An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 88

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 88

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Angus McIntyre was the first born in his father's family. He was reared on the farm and educated in the public schools, attending school during the winter months, and in 1863 he left his Canadian home en route for California, making the journey by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Upon his arrival in the Golden State, he located in Plu- mas county, where he engaged in furnishing wood to the John Blood mill, employing a number of men to cut and deliver the wood. He continued in this business about sixteen months and made some money. We next find him in Nevada, where he was for a year engaged in saw- milling. In the spring of 1866 he came to Montana. He

friend was dead. Arriving at Helena, the body was deposited during the stay in the Masonic lodge, and on Tuesday evening reached Deer Lodge, where it was placed under a guard of honor in the Masonic lodge, and remained until the hour of the funeral, which had been des- ignated for 2 P. M. Wednesday."

The governor's message to the eighth legis- lature, February, 1874, is, like the former ones, paternal in the extreme and very out- spoken against extravagance. The earliest legis- lative body had voted to its members as well as to high federal officers other pay than that promised by Congress in payment to Territorial public servants. Governor Potts stands credited with having had a law in Congress forbidding this extra pay, and it is, indeed, greatly to his credit. Yet it cannot be maintained that Mon- tana Territory was ever at all extravagant. On the contrary, she was extremely economical in a comparative view.

Take Arizona, for example. Her debt to-

and a partner sold goods for a short time in Silver City, Idaho, and July 3, 1866, landed in Helena. He bought grouud in the gulch and mined and did well, remaining there until the spring of the following year. He then re- moved to Henderson, in Deer Lodge county, where he pur- chased a claim and continued his mining operations six years, in that time taking out considerable gold. In the fall of 1874 he came to Phillipsburg and opened a store, having as his partner Mr. James Davidson. They did a prosperous general merchandise business for one year. At the end of that time he erected the first brick building in the town, 26 x50 feet, in which he opened a billiard hall and saloon. Mr. McIntyre disposed of his interest in this establishment in 1884, and at that time, in partnership with J. A. Mathews, started a large hardware business. They built a fine brick store and filled it with a large stock and at once launched out into a prosperous busi- ness, continuing the same until 1892, when they sold out to the J. M. Merrel Company, a large general merchan- dise concern. Mr. McIntyre has since remained with this company, having charge of the hardware department.

He was married, April 20, 1882, to Miss Emily Stewart, a native of his own county in Canada. She, too, is of Scotch descent. They have two children, Mary Willie and Archie Alexander.

Mr. MeIntyre is a Republican. He was a member of

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

day is more than $300,000. Montana's debt was never, at any time, one-tenth that, and yet she fonght more battles, suffered more loss and bore more extra burdens, from first to last, than ever did any other half-dozen Territories.

I have already spoken of the first very im- portant publication from the summit of the shining mountains, Montana As It Is, in 1865-6. Exactly a decade later came the second and still more extended publication replete with early data: The Historical Society of Montana: 360 pages.

About this time there was talk in Helena of a board of trade, which was organized and in full operation the year following, 1874. The membership of the board for the year 1890 em- braced 136 of the citizens of Helena, represent- ing more than ten millions of dollars.

At the next Legislature, 1876, there were present commissioners from the approaching Northern Pacific Railroad. The hearts of the people went out to the road that was coming

the first City Council of Phillipsburg, and ever since he has been a resident of this place he has taken a deep in- terest in its educational affairs, for some years serving as School Trustee. His parents both being Presbyterians, he was reared in that faith and he and his family now attend the Presbyterian Church, not, however, being members.

