An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 46

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 46

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Green Mountain State in 1800, and his mother, nee Susan Millard, also a native of that State, was born in Arlington, in 1807. Her forefathers were also of English descent and were early settlers of Vermont. Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Knight removed to Erie county, Pennsylvania, where they were respected farmers, and where they passed the rest of their lives and died, his death occurring in 1852 and hers in 1857. Their family was composed of three children, Julian M. being the youngest and one of the two who are still living.

The subject of our sketch spent his boyhood days on his father's farm, working hard in summer and attending School about three months during the winter. When he was sixteen years of age he began to do for himself. Going to the then new State of Iowa, he found employ- ment in a general store at Decorah, where he remained three years. From there he went to Leavenworth, Kansas, and took part in the expedition against the Mormons. He was at Fort Laramie and Fort Union, employed by Russell, Mojors & Waddell, freighting supplies for the soldiers, being in the Indian country all the time and meeting with many thrilling experiences. He continued on the plains until 1866, a portion of the time freighting to Colorado and to Utah.

In 1866 Mr. Knight brought a stock of goods from Kansas to Virginia City, Montana, making the trip with mule teams. Upon his arrival here he opened a store near where the courthouse now stands. After selling out his goods he became interested in the mines, and in 1868 was one of a company that flumed the gulch. He still has an interest in this enterprise. In 1882 he opened lis present hardware store, with Mr. H. Elling as partner, and theirs is now the only hardware store in the city. They carry a large stock and do an extensive and suc- cessful business. Mr. Buford has been taken into the firm, the name now being Elling, Knight & Buford, but from the inception of the business Mr. Knight has been its manager. Their storeroom, 25 x 75 feet, is in the

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reply, adding instantly, 'So am I; ' for feeling the shock and sting of the ball and blood triek- ling down my side, I thought it was all over with me. Hurriedly thrusting my hand under my shirt, I drew a sigh of relief, for I found that the ball had not gone through me, it hav- ing struck a thick memoranduin book that was in my left shirt pocket, which it passed through, and flattened and stopped against a rib near my heart.

" Instantly seizing our rifles we crawled out of the tent, but before we got out the yelling and firing had ceased. It was pitch dark, dark as Egypt, and what followed was even more

Masonic building, and they also have a large warehouse. Tinning and plumbing form an important feature of their establishment.

January 5, 1865, Mr. Knight was married to Miss Agnes C. Lobb, a uative of Independence, Missouri, and a daugh- ter of J. A. Lobb of Missouri. They have one son, born in Virginia City, Montana, in 1869, who is now a lawyer in his native town. Mrs. Knight is a member of the Episcopal Church.

Mr. Knight is identified with the A. O. U. W. and also with the Masonic Order, having taken the blue lodge, Royal Arch and Commandery degrees, in all of which branches he has served as presiding officer. He has been a Democrat since he has been a voter, but is not now in accord with his party on the silver question.

RICHARD DEACON, of Dillon, Montana, has the honor of being the pioneer owner of the land on which the city of Dillon was built.

He is a native of Ireland, born in Monaghan county, February 15, 1832. His father, William Deacon, was born in Scotland, removed to Ireland, and was there married to Miss Mary Frasier. Five children were born to them in Ireland. Then the father emigrated to America, and after working some time at West Hebron, New York, in 1848 he sent for his wife and children, who joined him at West Hebron, where he was prospered and became the owner of a farm. In 1854 his wife died, in the forty-fifth year of her age. He and the children continued to re- side on the farm until his death, which occurred in his seventy-third year.

Richard was their eldest son. Ile was sixteen years of age when he came with his mother and the other chil- dren to America. For four years he worked at farming for wages. In 1852 he went to Illinois and worked at sawmilling and with the surveyors in the survey of the line of the Chicago, St. Charles & Mississippi air-line railroad. In 1854 he crossed the plaius to California. He drove an ox team for J. L. Davidson, for which service

trying to our nerves than what had passed. We could distinctly hear the demon-like whisper- ings of the murderous fiends in the ravine that we knew was not over ten paces from us-yet so perfectly dark was it that we could not even see the outlines of the bushes that bordered the ravine; in faet, we could not see our hands before us. Add to this, that we did not know how many of our little band were left alive. Some we knew were dying, from the moans we heard, yet we could not see them or offer a word of consolation, for one andible word would have brought a shower of arrows. As it was, they were flying in all directions, and it seemed im-

