Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 26

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 26

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· Edwin L. Fenton was born at Wellsboro, Pennsyl- vania, November 8, 1859, a son of Henry Fenton and grandson of Luman Fenton, who was an early farmer of Pennsylvania, and died on his farm near Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, in 1886. He married Emily Austin, and she also died on the old homestead near Wellsboro. Henry Fenton was born near Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, and was a farmer in his native state.

G.L. Futon

HISTORY OF MONTANA

With the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in Company G, Forty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteer In- fantry, in 1861, and was killed during the first battle of the Wilderness. With the organization of the republican party he espoused its principles. His wife bore the maiden name of Maria Hard, and she was born in Pennsylvania and died at Wellsboro, Penn- sylvania, having borne her husband two children, Ida L., who died in Ohio, and Edwin L., whose name heads this review.

Losing his father at such a tender age, Edwin L. Fenton was reared and educated in the Soldiers' Orphan School at Mansfield, Pennsylvania, and re- mained in this institution until he was sixteen years old, leaving at that age to begin working in the outside world. Until 1883 he remained in Pennsyl- vania, working at whatever tasks of an honest nature could be secured, for one year of that period teach- ing school, but his ardent young spirit could not be content with the narrow confines of the East, and in the spring of that year he struck out for the West, and like our "greatest American," gained ex- perience and health on a ranch, spending one sum- mer near Grand Forks, North Dakota. Marrying in that fall, he went back to Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, and for a year worked in a lumber yard and saw- mill. He then moved to Pen Yan, New York, and for four years was engaged in farming, but having once experienced the freer life of the West, he came back to it, arriving in Park City, Montana, in 1889, and after some changes homesteaded, his ranch being located between Park City and Laurel. After prov- ing this property he sold it in 1899, and that same year came to Laurel, was made its postmaster and held that office for fourteen successive years. In 1913 he embarked in his present realty business, and also sells insurance and negotiates loans, doing the largest business of its kind in the county. His office is conveniently located on First Avenue, and he owns the building in which it is located, as well as a modern residence on Third Avenue.

A republican of the stalwart type, Mr. Fenton has been a potent force in his party ever since coming to Laurel, being its first mayor, and he is deputy assessor for Yellowstone County and clerk of the school board of Laurel. In addition to his other interests he is justice of the peace and a notary public, and discharges the duties of police judge. He is secretary and treasurer of the Laurel Realty Company, the Old Mill Ditch Company, and of the Farmers Mutual Telephone Company, to all of these concerns bringing a ripened experience and sound judgment which are of great benefit in the trans- action of business and the securing of public con- fidence.

In fraternal matters Mr. Fenton is deservedly popular and is past grand of Laurel Lodge, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows; helped to organize Camp Laurel, Modern Woodmen of America, and he is also an aggressive member of the Laurel Commercial Club, exerting himself to add new names to the membership list of all of these organiza- tions. The Laurel Congregational Church has in him one of its most helpful members, and he is one of its deacons.

On December 3, 1883. Mr. Fenton was united in marriage with Miss Anna L. Crans at Grand Forks, North Dakota. She was born at Wellsboro, Penn- sylvania, a daughter of O. V. Crans, who also offered up his life on the altar of his country during the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Fenton became the parents of the following children: Nina, who mar- ried B. H. Clark, lives at Billings, Montana, where Mr. Clark is an inspector for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, and they have three children,

Anna, Edwin and Frank; George W., who is un- married, resides at Laurel, and assists his father in business; Helen, who married Frank Jacobs, is a resident of Perma, Sanders County, Montana, where Mr. Jacobs is a stockman and stock in- spector; Frances; who resides at home, is one of the teachers of the First Ward School of Laurel ; and Harriet, who was graduated from the Laurel High School in the class of 1918, is stenographer for Attorney W. L. A. Calder, of Laurel. The children have all been well educated and are a credit to their parents and the training they have received. Mr. Fenton is admittedly a man who early learned the value of time, the pleasure of working, the in- fluence of example and the virtue of patience, and is now reaping the benefits of this knowledge, and his community is the richer for his presence in it.

WILLIAM MERRIAM COBLEIGH is the scientific authority to whose department are referred many problems involving the pure water supply, sani- tation, and matters involving the science of chem- istry in relation to industry. Mr. Cobleigh is a chemist, and has been teaching and practicing his profession in Montana for over a quarter of a cen- tury. He is state chemist and head of the chem- istry department of the Montana State College at Bozeman, where he has his home and headquarters.

