An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 147

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 147

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the music of many stamps has been continu- ous among her hills and valleys for a quarter of a century.

Meanwhile many thousand quartz deposits have been discovered and recorded. Hundreds of these have been so developed as to prove they contain vast quantities of valuable ores, but of such a character that they require very ex- tensive reduction works for their successful treatment. For such mines cheap transporta- tion is necessary to secure immediate profits. Railroads have been built to some districts and

division. His general capacity, geniality and sociability won him many friends. His popularity was demonstrated in the fall of 1892, when he was elected to represent Daw- son connty in the Senate of Montana. He bears his honors well and has a bright future before him.

He was married in 1887, to Miss Josephine Myer, daughter of Joseph and Josephine Myer, of Montana. They have three bright children, two sons and one daughter: Roy J., Thomas P., Jr., and Ruth. He has a beautiful residence and all the necessary surroundings to make life enjoyable. He is a member of the Order of Railway Conductors, and in politics a Democrat.

ANDREW JENSEN, one of the prominent merchants of Great Falls, Montana, was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, January 1, 1862. From a bootblack on the streets of his native city he has educated himself and worked his way up to the position he now occupies.

Mr. Jensen is of Danish descent. Some of his ances- tors settled in America in 1837. When he was only six years old death bereft him of his parents and at that ten- der age he began to earn his own living by selling papers and blacking boots. When he was twelve he secured a po- sition in a clothing house, where heremained for six years, and during that time acquired a comprehensive knowl- edge of the business. He was then employed by the wholesale clothing firm of Strause, Goodman & Co., and traveled for them four years in Wisconsin, Iowa and Miu- nesota. After this he engaged in business for himself at Northwood, North Dakota, where he continued two years and from whence, in 1888, he came to Great Falls. Here, iu February of the following year, he opened the Boston Clothing House on the corner of First avenue, south, and Third street. He occupies a room 50x 90 feet, has it well stocked with all kinds of men's ware, including boots and shoes, and has here attained a sncesss of which he may justly be proud. His four years' experience in the selling of clothing at wholesale has been of much value to him in enabling him to buy goods at the lowest value of the manufacturers.

Mr. Jensen was married at St. Paul, iu 1883, to Miss Mattie Kittlson, a native of that city and a daughter of

Hon, Charles Kittlson, ex-State Treasurer of Minnesota and now president of the Columbia National Bank of Minnesota. They have one child, Evaline.

Mr. Jensen is in politics an Independent. Fraternally, he is a Blue Lodge, Royal Arch and Knight Templar Mason.

DR. CARLTON V. NORCROSS, of Butte, is a native of St. Clair county, Illinois, born April 29, 1867, of English an- cestry who were very early settlers of Winthrop, Maine, where some of the descendants still reside. Mr. Norcross, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, is a native of that State, where he has long been a prominent farmer. Both he and his wife are still living, he being now eighty-two years of age. Of their seven children, six are living. The Doctor's father, Winfield Scott Norcross, was born there in 1840, and when the great Civil war be- gan he enlisted in the Union army, was in many hard- fought battles, severely wounded three times, and each time after recovery re-enlisted. He was Second Lieuten- ant on entering the service, and during the war was pro- moted as Major, For his wife he married Miss Hattie Umbarger, a native of Illinois, of a Virginia family. Of their five children three are living. Mrs. Norcross died in 1893, in her fiftieth year.

Dr. Norcross, the eldest of the children, was educated in St. John's Episcopal College, Utah, was a partner in a drugstore there for three years, and in 1882 sold it and came to Butte. He began the study of medicine with a Baptist minister, C. W. Clark, and then attended the Iowa State University, and graduated in the medical depart- ment in 1887, standing high in his class. For some time he was also a student of special branches in the medical department of the Michigan State University.

In the spring of 1887 he began his practice in Butte, aud by his own exertion and close attention to husi- ness, he has grown into favor and into an extensive and successful practice. He has a nice, thoroughly equipped office in the Owsley Block, corner Main and Park streets. This building, one of the best in the city, is also in one of the best localities.

