Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 29

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 29

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In 1887, in St. Paul, Minnesota, Mr. Harmon was married to Etta Kendall, a native of Minne- sota, and whose death occurred in 1892. To them were born the following children. Florence, who died at Lewistown, Montana, May 13, 1919, was the wife of David Bolton, assistant cashier of the Fergus County Bank at Lewistown. She was a graduate of the Helena High School, the State Normal School at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and taught school at Appleton, Wisconsin, one year, and at Lewistown, Montana. Ella May, who is a graduate of the Montana State College, is a home science demonstrator for Ravalli County for the State Col- lege. Cora Alice, who died on April 1, 1919, was a graduate of Leland Stanford University, Cali- fornia, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and had been a teacher of English in the schools of Terry, Montana. In 1893 Mr. Harmon was married to Mary Stegmier, a native of Minnesota.

HARRY E. PERKINS, of Billings, is a veteran lumber merchant, and has been in that business for thirty years. He started as a yardman, and is now presi- dent of the Perkins Savage Lumber Company.

Mr. Perkins was born at Flora, Illinois, May 2, 1864, and represents old New England ancestors, his people being among the early pioneers of Vermont. His father, Henry P. Perkins, was born in Chilli- cothe, Ohio, in 1825, grew up there, was married in his native state, and shortly afterward moved to Flora, Illinois, where he was a teacher. In 1866, at the close of the Civil war, he established a home well out on the frontier of Kansas, near Emporia, and was a farmer in that section until 1883. He then moved to Carlisle, Arkansas, where he continued farming and where he died in 1889. He was a staunch republican and a very active member of the Methodist Church. Henry P. Perkins married Martha A. Brainard who was born at Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1835 and is still living in her eighty-fifth year at Carlisle, Arkansas. She was the mother of a large family of thirteen children, the first, a son, dying in infancy, and the second, Mattie, dying at the age of three years. George I., who died at Bil- lings, Montana, at the age of fifty-seven, resided at Springdale, Montana, where he was manager of a lumber yard. David B. is a lumberman, banker and farmer at Carlisle, Arkansas. Harry E. is fifth in age. Maggie is the wife of Henry J. Lewis, a farmer at Daphne, Alabama. John died in infancy. Annie is the wife of C. A. Rosenbaum, a railroad . agent at Little Rock, Arkansas. Clara married Alexander McRae, superintendent of an oil mill at Argenta, Arkansas. Robert A. is a farmer at Car- lisle, Arkansas. Rosie is the wife of William Branch, a produce commission . merchant at Little Rock, Arkansas. Daisy is the wife of Mr. Crips, a farmer in Missouri. Charles C., the youngest, is a farmer and dairyman at Carlisle, Arkansas.

Harry E. Perkins was two years old when the family moved to Lyon County, Kansas, he grew up on his father's farm there, attended rural schools, a commercial college at Little Rock, Arkansas, and at the age of twenty-five left home to make his independent start in the world. He spent one year on a ranch in South Dakota. Mr. Perkins had a brief military experience on the northwestern fron- tier during the Sitting Bull outbreak of 1890-91. He was in the service of the organized militia for eighteen months during the period of Indian hos- tilities. Ever since that time he has been connected with some phase of the lumber business. He went to work for C. H. Chase at Willow Lake, South Dakota, as a yard man, and eventually was made manager of the local yards and a co-partner of Mr.

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Chase. The business was subsequently incorporated as the C. H. Chase Lumber Company, with Mr. Perkins as secretary and manager. In 1916 the business was sold, and at that time Mr. Perkins and Michael Savage joined forces and in February, 1918, incorporated the Perkins-Savage Lumber Company, with Mr. Perkins as president and Mr. Savage as secretary and manager. This is a Montana corpora- tion, the home offices being in the Babcock Building at Billings. They handle retail lumber and hard- ware and have a trade in and around Billings, also have a yard at Lovell, Wyoming, and are interested in lumber yards at Acton, Molt, Gray Cliff, Spring- dale and Belfry, Montana.

Mr. Perkins is also a ranch-owner, having one farm of 160 acres north of Billings, and another of 640 acres at Pompeys Pillar. He owns a modern home at 1240 North Thirtieth Street in Billings. Mr. Perkins is a trustee of the Congregational Church, and is affiliated with the Ashlar Lodge No. 29, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Billings Con- sistory of the Scottish Rites, Parker Lodge of Knights of Pythias of South Dakota, Billings Camp, Modern Woodmen of America, Billings Chapter of the Eastern Star, and the Royal Neighbors of Parker, South Dakota.

