Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 102

Author: Stout, Tom, 1879- ed
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 1126

USA > Montana > Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II > Part 102

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On September 20, 1913, Doctor Dimon was mar- ried to Miss Hadassa E. Denham, at Kansas City, Missouri, a daughter of L. M. Denham, now de- ceased, who was a veterinary surgeon and profes- sional trainer of horses in Kansas, Oklahoma, Mis- souri and Arkansas. Mrs. Denham survives her husband and makes her home at Topeka, Kansas. Doctor and Mrs. Dimon have no children. The experience Doctor Dimon gained during his mili- tary service is a valuable one, and aside from the realization that he did his duty as he saw it and was not found lacking when his country called upon him for assistance in discharging its obligations, he feels that his practice is benefitted by his asso- ciation with others of his profession, and the op- portunity he had to handle so many and varied cases. In no calling have such radical changes been effected as that of the healing profession, and a long step forward was taken when the great- est physicians and surgeons met on the common ground of preserving the health and preventing the fatal results from death and disease during the ti- tanic conflict just terminated.

CLEVELAND MARTIN YOUNG. Reliability and effi- ciency, combined with practical knowledge, work for success in any line, and especially is this true when they are possessed by an alert young business man such as Cleveland Martin Young, druggist of Three Forks. Already he has made his the leading drug store of Gallatin County, and has otherwise made himself known as one of the typi- cal men of Montana who may be depended upon to accomplish whatever they set out to do. Mr. Young was born at Bowling Green, Missouri, Au- gust 23, 1885, a son of William E. Young. The Young family is of Scotch descent and was founded in this country during its colonial epoch, grafting on the original excellent national characteristics of Scotland others equally desirable as the mem- bers became identified with their new home. Wil- liam E. Young was born at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1860, and now resides at Three Forks, having had an active career as merchant in Missouri and stockman in Montana, to which he came in 1893, first being at Livingston, but later coming to Three Forks, where he was the pioneer merchant, but continued his stockraising until his retirement. He still owns a ranch of 160 acres of irrigated land, eleven miles west of Three Forks. His residence is in the old town of Three Forks, and he owns the house and grounds. He is a democrat. Both as a Mason and member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church he lives up to high ideals, and is held in the highest respect by all who know him. His wife, Laura (Copenhaven) Young, was born at Louisville, Missouri, in 1865, and their children are as follows : Myrtle, who died at the age of twenty- one years; Cleveland Martin, who was the second in order of birth; Thomas J., who is a brakeman for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, lives at Three Forks; Russie, who married Harry Gillingham, an insurance agent, lives at Three Forks; and Eva, who married Harry Gustine, of the county clerk's office, lives at Bozeman, Mon- tana.

Cleveland Martin Young grew up in Gallatin County and attended its schools, his graduation from the Three Forks High School being in 1903. For the subsequent ten years Mr. Young was en- gaged in stockraising, but in 1913 became a mem- ber of the drug house known as the Three Forks Drug Company, in partnership with C. A. Berg. The store is located in the postoffice building on

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Main Street, and is well equipped and fitted. A full line of drugs and sundries is carried and a very large patronage is enjoyed, that is increas- ing annually. In addition to his drug interests Mr. Young owns his modern residence on Fifth Avenue. Like his father he is a democrat, but has never sought to come before the public as a candidate for office. In the Methodist Episcopal Church he finds expression of his religious faith. Mr. Young belongs to Three Forks Lodge No. 73. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and Three Forks Chapter, Royal Arch Masons.

In 1915 Mr. Young was married at Three Forks to Miss Jessalyn Wilkins, a daughter of A. H. Wilkins, trainmaster for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. He and his wife are resi- dents of Lewistown, Montana. Mrs. Young is a graduate of the State University at Missoula, Mon- tana, and a cultured lady of varied interests. The son of Mr. and Mrs. Young, Floyd Albert, was born May 4, 1916.

FRANK P. BYRNE as a young man learned teleg- raphy. As a telegraph operator he naturally en- tered the service of a railroad company and had many assignments to the combination duties of telegrapher and station agent. As a rule a railroad telegrapher makes frequent changes of residence, and Mr. Byrne in the course of his service has been identified with many communities along the va- rious lines of the Milwaukee system in the North- west. In course of time he reached Three Forks, Montana, where for the past ten years he has been regarded as a permanent resident, having left the service of the railroad and has entered vigorously into local affairs.

