An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 151

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 151

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shown a large body of good ore. The Cleve- land is in the same camp. The ore is galena, rich in silver. Copperopolis has been somewhat ronsed from its long sleep by the rumors of railroads; and the Bigger District can boast of some new discoveries. Yogo has had many new discoveries and old ones have been de- veloped into very bright prospects and mines. The Gold Belt, Morning Star and Last Chance appear well. Yogo, always awake, has more activity now than ever since the '70s.

IRA MYERS, dealer in real estate and mining property, Great Falls, Montana, is an honored pioneer of 1863. His identification with mining and general business interests of the State has done much to hasten the rapid develop- ment of Montana, the great treasure State of the Union.

He is an Ohioan by birth, born in Mansfield, December 18, 1839, and is a son of John P. and Susan (Arnett) Myers, natives of Pennsylvania, who settled in Ohio in 1825. The great grandfather of our subject came from Germany and located in Pennsylvania, where both his grandfather and father were born, the latter in the year 1805. His wife, Susan Arnett, was also a native of the Keystone State. They had three sons and three daughters, and two of the sons and one daughter still survive. During most of his life John P. Myers was engaged in the wholesale and re- tail grocery business, the first business venture, however, being in the dry-goods line, for a short time only. He was a man of the highest integrity of character and was honored and respected by all who knew him. Both he and his wife were devoted Christians, holding acceptable membership in the Methodist Church. Mrs. Myers was a woman of marked piety, loyal and true alike to God, home and friends. The father passed away in 1865, and in 1889 his devoted wife passed to a deserved reward. She was born in 1810. The early life of our subject was passed in his native town, and in the public schools and private academy of the place he acquired a practical English education. Under the parental roof he remained till 1857, when he went to Davenport, Iowa, finding em- ployment as clerk for a time, and subsequently he went to St. Louis, and later still to Kansas City, in which latter place he found employment in the store till 1859. In the fall of this year occurred the tremendous gold excitement of Pike's Peak, and he joined the rushing throng to this great El Dorado. However, he remained here but a short time when he and nine others organized the Colorado City Town Site Company, and during the following win- ter did considerable in building up the place. He sub- sequently located a tract of 160 acres adjoining the Town Site Company's property, which tract now comprises the " Famous Garden of the Gods." In May, 1860, he went to California Gulch, now Leadville, Colorado, at that time the richest placer mining camp in the Territory. After

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DISTORY OF MONTANA.

Running Wolf District has made great prog- ress during the year past. The Mortson and Woodhurst, Red Oxide, Knocks All, Sir Wal- ter Scott, Castle, Emma, Mountain Side, Ada and others have improved under the process of development which is the touchstone that re- veals the real value of all prospects. A large amount of ore has been shipped and smelted with very satisfactory results.

Dry Wolf District has also had its years of encouraging development. The Gold Dust,

mining a short time he was elected Sheriff of a district that had been created by the provincial government pre- vious to the organization of the Territory by the general Government. In December, 1860, the gold excitement of Baker's Park in the San Juan country, New Mexico (now Colorado), broke out. A large party was organized, which he joined. They succeeded in penetrating as far as Taos, when, on account of deep snow in the San Juan moun- tains, the party was forced into an abandonment of the journey, and in Taos ant Santa Fe sought quarters till spring, when the journey was resumel and completed under the guidance of famous Kit Carson. But this harly, determined ban l did not find wealth at Baker's Park. It was a delusion. Mr. Myers was elected Re- corder of Claims, and for services, remaining over three months, he receive:l a paltry $3, so destitute were the miners. In July, 1861, he returned to California Gulch and resumed mining till the spring of 1862, when he went to Colorado City and dispose l in part his interest there. Going to Denver, he engage.l in hotel business till April, 1863, when in company with a large party he started for the Territory of Idaho, now Montana, arriving in Ban- nack May 15, 1863. The following month he joined the first great stampede to Alder Gulch, near the present Vir- ginia City and engaged in mining. In 1865, he operated additional mines at Blackfoot, Montana, meeting with success. In the fall of the last named year he settled in Helena, and continue 1 mining. In 1867 he was in Dia- mond City, when the first hydraulie mining in the Terri- tory was done on a large scale. The expense connected with it was enormous. The water with which to work his properties cost $1.30 an inch, and 200 inches were used daily: $260 was paid for water every morning. These ventures proved disastrous, and in . 1868 he re- turned to HIelena, residing there till 1876. At this time a company was formed with which he went to Deadwood, Black Hills country. There he formed the Pioneer Ditch Company and engaged in the construction of mining ditches till the summer of 1878, when he sold to the late Senator Hurst of the Homestake Mining Company.