September 19, 1893, at Willow Lake, South Dakota, he married Miss Addie McMullin, daughter of William and Mary ( Pettit) McMullin. Her mother lives at Clarkston, Washington, where her father, a veteran of the Civil war and a retired farmer, died March 27, 1919. Mr. and Mrs. Perkins have three children : Hazel, who died at Huntley, Montana, aged fourteen years; Bernice F., born April 29, 1896, a graduate of Oberlin College at Oberlin, Ohio, and a kindergarten teacher at Billings; and Muriel J., born August 9, 1900, who attended Oberlin Col- lege and is preparing to finish her education in the University of Minnesota.

JOSEPH CHAUVIN, one of the reliable and pros- perous brokers of Butte, is recognized as one of the political leaders of this region and a republican of note in the Northwest. He is a son of Leander Joseph Chauvin, born in the Province of Quebec, Canada, in 1826, and died at Shelburn, Vermont, in 1915. In 1837 he came to the United States and located at Shelburn, Vermont. Here he later en- gaged in farming. His wife bore the maiden name of Harriet Pepin, and she was also born in the Province of Quebec, Canada, in 1829. Her death occurred at Shelburn, Vermont, where all of their children were born, they being as follows: Joseph, whose name heads this review; an unnamed infant son; Leander, who lives at Springfield, Massachusetts, is a carpenter by trade; Louis N., who is engaged in farm work in the vicinity of Hamilton, Montana; Otheleo, who is deceased; Harriet, who married Moses Charbonneau, a shoemaker of Barre, Ver- mont; Emma, who married Harry Crawford, a con- tractor and builder of Oak Park, Illinois; Napoleon, who is a carpenter and builder of Massachusetts; Felix, who is doing farm work in the vicinity of Shelburn, Vermont; Alma, who married Napoleon Prunier, who has been coachman and later chauffeur for a prominent family of Burlington, Vermont, for many years; and six others who died young.

Joseph Chauvin, the oldest son, came to Mon- tana on June 1, 1881, and has been engaged in active business in this state ever since. For the first twenty-five years he was occupied very profit- ably in handling furniture, but then sold in 1906 and engaged in his present undertaking, being a broker in stocks, mines and real estate, with offices

at 112 West Granite Street, where he has been located for the past fifteen years. His residence is at 110 West Granite Street. He also owns a number of patented mines at Butte, which he esti- mates to be worth $60,000.

Upon coming to Butte Mr. Chauvin was favor- ably impressed with the possibilities of the place and from then on has been one of the most active boost- ers of the city, and through his efforts much outside capital is brought here, the investment of which has aided in the development of the industrial and com- mercial interests. A natural political leader, he has been the delegate of his party to numerous county and state conventions, but he has not per- mitted the use of his name on the ticket for any office, as he prefers to use his influence as a private individual. Enthusiastic in his support of the party, he possesses the power to sway others, and his advocacy of a candidate is accepted as practical proof of his making a fine official, and as a usual thing his election follows.

In his business operations Mr. Chauvin is a shrewd aggressive man, whose reliability is unquestioned. Having spent so many years at Butte he knows all about realty and stocks, and his advice with refer- ence to such matters is accepted as authoritative.

Mr. Chauvin is one of the oldest living members of Butte Lodge, No. 240, Benevolent and Protec- tive Order of Elks, joining that order the year the lodge was established at Butte. The Roman Catho- lic Church has in him a devout member. Recog- nizing the good work of the Young Men's Christian Association, he has long been one of its members and whenever a drive is on to secure funds for it, Mr. Chauvin is always one of those making large contributions and soliciting the same from others. He also belongs to the Butte Business Men's Asso- ciation, in which he is a forceful character, as he is in another commercial organization known as the Aero Club.

The children of Mr. Chauvin are as follows : Charles Frederick, who is a resident of New York City, New York, is secretary of the Hale Desk Company, and he was graduated from the Hopkins Institute of Burlington, Vermont; and Anna, an adopted daughter. She married W. M. Jermain and they live at Deer Lodge, Montana. Mr. Jermain is a concrete contractor. They have one child, Beulah, who married James Donnelly, a printer by trade, and they live at Butte. Mr. and Mrs. Don- nelly have a daughter, Dorothy, and on December 25, 1919, Mr. Chauvin had a little family gather- ing at his home in Butte at which were present Mrs. W. M. Jermain, her daughter, Mrs. James Donnelly and her granddaughter, Dorothy Donnelly, and grandson, Joseph G. Chauvin, four generations thus being represented.

