An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 149

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 149

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Richard L. Thomas, the subject of our sketch, is the oldest of his father's family, only three of whom are now living. Nearly eight years of his childhood were spent in New York and Brooklyn. They then removed to Tren- ton, New Jersey, and subsequently to a farm near Meri- deth, Delaware county, New York, where for four win- ters he attended district school. Their next move was to Indianapolis. There he completed his education. He has a diploma from two commercial colleges of Indian- apolis and also one from the Normal School of Music of that city, his graduation in music being in 1864. For some time he was a workman in the Indianapolis Rolling Mill, of which his father was manager. After his mar- riage, which occurred in 1866, Mr. Thomas was engaged in the wholesale grocery business, in partnership with his brother William, on Meridian street, Indianapolis, and subsequently he turned his attention to real estate and other commercial enterprises. Following this he was for a short time superintendent of the rolling mill at Atlanta, Georgia; from 1869 until 1874 was in the tobacco business in Indianapolis; in 1875 engaged in the manufacture of stoves in Cincinnati; subsequently returned to Indian- apolis and served as deputy collector of city taxes; and in December, 1876, accepted the position of secretary of the Hecla Consolidated Mining Company, of Glendale, Mon- tana, under Noah Armstrong, the first superintendent of the company.

While residing at Glendale Mr. Thomas was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, which he very accept-

A large new mill is on the ground to be used in concentrating the ores of Mineral Hill. These arastras and some of these mills have been worn out on the ores of the neighboring mountains. The Morris and Elling will is still engaged in the good work of crushing the ores rich in gold. The mines about Pony are re- markable for their very large erevice veins filled with quartz. Some of the larger veins have runs and pockets of rich ores in the great bodies of lower-grade quartz. A large amount of de- velopment work has been done, sufficient to

ably filled, and in 1888 was honored by the voters of Beaver Head by being elected to the office of Probate Judge. After filling that office more than one year, the new constitution of the State was adopted, which abolished the office of Probate Judge, merging it into that of Dis- trict Judge. Then Judge Thomas was elected Clerk of the District Court, of which office he is now the efficient incumbent. He still continues his interest in mining, being an owner and one of the locaters of the Blue Belle mine. He has property at Glendale and also at other points in Montana.

In politics the Judge has alway been a reliable Re- publican. During the war, when the Governor of Ohio called for volunteers to protect the State from Confeder- ate raids, Judge Thomas showed his patriotism by volun- teering and serving in the first company that was organ- ized for that purpose. Fraternally, he is a member of the A. O. U. W.

May 16, 1866, he was married in Indianapolis to Sara E., daughter of Montague T. McClure, a native of Vir- ginia and a descendant of Scotch ancestors who were early settlers of Virginia, where he was born September 27, 1841. Her mother, nee Sarah Anderson, was a native of Kentucky and a daughter of George W. Anderson, the Andersons being prominent in the early settlement of Covington, Kentucky. Anderson Ferry was named in honor of them. By a former marriage Mrs Thomas has a daughter, Anna MeClure, who is now the wife of Dr. E. D. Lovitt, one of Butte City's most prominent physi- cians. The Judge and his wife have a daughter, Mary B., wife of Thomas II. Teale, a well-known metallurgist of Montana. Mrs. Thomas is a member of the Episcopal Church at Dillon. She is a woman of more than ordi- nary intellectual ability, and has received the appoint- ment of deputy in her husband's office, where she is ren- dering most efficient aid. Both the Judge and his amiable wife enjoy the very highest esteem of the best citizens of Beaver Ilead county.

MICHAEL FLYNN, one of Missoula's prominent farmers, was born in Roscommon, Ireland, in the year 1838, third in a family of seven children, his parents being Michael

750

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

prove these mines inexhaustible. There will be no failure of ores, which will continue as rich as they have so far shown themselves. Some of the leading mines of Pony are the Elephant, Nos. 1 & 2, Strawberry, Strawberry Extension, Keystone, Rustler, Policy, Ned, Willow Creek, Summit, Boss Tweed, Clipper, Pony, North Star, Atlantic and Pacific, Gilt-Edge, Golden Chariot, Old Joe, White Pine, Emmet, Belknap, Barker, Last Chance, Hancock, Taft, Iron, Lena, and Roda, Mountain Chief, Clara Bell, Gates, Gladstone, Agitator, Union, Jumbo, Long

and Bridget (Lavin) Flynn, both natives of the Emerald Isle. Mr. and Mrs. Flynn emigrated to America with their family in 1857, and settled in New York, where he died in 1862. She survived him a number of years, her death occurring in 1889.

