Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 151

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 151

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).

George L. Gagnon was born in the Province of Quebec, Canada, in the City of Chicoutimi, on Sep- tember 3, 1864. Timothy Gagnon, his father, was born in the same province as his son in the year 1821 and died at Chicoutimi in 1875. He was a member of a family that had settled in Canada from France at a period antedating the occupancy of these provinces by the British. After his mar- riage at Malbe, Quebec, Canada, to Miss Marcel- line Guay, born at Malbe in 1823, and died at Chi- contimi, Quebec, Canada, Timothy Gagnon moved to Chicoutimi, being the third white settler to locate in that community, and there he followed lumber- ing during the early days, later going into farm- ing, and becoming successful in the latter calling. He was a member of the Roman Catholic Church. The children born to Timothy Gagnon and his wife were: Celina, who married Joseph Cote and lives at Saint Joseph d'Alma, Canada ; Peter, who resides at Lynn, Massachusetts; Marie, who married Charles Bouttot, lives at Vancouver, British Co- lumbia, Canada; Louise, who married R. C. Harvey, now living at Sudbury, Ontario, Canada; Ellen, who married Peter La Lancette, lives near Chicou- timi, Canada; Emma, who married Charles Tram- bley, and lives at Sudbury, Ontario, Canada ; George L. whose name heads this review; and seven, who are deceased.

George L. Gagnon was reared on his father's farm and when only fourteen years old, and after the death of both his parents, he left home and went to work in a sawmill at Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, where he remained a year. He then came to the United States, his objective point being Potsdam, New York, and he spent the subsequent three win- ters there in the employ of the Snell Lumber Com- pany, returning to Ottawa for the summer seasons. At the time he came to this country he could speak nothing but French, but was ambitious and deter- mined to learn the English language and the cus- toms and methods of the United States, and it was not long before he gained a fair working knowledge of the language. Although having been denied edu- cational advantages as a boy, his quick perception soon discovered the larger possibilities which were presented to him, and he concluded to try for higher things; and in order to gain specialized acquaintance with commercial forms he took a business course in 1891, and a second one in 1906, and is now one of the best informed men in his line of endeavor. Commencing his business career with but little and having to rely on his own faculties and resources, he has succeeded far beyond even his own expec- tations.

However, he traveled a long way before he at- tained his present prosperity. Leaving Potsdam, Mr. Gagnon entered the employ of the Canadian Pacific Railroad as a bridge carpenter, and for four years was employed in construction work in the Province of Ontario. In 1887 he came to Helena, Montana, and followed his trade as a bridge builder for the . Montana Central Railroad, operating from Helena to Butte, assisting to construct all of the bridges, section houses, depots and tanks on this route, and remained with this company until the fall of 1888, when he went with the Butte & Boston Mining Company at Butte as foreman carpenter and held that position for thirteen years. In 1902 he resigned this position and took charge of the carpenter work at the Cora Mine for A. Heinze, where he remained for four years. For the subsequent year Mr. Gag- non worked for the North Butte Extension Com- pany, putting up all its buildings, and then em- barked in the ice business, which he sold in the fall of 1911. Leaving Butte for a short time, Mr. Gag- non went to Polson, Montana, and began handling real estate, and in it found the field for which he was particularly adapted. Returning to Butte in the spring of 1912, he established himself in a gen- eral realty and insurance business, and also handles large timber contracts. This business has grown until Mr. Gagnon now has one of the leading con- cerns of its kind in Silver Bow County, with offices at 41-42 Owsley Block. He is president of the Gagnon Realty Company, which he incorporated in 1914, and also a member of the board of directors of the Vadnais Realty Company and administrator of the estate of Polydor Vadnais. Mr. Gagnon is owner of several business buildings in the heart of the city as well as a large.amount of real estate and mining property in other parts of the city and state.

Mr. Gagnon is a member of Saint Jean Baptiste Society and served the Butte branch of it as presi- dent for two terms, and of Butte Camp, Modern Woodmen of America.

Mr. Gagnon is a modest and retiring gentleman who has aspired to no elective or appointive politi- cal offices, and seems happiest in the pursuit of his business duties or in the quiet of his home. In 1891 Mr. Gagnon was married at Butte, Montana, to Miss Tarissa Golden, a daughter of William and Amelia (Smith) Golden, pioneers of Kansas, Mr. Golden having served as captain in the Union army through-

537

HISTORY OF MONTANA

out the war between the states. Mr. and Mrs. Gagnon became the parents of three children: Edna, who married Charles Hambly, Maud, who married G. Leslie Bolitho, both of whom were graduated from the Butte High School, and Beulah who is attending the Butte High School at present.