The Canadian element, not only the Scotch and English, but the French, is strongly represented in Montana and Mr. Chauvin at different times has exercised his art and literary expression in the characteristic dialect of old Quebec. The editor takes the privilege of reproducing two examples of his literary product, one entitled "The Wreck of the Jule La Plant" and the other one of a series of "Woodville Letters" which Mr. Chauvin contrib- uted to a local publication and which entertained a large group of readers.

'Twas one dark night on Lac Champlain, De wind she blow, blow, blow,

When de crew of de skow Jule La Plant Get scare and run below.

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For de wind she's blow like hurricane, Bimeby she blow some more,

When de skow buss up on Lac Champlain One half-mile from de shore.

De captain she's walk on de front deck, She's walk on de hind deck, too; She's call de crew from up de hole, She call de cook also.

De cook, his name was Rosa, He's come from Montreal, Was chamber-maid on a lumber barge On dat big Lachine canal.

De wind she blow from nor, eass, wess, De son' wind she blow, too, When Rosa say, 'Oh! captain, Whatever shall I do?'

De captain she's throw de hank, But still dat skow she drift, For de crew he can't pass on dat shore Because he lose dat skiff.

De 'night was dark like one black cat, De waves run high and fass, When de captain take poor Rosa And lash her to de mass.

When the captain put on the life preserve And he jump into de lac, And say, 'Good-bye, my Rosa dear, I go drown for your sack.'

Next morning very hearly, About half-past two, three, four, De captain, cook and wood skow Lay corpses on dat shore.

For de wind she's blow like hurricane, Pretty soon she blow some more, For dat skow buss upon Lac Champlain, One-half mile from de shore.

MORAL :

Now all good wood-skow sailor mans, Take warning by dat storm,

And go and marry one nice French girl, And live on one good farm.

Den de wind may blow like hurricane, And 'spose she's blow some more,

You shan't get drowned on Lac Champlain So long you stay on shore.

The "Woodville Letter" is as follows:

Woodville. Mont., on ton de Montague Rochens, On de Hind Part of dis month : Mv dear Chanvin :

I receive your hinvite to hattend ze grand cele- bration to parade St. Jean Baptist de 24th June on top of Butte. But am feel so shame wid my wife Julie for what she has been done, dat ham hoblige to hask you to hexcuse me, and when ain tole you what she has been done, you will have some compassion wid me.

Well, my dear Chauvin, my heart ees fill wid sad tonite an eet give me much pain to wrote you dis lettair, ef t'ing keep hon like dis, I'll be compel to get divorce from my wife Julie.

My dear Chauvin, what you spose Julie been done? You can't nevaire tink an eet make me

feel shame for him, to tole you de why she has been bring disgrace on top my head.

The odder day I'll go on Pete Fontaines saloon to see the boys. What you tink I'll fine dare? Hexcuse me while I'll drop some tear. My wife Julie was stan' up by de bar wid segar on his mout, an schooner of beer on his hand, when Julie was see me come een, he say to me, Pete, come have someting on me, what you took, old hoss?

Well, my dear Chauvin, when I'll seen that I'll feel so much shame I'll try to crowl trough de knot hole on top de floor, I can't move, an I can't say someting, den Julie he say, what de troub' Pete, dis de firs' time I been seen yon refuse to took some- ting, tint hevry day your wife hax you to drink wid him, come took someting, Pete, am going to put some red paint on de town tonite, by gosh.

Whoop, I can lick hany son of a gun een Wood- ville, wid one han' tie on my back. Am the stuff you bet. Have nudder on me boys, am got de long green to pay for eet. All de bum on Woodville was een de saloon and dey was all drink wid Julie.

Den what you suppose Julie done. His ax Jock- pot Charlie for chew and heel bite off piece plug tobac, and den he'll get down by card table and com- mence to shuffle de cards, an ax Joe Shomway to play game stud poker wid him.

Am feel so shame for Julie dat I haint know what to do, but I can't help hadmire de way he'll handle dem cards, sometimes he'll hole four haces, some- times five, by gosh, Joe was got skin hivry time.

Den Julie was walk up to de bar an call for de drinks, she'll took cocktail an' lite fresh segar, den he'll put his arm around ole John Tebo's neck, and commence talk politic, an' discuss de League of Nashun. Bemby' I'll go up to Julie an' I'll ax him to come home wid me, an' what you spose he say? Course I will Pete. Am got kine lonesome for you, sometam, so I tought I'll go to de saloon an got quaint wid you.

When we got home de baby was black on his face wid cry, an' de dinner dish haint wash. Den when am sure nobody see me I'll say Julie, dis ees disgrace, you hought to be shame on yourself. What for youil do all dat. Am motion to broke you back, an fore nudder day ees down on top dis home I'll get divorce. When women ees got so low down like dat, she haint got no respec for himself 'tees time to disolve partnership an quit beesness.

