Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 112

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

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Charles Arthur Lewis received a public school education at Beatrice, Nebraska, and remained on his father's farm until he reached the age of twenty years. At that time he entered upon an in- dependent career as an agriculturist in Gage County, and during the next nineteen years contented him- self with the tilling of the soil of Gage County and the reaping of his crops. For some time, however. he had been cognizant of the opportunities offered the careful, shrewd and capable operator in realty, particularly in Montana, and in 1917 Mr. Lewis came to Billings and embarked upon a venture of

his own, in which he has since been definitely suc- cessful. He maintains offices at No. 1 Selvidge- Babcock Building and is doing a thriving business in handling city properties and ranches, but does not confine himself to this one line, as his farming interests are also large, he being the owner of a valuable ten-acre tract on Orchard Avenue, as well as of an interest in a ranch on Yellowstone Avenue, thirty-eight miles north of Billings. Likewise, he is the owner of the City View Dairy, No. 326 Cus- ter Avenue, one of the largest enterprises of its kind in the city, having his cattle on the ranch and retailing and wholesaling milk, cream and dairy products at Billings and in the surrounding terri- tory. At the present time he has a splendid herd of twenty pure-bred Holstein cattle. Mr. Lewis is the owner of a modern residence at No. 512 Clark Avenue. He is a republican, but takes only a good citizen's interest in public and political affairs.

Mr. Lewis was married July 11, 1900, to Miss Lydia Fisher, of Beatrice, Nebraska, daughter of Fred and Mary (Boward) Fisher, the latter of whom resides in Gage County, Nebraska, where Mr. Fisher, formerly an extensive farmer and stock raiser, died. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis have four chil- dren: Bernice, born December 18, 1901, residing with her parents; Beryl, born March 9, 1903, a freshman in the Billings High School; Fordyce, born January 8, 1906, attending the graded school; and Harlin, born June 10, 1909, also a graded school student.

WILLIAM H. MALONEY, who was elected mayor of Butte in 1916, has had a brilliant career as a lawyer in Silver Bow County, and his record completely justifies the expectations of his friends and admirers in the early stages of his career.

Mr. Maloney was born March 15, 1878, at Cam- bridge, Massachusetts, near the classic campus of Harvard University. The parents were Walter J. and Ellen (Mullen) Maloney, the former a native of Maine and the latter of New Hampshire. Wil- liam H. Maloney spent his youth at the home of his parents in Michigan, attended local schools, and received his higher education at Joliet College in Quebec Province. His career is an instance of how a youthful enthusiasm and purpose may be trans- lated into mature achievement. As a boy he dreamed of becoming a lawyer, and while he never had the means to attend a college of law he never deviated from his purposes. His first lessons in law were received from a well known attorney at Nor- way, Michigan.

Mr. Maloney has been a resident of Butte since 1898. He earned a living working in the mines and at night and in every spare hour was absorbed in his law books. Later he studied under Judge Don- lan and Matthew Comming, and after a successful test at the bar examinations was admitted in 1905. During the past fifteen years Mr. Maloney has earned by his intellectual gifts and concentrated purpose a high rank in the Butte bar. He has en- gaged in general practice and has accepted and per- formed the duties imposed by his profession without fear or favor.

Mr. Maloney was appointed assistant county at- torney in January, 1909, and his work in that office added much to his reputation. Politically he is an independent democrat, but his election as mayor of Butte was due to his unflinching stand for honesty and efficiency in municipal government. Mr.' Ma- loney is a Catholic, affiliated with the Fraternal Order of Eagles, being a past president of that order, also with the Catholic Order of Foresters,

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Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Loyal Order of Moose. June 26, 1906, he married Miss Marine Helen Putnam. -

CHARLES N. KIRBY. Among the ranchers of the Billings community of Montana who have become the owners of large landed possessions through the medium of their own efforts, one to whom special mention is due as an example of self-made man- hood is Charles N. Kirby, who with his brother George B. Kirby carries on extensive operations in ranching and horse and cattle raising. Mr. Kirby is a native of Young County, Texas, and was born March 4, 1880, his parents being John M. and Rachela (Salls) Kirby.