Mr. Byrne, who is present deputy sheriff, with Mrs. Byrne occupving the position of postmaster, was born at West Columbia in Mason County, West Virginia, Mav 17. 1877. Several generations of the family lived in Virginia. His parents were Thomas Marshall and Hannah (Boyce) Byrne. His father was born in what is now West Virginia in 1823. was a pioneer oil man and later a merchant and continued in business at West Columbia until his death in March, 1807. Hannah (Boyce) Kav was his second wife. She was born in England in 1839 and is still living. a resident of Wheaton, Minnesota. Of their six children three have been railroad men, Fred M., Ralph E. and Frank P., the two latter are twins, the former a station agent for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway in North Dakota.

Frank P. Byrne acquired his early education in the public schools of his native town. He left home at the age of fourteen and for four vears worked as a market gardener at Charleston, West Virginia. Coming west, he learned telegraphy at Brownton, Minnesota, and was first employed as an operator bv the Soo Railway at Marine Falls, Min- nesota, and subsequently at Heafford Junction, Wis- consin, and Faithhorn Junction, Michigan. In 1800 he joined the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, first as an operator at Cologne and later as agent at various points along the Hastings and Dakota Division. He was promoted and served as train dispatcher at Aberdeen, South Dakota, on the James River Division, during 1906-07. He was then sent to McIntosh. South Dakota, on the Trans- Missouri Division of the Pacific Coast extension of that now trans-continental railway, and was station agent there until 1908. Mr. Byrne has al- ways had an inclination for politics and public affairs, and he was elected and served two years as auditor of Corson County, South Dakota. He resigned that office and came to Three Forks, Mon-

tana, in April, 1910. Three Forks was then very young, but a promising town. Mr. Byrne was lo- cal agent for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul 11/2 years. He gave up railroading to engage in the mercantile business with the Caldwell Com- pany until 1914. He then returned to the Milwau- kee Railway as chief timekeeper on the Rocky Mountain Division. In 1916 he was appointed post- master of Three Forks, and held that office until December 1, 1918, when he resigned in favor of Mrs. Byrne, his wife who is the present postmas- ter. Since then he has given his chief attention to his duties as deputy sheriff.

Mr. Byrne has always been affiliated with the democratic party in politics. He is affiliated with the Episcopal Church and is a member of Boze- man Lodge No. 463, Benevolent and Protective Or- der of Elks, and Pythagoras Lodge No. 2, Knights of Pythias.

September 19, 1906, at Brookings, South Da- kota, he married Miss Emeline Witzel, daughter of Henry A. and Emelia (Wichmann) Witzel, the latter now deceased. Her father is a contrac- tor and builder at Watertown, South Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Byrne have two children: Emeline Eliza- beth, born March 31, 1908, and Ralph Emerson, born August 15, 1913.

P. M. ABBOTT. Varied and interesting has been the record of P. M. Abbott of Three Forks, who now occupies the position in the community to which his talents entitle him, as president of the First National Bank of this city, in which his tact, sound judgment and broader sense of re- sponsibility have full play. He was born in Wood County, Ohio, October 2, 1869, a son of P. S. Ab- bott, also a native of Ohio, where he was born in 1834, and he died in Wood County that state, in 1877, having been a resident of that common- wealth all of his life. By profession he was an attorney, but in 1862, during the war between the states, he enlisted in the Union army as a member of the First Ohio Heavy Artillery, and was wounded so severely that his injuries were the cause of his demise. After his return from his military serv- ice he resumed his practice and was elected prose- cuting attorney of Wood County on the republican ticket. P. S. Abbott was married to Mary E. Fisher, born in Ohio in 1833, who died in Wood County, Ohio, in 1887. Her ancestors were Quakers, and came to the American colonies with William Penn, settling near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One of her family, Daniel Pegg. was a soldier of the American Revolution, enlisted for service from Elizabethtown, New Jersey, was in a skirmish on Staten Island, and was pensioned on June 12, 1833. He later settled in Miami County, Ohio, being at that time, 1834, eighty-two years of age. The Ab- botts' came to this country from England during the colonial period, and served in the American Revo- lution. Lyman J. Abbott belongs to this branch of the family, and is a second cousin of P. M. Abbott. P. S. Abbott and his wife had the fol- lowing children: Margaret, who married F. M. Gilbert, a manufacturer of centrifugal pumps, lives at Chicago; Madge, who is unmarried, lives at Los Angeles, California; Maude, who married a Mr. Cornell, an oil operator, is a widow and lives at Los Angeles; and P. M., whose name heads this review.

