Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 37

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 37

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He is a democrat in politics and is affiliated with Lewistown Lodge No. 37. Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Mason, and Hiram Chapter No. 15, Royal Arch Mason. He is also an active member of the Chamber of Commerce.

On June 27, 1911, Mr. Bell married Miss Louise

Marie Martinson. She was born at St. Peter, Min- nesota, daughter of John and Ellen Martinson. She has one brother, Edward Martinson. Mr. and Mrs. Bell have two children, Vinette Ellen and John Frederick.

PAUL BEHRENDT, proprietor of the Auto Machine Shop of Billings, is one of the substantial men of the city. He was born near Berlin, Germany, Sep- tember 26, 1870, a son of Joachim Behrendt, also born near Berlin in 1833, and he died in Germany in 1894, having always lived in his native land. Early in life he was a farmer, but later became a veterinarian for the German Government, on a government breeding farm. Like other Germans of his period, he gave the required military service in the regular German army. The Lutheran Church had in him a devout member. Joachim Behrendt was married to Dorothy Ronnebeck, born, reared and died near Berlin. Their children were as fol- lows: Agnes, who is deceased; Rudolph, who lives near Berlin; Herman, who is a teacher in Germany ; Paul, whose name heads this review; Theodore, who conducts a sporting goods store at Billings, Montana, came to the United States in 1895; Louise, who lives in Germany; and Martha, who is also living in Germany.

Paul Behrendt attended the public schools of his native land and there learned the machinist trade. In October, 1894, he came to the United States, and for the first four years lived at San Francisco, California, where he worked at his trade, leaving that city for Livingston, Montana, where for two years he worked for the United States Government in the Yellowstone National Park during the summer months, and during the winter ones he was with the Northern Pacific Railroad. In 1900 Mr. Behrendt came to Billings and established a repair shop, which has expanded into an automobile machine shop and supply house, located at Nos. 2413-2415 First Avenue, North, of which he is the sole pro- prietor. He gives employment to six hands, and turns out excellent work. His modern residence. located at No. 211 North Twenty-Sixth Street, is owned by him. Mr. Behrendt is a republican. He belongs to the Lutheran Church.

In 1903 Mr. Behrendt was married at Billings to Miss Freida Brey, a daughter of Henry Brey, both of whom were born at Hamburg, Germany, where Mr. Brey still resides. Mr. and Mrs. Behrendt have the following children: Paul, who was born in 1905; Eleanor, who was born in 1907; Helen, who was born in 1909; Marguerite, who was born in 1912; Louise, who was born in 1915; and Richard. who was born in 1918. A carefully trained work- man, Mr. Behrendt is able to render an efficient service, and to extract from his employes the best of their work. His success is entirely due to his industry and sound business sense, and is well merited.

ALBERT A. LA BAR. Dating back to colonial days is the La Bar family, which was then founded in this country by a representative who left France, then in a disturbed condition, and sought freedom beyond the seas. Since then members of this hon- ored family have been associated with the develop- ment of different sections, some of them leaving the initial place of settlement, Pennsylvania, for Iowa, North Dakota, California, Montana and other states, all of them occupying places of trust and responsibility and holding the respect of their fel- low citizens. Laurel, Montana, is the home of one of the younger members of this family, Albert A. La Bar, who is capably managing the lumber yards

Paul Behrendt.

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of the Thompson Lumber Company, Incorporated, of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Albert A. La Bar was born in Palo Alta County, Iowa, June 18, 1880, a son of E. G. La Bar, now living on his fruit ranch at Portersville, California. E. G. La Bar was born at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, in 1841, and was reared in that city, later going to Iowa and engaging in farming in Palo Alta County until 1885, when he removed to Trail County, North Dakota, being one of the pioneer farmers of that section. In 1913 he went to Porters- ville, California, where he owns and conducts a valuable orchard ranch of considerable proportions. In politics he is an independent. E. G. La Bar was married to Matilda Ingbretson, born in Norway in 1846, and their children are as follows: Carrie, who married Olaus Lee, a hardware merchant of Roth, North Dakota; Albert A., who was the sec- ond in order of birth; Cora, who is married, lives with her husband, a locomotive engineer, at Glen- dive, Montana, where he owns a homestead ranch ; Samuel, who has a homestead near Custer, Mon- tana; and Eva, who is at home with her parents.

