An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 48

Author: Miller, Joaquin, 1837-1913. cn
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1216

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acres of land, and the following year was joined by his wife and five children, they too making the journey up the Missouri river, and being met by him with teams at Fort Benton. On this frontier ranch they resided until 1870, when he sold out and purchased a farm two miles southwest of Deer Lodge, where he spent the residue of his life and died, the date of his death being May 11, 1889. His last illness was inflammation of the bowels, the result of an injury received by his being thrown from a cart in which he was riding. For nearly twenty years he had resided on his farm near Deer Lodge, making numerous and valuable improvements upon it. His distinguishing characteristics were his honesty, industry, generosity and kindness of heart, and these estimable qualities endeared him not only to his family, but also to a large circle of friends.

Politically, Mr. Evans was a Democrat all his life. While in Madison county he served as County Commis- sioner, after coming to Deer Lodge county was elected and served three terms as County Assessor, and he was also, for a number of years, Justice of the Peace. In the win- ter of 1869 he was elected and served as Engrossing ('lerk of the Territorial Assembly. In all of these posi- tions he performed his duty with the strictest fidelity. llis public service brought him into contact with nearly all the leading pioneers of the State, and by all who knew him he was held in the highest esteem.

Mr. Evans was married in Missouri in 1856 to Miss Mary B. Powell, a native of Virginia and a descendant of one of the old families of that State. She is still living and is now an honored resident of Deer Lodge. They had ten children, of whom nine are living, occupying use- ful positions in life. Their son John is Register of the Land Office at Missoula, another son is clerk in the Treas- urer's office at that place, and a third son, Nathaniel P.,

and when we reached a little stream about five miles from our camp, Jim called a halt for con- sultation and further examination of Bell's pulse and wounds. After which, he announced that there was a show for his life; therefore, we would camp right there and then, and give Bell a chance to recruit up, adding that we would stay by him at all hazards, so long as there was a hope of his life, but that it would now be im- possible for us to go more than fifteen or twenty miles a day. This was a serious and desperate change in our plans, as we had thrown away nearly all our provisions, expecting to go seventy- five miles in the first twenty-four hours, and thus get beyond reinforcements to, and possibly out of reach of the Indians, who were at that

is County Commissioner of Deer Lodge county. It is through the kindness of the last named that we obtained the data for this sketch. The names of the daughters are Mrs. A. McMurphy, Mrs. J. W. Lister, Mrs. Wm. J. Allin, Mrs. Lewis Crutchfield, and Miss Sophia C.

AUGUSTUS F. GRAETER, of Red Rock, Beaver Head county, Montana, has been identified with Montana since its early pioneer days and has done his part toward bring- ing about its present development.

Mr. Graeter was born at Allentown, Pennsylvania, July 29, 1834, son of Augustus and Sarah (Hoffman) Graeter. His father was in early life a book and newspaper pub- lisher, hut after his removal to Ohio, in 1836, he turned his attention to farming and also ran a brewery. In Warren, Trumbull county, Ohio, the subject of our sketch received his education in the common schools, remaining on his father's farm until 1856. Then, at the age of twenty-one, he went to Nebraska and began clerking in a store, and was thus employed when the Pike's Peak excitement broke out in 1858. He was among others who sought the gold mines of that district, and mined at Russell Gulch and Quartz Hill, being moderately successful. And we here state that his mining operations, there and subse- quently in Montana, have been on his own account, as he never worked more than one day in the mines for wages.

In 1862 Mr. Graeter came to Montana, intending to go to the mines on Salmon river, but when he got as far as old Fort Lemhi and could go no farther with team and wagon, lie concluded to go to the Bitter Root valley, but got on the wrong trail, and before he reached his destina- tion became discouraged and returued down Snake river, bought some provisions and started back on another route, and landed in Bannack in the latter part of 1862, where he began mining. In the fall of 1864 we find him at Alder Gulch. Here, he took a claim and mined two seasons,

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moment gathering about us on the hills. Still the men all cheerfully and heartily indorsed the captain's resolution, and we accordingly halted and remained some two or three hours, getting snpper and allowing Bell to rest.