Michael Flynn was nineteen years of age at the time he came to America. He was employed as a farm hand in New York until 1864, when he came west to Colorado and turned his attention to mining. He owned the Aetna claim, which he operated for some time but which proved a failure. In 1872 he came from Colorado to his present location, three miles west of Missoula, Montana. Here he took up 160 acres of Government land and purchased 160 acres adjoining it. He had been married in 1866 to Miss Kate Hogan, a native of Tipperary, Ireland, and their family consisted of themselves and their two children, Ellen and Barney, when they came to their new farm. Here they built a comfortable log house and began their successful farming career. Both he and his wife were industrious and enterprising, and from year to year they prospered and made additional purchases of land until they now own 1,120 acres, and Mr. Flynn is ranked with the well-to-do and influential farmers of Missoula valley. In 1584 he built a nice brick residence, in which he and his family have since resided, surrounded with all the comforts of life, their home being shaded by the trees of their own planting. Mr. Flynn's broad acres are among the most fertile land in the valley. His principal crops are wheat, oats, hay and potatoes, and he also raises cattle and horses.

Other children have been added to their household since Mr. and Mrs. Flynn settled here, and their home is noted for its genial hospitality. Besides the two children already named are Phillip, John, Myrtle, James and Den- nis. Their eldest son, Barney, is now engaged in the un- dertaking business in Missoula.

Mr. Flynn and his family are devout members of the Catholic Church, and have aided materially in the build- ing of their fine house of worship at Missoula. Politi- cally, he has been long identified with the Democratic party, but recently favors the People's party. He is in

Branch, Saturday Night, Welcome Stranger, Texas, Amazon, Eclipse. The mines of Pony are rich enough, large enough and numerous enough in themselves to make Madison a great mining county.

There is a new and promising group of mines three miles south of Sappington. Potosi is a new mining camp high np in the mountains, whose veins rich in shining ores have attracted many prospectors. The Southern Girl, Yankee Girl, Stephanite, Ruby Silver, Banker, Clarke, Raleigh, Volunteer, Crown Point, Dictator,

sympathy with the poor and working men and makes it a point to do what he can to help better their condition. Such men as Michael Flyun are the salt of the earth and are highly deserving of the prosperity which they have secured.

FRANK D. BROWN, Philipsburg, Montana, is promi- nently identified with the real-estate, mining and in- surance interests of this part of Montana, and is one of the most enterprising business men of his town.

Mr. Brown was born in Nelson county, Virginia, No- vember 13, 1845, and is related to some of the earliest and most illustrious families of Virginia, among whom are the Flourneys, Cabes, Harrisons, McClellands and Scotts. Further mention of his family history will be found in this work in the sketch of his brother, Wingfield L. Brown.

The subject of our sketch spent his early life in his native State, and was still a boy in his 'teens when the Civil war broke out, but notwithstanding his youth he was among the first to enter the service. March 15, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Twenty fifth Battalion Vir- ginia Volunteers, that for a time did provost duty around Richmond. In November of that year he was detailed to the Quartermaster's Department, in charge of Captain James B. McClelland, and the following year was trans- ferred to the War Department, as an orderly under his cousin, Hon. James A. Seddon, the Confederate Seeretary of War. Upon the retirement of his uncle from this position, Mr. Brown returned to his company, and when his term of enlistment expired, in December, 1862, he was detached and sent out in the marine army, and served on the steamer Powhatan, tender to the ironclad Richmond. In April of the following year, while on a foraging expe- dition in a cornfield, in company with a boat's crew, young Brown and all with him were captured by a de- tachmeut of Pennsylvania cavalry. They were taken to Harrison's Landing and thence to Fortress Monroe, where they were paroled and given transportation to St. Louis.

In May, 1863, we find Mr. Brown on a steamer of the Northwest Company, en route to old Fort Union. His stay here was brief, and in December of the same year

----

---

751

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

Green Jacket, Bullion, Clara, Hathaway, Key- stone, Logan, Old Jim, Comberland, Garfield, Prime, Jim How and others have been recorded. A twelve-mile trip is the ouly connection this rich camp has with the outside world. A good wagon or railroad would open up the vast bodies of silver and lead in these mines to the uses of the business world.

