Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 167

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

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ceased, and Frank N. Chessman. The son, Dr. Frank N. Chessman, married Marvel White, of Chicago, June 16, 1909.

ERNEST C. BAXTER. When he first came to Mon- tana Mr. Baxter was a bookkeeper with the Gov- ernment Indian Agency, but successive years have brought him an increasing share in the industrial, business and banking affairs of the state. He is closely identified with a number of land, cattle, banking and mercantile firms in the Musselshell Valley.

Mr. Baxter was born on his father's farm in Steuben County, New York, May 3, 1870, son of Harry and Phoebe Marie (Smith) Baxter. His father, who was born in Steuben County in 1844. was for many years a farmer and later a dealer in agricultural implements at Nelson, Pennsylvania. At one time he served as sheriff of Tioga County, Pennsylvania. He was a deacon and active member of the Presbyterian Church, a republican and an Odd Fellow. He died in 1910. His wife was born in Pennsylvania in 1844 and died in 1912, at the age of sixty-eight. They had three children: Portus, a physician at Libby, Montana; Ernest C .; and May, wife of B. C. Vestal, at Ingomar, Montana.

Ernest C. Baxter · acquired a high school educa- tion at Addison, New York, and his early discipline and business training was largely afforded by the farming community of Steuben County, New York. Mr. Baxter came to Montana in July, 1893. After leaving his work as bookkeeper at the Crow Indian Agency he ranched on the Yellowstone River near Springdale, and did general farming and cattle raising until 1898. Selling out, he moved to Livingston, and was employed by A. W. Miles in the mercantile business until the fall of 1899. He then went with the Babcock and Miles general mercantile house at Castle, and in the spring of 1900, still with the same firm, established a business at Twodot and had an active part in its management until 1905. In that year Mr. Baxter with C. P. Tooley and George K. Robertson, under the name Twodot Live- stock Company, directed some extensive land and livestock interests, and in the spring of 1906 Mr. Baxter with C. P. Tooley and Dr. H. B. Tice or- ganized the second bank ever established in the Musselshell Vallev, known as the banking house of Tooley, Baxter & Tice. The home of the bank was at Twodot. Later was organized the Twodot Land and Livestock Company, also the Tooley-Bax- ter Land and Livestock Company, which acquired the Linton Ranch, the Duffey Ranch and the Tice Ranch west of Martindale, giving the firm an aggregate of about 20,000 acres of land. In September, 1917. was organized the Bank of Wheatland County at Harlowton, and since then Mr. Baxter has made his home at Harlowton and gives his personal si- pervision to the bank as vice president and cashier.

With accumulating business interests, he has yet found time to serve the public welfare and was a member of the fourteenth and fifteenth sessions of the Montana Legislature. He is a republican, is a past grand chancellor of the Knights of Pythias. is affiliated with Diamond City Lodge, No. 7, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons at Twodot. Harlowton Chapter No. 22. Royal Arch Masons, Palestine Com- mandery No. 18, Knights Templar, and Algeria Temple of the Mystic Shrine.

March 3, 1900, Mr. Baxter married Miss Frances Chapman, who was born at Otisville, Orange County, New York, daughter of Henry and Frances (Otis) Chapman, the former a native of Michigan and the latter of New York. Her parents are both de- ceased, and Mrs. Baxter is the younger of two children, a brother being Henry. Mr. and Mrs. Bax-

6. 6. Harty.

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ter have an interesting family of five children, Galen O., Robert H., Frances, Harry and Helen.

FRED P. MARRS. Examples that impress force of character on all who study them are worthy of record in the annals of history wherever they are found. By a few general observations the biographer hopes to convey in the following paragraphs, suc- cinctly and yet without fulsome encomium, some idea of the high standing of Fred P. Marrs of Harlowton as a business man and as one of the rep- resentative citizens of his section of the state. Those who know him best will readily acquiesce in the statement that many elements of a solid and practical nature are united in his composition and which dur- ing a series of years have brought him into promi- nent notice, his life record earning for him a con- spicnous place among his compeers.

