Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 11

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 11

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The paternal branch of his family goes back to England, and included the noted Lord Ragland. The Raglands were colonial settlers in Virginia. Mr. Ragland's grandfather, Robert Ragland, was born in Virginia in 1790 and was a Kentucky pio- neer, first living on a farm in Henry County and later in Ballard County, where he died in 1863. Edmond Ragland, father of Judge Ragland, was born in Henry County, Kentucky, in 1814. From Henry County after his marriage he moved to Bal- lard County and began farming there soon after President Jackson had bought the land from the Indians. He was an able business man and con- ducted his farm with a high degree of success. He died in Ballard County in 1902. As a demo- crat he served as deputy county clerk of Ballard County and was also postmaster of Woodville. He was an active supporter and deacon in the Baptist Church, and as a Mason the first Masonic Lodge in Ballard County was organized in his home. Ed- mond Ragland married Mary Gains, who was born in Boyle County, Kentucky, in 1816 and died in Ballard County in 1882. The fifth in a family of six children, Oscar T. Ragland is the only one to come to Montana and the only one to find a per- manent home and occupation outside of Ballard County. The others have all been Ballard County farmers. The two oldest, Sam B. and James W., were farmers and the former died at the age of sixty-seven and the latter at thirty-three. George L., the third in age, is a farmer and tobacco buyer of Ballard County. Bettie is the wife of George F. Reesor, a Ballard County farmer, and Edmond T., the youngest, is also in Ballard County.

Oscar T. Ragland acquired his early education in the rural schools of his home county, walking a distance of three miles between his father's home and the schoolhouse. He lived at home to the age of twenty-five and then went to Southern Illinois and spent two years working in a flour mill at New Columbia in Massac County. For five years he was engaged in the flour milling business at Metropolis, Illinois. Then came his first public honor when elected constable. After serving one year he moved to his farm in Illinois and energeti- cally prosecuted his business as an agriculturist until

1896. That year he engaged in the life insurance business, and for three years his headquarters and home were at Mound City, Pulaski County, Illinois. He returned to Metropolis in 1900 and continued successfully in the insurance business until 1915. In the meantime his daughter Goldie May, now deputy county clerk at Livingston, had come to Montana in 1912. In 1914 she induced her mother to seek the benefits of the wonderful climate of Montana, and Mrs. Ragland with her younger son came to the Northwest in that year. In 1915 Mr. Ragland, having disposed of his Illinois business, joined the family in Livingston and has since been engaged in the insurance business. In 1916 he was elected justice of the peace and was re-elected in 1918. He was chosen police magistrate in April, 1919. His business offices are at 108 East Callender street. He also owns a complete modern home at 314 South Second Street.

Judge Ragland is a republican, a member and deacon of the Baptist Church, is past grand of Park Lodge No. 17, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge at Helena in 1917. He is secretary of his home lodge and is a member of Egyptian Encamp- ment of the Odd Fellows. He also belongs to the Livingston Chamber of Commerce.

In 1879, at New Columbia, Illinois, Mr. Rag- land married Miss Alice Nutty, daughter of Gale and Sallie Nutty. Her father was a soldier in both Mexican and Civil wars, was a farmer and is now deceased. Her mother lives at Samoth, Illinois. The oldest child of Mr. and Mrs. Ragland is Ophia, wife of E. W. Brady, head bookkeeper for the A. W. Miles Company of Livingston. Richard Frank, the second in age, has made a notable record as a soldier and his present home is at Washington, District of Columbia, where he still holds the rank of captain. He was commissioned second lieu- tenant in June, 1917, and spent fourteen months in France with the American Expeditionary Forces. He was promoted to first lieutenant of the Twelfth Railroad Engineers Corps. In September, 1918, he was returned to this country, and stationed at Camp Humphreys, Virginia, for the purpose of organizing and training new recruits, for the Engineer Corps. After the armistice he was ordered to Washington and was assigned the interesting task of rewriting the book on Railroad Engineers previously compiled in 1912, and he is now bringing the record to date with particular reference to the services of this famous organization in France. Alfred F. Ragland, the third child, enlisted in June, 1917, was first trained at Camp Lewis, Washington, and afterward transferred to Camp Kearney, California, and most of his time was spent as sergeant in the Base Hospital. The fourth of the family, Goldie May, has already been mentioned. Paul L., the youngest, is in the freshman class of the Park County High School.

