An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 22

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 22

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When Albert G. Clarke arrived at his nineteenth year he started out to make his own way in the world. First he went to Andrew county, Missouri, where he secured employment as a farm hand at $13 per month. Saving his wages until 1849, he at that time opened up a small mercantile business at Savannah, where he continued until 1858, meeting with fair success. That year he sold ont and went to St. Joseph, Missouri, where he conducted

persistently refused to sell the horse unless I would purchase the ox. He assured me that he would pack quite as well as an ordinary mule, but might not be as swift on foot. We finally agreed upon the price and I paid over the sum and took possession. John was disposed to ob- ject to the ox, but said that he would stand pat on the proposition.

business until 1862. In 1862 he hauled his goods with ox teams across the plains to Denver, Colorado, then a little town, aud there he soon disposed of his stock at a fair profit. The following year he returned to St. Joseph, and in 1864 purchased a stock of hardware and crockery, loaded the same on ox wagons, and again made the trip across the plains, this time to Virginia City, Montana, where he opened up a store and remained about one year. In the meantime Helena began to grow, and as it was nearer the head of navigation than Virginia City, he thought best to change the location of his store, and in 1865 removed his stock to Helena. For a number of years he was in partnership with Thomas Conrad, the firm name being Clarke & Conrad. Later J. C. Curtin was taken into the firm, and the name became Clarke, Conrad & Curtin. After the death of Mr. Conrad the partners purchased his interest, and Mr. Curtin and Mr. Clarke continued together. The latter has retired for some years, and the former now has sole charge of the establishment. Their whole business career has been characterized by honorable and upright dealings.

Believing there was a great profit to be made in stock raising in Montana, Mr. Clarke in 1864 brought across the plains about 300 head of cattle, a part of them being thoroughbred Durhams. Since then he has been almost constantly interested in this industry, and has owned as high as 6,000 head of cattle at one time. He has also invested largely in real estate, both in city and country and has been interested in the development of several mines. In 1889 he built a costly and beautiful residence on the corner of Rodney and State streets, Helena, which commands a magnificent view of the city, the valley and mountains, and here he resides in the enjoyment of his well-earned prosperity. He was one of the organizers of the Montana National Bank, in which he has since been a stockholder, and in which at one time he served as di- rector and vice-president.

Mr. Clarke was married in 1850, on the 15th of October, to Miss Eliza Ann Burns, a native of Clay county, Mis- souri, whose birth occurred in 1825, she being a daughter of Jeremiah Burns. They became the parents of five children, of whom we record that Madora is now the wife of William B. Raleigh, of the firm of Raleigh & Clarke, of Helena; Charles A. is a member of the above firm; Albert G., Jr., is an attorney of Helena; and William H. is in Chicago. In 1865 while Mrs. Clarke was en route to Montana to join her husband she died at Nebraska City,

Fred Gamer

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

"The day for our start finally came, and we led our animals from the corral down to the store where our 'grub' was ready to be packed upon them. I placed the cross-horse pack-sad- dle on the ox while John held the rope looped about his horns. Then I lashed securely to the saddle flour, bacon, beans and other supplies. I soon discovered that I had overlooked one im- portant matter: I had neglected to place the crupper. When I did so the frightened animal clamped his tail down upon it like a vise. A Kansas blizzard was not in it. John was jerked

Nebraska. Two years later Mr. Clarke married Mrs. Sarah Meek, whose death occurred three years later; and in 1879 he wedded Mrs. Sarah C. Morgan, his present com- panion.

Mr. Clarke has been a Democrat all his life, Ile held the office of County Commissioner for two years, but re- signed that position because he could not give it his at- tention, and since then has persistently declined office. He was made a Master Mason in Savannah, Missouri, about fifty years ago, was initiated into the Royal Arch degree at St. Joseph, and at Weston became a Sir Knight. He has filled various official positions in all these, and in Montana has aided in the organization of several Masonic lodges. For half a century he has been an active and useful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and for a number of years has served as trustee of the church in Helena. Few men in this city have lived a purer or more useful life than has Albert G. Clarke.