He again went East on a visit, and the following year returned to Montana. The cattle business now engaged his attention, and, organizing under the firm name of

Dry Wolf, Manitoba, Pierre and Higby, Sns- quehanna and many other mines have been im- proved by the work during the year. Many tons of the ores in this camp have been shipped and smelted at Great Falls with very encourag- ing results. Spring Coulee has at least one good mine, and others will probably be found in that camp. Logging Creek camp is coming out with a group of mines rich in silver and lead. Arrangements have been made to thor- oughly investigate and develop the discoveries

Myers, Buck & Company, 2,300 head were bought in Ore- gon and driven to the range in the present county of Te- ton, northern Montana, remaining in this business . till 1883.

Again he went East and in the following year he settled in Great Falls, which at that time largely existed in the fertile imagination of the future city's earnest champion and founder, {Ion. Paris Gibson, who at that time was living in a tent pitched on the banks of the Missouri, in- dustriously engaged in platting the future city. Seeing an opening in the lumber business, Mr. Myers at once began the construction of a sawmill, having a capacity of 25,000 feet per day, then the largest mill east of the main range in the Territory. The logs were brought from a hundred miles up the river to his mill. The product of the mill was quite general in character, comprising nearly everything that entered into the constructions of the day, and it was an independent factor in building up Great Falls and surrounding country. This business was disposed of in 1892. He was one of the organizers of the El Dorado Canal Company, of which he is now president. The canal has a capacity of 12,000 inches, bringing the water to a bench above the town of Choteau. The Com- pany now owns 15,000 acres of patented land. At pres- ent Mr. Myers is principally engaged in quartz mining and handling real estate.

The enterprising and progressive spirit of the man has been made manifest in various directions in Montana business affairs, and the communities in which he has lived have been beautified by his intelligent, well directed efforts. To attempt to go thoroughly into the details of Mr. Myers' life since he crossed the Missouri river is too great an undertaking for these pages. Few men have had a more varied career than he. Being of a sanguine, hopeful temperament discouragements nor adversities have held held him long in check. To rise abreast the wave that brought temporary defeat was but the natural reflex action of his indomitable spirit. And, though his life for thirty years or more has been subject to great ex- posure at times, it has apparently, made no inroad upon his vigorous constitution, and to the observer he appears to have the vigor and bouyancy of youth.

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

made on Logging Creek and to open a road for the transportation of its ores to the railroad. Many rich claims partially opened appear on Carpenter's creek. This will be a rich country. As prospecting is continued in the Little Belt mountains, it becomes more and more evident that the range of these mountains are rich in mines. A railroad is all that Maiden needs to make it one of the most extensive and product- ive mining camps in the State.

Politically, he acts with the Democratic party. He has been unambitious in an official sense, yet always discharg- ing the duties of the elective franchise incumbent upon good citizenship. He is a member of the Order of Elks.

An important event occurred in the life of Mr. Myers December 27, 1887, when was celebrated his marriage, in Minneapolis, to Miss Catherine M. McGurk, a native of Ohio, a most estimable lady, amiable of disposition, un- assuming and a worthy member of the Catholic Church. Their union has been blessed with two children,-Ira James and Charles Sidney.

DAVID MCCRANOR, one of the earliest settlers and best known citizens of Montana, now of Madison county, was born in Germantown, Ohio, January 8, 1838, son of James and Elizabeth (Bender) McCranor.