HOWARD P. McPHERSON is postmaster and pub- lisher and the source of a variety of wholesome influence and enterprise for the new town of Rapelje in Stillwater County.

Mr. McPherson, who has been a printer and news- paper man throughout his active life, was born at Clarinda, Iowa, July 23, 1884. As his name indi- cates, he is of Scotch ancestry. His grandfather, Angus McPherson, was born in Scotland in 1822, and was a ship carpenter for many years. He im- migrated to Nova Scotia and in the latter period of his life moved far inland to Marshalltown, Iowa, where he ceased working at his trade and took up farming. He finally settled near Alexandria, South

HISTORY OF MONTANA

Dakota, where he died in 1889. He married Cather- ine Vaughn, who was a native of Scotland, where they were married. She also died near Alexandria.

James W. McPherson, father of the Rapelje post- master, was born in Nova Scotia in 1846, and was reared and educated in that Canadian province. He was a young man when he went to Marshall- town, Iowa, and followed the trade of carpenter and builder for a number of years. In 1880 he moved to Clarinda, Iowa, and in 1884 became a pioneer in Dakota Territory, locating at what is now Alexandria, South Dakota. He homesteaded a claim on the prairie, developed it into a farm, and occupied it until his death. While visiting he died at Lincoln, Nebraska, in September, 1911. He was a democrat and a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. At Marshalltown, Iowa, he married Catherine Pershing, who was born in Ohio in 1852 and is a cousin of General Pershing. Since 1914 she has made her home at Irene, South Da- kota. She is the mother of seven children: Harry, a general merchant at Irene; Roy, a printer living at Lincoln, Nebraska; Ethel, wife of S. W. Jenkins, who is connected with the Duplex printing press factory of Battle Creek, Michigan; Howard P .; Harold, who ded at the age of seventeen; Wil- lard, a baker living at Detroit, Michigan; and Mary, a teacher at Irene, South Dakota.

Howard P. McPherson was educated in the pub- lic schools of Alexandria, South Dakota, gradu- ating from high school in 1902. While a school boy he learned to set type and the other intrica- cies of a printing office, and after leaving high school he went to Battle Creek, Michigan, and was in the job printing business for about ten years. He then returned to Irene, South Dakota, and bought the Tri-County News, which he edited until 1917.

Soon after the founding of the new Town of Rapelje Mr. McPherson arrived on the scene in September, 1917, and established The Advocate. The first issue of this paper was printed January 1, 1918, and it was the first local journal in the new town. It serves as the chief medium of news for that locality and its circulation is over Stillwater and Yellowstone counties. Mr. McPherson erected a new building and installed a modern plant, fully equipped for all the needs of his paper and for general printing. He owns his place of business and also his residence on Main Street. Mr. McPher- son and his paper are independent in politics

Mr. McPherson was appointed postmaster in April, 1919. He is also stockholder in the Farmers Ele- vator at Rapelje, is secretary of the Rapleje Com- mercial Club and a member of the Methodist Church.

He married at Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1907, Miss Ethel Durkee, daughter of Frank and Mary (Wakeman) Durkee. Her parents are residents of Alexandria, South Dakota, her father being a re- tired real estate dealer. Mr. and Mrs. McPherson have five children : Glenneda, born in 1911; Donald, born in 1912; Robert, born in 1915; Ethel Mary, born in 1916; and Wilma, born in 1918.

FRANKLIN LEONARD STONE, cashier of the Sales- ville State Bank, is one of the younger men in the financial affairs of his native state and has devoted his time and talents steadily to banking since he left college five years ago.

He bears the name of his grandfather, who was a prominent pioneer in the Gallatin Valley of Mon- tana. The grandfather of Franklin Leonard Stone was born in New England in 1812, lived for many years in Illinois, and in 1865 came to the Gallatin Valley of Montana, where he was a farmer and

cattleman. He died near Old Gallatin in 1884. His wife was Sarah Barber, a native of Illinois.

D. P. Stone, father of the Salesville banker, was born at Onarga, Illinois, in 1862, and was three years old when the family made the journey up the Missouri River to Fort Benton in 1865. He grew up in Gallatin County and for many years has lived on his ranch at Central Park. He owns 480 acres of fine land in that community. He is a demo- crat, and is a very active member and has served as elder in the Presbyterian Church. He married Susie Smith, who was born in Tyrone County, Pennsylvania, in 1873. Franklin Leonard is the oldest of their children and was born at Central Park in Gallatin County, March 20, 1894. Parker, the second in age, is living on the ranch with his father, attended the Montana State College and in April, 1918, enlisted in the United States navy, was a bugler and was mustered out in January, 1919. Louise is a student in the Montana State College at Bozeman, Lillian is in the Gallatin County High School, and Lula, the youngest, is in grammar school at Bozeman.