He was born at Haverstraw, New York, Sep- tember 7, 1872, of New England ancestry. His grandfather, John Cobleigh, was a native of New Hampshire, descended from a family that settled there in colonial times from England. John Cob- leigh spent his active life as a farmer and died in Northumberland, New Hampshire, about 1874. Professor Cobleigh through his mother is a mem- ber of the Merriam family, which was also estab- lished in New Hampshire in colonial days, when four brothers came over from England.

William Cobleigh, father of William Merriam, was born in Northumberland, New Hampshire, in 1838. He was a student in Dartmouth College when the war broke out and in 1861 joined the Sixteenth New Hampshire Infantry and was all through the war. He was in the Shenandoah Valley campaign under General Sheridan and at the famous Battle of Winchester. He was mustered out with the rank of captain. After the war he married and engaged in the mercantile business at Stratford, New Hampshire, and about 1869 moved to Haverstraw, New York, where he remained a few years. In the meantime he finished his studies and entered the ministry of the Presbyterian Church. He is well remembered in a number of communities of the Northwest for his missionary labors. He preached at Park River and Grafton, North Dakota, and in the spring of 1887 came to Corvallis, Montana. He was one of the first min- isters there and also at Grantsdale. Later he had pastorates in Idaho and Washington, but finally retired to Corvallis in Ravalli County. He was a republican in politics and a member of the Ma- sonic fraternity. Rev. William Cobleigh married Julia A. Merriam, who was born in Northumber- land, New Hampshire, in 1840 and is now living at San Diego, California.

William Merriam Cobleigh was the only child of his parents. He was fifteen years old when they came to Montana. He had attended school in Grafton, North Dakota, including the high school there, and after September, 1887, continued his preparatory work in the College of Montana at Deer Lodge and was graduated from that insti- tution with the degree of E. M. in June, 1804. In the meantime he had spent several vacations as

HISTORY OF MONTANA

assistant chemist for the Anaconda Mining Com- pany at Anaconda. A quarter of a century ago Mr. Cobleigh came to Bozeman as assistant in chemistry at the State College. He is now the oldest professor in continuous service among the state colleges of Montana. As head of the depart- ment of chemistry his offices are in the New Chem- istry Building. Mr. Cobleigh has been a close student of his profession, and has taken post-gradu- ate courses in Columbia University, Harvard Uni- versity, the University of Chicago. He received his master's degree in chemistry at Columbia Uni- versity in 1899.

Besides his work as state chemist of Montana he is chemist for the State Board of Health. He is a member of the American Public Health Asso- ciation, Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, is a member of the American Waterworks Association and the Ameri- can Chemical Society. Mr. Cobleigh is a trustee of the Presbyterian Church at Bozeman, is a re- publican, and is affiliated with Bozeman Lodge No. 18, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

He resides in a modern home at 909 South Third Avenue. He married at Sunderland, Massachusetts, in 1901, Miss Esther Rose Cooley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George L. Cooley, the latter now deceased. Her father is a retired farmer at Sun- derland. Mrs. Cobleigh is a graduate of the Moody Seminary at Northfield, Massachusetts. To their marriage were born three children, Winifred M., born December 16, 1903, now in the Gallatin County High School; Lois E., born December 21, 1910, a pupil in the grammar schools of Bozeman; and Norman B., born June 12, 1919.

H. L. SUMMERS. Soon after his return from France, where he served with the Twentieth Engi- neers, H. L. Summers, a native son of Montana, engaged in business at Darby, being president and founder of the Darby Mercantile Company.