" After a very difficult and tedious descent into a gorge to get water, we halted about four p. M. to get supper. All of us were intensely wearied and worn ont. A few men were thrown ont as pickets, and the rest were busied in unpaeking, when, in the midst of our preparations for sup- per and rest, York announced that he saw In- dians approaching from the points above ns. All hands flew to arms, but were startled and

taking out considerable gold. Early in 1865 he went to Last Chance," now Helena, and from there to Blackfoot City. At the latter place he conducted a store until 1866, when he returned to Bannack. From that year up to the present time he has carried on a merchandising business at Bannack and has also been engaged in extensive placer and interested in mining operations there.

His son, L. D. Graeter, now has charge of the placer mines, working them on a paying basis. In 1871 Mr. Graeter purchased a ranch on Ilorse prairie in Beaver Head county. Here he has 2,000 acres of land and raises hay and stock.

July 29, 1858, Mr. Graeter married Miss Emily Drury, who died in June, 1880, and is buried at Highgate, Ver- mont, her birthplace. She was the mother of two children: Luther D., who married Miss Birdie Miner, of Arcata, California; and Blanche Alice, who is now the wife of Charles Falk, of Eureka, California. In September, 1881, Mr. Graeter married Miss Mary J. Taylor, of New Bruns- wick, and they have three children, Arthur, Edith and Sarah.

Mr. Graeter's political views are in harmony with the principles advocated by the Democratic party. He is identified with the Masonic order and is a member of Bannack Lodge, No. 16.

THEODORE BRANTLY, Judge of the Third Judicial Dis- triet of Montana, comprising Deer Lodge and Granite counties, is a native of the State of Tennessee, born in Wilson county, February 12, 1852.

Judge Brantly's great-grandfather, Edwin Brantly, came with his family from Holland to this country and settled in South Carolina. He was twice married, the maiden name of his second wife being Mary Reading. She was descended from a family of French IInguenots who had escaped massacre in their own land and had sought a refuge in America, taking up their abode in South Caro- lina. Edwin Brantly and his wife had four sons and two daughters. He served as a Captain during the war of

checked by the report of a rifle right in our midst. We knew that it must be one of our own guns, but whether accidently or purposely discharged we did not at first know; but looking inquiringly around, all eyes at last centered upon Geery, who, with a deathly pallor on his face, stood with his head erect, but his body partly leaning against his rifle. He answered our anx- ions looks by saying: ' I have foolishly but ac- cidently destroyed my life.' Rushing up to him we eased him down to a sitting posture. He then, with great calinness and deliberation, opened the bosom of his shirt, pointing to the ghastly wonnd, about three inches above his left

1812, and after that war removed to south Alabama, where he was a slaveholder and owned and operated a large plantation. He spent the residue of his life there and died at the age of seventy-five years, his wife's death occurring there several years before his.

Edwin Theodore, their youngest son, was Judge Brant- ly's father. Ile was born in southern Alabama, and was educated in the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and in the Union Theological Seminary in New York city. He was then ordained a Presbyterian minister and became pastor of the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Giles county, Tennessee. In 1850 he married Miss Eliza Brown, a native of Giles county, and a daughter of Dun- can Brown, Esq., who had sprung from Scotch ancestors who had emigrated to the north of Ireland and from thence to America previous to the Revolution. Some members of the family participated in the war for inde- pendence. Some time after his marriage, Rev. Brantly removed to Wilson county. His whole life has been de- voted to the work of the ministry, and he is now preach- ing in Nashville, Tennessee. Ilis good wife died in 1853. She was the mother of three children, two of whom are still living. The eldest son is following in the footsteps of his honored father, and is doing faithful service as a Presbyterian clergyman.

Judge Brantly was the second born in his father's fam- ily. Ile had the advantage of a refined home influence, and through his own efforts he secured a college educa- tion. It may here be noted the ravages of the Civil war had swept away nearly all the property belonging to the Brantly family, and as Theodore grew up he found him- self dependent upon his own resources. In 1874 he graduated with the degree of A. B. in the Southwestern Presbyterian University at Clarksville, Tennessee. From that date until 1878 most of his time was spent in teach- ing. He then entered Cumberland University at Leba- non, Tennessee, and after spending one year in that in- stitution resumed teaching in order to earn the means