Franklin Leonard Stone received his early educa- tion at Central Park and completed his junior year in the Montana State College. On leaving college in 1914 he accepted the post of collection clerk in the First National Bank at Bozeman. He looked upon this as an opportunity to learn banking rather than merely as a means of earning money, and was from time to time promoted to larger responsi- bilities. He was made bookkeeper, later receiving teller, and in December, 1918, he came to Sales- ville as cashier of the state bank of that town. The Salesville State Bank was established in October, 1911, under a state charter. Charles L. Anceney is president, C. W. Overstreet ï's vice president, and Mr. Jones, cashier. The bank is capitalized at $25,000, and has surplus and profits of $75,000.

Mr. Stone is an independent voter and a member of the Presbyterian Church. He is affiliated with Salesville Lodge No. 69 of the Odd Fellows and with Bozeman Lodge No. 463 of the Elks.

BERT S. HIND. One of the largest hydro-electric plants developed in Montana during the last decade is at Thompson Falls, at the western edge of the state. This plant is operated by the Thompson Falls Power Company, the superintendent of which is a prominent young electrical engineer, Bert S. Hind. He has been in charge as superintendent of the plant since November, 1916. This plant, which utilizes the power resources of Clark's Fork of the Colum- bia River, developes an enormous amount of horse power, which is distributed to the Coeur d'Alene Mines in Idaho, furnishes the electric current for the operation of the Milwaukee Railway over the Rocky Mountain Division, and also current for do- mestic purposes in Thompson Falls, Plains and other adjoining towns.

Bert S. Hind was born at Austin, Texas, April 30, 1882, but has lived the greater part of his life in Montana. His parents were T. D. and Maggie (Reed) Hind. His father was born in England in 1853 and his mother in Scotland in 1857. They were married in England, and the first of their three chil- dren was born in that country. T. D. Hind brought his family to the United States in 1881, and for a short time was a merchant at Austin, Texas. In 1885 he moved to Kansas, and for several years conducted a store at Larned in that state. In 1889 he came to Butte, Montana, and was manager of the Wilson Brothers store at Centerville, a suburb of Butte. In 1892 he established a business of his

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

own at Whitehall, and on selling this in 1908 moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, where he lived on a ranch until his death in January, 1918. He was a member of the Episcopal Church and affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows, the Maccabees and the Ma- sonic fraternity. His wife died in the same year, 1918, at Chicago. The oldest of their children was Ethel, now living on her ranch near Norris, Mon- tana, widow of Peter Carmichael. Bert was the second in age,' and the youngest, Clarence, is a farmer at Constantine, Michigan.

Bert S. Hind received his early education in the public schools of Larned, Kansas. He came to Montana in 1894, and completed the studies of the eighth grade at Whitehall. He worked there at different occupations for a year or so, and gained his first experience in the electrical industry in 1900, when he went to work for the Montana Power Company at Norris. He was with that concern un- til 1904. In the meantime he took two corre- spondence courses in electrical engineering, and has diplomas from the International Correspondence School at Scranton and the American School of Correspondence at Chicago. Subsequently he at- tended the Montana State College at Bozeman, and graduated with the Bachelor of Science degree in 1909. After leaving college Mr. Hind resumed his connection with the Montana Power Company at Norris as foreman until November, 1916, when he came to Thompson Falls. His home is at the plant of that company.

Mr. Hind took an active and patriotic part in all war measures in his community. He assisted in getting all campaigns for subscriptions to Liberty Loans and other objects fulfilled, and for the past three years has been chairman of the local Red Cross Chapter. He is also scout master at Thomp- son Falls, and is a man of wholesome and sincere interests in the welfare of his community. Politi- cally he votes independent.

In April, 1910, at Norris, Montana, he married Miss Gertrude Mitchell, daughter of Charles and Nora (Robins) Mitchell, the latter still a resident of Norris. Her father, deceased, was one of the first hoisting engineers at Butte. Mrs. Hind at- tended the Academy of the Sacred Heart at Mis- soula. They had two children: Bert S., who died at the age of seven days; and Charles Herbert, born January 3, 1916.

