An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 72

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 72

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Soon after the sad death of General Meagher, at Fort Benton, and about the time when Mon-

tana, by the help of General Sherman, had got herself in a fair way to protect her people, Con- gress was indneed, through the persuasions of those who ktiew little about the Indians and less about the situation, to turn the whole affair over to the Department of the Interior,-taking a war out of the hands of the army, volunteers and regulars, and turning it over to a peace commission !

The Indians seemed delighted and all was quiet for a few months. A great council was held at Fort Laramie. The heroic red man was reported, through the Eastern press, in terms to suit the East, by Eastern reporters. Peace commissioners won great renown to themselves at the hands of their attending and generous

side of the Yellowstone river. The name of this place is derived from an Indian graveyard in the vicinity, and is now owned by W. S. Snell. On this ranch Mr. Hawkins began raising live stock, at the same time working for wages and hunting buffalo, then numerous; he turned every possible honest way to earn something. In the winter of 1880 he and a brother killed 1,146 buffalo, and while on the ranch about 3,500; also many deer and ante- lope. Much of the time he was also engaged in herding cattle, while acting as Deputy Sheriff and up to the time he was elected Sheriff in 1892. He has traversed Mon- tana from the Wyoming line on the south to Milk river on the north, and from the eastern border of the State to Yellowstone county, both in wagon and on horseback.

He is a member of Custer Lodge, No. 13, I. O. O. F.,, Miles City, and has filled the chair of Vice Grand three terms. Politically he has always acted with the Demo- cratic party until 1892; he is now for the " entire popu- lace" without respect to party affiliations. Mrs. Haw- kins is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

In 1888 Mr. Hawkins married Miss Nannie Watson, a daughter of William M. Watson, who was a machinist and served in the late war in a Connecticut battery. Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins have two children,-Maisie and William W.

JOHN HARVEY, Alderman for the Second ward of Liv- ington, Montana, is one of the representative citizens of this place, and was elected to his present position in the spring of 1892.

Mr. Harvey was born in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, in 1850, son of James and Letitia (Hosking) Harvey, his pa- rents being of English descent. James Harvey was su- perintendent of one of the largest copper mines in the Lake Superior region, and while acting in that capacity, in 1856, was killed by a falling stone. The subject of our

sketch was educated in the public schools of his native State, and at the early age of sixteen he resolved to seek his fortune in the great West, of which so much was at that time being said. He accordingly joined a caravan which finally (for mutual protection from Indian depre. dations) joined the Willson-Rich train, of which Charles Rich became commander, and proved himself a vigilant and safe leader. They had many encounters with the Indians. This was in 1866. Upon his arrival in Mon- tana, young Harvey spent his first two years in Madison valley, Gallatin county, where he helped to build a log schoolhouse, and where during these two winters he worked for his board while attending school. This school was taught by Esquire Stephen Allen. He worked on a ranch for wages for a time, saving his money until he ac- cumulated means sufficient to go into business for him- self. Then he turned his attention to freighting and dealing in stock, carrying on the stock business on his own account and also having charge of a large amount of stock for other dealers. He frequently drove stock as far east as Bismarck, North Dakota. He now owns a half interest in a valuable ranch of 2,300 acres on Shields' river, Park county, where he located in 1879, in partner- ship with Thomas Tregloan. They are engaged in rais- ing grain and hay, as well as having large stock interests, and they also have the largest meat market in Livingston.

Mr. Harvey was married in February, 1885, to Miss Jennie Cox, daughter of John and Eliza Cox. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey have an only child, Lester.

Fraternally he is a member of Garfield Lodge, No. 17, I. O. O. F., of Livingston, in which he has filled the Junior Warden's chair and also that of High Priest. Po- litically, he is a Republican, though not an active politi- cian. Mrs. Harvey is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church.

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reporters and established a great treaty. But a tardy, not to say imbecile, Congress was slow to confirm the contract, and the Indian, this time not without excuse, went forth once more on the war-path to try the mettle of the beautiful new tomahawk given him by the Peace Com- mission and to test the range of his repeating rifle.