Norwegian creek has rich placers which do yearly pay the labors of the miners. But little is yet said of the quartz veins from which this gold was crushed by glacial action. On the

he landed at Fort Benton. His early years in Montana were full of variety and many exciting experiences, his summers being spent in mining and prospecting, and his winters, for several years, in "wolfing." Wolting was the securing of wolf-skins by trapping, shooting and poisoning gray wolves, and the business was often at- tended with great danger and hardship, as the hunters had to camp out during the severe weather, and much of the time travel at night in order to avoid hostile Indians. But although a hazardous business, it was a profitable one, and in this way he and his partners made some money. Two of the men with whom he was engaged in this occupation on the Yellowstone in the early '70s- -Jack Gorman and Keesee-were afterward killed by the Indians below Fort Benton That was in 1876.

For three summers Mr. Brown mined near Radersburg, Montana. In the fall of 1868, in company with about fifty others, he went to Utah, expecting to go into Cotton- wood canon, but on account of the great severity of the winter stopped at Salt Lake City. In company with one John Wickle, Mr. Brown kept what was called the Elephant Corral, opposite Emigrant Square, in that city. In the spring he and many other Gentiles were ordered to leave the place, and from Salt Lake City they went to Evanston, on Bear river, where he located some coal mines. Not long afterward he sold his claims and re- turned to . Montana. The winter of 1870 we again find him on the Yellowstone. In the spring he entered the employ of A. J. Davis, with whom he remained until 1877, with the exception of some time in the year 1873, when he was with the Baker Yellowstone expedition. While in the employ of Mr. Davis he located a number of valuable mines, among which was the Lexington mine, of Butte, Montana.

Since 1877 Mr. Brown has been identified with Philips- burg. Upon coming here he entered the employ of the Northwestern Mining Company, quitting the company with its suspension in 1878, and since that time has been largely engaged in a mining, real-estate and insurance business. He now has charge of the gold properties owned by Charles D. MeLure, one of the Granite mag-

north side of the Tobacco Root mountains good mines have been discovered and partly developedl. On the headwaters of Meadow creek, above Washington bar, are quite a number of quartz discoveries. In the mountains extending from Ward's Peak and forming a grand amphithea- tre, are several mines of great promise. The Eureka is a large vein cutting the mountains at right angles and the Little Kid skirts the range on the opposite side of the beautiful valley. These mines have been so opened as to show vast bodies of good ore. There are many other

nates, the mines being situated at Henderson Gulch, twenty miles west of Philipsburg. He also has charge of the Hidden Treasure group of mines, the property of the same gentleman, twenty-nine miles southwest of Philipsburg. These properties are gold-bearing and very extensive. Mr. Brown himself owns a number of valuable mining claims, and is also an extensive owner of real estate at Philipsburg and elsewhere, including consider- able railroad land. In his insurance business he repre- sents a number of the largest insurance companies in the world. He is a man of general information, is thoroughly practical, and is sure to make a success of whatever he undertakes.

Mr. Brown was married in 1874 to Miss Anna E. Lentz, a native of Germany, and they have five children, all horn at Philipsburg, namely: Edward, Annie, Tini, Min- nie and James.

Mr. Brown is Past Master Workman of the A. O. U. W. at Philipsburg, and both he and his wife are members of the Degree of Honor. Politically, he has been a Demo- crat all his life, and since 1866 has been a delegate to nearly every convention of the party in Montana, but he has never been an office-seeker nor held public office.

FRANK B. CONNELLY, a member of the A. L. Babcock Hardware Company, of Billings, is one of the popular young business men of Montana, and has steadily worked his way from a clerkship to that of member and business manager of the firm. He was born near Burlington, Iowa, in 1862, a son of Samuel and Mary (Johnson) Con- nelly. The parents moved to Illinois when Frank was quite young, where he remained until eighteen years of age, receiving a common-school education. He was then employed by Richardson Brothers, extensive dealers in tin, hardware, etc., in Chicago one year, and for the fol- lowing three years worked for the Wells & Nellegar Hard- ware Company, of that city. Ilis close application to business soon gave him a reputation which made a de- mand for his services. Mr. Connelly came to Billings in December, 1885, as bookkeeper for the Babcock & Miles Hardware Company, but one year later was promoted to the position of purchaser and business manager, in which'

752

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

veins of quartz in these ranges of mountains which show large quantities of free gold. In Baldy and adjacent ridges are also found the Three- Ply, Pinnacle, Champion, Grand Central, Mineral King, Bell, Rocky, Washington, Mas- todon, Chance, Lakeside, Hogback, Homestake, Shoo Fly, Great Bear, Mohican, Tiptop, Climax, Bonanza Chief, Golden Fleece, Packer, Golden Brown, Black Hawk, Jupiter, Juno and others.