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Theloom Story

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

thus secured the successful working of their mines. On all the streams and gulches above named as containing placers, quartz veins have been discovered from which the ancient glaciers ground the gold deposited by the waters in the plaeers of bench, bar and river channel. The prospeetor's pick and shovel have revealed quartz veins on nearly every hillside and moun- tain slope bordering old Alder and the other placers of Madison County. Many of these discoveries have been so opened up and de- veloped as to show that they are very valuable

The Doctor is a homeopathist, zealous and thorough, constantly confirmed in his belief in the supremacy of his principles by the results of his experience and observa- tion. He is a hard student, a close thinker, and thor. oughly understands the maxims of modern scientific in- vestigation. In his views of national questions he is a decided Republican.

July 21, 1892, he married Miss IIattie Mangino, a na- tive of Spain.

WINFIELD SCOTT HAWES, the leading artist and pho- tographer in Anaconda, Montana, was born near Boston, Massachusetts, September 16, 1865, only child of James and Elizabeth M. Hawes. Both his paternal and mater. nal ancestors were English. Ilis mother's maiden name was Hull, she being a relative of General Hull, of Ameri_ can fame. She was born in Maine.

Winfield S. Hawes early in life had an ambition to see the great West, and to grow up with the country. Ac. cordingly he made his way to Montana, arriving in Butte May 20, 1880, where he became an apprentice under A. J Dusseau, a Frenchman, to learn the art of photography. With this Frenchman he remained until he was com- petent to engage in business on his own account, which he did in 1884, opening a gallery in Butte and doing a successful business there for some time. In 1887 he located in Anaconda, where he has since lived and pros- pered, now owning his own property and carrying on an extensive business. He has associated with him an ex- pert scenic artist, who makes views of all the principal towns as well as of picturesque scenery throughout the State. Both gentlemen are masters of their profession, and pride themselves on keeping in its front ranks.

Mr. Hawes was married September 16, 1890, to Cath- leen Morrison, daughter of Peter Morrison, her ancestors having come to this country from Scotland. They have one child, James Franklin, born February 1, 1892.

Mr. Hawes is a loyal American. He is a member of the Patriotic Sons of America, of which organization he is Financial Secretary, and is also a member of Montana Lodge, No. 13, K. of P., and Master of the Exchequer of that lodge.

mines. Mills are running on some of them, but a great majority of these mines show ores best adapted to smelting works.

As might be expected many veins of quartz have been discovered at the summit or head of Alder. Some of them have been worked and milled for free gold. When the ores ehanged to sulphurets another process was required and the old mills could not extract the gold. The early mines at the summit were the Steele, Oro- Cache, Lucas, Apex, Scranton, Keystone, Kear- sarge and Snow-Cap. The ores of the Oro-Cache

NELSON STORY is a native of Meigs county, Ohio, where he was born in the year 1838. His father, Ira Story, was a New Englander, of the State of New Hampshire. His mother, Hannah Gile, was English, and a member of one of the oldest families in Europe. She died in 1864, her death being followed three years later by that of her hus- hand, leaving young Nelson the portion of an orphan, in his seventeenth year. His collegiate education was here cut short, which up to this time had been prosecuted as far as the third term of the sophomore year.

Young Story spent the last two years of his minority in teaching school in the State of Ohio. From his twenty- first year up to the present time he has been an active, earnest, energetic business man. Ilis investments and ex- perience extended over the States of Illinois, Missouri and other Western States and Territories. He was en- gaged in freighting in the early days from the Missouri river across the sandy deserts to the Rocky mountains. He engaged in placer mining in Montana and other West- ern Territories, and has operated various lines of mercan- tile business in all of its many branches, from that of a small provision stand, supplying the wants of the rugged miners, to the control and management of mammoth de- partment stores. He has engaged in milling, agricultural and stock-raising pursuits, and at different times has been connected with various banks, and was the principal owner and president of the Gallatin Valley National Bank, at Bozeman, Montana. In all of these various avo- cations and pursuits in life he has been eminently suc- cessful, as is evidenced by the princely fortune he has acquired. Ile is now reputed to be one of the wealth- iest men, if not the wealthiest, in this the treasure State of the Union.