The Kirby family is of Scotch-Irish descent and several of its early members settled in Pennsylvania, in which state John M. Kirby was born in 1835. He was reared in the Keystone State and in Illinois, and in the latter was married and passed several years as a farmer and stockman, but eventually re- moved to Young County, Texas, in 1875. That was his home until 1887, when he went to Dayton, Wyoming, but in the summer of 1888 returned to Texas and then went to Florida in 1890, and for three years was interested in the conduct of an orange grove. He returned to Texas in 1893 and resided for two years, and in 1895 practically retired from active pursuits and came to Montana with his son George B., but subsequently took up his abode at Paola, Kansas, where his death occurred in 1900. He was a stalwart democrat, an interested and active member of the Masonic and Odd Fel- low fraternities, and a faithful member of the Baptist Church. He married Rachela Salls, who was born in Illinois and died in Young County, Texas, in the spring of 1887, and their children were as follows: James A., a retired farmer of Young County, Texas; George B., associated with his brother Charles N. in ranching and stockraising ; Ella, the wife of C. G. Carroll, a real estate broker, of Sheridan, Wyoming; Orpha, deceased, who was the wife of Wesley Gregg, a Texas farmer; Ira J., an ex-farmer and deputy sheriff of Sheridan, Wyoming; W. B., a merchant of Wellington, Texas, and formerly postmaster there; Emma, the wife of J. A. Church, engaged in the storage and ware- house business at Sheridan, Wyoming, of which city he was formerly mayor ; Dora, the wife of C. B. Austin, a resident of Sheridan, Wyoming; and Charles N., of this review.

Charles N. Kirby was educated in the rural schools of Texas and Montana, and as a lad accompanied his father on his trip to Florida. In 1895 he came to Montana and located in Custer County, at the head of the Rosebud, where he engaged in the stock business. In 1902 he came to Billings, where he had been preceded by his brother George B. two years hefore, and since that time they have been engaged in extensive operations as handlers of live- stock. Their ranch is situated on the Yellowstone River, four miles northeast of Huntley, where they have 600 acres of irrigated land, and raise hav and grain, although their home is at No. 504 North Broadway, Billings. Mr. Kirby is an independent democrat in politics, and an ex-member of the High- landers. He is unmarried.

George B. Kirby first came to Montana in 1887 and settled at the head of the Rosebud, where he purchased a relinquishment of 160 acres, to which from time to time there have been added purchases of land until the ranch now comprises 600 acres, as above noted. The brothers have bought and sold ranches continuously, and George B. is now the manager of the ranch, where he has full charge

of the operations, and is also a partner in some of the brands of cattle. The brothers removed from the Rosebud with their cattle to the Missouri River in 1901, locating in Dawson County, near the mouth of the Musselshell, but after six years returned to the Yellowstone, where they are located today. George B. Kirby kept the ranch here, but in the spring of 1916 the brothers removed their cattle to the Crow Reservation, where they keep their cattle, and also engage extensively in the raising of stock horses. George B. Kirby is a democrat in his political faith.

The first marriage of George B. Kirby occurred when he was united with Ada Kelley, a native of Texas, who died at Billings in 1910, leaving two children: Neva, unmarried, who is employed in the Montana National Bank at Billings; and Lil- lian, the wife of J. C. Whitham, of Miles City, Montana, a superintendent in the United States For- estry Service. In 1919 Mr. Kirby was again mar- ried.

J. P. STAGG is one of the men to whose energy and foresight is due a great deal of the growth in com- mercial importance of the business houses of Ana- conda. By setting the example of carrying a stock as complete as could be found anywhere, and plac- ing it before the public at reasonable prices under a very satisfactory service, he has taught the citizens of the city that it is not necessary to go elsewhere to trade, and awakened in them a pride in their commercial and industrial enterprises and a desire to patronize them to the exclusion of outside com- petition. Mr. Stagg has confined his efforts to building up a fine trade in hardware and house fur- nishings, and his customers are gathered from the city, county and outlying districts.

The birth of J. P. Stagg took place in Jennings County, Indiana, October 28, 1862. His grand- father, Thomas Stagg, born in New York State, founded the family in Indiana, where for some years he was a prosperous farmer of Jennings County. His death occurred prior to the birth of Thomas Stagg. Thomas Stagg was a son of Michael Stagg, a captain of a company of soldiers during the American Revolution, for even then the Staggs had long been residents of the colonies, having come liere from Holland.