Am draw myself up an look just like mad, an terreble as I can, but Julie haint got one bit scare. He say, Pete, taint no worser for women to go on top saloon an smoke an drink an play cards dan for men to done dat, an am like to tole you right here dat hevry time I'll see you go on Pete Fon- taine's saloon, I'll go dare too.

When Julie hanswers me like dat, I cant say some- ting. He look like he mean beesness, am like to know where Julie been got such crazy notion on top hees head, but Julie haint be on de saloon since, an am been afraid to go dare myself.

Sometime when am tink about eet, am tink Julie struck de whale on top de hed. What you tink about eet ?

Your Frein, Jo. TEBO.

BRUCE ANSON CUMMING. In the field of farm loans and real estate, a line of business which de- mands great ability and a comprehensive knowledge of values, Bruce Anson Cumming has made a de- cided success of his operations at Lewistown. He has achieved an enviable positon in business circles, not alone because of the brilliant success which he

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has achieved, but also on account of the honorable,. he has been continuously identified for twenty-six straightforward business policy he has ever fol- years. Beginning at the bottom of the ladder when twelve years old, his successive promotions prove the possession of those qualities which arouse re- spect, esteem and confidence in employers. Mr. Halgren came to Billings in 1913, but has been a resident of Montana since 1909. lowed. He possesses untiring energy, is quick of perception, forms his plans readily and is deter- mined in their execution, and his close application to business and his excellent management have brought to him the high degree of prosperity which is today his. He has demonstrated in his career the truth of the saying that success is not the re- sult of genius, but the outcome of clear judgment and experience.

Mr. Cumming was born on his father's farm in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, September 24, 1879, a son of William and Isabella A (Treanor) Cum- ming, natives of Canada. William Cumming was born in 1834, and on first coming to the United States as a young married man settled at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, but subsequently moved to Minnesota, where he became a pioneer of Blue Earth County. There he took up wild land, estab- lished his home, and in time developed a substan- tial and productive farm, upon which he died in 1909, at the age of seventy-five years, after having completed a useful and honorable career. He was first a whig and later a republican in politics, but did not desire public office. Mrs. Cumming, who was born in 1840, survives her husband and resides on the old Minnesota homestead. Of the family of four sons and three daughters, six children are living. The parents were God-fearing people and church members, and the children were reared to lives of honesty and industry.

The fifth in order of birth of his parents' chil- dren, Bruce Anson Cumming attended the public schools of Blue Earth County, Minnesota, the Dixon Business College and the Illinois Normal School, and in 1901 secured his first employment, as assist- ant cashier of the First National Bank of Minne- sota Lake, Minnesota. After about three and one- half years in that capactiy he removed to Hope, North Dakota, where he was bookkeeper for the First National Bank of Hope, a position in which he also had charge of the bank's general insur- ance business. After about three years he went to Blabon, North Dakota, and became cashier of the Blabon State Bank. This position he also held for about three years, but in the spring of 1911 came to Lewistown, where he established himself in the farm loans and real estate business, in which he has since continued with much success. His office is situated at No. 305 Montana Building. Mr. Cumming is essentially a product of the grow- ing, progressive Northwest, aggressive, enterpris- ing and energetic, alive to the fast-appearing op- portunities and strict in his conception of business ethics and principles. He is a republican in his po- litical adherence, and while residing at Blabon served as school treasurer and township clerk. He first became a member of Occidental Lodge No. 27, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Hope, North Dakota, but after centering his activities at Lewistown demitted and became a member of Lew- istown Lodge No. 37. He belongs also to Lewis- town Lodge No. 456 of the Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks.

On February 17, 1915, Mr. Cumming married Miss Edna M. Woodrum, and to this union there have been born two sons and one daughter: Mark Clin- ton, Donald William and the infant daughter.

WARNER L. HALGREN. To be classed with the dependable business men of a large city is no slight honor, and such classification belongs to Warren L. Halgren, manager for the Gamble Robinson Company branch house at Billings, with which firm

Warner L. Halgren was born at Watertown, Minnesota, January 3, 1881, and is a son of Frank L. and Carrie Belle (McKee) Halgren, the latter of whom was born in 1863, at Watertown, Minne- sota, and now resides at Los Angeles, California. The father, Frank L. Halgren, was born in 1858, on the Atlantic Ocean while his parents were com- ing to America from Stockholm, Sweden. They settled at Watertown, Minnesota, where he was reared and educated, and where until 1891 he was a schoolteacher. In' that year he removed to Mont- rose, Minnesota, where he was connected with the postal service on the Great Northern Railway, and died there. He was a republican in politics, and for many years was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He belonged to the Masonic fraternity. His three children all survive, namely: Warner L .; Forest G., who resides at Be- midji, Minnesota, is manager for the Gamble-Rob- inson Company at that point; and Josie, who re- sides with her mother.