Fred P. Marrs was born in Tompkinsville, Ken- tucky, on May 18, 1882, and is the son of William L. and Mary E. (Payne) Marrs. The latter was born in Mount Herman, Kentucky, on February 5, 1855, and is now living at Tompkinsville. William L. Marrs was born at Tompkinsville on April 10, 1854, and died on May 3, 1909. He was educated in his native community and later engaged in the lumber business, also being interested in farming and live stock raising. Politically he was a demo- crat, but was never an aspirant for public office. Fraternally he was a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and his religions membership was with the Methodist Episcopal Church. To him and his wife were born nine children, of whom seven are living.

Fred P. Marrs attended the public schools in Tompkinsville, and then became a student in the Bowling Green Business College at Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he was graduated in 1904. How- ever, before entering business college he had taught school for four years and also taught one year after leaving college. Then for two years he was em- ployed as bookkeeper for a manufacturing concern. In the fall of 1907 Mr. Marrs came to Montana and entered the employ of what was known as the Jaw- bone Railway Company (later the Chicago, Milwau- kee & St. Paul Railway Company), in the capacity of cashier and ticket agant at Harlowton. After filling that position about nine months Mr. Marrs as- sisted in the organization of the Musselshell National Bank at Harlowton, of which he became assistant cashier on November II, 1908. In this position Mr. Marrs demonstrated executive abilities of a high order and on February 1, 1911, he became cashier of the First National Bank of Harlowton, which posi- tion he is still filling, to the entire satisfaction both of the bank officials and the patrons of the institu- tion. The First National Bank is one of the strong and reliable financial institutions of this section of the state and has been an important factor in the growth and prosperity of the community. A large part of the success of the bank has been due to the careful, conservative and yet liberal policy of its cashier, who is held in high regard by his business associates.

On April 11, 1909, Mr. Marrs was married to Enla Pauline Franklin, who was born at Fountain Run, Kentucky, the daughter of Benjamin F. and Lula (Goad) Franklin, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. The father died in 1907. Of their four children the subject's wife is the third in order of birth. To Mr. and Mrs. Marrs have been born two children, Don Franklin and Fred P., Jr.

Fraternally Mr. Marrs is a member of Musselshell Lodge No. 19, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ; Harlowton Chapter No. 22, Royal Arch Masons;

Palestine Commandery No. 18, Knights Templar ; and Algeria Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine at Helena. His religious affiliation is with the Methodist Episcopal Church while politically he is a democrat.

Although a quiet and unassuming man, with no ambition for public position or leadership, Mr. Marrs has contributed much to the material, civic and moral advancement of the community, while his admirable qualities of head and heart have won for him the esteem and confidence of the circles in which he moves.

CHARLES B. RIEDEMAN, treasurer of Wheatland County, has the distinction of being the first man to hold that important office, having been placed in it first by appointment and later by election. He was born in Monona, Iowa, November 14, 1882, a son of Henry and Louisa ( Messing) Riedeman, natives of Germany. Henry Riedeman died in 1915, aged eighty-two years, but his widow survives him, being now seventy-one years old. Of their nine children six are now living, and of them all Charles B. Riedeman was the seventh in order of birth. Com- ing to the United States from Germany when nine- teen years of age, Henry Riedeman went from New York City, where he landed from the sailing vessel which brought him across the ocean, to Ohio, and was living in that state when the war broke out between the North and the South, and he enlisted in defense of his adopted country in an Ohio vol- unteer regiment of infantry, and served for 31/2 years, participating in all of the engagements of his regiment, including that at Shiloh. After the organization of the Grand Army of the Republic Mr. Riedeman became a member of it. From the organi- zation of the republican party he gave it an earnest support. Some time after his return from the army he went to Kansas and proved up a homestead, but after five years there, on account of excessive drought and other causes for crop failure, he went to Monona County, Iowa, where he was engaged in farming and stock-raising until 1912, in that year retiring and moving to Onawa, Iowa, where he died.

Charles B. Riedeman attended the public schools of Iowa during the winter months, and in the sum- mer time helped his father on the farm, in this way learning to be useful and the value of time. These lessons of industry and frugality inculcated in the growing lad, had an important part in the formation of his character, and he feels that he owes much to the precepts of his excellent father and mother.