I am not one of those who abuse all peace commissions indiscriminately. They surely did not seek to make money ont of their opportuni- ties; nor could they hope to make much lasting fame. Let it be conceded that, as a rule, the men who hold appointments as peace commis-

DAVID G. BROWNE, Collector of Customs for the dis- triet of Montana and Idaho, was born near Belfast, Jan- uary 16, 1859. He attended the public schools until he was fourteen years old, and afterward, by self-instruction, became an expert bookkeeper and accountant. In 1876 he came to the United States, and proceeded at once to Utah Territory, where his uncle then resided. Here he entered the employ of Wells, Fargo & Company, becom- ing their agent at Kelton; this position he held about a year, gaining the first insight into the transportation business, in which he afterward became prominent and successful.

In 1878, he gave up his position to accept that of con- ductor of a mule train, freighting from Corinne, Utah, to Montana points. By the next spring he had saved money enough to be the owner of a twelve-mule team himself, and he engaged in freighting from river and railroad points to the business centers and mining camps of the Territory. Before the season closed he added an- other team to his outfit, and in the next year, 1890, was the owner and wagon boss of four twelve-mnle teams, thoroughly equipped. From this time Mr. Browne made Fort Benton his headquarters, and as it is the port-of- entry of his customs district, it is still his home.

During the active transportation period, from 1879 to 1885, Mr. Browne held a front rank among the freighters of the Territory, and few, if any, were more successful in the financial way. In the spring of 1881, Mr. Browne took charge of the office of W. S. Wetzel & Company, general merchants, at Fort Benton, and had virtual charge of the firm's affairs. Besides attending to this im- mense business, and keeping his teams on the road, he managed, in 1882, to get a monopoly of the ferry business at Fort Benton, from which he made $15,000 as a side issue. In December, 1883, W. S. Wetzel & Company failed, and Mr. Browne wasappointed assignee; the assets of the firm amounted to $250,000, and he succeeded in winding up its affairs in a satisfactory manner in a little more than a year.

sioners mean well in what they do; but they don't know what they do. Mostly, like poor General Canby, butchered by the Modocs when doing his best to help them. they are strangers, the strangest of strangers, trying to drive square pegs into the roughest and toughest of round knot-holes. They are generally benign and be- nevolent men, from far away, their sole knowl- edge of an Indian's childish, weak nature having been taken from Cooper's novels. And so, by presuming to deal with a very serious subject in the lightest way, they have done more harm to the Indian, to say nothing of the white man. than any body of men you can mention. Briefly

In 1883, Mr. Browne engaged in Government contract- ing, securing that year, among others, the large hay con- tract at Fort Assiniboine. In 1885, he had the Government transportation contracts for Montana, Wyoming, and the State of Nebraska, carrying them through to the satisfac- tion of Uncle Sam, and everybody concerned. In 1886, he accepted a position in the Bank of Northern Montana, at Fort Benton, and on the organization of the Stockmen's National Bank, of that city, became a stockholder and director in it, and to him is largely due the success of that financial institution.

He is also interested in cattle herds, on the Marias range, and has large reale-state and mining interests throughout the State. Mr. Browne has always taken an interest in local and general politics, and for several years past has been the undisputed leader of his party, in Cho- tean county. Ile has served his city as Alderman, and his county as Commissioner, for a number of terms. He was a member of the State Constitutional Convention, and served on many of the most important committees of that body; and in 1891-2, served as a member of the State Board of the World's Fair managers, of which body he was treasnrer. He has been chairman of the County Central Committee for six years, in his district, and has served as a member of the State Democratic Central Committee for a like period, and is always a conspicuous figure in the county, State and national conventions. When at the beginning of the present administration, Mr. Browne received the appointment of Collector of Customs, for Montana and Idaho, the Democracy of the State with one accord approved and applanded his selection.

Mr. Browne was married in 1883, to Miss Emma Wright, of Fort Benton, who died in 1891. He has two sons, seven and ten years of age.

ABNER G. ENGLAND, a Montana pioneer of 1864 and one of Missoula's most successful farmers, dates his birth in Lawrence county, Illinois, November 1, 1830. Of his life and ancestry a brief record is herewith presented.