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nipple, said: ' My life is fast ebbing away-only a few hours more; but that is too long for you all to remain here. Sce, the sun is fast declin- ing behind the mountains; the Indians will soon be upon you, and it would be impossible for you to defend yourselves in this place. Jim, tell the boys I am fatally wounded.' The request but too plainly indicated his dreadful resolution, and too soon brought us to an awful realization of our desperate but determined agreement on the morning after the attack, and we all appealed to him not to think of so rash an act, telling him that he might live, and using every argu- ment that we could think of, collectively and in- dividually begging him not to think of such a thing. During the whole time he held his revolver firmly grasped in his right hand, and warned us that any attempt to take it away from him would only hasten his action. No one at- tempted to force it away from him; we only reasoned, or tried to reason with him, but could not make him lose sight of the inevitable fact

with which to complete his studies. He returned to the university and finished his course, and graduated in 1880 with the degree of B. L. Immediately after his gradna- tion, young Brantly formed a law partnership with Hon. J. S. Gribble, of Lebanon, Tennessee, where he remained until March, 1883, when the partnership was dissolved. He then traveled in the West, looking for a locatton, and finally decided upon Lincoln, New Mexico. While making final arrangements for his removal to that point, he received notice of his election to the chair of ancient languages in Lincoln University, Lincoln, Illinois. This position he accepted and filled for a period of four years. In 1886 7 he was a teacher of Latin in the Sauveur Lau- guage School at Oswego, New York, and in 1887 he was elected to the chair of Latin and Greek in the College of Montana at Deer Lodge. This position he filled two years. In 1888, on examination before the Supreme Court of the State, he was admitted to the bar, after which he associated himself in the practice of law with Hon. J. C. Robinson, of Deer Lodge. A year later this partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Brantly opened an office on his own account and continued the practice of his profession alone. About this time he was nominated on the Republican ticket for District Judge, but was de- feated by a small majority. In 1890 Iton. Ed. Scharmkow became associated with him in practice, and they did a

that he must die within a few hours anyhow, but that in the meantime darkness would be upon us, and with it the Indians, who were already approaching us, and whom we could not successfully resist in such a place. Finally, he he called upon Jim to ' tell the truth; tell the boys I can't live over a few hours at the most.' Jim, who was in tears, and his big heart almost breaking, could not truthfully answer him in the negative; therefore he evaded a direct reply, by answering: 'Never mind, Geery; we will stay by you all the Indians in the world couldn't drive us away from you.'

"This reply only seemed to fix his noble soul in the resolution to do what he knew would probably save the party, or most of them; yet how few men there are that could so reason and act under such circumstances. Turning to us, he said: 'See, comrades, Jim knows that I am fatally wounded, and must die soon, but he avoids telling me; and the fact that you would all, I know, stay by me and die for me has

large and successful business for two years, when, in 1892, Mr. Brantly was elected to his present position, that of Judge of the Third Judicial District of Montana. He is now serving his third year on the bench and giving the highest satisfaction, his decisions seldom being reversed.

Judge Brantly was married June 9, 1891, to Miss Lois Reat, a native of Tuscola, Illinois, and a descendant of Scotch-Irish ancestors. They have a son, born in Deer Lodge, whom they have named after both his grand- fathers-Theodore Lee. They reside in one of the lovely homes of Deer Lodge, which the Judge built, and in which he and his amiable wife entertain their many friends.

Like nearly all the enterprising men who have come to Montana, Judge Brantly has invested in mining opera- tions. He is also interested in real estate. Of his politi- cal views, we may say he was reared a Democrat, and affiliated with that party until the Garfield campaign, when, disagreeing with it on financial questions, he be- came a Republican and has since been in harmony with this party. He is a member of the Masonie fraternity, and is Past Chancellor of the K. of P., and both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.

PROF. RUFUS C. GARLAND, who is engaged in the prac- tice of law with Judge T. E. Crutcher, at Helena, Mon- tana, is one of the talented young men of the city.

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determined me. Remember (putting the muzzle of his pistol against his breast), I am not com- mitting suicide. Bear witness to my friends that I am only shortening my life a few hours to prevent you from uselessly and foolishly sae- rificing yours in defense of mine. God knows I don't want to die; that I fear death-but have a Christian hope in eternity-yet must die, rather to save than to sacrifice. Remember this gorge in the mountains, and the spot where I am buried; deseribe it to my friends some day, if any of yon ever live to tell of it.' Those strong men were all weeping over him as he eontinned: 'God bless you all, comrades; I must die, and in time for you to bury me and eseape before dark. Bury me in this eoat, and here.' He was about to fire the fatal shot, when Jim · said: . For God's sake, Geery, don't; but if you will do it, don't shoot yourself there; it will only prolong your agony (the muzzle of the pistol, as before stated, was against his breast). If you must do it, place the pistol to your temple.' To which Geery replied: ' Thanks, Jim; and may God bless you all, and take you safely out of this.' As he placed the pistol to his temple the men, with weeping eyes and full hearts, all turned to walk away, as they could not bear to see him fire. He pressed the trigger, and the

