Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 21

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

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Mr. Wilson has always affiliated with the demo- cratic party in politics. He served as police judge of Red Lodge for two years. He is one of the oldest Odd Fellows in the State of Montana and the oldest past grand at Red Lodge. He joined that order January 25, 1873, and has a forty year jewel for continuous membership. He was through all the chairs of his local lodge as long ago as 1875. He is now a past grand of Garfield Lodge No. 36,

Chas Wilson

HISTORY OF MONTANA

Independent Order of Odd Fellows. On January 2, 1886, he became a member of the Knights of Pythias, served as chancellor of his lodge in Iowa and at present is affiliated with Park Lodge No. 22. In Masonry his lodge affiliation is with Star in the West Lodge No. 40, of which he was master in 1892-93 and again in 1909-10. He is also affiliated with Carbon Chapter No. 20, Royal Arch Masons, Aldemar Commandery No. 5, Knights Templar, Al- geria Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Helena, and is past patron of Venus Chapter No. 32 of the Eastern Star.

Mr. Wilson owns two business buildings in Red Lodge and a modern home at 605 North Houser Avenue. At Delhi, Iowa, March 15, 1874, he married Miss Jennie A. MacRunnels. She died at Coleville, Iowa, October 31, 1885. On August 25, 1888, at St. Paul, Minnesota, Mr. Wilson married Miss Olive A. Roberts. She died at Red Lodge April 16, 1910. Mr. Wilson married Mrs. Jennie (Roberts) Argo at Sibley, Iowa, April 20, 1911. Mr. Wilson has no children. His wife's father was J. D. Roberts of New York State, who was an early settler at Bur- lington, Iowa, and afterward homesteaded in Min- nesota, six miles over the line from Little Rock, Iowa. Mrs. Wilson by her first husband has three children: Mamie, wife of Lavette Polley, a dentist at Sibley, Iowa; Winnie, wife of Frank Dunn, a farmer at Beaver Creek, Minnesota; and Neil D. Argo.

NEIL D. ARGO, one of the prominent younger busi- ness men of Red Lodge, was born at Little Rock, Iowa, February 4, 1891. His father, Jerry A. Argo, was born in 1851, and died at Little Rock in 1895. He spent all his business life there, and owned two ranches and also a hotel. He held several local offices as a democrat and was affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. During the Civil war he was for two years a private in an Iowa regiment. Jerry A. Argo married Liza Roberts, who was born at Clinton, Iowa, in 1863 and is now Mrs. Charles Wilson of Red Lodge. Mr. and Mrs. Argo had three children: Mamie, a resident of Sibley, Iowa, and wife of Doctor Polley, a dentist, who served with the rank of second lieutenant and as a dentist with the American Expeditionary Forces; Winifred, wife of Frank Dunn, a rancher in Minne- sota; and Neil D.

Neil D. Argo attended public school at Little Rock, Iowa, also the high school there, and in 1910 finished his education in Palmer's Business College at Cedar Rapids. He was first employed at Red Lodge as timekeeper with the Northwestern Im- provement Company, was promoted to bill clerk and collector, .then to billing clerk, and spent six years with that corporation. In 1916 he and his step- father, Mr. Wilson, bought the Red Lodge Bottling Works and confectionery business. The confec- tionery department was closed out in October, 1918, and at that time Mr. Argo became sole proprietor of the Red Lodge Bottling Works. This is an im- portant local industry, and it supplies soft drink retailers throughout Eastern Montana and Northern Wyoming.

Mr. Argo is independent in politics, is a member of the Red Lodge Chamber of Commerce, and a thoroughly public spirited local citizen. On June 16, 1915, he married Miss Kate Torreyson. Her mother is Mrs. Fannie Torreyson, of Red Lodge. Her father, Jack Torreyson, was a prominent pioneer character of Red Lodge, owning the first ranch that was developed adjoining that town. Mr. and Mrs. Argo have one child, Neil, Jr., born June 13, 1917.

NORRIS F. BURGER. A prominent and popular young business man of Billings, Norris F. Burger, is amply qualified for the responsible position he holds as manager of the Purity Bread Company, Incorpo- rated, which supplies a large area of the surround- ing country with bakery products. A son of S. F. Burger, he was born at Buffalo, New York, Decem- ber 31, 1887, of pure Dutch stock, the ancestors from which he traces his descent having emigrated from Holland to Pennsylvania in colonial times. His grandfather, George S. Burger, a life-long resident of Pennsylvania, was born in 1818, and died at his home in Erie in 1890. He was a contractor and builder, and followed his trade in the vicinity of Pittsburg for many years. He married Sarah Franz, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1820, and died in Erie in 1892.