ITis life has been a mixture of romance and stern real- ity. All the excitements connected with Indian wars, on the open plains, and the fierce and sudden attack of the bloody savage in the darkness of the night, have been a portion of his experience.

lle has felt the excitement that thrills a man when working placer claims in destitute circumstances, who suddenly sees thousands of glittering gold before him as

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

yielded up at least $1,250,000, and the other mines smaller sums in the mills which worked their ores. On Alder, between the summit and Virginia City, many quartz mines have been opened. Among the good prospects may be named the U. S. Grant, Bell, Montana State and Prospect mines. The Alameda and Al- freda were worked by the New York and Mon- tana mill at Virginia City.

In Brown's gulch mines were worked in the '60s by the Connor mill and the Howe mill and

his honest possession, and the rich reward for his faithful toil and patient waiting. He has been familiar with the scenes incident to a pioneer life, in the capturing and punishing of criminals by the rude but effectual process- es known to a mining camp, and has seen men arrested, charged with murder or highway robberies, tried and ex- ecuted within three hours.

Mr. Story has passed through the crude period of pio- neer life, living in the log cabin and on the open plain, mingling his voice with the wild war-whoop of the painted Red man in the darkness of the night, and directing his friends and associates in resisting their murderous on- slaught. In these later years he has merged into the re- finement of cultivated and civilized society, and the steady business habits of a solid banker. Through all these varied changes of a strangely wild and romantic life, from the beardless boy on the banks of the Ohio to the mature and experienced business man of fifty-four years, his name stands, wherever known, for high char- acter, sound judgment, with an unquestioned fidelity to business and a conscientious devotion to whatever his hands should find to do.

Mr. Story has now reached the maturity of a life rich with experience and blessed with success His domestic life is all that could be desired. His wife, the choice of his early young manhood, and who has shared all his perils, partaken of his adversities, rejoiced in his pros- perity, been with him in storm and clondy weather, in sunshine and happiness, still lives, and is by his side to counsel, cheer and bless his life. They have four chil- dren-three sons and a danghter. The daughter is mar- ried and the wife of Dr. G. L. Hogan.

Mr. Story is now the owner of two palatial residences, one in the beautiful city of Bozeman, situated in the cen- ter of the Gallatin valley, which, on account of its pe- culiar location and romantic and picturesque surroundings might properly be termed a dimple in the cheek of the Rocky mountains; the other one in the world-famed city of Los Angeles, California. The Bozeman residence was erected at a cost of $120,000, and is modern in all its archi- tectural style, finish and appointments. The one at Los Angeles is renowned for its beauty and furnishings and the luxury and home comforts that it furnishes to its oc-

three arastras. These early works built np the town of Bullion City at the head of this gulch. Many veins have been discovered here and a large part of them developed so far as to show they have vast bodies of rich ores. Among them are the Pacific, Utah and Northern, Grub- stake, Eastern-Sun, Back- Lode, Brown, Brown- Extension and True Blue. On the ridge be- tween Brown Gulch and Williams are the Highland Chief and Mountain Flower mires. In Spratt gulch is another group of good mines.

cupants. Mr. Story has unconsciously ingratiated him- self into the hearts of his friends and neighbors, with whom he has dwelt and mingled for the past quarter of a century. All classes, from the humble laborer, the hard- working servant girl, the aristocratic capitalist, the trained and scholastic professional man, the wily politi- cian, all alike in adversity turn to him as their friend and counselor. He meets each one with the same cordiality, warm-heartedness and open generosity. As a citizen he is loyal, faithful, honest and patriotic. As a business man his fortune speaks for itself. As a husband and father, he is kind, patient, generous and indulgent. In personal appearance lie is like no one but himself. He looks and walks and talks and acts like himself and no one else. He is abont five feet eleven inches tall, broad-shouldered, deep-chested, with a big head full of brains, and energy enough to burst a mountain. His face is a problem, a combination of poetry and prosa, an expression of earnest determination and a tinge of bitterness mingled with kindness, gentle almost as a woman's face. He has a large, piercing, golden grey, eagle eye, that when aroused flashes in its brightness almost with fierceness, but when speaking of human suffering or listening to the cares of others, is luminous and tender almost to weak- ness. Taking him all in all, he is a romautic, historic character, towering above the mediocre as far as Mount Hood towers above the hills that skirt the blue waters of the Pacific ocean. Strong in every way, in body, in mind, in heart and sympathy, he makes a devoted aud constant friend, and is tireless in promoting the interests of any one for whom he feels a touch of sympathy. He knows his friends whenever and wherever he meets them, and his enemies know him. Mr. Story has never held a political office in his life, but has always been active and earnest in support of the Republican party, its measures, principles and doctrines. During the campaign of 1894, he was the most prominent Republican in Gallatin county, and contributed largely of his means, his time and his labor for the election of its candidates. His speech before the Young Men's Republican Club at Boze- man, in the Grand Opera Ilouse, was so highly appre- ciated that it was printed first in the newspaper, and then the demand for it was so great that twenty thousand