One of the sons of Thomas Stagg was Thomas Stagg, father of J. P. Stagg, and his birth occurred in Jennings County, Indiana, in 1837, and there he died in 1901. His entire life was spent in that com- munity, and his efforts directed in the lines of agri- cultural production. A man of earnest purpose, he found expression for his political views in the principles of the republican party, which he ardently supported, and his religious faith was embodied in the tenets of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was a conscientious member. The Sunday School connected with the church received a vigor- ous support from him and for years he acted as its superintendent. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Martha Snell, was born in Jennings County, Indiana, in 1839, and died in Ripley County, Indiana, in 1917, surviving him for many years. Their children were as follows: Mary, who lives on the farm of her late husband, David Tabolt, in Ripley County, Indiana; J. P., whose name heads this review; and Delia, who married Ben Brande- weide, a farmer of Jennings County, Indiana.

J. P. Stagg attended the rural schools of Jennings County, and was reared on his father's farm, learn- ing from that excellent man habits of industry and thrift, and the principles of uprightness and hon- orable living. He remained at home until he at-

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tained his majority, during the last three years being employed during the winter months in teach- ing school in his home county. Going to Vinton, Iowa, he spent a winter in school teaching, and then in the spring of 1884 came to the Deerlodge Valley near Anaconda, where for four years he put to prac- tical use the lessons in farming he had learned dur- ing his minority. Feeling that he was better fitted for commercial life, Mr. Stagg then came to Ana- conda and for five years was in the employ of the Montana Lumber and Produce Company, in the meanwhile keeping his eyes open and watching for a favorable opportunity. This he found when he re- alized the lack of proper facilities for giving the people of the city and vicinity a choice in hardware and house furnishings, and so he began in a small way to carry out his ideas in this respect. That he was right in thinking the demand existed is proven by the fact that his business has expanded to large proportions, and his house is the leading one of its kind in this part of the state. Mr. Stagg owns the large store building at No. 319 East Park Avenue which he occupies, with a floor space of 50 by 140 feet facing East Park Avenue, and 75 by 140 feet facing East Third Street. He has also floor space to the extent of 100 by 140 feet in the second story, and a warehouse 150 by 110 feet, two stories in height, along the tracks of the Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railroad. He owns a modern residence at the corner of Hickory and Sixth streets, formerly owned by Marcus Daly, which is one of the best and most comfortable homes in the citv.

Mr. Stagg is a republican. He belongs to Acacia Lodge No. 33, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ; Anaconda Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Montana Commandery, Knights Templar; Bagdad Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Butte, Montana; Colfax Lodge, No. 20, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and Anaconda Lodge No. 239, Benevolent Protec- tive Order of Elks. Socially he belongs to the Rotary Club, of which he is treasurer, and to the Anaconda Club, the Anaconda Country Club and to the Silver Bow Club of Butte.

In 1892 Mr. Stagg was married at Anaconda to Miss Mary E. MacPherson, born at Cornwall, On- tario, Canada, in 1865, died January 19, 1919, at Anaconda. Mr. and Mrs. Stagg had two children. namely: Ira J., who was graduated in 1919 from the University of Southern California at Los Angeles, California, with the degrees of Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Art, is now at home; and John A., who is now attending the University of South- ern California.

GEORGE HENRY DANIEL. The chief train dis- patcher of the Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railroad at Anaconda, George Henry Daniel, is one of the alert, experienced railroad men this organization has secured for the places of responsibility of its system, and he fully justifies the advancement he has secured in his handling of his everyday prob- lems. He was born at Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, February 17, 1872, a son of Henry Daniel, who was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, in 1840, died at Carroll, Iowa, in 1882. In 1859 he came to the United States, and spent some time in West Vir- ginia, where he was in the employ of a brewing company, leaving that state for Wisconsin, and es- tablishing himself in a brewing business at Fort Atkinson. This he operated until 1873, when he went to Jefferson in the same state, and founded a brewery that was in operation until closed under the governmental war prohibition act in 1919. Leav-

ing Jefferson in 1876, Mr. Daniel went to Tama City, Iowa, and for two years was engaged in brewing, and then finally located at Carroll, Iowa, where he built and conducted a brewery until his death. He was a democrat and a Catholic, and lived up to his political and religious faith in a consistent manner. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Margaret Lang, was born in Hesse-Darm- stadt, Germany, January 2, 1837. She survives him and lives at Carroll, Iowa. Their children were as follows: Andrew, who died in infancy; Marie, who also died in infancy; Emanuel W., who is a farmer residing at Carroll, Iowa; George Henry, who was the fourth in order of birth; Regina, who married John H. Lux, a farmer of Carroll, Iowa; and Joseph A., who is an operator for the Western Union Telegraphı Company, lives at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