FREDERICK GAMER, a prominent Helena business man since 1868, is a native of Germany, born December 30, 1844. His father, Charles Gamer, emigrated with his wife and nine children to the United States in 1861, bring- ing with him $3,000 in cash, and purchasing a farm in the State of Illinois, where he resided up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1872, in the sixty-third year of his age. He was a man of high integrity, and in religion was a Lutheran. Possessing a fine physique and great energy, his life was one of useful activity. He died sud- denly of heart failure. His wife survived him only three years. All of their children are still living.

Frederick was the fourth born in his father's family. He was educated and learned the shoemaker's trade in Germany, and was seventeen years of age when they came to the United States. His first work here was in Chicago, where he remained from 1861 until 1866. Then he went to Denver, Colorado, where he worked a year, clerking in a shoe store owned by J. P. Fink & Co. They sent him to Georgetown, Colorado, where he had charge of a store for them for a year. They then started the business in IIelena, and Mr. Gamer came and took charge of it for them. Later he acquired an interest in the firm, and in

to the ground, lost his hold and the model pack animal made his way bellowing down the street at a two-forty gait. People rushed out on the sidewalk and halloed at the top of their voices, Whoa! This only increased his fright and speed. A block away the saddle turned under his belly. Flour, bacon and beans remained only in sus- pension until the law of gravitation landed them in the middle of the street. The cargo was a complete wreck, and was strewn along the trail of the stampeded ox until he was stopped by some miners at the upper end of the street.

1872 his partners sold out to him. The brick block Mr. Gamer built in 1882, and in which he now manages his large business, No. 17 South Main street, stands on the site where they first began operations in 1867, it having proved one of the best locations in Helena. In 1869 he established a hranch store at Deer Lodge. He has also had one at Anaconda, and he now has a large store and business in Butte. In 1873 he built a residence in Helena, where he still resides. Eight miles from IIelena he owns a section of land which he has developed into one of the best farms in Montana, and where he is devoting some attention to the raising of fine Norman-Percheron horses.

In 1862 Mr. Gamer united with the Methodist Church and became a charter member of the church at IIelena, of which he has ever since been a most devoted member and pillar. Ile has been a most efficient church otlicer, and to him is much credit due for the active part he took in building their fine church edifice on Broadway,-a credit alike to the membership and to the city. He also became one of the founders of, and a large contributor to, the Montana University, and holds the important relation of treasurer to both it and the church; so that in these lines it will take eternity to tell the good done by his liberality. While not giving much of his time to politi- cal matters, Mr. Gamer has consistently adhered to the doctrines of the Republican party, and has been elected and has served both on the School Board of the city and as a member of the City Council. During his residence in Ifelena he has proven himself to be one of her most progressive and liberal citizens.

Mr. Gamer's married life has been a most happy one. April 9, 1872, he married Miss Emma M. Fink, a native of St. Joseph, Missouri. Their family consists of four sons and two daughters, all born in IIelena, and named as fol- lows: Milton A., Charles W., John F., Walter, Ada M. and Emma. Mrs. Gamer is also a most efficient member of the Methodist Church.

Mr. Gamer is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is Past Master of the A. O. C. W. He and his wife are well known and highly esteemed in Montana.

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

Miller was a man who never used profane lan- guage, or told a story that was not suitable for the parlor,or the most refined taste; but as he witnessed our supplies flying in the air I could hear him whispering fool, idiot and similar terms of endearment. However, we took more precaution the next day and led our train out of Oro Fino amid the cheer of the populace.

"The first day out we arrived at a station kept by Mr. Powjade, who is now Lientenant Governor of Nevada. As he was out of meat we had no difficulty in trading our pack ox to

NICHOLAS KESSLER, one of the prominent and enter- prising business men of Helena, Montana, is a native of the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, Germany, born May 26, 1833. His youth and early manhood were spent in Ger- many, and in 1854 he emigrated to America, landing here in January of that year and locating in Sandusky, Ohio. In 1856 he removed from Sandusky to Chicago, where he was engaged in the commission business until the winter of 1859-60, then starting for Pike's Peak, Colo- rado. He arrived in Colorado in time to aid in the elec- tions of the first Recorder of California Gulch, where Leadville is now located. During the summer and fall of 1860 he was engaged in mining there, then mined in Montgomery, Colorado, until 1862, and from that time until August, 1863, was in Breckenridge, same State. Sep- tember 22, 1863, he landed in Virginia City, Montana, and for one year was engaged in the liquor business at that place. In 1864 he made a visit to his old friends in Ger- many, but returned to America the following year, and again took up his abode in Montana, this time in Helena. Since April, 1865, he has been identified with the inter- ests of this city.