Mr. Summers was born near Hamilton, Montana, June 9, 1892, and his people were among the pioneers of the territory and state. In the paternal line he is of Welsh ancestry. His father, John A. Summers, was born near Springfield, Missouri, in 1849, grew up there and at the age of nineteen came to Montana in 1868. He was a pioneer black- smith at Deer Lodge, Blackfoot City, Missoula, and Corvallis, and was married in the latter town. After his marriage he moved to the vicinity of Hamilton, where he engaged in cattle raising. He was suc- cessful as a rancher much above the ordinary and at one time ówned 800 acres of land and ran be- tween 1,000 and 1,500 head of cattle. He sold his cattle interests in 1899. Not long afterward he bought a ranch of 380 acres near Corvallis, improved it as a diversified farm, and in 1907 harvested the largest crop of oats ever produced by an individual farm in the Bitter Root Valley. His yield that year was 22,000 bushels. Not long afterward he sold his farm and in the spring of 1908 moved to Missoula, where he lived retired, and in 1911 went to Los Angeles, California, where he died January 15, 1915. He was a republican in politics, and for many years served as master of Ionic Lodge No. 38, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

John A Summers married Juda Chaffin. She was born in Kansas in 1860, and when a small girl came to the Bitter Root Valley of Montana, where she grew up. She is now living at Santa Monica, California. Her father, Elijah Chaffin, was a Mon- tana pioneer and a successful farmer and stock- man in the western part of the state. He died at Corvallis many years ago. John A. Summers and

wife had the following children : Inez, wife of John Ashby, a farmer at Corvallis; Margaret, who lives with her mother; Jeanette, wife of Harry W. Johnson, a rancher at Corvallis; Fred, a contractor of street paving at Los Angeles; H. L. Summers; Leland, a stockholder in the Keyes & Company produce business at Corvallis; and Louise, who lives with her mother in California.

H. L. Summers was educated in the public schools of Hamilton, attended the high school at Corvallis through his junior year, spent eight months in the Garden City Commercial College and for one term was a student in the Los Angeles Business College. Leaving school in 1912, Mr. Summers spent three years as cashier with the Missoula Electric Supply Company, for two years was bookkeeper with the Western Montana Bank at Missoula, and in 1916 he made an extensive travel tour by automobile, leaving Missoula, going to San Francisco, to Ti- juana in Lower California, and returned to Mis- soula in the spring of 1917. Following that he was teller in the Missoula Trust & Savings Bank until March 25, 1918, the date of his enlistment for war service. He was sent to Washington, District of Columbia, with the Forty-Third Engi- neers, and soon afterwards was transferred to the Twentieth Engineers, with which he went over- seas May 22nd, reaching France on the 30th of May, 1918. He was overseas more than a year, and on his return landed at Newport News, Vir- ginia, June 23, 1919, and was mustered out at Fort A. D. Russell July 2, 1919.

After spending three months recuperating Mr. Summers organized the Darby Mercantile Company, and opened the general department store on Novem- ber 1, 1919. This company now has the leading general mercantile business in Ravalli County out- side of Hamilton. Besides Mr. Summers as presi- dent of the company Valentine Troop is vice presi- dent and E. L. Sargent is secretary and treasurer.

Mr. Summers is also secretary and treasurer of the Majestic Bottling Works at Missoula. He is a republican, and is affiliated with Harmony Lodge No. 49, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Missoula, and Hell Gate Lodge No. 383, of the Elks at Missoula. He is unmarried.

WALTER H. PECK. A pioneer of Montana of the year of 1881, Walter H. Peck furnishes in his ca- reer an illustration of self-made manhood typi- cal of the lives of many of the men who had the privilege of opening up this state and who, in ad- vancing the general progress of the community, found the opportunity of prospering personally, both in fortune and position. Mr. Peck, who is now practically retired from active affairs, makes his home at Lewistown, but is still a large land- holder and is vitally interested in all that pertains to the welfare of the state in which he was given his chance to prove himself.

Walter H. Peck was born in Illinois, August 28, 1853, a son of Rev. John and Sarah (Bremmer) Peck. His father, who was a graduate of the New York State University, was a Presbyterian minis- ter who came west in young manhood and had his first charge in Indiana. He was born at Green- wich, Connecticut (then known as Horse Neck), and for a number of years filled pulpits in Indi- ana and Illinois, then returning to New York, where he preached in churches in the western part of that state. Subsequently he again came west, lo- cating at Saint Peter, Minnesota, where he was engaged in his ministerial labors at the time of the Indian uprising at Mankato, Minnesota, near Saint Peter, during the '6os, when thirty-six of the

HISTORY OF MONTANA

belligerents were hanged by the United States Gov- ernment. Later Reverend Peck went to Paterson, New Jersey, where he passed his last days, and there his death occurred in 1868, when he was fifty-six years of age, his wife, a native of New York City, surviving until 1876 and dying at the age of fifty- four years. Reverend Peck was first a whig and later a republican in his political views. He and his wife were the parents of two sons and one daughter, and Walter H. was the second in order of birth.