David & Browne

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

and finally, this one example must serve to illustrate a volume. The gentle heart of Gen- eral Canby at the lava beds cost Captain Jack his cunning head. And here, while recording the meddling of strangers with the profound questions of Montana, let us look at the list of governors sent to keep guard over the cradle of this encompassed young Territory. We smile with mingled pity and derision at the appoint- ments by Roman emperors of their court friends to far-off provinces. Centuries from now the school-boy of Montana will read the long list of names of strangers sent to guard and govern this beleaguered heart of the world's

Mr. England's grandfather, Thomas England, was born in Pennsylvania, and was descended from a family of early settlers of that State. IIe lived to be eighty-five years of age, and reared a family of thirteen children, six daugh- ters and seven sous. His fifth ehild, Joel Wallace Eng- land, was born in Tennessee, in 1807. From Tennessee the family emigrated to Illinois, being among its pioneer settlers, and in that State Joel W. Engand was married to Miss Jane Seeds, a native of Illinois, her father having re- moved from Ireland to that State when it was on the frontier. After their marriage, they settled down on a farm, and continued to reside in Illinois for a number of years, after which they removed to Missouri, where he spent the rest of his life and where he died at the age of eighty-four years. He had been a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church for many years and was one of the most highly respected men in the community where he lived. His first wife died, leaving him with three sons and two daughters, of whom Abner G. was the oldest, and by a subsequent marriage Mr. England had one son and four daughters.

Abner G. England was seven years old at the time his mother died, and after her death the home was broken up and he went to live with a Mr. William Thompson, his youthful days being divided between farm work and at- tendanee at the district school. Upon reaching maturity, he rented a farm on Ellison prairie, Lawrence county, Illi- nois, and at the end of one year he had by hard work and economy saved enough with whieh to furnish his share of an outfit with two others to come to California. This was in the spring of 1853. Their outfit consisted of five yoke of oxen and a wagon and provisions. Frank and Wiley Cruse had been his sehoolmates and they were now to be his companions and partners in crossing the plains. They left St. Joseph, Missouri, on the 28th of April, as a part of a train composed of twenty-six men, made the long jour- ney in safety, and landed at Placerville August 2, 1853. After Mr. England's arrival in California, he was for two

heart and will turn to the map of Ohio to see what similarity there may have been between the two geographical divisions that so many governors were sent from the maple woods by the lakes to the grassy mountain tops of Mon- tana. Indeed will he marvel, too, why it was that Montana had to wait till her wars were over before one of her own people, who knew her and how to defend her, could be appointed to govern her.

Governor Green Clay Smith invoked the Legislature in the session of 1869 to pass a militia law; but nothing was done in the way of discipline or equipment. Early in the next

years in the livery business at Marysville. Then he mined on the middle fork of the Yuba river, and engaged in a fluming enterprise in which he lost all he had made. From there he went to Nevada City, where he had a claim which he worked four months, during that time tak- ing out $500 worth of gold more than his expenses. Next, he went to Alleghany, Sierra county, where he remained five years, having the usual luck of a miner-sometimes lucky, sometimes "broke." From Sierra eounty he went to the Territory of Nevada, from there to San Francisco, and from that eity came in 1864 to the Missoula valley in Mon- tana. He then rented a farm three miles from his pres- ent home. Although the crops were small that year priees were high and he cleared $4,000. Ile sold his wheat for $7.50 per bushel; oats, $2.50 a bushel; potatoes, six and a half to ten eents per pound: cabbage, five eents per pound: and onions, twenty-five cents per pound. The fol- lowing year he took elaim to 160 aeres of Government land, moved on to this place in November, and ever sinee 1865 has resided here. He built a log cabin on his elaim, and for eight years he lived the life of a bachelor.

Mareh 11, 1873, Mr. England was happily married to Miss Mary Cousins, a native of Illinois and a daughter of Dr. E. G. Cousins, a physician of that State. They are the parents of two children, a son and a daughter. Their daughter, Ella N., is attending school at Missoula, while their sou, Orville G., is in eollege at Deer Lodge.

While in Sacramento, in 1862, Mr. England offered his services to his country, but on aceount of a physieal disa- bility was rejected. This effort to join the Union army proved his loyalty to his country. While he has given little attention to political matters, his vote has always been east with the Republican party,

Since coming to Montana, Mr. England's career has been that of the successful farmer and able financier. From time totime he has added to his original holdings until now he has 560 acres in one body, one of the choicest farms in Montana. In 1883 he ereeted his splendid and

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year the Governor ordered the establishment of two military divisions, and appointed a brig- adier for each.