His father, who was a cabinetmaker by trade, died when David was seven years old, and thus deprived of a father's care, young MeCranor was early in life thrown upon his own resources, and ere long not only provided for himself but also assisted in the support of the family. Growing up under these circumstances, his schooling was of a necessity limited. In 1856, while still in his 'teens, ambitious and eager to see the world and make a for- tune, Mr. MeCranor went to California and began mining. He mined on Johnston's bar and made some money. He had been there eighteen months when the Pike's Peak excitement broke ont in Colorado, and the news of the gold discovery at that place spread all over the country. He was among others who made a rush for that place, and in Russell Gulch he mined until the following year, 1860. In 1863 the Salmon river gold find brought him to Montana, but he came only as far as Bannack. He after- ward began mining in Alder Gulch, where he made money and remained until 1870. That year he turned his atten- tion to merchandising in Silver Bow, where he conducted business two years, after which he again came to Madison county, this time settling at Sheridan. For ten consec- utive years he has successfully engaged in mercantile pursuits at Sheridan. In 1882 he again began mining, which he continned successfully until failing health com- pelled him to dispose of his property and retire from active business operations.

Few men, if any, are more familiar with the various phases of life in Montana, from the early pioneer days

The first discovery of mines in Castle moun- tains was made in 1885. They at once attracted the attention of the mining men and have ever since held a prominent position in public esti- mation. A great many discoveries have been made and an unusual amount of energy has been displayed in developing quite a number of these prospects into mines. This was to be ex- pected where rich ores in such abundance moved the muscles wielding the pick and shovel.

on down to the present time, than is Mr. MeCranor. He has always been a Republican in his political views, and during his early residence in Madison county served as County Sheriff, filling the office from 1867 to 1869. That was at a time when this office demanded men of un- daunted courage, discretion and nerve, and no man ever filled the position with more ability than David MeCranor.

While he calls Madison county his home, Mr. MeCranor has of recent years sojourned where it suited his pleas- ure the best. He spends his winters in the genial cli- mate of sunny California.

URI E. FRIZELLE, County Clerk and Recorder of Yel- lowstone county, Montana, was born in Floyd county, Iowa, in the year 1857, son of Oliver E. and L. M. (Hill) Frizelle. Ile is of Scotch and French descent. His father was a thrifty farmer in Iowa, and during the Civil war served his country as a private in Company K, Twenty-seventh Iowa Volunteers.

In 1876, before he had reached his majority, young Frizelle's ambitious spirit led him to seek his fortune in the West. For three years he was engaged in mining in the region of the Black Hills, and while thus occupied came to the conclusion that a surer way of making money was by shipping stock to the mining camps and thus sup- plying the demand for food. Consequently he turned his attention to that industry and was thus occupied for two years, meeting with success. In the spring of 1882 he came to Billings and engaged in the lumber business, sawmilling, etc. Later he turned his attention to dealing in stone, and in connection with a partner at the present time owns a quarry of the finest building-stone in the State, this quarry being located near Billings. Here they have all modern facilities for cutting and sawing build- ing-stone in all forms demanded by the builders. The quantity is inexhaustible and the quality unsurpassed.

Mr. Frizelle has been identified with the Republican party all his life. His popularity in Yellowstone county was evinced, in the fall of 1892, by his election to the office of County Clerk and Recorder, in which position he is now serving most acceptably. Fraternally, he is a member of both Aslılar Lodge, No. 29, A. F. & A. M., and Rathbone Lodge, No. 28, K. of P., being Chancellor of the latter.

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

Castle is a mining camp built in a beautiful sheltered valley near the southeast base of Castle mountain. This mountain received its name from the castellated rocks which form the very attractive features of its crests and peaks. The principal mines are on a series of rounded mountain spurs from one to six miles from the town. The mountains are limestone, porphy- ries, granites and various eruptive rocks, flanked by more recent formations containing veins

Mr. Frizelle was married in 1884 to Miss Mina H. Scofield, of Iowa, and they have two children, Vera L. and Earl. Mrs. Frizelle is a member of the Congrega- tional Church.

H. M. ALLEN, dealer in lumber, sash, shingles, doors, blinds, and all kinds of building material, Billings, Mon- tana, is one of the enterprising business men of the town,

Mr. Alleu was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1856, son of Henry C. and Hattie L. (Gray) Allen. His father, a contractor and builder, was one of the successful busi- ness men of Boston. The Allens trace their ancestry back to Colonel Ethan Allen, of Ticonderoga fame. Harry M., the subject of our sketch, was educated in the grammar school at Boston and in the Roxbury high school. In 1883 he came to Billings, Montana, to enter the employ of the Montana Lumber Company, and when John P. White succeeded the company Mr. Allen remained with him until 1887, since which time he has been a member of the firm of H. M. Allen & Co. Ever since he took up his residence in Billings he has been a prominent factor in advancing the interests of the town. He is a member of the Board of School Trustees in Billings; a charter mem- ber of Rathbone Lodge, No. 28, K. of P., being now D. D. G. C. of his district; is a charter member of Billings Division, No. 28, Uniform Rank, K. of P .; member of Ashlar Lodge, No. 29, A. F. & A. M., at Billings, Montana; of Billings Chapter, No. 6, Royal Arch Masons, and a charter member of the Royal Arcanum, No. 103, Boston, Massachusetts.