Born in 1860, near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, S. F. Burger was reared and educated in Erie, and early in life entered the employ of the New York Central Railroad Company, being located at Buffalo, New York, until 1891, and the following eight years serv- ing as conductor on a passenger train, with his home at Erie, Pennsylvania. Becoming associated with the Northern Pacific Railway service, he removed to Tacoma, Washington, in 1899, and is there still employed as conductor of a passenger train. He is a republican in his political affiliations, a member of the Baptist Church, and belongs to the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. He married Annie M. Weeks, who was born in Oswego, New York, in 1869, and to them three children have been born, as follows: Flora, wife of C. F. Elder, an accountant at Tacoma, Washington; Norris F., the subject of this brief personal history, and Edith, living with her parents.

Having acquired the rudiments of his education in the public schools of Erie, Pennsylvania, Norris F. Burger continued his studies in Washington, being graduated from the Tacoma High School with the class of 1904, and later attending the University of Washington at Seattle for two years. Then, after spending one year at the drug business in Tacoma, he was for four years deputy county engineer of Pierce County, Washington. In 1911 Mr. Burger became associated with the baking business at Ta- coma, and continued thus employed for six years, in the meantime becoming familiar with every detail of the trade. In March, 1917, he came to Billings, where he has since resided, his home being at 815 North Broadway. Holding a position of importance with the Purity Bread Company, Incorporated, he has proved himself extremely capable and efficient in the management of its business and financial af- fairs, through his efforts its operations being ex- tensive and constantly increasing in volume and ex- tent. This company, with plant and office at 824 North Twenty-seventh Street, has the following named officers : L. F. Miller, president ; Louis Dous- man, vice president; E. B. LeClair, secretary, and N. F. Burger, treasurer and general manager. Carry- ing on a general baking business, it supplies a large territory, including Northern Wyoming and Montana west to Big Timber, east to Beach, North Dakota, and north to Buffalo, Montana. Mr. Burger has management of the entire tract, in his work having supervision of a corps of thirty-two employes.

Mr. Burger married, December 15, 1915, at Seattle, Washington, Miss Jessica Cleveland, a daughter of George and Nora (Wilson) Cleveland, neither of whom are now living. Mr. Burger is a republican in politics, and belong to the Rotary Club and to the Billings Midland Empire Club.

HISTORY OF MONTANA

FRANK W. MACHEMER. Few can draw rules for their own guidance from the pages of Plutarch, but all are benefited by the delineation of those traits of character which find scope and exercise in the common walks of life. The unostentatious routine of private life, although in the aggregate more important to the welfare of the community than any meteoric public career, cannot, from its very nature, figure in the public annals. However, each locality's history should contain the names of those individuals who contribute to the success of the material affairs of a community and to its public stability; men who lead wholesome and exemplary lives which might be profitably studied by the on- coming generation. In such a class must consistently appear the name of Frank W. Machemer, one of the leading business men and public-spirited citizens of Bozeman.

Frank W. Machemer is descended from sterling old Holland stock, the family having been trans- planted to America in the days of the colonies, settling in Pennsylvania. In that state the subject's grandfather, William Machemer, was born in 1813. In 1856 he moved to Constantine, Michigan, being numbered among the pioneers of that locality, and there he engaged in farming and in merchandising until his death, which occurred in 1889. He married Catherine Seaman, a native of Pennsylvania, and also of old colonial stock. Among their children was Levi Machemer, who became the father of the subject of this sketch. He was born in Williams- port, Pennsylvania, in 1841, and was reared there until fifteen years of age, when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Mottville, St. Joseph County, Michigan. He was married in Constantine, Michigan, and has made that place his home during the remainder of his ilfe, being now retired from active labor. He was a woodworker by vocation and led a very active life. He is a republican of the con- servative type and is a member of the Dutch Re- formed Church. He married Eliza Teasdale, who was born in 1848 in Constantine, Michigan, and it is noteworthy that they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in September, 1917, in the very house where she was born, reared and married in Constantine. To this worthy couple were born the following children: Mary L .; Frank W., the immediate subject of this review; and L. J., who is the partner of his brother Frank at Bozeman.

