Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 177

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

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Mr. Bennett cast his first presidential vote for Major Mckinley, having been brought up as a re-

publican. He served as chairman of the republican county central committee of Sheridan County four years. He took his first work in Masonry at Glasgow, including the chapter degrees, and the Consistory and Shriner degrees were conferred upon him at Helena, where he still holds his membership. The Bennett family enjoys the comforts of a modern home, with an independent water system at Scobey.

At Poplar, Montana, in May, 1912, Mr. Bennett married Miss Estelle Johnston. She was born at Lowell, Massachusetts, and the Johnston family was identified with the early period of colonization in New England, and in one of the early generations some blood of New England Indians was mixed with the stock. Her father Walter Johnston was also a native of Massachusetts, and was a Union soldier with a Massachusetts regiment. One of his brothers was lost in a battle of that war. Walter Johnston was a professional baseball player during early life, and while the Civil war was still in progress he went to Minnesota, entered a homestead, and later be- came a locomotive engineer on the St. Paul and Duluth Railway and did his last railroad service with the Santa Fe Company as a master mechanic. The Johnston home is now in Los Angeles. Mrs. Bennett is a daughter of Walter and Joquette (Spen- cer ) Johnston, her mother being a daughter of Judge Spencer. Walter Johnston married a second time. Mrs. Bennett spent most of her early life at St. Paul, Minnesota, where she finished her education in high school.

ARTHUR STONE NEEDLES, M. D. The oldest phy- sician in point of continuous service in the Scobey community is Dr. Arthur Stone Needles, who iden- tified himself with that locality in 1914. Doctor Scobey is a very capable man in his profession, has both the natural talents and the thorough train- ing for successful work as a physician and surgeon. and was also one of the representatives of the medical profession in Montana who volunteered their services to the Government at the time of the World war.

Doctor Needles was born at Pueblo, Colorado, September 12, 1885. His father John T. Needles, who went to Colorado about 1880, was born in the vicinity of Joplin, Missouri, one of the older sons in a large family of children. The grandfather was a Missouri farmer and spent his last years in Mis- souri. John T. Needles became a professional photographer and was in that business at Leadville, Colorado, and elsewhere, and in 1884 established his home in Iron City at Pueblo where he lived until his death in 1890 at the age of sixty. At Kansas City, Missouri, he married Miss Sylvia Stone, whose people were Kentuckians and early settlers around Booneville, Missouri, where Sylvia Stone was born. Her father was a physician. She is still living at Pueblo. There were three sons : John Walter, a dental surgeon at Pueblo; Frank; and Dr. Arthur S. of Scobey.

Doctor Needles grew up at Pueblo, attended the grammar and high schools of that city, and was classically educated in the University of Colorado at Boulder, graduating in 1908 with the A. B. degree. He took his medical course in the Medical School of the University of Michigan, graduating in 1911, and almost immediately came to Montana. At Mis- soula he was an interne in the Northern Pacific Hospital for a year, for another year was house physician at Hunters Hot Springs, and for a few months engaged in practice at Glasgow. From there he removed to Scobey in 1914, where from the beginning he found a welcome proportionate to his technical abilities and his popularity as a citizen.

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

In addition to his private practice he has served as local surgeon for the Great Northern Railway. Doctor Needles was on duty almost constantly for the benefit of his practice at Scobey except for the period of the World war, when he left his practice, was given intensive training for the service of the Medical Corps at Fort Riley, Kansas, and was as- signed to active duty at Camp Lewis, Washington, with the rank of first lieutenant. He was with the Thirteenth Division in the Seventy-fifth Infantry, and completed his service in that camp. He received his honorable discharge February 20, 1919, and then resumed his work at Scobey. He is a member of the Scobey Post of the American Legion. Doctor Needles is a republican, having voted for Mr. Taft in 1908 and Mr. Hughes in 1916. He was the first member initiated into the Masonic lodge at Scobey after it was chartered. He also holds membership in the lodge of Odd Fellows at Scobey and in the Williston Lodge of Elks.

At Billings, Montana, Doctor Needles married Miss Emily Carter, who died at Scobey in 1915. July 29, 1918, at Scobey he married Miss Ingrid Jesten, daughter of Andrew Jesten and a sister of Mrs. Christian T. Swenson of Scobey. Doctor Needles has no children.