Mr. Allen was married in 1881 to Miss Abbie L. Adams, daughter of Daniel and Abigail (Lord) Adams, of Ells- worth, Maiue, her father being a descendant of the John Adams stock of Massachusetts. They have had three children,-Lillian S., Harry M., Jr., and Frank Herbert. The great affliction of their lives occurred in 1893, when their little son, Ilarry M., was accidentally shot by a play- mate, his death resulting.

Mr. Allen is a stanch Republican.

REV. GEORGE STEWART, who has been for forty-seven years an effective clergyman and missionary of the Prot- estant Episcopal Church, and for sixteen years a mission- ary of that body in Missoula county, was born in Lisburn, six miles from Belfast, Ireland, June 6, 1824. Ile is of Scotch descent, his ancestors having emigrated from

crevice veins, blanket veins and veins of segre- gation. Many of the best veins are opened along the line of contact between the limestone and porphyry.

The ores are oxides and sulphnrets of copper and lead containing gold and silver, oxide of manganese, containing the same and sulph- urets and other ores of silver. These ores vary in richness all the way from one or two dollars up to ten or twelve thousand dollars per ton.

Scotland to Ireland about the close of the year 1700, and it is believed that they and the late A. T. Stewart, of New York, sprang from the same ancestry. Mr. Stewart's parents were James and Mary (McBride) Stewart, farm- ers of Lisburn. She was reared a Presbyterian, but after her marriage became a confirmed member of the Episco- pal Church with her husband. They were the parents of twelve children. The father died in his forty-fifth year. Three of the children emigrated to America in 1833, and in 1835 the mother and the rest of her family sailed from Belfast in the Sarashief, landing at New York after a voyage of six weeks and two days. They settled in Philadelphia, where she spent the rest of her life and where she died in 1866, at the advanced age of eighty-four years, And at this ripe old age there was not a gray hair in her head. It may also be mentioned in connection with the history of the family that the four grandparents of our subject lived to an aggregate age of 360 years. His mother was left a widow when she was forty, and notwithstanding the fact that she had several offers of marriage, she declined them all. She was a woman of more than ordinary fortitude and bravery. Her son pays her this tribute: "She was as brave and true a woman as ever lived." Four of her sous and three daugh- ters are still living, three of the former being wealthy farmers in Illinois.

Mr. Stewart was educated chiefly in Wilmington, Dela- ware, his course there being supplemented by one at Nashotah, Wisconsin, where he graduated in 1859 with the degree of B. D. When a boy of eleven years of age, he had become a faithful follower of the Master, and in 1847 he had begun his life work in the ministry, as lay missionary under Bishop Cobbs, of Alabama, his work being in the Tennessee valley. After he completed his classical course he went to Mississippi to accept a posi- tion of general missionary and secretary under Bishop Green of that State, and in this capacity he traveled over the whole of the State of Mississippi, taking statistics and reporting to the bishop. He continued his ministerial and missionary work in Mississippi until 1861, when the war broke out. In the meantime he had become afflicted with tonsillitis, and he then went to New York for treat- ment. After his recovery he was sent to Minnesota, where he spent fifteen years of faithful missionary work.

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IIISTORY OF MONTANA.

Most of the mines of Castle have caps of iron and manganese carrying gold. Though the iron and manganese ores which form these caps are not, as a rule, very rich in the precious metals, they carry enough to make them very valuable fluxes to use with more refractory and richer ore.