Mr. Kessler built and is the proprietor of the largest brewing establishment in the State of Montana. He owns and operates the brickyards which have furnished nearly all the brick that have been used in the buildings in Helena. Ile is also largely interested in Helena real estate and lands in Lewis and Clarke and Cascade coun- ties, and has extensive stock interests besides. With the various commercial and fraternal organizations of the city he is prominently connected. He is a member of the Helena Board of Trade, the Chamber of Commerce, the Commercial Club, the Masonic fraternity, and the Order of Elks, and is recognized in Helena as one of its mnost progressive, liberal and enterprising citizens.

Mr. Kessler was married in New York, April 2, 1873, to Miss Louisa Ebert, who died December 18, 1880, leav- ing three children, two sons and one daughter. Both sons are now efficient help to their father in the manage- ment of his extensive business, while the other children are attending school.

him for a measly-looking cayuse, which was so poor that we felt sure that he could not make a very determined effort to bankrupt tis.

" We arrived at the mouth of Slate creek with- out accident or incident. Slate creek is a small stream running down from the mountains and emptying into the Salmon river. Here was the last inhabited station before reaching the mines. A small tent village had sprung up at this place :- a kind of supply station. One of the tents was supplied with provisions in limited quantities; another had pretensions as a butcher

JAMES M. SMITH, one of Montana's successful pioneer farmers, came to the Territory July 1, 1864.

He was born in North Carolina, March 30, 1833. His father, John Smith, was born in Virginia, and was a descendant of an English family, who were among the first settlers of the Old Dominion. He was born in 1800, and married Miss Martha Shields, a native of North Carolina, and of German extraction, born in 1802. After their marriage they resided in North Carolina until 1844, at which time they removed to Tennessee There, the following year, he was attacked with a pain in his head, which resulted in his death. He had been a gunsmith and a farmer, and had mined in the gold mines of North Carolina. He was also a musician and taught music; but with a family of ten children he had not been able to accumulate much, and left them poor. After his death the widowed mother kept her children together as best she could until they were all raised to maturity. She died in 1865. Of the children, seven are now living, James M. being the fifth born. They resided in North Carolina until he was twelve years of age, when they removed to Tennessee. His opportunities for an education were limited in the extreme. When our subject was sixteen years old his elder brothers left home, and upon him devolved the care of his mother and the younger children. He staid with them, worked on the farm and provided for them until he was twenty-one years of age. He then went to school six months and began to learn the millwright trade, receiving $6 per month. After working a year at this trade he turned his attention to carpenter work and followed that for about ten years in Tennessee.

January 9, 1859, he was married to Miss Mary Hauser, a native of Bavaria, Germany. April 24, 1864, accom- panied by his wife, he started West. She stopped at St. Louis, Missouri, until the spring of 1865, while he came on to Montana. Upon his arrival in Montana, he pros -* spected at Silver City for eight days. Mining had just commenced. He found in the mountains a hole in which he had a good show of gold. On Silver creek he recorded a claim, but as soon as he left it, it was jumped, and