CHRIST PRESTBYE. All of the old timers in the Flathead country know and esteem the Prestbye family, people of splendid worth, early settlers in this section of Montana, hard workers and hospi- table and generous friends.

Christ Prestbye, who now resides six miles north- west of Kalispell, was born in Norway, a son of Abraham and Edel Prestbye. There were three sons and two daughters in the family. The daughters were Hilga, now Mrs. Christensen, and Hannah. The sons were Antone, Christ and Martin. Christ spent his early life as a sailor on the high seas. More than thirty years ago he came to Montana, and was followed by his brother Martin. From Butte they came up into the Flathead country, filing on a pre-emption and engaging in farming and stock raising. They developed their homes by the plant- ing of shade and fruit trees, and these farms still stand as a monument to their endeavors and sacrifices.

Christ Prestbye married Matilda Christensen, a native of Norway and a daughter of Christen and Marie Helgerude. They have three children, Abra- ham, Emin and Grant. The boys were well educated in the public schools of Kalispell, while Abraham and Grant finished their education in Spokane Col- lege and Emin the law department of the University of Montana. He is now a successful attorney and city attorney. of White Fish. The son Abraham mar- ried Clara Gilbertson, and he lives on his father's farm. They have one child, Norman. The Prestbye family are members of the Lutheran Church and socially they belong to the Sons of Norway. Politi- cally Mr. Prestbye gives his support to the principles of the democratic party.

The Prestbyes have been distinguished by patri- otic records. The son, Grant, was a soldier in the World war, being in an officers' training camp in Georgia and was commissioned a second lieutenant. He was preparing to sail overseas when the armis- tice was signed.

In 1917 Martin Prestbye relieved himself of the responsibilities of his farm and sold it, since mak- ing his home in Kalispell. The Prestbyes have never had reason to be dissatisfied with their choice of Montana as a home. In his early life Martin Prestbye saw many of the arduous experiences of a seafarer's life. He was engaged in the seal fisheries,

sailing in the dangerous waters around the North Pole, going into the fishing fields early in the spring and returning in the fall.

When Mrs. Christ Prestbye was a young woman in Norway she was employed in a newspaper office. The Indians were still plentiful when the Prestbyes settled in Montana. Mrs. Prestbye thought it best to treat these aborigines with kindness. The Indians knew they could always be warmed and have some- thing to eat in the Prestbye home, and they never threatened the Prestbyes with trouble. A squaw once came to the Prestbye home. Mrs. Prestbye asked the baby's age. The squaw leaned her head on her hands, closing her eyes, and then held up the fingers of both hands, indicating thereby that the baby was ten days old.

Christ Prestbye as a sailor crossed the Atlantic Ocean forty-three times. After coming to the Flat- head district he became a navigator on Flathead Lake. He was pilot of the Crescent and captain of a sailing vessel for five years. Every season for three years from 1893 to 1896 he had the distinction of opening up navigation on the Kootenai River from Jennings to Fort Steele, British Columbia. Christ Prestbye at one time was the nominee of the democratic party for county treasurer. During the World war he took a leading part in his community in selling Liberty Bonds, and had a place on the honor roll for his efficient help in that direction. During the last Indian scare in this section of Mon- tana Mr. Prestbye was detailed as a guard for the women and children, who took refuge in the school- house at Ashley.

JOSEPH BENJAMIN FLEMING was one of the early merchants both at old and new Scobey and while he has seen his business affairs prospered he has not neglected the welfare of the community and has given his aid not only in public office but with effective groups of citizens working for the com- mon welfare.

Mr. Fleming has had a widely varied and inter- esting experience since coming to Montana and elsewhere. He was born at Carondelette in the City of St. Louis, Missouri, October 28, 1873. His par- ents were both natives of Ireland. Thomas Fleming, his father, came to the United States when young and married at New Orleans Miss Elizabeth McCaf- fery. Thomas Fleming located at St. Louis during the Civil war, was a steamboat man on the Missis- sippi River, and in 1877 moved out to Colorado, locating at Denver where he died soon afterwards. His wife also died at Denver, and of their children Joseph B. was the only one to grow up.