But there is too much red tape and entangle- ments of all sorts about Territorial or State troops, as a rule. The hard fighting is done mainly, at least according to the history of the extreme West, from one end to the other, by either the federal troops or minute men of the Bunker Hill kind,-men who leave the plow in the furrow. There was fighting by men of this sort far away from towns or any other center of assistance almost continually. Each little re- mote settlement of ranchers or stock-raisers

commodious brick residence. While he has met with marked success in his farming operations, he has not con- fined his attention to his farm alone but has become in- terested in various enterprises that are of great value to the country. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Missoula, has been one of its stock- holders since its organization, and is now its vice-president. The bank corporation owns the beautiful National Bank building, which was built at a cost of $115,000, and the same corporation also owns the Missoula Hotel, one of the best hotels in the county, it having been erected at a cost of $65,000.

Mrs. England was a charter member of the First Pres- byterian Church of Missoula, and is one of the few char- ter members who are still spared to worship here.

GEORGE M. MILES .- Among the prominent and leading business men of Miles City is George M. Miles, nephew of General Nelson A. Miles. He is one of the founders of the city, the leading dry-goods and hardware merchant and vice-president of the First National Bank.

He was born in Westminster, in 1854, a son of Daniel C. and Lucy Ann (Puffer) Miles. Ile graduated at Amherst College, Massachusetts, in the class of 1875, and came to Fort Keogh in 1876, where he was engaged in the quarter- master's department, the post then commanded by Gen- eral Nelson A. Miles, for whom Miles City was named. He was in Government employ for eighteen months. In the fall of 1876 he invested in the sheep industry, having the first herd owned in Custer county. Since that time the industry has had an immense growth in the county and State. Mr. Miles herded his sheep during the winter on the ground now occupied by Miles City, which was then covered by large sage brush. For six years sheep were his principal live stock, and proved profitable. Later he turned his attention to cattle and horses,-draught horses, in considerable numbers, and large herds of cattle. In this business he was connected with two others, Hawes and Strevell. Their range is 100 miles from Miles City.

stood on its own bottom; the men in each little settlement standing by each other as best they could. Many and many a small campaign, long or short, for a day or forty days, was organized, fought out, and dismissed from any mention and from all place save in the minds of its par- ticipants year after year in Montana, almost from the first, but we cannot enter into details. These little campaigns were much alike in con- ception and results. The settler was never the aggressor. He took his gun down from the rack above his fireplace only when he fonnd his home in danger. Often one man set out alone to attempt the recovery of his stock, sending a

Mr. Miles was the first United States Commissioner in Custer county, as also the first Notary Public. He has also filled the offices of Justice of the Peace and member of the Board of County Commissioners. In religion he is a member of the Presbyterian Church, being an Elder and a Trustee of the same. He wasone of the organizers of the church at Miles City, and organized and has taken an act- ive part in building up the Sunday-school, of which he has been superintendent for fifteen years. He gives much of his time and'money to the church, Sunday-school and char- ities. The dry-goods firm with which he is connected is known as the McIntire Mercantile Company, he being president. His hardware interests are in the partnership store at Miles City, owned by Miles, Strevell & Ulmer. This company has also a store at Ogden, Utah. Mr. Miles owns much valuable real estate in and adjoining the city, and good business property, which yield him a good rental revenue. He is a conservative, practical business man, and is also prominent in society. Politically, he is a stanch Republican.

He was married in 1880, to Miss Helen Strevell, daughter of Hon. Jason W. Strevell, of Miles City. He has one son, Jason D. Miles, now eleven years of age. Mrs. Miles died in 1887.

JOHN W. WINSLETT came to Montana in 1865, and consequently holds rank with the pioneers of the State. Ofhis life we make the following brief record :

John W. Winslett was born in Jasper county, Georgia, July 13, 1821. His ancestors were English people who settled in the South some years previous to the Revolu- tion, and in that war his great grandfather was a partici- pant. Jobn Carson Winslett, the father of John W., was born in Jasper county, Georgia, March 4, 1799, and in his native Stale was married to Miss Susan Stewart. The subject of our sketch is their only child. In 1829 they re- moved to Alabama, where the father continued his occu- pation, that of planter, until 1849, at which time his death occurred.