ALFRED L. THOMAS. This is a name that signifies to old timers in Montana the sheep industry at its highest and on its most magnificent scale. Mr. Thomas is no longer an active factor in the sheep business, but he made his fortune through the in- dustry, and at one time his flocks grazed over liter- ally "a thousand hills." In any list of men who through their individual and co-operative efforts have done most to develop the natural resources of Montana the name of Alfred L. Thomas would properly appear.

He comes of a sturdy race of farmers and sea- faring people and was born at Bear River, Nova Scotia, May 18, 1863. His great-grandfather was an English sea captain and helped colonize Nova Scotia. Joseph Thomas, grandfather of Alfred L., spent all his life in Nova Scotia and was a farmer. He married a Miss Marr, of Scotch descent. They both died at Bloomfield, Nova Scotia. J. V. Thomas, father of Alfred, was born at Bear River, Nova Scotia, in 1835 and died there in 1910. The efforts of his active lifetime were spent partly in farming and partly in the lumber industry. For many years

he was president of the Agricultural Society of his county. He was also a great temperance worker and was a liberal in Canadian politics. His wife was a Miss Trevoi, who was born in 1837 and died in 1873, spending her life at Bear River. Their children were: Sarah Emret, who died in 1907, the wife of Rupert Harris, who is a farmer and lumber man at Bear River, Nova Scotia; Anna Delle Maretta, who died at Bear River at the age of twelve years; Welcome Curtiss, who occupies the old homestead in Nova Scotia; Alfred L .; Mrs. Arthur P. Dunn, whose husband is a shoe manu- facturer at Boston, Massachusetts; and Aletha Cor- lina, wife of Fred Hoyt, who is in the automobile business at Seattle, Washington. A. L. Thomas has a brother at Egar, Montana, in the mercantile busi- ness.

Alfred L. Thomas spent his boyhood in his native town, and at the age of seventeen left school and began to satisfy his tastes and ambitions for a prac- tical business career. After five years in partner- ship with Balcom Brothers in Nova Scotia he came out to the western states. He visited in Seattle dur- ing the winter of 1886 and in the following spring arrived in Montana. From Big Timber he soon removed to Martinsdale and spent two years on a sheep ranch. That was his introduction to the sheep business, and he then started a sheep ranch of his own, and gradually increasing his operations he had at different times some of the largest flocks and some of the largest holdings devoted to the business in Montana. He owned 73,000 acres of land in one block in the Lake Basin country. Fre- quently his flocks reached the imposing total of 50,000 head. Altogether Mr. Thomas was a sheep man for thirty years, and in spite of many vicissi- tudes he shared with other sheep men he made a fortune.

Mr. Thomas removed to Columbus in 1912, im- proving some property he had previously acquired. In 1917 Mr. Thomas traded some of his Montana lands for an apartment house in Chicago, covering a whole block on Forty-second Street and Grand Boulevard. This is one of the modern high-class apartment houses of that city and the investment represents a fortune in itself. Mr. Thomas, however, still has extensive interests at Columbus, including the State Bank Building, a large garage, the court- house, a laundry, three dwellings, a modern office building on Pike Avenue, but has disposed of all his ranch lands. He is president of the Old Faithful Oil Company of Wyoming, and for years was presi- dent of the Stillwater Irrigation Company and was the man responsible for the maintenance of the large ditch that supplies Columbus and surrounding country with irrigation. He was also president and owner for ten years of the Columbus State Bank and he is now interested in a large sugar plantation of 2,700 acres in Cuba. His interests and his busi- ness associations are truly those of a cosmopolitan variety and such as only a man of wealth and great enterprise could handle.

Mr. Thomas is a republican, is identified with the Commercial Club at Columbus, and is a thoroughly loyal and public spirited citizen of his adopted state.

In 1918, at Livingston, Montana, he married Miss Marian Otto, daughter of F. W. and Minerva (Der- mont) Otto. Her father is engaged in the real estate business at Columbus. Her mother was acci- dentally killed in an automobile accident at Billings in 1918. Mrs. Thomas had two years of special training as a nurse. She and Mr. Thomas have one child, Bernard Alfred, born November 1, 1918.

HISTORY OF MONTANA

WILLIAM STRYKER, D. O. Doctor Stryker is one of the leading representatives of osteopathy in Montana, has practiced within the borders of the state since 1910, and has a splendid clientage in his present home City of Livingston.