EDWARD HAYES, a Montana pioneer of 1865, but now deceased, was born in Ireland, in 1835. When only seven years of age he was brought by his parents to America, locating on a farm in McHenry county, Illinois, where he was raised to manhood. Ile was married in Warren county, Illinois, in March, 1865, to Miss Elizabeth Speaks, who was born in that State in 1837, a daughter of Martin and Sarah Speaks. April 17, 1865, the young couple started with ox teams on the long journey across the plains to Montana. They decided to spend the winter in Stockton, Utah, and in the following spring continued the journey to Washington Gulch, Montana, where Mr. Hayes mined for one year, frequently taking out two ounces of gold in a day. While there they also conducted a board- ing-house and saloon, receiving as high as $1 a meal. In 1869 they purchased land in Bitter Root valley, but Mr. Hayes afterward sold his right to that land and home- steaded 160 acres, where he resided until his death, June 11, 1887, and on which his widow is still living. At that

up the path trodden by Lewis and Clarke in their search for the orerland commercial way to India, lured by the old " Northwest passage " idea, and the credit of the Territory to the ex- tent of $300,000 was pledged toward its sup- port. There was also the other railroad coming in from Corinne on the Central Pacific. The president of the Utah Northern now proposed to Governor Potts to extend his railroad lines to the Montana line in the year 1879 and to pierce Montana to the extent of 125 miles in the year following, conditioned only by the stipulation that his road should not be taxed for fifteen years. The Governor called an extra session in July and in a lengthy message laid the proposition before his Legislature. It was not accepted. It was not entertained because it was clear that the small consideration asked by President Sidney Dillon of the Utah North- ern would have little weight, whether given by Montana or withheld. If it was to be built it would be done nearly as well withont this little

time the Bitter Root river, which passes the farm, was unusually high, and had washed away the bridge. The only means of crossing was then by ferrying, and while taking two men across in a small boat it was overturned, and Mr. Hayes and another gentleman was drowned. He was a member of the Catholic Church, and in poli- tical matters was indentified with the Democratic party.

Mr. and Mrs. Hayes had four children, namely: Edward S. (who resides near the old place), William J., Mary A., and Matthew Charles. Mrs. Hayes was raised in the Presbyterian faith, but her children are members of the Catholic Church.

DR. A. H. MITCHELL, Deer Lodge, Montana .- Among the prominent historical characters of this State, there are none who have occupied a position of greater im- portance and activity within the movements of Montana than has Dr. A. H. Mitchell, of Deer Lodge county.

The Doctor was born in Jefferson county, Kentucky, October 27, 1831. His father was a prominent lawyer of Louisville at that time, a Virginian of the old school. The early boyhood of our subject was spent at the Uni- versity of Virginia, being four years in the preparatory department. While in his junior year, being of an ad- venturous disposition, he ran away from school and joined a regiment, going to the Mexican war under Colo- nel Humphrey Marshall. His father, learning of this

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

exemption from taxation as with it. The only possible advantage to the Territory attainable would be brevity of time. But as the North- ern Pacific was pushing its way across the plains of Dakota with incredible speed the Utah Northern must and would and did push on for the heart of Montana as well. This, the first railroad in Montana, crossed the line in 1880; and in 1881 entered the capital.

At the meeting of the twelfth Legislature there seems to have been a sort of "taking of stock," if the expression may be allowed. It was a canse of great rejoicing all over the land, this railroad to the capital. Old men had long waited for it, young men were made glad. Now and for the first time, too, they would see " The States." The population was tipping the beam at 50,000. The Northern Pacific road was almost within hearing; the schools were pros- perous, having the California school system, and laws, and coming to be second only to that great State so celebrated for its schools. The

escapade, had him seut home in a few months, and put him to studying medicine in Louisville, where he attended a course of lectures at the Jefferson College, and finally graduated in the medical department of the University of New York city, in 1852.

At this time his father was conducting a sugar planta- tion on the Brazos river, thirty-five miles from Galveston, Texas. The California mining excitement coming on about this time, young Mitchell started for the West, visiting for a short time his father's plantation. Proceed- ing westward, he lingered for a year in Mexico, and finally landed at San Francisco, in the autumn of 1853. There he entered into an active speculative career, en- gaging in mining in various parts of the State, in addition to his practice as a physician; and he soon became also actively interested in the political movements of the times, and in 1857 was elected to the State Legislature. In 1859 he was re-elected as the joint Representative from Tulare and Fresno counties; and during all this time he continued his mining and speculating interests. Ile also operated a large ranch, in connection with Jas- per Harold, buying and selling large herds of cattle throughout the mining districts. His partner is still in California, being at this time a prominent banker at Visalia, having sold his cattle interests some time since for over $1,000,000.

counties were still in debt, it is true, some of them heavily, but the credit of the Territory was almost at par; the debt had almost entirely disappeared.