George Henry Daniel's attendance at the public schools of Carroll was terminated when he was ten years of age by his father's death, and he began working as a newsboy on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad and between runs was an apprentice to the jeweler's trade, continuing in this way for three years. He then entered a clothing store at Carroll and spent eight months in its employ, but finding that he preferred railroad work he returned to the Chicago & Northwestern Rail- road, and beginning as engine wiper rose steadily until he was made fireman and later locomotive engineer. Very ambitions, he utilized his spare moments in learning telegraphy, and so was able to secure a position as telegraph operator with the road, holding positions as such in Iowa and Ne- braska until 1891. In that year he took a position as telegrapher, agent and train dispatcher with the Northern Pacific Railroad, and was sent to various stations in Minnesota, remaining with it until Sep- tember 1, 1898. He then formed connections with his present road, and coming to Anaconda entered the superintendent's office as a clerk, from which position he has risen to his present position through those of acting chief clerk and dispatcher, reaching it in 1903. His offices are in the general office build- ing of the Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railroad on West Commercial Avenue, Anaconda. Mr. Daniel is a member of the Roman Catholic Church. He belongs to Anaconda Council No. 882, Knights of Columbus, of which he is a fourth degree knight; to Staples Camp, Modern Woodmen of America, of Staples, Minnesota; and to the Train Dispatchers Association. The modern residence at No. 520 Elm Street, Anaconda, occupied by the Daniels is owned by Mr. Daniel, and he also owns a ranch in Lake County, Oregon.

On January 23, 1898, Mr. Daniel was married at Carroll, Iowa, to Miss Mary Schiltz, a daughter of Peter and Margaret (Hess) Schiltz, the former of whom was a contractor and builder of Carroll, where he died in 1915. The latter survives her husband and continues to reside at Carroll. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel have the following children: George H., Jr., who was born March 28, 1901, is studying electrical engineering; Margaret, who was born in October, 1904, is attending the parochial school; and Marie, who was born on June 21, 1906, is also attending the parochial school.

Few boys of today could start out at the tender age of ten years and become self-supporting, and without any outside assistance rise steadily to posi- tions of importance, and yet this is just what Mr. Daniel has done and takes no special credit in what he has accomplished. Step by step he advanced, always giving to each duty a conscientious atten-

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tion, but never neglecting any chance to improve himself or increase his store of practical knowledge, and he is today one of the best examples of self- made men to be found in this part of Montana.

JOHN JOSEPH KOPP is proprietor of the largest wholesale meat business in Gallatin County. He is a native Montanan, has spent all his life in the Northwest, and some years ago he took over a business which had been built up by his father and uncle, and has shown a rare degree of enterprise and ability in making it what it is today.

He was born at Bozeman July 16, 1881. His father was John Kopp and his grandfather Joseph Kopp, both natives of Switzerland. Joseph Kopp spent his active career in Switzerland as a farmer and in 1879 came to Bozeman, Montana, and lived retired until his death in that city at the age of ninety years. John Kopp, who is now living in Portland, Oregon, was born in Switzerland in 1853. He arrived at Bozeman in 1877, was one of the pioneers of the city, and for a time was employed by old Dan Maxey, the pioneer butcher of Galla- tin County. In 1879 he and his brother Joseph became partners in a business of their own, which they first established in a small log building on Main Street. After a few years John Kopp left Bozeman and went to Seattle, Washington, where he was a brewer and subsequently continued the same business at Astoria, Oregon, for eighteen years. In 1903 he returned to Bozeman and took over his father's meat business and was a factor in the upbuilding of the establishment, now the leading institution of its kind in Southern Mon- tana. After a few years John Kopp retired from his Bozeman business, and has since lived at Port- land. He is a democrat. For twelve years he was a police commissioner at Astoria and also a member of the City Council. He and his family are mem- bers of the Catholic Church. John Kopp married Anna Boentgen, who was born in Germany in 1855. A brief record, of their children is as follows : Julia, wife of C. T. Crosby, a candy manufacturer at Portland, Oregon; John Joseph; Elizabeth, wife of William Haley, now a rancher, but until June 1, 1919, associated in the meat business of Kopp Company at Bozeman; Anna, wife of Charles V. Brown, owner of a large shoe business at Astoria, Oregon; Lena, wife of Charles A. Alward, a drug- gist at Seaside, Oregon, formerly a resident of Bozeman, where his father was a pioneer in the drug business ; Hattie, living with her parents, widow of Paul C. Boord, who was in the grocery business in Indiana and died at Portland, Oregon.