Walter H. Peck was educated in the public schools of Paterson, New Jersey, and was but fourteen years of age when he began work in the general offices of the Erie Railway Company. Assigned to the auditor's office, during the next eleven years he applied himself to clerical work and gave his employers the best of satisfaction. The call of the West, however, which he had heard for some years, eventually proved too strong and in the spring of 1881 Mr. Peck settled his affairs in the East and journeyed by train to Bismarck, North Dakota. He arrived in time to catch the first steamboat of the year, the famous old Far West, with Captain Good in command. The boat was crowded to its capacity with early spring arrivals, and fourteen days were consumed in making the trip to Fort Benton, Montana, where Mr. Peck continued his journey by securing passage on a stage. This car- ried him to what was known as Little Mack's Ranch, the sheep ranch of a Mr. McDonald, for whom Mr. Peck worked for about 21/2 months, at $35 per month, this being the first money he had earned in Montana. Returning to Fort Benton, he joined an ox team outfit which he accompanied to another sheep ranch. It was not long thereafter that Mr. Peck purchased his first band of sheep, buying them from Paris Gibson, one of the pioneer sheep- men of the state. Mr. Peck herded this band dur- ing the winters of 1881 and 1882, and then located on Government land on Box Elder Creek. There he established the first postoffice in Meagher (now Fergus) County, on his ranch, this being known as Roy postoffice, of which he was the first post- master. It was a year later before he secured serv- ice by the United States mail, the stage coaches running between Fort Meginnis and Rocky Point, stopping tri-weekly at his office.

Mr. Peck continued in the sheep business until 1809, in which year he sold out his bands and lo- cated at Garneill, opening a general merchandise store. In the meantime he did not give up his ranching operations, in fact increased them and ran large herds of cattle, and continued in both lines of endeavor until 1916, when he practically retired from active labor. He has since resided at Lewistown, where he has been in the enjoyment of the rewards which are his by reason of his years of faithful and industrious labor. He is still the owner of between 1,300 and 1,400 acres of valu- able ranch land, which he rents to tenants, in ad- dition to 320 acres which he himself superintends merely "to keep his hand in." Mr. Peck has always been satisfied with the activity to be found in his ranch and business interests, and has had no de- sire for the political forum. While public life has not appealed to him, he has been of value to his community in his interpretation of the meaning of citizenship and all good movements have had his unquestioned and unwavering support and co- operation. As a voter he is a republican, and he has several fraternal affiliations.

Mr. Peck was married September 22, 1885, to Miss Zelinda Stuart, who was born in Randolph County, North Carolina, a daughter of Henry and

Abigail (Lossiter) Stuart, natives of the Old North state, the latter of whom still survive. Mr. Stuart, who was born July 15, 1828, died December 17, 1906, having been the father of seven children, all of whom are still living, and Mrs. Peck is the eld- est. Mr. Stuart left North Carolina and went with his family to Adams County, Illinois, where he was engaged in farming and stock raising for some years, but later sold his property and pur- chased a farm in Hancock County of the same state, where he spent the last years of his life. He was a republican politically, and in religious faith was reared as a Quaker, but later embraced the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church. To Mr. and Mrs. Peck there have been born a daugh- ter and two sons: Helen B. who resides with her parents ; Henry Stuart, an electrical engineer, ap- plied for an office in the United States Engineer- ing Department at Vancouver, British Columbia, in September, 1917, and October 1, 1918, received his commission as first lieutenant of United States Engineers, United States army, sailed from New York City, and is now in service in France. In April, 1919 he received his commission as captain. John Walters, a farmer and ranchman of Fergus County, married Margaret Schuster and has three children, John Addison, Walter Hyer and Virginia Stuart.

FRED R. WARREN came to Montana in 1883. As a freighter, rancher, banker and business man of large affairs his interests have been identified with the Judith Basin for a third of a century, and his name is well known all over the region around Lewistown.

Mr. Warren was born in Wyoming County, New York, January I, 1857, a son of Otto and Mary (Jones) Warren. His parents were also natives of New York State. His father spent his active career as a farmer and building mover, and also made a creditable record as a Union soldier. He died at the age of sixty-three. He was a Metho- dist, a republican, and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. His wife died at the age of fifty-five. Fred is the fourth in a family of two sons and five daughters, all living.