he received his board and the privilege of being one of the party. Ile was then twenty-two years of age, full of life and a desire for adventure, and, notwithstanding that he walked most of the way, he thoroughly enjoyed the trip. They arrived at Yreka on the 14th of Sep- tember, 1854, after being five months en route. He was engaged in mining for seven years. Then he went to Portland, Oregon, and from there up the Columbia river by steamboat to Lewiston and thence to Oro Fino with a pack train. He then mined in different places, including the Bitter Root Basin, and was at Florence in 1861, and during the whole of his mining experience he always got gold in paying quantities. After this he and fourteen others crossed the Rocky mountains on a prospecting tonr. They returned to Elk City and in the fall of 1862 went to Boise Basin and mined there until the fall of 1864, when they went to British Columbia and spent the winter sell- ing miners' supplies. In the spring of 1865 he came to Ophir Gulch, in the Blackfoot country, spent the follow- ing winter in Virginia City, and in the spring of 1866 came to Argenta. A little later he mined at Bannack, and in the spring of 1871 came to the Beaver Ilead valley and located upon the land on which the town of Dillon now stands. He first took a homestead, on which he re- sided until the spring of 1878, and then took seven forties of land under the desert act, making 440 acres in all, which he farmed a little, stock-raising, however, being his chief business. In the spring of 1880 his cattle num- bered about 300 head. Ile then sold his cattle, and sold his land to the Town Company for $12,500. He continues to reside at Dillon, has done some building, owns two brick blocks, has several dwellings, and loans his money in a private way. And since, in a manner, he has been retired from business he has traveled considerably and has seen a most wonderful transformation in Montana. On the desert which he took from the Government now stands the beautiful city of Dillon, the county seat of Beaver Head county a fine railroad town, with its large

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possible to escape being pierced by them. We could hear them whizzing through the air every second, and so near that we often felt the wind; and so close were the Indians that we could hear the twang of their bow strings. Too shrewdly the cowardly murderers had resorted to their bows and arrows, after they had emptied their doule-barrelied guns, knowing well that if they used their guns after we were aroused, the flash would afford a mark for us to return their fire; but arrows gave no guide, and they were safe in the ravine and darkness.

" Crawling to our captain as best we could, constantly admonished by the flying arrows to

courthouse, many handsome dwellings, and 1,500 inhab- itants of the most intelligent and enterprising type.

Mr. Deacon is well-informed, hale and hearty, and bids fair to live to see still greater growth and development in the town in which so much has already been accom- plished. He has been a Republican sinee the organiza- tion of the party; is a Royal Areh Mason, and is a man of the highest integrity. He has a wide acquaintance with many of the pioneers of Montana.

JOSIAH SHAW HAMMOND, M. D., of Butte City, Montana, a leading member of the medical profession of this place, was born in North Abington, Massachusetts, on the 10th of September, 1844, a descendant of William Hammond, of London, England, and Elizabeth, nee Penn, an aunt of the most celebrated Quaker, William Penn. Her hus- band died in London, and she came to Sandwich, Massa- chusetts, in 1634, bringing with her a son, Benjamin, and three daughters. They came in the "good" ship Griffin and landed at Boston September 18, 1634, settling at Sandwich.

Benjamin Hammond married Mary Vincent, and Dr. IIammond is of the eighth generation from William IIammond of London. The heads of the family in line from Benjamin are John, Rowland, Captain George, Ben- jamin and George,-the last mentioned being the father of the subject of this sketch. All were born in the Bay State, and identified with the affairs of that State from its early settlement, and generally Congregationalists. The Doctor's father was born in Carver, June 21, 1815, mar- ried Miss Susanna Shaw, a native of Abington, and had eight children, of whom seven are still living. Mrs. Hammond died at Lockeford, California, November 29, 1828, and Mr. Ilammond now resides there, in the seventy- ninth year of his age.