Albert A. La Bar has been very carefully edu- cated, first in the rural schools of Trail County, North Dakota, and the high school of Hillsboro, North Dakota, after which he was a student of Grand Forks College at Grand Forks, North Da- kota, for two years, completing his educational training at the state agricultural college at Fargo, North Dakota, where he was for two seasons. Leaving college, Mr. La Bar put to practical use the instruction he had there obtained by engaging in farming in Trail County until he was twenty- three years old. His inclinations, however, were for a business career, and he formed connections with the Valley Lumber Company at Taft, North Dakota, which continued for two years, during which time he was manager of the company. He . then held for four years the same position with the Tolna, North Dakota, branch of the same company, leaving it in 1910 to engage with the O'Neil Lumber Company at Kalispell, Montana. On January 28, 1917, Mr. La Bar located at Laurel, Montana, coming here to become general manager for the Laurel yards of the Thompson Lumber Company, Incorporated, of Minneapolis, Minne- sota, which position he still retains. The offices and yards are on Main Street.

In 1904 Mr. La Bar was married to Miss Mar- tina Lee, at Hillsboro, North Dakota. She is a daughter of O. C. Lee, now deceased, although his widow survives him and lives at Kalispell, Mon- tana. Mr. and Mrs. La Bar have the following children : Almeda, who was born January 14, 1907; Elaine, who was born February 12, 1910; and Alem, who was born June 4, 1914. Mr. La Bar is a re- publican. He belongs to Tolna Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Tolna, North Dakota. One of the best lumbermen in this part of the state, Mr. La Bar is conducting the affairs of his com- pany with efficient alertness, and the annual volume of business is showing a gratifying increase. He is essentially a western product, and is typical of the aggressive, progressive spirit of his part of the country, which is producing so many worth- while men and women. Still in the heyday of his youth and enthusiasm, he has already achieved business distinction, and the future spreads prom- isingly before him. Although a newcomer to Laurel, he has the best interests of the city at heart, and is justly numbered among its most representative men and public-spirited citizens.

HENRY J. FAUST. The people of a commonwealth cannot be too careful in their selection of men to represent them in the assemblies of their state for in the hands of these legislators rests the welfare of the interests of all classes. The power is vested in them to enact laws which will work for weal or woe, according to their characters, and to even amend the constitution. Fortunately for Montana the greater number of its representatives in both houses have been men of the highest character and standing, whose pride in their state and its develop- ment has made them put aside all personal consid- eration and work together to further improve con- ditions and provide for new questions which are bound to arise in any section. One of the men who measures up to the highest standards both as a state representative and private citizen, and who has in his office been of inestimable value to his district and state, is Henry J. Faust, a merchant of Drummond.

Henry J. Faust was born in Chisago County, Minnesota, March 25, 1867, a son of Elias P. Faust, born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, near the border, in 1828, who died in Chisago County, Min- nesota, in 1885. He remained in his native land until he was twenty-six years of age, during which time he gave his country the obligatory military service, and then in 1854 left it for the United States. After landing in this country, he came direct to Chisago County, Minnesota, and there took up a homestead of 160 acres of land and became a successful farmer. In time he added to his orig- inal farm until he owned 330 acres of valuable land and died on his property. From the time he secured his papers of citizenship he was a republican, and was elected on his party ticket assessor of Chisago Township, Chisago County, for fifteen successive terms, his sterling integrity being universally ad- mitted. He was also elected road supervisor, and was otherwise prominent. In addition to all these activities he was popular as an auctioneer, and his services as such were claimed whenever any sales of importance were held for miles around. The Lutheran Church had in him a faithful member. Like so many of his fellow countrymen, Elias P. Faust was not backward in giving his adopted coun- try the benefit of his former military training and was a soldier in the Union army from 1863 until the close of the war between the North and the South. He married Christina Johnson, who was born in Sweden in 1830, and she died in Chisago County, Minnesota, in 1902. Their children were as follows: Lou, who died unmarried at Ovando, Montana; Mabel C., who married Charles A. Jak- ways, a retired rancher of Missoula, Montana; and Henry J., whose name heads this review, who at- tained to maturity, and nine who died in infancy.