Too much credit cannot be given to a man like Mr. Gagnon, for not only has he achieved a not- able success through his own efforts and against many obstacles, but he has proven himself as well a generous contributor to worthy objects and a faithful and loyal friend to measures of a public nature. While becoming very successful, the more commendable fact remains that he has builded for himself a character which as a citizen, as a man of affairs, and as husband and father enables him to reflect some of the noblest traits which mankind can own. His record stands today without stain or blemish, and he is eminently entitled to his name of representative citizen. Clear-sighted and ener- getic, he has never failed in his allegiance to Butte since locating permanently in its midst, and he has placed the city under heavy obligations to him for his constructive labors in its behalf.

LESTER J. HARTZELL is professor of chemistry at the Montana State School of Mines at Butte. As a mining engineer his experience covers a large part of the West, though for practically a quarter of a century he has been identified with the mining industry of Montana.

He was born at Golden, Colorado, March 21, 1871, and is of Holland-Dutch and Pennsylvania ancestry. His father, James G. Hartzell, was born in Illinois in 1839, was reared and married in that state, and in 1861, at the beginning of the Civil war, enlisted in the Missouri Sharpshooters. Later he was transferred to the Sixty-Sixth Illinois Infan- try, and saw a great deal of active service in the Middle West, being with Sherman on the March to the Sea. In 1869 he moved to Golden, Colorado, followed farming, and since 1914 has lived at the Soldiers' Home in California. He is a republican and a Mason. James G. Hartzell married Nellie M. Merryman, who was born at Moline, Illinois, in 1849 and died at Golden, Colorado, in 1898. Les- ter J. is the oldest of their three children; the second is Harry Hartzell, and the third is Roy.

Mr. Hartzell attended public school at Golden and Denver, for four years was on the range as a cowboy, and June 6, 1895, graduated Bachelor of Science from the School of Mines of Golden, Colo- rado. He specialized, in mining engineering. Dur- ing 1895 he traveled all through the South and Old Mexico, and on November roth of the same year arrived at Butte. He followed his profession in mining and metallurgy at different points, and be- gining in 1898 was for five years chief chemist of the Granite Bi-Metallic Silver & Copper Mining Company at Philipsburg, Montana. The following two years he was employed at Butte and Anaconda by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company as as- sayer, resigning this post in 1904 to become assis- tant professor of chemistry and metallurgy in the State School of Mines. After two years he was promoted to the Chair of Chemistry, and has given practically all his time to the duties of this office. He is a member of the American Chemical Society and the Montana Society of Engineers, is a repub- lican, a member of the Episcopal Church, and is a member of Mount Moriah Lodge No. 24, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and Deer Lodge Chap- ter No. 3, Royal Arch Masons.

December 31, 1896, at Golden, Colorado, Mr. Hart- zell married Miss Emma Hockings, daughter of

Simon and Emma (Wall) Hockings, the latter now deceased and the former a retired resident of Mis- soula. Mr. and Mrs. Hartzell have one son, Lester J., Jr., born February 29, 1904.

SAMUEL J. TREVILLION came to Montana about fifteen years ago, was employed as a machinist for several years, and then became interested in the monument business and is now president of the Tre- villion-Mole Monument Company, the leading con- cern of its kind at Butte and in Silverbow County.

Mr. Trevillion was born in Cornwall, England, June 17, 1884. His people have been Cornishmen for a number of generations, and their business for the most part has been mining. Mr. Trevillion's grandfather, John Trevillion, while a miner by oc- cupation, was well known at one time in America as an athlete and prize fighter. He died in New Jersey in 1889. Samuel J. Trevillion, Sr., father of the Butte business man, was born in England in 1859, and in 1884, just before the birth of his son Samuel, came to America and spent some time in the mines of New Jersey. He then went back to Cornwall, where he still resides, though for another short period he was in this country, spending most of his time in Arizona. His occupation and profes- sion all his active life has been mining. He is a member of the Episcopal Church. His wife bore the maiden name of Amelia Mitchell. She was born in Cornwall in 1859. A brief record of their chil- dren is as follows: Hannah Jane, wife of David Thomas, foreman in a powder factory of the Hale Powder Works in Cornwall; Mabel, unmarried and living with her parents; Lillie, wife of David Noble, of Cornwall; Samuel J .; Beatrice, living in Corn- wall, is the widow of Richard Matthews, who came to Butte in 1907 and accidentally lost his life in 1910 while in the employ of the Speculator Mine; Lila is the wife of Richard Edwards, a resident of Canada, Mr. Edwards having sustained honorable wounds while a soldier in the World war; Thomas Charles, a farmer in Cornwall; Ethel Maude, mar- ried and living in Canada; Archie a farmer in Corn- wall, and Rhoda May, unmarried and at home.