There is a furnace at Castle, which has smelt- ed the ores from several of the Castle mines

Through his instrumentality several churches and par- sonages were erected iu Minnesota and he was the means of accomplishing great good at the various places where he was stationed. In 1873, on account of failing health, he went to Philadelphia for treatment, and spent some time at that place, medical aid seeming to do little for him. He had for a number of years been affected with Iung trouble. Indeed, he had gone to New Orleans when a young man, in 1846, all his friends believing he would die of consumption there, but contrary to their expecta- tions and the doctor's predictions he recovered. His re- covery at that time and also years later was due not so much to change of climate and to medical aid as to his own will power. He has now reached his three-score and ten, is straight as an arrow, and is well preserved both physically and mentally.

In 1877 Mr. Stewart came to Missoula as Episcopal missionary to the Bitter Root valley. This position he filled for eight years, and since then has confined his work to Missoula county. Since 1890 he has been gen- eral agent for Missoula county. After he came to Mis- soula he founded the Church here and was largely instru- mental in the building of their nice church edifice. IIe has also invested in some real-estate, etc. Besides his own home he has two houses which he rents.

Mr. Stewart was married in Faribault, by Bishop Whipple, to Miss Isabella J. Lombard, a native of Wash- ington, D. C., and a daughter of Mrs. Jane Lombard of that city. Her mother's maiden name was Longfellow, she being a cousin of the distinguished poet. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have had six sons, one of whom died in his fourth year. The others are as follows: George, a stu- dent in the University of Pennsylvania: and Harry, Lat- ner and Benjamin, at school in Minneapolis. Mrs. Stew- art is with her children at Minneapolis, while Mr. Stewart is in Missoula, the separation, although a great privation to them both, is for the best interests of their sons.

As a speaker, Mr Stewart is forcible and fluent. IIe has a most remarkable memory, can quote passage after passage of Scripture, giving chapter and verse, and in- ceed can repeat chapter after chapter verbatim. Long may he live to continue his good work.

C. T. BUSHA, senior member of the mercantile and hardware firm of Busha & Bailey, Big Timber, Montana, has been identified with this place since 1885.

Mr. Busha was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1858, son of C. T. and Helen (Clark) Busha, and was there reared

with what would seem to be good results. During the last fall it ran 2,000 tons from the Cumberland, which yielded bullion worth some $90,000, and only a profit of $27 per ton on ore delivered at the furnace. The Connellsville coke used cost $25 per ton, and the charcoal 15 cents per bushel. The bullion contains so large a per cent of lead that the freight and re- fining make a large reduction on what would

and educated. In 1878, at the age of twenty, he came from Detroit to Montana, and in 1883 began stock raising in Meagher county. By good business tactics and a reasonable degree of economy he steadily increased his capital and his stock. In 1885 he located at Big Timber, where he began handling wool on commission, his house being the first of its kind in the Territory, and he handled all the wool in this part of the country. The first season he bought and shipped 2,000,000 pounds of wool, and this year, 1893, his shipments have amounted to 3,000,000 pounds. In connection with his wool business he also handles agricultural implements. He and Mr. Bailey erected their fine store building in 1892, it being 80 x 30 feet and two stories. This was completed and occupied by them in December of that year. They also own a warehouse 150 x 30 feet, located near the railroad.

Mr. Busha has been a prime factor in building up the town of Big Timber. He was one of the projectors of and active workers in securing the telephone line be- tween this place and Lewistown, also the line from Big Timber to Boulder mines. He and Hon. George M. Hatch constructed the Bowlder line. He has filled the position of director of the First National Bank of Big Timber, has served as a director in the Boulder Tele- phone Company, and is president of Hick's Park mining Company. In March, 1890, he was appointed Postmaster of Big Timber, in which position he served until Janu- ary, 1893, when he resigned.

In 1885 Mr. Busha was married to Mis+ Ida L. Pound, daughter of Hon. A. E. Pound of Chippewa Falls, Wis- consin. They have three sons and three daughters, namely; Beulah L., Thad L. Leonore E., Thomas, Mabel and Willard.

Politically, Mr. Busha and his partner, Mr. Bailey, are both stanch Republicans. The latter is a native of Vir- ginia. Both are enterprising and successful business men.

EDWARD ALEXANDER WINSTANLEY, who has been a prominent factor in the growth and development of Mis- soula and who is to-day ranked with her most enterpris- ing citizens, is deserving of more than a passing notice on the pages of this work.

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An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 151

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