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

One of them, the Spratt mine, is well proved by underground work and by the ores extracted. On the divide between Alder and Williams gulches are the Wisconsin, Sailor- Boy, Last Chance and other mines. Granite has many promising mines, and the Platner mill was erected to work the ores of this region.

Ramshorn is another gulch rich in quartz claims, some of which have been proved to be permanent mines. The Bedford, Melrose, Inca, Flagstaff and Mountain Boy all have large

copies were printed in pamphlet form and sent as a cam- paign document all over the State of Montana and other portions of the country. It was the only speech deliv- ered during the campaign that was printed in pamphlet form and sent out as a campaign document. So much has this speech been appreciated that calls for it have been made from various clubs and persons in distant and remote parts of the Union. Mr. Story is at this time, and has been for two years last passed, a member of the State Board of Education, and has taken an active and promi- nent pnrt in the location and building up of the various State institutions of learning. Through his personal efforts largely, was the Agricultural College located at Boze- man. He give the beautiful grounds upon which the college is located, and the water plant with all the pipes connecting it with the city water works, at a cost of sev- eral thousand dollars. Mr. Story is at this time a candi- date for the United States Senate. No one knows how he became a candidate, or why he is such. It is one of those peculiar uprisings that nobody is responsible for and everybody is interested in. He is pretty much the same kind of a candidate for the Senate that Abraham Lincoln was for the Presidency the first time. Politicians, clacks and ringmasters oppose him, but the straightforward, honest common people are for him, for he represents no clique or ring or corporation, but is the people's candi- date. And if the business interests of the State and the wishes of the voters are to be regarded, he will be elected to the United States Senate on the first ballot. As to the extent of his fame, it makes but little difference whether he is elected or not, for he is one of those rare specimens of men whose prominent business ability and individual- ity gives him great renown. The name of Nelson Story is woven into every historical page of the great North- west. IIe is an enthusiastic friend of education, a gen- erous and liberal supporter of the churches and all benevolent and humane societies. In those movements which constitute the early history of a State, the influ- ence of such a character as Mr. Story's enters largely into its growth, advancement and ultimate snecess. As a pi- oneer in the mercantile business of the State, he brought to it those methods needed in the forming of the early commercial relations between men of a new country; and

bodies of ore rich in lead and silver. The Fair- view, Pedro and Myrtle mines are in this gulch. There is a stamp mill in Ramshorn.

Over the ridge from Virginia City are the old Kennet mines and what remains of the Kennet mill. A new mill has been erected for working the ores of the Bertha, some of which are very rich in free gold. California gulch also has many good prospects and promising mines, carrying lead, copper, silver and gold. The Wisconsin, Head Center, Lonisa, American

by his strong personality engrafted to the vigorous young State a strain of good strong stock, which was destined to be the origin of a business impulse afterward to con- stitute an important factor within the State.

In the forming of the character of the young State, the individualities of such men as Story shape and mould it to a great degree, and the charge of the administration of its affairs should rest with those whose efforts in the past have done so much toward bringing about the present re- sults. We can lay no fairer vestments for the future of a State as prolific and rich as is Montana than those which shall fall from the years of the pregnant future; and there are none more worthy than Mr. Story to be honored with whatever position of distinction or trust that may fall to his lot at the hands of this glorious young State of the West.

When be shall have passed to the other shore he will leave as a rich heritage to his family a clean, pure busi- ness character, and a name that wherever known was as good as the purest gold.