The thirteenth Legislature found money in the Territorial treasury, a very notable thing truly in the annals of Territories. The assessed property was set at about $40,000,000. To those who fancy this a lawless land at that time is sub- mitted the list of penitents convicted and under restraint at this date, January, 1883: just three- score; the number of insane, half a score less.

Governor Potts was now retired, perhaps at his own wish, having served more than a dozen years as Governor of Montana; a good certi- cate. One Crosby took his place on the calen- dar of events and was followed in a few days by B. Platte Carpenter. Of course these two last named Governors had little or no op- portunity to do much, whatever may have been their ambition or ability.

This year, 1885-6, twenty years after the

Dr. Mitchell, after selling his interest in the cattle busi- ness, went to Fraser river, British Columbia, the source of the gold excitement of the time; but, finding the pros- pects there unsatisfactory, he returned to California, but he at length located at Aurora, Nevada, where he again embarked in the practice of medicine, and soon drifted again into mining speculation, in which he was very suc- cessful. He was one of the original discoverers of a rich mine at Esmeralda, where he operated until 1863, amass- ing a considerable fortune, when he went to Austin, same State, and thence to Idaho City, Idaho. Not finding mat- ters satisfactory here, he went to Oregon and on to the Kootenai district in British Columbia, which at that time was a flourishing camp. He soon obtained a mining claim on a creek not far from Galbraith's ferry, some miles north of what is now Bonner's ferry. The placers here were phenomenally rich, and Dr. Mitchell took out of his claim some $20,000 of gold dust in three months; and with this stake he returned to San Francisco to spend the winter.

In May, 1865, he returned to the diggings; aud while on a prospecting trip he fell in with a Jesuit priest and some Indians, who reported some very rich placers in the Blackfoot country. He therefore accompanied them across the mountains, arriving at MeClellan's Gulch, in Deer Lodge county, September 9, 1865; but he proceeded on to

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

first history of Montana by Granville Stu- art, and ten years after the second historical publication, came M. A. Leeson's History of Montana, a perfect storehouse of statistics, his- torieal incident, pioneer lore, and sparkling lit- erature. It was cast in a broad and massive mould, like the great land and incomparable men and age of which it treats, being quite as broad and ponderous in make-up as Webster's Unabridged,-1,367 pages, illustrated. It is not only a splendid and enduring monument to its makers, but it testifies, as nothing else could, to the culture and generosity of the Montanese. The editor modestly disclaims per- fection, but the book is as reliable as such a massive work under the direction of one mind can be made. Napoleon is said to have asserted that history is fiction agreed to; but this is only fictitiously true. We all disagree more or less concerning the history of our own lime,

Helena, where he engaged again in the practice of medi- cine. In 1866 he located at the town of Blackfoot per- manently.

In 1868 he was elected to the Territorial Conncil from Missoula and Deer Lodge counties. In 1869 he was ap- pointed by the President as the commissioner to build the penitentiary at Deer Lodge, and he moved there that year, since which time he has made that place his resi- dence. In 1871 he was again elected to the Territorial Council, of which he was elected president. In the win- ter of 1872 he was elected to the Legislature, and in 1875 again to the Council, and serving again as president of that body. He was re-elected to this body in 1877, 1879 and 1883; in 1877 he was again president of the Council.

In 1885 he was chairman of the Democratic Territorial Central Committee; in 1888 he was named and elected by the convention as a member of the Democratic National Committee, and while serving in that capacity he was ap- pointed a member of the committee to notify Mr. Cleve- land of his nomination.

In 1877 he and Dr. Charles F. Mussigbrod was awarded the contract for the care, medication and maintenance of the insane of the State, which contract they have ever since retained. In 1877, also, during the Nez Perces war, he was appointed by Governor Potts as Surgeon General of the State militia; and, after the battle of Big IIole, General Gibbon appointed him Surgeon in charge of the wounded, the regular surgeon having become detached from his regiments. These wounded were brought to Deer Lodge and cared for at the asylum. The buildings

while, as events retire into the past, we all agree more or less to the accepted record; as in the distance, a mountain takes contour and color which we do not appreciate close at hand.