Their fourth child, the subject of this sketeh, was reared and educated in Massachusetts until his seven- teenth year, removing with the family to California in 15 2, where he soon afterward engaged in teaching. In

crawl low, we found him lying between and among five dead horses, all shot by the Indians in their efforts to kill him, guided by his voice when he had shouted to us to ' Keep close to the ground '-an order given upon his hearing them cocking their guns just before they fired; which order was given at the imminent risk of his own life, but it saved ours, which was always the aim of his big heart at any risk, and as fortune sometimes favors the brave, so in this instance she did him, for the dead horses furnished him a complete barricade, from which he whispered his directions to us. On reaching him, I asked, in a suppressed whisper, how

1868 he graduated at the California State Normal Sehool, and thereafter became first assistant at the high school at Stoekton, where he remained until 1870, when he began the study of medieine, under the direction of Dr. Asa Clarke, of Stockton. His first sehool course of medieine he took at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College at New York eity, and completed his medieal collegiate course at the Cooper Medical College in San Francisco, graduating there in November, 1873. Sinee then he has been unin- terruptedly following his chosen profession, having now had twenty-one years' experience. For a short time he praetieed at Loekeford, already mentioned, then was ten years in Nevada, and finally, in 1885, he established him- self here in Butte City, where he has been signally suc- eessful.

He is a member of the Silver Bow Medical Society and of the State Medical Association, of which he has had the honor of being president, and before which body he read the first paper; and ever since then he has been especially active in that society. Fraternally, he is at present Past Grand Master Workman of the A. O. U. W. of Montana. He has visited a large number of the lodges of the State, and intends to meet them all before the year eloses. He has a high opinion of the order as a benevolent institution. He is also Grand Vice-Chancellor of the K. of P. of Mon- tana.

Politieally, he has all his life been a Republican, but he is now inelined to aet with the Populist party.

September 25, 1867, he married Miss Ann Eliza Simp- son, a native of Missouri, but brought up in California. Six children have l.een born in the family of Dr. Ham- mond, namely: Louise, Kate, Hattie; Delia, who died of inflammation of the heart following la grippe; she was very affectionate and amiable in her character; and two sons, named Nelson and Benjamin.

Dr. Hammond is a genial and talented gentleman, de- voted to his profession, in which he enjoys an enviable position, both theoretically and practically.

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many men were killed. . Don't know; you are the third man that has reported,' he said. To which I replied, ' Great God, Jim, this is awful.' He answered: ' Never mind; it's rough, but we will give them a game yet. You and Under- wood crawl toward the river about fifty yards; don't fire until you can punch your guns against them. Wait; there will bea general rush on us before morning. Remember, don't shoot until the rush is made, and you can touch them with your guns. If you fire sooner, the flash of your guns will direct a hundred shots to you. Keep cool, and we can stand them off.' So Under- wood and I dragged ourselves over the horses

GEORGE GOHN, a resident of Virginia City, Montana, since 1863, has all these years been conducting a meat market, and few there are in the city who are better known than he. Of his life we make record as follows:

George Gohn was born near the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 28, 1834, a descendant of German ancestors, who were among the early settlers of the Key- stone State, his great-grandfather having been born there. Grandfather George Gohn was born in Virginia. IIe married a Miss Deitz and had a family of nine children. Both he and his wife attained the age of eighty-three years. Their oldest ehild, George Gohn, was our sub- ject's father. Ile was born in York county, Pennsylvania, April 11, 1808, and when he grew up married Miss Mar- garet N. Ruby, a native of the Old Dominion. They be- came the parents of five children, among them being two pairs of twins. George was a twin, and he and a sister are the only ones of the family who are now living. His father died April 16, 1835, and his mother survived her husband only a few years, her death occurring when she was forty-eight years of age.