Rufus C. Garland was born in Arkansas, October 23, 1867, son of A. H. Garland, prominent in the history of this country, having represented Arkansas in the Senate, served as Governor of that State, and under Cleveland's first term served as Attorney General of the United States. Rufus C. spent his early life in Little Rock, attending private schools. Afterward he went to Georgetown Col- lege, District of Columbia, and still later attended the Law School of the University of Georgetown, graduating in 1887. He was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Montana in 1891, and is now associated with Judge T. E. Crutcher.

Professor Garland began the study of music at George- town College, and at the age of eighteen began con- posing. IIe is the author of two operas the first, "Mad- joon," purely comic, and the other, "Silootah," an In- dian opera. The latter was rendered at the opera house

cap only exploded. I never heard one half so loud before; it echoed in all directions as if to make him realize what he was doing. I then ap- pealed to him saying, 'Geery, for God's sake desist, this is a warning.' To which he paid no attention nor made any reply, but rather seemed to be soliloquizing, and said, ' I know not what to think of that; it never snapped before.' Coek - ing his pistol again, he engaged a few seconds in mental prayer, and again pulled the trigger that lannehed him into eternity. The report of the fatal shot was awful, and sent a thrill through our swelling hearts that will never be forgotten.

" We gathered around his dying form, and it was ' indeed a fearful thing to see a human soul take wing,' especially as he had so nobly died to save us. Never before had I seen our little band give way; they all wept like children, and seemed far more disheartened than the morning after the massaere. Waiting some half hour after he had drawn his last breath, we buried him, as desired, in his soldier overcoat. We had scarcely finished his burial, when the piekets annonneed that the Indians were approaching us, and were within gunshot-yet there was no firing. After our last duty was finished, Jim directed ns to pile limbs and brush on the grave,

in Helena, and its introduction in New York is antici- pated by its composer. He has also composed two masses, one in D minor, written especially for the cele- bration of Columbus day, which was sung in the Helena cathedral with great success: the other has not as yet been rendered. A Te Deum of fifty pages was composed by him for Mgr. Satolli, the papal delegate who visited Helena. Mr. Garland is the recipient of a letter from Bishop Brondell, bishop of Montana, stating that the Te Deum was of a nature so pleasing to the Monsignor that he desired a copy of it sent to St. Peter's at Rome, an honor hitherto accorded to but one other American com- poser. Mr. Garland has also composed many instru- mental and vocal selections, sacred songs and ballads, which have met with the endorsement of lovers of music.

Ile is a member of the Catholic Church.

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and burn them so as to conceal it from the In- dians, and to prevent them from digging poor Geery up for his scalp and clothes. We then gathered our things together, as best we could, and packing up, moved on in single file, out of the gorge, camping, or rather hiding, in the sage-brush, some six miles away, where we arrived in the night." -- S. T. H., in the Historical Society of Montana: Vol. 1, p. 200.

But to return to Alder Creek. The first finders of gold here were only five in number. If they had been more numerous or better equipped for battle, perhaps they would not

WILLIAM J. MCNAMARA, of Butte City, came to Mon- tana on the 18th of August, 1864.

He is a native of Cambridgeport, Massachusetts, born on the 4th of March, 1842. His father, Peter McNamara, was born in county Clare, Ireland, emigrated to America in 1835, and was married to Miss Bridget Quinlin in 1838. After some years they removed from Cambridgeport to Jones county, Iowa, where he procured a farm and re- sided upon it until 1846, when his death occurred, in the fiftieth year of his age. He left four children, of whom only two of the sons survive. When they settled in Iowa it was a new country and the opportunities for education were limited.

William J. MeNamara attended school at the pioneer log schoolhouse, obtaining but a meager education. His stepfather went to California at the time of the gold ex- citement, where he remained five years. His mother re- mained at home with the children, and the son assisted her to the extent of his ability in working the farm, breaking many an acre of tough prairie sod with seven yoke of oxen attached to one plow. His stepfather re- turned from California in 1855, having attained a moder- ate success.