Henry J. Faust attended the rural schools of his native county, and the high school at Marine Mills on the St. Croix, Minnesota. Following this for two years he was a student of Gustavus Adolphus College at St. Peter, Minnesota, and completed his studies with a business course at the Anoka Business College of Anoka, Minnesota, from which he was graduated in 1885. Although he passed the exam- ination for teachers and received a certificate entitling him to teach school, he never made use of it, preferring a business career.

The first connection Mr. Faust had with mer- cantile life was as a clerk in a store at Lindstrom. Minnesota, where he also served as assistant post- master, and he continued this association for three years. In 1890 he came to Montana and for the first six months was a clerk for Weinstein & Com-

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pany, merchants of Philipsburg. At the expiration of that period he was sent to Drummond, then barely beginning its existence, as check clerk and relief agent for the Northern Pacific Railroad and held that position for two years. In the meanwhile he was forming connections and building up an ' acquaintance, and when he formed a partnership with C. A. Jakways, his brother-in-law, and estab- lished the firm of Jakways & Faust, general mer- chants of Ovando, Montana, he found these of con- siderable value. The firm, founded in 1892, con- tinued as a partnership until 1904 when the business was incorporated as the Blackfoot Commercial Com- pany, with Messrs. Faust and Jakways and E. C. Johnson as stockholders and officials. The company branched out so as to include the handling of. real estate and this became so important that the com- pany sold the mercantile interests, but still operate extensively in realty. Mr. Faust still holds his interest in this concern.

In the meanwhile Mr. Faust was appointed post- master of Ovando, and served for ten consecutive years as such, and for twelve years was United States commissioner, rendering the Federal Govern- ment a faithful and efficient service in both offices.

In August, 1915, Mr. Faust came to Drummond and purchased the interests of the Featherman Mer- cantile Company, associating with him in his new venture Charles M. Bassett, renaming the concern the Faust-Bassett Company, which caption it still retains. This is the leading department store of Drummond and Granite County, and is conveniently located on the corner of Main and Broad streets.

A stalwart republican, Mr. Faust has long been a leader in his party, and was elected on its ticket as a representative to the lower house of the State Assembly from Powell County in 1902, and again in 1918, from Granite. In the last session he served on the Highways, Education, State Institutions, Public Health, Libraries, Trades and Commerce, Horticultural and Equal Suffrage committees, and introduced and had passed the bill allowing extracts for culinary purposes to be sold in Montana. In every way possible he served his constituents and made a record that will be a valuable campaign document if he cares to continue in public life.

Mr. Fanst belongs to Ruby Lodge No. 36, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is senior warden; Hope Chapter, No. 10, Royal Arch Masons of Philipsburg; Ivanhoe Commandery, Knights Templar of Deer Lodge; Hellgate Lodge No. 383, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of Missoula; and George Thomas Camp, Sons of Veterans, of Deer Lodge. He is president of the Drummond Commercial Club and has been very active in its work and is a booster for Greater Drummond. In addition to his other interests he is president of the Drummond Light & Power Com- pany, a director in the Drummond State Bank, owns a modern residence in Drummond, his store build- ing which is the largest structure in the city, and 520 acres of valuable ranch land in the Blackfoot Valley.

Mr. Faust's son, Marvin Dwight, who was born in 1002 at Ovando, Montana, was graduated from the Mount Vernon High School at Mount Vernon, Washington in the spring of 1919, at that time being honored by being made salutatorian of his class. This young man who is exhibiting considerable bril- liancy, is now a student in the University of Mich- igan at Ann Arbor, Michigan.

FRANK H. LE SAGE. As the largest city of Mon- tana Butte offers exceptional opportunities to aggres- sive business men in almost every line of endeavor,

and one of them who is taking advantage of these openings is Frank H. Le Sage, president and manager of the National Supply Company. He was born at Eagle Harbor, Michigan, on June 9, 1882, a son of Joseph Le Sage, now residing at No. 1010 Nevada Avenue, Butte.