Hard work and responsibilities developed the boys of those days and gave them ambitions to strike out for themselves at a very early age. Although only fifteen years old when he left home, Charles B. Riedeman had no fears for the future, and his faith in himself was justified, for he went to South Dakota and engaged in rock digging with mature men, re- ceiving, as did they, $1.25 per day, the regulation wage for that class of labor. Later he put to prac- tical use the lessons he had learned in farming, and still later did carpentering work, being engaged at the latter for about two years. Having saved some money, he invested it in a restaurant, owning sev- eral at different times, one being at Onawa, Iowa, to which he returned when he had some means to prove that he knew what he was doing when he left home. After conducting this last restaurant for about six years he sold it, and in the spring of 1909 came to Montana, homesteading at Judith Gap, where for some years he was engaged in conducting his farm. When he had it in good condition he went into the real estate business, and also negotiated loans and wrote insurance, at the same time overseeing the

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operations of his farm. With other representative men of this region he saw that it would be advisable to have a new county formed, and was one of those who promoted the movement and induced Senator Baxter to introduce the bill creating Wheatland County, which was acted upon favorably, and the new county was organized with Harlowton as the county seat. Mr. Riedeman was appointed the first treasurer of Wheatland County in 1917 and was elected to that office on November 6, 1918, and is the present incumbent. He is a democrat, and was elected on his party ticket.

On November 29, 1914, Mr. Riedeman was mar- ried to Marguerite Gordon, born in Wisconsin, a daughter of H. L. Gordon. There were eight chil- dren in the Gordon family, of whom Mrs. Riedeman was the seventh in order of birth. Mr. and Mrs. Riedeman have two children, Gordon Charles and Grace Marguerite.

ROBERT W. HOLLAND, county assessor of Wheat- land County and one of the constructive optimists, with a practical vision and abiding faith in the possibilities and prospects of Harlowton and the region around it, has done much to develop this section. He was born in Allegheny City, Pennsyl- vania, August 19, 1886, a son of Thomas and Ellen (Mellors) Holland, both born in Manchester, Eng- land, he in 1847 and she in 1849. They were mar- ried in Manchester, and ten children resulted of their union, five of whom are now living, Robert W. Holland being the ninth in order of birth. They came to the United States in 1860 and located in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. In his earlier years Thomas Holland was a sailor on many seas, but after coming to this country was employed by various companies in the steel industry, retiring from active life in 1909. In politics he is a republican.

Robert W. Holland was educated in the public schools of his native city and those of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His first employment was in the ad- vertising department of a retail mercantile house, from which he went to the mailing department of the Crucible Steel Company. He was then em- ployed by the cost department of the Park Steel Company, from whence he went into the paymaster's department. In the fall of 1906 Mr. Holland came to Montana and located at Twodot, as bookkeeper for G. R. Wilson & Company. Subsequently Mr. Holland established a mercantile business under the firm name of Holland Brothers, his brother James being his partner. In the meanwhile, during 1908, Mr. Holland was appointed postmaster of Twodot and held the position until 1913, giving entire satis- faction in his conduct of its affairs. When Wheat- land County was organized in 1917 Mr. Holland was appointed assessor, and was elected to the office on November 6, 1918, and is occupied with its duties. Fraternally he belongs to Musselshell Lodge No. 69, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Harlowton Chapter No. 22, Royal Arch Masons, and is a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias. Like his father he is a strong supporter of the republican party. He belongs to the Episcopal Church and is a worker in it.

On February 14, 1913, Mr. Holland was married to Miss Maud Evans, born in Anaconda, Montana, a daughter of Evan and Mittie Evans. Mr. Evans was born on the line between Montana and Idaho, and died in 1917, but his widow survives him. They had six children, five of whom are now living, Mrs. Holland being the second in order of birth. For many years prior to his death Mr. Evans was a ranchman and pioneer cattleman of Montana. His political sentiments made him a republican. Mr.

and Mrs. Holland have the following children: Robert Evans, Thomas D. and Jean Marie.

DANIEL GAY STIVERS, counsel for the Anaconda Copper Mining Company and one of the veterans of the great war, in which he attained to the rank of lieutenant colonel, is one of the most representa- tive men and distinguished attorneys of Butte and Silver Bow County. He was born at Fort Davis, Texas, February 10, 1869, a son of Maj. Edwin J. Stivers, United States Army, now a resident of Paris, France.