At the end of the fourteenth regular session of the Legislature, and for the first time in more than two decades, a man who made his home in Montana was appointed Governor. It seems incredible and will read strangely enough as long as the history of Montana is read, that here, where an exeentive head was so much needed in managing Indians, miners, immi- grants, all sorts of men and strange situations, enterprises and cross purposes, from the very first, only politicians,-and politicians who knew almost nothing about these people and situations to begin with,-were sent out to gov- ern Montana. But this new Governor, S. T. Hauser, 1885, had been here from the first and knew well all these things that he had to deal

of this institution are located fifteen miles south of Deer Lodge, and are owned by him and Dr. Charles Mussig- brod. They furnish large and commodious quarters for the State's insane.

During the past eight years, in addition to his many duties as the physician of the asylum, Dr. Mitchell has continued to be an active speculator in the mining inter- ests of the State, in both gold and silver properties. He is a large stockholder in, and a director of, the Royal mine, near Deer Lodge, one of the richest gold-producers in the State.

In November, 1871, the Doctor married Miss Mary Ellen Irvine, a daughter of Colonel Thomas HI. Irvine, of Richmond, Kentucky. The Doctor and his wife have had four sons and a daughter, all of whom are living ex- cepting one son, who died whilst attending the university at Chicago, Illinois, at the age of nineteen years, of typhoid fever.

Thus it will be seen that the career of Dr. Mitchell has been one marked with activity and experience extending over a period of twenty-nine years within the State of Montana. The events of this time have constituted the early history of the State; and as an active participant in the exciting and interesting movements of this long period, Dr. Mitchell has become a historical feature of the commonwealth. He has been an active and zealous worker in every department of public enterprise, and at present is an efficient champion of the State's varied in- terests.

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

with. The President who appointed him did him some little honor; he did more honor to the Territory, but most of all did he honor him- self in breaking this custom, which had almost become a law by usage, of appointing some political stranger or personal friend to go three thousand miles away and govern Montana. Of course no blame attaches to those who accepted the high places. Who of us all could or would have refused to be so honored? The blame is at the fountain head.

Political lines have dragged us right along through this dreary list of Governors and Leg- islatures farther than desired, but there was no resting place or cutting off of the catalogne. Now that it is done with up to this date we must hasten to turn abont and take up the story of the Indians where we left it in the early seven- ties.

That ever restless and stormy man, Sitting Bull, could not be induced to remain at the res-

Although throughout his career he has ever been a consistent Democrat, because of the recent antagonistic position of President Cleveland toward the interests of the Northwest, and her principal products of silver and wool, he has become an advocate of the Populist move- ment within his State. The antagonism which has en- gendered much feeling throughout the Northwest be- tween the mining operators and the administration may be justly credited with the formation of the new party within the State, which is now championed hy Dr. Mitchell. He is owner and manager of the Northwest, the Populist newspaper of his district, which organ he is conducting in the interests of the Populist campaign. The two political parties within the State of Montana, while endeavoring to bring harmony ont of the chaotic condition into which they have drifted, may find it neces- sary to adopt a popular movement and indorse a new standard of party principles in order to hold together the property interests and influences which dictate the wishes of the people of the State. It is more than probable that the unlaying vestments of the future will fall upon those whose efforts in the past shall have won for them already the esteem and confidence of the people of the State; and the new movement can select no better man to plead their cause in any capacity than Dr. A. H. Mitchell, the subject of our sketch.

ervation. He wanted to roam the Black Hills, Big Horn, Rosebud and, indeed, all places, this way or that, as the wind blows. The Govern- ment had made treaties with the Crow Indians by which we assumed the responsibilities protecting them from their fierce, traditional foe, the Sioux. Sitting Bull could not be made to understand why he should not kill Crow In- dians as of old. He said he would not kill white people, but he would continue to kill Crows, and he could not see what right the Government had to interfere. The fact is, his heart was cruel aud bitter toward the white man, and if he did not with his own hand continue to kill white people, he allowed the young men who came out in thousands from the reserva- tions to do so. As pointed out before, these murders were without end, apparently, and without purpose. And now, at last, the Gov- ernment decided to take extreme measures.

