came to Bitter Root valley and located a ranch nine miles north of Stevensville, where they turned their atten- tion to stock-raising. They did not, however, remain in the stock business long, their next venture being in the mercantile business in Stevensville. They purchased the store and stock of Joseph A. Lomme, took possession January 28, 1876, and from that date up to the present time they have had a successful career in the mercantile business. The frame building in which they began busi- ness was 22 x 40 feet, they had a stock of goods valued at $6,200, and for some time the firm name was Buck Broth- ers, composed of Fred, Amos and Henry Buck. They did a large retail business with the farmers, taking prod- uce in exchange for goods, and running wagons to the different mining camps in Baunack, Fort Benton, Helena,

opened in limestone. Still higher up and on the west fork are the Geraldine, Jumbo, None Such, Ella Huron, Ella Howard, Blackstone, Sixy-four, Maginnis, Iron Age, Summit, Elea- nor, Little Hope, Sutherlin, Clyde, Little Jen- nie, Buckeye, Oro Cache, Conductor, Wood Tick, Treasurer, Mayflower, Champion, J. E. Watson, Silver King, Iron, Sunset, Uncle Sam, Ben Alta, Iron King and others. Some of these mines have yielded considerable quantities of telluride of gold fabulously rich, as shown by

Deer Lodge, Silver Bow, and the Blackfoot country, during the first few years, Amos being out on the road nearly all the time. Their operations were successful from the start. The three brothers continued together until March 18, 1884, at which time Fred and Henry pur- chased the interest of Amos, and the firm name was changed to that of F. and II. Buck. January 31, 1890, Fred Buck died, and after his death and the settlement of his estate his widow took her husband's place in the firm, the business now being continued as before, only that the firm name was changed to Henry Buck & Company.

Besides his mercantile business, Mr. Henry Buck has also become identified with other enterprises. He is a stockholder in the Whipporwill and Last Chance Min- ing Companies. He owns forty acres of laud adjoining the original town site of Stevensville, which be has had sur- veyed into town lots and made an addition to the town of Stevensville, and called Henry Buck's Villa. He also owns a one-sixth interest in a forty-acre addition to Ste- vensville called Pleasantvale ; also a valuable property in the business portion of Anaconda.

Mr. Buck was married April 2, 1878, to Miss Clara E. Elliott, a native of Iowa, and a daughter of David Elliott. Her father came to Montana with his family in 1862 and located in the Bitter Root valley. Her brother, Lind Elliott, lost his life at Big Hole in the fight with the Indians. Mr. and Mrs. Buck have had three children. The eldest, Carrie Belle, died at the age of three years. The others are Fred E., and Clarence Heury.

Mr. Buck was made a Mason io Monroe, Michigan, in 1867, and has served either as Secretary or Treasurer of his lodge for many years. Politically he is a Republi- can. All the Buck brothers have proved themselves men of excellent business ability, and all have built commo- dious homes in the town in which they have long been prominent factors.

CHARLES E. DUER, cashier of the Stockmen's National Bank, of Fort Benton, has been a resident of Montana since 1865, and one of Fort Benton's most prominent busi- ness men.

He is a native of Maryland, born April 1, 1836, of English ancestry who were early settlers of Philadelphia, l'eunsylvania. ITis father, Charles Duer, was born in

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several analyses. Mr. O'Rear sent some to the Bank of England, which assayed $325,000 per ton, and the bank offered Mr. O'Rear $110 per pound for this ore. The small placers of Tucker and Spring Gulehes have yielded over $2,000,- 000, and are still rielı.

Oro Fino and its branches, Arastra, Park, Grizzly, Squaw and Limekiln gulches, are sur- rounded with mountains full of veins rich in gold. On the head of Oro Fino are the Whit- latch Union, the Mac, Crystal, Twilight, Day- light, Big Mountain, None Such, Park, Merri-

that city in 1790, and in 1826 was married to Miss Eliza- beth Norris, a native also of Maryland. After his mar- riage he was for many years a successful merchant in the city of Baltimore. In religious faith they were Episco- palians and people of the highest respectability. She died at the age of fifty-eight years, and he attained the ripe old age of eighty-four years. They had eleven chil- drea, of whom six are living.

Charles E., their third child, started out in life for him- sell atthe age of seventeen years, first as a bookkeeper and later in the grain and grocery business. In 1865 he decided to try for home and fortune in the wilds of Mon tana, and accordingly took passage on steamer up the Missouri river, landing a: Cow Island July 4, which day he celebrated there. He came from Cow Island with a freighting outfit to Fort Benton, and thence by wagon to Helena, at which place he was bookkeeper for King & Gillette for a number of years. Later, with others, he organized the Montana National Bank, of which he was the cashier during its existence.

In 1880 he came to Fort Benton and engaged in bank- ing, the firm being Collins, Duer & Company. Out of this business grew the Stockmen's National Bank, organ- ized in 1890, when Mr. Duer was elected its cashier, and he is still filling that position. He is a large stockholder in the bank. He is also a member of the Bar Eleven Company, one of the large stock-raising companies of north Montana.

lle is a prominent member of the Odd Fellows order in which he has served as Grand Master of Montana Politically, he is a life-long Democrat, and as such was once nominated for the State Senate, and was defeated by a small majority, his friend, John W. Power, being the candidate on the Republican ticket. Since coming to Montana Mr. Duer has always taken a live interest in the affairs of the State. and especially of Fort Benton ; and he has the reputation of being a solid and reliable business man, successful and enterprising.