He acquired his education in Livingston County, New York, attending the grammar and high schools there. In 1879, at the age of twenty-two, he came West, his first destination being Fort Collins, Colo- rado. He spent two years on a sheep ranch, and learned many of the details of that industry. He then engaged in teaming, hauling the output of a brick yard while Fort Collins was in process of construction. On March 12. 1883. he left Fort Col- lins with a four-horse team bound for Billings, Montana. He reached Billings May 4th, and that may be considered the date of his permanent es- tablishment in Montana. At Billings he made the acquaintance of P. W. McDow, and soon took a load of freight and came on to the Judith Basin, stopping where Utica is now located. For about two years he worked for John D. Waite in the sheep business, and then began handling a flock of his own. He increased his interests and at one time he had 14,000 sheep grazing on his own and leased lands. In 1914 he sold his ranch and sheep and in that year located at Lewistown, where he built the comfortable home in which he still resides.

In 1910, with his son-in-law, Mr. Woodward, he organized the Warren Banking Company at Hobson. Later they established the First National Bank at Hobson, Mr. Warren having served as president from the beginning. He is also presi- dent of the Stone Born Ranch Company, president

HISTORY OF MONTANA

of the Sapphire Oil Company of Kansas and vice president of the Lewistown Oil Company of Mon- tana.

In politics Mr. Warren is a republican. While living at Utica he served as chairman of the school board and while on the board a fine public school building was erected. He is affiliated with Lewis- town Lodge No. 37, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Hiram Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and Lewistown Commandery, Knights Templar. He also belongs to Lewistown Lodge No. 456, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is one of the lodge trustees. He is also a trustee of the Judith Club.

March 27, 1887, Mr. Warren married Margaret Tabler, a native of New Albany, Indiana. They have one daughter, Ethel G., wife of Herbert F. Woodward. Mr. Woodward is manager of the First National Bank at Hobson, Montana. The five grandchildren are Margaret, Warren, Ruth, Ethel Louise and Claria Woodward.

J. A. NORTH. During the past fifteen years one of the leading operators in realty at Billings has been J. A. North, a progressive, energetic and well- informed business man who has steadily worked his way to a place of importance. His interests are ex- tensive and varied, centering principally in city properties, farms and loans, and in each line of en- deavor he has brought to bear an inherent and developed ability that has carried his activities through to a successful conclusion.

Mr. North was born at Adel, the county seat of Dallas County, Iowa, January 20, 1872, a son of T. R. and Naomi E. (Stewart) North, and a member of a family which originated in England and settled in Ohio at an early day in the history of that state. T. R. North was born in Ohio in 1835, and was reared in Ohio and Indiana, being first married in the latter. A lawyer by profession, he first prac- ticed his calling in Indiana, subsequently went to Adel, Iowa, where he had an office for some years and where he was married a second time, and finally returned to "Warsaw, Indiana, in 1909, and retired from active pursuits. He now makes his home there and is in the enjoyment of the rewards that have come to him through the unceasing labors of his active years. Mr. North was a railroad attorney and became well and favorably known in his profession, as he was also as a leader of the democratic party in the various communities in which he resided. On numerous occasions he was a delegate to state, con- gressional and national conventions, and, while he never sought nor cared for public office, was elected mayor of Adel, Iowa, and gave that city an excellent administration. He was formerly a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In 1864 Mr. North enlisted in the Fifty-second Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and, among other engagements, fought at Stony Creek. His only brother, Jack North, was captain of a company of Indiana volun- teers, and fought under General Sherman in his notable march from Atlanta to the sea. By his first marriage T. R. North had one daughter, Lillie, who married J. H. Whitman, who is now deceased. She was again married, being united with A. Andrus, a mine owner and timberman of Astoria, Oregon. The second union of T. R. North was with Naomi E. Stewart, who was born in Illinois in 1839 and died at Medford, Oregon, in 1888, and they became the parents of six children: Etta, who is unmarried and a resident of Racine, Wisconsin; Austin, presi- dent of the North Real Estate and Investment Com- pany, of Billings; J. A., of this review; Alice, who is the widow of Mr. Milliken, who died shortly

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 26

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