He is still an active worker, young in appearance and vitality, and a genial and popular citizen with a large and influential circle of acquaintances and friends throughout the State.

JOHN V. PETRITZ, one of the successful business men of Anaconda, was born in Austria, May 18, 1852, educated in his native country, and began life for himself in a small notion business. In 1873 he emigrated to America, be- lieving that in this land of the free there were better op- portunities for acquiring a competency than in the old world.

Landing in New York Jannary 16, 1873, he directed his course to Chicago, where he spent the winter. He began his business career at Freeport, Illinois, peddling notions with a horse and wagon, and continued in that way for some time, making a little money. In 1879 a spirit of emigration led him still further West, and he took up his abode in Montana. At Butte City he secured a clerkship in the establishment of Schmidt & Gamer, then the owners of the Centennial Brewery, and in time he became a half owner of a beer depot at Glendale, where he continued a year or so, until the camp went down. Then he returned to Butte City and soon afterward opened a saloon at Walkerville, in connection with which he also ran a bill- iard hall and made money. When the Utah & Northern Railroad reached Butte City he started a saloon and hotel at Sonth Butte, and in 1883, when Anaconda sprang into

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HISTORY OF MONTANA.

CHAPTER XXVII.

A BLOODY SPOT IN MONTANA-THE WAR WITH THE SIOUX-GENERAL CROOK'S BATTLE ON THE ROSEBUD-GENERAL CUSTER'S LAST CAMPAIGN-COLONEL CUSTER-LIEUTENANTS CALHOUN AND CRITTENDEN.

J HE first two of the four disastrous battles with the savages on this continent were fought by foreign-born generals; the last was led by an American, born of Ameri- can parents.

"Who would have thought it? Oh, who would have thought it?" moaned the brave first officer, Gen. Braddock, to the last hour of the few days that he survived Braddock's defeat. Gen. St. Clair was a Scottish nobleman, whom Washington trusted because he thought him cool-headed and careful. "I told him to be careful. Oh, I told him to be careful, and now he has made hundreds of widows and orphans," cried Washington, when told of St. Clair's de- feat. This general long survived his defeat and died in poverty and obscurity.

existence, he came to this place with a load of goods, set up a tent and was on hand to sell to the crowd that at- tended the sale of lots, which occurred June 26, 1883. He sold from his tent for a month and then moved into one of the buildings that had beeu put up on Main street. Ile had the agency for the centennial beer, and did both a wholesale and retail business until 1886, when he turned his attention to wholesaling exclusively, meeting with great financial success. In 1893 he built his present fine brick block on Main street. It is 50 x 100 feet, has two stories and a basement, and is furnished with all the latest improvements, including steam heat, electric light, etc. The first floor contains three store rooms, and the upper rooms are used for office purposes. The whole building is richly furnished and is a valuable addition to the busi- ness blocks of the city. .

Mr. Petritz still owns his first store in Anaconda, which is located on the corner of Commercial avenue and Hick- ory streets, and he has built a nice residence on West Park avenue, where he resides with his family. On Octo-

I am loath to celebrate war or warriors. In all I have written in song or story I have always left these thrilling themes to others, adhering to the teaching of my Quaker father, who spent a long lifetime among wild men, yet never knew, would never even consent to learn, how to load or fire a gun. But Custer gave his life to Montana. Saber in hand he poured out his blood on her soil, and his story is her story. Because of this, and partly because the man has been misunderstood and much abused, I wanted to detail what little I know of his last battle; and you will pardon me if I call attention to to the man rather than to the soldier; for his life was as gentle and pure as his death was brave and glorious.

He was born in Harrison county, Ohio, near

ber 11, 1894, he bought a half interest in the Anaconda Brewery, now known as Anaconda Brewing Company. The product of their brewery is of a superior quality, and finds a ready market in Anaconda and vicinity. Mr. Pet- ritz is the manager.

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An illustrated history of the state of Montana, containing biographical mention of its pioneers and prominent citizens, Part 88

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