He was born at Washington, Iowa, June 5, 1888. The Stryker family is Scotch-Irish in ancestry and were early settlers. in Pennsylvania. His grand- father, W. A. Stryker, was born in Indiana in 1824 and was a physician and surgeon and also a Methodist minister. He settled in Muscatine County, Iowa, in 1855, and died at Victor in that state in 1900. W. R. Stryker, father of Doctor Stryker, was born in Sullivan County, Indiana, in 1851 and was reared in Iowa and for many years preached as a member of the Iowa Conference in the southeastern corner of the state. Since 1904 he has been superannuated and is now living retired at Washington, Iowa. He is a republican and a member of the Masonic fraternity. At Pella, Iowa, he married Metta Shaw, who was born at Alleghany, New York, in 1858. Veda, the oldest of their chil- dren, is a teacher at Washington, Iowa, Doctor William is second. Charles N., whose home is at Iowa City, is an osteopathic graduate but is not practicing. He is general sales manager for the Freezeout Fire Extinguishing Company of Chicago and travels over the territory between Chicago and Des Moines. Paul J., who is traveling representative for the Freezeout Company, enlisted in November, 1917, at Billings, Montana, with the regular army, was sent overseas in January, 1918, in the Big Gun Corps, and spent seven months with the American artillery forces around Verdun. He was severely gassed in August, 1918, and was mustered out in March, 1919.

William Stryker received his early education in the public schools of Iowa, including the high school at Washington, and until 1905 attended the Wash- ington Academy. In 1907 he entered the American School of Osteopathy at Kirksville, Missouri, and was graduated D. O., in 1910. The same year he began practice at Missoula, remained there two years, and then practiced at other points in the state until he removed to Livingston in April, 1917. He has many of the leading families of Livingston among his patients. His offices are in the Veit Building.

Doctor Stryker has also identified himself with community affairs, is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, is secretary of the Rotary Club, and a director in the Livingston Club. He has served as city health officer. He is independent in politics. He is a member of the Methodist Church and is affiliated with Livingston Lodge No. 599, Loyal Order of Moose.

May 20, 1917, at Butte, he married Miss Mabel Garrington, daughter of J. J. and Ellen Garrington. Her mother resides with Doctor and Mrs. Stryker. Her father, deceased, was a railroad contractor, did some early work in that line in Oregon, and settled at Missoula in 1899. Mrs. Stryker is a graduate of the high school at Missoula and of the Montana State University. They have a son, born September 12, 1918, named William G.

L. G. BRADBROOK. Later generations will always have a pardonable interest in the founders and makers and builders of new communities and towns. A town of Montana whose history is comprised within the last two years is Rapelje, and the main actors in its upbuilding are still on the scene. One of them is L. G. Bradbrook, who is a partner in the chief hardware and lumber business there and is connected with other business enterprises.

Mr. Bradbrook is a young man and most of his mature years have been spent in the lumber and hardware business. He was born at Red Cloud, Nebraska, July 28, 1887. His grandfather was an Englishman who immigrated to America and be- came a farmer near Sandusky, Ohio, where he died. Fred Bradbrook, father of L. G. Bradbrook, was born in Ohio in 1853, and when a young man went out to the western frontier of Nebraska, settling at Red Cloud. He was a photographer and opened the first regular studio to furnish photographs to the people of the Red Cloud community. He after- ward lived retired and died at Red Cloud in 1905. He was a republican and was affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias. Fred Bradbrook married Theressa Ak- hofer, who is still living at Red Cloud. She was born in Germany in 1856, but was reared in Neb- raska. L. G. Bradbrook is the older of two sons. His brother, G. L. Bradbrook, is also a partner in the lumber business, being located at the Hysham plant of the Bradbrook-Saunders Lumber and Hard- ware Company.

L. G. Bradbrook acquired his education at Red Cloud, graduating from the high school in 1905. Soon after leaving school he entered the lumber business at Bruning, Nebraska, where the Brad- brook-Saunders Lumber and Hardware Company first started. The present headquarters of this flourishing business are at Hysham, Montana, and branches are in Rapelje, Wheat Basin and Myers. The largest individual plant is at Rapelje. A fine new brick building was erected in 1918 to house the hardware store, and in the rear is the lumber yard, both departments being equipped with every staple commodity needed for a new and growing town and vicinity. The officers of this business are: D. E. Saunders, of Billings, president; W. B. Saunders, of Billings, vice president; and L. G. Bradbrook, secretary and treasurer.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 11

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