Major Stivers was born in Ohio in 1830, and is descended from the one of two brothers bearing the name of Stivers who, coming from Holland in 1714 to the American Colonies, settled in New Jersey, his brother selecting New York. Growing up in Ohio, Major Stivers lived there until he was thirty years of age, when he entered the United States Army in 1860. and served all through the war between the states. being with the Army of the Cumberland, and later under the command of General Sherman. Following the termination of that war Major Stivers was in the Indian warfare, serving as major of his regiment, and was mustered out of the service in 1894 with the rank of major. From then until IO01 he lived in New York City, but then went abroad to Paris, France. He is a republican, a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Sons of the American Revolution and the Masonic fraternity. The maiden name of his wife was Kaziah A. Rawson, and she was born in Cayuga County, New York, in 1840. Through her Revolutionary ancestors she was eligible to the Colonial Dames and has been a member of that organization for many years. Major and Mrs. Stivers became the parents of the following children : Lizette, who mar- ried Charles T. Nagele, an artist of New York City, New York; Edwin R., who is in the customs service of the United States Government, resides at Juneau, Alaska; Daniel Gay, who was third in order of birth; Charles G., who is a physician and surgeon of Los Angeles, California, served in the great war in the medical corps and was mustered out with the rank of major; and Howard R., who is in an electrical supply business in New York City, New York.

Daniel Gay Stivers was educated in the military schools of the United States and the Chicago High School, following which he attended lectures in the law department of Columbia College at Washing- ton, District of Columbia, leaving the latter in 1893. In the meanwhile, during 1889, he had become con- nected with what is now the Anaconda Copper Min- ing Company, entering the office of W. W. Dixon, chief counsel of the company. In 1895 Colonel Stiv- ers was admitted to the bar, and in 1897 was ap- pointed deputy county attorney of Silver Bow County.

With the declaration of war between the United States and Spain, D. G. Stivers was one of the young men who responded to his country's call and was commissioned captain of Troop L, Third United States Volunteer Cavalry, Rough Riders, and was mustered out in November, 1898.

Returning to Butte, he resumed his connection with the Anaconda Copper Mining Company and was made one of the counsel for the company in 1899, and has so continued ever since. During 1903 he took a trip to Alaska prospecting for copper, but with that exception remained at Butte until the United States entered the great war.

Mr. Stivers was commissioned a major on June I, 1917, and was detailed to build the embarkation camp known as Camp Merritt, New Jersey, as con-

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structing quartermaster, the camp's capacity being 50,000 men. In November of that year, under his direction, construction of the Port Newark terminal was begun. In March, 1918, he was ordered to France as quartermaster of the Third Division of the Regular Army, and actively participated in the campaigns as follows: Aisne defensive from May 27 to June 5, 1918; Champagne-Marne defensive from June 5 to July 18, 1918; Aisne-Marne defen- sive from July 18 to Angust 6, 1918; Saint Mihiel offensive from September 12 to September 16, 1918; the Meuse-Argonne offensive from September 26, to November 11, 1918; and the First Army Area between August 30 and November 11, 1918. On October 14, 1918, he was wounded during the Argonne offensive, and he was awarded the Croix de Guerre of France with the palm for gallantry in action in the battle of Chateau Thierry. He was cited by General Pershing on April 19, 1919, for ex- ceptionally meritorious and conspicuous services ; and was cited by General Petain, Marshal of France, for important services rendered in the hattles on and north of the Marne in July, 1918. October 14, 1918, he was cited by General Pershing for distin- guished and exceptional gallantry at Montfaucon, Argonne. Major Stivers was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in August, 1918, and was thrice recommended for the Distinguished Service Medal and once for the Distinguished Service Cross. Returning to the United States, he was mustered ont at Camp Dix, New Jersey, in May, 1919, and re- turned to Butte and his connection with the Ana- conda Copper Mining Company.

In politics Colonel Stivers is a democrat. He be- longs to the Episcopal Church. A Mason, he is a member of Mount Moriah Lodge No. 24, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Deer Lodge Chapter No. 3, Royal Arch Masons; Butte Commandery No. 3, Knights Templar; Bagdad Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; and Butte Consistory No. 2, in which he has been made a thirty-second degree Mason. He belongs to the American Bar Association, the Montana Bar Asso- ciation, the National Geographical Society, the United States Military Institute, the Military Order Foreign Wars of the United States, is one of the original executive board and an incorporator of the American Legion, and is a member of the Spanish War Veterans, and the National Rifle Association. Socially he maintains membership with the Silver Bow Club of Butte; the Anaconda Club of Ana- conda; the Butte Country Club; is president of the Anglers Club, the Rocky Mountain Club and the Bonita Club, and belongs to the Montana Hunting Club.