Joseph Le Sage was born at Eagle River, Mich- igan, on June 8, 1863, and was there reared, edu- cated and married. His parents were pioneers of this region, having come from the East. The fam- ily is of French-German descent, representatives of it coming to the Michigan settlement. After work- ing in the saw-mill of Eagle River for a time Joseph Le Sage moved to Eagle Harbor, Michigan, con- tinuing his connection with the saw-mill industry. In 1885 he came to Montana, and was one of the pioneer miners of this region, and is still engaged in this occupation, being now mining engineer for the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. In politics he is a democrat, but he has never cared to enter public life. The Roman Catholic Church holds his membership.

The maiden name of the wife of Joseph Le Sage was Barbara Otis, and she was born in Germany on March 12, 1863, and was brought to the United States in 1864 by her parents, Frank and Gertrude Otis. Frank Otis was born in Germany in 1834, and died at Butte, Montana, in 1904, his widow surviv- ing him and making her home at Butte. In 1864 Frank Otis located at Eagle Harbor, Michigan, where his daughter Mrs. Le Sage was reared and married, and there he conducted a brewery. In 1883 Mr. Otis came to Butte, Montana, and con- tinued to work as a miner until his death. Joseph Le Sage and his wife have the following children : Frank H., who is the oldest; May, who married William Turner, pumpman for the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, resides at No. 1210 East ·Galena Street, Butte; William, who is a miner for the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, resides with, his parents; Hattie, who married Walter Dedrick, lives at San Diego, California; Charles, who is a carpenter for the Anaconda Copper Mining Com- pany, lives with his parents; and Frances, who is a telephone operator, resides with her parents. The sixth child, Joseph, died at Butte when eighteen years old.

Frank H. Le Sage attended the public schools of Butte and the Butte Business College, from which he was graduated in 1912. In the meanwhile, when only fifteen years old, he began working for the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, but two years later left it for the Butte Electric Company, now the Montana Power Company. Starting in as an oiler, through steady application and hard work he rose to be engineer and still later to be chief electrician at the station. After ten years with that company he connected himself with the Butte Electric Supply Company as foreman, remaining with it from 1909 to 1914. In the latter year Mr. Le Sage organized the National Electric Company and incorporated it, and handles everything in electrical goods. The offices and store are at No. 204 West Park Street. From somewhat small beginnings Mr. Le Sage has built up one of the largest concerns of its kind in Western Montana. The officials of the company are as follows: Frank H. Le Sage, pres- ident and manager; and Mrs. Frank H. Le Sage, secretary and treasurer.

In his political views Mr. Le Sage finds the principles of the democratic party in accordance with his ideas in national matters, but when it comes to local affairs he usually votes independently. Fra- ternally he belongs to Butte Lodge No. 240, Be- nevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He owns

S.C. Wear

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HISTORY OF MONTANA

his modern residence at No. 938 California Avenue and other real estate at Butte.

In 1907 Mr. Le Sage was married at Butte to Miss Edna Haney, born at Creston, Iowa, a daugh- ter of Charles D. Haney, who was born in Pennsyl- vania in. 1846, and died at Butte in 1904. After being reared and educated in Pennsylvania, and shortly after attaining his majority, Mr. Haney went to Creston, Iowa, where he was married, and where he became foreman at the freight house of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. In 1904 he came West to Butte, where his death occurred. He was a democrat and a member of the Congre- gational Church, and was a very religions man and active supporter of the church. His fraternal rela- tions were those connected with his membership with the Odd Fellows, Modern Woodmen of America and Woodmen of the World. He married Martha Rusk, who was born in New York State in 1864, and she survives him and lives at Los Angeles, California. The children born to Charles D. Haney and wife were as follows: Frank D., who is with the Northern Pacific Railroad, lives at Billings, Mon- tana; Mrs. Le Sage; Erla, who married James P. Hennessy, lives at Los Angeles, California; and Robert D., who died at the age of twelve years. Mrs. Le Sage was educated at the public schools of Creston, Iowa, and went through the sophomore year of the high school course, when she entered the Creston Conservatory of Music, from which she was graduated in 1904, and is a skilled instrumental musician. Coming to Butte, Montana, in 1904 with her parents, she taught music to private pupils until her marriage. She is now very often called upon to use her talents at public concerts and special entertainments. An active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, she oftentimes officiates at the organ and donates her services in musical affairs connected with the church. Mr. and Mrs. Le Sage have one son, Frank D., who was born on Septem- ber 28, 1910. Mr. and Mrs. Le Sage are the center of a very congenial social circle, and Mrs. Le Sage occupies a high position among the musical people of Butte. As a business man Mr. Le Sage's ca- pabilities are unquestioned and his prosperity is the result of his own efforts and farsightedness.