Samuel J. Trevillion acquired his education in the public schools of Cornwall. At the age of ten years he began to work in the machine shops of his na- tive country, and had acquired a thorough knowl- edge of his trade before he came to the United States in 1903. For the first seven years in Butte he worked in the Leonard Machine Shops. In 1910 he became president of the Trevillion-Mole Monu- ment Company. This business was established by Theodore Walker and was the pioneer concern of its kind in Silverbow County. It is a family corpora- tion, Mr. Trevillion's father-in-law, Antone Wicke, being vice president, while his wife, Lena L. Tre- villion, is secretary and treasurer. The plant is lo- cated at 2400 South Montana Street, and has com- plete facilities for all classes of monumental work in both marble and granite.

Mr. Trevillion is a republican voter, a member of the Episcopal Church, and affiliated with Moni- tor Lodge No. 35, Ancient Free and Accepted Ma- sons, Washington Lodge No. 35, Independent Order „ of Odd Fellows, and the Sons of St. George. Be- sides his business he owns a modern residence at 2900 Elizabeth-Warren Avenue.

He married at Helena, Montana, in 19II Mrs. Lena L. (Wicke) Walker, widow of Edward Walker and daughter of Antone and Pauline Wicke. Her parents reside at Portland, Oregon, where her father has been a merchant for thirty-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Trevillion have two children, Samuel Roy and June.

538

HISTORY OF MONTANA

JOSIAH L. WINES. Few Montana attorneys have been permitted to gather the laurels of success in the law for a longer period than Josiah L. Wines of Butte. Mr. Wines was admitted to the bar and tried his first cases as a lawyer about the time the great American Civil war came to an end. During the 'zos he moved to Nevada, and has spent over forty years in his profession in that state and Mon- tana.

He was born in Wabash County, Indiana, No- vember 25, 1838, son of J. L. and Rebecca (Little) Wines, his father a native of Vermont and of New England stock. J. L. Wines was an Indiana farmer, and died in 1840, when his son was only two years of age. The widowed mother survived until 1906.

Josiah L. Wines grew up in an Indiana rural dis- trict, but acquired a thorough literary as well as professional education. He attended old Asbury or DePauw University at Greencastle, Indiana, and completed his course in the law school of the Uni- versity of Michigan in 1865. During the next nine years he practiced law in Eastern Kansas at Olathe, and then removed to Nevada, where he achieved dis- tinctive eminence as an attorney. He practiced five years at Elko and subsequently lived at ·Eureka and Reno. Mr. Wines located at Butte in 1894, and with an energy that few men of his age could equal continued to handle a large professional business, and for a number of years was attorney for the Southern Pacific Company in Nevada, and also in Montana for the Oregon Short Line Railroad Com- pany. Mr. Wines retired from the active practice of his profession in December, 1918.

As a young man Mr. Wines became identified with the Masonic fraternity, and is one of the oldest Masons in Montana. In 1860 he married Miss Eliza- beth Jackson, a native of Indiana. Their one daugh- ter, Eva L., was married to James B. Gallagher, a mining man of Butte, who died leaving one son, Frank M. Gallagher. After the death of Mr. Gal- lagher she became the wife of Nat. H. Wood of San Francisco.

MILES ROMNEY. Every fact in his life record is an additional qualification for the inclusion of Miles Romney among the real progressives in Montana politics and public affairs. His home for many years has been in Ravalli County, where he has acquired substantial ranching interests, is publisher of The Western News, the official paper of Ravalli County, and for many years has been prominent in Mon- tana public affairs. One of his most recent distinc- tions was his service with the rank of captain during the World war.