P. M. Abbott was graduated from the Bowling Green High School in 1886, following which he learned telegraphy and worked at his calling for various railroads in Ohio and other states. It was as a telegrapher for the Union Pacific Railroad

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that he came to Montana, his duties keeping him for a time in Beaverhead County, but in 1892, be- cause of his capability, he was transferred to the Montana Division of the Northern Pacific Railway, in Gallatin County, where he remained until 1905, when he engaged in ranching near the present Town of Three Forks, and is still the owner of a fine ranch of 1,080 acres of land, located four miles east of Three Forks. This land is all irrigated, and he has been an extensive stock raiser for years. Mr. Abbott also has extensive land hold- ings in Broadwater and Jefferson counties. In 1909 the First National Bank of Three Forks was established, and in 1912 Mr. Abbott was made its president, and has continued to hold that office ever since, his stability and conservative policies giving it added financial strength. His associates in the bank are as follows: A. E. Barnes, vice president; and Sam J. Crouch, cashier. The bank has a capital stock of $25,000; a surplus of $8,000, and deposits of $300,000. The handsome two-story, pressed brick building on Main Street, with offices on the second floor, occupied by the bank is its property, and is admittedly one of the most sub- stantial ones in this region. Mr. Abbott is a demo- crat and his strength with his party is evidenced by the fact that he was elected to the Upper House of the State Assembly in 1912 from Gallatin County and served the term of four years, dur- ing that period being connected with some very constructive legislation and belonging to some of the important committees. His record in the Senate is one which proves his ability and public spirit, and will be of value to him if he cares to go before the public again for office. He was the author of the present state highway law, and general road law under which Montana is now making its ex- tensive road construction. Three Forks Lodge No. 88, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, holds his membership and has the advantages of his en- thusiastic attendance. Mr. Abbott also belongs to the Sons of Veterans and the Chamber of Com- merce of Three Forks. In addition to his other interests he owns mining property.

In 1902 Mr. Abbott was married at Helena, Mon- tana, to Miss Katie Miller, a daughter of James F. and Mary Miller, both of whom are now de- ceased. Mr. Miller was a stockman and rancher of the region about Three Forks. Mr. and Mrs. Abbott have no children. In every position he has occupied Mr. Abbott has been recognized as a use- ful and competent man, and is now an inspiration for activities of the best sort among his associates.

CHARLES LOCKHART. Enterprising and energetic, and prompt to take advantage of every offered opportunity for increasing his business and in- dustrial interests, Charles Lockhart stands promi- nent among the leading contractors and builders of Billings, and is well known among the success- ful agriculturists of Yellowstone County, being owner of a fine ranch at Worden, where his family now reside. He was born March 8, 1879, at Red Oak, Iowa, where his father, the late Jefferson Lockhart, was then engaged in farming.

The descendant of a Scotch-Irish pioneer of Ohio, Jefferson Lockhart was born in that state in 1832, and there grew to man's estate. Familiar with agricultural pursuits from his youth up, he migrated to Iowa when quite young, and for a number of years thereafter was employed in gen- eral farming at Red Oak. In 1882 he removed to Wymore, Gage County, Nebraska, where he con- tinned in his independent occupation for awhile. When the Oklahoma strip was opened up for set-

tlers he took up a homestead claim, upon which he lived for a year or more. Going then to Kan- sas City, Missouri, he embarked in business as a real estate agent, and as a contractor and builder, and there spent his remaining years, dying, how- ever, in Arkansas, where he was visiting friends, his death occurring in April, 1916. He was inde- pendent in politics, voting for the best men and measures, and while a resident of Nebraska served as road overseer. He was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, being devoted to its interests, and fraternally belonged to the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. In his early life he took an active part in several skirmishes with the Indians, fighting heroically.

Jefferson Lockhart married, in Iowa, Emma Hines, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1848, and died in Kansas City, Missouri, in October, 1902. Children were born of their marriage. as follows : William, a contractor and builder at San Pedro, California; Ephraim, engaged in farming at Coun- cil Bluffs, Iowa; Charles, the subject of this sketch ; Thomas, of San Pedro, California, is head clerk on the wharves; and Cora, wife of a Mr. Kelley, an electrician at Toledo, Ohio.