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

shop; still another hung out the sign 'saloon.' There was nothing unusual about the grocery store or the butcher shop; but the saloon and its occupants were not ordinary. Among the more noted of its occupants were Charley Ives, Cross-Road Jack and Billy Peples. Ives and Jack were afterward hanged in Montana by the Vigilantes. Peples was hung in Lewiston along with Scott and English. While watching the great crystal snowflakes eddying and swirling toward the ground a horseman rode up at full speed and dismounted. A dove flew up and

when he was through there a year later he found the men had taken $5,000 from it. Mining, however, was not his forte, and after a little he worked at his trade. His first work at Alder Gulch was to make wheelbarrows, which he sold at $25 each. After this for a time he cut cord wood in the mountains for the Thompson & Sanders sawmill. This was the first mill in the Territory, and from November to January, 1865, he furnished them with saw logs. Then he engaged in freighting with oxen, making a trip to Nelson Gulch, and, both going and coming, camped at the hot springs near where the Broadwater Hotel is now located. Returning to Vir- ginia City to dispose of the goods he had there, he ar- rived on the day of the "flour riot." About 300 miners raided the town with picks, guns and sticks. They searched for the flour, took it and paid for it, and then made a division of it among the people.

As above stated, Mrs. Smith had remained in St. Louis during the winter, and in the spring of 1865 she joined her husband out here on the frontier. She made the journey up the Missouri. Just a short time previous to this ten men had been murdered by the Indians, and she had a narrow escape in passing through the territory of the hostiles. However, she reached Fort Benton in safety, bringing with her about 2,500 pounds of freight. Mr. Smith met her at Fort Benton, and with his ox team hauled her and the goods to Helena. They camped for a time on what is now Colonel Monroe's place. After- ward they decided to go to Springville and start a board- ing house, but did not like it there and only remained one night. Returning to Helena, they moved in a little cabin. A few days later, when going up town, Mr. Smith heard a sale being cried, and out of curiosity went to see what it was. He learned that a squatter had taken up 160 acres in the valley, and while covering his house with slabs a wind blew one of the slabs down, it striking him on the head and killing him. Judge Hedges was selling his right to the place. To help the sale along, Mr. Smith began to bid, and unexpectedly it was struck off to him at $376. After making him a quit-claim deed, Judge Hedges came out with Mr. Smith to a high place

lighted some four or five paces away. The horse- man drew his revolver and fired without taking a second's aim. In fact the motion was contin- uous from the time the revolver was taken from its scabbard until it was returned to the belt. The ball completely severed the bird's head from its body. This man, who is an expert with the revolver, is none other than the Poet of the Si- erras. I recalled this circumstance to him in after years. He quietly replied that he did not care to kill that particular dove, but there were some tough customers in the saloon tent, and he

where Rodney street is now located, and pointed down the valley saying: " It is down that way. Take the ox trail and when you come to the place you will know it. The house has been raised and the slabs to cover it are standing up against the house. There is a little corral there."

The next morning Mr. Smith loaded up his effects and he and his wife made their way to the new home. Soon he roofed the little house, and they began in earnest their life in Montana. That year Mr. Smith cut twelve tons of hay and fenced a portion of his land. He worked hard and as the years passed by made many im- provements in his land, draining, fencing and cultivating. It is now a valuable stock and hay ranch. He says he has sold $45,000 worth of hay from it, and has raised no less than 1,000 head of cattle and 200 horses. He also raised large quantities of vegetables. After residing on this farm twenty-five years, he leased it and moved into Helena. Here he has built a fine brick residence, in which he and his good wife reside, enjoying the pros- perity that has come to them after years of labor. Hav- ing no children of their own, in 1875 they adopted little Mattie Kents, who is still with them. Their home is at No. 836 North Jackson street. Besides this, Mr. Smith has also erected other residences and business blocks in Helena, altogether owning fourteen buildings in the city.

Mr. Smith's political affiliations have been with the Republican party, but he has never been an office seeker or office holder, and has never joined any societies, his whole time being given to his own private affairs. Thus by industry and economy he has amassed a fortune. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

AUGUST WEISENHORN, a Montana pioneer of 1863, and one of Helena's business men and successful manufac- turers, was born in Germany, January 29, 1842. Ilis father, Silas Weisenhorn, a German manufacturer and hotel keeper, was married in Germany, and in 1857 came with his family to America and settled at Quincy, ilinois, where he purchased a farm and resided uutil

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wished to impress upon their minds what they might expect should they ever molest him on the trail. He was at the time of the incident related above connected with Mossman's Ex- press. Taking the package of letters from his horse and strapping them on his back he disap- peared up into the storm of snow and sleet. He said he knew that the boys over the moun- tain expected their letters from home and he did not propose to disappoint them.