Warner L. Halgren attended the public schools at Montrose and Minneapolis, and later took a business course in the Metropolitan Commercial College at Minneapolis. As early as 1893 he en- tered the employ of the Gamble Robinson Com- pany, working during vacations while attending school at Minneapolis, starting with the laudable ambition to be successful and has kept that end in view during the succeeding years. Recognition was given of his ability in 1901 when he was made a traveling representative for this house, and for eight years his territory was the State of Michigan. In 1909 he was stationed at Miles City. Montana, as manager of the Miles City branch of the busi- ness, and continued there until 1913, when he came to Billings to assume his present duties in a wider field. The company has commodious offices at No. 2707 Minnesota Avenue. The territory under Mr. Halgren's jurisdiction covers Northern Wyoming and Eastern Montana, and he has fourteen em- ployes under his supervision. The company handles fruits and vegetables wholesale, and the Billings branch, under Mr. Halgren, is in a very prosperous condition.

In 1906, at Manistique, Michigan, Mr. Halgren was married to Miss Elsie G. Brown, a daughter of the late E. C. and Ida Brown, the former of whom was a well known lumberman at Manistique. Mrs. Halgren is a graduate of the Manistique High School and the Ypsilanti Normal School. Mr. and Mrs. Halgren have one son, Warner Brown, who was born December 12, 1912. The family resides at No. 335 Clark Avenue, Billings. In his political affiliations Mr. Halgren has always been a republi- can. He has been active in Masonry for many years, and belongs to Ashlar Lodge No. 29, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Billings Chapter No. 6, Royal Arch Masons; and Aldemar Commandery No. 5, Knights Templar.

W. J. McMULLEN was reared and educated at Deer Lodge, and since early manhood has been connected with local commercial affairs. He is now one of the active partners in probably the leading drug business at Deer Lodge.

He was born at Mineral Point, Wisconsin, Octo- ber 23, 1887. The father M. McMullen was born

R.O. Downing

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in the same Wisconsin community in 1858, lived there until after his marriage, was a farmer and in 1890 came to Deer Lodge and engaged in the hard- ware business. However, his most successful efforts were in mining operations. He died at Deer Lodge in 1902. M. McMullen married Mary Bowen, who was born in England in 1860 and died at Deer Lodge June 1, 1918.

W. J. McMullen, only child of his parents, fin- ished the junior year of the Powell County High School and at the age of sixteen began doing for himself. He gained a valuable business experience and training as clerk in the Cash grocery store until 1907. For a year he was with the City Mercantile & Drug Company's store, and in 1908 opened a busi- ness for himself as a druggist, the firm name being Randall & McMullen. K. H. Wood bought the Ran- dall interests in 1917 and the firm is now McMullen & Wood. It is a growing business and they have a high class clientele and a splendid stock of goods and equipment in their store at 423 Main Street.

Mr. McMullen, who is unmarried is an independ- ent republican in politics, is a member of Lodge No. 14 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons at Deer Lodge, Valley Chapter No. 4 Royal Arch Masons, Ivanhoe Commandery No. 16 Knight Templars, Bagdad Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Butte, and Anaconda Lodge No. 239 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Mr. McMullen owns a modern home on Fifth Street in Deer Lodge.

WALTER O. DOWNING, at the head of a prominent real estate and insurance business at Lewistown, is a man of interesting Montana experience, having lived in the territory and state over thirty-five years.

He was born in Elizabethtown, Minnesota, March 14, 1875, a son of Christopher and Roseta (Els- worth) Downing. His father, who was born at Monroe, Michigan, in 1839, was a farmer, but left his plow at the call of his country and enlisted in Company A of the Fourth Michigan Infantry on June 5, 1861. He went to the war for a three-year term, but experienced such hardships that he was granted an honorable discharge November 19, 1863, at the General Hospital at Washington, District of Columbia. He returned home with health broken, but lived until 1876, his death being the direct re- sult of his army service. He was a stanch republican in politics. His wife was born May 17, 1853, at St. Clair, Michigan, and came to Montana with her second husband, J. M. Weldon. By her marriage to Christopher Downing she was the mother of two children, Laura and Walter. The former is the wife of Edward M. Nave, of Fergus County.

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 29

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