There are numerous claims at Richmond Flat. Some of thetn have been developed enough to prove them permanent mines. The

he has ever since been engaged, and is also secretary for the present firm. He became an interested partner in the A. L. Babcock Hardware Company, iu January, 1892, and this firm conducts the largest business in their line in Montana east of Heleua.

Mr. Connelly was married December 1, 1885, to Flora IIart, a daughter of Rev. J. C. Hart, at that time pastor of a Baptist church at Toulon, Illinois. To this quion has been born one child, Frank, now six years of age. Mr. Connelly is a member of Ashlar Lodge, No. 29, F. & A. M., of Billings, and is a stanch Republican in political matters. Mrs. Connelly is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

WILLIAM NIEDENHOFEN, deceased, was ranked with the Montana pioneers of 1864 and was for many years a prominent business man of Butte City, honored and re- spected by all who knew him.

William Niedenhofen was born in Germany in 1835, and when twelve years of age came with his parents to America and settled in St. Paul, Minnesota. Some years later he returned to Germany and completed his educa- tion in one of its colleges. Upon coming back to Min- nesota, he embarked in the mercantile business at Wi- nona and continued there successfully until 1864. That year he made the journey by way of the Isthmus of Pan- ama to Oregon, and from theuce came across the country to Diamond City, Montana, the Montana bar there being the richest placer mining bar in the Territory. He at once opened up his business at that place and remained there until 1867. That year he came to Butte City and established his business on West Park street, dealing chiefly in lamps, crockery and fancy goods, and doing a prosperous business for thirteen years, or up to the time of his death, which event occurred in 1880.

While a resident of Wiuona, Minnesota, he was mar- ried, in 1862, in St. Paul, to Miss Catharine Schonartha, a native of that city. They had two children, a son aud daughter. The latter, Miss Minnie, a most amiable aud accomplished young lady, died at the age of seventeen. She was greatly beloved by all who knew her and her untimely death was a source of bereavement not only to

Revenue mill was erected to work their orcs. The Revenue, Arkansas, Monitor, Nonesuch, D. M. G., Richmond, American Girl, Idaho, New York, Belle, Golden Wonder, North Pacific, Columbus, Tennessee, Empire, Brook- lyn, Veto and other mines are to be found at Richmond Flat. On North Meadow creek the Sure Shot, Home Ticket and several other good claims have been located and partly developed. The mines at Sterling were discovered at an early day and the Ward will with ten stamps was erected to work their ores. The Pratt mill

her family but also to an extended circle of friends. The son, Henry A., is an enterprising young man of great promise. A sketch of his life follows that of his father. William Niedenhofen was a man of excellent business qualifications and of sterling integrity. In his family he was kind and indulgent, as a citizen and business man his character was in every way above reproach, and by all who knew him he was held in the highest esteem. Politically he was a stanch Republican, but he never sought or held office of any kind.

Since her husband's death MIrs. Niedenhofen has car- ried on the business at the old stand and has been very successful. She has added to the business a soda foun- tain and an ice cream parlor, and now hasone of the most attractive places of the kind in the city.

HENRY A. NIEDENHOFEN, Clerk of the Second Judi- cial District Court of Silver Bow county, Montana, is a na- tive of Montana, born at Virginia City, July 11, 1867, son of the above named gentleman.

From his infancy Mr. Niedenhofen has been identified with Butte City. He attended public school here until 1884, when he was sent to the California Military Acad- emy. After a four years' course in that institution he graduated with the highest honors, being valedictorian in a class of twenty-two. He was then made Captain and was employed as an instructor in the academy, and while acting as such took the post-graduate course. Subse- quently he spent one year in the State University of Cal- ifornia. Upon his return to Montana he accepted the position of bookkeeper for the firm of Mall & Company.