He was born at St. George, Utah, December 18, 1872. His grandfather, Miles Romney, was born in Dalton, Lancashire, England, and married in Eng- land Miss Gaskell. He brought his family to America and lived at St. George and Salt Lake City, Utah, where he followed his profession as an archi- tect and builder. He died at St. George. Thomas Romney, father of the Montana newspaper man, was born at Nauvoo, the old time capital of the Mormon Church in Illinois, in 1846. He was reared at St. George, Utah, was married there, and also became a carpenter and builder. In 1881 he set- tled on a ranch a mile east of Hamilton, Montana, and had a long and successful career as a farmer in this state. In 1912 he removed to Seattle, Wash- ington, and died there in 1914. He was a republican in politics. Thomas Romney married Annie Wood, who was born in England in 1846 and died at Cor- vallis, Montana, in 1907. Miles was the oldest of their children, and three died in early childhood. Jane is the wife of P. J. Murray, a teacher living at Creston, Washington; Naomi is the wife of E. L.

Popham, a rancher at Corvallis, Montana; Kenneth is cashier for the House of Representatives at Wash- ington, District of Columbia; Winifred is the wife of Franklin Pratt, an insurance man of Los Ange- les, California; and Thomas was a newspaper pub- lisher and died in New Mexico at the age of thirty- five.

Capt. Miles Romney acquired his early education in the rural schools of Ravalli County, being nine years of age when his parents located on their ranch. At the age of fourteen he went to work and spent two years at common labor. He then went east to complete his education with a business course at the Ohio Northern University at Ada. He returned to Corvallis in 1889 and was employed on ranches, saw mills and in other lines of work until he moved to Hamilton in 1895 and bought The Western News. This paper was originally established at Stevens- ville in 1889 and was transferred to Hamilton in 1894. It is a democratic paper, being the official paper of the county, and has an extensive circula- tion in that and surrounding counties. The plant and offices are at 176 Second Street.

Mr. Romney owns a valuable ranch of 200 acres of irrigated land two miles west of Hamilton. Forty acres of this is planted to orchard. The trees were set out in 1906 and for several seasons past the or- chard has borne a valuable crop of apples. Captain Romney also owns a modern home on Third Street in Hamilton.

He earned his first distinctions in public affairs when elected mayor of Hamilton in 1902, holding that office two years and during that time establish- ing a free public library and reorganizing the fire department and beautifying the city by planting trees along the streets and improving the cemeteries. In 1904 he was nominated by the Democratic State Convention as secretary of state, and was renomi- nated on the same ticket in 1908 for the same office.

In the meantime he had been elected state sena- tor from Ravalli County, and was one of the most effective workers for progressive legislation during the period from 1906 to 1910. His association with the progressive element is indicated by the legisla- tion which he supported, including the enactment of measures providing for first investigation of spotted fever, protecting orchards, establishing hor- ticultural experiment stations, requiring prompt re- port of sales by commission merchants, lengthen- ing terms and increasing efficiency of public schools by a readjustment of the school tax levy, and oppos- ing the notorious House Bill 160 which legalized and domesticated mining, waterpower and timber

monopoly in Montana.

In 1911 Captain Romney organized the People's Power League of Montana and as its president direct- ed the initiative campaign that resulted in enactment by the people of primary laws and corrupt practices act. In 1914 he took up the initiative campaign for workmen's compensation and farm loan laws. In 1916 Mr. Romney was one of the most prominent candidates for the democratic nomination for gov- ernor of Montana, and went before the democratic voters on the record of his experience and service in the Legislature and as an advocate of an advanced program of state administration.

During the Spanish-American war in 1898, Mr. Romney recruited a company for the war. In the World war he was away from home and business for eighteen months. He enlisted August 25, 1917, entering the officers' training camp at the Presidio, San Francisco, California. He was commissioned a captain in the Quartermaster Corps on April 20, 1918, and served twelve months on the staff of the quartermaster general. He was ordered to Atlanta, Georgia, the general supply point and headquarters

B. P. Mentair

539

HISTORY OF MONTANA

for the Southeastern Department, and was super- vising officer for the distribution of supplies for more than 1,000,000 troops during September, Octo- ber, November and December of 1918. After that he was made traveling camp inspector in the same zone, and visited all the sixty stations in that zone. He was recommended for the rank of major, but no promotions were made on this side of the ocean after the signing of the armistice. He was mustered out April 15, 1919.