HENRY B. GIBSON. During the past twenty years the court proceedings of the Tenth Judicial District of Montana have been recorded by Henry B. Gib- son, official court reporter. In this long period he has witnessed and placed on record hundreds of trials, many of which have been history-making in their character. Few men are better known among the members of the legal profession and the judi- ciary, and his accurate, painstaking and expeditious labors have been commented upon frequently in a complimentary way by men high up in the councils of the state.

Mr. Gibson was born at Creston, Ogle County, Illinois, December 8, 1870, a son of Emery Menzo and Henrietta (Buss) Gibson, being the second of three sons born to his parents. His father was born in New York State, January 25, 1846, and as a mere lad went to Creston, Illinois, where he met and married Miss Buss, who had been born in England, May 5, 1850. When he was a lad of but sixteen years Emery M. Gibson had run away from home and his widowed mother and enlisted in the Union army, fighting with the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under Generals Thomas and Sherman, in all the skirmishes and battles of his command. At the close of the war he was given his honor- able discharge and returned to Ogle County, where

he was variously employed until elected county treasurer, a position which he retained for several terms. In 1896 he went overland to California and located in San Diego County, where he engaged in the apiary business, and continued therein for twenty years. Eventually he went to Utah, where he is at this time engaged in coal mining. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and in politics is a stanch republican. The death of Mrs. Gibson occurred in 1896.

Henry B. Gibson attended the public schools of Ogle County, Illinois, and after learning stenog- raphy, at the age of fifteen years, secured employ- ment with H. H. Cardell, a lawyer at Perry, Iowa. Later he went to Des Moines, Iowa, where he worked for the Green Bay Lumber Company, and subsequently was employed by the same concern in their office at Rhinelander, Wisconsin. In 1890 Mr. Gibson came to Helena, Montana, where he entered the offices of the Northern Pacific Railway as stenographer in the transportation department, but was subsequently transferred to the telegraphers and general ticket agent's office. Upon leaving the employ of the Northern Pacific he was employed for about one year in the office of Atty. Gen. Henry J. Haskell, following which for about six months he was employed by the First National Bank of Helena. When he left the employ of that institution he returned to the Northern Pacific as telegraph operator and assistant ticket agent, and remained in those capacities until 1899. In Sep- tember of that year Mr. Gibson was appointed court reporter for the Tenth Judicial District, lo- cated at that time at Fort Benton. In December, 1000, when the court was changed to Lewistown, Mr. Gibson took up his residence here and has continued in the same capacity to the present time. He is a member of Lewistown Lodge No. 37, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and Lewistown Lodge No. 456, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a republican in his political senti- ments.

On December 14, 1898, Mr. Gibson was married to Miss Fredericka Nord, who was born in Canada, and to this union there have been born five children, of whom four are living: Dudley B., who while attending high school volunteered in the Students' Army Training Camp in October, 1918, and was honorably discharged in December, 1918; Evelyn and Edward Nord, twins, attending high school; and Emery Menzo, also a high school student.

SAMUEL C. WEAVER. Lewistown experienced the loss of one of its best and most aggressive citizens in an automobile accident that instantly killed Samuel C. Weaver, head of the Judith Automobile Company and a popular and prominent business man.

Mr. Weaver, whose death occurred while driving his car between Judith Gap and Harlowton on February 7, 1919, had been a resident of Montana for over a quarter of a century. He was born at Myrtle Creek in Douglas County, Oregon, February JI, 1873, son of James B. and Sarah Ann (Wright) Weaver, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Missouri. His father was an early settler in Missouri, went overland to California in 1850, and from there moved to Douglas County, Oregon, where he married and where he spent most of his remaining years as a hotel man, merchant and farmer. He died in 1906, at the age of seventy-two, and his wife died in 1882.

Samuel C. Weaver acquired his education in the public schools of Oregon and was eighteen years of age when in 1891 he came to Montana and began riding the range. He was a cowboy four or five

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Montana, its story and biography; a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood, Volume II, Part 37

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