B. S. CHAFFIN, a Montana pioneer of 1864, and now re- siding three-fourths of a mile north of Corvallis, was born in Kansas, March 3, 1863, a son of Elijah and Eliza (Mitchell) Chaffin, natives of Tennessee and Missouri re- spectively. In 1864, with his wife and ten children, Mr. Chaffin crossed the plains to Moutana, having met with no misfortune during the journey, with the exception of having a few horses stolen by the Indians. They came direct to the Bitter Root valley, in the following spring proceeded on the journey to Oregon, but in 1866 returned to this locality. Mr. Chaffin purchased a claim from Mr. Slack, where he resided until his death, in 1888. He added to his original purchase from time to time until at the time of his death he owned 480 acres. Mrs. Chaffin departed this life in February, 1878. Both were mem- bers of the Christian Church, in which Mr. Chaffin had served in an official capacity for many years. They had a family of five sons and four daughters. One daughter, Lydia, died on the same day and of the same disease, pneumonia, as her father.

B. S. Chaffin, the third child in order of birth, and the subject of this sketch, was only eighteen months old when the Family arrived in Montana, and was reared and edu-

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

Flag, Winfield and many others might be named as giving promise of good mines. Harrison Gulch has many claims shown to contain much rich ore. On Granite Gulch are the Granite and other mines of reported richness and valne. Business Gulch has claims partially developed and reputed rich. These various mining camps near Virginia City and in gulches tributary to Alder have enough good quartz veins to make this region as famous for its quartz mines as it once was for its placers.

cated in Missoula county. He now owns a third interest with his brothers in the old home ranch, which consists of 473 acres. They are engaged in general farming and stock-raising. Mr. Chaffin was married May 12, 1889, to Miss Corilla Walls, a native of Missouri, and a daughter of Calvin Walls. To this union has been born two chil- dren,-Geneva and Lloyd. Mrs. Chaffin is a member of the Methodist Church. In political matters our subject casts his vote for the Republican candidates, and at the organization of the new county of Ravalli he was ap- pointed by the State Legislature as County Commission- er, in which important office he is still serving. In his social relations, Mr. Chaffin is a Master Mason.

THE AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK, of Helena, was or- ganized by Messrs. T. C. Power, A. J. Seligman and A. C. Johnson, with a capital stock of $200,000, and opened its doors for business August 25, 1890. The official corps of the bank is as follows: T. C. Power, president; A. J. Seligman, vice-president; A. C. Johnson, cashier; George F. Clark, assistant cashier; and T. C. Power, A. J. Selig- man, Richard Lockey, A. C. Johuson, and James Sul- livan, directors. Since the commencement of its business career the volume of business has steadily increased, and it ranks to-day as one of Montana's most reliable financial institutions.

NEWTON J. CHAFFIN, a Montana pioneer of 1864, was born in Missouri, March 8, 1849, a son of Anthony and Nelly (Williams) Chaffin, natives of Tennessee and Mis- souri respectively. They were the parents of three chil- dren, all now living. The mother died when our subject was twelve years of age, and the father now resides in the Yellowstone valley, aged sixty-nine years.

Newton J., their eldest child, crossed the plains to Montana in 1864, when fifteen years old. Ile walked the entire distance and drove an ox team, and during the journey one of his sisters died and was buried on the plains. After arriving in this State the father located on the farm where our subject now resides, the same con- sisting of 400 acres. In addition to general farming Mr. Chaffin is extensively engaged in the raising of horses, cattle and sheep. January 2, 1881, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Josephine Tillmen, a native of Missouri, who came to Montana in 1871. Two sons have been born

Only a railroad is needed to carry to the smelters the thousands and thousands of tons of good ores now on the dumps of a hundred claims to furnish money enough to make these mines the pride and boast of the country and make Virginia City a great and permanent min- ing center. The streams tributary to the Stink- ing Water have a number of quartz claims, many of them are bright prospects and some of them have been developed into paying mines. Bevins Gulch, a tributary of Ruby, has rich

to this union, Jesse A. and Clifford Paul. Mr. and Mrs. Chaffin are members of the Methodist Church, and the former affiliates with the Republican party. He has spent all but the first seventeen years of his life in the Bitter Root valley, has been identified with its best in- terests, and is widely and favorably known.

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An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 147

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