Thus, left an orphan when young, George Gohn was reared by his Grandfather Gohn, his summers being spent at farm work and his winters in attendance at school. When he was seventeen he began to learn the butcher's business. In 1856 he came out West to what is now Kansas City, where he remained until April, 1859, at which time he crossed the plains on the Santa Fe route. He remained in Colorado until March, 1863, when he di- rected his course toward Montana, going first to Bannack and coming from there to Alder Gulch. That was imme- diately after the discovery of gold was made here, he be- ing among the first to enter the camp after the discovery was made. He took a claim, but it proved to be on the wrong side of the river, and after mining without success all summer he turned his attention to the business in which he has since been engaged. ITis first three beeves he killed in June, 1863. IIe had no bnikling, and the

and for the distance indicated, requiring no further orders to keep close to the ground. And here we lay, face downward, for three long hours, with cocked rifle in one hand and revol- ver in the other, in the most fearful suspense, expecting every moment that they would renew their yells and rush upon us. With every nerve strained, we watched and waited, with nothing to relieve our suspense, except the gratitude we felt at being still alive, and the hope of succor- ing our wounded comrades, whose dying groans were perfectly heartrending. Add to this the andible whisperings of what we supposed to be directions and preparations for the final charge,

dust was bad, so he did not kill any more until April of the following year, at which time he opened his shop and since then he has supplied the whole country with meat. Prices ranged from twenty to thirty cents per pound up to 1865, after which they decreased, as the stock from that time on has been raised here. During his long business career he has by honorable and upright methods and close attention to the wants of his custoni- ers, won the confidence and respect of all with whom he has had dealings. Indeed, few men in the city or sur- rounding country are better known or more highly re- speeted than he.

Mr. Gohn was married November 10, 1861, to Miss Anna Zweifel, a native of Switzerland and a daughter of John Jacob Zweifel. They have had five children, three sons and two daughters. The oldest son, George Edward, was born in Virginia City, January 23, 1865, and is now in business with his father: Phillip Henry, born May 14, 1872, is a clerk in Mr. Elling's bank; Anna May, born May 23, 1875: and George Grant, who died at the age of fourteen months.

Not only in the business circles of Virginia City has Mr. Gobn taken an active part, but also in its political and social circles has he been a prominent factor. Ile has been a stanch Republican since the party was organ- ized, and in an official capacity has done much to pro- mote the interests of his eity and county. Hle served as County Assessor, was County Treasurer two terms and County Commissioner four years, served as Alderman of Virginia City, and for a number of years has been a School Trustee. In Masonic affairs he has for years taken an active part. Ile is Past Master of the lodge, Past High Priest of the chapter, and has held a number of offices in the commandery, and he and his wife are mem- bers of the Eastern Star.

HION. JOHN NOYES, Que of Butte City's prominent and early settlers and highly respected citizens, landed in Montana July 20, 1865. He was born in Chatham, Canada

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and the peculiar, never-to-be-forgotten sound of the arrows which we heard, but could not see ; each so close that we felt the next one must strike. Yet we dare not fire in return-only wait for what seemed inevitable death. In this way honrs passed-hours that seemed weeks- when, to my utter surprise, our captain came, walking erect, and almost stumbling over me. In a whisper I said: ' What are you walking for? Why don't you get down and crawl? You will be killed.' To which, in the same whis- pered tone, he replied: ' Oh, I'm going around to see how the boys are, and get some water for Bell and Bostwick. There's enough of us left

East, March 21, 1829, son of John and Lydia (Dexter) Noyes, the former a native of New Hampshire and of Irish descent, and the latter born in Vermont, of Scotch- Irish descent. They were married in Canada, settled on a farm there, and at that place reared their family. The mother died in her forty-fifth year and the father lived to be sixty-nine years old. Both were Presbyterians. Of their family of six sons and two daughters only four are now living. John was their third child. He was reared on the farm, and for a time worked with his father at brickmaking.

In 1852, at the age of twenty-three years, the subject of our sketch, imbued with a spirit of adventure and a thirst for gold, made the journey around by the Isthmus to California, landing at San Francisco. He at once sought the mines and for ten years was engaged in min- ing in Nevada, being successful and accumulating a large sum of money; but in later enterprises and speculations lost the most of it. In 1862 he went by water from San Francisco to Portland, Oregon, and from there into Wash- ington Territory, where he continued mining until 1865. That year he came overland on the back of a cayuse to Montana, his first location here being in MeClellan Gulch, where he cleared $8,000 in two months. At the end of that time he returned to Canada on a short visit, after which he went around by New York to St. Louis, spent the winter in that city and in the spring purchased mer- chandise and sent it up the Missouri river bound for Montana. About the time the steamer reached the mouth of the Platte river it sank, and all his goods were lost. They were insured, however, and he returned to St. Louis and replaced them, and this time made the journey in safety, and at Elk Creek disposed of his stock at a handsome profit. From Elk Creek he came to Butte City in 1866. At that time there were only about twenty men in the camp here, and of that number only three are left in town William Omsley, Levi Prentis and Joseph Raum dell. The second day Mr. Noyes was in camp