"The snow kept piling up and we concluded that if we waited until it covered the blazes on

1890, when his death occurred in the eighty-fourth year of his age. His wife had died two years previously, in her seventy-eighth year.

August Weisenhorn was the third in a family of seven children, six of whom are living, and was fifteen years old when he came to America. He remained on the farm with his father and learned the blacksmith trade, and when he attained maturity started with a mule team for Montana. He stopped and worked at his trade about two months in Colorado, then came on to Virginia City and opened a shop there, which he ran two years, after- ward moving to Diamond City, where he continued to work at his trade successfully until 1870. That year he sold out and returned to Quincy, Illinois, established a carriage and wagon manufactory, operated the same two years, and in 1872 sold out. That year he came to Helena, Montana, with a stock of carriages and wagons and located in a building, which, together with his stock, was soon afterwards burned, entailing the loss of all his accumulations. Then he began working at his trade again. For two years he was in the employ of Alexander Camp, after which, in partnership with Wallace Brown, he bought out Mr. Camp, and has since been engaged in the manufacture of carriages and wagons. After six years Weisenhorn & Brown dissolved partnership, and Mr. Weisenhorn continued in business alone. In 1889 the Weisenhorn Manufacturing Co. was organized, Senator T. C. Power and Joseph Q. Townsend becoming stock- holders in the company, Mr. Weisenhorn being its presi- dent and manager. They manufacture carriages and wagons of all styles, all their goods being of the best quality.

Mr. Weisenhorn was married March 26, 1878, to Miss Emma J. Buscher, a native of Indiana, and a danghter of Henry Buscher. They have five children, Birdie E., Lafayette A., Barbara, Ottie and Frances, all born in Helena.

Politically, Mr. Weisenhorn votes with the Democratic party, but his business operations have all along de- manded his chief attention and he has had little to do with politics. Ile, however, served as a member of the

the trees which marked the way that we would be compelled to camp at the foot of the moun- tain until spring. At daybreak we made the start hoping to reach the summit before night set in. As we pulled up through the timber belt and out on the side of the bald, bleak moun- tain, where the snow had drifted into great piles and ridges, completely obscuring the trail, our horses were soon floundering and plunging in the great snow drifts. We fought manfully, but to advance was impossible. We cached a por- tion of our outfit and returned to Slate creek.

first City Council of Helena. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Blue Lodge, Royal Arch and Com- mandry, and is a Shriner.

In 1893 his firm sent to Chicago a mountain hunting- wagon, on which they took the first prize. It is supplied with a brake of his own invention, on which he has a patent, the wagon being also his own design and entirely different from anything there; and they sold it to a New York City merchant.

MISS MINNIE A. REIFENRATH, County Superintendent of Schools of Lewis and Clarke county, Montana, is a native of the State of Illinois, born in the city of Chicago, July 28, 1866, a descendant of German ancestry. Her father, Herman Reifenrath, was born in Germany in 1837, came to the United States when eighteen years of age, settled first in Louisville, Kentucky, subsequently removed to Chicago, and was there married to Miss Eliza A. Cartley, a native of that city. They continued to reside in Chicago for a number of years after their marriage, removed from there to Waukegan, and later took up their abode in Minneapolis. He was for seven- teen years a trusted and efficient emyloye of the Chi- cago & Northwestern Railroad Company. In 1885 they moved to Montana, and the family now reside in Helena, where Mr. Reifenrath has the position of baggage master for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company.

Miss Reifenrath, with whose name we begin this article, is the eldest of six children, all of whom are living. She received her education in Chicago, Wau- kegan and in Minnesota, taught two years in Illinois and two in Minnesota, and finished her education in the Normal school of the latter State. Her talent for pri- mary teaching being very marked and her success being gratifying to all in that department, she turned her at- tention more particularly to it, and became a specialist and an enthusiast in her work. After arriving in Helena, she accepted the position of primary teacher in the Helena public schools, where she rendered a high degree of satisfaction, and where her services were secured for six successive years. She became a mem- ber of the Montana State Teachers' Association, in

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An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 22

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