Frank W. Machemer received his education in the public schools of Constantine, Michigan, com- pleting his studies in the high school. At the age of sixteen years he left school and, entering a furniture factory, applied himself to learn the trade of a cabinetmaker, which engaged his attention for four years. He then removed to Sturgis, Michigan, where he worked at his trade, also being employed at different times in Elkhart and Cambridge City, Indiana. In May, 1903, Mr. Machemer came to Bozeman and entered the employ of the Bozeman Manufacturing Company, with whom he remained for eight years. In 1911 he went to work for Eschenbacher & Company, who then operated the plant which he now owns. In January, 1917, he bought the plant in partnership with his brother L. J., and they have since operated the business under the firm name of the Machemer Brothers. The plant, located on South Church Avenue, was erected by John Koch in 1882 and is one of the pioneer industries of Gallatin County. It has be- come one of the most important enterprises of the kind in Southern Montana. The firm manufacture window frames, sash, inside woodwork, automobile bodies-in brief, practically everything that is made of wood and for which there is any local demand.

This plant was destroyed by fire in August, 1919, but will be rebuilt as soon as a suitable new location is secured.

Politically Mr. Machemer is a stanch republican. His fraternal relations are with Western Star Lodge No. 4, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Boze- man, and Constantine Lodge, Knights of the Macca- bees, at Constantine, Michigan.

In Constantine, Michigan, Mr. Machemer was married to Jessie E. Roberts, the daughter of Will- iam E. and Amanda (Malam) Roberts. The father, who was a farmer, is now deceased, and his widow now resides in Battle Creek, Michigan. To Mr. and Mrs. Machemer have been born the following chil- dren: Harold R., born May 5, 1896, is on a ranch near Bozeman; Levi M., born April 25, 1899, is a student in the Montana State College, at Bozeman. Mr. Machemer has consistently given his support to every measure looking to the advancement of the best interests of the community and enjoys to a marked degree the confidence of all who know him.

REV. M. J. DONOHUE has given all his time since his ordination as a priest to various churches in Montana. He is now pastor of St. James Church at Plains, and has a parish including all the area of Sanders County. Besides the church at Plains there are churches at Thompson Falls, at Paradise and at Hot Springs, while missions under the direc- tion of Father Donohue are at Camas Prairie, Lone- pine, Perma, Eddy, White Pine, Alger, Trout Creek. Heron and Noxon.

Father Donohue was born at Florence, New York, November 25, 1876, son of Michael and Anna (Mee- han) Donohue. His parents were of Irish ancestry. His father was born at Utica, New York, in 1845, and for many years was a merchant and farmer at Florence. He died at Camden, New York, in 1917. He held various town offices and was an influential citizen in local affairs. He was a democrat and a Catholic, and during the Civil war enlisted at Utica, New York, and served in a Union regiment. His wife was born at Florence, New York, in 1849 and is still living at Camden.

Father Donohue attended the public schools at Florence and spent six years with his classical stud- ies at Niagara University at Niagara Falls. He took his theological course in St. Viator's Seminary and College at Bourbonnais, Illinois, spending five years in that institution. He was ordained in 1911 at Buf- falo, New York, by Bishop Colton of Buffalo. His first active work was as assistant pastor of St. Jo- seph's parish at Butte, where he remained a year. For a year and a half he was assistant pastor of St. Peter's Church at Anaconda, and for a short time was assistant pastor of St. Helena Cathedral at Helena. He came to Plains July 24, 1914, and for five years has given a diligent and faithful adminis- tration of his many duties in maintaining and build- ing up the Catholic church in Sanders County. The new St. James Church at Plains was dedicated De- cember 14, 1919. There are about two hundred fam- ilies in the parish. Father Donohue is a member of Anaconda Council, Knights of Columbus, and is a third degree knight.

O. R. DUNCAN was elected public administrator of Sweetgrass County in April, 1919. He has be- come well known in that county through his busi- ness activities, formerly as a creamery manager and now as proprietor of a complete and well pat- ronized garage.

Mr. Duncan was born at Clinton Falls, Minne- sota, June 12, 1822. His grandfather established the family in New York State, coming from Scot-

Chas. Woodworth

HISTORY OF MONTANA

land. His father, Henry Duncan, was born near Syracuse, New York, in 1847, was reared and mar- ried there and had a farm. On this farm was an extensive grove of hard maples, and the mann- facture of maple sugar was an important industy with him. During the 'zos he moved to Minnesota and was a pioneer homesteader at Clinton Falls. Later he sold his farm there and in 1892 moved to Medford, Minnesota, where he was proprietor of a hotel until his death in 1912. He was an ac- tive prohibitionist in politics and a very devout Bap- tist. Henry Duncan married Sarah Brown, who was born in 1850 and died at Medford, Minnesota, in 1913. Ella, the oldest of their children, is the wife of Richard Cheesman, a miller living at Whist- ley, Alabama; Eslie is a traveling salesman whose home is at Redford, South Dakota; Marion is the wife of Henry Cheesman, a mechanic in the rail- road shops at Edmonton, Canada ; while O. R. Dun- can is the fourth and youngest of the family.