Mr. Fleming was about eight years of age when his mother died and after that he lived in the home of his uncle Bennett Fleming. He attended the parochial and public schools of Denver to the eighth grade and between the age of fifteen and sixteen began making his own living. His early apprentice- ship and trade was as printer. He acquired a thor- ough knowledge of the art at Denver, where he was employed on the Rocky Mountain News, did work in a job office at Pueblo, was in the composing rooms of the Kansas City Star, on the Courier- News at Savannah, Georgia, and worked at various other points in the South as a journeyman doing his final work as a printer on papers and in job offices at Memphis.

On coming North Mr. Fleming located in North Dakota and for seven years was proprietor of the Merchants Hotel at Washburn. The following year he continued in the hotel business at Max, North Dakota, and on leaving North Dakota came to old Scobey on April 19, 1913. His business in Mon-

Christ. Pristhy& Mathilde Pustbye

Martin Pres Alys

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

tana has been continuously in the bakery and con- fectionery trade. At old Scobey he erected a shop and business house, which he moved to the new town on October 17, 1913, and he still occupies his old stand.

His interests have always extended beyond his per- sonal affairs. For two years he was a member of the Scobey Council, being on the first aldermanic board. On account of obsence of funds in the treasury that board had to content itself largely with marking time. For eighteen months he was a member of the school board until he resigned on account of ill- ness. In politics he has acknowledged no party ties, acting independently in matters of votes and in support of candidates. He is a Master Mason and Odd Fellow.

At Harvey, North Dakota, June 14, 1904, Mr. Fleming married Miss Josephine Peterson, who was born in North Dakota, second of the eight children of Peter and Julia (Swan) Peterson. Her father was a Danish Norwegian, and her mother a native of Norway. Peter Peterson for many years was engaged in the hotel business and was also a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Fleming have two daughters, Grace, born in 1907, and May, born in 1909.

HENRY GRAY. A resident of Northeastern Mon- tana for twenty years, Henry Gray, who began his life as a homesteader has achieved prominence and great influence in the business affairs of Sheridan County and has been directly interested in much of the growth and prosperity of Redstone.

Mr. Gray was born in Grant County, Wisconsin, June 6, 1870. His father Joseph Gray was a native of New York State and one of several children. One of his brothers reared a family in Vernon County, Wisconsin, and his only sister seems to have remained in New York State. Joseph Gray after his marriage went West and settled in Grant County, Wisconsin, and later homesteaded in North Dakota, where he finished his career as a farmer. He lived to the remarkable age of ninety-eight years twenty-seven days, his death occurring Decem- ber 28, 1917. He was a strong republican in poli- tics, and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He married Caroline Stone, whose people were also New Yorkers. She died near Hope, North Dakota, in 1895. Their children were: W. C. of Tower City, North Dakota; George who has been a wanderer and was last heard from Texas; Willis and Randall, farmers at Page City, North Dakota; Omer, a business man of Page City ; Frank of Oswego, Montana; and Henry who is the youngest of the family.

Henry Gray lived in Grant County, Wisconsin, until 1883 when his parents moved to North Dakota, and he grew to manhood in Steele County, that state. He had a public school education, and before he left home at the age of eighteen had acquired some knowledge of the butcher's trade. He began his career as a wage earner cutting meat on the block at Fargo, at Superior, Wisconsin, and then estab- lished a business of his own at Hunter, North Dakota.

From Hunter, North Dakota, Mr. Gray came to Montana in May, 1900, and established himself on the Big Muddy in the Redstone community. None of the lands in that region were then open for settlement, and where one stopped and sat down had a right to stay and use the surrounding ter- ritory so far as he did not trespass upon the similar rights of other squatters. The nearest trading and postoffice point was Culbertson. Mr. Gray came here for the purpose of ranching, bringing with him as

a nuclens of his business sixty-five head of yearling heifers. As his home he built a one-room lumber shack, and the following year brought out his family, and with his cattle started earnestly to achieve suc- cess by grazing his stock on the public domain. As soon as the lands were open for settlement he filed on and proved up a homestead, and still owns it as part of his rather extensive ranch holdings. Mr. Gray continued actively as a rancher for about seven- teen years, and while his personal interests have since been diverted elsewhere he still owns his ranch property and its stock. His cattle brand was VX on the right rib, while his horse brand is "lazy JM" on the left side. His first shipments of stock were made through Culbertson, and later when Red- stone became a station on the Great Northern he shipped from that point. The Gray Ranch inter- ests total 2100 acres. In recent years grain growing has become a feature of the ranch management, and abont 840 acres are now under cultivation. Much of this is seeded to bromas grass and western rye grass, especially adapted to hay and grazing, and these grasses in the opinion of Mr. Gray do better and give more satisfactory results than alfalfa.