Captain Romney served as president of the Mon- tana State Press Association in 1902. Fraternally he is affiliated with Ionic Lodge No. 38, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Butte Consistory of the Scottish Rite and Algeria Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Helena. He is also a member of Hell Gate Lodge No. 383 of the Elks at Missoula and Ravalli Aerie No. 1693 of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

In 1897, at Corvallis, Montana, Captain Romney married Miss Bessie Robbins, daughter of Albert E. and Susan E. (Florida) Robbins. Mrs. Robbins lives with Captain and Mrs. Romney. Mrs. Rom- ney's father, who is deceased, was for many years a Montana rancher. Mr. and Mrs. Romney have one son, Miles, born December 6, 1900. He is now in the second year of the State University of Montana at Missoula.

BENEDICT P. McNAIR has been a prominent busi- ness man of Great Falls for nearly thirty years. He is a former county commissioner and has shown a public spirited willingness to assume many responsi- bilities in connection with the progress and advance- ment of his locality.

Mr. McNair was born at Dansville, New York, August 23. 1862, a son of Isaac and Caroline ( Pierre- pont) McNair. His father, a native of Pennsylvania. died in 1903, at the age of seventy-six. He took his family to Minneapolis in 1868, and was a pioneer business man of that city.

Benedict P. McNair was the second in age among his father's children. He attended the public schools of Minneapolis, also the University of Minnesota, and gained his early business training with the whole- sale hardware house of Janney, Brooks & Eastman of Minneapolis. He was clerk and subsequently for six years had charge of the wholesale shipping de- partment of the business. From Minneapolis he went to Kansas and opened the State Bank of Colwich in Sedgwick County, near Wichita, and managed that institution successfully for about six years. He then spent a year in New York, and in March, 1893. arrived at Great Falls and since then has been steadily engaged in the real estate, loan and insur- ance business. He was associated with Charles M. Webster, under the name of Webster & McNair, and also with H. J. Skinner, under the name McNair · & Skinner, but since 1909 has been in business under his own name. He also has some valuable interests in stock raising and farming. Mr. McNair was one of the earnest war workers, particularly in the campaign for the sale of Liberty Bonds. He is a democrat in politics and served as county commis- sioner of Cascade County from 1897.to 1901. He is a past master of Euclid Lodge No. 58, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and was a member of the Board of Trustees when the Masonic Temple was erected at Great Falls. He is also a mnem- ber of Chapter No. 9, Royal Arch Masons, Black Eagle Commandery No. 8, Knights Templar, and a thirty-second degree member of the Scottish Rite.

August 12, 1896, Mr. McNair married Miss Marion Grace Sprague, who was born at Spragueville, New York, a town named for her grandfather. She is a daughter of Chester and Laura (McGill) Sprague,

also natives of New York State. Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Nair have three children. Chester Sprague, the old- est, enlisted at the age of nineteen with the Engineer Corps, was transferred to the aviation branch at Mineola, Long Island, went overseas to England in September, 1918, and after the armistice was re- turned home and granted an honorable discharge. After another year at college he is now associated with his father in business. Sarah Pierrepont, the second of the family, is a graduate of the Great Falls High School and during her senior year was editor in chief of the high school paper, The Round- up. She is now in college and intends to graduate at Stanford University. Benedict P., Jr., is a stu- dent at Massee Country School, Bronxville, New York.

CHARLES STEPHEN HENDERSON has been a resident of .Montana nearly thirty-five years, grew up in this state, and has long been prominent in business and civic affairs at Butte.

He was born at Hastings, Nebraska, October 19, 1874, son of George and Helena (Adamstone) Hen- derson. His father was a civil and mining engineer and was employed by some of the great mining and industrial corporations in the West. The family located at Butte in 1886, where Charles S. Hender- son completed his education. He began his busi- ness career as salesman in a local mercantile branch, remaining there fifteen years.

.. Mr. Henderson came into political prominence when he was elected sheriff of Silver Bow County in 1906, serving for two years. In 1914 he was again elected to that office, and handled every duty with energy and promptness characteristic of him. · Mr. Henderson was appointed United States mar- shal for Montana by President Taft in March, . 19IO.

He served two terms as a member of the Butte School Board, and during the period of the World war he devoted practically all his time to various patriotic causes, serving as chief of staff under B. E. Calkin on the Thrift Stamp Committee and in be- half of bond sales.

Mr. Henderson is a member of the Silver Bow Club, the Rotary Club, a life member of the Elks, and is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 151

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