to give them a lively rattle in the morning.' At that moment an arrow came so close we could actually feel the wind of it. I again appealed to him to crawl. His answer was, ' I was not born to be killed by these red devils,' and he calmly walked down to the river and got a cup of water and took it to the wounded men, and to this day God only knows why he was not pierced by a dozen arrows, and is seems almost a miracle that he was not.

" Underwood was not more than four feet from me, and yet we never dared speak; only watched and tried to see through the darkness, and prayed for morning or light enought to

he purchased a claim and commenced mining. From time to time he located other claims, and continued suc- cessfully in the business for twenty years. He and Mr. Upton dug the Noyes & Upton ditch aud brought water to their claims. During his early mining experience Mr. Noyes lived in a little cabin for six years, up to the time he married.

As Butte City began to grow he became interested in its development and did much to advance its prosperity. Indeed, he has been one of the important factors in build- ing up the town. Much of it is situated on land once owned by him and which he platted and sold. He still owns a large amount of real-estate here. He has built no less than nine brick buildings in the city, five of them business blocks and the others residences. The elegant home in which he and his family reside is situated on East Granite street. For several years he was president of the first water company that was organized here; he helped to build the city gas works, aud in every way pos- sible he has contributed toward Butte City's prosperity. To some extent lie is still interested in mining claims.

In 1872 Mr. Noyes was married, iu Butte City, to Miss Myra Meekejohn, a native of Scotland. They have four children, their two sons, John and Thomas C., now being students in the State University of Michigan; one daugh- ter, Alice, the wife of Mr. W. MeWhite; and the other daughter, Ruth, attending school in Peunsylvania.

Mr. Noyes was one of the organizers of the first Ma- sonic lodge in Butte City, and he is now a Knight Tem- plar. Politically, he has always been a Democrat. In 1880 he had the honor of being elected to represent his county in the Territorial Legislature, and as a member of that body served most efficiently. During the three de- cades he has resided in Montana he has made the ac- quaintance of many of her pioneers and prominent men, and by all who know him is held in the highest esteem. Mrs. Noyes and her children are all members of the Episcopal Church.

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shoot. Yet, what were to hope for with the coming of daylight? We knew that they were ten to one against us. Still, it would be better than the great disadvantage at which they had us. And the uneertainty! Anything was bet- ter than that.

"Morning came at last, and what a sight it revealed! There was poor Watkins, shot through the temple and unconscious, but crawling around on his elbows and knees; Bostwick shot all to pieces, but still alive, and five others wounded; we scattered all about the camp- ground, face downward, with cocked rifles and revolvers in hand, eagerly watching the bushes

DR. CHARLES PINCKNEY HOUGH, a representative citi- zen of Montana and a prominent physician of Butte City, is a native of the State of Missouri, born in Jefferson City on the 14th day of April, 1845. He traces his an- cestry to Bishop Hough, of the Church of England. The branch of the family from which he descends settled in the State of Virginia more than 200 years ago, where they were prominent in the early history of the country, and have always been eminent for ability, both in the pro- fessions and in business.

The Doctor's father, George W. Hough, was born in Londoun county, Virginia, in 1808; married Miss Mary Catherine Shawen, a native of his own county, and in 1837 moved to Jefferson City, Missouri, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits. Ile was an active participant in public affairs, well grounded in political economy; was for many years a leader in the Democratic party of his State and very highly esteemed for his learning and character; wasa member of the State Legislature in 1842, and was afterward nominated for Congress, but was de- feated; was one of the founders of the State Historical Society, served twelve years as President of the State Board of Public Works, and in 1860 declined the nomi- nation for Governor of the State. His wife died in 1876 and in 1878 he, too, passed away. Six of the children sur- vive, among them Judge Warwick Hough, of St. Louis, Missouri, who was forten years a member of the Supreme Court of the State, and Colonel Arthur M. Ilough, attor- ney-at-law in Jefferson City.

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An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 46

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