In 1874 he married Miss Cassandra Wilson, a native of Maryland and an amiable and accomplished lady; but she was spared to him only two years, dying in 1876, on

mac and a host of other claims and mines. At an early day the Whitlatch mill was erected to work the Whitlatch Union, and its success brought four other mills to work the mines on the head of Oro Fino, Park and Grizzly; and Unionville became a flourishing camp with an ambition to rival Helena. But a blight fell upon the place, the mills joined the Idlers' Club, and the busy people dispersed to other camps. But this dry rot which fell upon Unionville was no fault of the mines. The Whitlatch with twenty stamps, the Dumphy with fifteen stamps

the birth of her first child. The bereavement was a most sad one. After remaining single two years, Mr. Duer was again married, in 1873, to Miss Olivia Orr, a native of Missouri who when three years of age was brought hy her father, Sample Orr, to Montana in his emigration to this Territory. By this marriage there is one child named Elizabeth, born at Fort Beuton. Mr. and Mrs. Duer are living most happily in a palatial residence which overlooks the city, the grand Missouri river and the surrounding country.

JOSEPH RAMSDELL, of Butte, is a highly respected pioneer of Montana, who dates his arrival in the Terri- tory on the 7th of November, 1863.

Mr. Ramsdell is a native of the State of Ohio, born on the peninsula opposite the city of Sandusky, June 15, 1824, of New England stock. His father, John Ramsdell, was a native of New Hampshire, and his mother, Salima (Woolcut) Ramsdell, was born in Connecticut: their mar- riage occurred in Ohio, and they had six children, four of whom are still living. Mr. Ramsdell's death occurred in the forty-fifth year of his age, caused by au injury which he had received in the spine. Mrs. Ramsdell lived to be ninety years old.

Joseph, their fourth child and the subject of this sketch, was brought up in Logan county, Ohio, and was only eight years old when he lost his father. He made his home subsequently at different places, earning his living at an exceedingly young age. His first position was as chore boy about a store belonging to the man with whom he made his home, and later he learned the shoemaker's trade. He received but a limited education, then he was employed as a journeyman for a year, aud was afterward engaged at various things for a time. At length he owned some horses and became a skilled horseman.

February 20, 1849, he married, and for the first year they kept hotel at Lamont, Ohio, twenty-one miles south of Sandusky. This was a wayside house, where they en- tertained travelers and teamsters. After three years in this business, Mr. Ramsdell purchased a farm of 160 acres in Bureau county, Illinois, improved the property,

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

on Park, and the Philadelphia with thirty stamps, were once at work at the head of Oro Fino; but all are now idle. The time, however, is not far distant when the music of sixty stamps will again be heard in these beautiful valleys. Arastra Gulch has a number of good mines and prospects on veins carrying free gol.l. Among them are the None Such, Buckeye, Golden Mountain, Southern, Iron King, Gem, Manhattan, Uncle Sam, Excelsior, Sunset, Ella Howard and others.

and resided on it three years. Then selling it he, with his wife and two children, crossed the plains, in 1859, to Denver, traveling with horse teams and in company with a number of young men, on their way to the gold diggings. Denver had just been started On arrival Mr. Ramsdell engaged in freighting and in running a livery stable. About a year afterward, in September, 1863, he started for the point which was then the source of the principal gold excitement, taking with him a hundred cows and calves. The company with which he started was small at first, but grew to very large propor- tions on the way. They were seventy-seven days mak- ing the journey from Denver to Virginia City, employing oxen as their draft animals.

On arriving here Mr. Ramsdell built a log house, and for the floor he killed some of his live stock, and with the hides covered this ground, and the hair all on the upper side and lying one way, thus making it easy for sweeping, which could be rapidly and neatly done. The window was made of a flour sack. And thus the hardy and conrageous pioneers begun life in the wilds of Mon- tana.

Mr. Ramsdell bought a claim and worked it about six months, making some money. IJe then sold it, at a profit, and in 1865 he made the journey to Salt Lake City, conveying with him for the business men of Vir- ginia City 8165,000 in gold. After arriving in that city he sent his children to school during the winter, and in the sping of 1866 came to Butte. He had been here in 1864, had mined in German Gulch, and also was here a part of the time in 1865. When he arrived here in 1866 he worked on the Parrott, of which he had been one of the locators, July 4, 1864: it was then the best copper mine worked in the camp. Building a small smelter he commenced business, but it proved to be too far from market; and in 1869, when the railroad was built to Co- rinne, he hauled his product to that place, where he shipped it to Baltimore. In 1884 Mr. Ramsdell worked the mine, and it proved to be one of the best-paying in in the country. It was one of the mines, indeed, that occasioned the location and building of Butte City. HIe has still other mines in the camp, among them the Little Ann and the Mand S.

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An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 145

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