Brought up and educated at Wymore, Nebraska, Charles Lockhart remained on the home farm until eighteen years of age. Going then to Old Mexico, he was there employed as a bridge carpenter for two years, after which he lived for five years in Western . Kansas, being engaged in farming and carpentering. Coming to Montana in 1912, Mr. Lockhart located in Billings, but almost directly went to Worden and took up a homestead claim of forty acres of irrigated land on which his family still resides, and of which he has + - supervi- sion. For the past two years, since 1917 Mr. Lock- hart has resumed his work as a contractor and builder in Billings, having his headquarters at 213 Avenue F, in the dwelling house which he owns, although he makes his home on his ranch. As a contractor Mr. Lockhart has erected many fine resi- dences in Billings, having had a fair share of the city's patronage in that line of industry. Politically he is independent, voting without regard to party prejudices. Fraternally he is a member of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Mod- ern Woodmen of America.

Mr. Lockhart married, in Hollenberg, Kansas, in 1902, Miss Emma Wilson, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Wilson. Mrs. Wilson died in Hollen- berg, on the home farm, which Mr. Wilson still occupies and manages. Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart have four children, namely: Mildred, born March 12, 1905; Bethel, born August 17, 1907; Pauline, born November 10, 1909; and Adeline, born May 13, 1918.

CLARENCE D. HOWE came to Montana while with the Government reclamation service. He was one of the men who supervised some of the extensive projects in the Billings district for the irrigation and reclamation of large bodies of farming land. Upon resigning from the service Mr. Howe took up his home at Worden, where he is a well known banker and rancher.

Mr. Howe was born in Richardson County, Ne- braska, July 11, 1880. A record of his paternal ancestors goes back many years in this country, while in England the family have a consecutive history from the time of William the Conqueror. His grandfather, John L. Howe, was born in New York State in 1816, lived for many years at Platts- burg, moved out to Chicago and finally retired to San Diego, California, where he died in 1901. His wife was Cynthia Delano, who was born on

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an island in Lake Champlain, New York. Ira M. Howe, father of the Worden banker, was born at Plattsburg, New York, in 1848, grew up there, was married at Lancaster, Wisconsin, became a pioneer stock raiser in Richardson County, Ne- braska, and in 1893 retired from business and moved to San Diego, California, where he is still living. He is a republican, a member of the Con- gregational Church and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Ira Howe married Ella Durand, who was born in Westfield, New York, in 1848.

Clarence D. Howe, only living son of his parents, grew up on his father's farm in Richardson County, Nebraska, attended the rural schools there, and continued his education in California. He attended a preparatory school at Pomona and also did work in Pomona College. He left college in his senior year, in 1903, and soon after entered the United States reclamation service. He was employed on a project at Ynma, Arizona, until the spring of 1904, was at Wadsworth, Nevada, until 1905, and in that year came to Montana and was stationed at Hunt- ley, having charge of the construction work on the main canal, which was completed in 1907. He then remained as assistant project manager until 1909, and from that year until 1912 was manager of the Huntley project. In 1912 his headquarters were moved to Helena, Montana, where he was in the supervising engineer's office with the title of inspec- tor of maintenance and operation for the northern division.

In the meantime Mr. Howe had not been blind to the many opportunities for an energetic man in Montana, and on leaving the Government service he organized the Farmers State Bank of Worden. He held the post of cashier until January 1, 1918, since which date he has been vice president and manager. Roy J. Covert, of Billings, is president, and William Shenck is cashier. This bank, capital- ized at $20,000.00, with surplus of $4,000.00, is housed in a modern brick building erected in 1913 on Third Street. Mr. Howe has accumulated some valuable ranch property in Yellowstone County, his total holdings aggregating 1,500 acres.

Mr. Howe also takes much interest in republican politics, and served as committeeman of Yellow- stone County. He is affiliated with Billings Lodge No. 394 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, is a member of the Billings Midland Em- pire Club, the Billings Club and Billings Country Club. In June, 1910, at Billings, he married Miss Helen Rowley, daughter of Henry W. and Har- riet (Meeker) Rowley, resident of Billings. Her father is a successful business man and financier. Mr. and Mrs. Howe have two daughters, Helen, born February 5, 1913, and Jane, born January 24, 1919.

BEN F. DRAKE, of Billings, has been a busy man since he came to Montana, has been in the mining districts, a teacher and ranch hand, traveling sales- man, manufacturer, and is now apparently settled down to his permanent business as a produce broker, at the head of one of the leading establishments of its kind in the state.