He acquired his early education in the public schools of Clinton Falls and Medford, Minnesota, and was a student in the Owatonna Business Col- lege at Owatonna, Minnesota, until 1900. By prac- tical work he learned the creamery trade in Min- nesota, and followed it a year at Ranchester, Wyo- ming. In 1909 he came to Big Timber, Montana, and for three years managed the local creamery. The following three years he spent at Butte, where he worked for the Henningson Produce Company. Since returning to Big Timber he has been en- gaged in the automobile business. He built his new garage in September, 1917. He has floor space 36 by 60 feet, and furnishes not only a garage serv- ice but handles accessories and has a shop for re- pairs. His garage is at the corner of McLeod Street and Third Avenue.

Mr. Duncan is a republican in politics and was elected on that ticket to his office as public ad- ministrator. He is affiliated with Sweetgrass Camp No. 10610, Modern Woodmen of America, is a member of the Big Timber Chamber of Commerce and Sweetgrass County Good Roads Association. In 1902, at Medford, Minnesota, he married Miss Nora May Reinhard, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Reinhard, farming people who live at Med- ford, Mr. and Mrs. Duncan have two children, Leona, born in 1904, and Lavern, born in 1905.

CHARLES L. BRYAN. One of the best diversified farms and ranches in Sweetgrass County is at McLeod, owned by Charles L. Bryan. Mr. Bryan is a veteran Montana farmer and rancher. He came to the territory over thirty-five years ago and rode the range as a cowboy for a number of years before homesteading and settling down to the serious business of life.

He was born in Marion County, Missouri, July 13, 1863. His ancestors came originally from Ire- land and were pioneers in Kentucky. His father, William Bryan, was born in Missouri in 1829, was a carpenter by trade but spent most of his time at farming. He lived for many years in Marion County, Missouri, and died at the home of his son, Carter Bryan, in Great Falls, Montana, where both he and his wife are buried. He was a demo- crat and a very interested Presbyterian and a man of the highest morals. It is said that he never drank liquor or used tobacco throughout his life. He married Elizabeth Pender, who was born in Marion County, Missouri, in 1833, and died at Great Falls, Montana, in 1912. Florence the old- est of their children, lives at Livingston, Montana, wife of D. W. McLeod, who in 1883 homesteaded the island on the Yellowstone River at the foot

of Main Street in Livingston. Fannie, the sec- ond of the family, is the wife of Charles Hans- brough, who came to Great Falls and lived on a farm near there from 1896 to 1901, then moved to California, and is still living in Idaho. Charles L. Bryan is the third in the family. His brother. Carter, above mentioned, is a farmer, came to Liv- ingston during the 'gos and afterward lived at Great Falls and is now a resident of Boise City, Idaho. Emma, the fifth of the children, lives in California, while of Benjamin, the youngest, the family has had no word since he was last heard from on a ranch in Oregon.

Charles L. Bryan attended rural schools in Mar- ion County, Missouri, also the Palmyra Seminary at Palmyra, Missouri, and spent the first twenty years of his life on his father's farm. Soon after reaching Livingston in April, 1883, he engaged as a cowboy with a cattle outfit and for ten years rode the range. In the meantime he had married and he and his wife settled on his homestead twenty- five miles south of Big Timber, on the Boulder River. He still owns 160 acres in that homestead, but it is only part of his ranch of 1,080 acres. This ranch and farm have a set of modern buildings and farm equipment that betokens the progres- sive enterprise of Mr. Bryan. Much of his land produces grain and he specializes in the Poll An- gus cattle. Mr. Bryan is a democrat and is affili- ated with Livingston Homestead of the Brotherhood of American Yeomen.