When he became of age young Niedenhofen espoused the principles of the Republican party aud became an active and efficient worker in its ranks. At the forma- tion of the T. H. Cotter Republican Club he was elected its presideut, this club being composed of 800 of the very best young men of the county. He worked faith- fully for its prosperity and the success of the party, and at the election had the pleasure of being on the winning side. In recognition of Mr. Niedenhofen's services, he received the appointment of Internal Revenue Collector for the Second District of Montana. He served in that

---

753

HISTORY OF MONTANA.

with ten stamps and the Hobert mill with five stamps, followed in the same locality. The Ward mill has lost its machinery, the Pratt mill has been despoiled, the Hobert mill has disappeared, and the silence of dead works now reigns at Sterling, where in the olden times the steam whistle aronsel the miner to his daily toil and ealled him from labor to refresh- ment. The following mines have been opened in Sterling Range: Rough and Ready, Willie Red, Chico, Juniper, Atlas, Mariposa, Chinook, Fairview, Beck, Mammoth, Chihuahua, Sugar

capacity for two years, and while thus serving his party nominated him by acclamation for the office which he now fills. There were three candidates in the field that year,-Republican, Democrat and Populist. He received 1,607 votes more than the Democrat and 1,317 more than the Populist, being the largest majority ever obtained by his party during its history and he being the first Re- publican ever elected to this position in the county. This, indeed, was a signal victory for his party and him- self, and goes to show that his life in Butte City must have been a spotless one and that he is highly esteemed by its citizens.

At this writing Mr. Niedenhofen is secretary and treasurer of the Security Abstract Company, and presi- dent of the Standard Manufacturing & Printing Com- pany. .

In social circles Mr. Niedenhofen is a favorite. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, being both a Knight Templar and a Shriner, and now Eminent Com- mander of the Knights Templar. He is also Excellent Ruler of the Elks. Besides these organizations he is also identified with the Silver Bow Club and the West Side Social Club. Of the latter he is president. The Silver Bow Club is composed chiefly of the representative bus- iness men of the city, while the West Side Social Club is made up of 140 of Butte City's best young ladies and gentlemen.

PATRICK A. LARGEY, reputed to be one of Butte's best and wealthiest citizens, came to Montana in 1865. He was born in Perry county, Ohio, April 29, 1838, of Irish descent. His father, Patrick Largey, emigrated from Ireland to America when a boy and became an Ohio farmer. He married Miss Jane Cassidy, a native of county Armagh, Ireland, and bad six children, all born in Ohio, and five still living. He died in 1857, in the sixty-first year of his age; his wife had died in 1852, in her fiftieth year. They were both devout members of the Catholic Church.

Patrick A., their eldest son, was reared on their farm and educated in the public school and at St. Joseph's in Somerset, Ohio. In business he was first engaged

Lake, Horseshoe, Double-Header, Clifton, Jim Blaine, Cleveland, North- Meadow, Red Chief and many others.

Red Bluff has also passed through the various vicissitudes of primitive mining. A large number of claims have been recorded, many of them partially developed, and some have been worked from time to time for many years. Three mills have been erected to work these mines, the Hickman and Olds', the Wellington and the Carter mills. The latter has a capacity of twenty-five tons per diem by the Carter and

in bookkeeping for a year or two, and then engaged in buying and selling stock in Iowa. In 1865 he crossed the plains with oxen, being captain of a train of sixty wagons, and brought them through safely, losing only one man, who was shot by the Indians. They had stopped for noon, the man retired away from the camp to proenre wood and was shot by an Indian in ambush. The train arrived safely at Virginia City, where Mr. Largey en- gaged in merchandising. He also purchased a placer claim, which has been worked ever since, yielding a large amount of gold; it is now run by an incorporated com- pany.

Mr. Largey continued in business here mitil 1879, be- ing the owner for a time of a mine in Madison county, which he sold for $225,000. In 1881 he opened his hard- ware business in Butte, handling all kinds of shelf hard- ware and miners' supplies, and the trade of that institu- tion has become exceedingly large. In time Mr. Largey became an extensive mine owner, owning and operating the Speculator copper mine for the last ten years. The property is particularly valuable, paying heavy divi- dends. Also he has been half owner of the Comanche mine, which was at length sold to the Boston Company for $200,000. Before the railroad was built Mr. Largey, seeing the great need of speedy communication with the outside world and throughout his State, became the builder and owner of the following telegraph lines: From Virginia City to Helena, Helena to Bozeman, Hel- ena to Deer Lodge and to Butte. These lines he oper- ated until the ra lroads were built, when he sold them. Altogether they were a large undertaking, but were a source of income to their projector and of great value to the business of the State.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 149

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