While still engaged in ranching Mr. Gray took stock in the State Bank of Redstone when it was organized, and was elected by the directors vice president. He remained one of the board until 1919, when he sold his stock. While connected with the bank he saw the need of an oil station at Redstone. Not being able to interest either the Standard Oil Company or an independent company, he decided to make it a matter of his individual enterprise and opened what is now the Westland Oil Station at Redstone in April, 1913. The busi- ness encouraged him and he gradually expanded by taking in other capital and assistants, establishing a number of branch stations. The Redstone Oil Company was merged with the Scobey Oil Company, resulting in the Westland Oil Company, whose head- quarters are at Scobey, with about seventeen branches in other towns around. Mr. Gray has been president of the Westland Oil Company since it was organized December 29, 1919.

Mr. Gray has used his private business enterprise in a way to bring about community benefit, and has never contented himself with office holding. He is a republican, having cast his first ballot for Benjamin Harrison in 1892. He is a Past Noble Grand of Hunter Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in North Dakota.

At Perham, Minnesota, January 14, 1892, Mr. Gray married Miss Carrie Hutchinson. She was born in County Armagh, Ireland, September 25, 1868, eighth in a family of ten children born to John and Anna (McCann) Hutchinson. Mrs. Gray was sixteen years of age when she came to the United States with her brother, sailing from Lon- donderry, Ireland, aboard the Polynesia and landing at Toronto, Canada. Her destination was Fargo, North Dakota. Mrs. Gray had only a sixth grade education, and was a working girl at Fargo when she met Mr. Gray. Mr. and Mrs. Gray have four children : Emma, Harry, Ruth and Lulu. Harry is a factor on the Gray Ranch and married Pearl Guerin. Emma is the wife of Philip P. Schneider and Lulu is Mrs. Noel K. Dickson. Mrs. Henry Gray passed away April 26, 1920.

OSCAR R. ASLAKSON is manager and a partner in the Flaxville Mercantile Company at Flaxville and has had a busy and interesting career as a home- steader and merchant in Northeastern Montana since 1907. His early training was in commercial lines,

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and he has proved one of the valuable factors in an organization that now operates three stores in Northeastern Montana.

Mr. Aslakson was born in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, April 21, 1880, a son of Nor- wegian parents. He lived on a farm to the age of fourteen, attended school at Canby, Minnesota, to the age of fourteen, and then accompanied the family on their removal to Chicago. In that city he attended the grammar and high schools for a year, took a commercial course at the Athenæum, and on leaving school went to work in the office of Swift & Company for six months and for a time was also in the correspondence department of Montgom- ery Ward & Company. By that time he had a hos- pital experience and for several months did nothing but recuperate. Leaving Chicago Mr. Aslakson pros- pected for opportunities for about two years in South Dakota and Minnesota, being employed by several wholesale houses. At Minneapolis he gained further experience as clerk with several firms for about two years.

·With this varied knowledge of business affairs Mr. Aslakson came to Montana in July, 1907. His first location was at Culbertson, where he became connected with the Whittmeier & Brooks Company. He was one of the dependable workers of that or- ganization for almost eight years. Three months before his eighth year term expired he came into Sheridan County and entered a homestead near Red- stone. His neighbor just across the road was his brother Thomas. Mr. Aslakson began his improve- ments with a one-room frame house 14 by 20 feet, subsequently remodeled into three rooms, and dur- ing the period of proving up he did his duty on the land by attempting to raise grain and livestock. Like most of the homesteaders of that time he was unable to make the claims provide for his family and he earned additional funds by occasionally clerk- ing for the Redstone Mercantile Company, working as a harvest hand and behind threshing machines. On leaving his claim Mr. Aslakson came to Flaxville, and in March, 1916, took the management of the Flaxville Mercantile Company, at the same time ac- quiring a partnership in the business. His person- ality has been the chief factor in the success of that firm.

For some years Mr. Aslakson has been associated with A. Ingwalson & Company, formerly a part- nership, but changed to a stock company and incor- porated in 1920. This corporation now conducts general merchandise stores at Plentywood, Flaxville and Redstone, Montana, Crosby and Wildrose, North Dakota.