John Joseph Kopp received his early education in the grammar and high schools of Astoria, Oregon, and graduated from a business college at Portland in 1899. He also attended the Portland Academy one year. He worked in the office of his father at Astoria and in 1903 came to Bozeman and from the first took an active part in the meat business. He took over the interests of his uncle, and in fif- teen years has greatly extended and increased the business. It is now both wholesale and retail. He is sole proprietor of the wholesale establish- ment, while in the retail department he has Ray Purdy as a partner.

Mr. Kopp is a democrat, a member of the Catholic Church, is affiliated with Bozeman Council No. 1413, Knights of Columbus, Bridger Camp No. 62, Woodmen of the World, Gallatin Camp No. 5245, Modern Woodmen of America, and Bozeman Lodge No. 463 of the Elks. Mr. Kopp and family reside at 318 South Tracy Avenue. He married in Mis-

souri in 1904 Miss Leila Shotwell, daughter of A. D. and Lilly (Shepperd) Shotwell. Her parents are residents of Fort Worth, Texas, where her father is a train dispatcher. Mrs. Kopp is a gradu- ate of the high school at Somerset, Kentucky. They have three children: John, born December 22, 1908; Charles Baxter, born in October, 1911; and Leila, born January 12, 1918.

JOHN L. TEMPLEMAN has been a Butte lawyer in successful practice for twenty years. Much of his work has been in mining and corporation law, and his services have been called upon to solve the very complicated problems in property and business ad- ministration.

Mr. Templeman was born near Axminster, Devon- shire, England, March II, 1872, son of Robert J. and Mary A. (Little) Templeman. His father was a farmer and stock raiser in Devonshire and died in 1881, at the age of forty-one.

John L. Templeman was nine years of age when his father died. Up to that time he had attended school several years, and at the age of ten he ac- companied his mother and the other children to America. They lived in Jasper County, Iowa, but his mother died at Parsons, Kansas, in 1907. The other five children were Robert, Charles, Joseph, Henry and Kate.

John L. Templeman attended the district schools of Iowa, graduated from the New Sharon High School in 1893, and had a very liberal education as the foundation for his professional career. He graduated from Iowa College in 1897, and in 1899 received his LL. B. degree from the University of Virginia Law School.

Mr. Templeman was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court soon after he came to Butte in 1900, and was associated with the law firm of Roote & Clark until 1903. The following two years he held the office of city attorney. The next year he was again in practice with Roote & Clark, and then became one of the legal advisers of Senator Wil- liam A. Clark. Mr. Templeman formed a partner ship with Sydney Sanner, a sketch of whom appears he was appointed chief counsel for the Clark in- terests in Montana. In 1919 he formed a partner- ship with Sydney Tanner, a sketch of whom appears on other pages of this work. Judge Sanner is an ex-justice of the Supreme Court of Montana. The firm name is Templeman & Sanner.

For a number of years Mr. Templeman has been a prominent worker in the ranks of the democratic party. He is a member of the Montana Bar Asso- ciation, the Silver Bow and University clubs at Butte. In June, 1902, he married at Butte, Montana, Irene Isabelle LeBeau. They have one son, Percy LeBeau.

ERNEST JOSEPH PARKIN. For more than fifteen years Ernest Joseph Parkin has given his able and scholarly services to the Gallatin County High School at Bozeman, first as an instructor and now for a number of years as principal and active ad- ministrative head of that institution.

Mr. Parkin is a scholar and educator of univer- sity training, and while education has constituted his life work he has also acquired some valuable property interests in Montana, including some fer- tile and productive agricultural land.

He was born at Pine Island, Minnesota, December 26, 1873. His people were among the pioneers of that section of Minnesota. He is of English an- cestry. His grandfather, George Parkin, was born in England in 1817, and in 1848 brought his family to the United States. He lived three years at New

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 112

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