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boy down the creek to tell a neighbor to follow, and his wife up the creek to give warning and get help, and so they followed on in a string, with set teeth, breathless, alert, finger on trig- ger, firmness in every musele. Scarce any one of the little settlements but lost some stock each year, and some of them lost their bravest and best men.

As an example of these sudden little wars in the West, I give here an account of the fight at Castle Crag, California. I give it not only as an illustration of what the settlers of California, Oregon and Montana had to encounter, but, as it is verified and in the archives of the nation,

In Alabama John W. Winslett was reared. He re- ceived only a limited education in private schools. He served six months in the Cherokee war, under Captain Jenkins, in the Barbour Rangers, soon after leaving school, and after this was employed as overseer on plan- tations, being thus occupied for several years in Ala- bama, Arkansas and Louisiana. At times he had as many as seventy-five slaves under his supervision. In 1819. when the gold fever spread over the country, he was one of its victims, and in 1850 made the journey by way of the Isthmus of Panama to the new El Dorado. He mined on the Yuba and American rivers, and was in California three years before he learned to find gold suc- cessfully; but finally succeeded, and made as high as $50 a day in the mines. During the fall and winter of 1851 he kept a hotel in Nevada City, and while he was thus occupied the whole town was swept away by fire, he not only losing everything he had but also being left about $2,500 in debt. He then min-d again to get a fresh start, got straightened out and in business again, and again suf- fered loss by fire. Such was the experience of many of the early pioneers of California -- up to-day and down to- morrow.

In 1858, when the Redwood Indians made war against the whites, Mr. Winslett volunteered and served six months, and while on duty received a shot in the groin, from the effects of which he was laid up a few months. The Indians were subdued and placed upon a reserva- tion, but a year later they renewed their depredations and again were quelled by the soldiers. In the mean- time much property belonging to the whites had been destroyed, Mr. Winslett being burned out and being a a heavy loser. Mr. John K. Houk was at this time his partner, and they not only lost their property but also both were severely wounded. After their unfortunate experience in California, they went to Boise Basin, Idaho, and engaged in mining, and from there came to Stevens- ville, Montana, arriving here July 25, 1865. Here, in a

as a sort of certificate that I know something of this subject of which I choose not to write at great length, for, as will be seen, I served, while yet but a lad, with one of Montana's best defenders, General Crook, in his very first In- dian wars, and so know my ground well:

" At what date Mountain Joe located Lower Soda Spring Branch, now known as Cistle Crag Tavern, I am not certain. Col. Hastings was the first proprietor -- 1844. Hastings was the first man to open a permanent trail up the Sac- ramento river, and pass with a pack train and a band of Spanish cattle from California to Ore- gon by this route; though MeCloud, a Hudson's Bay trapper, after whom the MeCloud river was named, was here before him-1841.

little pole cabin, they opened a general supply store and began dealing with the Indians. They met with pros- perity on every hand, and continued to do a successful business until 1875. For eighteen years Mr. Winslett and Mr. Houk had been partners, and during that time the warmest friendship existed between them. They were the pioneer merchants of Stevensville, and during their business career made a large acquaintance and won the respect and esteem of all with whom they had dealings. But Mr. Winslett's kindness of heart brought him into some financial embarrassment. He had gone security for a friend, and thereby lost $7,000.

After meeting with the above loss, Mr. Winslett dis- posed of his interest in the store and turned his attention to the sheep industry, in which he met with success, hav- ing as high as 3,500 sheep at one time. While he was absent in California to buy sheep, his property, amount- ing to about $15,000, was sold for a security debt, at a great sacrifice, which might have been avoided had he not been traveling so steadily that letters could not reach him. Advantage was taken of this very circumstance. In 1889 there came a drought and a plagne of grasshop- pers, and again he suffered heavy losses. Then he located 169 acres of land, five miles northeast of Stevensville, and upon it he resided for some time. Later he purchased 160 acres four miles above this tract. Both of these places he still owns, his principal products from them being wheat, oats and hay.

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An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 72

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