In his twenty-second year the gold excitement carried him off to Montana. March 25, 1864, he started from Cascade, Dubuque county, Iowa, crossed the plains to Montana, arriving at Virginia City on the 18th day of August. Ile drove four yoke of oxen all the way, be- sides paying $40 for the privilege of coming with the train and being furnished his provisions by it. That year the Indians were very hostile, and when the emi- grant train reached Powder river they were attacked by the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians, and had a severe fight, which lasted all day. The whites corraled their wagons, got the stock inside, and withstood charge after charge from the savages. In the train were 150 wagons and 450 men and about twelve women; all hands were engaged in the fight, and the women showed as much courage as

have been " held up" by the Crow Indians as they were, and the great discovery might have been anywhere in the far or near future. The names of these five men were: William Fair- weather, Thomas Conner, Henry Edgar and Barney Hughes. The last mentioned set out alone, after claims had been staked off, for Bannack, sixty miles to the west of the new world of gold, to give the good news to his friends of the mining, and a sort of Masonic fraternity. His friends and he, having been robbed, were also in hard straits for food. Wild berries were not yet ripe, and their scant amint- nition could not be spent on game; though, as

the men. Had the Indians succeeded it would have been a big haul for them, but they were continually repulsed, and when night came on they withdrew, carrying with them, it was believed, about seventy-five of their number killed and wounded, while the brave emigrants lost seven of their number. During the conflict the Indians set fire on the prairie to the windward, but the whites succeeded in extinguishing it. When the Indians had withdrawn, the train moved on five miles and camped. On the way they found an emigrant with 100 arrows in his body, which was fearfully mutilated! They kept strict guard until after they had crossed the Big Horn river. They came by way of Bozeman, but there was no settlement there at that time.

When Mr. McNamara arrived at Virginia City his wealth consisted of $20 in money and a little bedding. He obtained work at mining, being paid $5 a day, and thus managed to obtain a livelihood. After a month he went to Last Chance, where there were about 150 miners, all of whom were complaining of the hard times there, and Mr. Mc Namara immediately returned on foot to Vir- ginia City. By this time winter had set in, and, every- thing being frozen up, nothing was being done. Mr. Mc- Namara had no money, and what little flour there was the few owners held at $1.60 a pound! In their despera- tion the miners arose and seized all the flour they could find, -about 160 sacks,-and divided it into twenty-five- pound parcels and sold it at 30 cents a pound, letting each one have only twenty-five pounds. Mr. McNamara stood in line for a long time to ascertain whether he would ob- tain a package of the flour, but finally gave it up, and subsisted mostly on beef. The trains with provisions from Salt Lake City had been snowed in, and did not arrive until about the 1st of June, 1865. For three months the miners subsisted mostly on beef.

In August, 1865, Mr. MeNamara came to Silver Bow. There being no railroads in the country then, he was obliged to walk the entire distance of ninety miles with-

M.g.el Vamara

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the Indians had taken about everything they had, they were in less peril than when they first set out, fairly well equipped, on their prospecting tonr.

A big party, about 200, came back with Inghes from Bannack, mostly strangers. Great courtesy is always extended to first discoverers, such as an extra claim by right of discovery to each member of the original party. Old miners, who are not personal friends, generally defer not only to the discoverers, but to their personal friends. In this case the bulk of the 200 camped within eall for the night and allowed Hughes and his favorite friends to go on into Fairweather's camp alone.

out meeting scarcely a house. D. D. McDonald had been there and staked out three or four claims, one of them for Mr. McNamara. Hle took his claim and mined there till 1872, making a living. In that year he came to Butte and began to operate quartz mines, and the town then took a new start. He located the Mountain View and the Never-Sweat. At times he found himself unable to repre- sent his locations and was obliged to re-locate them sev- eral times, but finally sold the Mountain View to Charles X. Laraby for $30,000, and his quarter interest in the Never-Sweat to the Anaconda Company, at the rate of $40,000 for the mines. Both of these mines became famous producers. Mr. MeNamara is still interested in a number of valuable mines, among them the Poland, the Carrie, the East Moscow, the Snohomish and the Tramway,-all copper mines, besides several silver mines. He has built the Silver Bow block, one of the finest brick blocks in the city, also the MeNamara, a brick building; and he has also other houses. His mining claims at Cen- terville enclosed a great portion of the town. IIe has leased the ground, and it is now occupied and built upon.

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An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 48

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