Mr. Drake was born in Moniteau County, Miss- souri, February 23, 1883. He represents one of the oldest families to settle in the western wilderness after the Revolutionary war. The Drakes originally came from England. His great-grandfather, James Drake, was a Kentucky pioneer who volunteered for service with General Jackson in the War of 1812 and was one of the Americans killed at the battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815. Mr. Drake's grandfather, Asa Drake, was born in Tennessee in

April, 1815, after his father's death. He went as a pioneer to Southern Missouri in 1836, homesteaded a farm in Monitean County, and lived there and reared a family of fourteen children by his mar- riage to Sally Smith, a native of Kentucky. He died in Moniteau County in 1882.

P. S. Drake, father of Ben, was born in Morgan County, Missouri, in 1844, grew up and married in his native county and farmed there and in Moni- teau County for many years. Later he moved to Montana and located on his ranch at Pony, where he died in 1911. He was a democrat and a very ardent Baptist in religion. His wife was Vianna Parsons, who was born in Iowa in 1851. She is the mother of eight children: Lillian, wife of Arthur H. Woods, a rancher in Carbon County. Montana; John W., a rancher at Pony, this state; Frances, who died at Bear Creek, Montana, where her husband, John Mikesell, formerly a merchant still lives : Mattie, wife of Walter Marye, superin- tendent of the city pumping plant at Worland, Wy- oming; Grace, who for the past nineteen years has been with Armonr & Company as head stenographer in the offices at Denver; Ben F .; Marsh, in govern- ment service in France; and Flora, living at Pony, widow of Grover Akins, a former rancher there who died in 1919.

Ben F. Drake attended the rural schools of Mor- gan County, Missouri, and in 1900, at the age of seventeen, came to Montana. For the next two years he worked around the mines and for the Electric Power Company on the Madison River in Madison County, helping survey the Lake site. In 1902 he went back to Missouri, attended public schools and spent six months in William Jewell College at Liberty. He left college in 1903 and came to Carbon County, Montana, spending the two fol- lowing winters teaching and the corresponding sum- mers on ranches. In 1905 he located at Billings and for five years was a broom manufacturer. The next five years he traveled as a coal salesman, covering the states of Washington, Montana and North Da- kota. His present business was established in 1915. He handles butter, eggs and other farm produce wholesale, and is one of the leading bean handlers in the northwest, employing thirty-eight people for the sorting of beans. He shipped a large part of the local bean output to markets at Boston, New York, Chicago, New Orleans and Portland. His plant and warehouses are at 3009 Montana Avenue.

Mr. Drake owns a modern home at 310 Terry Ave- nue. He is independent in politics, a member of the Baptist Church and is affiliated with Billings Lodge No. 15, Knights of Pythias. In 1912, at Bil- lings, he married Miss Katy Paulson, a daughter of N. K. and Marie (Paulson) Paulson, who reside at Billings. Her father is a retired farmer.

TOM SANDELL. During the last half dozen years the farmers of the Shield River communities in Park County have almost invariably marketed their grain through Tom Sandell at Clyde Park. Mr. Sandell learned the grain business from the ground up, and for a number of years has been manager of the chief elevator at Clyde Park. He is now local representative of the Bozeman Milling Company.

Mr. Sandell was born in Telemarken, Norway, December 2, 1883. His people have lived in that part of Norway for many generations. His great- grandfather was a soldier in the Norwegian army in the war of 1814 against Sweden. Grandfather Olaf Sandell was born in 1804 and died in 1893, and spent all his life as a farmer near Telemarken. He also saw some active service as a soldier. Evan Sandell, father of the Clyde Park business man,

Tharhilson

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was born in Telemarken in 1864 and died there in 1899. He served a time in the Norwegian army and otherwise followed the occupation of miner. He was a member of the Norwegian Lutheran Church. His wife was Aslaug Feten, who was born at Tele- marken in 1853. She followed her children to the United States after her husband's death and died at Clinton, Wisconsin, in 1911. The oldest son, Olaf, was a carpenter by trade, and while employed at Beloit, Wisconsin, received injuries when a wall fell on him and died as a result of the accident in 1917. Emma, the second child and only daughter, is the wife of James O. Lee, a farmer near Beloit.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 102

Author: Stout, Tom, 1879- ed Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society Number of Pages: 1126

Author: Stout, Tom, 1879- ed
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 1126