He married at Livingston in 1888 Miss Maggie McLeod, a daughter of William F. and Martha (Sowel) McLeod, both now deceased. William F. McLeod, who died at Big Timber in 1914, was a California forty-niner, afterward lived in Ore- gon, and in 1881 settled on the Crow Indian Reser- vation in Montana. He was a pioneer stock raiser and a man of much prominence in Southern Mon- tana. The main street of Big Timber is named in his honor, as is also the Town of McLeod in Sweetgrass County, the postoffice of Mr. Bryan. Mr. and Mrs. Bryan had seven children: Charles L., Jr., a musician and piano tuner at Big Tim- ber; Edna, wife of Harry Cross, a tailor at Big Timber; William F. and Roy, both on the home ranch with their parents; Pat who is employed in the implements and hardware department of the A. W. Miles Company at Livingston; Edith, wife of Charles Campbell, a rancher at Big Timber; and Bessie, a junior in the County. High School at Big Timber.

CHARLES WOODWORTH. In the distribution of hier personal gifts Nature, however generous, rarely con- fers upon a single individual superior excellence in more than a single line. The qualities that go to make for success in one field of endeavor are not as a rule the same which would bring prosperity in another. Yet there are some men who seem to have been gifted in a way that forms the exception proving the foregoing rule, and in this class may be mentioned Charles Woodworth, one of the pro- prietors of the Lewistown Automobile and Truck Company, who during a comparatively short career has invaded numerous fields of activity, in each of which he has come forth a conqueror.

Mr. Woodworth was born at Townsend, Broad- water County, Montana, September 1, 1885, a son of John J. and Mary C. (Shirlock) Woodworth. John J. Woodworth was born in 1852, in California, and was there married, his wife being a native of New Zealand. They became the parents of nine children, all living, of whom Charles is the fourth in order of

HISTORY OF MONTANA

birth. The father received his education in the public schools of California, and as a young man en- gaged in the sheep business in his native state, a vocation which he followed for about four years. In 1882 he came to Broadwater County, Montana, and ran bands of sheep in the vicinity of Townsend until 1886, in that year moving to Fergus County. Here he continued in the sheep business for five more years, and then sold his business and retired to Lewistown, where his death occurred in 1906, when he was fifty-four years of age. Mr. Woodworth took an interest in the affairs of his community and served efficiently in the capacity of road super- visor for many years. He was a democrat in his political adherence, and was fraternally affiliated with the Woodmen of the World. Mrs. Woodworth, who survives him, makes her home at Lewistown.

After attending the public schools of Lewistown, Charles Woodworth, at the age of eighteen years, embarked upon his independent career as the pro- prietor of a small draying business. Subsequently he became the proprietor of a retail liquor estab- lishment, which he conducted until 1919, but in the meantime had entered other lines of industry. In 19II he had embarked in the real estate business, and since the same year has been raising stock, at this time operating some 4,000 acres of land, in addition to which he has an interest in other ranches. His live stock at this time numbers approximately from 500 to 600 head of cattle. In March, 1919, after dis- posing of his saloon business, Mr. Woodworth em- barked in a new line of endeavor when, with L. S. Butler and W. A. Cooper, he founded the Lewis- town Automobile and Truck Company. This busi- ness has been another in which he has been success- ful, a further indication of his possession of fine business abilities. Mr. Woodworth is a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and in politics is a democrat. He has formed many acquaintances and won many friendships at Lewistown, and in busi- ness circles his reputation is that of a man of integrity and high business principles.

Mr. Woodworth was married February 5, 1910, to Miss Helen M. Crevier, who was born at Minne- apolis, Minnesota, and they are the parents of one daughter, Mary Elizabeth.

ERNEST A. BOSCHERT. While not one of the old timers of Montana, the career of Ernest A. Boschert is of interest because of the phenomenal enterprise he has directed to the upbuilding of the leading hardware business at Ballantine, beginning there with a stock of goods valued at only a few hundred dollars and making his own business expand even more rapidly than the town itself.

Mr. Boschert was born at Burlington, Wisconsin, January II, 1883. His grandfather, a native of Ger- many, came to America, and at a time when Wis- consin was virtually an unbroken wilderness and years before it became a state he located on land at Burlington and spent the rest of his years making a farm. Charles Boschert, father of Ernest A., was born on that farm in 1843 and is still living there, having spent more than three-quarters of a century in one locality. He is a democrat and a Catholic. Charles Boschert married Josephine Prasch, who was born at Burlington in 1855 .. Ernest A. is the second of their family of children, seven in num- ber. The others are A. A., salesman for the F. B. Connelly Company, of Helena, Montana; Otelia, wife of Clarence Brown, manager of the Detroit, Mich- igan, branch of the Cudahy Packing Company; Ed- ward, a farmer at Burlington, Wisconsin; Elnora, wife of Charles McCarthy, also of Burlington; Al-

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 21

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