Colonel Stivers was married first to Susie F. Mc- Manimon, of San Jose, California, on February 22, 1897, and she died in that same year. On Novem- ber 10, 1916, he was married to Sally S. Knight, of Anaconda. There are no children. Colonel and Mrs. Stivers maintain their residence at No. 206 South Excelsior Avenue.

FRANK M. WALL. The abilities of some men are such that there appears to be no limit to what they can accomplish, as practically everything they un- dertake turns out successfully. However, it is a mistake to regard such prosperity as the result. of blind luck, for it is nothing of the kind. These men who appear to the world as favored sons of fortune are in reality simply those who possess the initiative, the executive ability and determination to forge ahead, never sparing themselves, but exerting themselves to produce as many and good results as lie within the possibilities, and in time they begin to reap results which must be very gratifying. One

of these men is Frank M. Wall, one of the leading business men and financial magnates of Roundup, who has risen steadily to his present standing from the very humble position of driver of a grocery wagon.

Frank M. Wall was born at Saint Albans, Ver- mont, December 29, 1869, a son of John and Ann (Hand) Wall, both born in County Tipperary, Ireland. He died in September, 1909, and she passed "away December 27, 1880. They were married in Vermont and had ten children, six of whom are now living, Frank M. Wall being the fifth in order of birth. John Wall came to the United States when nineteen years old by sailing vessel, and his wife was brought here by her parents when she was six years old. After landing in New York City, John Wall went to Saint Albans, Vermont, and became a farmer and breeder of fine horses and cat- tle. After spending about twenty-five years in Ver- mont he came west to the vicinity of Jamestown, North Dakota, and homesteaded, later buying addi- tional land, and was one of the pioneers of that locality. Discovering that his land was suited to . wheat growing, he raised that crop and at one time had 1,060 acres planted to it. Subsequently he sold and went to Helena, Montana, where he lived in retirement until his death. He never cared for pub- lic office, but took care to vote, and was a strong republican. From childhood he was a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

Frank M. Wall attended the schools of Vermont, North Dakota and Helena, Montana, and completed the high school course. His first work was the driv- ing of a delivery wagon for a Helena grocery store, from which he rose to be a clerk and continued in a grocery for three years. Mr. Wall then became as- sociated with the Copper City Commercial Company, and remained a member of its sales force for eight years, when he resigned to become Indian trader on the Black Foot Indian Reservation, and for seven years he was engaged in trading with the Indians, but then sold, and in the spring of 1908 he located permanently at Roundup and established the general merchandise house of F. M. Wall & Company, of which he was president. In 1912 Mr. Wall took over the business and is now the sole proprietor. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Roundup in 1908, and was its president until 1913. In addition to his other interests Mr. Wall owns 6,000 acres of ranch land. He belongs to Anaconda Lodge No. 239, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks; Helena Council, Knights of Colum- bus, and in his religions faith he is a Roman Catholic. Politically he is a republican, but like his excellent father he has not cared to enter public life.

On February 14, 1913, Mr. Wall was united in marriage with Miss Ira Gorsline, and they have two children, Agnes Louise and Frank Michael. Mr. Wall has always taken a constructive interest in the growth of Roundup, and is proud of the progress it has made. Few men in this vicinity stand as high in public confidence as he, and he deserves the respect his life and business methods inspire.

EMIL R. LAUSTED, now in his third successive term as county surveyor of Meagher County, has been a civil engineer as a result of long and prac- tical experience, and that has constituted his chief work and service during his active life.

He was born at Menominee, Wisconsin, Feb- ruary 7, 1876, son of Frederick J. and Sophia (Run- neburg) Lausted. His parents were natives of Ger- many, his father born August 26, 1840, and his mother August 9, 1844. The father came to this country when a young man by sailing vessel, land- ing at New York City, and first located at Me-

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 167

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