Mr. Aslakson was reared in a republican home, and cast his first presidential vote for Colonel Roose- velt in 1904, also for Taft in 1908, but in 1912 and 1916 gave his ballot to Mr. Wilson. He was reared under good religions influences, and while not a member of any denomination he encourages church work.

At Culbertson December 15, 1910, Mr. Aslakson married Miss Evelynn Hill. She was born at Min- nesota Lake, Minnesota, July 15, 1880. Her mother is Mattie (Dyer) Hill. She was one of two chil- dren to reach mature years, her brother being Vard Hill of Orland, California. Mr. and Mrs. Aslakson have a danghter, Candace Oralynn.

JACOB C. TIMMONS is one of many Iowa settlers who have identified themselves with Northeastern Montana. He left Iowa when farm values were beginning their rapid advance and came to the West where land could be had for practically nothing and, with a 'homestead and the open range, engaged in

the livestock industry. His farm and ranch have been the essential features of his enterprise but he early lent himself to the promotion of business affairs, was one of the founders of the old Village of Scobey, and has also been closely identified with the growth and progress of the new town of that name.

Mr. Timmons was born in Marshall County, Iow: April 22, 1868, son of Robert M. and Nancy (Shivley) Timmons. Both the Timmons and Shivley families were pioneers in the State of Iowa, going there about 1854. Robert M. Timmons w: born in Delaware in 1833 and was the oldest oi numerous family of children and when they were orphaned it fell to his lot to help take care of and rear the younger children. For this reason he had but few educational opportunities. Going to Iowa by ox team he became a laborer and teamster, invested his surplus earnings in land, gradually be- came independent and finally a successful feeder of stock and widely known over that region as a pio- neer, successful business man and a splendid citi- zen. His wife was a daughter of Ulrey L. Shivley, who moved to Iowa by ox team from Indiana. Mr. Timmons died in 1903 and his wife died in January, 1918, at the age of eighty-three. They were the parents of three sons and five daughters. Those still living are : John, Mrs. Emma Anson, Mrs. Eliza- beth Shewalter all of Marshalltown, Iowa; Jacob C .; and George W. of Marshalltown. Three others now deceased were: Mrs. Alice Bell of Shadron, Nebraska; Mrs. Adel M. Daniels, who died at her old Iowa home the wife of M. A. Daniels; and Mary who died in childhood.

Jacob C. Timmons came to manhood with a knowl- edge of farming acquired by his experiences on his father's place and had a country school education. After two years as a helper to his father on the farm he married and for a dozen years farmed in Iowa until he sought larger opportunities in the West.

The influence that led him to Northeastern Mon- tana was the presence of his brother-in-law the late Mansfield A. Daniels. He brought with him three or four cars of young cattle and a few horses and unloaded his emigrant car at Poplar in May, 1902. That country was then a part of Valley County. By wagon he proceeded up Poplar River in search of a permanent location, and established himself on that stream in section 20, township 35, range 48. The lands had not yet been surveyed, and he was a squatter until the region was platted when he filed and proved up his tract. His first act was to erect a temporary building, a two-room frame house with corrals and cattle sheds for his stock. A year later his wife and child joined him and he then vigorously launched himself into stock raising. He increased his herds by other shipments the following year, and what with improving his pro- posed homestead, looking after his stock, and pro- viding housing facilities, he was a very busy man indeed.

Mr. Timmons has had a part in practically every- thing that could be considered essential to the history of development in that region. He early conceived the idea of irrigating his lowlands. With some of his neighbors including Joseph Bonness, Charles and Fred Woodley and M. A. Daniels, a system of ditches was constructed to ring the waters of Poplar River over the land, this system being known as "The Joint Irrigation Project." The work was a matter of a number of years. The first three dams constructed were temporary and were destroyed by freshets. In 1920 a solid cement dam was built. and that gives the system a permanent character

Bellefleur Trine V. Bellefleur

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

Nevertheless. the older dams proved their value and beneficiaries of the water rights have harvested aboundant crops of hay.

Some of the lands adjacent to his homestead and owned by him later came into Mr. Timmons' possession by purchase. His present ranch around old Scobey comprises 1180 acres. He also had ex- tensive tracts under lease, all of which in former years furnished him abundant opportunity for his business as a ranchman and farmer. While he has maintained his hay lands intact, he has done much to cultivate his other holdings.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 177

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